Letters from readers, November 1960

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

PIONEER CLIMAX USERS

Sir, I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Scott Watson’s’s letter regarding Colin Chapman with one exception.

Aided and abetted by friends Wally Hassan and Harry Munday, I used the first two Climax engines in 1954 in the Kieft-Climax. We did the initial proving at the Aston Martin O.C. High-Speed Trial at $netterton (first-class award) and competed in the 1954 Le Mans. Harry Munday came as Technical Adviser but finished (with Charles Goodacre, of immortal blown Brooklands Austin Seven fame, and the rest of the team) as very grimy mechanics, curing oil-surge. Our efforts were rewarded, however, for we ran until 2.38 a.m. when rear-axle failure eliminated us.

Also in 1954 we were class winners in the T.T. at Dundrod.

In 1955 came other Climax-engined cars—and how far has this superb engine progressed since then, both in Colin’s design and, of course, my friend John Cooper’s.

ALAN RIPPON