771 BJB | Jacobsmidget

This was the car which Dick Jacobs allocated to Alan Foster, and inwhich he raced during 1962, '63 and '64. Itwas returned to Abingdon at the end of the 1964 season and was entered by the factory in several international events during the following year. Pensioned off by the 'works', it was then sold by the MG Car Co to the late Syd Beer along with its sister car 770 BJB. "771" is the one which comes out fairly regularly for we enthusiasts to gloat over. The photos below were taken at the celebrations of 50 years of the MG Midget at Burghley House in Lincolnshire, in June, 2011

Gorgeous from any angle.

Purposeful in side view - as 'copied' from Aston DB4.

Owners since 1965, the Beer family, record their name on the rear quarter-lights.

Extra rear lamps - presumably stop or tail, or maybe both.

Large Le Mans style filler cap

Additional lights were fitted to illuminate race numbers.

The rear end of the sills were rounded off so as to avoid possible damage to the racing tyres

The side air outlets were inserted in the low pressure area behind the front wheel to reduce temperatures in the engine bay.

A variation on the original Sprite/Midget dashboard

The neat and tidy engine bay with 45 DCOE Weber carburettor

A very different pedal box assembly from the original tandem brake/clutch master cylinder of the Mk 1 Midget

This shot shows the lightened bonnet hinges and the modified scuttle to enable the bonnet to clear the wipers in the fully raised position.

Lightened chassis rails and special exhaust manifold.

The two cars had different nose bands to distinguish them in races.

January 2015 ~ Dennis Wharf has kindly supplied a lovely photo of 771 BJB in the hands of its owner Malcolm Beer. He says:

"It was taken at the 1995 MGCC Silverstone International Meeting, during what must have been one of the last high speed trials to be included in the annual Silvers programme.

Malcolm is driving, and has fitted what appears to be 14" minilites. It also has non-period door mirrors which were fitted in early 1987 to comply with the regs for the first Mille-Miglia re-runs, something Syd (Beer) had embarked upon with Keith Gurrier as co-driver. Sadly they didn't get very far before terminal electrical problems intervened. I'm not sure how the mirrors were fitted, for they were removed shortly after I took this picture without any noticeable trace. I think the car looks simply lovely in this shot, leaning slightly towards the camera through the old complex behind the BRDC suite, it looks very poised".