Edmund Hamburger's car?

[tim isles]

I hope someone from 'across the pond' may kindly be able to help after reading my tale!
   
   Edmund Hamburger was a very useful Ace pilot in 1958 and 1959, prior to selling his Ace and moving up to a larger class. In 1958 he was the 2 Litre Champion for the NY Region of the SCCA, and he placed 8th O/A in the E Production class of the SCCA series. His car was displayed on the AC stand at the NY Automobile Show at end of the 1958 season.
   
   I believe Ed was NY based, and this is reflected in the fact that most, if not all his racing appears to have been conducted on East Coast circuits.
   
   His car was almost certainly one of a batch of four Ace-Bristols exported to Hap Dressel's 'AC Imports' of Arlington, Va. These cars left the AC factory in July 1957 and were numbered BEX 311 – BEX 314. Where a car had been ordered to a particular specification the owner's name was often recorded in the factory records. In the case of this batch of four cars there is only one name allotted to any of the cars, that of E. A. Hamberger (sic), against the first car of the batch, BEX 311. Understandably this car is assumed to be the one he raced.
   
   There are two period pictures of the Edmund Hamburger's car taken in 1958 attached at the link. It appears his racing number was 33, and it will be seen that the car as raced by him is a metallic brown/bronze in colour (not a factory colour), and that it was fitted with standard factory roll hoop. I'm indebted to Dave Nicholas, a journalist and photographer active on the East Coast in the 50s and 60s, for this colour picture of Ed Hamburger's car, taken at Watkins Glen in 1958, as well as for another colour photograph showing an Ace the same colour, again at Watkins Glen, but this time in the hands of Dave Wilcox, in 1961, and using #18.
   
   
   
   
   
   To get to the point, I own BEX 313 from this same batch of four cars. I bought the car in Florida where it had lain unused since the late '70s. The owner knew nothing of its history, but he told me that he had bought the car in NY State and had it transported to Florida, with the intention of restoring it. As can be seen from the 3rd photograph, when bought by me it was metallic bronze and had the factory roll hoop (as well as lap seat belts and the optional low ratio (4.3:1) differential). These racing mods had always led me to consider that the car may have been ordered from the factory with the aim of some form of competition, but until recently I had no means of researching its early history. Needless to say the emergence of Dave Nicholas' photographs, showing an East Coast car in metallic brown/bronze makes me think it quite a coincidence that two cars from this batch of just four cars should both be painted in a very similar (the same?) colour?
   
   
   
   Perhaps difficult to explain is why either car should have undergone a full re-spray so early in its life - BEX 311 was originally red, BEX 313 was originally pale yellow. It might suggest an accident, but certainly the alloy body on my car was in very good order under all the paint and bore no signs of heavy damage. The whereabouts of BEX 311 is not yet known to the Ace-Bristol register (hopefully it will emerge in time) so it is not possible at the moment to establish whether this car was ever bronze as well.
   
   
   
   In finishing, I should add that I have recently tried writing to Edmund Hamburger at a last known address from the mid 1990s when he was living in LA but this letter was returned marked 'no known forwarding address'
   
   Can anyone throw any more light on this please?

[Jim A]

It is interesting that BEX 312 is RHD.
   The roll bars in the two pics look different.
   But the one on the Jag is a kick.
   
   As an edit, I have to admit being a little confused by the "handedness" of these two cars.

[AC Ace Bristol]

Jim
   
   To Answer your quetions:-
   
   The picture of BEX313 (Brown/Bronze) has what appeares to be a standard Thames Ditton (Factory) style roll hoop directly behind the driver.
   The picture ACtually distorts the size and gives the impression that it is almost full width.
   
   With regards BEX312, BEX313 and BEX314 all three have now been converted to RHD.
   
   The Thames Ditton records show these four Aces BEX311 through BEX314 were all despatched to the same USA destination in one batch.
   
   I tend to agree with Tim Isles, It is too much  a coincidence that Both BEX311 and BEX313 were both repainted within there first year and both the same non standard colour..[;)]  Could they have been team Cars ..[?] .. .. ..  Where is BEX311 now..[?]
   
   Lets Hope some one can confirm or knows someone who can confirm that Ed Hamburger actually owned and raced BEX313 and the Factory records were inadvertently recorded incorrectly,  and should have recorded Ed as owner of BEX313 not BEX311. ( Was Ed Hamburgers name allocated to BEX311 for convenience in documentation as all four Aces were shipped together as a job lot...[?])
   
   As Ed Hamburger raced successfully in SCCA on the East Coast of USA some one must have race programms, entry listings and hopefully photographs of Ed either competing or in the paddock area at some of these events during the late 1950s.
   
   Tim.  Lets hope this thread generates as much interest and new data as my thread has on BEX333 over the past few years.
   
   Last but least,  Tim ... great restoration job, looks better in Green than the Brown /Bronze and even better in the flesh.
   
   Keith..[:)]

[AEX566]

Tim;
    Edmund Albert Hamburger and Arlene J Hamburger own the house at address and phone number deleted at Tim Isles' request - Bryan He's 83, so hopefully his memory is still clear.  Several "AC old timers" who might have raced with him in the 50's, Jack Spees and Peter Dechert, were also involved with Hap Dressel.
   
   Racing sports cars.com has a "Hamburger" as co-driver at Lime Rock (Conn.) August 15, '59.   You could also check the Motor Racing Museum at Watkins Glen, they have huge amount of material:  http://www.racingarchives.org/
   
   Please post if this develops any new info,  photos etc.  I'm on the east coast and rarely get over that way.
   
   Art

[tinnes]

Tim
   
   On-line white pages shows two listings for an
   Edmund A. Hamburger in the L.A. area. One of the
    listings shows an age of early '80s. I will try to get more
   information
   
   tom i in AZ

[tim isles]

Gentlemen,
   
   I'm very grateful for the rapid responses. I shall write to Edmund Hamburger and will hopefully be able to let you know his views in due course.
   
   Many thanks again,
   
   Tim

[nikbj68]

A couple of photos from Keith, firstly, BEX311(or is it actually 313?) at Watkins Glen, 1961:
   
   
   Sorry about the quality, but I`ve expanded this from a postage stamp!
   
   And BEX313 in June, 2007:
   
   
   Judging by the rear wing, it looks like 313 was red before bronze, or is it just lead oxide showing through?

[AC Ace Bristol]

Tim
   
   
   Re: Edmund Hamburger / 11th Annual Watkins Glen Grand Prix meeting
       19th- 20th Sept 1958. The DIX CUP (race # 3 .. 22laps 50.6 miles)  EP Prod
   
   No 27......Arch Means.............Winner
   No 59......Edmund Hamburger.......4th
   No 78......Richard P Hogue........3rd
   No 144.....Burt deRieux...........Did no arrive
   No 180.....Harry Carter...........2nd
   No 246.....Jordon King............6th
   
   
   SCCA  National Montgomery...  .. 9th August  1959
   10th Round..... Class DP/EP
   18 starters....13 finished
   Edmund Burger  car number 130......4th place
   
   
   Watkins Glen Classic  
   
   No 33......Edmund Hamburger (late entry)...6th
   No 47......John B Mull......(late entry)..
   No 101.....Pete Harrison
   No 100.....R C Kyle ....(Aceca)
   
   A few new facts.  Which hopefully generate more data towards:-
   The Racing History of  BEX313 ..[?] whilst owned by Edmund Hamburger. [?]
   
   Good luck with your research..[;)]
   
   Keith

[BEX308]

Tim,
   I know two Ac Bristol drivers from the East Coast US who knew Hamburger. They don't do e-mail but may be able to supply some information for you. One remembers the car as dark red, were there any under coats or overspray in the wheel wells or on the underside to support this on 313? They also remember the car may have run without liners giving 2.2 liters, any indication of that? Quite sure that he ran on Englebert tires as well if that helps.
   I'll be happy to facilitate communications.
   Pete
   p(dot)rohrbacher@verizon(dot)net

[tim isles]

Dear Pete,
   
   Thank you for this further info. My car was definitely yellow originally, and no traces of red when I stripped it back to bare aluminium. I've written to Edmund so will hopefully await his reply but it sounds like he did indeed race BEX 311 (which was AC Svecia Red, so should have been a very bold 'post box' red). Which leaves the question, to whom did the bronze car belong?!
   
   Tim

[pls01]

I asked my mother about the bronze Ace as she was always at the races with my father.  She remembers a redish, goldish, bronzish Ace owned by corner worker in SCCA New England Region.  This would be in the early 60's.  Unfortunately she can remember the owners name or chassis number.  Doesn't help much.
   Peter S

[Robert Rosenthal]

Edmund Hamburger is living in Florida in Pinellas Park.  Try him at edmundh@earthlink.net

[tim isles]

Robert,
   
   Many thanks. I am in touch with Edmund.
   
   Tim