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John Brinkmann
USA
153 Posts |
 Posted - 01/11/2015 : 19:23:03
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Can anyone identify this car? The brakes appear to be 12" and one could almost guess that there is a blower fitted.
John
J3752
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DickMorbey
United Kingdom
3691 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2015 : 19:47:38
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John, regrettably the registration number (nor BPL 958 if that is what it may be?) is not known to the Register.
Dick Morbey
PA/PB 0743
Frieth, Oxon, UK |
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Matthew Magilton
Australia
179 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2015 : 07:04:29
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John, does the article mention name, place or event? I am guessing a PA.
Matthew. |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6403 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2015 : 07:46:58
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The wing stays and badge bar look like J2. One could also argue that the top of the driver's door is straight like a J2 rather than curved like a P Type. And is there evidence of the J2 style spare wheel carrier strap on the inner of the two spare wheels? If it has a blower, the 12" brakes would make sense.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Oz34
United Kingdom
2643 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2015 : 09:22:35
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The windscreen mounting brackets look more P to me Simon.
Dave |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6403 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2015 : 09:43:20
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Agreed, Dave. And the windscreen frame does look to be thicker, like a P rather than a J
Simon J
J3437 |
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MaGic_GV
United Kingdom
868 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2015 : 16:44:23
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I favour P type because of the windscreen brackets..
There was a BPL 999, no longer known to exist, which is described as 'specially prepared for racing', for N E Bracey. Since the last two numbers are probably distorted by what looks like mud and grass, its a definite maybe!
You wouldn't fit a blower between the dumb irons for trials (would you?) so maybe Mr Bracey was trying his luck. The JC on the sign top r/h corner suggests a Junior Car Club trial.
Regards,
Graham
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
746 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2015 : 20:02:20
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Here's Mr Bracey, looks like we have a match!
I think it was Colin B who once told me lots about Mr Bracey and his exploits when I was looking for more info of this photograph (which my Dad found in a charity shop in Stratford upon Avon for me). Perhaps you can repeat it for us all on here, Colin?
Cheers,
Cat |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2015 : 12:54:48
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At long last I have found the information about Norton Bracey, which I passed to Cat in May 2009, although it can hardly be described as "lots" ! I mentioned that N E Bracey was a well known M.G. driver in the 30s both in trials and speed events. The car he used was his PA BPL 999 (chassis number PA1648) and he appeared at Lewes Speed Trials on the 7th May 1938 when he came 2nd in the 1100cc Super Sports Car Class (behind G Reid in a PB) and in the 1938 Colmore Trial held on the 26th February 1938. For both of these events, the car had been fitted with a supercharged PB engine bored out to 946cc.
According to W Boddy's "The History of Brooklands Motor Course", Bracey entered a team in the LCC Relay Race held on the 20th July 1935 consisting of himself with an 847cc supercharged M.G, H B Shaw with a blown 1321cc car (might have been NA0518) and Lord Avebury with a second blown 847cc M.G. According to Mr Boddy the team finished the race with an average speed of 81.88 mph, but other reports state that Lord Avebury retired his car with run big-ends.
Bracey also appeared at the BARC Autumn Meeting at Brooklands on the 17th October 1936 in the First October Long Handicap over three laps of the Outer Circuit,when the engine size was quoted as 939cc (supercharged). He was the "Limit" man with a time of 2 minutes and Dodson was on scratch with one of the Works Austins. Other competitors included Reg Parnell and Billy Cotton both with their K3s, on 21 seconds and 34 seconds respectively. Apparently Bracey pulled out unexpected speed from his car, lapping at 93.44 mph to win the race at an average of 90.01 mph with Parnell being second 9.6 seconds behind. Parnell was excluded as he is said to have crossed the black line at The Fork, which promoted Dodson into second place with Duller's Duesenberg third. Sounds as if the Handicapper was bamboozled on that occasion !
I don't know whether Norton Bracey was using the same car for all of these events, and I think I saw a picture somewhere of him driving a very stripped PA at Brooklands. Unfortunately, I cannot now trace this photograph, so possibly we will never know.
Colin B. |
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Brian Kelly
USA
526 Posts |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
746 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2015 : 10:32:35
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Not only did you manage to find it, you even know when you sent it to me! Thanks for sharing it again, Colin!
I seem to recall having seen a picture in which Bracey is racing against an SS 100 though I couldn't tell you if the track was Brooklands and if the car was stripped or not. Will have to try and dig up the pic!
Cheers,
Cat |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2015 : 10:48:18
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Can't find any references to JCC Trials in the "Motor Sport" magazine archives, but I note that a folder of 130 items relating to Captain Norton E Bracey sold at Bonham's in November 2009 for £230. The folder contained letters etc. from Bracey to various motor racing clubs, magazines and motor vehicle suppliers, and included eight caricatures (presumably of the good Captain) So someone out there knows a lot more about him than we do at present.
Also very interested to see the two images from the MPL archives, of Bracey on Nailsworth Ladder and the so called "freak" hill at Knatts Valley. That's two more events that can be added to the present list.
Colin B. |
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BPL 998?
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