British Pathe

C/U of Captain Lionel Rapson (a rather dashing type with sandy brylcreemed hair and a moustache) in overalls, lying on the ground beside a car, tightening a nut; the starting handle is seen sticking out from the engine. C/U of the bonnet of a veteran car showing the headlights and numerous badges attached...

C/U of Captain Lionel Rapson (a rather dashing type with sandy brylcreemed hair and a moustache) in overalls, lying on the ground beside a car, tightening a nut; the starting handle is seen sticking out from the engine. C/U of the bonnet of a veteran car showing the headlights and numerous badges attached to the front. M/S of the car and Lionel lying beside it as we see it is parked by the sea front in Eastbourne, East Sussex; the sea front hotels and pier are seen in the background.

Lionel gets up, takes the bonnet off the car and starts to work on the engine. C/U of him attaching some leads to something in the engine then he replaces the bonnet cover and fixes a lamp to the front of the car.

Commentator tells us that Lionel built the car himself that year, as we see him get into it and start her up; C/Us of the dashboard and then the rear wheels, luggage rack and exhaust pipe. He pulls down the arm rest, puts the car into gear and drives off up the road towards the Hotel Norfolk as commentator says it was built in ten weeks using a combination of antique fitments and modern chassis and spares.

M/Ss as he turns left at the junction, drives along Eastbourne sea front in the sunshine, then back again towards the pier. C/Us of the steering wheel, headlamp and rear view mirror, and one of the wheels turning as he drives along. M/S of woman waiting at a bus stop on a road set back from the sea front; Lionel drives towards camera; we pan left as he passes and drives off into the distance.

Nice shots of the tranquil Eastbourne sea front in the background as Captain Rapson speeds past, looking very much the suave ex-Captain of the Royal Tank Regiment!

Note: There is a small news article on file about the car and Captain Rapson; he sent it in to Pathe suggesting they do a story on it; more correspondence on file. The Captain was Director of Silverstone Motors in Eastbourne. See out takes on *PM0125* CP 312 CUTS.