In a message dated 97-02-08 12:05:56 EST, gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (W.
R. Gibbons) writes:
<< now, folks, what is the meaning of the name "Magnette?" I
mean, I understand why a company would name a car the Super Snipe, heck,
who wouldn't? But Magnette? >>
Well Ray this is just a guess because I don't recall how Cecil Kimber first
came up with name....it is derived from the 1932 F type Magna. Which was a 6
cylinder version of the M and D types...hence the name...it had a great long
bonnet and with its helmeted wings looks really neat. Then came the J type
but it was another Midget and then the boys took up the Woseley 6 cylinder
overhead cam in the K type and for some reason Kim named it the Magnette.
The post war Magnette bears no resemblence but the name still has the Magic
of the earlier racing Magnettes.
Kimber probably realized that some day there would be a MMM register (Walt
Disney already had a lock on MM) and he already had Midgets and Magnas so to
get the 3rd M he went to Magnette. My N type is also a Magnette.
There is one of the Post war Magnettes for sale here in the S.F. paper for
about $3800....the ad sez it "runs".
Cheers
Terry
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