I spent a day with Mr Fitzpatrick at Sheringham Hall - and nearby - when Geoff Goddard and I did a Salon road test of Douglas's Metallurgique-Maybach for 'Road & Track' magazine. I can't recall meeting Mr Upcher that day, but we certainly met 'Gerry the German mechanic' and were offered tea/coffee and sandwiches - beautifully quartered - by a strikingly handsome (spectacularly honey-tanned and decidedly camp) blonde fellow named Sven (I think) who was wearing the tightest bright white tee-shirt I have ever seen.
Neither Geoff nor I felt particularly at ease amidst this isolated and very self-contained ménage, but in conversation Douglas was very forthcoming about his great - if peculiar - car and was undoubtedly a fellow enthusiast for nearly all things motoring.
It was a broiling hot day as we tried with Gerry to fire up the M-M in the stable yard at Sheringham Hall. Partway through the process, which involved cranking the Maybach engine with a 4-foot long crank lever, there was suddenly a shattering bang from the side of the Hall, about 40 feet above us, then a clattering, shattering series of thuds and clunks and clangs.
A cast-iron gutter had expanded so much in the scorching sunlight that - probably after 100-150 years (or more) of such summertime treatment it expanded beyond its resilience and had finally shattered.
Fortunately nobody was hit by the falling, flying, bouncing yet heavyweight shrapnel. Even so, Gerry responded to the unexpected shock by rushing about waving his arms, bawling at the top of his heavily German-accented voice, "Mister Douglas! - Mister Douglas! Die...".(pause for thought) "...'troffen' ist KAPUT!!!".
I fear that neither Geoff nor I could maintain our thus far determinedly 'brucester' sang froid - and we both burst out in hysterical laughter.
Out on the road in the M-M, Douglas more than got his own back. I quickly decided that I was not man enough to drive the mighty Met competently, nor safely, and I asked him to take over and demonstrate. Which he did. Most competently. Cruising at up to 70-80mph on curving Norfolk roads proved highly impressive. In the Salon test text I owned up to my wimpishness that day, and described how I had tried, but failed.
And from my people-watcher's perspective, what a gay day it had proved to be...
But whatever else his accomplishments, Douglas Fitzpatrick was, of course, a very prominent and significant member of the Vintage Sports Car Club - over very many years - and the majestic Metallurgique-Maybach will forever be identified with him.
DCN
Edited by Doug Nye, 25 January 2022 - 20:04.