LETTERS from READERS, February 1951

LETTERS from READERS

N.B.—Opinions expressed are those of our correspondents and Motor Sport does not necessarily associate itself with them—Ed.

.1 AG1′ versas .X1.1..11{1)

Si”.

.kfter reading Mr. Goldsehmidt’s lett Cr 1)1111. feels like saying ” So wind ?

A, little study Of the specifieal ions of Hie Jaguar NK 120 and Allard-Cadillac W011111 haVe ShOW11 Hill that, as tar as aeceleration at any rate is coneerned, the Hard will be far superior. The Jaguar ‘veighs o.trt. :old develops 100 b.h.p. al 5.000 r.p.m., while the .11Iard weighs 17 cu t. and the ” worked-over ” Cadillac engine must be giving s(nnething like 170 b.h.p. at around .1,000 r.p.m. (The standard Cadillac engine gives 160 b.h.p. at 3.6)0 r.p.m.) Again. the Cadillac engine is 5/, litres against. the Jaguar’s 3.! litres and really it is quite impossible

eompare the two cars is Mr. Goldselmddt does. The .%Ilard is a stark two-seater built entirely for competition work, while the Jaguar is an extremely III,,’ looking two-seater -which ean equally well he used I, in sport S; car racing or I ouring.

I defy Mr. Goldselonidl. to find another 3?,-litre car equalling the Jaguar’s perand at the price of the Jaguar. The Jaguar has at any rule had :1.11 extremely good season in this country and has proved itself easily the fastest sloorts car we have.

Ina. wonders how I he Amerieatt sports car races are run arc they ” scratch raves or are there (tap:wily (lasses?

II’ they are ” scratelt•’ ra(3.s, as they appear to be, then it is small wonder that the .’s lards do so well. Iwing the biggest (lighted cars in II,,’ race and as the engines are of molt large ellimeity they develop their po)wer at low revs.. which most give them very good acceleration indeed. I need hardly point out to Mr. Goldsehmilll that when driving an Allard it would not be so nevessary to corner fast owing lo the terrine gelawaYotitt of the corner and that when driving a Jaguar tar more skill would la. needed on the eorners to keep up with the .11Iard. One wonders, therefore. if this cannot be the reason wh?.Anwrieans seem to fliviffir stall big engines in their cars ermpled with NO. !hat having heell brought up on ears Wit II large woolly engines which require hardly any use of the gearbox to extract the performance, when they ore vonfronted with a ” real motor car whieh needs intelligent use of the .gearbox, etc., they fail miserably to make the fast of Ow car. One has onlsto look at the results or the Silver stone Production Car linee the T.T. ill Ireland to see that the Jaguar when driven properly is way ahead of the

Bards. I would say to Mr. Goldschntidt. , if pm ever have the opportunity to drive an NK. 120 again. try cornering a little bit faster and remember the gearbox is there to be used ! I nun, Yonrs. ete.,

Woodbridge. A. C. ItAxrElt. Sir,

In reading Mr. Goldsclunidt’s letter I was quite amazed at his remarks both voneerning the XK 120 Jaguar and Iis own self back-slapping.

I was therefore amused that the same day as I saw his letter I came aeross an American magazine with a description of the race at NValkins Glen and tuo pages of photographs. The photligraph of Mr. Goldschmidt in his Cadillac-Allard shows it to have been quite •’ worked over.

All Isis remarks concerning his car are no doubt true : it is a caSt. car and should be with the power-to-weight ratio it has, for it has been engined and built with sports car nwing in mind.

The. Jaguar NK 120, as ho’ as I know. was Imilt as a fast, comfortable sports I ouring car with plenty of space for luggage. and I am. sure the makers never intended it as a sports road raving car, Ow weigItt alone shows this.

Therefore comparisons :ire out of place. for I am sure with an NE 120 4..ngine in a chassis designed solely for road racing or sports events, as tlw Cndillav-.VIlard is, t two a vomparison could be drawn.

ala a very lucky owner of nut NK 120, and what a fine car it is 1. Mr. GOldSehIllidt seems to have overlooked the fact that he was driving a

special ” and So his letter in ao way IletraelS fr011t the -wonderful performances which the Xl? has put up in eN Cults for svl del it Was not designed, performances whieh the Cadillac-Allanl has yet to beat. I am. Yonrs, etc., London. S.W.15,

EABLY MAIIENDAZ

Sir.

In reply to Staff-Sergeant Allen’s left er in your Ja mut ry issue’. t he IlarendazSpecial %O dell readers fluty have had in mind as answers to various ” quizzes was no (hada, tlw 1928 four-eylinder 1it.-litre model, one of’ which I recently owned. I enclose some plootographs which show the car to be rather more venerable looking than Staff-Sergeant .11.en’s tine titodel, I ant, Yours. et e., tut land. G. It. S. MeKAv,

11I.-l.l .

DEl’ENIBEIt (41AZ

Sir, I have just got hold of’ your 1/ccember issue and am delighted to see a photogratilt 1)1′ in”: old Stutz,

I remember many details of this grand old car. which I porehased in Shanghai in 1920, brought to England in 1923 and sold in the (letober of that year on my return to the East. I do not knoNv when it loll I Ike ,vork.. 1914-15 I expect. Tla. body us :t Imill in Shangluti.

I wonder it’ you knov, anything of the lliStOry arter 11)23 and it’ it is still in existence as I shonlot very innwlt like to get into touch with the present or previous ONVIlers. I :OIL Yrall’S. etc.,

Farel-upn. .l. MON D. *

* TI 1H

Sir, I was partieularly interested to see the letter in your issue for January, written by 11r. Slwitherd, regarding the type ito ml ten of the Monoposto Alfa-Romeo. I think one should first vicar the ground by pointing out that whatever its designation this car existed in two forms. As originally built in 19:12 it had an engine of 2.050 e.e. ((15 by 100) installed in an

ft. 7 wheelbase with a 4 ft. 5 in. 1110k. (In fIlls car 11w body Arid( II Was (Iliad in the ciliate Wi(1111.

Ill 11134 it was necessary It) enlarge the body widt It lo hi minimum or S.7 cots,. hth1 1 18,1ih,ve the frame width WaS left unchanged so that in its revised form the body overlapped the frame. This was (Idled the Tipo II. Other modifications included enlarging the bore to 69 min. giving a eapaeity (it’ 2.9 litres reducing

the wheel Imse from S rt. in. I () 8 ft. in. As far as I can see this car was referred to simply as the Monoposto (hiring the raving seasons of 1932 and 1933. However. as yon know, it was described as a P11 in Moron Se(»IT ill the issue for January. 1934. and this designation beealne increasingly used during the following live years and was invented by me as correct for the purposes of ” The Grand Prix Car and the various

artieles written in The Aloior fie War to Witiell I presume Mr. Shepherd is referring. 1 am, Yours. ete.,

London, K,(‘. I. 1.,A171LEN(.1… PomEnov. ” NO BOOKIES The use In’ your correspond(•nt . G. Bellamy. of the expression! ” disgusting ‘•

in connect out Wit 11 I he II0OkieS •’ at Goodwood is in very bad taste, and his remark regarding the commercialising of !rad or sport savours of the rid With ins.

I would lake t he opportrulitv of informing Mr. Bellamy that my father, ” Long Tom,” nly younger brother and myself were ” bookies ” at 13rooklands fine-war and includeol amongst our many friends and acquaintances the most famous names in motor sport and they did not vorisider tlw preseiwe of ” bookies mulestrable.

I am, N’ours. etc.. ClIAILLEs 11.titius,

1011111011, 5.W.1 1. “Long Tont ” Junior.