1960s Sportsman Register

[mikemcd]

I'm investigating the survival of examples of the Vanguard Sportsman model. To my surprise, I've discovered that this was initially attempted in 1968 (when the cars were only 12 years old or less) with the establishment of a Sportsman Register. This was set up by a Geoff Smith,based in Wolverhampton - I've no idea whether this had any connection with the Club. They had at least one outing - to Canley, where around 10 examples of the Sportsman turned up. My very helpful source on this has even been able to provide me with a badge of the Register, but is unable to locate any lists of members cars. He is clear however that one edition of the Standard Review of around that time included an article on the Register.
I'd therefore be very grateful if someone who has copies of the Review of around that time (+/- a year or two) would be able to look for that article, and either let me know the edition or preferably let me have a copy of the article.
And, of course, if anyone has any more information on the register I'd be very grateful for anything you've got.
Many thanks

Mike

[herald948]

Any chance of getting a photo of that badge?

[mikemcd]

Hopefully that should work.

[RhylBM2877]

The Standard Register was founded in 1959 by the late John Davy to record the Edwardian and Vintage survivors. (Pre 1931) A Post Vintage section (for cars from 1931 - 1940) was then formed two years later by the late Richard Levin. Geoff Smith formed a Sportsman Register in 1968 because by then the cars were getting rare.

The Standard Register Trust (which changed its name to the Standard Motor Club in 1977) was formed in January 1974.

There was a Standard Register newsletter which was called "Stanalgia" which was published up to 1976. When I get chance I will look through my copies of Stanalgia and see if I can find any Sportman Register articles. Although these are split between my address here in Cirencester and my brothers house at Malmesbury. So you will have to bear with me on this one.

As you will see on another post, my father owned an example from 1972 - 1975 (registration number 11 BKX) which a subsequent owner used for racing and then crashed.

[mikemcd]

Len

Many thanks for this. Much appreciate your offer to check "Stanalgia" (great name!) for Sportsman articles. Although my source did identify the Standard Review as containing the article he remembers, clearly the Register newsletter may have covered the Sportsman Register as well.

11 BKX was one of the cars at the Canley outing I mentioned above. There was an amateur cine film of the event - unfortunately now deteriorated so much as to be totally unclear. However about three registration numbers were identified and your father's car was one of them (before he owned it as this was 1968). I do have a copy of a (Nick Georgano) photo of my car dated 1969 - I can't tell however whether my car was at the Canley gathering.

Thanks again, Mike

[RhylBM2877]

My father purchased 11 BKX from the late Tom Yates (father of Club member Brian Yates, who drives a Standard 8) who lived in Leighton Buzzard. So it is fair assumption to make, that at the Canley gathering in the late 1960's it would have been during Tom Yates ownership.

[sportsman]

11 bkx al lthough i owned the carfor a while it was sold to chriss Dennis who subsequently raced it .see pictures ,however i cannot recall its demise not sure it was crashed ! any info would be interesting .I also owned UUL 305 .11VXA (an auto) Luk 747 and another reg temporally forgotten
I would be keen to chat with any Sportsman Owner and swop notes

[Phil Hetherington]

Did you spot the Sportsman Estate on 'Car and Classic' recently? It sold pretty quickly, not sure if the photos are still on the site.

EDIT: Yes, a Google search finds it. TDD chassis plate confirmed (but number not given), registration 7900AC. It doesn't have the Sportsman grille and is stated as a 1959 car.

The Sportsman saloon recently sold on eBay (see other thread) has its full chassis number quoted in the listing, TDD552DLO (what does the O mean by the way?) but has most probably lost its registration GS4.

[mikemcd]

The guy selling the saloon was very helpful - he got the chassis number for me (before putting it on the eBay listing) and sent me some extra photos.
The O in the chassis number stands for Overdrive - a standard feature on all Sportsmans so a bit unnecessary.
I had no reply from the person selling the estate, but it was over Christmas - perhaps it will resurface at some point.

Mike

[petefoster]

The "Sportsman" estate has been bought and now resides in the Cotswolds, apparently it is in very solid condition, the owner has joined the club.

[Phil Hetherington]

Good news Pete. How many Sportsman estates are known to survive?

[petefoster]

I think that's the first genuine one to turn up. There is at least one being recreated using a Vanguard estate body with Sportsman front end. There is also a very late 1960 Sportsman saloon , which was a genuine factory build, being restored in Letchworth, which looks like a Vignale Vanguard in appearance but has a TDD commission number. Apparently around 50 , mostly estates, may have been built after official Sportsman production ended.

[sportsman]

Does anyone have an Estate picture ?

[mikemcd]

Google Vanguard sportsman estate 1959 and you should find the ad Phil identifies above. Externally it looks like the normal Vanguard estate. Presumably they had a load of Sportsman engines left and fitted them to vanguard bodies to special order.
Mike

[peter]

see

www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C569481