BOB MONTGOMERY PAST IMPERFECTA CHANCE conversation over lunch yesterday set me thinking about the vast changes in motoring and motorsport which have taken place in the past 50 years.
A perusal of The Motor Year Book 1957, which described itself as "An illustrated annual review of new cars, technical trends, racing and records", confirmed just how vast those changes have been.
Highlights of the section on new cars were the luxurious Austin Princess from Longbridge with a four-litre 6-cylinder engine developing all of 150 bhp; the new Ford Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac Mark II models from Dagenham, which built on the success achieved by the Mark I versions; the Wolseley Fifteen-Fifty which was a higher powered version of the Four-Forty-Four, having initially a 11/2 litre B-Series BMC engine developing 50 bhp at 4,200 rpm although this was soon increased to 55 bhp.
On the sporting side, the highlight was undoubtedly the launch of Donald Healey's 100-Six powered by the 6-cylinder BMC C-Series engine of 2,639cc. Its launch coincided with the setting of several speed records at Bonneville at over 200 mph using a specially streamlined example, fitted with a supercharged version of the engine.
Technically, automatic transmissions or "Two-pedal Transmissions" as they were more commonly referred to, were the most eagerly anticipated option then becoming widely available while disc brakes were just beginning to find their way onto a handful of car's as standard fitment.
Much was also made in the British motoring press of the resin-reinforced glass laminate body which was fitted to the new Berkeley sports car and this, combined with a chassis of light alloy pressings, was seen as an exciting technical development.
Sun visors - the full width exterior visor made in tinted perspex - were all the rage, and 1957 also saw the introduction of the first British-made car radio to employ transistors and manufactured by Pye.
On the race track, Argentina's Juan Manual Fangio, aged 46 years, became World Champion for the fourth time - and for the third year in succession - driving a Ferrari racing car. The Formula 1 season had been made interesting by the efforts of the British Vanwall Grand Prix car to beat the Ferrari, but although often the quickest car on the circuits, deficiencies in its handling and small mechanical defects blunted its challenge. However, its day would soon come.
At Le Mans, the Ecurie Ecosse team of Edinburgh businessman David Murray scored a memorable victory with their sole entry, a D-Type Jaguar driven by Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhard, beating the works Jaguars.
The 1957 season was also notable for a certain young driver named Colin Chapman winning the light-sportscar race at Rouen in his self-built Lotus.
Finally, in rallying there was an Irish victory in the Monte Carlo Rally when Ronnie Adams, Frank Bigger and Derek Johnston drove their Jaguar Mk VII to a very well-judged and deserved victory, although the British motoring press claimed it as a great "British" victory.