Tag Archives: Anderson

Look A Like TRC – Ferrari 250 GT/E #4873

Today’s featured car started life as a right hand drive 1963 Series 3 Ferrari 250 GT/E chassis #4873 delivered to Maranello Concessionaires who sold it to a Mr H. R. V. Walkup DFC. of Highfields Motors in Derby.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic

Mr Walkup loaned the car to John Dalton in the 1960’s for him to race at Mallory Park with it’s original 2+2 body.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic

Mr Derek Welford of York appears to have commissioned R M Wilson Engineering of Leicester to fit the current vaguely TRC styled body in the 1980’s, the car is shown to have first been registered with it’s current licence plate on the 26th of January 1981.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic

Stuart Anderson bought the car in 1997 with 450 miles showing on the clock and kept it for 17 years before selling it to Darren Hills.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic

Stuart raced #4873, seen in these photographs at Silverstone Classic, primarily in the Pirelli Ferrari Formula Classic series where along with many wins the car holds five Group 1 lap records.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic

Prior to selling the car, to race a Morgan, Stuart shared his passion for his 250 GT/E TRC by setting up the ferrari250.com website where full details of the cars history and it’s modifications can be found.

Thanks for joining me on this “Look A Like TRC” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at “Baby Bertha”. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Chevrola – Race Retro 2015

A couple of weeks ago I found myself at the wheel of a seventeen seat minibus full with friends and acquaintances from the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club headed for Race Retro at Stoneleigh Park.

Cooper Mk V, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

One of the racing highlights of my 2014 season was the 500cc Formula 3 race at the Autumn Classic meeting at Castle Combe the series with cars like the 1951 Cooper Mk V above, will be returning to Castle Combe on Saturday October 3rd, more dates can be found under “Circuits” on this link.

Lola T332, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Like 500cc Formula 3 the sound of old skool Formula 5000 cars is not to be missed the ex Chuck Jones 1974 Lola T332 belonging to Steve Farthing should be out at some of the HSCC events on this link follow the column DBT, for details on the seven Derek Bell Trophy events.

Chevron B1, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Chevron is celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary this year above the 1965 Chevron B1 was designed to beat the ubiquitous Lotus Seven in ‘Clubmans’ events. Current custodians of the Chevron marque Helen Bashford-Malkie & Vin Malkie announced at Race Retro that they will be working with Lola Heritage to supply parts for the rival brand which dates back to 1958.

Steady Special, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

MotorSport Magazine unveiled the recently restored Steady Special based on a 1934 V8 powered Lancia Astura modified by Ronald “Steady” Barker for VSCC competition after the ’39/’45 war.

Datsun 240Z, Race Retro, Stoneleigh

As ever there was a selection of rally cars in the shed next to the exhibition halls, while I was admiring this 1972 Datsun 240Z a chap in a wheel chair came flying over asking if it was one of the 77 “real” Samuri 240Z’s prepared by Spike Anderson of Samuri Conversions at Silvestone. I never did find out if the the car above was “real”, but it turned out that the enthusiastic chap in the wheel chair was the “real” Win Percy who drove Samuri 240Z’s and later Samuri Celica’s to many race victories back the mid 1970’s.

Leyton House CG901, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Vintage Racecar Magazine always seems to pull a cool Formula One Car out of the hat for this event and this year they brought along the 1990 Leyton House CG901 chassis #003 which Ivan Capelli drove to a season best 2nd place finish in the 1990 French Grand Prix. The car was designed by Adrian Newey who the following year helped design the 1992 World Championship winning FW14 model and most recently designed the Red Bulls with which Sebastian Vettel has won four consecutive World Championships.

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

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Goodwood Favourites – Formula One

Today’s post features a few of my favourite Formula One ’74 to present day cars that appeared at Goodwood last week.

McLaren M23, Fittipaldi, Goodwood Festival of Speed

First up Emerson Fittipaldi gives GALPOT a wave coming back down the hill in his 1974 McLaren M23 chassis #5.

Maki Cosworth F101A, Goodwood Festival of Speed

After Honda’s disappearance from the Formula One grid at the end of the 1968 season there was no Japanese presence in Formula One until the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix. However this was not for the want of trying, Kenji Mimura founded the Maki Team in 1974 and their futuristic F101, which bore a passing resemblance to the experimental 1972 Ferrari 312 Snowplough attempted to unsuccessfully to qualify for the 1974 British and German Grand Prix. After Howden Ganley broke his legs at the Nurburgring the team retired to Japan to rework their ideas for 1975.

LEC CRP1, Wright, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Mike Pilbeam’s portfolio of attractive Formula One cars includes the LEC CRP1 seen above which was driven by David Purley in 1977 to a season high 13th place in Belgium shortly before surviving a 178 g deceleration from 108 mph to 0 in 25 inches / 66 cm against the sleepers during practice for the 1977 British GP. This particular car driven by Gary Wright had not been seen in action for 35 years.

Toleman Hart TG184, Davidson, Goodwood Festival of Speed

There were numerous vehicles which Ayrton Senna had driven present at Goodwood, and the Toleman TG184 above driven by Alistair Davidson may be one of them, an acquaintance who has spent twelve months researching the TG184 chassis tells me each of the five TG184’s has a slightly different rivet pattern where the roll bar connects to the top of the monocoque and is currently looking for body off photo’s of the TG184’s to confirm which car is which.

Jordan Ford 191, Sirgue, Goodwood Festival of Speed

In 1991 Eddie Jordan graduated to Formula One with one of the most attractive Formula One cars ever seen, designed by Gary Anderson, a fist full of Pepsico dollars, works supplied Ford Cosworth engines and Andrea de Cesaris as his lead driver. The team finished a highly creditable 5th in the constructors championship and Andrea 9th in the drivers championship. The team will also be remembered for introducing Micheal Schumacher to the top table of the sport in Belgium. Owner Didier Sirgue is seen at the wheel above.

Williams Mercedes FW36, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Finally with Mercedes Benz motors and Martini money the Williams team is back on the ascendent this year with Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas at the wheel. The FW36 above unfortunately had to remain silent to avoid contravening the no testing agreement currently in operation amongst Formula One teams.

Thanks for joining me on this “Goodwood Favourites” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be celebrating the 120 Anniversary of Motorsport participation with Mercedes Benz at Goodwood. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Three Engineers From Detroit – Wolverine LD65 #LD65/1

The story of the Wolverine Chevrlolet LD65 according to one of it’s former owners, began at a race where Jerry Hansen was driving his successful McKee Chevette and was blown into the weeds by a front engined car. When Jerry approached the team in the pits after the race and asked who they were they responded “three engineers from Detroit”. One of the engineers was Lee Dykstra who would make a name for himself with the Jaguar XJR5 IMSA car and a number of Indy Cars.

When Jerry asked why the three engineers did not build a rear engined car they replied they did not have the money so Jerry wrote them a cheque and asked the three engineers from Detroit to build him one.

The Wolverine designed by Lee Dykstra and George Anderson first appeared in a national SCCA race at Greenwood which Jerry Hansen won, Jerry then recorded a did not finish at Mid-Ohio before appearing at the inaugural Can Am Challenge at St Jovite in September 1966. Jerry qualified 25th and finished 20th.

Wolverine LD65, Goodwood Revival

Jerry never raced the Wolverine again, it would appear that the week before St Jovite Jerry was due to share a McLaren Elva Mk II with Charlie Hays in the Road America 500. However, after his friend and fellow Minneapolis/St Paul, Minn., resident Don Skogmo was killed driving a Lola T70 Mk II, in an accident during practice for the same race, Jerry withdrew from the event handing his ride in the Hayes McLaren to Earl Jones.

It is thought Jerry raced the Wolverine at St Jovite before sitting out the remainder of the year due to pressure from his family to retire from driving. The following year Jerry returned to racing and did not retire permanently until 1986, by which time he had clocked up a record 27 National Sports Car Club of America titles. Today the Hansen name is still connected to racing through his daughter Courtney an actress, author and presenter of motoring related television shows including Powerblock.

Jerry sold the Wolverine to Owen Rutherford who bought the car for Frank Opalka. In 1968 Frank recorded a DNF in the Road America 500 miles with Bob Lyon, and by Franks account scored many more DNF’s before the bugs were sorted out in “SCCA and USRRC” events. Frank relates how once the car was reliable he would be congratulated for finishing.

Wolverine LD65, Goodwood Revival

Frank also tells a good tale about a sponsor “Miami Serpenterium” who required that the car be painted all over with snakes. At Road America Owen turned up with a “station wagon loaded with poisonous snakes” one of which, a cobra, escaped and bit sponsor Bud Severens who required Buds hospitalisation, a story which made the local news. Apparently Bud never did work out how the cobra came to be in Wisconsin.

Jim Place became the next owner of the car and it is in the colours that Jim painted the car that it appears today. Jim is known to have been on the entry list for at least two Can Am events he is recorded as not arriving at the race at Michigan International in September 1969. Jim qualified 24th at Road America in August 1970 but did not start the race which is the last of the Wolverines appearances known to me.

The car is now raced by Morgen Christensen who is seen at the wheel above at Goodwood a couple of years ago. The red car alongside Morgens is the Rolls Royce powered Marina driven by Mark Ashworth.

My thanks to all those including Frank Opalka who commented on the Wolverine thread at The Nostalgia Forum, and especially Tom “RA Hisotrian” Schultz who revealed why Jerry Hansen’s career with the Wolverine was so short lived.

Thanks for joining me on this “Three Engineers From Detroit” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be having a French sojourn. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Dominating Réunion – Alpine A110 1600S

Jean Rédélé’s rear engined Alpine A110 “Berlinette” launched in 1961 was an evolution of the A108. Distinguishing features include proprietary Renault R8 running gear in place of the Renault Dauphin running gear of the A108 and a larger tail for the fiberglass body to accommodate the larger R8 derived motors.

Alpine Renault, A110, 1600S, Castle Combe C&SCAD

The cars were manufactured at the Dieppe factory, which today operates under the the Renault Sport banner, with further cars being assembled in Mexico under the name Dinalpin and perhaps most unlikely of all from 1967 to 1969 in Bulgaria under the name ‘Bulgaralpine‘.

Alpine Renault, A110, 1600S, Castle Combe C&SCAD

Over the years of production up to 1977 the choice of straight 4 cylinder engine sizes ranged from 95 hp 1.1 liters / 67 cui through to 125 hp 1.6 liters / 97 cui, the latter giving the a top speed of 130 mph and zero to 60 mph in 7 seconds.

Alpine Renault, A110, 1600S, Castle Combe C&SCAD

With these sorts of performance figures the vehicle was a shoe in for a successful competition career in particular on tarmac rallies, Jean Vinatier won the French National Rally title in 1969 in an A110 and both Ove Anderson (1971) and Jean-Claude Andruet (1973) won the Monte Carlo Rally in A110’s the latter victory contributing to Alpine Renault, rebranded after Renault’s 1970 buy out, winning the first World Rally Championship in 1973.

Alpine Renault, A110, 1600S, Castle Combe C&SCAD

The A110 cars also have a successful track racing history in Europe and the United State still winning its class in races as late as 1980.

During the course of finding out about the A110 I have found several inaccuracies one that the A110 was inspired by Colin Chapmans Lotus Elan, this is not true the A110 preceded the announcement of the Elan by 1 year. Also I have seen the A110 mentioned in connection with the Brazilian assembled Willys Interlagos, the Interlagos built from 1962 to 1966 and most successfully raced by Wilson Fittipaldi, brother of twice world champion and Indy 500 winner Emerson, was based on the A110’s predecessor the A108.

Alpine Renault, A110, 1600S, Castle Combe C&SCAD

This particular vehicle seen at Castle Combe Classic and Sport Car Action Day was originally exported to Renault St Denis, Il de La Réunion out in the Indian Ocean between islands of Madagascar and Mauritius, in 1973. It immediately made an impact sweeping Réunion’s two biggest events the ‘Mille Kilometers‘ and ‘Tour de la Réunion‘ from 1973 to 1975. The car was acquired by it’s current owner in 1991.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Dominating Réunion’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you’ll join me again. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Racing is life – Le Mans the Movie

While recovering from a particularly pestulant flu virus last week, I took the opportunity to watch one of my favourite films one that was influential in so much as it inspired me not only to visit Le Mans but also to participate in a lesser 24 hour race in 1990.

The film is a classic among many race fans because it is essentially shot in a documentary style, the first 30 mins is a build up to the start of a 24 hour race with only a brief flash back to interrupt the building tension. We see early morning race day footage of the protagonist Michael Delaney (McQueen) arriving at the circuit, in those days entirely on public roads, huge traffic jams, to me now very familiar scenes from the campsite in the middle of the circuit, teams preparing, drivers preparing and then an increasingly slo mo sequence to the 5 min countdown to the start of the race.

The only discernible voice during the build up is a monologue by the race commentator who sets the scene and describes events as they happen during the course of the race.

Unusually for a film with Hollywood involvement their is no love interest, but there is human interest in the relationship between Delaney who the previous year was involved in a fatal accident with a driver called Belgetti, and Belgettis widow (Elga Andersen) which culminates in the films best known quotation.

The film was shot using a mixture of 1970 race footage a host of original cars and drivers.

David Piper seen above at Goodwood in 2009 gets a credit that reads “And Special Appreciation to DAVID PIPER for his Sacrifice During the filming of this Picture” he lost half a leg filming one of the horrifically realistic
accidents in the film.

The essence of the film is a superbly captured Titanic 24 hour battle between the Ferrari and Gulf Porsche teams. The end of the film focuses on a tight finish which is not unusual at Le Mans all though racing is a non contact sport and some of the driving antics seen at the end of the film are more usually seen at the beginning of the race between novices to 24 hour racing.

There is no Holywood finish to the race for McQueens character Delaney though he does his bit for the Gulf Porsche team, which never won at Le Mans in real life despite dominating almost all sports car races from 1970 – 1971 everywhere else. The Porsche Salzburg team won the 1970 race depicted in the film and the following year. By 1972 the Porsche 917’s were banned from racing at Le Mans.

At this time of year, between seasons, race fans love quoting using all or part of the ‘A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing’s important to men who do it well. When you’re racing, it… it’s life. Anything that happens before or after… is just waiting.’ which is Michael Delaney’s response to Mrs Belgetti’s question what is so important about racing ?

The quotation is originally attributable to Maurice Trintignant a French Formula One driver.

To sum up a must see film for race fans, if only to see the Le Mans track at its murderous best and to my mind the most exciting sports racing cars of all time, Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512, all captured with inventive camera work and superb editing. The best bit about the film is that the usual Holywood cliche’s are by and large missing leaving us with an experience far closer to a documentary than say the Frankenheimers Grand Prix with its rather laboured with plot, excruciating love interest and painfully cliched dialogue.

Hope you enjoyed today’s film revue, wishing everyone a relaxing Sunday and I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow, don’t forget to come back now !

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