John Miles RIP

[Julian Hunt]

I was very sorry to read that John Miles; Austin racer, chassis engineer, and Formula One driver has died from complications following a stroke.

My condolences to his family and friends.

[Alan]

I knew John both professionally and as an A7 racer. He is a great loss.

[Robert Foreman]

A sad day indeed  Extremely talented engineer and racer. Even more of a shame as he had just returned his TT car to blown form, the first time since 1929.

[Tony Betts]

Very sad to here that.

Among th everything else, it was good to talk with him about both our supersports.

He will be truely missed.

Tony.

[Austin in the Shed]

I never met John in person but corresponded with him regularly via emails and phone during his recent work on his TT based car.
I thought he had been a chassis engineer at Lotus but didn't realise all he had done in his career,including driving in F1,test driver,technical journalist and much more.
I believe he had a supersports back in the 60's and obviously kept his 7 interest to this day,A gifted engineer a sad loss to us all.

[JonE]

nice interview with Simon Taylor here:
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archi...john-miles

I wonder if his first car at 16 - Nippy - still physically exists somewhere? That would make it 1959ish.
Like the Maclaren-learning-to drive-car and the Freddy Henry car, interesting by association.

[Zetomagneto]

nice interview with Simon Taylor here:
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archi...john-miles

I wonder if his first car at 16 - Nippy - still physically exists somewhere? That would make it 1959ish.  
Like the Maclaren-learning-to drive-car and the Freddy Henry car, interesting by association.

Jon you beat me to it, I was just about to put this link up.
I had the pleasure of meeting him last year, a sad loss to all, not least of all his family.
Rgds Gene

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Bill Sheehan writes:


"I too never met John, but corresponded with him when he still had the Supersports, and a re-look at his letters reminds how helpful and courteous he was. When someone asked what he did, in later years (being a Jazz fanatic|) he ran a successful Jazz records business, which perhaps would please the many jazz enthusiasts within old-car ranks. Cheers, Bill

[Charles Levien]

Re the late John Miles.

John was totally committed to improving performance of his Austin Sevens and an enthusiastic communicator, particularly of his own ideas, on how to improve handling and ride quality. 
I remember him giving us a talk at a 750MC evening a few years ago when he was working with Alan Nobbs ( another local Norfolk man and ex Lotus colleague) on an extended steering arm which he 
insisted would transform handling. I subsequently fitted this to both my special and Opal and believe it to be one of the best mods out there.

Charles

[JonE]

Charles - where can we get these steering arms?! Perhaps a separate thread called for...