Category Archives: Uncategorized

Louder Option On Demand – Ferrari 360 Spider

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Surprisingly the Ferrari F360 Spider introduced in 2000 was only Ferrari’s twentieth road going convertible model.

The aggressive timeless lines were drawn up by Pininfarina.

Despite the chassis strengthening required to maintain rigidity and safety of the all aluminium space frame the 360 Spider weighs only 60 kgs / 132 lbs more than the 360 Coupé upon which the Spider is based.

Power comes from a 400 hp 3.6 litre / 219 cui V8 fed fresh air by these side grills.

The electrically powered roof folds away between the roll bars and engine in just 20 seconds.

Options for the 360 Spider included a Tubi Style exhaust system which provided a modest increase in peak horse power and made the car sound louder.

If any one wants to swap their 360 Spider for my entire collection of Hotwheels Ferrari’s please leave a message below.

My thanks to the Pistonhead who brought this timeless beauty along to the Sunday Service at the BMW plant back in January.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s Tubi Style edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Original Lightweight – Jaguar Lightweight E – Type 9/12

In 1962 Jaguar built a Low Drag Coupé E-type, with a steel inner tub but aluminium outer pannels, that was more in the spirit of the D-Type from which the E-Type styling and design had evolved. The car was not any more competitive than it’s all steel namesake despite it’s higher performance and the prototype was sold.

From 1963 – 1964 12 Lightweight E- Types were built that evolved from the Low Drag Coupé, again making extensive use of aluminium body panels and other components.

The standard 265 hp iron block straight six engines were upgraded to 300hp aluminium block XK6 specs fitted with fuel injection.

The cars failed to emulate the international success of earlier ‘C’ and ‘D’ types at Le Mans or Sebring but they were moderately successful in club racing.

Of the 12 Lightweights built and two additional bodies it is thought ‘at least one’ was a Coupé some of the open top cars were converted to Low Drag Coupes with even more powerful 340 hp motors.

The vehicle featured in these photographs was the 9th of the 12 originals and carries the chassis number 850666.

The car was purchased and raced by Peter Sutcliffe from 1963 to 1965.

This was the most successful Lightweight E-type in the 1964 season scoring victories at Mallory Park, Zolder and Montlhery out side Paris, France.

Hope you have enjoyed another Lightweight edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’, and that you’ll join me again, for Ferrari Friday, tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Out of Africa – Noble M12 GTO 3

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After his involvement with replica Ferrari P4’s, Lotus 23’s and original Ultima and Ascari cars Lee Noble founded Noble Automotive in 1999 to build relatively affordable but really fast cars.

Noble M12 GTO3, Piston Heads Sunday Service, Mini Factory, Cowley

He kept the prices of his light weight space framed chassis vehicles down by using the Hi Tech Automotive manufacturing facilities in Port Elizabeth, South Africa to assemble the basic chassis and body and then shipping them to England for drive train installation and testing.

Noble M12 GTO3, Piston Heads Sunday Service, Mini Factory, Cowley

The M12, originally planned in Coupé and Convertible forms, was in production from 2000 to 2008, only one M12 Convertible, a prototype was ever produced.

Noble M12 GTO3, Piston Heads Sunday Service, Mini Factory, Cowley

All M12’s are powered by twin turbo Ford V6 Duratech engines this GTO 3 model is a 3 litre / 185 CUI 365 hp variant the top end M400 left the factory with 425hp.

Noble M12 GTO3, Piston Heads Sunday Service, Mini Factory, Cowley

The Nobel M12 production rights were sold to 1G Racing who manufacture & market their M12 as the Rossion Q1. Salica Cars also manufacture M12 derived vehicles known as the Salica GT, 550hp Salica GTR and Salica GTC convertible.

Noble M12 GTO3, Piston Heads Sunday Service, Mini Factory, Cowley

In 2006 Lee Noble sold Noble Automotive and resigned from the company in 2008, setting up Fenix Automotive in the Meridian Business Park in Leicester, a V8 powered Fenix GT, again using the Hi Tech manufacturing facilities is expected to be launched on the market this year.

My thanks to the Pistonhead who brought this vehicle along to the Sunday Service at the BMW plant back in January.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Twin Turbo Duratech edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

English Corvette – TR7 V8

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The prototype V8 powered Triumph TR7 variant was produced as early as 1972. The performance of the model led to these vehicles being dubbed English Corvettes in some circles.

The Triumph TR8 Coupe was in production from 1978 to 1980 the TR8 Drophead was designed by Michelotti and introduced in 1980 continuing in production until 1982.

As a result of poor labour relations and the inherent industrial action it is thought that only 400 TR8 Coupes were built along with an estimated 2400 Dropheads, the majority of which were sold in the United States and Canada.

In other countries outside North America some TR7 owners upgraded their cars with variations of the all alloy Buick / Rover 3528cc / 215 cui V8. From the best records available to me this appears to be one such upgraded car.

My thanks to the Pistonhead who brought this TR7 V8 along to the Sunday Service at the BMW plant back in January.

Slightly off topic, why is it the only time ‘my’ driver ‘Happy’ Harvick wins a cup race I am too busy too catch it ?

Congratulations to Kevin, who is misquoted to give this blog it’s name, and the #29 Richard Childress Team 🙂

Hope you have enjoyed today’s English Corvette edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now!

DIY with a Fiesta – Quantum 2 + 2

Mark and Harvey Wooldridge founded Quantum Sports Cars in 1987 to produce a Coupé kit car designed by Harvey to take Mk 1 Ford Fiesta running gear, 17 examples were built.

In 1991 Quantum introduced a saloon model with pop up headlights designed around Mk 2 Ford Fiesta running gear .

The 2+2 model seen here was also designed around Mk2 Ford Fiesta running gear and introduced in 1993. To date it is thought around 400 examples have been built, 2 + 2 kits built by Quantum Kit Cars Limited of Bristol are available from Quantum Heritage.

This particular Quantum stated life as a Mk 2 Fiesta with a 1600 cc / 97.6 cui motor in 1985/85 first registered in Shrewsbury. I am not sure when the car was given the Quantum body but it’s driver informed me that it recently had a 2 litre / 122 cui engine installed as have many others of the type. Notice the smoked rear light clusteres which were sourced from the Ford Sapphire parts bin.

If you’d like to know more about the marque I’d recommend getting in touch with the extremely active Quantum Owners Club.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s DIY edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t for get to come back now !

Variable Inlet Cam Phasing – Nissan Skyline GT R33

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This 1996 Skyline GT R33 is a two wheel drive forth generation Skyline. The front bumper and spoiler on this one appears to be an after market item.

Power was delivered by an RB25DET 250 hp twin turbo 2490cc / 151 cui straight 6 engine which featured variable inlet cam phasing ( NVCS ). Many of these vehicles have been sent to engine specialists for radical tuning, racing versions of these engines have shown over 500 hp.

It is thought that 217,133 R33 Skylines were produced from 1993 – 1998 and sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, although officially imported many more are thought to have arrived in the UK as personal ‘grey’ imports.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s NVCS edition of ‘Getting a little Psycho on Tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Nailhead Power – Kurtis Buick 500X #3

Today’s photograph by Carlyle Blackwell was purchased by Ed Arnaudin back in the 1950’s.

Photo Carlyle Blackwell, Publised Courtesy Blackwell Archive, for sales enquiry’s please e-mail infoATpsychoontyres.co.uk and your contact details will be forwarded to the Blackwell Archive.

Bill Murphy’s #96 Kurtis Buick 500X seen in this photo, probably at San Diego in July 1956 where Bill won two races, is thought to be the 3rd of 12 500X chassis designed by Kurtis – Kraft who were well known for building successful open wheelers for the Indianapolis 500.

With a 96″ wheelbase the 4120 chrome moly tube chassis of this model featured 4 bar torsion suspension and was a variation of the KK500C Indianapolis car covered in a hand formed aluminium body secured with Dzus fasteners.

The Kurtis was powered by a 5276 cc / 322 cui nailhead Buick V8 which is said to have produced between 300 (Bill Murphy) and 400 hp (Carol Shelby), this engine featured Hilbron fuel injection and was connected to a Jaguar 4 speed gearbox with the aid of Zidar adaptors.

The car was raced successfully by Bill Murphy from August 1955 to September 1957 during which time he scored 9 overall wins and 18 class wins. Murphy’s employee from his Buick Dealership the Indy Car driver Sam Hanks was asked to shake the car down before races and then acted as engineer and crew chief for Bill during the races.

This car is said to have sat on Bill Murphy’s lot until 1979 and resumed it’s winning ways in 1980, since then this vehicle has appeared at Pebble Beach, Murphy never took risks on the track and the car is thought to have survived to the present day in original condition with no more than a fresh lick of paint.

Bill Murphy born in Alaska, was a successful UCLA dropout who built a huge car dealership empire which included Desoto-Plymouth and what from 1962 – 1965 was known as the worlds largest Buick dealership in Culver City.

Bill who was over 40 years old when he raced the Kurtis, which thought was capable of over reaching speeds 180 mph, business partner Shelby reckoned that Bills Kurtis was more powerful than any contemporary Ferrari or Maserati.

My thanks to Ed and Steve Arnaudin for forwarding Carlyle Blackwells photograph and to R Shelby and Coneptcarz for details about Bill and the 500X.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s ‘nailhead’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

28 07 12 PS My thanks to Pamela Blackwell who has kindly retrospectively given me permission to post the photo’s her father took.