Tag Archives: 3000

4th Autumn Classic – Castle Combe

Last Saturday saw the 4th action packed Autumn Classic at Castle Combe which saw large numbers of fans entertained with nine races and several demonstrations most notable for this observer of which were a pair of BRM P160’s from 1972 and a 1973 which regaled the Wiltshire countryside with the awesome sound of a couple of unsilenced V12’s.

Frazer Nash Super Sports, Patrick Blakeney-Edwards, Castle Combe

Patrick Blakeney-Edwards had a moderately successful day as a driver, above he is seen scampering away from a delightfully varied field to win the VSCC Sports Car Race aboard his Frazer Nash Super Sports.

Jaguar Mk 1, Williams, Butterfield, Dorlin, Castle Combe

The JEC Norman Dewis Trophy for Pre 66 Jaguars was won by Martin Hunt driving a Blakeney Motorsports prepared E-type Jaguar while one of the most entertaining battles of the day was fought by Grant Williams and Richard Butterfield both in Mk 1 Jaguars and Peter Dorlin in his Mk2 after Andy Wallace also in a Mk2 retired from third at the half way stage, Grant hung on to finish first saloon home in the #12 seen above.

Austin Healey 3000 Mk1, David Grace, Castle Combe

David Grace driving the #17 Austin Healey 3000 Mk1 won the first of the two Healey Driver International Challenge 25th Anniversary races from second on the grid beating pole sitting white and blue #46 driven by Healey Specialists Bill and Jack Rawles by just under 4 seconds.

Cooper Bristol T24/25, John Ure, Castle Combe

Steve Brooks starting from third on the grid in the #34 Aston Martin DB3S is seen above about to go into the lead on the opening lap of the Fiscar Historic Intermarque race, he looked set for a win until the race had to be called on lap 12, before the compulsory pit stops had cycled through, which meant Stephen Bond in the #95 Lister Bristol starting from 8th on the grid was declared the winner after an accident involving three cars without injury to the drivers blocked the track at Quarry.

Staride Mk3. Xavier Kingsland, Castle Combe

Andrew Turner in the white and red #2 Cooper Mk VI led the opening 8 laps of the BAC Motor Sports Club Challenge for F3 500’s race from 3rd on the grid until he was caught and passed by Xavier Kingsland in the silver Staride Mk 3 two laps from home, pole sitter Darryl Woods in the Cooper Mk XII kept the two race leaders honest and finished 3rd just less than 1 second behind the winner !

Ford Falcon, Chris Clarkson, Castle Combe

Michael Squire easily won the HSCC/HRSR Historic Touring Cars race from pole driving a flame spitting Ford Mustang, but second place finisher Chris Clarkson had a very busy time keeping eventual third place finisher Chris Saunders in the white #77 Ford Cortina and Bob Bullen in the yellow #69 Ford Anglia behind.

Lotus 20/22, Jack Woodhouse, Castle Combe

Jack Woodhouse made a great start from 2nd to lead the opening 9 laps of the FJHRA/HSCC Millers Oils Formula Junior race in the white #84 Lotus 20/22 before yielding to the faster #53 Lotus 20/22 driven by 3rd place starter Sam Wilson seen in third place at Quarry above. Sam however tripped up behind a back marker on the final lap to let Jack back into the lead which was just .2 of a second over Sam at the finish line.

Elva Courier Mk4T. Sean Kukula, Castle Combe,

Having been unlucky in the Fiscar Historic Intermarque race Stephen Brooks easily won the Jon Gross Memorial race in his DB3S leaving Sean Kukula and Jonathon Loader to squable over second place in their #149 and #46 Elva Courier Mk4T’s respectively, Sean won the Elva battle which was fittingly once raced by American Jon Goss.

Austin Healey Sebring, Richard Woolmer, Castle Combe,

Finally the Healey’s came out for a second race which again provided plenty of thrills with third place starter Marc Campfield making the running for the opening 8 laps until his car ground to a halt which left pole man David Grace to claim a 4.5 second victory over the Healey 3000 shared by 5th place starters Jack and Oliver Chatham, above as in the first race the Healey Sebring of Sprites of Richard Woolmer #38 and Gordon Elwell #33 kept spectators entertained further down the field on their way to 9th and 10th place finishes less than 2 seconds apart.

Thanks for joining me on this “4th Autumn Classic” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a six cylinder Plymouth. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Crown Gabelstapler – Opel Omega GSi 3000 24V

A couple of months ago I looked at a Mello Yellow Vauxhall Senator today’s featured tribute car is a 1990 Opel Omega 24V the German branded first generation version of the Mello Yellow Senator.

Opel Omega Senator 24V, Castle Combe

Manufactured from 1986 to 1993 the first generation Opel Senator was voted European Car Of The Year in 1987.

Opel Omega 24V DTM, Klaus Niedwiedz, 200 Meilen von Nürnberg, Norisring

Opel had a presence in the 1990 German Touring Car Championship (DTM) with their entries supported by Crown Forklift Trucks and alloy wheel manufacturer ATS, Klaus Niedwiedz, seen above at the Norisring, and Markus Oestereich were the teams drivers, but they achieved little by way of success, not even making the top 20 in points standings, during a season dominated by the Audi V8 quattro’s with the BMW’s M3’s their closest challengers.

Opel Omega Senator 24V, Castle Combe

The 201hp Opel Omega GSi 3000 24V used as the basis for today’s tribute car has a number of modifications including a Lotus Carlton / Senator exhaust with cast chromed twin tail pipes !

Thanks for joining me on this “Crown Gabelstapler” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psychoontyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at the first in a series of US convertibles. Don’t for get to come back now !

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It’s a Lamborghini Philistine – Lamborghini Urraco 3000

Named after a small breed of fighting bull the 2+2 Lamborghini Urraco Coupé was Lamborghini’s first V8 powered car, built to compete with the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4.

Lamborghini Urraco, Auto Italia, Brooklands

The Urraco was first shown to the public in 1970, but was not available for sale to the public until 1973 when the Dino 308 GT4 also went on sale.

Lamborghini Urraco, Auto Italia, Brooklands

The transverse mounted V8 motor was available in 3 sizes P200 2 litre / 122 cui with 180 hp, P250 2.5 litre / 147 cui with 217 hp and P300 3 litre / 183 cui with 247 hp.

Lamborghini Urraco, Auto Italia, Brooklands

Like the Dino 308 GT 4 the Urraco carries Bertone bodywork designed by Marcello Gandini

Lamborghini Urraco, Auto Italia, Brooklands

The top end P300 model as seen here at Auto Italia Brooklands was capable of reaching 62 mph from rest in 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 162 mph.

Lamborghini Urraco, Auto Italia, Brooklands

Allegedly when James May tested one of these cars for the Top Gear TV program he was heard to tell a passer by “It’s a Lamboghini” and muttered under his breath “Philistine”.

Lamborghini Urraco, Auto Italia, Brooklands

Of the 797 Urracos built between 1973 and 1979 66 were P200s, 520 were P250s, 190 were P300s and 21 US spec P250 Type 111s.

Thanks for joining me on this “It’s a Lamborghini Philistine” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be a successful Special built and raced in Zambia. Don’t forget to come back now ! Wishing all GALPOT readers and contributors seasons greetings and best wishes for the new year.

Brighton Speed Trials Under Threat of Permanent Cancellation !

In their infinite wisdom, Brighton & Hove City Council are seeking to ban the Brighton Speed Trials from 2014.

If you care about speed and or motorsport history, please sign this linked petition to save Brighton Speed Trials in 2014 and beyond.

It’s a faf to Register before signing, but relatively painless compared to loosing the event which has been run with few interruptions since 1905.

You do not need to be resident in Brighton or even the UK to sign.

Thanks and please spread the word through whatever social media you have at your disposal.

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Beneath The Paint – Ford Capri 3000 GXL Auto

My heart skipped a beat when I saw this fabulous Ford Capri wearing the colours of the early 1970’s works Ford ‘Cologne’ factory racing team, the last time I recall seeing a road going Capri like this in the flesh was around 1974 !

Ford Capri 3000 GLX, Silverstone Classic

In 1970 Ford Germany built 50 RS2600 variants of the Capri to satisfy the FIA minimum build racing requirements (also known as homologation), the flared arches on the vehicle seen here at last years Silverstone Classic suggest that this might be on of those fifty specials who’s build quality was so low that they were not fit to be sold for road use.

Ford Capri 3000 GLX, Silverstone Classic

The fifty homologation RS2600’s featured light weight glass fiber doors, boot and bonnet/hood.

Ford Capri 3000 GLX, Silverstone Classic

Beneath the flared arches the RS 2600’s were fitted with distinctive gold centered BBS wheels, which became as iconic and synonymous with the 1970’s as Minilites had with the 1960’s.

Ford Capri 3000 GLX, Silverstone Classic

The homologation RS 2600’s were also fitted with plastic window’s and painted with fewer coats of paint than their road going siblings all in an effort to save weight.

Ford Capri 3000 GLX, Silverstone Classic

Success came to the works Ford Team managed by Jochen Neerpasch in the form of two European Touring Car Championships for Germans Dieter Glemser in 1971 and Jochen Mass in 1972, although on both occasions Alfa Romeo’s running in the lower Class 2 division secured the manufacturers championships.

Ford Capri 3000 GLX, Silverstone Classic

Unfortunately despite the paintwork this car does not turn out to be one of the homologation specials at all, they were all left hand drive vehicles, a check of the registration reveals this car started out as a Dagenham (UK) built Capri 3000 GLX Auto in 1972 fitted with a 3 litre / 183 cui ‘Essex’ V6, registration details also suggest that this car is now fitted with a 3.5 litre motor which is probably one of the Buick derived Rover aluminium V8’s which are the most readily available for such conversions in the UK.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Beneath The Paint’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be going Auburn. Don’t forget to come back now !

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