Tag Archives: Haynes

5th Rare Breeds Show – Haynes International Motor Museum

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Last Sunday I managed to pop out for a couple of hours to catch the 5th Rare Breeds Show at the Haynes International Motor Museum.

Studebaker President 8 Limousine (FA), Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

Back in 1928 $2,450 could get you this Studebaker President 8 Limousine powered by a 100 hp 5121 cc / 313 cui straight 8 motor. This car which competed on price with Chrysler and Buick but in interior finish with Packard and Duesenburg, was built in Walkerville Canada and is believed to be the only one of 2450 built still on the road. It is operated as a wedding car by vintage-wheels.co.uk.

Rolls Royce Phantom I, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

Rolls Royce New Phantoms, built from 1925 to 1929 replaced the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost series, with a new overhead valve six cylinder motor replacing the side valve motors of the earlier models. These cars were built in Derby England and Springfield Massachusetts. This 1929 model would be one of the last New Phantoms built, they were replaced in 1929 by the Phantom II at which point New Phantoms became retrospectively known as Phantom I’s. I hope you are paying attention in the back there, this car was one of several at the rare breeds show operated by rrelite.co.uk.

Lea Francis 14HP Sports, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

Weighing a ton but armed with a 87 hp motor a Lea Francis 14(taxable)hp Sports could reach 87 mph with steering and, rod operated, brakes to match. Unfortunately it’s price meant just 111 of these car were built between 1947 and 1949. This 1948 example is one of over 40 known survivor’s.

Trabant P60, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

With a name that translates from German to Russian into Sputnik the East German Trabant P50 was launched in 1958 with two cylinder 18 hp 500 cc / 30.5 cui aircooled two stroke motor derived from a pre war DKW. The body made extensive use of Duroplast made from recycled cotton waste from the Soviet Union and local phenol resigns from the dye industry. This 1962 P60 is fitted with the more power powerful 23 hp 600cc / 36.6 cui motor that would remain in production, from 1964 in the ‘updated’ 601 series bodies, until the collapse of the Berlin wall 1989.

Volkswagen Type 2, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

Despite having only 27,000 miles on the clock this 1966 Volkswagen Type 2 has many stories to tell, it started out like as a fire truck at Zurich Airport, it has rare for the period sliding doors on both sides to facilitate access to the fire pump that used to be inside. It then served as a fire truck in a Swiss Village, with 15,000 miles on the clock it came to the UK in 2003 and was bought and returned to it’s original factory supplied colours by Ross Gammie who discovered that it’s 53 hp was not really enough to pull his Porsche 908 race car. Since it’s redesignation as a race support vehicle the van with it’s period correct Porsche 356 wheels has since changed hands again.

FT Bonito Special, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

Amazingly the FT Bonito Special above also started life as a Volkswagen, a 1967 Beetle, before a conversion was started in 1986 to turn the bug into an FT Bonito, a kit car from a company called Fibrefab. The current owner found it unfinished in a garden in 1999 and has since brought it too life with a VW Golf motor. This is thought to be the only competition version of an FT Bonito ever to have been built.

Lenham ALFA Romeo, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

David Roots Lenham ALFA Romeo special was looking resplendent, even on a dull day, as usual.

Checker Marathon, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

The New York ‘cab’ above is a 1978 Checker Marathon with a 160 hp 5735 cc / 350 cui V8 motor. The car is also operated for weddings and filming by rrelite.co.uk . Among it’s credits is an appearance in the 2008 Boyzone number Love You Anyway.

Chevrolet Corvette, C3 B2Z, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

I looked in detail at a Chevrolet Corvette C3 some weeks ago the 1978 model seen here has the $399 B2Z 25th Anniversary option two tone paintwork along with the 25th Anniversary mandatory $380 option aluminium wheels and sport door mirrors.

Tickford Turbo, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

The Tickford Capri is a Ford sanctioned hand built Ford Capri with a 205 hp turbocharged motor that cost double the price of a standard 170 hp Ford Capri 2.8i. This 1984 example #002 was the first type approved version, ordered by someone desperately keen to have one built as close to the prototype show car before Tickfords had even moved into the planned production facility for the series.

Knight Industries Two Thousand, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

The 1984 Pontiac Trans Am based Knight Industries Two Thousand (K.I.T.T) was developed for the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG) by Wilton Knight and was essentially an artificially intelligent electronic computer module installed in an advanced, mobile, robotic automobile.

The original 1982 K.I.T.T was a hard top, but no doubt in danger of getting a hot head due to his crime fighting success, it was deemed that Micheal Knight be given a Targa Top for the 1985 crime wave. This particular K.I.T.T thought to be one of thirty built is operated by rrelite.co.uk.

Midas Cortez, Rare Breeds, Haynes International Motor Museum

This 1991 Midas Cortez is the spiritual ancestor of the Mini Marcos with Rover Metro running gear.

Thanks for joining me on this “5th Rare Breeds Show” 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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Company Car – Ferrari 360 Spider

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GALPOT regulars may remember me posting a blog on the Ferrari 360 Spider last year, I have revisited this model, built in 2000, in honour of the original owner of this car, Ross Brawn team principle of Mercedes AMG Formula One team who’s driver Nico Rosberg won his and the teams first victory in China last weekend.

Ferrari 360 Spider, Haynes IMM

Ross, from Manchester England, became interested in engineering at the Belle Vue Stadium, Britain’s first oval track dating back to 1926, where he attended a variety of short track events.

After a spell with the Atomic Energy Research Establishment in Harwell Oxfordshire where he studied instrumentation, Ross joined the race car manufacturer March Engineering where he worked as a milling machine operator and later as a race mechanic.

In 1978 Ross joined Williams as a machinist progressing through the Williams R&D and aerodynamics departments.
After spells with the Haas Lola and Arrow’s Grand Prix teams Ross moved to the Jaguar Sports Car team and was credited as the lead designer of the Jaguar XJR 14 which won the 1991 World Sports Car Championship.

Later in 1991 Ross became technical director at Benetton where he was joined by rising star Micheal Schumacher with whom he designed strategies to win the 1994 & 1995 World Drivers Championship and 1995 World Constructors Championships.

Towards the end of 1996 Ross joined Micheal at Ferrari, along with Benetton’s designer Rory Bryne to form a ‘Dream Team’ that won World Constructors Championships from 1999 to 2005 and the World Drivers Championships for Micheal Schumacher from 2000 – 2004.

After taking a sabbatical in 2007 Ross Brawn joined the under performing Honda team and spent the 2008 season developing the teams 2009 challenger only for Honda to withdraw from Grand Prix racing at the end of 2008 amidst global economic chaos.

Incredibly Ross managed to put together a deal to save the Honda team with a management buyout and secured a deal to use Mercedes engines for his newly rebranded Brawn GP team. The new car was a cracker right out of the box winning no less than six of it’s first seven races in the hands of Jenson Button who won the 2009 World Drivers title and with two additional wins from Rubens Barrichello Brawn secured the 2009 constructors title.

The following year Daimler Benz bought into Brawn GP and the team was rebranded again to Mercedes GP. The team, with Ross Brawn remaining as team principle, managed to tempt Micheal Schumacher out of a three years of retirement to join Nico Rosberg. After two years of relative under performance Mercedes finally won it’s first race the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend.

The victory was the first for a Mercedes vehicle since the 1955 Italian GP won by Juan Manuel Fangio.
Ross Brawn’s Ferrari 360 Spider can be seen at the Haynes International Motor Museum.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Company Car’ 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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Pick Up With Pedigree – Reef Engineering Cub

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Some times I just cannot believe some of the stories behind some of the cars I feature, today’s nifty li’l Cub designed by Yorkshireman extraordinaire John Crosthwaite, is a case in point.

Reef Engineering Cub, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

John’s CV included working at Lotus to refine and develop the Lotus XI and 14 Elite models, then spending some time in the States and designing the stock block Thompson Buick Indy 500 challenger Harvey Aluminium Special with which Dan Gurney made his Indy 500 debut.

Reef Engineering Cub, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

Following spells at BRM and developing the chassis for the Intermeccanica Italia sports cars John found himself at Reliant where his design legacy included the chassis for the Reliant Scimitar GTE and Reliant Kitten economy car.

Reef Engineering Cub, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

Like the Reliant Fox pick up I looked at back in November the Reef Cub is built around a Reliant Kitten chassis.

Reef Engineering Cub, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

John’s interest in watersports, including diving, water skiing and wind surfing led him to manufacture the Cub for holiday resorts in the Seychelles and West Indies, though the Cub, with bodywork design accredited to Peter Bailey, appears never to have gone into production.

Reef Engineering Cub, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

The car featured is thought to be one, the only one registered in the UK, of four prototypes all of which are / were allegedly different. This car was owned by John Crosthwaite’s daughter for ten years.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Pick Up Pedigree’ 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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Static Show Car – Ferrari F310

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Coming off two championship wins with Benetton in 1994 powered by Ford and 1995 powered by Renault Micheal Schumacher named his price, allegedly of the order of $30 million per year, and joined Ferrari in order to take up the challenge of attempting to become the first driver to win the World Drivers Championship in a Ferrari since Jody Scheckter in 1979.

Ferrari F310, Haynes IMM

John Barnard who’s designs include the Indy 500 winning Chaparral 2K and Grand Prix Winning McLaren MP4/1 and subsequent championship winning McLarens was responsible of the design of the F310 with which Schumacher was to win races in in 1996 and challenge for the championship in 1997.

Ferrari F310, Haynes IMM

The original version of the F310 featured the only low nose in the field …

Ferrari F310, Haynes IMM

but by the half way mark a high nose as pioneered by Dr Harvey Postlethwaite and Jean-Claude Migeot at Tyrrell in 1990 was permanently adopted by the Ferrari Team in order to maximize the use of airflow beneath the car to the advantage of the cars handling. It is curious that Jean-Claude Migeot did not introduce the feature during his spell at Ferrari in 1992.

Ferrari F310, Haynes IMM

The design if the F310’s side pods with a separate…

Ferrari F310, Haynes IMM

‘floor’ beneath harks back to the Ferrari F92A a design that proved so recalcitrant that it led to designers Jean-Claude Migeot and Steve Nichols replacement by John Barnard !

Ferrari F310, Haynes IMM

The F310 was the first Ferrari to feature a 3 litre / 183 cui V10 motor, although this static show car seen at the Haynes International Motor Museum probably does not even have a mock engine, again following pioneers Renault and Honda who had opted for this unusual yet successful layout in 1989. Reliability was an issue for these V10 motors though that did not stop Micheal winning 3 races in 1996 and challenging, albeit controversially, for the championship with the F310B in 1997.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Static Show Car’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Lotus 41. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Multi Tube Frame – Buckler MK V

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In 1947 CDF Derek Buckler from Reading built a special for rallying, racing, hillclimbs, trials and speed events, of his own design featuring an unusual, for the time, space frame chassis into which a four cylinder side valve 1172cc / 71.5 cui E93A Ford engine was fitted.

Buckler MK 5, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

After much competition success Derek placed an advert in ‘Motor Sport’ for an export version of his his special designed for competition car called the Colonial, while also offering independent front suspension conversions kits and go faster parts for Ford Anglias and Prefects.

Buckler MK 5, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

Orders soon started to flood in and at some point the Colonial name seems to have been replaced by the MK 5 name, allegedly to disguise the fact that this was Derek’s first design.

Buckler MK 5, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

Through the early fifties Buckler Mk 5’s could be purchased either ready finished by the factory, which moved to Crowthorne in Berkshire, or in kit form saving the purchaser a fortune in car sales taxes.

Buckler MK 5, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

Buckler went on to introduce two further models the enclosed body MK 90 and DD1 while building several one offs and single seater racing cars that fell outside this range along with a range of successful Karts for racing.

Buckler MK 5, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

After building the first cars for Jack Brabhams customer racing car business Brabham MRD Derek sold up due to ill health in 1961 and the company soldiered on until 1965. Derek died in 1964 aged just 53.

Buckler MK 5, Rare Breeds, Haynes IMM

It is thought around 500 Buckler cars of all types were built between 1949 and 1964. The model seen here at the Rare Breeds show at the Haynes International Motor museum is a 1957 MK 5.

My thanks to bucklercars.com for additional information on the MK 5 and the Buckler marque.

Thanks for joining me on this Multi Tube Frame 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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The Biggest, Fastest, and most Expensive – Duesenberg J Derham Tourster

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When E.L. Cord bought the Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company, Inc from the Dusenberg brothers in 1926, he appears to have quickly dispensed with the services of Augie and asked Fred Dusenberg to design a vehicle that was to be the biggest, fastest and most expensive car ever made.

Duesenberg J Derham Tourster, Haynes International MM

Mr Cord rejected several of Fred’s prototypes before agreeing that the Model J powered by a 265hp 6876 cc/419 cui straight 8 motor mounted on a 153 inch chassis was just the thing to challenge the European brands Hispano-Suiza, Isotta-Fraschini, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce for market share in the premium automotive sector.

Duesenberg J Derham Tourster, Haynes International MM

Launched in late 1928 at the New York Car Show, the chassis, premium vehicles at the time were sold as powered chassis with bespoke bodies ordered from independent coach builders, was originally priced at US $8,500 a price that might easily be doubled and in some cases nearly tripled once fitted with a bespoke body.

Duesenberg J Derham Tourster, Haynes International MM

The advanced double overhead cam 4 valves per cylinder motor, designed by Fred Duesenberg but built by E.L.Cords Lycoming company, could power the J from 10 mph to 90 mph in second gear and in supercharged SJ form is reputed to have been capable of 140 mph though roads where such a speed could be attained were far and few between.

Duesenberg J Derham Tourster, Haynes International MM

Only 8 of the 481 J models produced were originally supplied with the Derham Tourster bodywork seen on this example which resides in the Haynes International Motor Museum.

Duesenberg J Derham Tourster, Haynes International MM

Despite the success of an advertising campaign that featured an elegantly dressed man or equally elegantly dressed lady under the strap line ‘He/She drives a Duesenberg’ and a who’s who of Royalty and Hollywood stars that counted themselves as customers of the ‘Finest Car In The World’ the target production of 500 J models was never reached thanks to The Great Depression.

Duesenberg J Derham Tourster, Haynes International MM

Most of the chassis were built between 1929 and 1930 but the model was still being sold in 1937 by which time it had become outdated in it’s operation. This particular vehicle came to the Haynes International Motor Museum via the personal collection of former proprietor of the Los Angeles Times Otis Chandler.

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

PS Don’t forget …

Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz

Automobiliart, Paul Chenard

December 26th – January 2nd

Win a set of Paul Chenard Greetings Cards

Sports-GT cars set, Paul Chenard

Set 1 Sports & GT Cars

Phil Hill, Sharknose Ferrari Set, Paul Chenard

Set 2 Phil Hill World Drivers Championship 50th Anniversary Edition

1934 GP Season Card set, Paul Chenard

Set 3 1934 Season

1950s Grand Prix Engines

Set 4 Grand Prix Engines of the 1950’s

or

Mike Hawtorns racecars Card set, Paul Chenard

Set 5 Mike Hawthorn’s Race Cars

The Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz will comprise 8 categories.

Overall winner chooses one set of Paul Chenard Greetings Cards from the five sets shown above.

The cards measure 15.24cm x 11.43cm, come in packs of 12 with 3 copies of 4 designs in each set, plus A6 envelopes.

Which set will you choose ?

The free to enter Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz will run from December 26th – January 2nd Entries close January 8th 2012, Winner announced January 16th 2012.

Full details on December 26th at GALPOT.

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New Cortina is more Cortina – Ford Cortina Mk2

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The Roy Haynes designed second incarnation of the Ford Cortina MK2 was launched in 1966 with a range of 4 cylinder ‘Kent’ motors ranging 1.2 litres / 73 cui to 1.5 litres 91 cui.

Ford Cortina MK2, Goodwood Revival

Above is a 1966 1500GT with a Crayford Cabriolet Conversion seen last year at the Goodwood Revival.

Ford Cortina MK2, Goodwood Revival

The 1300 cc / 79 cui Cortina above was acquired as a used model by London based Australian Dental Surgeon ‘Doc’ Merfield who raced under the Team Boomerang banner. The ‘Doc’ fitted one of the five prototype Coventry Climax V8 ‘Godiva’ FPE Formula One motors and raced it from 1969 and 1973. In 1979 the car was discovered in East London without the engine and has been restored with a Donovan V8.

Cortina Lotus, Goodwood Revival

In 1967 Ford marketed a performance version of the Mk2 Cortina known as the Cortina Lotus, the reversal of the Mk1’s Lotus Cortina branding signifying that these cars were wholly manufactured by Ford where as manufacture of Mk1 Lotus Cortina was completed on the Lotus premises. The 108 mph Cortina Lotus like the one used the same Lotus developed motor as the Mk1 and the Lotus Elan. Later Cortina Lotus models were rebranded as Cortina Twin Cams. The Cortina Lotus was widely used in racing and rally competition until it was replaced by the smaller Ford Escort competition models in in 1968.

Blown Hell, Ford Cortina 1600 GT, Shakespeare County Raceway

For those not interested in competing with their Cortina’s the 1600 GT powered by a ‘Kent’ motor was the performance Cortina of choice, Blown Hell above started life as a 1600 GT but has since been fitted with a supercharged 3.5 litre / 215 cui Rover V8 for drag racing.

Ford Cortina Super, Shakespeare County Raceway

The Cortina Estate / Station Wagon above was highly rated for it’s then unparalleled load space the car seen above at Shakespeare County Raceway started life as a Cortina ‘Super’ but has since also been fitted with a 3.5 litre / 215 cui Rover V8.

Ford Cortina 1600E

The most refined of the New Cortina models was 1600E launched in October 1967, this featured a 1600 GT Kent motor, Rostyle wheels, twin fog lights, bucket seats, sports steering wheel and instrumentation, along with luxury walnut woodgrain trim. I remember when my neighbor’s Dad showed up with a 1600E in 1968 every kid on the block including me could not wait to be taken for a ride in it !

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

PS Don’t forget …

Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz

Automobiliart, Paul Chenard

December 26th – January 2nd

Win a set of Paul Chenard Greetings Cards

Sports-GT cars set, Paul Chenard

Set 1 Sports & GT Cars

Phil Hill, Sharknose Ferrari Set, Paul Chenard

Set 2 Phil Hill World Drivers Championship 50th Anniversary Edition

1934 GP Season Card set, Paul Chenard

Set 3 1934 Season

1950s Grand Prix Engines

Set 4 Grand Prix Engines of the 1950’s

or

Mike Hawtorns racecars Card set, Paul Chenard

Set 5 Mike Hawthorn’s Race Cars

The Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz will comprise 8 categories.

Overall winner chooses one set of Paul Chenard Greetings Cards from the five sets shown above.

The cards measure 15.24cm x 11.43cm, come in packs of 12 with 3 copies of 4 designs in each set, plus A6 envelopes.

Which set will you choose ?

The free to enter Automobiliart GALPOT Seasonal Quiz will run from December 26th – January 2nd Entries close January 8th 2012, Winner announced January 16th 2012.

Full details on December 26th at GALPOT.

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