Tag Archives: Brighton Speed Trials

2014 Highlights – Motor Racing

45 years after I was taken to my first motor race meeting in the middle of Africa it is hard to believe that one of my greatest joy’s is getting up in the middle of the night and heading to the next one.

M4 East Bound

This year I managed to get to at an average of one meeting month from March through to October.

Gould GR55, Colin Calder, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe,

For the last couple of seasons my motor racing year has got underway in March marshaling at the Bristol Motor Clubs Great Western Sprint, this year my duties in the pit lane were over for the top ten run off, above Colin Calder made his 15 hour trip from Scotland worthwhile by grinding out the fastest time of the day narrowly pipping his daughter heather by just over 1/10 of a second.

Lola, Goodliff, Elva, Woodhouse, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The VSCC Spring Start meeting at Silverstone saw the start of the 80th Anniversary of ERA celebrtions, top race of the day was the Formula Junior event which saw a race long scrap twixt the red 1960 Lola Mk2 of Simon Goodliff and the 1959 Elva 100 driven by Mark Woodhouse fall in Simon’s favour.

Ocon, Verstappen, Dallara F312, Silverstone

2014 was Max Verstappen’s first season in car racing, in his third car race ever, above, he is seen overtaking Esteban Ocon on his way to second place in the 3rd European Formula Three championship of the season run at the Silverstone 6 Hours meeting. Even then he probably would have found it unlikely to believe that aged seventeen years and one hundred and sixty-six days old he is set to become the youngest driver ever to start a Formula One Grand Prix when making his 33rd race car start driving a Torro Rosso in the 2015 Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne next season.

Benhard / Webber / Hartley, Porsche 919 Hybrid, 6 Hours of Silverstone

The 6 Hours of Silverstone meeting was my second visit to Silverstone in 8 days. Timo Benhard Mark Webber and Brandon Hartley in the #20 Porsche 919 Hybrid above started the event in 6th place and survived to finish 3rd. At the end of the season Mark Webber became world news and ended up in hospital after crashing his 919 Hybrid with in half an hour of the finish of the race run in São Paulo an event which completely eclipsed the fact that #14 Porsche 919 Hybrid team mates Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb went on to score the teams first World Endurance Championship race win since returning to top level endurance racing at the start of the year.

Maserati MC12 Goodwood Cent 100, Michael Bartels, Goodwood Festival of Speed

At the end of June I popped over to Goodwood for the Festival of Speed where Sebastian Loeb driving his 2013 Pikes Peak winning Peugeot 208 was tipped to make an attempt on the Goodwood Hillclimb course record set by ‘Quick Nick’ Heidfeld driving a Formula One McLaren Mercedes in 1999. Dark horse for the Goodwood Hillclimb turned out to be Michael Bartles driving the specially liveried Maserati MC12 ‘Goodwood Cent 100’ which finished just over a second down on Loeb who missed taking the outright record thanks to the gearing being short on top speed.

Lotus Cortina, Shedden, Meaden, Silverstone Classic,

Gordon Shedden and Richard Meaden provided the tyre smoking dice of the day driving their Lotus Cortina’s on the Super Saturday morning of the Silverstone Classic meeting. Richard Meaden seen following above won with team mate Grant Tromans after Gordon’s car over heated during the mandatory pit stop in the Sir John Whitmore Trophy.

07 14 07 26 Lola T70 Voyazides Hadfield_2455sc

Having already won the Mustang Celebration trophy during the afternoon of the Super Saturday Silverstone Classic meeting Leo Voyazides swapped his Ford Falcon for his Lola T70 Coupé and won the FIA Historic Masters Sports Cars race with Simon Hadfield after Martin O’Connel’s 2 litre/122 cui Chevron B19 mysteriously went off road with out injury to the driver.

Mallock Mk 9, Michael Mallock, Oulton Park,

Over the August Bank Holiday weekend I managed to get up to Oulton Park for the Gold Cup meeting, while the day was fairly wet and miserable the racing was hot from beginning to end. Michael Mallock achieved the rare feet of not only winning a race in a car, #9 Mallock Mk 9 Formula Ford, bearing his family name but also beating a field of rear engined Formula Ford cars with the only vehicle carrying it’s engine in front of the driver.

Plymouth Satellite, Cheng Lim, Brighton Speed Trials,

Having encouraged readers to help save Brighton Speed Trials at the beginning of the year I managed to make my way down to Sussex for the saved event in September. Slowest car in the event but none the less entertaining was Cheng Lim’s Plymouth Satellite.

BY-Pod, Chipping Sodbury School, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat 2014

Counting as one of the most awesome vehicles I have seen all season is Chipping Sodbury Schools BY-Pod electric vehicle taking part in the Renishaw Castle Combe Heat 2014 of the Greenpower Challenge. I left the meeting with my spirits for the future of motorsport in what ever form it might take thoroughly uplifted.

Cooper Mk X, Steve Jones, Cooper Mk XI, George Shackleton, BAC MSC Challenge Trophy, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe,

One of the many highlights of the third Autumn Classic meeting run at Castle Combe was the dice between the Cooper 500 Formula 3 cars of Steve Jones and George Shackleton for the BAC MSC Challenge Trophy, Steve claimed the spoils in his slightly older #74 Mark X. Next year among the many attractions of the 4th Autumn Classic at Castle Combe on October 3rd will be one of the BRM V16’s which for my money would be worth the price of entry if nothing else showed up.

Thanks for joining me on this “2014 Highlights” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Americana Thursday. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Failing To Build Momentum – Williams Renault FW35

The 2013 season was an “annus horribilis” for the Williams Grand Prix Engineering after a promising win at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix for Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, seen below at Silverstone.

Maldonado, Williams Renault  FW35, British Grand Prix P1, Silverstone

The team simply failed to build any momentum on that success and after finishing eighth in the 2012 Constructors Championship it was not until the tenth round of the 2013 season that Pastor managed to score a single point.

Wolff, Williams Renault  FW35, Young Driver Test, Silverstone

Bruno Senna left the teams driving strength at the end of 2012 and was replaced by the teams Finish test driver Valtteri Bottas seen below, with the Williams Teams Executive Directors wife and former German Touring Car Driver Suzy Wolff, nee Stodartt, seen above, taking over the test drivers position.

Bottas Williams Renault  FW35, British Grand Prix P1, Silverstone

Mike Coughlan, brought in from Micheal Waltrip Racing as the teams technical director in May 2011, oversaw the development of the teams Renault powered Williams FW35 challenger for the 2013 season.

Maldonado, Williams Renault  FW35, British Grand Prix P1, Silverstone

Over 80 percent of the FW35 was new including the gearbox, rear suspension, radiators, floor, exhausts and bodywork.

Bottas Williams Renault  FW35, British Grand Prix P2, Silverstone

After the poor performances in the opening few races of the 2013 season there was talk of the team grafting the back end of the previous years car on to the new one in an attempt to improve the handling.

Wolff, Williams Renault  FW35, Young Driver Test, Silverstone

The teams 2013 highlights were an eighth place for rookie Bottas at the US Grand Prix and a tenth place finish for Maldonado in Hungary, Bottas also caught the paddocks attention by qualifying 3rd in fickle conditions for the Canadian Grand Prix.

Bottas Williams Renault  FW35, British Grand Prix P2, Silverstone

By the end of the season Toto Wolff had left his Executive Directors position at Williams to join Mercedes Benz, Mike Coughlan had been replaced by Pat Symonds and Pastor Maldonado took his Venezuelan sponsorship to join the financially struggling Lotus team.

Wolff, Williams Renault  FW35, Young Driver Test, Silverstone

For 2014 Williams have engaged Ferrari refugee Felipe Massa as their senior driver to join the incumbent Valtteri Bottas. Williams have also completed a deal for a supply of Mercedes Benz power trains and Frank Williams daughter Clare set to take on the responsibilities of her father as deputy Team principle. If any team can move on and bounce back from an “annus horribilis” then it is, the racers race team, Williams who have known the all the highs and lows the sport has to offer and know that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

You can follow developments at Williams on their website linked here and twitter feed linked here.

Thanks for joining me on this “Failing To Build Momentum Edition” of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be giving an overview of The Mobile County Sheriff’s Challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

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 tomorrow January 23rd.

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.

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Ever Living Boneshaker – Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus

Ferdinand Porsche was born to German speaking parents in Maffersdorf now in the Czech Republic in 1875 and showed a strong interest in and aptitude for technology at an early age. Before he left home for Vienna at 18 Ferdinand had installed his parents house with the first electric light system in Maffersdorf.

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

In Vienna Porsche worked for Bella Egger & Co., a company specialising in electrical products which is better known to day as Brown Boveri. After only a couple years Porsche had been promoted to a management position before joining the newly created Electric Car Department at Hofwagenfabrik Jacob Lohner & Co., a Vienna-based company part of the Austro-Hungarian military industrial complex.

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

While at Lohner Porsche took up a ten year old idea by American inventor Wellington Adams to develop electric hub motor’s for a prototype all wheel drive electric Lohner buses.

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

His Lohner Porsche System was received with great acclaim in 1898 and a modified vehicle was ordered by British coach builder EW Hart which was to incorporate a petrol motor to act as a generator for the electric motors to extend the vehicles range.

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

The completed vehicle weighing in at some 4 tons was delivered on time in 1900 and was used to compete in an electric vehicle endurance trial from which the driver Ferdinand Porsche had to retire with a severe cold brought on by the extreme wet weather.

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

The 1900 Lohner-Porsche “Semper Vivus” (Ever Living) model employed two front electric hub motors each giving over 25 hp that are powered by batteries and two de Dion Boulton petrol motors each connected to generators which can be used to power the electric hub motors direct and charge the batteries, making the three ton “Semper Vivus” one of the earliest examples of a duel fuel vehicle.

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

Sitting 6 feet off the ground the driver has an excellent view off the road, however steering a Semper Vivus, with those heavy hub motors, will not impress anybody on a school run,

Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Goodwood Revival

neither will the unsprung rear axle and so the Semper Vivus never went into production and so did not quite live up to it’s “Ever Living” moniker.

The recreation seen here at Goodwood Festival of Speed was built 111 years after the original in a collaboration between The Porsche Museum and Hubert Drescher it took four years to complete and is said to have the same performance as the original.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ever Living Boneshaker” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at Williams 2013 Formula One challenger.

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.

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Slightly Reduced Boost – Ford F-150 Supercharged Harley Davidson

Those watching the 1996 Super Bowl on TV will have been among the first to be introduced to the 1997 Ford F-150 in a catchy commercial featuring Jack Palance in which his F-150 is depicted as being strong enough to pull the two sides of the Grand Canyon together.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

Featuring improved aerodynamics, larger interior and improved fuel economy powered by either Taurus/Windstar V6 or Crown Victoria V8 motors, the tenth generation Ford F-150 went on sale in late 1996, it was the first all new ground up design for the model since 1980

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

Ford introduced the Harley Davidson Edition in 2000 with a four door SuperCab and standard bed, the following year the Harley Davidson Edition featured a longer SuperCrew cab and shorter bed.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

In 2002 a slightly detuned 340 hp version of the Triton Supercharged V8 used in the 380 hp F-150 SVT Lightening was added to the Harley Davidson Edition.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

The detuning was achieved by adding a slightly larger pulley to the supercharger which slightly reduced the boost pressure.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

Keypad entry systems date at least back to the 1981 Lincoln Town Car, I don’t recall ever seeing one before on vehicle in the UK before, so it was a surprise to find this on a 2002 model.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

Aside from the external badging, front fog lamps and chrome side bars the Harley Davidson Edition F-150 came with black or dark shadow grey paint, accented by an orange pinstripe, leather interior trim and chrome 20 inch wheels.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

Interior Harley Davidson Edition features also include chrome steering column stalks door releases and seat leavers, unique Harley Davidson spun metal instrument cluster with 130 mph speedometer and a sequenced VIN plate on the center console.

Ford F150 Supercharged Harley Davidson Edition, Castle Combe

Harley Davidson Editions are said to have accounted for 1 to 2 percent of F-150 sales and the model seems to have divided opinions, F-150 and Harley Davidson owners had their opinions of the brands was reaffirmed, some HD owners switched from Chevy to Ford Pick Ups while some Ford owners who were not bikers thought the Harley Davidson Edition was a cheesy gimmick, that the tie between the two brands lasted twelve years is a testament to the fact both brands on balance benefited.

Thanks for joining me on this “Slightly Reduced Boost” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a veteran design by Ferdinand Porsche. Don’t forget to come back now.

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.

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Volvo Survivor – Ferrari 750 Monza #0538M

Seriously regular GALPOT may remember a Ferrari Friday in March 2011 in which I posted a photograph taken in 1956 by Road & Track photographer Carlisle Blackwell featuring a Ferrari 750 Monza on the 20th Century Fox back lot.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

Geoffrey Horton caught up with the car chassis #0538 at the Blackhawk last year and while I have no new information about the car I thought you might enjoy looking at the one off low nose body which original owner Mr Paravano is rumoured to have paid Scaglietti well over the odds for.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

Soon after #0538M was purchased by William Shaker for $600,000 with a Chevrolet V8 installed the car is said have gone on an unmanned trip down Mr Shakers drive and come to rest against his Volvo, ironically Volvo is Latin for “I roll”.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

I have not been able to establish which, if indeed any, of the Ferrari’s panels were damaged in the incident.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

Another mystery as yet unresolved is who was seen at the wheel of #0538M when Carlisle Blackwell took the photo’s of it for the cover of Road & Track in December 1956 ?

Ferrari 750 Monza,

(Photo Reproduced Courtesy of the Blackwell Archive)

If you recognise him please do not hesitate to chime in below.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs from the Blackhawk Museum and Pamela Blackwell for permission to use her fathers photograph.

Thanks for joining me on this “Volvo Survivor” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again for a look at a nice self build. Don’t forget to come back now !

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.

More on Brighton Speed Trials on this link.

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

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Système Panhard – Panhard et Levassor Type M2F Wagonette #593

Panhard et Levassor are credited with building the first internal combustion motor in France, built under licence from Benz’s competitor Gottlieb Daimler that had been secured from Daimler’s Paris agent Edouard Sarazin. Just one year after the Benz Patent Motorwagen had been granted to Karl Benz Frenchman René Panhard and Émile Levassor set out to build a vehicle of their own using one of the petrol motors built under licence from Benz’s then competitor Daimler.

Panhard et Levassor, Type M2F 6hp Wagonette, Florida

Sarzin died in 1887 and Daimler tasked Sarazin’s widow Louise with continuing representation of Daimler’s interests in France. Louise married Émile Levassor in 1890 the same year the first, mid engined, Panhard et Levassor was sold.

Panhard et Levassor, Type M2F 6hp Wagonette, Florida

Panhard et Levassor’s second vehicle despite sharing many features with a horse drawn coach in terms of suspension and wheel braking also introduced to the world both Systéme Panard and a four speed, plus reverse, gearbox, an item which would not be significantly improved upon until Cadillac introduced synchromesh transmissions in 1928.

Panhard et Levassor, Type M2F 6hp Wagonette, Florida

Systéme Panard, first seen in 1895, was the practice of placing the motor, in this case a twin V giving 6 hp, in the front of the vehicle in this case ahead of the front axle and using a geabox to transmit the power to the rear axle.

Panhard et Levassor, Type M2F 6hp Wagonette, Florida

Also known as the front (engine) rear (wheel) drive (FR) layout would be the mainstay of motor vehicle production up until the 1960’s and 70’s when front engine front wheel drive (FF) increasingly came to the fore in passenger vehicle production.

Panhard et Levassor, Type M2F 6hp Wagonette, Florida

Interestingly the M2F derived from the initial second Panhard et Levassor had the radiator mounted in the back a good place to put such a fragile object, given the poor state of the roads, home to plenty of stones and rocks which could easily damage it.

My thanks to John Aibel for kindly sharing today’s photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Systéme Panard” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow, when I’ll be looking at some of the high lights of Autosport International. Don’t forget to come back now !

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.

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Blue Velvet – Bentley Mk VI Special

In May 1946 Rolls Royce, owners of Bentley, announced that there subsidiary would be making an all new model known as the Mk VI standard steel sports saloon which would mark a break in several production traditions but which would maintain it’s air of exclusivity by becoming the the most expensive production car and the worlds fastest 4/5 seat saloon.

Bentley Mk VI Special, Blue Velvet, Bristol Classic Car Show, Shepton Mallet

The novel feature for the marque and indeed the marques owners was the steel body, complete with sliding sunroof manufactured by Pressed Steel Ltd of Coventry which meant a Bentley no longer had to be sent to an independent coach works for a bespoke body before it was sold although that was an option pursued by around 20% of Mk VI customers between 1946 and 1952.

Bentley Mk VI Special, Blue Velvet, Bristol Classic Car Show, Shepton Mallet

Initially from 1946 to to 1951 these cars were fitted with uprated straight F-head 6 cylinder 4.257 litre / 259 cui of Rolls Royce origin but with Bentley rocker covers. 4 1/4 litre engines were replaced by 4.566 litre / 278 cui 4 1/2 litre motors featuring twin exhausts in 1951.

Bentley Mk VI Special, Blue Velvet, Bristol Classic Car Show, Shepton Mallet

Rolls Royce never gave away hp figures for it’s motors, but a contemporary report of a vehicle powered by the earlier motor related that top gear provided “flexibility down to 6 mph” and could “climb a hill of 1 in 9 maximum gradient, complicated by bends. A vehicle tested with the later motor was independently tested from rest to 60 mph in 15 seconds with a top speed of 100 mph.

Bentley Mk VI Special, Blue Velvet, Bristol Classic Car Show, Shepton Mallet

To illustrate just how much demand there was for the Bentley Mk VI standard steel sports saloon a pre owned vehicle report in 1951 observed that a three year old 4 1/4 litre Mk VI with under 10,500 miles on the clock sold brand new for £4038 in 1948 and in 1951 was being offered for sale at £5,335, such was the quality of the car and the post ’39 – ’45 shortage of vehicles in the UK.

Bentley Mk VI Special, Blue Velvet, Bristol Classic Car Show, Shepton Mallet

Over time the Mk VI’s Achilles Heel manifested itself when the quality of the steels used in the bodywork, proscribed by government edict in the post war aftermath, showed itself to be inferior. As a consequence many surviving Mk VI Bentley’s, like Blue Velvet seen here at the Bristol Classic Car Show, have been fitted with cheerful one off bodies displaying varying degrees of professionalism in their finish. With the loss of the weight of the original steel body one would imagine the performance while accelerating to be quite exhilarating.

Bentley Mk VI Special, Blue Velvet, Bristol Classic Car Show, Shepton Mallet

In all 4000 4 1/4 litre Mk VI’s like Blue Velvet were built with standard steel sports saloon bodies from 1946 to 1951 with an additional 832 being fitted with bespoke bodies from independent coach builders.

Thanks for joining me on this “Blue Velvet” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a sports pick up from Ford. Don’t forget to come back now !

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.

More on Brighton Speed Trials on this link.

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

A tweet on the Save Brighton Speed Trials site this morning says that so far over 10,000 signatures have been received, thanks if you have responded, if not please do so you have until January 23rd, it would be nice to receive 100,000 signatures world wide.

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