Fourth six 3

saic products of the British automotive ated dozens of parts suppliers. Still it was industry. The results were often perhaps with a unique ingeniousness that Kimber a bit more stylish, but none the less prosa­ was able to produce of a completely ic. unique character. Kimberʹs team, two at the start at Alfred While his MG operation anticipated, Lane to 200 at Abingdon, were doing foreshadowed, or fathered if you wish, something different. These were cars that, chassis design that was to become charac­ well, we could use the tired phrase a teristic of post war British engineering, it whole greater than the some of its parts, was the engines that were to bring the To say that MGʹs pre war history was a . Weaving together a supply network proved Kimber to be an astute industrial laurels. The unexpected and often out confusion of model configuration and des­ capable of providing him the bits needed analyst. One who knew what he wanted sized reputation of the firm. ignation would be to overstate the obvi­ to manage a fully functional automobile to deliver on road and track, had built Engines are the heart of an automotive ous. Period press reference to MG as a assembly operation. Often on timelines so relations within the Morris group of auto­ company. It is here that, for me, the mys­ purely sportscar company seemed to have industrially unrealistic that it added to, if motive companies to have them config­ tery lies. When I took this project on I more to do with the fact that Kimber & not created, the historic confusion over ured, and a talented team to conceive knew less of the and Morris were doing it for sport. The com­ cars rolling out of Abingdon with a profu­ them on one end and fit them together on origin than of the achievements. The vic­ pany as it grew from the Morris Garage sion of octagons. the other. Kimber did have the financial tories in hill climb and in road race, the service depot at Longwall Street to Alfred In the beginning it was off­the­line backing of the man who was responsible class speed records of Eyston. Class Lane to a couple of bays at the Bainton Morris cars, seen as assembled parts that for 42% of all car sales in the UK in the records that reshaped the definition of Road Morris radiator factory to the Pavlov were delivered to Kimberʹs garage. early twenties. The man who owned MG light car performance. The stories of leather works, becoming the Limited part­ Bodies were stripped, leaf springs flat­ as a private concern. Bought Britainʹs young blades at the controls of early 1.3 nership of the MG motor car company at tened, steering replaced, cable brake sys­ largest car company, Wolseley, during liter Bugattis embarrassing Kaiser Prize 7 Abingdon, was never really a manufactur­ tems simplified, engines disassembled, financial troubles following the Great war liter Mercedes are legion. Stories of light­ er. Not in the real sense of raw materials ported, polished, balanced. All was with a private check. And whose main weight and specific power pushing aside in, rolling chassis out. reassembled, new bodies fit, generally at concern, , owned and oper­ large displacement power, that defined Kimber had an uncanny ability to moti­ of , interiors of leather vate automotive parts suppliers, within installed. The transformed cars were and beyond the Morris Motors empire, to rolled onto the showrooms of Morris supply and produce parts for his nineteen Garage. twenties conception of the sportsmanʹs Yes, there were others altering the pro­

38 the evolving character of the voiturette upon aero engine manufacture with And yet another reference to William But Morris was running Wolseley as a pri­ before 1914. Yet here we have MG writing Hispano for their magnificent V8, under Morris requesting the Wolseley engineers vately held concern (much like MG), and stories of sub­one liter cars setting records the product name Viper. The numbers to develop an OHC in­line four engine of not as of yet folded into the Morris near or beyond 100 miles an hour at a produced seem to have been substantial; sub one­liter size, for the Minor, after the Motors fold. Admirable, daring, but time when 80 miles an hour was impres­ four thousand is the number referred to. acquisition in ʹ27. unusual. sive for most any car, of any displace­ This certainly must have resulted in the These two references I did find curious. A search for the designer may uncover ment. Wolseley engineering and production Generally European companies, on the other influences in the decision. Because, My own investigation began with a operations reaching a high standard of Allied side, got in the soup after the first it was a hell of a decision for Kimber and search for the source of this OHC engine manufacturing capability in the Birkigt war because of government war contract the MG reputation. And what were the referred to in books like John Thornleyʹs mold. cancellation and the retooling lead time to influences that resulted in the NB six Maintaining the Breed. For Wolseley to have come out of the serve a disorganized, displaced, disheart­ engine by 1935? I felt certain H. N. It made little sense to me that a small war with an in­line OHC six, as Birkigt ened, yet ironically emergent, middle Charles fingerprints were on this deal, but British ʺgarageʺ operation had developed was producing the H6, makes perfect class. where? And how early in the chain of an engine of such diminutive size, yet so sense. The sixʹs realization in a smaller For a company of the industrial diversi­ events? And within this complex weave of formidable of performance and durability. displacement package targeted to a broad­ ty and scale of Wolseley to get in trouble British suppliers, did Kimber really have Yes, I saw the industrial depth of Morrisʹ er British price point, is also perfectly logi­ over the development of a single cam car the pull to order individual specification operation behind their sales show­ cal for the UKʹs largest manufacturer. engine seemed unlikely in the extreme. engines on a limited production basis room, but it still made little sense because Yet, so much of Eystonʹs focus on Just the fact that Morris stood up to pur­ from Wolseley? Or from the casting oper­ of Morrisʹ interest in out­Austinʹing record setting was with the sub­one liter chase the firm with a seven hundred and ation that supplied Wolseley? Austin (in price point), and the infamous engine, in displacement from 847 and fifty thousand pound check seemed to laconic performance results of British 750cc to 500 and even 350cc. Where the belie such a conclusion. My first call was to Mike Cook. Mike industrial parsimony. So I went on a hell did this engine come from? This was The latter was surprising to me. For having extended his help in the past search in my library. no little iron lump, evolved from automo­ Morris to request of Wolseley to take their regarding all things British. First clue, MG was ʹgiftedʹ Wolseley tive side valve tradition. It seemed to Silent Six OHC and downsize it to an OHC engines for modification. OK, but I speak of the level of machining and man­ 847cc four­banger for Morris Motors ʺHello, Mike? Scott Callan here. How knew even less about Wolseley. After a ufacturing sophistication achieved by forthcoming subcompact Minor was are you?ʺ few hours, there it was, the shadow of Wolseley aero engine division. unexpected. This seemed industrially ʺGood Scott. Good to hear from you. Mark Birkigt. Wolseley had assumed the There again was research reference to unusual to introduce such complexity of What are you working on?ʺ mantle of major armaments manufacture, Wolseley getting into financial trouble as power to this car market price point in ʺDoing a book on an MG. An NB to be much like Alfa, during the first world war. a result of development costs of an over­ 1927. Long road for an economy of scale. precise. Which brings me to my call. And in an industrial subset had entered head cam for general automotive use. 41 ʺDo you have any pre­war MG material in the archives?ʺ ʺAfraid the archive is focused on the post war period. But what are you look­ ing for?ʺ ʺInformation on the engines. I see they were overhead cams. Trying to find out who designed them and where they were made.ʺ ʺThey didnʹt make their own. Iʹm sure they were sourced within the Morris group at the time. Now that I think of it, they were Wolseleyʹs werenʹt they?ʺ ʺSeem to be. But Iʹve found no reference to who actually designed them. Just try­ ing to give credit where credit is due. And find out more about their development. ʺJust find it curious that an operation like Morrisʹs would go to the expense of designing, developing and tooling up to make a sub­one liter over­ head cam.ʺ ʺDoes seem unusual doesnʹt it. ʺYou know who you should contact, Bill Price. And I think Graham Robinson may have written a book on Wolseley. Heʹs written a book on most everything else.ʺ ʺWait a minute? Graham Robinson? Sounds familiar.ʺ I turned in my chair, gave a quick scan of the book shelf. ʺThought that sounded familiar Mike, Iʹve got his book on . ʺProbably tomorrow if you want. He ʺIt was a unique engine with the gener­ scraper who was responsible for their ʺIʹll e­mail their contacts in a few min­ said heʹd be around for the weekend.ʺ ator mounted vertically as part of the redesign and reengineering at MG.ʺ utes.ʺ ʺSounds great. Iʹll get them off to you camshaft drive. It was a typical early thir­ ʺIt was probably H.N. Charles.ʺ ʺThanks Mike. I appreciate the leads.ʺ in a few minutes.ʺ ties with poured bearing(s.) The block ʺWere the 847cc engines cast by ʺLet me know if I can be of any further itself is (a) very lightweight iron casting. Wolseley / Morris, then shipped as unfin­ assistance. And keep me posted on So I sat and clacked out an e­mail of the The oil pan was made from magnesium ished block/heads to MG? ʺ progress.ʺ questions for Miles’ interview with his alloy. You would have expected it to be ʺDone at the Wolseley factory.ʺ neighbor Terry. aluminium, but they used the alloy of ʺHow much engineering and fabrica­ Not ten minutes had passed before the magnesium to make it lighter. tion was actually going on inside computer whispered a chime and an That night Miles called to tell me heʹd ʺMG got it from Morris, when they Abingdon? (Complete rolling chassis to envelope appeared on the lower status sat with Terry. came out with the Minor, that had the body design, fit and finish?)ʺ bar. When I opened it there was Mike ʺSo did you record the interview on same engine. MG adapted the car and ʺAll the design of the cars were done at Cookʹs note with Bill Price and Graham your computer?ʺ engine to make the M type which became Abingdon but all the parts were done at Robisonʹs coordinates. When I hit send ʺNo, I transcribed it while he spoke.ʺ a real popular and cheap . They the other parts of the Morris empire, and the phone rang. ʺReally?ʺ My pride was mixed with sold about 3,000 (Midgets). In the early put together at the Abingdon plant. The amazement at his developed typing skills. thirties they just about used up the alpha­ assembly of the cars was moved by hand ʺHey Dad!ʺ ʺI look forward to reading it.ʺ bet making one new model or another.ʺ down the line, this practice continued to Always a bright spot to hear Miles ʺAs Vittorio Jano was responsible for 1980. voice on the phone. The next morning I received this attach­ design and the Alfa experimental depart­ ʺMiles, you have to remember Cecil ʺHi Hon, whatʹs going on there?ʺ ment. ment the engineering for all Alfa engines Kimber was taking heavy clunkers and ʺI just ran into Terry, the guy that does from 1923 to 1938, who was responsible turning them into hot rods and Mr. the MG restorations in the next building. ʺWhere was the H­S Wolseley engine for the design of the 847cc SOHC & silent Morris saw what impact it was having on ʺI got talking to him about your new factory located?ʺ six SOHC engines at Wolseley? Or sales. Not only of the MG, but on Morris book and it turns out he has an MG NA ʺProbably somewhere around Oxford.ʺ because of the date of design, who inside in general. that he just finished restoring. He said if ʺWhat quality was the Viper engine?ʺ Morris was responsible for the Silent Six ʺHereʹs some information on the car you had any questions about it heʹd be ʺThe overhead cam Wolseley engines following the acquisition of Wolseley?ʺ your Dadʹs writing about. The Iona happy to do an interview.ʺ were, I would say, very well designed. ʺIt predates my knowledge.ʺ Special was owned by David Raymond ʺGreat idea. Iʹll put together some ques­ The boys in are still racing them, ʺIn the case of the Silent Six, after until he died and was sold. Looks like it tions and e­mail ʹem. they have tooled up and are making new Kimber saved the three Wolseley / Morris has Engine number 1035­AN. The triple ʺWhen do you think heʹd be available?ʺ blocks and head from the NE design. prototypes and their engines from the M register number is #866.ʺ

44 45 ʺWhat was the metal compositions of again Miles lives in an old boat yard / MMM models and finally was able to get these engines?ʺ marina where half the building are occu­ Ping. a 1934 MG NA for myself. After a 12 year ʺCast Iron Block and head and magne­ pied by car guys and the other half by reassembly, its ready for the road but alas sium alloy oil pan had one of the first oil artists. From the sound of it, guess that Dear Scott, I know little of Wolseley. Iʹll happy to filters and water pump. Cast Iron would be all of the buildings have artists Sorry, I am not going to be able to share what knowledge I have of MG with Cylinders, Cast Iron Crankcase. in them. Shaking my head, smile in place, help you. you and can recommend a couple of Aluminium cam covers.ʺ Outlook started to ping. 1) I know of no­one who will have avenues for you to pursue: pictures of those ʹIrish racesʹ ­ especially You might find some Wolseley experts From here it seemed obvious Terry had e­mail from Mike Cook’s buddy Bill. as you do not specify which races those at http://www.triple­mregister.org/forums ranged onto the subject of MG history and actually were. It all happened a long time /default.asp competition for Miles benefit. The tran­ Hello Scott ago and, by definition, anyone who If you register, you can ask ques­ scription here reflects attentive interest I admit I do not know much about saw/competed in those early races would tions....this is where the most knowledge­ and a cliffʹs notes keyboard style. pre­war MGʹs. However, in answer to your now be in their 80s. able MMM men hang out. question I suggest that you contact Mike 2) I have never written, or even You might also contact Mike Allison ʺThe Factory had a racing dept. and Iʹm Allison, who collaborated with Peter attempted, a book about Wolseley. who started the MMM Register and sure they tapped into whatever they need­ Browning to write The Works MGs book. Sorry ­ so very sorry. worked at the factory and knew Charles ed in the Production areas to get what He is an authority on pre­war MGʹs (but I GRAHAM ROBSON et al personally. Tell Mike I sent you....he they needed to build the racecars. suppose you know him anyway). He can used to be at this address: but I seem to tazio nuvolarui also drive in the irish be contacted as follows: Seems hard to believe that Graham had­ remember reading some where that he races in 33­34 in a K3 MG. The nextyear His hearing is not good according to nʹt written a book on Wolseley. Must have had changed his email address....Iʹll try to they outlawed superchargers, so they used Peter Browning so a phone conversation an entire automotive library shelf to him­ find that reference. the NA chassis unsupercharged and they might be difficult. self by now. Probably what Mike Cook Best Regards still won. NE chassis. Pete DeLander in LA Secondly, I suggest you contact Bob thought. Terry owns one of 7 existant one. Probably races Montgomery at the Royal Irish Another ping. A note from Terry against Iona Special. Nulalari painted his Automobile Club who runs their archive. Sanders, Milesʹ neighbor. The second Mike Allison referral. MG italian red, he still has his car still Very nice man who I am sure can help Looks like itʹs time to craft a note. The painted the original red and races it at with source of photos etc. Hi Scott, enjoyed talking to Miles about questions were brief. Composed like an Laguna Seca and Sears Point.ʺ Let me know if you require further the project. Iʹve been into MGs ever since I interview, with invitation for further com­ I sat back and lit a Camel and marveled help part won a TD while in college in the late ment. at the happenstance of it all. But, then Regards, Bill Price 50s! Who designed the 847 engine for MG? Iʹve been fascinated by the prewar Where was this light­iron engine cast? 46 47 Were these castings delivered to Abingdon where they were finished, port­ Within a few days curiosity and ed, polished, assembled, balanced? patience were repaid with generosity. Who was making the cams, cranks, valves, etc.? Scott, In reply to you E­mail: Now within this period we have HN Charles entering MG. > Refer to my book, ʺWorks MGʺ, pub­ Following this, did Charles design all of lished by Haynes, 2000. Currently being MG engines, chassis and components? reprinted, due for release May 2011. Were all these engines, chassis (frame > MG was always an assembly plant and suspension) & components designed using parts supplied from the Morris by Charles at Abingdon, then manufac­ Motors empire, although initially it was tured by Wolseley and delivered to MG wholly owned by Sir William Morris. for final machining and assembly? Sold by him to Nuffield Industries in What was the timeline for Abandonʹs 1936. evolution from modifier and assembler to > All engines were built up at Adderley manufacturer? Park, by , but after 1930 For example, when did they take on the to the specific requirements of MG Car casting of engines? Or did they? Company. Was HN Charles responsible for the > H. N. Charles became Chief Engineer design that took the 847 four to the 1200 in 1929, and his Development Engineer six? was R. C. Jackson, also widely referred to Was the latter purely an MG engine? as the Chief racing mechanic, which Or was this a shared bottom end and although correct in fact, not so in title! block shared with the ? > All parts for Wolseley were made in (Am I correct in noting that the house, although casting was carried out Wolseley Viper didnʹt have the cross flow by sundry suppliers, mainly Qualcast of head?) . Wolseley had very good By the time the N was made, how machine facilities right up to the closure much raw material to finish product man­ of the plant in the 1980ʹs. ufacture was going on within Abingdon? > Wolseley had a great turnover of engi­ 48 49 neers, and, as ever, it is entirely wrong to > Photos are held on file by British els. Not really the definition of economy suspension beyond the Morris Motors attribute good or bad design to any one of Motor Heritage, of which copies may be of scale. price point. All done in a manner that the Chief Engineers. purchased. The development of this OHC six turned porcine ineptness into svelte com­ > Although the basic design of the ohc > The Evans family archive was all stands as fine example of Kimberʹs influ­ petence. And in a final, at least here, note engine can be traced back to the First bequeathed to the Brooklands Museum, ence within the Morris structure, which on the Kimber influence, the MG light six World War, this is a facile view. The but I do not know how accessible this is. I enabled him to produce the sportsmanʹs had a completely new block with intake whole layout of the car engines started in knew Kenneth reasonably well, and met type of cars he wanted. tracks for a twin carb set up. This was 1922, and was developed throughout the Doreen once… I also knew Wilkie very Early in Kimberʹs career Frank Woollard mated to a new head. These evolutionary next ten years. well. brought him on board at steering gear, performance modifications to Pendrellʹs > MG only worked on customer engines, Michael Allison 2010 transmission and axle supplier E. G. superby engineered chain drive single for which the customer was expected to Wrigley. In 1923 Kimber repaid the favor. cammer could have easily been referred to pay: this was still the rule when I worked These answers from this source were Morris had just bought the Hotchkiss as the series two JA­type. But it was there in the sixties and seventies! If work most appreciated. MG had presented an works in Coventry and was transforming referred to as the MG Sports Six. was done, it was by Jackson and his team. interesting puzzle in that its racing it into Morris Engine Branch. Kimber sug­ The second six in the Morris pantheon Standard engines were fitted to all produc­ achievements and reputation were far out­ gest Woolland for GM, Morris accepted. A to find its way beneath an MG badge was tion cars, and some went well from new sized for a source & assemble operation. few years later Kimber, in friendly conver­ the previously mentioned surplus Hornet and others did not. It was Jackson who Mikeʹs comments put much of this in per­ sation with Woolland, suggested that per­ 1271cc sixes. maintained, however, that the main cause spective. It also provides a basis from haps something better than the Hotchkiss Once mounted in Abington chassis, of poor running or results was usually ʺthe which to proceed to the discussion of the could be produced. Woolland put Morris these engines were festooned with trap­ nut holding the steering wheel!ʺ N series, the fourth six. Engines chief designer Pendrell on the pings of the MG identity, from cast logos > Chassis, body and steering layout MGs first overhead cam six was the case. to sheets of steel, to hide the obvious. were all due to design instigated by 18/80 Mark I. There was the previous Morris Motors, for their part, underuti­ This bit of brand badging became the Charles, who was a brilliant engineer… Mark IV with its Hotchkiss side valve six, lized the new Morris Light Six. In three unheralded Magna. one of the best of his day. but of no concern here, and barely any models of dubious quality and question­ The third series six was not to suffer > Charles was NOT responsible for the back there. The 18/80, with its two and half able mechanical composition, the engine ignominy. In pursuit of supercharged movement to the six! MG was sold an liter displacement reached its maturity in looked to achieve little. Until of course power beneath the categorical judgment obsolescent batch of Hornet engines which the Mark III, which in classic MG naming Kimber took one of the 1927 underachiev­ of the handicappers, H. N. Charles modifi­ were incorporated into the Magna. convention or confusion of terms, was also ing varients back to Morris Garages. Here cations of the Wolseley Hornet were to However, his work on the cross­flow head known as the B­Type and Tiger or Tigress. it was stripped it to the ground and transform the prosaic into the vital. did lead to the K and L series engines, and The decidedly up­market Mark I through rebuilt with quality brakes, steering and Keeping with the competition reference so onto the P­type Midget. III was available in thirteen different mod­ 50 51 here, weʹll move beyond the KA, KB & KC engines and focus right on the K3. Summating the entire new Magnette line into a simplified observation, Charles destroked the Hornet engine to 1087cc, fit­ ted it with his new cross flow head, mag­ neto and pre­selector gearbox, and on the K3, a supercharger. From its team prize at the 1933 Mille to Nuvolariʹs win at the TT, the K3 had writ­ ten a rich history across every sporting page from Italy to Ireland. Itʹs sales were not so richly written. Which bring us to the fourth six. For the sake of simplicity, rather than Concours fender pedantry, weʹll point out that the KD engines were not destroked, displacing 1271cc, basically. The qualifier at the end there implies another Morris Wolseley conundrum. While the K series engines were made at the Wolseley facility they were of a much higher standard. This became even more pronounced when the Wolseley engine went to a chain cam drive, which did no favors for its reputa­ tion. So to separate the MG and Wolseley engines in the public mind, an of was added to the MG, brining it up to, a product differentiating, 1287cc. So in the N Type we have a further Isles was the Tourist Trophy. For 1935 evolved version of the KD, matched to superchargers were banned. Perhaps fully refined versions of most every com­ done by the RAC out of sympathy for ponent in the Kimber approved Morris handicappers caught out so often during galaxy, resulting in arguably, MG’s best the supercharged era. sportsmanʹs road car ever to come from With this as requirement, Kimber, Abingdon. Charles and Jackson looked about and Never able to leave well enough alone, placed their new sportsmanʹs car in the the NA Magnette became the NB in 1935. ring and returned with Irish laurels. The This coincided with an event that would N proving to be well mannered and a lead directly to the Iona Special. The capable platform for further modification. most prominent road race in the British

Here is where Mac bought N0774, as a rolling chassis, at the Bellevue Garage. Located at Brooklands, the Bellevue was owned by the Evans family. Here we see Team Evans, the kids, Doreen, Dennis and Kenneth.