Campbell’s Supercharged Short Stroke – Bugatti Type 39A #4810

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There are said to be more than one way to skin a cat and using this philosophy Ettoire Bugatti devised more than one way to build a motor to meet the 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui Voiturette regulations for Grand Prix cars in 1926.

Last week I looked at a Type 37A featuring a motor with a 4 cylinder motor while today’s featured type 39A has an 8 cylinder motor of similar swept volume which was achieved by using a short stroke crankshaft in a motor originally designed to be of 2 litre / 122 cui capacity.

Bugatti Type 39A, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Today’s featured car chassis #4810 was built for British Speed King Malcolm Campbell, later Sir, of Bluebird fame who bought this car in 1926 to compete in the inaugural British Grand Prix run at Brooklands.

Campbell was worried the original alloy wheels would not be up to withstanding the pounding of the remorseless Brooklands, broken, concrete track and so had wire wheels fitted.

Bugatti Type 39A, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Driving #4810 solo Campbell came home second splitting two Delages, 10 mins behind the winners Robert Sénéchal and Louis Wagner.

Jules Goux driving a Type 39A won both the 1926 French Grand Prix and 1926 European Grand Prix run at San Sebastián in Spain while later in 1926 Louis Charavel driving a Type 39A became the first man since Jules Goux, driving a Ballot in 1921, to win the Italian Grand Prix in a non Italian car and clinch the 1926 World Manufacturers Championship for Bugatti.

In 1927 Malcolm Campbell won the Grand Prix de Boulogne driving #4810.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs of #4810 seen at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in 2011.

Thanks for joining me on this “Campbell’s Supercharged Short Stroke” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be revisiting Oulton Park for the 2014 Gold Cup meeting. Don’t forget to come back now !

’56 Italian Hillclimb Champion – Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé #2148

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Last in the current series of Maserati A6G/54 posts is one of twenty Zagato Coupé bodied models chassis #2148.

Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé, Cartier Style Et Luxe, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The 21 Zagato bodied A6G/54’s are lighter than most of the other 39 A6G/54’s because their bodies are crafted from aluminium. This made #2148 and it’s Zagato siblings eminently suitable for use in competition.

Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé, Cartier Style Et Luxe, Goodwood Festival of Speed

It is believed this car once belonged to Italian racing driver Adolfo Tedeschi who is thought to have used #2148 to secure the 1956 Italian under 2 litre hillclimb championship.

Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé, Cartier Style Et Luxe, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Thereafter #2148 spent some time in the USA before passing into the hands of Peter Kaus and his Bianco Collection which included several vehicles that have featured in GALPOT blogs including several other Maseratis.

Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé, Cartier Style Et Luxe, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Looking at this side vent trim I was struck by it’s similarity to the DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc) stripes on the Dale Earnhardt Jr Limited Edition Chevrolet Impala, I wonder if Dale Earnhardt was a fan of the Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé ?

Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé, Cartier Style Et Luxe, Goodwood Festival of Speed

After a spell in France #2148 has passed through the hands of at least one other German before finding it’s way into the hands of current owner Klaus Busch.

Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupé, Cartier Style Et Luxe, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The most recent record of an A6G/54 Zagato sale by auction I could find was in 2010 for a slightly less aggressively styled Berlinetta variant which fetched over US$ 1.5 million.

Thanks for joining me on this “’56 Italian Hillclimb Champion” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for a look at a Bugatti tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Prototype Family Restoration – Allard Palm Beach MkII #72/7000Z

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At the 1956 Earls Court Motor Show Allard showed today’s featured car, the prototype Palm Beach Mk2, seen in these photo’s displayed by the Allard Owners Club at Silverstone Classic.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

External differences from the original Palm Beach included hidden door hinges and vents behind the front wheels and more comprehensive grill ornamentation.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Internally the four cylinder motor option was dropped and a Jaguar six cylinder was available to complement the base models 120 hp Ford Zephyr six cylinder motor as fitted to the prototype.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

In November 1956 today’s featured car was registered for the road and used as a demonstrator and later by Allard Motor Companies Brian Howard. In 1969 it was sold to the Hemsworth family where it remained until 2012.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

The car, one of just six MkII’s built upt o 1958, was offered for restoration to Sidney Allards son Alan and grandson Lloyd having not turned a wheel since 1976 and being kept outside for several years.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Two years on and the restoration of the aluminium bodied prototype Palm Beach Mk II is complete with Lloyd Allard having been credited with doing most of the dirty work.

During the restoration a resurrection of Allard has also taken place now known as the Allard Sports Car Company with the initial aim of manufacturing a continuation Mk III Palm Beach and continuation Cadillac powered JR as raced at Le Mans in 1953 and through out the USA in later years.

Thanks for joining me on this “Prototype Family Restoration” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you’ll join me again for bank holiday Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Type Approved – Ginetta G32

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In 1983 Ginetta built a prototype G25 with mid mounted motor taken from a Ford Fiesta which was intended to be a kit car.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Feedback on the G25 indicated that potential owners were more interested in a type approved turn key vehicle and so Ginetta revised the G25 prototype into the type approved G32.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

In 1989 the G32 went into production with a mid mounted motor, initially either a 1.6 litre / 97 cui motor taken from the larger Ford Escort XR3i or a 1.9 litre / 115 cui version enlarged by Specialised Engines.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

The 1990 110hp model, seen here with the Ginetta Owners Club at Silverstone Classic, was quoted by the factory as being capable of reaching 60 mph from rest in 8.2 seconds and with a top speed of 120mph.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Later versions of the G32 included a Turbo option and some have been retro fitted with more modern Ford Zetek motors.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

It is believed around 100 G32 Coupés were built with a further 20 convertibles. Note the tail lights came from the Ford Sierra parts bin.

Thanks for joining me on this “Type Approved” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at a prototype Allard. Don’t forget to come back now !

199 mph Spider – Ferrari 458 Spider

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To complement the Ferrari 458 Italia Berlinetta, first seen in 2009 and to replace the F430 Spider, Ferrari introduced the 458 Spider in 2011.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Mechanically identical to the 458 Italia the Spider can reach 62.2 mph from rest in the same 3.3 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

However the extra aerodynamic drag from the drop top configuration means the 562hp motor can only push the Spider to 199 mph ….

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

… as against the 202 mph capability of the hard top 458 Italia.

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The 458 Spider features an aluminium top, weighing just 25 kgs / 55 lbs, which can be retracted in just 14 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The aluminium retractable top is said to be lighter than the soft top of it’s predecessor the F430 Spider.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

When launched Ferrari were hoping to build up to 2,000 458 Spiders, like the one seen here at Sherborne’s Classics at the Castle, a year.

Thanks for joining me on this “199 mph Spider” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Sales Dipper – DeSoto Firesweep Convertible

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When I first saw today’s featured DeSoto Firesweep Convertible on the lawn outside Goodwood House a couple of months ago my first thought was along the lines of “Wow ! a convertible Batmobile.”

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

This is the first DeSoto I recall ever seeing in the flesh and it would appear to me that Virgil Exner, who was responsible for the ‘forward look’ that graced the Chrysler Corp’s models across the Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto and Chrysler brands, was himself influenced by the 1955 Lincoln Futura that became the 1965 Batmobile for the Batman TV series.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

1958 Firesweeps were offered with six body options of which the rarest was the convertible with just 700 examples built.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

One of the more interesting items on the 1958 DeSoto Options list, not fitted to this car so far as I know, was a 45rpm Hi Way Hi Fi record player, for which Chrysler also had a list of hits that could be ordered from the dealer.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

In 1957 sales of the Firesweep totaled 40,000 so it must have come as a shock to DeSoto executives when sales of the 1958 Firesweeps with slightly larger and more powerful 5.7 litre / 350 cui 280 hp motors slumped to just 18,000 units.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

There are numerous reasons why DeSoto sales slumped including a recession which saw unemployment in Detroit alone rise to 20% in 1958 and the same year also marked the end of the post war baby boom which would see US birth’s in decline for 11 consecutive years.

At the time of writing it appears today’s featured car, thought to be one of just twelve Firesweep convertibles known to remain, is being offered for sale by a dealer in the Netherlands, usual disclaimers, with advice to proceed with caution and plenty of your own research, apply.

Thanks for joining me on this “Sales Dipper” 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 !

Quick Transport and Transporter – Mercedes Benz Rennwagen Schnelltransporter and 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

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In 1954 the Mercedes Benz Rennabteilng returned to Grand Prix racing and equiped themselves with a special transporter that was capable of 105 mph.