Miscellany


Blackout Lights in Great Britain During World War II

During World War II, The British Air Ministry made it mandatory that various lights (home and factory lights, streetlights, etc.) be blacked out at night in order to avoid giving the Nazi aircraft easy targets. These images illustrate how that applied to automobiles. Louvers were fitted over the headlamps that directed the light downward, making them more difficult to see from the air.

Below you can see one type of louver fitted to a Jaguar, and a close up of another type fitted to an Austin Seven. Bottom left is a poster from the period showing the items on the vehicle that needed attention during the blackout period click on the image to open a larger version). Bottom right shows how the headlamp pattern is directed downward with the louvers in place.

 
 

The First Road Race in the South

The first road race ever held in the South was likely the one that was a Cotton Carnival event on Wednesday May 13th, 1936 - The Memphis Grand Prix. Advertised as "Great speed drivers of America competing for the Southern Title." The four mile course, including two hump back bridges, was on what was the outskirts of Memphis at that time. The event was an ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) event - the forerunner of the SCCA, and not the same as the current ARCA organization which was founded in 1953. Permission was gained for the race by the Collier Brothers (Sam and Miles) - early MG racers of Vanderbilt Cup and Watkins Glen fame. British cars didn't win the race. Sam Collier finished first in an Auburn Speedster. But....MGs finished 3rd (an MG L Type Magna driven by Barron Collier, Jr.) and 4th (an MG J2 piloted by Hugh Bancroft).

Sources: "MG Competition Cars and Drivers" - Richard L. Knudson, author

and "M.G.: The Sports Car America Loved First" - Richard L. Knudson, author

Carnival Menphis


This is the winning 1932 Auburn 12-160A Speedster of Sam Collier (nicknamed "Beelzebub"


< MG L Type Magna similar to the one driven to 3rd place by Barron Collier Jr.

MG J2 similar to the one driven to 4th place by Hugh Bancroft. >


Memphis Grand Prix Continental Cars

You didn't know there was a Memphis Formula One race in 1973? That's probably because it was held in Austria. "Memphis" was the name of the government backed tobacco company that sponsored the race.

Memphis' British car dealership (1967 photo)...

 


Nigel Shiftright

Circuit Diagram (Click on the image to enlarge)


His Master's Voice

Flying Jag


Aston Martin DBR1



Gold Coast 2007 Poster (Click on the image to enlarge)

Tail of the Dragon Map (Click on the image to enlarge)


MG2006 Gatlinburg Poster (Click on the image to enlarge)

MGeometry

 

The geometry of the MG octagon. Click on the image to enlarge to full size...


Earlier this year (2019), Matt Hunter sent an email to the club's officers asking if anyone might know the whereabouts of an Austin Healey Sprite that one belonged to his Grandfather, Mel Gibbs (who was once a member of the BSCC). Jim Hofer knew where the car was! Matt is now the proud owner of this car...