Brooklands Miller

Sir,

I was interested in the article entitled The Brooklands Miller in the current issue, and Icon, perhaps, add some information concerning the history of this car.

On its arrival at Brooklands its performance was very poor, but the trouble was eventually traced to the cam of the Delco contact breaker which was intended for a six not an eight cylinder engine! When this had been changed the car performed satisfactorily.

After the Count’s death in the autumn of 1924, Dan Higgins acquired the can and raced it with some success on the sands at Southport. in 1925, disposing of it at the end of the season. After its fleeting appearance at Brooklands, in 1926, it was sold, in 1927, to Bert Shorter of Auckland, New Zealand, who raced it but struck serious engine trouble selling it to Keith and Rappel Cutten. It eventually found its way into she hands of G. A. Mathieson, who was not only a splendid driver, but also a first class mechanic. Mathieson rebuilt the entire car, including the engine, incorporating some modifications of his own. A letter to Harry Miller, in Los Angeles, produced some very helpful information so that when the car re-entered competition it was an imtnediate success.

Between 1933-1936 Mathieson won races at Hennings Speedway, Gloucester Park Speedway. the Hillsborough hill climb and the New Zealand Beach Championship at Muriwai Beach. It also won the Waikato dirt track Championship, two road races, and sundry smaller events. One thing, however, Mathieson could never do and that was to improve the brakes which remained, as always, the weakest point of the car.

Mathieson disposed of the car by selling it to an Australian who drove it in various races and hill climbs (see Motor Sport January 1938 p25). At a later date the car was converted into a sports car, and generally hacked about (I have a photo), and I understand that the present owner proposes restoring it to its original state but I have no further information.

Paris, T. A. S. O. MATHIESON