THE BURFORD MICRO-CAR RALLY

by Tony Marshall (published in the Isetta Gazette Sept. 1979)

I am often asked how it is I know so many people with Micro-cars, or how I have managed to find some of the weird and wonderful devices that I and Malcolm had on show at Wallington last month. There really isn't any magic. I do not have access to the computer at Swansea. If I did it would probably give me all the wrong answers to my questions, anyway! I don't get the Exchange & Mart from a secret source that sells it early. The answer is that most of the people I know, and many of the cars that I have bought, have found me, rather than the other way round. Now I know you want to know how I cultivated this charisma, this magnetism that attracts micro-cars and their owners. Is it my aftershave? Is it the drink that refreshes parts other drinks cannot reach? Is it the toothpaste ring of confidence? Nope! None of these! The answer is that I was lucky enough to organise the first Burford Rally in 1975. If someone else had done it, what would I be doing now, I wonder?

The first rally was the result of a misunderstanding. I had been to a Rally of historic vehicles in June, 1973 at the Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford. I was impressed by the vehicles on show. There really were some beauties, vintage cars, buses, and lorries, all in pristine condition. I was also impressed with the Wildlife Park itself. It was well laid out, with several areas where visitors walked between large enclosures housing animals in what seemed to be as near as possible their natural environment. The sun was shining, and it really was a good day out. It must have made a lasting impression on me, because, when I was working on some plans for outings for the Messerschmitt Owners Club for the next year (I was Southern Area Organiser for a while) I decided to write a letter to the Wild Life Park management to see what other events they had planned which might be of interest to the MOC.

I cannot have written my letter very clearly, because the reply I received did not mention anything about other events, but offered me a choice of dates for the Rally I wanted to hold! This provided plenty of laughs at the next club meeting I went to.

After a while, though, I began to develop the merest spark of an idea. I had purchased a Scootercar Mark 2 in July 1973, ostensibly because it had good tyres on it suitable for a Messerschmitt, but I suspect that there was another reason. Could it be that I wanted to drive it? I still have the Scootercar, and still haven't driven it, but a least it still has its tyres on! This monstrosity led me to believe that perhaps there were other people around with other three wheelers which were not eligible for membership of any clubs. The one's that immediately came to mind were the Isetta's, Heinkel's, Scootercar, and for some reason, the A.C.Petite. Why not, I mused, take up the offer of the use of an area of land at the park to organise a rally for all makes. Well, most makes, anyway. I was anxious that we wouldn't be over run by Reliants! I asked around and got a luke warm reception from most people. They did not thinh that it would work, but they would do all they could to help.

And so it came to pass that the first ever multi make three wheeler rally was to take place at Burford on 21st September 1975. It was for all three wheelers, and certain four whhelers such as the Berkelet, Isetta and Messerschmitt Tiger. I had absolutely no idea how many cars would turn up. I had the support of a lot of friends in the MOC, and had approached the Berkeley Owners Club, and Bond Info.

I willquote from a report of the rally which appeared in Kabinews, the magazine of the MOC;

"Tony Marshall's Micro-car rally at Burford attracted no less than 72 vehicles, and for once the Messerschmitts were outnumbered by Bond Minicars. Among the makes represented were Isetta's, Heinkel's, Trojan's, Reliant's, Berkeleys, two ABC's, a Frisky, a Zundapp Janus (from Holland) and of course the Bond Minicars and the Messerschmitts. Present from abroad were Walt Carnahan from the USA, and Sjoerd ter Burg from Holland. Clive Swindell from the GB Club came 305 miles in his immaculate Schmitt from Barrow-in-Furness and returned the same day..."

I can see those Bonds arriving, even now. We had all been standing round, wondering whether the day was going to be as unsuccessful as everybody had prophesised when suddenly, a convoy of twenty Bonds arrived nose to tail. A sight never to be forgotten. The rally was a roaring success. It would be interesting to know how many of those cars still come to Burford with the same occupants. I know that the Frisky never returned. Shortly after that first rally it was sold to Otto Kunecke, and now forms part of the British car section at the Automuseum Störy. The Zundapp which caused so much interest way back then is now the one which belongs to Malcolm and me.

Having been so lucky with the weather, and with everybody joining in the spirit of the Rally that first year, I decided to try it again in 1976. This time, though, I called it a 'Micro-Car Rally'. I had discovered that there were so many four wheeler cars which ought to be allowed to attend that I based my ruling on that used by the Dutch Rally that was to take place one week before Burford. This required that cars should be post war, out of production, and under 600cc engine size. Even this classification caused a few problems with cars like the Berkeley fitted with the 700cc Royal Enfield engines, but nobody seemed to object. This year saw the first of the Peels. Malcolm Goldsworthy drove his P50, purchased only the week previously, all the way from Farningham, Kent, in the morning, and home again in the evening. A magnificent perfomance covering 102 miles each way. He has nearly recovered now! Again, the more common makes were well represented, but there was one unique car, the Hartnell, a one off using battery power and built on a mini's sub frames. Malcolm Thomas took the Vespa along, having returned from Holland in it just a week earlier, and there was an NSU Prinz all the way from Hungary! 1976 was also the year when the various firms I had approached for gifts to be presented as prizes were particularly generous. It was almost embarrassing having so much to give away. Now back to the beginning again. If you remember I was explaing how it was that strange cars seemed to find me. Well, one of the results of all my adertising in the Exchange & Mart to encourage people to come to Burford was a letter from a man in Leicestershire who had a Peel Trident for sale. Well, what would you have done? I just had to have it.

By the following year, the Burford Rally had become part of the regular claendar of events. 1977 saw another successful year, though the weather turned rather cold so jackets and cardigans were the order of the day. Even so, the cold was forgotten when people saw four Peels together! There were two P 50's and two Tridents, and the one I had bought was not among them. They must really be common, almost two a penny. Malcolm Goldsworthy's P 50 was present again, and another similar car owned by a Mr Edwin Hammond. Here was a man to treated with suspicion, since he had purchased his Peel BEFORE Malcolm and I had had a chance to get it. We have forgiven him now - just!

In a way the 1977 rally was the one which showed that it was a permanent fixture. The Dutch Rally, mentioned briefly already, was not repeated after 1976. This left only Burford and the very well organised and executed rally at Automuseum Störy, which, by a strange coincidence started in 1975 too. My adverts for the 1977 rally paid dividends too, when a gentleman from Redruth, Cornwall, wrote to me, mentioning that he was the owner of an Allard Clipper which he wished to sell, and did I know anyone who would like to buy it? Did I? You bet! Guess who the lucky purchaser was.......

Last year was 1978, but then I expect you already knew that. I had actually arranged a suitable place for camping overnight, ana a good number of people did just that. By now, most of them were becoming good friends, although there was still a number of new faces. Edwin Hammond and the Sidcup Bubblers arrived en masse, with a convoy comprising two Heinkels, a Scootercar, a Frisky which had hitched a lift on the back of a Transit truck, and a couple of more normal conveyances. Amazingly, there was another Scootercar present, and I suspect the make will be well represented in 1979. For the first time there was a Goggomobil, a very good example of these once popular little cars. Likewise, at Burford for the first itme, were the Tourette (Malcolm Goldworthy's latest purchase), and an old side valve Reliant (I don't mind the old ones!) I lost count of the total number of Micro-cars present, but it was well over a hundred. I was also aware of a very large number of people walking around who had come in common cars. Whether they had just left their bubbles at home, or whether they were new to the micro-car scene, I do not know. Perhaps it was a bit of each.

I think the 1978 Rally was the best yet. The weather was glorious, everyone seemed to have a good time, and even I managed to grab a few minutes to walk around the cars. I cannot think of any car that i purchased directly as a reult of the 1978 rally, although there were a few that I declined. However, I have now got an enormous file, bulging with names and addresses of micro-car owners, most of whom I can count as my friends.

As an indirect result of organising the Burford Rallies, I have been able to acquire a Frisky, a Scootercar Mark 1, and a Zundapp Janus, in addition to the other cars already mentioned. Another result of the rallies is that it brought together the people who were to eventually form the Isetta Owners Club of Great Britain.

For those of you thinking of setting up your own Rallies, may I state here and now that Burford doesn't make any money. In fact, I lose money every year, but manage to recoup some of it by selling spares (This is the side that Malcolm Thomas usually looks after). Apart from that, I'd like to think it's worthwhile. I enjoy it, especially when it's over, and I hope that other people do too.