View allAll Photos Tagged Bodyshell
The saloon on the trailer has a V8 badge, so I wonder if this is a South African Perana? The Estate shell looks sound.
Spotted out and about.
Fiat began designing the Ritmo hatchback – as a replacement for the 128 sedan – in 1972, following the body style of its 127 supermini as European manufacturers began launching small family hatchbacks, notably the Volkswagen Golf in 1974.
Prior to its launch, the press speculated that the project codename 138 would be the final production name, however, Fiat instead gave its new car the Ritmo name, rather than another three digit number. Offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback and cabriolet body styles – from 1978 to 1988 with two facelifts.
The Ritmo was manufactured at the Cassino plant using a system developed by its subsidiary Comau, the "Robogate" system – which automated the bodyshell assembly and welding process using robots, giving rise to its advertising slogan "Handbuilt by robots", immortalised in a television advertising campaign showing the robots assembling the Ritmo bodyshells to the strains of Rossini's The Barber of Seville. The exterior has plastic bumper fascias integrated into the styling which combined strong round shapes with overall sharp lines, achieving a drag coefficient of Cd=0.38.
Collection Freddy Deklerck
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2019
Estimated : € 15.000 - 20.000
Sold for € 23.000
Mercedes-Benz introduced its new medium-sized, S-Class range at the International Motor Show, Frankfurt in 1979, there being no fewer than seven models with the new W126 body style. Launched at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1985, the 560 SEC coupé was an addition to the line-up and the most powerful of the three luxury coupés then on offer. This new model retained the existing bodyshell virtually unchanged but was powered by the new 5.547cc version of the M117 all-alloy V8 engine producing 300bhp (DIN), though customers resident in the USA had to make do with a considerably less powerful version. As befitted one of Mercedes-Benz's flagships, the 560 SEC came standard with a host of desirable features while customers could choose from an equally lengthy list of options. Despite its elevated price, the 560 SEC would turn out to be the most popular of the W126 coupés.
First registered on 4th May 1988, this 560 SEC is believed to have been delivered new to France and thus is one of the rarer European-specification 300 horsepower models. Accompanying documentation includes with the Étoile booklet from Mercedes-Benz France giving six months warranty on a used vehicle and recording that this car had recorded only 32.000 kilometres in September 1990 when it was sold by Mercedes-Benz International Garage SA. Bought by the current owner to form part of his collection in 2007, this beautiful modern Mercedes is offered with French Carte Grise.
Collection Freddy Deklerck
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2019
Estimated : € 15.000 - 20.000
Sold for € 23.000
Mercedes-Benz introduced its new medium-sized, S-Class range at the International Motor Show, Frankfurt in 1979, there being no fewer than seven models with the new W126 body style. Launched at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1985, the 560 SEC coupé was an addition to the line-up and the most powerful of the three luxury coupés then on offer. This new model retained the existing bodyshell virtually unchanged but was powered by the new 5.547cc version of the M117 all-alloy V8 engine producing 300bhp (DIN), though customers resident in the USA had to make do with a considerably less powerful version. As befitted one of Mercedes-Benz's flagships, the 560 SEC came standard with a host of desirable features while customers could choose from an equally lengthy list of options. Despite its elevated price, the 560 SEC would turn out to be the most popular of the W126 coupés.
First registered on 4th May 1988, this 560 SEC is believed to have been delivered new to France and thus is one of the rarer European-specification 300 horsepower models. Accompanying documentation includes with the Étoile booklet from Mercedes-Benz France giving six months warranty on a used vehicle and recording that this car had recorded only 32.000 kilometres in September 1990 when it was sold by Mercedes-Benz International Garage SA. Bought by the current owner to form part of his collection in 2007, this beautiful modern Mercedes is offered with French Carte Grise.
Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020
Estimated : € 120.000 - 180.000
Sold for € 143.750
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
September 2020
"The Mercedes 220 SE coupé is a very fine engineering achievement. Not only does it provide fast and economical transports for four and their luggage, but outstanding roadholding and riding qualities make this a car which is a pleasure to drive hard, and one in which it is safe and comfortable to do so. Furthermore, it has superb brakes and a high standard of mechanical refinement." – Autocar.
Mercedes-Benz debuted four new models at the Frankfurt Show in 1959 - the 220 SEb among them - all of which shared the same basic unitary-construction bodyshell and all-round independent suspension. This new 220 family moved Mercedes-Benz's styling into the modern era; longer than their predecessors, these elegant newcomers featured a wider radiator shell, wrap-around windscreen, enlarged rear window and vertically stacked twin headlamps. The new 220 SEb retained the fuel-injected, single-overhead-camshaft engine of the previous 220 SE, though maximum power of the 2,195cc six was increased by five horsepower to 120bhp (DIN). Top speed was now 172km/h with 100km/h attainable in under 14 seconds.
Coupé and Cabriolet models appeared in 1960 and 1961 respectively, minus the already dated-looking tail fins of the saloon. More modern in style, the luxurious 220 SEb Coupé and Cabriolet were better appointed too, being equipped as standard with a rev counter, leather upholstery, and four-speed automatic transmission with floor-mounted gearchange lever. Girling servo-assisted front disc brakes were fitted from the start of production, a benefit not enjoyed by the saloon until 1962. By the time production ceased in October 1965, fewer than 17,000 220 SEb Coupé and Cabriolet models had been manufactured, of which only 2,729 were Cabriolets, and today these stylish and luxuriously equipped Grand Tourers are highly prized.
This superbly restored Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet was delivered new in Germany. A matching-numbers example equipped with the desirable manual 'floor shift' gearbox, the Mercedes was sold new to a member of the United States' armed forces, who, it is presumed, took the car to the USA.
The present owner discovered this 220 SEb Cabriolet while searching for rare spare parts for his Mercedes-Benz 300 Adenauer Cabriolet D. Visiting the classic car fair in Stuttgart in March 2015, he became enchanted by this Mercedes 220 SEb cabriolet, which he considered to be the most perfectly restored vehicle on show. Delivered new in Germany, retaining matching numbers, and restored to concours standard, it met all of the perfectionist owner's exacting criteria and duly became part of his private collection on 1st March 2016. Since then, some 1,000 kilometres have been covered, including a recent trip to the Coppa Classic Concours in Belgium where it won the award for 'Best Restored Car'. Finished in the attractive colour combination of Burgundy with tan interior, and guaranteed to turn heads wherever it goes, this quite exceptional soft-top 4-seat Mercedes is well-documented and offered with all its original books; M-B Datakart; a selection of restoration photographs; and Belgian registration documents.
The 1956 Chevrolet was the middle year of what has come to be known as the 'tri-fives', as such, it was the first refresh of the 1955 bodyshell. Notably the radiator grille was now leaned forward at the top, producing a longer hood (bonnet) profile.
Models were again arranged 150, 210 and Bel Air. The 210 Sport Coupe shown here matched the sportiest bodystyle with mid-range trim. The car now wore a long arc chrome strip which drooped at the tail ans split the body in models with two-tone paint. The roof was paired to the lower bodysides, while the trunk and hood matched the upper bodyside.
A range of six and vee-eight engines were available, the V8 was a 265 CID (4.3 L) rated at 170 bhp (127 kW), 210 bhp (157 kW) or 225 bhp (168 kW) depending on the carburetor configuration. Power was to jump considerable the following year with the introduction of the 283 CID (4.6 L ) small block.
Other GM divisions, picked up new bodies for 1957, with the exception of Chevrolet and Pontiac. The 1957 was a hasty refresh of the 1955/56, the top Bel Air trim becoming one of the most famous and sought after Chevrolet models.
Collection Adrian Van Lerber
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2019
Estimated : € 20.000 - 30.000
Sold for € 23.000
Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the futuristically styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in computer-controlled form into the 21st Century. The DS's original 1,911cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1,985cc unit, also available in 2,175cc and 2,347cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection, and a five-speed gearbox. By the time production ceased in April 1975, more than 1.3 million of these wonderfully idiosyncratic cars had been built.
One of the last DS models produced, this top-of-the-range Pallas version has the fuel-injected 2.3-litre engine and the desirable five-speed manual transmission. It has been with the current owner for approximately 10 years and is presented in virtually original condition, the only notified departure from factory specification being a chromed exhaust system. Finished in white with black roof and brown leather interior, the car is offered with FIVA identity card, 2016 MFK (TüV), and Swiss registration papers.
Alfa Romeo GT1300 Junior Zagota (1973) Engine *1290cc S4 DOC Production 1115 (+ 2 destroyed due to the bodies not being up to specification)
Registration Number EHJ 341 J
Engine Number AR0053050416
Chassis Number AR 1800009
Oddometer Reading 42000
ALFA ROMEO SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759785842...
The GT 1300 Junior Zagato was a limited production two-seater coupé with aerodynamic bodywork by Zagato of Milan. With a steel bodyshell and aluminium bonnet and door skins (on the earlier 1300 JZs).
Unveiled at the 1969 Turin Motorshow, and based on the modified floor pan, driveline and suspension of the 1300 Spider., shortened behind the rear wheels to fit the body and an Alfa Romeo Montreal fuel tank.
This car was originally delivered to Arturo Romanin of Padova, Ital, who kept it for fourteen years. before selling it to log term owners who did not sell it on until 2003. The car has since been refurbished by Alfaman Services., including a full gearbox rebuild, the servo and front calipers replaced with 1750 GTV items, the engine itself replaced with a *1750cc unit, new windscreen and a suspension rebuild. n 2010, Alfaholics set to work on the engine and suspension setup developing 183bhp fast road Nord unit with 45mm DCOE carburettors and a lightweight flywheel. Also included were GTA ram pipes, oil catch can and cooler, radiator and a new sports clutch. Alfaholics also supplied their own fast road suspension, 7x15" GTA wheels and tyres and a full stainless steel exhaust system.
Shot at H + H Auction Brooklands 22:10:2013 REF 79-044
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Sold for £ 2.500
The Jaguar Land-Rover Collection
Brightwells Auctions
Bicester Heritage
Buckingham Road
Bicester
Oxfordshire
England
March 2018
Launched in 1958 at the Paris Autoshow, the new Humber Super Snipe was the first large Rootes Group car to use a monocoque bodyshell, replacing the pre-war design of its outmoded predecessor.
Losing its big separate wings of old in favour of a more modern unitised chassis and body, the new design was heavily influenced by the 1955 Chevrolet and was claimed to be the largest bodyshell built in the UK at the time – a strange boast but one which the marketeers thought significant.
Initially sold with a 2,6-litre 112 bhp straight-six, a year later the Series II arrived with an improved 129 bhp 3-litre unit which took the car’s top speed over the ton - not that its customers would have approved of such behaviour. Beautifully appointed with a build quality second to none, they were popular with bank managers and Government Ministers who needed to look sober and responsible - the Snipe couldn’t have fulfilled the task better.
Offered in a bewildering range of sub-models and face-lifts, these large Snipes were superbly engineered, but their rather formal image left them trailing in the wake of their more rakish competitors such as the Rover P5B and Ford Zodiac and they never proved as popular which is a shame as they are fine cars indeed.
This lovely mid-green Series II, with its luxurious leather upholstery has had 11 previous keepers according to the accompanying V5C. Its registration number is non-transferable and it has covered 4.200 miles since 2006 according to the DVLA MOT history. It’s most recent MOT expired in February 2013 and the car has covered only a handful of miles since then, the odometer showing a total of 82.792 miles with insufficient paperwork to prove its validity.
We have had the car running since its arrival onsite, although bidders are advised that the brakes are non-operational so we have been unable to drive the car.
Ford Lotus Cortina Mk.1 (1963-66) Engine 1558cc S4 DOC Production 4012
Registration Number DKU 120 C
FORD UK SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...
The history of the Cortina Lotus began in 1961. Colin Chapman had been wishing to build his own engines for Lotus, mainly because the Coventry Climax unit was so expensive. Colin Chapman's chance came when he commissioned Harry Mundy (a close friend and designer of the Coventry Climax engine and technical editor for Autocar) to design a twin-cam version of the Ford Kent engine. Most of the development of the engine was done on the 997cc and 1,340cc bottom end, but in 1962 Ford released the 116E five bearing 1,499 cc engine and work centred on this. Keith Duckworth, from Cosworth, played an important part in tuning of the engine The engine's first appearance was in 1962 at the Nürburgring in a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark. Almost as soon as the engine appeared in production cars (Lotus Elan), it was replaced with a larger capacity unit of 1558cc
Whilst the engine was being developed, Walter Hayes (Ford) asked Colin Chapman if he would fit the engine to 1,000 Ford saloons for Group 2 homologation. The Type 28 or Lotus Cortina or Cortina Lotus (as Ford liked to call it) was duly launched. Ford supplied the 2-door Cortina bodyshells and took care of all the marketing and selling of the cars, whilst Lotus did all the mechanical and cosmetic changes. The major changes involved installing the 1,557 cc engine together with an Elan close ratio gearbox, he rear suspension was drastically altered and lightweight alloy panels were used for doors, bonnet and boot. Lightweight casings were fitted to gearbox and differential. All the Lotus factory cars were painted white with a green stripe (although Ford built some for racing in red, and one customer had a dark blue stripe due to being superstitious about green). The cars also received front quarter bumpers and round Lotus badges were fitted to rear wings and to the right side of the radiator grille.
Initially, the engines were built by J. A Prestwich of Tottenham and then Villiers of Wolverhampton. In 1966, Lotus moved to Hethel in Norwich where they had their own engine building facilities
To homologate the car for Group 2, 1000 were required to be built in 1963, and the car was duly homologated in September 1963. In the same month, in the car's first outing, in the Oulton Park Gold Cup, the car finished 3rd and 4th behind two Ford Galaxies, but beat the 3.8-litre Jaguars which had been dominant in saloon car racing for so long. Soon Ford were running cars in Britain, Europe, and the USA, with Team Lotus running cars in Britain for Ford, and Alan Mann Racing running cars in Europe, also on behalf of Ford. The Cortina Lotus was able to beat almost anything except the 7-litre V8 Ford Galaxies, and later, Ford Mustangs.
Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 26,776,900 views
Shot 07:07:2014 at on Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 102-959
Offered here is a 1st series Montecarlo, based on the 2nd series Fulvia, a model introduced prior to Lancia's takeover by Fiat in 1969. This stunning car is a rare example of the special edition model built to commemorate Lancia's victory at the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally. Works driver Sandro Munari triumphed in that event, and the all-conquering Fulvias would secure another six international victories that year on their way to winning the 'World Rally Championship for Makes' for Lancia. Notable special features of the Montecarlo model were the livery - resembling that of the works cars - with matt black bonnet and boot lid, and its own bodyshell with flared wheelarches, rectangular front fog lamps, and the absence of bumpers.
Finished in the correct green/matt black with black interior, believed the rarest colour combination, this particular Montecarlo was recently the subject of a no-expense-spared restoration. The body was entrusted to no lesser a restorer than Bonfatti of Modena, who usually dedicates his precious time to more valuable Italian machinery from Maranello. In addition, the mechanicals were comprehensively overhauled, and the restoration works are documented in an accompanying album of photographs. Only a minimal distance has been driven since the engine was comprehensively rebuilt.
The car also comes with the Certificato di Proprieta and an Italian libretto showing three private owners from new. It should be noted that the very-hard-to-find original fog lights have been obtained and fitted, and that the car stands on its original wheels, which were only used for this model.
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Sold for € 20.700
Estimated : € 25.000 - 30.000
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2017
TVR Grantura II Lightweight (1960-62) Engine 1588cc S4 OHV Production 400 approx (Grantura II and Grantura IIA 1960-62)
Race Jack Fairman Cup and Mk1 and Mk.2 Jaguar and Innes Ireland Cup
Round Donington 20th April 2019
Race Number 35 Shaun Bromley
Registration Number 8113 SF (Edinburgh)
TVR SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...
The TVR Grantura was the first of the TVRs, debuting in 1958 and progressing through a series of evolutions until the Grantura IV ceased production in 1967. These coupés were hand-built at the TVR factory in Blackpool, England with varying mechanical specifications and could be had in kit form. All cars featured a cocktail of Austin-Healey brakes, VW Beetle or Triumph suspension parts and BMC rear axles. The Grantura bodyshell was made from glass-reinforced plastic and made use of a variety of proprietary components. The bonnet was front hinged. There was no opening at the rear but the boot could be accessed from inside the car - the spare wheel had to be removed through the front doors.
The Series II had BMC B Series MGA engines as standard and was launched in 1960 with the MG 1588cc version of the BMC B series engine, changing later to the MGA 1622cc unit or an optional or Ford 1340 cc engine with rack and pinion steering and front disc brakes
In mid 1961 the model was updated as a Grantura IIA and featured the newer 1622cc MG engine
Diolch yn fawr am 70,858,077 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 70,858,077 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 20.04.2019 at the AMOC Meeting, Donington Park Ref 138-229
W111
Publicly displayed for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1967, Mercedes-Benz's fifteen 'New Generation' models went on sale the following January. But although the fuel-injected 280 SE saloon shared its bodyshell with the 'New Generation' 280 S, the 280 SE Coupé and Convertible retained the elegant looks of the outgoing 250 SE that had debuted back in 1959 on the 220 SE, designed by Paul Bracq. The 2,778cc overhead-camshaft six-cylinder Type M130 engine though, was all new. In fuel-injected 'SE' form the seven-bearing M130 produced 160bhp at 5,500rpm, an output sufficient to propel the manual transmission model to 118mph with the automatic, an increasingly popular choice, not far behind. Just as important in an age when automobile induced atmospheric pollution was becoming a hot political issue, was the fact that the M130 brought with it improved fuel economy and more efficient emissions control. The suspension was essentially the same as that of the equivalent saloon model, albeit reconfigured for a lower ride height, with braking courtesy of discs all round. Plush and well appointed, the interiors featured a leather-covered dashboard, (usually) leather upholstery, Becker radio, and round speedometer and rev counter flanking vertically stacked gauges. The thickly padded convertible top was manually operated, while air conditioning, electric windows, central locking and power assisted steering were among the several options listed. Production of the 280 SE Coupé and Convertible totalled a little over 5,000 units between 1968 and 1972 when production ceased, and today these timelessly elegant Grand Tourers are keenly sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.
The current owner purchased this beautifully presented Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet in 2010 in the United States, where it was first delivered, since when it has formed part of his exclusive private collection. After purchase he commissioned respected restorers Aston Workshop to embark on a comprehensive restoration. In the course of the restoration the car was professionally re-sprayed in the most attractive shade of green metallic, while the interior was re-trimmed to a very high standard in tan leather. A total of £ 59,000 was spent, and the invoices are on file. Since its restoration, the Mercedes has seen minimal use and would make a welcome addition to any serious collection. The car also features the desirable optional extras of air conditioning and electric windows. Offered with US title, EU customs have been paid.
It is worthwhile noting that the 280 SE Cabriolet is the next most desirable variant after the now prohibitively expensive 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, with very little difference in performance in the real world.
The Zoute Sale
Bonhams
Sold for € 126.500
Estimated : € 130.000 - 160.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2016
Knokke - Belgium
Oktober 2016
The Mark V was announced on 24 August 1979.[19] Officially it was known as "Cortina 80", although the Mark V tag was given to it immediately on release, by the press, insiders and the general public.
A large update on the Mark IV, it was really a step between a facelift and a rebody. The Mark V differentiated itself from the Mark IV by having revised headlights with larger turn indicators incorporated (which now showed to the side too), a wider slatted grille said to be more aerodynamically efficient, a flattened roof, more glass area, slimmer C-pillars with revised vent covers, larger, slatted tail lights (on saloon models) and upgraded trim.
Prices started at £3,475 for a basic 1.3-litre-engined model.[20]
Improvements were also made to the engine range, with slight improvements to both fuel economy and power output compared to the Mk.IV. For example, the 2.3V6 engine was given electronic ignition and a slight boost in power output to 116 bhp (87 kW; 118 PS), compared to the 108 bhp (81 kW; 109 PS) of the Mk.IV. Ford also claimed improved corrosion protection on Mk.V models; as a result, more Mk.V's have survived; however, corrosion was still quite a problem. Cars that were rust-proofed from new with treatments such as Waxoyl or Ziebart have tended to fare a lot better than untreated cars with only factory rust-proofing.
By contrast, the estate models combined the Mk IV's bodyshell (which was initially from the 1970 Ford Taunus) with Mk V front body pressings.
Variants included the Base, L, GL and Ghia variants (all available in both saloon and estate forms), together with Base and L spec 2-door sedan versions (this bodystyle was available up to Ghia V6 level on overseas markets). An optional "S" pack was also available for most models, For the final model year of 1982 this consisted of front and rear bumper overriders, sports driving lamps, an 'S' badge on the boot, tachometer, 4 spoke steering wheel, revised suspension settings, front gas shock absorbers,'Sports' gear lever knob, sports road wheels, 185/70 SR x 13 tyres and Fishnet Recaro sports seats (optional). Various "special editions" were announced, including the Calypso and Carousel. The final production model was the Crusader special edition which was available as a 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 saloons or 1.6 and 2.0 estates. The Crusader was a final run-out model which buyers clamoured for in 1982, instead of buying a newly introduced Sierra. It was the best-specified Cortina produced to date and 30,000 were sold, which also made it Ford's best-selling special edition model. Another much rarer special edition model was the Cortina Huntsman, of which 150 were produced. By this time, the Cortina was starting to feel the competition from a rejuvenated (and Opel influenced) Vauxhall, which with the 1981 release Cavalier J-Car, was starting to make inroads on the Cortina's traditional fleet market, largely helped by the front wheel drive benefits of weight and grip.
Up to and including 1981, the Cortina was the best selling car in Britain. Even during its final production year, 1982, the Cortina was Britain's second best selling car and most popular large family car. On the continent, the Taunus version was competing with more modern and practical designs like the Talbot Alpine, Volkswagen Passat and Opel Ascona, but the brand image of Ford's blue oval ensured the Cortina was a success in virtually every country where it was sold.
The very last Cortina – a silver Crusader – rolled off the Dagenham production line in 22 July 1982 on the launch of the ultramodern Sierra, though there were still a few leaving the forecourt as late as 1987, with one final unregistered Cortina GL leaving a Derbyshire dealership in 2005.[21] The last Cortina built remains in existence to this day, and is now in the ownership of the Ford Heritage Centre in Dagenham, Essex, not far from the factory where it was assembled.[22]
However, the last production Cortina in the world was a wagon built in New Zealand. Ford NZ had scoured the globe for assembly kits and its last came from Cork, Ireland. The Cortina wagon had continued on after the sedan was replaced in 1983 by the Mazda-made 626-based Telstar instead of the European Sierra; Sierra wagons did, however, replace the long-serving 'Cortinny' wagon in Kiwi assembly.
The Cortina was a top selling model in New Zealand for years; in 2.0L trim (not offered in England) it was a popular 'rep's special'.
1982 was also the year in which the Cortina lost its title as Britain's best selling car, having held that position every year since 1972. It was still selling well though, and the number one position had been taken by another Ford product: the Escort.
A scene set to change with the forthcoming electrification; Northern Rail class 150/1 unit 150103 forming the 2F85 18:16 to Wigan Wallgate on Saturday 5 July 2014, gets the right away during a busy day on the route for the Tour de France 'Grand Départ' extra services. These units were the logical successors to the prototype class 150's, but differing from the prototypes in having only two cars and also having no cab corridor connections. Built by BREL York from 1984 to 1987, a total of 137 units, based on BR's Mark 3 bodyshell, were produced in three main sub-classes, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.
© Copyright Gordon Edgar - Strictly no unauthorised use
Lotus Elite (Type 83 - 2nd Gen) (1980-82) Engine 2174cc Lotus 912 S4
Production 2535 (Both 1st and 2nd Generation)
Registration Number LCL 852 V (Norwich)
LOTUS ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623671671113...
The first generation type 75 Elite was designed by Oliver Winterbottom and introduced in 1974 as a replacement for the Lotus Elan Plus 2. considerably larger four-seat Type 75 and later Type 83 Elite. were designed to take Lotus upmarket and move away from its kit-car past. The Elite has a shooting brake body style, with a glass rear hatch opening into the luggage compartment. The Elite's fibreglass bodyshell was mounted on a steel backbone chassis evolved from the Elan and Europa. It had 4-wheel independent suspension using coil springs. The Elite was the first Lotus automobile to use the aluminium-block 4-valve, DOHC, four-cylinder Type 907 engine that displaced 1,973 cc and was rated at 155hp. The 907 engine ultimately became the foundation for the 2.0 L and 2.2 L Esprit power-plants, the naturally aspirated 912 and the turbocharged 910.
In 1980 the Type 75 was replaced by the Type 83, also known as Elite Mk.2 Its engine was increased to the larger 2174cc, Lotus 912. The chassis was now galvanised steel and the five speed BMC gearbox was replaced by a Getrag Type 265 unit. The vacuum-operated headlights of the earlier model were replaced with electrically operated units and the Elite was now fitted with a front spoiler, a new rear bumper and brake lights from the Rover SD1.
Diolch am 84,637,178 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn 90cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 84,637,178 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 01.08-2021 exiting the Silverstone Festival 01.08.2021 Ref 149-259
The Jaguar XJ (XJ40) is a luxury sedan manufactured by Jaguar Cars between 1986 and 1994. Officially unveiled on 8 October 1986 it was an all-new redesign of the XJ to replace the Series III, although the two model ranges were sold concurrently until the Series III was discontinued in 1992. The XJ40 used the Jaguar independent rear suspension arrangement, and featured a number of technological enhancements (such as electronic instrumentation)
Development:
Throughout the 1970s Jaguar had been developing "Project XJ40", which was an all-new model intended to replace the original XJ6. Scale models were being built as early as 1972. Due to the 1973 oil crisis and problems at parent company British Leyland, the car was continually delayed. Proposals from both Jaguar's in-house designers and Pininfarina were received. Eventually, it was decided an internal design would be carried through to production and, in February 1981, the British Leyland board approved £80 million to produce the new car.
Jaguar historians claim that the XJ40 was the last car which company founder Sir William Lyons had contributed to during its protracted development phase. The previous generation XJ had been the final Jaguar to be developed wholly under Lyons' leadership - although he continued to take an active consultative role within Jaguar design, long after had retired from the day to day management of the firm following its merger in 1966 with the British Motor Corporation.
During development, the XJ40 pioneered significant improvements to the way Jaguar designed, built, and assembled cars. Among these improvements was a 25 per cent reduction in the number of bodywork panels required per car (e.g. three pressings needed for a Series 3 door compared with one for a XJ40 door), resulting in not only a more efficient assembly process, but also a weight saving and a stiffer structure. Greater attention to panel gaps improved the drag factor (reduced from 0.849 Cd to 0.762 Cd), while also improving the fuel economy and lowering wind noise inside the cabin.
Mechanicals:
AJ6 4.0 L engine (in a 1990 Daimler)
Initially, only two engines were offered across the XJ40 models: a 2.9 L and a 3.6 L version of the AJ6 inline-six. In 1990, these were changed to 3.2 L and 4.0 L versions. In 1993, the XJ12 and Daimler Double Six (both equipped with the Jaguar V12 engine) were added to the available models.
During the development of the XJ40, British Leyland had considered providing the Rover V8 engine for the car, which would have eliminated the need for future Jaguar engine production. The XJ40 bodyshell was allegedly engineered to prevent fitting V-configuration engines such as the Rover V8; this delayed the introduction of the V12-powered XJ12 until 1993.
The automatic gearbox used in the 2.9 L, 3.2 L and 3.6 L six-cylinder cars was the four-speed ZF 4HP22. On the 4.0 L, the four-speed ZF 4HP24 was used. A stronger automatic gearbox was required for the V12-equipped cars, and the four-speed GM 4L80-E was selected. The manual gearbox fitted to early cars was the five-speed Getrag 265, while later cars received the Getrag 290.
The automatic transmission selector was redesigned to allow the manual selection of forward gears without accidentally selecting neutral or reverse. This new feature was dubbed the "J-Gate" and has carried over to more recent Jaguar models.
Exterior:
The curvaceous lines of the outgoing Series XJ were replaced by the more angular, geometric shape of the XJ40. The nose of the car would accommodate either matched pairs of round headlights, or rectangular single units; the latter were fitted to the higher-specification Sovereign and Daimler trim levels, and also to all cars for the US market.
The bumper is a visually distinct black-rubber-covered bar that runs the full width of the car and incorporates the sidelights and indicator lights. The bonnet is hinged at the front. Window frames are either chromed or black, depending on model. Rain gutters, door mirrors, and door handles are also finished in chrome. All XJ40s have a chrome surround for the windscreen and a single windscreen wiper.
Early low-specification cars were fitted with metric-sized steel wheels and plastic wheelcovers. From 1991, the wheels were changed to non-metric sizing.
[Text from Wikipedia]
Ford Thames 300E Van (1954-61) Engine 1172cc S4 SV Production 196885
Decals Birchmoor Fruit + Vegitable Growers
Registration Number XSJ 402 (Bute)
FORD UK SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...
Based on Fords Anglia/Prefect 100E Saloons and sharing a bodyshell 100E Station Wagon. Powered by a Ford 1172 cc engine originally only in 5 cwt the range was later expanded to include standard and deluxe variants of a 7 cwt van.
Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 30,473,800 views
Shot 167.11.2014 at The National Exhibition Centre, Classic and Sportscar Show Ref 103-272
MG C GT (1967-69) Engine 2912cc S6 OHV BMC C Series
Production 4457 (GT only)
Registration Number *PLG 57 H (1969 built, registered 1970, Cheshire)
MG SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623797586658...
The MGC was introduced in 1967, develped under the BMC code number ADO 52 it was intended as a replacemet for the Austin Healey 3000 Mk.III. BMC first considered using a six cylinder version of the BMC B Series engine used by BMC Australia but instead settled on the 3 litre BMC C Series in use in the Austin 3 litre Saloon, producing 145bhp with its twin SU carburettors in the MGC.
The MGB style bodyshell needed revisions around the engine bay and to the floor pan, but externally the only differences were a distinctive bonnet bulge to accommodate the relocated radiator and a teardrop for carburettor clearance. It had different brakes from the MGB, 15 inch wheels with Pirelli Cinturato 165HR15 tyres, and different suspension Like the MGB, it was available as a coupé (GT) and roadster
In 1967 Prince (King) Charles took delivery of an MGC GT (SGY 766F), which he passed down to Prince William 30 years late
Diolch yn fawr am 71,334,600 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 71,334,600 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 21.04.2019 at the annual Weston Park, Easter car show Ref 138-414
At the Græsted Veterantræf, Græsted, North Zealand, Denmark 4th June 2022
"In addition to the classic four-door sedan, Ford also presented the two-door coupé on the same basis in 1961. This was given the model name Consul Capri. Various design features were naturally found again. The front features round double headlights, the sides have clearly visible creases and the rear has small fins above the round taillights. Above this, Roy Brown designed a thoroughly stylish roof with thin pillars and large windows. He dispensed with B-pillars in favor of fully opening side windows. The Consul Capri made its debut at the 1961 IAA (Frankfurt Motor Show). Originally, Ford of Great Britain intended to send the car exclusively for export. However, potential customers in continental Europe received the car less enthusiastically than expected. Only 88 orders were received during the IAA.
However, Ford had already pre-produced 200 left-hand drive vehicles for export by hand. The bodyshells came from Pressed Steel Company and were completed at Ford’s Dagenham plant. The same applied to the Consul Classic. This production proved to be cost and time intensive. At the same time, new production schedules came from Ford headquarters in Dearborn, which could never be met for these models. Even the relocation of final production from Dagenham to Halewood from February 1963 didn’t help. By the end of 1964, the Consul Capri dropped out of the lineup after 19,421 units. Despite the low numbers, there were three engine variants. Initially, a 1.3-liter engine produced 39 kW/54 hp. Due to various technical defects such as breaking crankshafts, Ford installed a 1.5-liter engine with 43 kW/59 hp from August 1962. The crankshaft, which now had five bearings, proved to be much more durable. The manual transmission could be ordered with either a shift lever on the center tunnel or a shifter on the steering column."
The Lancia Fulvia (Tipo 818) is an Italian car introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 by Lancia and produced until 1976. Fulvias are notable for their role in motorsport history, including winning the International Rally Championship in 1972. On testing it in 1967, Road & Track summed up the Fulvia as "a precision motorcar, an engineering tour de force". Named after Via Fulvia, Roman road leading from Tortona to Torino.
The Fulvia was available in three variants: Berlina 4-door saloon, 2-door Coupé, and Sport, an alternative fastback coupé designed and built by Zagato on the Coupé floorpan.
Specifications:
Chassis
The Fulvia Berlina was designed by Antonio Fessia, to replace the Lancia Appia with which it shared almost no components. The Appia was a rear wheel drive car, however, while the Fulvia moved to front wheel drive like the Flavia. The general engineering design of the Fulvia was identical to that of the Flavia with the major exception of the engine, the Flavia having a four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine and the Fulvia a 'Narrow Angle' vee configuration as featured on most production Lancias from the Lambda. The Fulvia used a longitudinal engine mounted in front of its transaxle. An independent suspension in front used wishbones and a single leaf spring, while a beam axle with a panhard rod and leaf springs was used in back. Four wheel Dunlop disc brakes were fitted to first series Fulvias. With the introduction of the second series in 1970 the brakes were uprated with larger Girling calipers all round and a brake servo. The handbrake design was also changed - using separate drums and brake-shoes operating on the rear wheels.
Engine
The V4 engine of a 1972 Fulvia Berlina
One element that was new was the narrow-angle V4 engine. Designed by Zaccone Mina, it used a narrow angle (12°53'28") and was mounted well forward at a 45° angle. The engine is a DOHC design with a one camshaft operating all intake valves and another operating all exhaust valves. The very narrow angle of the cylinders allowed for use of a single cylinder head.
Displacement began at just 1091 cc with 58 bhp (44 kW) with a 72 mm bore and 67 mm stroke. A higher (9.0:1) compression ratio and the fitment of twin Solex carburettors raised power to 71 bhp (53 kW) soon after.
The engine was bored to 6 mm to enlarge displacement to 1216 cc for the HF model. This, and some tuning, raised output to 80 to 88 bhp (60 to 66 kW).
The engine was re-engineered with a slightly narrower bank angle (12°45'28") and longer (69.7 mm) stroke for 1967. Three displacements were produced: 1199 cc (74 mm bore), 1231 cc (75 mm bore), and 1298 cc (77 mm bore). The new 1298 cc engine was produced in two versions; the type 818.302 produced 87 bhp (65 kW) at 6000 rpm and was fitted to 1st series Coupés, Sports and Berlina GTE and later to the 2nd Series Berlina. The Type 818.303 was first produced with 92 hp (69 kW) and was fitted to the 1st series Coupé Rallye S and Sport S. For the 2nd Series Coupé and Sport power was slightly reduced to 90 hp (67 kW) at 6000 rpm.
The engine was completely reworked for the new 1.6 HF with an even-narrower angle (11°20' now) and longer 75 mm stroke combined with a bore of 82 mm gave it a displacement of 1584 cc, and power ranged from 115 to 132 bhp (85 to 98 kW) depending on tune.
Coupé 1.3 S Montecarlo: 1972–73.
Special edition based on the 1.3 S, commemorating Lancia's victory at the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally. The livery resembled the works car, with matte black bonnet and boot lid bearing Monte Carlo rally plate-style stickers. This version used his own bodyshell with flared wheel arches, similar to but different from the 1.6 HF bodyshell. Other accouterments included 1.6 HF Lusso interior fittings such as bucket seats with headrests, rectangular front fog lamps, no bumpers and black single wing mirror; 4.5J steel wheels of the standard Coupé were fitted.
[Text from Wikipedia]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Fulvia
This Lego miniland-scale Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1.3 S Monte Carlo - has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 106th Build Challenge, titled - 'Exclusive Edition!' - a challenge for vehicles made in a 'special edition' - for whatever reason.
The only Jaguar XJ220 in the world that lived up to its name, being fitted with a stunning V12 engine and making it the world's fastest production car. However, costs, setbacks, a recession or two and a myriad of other problems resulted in the dream becoming a nightmare, and the match of styling and power made in heaven being turned quickly into a BDSM session in hell!
The proposal for the Jaguar XJ220 seemed to come right out of nowhere. In 1986 the company was sold to Ford after ownership under British Leyland, and was producing a selection of strange luxury motors including the XJS and the XJ, which, although were very good and highly luxury machines, weren't exactly setting the world on fire.
But racing had been put forward to the company before, and racing team owner Tom Walkinshaw encouraged Jaguar to put one of their XJS's into the 1981 European Touring Car Championship, in which they succeeded in winning the competition in 1984. Jaguar had started to provide factory support to racing team Group 44 Racing, who were using the Jaguar-engined XJR-5 in the IMSA GT Championship, supplying V12 engines from 1983 onwards and supporting a Le Mans entry in 1984. Tom Walkinshaw and Jaguar agreed to entering the FIA Group C World Sportscar Championship and developed the XJR-6, which was powered by the Jaguar V12 engine; the car was launched during the 1985 season.
TWR took over the IMSA GT Championship operation in 1988 and one model – Jaguar XJR-9 – was launched to compete in both series. The XJR-9, which retained the Jaguar V12 engine, went on to win the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Sportscar Championship in the same year. The poor fuel consumption of the Jaguar V12 combined with new rules restricting refuelling during races forced the replacement of the V12 engine in the XJR-9s successors, the XJR-10 and XJR-11. The normally-aspirated Austin Rover V64V engine, designed for the MG Metro 6R4 had recently been made redundant thanks to the Group B rally ban in 1987, and the design rights were for sale. The compact, lightweight and fuel efficient nature of the small-displacement, turbocharged engine was investigated by TWR, who considered it an ideal basis for a new engine to power the XJR-10 and purchased the design rights from Austin Rover Group.
Jaguar and their Director of Engineering, Jim Randle, felt these racing cars were too far removed from the product available to the general public, especially with the rule changes that mandated the replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine in the forthcoming XJR-10 and XJR-11 racing cars. Therefore a project was initiated to design and build a car capable of winning Le Mans "in house", just as the Jaguar C-Type and D-Type had done. The groundwork for the project was undertaken by Randle over Christmas 1987, when he produced a 1:4 scale cardboard model of a potential Group B racing car.
The cardboard model was taken into the Jaguar styling studio and two mock-ups were produced. One was said to be reminiscent of the Porsche 956, the other took elements of the then current Jaguar XJ41 project and Malcolm Sayer's work on the stillborn Jaguar XJ13 racing car.
The project still had no official support, leaving Randle no option but to put together a team of volunteers to work evenings and weekends in their own time. The team came to be known as "The Saturday Club", and consisted of twelve volunteers. To justify the resources consumed by the project, the XJ220 needed to provide meaningful data to the engineers on handling, aerodynamics, particularly at high speeds, and aluminium structures. These requirements, together with FIA racing regulations and various government regulations governing car design and safety influenced the overall design and engineering direction of the car.
The FIA Group B regulations steered the concept towards a mid-engine, four-wheel drive layout, with a Jaguar V12 engine as the power source. The concept car was designed and built at very little cost to Jaguar, as Randle called in favours from component suppliers and engineering companies he and Jaguar had worked with in the past. In return he offered public recognition for their assistance and dangled the possibility of future contracts from Jaguar.
The name XJ220 was chosen as a continuation of the naming of the Jaguar XK120, which referred to the top speed of the model in miles per hour. The concept car had a targeted top speed of 220 mph so became the XJ220. The XK120, like the XJ220, was an aluminium-bodied sports car, and when launched was the fastest production car in the world.
Jaguar and engine designer Walter Hassan had previously created a 48-valve variant of their V12 engine specifically for motorsport use. It featured a double overhead camshaft layout with four valves per cylinder, compared with the single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder of the production engine, which was used in the Jaguar XJ and Jaguar XJS models at the time.
TWR and Cosworth had manufactured a number of these racing V12 engines during the 1980s and they had been raced competitively, with a 7-litre version of this engine featuring in the Le Mans winning Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9. Five of these engines still existed, all of which were fitted with dry sump lubrication. These engines were chosen and considered to be especially useful as the dry sump would lower the vehicle's centre of gravity. The displacement of the V12 was set at 6.2L for the XJ220.
Jaguar had little experience with four-wheel drive systems at the time, having previously only produced rear-wheel drive cars. Randle approached Tony Rolt's company, FF Developments to design the transmission and four-wheel drive system for the XJ220, with Rolt's son Stuart running the project. Tony Rolt was the Technical Director of Ferguson Research, where he was heavily involved in the design of the four-wheel drive system used in the Jensen FF, the first sports car to be fitted with such a transmission. Tony Rolt also had a long involvement with Jaguar, winning the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans with the factory works team driving the Jaguar C-Type.
The mid-engine complicated the design of the four-wheel drive system, and an innovative solution was needed to get drive from the rear of the engine to the front wheels. The chosen design took the front-wheel drive from the central differential on the rear transaxle and sent it through the V in the centre of the engine using a quill drive, before joining an inverted differential. The clutch was a twin-plate unit designed by AP Racing.
The design brief for the exterior restricted the use of aerodynamic aids, and aimed for a stylish yet functional body similar to the Jaguar D-Type. Drag and lift were limited at the envisioned ground clearance for road use, but the design allowed for additional downforce when the car was set up for racing; the body produced around 3,000 lb of downforce at 200 mph. The design was also intended to have a variable rear wing that folded into the bodywork at lower speeds. Aerodynamic work was undertaken at the Motor Industry Research Association wind tunnel using a 1:4 scale model, as the project was unable to budget for a full-scale mock-up.
The bodywork for the concept car displayed in 1988 was hand built from aluminium by Park Sheet Metal, a specialist automotive engineering company that manufactures concept cars and low-volume, niche models for various manufacturers, including Bentley. QCR Coatings undertook final painting of the bodyshell in silver. The concept also featured electrically operated scissor doors and a transparent engine cover to show off the V12 engine.
The concept car had a Connolly Leather-trimmed interior produced by Callow & Maddox, and was fitted with front and rear heated windscreens, electric windows, air conditioning, heated electrically adjustable seats with an Alpine Electronics CD player. The dashboard was supplied by Veglia.
The concept car was completed in the early hours of 18 October 1988, the day it was due to be unveiled at the British International Motor Show, being held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.
Jaguar's marketing department had allocated space on their stand at the motor show for the XJ220, but had not seen the vehicle until its arrival. Jaguar chairman John Egan and Roger Putnam, who was in charge of Jaguar's racing activities, were shown the vehicle the week before the motor show and signed off on the concept, allowing its unveiling. The car received an overwhelmingly positive reception by public and press, and a number of wealthy Jaguar enthusiasts handed over blank cheques to secure a purchase option should the XJ220 concept go into production. Ferrari displayed their F40 model at the same event; an estimated 90,000 additional visitors came to see the Jaguar and Ferrari cars.
The XJ220 was not initially intended to be a production car, but, following the reception of the concept and financial interest from serious buyers, a feasibility study was carried out by teams from TWR and Jaguar. Its conclusion was that such a car would be technically feasible, and that it would be financially viable. The announcement of a limited production run of 220 to 350 cars came on 20 December 1989. The list price on 1 January 1990 was £290,000 exclusive of value added tax, options and delivery charges, but by 1992 that had increased considerably owing to indexation of contracts. The offer was four times oversubscribed, and deposits of £50,000 exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) were taken from around 1400 customers; first deliveries were planned for mid-1992.
What Jaguar didn't reckon on was that the 1990's were going to get off to a very bad start, with a good old fashioned recession to usher in the new decade. This, combined with the various downgrades that would have to follow to make the car road legal, would result in the Jaguar XJ220 giving the company and the customers headaches in more ways than one.
In 1991, the company constructed a new £4 million factory at Wykham Mill, Bloxham, for the single purpose of building the XJ220, the plant being opened by the late Princess Diana. But, in order to comply with a variety of road legislation, engineering requirements resulted in significant changes to the specification of the XJ220, most notably replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine by a turbocharged V6 engine.This downgraded engine made that desirable rocket car more run-of-the-mill, and many pulled back their deposits.
At the same time the economy collapsed and when the first production cars left the factory in 1992, many of the original potential buyers who had put down their hefty deposits found that they couldn't afford it, and wanted their money back. Many of them cited the fact that the four wheel drive, V12 had been downgraded to a two wheel drive, V6, and thus they weren't getting what they paid for. The result was that Jaguar went so far as to take their customers to court, and forced them to buy a car they no longer wanted, the problem being exacerbated by the fact that in 1993, the McLaren F1 took the title of world's fastest production car, was available with the V12 and all things it promised, and was much smaller and more manageable than the bulky XJ220.
A total of just 275 cars were produced by the time production ended, 22 of their LHD models never being sold, each with a retail price of £470,000 in 1992, probably one of the biggest automotive flops in motoring history, right up there with the DeLorean and the Edsel. But this would later be advantageous for many, as this pedigree 'worlds-fastest-car' machine would go in later years for a much lower price. £150,000 mind you, but it's a lot better buying the one's that weren't sold at this reduced price, than at the initial asking price back in 1992. Therefore buyers were able to procure themselves a first-hand XJ220, for half the price, a representative saving of nearly £250,000.
Today the XJ220's are rare beasts indeed, rarely coming out to play due largely to their expensive upkeep, heavy fuel consumption and sheer size. But keep your eyes open in some of the more affluent neighbourhoods, be they Dubai, Beverley Hills, or the South of France, and chances are you'll be able to find one.
Coachwork by Henri Chapron
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 180.000 - 220.000
Sold for € 201.250
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2018
Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in top-of-the-range models until earlier this year. The DS's original 1.911 cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1.985 cc unit, also available in 2.175 cc and 2.347 cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox.
Other models offered alongside the original DS were the ID (a simplified, cheaper version), the cavernous Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron. (Chapron's first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroën, but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing). Henri Chapron started his career in the motor industry as an upholsterer's apprentice, working for various coachbuilders in the Paris area. In 1919 he started his own business in the well-to-do Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine where his main activity was re-bodying cars that had been requisitioned in wartime by the French Government. Chapron moved to larger premises in Levallois-Perret in 1923 and became the official builder of coach and convertible models for Delage and Delahaye, going on to body many of the most elegant French and European automobiles of the inter-war period.
Despite a much-reduced demand for bespoke coachwork after WW2, Chapron survived thanks to his exemplary creations for Delahaye, Talbot and Salmson, switching to offering bespoke versions of unitary construction models when motor manufacturers began to abandon the traditional separate chassis frame. The arrival of the Citroën DS in 1955 presented Chapron with a fresh opportunity that would result in his name being forever linked with this remarkable car.
Citroën's own Décapotables were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate). In total, 1.365 usine (factory) convertibles were made with either the DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.
Equipped with the semi-automatic transmission, this beautiful DS21 was delivered new in Paris, France to its first owner, engineer Mr Gaston Westercamp, who had ordered it at the Quai André Citroën. The car cost 27.640 francs, and the original bill of sale is on file. Fastidiously maintained by Mr Westercamp, the DS had covered some 82.000 km when he sold it in 2000. The car was still in superb original condition, retaining its original dark green leather upholstery and original carpets, while the body - rust-free and undamaged - had been repainted in the original Carrara White in the 1990s.
In 1975, Mr Westercamp had moved to Toulon, which is where the DS found its next owner: Mrs Jeltske Homan van der Heide, who continued to pamper the car for the next 17 years in the same manner as its first custodian. Now displaying a total of some 128.000 km on the odometer, this DS remains outstandingly original and in superb order, and as such is an exceptional rarity and an unusual find today. Fully serviced, it comes with all books, tools, service records, invoices, old Carte Grise, and the aforementioned 1967 sales invoice plus, of course, the all-important Attestation Chapron.
Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020
Estimated : € 25.000 - 35.000
Sold for € 20.700
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
September 2020
One of the most important developments in the evolution of the V12-powered Jaguar XJ-S was the introduction of the HE (High Efficiency) engine in 1981. Incorporating new 'Fireball' cylinder heads, designed by Swiss engineer Michael May, this more fuel-efficient unit enabled the top-of-the-range XJ-S to meet tighter worldwide emissions legislation. Combined with a higher (2.88:1) final drive ratio, the result was an improvement in fuel consumption of up to 20% at some engine speeds, a figure of 27.1mpg being claimed at a constant 56mph and 22.5 at 75mph. It's worth noting that these figures applied to the automatic transmission version, which with a top speed of 155mph was world's the fastest 'slush pumper'.
Jaguar's first response to demands for an open XJ-S was somewhat conservative in engineering terms. The XJ-S had not been designed with an open version in mind, so a Targa-style arrangement was adopted, which retained a substantial roll hoop in the interests of maintaining rigidity in the absence of a fixed roof. Two removable roof panels were stored in the boot, and the cabriolet did away with the coupé's two occasional rear seats in favour of a pair of luggage lockers topped by a parcel shelf. Essentially an exercise in niche marketing to test public reaction, the XJ-S cabriolet was assembled by outside specialist contractors, with bodyshells transported back and forth across the Midlands before returning to the Brown's Lane factory prior to final despatch. The cabriolet's favourable reception demonstrated that there was indeed sufficient demand to justify production of an open XJ-S, and Jaguar proceeded to develop a conventional full convertible. In total, 3,925 V12 cabriolets were built compared with 16,649 convertibles.
An increasingly rare and sought after model, this automatic transmission XJ-S V12 cabriolet was delivered new in Belgium via Garage Vandenplas in Tervuren on 28th June 1988. The car's first owners lived in Brussels and it is believed to have had only three owners from new. Driven sparingly, this XJ-S has covered only 51,725 kilometres and is presented in excellent condition having been regularly maintained. The last (stamped) service was carried out at 44,092 kilometres by Garage Franco Britannic in Levallois Peret, France on 25th February 2004. Finished in green with black interior, this rare soft-top XJ-S is offered with sundry maintenance bills, French Carte Grise, and its stamped service booklet.
Another day, another E-Type, and this example is one of what many consider the better cars, being the stylish and flamboyant Series I fitted with the powerful and reliable 4.2L Straight Six engine!
One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!
When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!
Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!
In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.
On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.
However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!
But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.
Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.
But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.
However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.
Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.
But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.
However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!
So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.
The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D
VNC-1 (93-KE-1919)
Volvo B6BLE / Northern Counties Paladin.
Resin body shell and 'concocted' interior
Notes:Mirror Image Models NCME Paladin bodyshell, rebuilt front details, considerably modified rear profile and second door added. Interior constructed from EFE Wright interior cut up and mounted on scratch built floor and chassis cut to length. Additional details are MIM etched wipers, mirrors and window frames. Transfers are all home produced.
A brand new purchase for ConnexionsBuses, the first in 2 years, is of Mercedes-engined Euro 6 compliant Optare Solo SR YJ67 GGO - seen here at York Piccadilly working HCT service 16 to and from Acomb. This has gained the new-style Connexions logo with the union flag 'big X'; but the vehicle bodyshell itself is different from the other Solos as this has curved-top skirt panels as would normally be seen on a Versa, in addition to a new latch fitted between the front wipers. Audibly this bus sounds as if it has the same engine as a Wright Streetdeck, it certainly sounds almost identical to First York's 35100.
John Powell photo.
I believe this one was owned by a Datsun OC member who Mr Powell knew. Pleasingly it's still MoTed although currently on SORN.
This generation of 260C was fairly rare as a saloon, as Datsun UK didn't immediately bring it out when they launched the estate car version. Within a year or so it was replaced by the 280C (same bodyshell and 330 model code, but logically with a bigger engine).
Photographed at show at the Science Museum in Wroughton, Wilts on 15/9/96.
Another day, another E-Type, and this example is one of what many consider the better cars, being the stylish and flamboyant Series I fitted with the powerful and reliable 4.2L Straight Six engine!
One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!
When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!
Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!
In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.
On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.
However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!
But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.
Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.
But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.
However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.
Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.
But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.
However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!
So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.
The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D
TVR Vixen S3 (1968-70) Engine 1599cc S4 Ford Kent Production 438 (723 Vixen S1 to S3)
Registration Number SFR 414 J
TVR SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...
The Vixen was a hanbuilt, glass fibre bodied with a tubular frame chassis as used in the Grantura 1800S. he chassis used double wishbone suspension at both ends, and disc brakes at the front (with drums at the back.) and was significantly lighter than its mainstream competition.
The Vixen Series 1 was introduced in 1967 as an evolution of the discontinued 1800S with the same chassis with a change toa Ford (Kent) 1599cc engine, in the same trim as the unit from the Ford Cortina GT developing 88bhp. The bodywork was also slightly revised, with the bonnet having a broad flat air intake scoop. The rear of the car with fitted with the round Cortina Mark I tail lamps
The S2 followed in 1968 with the longer wheelbase chassis (90 inch) from the TVR Tuscan V8. The bonnet was restyled again, with some early cars having a prominent central bulge, and later cars having twin intake ducts at the front corners of the bonnet. The tail lamps were updated from the round Cortina Mark I style to the newer wraparound Mark II style, and the body was bolted rather than bonded to the chassis the interior was improved to give a more quality feel.
The Series 3 was introduced in 1970 The heat extraction vents on the flanks behind the front wheels were decorated with "Aeroflow" grilles borrowed from the c-pillars of the Ford Zodiac Mark IV and its Ford engine was now in the same tune as the Ford Capri with 92bhp,Instead of wire wheels, cast alloy wheels were fitted as standard.
The Series 4 followed in late 1972 using the TVR M Series chassis and Vixen bodyshell
Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 28,137,100 views
Shot 28:07:2014 at Silverstone Historic Festival REF: 103-555
G-Model
Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020
Estimated : € 40.000 - 60.000
Unsold
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
September 2020
Porsche revived the evocative Carrera name - previously used for the competition orientated versions of the preceding 356 model - for its luxuriously equipped, top-of-the-range 911 in 1973, applying the title to all 911 variants, co-incidentally with the introduction of the 3.2-litre engine, from the start of the 1984 model year. The revived name was part of a major revamp of the long-running 911, now selling better than ever, development of which had slowed while Porsche concentrated on meeting the ever increasing demand.
Although it remained an air-cooled 'flat six', the '3.2' motor was 80% new and incorporated an effective cam chain tensioner and associated lubrication system that at last addressed a perennial 911 shortcoming. An ECU controlled the fuel and ignition systems for the first time on a 911, enabling the engine to be both more powerful and less thirsty. As a result, this enlarged and extensively revised power plant now produced 231bhp, 27 horsepower up on its predecessor, endowing the Carrera with a level of performance approaching that of the original 911 Turbo of 1974, the bald statistics being a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 152mph (244km/h) with 100mph (160km/h) reachable in a breathtaking 13.6 seconds.
No major changes were made to the bodyshell, though there was a new front spoiler with integral fog lamps, while the number of models on offer remained at three: Coupé, Targa and Cabriolet. Thirty-plus years on, Carrera 3.2s are now highly sought after and for very good reason, though finding one is not that easy.
Finished in grey with black leather interior, this Carrera 3.2 was delivered new in Düsseldorf, Germany equipped with the optional sunroof and rear wing, and is said to be standard apart from a larger-diameter sports exhaust system. The car comes with its Porsche service booklet recording maintenance by official Porsche dealers and independent specialists recognised by Porsche, testifying to the fact that it has been very well cared for. The Car Pass records the odometer reading as 245,000 kilometres and the Porsche also comes with Belgian Certificat d'Immatriculation, valid Contrôle Technique, three keys, and a car cover.
Jensen Interceptor III (1971-73) Engine 440cu (7212cc)
Production 3419
Registration Number KKP 718 L (Kent)
JENSEN ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157624203748256...
The Jensen Interceptor is a sporting GT class car, hand built at West Bromwich, England with the body designed by Carrozzeria, Touring in Italy and powered by a US Chrysler V8.
The Interceptor broke with Jensen tradition by having a steel bodyshell rather than one of GRP.
The original specification included electric windows, reclining front seats, a wood rimmed steering wheel, radio with twin speakers, reversing lights and an electric clock. Power steering was included as standard from September 1968.
The Mark II (1969-71) shared the same Chrysler engine as the original Interceptor but offered revised front styling and ventilated disc brakes
The Mark III had a larger 440cu (7212cc) Chrysler V8 with four barrel carburettor. The Interceptor sold well until sales were hit by the OPEC oil crisis of 1974.
Diolch am 79,998,019 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 79,998,019 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 05.01.2020.at Bicester Heritage Centre, Bicester, Oxon 144-677
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Volkswagen Golf C Mk.2 (1983-92) Engine 1043cc S4 44bhp
Production 6,000,000 (all Golf Mk.2's)
Registration Number A 84 OHD (Huddersfield)
VOLKSWAGEN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738785355...
The second-generation Volkswagen Golf was launched in Europe at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show.and launched into the British marketplace March 1984. The Golf Mk2 was available as a 3- and 5-door hatchback. The 2-door and 4-door sedan variants of the Golf Mk2 were marketed under the Volkswagen Jetta name. It featured a larger bodyshell, and a wider range of engine options than the Mark 1 and a more rounded style. During the life of the Golf MK2, there were a number of external style revisions. Notable changes to the looks of the Golf MK2 included the removal of quarterlight windows in the front doors, and the introduction of larger grille slats with the August 1987 facelift. The most notable was the introduction of so-called "Big Bumpers", which were introduced in the European market with an August 1989 facelift.
Trim levels included base, C, CL and GL and initially a range-topping Carat model (until 1986), later a GT (in 1987) version was also on offer, the GTi was introduced for 1985 and ran in paralalel with a 16v version 1987-92
Diolch am 76,472,924 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 76,472,924 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 21.07.2019 at , Ashover Classic Car Show, Ashover, Derbyshire 143-616
Chassis n° 404/2030
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Estimated : € 230.000 - 260.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2018
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2018
Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery; nevertheless it seems unlikely that BMW's engineers felt particularly gratified when the Bristol Car Company obtained the rights to their automotive designs as part of Germany's post-WW2 reparations. Thus it came about that the Bristol 400, which commenced production in 1947, was effectively a synthesis of three pre-war BMW designs, with a chassis derived from that of the 326, an engine from the 328 sports car, and an aerodynamic bodyshell similar to that of the 327 coupé. But Bristol did more than simply copy the work of its German counterparts; the application of aviation industry standards to its manufacture resulted in a car more refined and considerably better constructed than its Teutonic forbears.
With the 1953 introduction of the short-wheelbase 404 coupé, the Bristol line at last lost its resemblance to the pre-war BMW, swapping that distinctive two-piece radiator grille for an equally unmistakable, aeronautically inspired air intake. The body was still an ash-framed, aluminium-alloy panelled structure, but the bonnet was now forward-hinging and for the first time the spare wheel was accommodated in the near-side front wing. Bristol continued to use the BMW-based, 2.0-litre, six-cylinder engine with its ingeniously arranged, pushrod-operated inclined valves, and this was available in either 105bhp or 125bhp form in the 404. The gearbox remained a manual four-speed unit with first-gear freewheel. Famously dubbed the 'Businessman's Express', the 404 excelled at providing high-speed travel in comfort -the very definition of 'Gran Turismo'. The car's aircraft-industry standard of construction did not come cheap however, and only 52 examples found customers between 1953 and 1955.
Its accompanying Bristol Heritage Certificate confirms that this 404 was supplied new on 15th October 1954 to Mr Remy Mannes, the then Bristol dealer in Brussels, Belgium. The car was supplied in left-hand drive configuration for Europe with a rare km/h speedometer, green leather interior, and European dipping, all of which it retains today. The engine number quoted on the certificate is '100B/3534', whereas today a more desirable and later type B2 engine ('100B2/4070') is fitted. The car's original exterior colour is listed as black. Mannes had ordered this 404 for a client from Antwerp. Related documents on file include a copy of the original order from Établissements Remy Mannes to 'The Bristol Aeroplane Company Limited'; a copy of the sales invoice; copies of all transport papers; and some hand-written notes.
In July 1968, the Bristol returned to the UK having been purchased by one Michael Beardmore, and was registered in the UK with the number 'LGU 200', which it still carries today. The car was sold again in the early 1970s to a Mr Bradburn, who sold it and bought it back again in 1982 (see correspondence on file dated 1982). While in his ownership, 'LGU 200' was featured in an article in Thoroughbred & Classic Cars' June 1983 edition (article on file).
The Bristol moved to Oslo, Norway in 1985 (old title on file), returning to the UK in 1989. The previous owner registered the car in 1989 and the last owner in 2008. Today, 'LGU 200' is presented in lovely condition, with its believed original and well-preserved interior possessing a beautiful patina.
The bodyshell of 47103 doesn`t have long to go at Vic Berrys Leicester yard on the 1st of May 1989.
47103 had been withdrawn from Crewe Diesel in August 1987.
Moving about Wansford is British Rail Class 46 Peak, D182 (46045).
The Class 46 was derived largely from the previous Class 45, sharing the same bodyshell and same Sulzer 12LDA28-B engine, but differed in the fitment of a Brush generator and traction motors, in place of the Crompton Parkinson equipment fitted to the Class 45. Along with the other Sulzer class 44 and 45 designs they are often referred to as "Peaks", so named because the earliest of the Class 44 were named after mountains.
They were built from 1961-1963 at British Railways' Derby Works and were initially numbered D138-D193, with 56 locomotives built.
Despite intermittent use on freight trains, Class 46s were regular performers on passenger turns, particularly North East-South West, Trans-Pennine and secondary North East-London trains, and depot allocations reflected this with locos at Gateshead, Cardiff and Plymouth in 1977 giving a typical spread. Freight workings were also quite often worked over long distances, particularly "clay hoods" carrying china clay from Cornwall to the area around Stoke-on-Trent.
In the 1980s the remaining locomotives were concentrated at Gateshead depot, and the final booked passenger workings for the class were the dated summer Saturday services Bradford - Weymouth (between Bradford and Birmingham New Street), Newcastle - Plymouth, Newcastle - Blackpool North, and York - Blackpool North.
By the early 1980's however, the locomotives were starting to look their age, and performance wise they were largely displaced by the much more efficient and flexible Class 43 HST sets which had been introduced on Cross-Country services from 1982. The last operations by Class 46's were made in 1984, after which a majority of the engines were scrapped.
However, one locomotive found itself being put on a suicide mission. On July 17th, 1984, 46009, hauling three Mark 1 coaches, was deliberately crashed into a "Flatrol" wagon loaded with a nuclear waste flask and lying on its side. The train was travelling at about 100 mph on the Old Dalby Test Track in a test organised by the CEGB. The test was intended to demonstrate to the public that there would be no leak of radioactive material in the event of a rail accident involving a train carrying a nuclear waste flask. As you can imagine, smashing the locomotive into a solid metal box designed to withstand nuclear radiation pretty much destroyed the locomotive, and the engine was scrapped on site by Vic Berry of Leicester.
Today, three of these locomotives have been preserved at heritage railways across the network, these being 46010 at the Great Central Railway; 46035 Ixion; and D182 (46045) at Midland Railway - Butterley.
n° 56 of 100
Bonhams
Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris
The Grand Palais Éphémère
Place Joffre
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2023
Estimated : € 60.000 - 90.000
Sold for € 63.250
Introduced at the Geneva Salon in March 1999, the DB7 Vantage was no mere high-performance version of the existing six-cylinder DB7 but an exciting new model powered by a state-of-the-art, all-alloy V12 engine, the first of this configuration to power a production Aston Martin. This 6-litre, quad-cam, 48-valve unit produced 420bhp and 400lb/ft of torque while meeting all current and projected emissions regulations, while there was a choice of two alternative transmissions: a new six-speed manual or ZF five-speed automatic with manually selectable ratios (Touchtronic). A top speed of 185mph was claimed for the Vantage coupé, 165mph for the Vantage Volante convertible.
To accommodate the new engine/transmission package, the existing DB7 bodyshell was re-engineered, acquiring a new frontal structure and an enlarged transmission tunnel. The result was a torsionally stiffer structure that exceeded all contemporary crash test requirements. Both front and rear suspension arrangements were developed specifically for this new model, incorporating revised linkages and special Bilstein shock absorbers. The 18" diameter wheels too were unique to the Vantage, which also featured cross-drilled and ventilated Brembo brakes and Teves electronic four-channel ABS.
The Vantage's introduction was the culmination of two years intensive development and testing that included hundreds of thousands of miles covered in climatic conditions ranging from arctic to desert, as well as continuous 30-day accelerated durability tests at MIRA. Notwithstanding all the DB7 Vantage's high tech attributes, its makers had not lost sight of customer expectations of what constituted an Aston Martin. Thus the Vantage's hand crafted interior featured traditional Connolly hide upholstery, and could be trimmed and equipped to an individual buyer's personal requirements. All the usual luxury appurtenances came as standard while clients could choose from an extensive list of options that included satellite navigation, fitted luggage and parking sensors.
This left-hand drive, automatic transmission DB7 Vantage Volante is one of only 55 Anniversary Edition cars, all finished in Slate Blue, built to celebrate the end of the model's production. The car was sold (it is believed new) to the current vendor on February 2005 by Aston Martin Antwerp.
Currently displaying a total of only 18,323 kilometres on the odometer, the car is offered with a Belgian registration document and copies of the original purchase invoice and manufacturer's Certificate of Conformity. A rare opportunity to acquire an example of what was once the ultimate soft-top Aston Martin for a fraction of the original €147,620 as-delivered price.
Ford Lotus Cortina Mk.1 (1963-66) Engine 1558cc S4 DOC Production 4012
Registration Number NRE 235 B (Staffordshire)
FORD UK SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...
The history of the Cortina Lotus began in 1961. Colin Chapman had been wishing to build his own engines for Lotus, mainly because the Coventry Climax unit was so expensive. Colin Chapman's chance came when he commissioned Harry Mundy (a close friend and designer of the Coventry Climax engine and technical editor for Autocar) to design a twin-cam version of the Ford Kent engine. Most of the development of the engine was done on the 997cc and 1,340cc bottom end, but in 1962 Ford released the 116E five bearing 1,499 cc engine and work centred on this. Keith Duckworth, from Cosworth, played an important part in tuning of the engine The engine's first appearance was in 1962 at the Nürburgring in a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark. Almost as soon as the engine appeared in production cars (Lotus Elan), it was replaced with a larger capacity unit of 1557cc
Whilst the engine was being developed, Walter Hayes (Ford) asked Colin Chapman if he would fit the engine to 1,000 Ford saloons for Group 2 homologation. The Type 28 or Lotus Cortina or Cortina Lotus (as Ford liked to call it) was duly launched. Ford supplied the 2-door Cortina bodyshells and took care of all the marketing and selling of the cars, whilst Lotus did all the mechanical and cosmetic changes. The major changes involved installing the 1,557 cc engine together with an Elan close ratio gearbox, he rear suspension was drastically altered and lightweight alloy panels were used for doors, bonnet and boot. Lightweight casings were fitted to gearbox and differential. All the Lotus factory cars were painted white with a green stripe (although Ford built some for racing in red, and one customer had a dark blue stripe due to being superstitious about green). The cars also received front quarter bumpers and round Lotus badges were fitted to rear wings and to the right side of the radiator grille.
Initially, the engines were built by J. A Prestwich of Tottenham and then Villiers of Wolverhampton. In 1966, Lotus moved to Hethel in Norwich where they had their own engine building facilities
To homologate the car for Group 2, 1000 were required to be built in 1963, and the car was duly homologated in September 1963. In the same month, in the car's first outing, in the Oulton Park Gold Cup, the car finished 3rd and 4th behind two Ford Galaxies, but beat the 3.8-litre Jaguars which had been dominant in saloon car racing for so long. Soon Ford were running cars in Britain, Europe, and the USA, with Team Lotus running cars in Britain for Ford, and Alan Mann Racing running cars in Europe, also on behalf of Ford. The Cortina Lotus was able to beat almost anything except the 7-litre V8 Ford Galaxies, and later, Ford Mustangs.
Diolch am 79,686,793 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 79,686,793 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 05.01.2020.at Bicester Heritage Centre, Bicester, Oxon 144-511
Speeding north with the 1S78 London Euston to Glasgow Central is an unidentified Virgin Trains Class 390 Pendolino unit.
Since their introduction in 2002, the Class 390 tilting Pendolino sets have revolutionised services on the West Coast Mainline, bringing about an entirely new level of speed onto a route notorious for its laboriously winding route. But with such a technological leap, the Class 390 has sadly paid the price for its image due to what it was replacing.
The idea of a tilting train on the West Coast Mainline was however not a new one to Alstom when they developed the Pendolino sets in the late 1990's, with the concept being toyed way back in the early 1970's. British Rail first pioneered the concept of the tilting train with the ill-fated Advanced Passenger Train or APT of the mid-1970's. The idea was to create a train that could shift its centre of gravity whilst moving around sharp bends at high speeds, similar to how a motorcyclist leans into corners. This was to not only allow the train to travel at higher speeds on winding track without fear of it falling over, but also to improve passenger comfort levels and stop people being pressed against the windows when taking corners!
The original APT was a Gas-Turbine unit that operated on the Midland Region out of London St Pancras, and was later followed by the Class 370 electric multiple unit that began trials on the West Coast Mainline from 1980. A truly brilliant concept, the APT showed the world that the idea of a tilting train could be possible, that is, when it worked. The Class 370 was marred by teething problems and reliability issues, mostly consisting of the fact that the tilting mechanism wouldn't work properly or there would be just general train faults. Coupled with the winter of 1981, the worst winter for many years, and the train's image was damaged beyond repair. Even while developments were looking promising, and with only a few million Pounds required to complete the project, the British Government pulled the plug and the APT was axed in 1986, with only one complete set remaining as a rather sorry museum piece. The train of the future had become a thing of the past.
But the developments of the APT were picked up by none-other than Fiat Ferroviaria, who, following the failure of their British rival, developed their own and much more successful tilting train, the ETR-401 Pendolino, which began operations in 1988. This was later translated into a fleet of 15 ETR 450 production units which became the first revenue earning tilting trains.
In 2000, Fiat Ferroviaria was acquired by Alstom, who has been building their legendary tilting trains ever since. This coincided with the formation of Virgin Trains following privatisation of British Rail in 1994. As part of Virgin Trains' franchise requirements in 1997, the company intended the replacement of the ageing BR stock of the 1960's with a new fleet of high speed trains that would reduce journey times and up travel quality. As such, Virgin turned to Fiat Ferroviaria and later successor Alstom to provide them with a derivative version of the company's latest tilting Pendolino, the ETR 460.
Fiat Ferroviaria supplied much of the content of the Class 390 units, including the bodyshell and the bogies, while final assembly was carried out at Washwood Heath. The tilting technology was developed by SIG Switzerland (later Fiat-SIG, today Alstom). Two electromechanical actuators are used per car to achieve the desired tilting angle on curved stretches of track. The train can tilt to a maximum of eight degrees, at which point one side of the cabin train is 380 mm higher above the track than the other. In contrast to other Fiat Ferroviaria tilting trains which use hydraulic tilting actuators, the electromechanical systems offers lower maintenance cost and higher efficiency.
The new trains were intended to run at 140mph, but the West Coast Main Line modernisation programme, which was an upgrade to the infrastructure to allow faster line speeds, ran over budget. Consequently, plans were scaled back, and in a manner reminiscent of the introduction of the InterCity 225, the lack of signalling upgrades resulted in the maximum line speed being restricted to 125mph. Although this (and 140mph) are well below BR's hopes for APT of 155mph, it does match the maximum speed of 125mph for the APT in passenger service (although one APT set reached 162mph in testing).
The fleet was introduced into passenger services from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on 23rd July, 2002, to coincide with the opening of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Over the next few months they took over the Manchester services, and were soon introduced on routes from London to Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton and Preston.
With the start of Class 390 operations, the writing was very much on the wall for the ageing sets of trains it was replacing, and thus the Class 390's image began to be somewhat tarnished amongst the railway purists. First to go were the Class 86's of the 1960's, proud high-speed locomotives that were once the mainstay of the WCML, withdrawn from service in 2003 following both the introduction of the Class 390's, and the Class 220/221 Voyager units on Cross-Country services. Next were the newer Class 90's of 1989, replaced in 2004 once Class 390's had been allocated to routes north of Preston. The final locomotive hauled trains were provided by the Class 87's of the 1970's, which held strong until final replacement in 2005, bringing an end to locomotive hauled services on the West Coast Mainline. From then on, the Class 86's have mostly been scrapped, whilst Class 90's were transferred to Anglia to replace their Class 86 fleet. Class 87's on the other hand have since been exported largely to Bulgaria, the few remaining here in the UK either being scrapped, placed in storage, or made into museum pieces. This left a great deal of animosity towards the Class 390's by the railway enthusiast community, who, even after 10 years, still have a strong hatred towards these trains.
The service improvements however are something that can't be taken away from the Class 390's as these trains have taken the original and comparatively sluggish 110mph top speed and translated it into the extremely fast 125mph running speed that BR had dreamt of for years. In September 2006, the Pendolino set a new speed record, completing the 401 mile length of the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow Central to London Euston in 3 hours, 55 minutes, beating the 4-hour-14-minute record for the southbound run previously set in 1981 by the Class 370 APT. The APT however retains the ultimate speed record for this route, having completed the northbound journey between London Euston and Glasgow Central in 3 hours 52 minutes in 1984 which included a 5-minute delay due to a signal fault.
Since then the Pendolino has become very much a staple of high speed train travel in the UK, and still looks good even 15 years after the first ones hit the test tracks back in 2001.
The Class 390 was put to the test however with 390033 'City of Glasgow', which was written off after the Grayrigg derailment of February 23rd, 2007. The accident had been caused by a points malfunction, which, after a failure to inspect by Network Rail, changed the direction of travel from normal and thus resulted in the entire set derailing and plummeting down an embankment at 95mph. The sturdy design and robust nature of the Class 390 has been attributed to the fact that only one person, an elderly lady, was killed in the disaster, whereas if the previous MkII carriages had been involved, the death-toll could have been much higher. As said, the unit was written off, and the less damaged rear carriages of the set now reside at the Crewe Training Centre and are used for the instruction of drivers and train crew. The subsequent destruction of one of the units led to Virgin Trains reinstating a loco-hauled service to cover its diagrams, this being in the form of a hired Class 90 (usually from Freightliner), a set of 9 MkIII coaches, and a Driving Van Trailer. This train operated covering diagrams until November 2014, when it was retired and transferred to Greater Anglia.
Since 2007 the Class 390's have had their fleet enhanced from the original 53 sets to 57 with the addition of 4 new units between 2011 and 2012. The introduction of these new sets coincided with the extension of 31 sets to 11-cars, with new carriages built and imported from Alstom's factory in Italy, the first routine 11-car InterCity train to operate in the UK since the 1970's.
Today the Class 390's continue to ply their merry trade, and remain vital parts of the UK's high speed network, bringing Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and London closer together than they've ever been before.
Unfortunately the actual model got lost in the tribulations of time.
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In August 1962 production of the Taunus P1 came to an end. The car was replaced by the Taunus P4 which retained the “Taunus 12M” name, but applied it to a Ford’s first German built front-wheel drive model, powered by a modern compact V4 engine.
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Ford Taunus P4 - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Production 1962–1966
Assembly Cologne-Niehl, Germany. Genk, Belgium
Powertrain: Engine 1183 cc V4 cylinder water-cooled
1498 cc V4 cylinder water-cooled
The Ford Taunus 12 M was a small family saloon/sedan produced by Ford of Germany between September 1962 and August 1966. The Taunus 12M name had been used for the car’s predecessor and it would apply also to subsequent Ford models which is why the 12M introduced in 1962 is usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P4. It was the fourth newly designed German Ford to be launched after the war and for this reason it was from inception known within the company as Ford Project 4 (P4) or the Ford Taunus P4.
More unusually, the car was originally designed not for production in Germany but to be produced in North America and sold as the Ford Cardinal, a home-grown competitor for the Volkswagen. A last minute change of strategy saw the US production plans cancelled, and in 1960 Ford of Germany received a fully developed modern new design which they adapted for German conditions in order to replace their own by now badly outdated Ford Taunus P1.
North American design
The 1952 Ford Taunus had received a stylish new body, but its engine was little changed from the (originally British designed) unit fitted in 1935 to the Ford Eifel and other underpinnings, including its rear axle and suspension, were little changed from those of the 1939 Ford Taunus G93A. By contrast, the P4, originally designed for large scale manufacture in North America, was technically innovative, featuring a newly developed compact V4 engine which would provide the basis for engines designed and produced by Ford of Germany for twenty years. The Taunus P4 was also a front-wheel drive design at a time when other German auto-makers were still avoiding what was then seen as an unnecessarily complicated lay-out.
The decision, taken only after the new model had been prepared for production, not to build the Ford Cardinal in North America was the result of a review of “marketing opportunities” in the US market. In 1960 a prototype was delivered to Ford in Cologne. The form of the model that emerged from the production line at Koln-Niehl two years later would be unchanged. The single all-red rear light cluster was seen as a tell-tale sign of the car’s US provenance at a time when rear-mounted direction indicator lights on European cars still tended to be separate from the other light units or at least to use separate bulbs. The dished steering wheel was another feature not normally found in European designs of the time.
The Taunus P4 came to market in September 1962: it enjoyed a reasonably positive reception. It was obviously a modern car. Its North American designers had come up with a car that was far larger and more spacious than the standard set by the Volkswagen which by now dominated the small sedan class in Germany. Unfortunately P4s suffered from numerous different teething troubles, however, suggesting that adaptation of the car to German conditions may have been a somewhat rushed exercise. Over its four-year model life the Taunus 12M was produced at an averaged rate of more than 150,000 per year which made a useful contribution to the sales figures, but did very little to trouble the market dominance in the small car sector of the Volkswagen Beetle which at this time was held back chiefly by shortage of production capacity.
The new V4 engine was mounted well to the front of the car, its centre ahead of the front wheels. It incorporated a balance shaft in order to try to compensate for some of the imbalance resulting from the unconventional positioning of the four crank pins in relation to the three bearings for the crankshaft. At this stage commentators nevertheless found the V4 unit “rougher” and noisier than comparable in-line units. The water pump and thermostat were housed in a sealed unit permanently protected by anti-freeze. The fan was thermostatically controlled which was still an unusual feature at this time. An eye catching feature introduced under the bonnet/hood in 1964 was color-coding on the rocker cover according to the engine type. 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) engines were coded green, 50 PS (37 kW; 49 hp) blue and 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp) red. (The 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp) version was replaced in the same year by the more powerful 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp) unit.)
The modern compact V4 engine placed Ford of Germany in the hitherto unfamiliar position of setting the pace, and the company were able to sell the unit to other smaller European manufacturers. This was the engine that Saab later used for their 96 model after they abandoned their commitment to two-stroke power. Ford’s compact V4 engine also found its way into the unusual Matra 530 sports car.
Power was transferred through a single dry plate clutch to the front wheels. The four-speed manual gear box featured synchromesh on all four ratios, and was controlled by means of a column-mounted lever. The universal joints necessary to combine power transmission with steering and suspension functions involved a combination of engineering and materials technologies which at the time was still regarded as “leading edge” although front-wheel drive applied to lighter cars with s lighter and less powerful engines had become mainstream in Germany over the three previous decades, following the pioneering application of the various technologies involved in Auto Union’s DKW badged small cars.
Along with the innovative front wheel drive, an idiosyncratic feature at the front of the Taunus P4 involved the front suspension arms which were connected to the engine/gearbox block, thereby fulfilling an unconventional supporting function. Above them, the transversely mounted leaf-springs were linked to a cross-member which was attached to the floor pan, and thereby part of the monocoque bodyshell. In Autumn 1964 the various elements were rearranged and it became possible significantly to soften the front suspension: after this it was reported that the level of engine vibration reaching the driver was much reduced. However, these rearrangements also incorporated a weakening of the anti-roll control at the front of the car which now was in danger of leaning excessively when cornering. This effect was countered by the substitution of more firmly set up shock absorbers while two additional support connections were added at the front in order to make the steering and tracking more precisely controllable.
At the end of 1964 disc brakes replaced drums on the front axle. (Ford’s larger sister model, the Ford Taunus P3, had received this same upgrade the previous year.)
The Taunus P4 used a 6 volt electrical system which was by now becoming unusual in Germany, although at this stage the Volkswagen Beetle, too, had not yet migrated to a 12 volt electrical system.
Taunus P4s came as two or four-door saloon/sedans. A three-door station wagon was also offered: this did not use the “Turnier” appellation from the larger 17M station wagon, although the “Turnier” name would later become used by Ford of Germany for all their station wagons. The station wagon also provided the basis for a panel van. In addition Ford offered a factory built two-door coupé which was in effect simply a two-door saloon/sedan with a shortened roof-line and a steeply raked rear window. The coupe provided exactly the same interior space as the two-door saloon/sedan up to the level of the car’s waistline, but head-room for those on the back-seat was severely restricted.
The rear light units each had an all-red cover and contained only two bulbs. One of the bulbs operated as a conventional brake light. The other rear light bulb contained two filaments, one of which came one with the light switch and the second of which flashed when the turn indicator switch was used, so following traffic saw just a single light becoming successively and rhythmically brighter and less bright when the car was about to turn. The effect will have been unremarkable to North American drivers, but triggered comment in Europe. Here, even where single piece rear light units are fitted, rear indicator lights were and are normally included in their own separate part of the overall light cluster units.
The principal changes during the car's four-year production run took place under the skin, and received only muffled publicity since many involved suspension modifications which a slower and more careful development process might have made unnecessary.
A significant change in the light of subsequent developments was the transfer of production from Ford's German plant to a newly opened modern plant at Genk, in Belgian Limburg, an hour to the west of the company's Cologne head office. Initially the P4 was built exclusively at Ford's Cologne plant, but from August 1963 the P4 became Genk's first volume model and by the time the P4 was replaced three years later almost all the cars were being produced there. The Genk plant subsequently became the lead plant and then the sole plant for production of the Ford Sierra before being retooled for the launch of the front wheel drive Mondeo.
During 142 days in 1963 a standard specification Ford Taunus 12M travelled 356,273 kilometers (221,378 mi) round a disused race track at Miramas at an average speed of 106.48 km/h (66.18 mph). The resulting publicity will have been intended to counter the adverse impression created by the P4’s early teething troubles.
The Taunus P4 was replaced in 1966 by the Ford Taunus P6 which followed broadly the same architecture but was slightly larger, and therefore even more spacious than the Volkswagen, Germany’s top selling small car throughout this period.
By the time of its replacement the Taunus P4 had notched up sales of 672,695 during a four-year production run. The sales total was a significant improvement on the sales volumes achieved by its predecessor, but the overall market size was also growing during the early 1960s, and within its class the Ford 12M was pushed into third place on the domestic market by the reappearance in the segment of Opel, reviving with a new model the Opel Kadett which, like the Ford, appeared in 1962. The Kadett was replaced by an improved model after only three years by when the Kadett’s three-year production volume of 649,512 was less than 5% short of the total production achieved by the Ford over four years. (Wikipedia).
2020 Land Rover Defender 90 review: more than worth the wait
5/5
The pre-lockdown launch of the Defender 110 showed the model's on- and off-road potential but the three-door 90 is the one we wanted to try
By
Andrew English,
MOTORING CORRESPONDENT
2 November 2020 • 8:47am
This has been a “mast year” when the fruiting trees turn it up to 11 and scatter the forest floor with cob nuts, acorns, conkers and chestnuts. I know this because I pocketed a feast’s worth of chestnuts in the steeply wooded hills around Land Rover’s famed test facility at Eastnor Castle last week while I waited for the caravan of new Defenders to catch up.
Motoring hacks blithely witter on about driving over terrain you couldn’t stand up on, but watching David Sneath, Land Rover’s driving experience manager and architect of this tortuous launch route, slide down the gloop like Bambi in wellingtons, was a hilarious exercise in mud overcoming friction.
This was the 1989 qualifying route for the Land Rover-organised G4 Challenge contestants, blazed through the Herefordshire hills that are still used to hone the company’s renowned off-road vehicles.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
The 90 maintains momentum on Eastnor Castle's horrendously muddy trails - on road tyres CREDIT: David Shepherd
Tough? What do you think? They’ve got names for most of it, like Nine Rope Hill; a commendable description if you don’t attack it with enough spirit and skill.
The best 4x4 by far
“The best 4x4 by far,” was what they used to say at Land Rover, and in most cases they still are. This £43,625, almost base model Defender 90 had just hauled me through a few miles of sopping, slippery mire you wouldn’t tackle on a goat with crampons and apart from the mistakes of its driver (requiring a short reverse and a bit more commitment next time) it didn’t miss a beat.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
When the going gets tough... CREDIT: Simon Thompson
In one of the Defender-sized potholes, the 2.25 tonne, short-wheelbase 90 actually floated, but gradually settled and with all four wheels spinning like demon Catherine wheels it slowly emerged from the swamp, headlights gleaming like the fierce eyes of Kampos, the mythological Greek sea monster.
Did I mention this was on road tyres? The 20-inch Goodyear Wranglers are the middle all-terrain tyre option costing an extra £275, and the treads were so full of mud they looked like slicks, but they were still extraordinarily effective.
The only other option fitted to this stubby new Defender, which goes on sale this autumn for delivery in December, was the £1,020 locking rear differential.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
The all-terrain tyre option is a bargain at £275 for the set CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
A worthwhile addition I’d suggest, as we simply dialled in low ratio on the transmission control panel in the centre of the facia, the mud-and-ruts setting on the Terrain Response control, pushed the button for hill descent control and switched off the dynamic stability control (which stays on but reduces its effect) before waddling into the forest and emerging again a couple of hours later; very muddy but still grinning.
Under the skin
Built at Land Rover’s Slovakian factory on a modified Range Rover aluminium monocoque frame called D7X (X for extreme), the Defender is stronger than the old-fashioned body-on-frame construction of the previous Defender. Off-road body and suspension geometry are also Land Rover’s most extreme. There are no shared panels with the Range Rover and reinforcing everywhere, including beefed-up front and rear steel subframes.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
The 90's shorter wheelbase makes it more agile on the road as well as in the rough. Air or all-steel suspension is offered CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
Suspension on the short-wheelbase 90 is all-independent wishbone front and integral link rear, with a choice of air or coil-springs-and-dampers steel suspension. The steel set-up is cheaper, arguably more robust if less accommodating on the road, and reduces the ground clearance by 70mm. All the longer-wheelbase 110 models have air suspension as standard.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
A six-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid system is offered alongside four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel units CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
Engine choices comprise a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel with 197bhp or 236bhp; a 296bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol also with four cylinders, called P300; and a 394bhp, 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo petrol with a mild hybrid system, badged P400. A full plug-in hybrid will be introduced at the end of the year.
All the cars are permanent four-wheel drive with the only transmission being a ZF eight-speed automatic and a set of low-ratio crawler gears.
A sense of occasion inside
Climb in to a Defender of whatever trim level and the sense of occasion is palpable. There genuinely is nothing like this car’s facia, with its magnesium-alloy twin spars running across the dash, the straightforward oblong display and switch panels, and the clear and mostly concise digital instrument binnacle.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
English can't stifle a grin as he puts the 90 through its paces CREDIT: Simon Thompson
I think they could have made the off-road controls more separate and clearer; while the vehicle will do most things, to get it to do that you need to know which buttons to press and that isn’t always obvious.
There’s a long storage tray in front of the passenger, facia-top air vents and the stubby gearlever. One welcome inclusion is the centre seat option, with a full-height seat back that folds flat when not in use. When it is in use, however, you lose the use of the rear-view mirror and though the ‘clear sight’ camera option gets around the issue, it takes some getting used to and the picture is affected by low sun.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
It's comfortable, stylish and durable, too. Note the optional fold-down third seat in the front CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
No one should buy a Defender without the excellent £173 fitted rubber mats option which cover every surface and the door trims in ballistic-grade nylon. The big handles and bare bolt heads are more than just an attractive pastiche of military all-terrain vehicles, they’re genuinely practical, and while I would hesitate to introduce a hose to the equation, you can sponge out this vehicle.
I set my motorcycle TomTom navigation unit to its ‘Wild Ride’ setting and followed the little arrow through Hereford’s cider country, stopping at Newton Court Cidery to buy some bottles of elixir for Mrs English. “Please park here and honk for cider,” said the sign. I did and proprietor Paul Stephens rushed out to see the new Landie, taking photographs and admiring its looks.
He immediately picked up on the low sill height, commenting that “you can just brush it straight out on to the ground.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
Rear seat occupants sit slightly higher than those in the front CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
“Go to Hereford market and you’ll see loads of these things parked up,” he said, gesturing at his venerable Series 2 Land Rover in the yard. “But after you’ve towed a trailer for a couple of hours, you’ll know you’ve been on a journey and folk are starting to look for replacements.”
His cider was excellent by the way…
Three doors and off-road geometry doesn’t make access to the rear seats the easiest, but while it’s a bit of clamber once you are in the back there’s leg and head space to spare for three adults and the seats are pretty comfortable.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
The three-door bodyshell dictates a much smaller load area than the 110 version. The rubber mats are well worth specifying CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
Rear passengers sit higher than those in the front, so they can see the road (or trail) ahead over the heads of front occupants; it’s what Land Rover calls “stadium seating”. All passengers get a rather wonderful feeling of splendid isolation from the environment, whereas in the long-in-the-tooth previous Defender a great deal of that environment would be doing its best to get inside with you.
The rear seats split 40/20/40, with the middle one also acting as a ski hole.
Options and accessory packs
There are three basic models (Defender, First Edition and X, which is the six-cylinder mild hybrid), then three trim options (S, SE and HSE) and a series of accessory packs: Adventure (with an in-built compressor and rinse system); Country (wheel arch protection, mud flaps and rinse system), Explorer (roof rack and ladder) and Urban (spare wheel cover, scuff plates and alloy trim).
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
The interior is indubitably modern in all respects CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
Using an update on the electronic architecture of the current Range Rover models, the new Defender is indubitably up to date. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, together with a 10-inch touchscreen.
The Defender also gets Land Rover's new Pivi software, which allows the connection of two smartphones at once. It comes with camera, radar and ultrasonic safety sensors for the automatic braking, lane-keeping assistance and the plethora of modern driver assistance systems. It can even update its 14 modules over the internet while the car is parked.
On the road
Air or steel suspension can’t completely hide the Defender’s dual purpose and the body moves around more than, say, a German SUV rival, or a Discovery.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
It's not half bad on the road either - light years ahead of its antediluvian predecessor CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
There’s a slightly choppy side-to-side tossing even if the front suspension feels supple rather than pillowy soft. It’s well to remember, however, just how much of an improvement this is over the old model, which if you tried to drive in the same way would exit stage left at the earliest opportunity.
There’s a fair bit of body roll at the front and the steering, while feeling beautifully progressive off the dead-ahead position, isn’t as positive and accurate as the Range Rover Sport, say. But you can move along with alacrity in the Defender, with a comfortable and well-damped ride, and without the spine-jarring jolting of the old Defender. After two and half hours behind the wheel, it still felt comfortable.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
To our mind, the 90 looks better than the longer 110 version and is more reminiscent of the original Land Rover of 1948 CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
Of the current engine options, the 394bhp, 3.0-litre straight-six turbo petrol is the most powerful, but it’s almost too much. Not that you feel at risk, but sitting so far off the ground the acceleration is gosh-wobblingly fast and at times it’s as though you inadvertently became a hapless extra in a Bond film car chase.
Having driven the diesel options in the 110 earlier in the year, the 295bhp/394lb ft P300 puts up a good account of itself, with brisk acceleration and enough torque to keep this 2.270-tonne vehicle rolling even at low revs, although with a WLTP fuel economy of 24.6mpg it is quite a thirsty option.
The ZF gearbox changes smoothly and assuredly, and if it’s occasionally slow to respond that’s entirely in keeping with the Defender’s slightly more gentle approach. The brakes are worthy of note, too, being progressive and strong but not over-sensitive, so you can drive smoothly in wellies.
Land Rover Defender 90 commercial
A commercial version with a hard-top roof will be available in 2021
While the D200 and D250 turbodiesels are more expensive to purchase initially, their lower operating costs means that commercial operators will likely take them, or the forthcoming plug-in hybrid. Talking of which, the £35,000 plus VAT commercial Defender hard-top will be available early next year.
Conclusion
Look out of the Defender’s large front screen and a world of adventure and potential beckons, even on the humblest of drives. Get the settings and tyres right and you could retrace Lewis and Clark’s early 18th century expeditions across America.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
The new Defender has the most extreme off-roading specification of any current Land Rover product CREDIT: David Shepherd
Get the engine right and you could do the Paris-Dakar off-road race. Yet even trundling down to the shops, there’s an unmistakable impression of strength and security as well as a sense of occasion.
And before you point to the far Eastern opposition, don’t forget that a lot of excellent 4x4s aren’t sold in the UK any more and when they are, it’s very expensive.
Obviously, reliability is the key if you are asking a farmer, builder or an emergency service to place their faith in such an accomplished yet untried machine. Get that right and I’ll vouchsafe that Land Rover won’t be able to build them fast enough.
And while most (60 per cent) of folk will buy the long-wheelbase 110, for my money the greater agility, more pleasing proportions and sheer fun of the 90 would be my choice and I’ll give it five stars to boot.
Land Rover Defender 90 - tested 22/10/20
Want one? We certainly do CREDIT: Nick Dimbleby
THE FACTS
Land Rover Defender 90 P300 SE
TESTED 1,998cc, four-cylinder turbo petrol, eight-speed automatic gearbox with selectable low-ratio crawler gears, four-wheel drive
PRICE/ON SALE from £43,625/now for first deliveries in December
POWER/TORQUE 295bhp @ 5,500rpm/394lb ft @ 1,500rpm
TOP SPEED 119mph
ACCELERATION 0-62mph in 7.1sec
FUEL ECONOMY 24.6mpg (WLTP high)
CO2 EMISSIONS 260g/km (WLTP)
VED £2,175 first year, £475 next five years, then £150
VERDICT We already knew that the new Defender was pretty good in long-wheelbase 110 form but the shorter 90 version is, if anything, even better. With better dynamics, off-road agility and the same lovely interior, it is a complete star – and it looks terrific, too. Time and Land Rover’s reliability will determine how it goes down with the company’s traditional commercial markets, but on this evidence it should be out there doing the tough jobs for years to come.
TELEGRAPH RATING Five stars out of five
THE RIVALS
Toyota Land Cruiser, from £35,295
The all-terrain vehicle of choice for UN peacekeepers and pretty much everyone else, though we don't get the full-size Amazon version any more. £35k gets you a base three-door with a 310lb ft, 2.7-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel running on steel wheels and with a pared-down interior festooned with huge, simple buttons. A five-door seven-seater with the same drivetrain and snazzier trim and wheels is £59,000. Pug ugly, with a body-on-frame construction, but super reliable and brilliant off-road, the Landcruiser is a formidable rival to the new Defender.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class, from £92,070
Undertaking a complete redesign of the car that up to last year was largely unchanged since 1979 was similar to the task which Land Rover faced with the Defender. That Mercedes-Benz kept closer to the roots of the hand-built, military-derived Geländewagen says much about the differences in approach and resources of the two companies. Still awesome off-road and now much better on Tarmac, the G-class is very expensive and very capable.
Mitsubishi Shogun Sport, from £39,140
They closed the Shogun production line and delivered the last 700 European-spec models last year. Now Mitsubishi is mulling a replacement, and this is what we get to fill the gap. It's smaller than the full-fat Shogun, tows only 3.1 tonnes and shares its body-on-frame underpinnings with the L200 pick-up. Mitsubishi says the market for full-size working SUVs is dwindling, but is it right?
Bollinger Motors B1, from $125,000 USD
Looking like a Defender scanned at 150 per cent in the photocopier, the new B1 SUV is built in Detroit, Michigan. Two motors, one in front and one rear, have a total output of 614bhp and 668lb ft, which with a 120kWh lithium-ion battery pack ensures a range of about 200 miles, with eight to nine hours of off-road duty. Each motor has its own gearbox, which gives a high and low range of gears and even in low range these beasts are capable of 68mph and 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. Also available as a pick-up and a chassis cab. Forget Tesla's Cybertruck, if you want a working battery SUV, this is what you need.
Seen at night parked in Millton Police Station Compound.
1:76. OO Gauge by Oxford Diecast. 76MA003. Mercedes Sprinter chassis.
Oxford have been very clever here. This is the same bodyshell and casting used for the Ambulance. With Silver colour scheme, clever printing of details and different blue light bars front and rear, it transforms the vehicle into something just as believable and not far off the real thing.
1955 Chryslers were completely restyled, a more modern lower roofline and wraparound windscreen. 1956 got more of a forward look. Tail fins introduced for the first time.
Models available were the Windsor Deluxe, the New Yorker and the 300B.
In 1955, the Imperial was launched and registered as a separate marque, apart from the Chrysler brand.
The platform and bodyshell was shared with the other big Chryslers, but the Imperial had a wheelbase that was 4.0 inches longer, it had a wide-spaced split egg-crate grille, the same as that used on the Chrysler 300, and had free-standing 'gunsight' taillights mounted above the rear quarters.
Three models were available; C69 Imperial Newport 2 door Hardtop Coupe, C69 Imperial Newport 4 door Sedan and the C70 Imperial Crown Limousine.
Engine; 280hp 354 cu in Hemi V8
Photograph taken at the Gold Coast Motor Museum
Coachwork by Henri Chapron
Chassis n° 4609606
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Estimated : € 190.000 - 220.000
Sold for € 207.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2019
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2019
Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary Traction Avant, Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering.
The project had been initiated in the 1930s by the company's managing director, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and would be brought to fruition by designers Andre Lefebvre, previously with Voisin and Renault, and Flaminio Bertoni, who had worked on the styling of the pre-war Traction Avant. Part of Boulanger's brief had been that the proposed 'VGD' (Voiture de Grand Diffusion or Mass Market Car) should be capable of affording a comfortable ride over sub-standard rural roads while remaining stable at sustained high speeds on the Autoroutes. The solution to these seemingly incompatible requirements was the famous hydro-pneumatic suspension, suggested by Citroën engineer Paul Mages. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival until recently in top-of-the-range models.
In September 1965 the DS's original 1,911cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine – inherited from the Traction Avant - was replaced by a short-stroke 1,985cc unit, also available in 2,175cc and 2,347cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox. Other models offered alongside the original DS were the ID (a simplified, cheaper version), the cavernous Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron. Chapron's first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroën but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing. Built by Chapron, Citroën's own Décapotables were erected on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate). In total, 1,365 usine (factory) convertibles were made with either the DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.
Built in 1967 and first registered in 1968, this matching-numbers DS 21 Décapotable has the most desirable hydraulic semi-automatic gearbox and retains its original registration, '6394 UY 75'. We're advised by the vendor that this DS remained with the first owner until 1988 when it was sold to a Parisian professor of psychology, Mr Ike Benzakein. This car has belonged to only two families since it left the factory.
In 1990, Mr Benzakein commenced a restoration to the highest standard; the chassis, body, engine, transmission, hydraulics, interior, and convertible hood all being restored to 'as new' condition, while the car was repainted in Bleu Antartique, a colour that was available in 1967. Today, this DS remains in outstanding condition; fastidiously maintained, it runs and drives superbly. Restoration bills are on file and the car also comes with its original plates and a French Carte Grise. An eye-catcher at any gathering, this magnificent and rare piece of French motoring history is 'on the button' and ready to be enjoyed.
The 1949-51 third generation Mercury adopted a pontoon appearance, the bodyshell now shared with the 1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan (the headlights and grille distinguishing the two vehicles).
Models available in 1949 were; the 72 2 door Coupe, the 74 4 door Sedan, the 76 2 door Convertible and 79 2 door Wagon (wood panel sides).
The 1949 Mercury Eight became the definitive lead sled.
Engine; 110hp 255 cu in Flathead V8
James Dean drove this car in the 1955 movie Rebel Without a Cause
2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Empty body shell of a 1934-1952 Citroën Traction Avant on a trailer, ready for transportation.
The Citroën Traction Avant was designed by a team lead by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni.
Production TA: 1934-1957.
Number seen: 1.
Probably near Besançon (Doubs, Fr.), Avenue de la 7ème Armée Américaine, D683, Aug. 19, 2016.
© 2016 Sander Toonen Amsterdam | All Rights Reserved