On This Day

Sunday 19th October 1924

95 years ago

Count Louis Vorow Zborowski (29), of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fame, died in wreck during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. On the death of his mother in 1911, 16-year old Louis instantly became the fourth richest under-21-year-old in the world, with cash of £11 million and real estate in the United States, including 7 acres (2.8 ha) of Manhattan and several blocks on Fifth Avenue, New York. Louis Zborowski raced for Aston Martin at Brooklands and in the 1923 French Grand Prix. He drove a Bugatti in the 1923 Indianapolis 500 and drove an American Miller 122 in the 1923 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He joined the Mercedes team in 1924. He is best remembered for the cars that he built. Zborowski designed and built four of his own racing cars in the stables at Higham Park, assisted by his engineer and co-driver Captain Clive Gallop, who was later racing engineer to the "Bentley Boys". The first car was powered by a 23,093 cc six-cylinder Maybach aero engine and called "Chitty Bang Bang". A second "Chitty Bang Bang" was powered by 18,8828 cc Benz aero engine. A third car was based on a Mercedes 28/95, but fitted with a 14,778 cc 6-cylinder Mercedes aero engine and was referred to as the White Mercedes. These cars achieved some success at Brooklands. The final car, also built at Higham Park with a huge 27-litre American Liberty aero engine, was called the "Higham Special". After Zborowskis death the "Higham Special" was purchased by J.G. Parry-Thomas to make attempts at breaking the land speed record. Designer/driver Thomas improved the car and christened her "Babs". In April 1926 J.G. Parry-Thomas successfully took the Land Speed Record at over 170 mph at Pendine Sands. Thomas' second attempt on the same location in 1927 turned out fatal. At over 100 mph a rear wheel collapsed, turning over the car and killing the driver.