A tribute to the late Martin Swig, Eric Davison rides with Bobby Unser, the Alfa T183T, Hugues Vanhoolandt at Goodwood and the Grand Prix of Great Britain.
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McCahill and the Bugatti
Bill Giltzow remembered he had this slide while reading Brandes Elitch’s ” The Constant Search“. This picture of Tom McCahill has never been published, taken at Linden Airport Races in 1949. Original Agfachrome slide by William G Giltzow (1914-1979) scan & copyright William A Giltzow.
Tom is in the white ball cap. But who is the driver and whose Bugatti is the centerpiece of this rare photo? Our thanks to Bill Giltzow.
Hi Pete:
The Bugatti belonged to Dr. Sam Schur and the driver was Harry Gray.
It was considered a “T51” by Schur (and the unscrupulous fellow who sold it to him), but in reality, it was a T35A with a T55 engine. Bill Milliken blew it up pretty comprehensively at the January 3, 1950 SCCA Palm Beach Grand Prix. A 43 year restoration ensued! Sold out of the Dr. Peter Williamson Collection when it was liquidated to Mitchell Gross of Scarsdale, NY, we determined its original chassis number several years ago (it is chassis 4654.)
Peter,
I will never forget or forgive Tom McCahill for what he did with my early 1950’s entry in the Lincoln Arc Welding Corp College competition titled “Design of a Welded
Tubular Steel Chassis For a Sports Car”. I gave him a copy at a SCCA event in Long Island.
I saw it in a magazine a few years later.
Jerry
Harry Gray was from Isle of Jersey in England, then immigrated to USA after war, having raced T .51 in nativecountry. switched to new Jaguar 120 for 1950 Brigehampton(with supercharger!), then Healey Silverdtone. became Jag dealer in 1953 and raced new ” C ” type with some success.
Peter,
Do I remember correctly, or was the very first Sebring 12 Hour race won by Harry Gray and Larry Kulok in a Frazer Nash LM Replica? The index was won by a Crosley.
Jerry
Thank you Sandy, I will note this in my archive. I have also a pic of the Kulok Frazer-Nash at the same event, and remember my dad saying that it was quite troublesome on that occasion. Obviously de-bugged before Sebring!