Jaguar World – July 2019

56 |JaguarWorld/July 2019

CLASSICDRIVE

SUFFOLKSS 100

VSE-built 4. 2 -

litreenginepacks

amightypunch

Bodyisfittedto

thechassis

fullyfunctioningandefficientheatertucked
awaybeneaththedashassembly.Thereis
alsoasubstantialbootrack,anabsolute
necessityforButch,aswellasthemuch-
neededscreenwinddeflectors.
AfterButchandPamhadputsomeUK
milesundertheirbelttheyfeltconfident
enoughtotaketheircarfurtherafield.
Divinginatthedeepend,theyjoinedthe
SuffolkSportscars’tourtoNewZealand
in2006.Butchrecalls,“Itwasagreat
experience,traffic-freeroads,fabulous
sceneryandsomegreatcompanytoenjoy
itwith,whilehavingback-upsupport
availableifneeded.”
Thefollowingyear,theydrovethrough
theChannelTunneltoFrance,theninto
Switzerlandandoverthemountainstothe
Italianlakes.Duringthetrip,theyjoined
anotherSuffolktourtoBresciatowatchthe
startoftheMilleMiglia,beforeheadingoff
toSiennaandTuscany.Thenextyear,itwas
theMonacoVintageGrandPrixthattempted
them,watchinga79-year-oldStirlingMoss
driveaFrazerNash.TheirnexttripwasSpain,
in 2010 ,drivingpasttheFrenchcoastof
BiarritzandintoSpain.Theyalsotookaside
triptoMojácar,inAlmeria,whereButchhad
livedandworkedintheSeventies.

2011 sawthemboardingtheferryfrom

HulltoRotterdam,loadinganovernight

sleepertoVerona,andthendrivingto

Venice.EnjoyingItaly’sbackroutes,they

tookintheAmalficoast,wheretheSuffolk

10 0wounditswaythroughendlesstunnels

alongthemountainside.

FouryearspassedbeforetheSS 10 0’s

nextEuropeantour,whichtookthem

throughFranceintoSwitzerland,over

theStGotthardPassandintotheItalian

Lakesonceagain,thistimestayingnear

LakeTrasimeno.Evendrivingraincouldn’t

hampertheirexperience,becausethecar’s

excellentweatherequipmentkeptthe

worstatbay.

In 2012 ,theytouredtheLakeDistrict;

2013 sawtheminCornwallandtheSouth

Coast; 2014 theCotswolds.Theirfinal

yeartouringwiththeSuffolk 10 0wasin

2017 ,againdrivingtoFrance,butthistime

exploringthecoastalareasaroundStMalo,

andtheLoireregion.

Tosumup,Butchsays,“Overtheyears,

aswellastouringthroughouttheUnited

Kingdom,we’vetravelledextensively

throughEurope,roughlyplanningroutes,

butonlybookingafirstnightstayand

leavingtheresttochance,afewgood

travelbooksandtheinternet.We’vemet

wonderfulpeople,marvelledatspectacular

sceneryandvisitedsomemagnificent

historicsitesandplaces,alwaysenjoying

thefoodandcultureoftheplaceswe’ve

visited.Ifwe’veneededanyhelpthere

hasalwaysbeensomeonewillingtoassist,

oftenjusttolearnmoreaboutthecar.

“Thecarhasalwaysattractedinterest

andadmiration,withconstantwavingand

hootingofhorns,especiallyinItaly–with

criesof‘Bellamachina’indicatingtheirlove

andappreciationofaclassiccar.Weeven

Visiting

Italyin^2011