Aston Martin C-Type Speed Model

I photographed this car in the paddock at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1999.

It's an Aston Martin C-Type Speed Model, but although it has a racing number it isn't listed in the programme of the event. The number on the car appears to be '12', and car number 12 in the Pre-War Sports Car Race was the 1935 Aston Martin Ulster of Simon Draper, which he was due to share with David Clark. As Simon Draper also owned an Aston Martin C-Type it's possible this car was switched for the Ulster. The Speed Model was developed from the Ulster with the straight four 1,481cc engine enlarged to 1,949cc. The new car was intended to be entered in the 1936 Le Mans 24 Hour race where the homologation regulations required 25 models to be made, but in the end the Le Mans race was cancelled due to a general strike in France. The works Speed Model cars were quickly sold but the other cars proved difficult to sell because of a perceived lack of power. In the end the last 8 chassis were given the more streamlined body as seen above and these vehicles were dubbed the C-Type. The DVLA record say that FZ 8212 is a 1940 car and the engine has a capacity of 1,998cc.