Solved NIC#1223 - HRG Meadows of Gerry Ruddock

[nicanary]

What is this?

[nicanary]

Experts?

[FrontMan]

Gordano?

[nicanary]

Gordano?

No.

[FrontMan]

Lea-Francis?

[nicanary]

Lea-Francis?

No.

[nicanary]

Pros?

[Allan L]

I think that may be the Lagonda Rapier special of Roy Eccles.

[nicanary]

I think that may be the Lagonda Rapier special of Roy Eccles.

Sorry. It's not.

[gte4289]

Early incarnation of Gerry Ruddock's Meadows-HRG (GPH 477)?

[nicanary]

Yes it is. For sale in April 1952 as a Meadows HRG. Another point awarded.

[Rodders]

This car is the 1938 HRG LeMans model that was built and entered for the 1938 race, but did not start. It was owned by Gerry Ruddock in the 1940's and early 1950's. It raced at the first Goodwood meeting and at Silverstone. It was a multiple race winner at both circuits.
It was rebodied by Gerry Ruddock in 1949 to the light weight body as per pictures and had more success.
Its original Meadows engine as damaged by frost in the early 1950's and replaced by a Ford Consul engine.
It still had this engine when I bought the car in 2015.
The car is undergoing sympathetic restoration at this time and its engine and gear box are being replaced by the single overhead camshaft version as fitted to the final HRG cars when last made in 1955.

[Allan L]

Good to have your contribution Rodders!
I take it the OHC engine you're fitting is Singer as used post-war by HRG. Meadows engines are quite expensive these days but that does mean it is worth someone making many of the major parts to the point that an all-new Meadows engine is a possibility.

[Rodders]

Hi yes it's the Singer SM1500 engine which being a later engine is better for tuning and getting spares. A new Meadows 4ED is £60k rather more than I can spend. Nothing I am doing is not reversible in future.