SS1800 History (Continued)
Suspension was modified, a self-built roll bar added and front discs changed to the original Midget ones.
Throughout his time in Midgets, John Britten paid particular attention to the weight of the ca, although in the interest of safety he did build his own roll cage. This hybrid item was in fact made from two Midget exhaust systems- a cheap way of getting the correct angle for the bends! Running a 4.5 Morris 1000 diff, the car was capable speeds in excess of 120 mph at 8,000rpm.
Two months after the ill-fated Mallory meeting, on the 10th July SS1800 was on the grid at Brands Hatch where it won the MG Car Club race for Sprites and Midgets, leading from the flag and beating pole man David Corderoy, who made a poor start. Britten won again next time out, at the Austin Healey Club Castle Combe meeting on the 23rd July. He set the fastest lap and finished 15 seconds ahead of the established front runner Alan Woode, who had to be content with second place.
The benchmark was set, in his first season, which really on consisted of half a season's racing, Britten netted fourteen victories at UK circuits and took the 1150 class record at Brands. As a result he was awarded the Peter Collins Memorial Trophy for the most promising newcomer to club racing.
The 1967 regulations for 'Marque Sports' stipulated that cars must retain their standard silhouette, making Britten's bodywork illegal, so John was forced to commission his own glass fibre, Midget-shape one piece rear end from the Lenham Motor Company.
The above banner image shows SS1800 lined up in the paddock at Lydden prior to regulation changes.
Source: Mighty Midgets & Special Sprites by John Baggott
Suspension was modified, a self-built roll bar added and front discs changed to the original Midget ones.
Throughout his time in Midgets, John Britten paid particular attention to the weight of the ca, although in the interest of safety he did build his own roll cage. This hybrid item was in fact made from two Midget exhaust systems- a cheap way of getting the correct angle for the bends! Running a 4.5 Morris 1000 diff, the car was capable speeds in excess of 120 mph at 8,000rpm.
Two months after the ill-fated Mallory meeting, on the 10th July SS1800 was on the grid at Brands Hatch where it won the MG Car Club race for Sprites and Midgets, leading from the flag and beating pole man David Corderoy, who made a poor start. Britten won again next time out, at the Austin Healey Club Castle Combe meeting on the 23rd July. He set the fastest lap and finished 15 seconds ahead of the established front runner Alan Woode, who had to be content with second place.
The benchmark was set, in his first season, which really on consisted of half a season's racing, Britten netted fourteen victories at UK circuits and took the 1150 class record at Brands. As a result he was awarded the Peter Collins Memorial Trophy for the most promising newcomer to club racing.
The 1967 regulations for 'Marque Sports' stipulated that cars must retain their standard silhouette, making Britten's bodywork illegal, so John was forced to commission his own glass fibre, Midget-shape one piece rear end from the Lenham Motor Company.
The above banner image shows SS1800 lined up in the paddock at Lydden prior to regulation changes.
Source: Mighty Midgets & Special Sprites by John Baggott