Tag Archives: Bertone

Automotive Treasure – Blackhawk Museum

While showing his Jaguar at the Danville Concours d’Elegance last month Geoffrey took a wonder around the automotive treasures at the Blackhawk Museum and kindly sent today’s photographs.

Mercedes Benz S Tourer, Blackhawk Museum

In 1927 Mercedes Benz replaced it’s Model K with the Model S which among it’s innovations introduced a chassis that was lowered between the front and rear axles, which dramatically lowered the cars wind resistance and lowered it’s center of gravity which improved the handling. 146 Model S vehicles were built, this 1928 example was bought new by the entertainer Al Jolson.

Minerva Type AM, Blackhawk Museum

Minerva was a Belgian manufacturer started by Dutchman Sylvain de Jong, like many motor manufacturers de Jong started building bicycles and by 1928 when he died had graduated to manufacture high end automobiles. The 1929 Minerva Type AM seen above was supplied as a chassis to which coach builbers Walter M Murphy of Pasadena, CA fitted a “Clear Vision” Convertible Sedan body. The six cylinder car would have been a little cheaper than a contemporary Rolls Royce.

Packard 120 Darrin Convertible Victoria, Blackhawk Museum

After a career working for European coach builders Howard “Dutch” Darrin set up a showroom and bodyshop in Hollywood California called Darrins of Paris to restyle automobiles for Hollywoods rich and famous. Among the cars he restyled was Preston Fosters 1939 Packard 120 seen above with Darrin Convertible Victoria bodywork. This car was later updated with 1941 Packard Super Eight grill, bumpers and headlights.

Fraser Nash 328 Sports, Blackhawk Museum

Fraser Nash were the British importers of BMW cars into Britain prior to the 1939-45 war. Of the 464 BMW 328’s the 1939 example seen above is one of six known to survived the war, it was fitted with a custom Sports 2 seater body by Fraser Nash and driven by Dickie Stoop and Peter Wilson in the 1949 24 hour race at Spa in Belgium where it came home 12th overall sixth in class.

Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk 1 Bertone Coupé, Blackhawk Museum

The body of the red gem above is by Bertone of Italy while the chassis and engine is 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4. The Aston Martin DB2/4 Bertone Coupé is a one off prototype, no more were built because Aston Martin refused to supply any more DB2/4 chassis though it is by no means the only DB2/4 to feature unique Italian bodywork.

ALFA Romeo 1500 SSZ, Blackhawk Museum

When ALFA Romeo wanted a 4 cylinder 2 litre 122 cui motor in 1950 they redesigned their twin cam 6 cylinder 6C 2500 with two fewer cylinders and called it the 1900. The 1955 1900 Sprint Speciale SSZ seen above is one of around 40 thought to have been built with coachwork by Zagato featuring a double bubble roof.

Maserati 3500GT Vignale Spider, Blackhawk Museum

The 140 mph 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Spider, above, is one of 243 built between 1957 and 1963. Fitted with drum brakes and a four speed gearbox it was more luxuriously appointed than the Ferrari 250 GT’s against which it competed in the market.

Jaguar XK-E Lightweight, Blackhawk Museum

In 1963 Briggs Cunningham entered 3 factory built Jaguar XK-E’s with hard top alloy bodies in the Le Mans 24 hours. One, 5115 WK qualified 20th and finished 9th, 5116 WK qualified 18th and was destroyed by fire after an accident on lap 40 while the car above driven by Augie Pabst and Walt Hangsen qualified 13th and retired in lap 8 with a broken gearbox.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing today’s photographs, more of which from the Blackhawk Museum will be seen on Friday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Automotive Treasure” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Americana Thursday when I’ll be looking at a Ford Thunderbird. Don’t forget to come back now !

Bertones Czech Brief – Škoda Favorit Pick-up

Bertone Century – Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

Meica Red 908 – Bertone X1/9

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Marcello Gandini working for the Bertone studio is credited with designing the FIAT X1/9 which was based on the futuristic boat inspired Autobianchi A112 Runabout of 1969.

FIAT launched the X 1/9 in 1972 with Bertone responsible for building the monocoque body at it’s Torino factory and FIAT’s Lingotto factory responsible for the final assembly.

With 140,500 units produced unto 1982, FIAT handed over the final assembly responsibilities and marketing for the X 1/9 to Bertone in 1982. Bertone continued to develop the X 1/9 applying rust protection and revised seating to accommodate taller driver. 19,500 X 1/9’s were manufactured with Bertone badges.

The X 1/9 featured a rear mounted 4 cylinder transverse motor and transmission taken from the 1970 European Car of the Year Award wining front wheel drive FIAT 128 featuring and iron block and alloy head with a single overhead camshaft.

This 1989 example would appear to be painted Meica Red 908 a paint code borrowed form the Volvo colour palate which was used on the rare Volvo 780 Coupé which was also built by Bertone at the same time.

The longitudinally compact transverse mid engine and transmission layout not only gave the car excellent handling characteristics but also luggage space under the bonnet hood in the front and in the boot / trunk behind the engine.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Meica Red 908’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Firing Up 2012 – Race Retro

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Thanks to my membership of the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club I enjoyed my second trip to Race Retro over the past weekend.

Just like last year I had trouble getting out of the car park thanks to the fabulous collection of sports cars fellow enthusiasts had brought out for a spin in the glorious sunshine. This Bertone X1/9 particularly caught my eye, I spent many years lusting after an X1/9 when I left school. I eventually ended up with a slightly more practical , cheaper to insure FIAT 128, I’ll be taking a closer look at the X1/9 on Sunday.

Silverstone Auctions have taken the place of H&H Auctions as Race Retro’s Auctioneer partners, among the unusual gems scheduled to go under the hammer was this Twini Austin Cooper S a replica of two experimental works cars originally built in 1963 that raced in the Targa Florio. This replica was built on a 1965 chassis with two Cooper S motors, gearboxes and disc brakes all round.

In the Rally shed it was nice to see the replica South African Chevrolet Firenza CanAm now fitted with a huge rear wing reminiscent of Formula 1 & Can Am cars in 1968 and as used in the original Chev Dealer Team car in 1974.

Nanette seen above on the Brooklands stand was a special built by Felix Scriven in 1925, it was originally fitted with an unreliable Sage motor, which contributed to this car originally being called, Mother Goose until a 4 cylinder Hooker motor that originated from the Marlborough Thomas special and which could be configured as either a 1.5 litre / 92 cui or 1.75 litre / 107 cue motor according to which of two crankshafts was used.

Among the anniversaries being celebrated at Race Retro was the 30th anniversary of the Porsche 956 which evolved into the 956B and 962 and 962 C series that dominated Le Mans, the Daytona 24 hours, Group C and IMSA from 1982 until 1987. The #1 above appears to be a 956 with distinctive 1982 paintwork while the #8 in the background carries the 1988 bodywork of the 962 C commonly carried by chassis #116.

The multiple award winning success of “Senna” the documentary on the Brazilian Triple World Champion has focused interest in his cars, the Toleman TG184 was of the type that Senna drove once his team had secured a supply of Michelin tyres after the first two races of Senna’s 1984 rookie F1 season.

The town of Bourne in Lincolnshire will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of BRM’s World Championship year on October 7th. Graham won the championship driving a BRM P57 with a BRM V8 similar to the #7 in the photo above, though after all these years BRM are probably still at least as well remembered for building a supercharged 1.5 litre 92 cui V16 in 1949 and possibly the most complex racing motor of all time the 3 litre / 183 cui H16, which is said to make so much noise the first time it was opened up in anger every one in the pits at Riems dived for cover as it came down the start finish straight for the first time ! I’ve made it a mission to try and hear the H16 in action this year and hope to be at BRM Day at Bourne in October.

Finally on a personal note it is 40 years since I bought my first copy of Motor Sport, the December 1972 edition was packed with the details of the 1972 Canadian and US Grand Prix’s which Jackie Stewart won in anticipation of an extremely successful final 1973 season. On the Motor Sport stand above is the 1934 Riley Ulster Imp in which after a successful post WW2 competition history the car was acquired by Leslie Hawthorn the proprietor of the Tourist Trophy Garage in Farnham who gave it to his son Mike who raced this car on his competition debut at the Brighton Speed Trials where he won his class and drove it in his first race which ‘The Farnham Flyer’ also won on his way to becoming the first ten British World Champions.

I’ll be posting more blogs featuring vehicles seen at Race Retro 2012 in the coming days and weeks, starting tomorrow with an unusual MG-B.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Firing Up 2012’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Bertones Ferrari – Dino 308 GT 4

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The mid engine 2+2 Dino 308 GT 4 stands out in the history of Ferrari for being the only Ferrari that was designed by Bertone, and this possibly only after pressure from Ferrari’s parent company FIAT had been applied.

Launched with Dino badges in 1973 to differentiate it from its V12 siblings the Dino was the first Ferrari to be powered by a V8. The Dino badges disappeared from the model in 1976.

The chassis was developed from the Dino 246 stretched to provide a 100.4 inch wheel base to provide accommodation for 4 and the transversely mounted engine.

The Dino 308 GT4 seen above at Castle Combe was driven by Andrew McAlpine and Ali Procter to a 20th place finish and class 8 victory in this years Tour Britannia.

While 308’s are not an uncommon sight in club motorsports only one 308 GT4 was prepared for international racing, chassis #08020 was entered by the North American Racing Team at Le Mans in 1974 where Giancarlo Gagliardi and Jean Louise Lafosse retired with clutch failure and in 1975 Cagliardi and Harley Cluxton failed to qualify eventually causing Luigi Chinetti to withdraw his whole team from the event just 80 minutes before the start of the race.

Between 1973 and 1980 2,826 308 GT4’s were produced, there was also an Italian spec 2 litre / 122 cui 208 GT4 built to take advantage of tax regulations. At around £20,000 pounds for a roadworthy example the 308 GT4 is probably the cheapest way of becoming a Ferrari owner today, though maintaining one might prove expensive as the motor needs to be removed for many maintenance tasks and it is not mounted on a sub frame as on some of the later Ferrari V8 models.

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

105/115 Series – ALFA Romeo 2000 GTV

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The ALFA Romeo 2000 GTV was part of the 105/115 Series Coupés in production from 1963 to 1977, it is thought that 37,459 2000 GTV variations were produced from 1971 to 1976.

The Bertone penned bodywork was built onto to shortened Giulia Berlina floorpan, all 105/115 Series Coupés used four cylinder all alloy twin cam engines, this particular one has the largest 1962 cc / 119 cui motor that came equiped with carburettors and was good for 150 hp.

An undetermined number of 105/115 Series Coupés were assembled near Petoria in South Africa allegedly alongside other knock down kits including Datsun’s.

Date for your diaries Saturday April 16th Bristol City Centre will be hosting the Italian Auto Moto Festival, today’s photo’s as were many others featured here over the last 6 months were taken at this event last year.

E-mail me if your planning to attend it would be great fun to meet up.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s all alloy twin cam edition of ‘Getting a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring