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MG MGA - MGA Racing Colours

About a month ago we touched on the subject of BRG MGAs at Le Mans. One of us thought that red MGAs had also raced at Le Mans in 1955 - which they had not.

However, MG Enthusiast has an interesting article this month about the MGAs at Mille Miglia (got the spelling right this time) in 1956. Here I quote from the article:

"By far the greatest change to the appearance of the cars was their colour, now red in place of the traditional British Racing Green. Previous events had apparently seen Italian railway level crossing keepers favouring cars in the national racing colours of red, while mysteriously holding up other entrants. The solution was to paint both cars red and set the trend for the majority of the BMC Works cars in the future."

The article also notes another modification to these Mille Miglia MGAs. They both were fitted with 3 Tudor windscreen washer bottles, the standard one in the engine compartment and two more fitted behind (between) the seats. However, these 2 were filled with Lucozade to provide refreshment for the crew!

Steve
Steve Gyles

I read a similar account in the book "Works MGs" about the railway crossings. Also, I've been told that before BRG, red was the normal color for British race cars. If I remember correctly, the Italians refused to let any non-Italian car enter their races unless it was a color other than red. Therefore the switch to BRG.
Steve Simmons

What is Lucozade? A fruit drink made by Lucas?
David Breneman

Nice one Dave. It does not emit smoke so cannot come from Lucas. It is a glucose-based energy drink. I assumed it had USA origins but obviously not.

Steve
Steve Gyles

A search on Lucozade quickly found what it is. It is a sponsor of the WRC and had(has?) a promotion that the winner actuall participates in the rally! WOW!


I's history shows that it was sold as a geriatric drink but marketing changed its target market in the '80s to be an energy drink. I don't know if the MG Works added it because of the age of the drivers or because they knew of its benefits before the marketing dept did. Obvoiusly it is now thought of highly in the Rally business.

Probably more than you wanted to know,
Chuck


Chuck Schafer

I thought lucozade was a north country disease? Probably from caught from coal dust and black pudding! Back to the paint question, SRX 210 was painted 4 different colours, the last being its current colour, one of them was red. It seem the body could have been one of the original Le Mans cars. As you know, it started life as a roadster and was modified to a coupe.


Regards

Terry
Terry Drinkwater

This thread was discussed between 12/05/2006 and 15/05/2006

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