I've just started uploading some more pictures of the 1930 BRDC 500 mile race. (Click the images for crops and more info.)

Love this one from the start of the race.


The cars are:

1, 2 & 3 are the works cars, number 1 won overall.

1 - Austin Seven - "TT Ulster"
Earl of March / Sammy C H Davis

2 - Austin Seven - "TT Ulster"
Gunnar Poppe / Charles Goodacre

3 - Austin Seven - "TT Ulster"
S A Crabtree / D Barnes

4, 5 & 6 were "private" entries, I know about the Harker & Mr JoJo but not much about number 5. Beatrice Canning-Brown says it's Super Sports based. Anyone know any more about it? (Better photo below).

4 - Austin Seven - Harker special - VP 1819
W E Harker

5 - Austin Seven - Super Sports special?
A V Wilkinson / P Brewster

6 - Austin Seven - Mrs JoJo
F Boyd-Carpenter / E F Philips

Next image is of number 5, (this is a close up):

Location: Buxted

Car No 5 does look very like the car used by Chase in the 1928 JCC 200 mile race, (the Montlhery record car).
The tail, scuttle cowl,bonnet side around the exhaust all look very similar. Also, the car appears to have a strange arrangement to operate the front brakes, clearly visible on the 'new' photo and partly visible in the rear three quarter view of the car in the JCC 200 mile race.
If it was based on a Super Sports, I would expect things like the bonnet, scuttle etc to have been retained. The cockpit edge on the nearside is horizontal with no evidence of it being cut away originally.
I will stick my short neck out and suggest it is the same car!

Thanks Malcolm, interesting points, and I think you might be correct. It would mean that Mr JoJo and Mrs JoJo were racing together on this occasion.

Location: Buxted

When you look at the photos together, the similarities become more apparent, especially the whole exhaust system.
I could rather fancy a replica of this car!

Austin
Very interesting, thank you. I hope there may be a detailed photo of the number 2 car to come?
Regards
Simon Thomas
Comber

Location: Comber, County Down

Hi Simon,

Sadly no more of the number 2, from what I can see through the smoke it appears to be the "harlequin" car from that years Ards TT. Of course it could just be the same radiator & surround, (or another one painted in the same way).

Location: Buxted

Hi Austin
Fine, thank you. I suppose we will never know if Poppe drove the same car in the TT or indeed at The Irish GP. What capacity did the additional fuel tank have for the 500? Any ideas?
It maybe worth stating again how notoriously bumpy Brooklands was in 1930 when the D12, the LCC Relay race and 500 were run anti clockwise. Even worse in 1931 when the D12 was clockwise.
Regards
Simon

Location: Comber, County Down