Early Days of Hot Rodding and Racing in Santa Barbara and beyond.

[khyndart in CA]

Al Moss had business contacts with John Beazley who was the general manager for Gough Industries who were an importer and distributor for MG in California. Beazley was from Ken Miles hometown and knew Ken would be a good service manager in their Los Angeles plant.
So Ken Miles moved to the US with his young family just before Christmas in 1951.
Ken found the time and used his skills to build a MG Special known as the R-1.
It was very successful with Ken driving;
"old Number 50" incorporated a slightly modified MGTD Mk 2 engine, stock TD gearbox and reworked TC brakes and wheels.
In 1953 Ken won 10 races in a row including at Santa Barbara in the under 1500 cc Class.



The car has been beautifully restored and often appears at historic events.



(Ken H)