On your Marques - Club Call!
The following article was written in 1995 and describes the club's services. It is reproduced by Kind Permission from: Classic Motor and Autojumbler, The monthly read for Real Enthusiasts

Although more than 10 years have passed since the article was written, the aims of the club and its services are unaltered, though we now also provide additional services. Some changes to the original article have been made to bring it up to date.

SETTING THE STANDARD
"The Standard Motor Club was formed in 1973 to foster interest in products of the Standard Motor Company, founded in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudsley. Effectively the club caters for cars from 1903 to 1963, the year in which the company's elders adopted the brand name Triumph as its marketing identity, ironically a company that Standard took over and saved from extinction in 1945.

It would be to adopt a puritanical stance with a cut off line drawn to include Vanguard, Standard Eight and Ten, and the Atlas commercial range. However the Standard Motor Club welcomes owners of the Triumphs built by the Coventry manufacturer from 1945 onwards, Roadsters, Mayflowers, Renowns and the Trs. Standard built over 500,000 examples of the much respected Ferguson tractor and over the sixty years supplied running gear to a number of prestigious sporting car manufactures including SS Jaguar, Morgan, Railton and Raymond Mays to name a few. All and any of these Standard relatives are similarly made welcome.

The club's oldest 'member' is, SMC1 the 1907 Roi-des-Belges Standard resident at Coventry's Transport Museum, closely followed by a younger 81 year old 20 hp Cheltenham cabriolet. The club, through Membership Secretary Tony Pingriff, operates an extensive marque register and are always pleased to receive information on Standard and Standard derived products which come to light, other than those owned by club members. The continuous update of this information covers in excess of 5000 vehicles, worldwide.

Like so many marque clubs, SMC have an international flavour to the content of their membership. This represents, in the main, a traditional following for Standard product in certain overseas countries. Not unnaturally the heaviest concentrations reflect the enthusiasm and commercial enterprise of the importers, concessionaires, distributors and dealers, for particular overseas territories, typified by Australasia and countries of the old commonwealth. At home the computerised membership data bank shows a membership figure steady at close on 800, with a small annual turnover mainly due to vehicle disposals.

The club is managed under the Chairmanship of Peter Lockley, in the time honoured way, by specialist officers and a committee drawn from the membership, without reference to geographical location. There is no formalised geographical breakdown into sections, areas or regions. Self developing centres are encouraged, built on a concentration of membership. A member can set up periodic meetings in his area, supported by membership and register information supplied by Tony Pingriff. Enterprise shown by a centre, promoting the centre and the club, is supported by 'the management' in the provision of expertise, advice, the 'props' and as necessary a financial contribution.

The all important aspect of technical help covers a wide spectrum, from the potential member, first time buyer, first time restorer to a seasoned veteran first time Standard owner. 3 Spares Officers who are technical specialists in their own right cover Pre-1940/45/49, 1950s 8s & 10s and Vanguards/Ensigns, respectively. The various UK groups invariably have a spread of model specialists.

All of the spares are owned by the club. Autojumbles, and the Internet are scoured for assemblies and components in prime condition or in a refurbishable state. Trade contacts and individuals are encouraged to 'trade' with the club as a further source of bought-in items. The club now involve themselves in the commissioning of 'in demand' remanufactured components, a notable and successful start being made with exhaust systems and windscreen rubbers, carpets, oil filter conversion kits, pedal rubbers and for the Flying 8 rubber grommets for the starting handle recess. Others items are either in the pipeline or in the planning stage. Club Archivists add to the technical scene with copies of rarer workshop manuals where no saleable originals are available, technical bulletins and other printed information. The Club has a registered agent for DVLA. If dating information or historical records are available in the Club's archives, claims for the retention or replacement or original registration numbers, can be assisted subject to the payment of a small research fee. There is always a member to help and advise, even visit with the potential purchaser, offering guidance on the acquisition of a Standard product. This, with the purchase of the vehicle, also extends to the insurance valuation, conducted by a club committee member, satisfying most insurance companies requirements for agreed value policies.

The Club magazine published twelve times a year is excellent, professionally produced, and justifiably the winner of the Classic Cars Magazine Best Club Magazine award. The Club's events, at both national and group, are known to be well planned and well executed, their high standard of presentation at both outdoor and indoor events is evidence. There is no reason to believe that their Annual International Rally at Bovingdon Tank Museum in Dorset on 7/8/9 July 2006 will be other than top class. Local groups also arrange road runs regularly to enable club members and the public to see numerous Standards on the move.

An exciting newer development is the club website www.standardmotorclub.org which is one of the most comprehensive motor club websites and quite rightly has won awards for its continual updates and information source. It is also a vital communication tool through the members forum where questions can be answered, often within a few hours.

For a small annual fee (on a rolling membership - twelve months, date to date) you can join the Standard Motor Club. This also applies to persons who are interested in the Standard marque, but who are not owners. SMC would particularly like to hear from ex Standard employees and persons who were employed in the franchised motor trade, in Standard and Triumph Distributors, and Dealers."