7 replies to this topic

[fuzzi]

Does anyone know what happened to the Special car made for Raymond Mays in 1949/50?

The car seems to have been constructed using a number of parts designed for the V16 BRM - chassis rails, air struts, front suspension are visible on contemporary photos. But it was powered by a Zoller blown ERA engine (presumably one from his ERA R4D) but with an unusual final drive - the rear mounted pre-selector gear box received the power from a worm drive shaft into the rear of the box and drove the rear wheels through forward facing chain-drive units which acted as rear suspension swinging arms. The whole car was quite short and it was said to have been uncontrollable. The car was written up in The Motor of May 1950.

The BMRMT Trustees questioned how the car had been paid for and it seems to have quietly disappeared.

Does anyone know anymore?

[GeoffE]

The Midland Automobile Club's centenary book Ton Up! reports of the 1949 season ...

"It needs to be said that, although we were seeing Mays fading compared with his previous performances, he was very occupied with BRM matters and also in preparing a new sprint car (with chain drive) which, in fact, never ran."

[Ted Walker]

It was said several years ago that parts of it survived I think with Bill Morris,but might be wrong.

[martyn chapman]

Hi, I heard along time ago that Lord Owen made Ray break the car up and use the v16 parts where they were meant to be used, in fact Lord Owen threatened to withdraw moneys if he didnt do this and ray was very upset,i heard this through Rivers, I think the car had a varyable drive system on it ,i have often wondered myself what happened to it,it probably ended up down the tip ,all cut up,The chap jerome fack bought the brough superior off. said Mays was like this sometimes , he met Mays on the tip dumping stuff and none of it was ever any good as he cut every thing up into small bits which would infuriate john wright,i just remembered his name,i suppose you could go and get time team to dig it up for you,heee heee . Martyn Chapman

[Doug Nye]

What provided the basis of Jim Berry's ERA Special...?

DCN

[David McKinney]

Which one?
The 1953 car was, I believe, based on the F2 Woden (itself based on the HAR design)
The later one was the ex-Gerard Cooper-Bristol mit ERA
And wasn't there a rear-engined one too? Or am I confusing that with the JBW-Maserati?
Ot are you hinting at something we don't know about?

[martyn chapman]

yes david your right the ERA spl was cooper bristol based,though i dont know about cars with engines in the rear ,there are some pics of the Raymond mays spl in an old ERA club news letter, guy spollon could probably help there,there is also a pic of the car in the ERA at bourne book which can be got from balldocks mill ERA preservation sociaty in bourne i have this book and its a good read, sorry i have not learned how to upload pics onto this thing yet,. martyn chapman

[Graham Gauld]

For the record herewith a pic of Jim Berry with the Cooper-ERA at Rest and Be Thankful Hill Climb in

Scotland.