Mysteries Solved

Sir,

In reply to Mr Timothy Ennor’s letter published in July’s MOTOR SPORT, concerning the identity of the 1 1/2-litre GP Delage he discovered in the Vintage Car Store, New York, in around 1970.

This car was the ex-John Rowley, Mike Bradley car, which Mike exchanged in a deal with the museum, for a D-type Jaguar. This car came back to UK when purchased by Anthony Bamford. It subsequently went back across the Atlantic when purchased by Don Young in California. After that it was bought by Eckart Berg in Germany, who has road equipped the car and drove it in the Mille Miglia commemorative run about four years ago. To be precise it is not one of four original chassis of the 1927 team, because it is built up on a 1937 Rubery Owen chassis frame with independent front suspension, which Chula had built for Bira. However, 95 per cent of the car still relates to 1927. According to Stan Holegate’s note book from the White Mouse garage days, it was numbered WMG 101, and the Delage engine now fitted is also stamped WMG 101. The Chiron Indianapolis car (chassis no 18488, car no 4) now resides in France with Serge Pozzoli, and is in fact the original Seaman/Rob Walker chassis. The car in the Collier collection in Florida is ex-Briggs Cunningham (car no 1, chassis no 21642, fitted with engine no 5). There is now no mystery surrounding these important cars. Their present whereabouts are known together with the location of all the spare parts which were accumulated over the years.

Alan Burnard, Swanmore, Hampshire.