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British Car Meeting 2012 in Mollis - Rarities and popular cars from the island

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Created on August 26, 2012

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Bruno von Rotz

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Bruno von Rotz

132

Bruno von Rotz

132

Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Two beautiful limousines - Jaguar Mk VII from 1951 and Jaguar Mark V from 1949

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - William Lions' fame began with this vehicle

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Appropriate musical entertainment with a Scottish touch

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Jaguar Mark V (1949) - an unaffordable dream for most people at the time

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar Mk II limousines in rank and file

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - pre- and post-war Jaguar limousines

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar limousines from two eras

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar limousines of the post-war years

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar Mark VIII and Mark VII

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Jaguar Mark VII (1951) - part of the Jaguar limousine special presentation

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Jaguar Mark VIII (1956) - part of the Jaguar limousine special presentation

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar limousines of all colors and eras are rarely seen in one place

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - A group of Jaguar Mark II limousines

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Jaguar Mk II 3.4 (1961) - part of the special Jaguar limousine presentation organized by Georg Dönni

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Jaguar S Type (1965) - traveled from far away

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar limousines in the rain

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Jaguar 420 (1967) - also provided many design details for the subsequent models

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Impressions from the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - How the rear end of Jaguar saloons has changed over time

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - rear sections of recent Jaguar limousines

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Jaguar limousines of recent date

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - a colorful mix of Jaguar limousines and sports cars

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Jaguar E Type (1964) - as driven by Jerry Cotton

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - straightforward and simple, in the style of the eighties

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - short wheelbase, there was also a long wheelbase version

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - particularly richly equipped

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - the momentum of past models is barely visible

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - unmistakably from the Jaguar house

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - the large headlights were not very popular at the time

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - only a few of these models have survived in good condition

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - built after British Leyland and before Ford

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - the befitting transportation for the self-driving company boss

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - rich in luxury

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - a symphony of leather and wood

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - already lots of electronics in the interior

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - in-line six-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder

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Daimler XJ 40 3.6 (1989) - the 3.6-liter was the entry-level engine

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - in perfect condition

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - today the saloons are somewhat overshadowed by the sports cars of the time

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - almost endlessly long hood

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the four-window sports saloon is rare

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - arouses a lot of interest and attracts cell phone photographers

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - short tail with filigree details

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - unmistakable pre-war proportions

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the instruments in hexagonal housings

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - wonderfully elegant

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the interior is beautifully finished in wood and leather

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - six-cylinder engine with two carburetors

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the in-line six-cylinder engine

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the nameplate

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the "SS" was no longer appropriate after the war

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the long hood creates space for the six-cylinder engine

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - lots of chrome at the front

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - before and after restoration

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - before restoration

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - Headlights

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - radiator with the "SS" trademark

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the direction indicators are also very delicate

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the indicators were displayed for turning off

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - Spare wheel cover on the rear

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the tools are concealed under a flap in the rear

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - rear lights in action

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the rear lights

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the original sign

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - a tank top almost like Art Deco

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Jensen C-V8 (1965) - the engines came from Chrysler

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Jensen C-V8 (1965) - a bare frame formed the basis for the plastic bodywork

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Jensen CV-8 (1965) - the characteristic "chinese eyes"

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Jensen CV-8 (1965) - trademark on the hood

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - The colorful mix makes it - Morgan, Morris, MG, etc.

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Small and sporty next to big and luxurious - Morgan and Rolls-Royce

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Aston Martin V8 (1979) at the British Car Meeting 2012 - British luxurious sportiness

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - A special with Triumph and MG genes

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Spectators talking shop at a Devin TR

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - dealers offer cars and accessories

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Still wet from the last downpour - Bonnet of an Austin-Healey

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Play of colors - Jaguar E Type, Jensen Healey and MG B

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - MG B GT in different colors

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MG B GT (1968) - in one of the popular colors of the time

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MG C GT (1968) - with more cylinders, displacement and power

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MG TC (1948) - particularly popular with the Americans after the war

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Morris Oxford (1964) - beautiful color combination

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Riley RME (1954) - the participants wave to each other

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Rolls-Royce Corniche Cabriolet (1982) - noble convertible from the island

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S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon (1935) - the two carburetors also bear the trademark

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the car was more expensive than the TR2, but roughly on a par with the Austin-Healey 100/4

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the car was extensively equipped

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - a heater was also standard, but cost extra with the competition

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the body shell is made of aluminum

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - elegant rear end

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the mechanics came from the Triumph TR2

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the car sold very well in America and England

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the production time was only 10 months

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - small series model, only 276 units were built

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the instruments come from the Triumph TR2

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - very tidy dashboard layout

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - the radiator grille had to be extensively restored

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - a hump on the hood creates space for the engine

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - hood

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - Door handle and trim

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - beautiful details at the rear

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Swallow Doretti (1954) - elegantly shaped fuel filler cap

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Triumph Italia (1962) - one of seven Italia arrivals

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Three of seven Triumph Italia arrivals

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Two more Triumph Italia arrive

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Triumph Italia (1961) - based on the TR 3, but the TR 4 can already be seen here

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the design was by Giovanni Michelotti

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Triumph Italia (1961) - English-Italian cooperation

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Triumph Italia (1961) - 85 examples are still known to exist today

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Triumph Italia (1961) - original ivory-white paintwork

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the elegant bodywork was hand-finished

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Triumph Italia (1961) - Triumph did not build closed vehicles in England at that time

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Triumph Italia (1961) - a good 300 units are said to have been built

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Triumph Italia (1961) - elegant with lots of glass around the cockpit

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the Italian influence is also visible in the interior

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Triumph Italia (1961) - a hint of Maserati wafts through the cockpit

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the instruments are identical to the TR 3

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the engine from the Triumph TR 3

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Triumph Italia (1961) - Headlights and auxiliary lights

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the Italian influence is also visible in the lettering

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Triumph Italia (1961) - Lettering on the front

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Triumph Italia (1961) - Vignale built the sports cars

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Subeam Alpine in a duet

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - a repair is in the offing here

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Triumph Spitfire 1500 (1975) - affordable open-top classic from England

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TVR Grantura (1960) - rarely found in our latitudes

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - TVR

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Impressions from the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Vauxhall - lots of chrome and intricate details

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Vauxhall Cresta

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - whitewall tires and twin headlights on the Vauxhall Cresta

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Impressions of the British Car Meeting (BCM) 2012 in Mollis - Raindrops on the radiator of a Wolseley roadster

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Once a year in Mollis, in the canton of Glarus, enterprising organizers, clubs, authorities and farmers join forces to make an event possible that attracts participants not only from Switzerland, but also from Italy, Germany and other countries. In 2012, 1,100 vehicles arrived at the Mollis airfield despite the inclement weather.

The motto is very simple. Anyone who drives an English automobile is welcome to take part. It doesn't matter whether the car is young or old, rare or widespread. And so a Mini from the eighties parked next to a Rolls-Royce from the "golden sixties", a Lotus Esprit from the modern era next to an MG TC built just after the Second World War.

See and be seen

The spectators and visitors, with and without cars, were once again able to admire a wide range of vehicles. There was a lot of talking shop, but also a lot of puzzling, because some cars are hardly known and are rarely seen on the road. But owners and other specialists present were happy to provide information and hardly anyone left the site without a clue.

Special exhibition with Jaguar limousines

A "special guest" is invited every year. In 2012, the choice fell on Jaguar. Georg Dönni put together a limousine exhibition for the 33rd BCM together with the Jaguar Drivers Club. Virtually every type of Jaguar/Daimler saloon ever built, including the pre-war SS models, was on display, beautifully lined up in the middle of the square.

And it didn't stop there. In the end, almost 200 Jaguar vehicles were parked on the paths around Mollis airfield - unique!

Exemplary rarities for illustration

To give the reader a feel for the breadth of the spectrum of classic cars present, but also to introduce him to some rarely seen vehicles, four cars are presented individually here.

S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon from 1935 - restored to its former glory

S.S. Four Light Saloon von 1935

In 1931, the Swallow Sidecar Company (already abbreviated to SS in 1933) presented the SS 1 at the London Motor Show as its first fully produced vehicle. The car impressed with a very elegant, flat body with a long hood and a low price, which was on a par with the competition from Bentley and Lagonda. Various versions were built, with the displacement of the straight-six engine gradually increasing from 2,054 cm3 to 2.7 liters.

The "Four Light Saloon" had four side windows. The car with the registration number "AAR 401" was delivered to a Mr. Murray Watt on January 11, 1935. The elegant Jaguar predecessor (after the war, the no longer marketable name "SS" was changed to "Jaguar") came to Switzerland via many stops and was completely restored by the current owner over a period of six years and 6,000 hours of work. Not only did the wooden superstructure have to be completely replaced, but the chassis and suspension parts were also completely renovated. Around 80% of the old structure was saved. The result is impressive and has already been admired at various exhibitions and even at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

Daimler XJ40 3.6 from 1989 - a luxury liner handed down through the generations

Daimler XJ40 3.6 von 1989

Only a few Jaguar XJ40s have survived, although even the oldest ones are only just into youngtimer age. Two years after the split from British Leyland, the new saloon was introduced, with its straightforward design in keeping with the tastes of the 1980s. Initially, the model series was plagued by major quality problems. This only improved with the takeover by Ford. The XJ40 models already had a high proportion of electronics, which could cause a lot of grief twenty years later and drove some of the vehicles to the scrapyard.

However, the Daimler XJ40 3.6 from 1989, which was part of the Jaguar saloon car exhibition in Mollis, did not suffer from these problems and presented itself as a beautifully preserved example of the still scarcely collected model series. Luxuriously equipped, with the finest leather and wood, the bordeaux-red luxury Jaguar convinced even the last doubters. The club atmosphere with the wide, comfortable leather armchairs invites you to go on longer journeys, and the elegant bodywork also makes an impression outside the luxury hotel. And even a beautiful example costs less than a used Dacia Logan.

Swallow-Doretti from 1954 - a well-traveled exotic

Swallow Doretti von 1954

A car that was only produced for 10 months must be a rarity. The Swallow Doretti is no exception. The compact sports car was manufactured by Swallow Coachbuilding between 1954 and 1955. The technology was borrowed from Triumph, with the engine, gearbox and axles coming from the TR 2, but the frame was larger and the body was made of aluminum.

The Doretti was priced higher than the TR 2, but also boasted a wealth of equipment and considerably more comfort than its technology donor. Even the heating was standard. The car sold very well in England and the USA, much to the displeasure of Sir William Lyons, the owner of Jaguar. He pulled some strings and production had to be discontinued after only 276 units had been built. No wonder these cars are rare today.

The current owner of the 1954 Swallow Doretti on display in Mollis has restored the car himself and knows every screw, so to speak. Many parts had to be made from scratch, as spare parts for the Doretti-specific components hardly exist.

Triumph Italia 2000 from 1961 - number 180 of 329 units built

Triumph Italia von 1961

At the end of the fifties, the Italian Triumph importer decided to close a gap in the standard Triumph range. There was no coupé. An elegant coupé was created on the basis of the Triumph TR3, designed by master craftsman Giovanni Michelotti. The bodies were built by Vignale. However, nothing came of the planned 1,000 units, as production of the special bodywork was discontinued when production of the TR3B came to an end, despite a positive response.

A good 300 vehicles are said to have left the Vignale halls; around 85 surviving vehicles are known today, a good half of which are drivable. Almost a fifth of these were present in Mollis, and the ivory-white example from 1961 portrayed here was impressively faithful to the original. Incidentally, new car customers at the time had to sign that they had no claim to spare parts, as these were not produced. Each body was hand-finished on a wooden model, so it is no wonder that the parts cannot be transferred from one vehicle to the next.

Next year again

Anyone who is now keen to admire the beautiful selection of English cars will unfortunately have to wait until next year, but the time will come again on August 25, 2013. So make a note in your agenda (on your smartphone).

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