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Re: MGB at Le mans

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: MGB at Le mans
From: Keith Wheeler <keithw@sand.net>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 14:15:39 -0800
Kelvin,

Thanks for the great write up on the droop snoot 'B.  My MG reference
library isn't the greatest, I end up buying books like "How to Tune
the Rover V-8" and so forth.


>        Car # BMO541B was built for "Le Mans" "retaining the 
>streamlined nose section"  (1).  "Photographs show it's non-standard 
>and singularly ugly droop-snoot bonnet shape." 

That's a laugh!  I always thought the LM 'B was a rather pretty
car, with major E-type feel.

>        It looks like there was only one nose cone which was used only 
>on the cars prepared for long distance road events.  I have seen a note 
>stating that the factory used fiberglass wings on the rally cars to cut 
>down on replacement costs.  I have seen no other evidence of this 
>practice, but it makes sense that an alloy, one off nose would not be 
>subjected to rally abuse.  There is a picture of Syd Enever hammering 
>the grille openning of the 65 Le Mans car.  My guess is that by the end 
>of the 65 season the nose was in poor condition and was scrapped when 
>the car was prepared for rally use.  But who knows what might be lying 
>around in someones lock up?

I know of an MGB racer in the southern US who claims to have a
fiberglass copy of the droop snoot, however I have not seen the
piece, and I doubt that it's a copy of the original.  Pix, prints,
or pieces of the original would be something to have.

>        The reason I spent so much time researching this subject?
>I built a replica of 7DBL to vintage race.

Where do you race?  I'd love to see the car. Is this replica a
standard nosed version?

Again, thanks for the info!

-Keith Wheeler
Team Sanctuary                          http://www.teamsanctuary.com/

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