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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
 Posted - 12/01/2015 : 12:06:30
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Hello all
I am a new member so please be gentle with me!
I am compiling a history of the Great Auclum speed trial/hillclimb that took place in Burghfield Common, Berkshire between 1938 and 1974 (excluding WWII and a foot and mouth epidemic).
I have a few photos of cars that are, I believe, MGs or at least MG Specials. The first one of which is shown below. I believe the car is driven by G P Taylor here in 1953 and was run in the class for up to 1300 cc sports cars.
Can anyone give me some detail about the car and confirm if it is indeed an MG based car and whether the driver is G P Taylor?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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george
United Kingdom
862 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 12:44:07
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| I can't read the reg but it might be a Lester MG .I remember Gt Auclum in about 1969 when an ex GP car left the track and disappeared through the rhodies. Happy days Geoff |
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O.Thomas
United Kingdom
755 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 12:49:16
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| Hi Steve , the car is based on a p type . Had independent front suspension and 4 Amal carbs. From what I'm told it went very well, it was in France in recent years but not sure if its still there. Have another photo of it at Firle hill climb around the same time. Some of the "older hands" will be able to tell you more. Oliver |
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 13:27:41
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Thanks Geoff. I lived about 100 yards from the finishing paddock and used to get free access to the hill as a local. I was only a lad and found the whole experience intoxicating. I remember a lot of "offs" - perhaps the one you are recalling is Spencer Elton in his pretty Brabham - he seemed to foregt to turn right at the first bend. Happy days indeed. All the best, Stevequote:
Originally posted by george
I can't read the reg but it might be a Lester MG .I remember Gt Auclum in about 1969 when an ex GP car left the track and disappeared through the rhodies. Happy days Geoff
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 13:29:24
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Thanks for the information Oliver - much appreciated.
All the best
Steve
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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O.Thomas
United Kingdom
755 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 13:32:19
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| Did u get my direct e mail?? |
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 13:40:02
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Not yet Oliver.
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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JMH
United Kingdom
911 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 20:38:10
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Here are a couple of photos of the car at Firle in 1963, Amals included:
JH |
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 20:56:05
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Great photos - thanks very much for posting them.
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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Mike the M
United Kingdom
481 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2015 : 22:02:35
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According to my registration files, MG 4463 was a PB 0649 built 16 December 1935 and registered 7 January 1936 as a 2 seater. There is also a note which says it was for sale in Motor Sport January 1979 p 113, but I can find no reference at that place.
Hope this helps.
Mike Dalby |
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2015 : 09:01:03
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Thanks again Mike!
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2015 : 11:47:03
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Steve, I expect you already have them, but I have copies of Gt. Auclum Programmes for 26/7/47, 25/7/48 and 14/8/49. If you would like copies let me know. Also, did you see (have you got) the TV film made about 10 years ago entitled "A Walk over History" which included quite a lot about Gt Auclum including an interview with the son of Mr Gardiner who created the course in 1938. I believe that one of the most famous "offs" involved a lady driver with either an Alvis or a Frazer-Nash, who it is said had been taking a spot too much "Dutch courage" (sorry Cat - no offence intended), and failed to get round the first banked corner. Her car was left wedged firmly on the top of the banking, and it took quite a long time to retrieve both lady and car.
So far as MG 4463 goes, this car was owned for many years by Pat Hewitt who was a motor trader from Eastbourne. When he first bought it the car already had the little racing body fitted and he installed i.f.s. from a Standard 9, with a Morris Series E rear axle. He modified the camshaft timing by backing off the cam to improve valve lift, and he re-ground each cam lobe by hand using a protractor mounted on the front of the camshaft to achieve the profiles that he required. The engine was lightened by attacking non essential parts with an angle grinder and the whole thing was carefully balanced which allowed the use of 6800 rpm (in short bursts !). He also emptied the dynamo casing of all heavy bits which ruined its charging capability, and as he ran the car as a Sports Car, (which required wings and working lights etc) he would present the car to the scrutineer with the engine running briskly, and the ammeter needle bent to suggest a positive charge ! On one occasion at Valence Hill climb he told me that he had also drilled the exhaust valve stems and filled them with sodium for better cooling, although in a subsequent telephone conversation with him, he denied ever having done that.
He eventually sold the car to Mervyn Leeson, an Eastbourne butcher (almost certainly a relative of the unfortunate H Leeson who was killed at Brooklands 1n 1932 whilst driving C0274 in the JCC 1000 Mile Race.) Mervyn Leeson sold the car on to Adam Stacey-Marks, also of Eastbourne, and Pat Hewitt last saw the car burning furiously in the middle of Polegate town with melted carburettors. It is believed that the car was rebuilt by Peter Agg of Forest Row and as Oliver has already stated, it then went to France where it is seen quite regularly in competition.
Pat also told me that he regretted selling the car, and would like to have bought it back, but instead he had to "make do" with an E Type Jaguar !
Colin B. |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2015 : 12:30:19
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None taken, Colin  ! Fascinating stories otherwise, as ever!
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2015 : 12:52:13
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Thanks for your terrific post Colin and the information therein. Thanks too for the offer of programme copies - you're right; I have pretty much a full set of originals that I have painstakingly collected over the years. Regarding "A Walk Over History" I was closely involved in making the Great Auclum section as I had contacts (David Gardiner, Doc Willoughby etc). We cheated a bit by pushing Tom Brown's mallock down the hill with the Doc at the wheel and dubbed on some genuine Great Auclum audio from 1974! You'ere right too about the alchahol-fueled take-off at the first bend - it was Mrs Thelma Ruffer and I have the photo shown in teh Meidian TV programme. That bend caught a few drivers out over the years but all lived to tell the tale!
The informa
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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Great Auclum
United Kingdom
25 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2015 : 12:55:05
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Oops - pressed the send key before I meant to - complete with uncorrected typos!
As I was saying...
The information on MG4463 is fascinating and I am most grateful - this all helps to bring life to the story and will (hopefully) stop my Great Auclum book from being too boring.
Kind regards
Steve
Steve Lovegrove
Great Auclum Historian |
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 13/01/2015 : 14:44:29
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| Steve - does the original course still exist? Or any parts of it? |
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MG4463
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