Dear members,
I have had a very long interest in the history of EX127 & EX154. That really
developed in 1963/64. Both of these cars were owned by Bobby Kohlrausch in
middle 1930s.
Our Motor Sports Body in Australia is CAMS and my understanding is that they
claim that MGs did not use wheels smaller than 18" pre 1940. I further
understand that CAMS claim 15" wheels & tyres were not available at that
time.
Thanks to MMM people around the world, I have amassed a very large collection
of photos & references disproving my previously held thoughts on this subject.
I now have photos of just about every MMM car used in competition (No D-types
though) and on every continent, all using wheels smaller than 18". Most of
these were 16" diameter and one book published in Australia (co authored by a
member of CAMS Council) quotes a TA in the 1939 Aust. GP as having 16" x 600
tyres.
Many pictures that I have of EX127 & EX154 came direct from Germany but others
came from UK, South Africa & also here in Australia. Then there was a
beautiful book published in Germany (and only in German) on MG's in Germany.
Some of the photos I had already and some were great new shots. Unfortunately
I cannot speak German so various friends have translated some parts for me.
One particular shot I had of EX127 or may be it was EX154, showed very little
gap between brake drum & wheel rim and I conjectured that finally I could also
prove that 15" wheels were used on MG's prior to 1940.
I arranged with our knowledgeable friend in USA (Bob Johnson) to send the
photo to him & he scaled off the wheel spinner (knock on) and confirmed that
fact. The following is his quote :-
C. Regarding the photo you numbered "2" with BK at a starting line adjusting
his goggles, I am of the opinion that this photo was taken at a different
event than that of photo "3" because the car is shown in a very different
configuration. The grille profile and detail is very different indeed from
both of the above photos and, the wheels scale out as 15" rims with a tyre OD
of 26 3/4" (which would correspond to a tyre of about 5.00 cross section or
so). By contrast, a 19" rim with a 4.50 tyre (as fitted on P's and T's and
shown in the photos referenced in A. & B. above) has a tyre OD of about 28".
Also notice hoe the 12" brakes fill the ID of the 15" rims (right front shows
this clearly - compare to photo "3"). Sorry but I do not recognize the source
of the rims in this photo. By my count they appear to have 60 spokes and while
clearly side-laced, they have a different repeat pattern that is hard to
discern with confidence. Perhaps you know of a car of that period which used
60 spoke 15" wheels.
I am pleased to have come this far & add this detail just in case someone is
interested in UNDISPUTED FACTS. I also hope it will be of particular interest
to my German MMM friends.
A big thank you to Bob Johnson.
Regards to all.
Pip Bucknell
AUSTRALIA
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