15-09-2020, 11:27 AM
What a fantastic story Colin and the title of the entry is particularly apt ('Missing Ulster') because that's how the car appeared on a register of Ulsters that I believe David Howe put together in the 1960s. It does sound like it was my car and the patient was most likely to be Tam Raban, the car's second owner. It is amazing that the whole story relating to VE4492 has taken me about 40 years to fathom but the following history may help to explain why.
When I purchased the Ulster I had no idea it was so rare and when I bought it in 1986 there were only two photos suggesting that it had raced at Brooklands. Long story short, I managed to find and meet the car's first owner Mr Victor Leslie Seyd who let me copy some more photos of the car in action at Brooklands etc from his family album and while doing so he told me he had sold it to Tam Raban. However, tragically, not long after Tam bought the car, his son was killed in another car (details vague re. this but it wasn't in the Ulster!) and 'it was pushed into a barn'. He asked me not to try and get in touch with Tam in view of this.
Yet again, the Forum through its members, has helped to clear up a few details not least of which is this new information but also some readers may recall, the finding of some of the Cups relating to the car under its ownership with Tam that were obviously and a bit sadly sold separately but are now fortunately back in my possession. In view of this help, as part of the Centenary of the Austin 7, I'm thinking of extracting the car sometime from the Museum and having an 'Ulster Day Meet at Brooklands' hopefully in 2021/22 once this Covid business settles. Views on this would be welcome. In the meantime, if members like particularly like Colin contact me by a private message I can meet them at Brooklands to have a good look at the car (as long as numbers don't get too great!!!).
Apologies for delay in my participation of this thread but the main computer that I use for the Forum has a mind of its own and has only decided to work today!
When I purchased the Ulster I had no idea it was so rare and when I bought it in 1986 there were only two photos suggesting that it had raced at Brooklands. Long story short, I managed to find and meet the car's first owner Mr Victor Leslie Seyd who let me copy some more photos of the car in action at Brooklands etc from his family album and while doing so he told me he had sold it to Tam Raban. However, tragically, not long after Tam bought the car, his son was killed in another car (details vague re. this but it wasn't in the Ulster!) and 'it was pushed into a barn'. He asked me not to try and get in touch with Tam in view of this.
Yet again, the Forum through its members, has helped to clear up a few details not least of which is this new information but also some readers may recall, the finding of some of the Cups relating to the car under its ownership with Tam that were obviously and a bit sadly sold separately but are now fortunately back in my possession. In view of this help, as part of the Centenary of the Austin 7, I'm thinking of extracting the car sometime from the Museum and having an 'Ulster Day Meet at Brooklands' hopefully in 2021/22 once this Covid business settles. Views on this would be welcome. In the meantime, if members like particularly like Colin contact me by a private message I can meet them at Brooklands to have a good look at the car (as long as numbers don't get too great!!!).
Apologies for delay in my participation of this thread but the main computer that I use for the Forum has a mind of its own and has only decided to work today!