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Geoff.Broadhead
New Zealand
27 Posts |
 Posted - 15/09/2020 : 06:13:26
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The picture was forwarded to me by Graham Phipps, Doreen's eldest son. Doreen is sat on the front of her Jaguar Mk IX at Bonneville Salt Lake Flats. The date in her album says 1960. If it were 1959 then this would likely have been taken during the record runs by Phil Hill in Ex 181.
In 1959 AH Sprite successfully attacked the 12 hr land speed record, but I wouldn't have thought a 12 hr record attempt on a salt lake particularly interesting to watch!
I wondered whether anyone can recognise any of other the people in the picture to help identify which event Doreen was attending.
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KevinA
New Zealand
668 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2020 : 11:20:03
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| The fact that the registration plate says Jaguar suggests this isn't an MG thing to me. Tom Rutherford drove his D type to a class record though in 1960 so maybe that. And if anyone is so blinkered as to be confused, Jaguar D type not MG D type! |
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Westbury
United Kingdom
1948 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2020 : 13:11:25
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The car is probably Goldie Gardener’s EX 135 when he attacked records with a Jaguar engine fitted.
Chris |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5983 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2020 : 14:11:36
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Goldie Gardner died in 1958 which was before the introduction of the Mk IX Jaguar. Wasn’t EX135 retired in the early 50s? The car looks to be more like EX179
Simon J
J3437 |
Edited by - Simon Johnston on 15/09/2020 14:12:58 |
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Robert R
Austria
320 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2020 : 18:12:52
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When I don't think it was the EX135. There are illustrations in Mike Allison's book "The Magic of the Marque".
Robert (F1164) |
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Oz34
United Kingdom
2493 Posts |
Posted - 15/09/2020 : 21:00:42
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There appears to be an MG badge on the front end of the headrest. EX135 certainly had that. Did EX 179? Also does 179's headrest go right to the back of the car as this one appears to?
Dave |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5983 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 12:14:42
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Pictures of the Rutherford D Type are hard to find although there seem to be plenty of models of it available. This picture of a model would suggest that the car in the picture is perhaps the Rutherford D Type which would make it 1960. As an aside, it was timed at 185.47 mph.
Simon J
J3437 |
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Westbury
United Kingdom
1948 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 14:54:23
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Nice try but I don’t think so, Simon !!!
Regards,
Chris |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5983 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 15:53:58
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Perhaps you’re right, Chris.
But it couldn’t be EX135 either!
Simon J
J3437 |
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Westbury
United Kingdom
1948 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 18:20:45
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A couple of pictures of EX 179.
Could be you are partly correct Simon ........
...but only partly !!!!
Chris |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5983 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 18:30:40
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I had originally thought that the car looked like EX179 but was it there in 1959 or 1960?
Simon J
J3437 |
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Westbury
United Kingdom
1948 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 18:50:02
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Simon
According to Henry Stone writing in his memoirs in ‘ MG Mania The Insomnia Crew ‘ he mentions 1959, the last year for EX 179 record breaking the same year Phil Hill broke records in EX 181 but others may have further information.
Chris
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Oz34
United Kingdom
2493 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 19:20:59
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At the risk of repeating myself Simon, the subject car's headrest goes right to the back of the car whereas that in Chris' photos does not. Equally, in your blow up, the MG badge on the headrest is more apparent. There is none in Chris' photos.
Dave |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5983 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 19:52:30
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The photosChris has posted are from 1956. Perhaps this is our mystery record breaker - EX219, the 'Austin Healey Sprite', which was actually EX179 with a supercharged A series engine and which was successful at Bonneville in 1959
Simon J
J3437
P.S. Here’s the story from the MGCC - https://www.mgcc.co.uk/articles/bonneville-swan-song/
And here’s a picture of EX219 from the offside
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Edited by - Simon Johnston on 16/09/2020 20:02:38 |
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Oz34
United Kingdom
2493 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 20:14:04
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Compare the headrests Simon!
Dave |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
5983 Posts |
Posted - 16/09/2020 : 20:38:00
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I think you’re reading too much into an unclear photo taken at an angle, Dave. It seems to me that there could be a cover of some sort on the headrest in Geoff's original picture and it’s hard to tell how far the tail of the car projects. We know from the origins of the photo that it must be 1959 or 1960. The only record breakers (which this obviously is) at Bonneville in those years were EX181 and EX219 in 1959. It’s clearly not 181 and seems like a good fit for 219. So I’d say the photo dates from 1959 and Doreen Evans was probably there to see Phil Hill in action in 181. Was it 181 that had a Jaguar derived engine?
Simon J
J3437 |
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Doreen Evans - when was this picture taken?
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