Clans gather in County Durham

Clubs
 | 1 Jun 2011

The Clan Owners’ Club is returning to Washington, County Durham on 2-3 July to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first Crusader coming off the production line.

The weekend is to be based at the Holiday Inn, close to the original factory building which still exists, and includes a parade of Clans starting from the hotel at around 10:30am on the Sunday and finishing at a large display area adjacent to the Galleries Shopping Centre.

All types of the critically acclaimed Imp-powered Clan – including the Irish version and the Alfasud-based Clover – will be involved and the COC is extending the invitation to other classic owners to join the display. 

As club chairman Dave Williamson (above) explained: “The Clan Owners’ Club acknowledges the keen interest in the event shown by various Washington organisations and authorities, who see the Clan motor car as part of their heritage. Saturday evening will bring the members together for a dinner at the Holiday Inn where Paul Haussauer, the MD of the former Clan Motor Company, will be the main speaker.”

“Although the Clan variants enjoyed only short production runs,” Williamson added, “a large proportion of the cars are still in use – a tribute to the design and build quality and the longevity of the glassfibre monocoque body.”

Among the cars on show will be LUP 62J, the ex-works rally Clan in which Andy Dawson and John Foden came second on the Manx International Rally in 1972 – its first outing! – and OPT 438J, the first Crusader off the line. Both are still in regular use. The display will include road-going Clans, plus others that compete effectively in racing, sprinting, hillclimbing and rallying.

For more info on the event, click here  or call Dave Williamson on 01981 250436

 

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Chief sub-editor David Evans owns a BMW 2002tii and Citroën GSA that he drives to classic car events up and down the country