| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Dolts
United Kingdom
1128 Posts |
|
|
Jamie
Canada
218 Posts |
 Posted - 23/07/2016 : 01:13:37
|
Mark
I've seen this surface a few times on vintage car sites...quite lovely, but doesn't look too much like my cycle wing J2351!
Jamie |
 |
|
|
tjackson
Australia
105 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2016 : 01:26:26
|
There is indeed a complete J2 chassis hiding under the skin, along with original front and rear axles, road springs etc.
In the late 1950s Sydney based JWF Fibreglass Industries produced the Milano body which was intended to modernise the look of the by now aging Austin 7s, Singers, Morris, and the like that were still common on the roads. Around 200 Milano bodies were made and supplied mostly in kit form, the two factory prototypes used J2 chassis as the basis.
The prototype hard top was constructed by Ian Johnson (the “J” in JWF) in the style of a Mercedes Gull Wing and used a J2 chassis along with the remains of a crashed MG TC. After lowering the chassis, the J2 front end was retained with the substitution of TC brakes and steering, shortened tail shaft, engine clutch and gearbox and rear end. The GT Milano has not survived and the fate of the J2 chassis and its chassis number are not known.
The car photographed above is the Milano MG built by Bruce Leer (who previously owned C0291) in 1959 using the Ferrari Monza look-alike open Milano body on an MG J2 chassis. He retained the MG front and rear axles, but substituted a Morris Minor differential centre and 10 inch Jowett hydraulic brakes. A TC engine running twin 1.5 inch SUs was used for power driving a TC clutch and gearbox. The Milano MG made its first competition appearance early in 1960 at Enoo Blass circuit at Orange. By 1961 the Milano MG held the under 1500cc lap record at Warwick Farm, and had bettered a top speed of 107 mph recorded on Con Rod Straight at Bathurst, and is reported to have achieved 120mph at Orange.
|
|
|
|
Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1485 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2016 : 09:51:38
|
That is brilliant Tim. A really valuable piece of research.
Colin B. |
Edited by - Colin Butchers on 24/07/2016 09:52:12 |
|
|
|
tjackson
Australia
105 Posts |
Posted - 27/07/2016 : 03:55:54
|
Thanks Colin. Hoping recycled J2s may be of interest to forum readers I have included two images of the “Gull Wing” J2 below. The JWF body doesn’t look particularly like a Mercedes to my eye but the rear of the J2 chassis can be seen in the second photo. The gull wing doors opened on Morris Minor boot hinges, a Triumph Herald rear window served as a windscreen with Perspex used for the oval rear window, and the dash was populated with TC instruments. The TC wheels on 15 inch rims were chrome plated. The 12cwt car achieved 17.7 seconds for the standing quarter mile, and a top speed of 86 mph. As mentioned previously, Johnson’s J2 based GT Milano MG is not known to have survived.
Subsequent GT Milano’s were often built on a space frame chassis and used a variety of power plants. A 6 cylinder Holden powered Milano GT Mk. 1 in period …
And another Milano GT Mk.1 in the Fordwater Trophy at Goodwood a few years back …
Perhaps a thread on Australian built fibreglass cars is moving a little off topic for the MMM forum but it did all start in the 1950s with a couple of recycled J2 chassis mated with donor TCs! |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Forum Locked
Topic Locked
