Blowing hot air

Sir,

Your review of Michael Hay’s Blower Bentley book describes it as the outcome of “fastidious research”. I don’t accept that

In it, the author casually dismisses the integrity of the engine of the Birlcin single-seater No1 Team Car. He says, without any qualification, that the “crankcase is original but the rest of the engine has been changed”. This is not true.

This is specifically a racing car and could have had many components changed many times. But the crankcase contains the original Villiers crankshaft and drives through a Birkin clutch. Both supercharger and inlet manifolding are stamped No1, which ties in with the chassis number. The chassis, running gear and body are all correct, and the whole represents one of the great cars of motoring history.

What the book is concerned with is a team of four glamorous and romantically heroic follies built by a true Brit to bring honour to his country. But Mr Hay’s bloodless concern for nit-picking queries does nothing to further the historic knowledge and romance of these cars.

I am, Yours etc, George Daniels, Isle of Man