Tag Archives: Barker

Chevrola – Race Retro 2015

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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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2 Lathes and 3 Employees -Delage Type – R

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Louis Delage founded the company bearing his name in 1905 by giving up his 600 Fr monthly income and borrowing 35,000 Fr, his company had two lathes and three employees on if whom was a former Chief Designer at Peugeot.

Delage began manufacturing bodies for Helbé before building cars to it’s own design powered by a one cylinder de Dion motor.

Delage Type R, David Barker, VSCC Loton Park,

By 1910 Delage had experienced competition success and steady growth such that it had moved into it’s third premises to keep abreast of the required production capacity.

The move coincided with the launch of the Type R powered, I believe by a Delage built side valve 4 cylinder motor that produced 15 hp.

Delage Type R, David Barker, VSCC Loton Park,

The Type-R had a top speed of 40 mph with a full body equipped to deal with adverse weather.

Production of the Type R lasted until 1913 by which time the factory was manufacturing 1,000 4 and 6 cylinder vehicles a year built by 350 employees.

The Type R seen with Dave Barker at wheel at a VSCC Loton Park meeting was built in 1910.

Thanks for joining me on this “2 Lathes and 3 Employees” 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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Four Pot Revisited – Ferrari 860 Monza #0604M

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A couple of years ago Steve Arnaudin sent me a photo of todays featured 1956 Ferrari 860 Monza, chassis #0604, purchased by his father from the Californian photographer and racing driver Carlyle Blackwell. I wrote a blog which summarised the 1956 World Sports Car Championship which is linked here.

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

Today’s blog will focus on the story of this particular chassis which is seen above with Lord March at the wheel in the Juan Manuel Fangio Celebration parade at the Goodwood Revival in 2011. The car is seen above carrying the same #17 as when Fangio and Eugenio Castellotti drove it to a debut victory in the Sebring 12 Hours Race in March 1956.

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

#0604M was subsequently sold to Californian John von Neuman and the following month he entered it for Phil Hill to drive at Pebble Beech where he finished second overall and first in class behind Carrol Shelby who was driving 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza #0510M.

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

John Von Neuman took over the driving duties in #0604M for the rest of the 1956 season and through 1957 until he put Ritchie Ginther in the car at Laguna Secca at the end of 1957 and at Riverside at the beginning of 1958. Ginther scored a class win and 5th overall first time out and 2nd overall at Riverside. Up to that point von Neumans best results had been a couple of 2nd place finishes in ’56

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

Jerry Barker bought the car for the 1959 season and on every occasion it finished it was either 1st or 2nd driven by Lew Florence, Barker took the wheel at the Maryhill Lops Hillclimb and also won setting a new record.

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

Charles Caverns was the owner of 0604M in 1960 and he also recorded a win in the Novice Race at Shelton in April 1960 which is the car last recorded contemporary race appearance.

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

Amongst the owners of #0604M since 1960 was Jean Sage former Sporting Director of the Renault Formula One team from it’s inception in 1977 and eventual, temporary closure, in 1987. Not long before the top photo was taken #0604M was bought by the current owner a DJ by the name of Chris Evans.

Ferrari 860 Monza. Goodwood Revival

At last years Goodwood Revival meeting Danny Sullivan became the fifth Grand Prix driver to sit at the wheel, after Fangio, Castellotti Hill and Ginther, and only Indy 500 winner to race the car powered by a Lampredi designed 4 cylinder motor. He qualified 15th for the Sussex Trophy Race but did not finish.

Thanks for joining me one this ‘Four Pot Revisited’ 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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Built by Craftsmen – Lanchester LD10 #L63579

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Lanchester LD10, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Lanchester founded as the Lanchester Engine Company Ltd in 1899 by the Lanchester brothers Frederick, George and Frank who are credited with being the first British builders of a motor car, not a horseless carriage, in 1895 which ran on a public road in 1896. The brothers are also credited with being the original purveyors of disc brakes in 1902. Fredricks uncompromising attitude to mechanical perfection led Lanchester into financial difficulties and an eventual merger with the British Daimler Company in 1931.

Lanchester LD10, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

The post war Lanchester LD10 was a compact companion to the Daimler range, like it’s bigger Bretheren Lanchester’s were built by craftsman at a time when most vehicles of this size were already much cheaper to build on assembly lines. Initially this model was available with a steel body by Briggs of Dagenham and later models like the one in these photographs with alloy body work by Barker.

Lanchester LD10, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

This model is powered by a 4 cylinder 40hp overhead valve engine which transmits power to the rear wheels via a 4 speed preselector gearbox. This combination of engine and geabox was considered both reasonably powerful, with a 69 mph capability and exceptionally smooth for it’s time. The engine number of this particular vehicle is #18557.

Lanchester LD10, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

It is thought 3,030 examples of this model were built between 1946 and 1951. This particular vehicle, chassis L63579, was built in 1951.

With thanks to David Roots who invited me to the Classic and Sports Car Action Day at Castle Combe where these photographs were taken.

Thanks you for dropping in on today’s 69 mph edition of “Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow ! Don’t forget to come back now !

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