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Starting the run from the front of the old motor works was the 1907 Argyll Roi de Belge DeLux, returning home 100 years after its “birth”. Originally supplied new to Eli Jones, the mayor of Bournemouth, who died in 1923, it passed to current owners Frank and Susan Thomson from Wiltshire in 1973, after being garaged for 50 years!  The couple won "The Spirit of the Event" for their enthusiasm on this historic event. Unfortunately the car came to grief following two punctures on route, but not before successfully completing the Rest and be Thankful hillclimb. Even modern cars don't carry two spares!

Peter and Patricia Kewney followed in their 1922 Sunbeam whilst Branislav Sudjic once again aired his magnificent 1924 Bugatti type 35 in the famous Bugatti Blue, the Grand Prix racing colour of French racers in the twenties. The twenties decade also saw an 1927 Alvis 12/50 crewed by William and Graeme McCreath, two Austin 7’s, and an MG type M, sometimes referred to as the 8/33.

The thirties were represented by nine splendid examples, including two Aston Martins, Alvis 12/50, Frazer Nash TT Replica, and Riley TT Sprite. Ross Wilsons' 1936 Austin Grasshopper, was based on 12 special cars built for trials in 1934, with the design being subsequently adopted by the "works" as the basis for their Le Mans entries in 1937. George and Ann Hay are the second only owners of a 1934 Talbot AX65 Tickford. As godson of the original owner, George inherited the car in 1993, if only he could find it!  Original owner Alistair Kennedy had lost track of it after moving in 1970. Thankfully it was discovered, almost intact in an old cattle byre near Ayr. Now fully restored it is believed to be the only Salmons Tickford bodied AX65 in existence. Sadly, they did not finish due to the head gasket blowing 4 miles North of Aberfoyle. The decade would not be complete without a Bentley, in this case a 4 1/4 litre, but it was Cupar farmer Alec Samsons' 1933 Aston Martin Le Mans that took the "Friends of the Rest" award. Bought in 1967 from a fellow student, a car of similar type sold recently for £185000! Being correctly dressed for the event also counts, and Michael Pell was in period part driving his 1932 Austin 7 Arrow, collecting the "Most Appropriate Dress" award.

The forties were a bit lightly represented, but Gerald and Kathleen Taylor drove their 1949 Triumph Roadster all the way from Heywood in Manchester and collected the farthest driven car award for their efforts.

Some 14 cars from the fifties passed under the start banner, including the 1950 Bentley MkVI crewed by C.Broom-Smith an William Ballantyne. George and Carol Cooper challenged the "rest" in superb 1950 Cooper MG Prototype which has quite a heritage! This very car took part at a rest hillclimb in 1953 driven by Francis Dundas of Dumfries, perhaps a mite quicker though. It was also the works prototype driven at Goodwood by a young Stirling Moss in 1950.

A grand old 1952 Standard Vanguard "beetle back" model made it up the rest, crewed by Keith and Pamela Wayman, with Colin and Anne Stewart in hot pursuit in their 1954 Jaguar XK120. The Austin Healey 100/4 of John MacFarlane and Scott Brennan was joined by the popular saloons of the day, the Austin A30 of Robert Duncan and Brenda Gray, and John Millers Ford Popular, in a fabulous blue finish. Andrew Baillie and Ralf Forbes teamed up together with a 1957 Wolsley 1500 which won the Concours d'Elegance award, and Bob Cook drove a VW Beetle from 1958. The sports cars continued their presence with two Austin Healey's, a 1959 big 3000 with Graeme Henderson and Alan Smith, and a  1959 bug eyed Sprite crewed by Stephen and Roslyn Cooper.

Twenty cars from the swinging sixties had a sprinkling of favourites, including mini's, MG's, Rover, Triumph, Porsche, and Jaguar. A rare sight of a 1960 Renault Dauphine Gordini was provided by Barry Thomson and Colin Wilkinson, whilst Jim and Sheila Campbell brought a 1964 Ferrari 250 Lusso, and Robert Gillespie an Aston Martin DB6.

The seventies kept swinging with a gaggle of MGB's and sporty mini's. A 1973 Porsche RS Carrera of Michael Birtwistle joined the route as did William Grant and Richard Clarke cramped into a 1973 Gilbern Invader! Norman and Martin Geddes brought their 1971 Maserati Spyder, with just a little more space. But Ian and Robert Hardy collected the "National Park Green Trophy" with their 1970 Triumph 1300.

The high flying "Thatcher" eighties had Maserati, Audi Quattro's Bentley Turbo, Porsche 911, and Jaguar in the field. Brian and Sally Cunningham displayed another Maserati, this time a 1980 Khamsin. We were even graced with a 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, thanks to Robert Daniel and Helen Blyth.

We were heading to the end of the decade with half a dozen examples including a very sporty 1990 Westfield SE driven by Allan Stewart with Pamela Ross clinging on. John Ogilvie brought a 2002 example with Lewis Ogilvie doing the hanging on as it slipped round the hairpin at the top of the Rest. Keith and Derek Kennils heaved the big E320 Merc up the hillclimb to show that big saloons are just as capable.

A Concours d'Elegance was followed by prizes
 

The National Park Green Trophy	Iain Hardy 1970 Triumph 1300
Spirit of the Event	Frank Thompson 1908 Argyll 14/16 tourer
Concours d’Elegance	Andrew Baillie 1957 Wolseley 1500
Most Appropriate Dress	Michael Pell 1932 Austin 7 Arrow
Furthest Travelled	Gerald Taylor, 1947 Triumph Roadster (Manchester)
Club Award	Morgan Sports Car Club
Friends of the Rest Award	Alec Samson 1933 Aston Martin Le Mans

More history on the Argyll Motor Works.
Visit the Scottish Motor Museum Trust
 

The weather forecast had not been good for the Scottish west coast, and we were not disappointed! Overcast skies at Alexandria turned to rain as the hardy crews motored up the side of Loch Lomond on the first leg of the 100 mile tour. The route continued with the westerly climb at Inverbeg through Glen Douglas toward Loch Long and into Arrochar. The showers and biting cold winds continued as the cars progressed through Glen Croe to the old General Wade road at the Rest and Be Thankful. Built in the 18th century and used widely in the fifties, sixties and seventies for hill climbs, and stage rallies.

Even the Scottish Rally of '93 used the Rest.

Every car built at the Argyll Motor Works was tested on the "rest" before delivery, and we returned to those days with our tour.

Though somewhat rougher than it was in the 1900's, the 1907 Argyll still managed to reach the top without losing too much puff.

The tour continued at a more leisurely pace, keeping to public roads as it meandered through some of the most stunning scenery in the National Park with lots of the roads actually following the old drove roads, according to Carron Tobin, director of rural regeneration for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority. She organised the event to highlight the cultural heritage within the Park's boundaries. Whilst Glen Ogle has its ruined crofts, viaduct and plummeting waterfalls, Glen Dochart on the A85 between Killin and Crianlarich was the scene of James Hogg's Spectre of the Glen. The National Park boasts 20 Munro's and 22 large lochs, as well as Loch Lomond itself, the largest expanse of fresh water in the British Isles.

The Rest has seen some famous motor sporting hero's. Borderer Jim Clark's second race win was in a Triumph TR3 at Rest and Be Thankful and Jackie Stewart, three-times world champion, took up racing after competing on the Rest. "Most of Scotland's most successful drivers of that era competed there," reported Jonathan Lord, director of RSAC Motorsport, another of the organising groups. "Jackie Stewart's family had a garage on the way and seeing all the cars stopping was one of the reasons he took up racing. It was an accident of geography, really".