Tag Archives: Ralph Colmar

Third Generation Friend – Dodge Dakota R/T

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The original Dodge Dakota (Sioux for friend) was a mid size pickup truck, less than half ton, launched in 1987, an upgraded second generation was launched in 1991.

Dodge Dakota R/T, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

The third generation Dakota’s were launched in in 1997 drawing heavily on the big rig look of the full size Dodge Ram styling first seen in 1994.

Dodge Dakota R/T, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

In 1998 a sports orientated R/T version of the Dakota was announced with a 250hp 5.9 litre / 360 cui Magnum V8 which was coupled with a heavy duty 46RE 4 speed automatic transmission. Additional R/T goodies included performance axle, cast aluminum wheels, limited slip differential, sport suspension and steering, uprated brakes, performance exhaust, monotone paint and bucket seats in the cab.

Dodge Dakota R/T, Yanks Picnic, Shakespeare, County, Raceway,

In 2000, the year the vehicle seen here at Shakespeare County Raceway was built, the Dodge Dakota was nominated for the North American Truck of the Year award coming in second. The 4th generation Ram Dakota was launched in 2009 and the model was subsequently completely discontinued in 2011.

Thanks for joining me on this “Third Generation Friend” 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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Broken Wrist – Lotus Ford T 91 91/7

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After the controversy of the 1981 season with the twin chassis Lotus 88 the Lotus team upgraded it’s conventional single chassis Lotus 87 for the 1982 season giving it the Lotus T 91 tag. Still powered by the by now venerable Ford Cosworth V8 the Lotus 91 was one of the more attractive entries on the grid.

Lotus Ford 91, British Grand Prix, Brands Hatch

The 91 was a modest improvement on the Lotus 87 Nigel Mansell scoring a seasons best 3rd place finish on his debut in the model in the Brasilian Grand Prix. At the Canadian Grand Prix Nigel Mansell broke his wrist in an accident and after sitting out the Dutch Grand Prix where he was replaced by Roberto Moreno who failed to qualify. Nigel came back for the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch where he is seen in today’s photographs.

Lotus Ford 91, British Grand Prix, Brands Hatch

Unfortunately Nigel was not fully recovered and he could only qualify 23rd on the grid in chassis #91/7 before retiring from the race due to the discomfort from his wrist. While waiting for his wrist to recover properly Nigel missed the following French Grand Prix where Geoff Lees stood in and finished 12th.

Lotus Ford 91, British Grand Prix, Brands Hatch

Team mate Elio de Angelis scored a famous victory with his Lotus 91 at the 1982 Austrian Grand Prix where he held off, eventual 1982 champion, Keke Rosberg and his Williams to win by just half a cars length. The 1982 Austrian Grand Prix was the first, of two, for de Angelis, the last for a Ford Cosworth powered Lotus and the last for Colin Chapman who succumbed to a heart attack in December 1982.

Thanks for joining me on this “Broken Wrist” 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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Series E Tourer – Hupmobile Eight Tourer

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By 1925 Hupmobile was ready to ditch it’s Model R which had been in production since 1917 and move up market with the Series E.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

The Series E was powered by an all new eight cylinder motor with L shaped cylinder heads.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

An innovative feature of the Hupmobile Eight was the double tilt beam head lights which were a for runner of modern headlights with dipped beams.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

With 60 hp produced by the four litre / 244 cui motor it was deemed prudent to fit the Series E with hydraulic operated brakes in place of the hitherto ubiquitous cable operated and or rod brakes which needed constant adjustment.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

While the instrumentation has changed much in detail since 1925 the basic information remains pretty much the same, note the Hupmobile Eight is fitted with a handy light above the ignition switch.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

The chassis number indicates today’s featured car was built in 1926 with the E1 model designation.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

Hupmobile was known for its poetic use of language and fine arts in its advertising, I am guessing the adornments on the running boards and rear wing fender are factory options.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

Punctures were a very much more frequent occurrence than to day the tyres all had inner tubes, if you were lucky you could save the expense of buying a new tyre after a puncture by repairing the inner tube.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

The Hupmobile Eight were offered as a Sedans, Tourers as seen here, Coupés with or without Dickie seats and Roadsters.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

Production of the Series E Hupmobiles ceased in 1928 when the Model M replaced it.

Hupmobile Eight Tourer, Brooklands Double 12

In the absence of any room within the cockpit to carry anything a traveling trunk was often the smart way to carry ones chattels.

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

PS Congratulations to Johnny Martinez who won a trophy for his ’29 Ford Pick Up at the Grand National Roadster Show on Monday, John would also like to thank every one who has voted for him in the Cool Rides Online ® pole at goldeagle.com.

The vote is still incredibly close and today is the last day of poling, YOU CAN VOTE “John’s 1929 Ford Model A” ON THIS LINK, please take a second to click the links and vote, thank you.

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California Sun – Danville Concours d’Elegance

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One of the things that has stuck me all week looking at the photo’s that Geoffrey Horton and Jay Wollenweber have kindly sent me from the Danville Concours d’Elegance is the sheer beauty of the California Sunshine, so at the risk of being accused of publishing car porn, to round out a long week of toil I thought to put all of the two photographers best Ferrari photo’s together for Ferrari Friday.

Ferrari 365 GTS, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber
Above is one of 20 1968 Ferrari 365 GTS spyders fitted with a 4.4 litre / 267 cui V12, that would soon be replaced in the Ferrari line up by the sharper 365 GTS/4 bodystyle.

Ferrari 246 GTS, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber

Like wise the Dino 246 GTB featured in one of my earliest blogs above is the Targa top GTS.

Ferrari 365 GTB/4, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber

One of my favorite’s is the Ferrari 365GTB/4 in one of which Dan Gurney once drove 2,876 miles from New York to LA at an average speed of 80.1 mph !

Ferrari 365 GTC, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

Sharing a slightly detuned motor, inorder to accommodate a lower bonnet / hood line, with the GTB/4 is the Ferrari 365 GTC/4.

Ferrari 308 GT4, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber

For some reason among my memories of working in the motor trade are a couple that in which gold painted cars were rarely ordered new in that colour and always hard to shift in the second hand market, I don’t know if that rule applies to high performance vehicles like the Bertone designed Ferrari 308 GT4 seen above.

Ferrari 328 GTS, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber

While Bertone’s 308 GT4 is probably one of the cheapest Ferrari’s to purchase in the pre owned market place the Ferrari 328 GTS like the one above is one of the more reliable, 6068 of these targa tops of the 160 mph plus cars were made between 1986 and 1989.

Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

Ferrari lost ground to it’s competitors with the Ferrari 348 that succeeded the 328, particularly to the Honda NSX, but bounced back with Ferrari F355 Berlineta, Targa and

Ferrari F355 GTS, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber

and soft top spyder models.

Ferrari F360 GTS, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

The Ferrari 360 Spider was the 12th road going convertible offered since Enzo Ferrari moved into road car production in 1949.

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

Ferrari’s 360 Challenge Stradale like the one above was intended for those lucky enough to spend 20% of their time in the car at track day’s and only 80% of their time in the car in normal road conditions. The Challenge Stradale comes with an additional 20 hp, improved throttle response, steering feed back and chassis balance which made a significant difference in achievable lap times over the standard 360.

Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

For 2004 the the Ferrari 360 was replaced by the F430 in the model line up, and in 2007 the 508hp Ferrari F430 Scuderia filled the niché that had been left vacant since the demise of the 360 Challenge Stradale.

Ferrari California, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

Allegedly the Ferrari California started as a Maserati project but when it was realised how expensive the finished car was going to be it was decided to launch it as a Ferrari in 2008. Either way it is a stunningly attractive car to look at in the California sun.

Ferrari 458 Italia, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Geoffrey Horton

Of the current range the Ferrari 458 Italia launched in 2009 is without doubt the most attractive of the lot on the road or on the track, it is powered by the most powerful per liter/cui normally aspirated production motor in the world.

Ferrari FF, Danville Concours d'Elegance

Photo Jay Wollenweber

I only know one person who has ever driven a Ferrari FF, unfortunatley Michele Rahal at The Drive Channel has removed the clip from youtube, needless to say he was grinning from ear to ear the whole time he was in the car.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton and Jay Wollenweber for sharing their photo’s form Concours d’Elegance.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘California Sunshine’ 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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Cream Crackers – MG PA

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Today’s fetured MG PA was bought in 1934 by J Maurice Toulmin a well known competitor in an earlier MG J2 model.

MG PA, Race Retro

Six weeks after purchasing the car he won a gold medal in the Lands End Trial, further awards included a class win at Craigantlet Hill Climb and a race win at Brooklands. TJ 5000 was then returned to the MG factory to be striped of “unnecessary” items in preparation for the Exeter Trial where Toulmin again won a gold award for completing the course.

MG PA, Race Retro

Toulmin returned the car to MG for further modifications for a second time and persuaded MG to lend his car and two others some support for the 1935 season. The cars were painted in the MG works cream and brown colours, for the team was known as Cream Crackers. With a supercharger fitted Cream Crackers I seen here won it’s class again at the Craigantlet Hill Climb and the team finished second in the 1935 Trials Championship. Toulmin sold the car after winning his class again at Craigantlet.

MG PA, Race Retro

Bob Williams is credited with saving the car from abandonment in Wales and after restoring it competed in sprints and hillclimbs during the 1980’s up until his death in the early 1990’s. Toulmin’s younger son Jonathon, who had by now also shared driving the car at Craigantlet in 1984 for it’s 50th anniversary run, bought the car from Bob Williams widow on the 60th anniversary of it’s purchase from the factory.

MG PA, Race Retro

Jonathon entered the car for the 60th Anniversary of its first appearance in the Lands End Trail with five other former Cream Crackers Team cars also taking part making two teams of three. All six cars finished the 400 mile Lands End Trial, winning awards, with this car driven by Jonathon winning another gold for a penalty free result.

Thanks for joining me on this “Cream Crackers” 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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Classic & Sports Car Action Day – Castle Combe

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On Saturday David Roots kindly invited me to join him and the Bath & West Car Club for the Classic and Sports Car Action Day at Castle Combe.

Triumph GT6 MkII, Castle Combe C&SCAD

Among the cars on display was this Triumph GT6 MkII which reminded me that GT6 enthusiast Hazen Wardle is soon to release the third of his Reche Plimpton, The Triumph Detective stories.

Buick Skylark, Castle Combe C&SCAD

With out a doubt car of the show for me was this third Generation 1969 Buick Skylark, with the post modern descending curved chrome that harks back to an all together different age of motoring before the use of unitary bodies became commonplace.

Honda Z600, Castle Combe C&SCAD

The 1972 Honda Z600, from the Honda S800 Sports Car Club, preparing to take part in the on track parade above predated the Honda Civic range and is powered by 36 hp 598cc / 36.4 cui two cylinder single overhead cam motor that could be taken up to 9,000 revolutions per minute and was recorded as capable of using less than 130 mpg (imperial) at a steady 30 mph.

Lotus Seven S2, Castle Combe C&SCAD

The Lotus Seven Club were in attendance in large numbers, above two Lotus Seven S2’s one of which was the feature on my regular Lotus blog on Saturday.

Bobbies, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Despite his far better judgement David kindly took me round Castle Combe on the parade laps, here we are passing through the Bobbies Chicane.

Lotus Esprit Sport 350, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Coming all the way from Wales in the Club Lotus (South Wales) area was this 2000 Lotus Esprit Sport 350, the final iteration of the Esprit line of which just 50 were manufactured.

Lotus Carlton, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Four years after acquiring Lotus, GM handed Lotus the task of upgrading the mundane Vauxhall Carlton, The 177 mph Lotus, Type 104, Carlton was the result, capable of reaching 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds with the aid of twin turbochargers, Corvette Z1 gearbox and Holden rear limited slip differential. This was a Q car of the first order, very popular with both police forces and security services when helicopters and light planes were in short supply. All Lotus Carlton’s and Lotus Omega’s, for the European Market, were painted a shade of green so dark it looks black in all but the strongest sunlight.

Dacia Duster, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

We don’t see too many Romanian built Dacia’s in the UK and when we do they are usually on Romanian plates so it was a surprise to see this Dacia Duster on French diplomatic plates. The Dacia Duster is based on a Nissan platform and running gear with 2 and 4 wheel options available, they are priced to compete with second hand cars. Expect to see a Dacia powered by an 850 hp Nissan GTR motor on Pikes Peak in the not too distant future.

Volvo 850, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Looks like someone borrowed a 1996 Volvo 850 while Dad was still asleep last Saturday morning.

Bedford Rascal, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

There used to be an advertisement on British TV that advised us to go to work on an egg, this Cadbury’s cream egg was built on a 1995 Bedford Rascal Microvan.

Marcos Owners Club, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Marcos which used to be based in Bradford upon Avon in Wiltshire used to be one of several local car manufacturers during the 1960’s and 1970’s prior to moving to Kenilworth in 1981, following insolvency in 1972. So it was no surprise to see a strong showing from the Marcos Owners Club.

Victory Car Club, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

The 1972 Beetle Cabriolet and 1964 VW Type 2 show that my own ’99 Golf Mk IV still has an achievable if long way to go before becoming a classic !

Thanks for joining me on this “Classic & Sports Car Action Day” 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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T for 2 – MG TF

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Following the demise of the MG PB in 1936 MG launched the 2 seater MG TA as it’s replacement the same year.

MG TF, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

3000 TA’s were up until 1939 when the TA was replaced by the TB of which just 379 were built prior to the requirements of the War Office taking precedence of the MG manufacturing facilities.

MG TF, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

After the war with the huge demand for vehicles world wide the MG TC came into it’s own with 10,000 examples built from 1945 to 1950, when the TD, which started to break away from the look of the older models with it’s relatively small 15″ steel road wheels and chrome bumpers, was launched. 30,000 of these phenomenal export earners were built with 23,488 of them going to the USA and just 1,656 remaining for UK showrooms !

MG TF, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

The TF as seen in todays photos at Castle Combe during last years Classic & Sportscar Action day was launched 1953 featuring headlights integrated with the front wings, for the first time in the T series. This 1954 model was fitted with a 1250 cc 76 cui motor with 56 hp which would take the car from rest to 60 mph in 18.9 secs and on to a top speed of 81 mph and return 28 mpg.

MG TF, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Over three years 9600 TF’s were manufactured of which all but 1057 were exported. Eagle eyed GALPOT readers with a solid state hard drive may recall the Replica Prize Winning Brazilian Avalone 11 was fashioned after the MG TF.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘T for 2’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, wishing all GALPOT contributors & readers a romantic Valentines Day, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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