Tag Archives: Colmar

Cent Trente Chevaux – Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation

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In 1884 Jean de Dietrich founded Société Lorraine des Anciens Etablissments de Dietrich and Cie to manufacture railway locomotives.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

Twelve years later Adrien, Baron de Turckheim who was director of the companies factory at Lunéville, Lorraine bought the rights for the company to manufacture a vehicle designed by Amédée Bollée.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

The company went on to manufacture Vivinus voiturettes under licence at it’s factory in Niederbronn-les-Bains, Alsace and a Turcat-Méry designed vehicle under licence at it’s Lunéville factory.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

In 1902 the factory in Alsace ceased making automobiles and the vehicles produced in Lorraine became known as Lorraine de Dietrichs.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

The company began building cars for racing in 1898 but it’s greatest success did not come until 1906 when Arthur Duray won the Circuit des Ardennes beating the 120 hp Darracq driven by René Hanriot.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

Richard Scaldwell who first came to the attention of this blog for his GN JAP GP special, counts the Grand Prix Dietrichs amongst his favourate cars.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

He spent ten years researching and manufacturing the parts he could not find to fit to the bones of a 1909, when there were no Grand Prix races, de Dietrich 60/80 to make the Reincarnation of a Grand Prix car seen here at Chateau Impney last year.

Lorraine Dietrich GP Reincarnation, Richard Scaldwell, Chateau Impney

The car is fitted with a 16.4 litre / 1000 cui four cylinder engine that produces 130 hp which is geared to give the car a 110 mph performance at an almost idling 1500 rpm.

Thanks for joining me on this “Cent Trente Chevaux” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Autosport International. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Prinz Heinrich – Austro Daimler 85hp

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Nine years after Eduard Bierenz was appointed Daimler’s representative in Austria the Austrian Daimler Engine Society was founded to assemble cars with parts from Stuttgart on the site of Eduard Fischer’s engineering works located at Wiener-Neustadt, a course of action which made Daimler the world’s first automotive multinational.

Austro Daimler Prince Henry, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

From 1902 to 1905 Gottlieb Daimlers son Paul was in charge of the technical department which was devising new models including an 8hp compact vehicle and 30 hp armoured vehicle, after Paul was recalled to Germany to take over the position left by Wilhelm Maybach. Ferdinand Porsche became the technical director at Daimler’s Austrian subsiduary.

Austro Daimler Prince Henry, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

Under Porsche’s guidance the subsidiary was rebranded Austro Daimler in 1906 and by 1909 had become financially separated from it’s parents involvement.

Austro Daimler Prince Henry, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

In 1910 the Porsche designed Austro Daimler 22/86 hp gained the attention of the press when Ferdinand drove one to win the prestigious Prinz Heinrich Trails ahead of team mate Eduard Fischer and the example driven by Count Heinrich Schoenfeld that was privately entered by Austrian Fritz Hamburger.

Austro Daimler Prince Henry, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

The three Prinz Heinrich team cars were built on a chassis as used on Austro Daimlers 1909 Prinz Heinrich Trial attempt although built a little narrower than the standard 22/86 model, while the motor was an all new 5715cc / 4 cylinder design with shaft driven overhead cam for the inclined valves that sat in a hemi head.

Neumann and Neander were responsible for the slippery body which with the 86hp motor and fastest gearing could be powered up to 88 mph, the example seen here at Goodwood Festival of Speed is owned by Ferdinand Porsche’s ancestors the Piëch family.

Thanks for joining me on this “Prinz Heinrich” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a chain driven car from France. Don’t forget to come back now !

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US Dollars One Million Four Hundred Thousand – Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing

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Time was when one used to ask for an apple one would get a piece of fruit, these day’s one might just as likely get a box of completely inedible micro chips.

Back then if one asked for a mini one would either get a short skirt or an extremely small car which drivers over 6 feet tall might have to drive with their knees around their ears, nowadays with the right financial credentials one might just as likely get a Hummer like 6 foot tall Dakar Rally leviathan known as the Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing.

Apart from a vague likeness to the overall shape of the Mini Cooper Countryman street car developed by BMW and Mini John Cooper Works WRC rally car developed by Prodrive, the Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing has little in common with it’s street or competition siblings aside from the badges, door handles, windscreen and lights that decorate the carbon fibre body.

Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing, Goodwood, Festival of Speed.co.uk

The chassis for the T1.2 class Rally Raid All 4 Racing is a steel frame designed and constructed by Heggemann Autosport GmbH in Büren not far from Paderborn / Lippstadt Airport in Germany.

The double wishbone suspension with twin titanium shock absorbers on each corner has 8 inches / 203 mm of travel and the wheels can be changed in three mins with the aid of the on board jacking system.

The T1.2 Rally Raid class is for all wheel drive vehicles powered by diesel motors which in this application takes the form of a 3 litre / 183 cui twin turbocharged 6 cylinder dry sumped motor built for BMW Motoren GmbH by Magna Steyr in in Oberwaltersdorf, Austria, that when fitted with the mandatory 38mm / 1.49 inch air restrictor produces just over 300hp, the roof scoop is for the intercooler fitted behind the drivers compartment.

Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing, Goodwood, Festival of Speed.co.uk

With a six speed sequential gearbox the All4 racing, that weighs a hefty 2.5 tonnes when fully kitted out with; 400 litres / 89 gallons Imp / 105 gal US, three spare tyres, spare drive shaft kept in a compartment below the floor and everything else mandated for survival and safety, can reach 60mph from rest in six seconds and a top speed of 110mph off road.

The whole car is put together and run by the X-Raid Team based in Trebur-Astheim Germany that is owned by Sven Quandt, a member of the family that has the majority stake holding of BMW shares.

The team first ran it’s Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing cars that eventually replaced it’s BMW X3 CC Rally Raid vehicles, in 2011 winning the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with Stephane Peterhansel and Baja Portalegre 500 with Filipe Campos.

Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing, Goodwood, Festival of Speed.co.uk

The following year Stéphane Peterhansel and France Jean-Paul Cottret led home team mates Nani Roma and Michel Périn to win the Dakar Rally with Stéphane going on to win the Baja Spain round of the FIA World Cup Cross Country Rally championship.

In 2013 Stéphane won his sixth Dakar Rally driving a car matching the six times he won it on a motorcycle, again with Jean-Paul in the co drivers seat of the winning All4 Racing.

Spaniard Joan “Nani” Roma Cararach (Nani Roma) partnered by Frenchman Michel managed to pip the 2012 / 2013 winners the following year when Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah and Spaniard Lucas Cruz made it an All4 Racing lock out on the podium.

Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4 Racing, Goodwood, Festival of Speed.co.uk

In 2015 2011 winner Nasser now partnered by Matthieu Baumel steered their All4 Racing to victory on the Dakar.

The models 4 year reign of dominance on the Dakar was brought to an end by Peugeot with Nasser and Matthieu bringing their All 4 Racing in 2nd behind their former team mates Stéphane and Jean-Paul.

In amazing show of strength in depth and reliability in 2013 11 Mini Cooper Countryman All4 Racings, reckoned to cost around € 1 million / US$ 1.4 million each, were entered in the Dakar Rally and all 11 finished inside the top 20.

Thanks for joining me on this “US Dollars One Million Four Hundred Thousand” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Mercedes Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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In Keen Anticipation – Owen Special

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From the mid 1950’s to the mid 70’s Freddie Owen and his wife Pam lived in Esher Surrey, where Peter was the proprietor of Wellands Coach Builders.

Owen Special, Peter Newman, Chateau Impney

Alongside his business interests Freddie built a couple of Jaguar powered specials including today’s featured car which is powered by a six cylinder 3.4 litre / 210 cui XK140 motor.

Owen Special, Peter Newman, Chateau Impney

The Owen Special first registered on the road in 1962 is believed to have been built between 1959 and 1960 with a space frame chassis and aluminium body that anticipates the E-Type Jaguar launched in 1961.

Owen Special, Peter Newman, Chateau Impney

After used the car in competition into the 1970’s before he retired to the Isle of White, while the car disappeared to Belgium from whence mechanical aficionado Pete Waterman appears to have bought the car and had it restored by renowned Jaguar specialists Lynx.

Owen Special, Peter Newman, Chateau Impney

The Owen Special is seen in these photographs being driven by current owner Peter Newman, at last years Chateau Impney Hillclimb, who is keen to here from anyone who can shed any further light on the car, please do not hesitate to chime in below if you can oblige.

Thanks for joining me on this “In Keen Anticipation” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another Dakar Rally challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Tom Meade Special – Ferrari 250 GT SWB NeMBo Spyder #3771GT

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Today’s featured Ferrari started life as a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta with a steel Berlinetta body that was supplied to E Molozzi.

By this time a Californian Tom Meade had hitched from Norway to Rome in pursuit of a dream to own an Italian exotic car with his savings from a four year stint in the US Navy.

Tom eventually got to the Maserati factory at Modena where he managed to procure an old Maserati 350S sans engine and fit it with a Corvette motor that was surplus to Lloyd “Lucky” Crasners requirements.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB Nembo Spyder, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

With input from Gentilini and Fantuzzi Tom’s first special was completed and sent to San Fransisco where Tom briefly settled until some friends landed the car in a Marin County tree top.

With the proceeds from the sale of the wreckage Tom returned to Italy in 1963 where he bought two less than perfect Maserati’s and made them roadworthy before acquiring chassis #3771GT.

It is not clear why #3771GT needed a rebody but it may have been due to flood damage from the 1966 disaster that struck Florence, it appears that a William Dixon was involved in commissioning Tom to rebody the car to his own specifications which included fitting a Ferrari 250 GTO/64 windscreen.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB Nembo Spyder, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

My understanding is that Neri & Bonaccini got the car mechanically back on it’s feet by 1968 two years after William Dixon from Seattle bought it.

The contraction of the Neri Mead and BOnaccini names that gives #3771GT it’s NeMBo sorbriquet which coincidentally is also the Italian name given to the Superman cartoon character and equally coincidentally means ‘coat’ in Swahili.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs of #3771GT taken at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance last year.

“Thanks for joining me on this “Tom Meade Special” 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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Intercooled IMSA GTO Racer – Porsche 934/5 930 770 0954

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Two years after the introduction of the Porsche 930 street car marketed as the 911 Turbo Porsche manufactured a run of 400 Porsche 934 street cars mandated by a set of rules known as Group 4 in order that it’s customers could compete with a 550 hp race version of the 934 in 1976.

In 1977 Porsche built a further 10 white 934/5’s for it’s US customers who raced to the more liberal IMSA GTO series, aside from differences in the front and rear wheels arches and the rear wing which supplemented the tea tray spoiler the 934/5 was fitted with an intercooler which helped cool the combustion charge and raised the output to 600hp at 7000 rpm.

Porsche 934/5, Niello Serrano Concours d’Elegance

George Dyer took delivery of 934/5 #930 0954 in 1977 to supplement the non turbo charged 911 Carrera RSR which he had been racing since 1973 and co drove to victory in the 1977 Sebring 12 Hours with Brad Frisselle.

Records at RacingSportsCars.com show George raced the 934/5, which I believe to be today’s featured car, on nine occasions in 1977 with a win in the 250 mile Paul Revere race at Daytona being the cars stand out success.

Porsche 934/5, Niello Serrano Concours d’Elegance

Current owner Bruce Canepa raced #0954 once in 1978 finishing 7th at Sears Point before driving the car with Rick Mears and Monte Shelton to a third place finish in the 1979 Daytona 24 hours which seems to have been the cars final race appearance.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for arranging for me to share these photo’s of the car taken by Karl Krause at Niello Serrano Concours d’Elegance a couple of years ago.

Thanks for joining me on this “Intercooled IMSA GTO Racer” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Jaguar powered special that anticipated the arrival of the E-Type Jaguar. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Heavy Metal Classic – Standlake Arena

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With a full entry of 228 National Bangers and the first date of the season the Heavy Metal Classic at Standlake Arena near Witney in Oxfordshire attracted a full stadium of spectators and almost full overflow car park despite the promise of heavy rain and just above freezing temperatures.

MG B GT, Amie Chandler, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

I confess my brain was so frozen I do not remember too many details of what went on though I do remember an interesting conversation regarding the machinations of Dr Jonathon Palmer’s empire based at Brands Hatch, above the #418 MG B GT was driven by Amie Chandler in the “Under 2 litre RWD Classics” class.

Ford Granada Estate, Pat McPhilimy, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Pat McPhilimy strikes a professional pose in his #42 Ford Granada Estate during the first race for the Unlimited Class.

Rolls Royce Corniche, Garry Webb, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

The Unlimited Class featured 2 Rolls Royces, above the rare Rolls Royce Corniche driven by Garry Webb is seen passing the #155 Ford Zodiac Mk IV driven by Robert Philips.

Ford Ka, Paul, Quinell, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Paul Quinell easily won the unofficial most trashed rear axle with both wheels still attached and rotating award in his #469 Ford Ka which ran in the Micro Banger Class.

Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Peter Dodge guides his BMC Farina, could be an Austin or Morris but is almost certainly not a Wolseley, past the wreck that comprises the #909 Triumph Toledo driven by Jamie “Mr Blobby” Duff and #183 Morris Marina Estate Jack Strudwick that has been rear ended by an unidentified competitor.

Morris Marina Van, Billy Bond, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Short on steering control but still making progress Billy Bond dips his #72 Morris Marina van in the infield mud above.

BMC Farina, James Dodge, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

James Dodge like Peter pedaling a BMC Farina engages in a bit of rim riding hoping he will not get T boned by the green #632 Ford Cortina driven by Kallum Reed.

Jaguar Mark X, Steven Hart, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

The #70 Jaguar Mark X driven by Steven Hart above in the Unlimited Class sports a deflector on the bonnet, how effective it was at either keeping the occupant dry or giving him improved vision is debatable.

Ford Granada, Randy Mulder, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

I’m pretty sure the winning car of the unlimited class was the #88 Ford Granada driven by Randy Mulder, though looking at the entry list I see there was a second #88 entered for Billy Page so I am now not quite so sure.

Either way after an entertaining afternoon getting rather wet and cold watching 228 Bangers slip and slide through the mud I headed back to the overflow car park and was pleased to get my Golf Estate out of the parking facility without the aid of a four wheel drive pickup truck that was standing by just in case.

Thanks for joining me on this “Heavy Metal Classic” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres.” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another Daytona 24 Hour competitor. Don’t forget to come back now !

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