Tag Archives: Fiat

Jubilee Bangers & Smash – Aldershot Raceway

One of the stranger things I have found out over the last couple of years is that right next to the Ceasers Camp Army Training grounds just outside Aldershot where for three or four years I used to regularly go Mountain Biking there is a small 350 metre oval racing circuit.

Ever since I went to the Rare Breeds show at the Haynes International Motor Museum last year, I have been keeping an eye open for an opportunity to see some Heritage Stock Car (UK Style) action and with an event for 7.5 Tonne Trucks on the same bill I could not resist returning to the home of the British Army for the first time in twenty years for my first visit to Aldershot Raceway last Sunday.

I got there just in time to catch the second event of the day the Junior Rods heat which was won by Eric Walker in the #5 Vauxhall Nova above.

Next up were the 7.5 Tonne ‘Racing’ Trucks, entries were a little thin in fact there were only three of them but they provided a fair amount of entertainment, The Team Sheep FIAT Eurocargo of Billy Wood seen leading here was having a lot of difficulty moving under it’s own steam and was pushed by the ever helpful #614 Ford for much of the ‘race’ while the yellow #800 Ford Low Loader of Tony Rudge took a comfortable win.

There was a full grid for the banger race which was packed full of understeering (push) action as represented above by the #829 Nissan, #296 Team Shep Saab of Paul Shepard and #469 Rover 200 Coupé of Paul Quinnell. The race was won by Danny Lucas in the #706 his coupé of so far undetermined origin.

The Heritage F2 race was a cracker like the Junior Rods not so much contact is involved in this series and the #505 of Mike Whittle sliced through the rain and field from the back of the grid to take a fine win. I must confess I am not at all sure what make or model the body of Mikes #505 is based on but he is seen above having just passed the #722 of Clive Beales which I am guessing is based on an early 1950’s Ford Popular.

With a lap to go of the Junior Rods final it looked like Farnham’s Lacey-May Joyce was going to take the win in her #271 Nova but she left the door open coming out of turn one and that was all Jack Grandon and Eric Walker, in the #207 and #5 Nova’s respectively needed to demote her to third. Jack managed to hang on for the rest of the final lap to take the win from Eric and Lacey-May.

The bangers final proved to be another wild race for all competitors, it’s amazing just how much damage and punishment a car can take and still keep rolling, amazingly none of the wheels from the seriously tortured axles of these vehicles ever seems to become detached despite the cambers and castors being well beyond the manufacturers would have recognised when these vehicles first left their respective factories. Above the #567 Mazda get pushed into a spin that ended going back wards into the wall trapping the #390 Ford Escort of Michel Turner and the #358 Escort with the #258 Honda of Ashley Wallace joining in the fun. The ‘race’ was won by Danny Lucas who’s undetermined coupé somehow got through both Bangers races relatively unscathed.

The Heritage F2 Final was another barnstormer with the result uncertain until after the final corner of the final lap as seen above. Andy Webb, in the #274 Ford Popular, followed by team mate Andy Bateman, hidden from view, managed to pass the wrapped from neck to toe in plastic #869 of Mike Walmsley while lapping the #773 Austin A40 Farina of Nick Whitney and #722 of Clive Beales.

The final event of the day was the 7.5 Tonne demolition derby which started with the #355 FIAT Eurocargo of Billy Wood being pushed into the ring by the #614 Ford such was Billy’s difficulty selecting any forward or even reverse gear. Much comedy ensued as the Union Jack bedecked Tony Rudge ran rings around his opposition until becoming beached on some tyres after a helpful nudge from the #614 Ford. The FIAT was first out and after some receiving some help getting free Tony set about reducing the #614 to pulp, once it’s batteries had become dislodged the #614 had no power left to defend itself from the patriotically decorated all conquering Ford low loader and Tony was duly declared the winner. As we left the track we were promised a bigger 7.5 Tonne Truck grid for next year. I can’t wait !

If you can fill in any details about the unidentified vehicles and or drivers please chime in below, your comments will be most welcome.

Thanks for joining me on this “Jubilee Bangers & Smash edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me tomorrow for some Jubilee Weekend circuit racing action from Castle Combe. Don’t forget to come back now !

Silver Jubilee – Middle Barton Garage

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The self styled “Italian Shrine” Middle Barton Garage celebrated its Silver Jubilee last weekend and I joined fellow members of the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club at Delamare services on the M4 at 8:30 am last Saturday to join in the fun.

Arthur in his 2006 Mustang GT led a couple of MX5’s a Westfield and yours truly in his humble Golf Mk IV Estate along some beautiful country roads as we took an indirect route with some challenging curves towards the newly relocated Middle Barton Garage which now lies just outside Somerton in Oxfordshire.

We arrived early to find an eclectic assortment of vehicles accumulating including this 1924 Bentley fitted with a normally aspirated 4398 cc / 268 cui six cylinder motor. If I ever get to drive a vintage car of any sort this would be one I’d choose, it looked all set to go like a steam train with little in the way of refinement or creature comfort.

Among the Middle Barton Garage friends and customer cars to turn up was this FIAT 124 Spider, one of at least two I saw on the day, a Barchetta, 128 3P and 500. Being polished in the background is a turbocharged racing Abarth 500.

The Abarth Osella PA2 was built for the 1974 European 2 litre / 122 cui sports car championship, there does not seem to be much agreement on exactly how many PA2’s were built a chassis #013 was offered by Bonhams 5 years ago. The Osella PA2s running with four cylinder engines from Abarth, BMW or Ford were outclassed by the works V6 powered Alpine Renaults in 1974 the final year of the championship. This car chassis #011 is painted in the colours used by Georgian Prince in Spanish exile Jorge de Baragation who drove chassis #001 to a victory at Jarama in 1974.

Alongside the production of their Talisman sports cars Tornado Cars of Rickmansworth, not to be confused with Tornado Sports Cars of Kidderminster, offered a FIAT 600 D conversion to a more powerful spec. David Render bought the one of seen here and his friend Colin Chapman suggested and organised fitting an even more powerful Lotus Twin Cam motor to this car, with which David won more than 50 trophies in sprint and hill climb events.

The 1950 GMC 100 Pickup above is being finished off by one of Middle Barton Garages neighbours.

As I left the Silver Jubilee celebration the Ferrari California Convertible and Maserati Bora 4th from right pulled up to join in the fun.

My thanks to Tony Castle-Miller of Middle Barton Garage and Nick of the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club for organising the event.

Thanks for joining me on this “Silver Jubilee” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be taking a close look at a car driven by Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation year. Don’t forget to come back now !

Choices Choices – Simply Italian National Motor Museum Beaulieu

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In the interests of keeping my regular Friday readers happy I needed little convincing by GALPOT regular David Roots to forgoe the delights of the Avenue Drivers Club monthly meeting at Queens Square, in order to take a trip to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu for the third Simply Italian parade on Sunday.

On the way down I passed at several cars making their way to Queens Square, a magnificent Alvis and several other vintage cars taking part in a Vintage Rally, and a number of classic sports cars taking part in a Classic Rally before stumbling accross this F40 as it slowly made it’s way through the achingly picturesque village of Beaulieu, pronounced ‘Bewley’.

In the never seen one before category was the Vignale Gamine, one of just 300 vehicles, based on a FIAT 500 platform with a 21 hp 2 cylinder motor. This slow selling Alfredo Vignale pet project led to Carrozeria Vignale going out of business and the production facility being acquired by de Tomaso for their Pantera models.

One of my favourite toys when I was not yet six was a Lancia Flamina similar to the 1962 Coupé seen here which had yellow jeweled headlights.

Appropriately on the other side of the car park to the Vignale Gamine was this de Tomaso Pantera which with it’s Ford motor and running gear has to be one of the most practical and affordable ways of running a genuine Italian super car.

Speaking of practical this 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Baldoni, one of just 250 550 hp 200 mph 2 wheel drive super cars with a distinctive white and gold stripe was carrying a child seat on the passenger side. The owner told me he has had the car just nine weeks and in that time has driven it 5000 miles at 25 mpg on the road and as little as 5 mpg on track days. He has also had to replace a set of tyres !

Around lunch time the grounds of the National Motor Museum echoed to the sound of LEFT ! RIGHT ! LEFT ! RIGHT ! LEFT ! RIGHT ! LEFT ! as a squad of 13 field gunners from HMS Sultan ended a 56 mile weekend yomp with a limber and 12 pounder field gun, of the type used during the Boer War, in tow. The gun and breach alone weighs some 400 kgs, nearly 900 lbs ! All of this was to honour the men of 40 Commando in the Falklands Conflict who covered the same distance in 1982 to retake Port Stanley and to raise funds the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, follow this link to find out more and make a donation.

After lunch the results of a public vote for the most popular vehicle present was announced, the 1988 FIAT Panda 4×4 above, which came complete with a fitted tent was awarded a bottle of Beaulieu Bubbly, a local sparkling wine.

A well deserved second went to GALPOT regular David Roots and his Lenham based ALFA Romeo 4C Special,

while most visitors votes went to this Maserati Merak.

My thanks and congratulations to David for telling me about this fabulous event which was interspersed with visits into the National Motor Museum which I shall cover in greater detail on Sunday.

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

Bella Bella – Auto Italia Brooklands

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Last Saturday I was privileged to find my self at Brooklands for the Auto Italia Italian Car Day where a substantial group of enthusiasts gathered to celebrate all things Italian except perhaps the weather and the food.

Focused under the new Chairmanship of former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Europe General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie, GCB, OBE, DL, AC Cars launched the AC Zagato 378 GT at Geneva in March with plans to build the car in factory where Noble cars used to be built and for them to be sold initially in Europe. After the 1950’s AC Ace Bristol Zagato and 1960’s AC Fura the 434 hp Chevy powered 378 GT, seen above, becomes AC’s third collaboration with Zagato.

Despite having first been seen in Frankfurt a decade ago the ALFA Romeo 8C Competizione looks as fresh to day as it did then, this is only the second of the 500 Coupés built I have ever seen.

I featured a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso a couple weeks ago seeing one in red on Saturday convinced me this is the colour to go for.

There were many interesting FIAT’s on display the first of two to really grab my attention was this FIAT 128 Rallye, my first very first car was a slightly lesser FIAT 128 1100.

The second FIAT to really grab my attention was this FIAT Coupé Pickup, which the lads sitting in the back had spent all week converting just in time for the show ! While not the absolute fastest Pickup on the planet the 20V Turbo motor powering it should easily make this a 150 mph vehicle.

Smoking it’s tyres, courtesy of it’s Chevy V8, all the way to the 1 in 4 gradient of the famous Brooklands Hill was this 1960’s Bertone designed Iso Rivolta IR 300. First time I recall seeing such a car.

Cool as cucumber I’d never seen a Lamborghini Jarama S before either given that only 152 of them had ever been built perhaps this was not surprising, what was surprising is that the covers that partially conceal the headlights do not pop up but fold down to reveal the head lights when required, the proud owner has just finished fixing the electric motors that make this possible.

During the course of the morning many of the cars present were driven at a moderate pace for demonstration laps on the adjacent Mercedes Benz world test track which was lined four or more deep along the accessible half of the circuit. Above a 40 year old Lancia Beta is put through it’s paces.

A ‘you could have knocked me down with a feather’ moment came when I saw the badge on this 50cc mottoette, Maserati who the expletive puts Maserati badges on the petrol / gas tank of a moped I asked myself, Wiki informs me that the heir to part of the Orsi family fortune Ida Orsi who inherited the electrical components manufacturing division of Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati S.p.A. and promptly bought the Italmoto company of Bologna and moved it lock stock and barrel and began manufacturing motorcylces in 1956 the company which sold it’s motorcycles with the Maserati brand name and trident trade mark developed a 50 cc / 3 cui range of mopeds which included one aimed at the male market another at the female market and a third like the 1959 50/T2/SS seen above for sports enthusiasts. These 2.3 hp trident branded novelties sell for UK £ 5,000 at auction.

Above is probably only the second Montiverdi I have ever seen this 1972 High Speed 375L is powered by a 7.2 litre 440 cui 400 hp Chrysler Magnum motor much like the contemporary Jenson Interceptor and Bristol 412. The 375L was originally designed and the body manufactured by Fura but after a dispute in 1969 design and production of the bodies moved to Carozzeria Fissore in Italy with the chassis construction and final assembly taking place in Basel, Switzerland.

I’d never heard of a Nissan Zagato Autech Stelvio much less the Nissan F31 Leopard upon which it is based, power comes from a twin turbo V6 which was found in the ZX300, this hand made car, the bulges in the bonnet / hood house the rear view mirrors. By all accounts 200 of these ¥ 18,000,000 (Japanese ¥en Eighteen Million) / £ 139,0000 / US$ 225,000 machines were built in 1989.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Bella Bella’ edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow, when I’ll be reviewing last Sundays racing at Castle Combe. Don’t forget to come back now !

Bertone Century – Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

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Last weekends Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival (BIAMF) celebrated the centenary of the foundation of the Bertone coach works.

One of the coolest cars in the show was this Bertone designed FIAT X1/9 which has been upgraded with a super charged Lancia Volumex motor.

Like the X1/9 the Fiat Strada was designed by Bertone and like the X1/9 the body work of the Cabrio variant was also manufactured by Bertone, above is a second generation Super Strada Cabrio. Note outside the UK and USA the Strada was known as the Ritmo.

The Maserati Merak is celebrating it’s fortieth anniversary this year, the tight packaging of the mid mounted 3 litre 183 cui V6 must represent a mechanics nightmare !

Another model celebrating it’s fortieth anniversary is the Lancia Beta which was initially launched as in front wheel drive Belina form as seen above. The first new Lancia to be developed and manufactured under FIAT ownership the final Beta variation was mid engined Beta Montecarlo, Scorpion in the US.

The Lancia Delta is commonly known for it’s square styled Rally dominating four wheel Integrale variant’s, I had completely forgotten there was ever a second generation Delta like the 1997 3 door HPE version seen above. These 3 door HPE models were produced from 1995 to 1999.

The Bristol Mod Scooter Club were out in force as usual at the BIAMF this work in progress Lambretta suggests their number is growing.

MV Agusta was the featured motor cycle manufacturer of the BIAMF, the tight fit of F4 exhausts look like a work of art.

My thanks to everyone involved in putting on the Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival, looking forward to seeing what gems turn up next year.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Bertone Century’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be reviewing the Spring Performance Car Action Day at Castle Combe. Don’t forget to come back now !

Head Over Heels – Malta Classic Car Collection

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The Malta Classic Car Collection, in the north east town of Qawara, don’t pronounce the Q, was founded by property developer Carol Galea who found his genetic pattern contained a deep rooted head over heels passion for cars which he has admired, driven raced and collected.

The impressive split level museum houses a cosmopolitan collection of vehicles including this 1957 BMW 250 Isetta bubble car a forerunner of the contemporary Smart Cars, the brainchild of Renzo Rivolta who was behind the Iso Grifo Super 7 I looked at some months ago.

Built by the Stuttgart coachbuilders Baur on the 2 stroke Auto Union 1000 chassis the 55hp Auto Union 1000 Sp was launced in 1958. Known in the German Press as “baby Thunderbird” 6,640 of these 2 door Coupés were built when production ceased in 1965 by which time ownership of Auto Union had been transferred from Mercedes Benz to Volkswagen.

Although forst seen in 1957 the ALFA Romeo Giuleitta Sprint Speciale was only in production from 1959 to 1966. With a 112hp double overhead cam motor and a drag co-efficient of just 0.28, same as a C6 Corvette the ALFA Romeo Giuleitta Sprint Speciale provided stiff competition for the Porsche 356.

The classic four taillight arrangement on this Chevrolet Corvette C1 were first seen in the 1961 – 1962 models and have featured on Corvette’s ever since up to and including the present day. The single colour paint scheme suggests this might be a 1962 model.

Another vehicle in the collection coincidentally launched in 1957 is the Borgward Isabella Coupé built in Bremen Germany. Unfortunately despite the success of the whole Isabella range Borgward went bankrupt when the German economy dipped in the early 1960’s.

Based on the lumpy but loveable Jaguar XJS coupé the vehicle above is one of 67 shooting brake conversions by Lynx known as the Eventer built during the mid 1980’s. IMHO the Eventers looks exceed the standard XJS by some considerable margin.

The name Panhard goes back in the motoring world to the late 1880’s, Citroen acquired a 25% stake in the company in 1955 since when Panhard production appears to have been phased out in order to avoid competition with Citroen’s products and in order to increase production facilities for Citroen’s product lines. The Panhard 24 bt manufactured between 1964 and 1967 is a 2 door five seater powered by an horizontally opposed air cooled twin cylinder motor. Unfortunately with Citroen refusing to countenance the development of a four door model Panhard’s days as a motor car manufacturer were numbered, the company still exists as a military vehicle manufacturer.

Among the pick up’s in the collection is this cool Morris Minor 1000 which is fitted with a load space bedecked in varnished wood !

I am not sure why Austin’s marketing department took a liberal interpretation of the word coupé which usually applies to a hard top vehicle when they named the 42 hp Austin Somerset Coupé, which is actually a convertible, but 7,243 of them were manufactured between 1952 and 1954 by Carbodies, better known these days as the manufacturer of London Cabs. This particular car is said to have been used by HRH The Queen of England during her visit to Malta during a Coronation visit in 1952.

Finally in foyer the fun roadster above looks like an original FIAT 500 but is actually based on much later FIAT 126 mechanical components from the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

If you find your self in Malta I’d highly recommend paying the Malta Classic Car Collection a visit.

My thanks to Barry Boor who’s hospitality made this blog possible.

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

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 !

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring

Tag Archives: Fiat

Jubilee Bangers & Smash – Aldershot Raceway

Silver Jubilee – Middle Barton Garage

Choices Choices – Simply Italian National Motor Museum Beaulieu

Bella Bella – Auto Italia Brooklands

Bertone Century – Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

Head Over Heels – Malta Classic Car Collection

Meica Red 908 – Bertone X1/9