I have recently aquired some early Assoc. Grey Mags and I am puzzeled by one of the captions.

Grey Mag.1973A, a (1920's) picture of an A7 in the Mount Ventoux hill-climb (page 23). The caption states "......... (the car) in the act of overturning as the result of a sharp bend at too high a speed. Incidentally, the photograph plainly shows that it is the INSIDE wheels that lift on a turn and not the outside, as is sometimes supposed."

The car is negotiating a left hand bend and just about to topple over onto the 'offside' (UK).

Question is, how could it be possible for anyone to think the offside wheels would come off the ground first when going round a left hand bend. Who were the people refered to in "..as sometimes supposed"?

Am I missing something.

Naomi

Ho. Ho. I have just looked at the picture, is it an A7? One would assume so being in the Grey Mag., unless it's there just to prove the point about the INSIDE wheels lifting off the ground. Most strange.

The rear axle differential casing seems to have the torque tube as an underslung type, rather than the Banjo style of A7's, the radiator looks a little tall too, especially if this is a 1920's picture. There's no credits for the origin of the picture either.

Algernon.

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By an amazing coincidence I happen to have 1973A on my desk for an entirely other reason. Yes, it is a wonderful picture, but the caption on the opposite page does proclaim it to be Period Humour from a 1923 edition of The Light Car.

Whilst at first glance, and in an 'Austin associated' magazine, it appears to be a Seven, closer inspection of the revealed transmission would indicate otherwise.

Mike

Mike, Perhaps Naomi did not read the text on the previous page, thus being 1923, the only contemporary A7's like that are in fact shown a couple of pages further on in 1973A - The specials for the Bolougne Motor week, and I see this picture came from the same edition of 'The Light Car & Cycle Car', August 24th 1923.

From the photo of the Specials it can be seen the radiator is different, the overturning car has a shape almost like a 1932-34 tall rad, whereas the Specials is shorter and the shell corners (inner and outer) are much more rounded, plus of course the rear diff type. The body also seems to be sharper curved (cross section) at the 'waist line' than the Austin 'Specials'. Looking at the front 3/4's view of OK 8945, you'd have to be carefull how you placed your hand on the Klaxon knob.

Mike, any views on why it was thought the outer wheels would rise, or was this some early humour, it's not an April issue Grey Mag.!

One day, perhaps the Grey Mags will be available on the Assoc's. web site, then all those other contributors and viewers to this Forum will be able to view the reference's as well.

These Bolougne Specials must have been very exciting to drive, weighing only 6 cwt and at Brooklands they attained a speed just below 80 mph. The roads in those days were rarely sealed with tarmac, being mainly either earth, ash, etc, or paved with big stones or wooden blocks. Exciting times!!!!!

Sandy

Forgot to read the Editors 'Period Humour' bit again, but presumably the caption under the picture is taken from the 'The Light Car & Cycle car' mag. thus there may be a grain of truth in the beliefs, these where still early days for many people in motoring terms, people would believe you if you said it with conviction.

Sandy

Perhaps people were thinking on the lines of an aeroplane "banking" into a turn, or a motorcycle leaning into a corner?

Like Sandy says there seem to have been some quite unscientific theorys going around in those days, unfortunately there are people I've met who still subscribe to some of them nowadays!!

Steve

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Sandy

In your third paragraph you ask if I have any views about going into the pond feet first so-to-speak.

Indeed yes - Just after I pressed the camera shutter the driver, who was now suffering from massive Austin-Seven-like oversteer over corrected. The car snapped back violently the other way thus raising the offside wheels as it slid bodily into the sceenery.

Well, you asked!

Mike