MURRAY ON MUNDY

Gordon Murray has known about the achievements of Harry Mundy since his early years: “It’s a name I’ve been aware of right through my career, a bit like, say, Keith Duckworth, because he was an engine guy, and that’s where I started in the first place. My finalyear project in Natal was to design an engine, all the theoretical stuff and every nut, bolt and washer. I loved engines and so did Harry.”

Mundy was for eight years from 1955 the most distinguished technical editor that Autocar has ever had. In the year Murray was born, 1946, he was working in the BRM design office on the extraordinary 600bhp 1.5-litre V16 engine whose amazing design, high power and serial unreliability is well known. His contribution isn’t well documented, but he’s believed to have worked on the gearbox and to have tried to persuade his superiors to embrace a V8 design on the grounds of reduced complexity.

“It looks like Harry might have had a point,” says Murray, citing his own preferences. “People see me as an innovator, and I’m proud of that, but deep down I’m a pretty practical guy. I like simplicity.”