preparation the two friends entered the Run in it … and completed the course with flying colours.
“ It’ s worth saying, though, that Franco is a notable collector of pre-war Italian cars and owns several vehicles from the early 1900s,” Adone explains.“ Even though it was our first experience of it, we achieved our goal of crossing the finish line in Brighton. Actually, members of our Historic Club Schio in Italy often attend the event, and of course they supported us. Afterwards, the car was brought back to Italy, and Franco gave it a light restoration. Today the Oldsmobile is in perfect condition, and I took part in it on an Italian veteran car event, covering over 60 miles without any trouble at all.”
They possess one of the most popular cars to tackle the event in. Its single-cylinder engine and two-speedplus-reverse gearbox are well suited to the demanding route.
“ The steering system is definitely a curiosity with its tiller, which in Italy we call the coda di vacca or‘ cow’ s tail’. It does take a bit of getting used to. But it’ s always a joyful occasion, and a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We always stay at the same hotel conveniently close to Hyde Park, so in the morning we simply start the car and drive straight there.”
USA
David Marne“ Our late father Dr Sheldon Marne was the catalyst for the acquisition of every one of our five outstanding automobiles – my brother Russell and I are the trustees but, in effect, we are caretakers for the next generation.”
This is David Marne introducing not just a wonderful line-up of Brighton-bound veterans but also a family tradition that brings himself and Russell from their homes in the USA over to London every year to drive them.
“ Nothing is shipped across for the Run. The entirety of the Marne Motoring Trust is kept here in the UK, in North Yorkshire, where the Clark family look after them. My father first met Jim Clark when he broke down on the road to Brighton in around 1980. They drove the four-cylinder 1902 Panhard et Levassor together many times, and now one of our family traditions is to road-test the cars beforehand around the Clark’ s farm in Selby.”
The Trust’ s other cars are a 1903 Panhard et Levassor two-cylinder, a 1903 De Dion Bouton Model Q, and two matching 1904 Cadillac Model Bs. They were acquired from all over the world, although all of them were restored in England.
“ Lately Russell and I have campaigned the twin Cadillacs,” says David.“ But we have all arrived at
Brighton in each of them at one time or another. My own training was on the De Dion; Russell cut his teeth – and sometimes gears – on the Panhards.
“ Russell and I both started on the Run in our late teens and are now in our early sixties. My children Naomi and Jonah likewise started in their late teens and are now in their early thirties. Jim Clark is in his seventies, and his sons Richard and Charles Clark are in their forties. Our father celebrated at Brighton well into his eighties, and we love to keep that going.”
Russell Marne at the wheel of one the family’ s‘ twin’ 1904 Cadillac Model Bs
David Marne at the Brighton Finish in a 1903 De Dion Bouton
38 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run