# Chitty Bang Bang > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chitty_Bang_Bang > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chitty_Bang_Bang.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_Bang_Bang > Source revision: 1318180786 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Racing cars}} {{About|the real-world racing cars|the fictional car|Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (disambiguation)}} {{multiple issues| {{more citations needed|date=December 2019}} {{more footnotes needed|date=December 2019}} }}'''Chitty Bang Bang''' was the informal name of a number of celebrated British [racing](/source/Auto_racing) cars, built and raced by Count [Louis Zborowski](/source/Louis_Zborowski) and his engineer [Clive Gallop](/source/Clive_Gallop) in the 1920s, which inspired the book ''[Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang](/source/Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang)''. The cars were built in [Canterbury](/source/Canterbury), [Kent](/source/Kent) in the workshop of [Bligh Brothers coachbuilders](/source/Bligh_Bros), and stored at [Higham Park](/source/Higham_Park), Zborowski's country house at [Bridge](/source/Bridge%2C_Kent) near Canterbury. The cars were so loud that Canterbury reportedly passed a by-law prohibiting them from entering within the city walls. The origin of the name "Chitty Bang Bang" is disputed, but may have been inspired by aeronautical engineer [Letitia Chitty](/source/Letitia_Chitty), the sound of an idling aeroplane engine or from a salacious [World War I](/source/World_War_I) song. ==Chitty 1== {{Infobox car | name = Chitty 1 | image = Count Zborowski With Chitty Bang Bang 1 At Brooklands.jpg | caption = [Count Zborowski](/source/Louis_Zborowski) with Chitty 1 at [Brooklands](/source/Brooklands) | engine = {{convert|23096|cc}} [Maybach Mb.IVa](/source/Maybach_Mb.IVa) I6 | production = 1921 | body_style = [Open-wheel car](/source/Open-wheel_car) | layout = [Front Engine, RWD](/source/Front-engine%2C_rear-wheel-drive_layout) | powerout = {{convert|245|bhp}} @ 3,000 rpm
{{convert|850|N.m}} @ 2,100 rpm | transmission = 3-speed manual | weight = {{convert|2200.0|kg}} }} '''''Chitty 1''''' was a chain-driven customised [Mercedes](/source/Mercedes-Benz) chassis powered by a 23-litre 6-cylinder [Maybach](/source/Maybach) [Mb.IVa](/source/Maybach_Mb.IVa) [aero engine](/source/aero_engine).{{cite magazine|last=Simanaitis|first=Dennis|title=Tech Tidbits|magazine=[Road & Track](/source/Road_%26_Track)|date=8 August 2011|volume=63|issue=2|url=http://www.roadandtrack.com/column/what-would-bond-james-bond-drive|page=107|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310165425/http://www.roadandtrack.com/column/what-would-bond-james-bond-drive|archive-date=March 10, 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite episode|series=The Talk of Gasoline Alley|series-link=Donald Davidson (historian)|station=[WFNI](/source/WFNI)|airdate=May 8, 2015}} It won two races at its debut at [Brooklands](/source/Brooklands) in 1921, coming second to another Zborowski car in a sprint race at the same event. ''Chitty 1'' was fitted with four seats and a crude, oversized exhaust pipe, in order to mislead the handicappers and spectators. Its top speed on the day was 100.75 miles per hour (162.14 km/h). For its next outing, ''Chitty 1'' was refitted as a two-seater with a cowled radiator and a properly plumbed exhaust. It attained nearly {{convert|120|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} on one occasion, and had its race handicap consistently reappraised. It subsequently crashed, removing three fingers from a timing official. The car was rebuilt and passed into the ownership of the sons of [Arthur Conan Doyle](/source/Arthur_Conan_Doyle), but was quickly retired as a racing car, and was later bought for spare parts by John Morris, the Maybach engine being offered to [Bill Boddy](/source/Bill_Boddy), editor of ''[Motor Sport](/source/Motor_Sport_(magazine))'' magazine. ==Chitty 2== {{Infobox car | name = Chitty 2 | production = 1922 | designer = [Bligh Brothers](/source/Bligh_Bros) | body_style = [Open-wheel car](/source/Open-wheel_car) | layout = [Front Engine, RWD](/source/Front-engine%2C_rear-wheel-drive_layout) | engine = {{convert|18825|cc}} [Benz Bz.IV](/source/Benz_Bz.IV) I6 | transmission = 3-speed manual | powerout = {{convert|228|bhp}} @ 1,400 rpm
{{convert|1104|N.m}} | weight = {{convert|1640|kg}} }} '''''Chitty 2''''' had a shorter wheelbase, an 18.8-litre [Benz Bz.IV](/source/Benz_Bz.IV) aero engine, and the coachwork was carried out by Bligh Brothers of [Canterbury, England](/source/Canterbury%2C_England). It was never as successful as its predecessor, but took part in several road races, including a [Sahara Desert](/source/Sahara_Desert) expedition in 1922. It later became the property of the [Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum](/source/Crawford_Auto-Aviation_Museum) in [Cleveland, Ohio](/source/Cleveland%2C_Ohio). Chitty 2 was part of Bob Bahre's private collection until his death in April 2020. ==Chitty 3== {{Infobox car | name = Chitty 3 | engine = {{convert|18825|cc}} [Benz Bz.IV](/source/Benz_Bz.IV) I6 | powerout = {{convert|180|bhp}}
{{convert|1000|N.m}} | weight = {{convert|1555|kg}} | production = 1924 | body_style = [Open-wheel car](/source/Open-wheel_car) | layout = [Front engine, RWD](/source/Front-engine%2C_rear-wheel-drive_layout) | transmission = 3-speed manual }} '''''Chitty 3''''' was based on a modified Mercedes chassis with a {{convert|160|hp|abbr=on}} Mercedes single-overhead-camshaft six-cylinder aero engine, tuned to produce {{convert|180|hp|abbr=on}}. The car recorded a lap of Brooklands at {{convert |112.68|mi/h|km/h|2|abbr=on}}. Louis Zborowski later used it as his personal transport, and drove it to [Stuttgart](/source/Stuttgart) when he negotiated to join the Mercedes racing team.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motoring/2005/1130/2211000105MOT30HISTORY.html |work=Irish Times |title=Motoring History |date=2005-11-30 |access-date=2009-03-08 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126103204/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motoring/2005/1130/2211000105MOT30HISTORY.html |archive-date=2013-01-26 |url-status=dead}} ==Chitty 4== {{Main| Babs (land speed record car)}}{{Infobox automobile | image = Parry Thomas and Babs, Pendine, April 1926 (Our Generation, 1938).jpg | name = Chitty 4 | aka = [Babs (land speed record car)](/source/Babs_(land_speed_record_car)),
Higham Special | production = 1926 | body_style = [Open-wheel car](/source/Open-wheel_car) | engine = {{convert|27020|cc}} [Liberty L-12](/source/Liberty_L-12) [V12](/source/V12_engine) | transmission = 3-speed manual | designer = [J. G. Parry-Thomas](/source/J._G._Parry-Thomas),
originally [Clive Gallop](/source/Clive_Gallop)
& [Count Louis Zborowski](/source/Louis_Zborowski) | layout = [Front Engine, RWD](/source/Front-engine%2C_rear-wheel-drive_layout) | weight = {{convert|1483|kg}} | powerout = {{convert|450|bhp}}
{{convert|2000|N.m}} }}'''''Chitty 4''''', also known as the '''Higham Special''', had the largest engine of Louis Zborowski's cars, powered by a {{convert |450|hp|abbr=on}} V12 [Liberty](/source/Liberty_L-12) aero engine of 27 litres capacity, with a gearbox and chain-drive from a pre-war [Blitzen Benz](/source/Blitzen_Benz). Still not fully developed by the time of Zborowski's death in November 1924, it was purchased from his estate by [J. G. Parry-Thomas](/source/J._G._Parry-Thomas) for the sum of £125, equal to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|125|1925}}}} today. Parry-Thomas renamed the car ''[Babs](/source/Babs_(land_speed_record_car))'' and rebuilt it with four Zenith carburettors and pistons of his own design.{{cite ODNB|first=Jo |last=Payne |contribution=Thomas, John Godfrey Parry (1884–1927) |title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |year=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/69166 |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/69166 |access-date=9 Sep 2006}}. In April 1926, Parry-Thomas used the car to set the [land speed record](/source/land_speed_record) at 171.02 mph (273.6 km/h). He was killed in the vehicle in a later attempt on 3 March 1927. The largest-capacity racing car ever to run at Brooklands, ''Babs'' was buried at [Pendine Sands](/source/Pendine_Sands) in Wales, but was recovered and restored in 1967, and remains on display at the [Pendine Museum of Speed](/source/Pendine_Museum_of_Speed) during the summer, and at Brooklands Museum during the winter. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{Citation|url=http://www.higham-park.co.uk/fx010010.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704111925/http://www.higham-park.co.uk/fx010010.htm |archive-date=2008-07-04|access-date=2015-12-27|url-status=usurped |title=Photo of Chitty 1 in its final form |publisher=Higham Park |place=UK}}. * {{Citation|url=http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=221 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616190745/http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=221 |archive-date=2011-06-16|access-date=2015-12-27|url-status=dead |publisher=British Motor Manufacturers |title=Chitty Bang Bang |place=UK}}. * {{Citation|url=http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=442 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207160821/http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=442 |archive-date=2012-02-07|access-date=2015-12-27|url-status=dead |publisher=British Motor Manufacturers |title=Higham Special |place=UK}}. {{Chitty Chitty Bang Bang}} Category:Racing cars Category:Cars powered by aircraft engines Category:Chitty Chitty Bang Bang --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chitty Bang Bang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_Bang_Bang) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_Bang_Bang?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.