Bira’s Magnette storms the Remparts

MG K3 MAGNETTE

John Gillett brought his 1934 ex-prince Bira K3 Magnette (above left) to Europe from Australia this summer. ‘I ran it at Cultra, Shelsley Walsh and Prescott before bringing it to France. It’s going to overwinter in the Brooklands Museum before spending next summer in mainland Europe. It’s really an endurance car, with its 130-litre fuel tank, so I’ve got the Mille Miglia high on my wish list.

‘This was Bira’s last racing MG. He sold it to John Snow, who took it to the Australian GP in 1936. Subsequently it was owned and raced by a host of famous Australian drivers – Colin Dunne, Russell Bowes, Lex Davison and Bill Prowse – before being bought by Bob Bradey in 1958. Eventually Bob’s grandson, Phil, inherited the car. I’d been looking for a K3 Magnette for some time. Most of the cars that I inspected lacked originality, but Phil’s car was original. He was reluctant but needed to sell.

‘It’s my first time on a French road circuit – I hadn’t realised how tight and narrow they are. Once I’d acclimatised, my performance improved.’

1928 GP MASERATI

Heinz Hofer brought his 1928 GP Maserati (above right) from Switzerland to compete at Angoulême for the first time. ‘It’s a difficult circuit for a car as big and powerful as this. It’s more at home on longdistance events such as the Targa Florio.

‘I acquired the car 37 years ago’, said Hofer. ‘Its golden years were 1928-30, when it achieved eight GP placings. Even as late as 1947 Vittorio Vanini took a class win in the Maloja Pass hillclimb. It’s been restored by my son, who runs the HR Garage in Villars-ste-croix. Many parts were remade using old ones as patterns. The engine is now a 2000cc supercharged Buick straight-eight – so it’s a challenging but totally satisfying drive.’