Tag Archives: Scirocco

Coffee, Croissant & Cars 08/15 – Avenue Drivers Club

On the second Sunday of the month I managed to briefly pop by Queen Square for the Avenue Drivers Club meeting and by 8am the Square was already quite busy.

Corvette, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Among the vehicles present this ’66 Chevrolet Corvette C2 which was imported into the UK earlier this year.

Ford Consul, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

It was great to see Mark Richards Ford Consul 375 back in one piece after an unscheduled ground up restoration has been completed. Mark is planning on offering his services with this car for weddings, ffi please contact Mark on FB or leave a message below.

Nissan Stagea, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

I’m not sure Nissan Stagea’s were ever imported by the manufacturer into the UK, this 1997 example with UV Cut Glass was first registered in the UK in March 2009.

Volkswagen Scirocco, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Another car first registered in this country in 2009 was this Volkswagen Scirocco which I have been watching becoming increasingly “modded” over the last few months as it lives not more than a mile from me, looks like the owner has it fully equipped to take everything including the kitchen sink on holiday with him to the Sweetshop Automotive Summer Showdown in Cheddar on Bank Holiday Monday.

Dodge Dart Swinger, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

From 1970 a Dodge Dart Swinger that is shown as officially being powered by a 5.4 litre / 329 cui V8 which I do not believe was a standard size for this model, 318’s and 340’s being the nearest manufacturer supplied size I could find.

Smart Crossblade, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Finally just before I left this cute li’l 2002 Smart Crossblade pulled in, a limited edition model which again I don’t believe was a manufacturer import into the UK even after pop star Robbie Williams bought one.

Thanks for joining me on this “Coffee, Croissant & Cars 08/15” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Cougar. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Wide Body – Scirocco BRM SP-1-63

In 1962 American Tony Settember with backing from compatriot Hugh Powell made his Grand Prix debut driving a Coventry Climax powered Emeryson Mk2 in the British Grand Prix where he finished 11th from 19th on the Grid.

Tony qualified 21st and last for the 1962 Italian Grand Prix and retired, but undeterred Hugh Powell bought out Paul Emery at the end of the season and rebranded the team Scirocco for the 1963 season.

Scirocco BRM, Goodwood Revival,

The team commissioned Roy Thomas to build the chassis which features a combination of monocoque and tube frame elements, John Tojeiro to provide the suspension and Williams & Pritchard to provide the body work.

The new Scirocco’s were powered with V8 motor’s supplied by reigning World Champions BRM which were fitted to Colotti Type 34 six speed gearboxes.

Scirocco BRM, Delane, Goodwood Revival,

Two cars were completed for the 1963 season and were driven by Tony and Englishman Ian Burgess.

The teams world championship effort was disheartening, from 10 entries the team withdrew Ian’s car on three occasions Tony failed to qualify in Italy and the team did not record any finishes although Tony was classified 8th in Belgium despite retiring after an accident 7 laps from the finish.

Scirocco BRM, Goodwood Revival,

The high point of the teams qualifying for world championship races was Tony’s 18th place start in the British Grand Prix.

However alongside their championship programe the Scirocco Powell team made three non championship appearances and at the 1963 Austrian Grand Prix Tony qualified 8th in chassis #SP-1-63 seen in these photographs and brought the car home in 2nd place five laps down Jack Brabham’s Brabham BT3.

Scirocco BRM, Goodwood Revival,

The Scirocco Powell team folded at the end of 1963 and SP-2-63 was sold on to Equipe Scirocco Belge who had Tim Parnell fit a Coventry Climax V8 for André Pelitte who’s best result in 1964 was a 6th place finish in the non Championship News Of The World Trophy at Goodwood.

#SP-1-63 was built a bit wider than #SP-2-63 because Tony was a bit bigger then Ian, it is seen in these photographs at Goodwood Revival a couple of years ago with John Delane at the wheel.

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

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