‘Dedicated to the preservation of all Standards and their derivatives’.
All main text words and all photographs from David Shadbolt, Publicity Officer for the Club.
(Kim adds that the photographs included in the article, and shown in several ‘era’ sections, represent a selection of Standards and other models associated with the Standard Motor Company, which operated for 60 years from 1903.
All photographs © David Shadbolt. Photograph gallery introductory notes by Kim).
The Standard Motor Club tells us…
The club celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2024, so has been dedicated to the marque and its members for more than 50 years. Like the Standard marque it supports, the club has its roots in Coventry. On 19th January 1974, the late David Hanson organised for a group of like-minded Standard enthusiasts to gather in Coventry. This meeting took place at the then-new Industrial Store of the Herbert Museum in Coventry, which was the forerunner of what is now the Coventry Motor Museum.
David Hanson then outlined his ideas for forming what was then known as ‘The Standard Register Trust’ and by the end of the meeting, he invited those present who were interested to form an orderly queue and pay over their first year’s subscription of £1 each. This then funded the publication of a regular monthly newsletter and the formation of the Spares Service, both of which are still going strong more than 50 years later with a worldwide membership of nearly 1,000.
Membership numbers were issued in order of receipt of the £1 subscription. Over twenty members formed the nucleus of founder members on that day 52 years ago. Just two months later, by 24th March 1974, this number had risen to 70 members.
The Standard Register Trust then formally changed its name to The Standard Motor Club in 1979, due to repeated requests from the Club’s Accountants and bankers, as it wasn’t actually a Trust in the legal sense of the word.
There is an unrivalled online spares shop, a full-colour monthly magazine ‘Standard Car Review’, and help and assistance from owners to assist members restore or repair their cars.
The Standard Motor Company Limited, trading as the Standard Motor Club, is a worldwide Club, run by an elected committee in accordance with a formal constitution drawn up along RAC guidelines. Its aims are to promote interest in, use and preservation of, any Standard or Standard-based vehicle, though it is not necessary to own a vehicle before joining. It is a not-for-profit organisation.
The Standard name disappeared from new car showrooms the UK in 1963 (with the Standard Motor Company having started operations in 1903), so even the most recent cars to roll off the production line are now well over 60 years old. The Club and all its activities are run entirely by volunteers and, like the cars, many of these volunteers are in their more senior years too. Standard cars remain popular with all ages – the postwar Standard 8 or 10 has proven to be a popular choice amongst younger people entering the world of classic cars for the first time. The Club would love to welcome some new blood to the membership, the committee and the band of volunteers, to help safeguard the future of all the services and backup provided to keep this historic part of British car manufacturing alive.
Photo Gallery 1: Standards from the early years, to 1930:
The models below (shown in a ‘slide show’, in no special order) are typical of surviving early cars from the Standard company, still seen often at Club events and very much enjoyed after around 100 years or more since they were built…
Benefits to members of belonging to the Standard Motor Club
Club magazine: There are 12 publications of the ‘Standard Car Review’ each year, mailed free to members and timed to arrive on the first of the month*. A 36-page full-colour magazine,with contents including original articles, road test reprints, technical help, rally and show news, club spares, members letters, regalia, sales and wants. The editor welcomes contributions from the members.
* UK only; magazine delivery elsewhere may be subject to postal delays, outside club control.
Website and Forum: The club’s website is not just a static vehicle for advertising our presence to the internet. It was one of the first classic clubs to build a website. It is a dynamic, lively site that is usually updated several times a week with news, features, cars, events, archives and interesting information. There is also a lively internet forum where owners can seek advice about their cars or technical problems they have and these are usually answered within a few hours.
Spares organisation: The Club runs three spares stores and together these now form the largest stock of Standard spares available anywhere. This initiative was started in the 1970s as the Club recognised that there is only very limited specialist support for the cars elsewhere. A proportion of the membership fee is allocated to purchase of spares when they become available. These spares are available for purchase at the lowest possible prices, only to Club members. As demand dictates and resources allow the Club commissions the remanufacture of in-demand items that are no longer available. The Club is in the process of moving stock to a professional warehousing and fulfilment facility, although ordering continues to be through the Club webshop, and this is part of an ongoing strategy to improve services to members and reduce costs.
Rallies: The Club organises the Standard International Rally, which is held annually. This involves a weekend in a luxury hotel with road runs to places of interest in the vicinity, a gala dinner with guest speaker and a rally with judging and prize-giving, as well as a spare parts ‘bring and buy’ sale. Several local rallies or road runs are organised each year to promote the use of the cars. The Club aims to be represented at most of the major classic car shows.
Technical help: The Club has a number of ‘fellow owners’ for each model range. These volunteers have long experience of their cars and are willing to offer free advice to any member requesting it.
Archives: A number of club archivists hold collections of original factory memorabilia, such as sales brochures, workshop manuals, factory photographs, spare parts catalogues, etc. These can assist members in many different ways by providing reference material during restorations and rebuilds. The Club is always interested in material not already held in its archives.
Insurance advice: The Club is able to offer advice about types of classic car policies that are on the Market and offer introductions to brokers specialising in our cars. Under current legislation the Club is not able to recommend specific policies, however members can advise on their own experiences with various insurance schemes. You will find that an insurance valuation of your car, conducted by a committee member of this Club, will satisfy most insurance companies’ requirements for agreed value policies. If the committee member is involved in expense in inspecting your car, for example in travelling, you would be expected to reimburse their costs.
Local area meetings: Local area representatives are established in a number of areas and these organise local events. If there is an area with no representative, volunteers are actively supported in setting up a local group. There is also a small number of international sections.
Standard membership and historian: A computerised database of all known surviving Standards worldwide is kept, whether the owner is a member of the Club or not. When new members join, details of their car, if not already known, are added to the register. Hence members are able to contact others with the same or similar cars, to gain restoration tips and advice.
Vehicle registration: The Club has a representative who is a registered agent of the DVLA. If a car is purchased that is not registered on the DVLA computer, he can usually assist by providing dating information or historical records from the Club’s archives. This will assist in claims for retention or replacement of original or period registration numbers. Often cars must be inspected and sometimes a small research fee can be payable.
Regalia: Members can purchase a range of Standard regalia including clothing, books, car badges, key fobs, novelty items, nostalgia publications, workshop manuals, maintenance books, car models and magazine binders. There are also regular sales of one-off items of original factory memorabilia. Full details of regalia appear in the Club’s website.
HMCA Insurance Plans: Through our association with the Hospital and Medical Care Association, Standard Motor Club members are able to purchase private medical and other related insurance at very competitive group rates.
‘Dedicated to the preservation of all Standards and their derivatives’.
Standard-Triumph Forum: The Club is a member and active supporter of this forum, which co-ordinates and promotes cooperation across all the clubs in the S-T movement and organises events in its own right.
Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs: The Club is a member and active supporter of the FBHVC. This important federation represents the classic vehicle movement in parliament and government in order to promote the use of our cars.
Photo Gallery 2: Standards from 1930 to 1948
The cars in the ‘slide show’ below (in no special order) are representative of Standards (and associated models) built by the company during the 1930s, plus post-War production days until 1948. They include the post-Vintage models that helped to save the company in the tough economic times of the early 1930s, and the successful ‘Flying’ Standards that were populer from 1935 until 1939, together with post-War derivatives of these models.
(Note: You may also spot a lovely 10hp Ford among the Standards depicted here; its owners are Club members).
Photo Gallery 3: Standards from 1948 to 1963:
The cars in the ‘slide show’ below (in no special order) depict a selection of models from the Standard Motor Company that were available from 1948, including the Vanguard Phases 1 to 3 and equivalent Ensigns, and the compact Eights and Tens of the 1950s to early 1960s.
(Note: A Standard/Triumph associated Swallow Doretti sports car is also included).
Join the Standard Motor Club
There are two easy ways to join the Standard Motor Club:
1. Visit the Club’s website at https://www.standardmotorclub.org.uk/and click on the ‘Join the Club’ button at the top of the homepage.
2. Please contact the Club’s Secretary at secretary@standardmotorclub.org.uk and ask to be sent a membership form. Fill it in and return it. You will receive a membership pack and your name will be added to the club’s mailing list for the magazine. Please allow up to 21 days for processing and delivery.
Kim writes, “Grateful thanks to David Shadbolt and the Standard Motor Club for their help”.