Letters from Readers, October 1947

Sir,
In view of his exalted claims in your columns, readers of Motor Sport will have watched Mr. Thursby Pelham’s performance at Brighton with the utmost interest. I learn that he averaged the hilarious speed of 51.39 m.p.h. over the kilometre, so that there were a mere fourteen vintage sports cars faster than him, while the fastest unsupercharged vintage sports car surpassed him by the negligible margin of 14 1/2 m.p.h. Nor must we overlook an unblown, vintage Austin Seven which beat him by one m.p.h.

Does this all go to show something or other?

I am, Yours etc.,
Cecil Clutton.
London, W.11.

Sir,
I read with much interest, in your September issue, the description of the Emeryson Special.

This is, without doubt, an outstanding motor car, but I cannot quite see why the complication of two-stage supercharging is necessary to give the performance which, in any case, I query.

ln the article it states that the car was obtaining 136 m.p.h. at 6,200 r.p.m. at Gransden Lodge. Frankly, I take leave to doubt this because R. D. Poore was only getting another 10 m.p.h. in the Alfa. Also, on the information given, for the tyre sizes and gear ratios 6,200 r.p.m. equals 128 m.p.h.

It is a great pity that this car was not able to run at Brighton Speed Trials as we should have then had an accurately timed figure over the kilometre, which would have given a better indication of the car’s performance than anything else.

As a matter of interest the single seater M.G. “K3” car belonging to Mr. J. R. Weir, the Scottish driver, but which has been run for most of this season by the writer was obtaining 133 m.p.h. on both the straights at Reims and just touching this speed down the hill at Ulster over a shorter distance.

In this instance the speed was achieved at 6,500 r.p,m. ith rear wheels 650 by 16 cm., and a top-gear ratio of 4.16. Moreover. the performance was obtained with single-stage Roots blowing at 17 Ib./sq. in.

I do not wish it in any wav to he thought that my remarks detract from the outstanding perrformance and the virtuosity in producing this wonderful little car, and I think the designers and constructors are certainly to be congratulated on producing it so rapidly without, apparently, any backing front an organised firm or works.

The most outstanding feature of the car to me is not its performance or its two-stage blowing, but its quite exceptional reliability, which normally takes one or two seasons to achieve with even a car of a very orthodox design.

I am, Yours, etc.,
P. R. Monkhouse.
Watford.