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