Tag Archives: Concours d’Elegance

Automotive Haute Couture – Delahaye 178 Chapron Convertible

In 1946 Delahaye became one of the first manufacturers to show a new chassis onto which customers were to fit individually tailored bodies built by third parties.

Delahaye Type 178 Chapron Cabriolet, Desert Classic, Palm Springs

The 175/178/180 chassis featuring new Dubonnet front independent and de Dion rear suspension, was available in three different lengths all powered by the same 4,455 cc / 271 cui 6 cylinder motor, the two longer models were fitted with a single carburetor to produce 140hp.

Delahaye Type 178 Chapron Cabriolet, Desert Classic, Palm Springs

The 1953 chassis featured today is one of 37 178 chassis and the Henri Chapron Cabriolet body was originally painted monotone black.

Apparently back in the day Delahaye owners were not averse to showing off their new cars at Concours events wearing the latest haute coture designs in colours matching their cars.

Sadly most of the third party bodies fitted to the Delahaye chassis were too heavy for the suspension and the companies reputation went into rapid decline.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs taken at this years Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance at Palm Springs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Automotive Haute Coture” 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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Ferrari Friday – Danville Concours d’Elegance

To round out the week we will take another trip to Danville Concours d’Elegance where Geoffrey Horton took today’s photographs a couple of weeks ago.

Ferrari 500 Superfast, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Only 12 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series II’s were built and this 1965 example has been with the same owner for 45 years.

Ferrari 365 GTB/4, Danville Concours d'Elegance

For a while during the 1970’s and 1980’s it looked like front engined Ferrari’s, like the 1972 365 GTB/4 above, might disappear altogether they carried on building front engined 400 and later 412 models up to 1989, then there was a 3 year gap before the front engined 456 appeared in 1992.

Ferrari 512 TR, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The Ferrari 512TR replaced the Ferrari Testarossa in 1992, powered by the same flat 12 motor, but producing 30 more horsepower which increased the top speed from 180 mph to 195mph.

Ferrari Enzo, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Above the interior of a Ferrari Enzo, the gears are shifted using an electrohydraulic shift transmission operated by paddles on the steering wheel with LED lights advising drivers when to shift a transfer of technology from Ferrari’s racing programme.

Ferrari California, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The Ferrari California model above has now been replaced by the Ferrari California T, but it still looks timeless with the roof up or down.

Ferrari 458 Convertible, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Black sheep of this weeks Ferrari Friday post is the 199mph Ferrari 458 Spider above.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photos taken at Danville Concours d’Elegance.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ferrari Friday” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Castle Combe for the first 500 cc Formula 3 race run at the circuit in 50 years. Don’t forget to come back now.

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Danville Detailing – Danville Concours d’Elegance

Last month Geoffrey Horton took his trusty Jaguar XK140 to the 10th anniversary Danville Concours d’Elegance, an event designed to raise funds for Parkinsons research and patient care.

Jaguar XK140 FHC, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

Above Geoffrey’s nephew’s Luke and Jack help out with a bit of detailing as the show get’s underway.

Bentley Mk VI, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

As we saw earlier this year most of the 4000 odd post war Bentley Mk VI’s fell victim to inferior steel supplied for their bodies by government edict. Above is the interior of the only Bentley Mk VI, a 1948 example, fitted with an opulent Sautchick body in France.

Maserati 250F, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

I believe Juan Manuel Fangio drove the Maserati 250F above to two race victories on home soil in Argentina in the space of two weeks in January 1957, his fifth and final World Championship winning season.

Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk III, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

Between 1957 and 1959 Aston Martin produced 84 DB 2/4 Mark III Convertibles powered by a six cylinder motor, it is believed only 10 of these vehicles were fitted with optional triple carburetors, as seen above, which boosted the output from the standard twin carb 162hp to 195hp.

Land Rover 88, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

The 1963 88″ short wheel base Land Rover at our school was an oft over abused vehicle that used to carry the sailing kit for upto seven dinghies plus up to fourteen school boys plus a member of staff. It might have been a considerably faster vehicle if, like the one above it had been fitted with a a post 1989 200Tdi motor like the one above. The high turbo installation indicates this motor was originally sourced from a Defender rather than the SUV Discovery, in which the iron block aluminium head 200Tdi first appeared with the turbo mounted much lower down in the engine compartment.

RS Design Corsa Spyder, Danville Concours d'Elegance,

Most difficult to identify was this gorgeous red vehicle, from the front it looks a tad like a Maserati and from the rear not unlike a Ferrari P4/P412, but the pushrod motor, possibly a Ford, going on the depth of the rocker covers, gives the game away that this vehicle was unlikely to have been built in Italy. In fact the car is a one off special, made to exceptionally high standards and is known as an RS Design Corsa Spyder. Unfortunately all links to further info on RS Design and the Corsa Spyder built in 2009 have expired so if you know more, please do not hesitate to chip in below.

Geoffrey tells me he had the good fortune to enjoy spending a considerable amount of time with Alma Hill widow of 1961 World Champion Phil Hill who also drove for Geoffrey’s Uncle George Tilp. My thanks to Geoffrey for sharing his photographs, more of which will appear on Friday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Danville Detailing” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow when I’ll be looking at what the Dodge Boys cooked up for the . Don’t forget to come back now !

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Intimate Communication – Bugatti Type 32R

Last week I looked at a Bugatti Type 32, today’s featured car is a Replica built by Bob Sutherland who became so fascinated by the type in the mid 1970’s he ended up building one.

Bob’s big break came when the Schlumpf Museum first opened it’s doors in 1978 allowing him and British restorer Peter Shaw to visit the car featured in last weeks blog to get all of the correct measurements in the absence of any period drawings.

Bugatti Type 32R, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Peter then built up the chassis and body in the UK while Bob in the USA bought a complete Type 35A motor and gave it to Bob Seiffert in Colorado to modify to Type 32 spec complete with a variant of the Type 30 crank case.

Bugatti Type 32R, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Peter built up the chassis and body in the UK while Bob in the USA bought a complete Type 35A motor and gave it to Bob Seiffert in Colorado to modify to Type 32 spec complete with a variant of the Type 30 crank case.

The late British collector Paul Foulkes-Halbard helped out by having casts made of several Type 32 parts, from his own collection, that had once belonged to Elizabeth Junek who purchased a Type 32 from Ettore Bugatti.

Bugatti Type 32R, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

When the Replica type 32 was completed it was driven at Tours on the route of the 1923 French Grand Prix in 1981 shortly after the Centenary marking Ettore Bugatti’s birth.

More recently in 1995 this Replica was driven in a race at Lagunna Seca by Bob Sutherland against French Voisin collector Philip Moch who had built a copy of the peculiar 1923 Grand Prix Voisin that, like the Type 32, had failed to impress at Tours in 1923.

Bugatti Type 32R, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

By all accounts the two replica’s stole the race despite not being front runners and to this day the race announcer does not recall which replica crossed the line first.

Bob Sutherland described driving the Type 32 thus in the US Bugatti Club magazine Pur Sang thus :- “You can well imagine that with no firewall there is intimate communication between driver and machinery. The clutch whirrs dangerously close to one’s left leg, the pipes get hot, oil splatters all over you, and there is a lot of exhaust, hot water, steam, noise and danger. The exhaust glows, gas dribbles steadily on your feet, and backfires light up the universe. All very exciting.”

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs of the Type 32 Replica taken at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in 2011.

Thanks for joining me on this “Intimate Communication” 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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Uhlik ‘Praha’ Roadster – Bugatti Type 54 #BC-70

It is said that the first two Bugatti Type 54s were put together in just 13 days, using Type 45 chassis frames and Type 50 motors, prior to the 1931 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Bugatti Type 54, Quail Councours d'Elegance, Geoffrey Horton.

The Type 50 straight 8 motor has a capacity of 4.972 litre / 303 cui and is fitted with twin carburetors and a supercharger to produce around 300hp.

Bugatti Type 54, Quail Councours d'Elegance, Geoffrey Horton.

Archille Varzi drove chassis #54201 to a third place finish in that event and it was later sold to Czech Republic Prince Jiri Lobcowicz.

Bugatti Type 54, Quail Councours d'Elegance, Geoffrey Horton.

The Prince was killed racing #54201 at Avus Germany in 1932 and the remains of #54201 were acquired by his friend and fellow competitor Zdenek Pohl.

Bugatti Type 54, Quail Councours d'Elegance, Geoffrey Horton.

Zdenek had Prague coach builder O Uhlik fit the Roadster ‘Praha’ body seen here, to the repaired chassis #54201.

Bugatti Type 54, Quail Councours d'Elegance, Geoffrey Horton.

In the 1970’s the ‘Praha’ body was removed from #54201 in favour of a body better suited to competition on the track.

Bugatti Type 54, Quail Councours d'Elegance, Geoffrey Horton.

Skip Berg a California car dealer later still found the Uhlik ‘Praha’ roadster body, and had it fitted to a chassis built up by Uwe Hucke given the chassis number BC-70 by the Bugatti Owners Club.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for kindly sharing today’s photographs taken at last years Quail Concours d’Elegance.

Thanks for joining me on this “Uhlik ‘Praha’ Roadster” 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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San Diego Pride – San Diego Jaguar Club 51st Concours d’Elegance

At the end of July the San Diego Jaguar Club convened a pride of cars to celebrate it’s 51st Concours d’Elegance and Geoffrey Horton kindly sent us these photographs to share.

Jaguar Mark 2,SDJC, 51st, C d'E, San Diego,

Above the slim bumpers on the Jaguar Mark 2 above tell us this is a post 1967 example, it could be a 240, or a 340, but is unlikely to be one of just 12 non standard 380s.
SS 100, SDJC, 51st, C d'E, San Diego,

The SS Jaguar 100 was in production from 1936 to 1940, the 100 name derived from it’s capability to exceed 100 mph, though there would have been few places on British roads where one might have cared to put that stat to the test.

Jaguar 3 1/2 litre, SDJC, 51st, C d'E, San Diego,

This SS Jaguar 3 1/2 litre was built in the same time frame as the ‘100’ model above, unfortunately the British License plates attached to the back of both of these cars have long since been removed from the DVLA data base.

Jaguar, XK120, SDJC, 51st, C d'E, San Diego,

The 120mph+ Jaguar XK120 like the Roadster above were in production from 1948 to 1954.

Jaguar XK140,SDJC, 51st, C d'E, San Diego,

The most famous, on this blog at least, Geoffrey Horton owned ’55 Jaguar XK140 above is soon to go up a notch in authenticity when Geoffrey fits a period correct otter switch to the carburetor that he has managed to locate with help from John James of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club in Wales.

Tempero, XJ13, SDJC, 51st, C d'E, San Diego,

Finally a neat Jaguar XJ13 Replica, I believe this one may be one of a handful built by Tempero in the 1990’s going on nothing more concrete than the mirrors.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “San Diego Pride” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again for Maserati Monday tomorrow.

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Au Revoir Le Mans – Ferrari 275 GTB Copetizione #9015

Last Ferrari Friday I left students of the marque a little challenge to find a photo of Ed Hugus driving a NART Ferrari 250 LM to victory in the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour Race.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Unsurprisingly none has shown up, so for the time being I will have to continue to surmise it never happened. If it did the Ferrari would have been disqualified because both Jochen Rindt and Marsten Gregory continued driving the car after the alleged incident and replacement drivers were allowed only if one of the two nominated drivers took no further driving duties. On the other hand it would have been quite a coup for NART owner Luigi Chinetti to pull one over the, at times particularly pedantic, race organisers.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Ed had a driving career that spanned from the early ’50’s to 1969 that included a class win at Le Mans in 1957 when he was driving a Porsche. He competed as a driver in the Le Mans 24 hours in 1964 for the last, known, time driving a ’64 NART Ferrari 250 GTO, a race from which the car retired with differential issues.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

In 1966 NART, Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team took delivery of today’s featured 275 GTB Competizione and appear to have entered it in the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours under Ed Hugus name for Giampiero Biscaldi and Michel de Bourbon-Parme to drive with Ed named as reserve.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Giampiero and Michel qualified 35th and made it all the way to lap 218, about two thirds of the distance covered by the class winning 275 GTB/C driven by Mike Parkes and Roy Pike, before retiring with clutch and gearbox issues.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

#9015 is only known to have been entered in one other event at Road Atlanta where Bill Harrahs Modern Classic Motors entered Bob Grossman and Denise McCluggage in the ’66 500 mile race in which they finished 12th.

Ferrari 275 GTB/C, Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance

Ed continued racing another couple of years in the USA with a Porsche 906 and a fearsome Porsche powered device known as the ‘Tricor Special’ with which he won his last, known, race at Daytona in August 1968.

By 1980 #9015 had passed into the hands of New York collector Anthony Wang. John and Heather Mozart of Palo Alto acquired #9015 in 2011 and entered it into last years Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance where Geoffrey Horton took these photographs.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Au Revoir Le Mans” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at the first hybrid to win the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Don’t forget to come back now !

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