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AC Buckland competing 1953-59. Any more info?


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#1 acbuckland1953

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Posted 03 January 2013 - 11:18

Hi

I am currently restoring a 1953 AC Buckland which was owned by one of the founding members of the AC Owners' Club - Harold Day. Harold was put in charge of increasing the competitive involvement of the club and its members and in doing so, competed with the car many times over the course of his six year ownership - often as part of the 8-clubs sprint events.

I know that he competed in the car (registration PAR 419) at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and at Goodwood, as well as on many point-to-point rallies. His drive at Goodwood is particularly poignant as in doing so on 25 July 1953, PAR 419 became the first AC to compete at the Chichester circuit.

I am lucky enough to have a number of photographs from his outings, but would love to find more. His daughters also told me that along with Harold they competed in "the first 48-hour RAC rally" in the car, although I am having trouble working out exactly what year that may have been. If anyone can help with any information or have any photographs that may feature PAR 419 then please let me know!

Here are just a few of the images I already have:

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Many thanks in advance of any information you may have.
Martin


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#2 Allan Lupton

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Posted 03 January 2013 - 13:11

The ACOC was one of the eight founder members of the Eight Clubs which existed (1949-2002) to promote a race meeting at Silverstone, so races, not sprints, were what Mr Day and his car competed in. Those were either handicap races or scratch races made up of a group of competitors which were estimated to have similar performance. Just the thing for an AC Buckland and similar cars which were not racers by any standards, now or then.
There was also a High Speed Trial where a target number of laps had to be covered in a specified time, and originally a pit stop (to change a plug?) was included. I'd say that photo with the bonnet up and cars passing was a pit stop on an HST.
That second photo, including the Timekeepers' Box at Silverstone, is very much how it was in the 1950s as are the sprint photos where we see hubcaps still in place!