The Magazine

About Quiz #22: watch out for copying Wiki...

Well, well, well, we never had expected this car sooo easy recognisable. A massive response to this fine Edwardian product.  Nineteen of all participants came up with the correct marque: Straker Squire. Of these eleven competitors came up with the correct year: 1910 .  Eight of those produced the correct denomination15HP.  Unfortunately for no less than three competitors was that they copied a mistake in Wikipedia saying this is five (???) valve car (intriguing concept though...!). probably this is a wiki-typo originating from SV or side valves...  Ben Hopkins didn't copy mistakes and in the end didn't need no more words to win than "The car depicted in Quiz #322 is a 1910 Mark 1 15hp Straker-Squire." 1910 being the only year this model was made, the Mk II was a foot longer. 

Further interesting remarks were about the racer history of Straker Squire mentioned by several:  
A  15 HP driven by Witchell took several records at Brooklands including the Flying Mile in 1910, and the same year saw class wins at the Aston Clinton, Caerphilly, Pateley Bridge and Saltburn Hill Climbs. Most notably a streamlined version known as PDQ achieved 95mph over a flying mile at Brooklands in the hands of H.R. Witchell in 1912.
Then there was a bunch of guys who came up with all kind of intimate details about the young lady taking a dive from the radiator cap. One thing is worrying us. The radiator is marked with London, while a 1910 car must be from the pre-London, Bristol production.  Who can explain this. Has the car a post 1918 (London) radiator? Or what?

Saturday, 19 May 2012

Hold on to your hat!

How she does it we don’t know, but can you image driving a Knox racing car wearing a hat like that? It’s definitely not a posed photo because her coat is covered in mud, just like the car (click main photo to check!). Well, maybe Joan Newton Cuneo -the lady behind the wheel- didn’t really race the Knox at the time of the photo, but she certainly did her bit. Dr. Elsa Nystrom, Professor of History at Kennesaw State University, has researched her life as the first successful female auto racer in the United States, see Read More for the story…

Friday, 18 May 2012

Is it a Derby Mystery? (upd. post 1950 photo of Derby-BMW Special)

by Ron King: I attach a photograph, taken by a friend, in the 1950's of what I think is a very much modified 1928 Derby, possibly for racing, as one can see the traces on the original photo of what looks like painted on racing number in front of the outside handbrake and airpump, both in themselves I would think modifications. The rear springs look lowered by the expedient of fitting angled wedges under the mountings and of course the lack of front wings. Those on the back look more like driver elbow protection than anything else. What the oversize P100's did to the frontal area and speed one hesitates to think. I only know it is a Derby of 1928 because that is what is written on the back of the photo it would be nice to know if anyone remembers this car and could say more about it and if it still exists. (>>> Read More).

editor: we need to be convinced that it is a Derby. It is closer to a La Perle and the radiator cowl looks BNC-ish. Yet maybe it's a parts collection on a Derby chassis, who knows.

UPDATE by Mike Tebbett who confirms the car being a Deerby Special, moreover the car still exists! See  elaborate comments and check this specific page plus a more recent photo.

Thursday, 17 May 2012

Is this all what's left of Peter & Moritz?

Of certain makes of car only a few examples are left. Also there are marques of which only one specimen is left. Also there are automobiles known of which only a chassis or engine survived. With the most charming make Peter und Moritz (clearly inspired by the stripheroes Max & Moritz created by Wilhelm Busch) it is even worse. As far as known to Stefan Feller this radiator badge is the only tangible what' s left of the German cyclecar manufacturer of Naumberg that existed from 1921-1925. First with aircooled cars and later with watercooling. Not even sure to which type this badge was fitted. We are most eager to learn if any Peter und Moritz car (or any part for what it's worth) has survived. According to Georgano there was a relation with Rover. Can anyone add to cheerful background of the Naumberg car?  (badge from collection Stefan Feller)

Wednesday, 16 May 2012