If you love really old racing cars, there’s nothing better than the action at Goodwood. In this case, it’s the 74th Member’s Meet, a 20 minute a race for specials that had actually raced in 1923 or earlier. A number of these cars are over 100 years old. And they’re being raced at the very edge (and beyond) of the adhesion of their skinny little tires.
This first video is of the cars heading out of the paddock to the race track. The second, after the jump, shows the racing action.
Very impressive, to see them slipping and sliding, right into the grass even.
Impressive! I wonder how fast these cars can go? It looks as though they were making at least 60, which would’ve been pretty impressive 100 years ago!
Some would be capable of quite a bit more than that even back in the day. Few would have had decent brakes to stop from such speeds though!
Slightly over 100 years ago Vauxhall had a 3 litre car good for 100mph.
That was very cool. Thanks Paul! I reckon these cars are in better mechanical shape today than when they were new.
Reminds me of the opening scenes of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – absolutely fantastical!
The first Indy 500 was won at an average speed of 74mph. That means in 1911, they were breaking 100 in the straights. Don’t forget, in 1906 I believe a Stanley Steamer hit 127 mph.
Wow, I watched this with a mix of awe and fear. Those guys are really hanging out on the edge! A mixup or, godforbid, a flip would have a very serious effect, but what excitement. And the cars are nothing short of beautiful, and beautifully in their element.
One could say the term “brass era” in this case refers to the required anatomy to drive these cars flat out! Can you imagine 6 hrs. of this on cobble stone? There is a saying in vintage auto racing. If you break it ,you have to make it. Although little publicized, the Marmon Wasp chucked a rod through the block during the 2011 Indy 500 opening ceremonies after completing 2 parade laps with Parnelli Jones at the wheel. Oops.
Wow, I had not heard about the Wasp, and I even live in Indy! Little publicized is right. That won’t be a quick fix.
Cool! I would imagine that as fast as the tech was improving in those years, anything built before WWI would probably not have a prayer in a race like this. The difference in racing between 1913 and 1923 would have been huge.
Fantastic post, Paul!
Do they run anything like this in the USA? If so, I might need to adjust my bucket list.
Thanks for sharing this.
The Goodwood revival is worth a post too, and I’ll try to find some video I get a decent connection agsin