Tag Archives: Brown

What Goes Around (Slight Reprise) – Ferrari 250 MM Vignale #0260MM

I first looked at today’s featured Vignale bodied Ferrari 250 MM #0260MM in June 2011, but since Geoffrey Horton was kind enough to send me some more recent photo’s of it I can indulge you with a few snippets of additional information that have come to light.

Ferrari 250 MM Vignale, Blackhawk Museum

Phil Hill sold the car after he had raced it 5 times from new to Charles Brown of Monroe Los Angeles. While the car was in Charlies care he entered it for William Jarnigan to drive in a couple of races run at Bergstrom Air Force Base (AFB) in March 1954, William repaid his owners faith with 2 class wins coming 4th overall on both occasions.

Ferrari 250 MM Vignale, Blackhawk Museum

In July 1954 Charles finished 3rd in class at Offutt AFB coming home 8th overall. In October 1954 the motor was recorded as having been rebuilt at the Ferrari factory.

Ferrari 250 MM Vignale, Blackhawk Museum

The next recorded owner is Ernie Miller of New Orleans, Los Angeles who is known to have raced the car on at least one occasion in the Hammond Grand Prix where Ernie is recorded as having finished 3rd overall in what is thought to be #0260MM’s last in period competitive appearance.

Ferrari 250 MM Vignale, Blackhawk Museum

Allen S Bishop is credited with restoring #0260MM between 1972 and 1975, after which original owner Phil Hill was reunited with the car for a classic race at Monterey in 1984 from which he car was retired.

Ferrari 250 MM Vignale, Blackhawk Museum

It is believed that #0260MM fetched US$ 1.2 million from an anonymous purchaser in 1995. Phil Hill was reunited again with the car at Monterey in August 2001, though no race results for that particular reunion appear to have been recorded.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at the Blackhawk Museum late last year.

Thanks for joining me on this “What Goes Around (Slight Reprise)” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a Crusader built in Washington…. Co Durham. Don’t forget to come back now !

Lower Cleaner – Lola Chevrolet T330 #HU4

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The 1973 Formula 5000 season which played out in three championships across three continents saw winning cars produced by four different manufacturers namely Chevron, McRae, Trojan and Lola. It was the last named that won most of the races in all three series with their T330 model, a lower and cleaner version of the 1972 T300, like chassis #HU4 featured today which took part in all three series.

Lola T330, Michigan International Speedway

(Photo Copyright Mark Windecker 1973)

According to Old Racing Cars.com chassis #HU4 was first raced at Surfers Paradise in the fourth round of the Tasman Series by Gary Campbell where he retired with an overheating motor. Gary crashed during practice for the next race at Warwick Farm and the car was then bought by Australian Bobby Muir who repaired it and took it to Riverside, where Chuck Jones and Jerry Eisert became co entrants with Bobby for the first round of the US L&M Formula 5000 championship.

Bobby’s best result was a 10th at Riverside after which followed a string of five retirements until Road Atlanta where Bobby crashed in practice and failed to take the start. The photo’s by Mark Windecker show #HU4 and Bobby sitting in it at Michigan International Speedway.

Bob Muir, Lola T330, Michigan International Speedway

(Photo Copyright Mark Windecker 1973)

After missing Pocono #HU4 was entered into the final US race of the season at Seattle by Chuck and Jerry for Clay Regazzoni who was about to transition from BRM to back to the Ferrari formula one Team. As this linked picture show’s the #74 had a new nose with a single full width wing mounted above it, an idea Ferrari had first used at the 1973 Italian Grand Prix three weeks earlier. #HU4 was also fitted with larger radiators requiring deeper ducts at the request of engine builder Ron Armstrong.

Clay Regazzoni, Lola T330, Brands Hatch

(Photo Chuck Jones Collection)

Clay retired in Seattle, but that did not prevent the Jones Eisert team from sending the #HU4 to Brands Hatch for the final race of the Rothmans European Formula 5000 championship where these two photograph’s from Chuck Jones Collection show Clay, who finished 12th, at the wheel.

Clay Regazzoni, Lola T330, Brands Hatch

(Photo Chuck Jones Collection)

In December 1973 AW Brown acquired #HU4 and ran if four Damien Magee in the 1974 European Formula 5000 Championship until the engine blew at Zandvoort and the team was disbanded. Damien scored #HU4’s all time best result a 4th place finish in the series second visit to Brands Hatch. Damien finished the season driving a 1973 Trojan #T101 chassis #T101-105.

#HU4 does not appear to have raced again until it started appearing in Historic Events in 2001. When I finally get around to looking for cars for the GALPOT Museum high on my list of cars to purchase will be #HU4 in it’s funky #74 orange Jones, Eisert and Regazzoni livery which hit the spot when this 14 year old first laid eyes on it in a magazine.

Chuck Jones and Clay Regazzoni would team up again in 1977 when Chuck was involved with the Ensign Formula One team and Clay was chosen as the driver.

My thanks to Jerry Entin for kindly securing permission for me to use Mark Windecker’s photos from Michigan International Speedway and the photo’s from Chuck Jones Collection taken at Brands Hatch.

Thanks for joining me on this “Lower Cleaner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”. I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another stylish ISO Rivolta. Don’t forget to come back now !

SoCal TV Hustler – Ford Falcon

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25 years after Edsel Ford allegedly passed on the Falcon name in favour of Mercury, for a new brand in 1935, Ford under the direction of Robert McNamara finally brought the Falcon name into the market for it’s new mid size car range in 1960.

Ford Falcon, Edenbridge Fun Day

The first generation Falcon’s, like the ’62 4 door station wagon seen here at Edenbridge earlier this year, were primarily designed as second cars for families who already had a full size land yacht on the drive and needed a second vehicle for the wife to drive.

Ford Falcon, Edenbridge Fun Day

By 1962 the four door station wagon was available with a Squire options package that included faux wood paneling which gave the car car a quasi woody look.

Ford Falcon, Edenbridge Fun Day

Part of Fords marketing strategy for the Falcon from 1961 to 1965 was to include Charles Schulz peanuts characters Charlie Brown and Lucy in the sales literature for the Falcon models.

Ford Falcon, Edenbridge Fun Day

Look closely again at the number plate holders in the top photo and you’ll see they bear the legend “Encino Ralph Williams”. Ralph Williams was a Southern California TV Car Hustler, a born motor mouth who lived by the ABS moto, ALWAYS BE SELLING. It appears he did not always play his audience with straight dice and he was moved on by local authorities for a variety of violations. I found this linked footage, presumably an out take, of Ralph in action to give you an idea of what colourful legend he was. WARNING DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK IF YOUR EARS ARE EASILY OFFENDED.

Ford Falcon, Edenbridge Fun Day

The first series Falcon’s were also badged as Mercury Comets and in Canada as Ford Frontenacs until 1963 when the second generation Falcons were introduced.

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

Big Block Small Block – Chevrolet Corvette C2

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Continuing this months 60th Corvette Anniversary on Americana Thursday today’s Chevrolet Corvette C2 is a 1964 model owned by Tommy and Ross Thompson since 2007.

Chevrolet Corvette, Rolex Reunion, Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca

Form the information sheet it would appear the Thompson’s have a big block 7 litre / 427 cui motor and a 5.3 litre 327 cui small block motor as seen here to race with.

Chevrolet Corvette, Rolex Reunion, Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca

The known history of this car starts in 1986 when Mark Brown, bought sponsored and raced the car up until 1992. Thereafter it passed into the hands of Bill Morrison and almost immediately on to Bill Gagliano who owned it up until 2007. Since then Tommy Thompson has won numerous classic racing awards including the Monterey Trophy for performance and presentation.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton who took today’s photograph’s at the recent Rolex Reunion, Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca.

Thanks for joining me on this “Big Block Small Block” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a convertible Ferrari that hit the race track for a single 1000km race at the Nurburgring. Don’t forget to come back now !

Race It Again Sam – Aston Martin DB2/4 Serafino #LML/761

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In 1953 the Aston Martin DB2/4 featuring a single piece windscreen and 2 nominal rear seats, which made it a 2+2, replaced the two seat DB2 model.

Aston Martin DB2/4 Serafino, Danville, Concours d'Elegance

#LML/761 was ordered without a factory body by Casablancan resident Mr J O’Hara and sent to Serafino Allemano in Italy to be fitted with a unique body.

Aston Martin DB2/4 Serafino, Danville, Concours d'Elegance

Mr O’Hara raced the car locally and when he complained to his friend and Aston Martin proprietor David Brown that it was neither fast enough, nor the handling good enough Brown arranged for the car to be upgraded which I believe included replacing the original 2.6 litre / 158 cui straight six with a 3 litre / 183 cui straight six with an attendant increase in horsepower from 120 to 140 hp.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton who saw this car at last years Danville Concours d’Elegance and kindly shared the photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Race It Again Sam” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at some more French cars advertisements. Don’t forget to come back now !

High Class Motor Business – Aston Martin DB2

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David Brown Engineering Limited was founded in 1860 to manufacture gears and gearboxes in Huddersfield, by 1898 the company was specialising in machine cut gears. Percy and Frank Brown took over the business when their father died in 1903 and expanded production to include bearings, and worm gears. During the 1914-’18 war they also built propulsion units for warships.