4 replies to this topic

[ChrisD]

Does anyone have a copy of “Top of the Class MG K3003 :  A Short History of the MG K3 Magnette JB1475”  by Graeme Cocks?  I really can’t afford a copy - and I am now completely out of book storage space - and it isn’t available on inter-library loan.

 

The reason I ask is that in 1934 a German, Theodor Fork, seemingly purchased the MG Magnette K3, chassis # K3003, from the MG Factory.  This was the same car in which Eyston and Lurani raced in the 1933 Mille Miglia and with which Nuvolari won the 1933 TT at Ards.

 

However, I have seen speculation that whilst Fork thought he was buying the ex-1933 Mille Miglia car, it was in fact a replica produced by the factory.  The view is that rather than sending its very successful race tuned engine to a buyer in Germany the car with which Fork was supplied was a new car, and that the factory kept the actual K3 chassis number K3003.

 

Given that Graeme Cocks now owns K3003, I am guessing that he will have addressed this in his book.   Can anyone enlighten me as to Graeme's view on this (if indeed he has one), please?

[Roger Clark]

I haven’t got Graeme Cock’s book but Mike Hawke’s K3 Dossier has some information.

He says that Theodor Fork bought K3003 in 1934 without the lightweight TT body but fitted with a new TT style body. He raced it in the Mille Miglia and then fitted a single-seat body before competing in Avusrennen and Riesengebirgs-Rennes. After that he sold it to Josef Möritz. After several changes of ownership it was badly damaged in an accident in 1951. Hawke said it was not possible to trace whether the car was ever rebuilt.

Hawke also says that another car appeared in 1939. This bore chassis marking K3 3 (ie Kay Three blank blank Three). He says there are three possibilities: (1j that K3003 did not go to Germany - but if that was the case, what did go? (2) the missing blanks are not 00 but something else. (3) that a spare chassis was used and introduced into the system. This car was registered JB1475 by Philip Bayne-Powell in 1972.

This book was published in 1992 so May have been superseded by later research.

[Ray Bell]

I believe there were some question marks about the actual identity of at least one of the K3s which came to Australia...

Nuvolari's name being mentioned but questions being raised.

[Lola5000]

I've got the book..very odd book ,I'll read through and comment the car is in fact owned by Peter Briggs.

 

There is a forum called Triple MMM in the UK ,I'd ask them ,mind you there a weak lot who don't like to make comment on SUS cars

Edited by Lola5000, 16 January 2018 - 09:32.

[Lola5000]

The book i have is over 450 pages et NO pictures of its recent resto..odd.