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poulsendk
Denmark
270 Posts |
 Posted - 25/06/2013 : 07:48:52
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Hi.
I faund, in a Danish magasin " Populær mekanik " from 1962, a Photo of a R type racing on Montlery near Paris
Jørgen Poulsen
MGM 1930 MGM 1931 |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 25/06/2013 : 10:11:35
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Hello Jorgen,
I would hazard a guess that this is RA0254 which was sold to Ecurie Menier when new and raced on a number of occasions in the late 30s by P Maillard-Brune including several events at Montlhery. The car has survived although it was broken up after the war. The current owner has done a marvellous job in tracing and re-uniting the engine, gearbox and other parts from all parts of the Continent and there is every hope that the entire car wil re-appear in the not too far distant future.
Colin B. |
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Wiessmann
Germany
87 Posts |
Posted - 26/06/2013 : 05:51:01
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Hi Jørgen and Colin,
The picture shows RA0260 driven by R.E.(Reggie) Tongue at the Coppa Acerba Junior race, Pescara, Italy, on 15th August 1935.
Tongue finished third in the 1100cc class and 7th overall.
There was a second R-type in that race (RA0255) driven by Kenneth D. Evans who did not finish.
Karl
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Edited by - Wiessmann on 26/06/2013 05:52:56 |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 26/06/2013 : 10:31:02
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Thank you for clarifying the position Karl. I was confused by the caption on the photograph which refers to Montlhery, but I should have known not to believe everything that I read !
Colin B. |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 26/06/2013 : 22:49:11
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Long, hot race that ...
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McEvoy
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2013 : 08:33:05
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Not only a long hot race but also a fortunate one to start with.
In Reggie's book he describes how he broke a gear in the gearbox prior to the race and fearing withdrawal a fellow comes along and offers to make him a new gear! This was done and fitted but making Reggie late for practice, however a word in the ear of the local police and Reggie was soon testing the car in the streets around the Station Hotel where he was staying. As he said "everybody came out and sat on the pavement or on chairs outside their front doors while I hurtled round Pescara".
I'm not sure who to admire the most in this tale -
the skill of the gear maker, a ENV 75 is not the easiest of gearboxes to repair or the police for being so accommodating!
Those were the days
Bob |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3238 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2013 : 11:28:49
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Hi Bob
What a lovely story - as you say those were the days. The R type must have looked and sounded wonderful as it hurtled past.
The Police in the UK must have been as accommodating as I believe J H T Smith tested his single seat K3015 on closed public roads?
George
L2023 |
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MaGic_GV
United Kingdom
868 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2013 : 10:30:50
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I believe Cooper used to have the occasional illicit test along the Surbiton by-pass.
An anecdote I heard more recently was of a well known vintage restorer not far from me. An owner, equally well known, wanted to test his ERA, and went out on to the road, down to a roundabout and returned, at a great rate of knots. A lady complained to the police 'did you get its number?' they asked...'yes it was number 7'!
Then there is the Le Mans car tested at around 200 on the M4 - by the time the police got to the workshop of the suspected culprit it was stripped down 'can't be this one, its not going!'...
Graham
"I'd rather be happy than right anyday" Slartybartfast, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy |
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JMH
United Kingdom
911 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2013 : 11:14:32
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The "ERA Story" has been around for many years & now almost reached the level of an "Urban Myth". Whilst most of us would love to have been the rebel at the centre of the story, the first time it was retold to me (many years ago), the driver in question was Dudley Gahagan (also a previous owner of K3015). Larger than life, with him I'd like to think that it actually originated in fact.
JH |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2013 : 16:51:08
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I too have heard the ERA story: sometimes it's said to have been Gahagan, sometimes Reg Parnell. Parnell was a serial offender in this regard though - see Graham Gauld's biography of him, although the vague anecdote about him using Donington Park during the war years is untrue: an error by Motor Sport.
What is certain is that ERAs were tested over a long public road circuit around Bourne on several occasions. Early mornings with the local rozzers apparently cocking a deaf 'un!
Coopers - yes, definitely. The original Cooper 500 was first tested on the Surbiton by-pass. |
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ht1962
Netherlands
114 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2013 : 21:19:14
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Hello ,
The ERA story is true! I was with Dudley when he tested R7b in Benthuizen (Holland) doing at least 100 mph and trying to smoke a Benson &Hedges cigarette at the same time :-)
I was also at the Nurnburgring with him when after some warming up on the public road the german police tried to folow him into the paddock. dudley drove right into the paddock and the police was stopped because they didn't have the right pass for the policecar.
He was a good friend.
Regards,
Halbe Tjepkema.
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MaGic_GV
United Kingdom
868 Posts |
Posted - 30/06/2013 : 16:52:02
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Clearly the stories become modified with time! I heard it as Hamish Moffatt at Nigel Arnold Foster's establishment - 'course it may have happened more than once...
Graham
Graham
"I'd rather be happy than right anyday" Slartybartfast, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy |
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Adrian Moore
United Kingdom
92 Posts |
Posted - 30/06/2013 : 18:39:02
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Another picture of the R type
Location unknown
Adrian Moore |
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McEvoy
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2013 : 11:27:47
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Thanks Adrian for adding another R Type picture but am I correct in that you are saying this is RA0260 with Reggie Tongue as if it is it seems to add a little more detail regarding the brake cooling on this particular car at that time. If not 0260 which one?
Bob |
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Wiessmann
Germany
87 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2013 : 21:23:36
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The second picture too shows RA0260. The visible brake mods were carried out by Wilkie Wilkinson for the 1939 season during the ownership of G.H. Symonds. So the picture cannot be older than that date. It is not younger than about 1950 because the car then got a second rear view mirror which it does not yet have.
Could the driver be Roy Salvadori in 1946 who then started his racing career in RA0260?
Karl |
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McEvoy
United Kingdom
252 Posts |
Posted - 04/07/2013 : 00:52:05
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Thanks Karl for confirming the R as 0260. I think you may be correct regarding Roy Salvadori as the driver as up to the 1950s when you say the additional mirror was fitted there was only Duncan Hamilton and Bishop as drivers. I'm sure that it is not Hamilton not sure about Bishop or his partner Garnsey who I think drove the car as never seen a full frontal face photo of them. The occupant of the car certainly has the Salvadori parentage Italian look about him. The front cowl underside seems to bear the same marks as when Coundley had the car in the 1950s.
I have a letter from Salvadori confirming his purchase of the car which if you would like I can send you a copy for your records.
Bob
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R type
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