Description
DERBY cars were sold in the UK as VERNON DERBY. DERBY was a French manufactured car competing with the contemporary Amilcar and Salmson; built by two engineers who had already proved their worth: Bertrand Montet and Etienne Lepicard. Vernon Balls who was initially the conncesioneer for Derby's re-named them Vernon Derby's when sold in the UK. Vernon Balls was well known as a raceing driver at Brooklands and other circuits and was also the London agent for Amilcar and Salmson. I have owned the Derby which is a model known as a GRAND SPORTS SPECIAL since 2019 having bought it from my late friend Alan Geggus. Alan was a true Derby specialist who restored the car over twenty years ago. Alan told us he bought the car as a wreck and it came to him from a dealer who found it in Belgium. It has been restored to the very highest order by Alan who I firmly believe had more knowledge than anyone on Derby's in the UK and was an engineer who restored his own cars to the highest order. The car is fitted with a Chapuis Dornier 4 cylinder overhead valve engine engine which was one of three different engines Derby used. The others being Scap and Ruby. Standard fitting is a four speed gearbox. Alan fitted a lightweight aluminium body. The engine has been completely reconditioned as well as all the other components of the car. The car has driven 992 miles since its restoration and the engine is fully run in and any adjustments needed have been dealt with. I am having to sell the car due to my age and fitness unfortunately. As previously mentioned my car was owned previously by a friend who as I previously mentioned I believe was the most knowledgeable man on Derby's in the UK. Many years ago he also owned, restored and raced a 1927 Vernon Derby sold by French Auctioneers Aggutes in Decemeber 2002.
