Moss and Dewis ride the Mille together again
Stirling Moss and Norman Dewis are starting again on 17 in May in the Mille Miglia. Moss and Dewis will ride the Mille Miglia again this year in a Jaguar C type.
Sixty years ago these two gentlemen rode the same ride. Then speed played a big role and they competed to win. Norman Dewis had joined the Jaguar company that year and immediately started experimenting with the use of disc brakes on a car. brake discs to cool down at ease. This option was not available for cars. That is why all kinds of problems arose in those days with cars equipped with disc brakes. To test the braking performance, Norman Dewis and Stirling Moss started in 1952 in the Mille Miglia in a Jaguar C type equipped with the experimental disc brakes. While they were in fourth place with an hour to go and 140 miles, they skidded into a boulder and broke the wheelhouse. Before that they had already noticed that they could brake much later than the participating Mercedes 300 SL, but that they lacked power.
Sixty years later, in the week of May 17, Stirling Moss and Norman Dewis will once again drive the Mille Miglia together in the light green Jaguar C type shown in the photo. This car was owned by Brigs Cunningham and was on public display at the Donington Historic Festival on the weekend of May 5th and 6th. In addition to the car, the two participants were also present. Norman Dewis and Stirling are currently 92 and 82 years young. It was nice to see how they interact.
When the men signed a T-shirt especially for the Stichting Zeldzame Ziekten Fonds, Norman kept the fabric tight for Stirling Moss. This unique shirt, which is also signed by Win Percy, will be auctioned in October this year. Do you want to participate in the auction and have a chance to get this shirt in your possession? Then keep an eye on the following websites: www.zzf.nl or www.jbfreelancejournalistiek.nl
Text and photos: Jacques van den Bergh