Tag Archives: Major

The Cropduster – Stanton Special

In 1953 New Zealand’s Stanton Brothers built today’s featured Stanton Special for hill climbing and circuit racing competitions.

Stanton Special, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Well before it became a convention for open wheel cars the Stanton Brothers mounted the supercharged 197hp 4 cylinder 6.1 litre / 372 cui de Havilland Gypsy Major engine, taken and inverted from a de Havilland Gypsy Moth crop dusting aeroplane, longitudinally behind the driver.

Stanton Special, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

MF Stanton drove the Stanton Special to the Outright New Zealand Standing Start Quarter Mile Sprint record of 12.42 secs, 72.4637 mph on October 4th 1958, a record that might possibly stand for all time since New Zealand completed it’s metrication programme on 14th December 1976.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Cropduster” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting the first World Endurance Championship race of the season which proved to be a cracker from start to finish.. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Bristol and South Gloucestershire Stationary Engine Club Rally Details – Coalpit Heath

A couple of weeks ago during the course of one of my Advanced Driving lessons I observed a hand written sign reading “Bristol and South Gloucestershire Stationary Engine Club Rally Coalpit Heath Today” and made a mental note to go and visit it once my lesson was over.

Jowett Javelin, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

A the stationary engines in this case were all petrol driven if various sizes and used for powering farm equipment, generators and pumps. There was also a display of vehicles that included the 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui flat four powered 1951 Jowett Javelin above designed by Gerald Palmer who was also responsible for the design of the MG Y Type and ZA Magnatte.

Douglas, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

Built just down the road in Kingswood Bristol was this 1924 Douglas motorcycle.

Fordson Major, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

Regular readers may remember that pairs of Fordson Major tractors were used to build the amazing Doe Double Drive.

Hillman Aero Minx, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

The cockpit above is that of a 1933 Hillman Aero Minx.

Ford Escort , Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

It’s a dawg’s life sitting in the boot / trunk of a 1972 Ford Escort.

Wolseley 16/60, Bristol and South Glos Stationary Engine Club Rally, Coalpit Heath

The Wolseley 15/60 was the first of a range of badge engineered mid sized British Motor Corporation models designed by Pinin Farina launched in December 1958. The 16/60 was the last of the Pinin Farina designed midsize models to go out of production in 1971, three years after the Austin, MG, Morris, and Riley variants had disappeared during rationalisation enforced by the newly merged British Leyland Motor Corporation.

Thanks for joining me on this “Bristol and South Gloucestershire Stationary Engine Club Rally Details” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Jewel In The Crown – Daimler Majestic Major DQ450

In 1958 Daimler introduced it Majestic saloon with a six cylinder engine, three speed Borg Warner automatic transmission, power steering, and the first use of vacuum servo assisted disc brakes on a saloon car. However the by now antiquated separate chassis and bodywork construction meant that for all the cutting edge technology the car did not perform to the highest order.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

In 1959 Daimler announced an addition to the range in the form of the Majestic Major which featured a 220 hp version Edward Turners V8 that first saw the light of day in the Daimler SP250 earlier in 1959 and a larger boot / trunk area than the standard Majestic.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

The new motor raised the top speed from 112 mph to a for the time sizzling 120 mph plus, there was no maximum speed restriction in force at the time, and acceleration from rest to 60 mph was achieved in just 9.7 seconds. Note the V in the air intake chrome trim differentiates a Majestic from a Majestic Major.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

In 1960 Jaguar took over Daimler and Jaguar founder William Lyons had one of the Majestic Major compact V8’s fitted to a forthcoming Jaguar Mk X and his ego was dissapointed to discover that the Daimler powered Mark X raised the cars top speed from 120 mph to 130 mph. Most might have turned this to their advantage but Sir William Lyons decided to let the jewel in the crown of the Jaguar Daimler empire wither away over the next nine years.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

Like it’s lesser Majestic sibling the Majestic Major was equipped with disc brakes on all four wheels, it also had a 42′ turning circle, power steering was initially only optional.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

The Majestic Major bodies were built by hand by Carbodies with old school cellulose paints covering the zinc phosphate protected steel panels which were supplied by Park Sheet Metal. The zinc phosphate protection proved to be less successful than anticipated.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

According to the owner of the model seen here at last years Classics at the Castle in Sherbourne in the Owners Manual specifies three different tyre pressures for normal motoring, over 90 mph and (unrestricted) Autobahn.

Daimler Majestic Major, Classics at the Castle, Sherbourne

Between 1960 and 1968 1187 Daimler Majestic Majors are thought to have been manufactured of which 30 are thought to still exist outside private collections and museums.

Thanks for joining me on this “Jewel In The Crown” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t for get to come back now !

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