Collectors\' Motor Cars and Automobilia

MOTOR CARS | 97

Following Geoff Bishop’s 37-year tenure, ‘Red Dragon’ as offered here

passed through three further ownerships before being acquired by the

present vendor, a connoisseur of fine motor cars of many years standing.

Following its dominant start in the 193 RAC TT, the car’s first private

owner was Dutch sportsman Eddie Hertzberger, a wealthy Rotterdam

clothier who also excelled at boxing, sailing and skiing. Aston Martin

fitted a new engine for him which was stamped with the original serial

number to simplify Customs documentation, Hertzberger also adopted

a more modern-style radiator cowl and streamlined wings, the car’s

appearance becoming similar to the contemporary sports-racing

Talbot-Lago, but resplendent in Dutch Racing Orange.

Eddie Hertzberger entered the 1937 Mille Miglia 1,000-mile round-Italy

race. Clearly a hard, determined and talented racing driver - knowing he

would be at a disadvantage to the Italians on their home soil - he drove

his Aston Martin from Holland, negotiating as many Alpine passes as

possible to gain experience.

The great race was again run in almost continuous rain, Hertzberger

driving as if in a Grand Prix, pushing the Aston to its absolute limits.

At Florence he was comfortably leading the 2-litre class - a remarkable

seventh overall...

<nfortunately this fine run was halted by a broken valve spring,

Hertzberger’s skilful (and brave) riding mechanic Van der Pijl changing

the offending component despite dropping a valve collet down the

timing chain gallery, which was retrieved with a blob of grease on the

end of a stick.

The pair lost an hour, dropping to fourth in class, but Hertzberger

fought on through the ceaseless drizzle, clawing his way back to finish

a fine second in class and 1th overall. He and his Aston Martin had

proved formidably competitive Mille Miglia contenders.

3
Hertzberger/Van der Pijl pose in H6/711/U before
the start of the 1937 Milie Miglia. © SVCC

4
Hertzberger/Van der Pijl during their epic drive in the
1937 Milie Miglia. © The Spitzley Zagari Collection

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