Supercharged Six – Amilcar CO

The Amilcar CO was a production two seat racing car, very much in the mould of the contemporary but larger Bugatti Type 37, designed by Edmond Moyet and put into production in time for the 1926 racing season.

Amilcar CO, Matthew Blake, VSCC, Prescott,

Power came from a development of the Amilcar C6 models 1094 cc / 67 cui six cylinder motor which in this application featured a twim cam hemi head, crankshaft running on roller bearings, dry sump lubrication and two stage Roots supercharger which added up to over 100hp.

Amilcar CO, Matthew Blake, VSCC, Prescott,

Despite costing more than the larger capacity Bugatti Type 37 it is believed 40 CO’s which were capable of over 170 kmh / 10 mph were built.

Amilcar CO, Matthew Blake, VSCC, Prescott,

During 1926 it is said that the C6 and CO models recorded over 70 victories with works driver André Morel leading the way winning the 1100cc race (Gran Premio del Vetturette) run concurrently with Italian Grand Prix and Charles Martin finishing 4th overall and first in the 1100cc class in the JCC 200 mile race at Brooklands.

Indeed an even faster single seat MCO variant of the CO would continue winning 1100cc events well into the 1930’s with Le Havre Amilcar agent José Scaron being a regular winner.

Seen in these photographs is the 1926 CO, first registered in the UK on October 24th 1938, driven by Matthew Blake at Prescott.

Thanks for joining me on this “Supercharged Six” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at Shaun The Sheeps Land Rover. Don’t forget to come baahck now !

08/02/15 Thanks to Tim Murray for pointing out the 1100 cc race at Monza was run concurrently with the Italian GP over the first 40 of the 60 laps run for the Grand Prix and that Charles Martin did not win the JCC 200 mile race at Brooklands as originally stated.

The Man In Green – Maserati 5000GT Allemano #103.036

In 1958 the Shah of Iran was impressed with a test drive in a Maserati 3500GT Coupé and upon learning of some 450S race cars, made obsolete by the change in sports car regulations to a maximum engine 3 litre / 183 cui engine capacity, loitering in the Maserati factory asked for one of the new Coupé’s to be fitted with an obsolete 4.5 litre race car engine.

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Maserati were happy to oblige this royal request which got the limited production of the 5000GT Tipo 103 under way. After the Shah’s car was completed in 1959 with Carrozeria Touring bodywork a second car was built with similar bodywork and a motor sourced out of a race car and taken to the 1959 Turin Show where it was sold to South African millionaire Basil Read, owner of the Kyalami race track.

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Before being sold journalist Hans Tanner was taken for a test drive with Maserati’s test driver Gurrino Bertocchi in the second car and reported that after easily taking a sweeping bend on an autostrada at 158mph the car hit 172mph, not bad for a road car in 2014, absolutely sensational for a road car in 1959 !

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The 5000GT available only with 4 or 5 speed manual gearbox sold for twice as much as a regular 3500GT.

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Today’s featured car chassis #103.036, was built in 1962 with one of the 22, most common for the type, Allemano bodies styled by Giovanni Michelotti.

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

#103.036 was originally painted green and supplied to Stuttgart based Maserati dealers Merz & Pabst in 1962, not 1959 as indicated by the display board at Goodwood Festival of Speed where these photo’s were taken.

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Merz and Pabst sold the car to an interesting chap born James Lablache Stewart who took his mothers maiden name when he took up acting to become Stewart Granger.

Maserati 5000GT, Goodwood Festival of Speed

After making films including A Southern Maid (1933) and The Man in Grey (1943) in the UK Stewart moved to the States to make films including The Prisoner of Zenda (1952) and North to Alaska (1960) before returning to Europe to make numerous of continental productions that included films a trilogy of westerns based on stories by the German author Karl May.

During this time in Europe spanning the 1960’s Granger, who famously declared himself not to be an an actor’s actor, once said he earned and lost US$ 1.5 million.

My thanks to 3500GT and alfieri107 of tipo107.com who kindly responded to my request for details about today’s featured car on the Ferrari Chat forum.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Man In Green” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Amilcar racer. Don’t forget to come back now !

Killed By Speculation – Kieft Climax GP

1 Reply

Kieft built up an enviable reputation, with the help of Stirling Moss, in the 500 cc / 32.5 cui Formula 3 series when in 1953 it decided to build a Formula One car for the new 2.5 litre / 152 cui rules that were to be introduced in 1954.

Kieft Climax, Gregory Snape, Goodwood Revival,

Alongside British entrants Cooper and HWM, Kieft built their car around a new V8 “Godiva” motor which Coventry Climax were proposing to sell to prospective customers.

Coventry Climax V8 Godiva, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone,

The new Coventry Climax FPE Godiva motor produced around 240 hp in early tests, but soon afterwards word got out in the press that Ferrari’s new motor was producing 260 to 270hp.

Coventry Climax V8 Godiva, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone,

On hearing this both Cooper and HWM began looking else where for motors while Kieft had already manufactured 2 chassis for the Godiva before Coventry Climax cancelled the project and Cyril Kieft sold the unraced car on and moved completely out of the motor racing business.

Kieft Climax, Gregory Snape, Goodwood Revival,

The Climax FPE Godiva project including all the spares was sold on in the 1960’s, one three litre / 183 cui version was built for the Shannon Grand Prix car which nearly completed a lap of the 1966 British Grand Prix, while another of similar capacity was used by ‘Doc’ Merfield in his Ford Cortina Mk II until he fell ill.

The car was eventually restored and fitted with the Godiva motor seen here by Bill Morris, a notable ERA restorer, and was entered into it’s first race 48 years late in 2002 with the 89 year old Cyril Kieft in attendance.

The car seen at Goodwood Revival with Gregory Snape at the wheel was sold in September 2012 for GB£ 185,000.

When the cars came out for the new Formula in 1954 it was believed the race winning Maserati 250F had around 240hp, the Ferrari 553 Squallo around 260 in a completely useless chassis and the championship winning Mercedes W196’s upwards of 270 hp approaching 290 by the seasons end.

Thanks for joining me on this “Killed By Speculation” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for “Maserati Monday”. Don’t forget to come back now !

Perfect Car For A Wedding #9 – Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III

The Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III was launched in 1963.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, Cotham Parish Church, Bristol

Along with new paired head light clusters the new model was 100 kgs / 220 lbs lighter than the Could II.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, Cotham Parish Church, Bristol

The aluminium 6.2 litre / 378 V8 was given ‘perhaps 7%’ more power, with an increase in compression allowed by better quality to fuel, to an estimated 220 hp which was delivered to the rear axle by a GM Hydramatic transmission that Rolls-Royce built under licence.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, Cotham Parish Church, Bristol

The price without extra’s but including UK car tax was £5,517 pounds for which one journalist said one got “a high standard of luxury for five with brisk performance and very good handling.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III, Cotham Parish Church, Bristol

The 1964 Silver Cloud seen in these photographs outside Cotham Parish Church in Bristol last year was on wedding duty with the De Gournay Motor Company which operates appropriately out of Temple Cloud, Bristol.

Thanks for joining me on this “Perfect Car For A Wedding #9” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

It Is Frank’s – Ferrari 275 GTB/4 #10785

Today’s blog is the last in the current series featuring the 275 GTB model.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Official records show this car was built in 1968 indicating it is a 275 GTB/4 with the 300hp 4 cam 6 carb motor.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Official records also tell us that this car was first registered in the UK on the 3rd December 2004.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

Thanks to Mark Shannon at Ferrari Chat I now know this car chassis #10785 was bought by former Nottingham BMW Alpina dealer and 1988 British Touring Car Champion Frank Sytner in October 2003 for over US$ 300,000.

Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Silverstone Classic,

#10785 seen in these photographs at Silverstone Classic was originally delivered to US Agent Chinetti motors in 1967, but by 1980 had found it’s way to Arnold & Werner Meier in Meilen Switzerland where it remained until Frank acquired it.

Thanks for joining me on this “It Is Not Steve’s” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow for a look at a Silver Cloud. Don’t forget to come back now !

SUV Powered Prototype – Riley Mk XI #018

In 2003 the Grand American Road Racing Association replaced it’s sports racing class with a new Daytona Prototype class with the intention of reducing costs and keeping cars competitive for longer by keeping a tight grip on permitted technological development.

As we shall see today’s featured Riley Mk XI chassis #018 is a testament to the success of Grand Am’s Daytona Prototype vision, even though to my eye’s these cars have always looked a tad quirky due to their mandated dimensions.

Riley Mk XI, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Chassis #018 was built with 5 litre / 302 cui Pontiac V8 motor for Pacific Coast Motorsports in 2005 and first raced by Ryan Dalziel and Alex Figge at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City where they finished 5th in the 250 mile race in November.

At Daytona in February 2006 Ryan and Alex were joined by Jon Fogarty and David Empringham for the 24 Hour race, they qualified 14th but retired the Playboy sponsored chassis #018 with an overheating motor.

Alex and Ryan continued racing #018 for the rest of the 2006 season scoring a best 2nd place finish in the 250 mile race at Phoenix, the car then appears to have gone into temporary retirement as was not seen again until 2010 when the new Action Express Racing team took it to the 2010 Daytona 24 Hours.

Riley Mk XI, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

In 2009 the Brumos team won the Daytona 24 hours with a similar Riley Mk XI powered by a 4 litre / 244 cui flat 6 developement of the Porsche 911 motor.

For 2010 new kids on the block (NKOTB) Action Express Racing, owned by former Brunos associate Bob Johnson, had replaced the Pontiac V8 motor fitted to #018 with a 5 litre / 302 cui Porsche V8 developed from the SUV Porsche Cayenne by Lozano Brothers Porting in Texas.

Riley Mk XI, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The Action Express Racing international team of drivers João Barbosa from Portugal, Mike Rockenfeller from Germany, Terry Borcheller from the USA was and Britain’s Ryan Dalziel who had raced this same car in 2005/6 qualified 8th for the 2010 Daytona 24 hour race.

The debutant team then went on to win the race from the BMW powered Riley XI driven by Max Papis, Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Justin Wilson entered by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, the team that had dominated this event from 2006 to 2008.

Riley Mk XI, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

João and Terry continued to race #018, for the remainder of the 2010 season scoring a best 4th place finish at Lime Rock.

For the 2011 Daytona 24 Hours João and Terry were joined by J.C. France, Max Papis and Christian Fittipaldi, together they qualified #018 12th and came through to finish 3rd.

Riley Mk XI, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

#018 scored a second victory and final victory, in the Bosch Engineering 250 at Virginia International Raceway in May 2011 with J.C., João and Terry sharing the driving.

#018 was retired after the EMCO Gears Classic presented by Key Bank 2011 at Mid Ohio in September 2011 where J.C., João and Terry qualified 10th and finished 4th.

Riley Mk XI, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Stock Porsche items used by the Lozano Brothers Porting developed 530 hp V8 include the engine block; cylinder heads, timing chain, hydraulic lifters, head bolts and gaskets.

The work on the SUV Porsche Cayenne V8 by Lozano Brothers Porting in Texas was not sanctioned by the Porsche factory and Porsche has never claimed victory for the 2010 Daytona 24 Hours.

Thanks for joining me on this “SUV Powered Prototype” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Best Of British – Heritage Motor Center

On my way home the other day I took a wrong turning off the M42 and decided to continue along the M40 to the Heritage Motor Center at Gaydon.

MG ADO 70, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

I arrived just in time for a tour with a guide being a mid week afternoon it was a one to one tour. Among the exhibits are many prototypes from the British Motor Corporation / British Leyland / Austin Rover / MG Rover conglomoration prior to it’s collapse in 2005, above is a Prototype MG built on the 1970 Mini 1275 platform by Michelloti.

March 701, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

There are a smattering of cool racing cars going right back to Austin’s earliest day’s, above the 1970 March 701 chassis #701/4 which Jackie Stewart drove to 2nd place finishes in the Dutch and Italian Grand Prix.

Austin Seven Swallow, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

In 1922 Austin launched the Seven as an economy working mans model, in 1927 William Lyons founder of the Swallow Side Car company decided to build an upmarket convertible version and the following year followed that with a saloon, the one above was built in 1933, Swallow Side Car eventually became Jagaur, some other brands that the Austin Seven unwittingly helped to establish are BMW, Bristol and Lotus.

Austin A90, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

Among my favorite categories of vehicles at the Heritage Motor Centre are the adventurers the 1955 Austin A90 above was driven 17,500 miles by Richard Pape from North Cape in Norway to Cape Town in South Africa between July and October 1955. The White 1922 Austin twenty in the background was bought by a Mr Filby for £33 in 1932 and then driven 37,000 miles to Cape Town and back.

Land Rover City Cab, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

There are several vehicles which have appeared in films in the Heritage Motor Centre collection, above a Land Rover City Cab that appeared in the 1995 movie Judge Dredd.

Rover T4, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

Rover was thrust into the white heat of technology in during 1939 – 45 was when it was asked to turn Sir Frank Whittle’s prototype gas turbine jet engine into a production unit, a project Rolls Royce had to turn down because it was too busy building the Merlin V12’s. After hostilities Rover built 5 road vehicles powered by gas turbines including the 1961 T4 above. The car eventually went into production in 1963 as the P6 marketed as the Rover 2000 regrettably with a 2 litre / 122 cui 4 cylinder motor replacing the gas turbine.

My thanks to Dave my tour guide for a highly entertaining 45 min tour.

Thanks for joining me on this “Best of British Edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !