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"The Audi 90 Quattro IMSA GTO was a specialised version of the Quattro intended for racing in the IMSA GT Championship. Entered into the 1989 IMSA GT Championship by Audi Of America and driven by Hans-Joachim Stuck, the Quattro GTO was essentially a standard Group B Audi Quattro with a silhouette bodyshell and an all-wheel drive drivetrain"
Apparently this car has since become one of the most iconic and revered IMSA cars of all time. I'm none the wiser if i'm honest ;-p but does explain why Hot Wheels have finally released a miniature version.
Very hyped at the moment though I was lucky enough to find two at a B&M Bargains recently as part of a large Case F haul.
Mint and boxed.
Engine: 112hp, Peugeot-Citroën "DV6 Monde"1.6 TurboDiesel from late 407 & C5, Ford Mondeo, Volvo S40/V50
Fibreglass bodyshell
Madagascar, Indian Ocean
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 Nomad two-door Hardtop Wagon shown here is considered to be a sub-variant of the Bel Air series, and was not available in any other trim level. The car shared a long arc chrome strip with the 210 model, which drooped at the tail and split the body in models with two-tone paint. The roof was paired to the upper bodysides (behind a vertical chromed trim feature half way along the car), along with the trunk, while the hood matched the upper bodyside, ahead of the vertical split (just behind the front door), along with the painted surface under the horizontal arc.
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.
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 Nomad two-door Hardtop Wagon shown here is considered to be a sub-variant of the Bel Air series, and was not available in any other trim level. The car shared a long arc chrome strip with the 210 model, which drooped at the tail and split the body in models with two-tone paint. The roof was paired to the upper bodysides (behind a vertical chromed trim feature half way along the car), along with the trunk, while the hood matched the upper bodyside, ahead of the vertical split (just behind the front door), along with the painted surface under the horizontal arc.
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.
The obligatory Default outfit photoset with Aqua.
I actually dont like her as a character, and mainly got the doll because the faceup was the first tolerable from volks in a while, and as a minor surprise bonus the new DD F3 V2.0 body.
All poses are done without supports, and none of the poses are anything new that I havent done before, even with a DD2.
The V2.0 is still mostly the same style F3 frame underneath, with its irritations in a tweaked bodyshell, and the only real improvement has come from the neck notch, which has been a known retrofit for previous bodies since the DD2.
Timișoara Tram 00755 is a modernised ex-Bremen Wegmann GT4e tram and seen near the Spitalul de Copii stop on a Gare de Nord (main railway station) service 1. The tram was formally numbered 3515 a GT4e originally built in 1974 for the German City of Bremen.
A consortium of Electroputere VFU Pașcani and Astra Vagoane Călători Arad won a E14.4m contract in 2014 to refurbish up to 30 trams over four years for the 600V dc standard-gauge network.
The trams feature a new steel bodyshell, GRP front and rear ends, digital passenger information screens and air-conditioning.
The modern looking units are electronically limited to 50km/h (30mph) and work most lines.
iPhone 7+
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
Fleischmann Group 4 Body Kit
One of the great names in post-war French motor sport, Alpine was the brainchild of Dieppe garagiste's son, Jean Rédélé, who began in the early 1950s by developing a competition version of the popular little Renault 4CV. From this he developed the first Alpine: the A106 with Renault 4CV running gear and streamlined coupé bodywork. Presented to Régie Renault in July 1955, the A106 set the trend for a range of sports cars culminating in the A610 of the mid-1990s. Glassfibre bodies and rear-mounted production engines remained a common theme for 40 years.
By 1958 Rédélé was using a tubular-steel backbone chassis, and in 1961 he introduced the A108 Berlinette Tour de France, which was developed into a potent - often unbeatable - rally car. For 1963 Alpine launched the A110 Berlinette, which became the mainspring of production. Produced from 1962 through to 1977, this charismatic sports two-seater rivalled the Porsche 911 for performance while being even more exclusive: the hand-built Alpines left the factory at the rate of only 10 per week. Its rearward weight bias gave the A110 outstanding cornering characteristics for rallying, in which Alpine's achievements included two Monte Carlo Rally victories and the first World Rally Championship for Makes.
Alpine's next development was the larger, 2+2-seater A310. First seen at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, the A310 was initially powered by the four-cylinder 1,6-litre Renault 17 TS engine, tuned by Gordini, and followed the established formula of a tubular-steel backbone chassis clothed in a one-piece glassfibre bodyshell. Restyled in 1976 by Robert Opron, it was fitted with the new 'PRV' 2,7-litre V6 engine developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo. With around 150 bhp on tap, the A310 was Renault's performance flagship, racing to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7,8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph). In Group 4 specification the A310 enjoyed considerable success in rallying at national level, works driver Guy Frèquelin winning the French Rally Championship in 1977. A little over 9.000 V6-engined A310s had been made when production ceased in 1984.
Bonhams : the Chantilly Sale
Sold for € 29.900
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
September 2017
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Sold for € 44.850
Zoute Grand Prix 2017
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2017
A 'modern classic' if ever there was one, Porsche's long-running 911 arrived in 1964, replacing the 356. The latter's rear-engined layout was retained, but the 911 switched to unitary construction for the bodyshell and dropped the 356's VW-based suspension in favor of a more modern McPherson strut and trailing arm arrangement. In its first incarnation, Porsche's single-overhead-camshaft, air-cooled flat six engine displaced 1.991 cc and produced 130 bhp; progressively enlarged and developed, it would eventually grow to more than 3,0 liters and, in turbo-charged form, put out well over 300 horsepower.
The first of countless upgrades to Porsche's perennial 911 came in 1966 with the introduction of the 911S. Easily distinguished by its stylish Fuchs five-spoke alloy wheels, the 'S' featured a heavily revised engine producing 160 bhp, the increased urge raised top speed by 10mph to 135 mph. A lengthened wheelbase introduced in 1969 improved the 911's handling, and then in 1970 the air-cooled, 'flat six' engine underwent the first of many enlargements - to 2,2 liters.
In 1974, all 911 variants received the 2,7-liter unit, hitherto reserved for the Carrera, when the latter went to 3,0 liters. Although in non-Carrera tune the 2,7-liter unit made slightly less power than the old 2,4, it had been skillfully reworked to produce significantly more torque over a much wider rev range and offered noticeably improved acceleration. Coupled to a tolerance of low-lead fuel, vastly superior fuel consumption, and increased tank capacity, the new 911 proved superior to its predecessor in every way as a fast, long-distance tourer. The interior and seats was re-designed with more comfortable seats, and the safety-bumpers was successfully integrated, without changing the 911s pure design.
Over the past 40 years few sports cars have proved as versatile as Porsche's legendary 911, a model that has proved equally capable as a Grand Tourer, circuit racer or rally car. Success in the latter role came only a few years after its introduction, when works driver Vic Elford became European Rally Champion in 1967. In the modern era, the 911 has established itself as one of the most popular and successful sports cars, and remains nothing short of an automotive icon.
The exceptional Porsche 911S 2,7 offered here is one of very few finished at the factory in the era-evoking special order color of Salmon Metallic. The new Porsche was completed at the Zuffenhausen-based works on October 20th, 1974 as a 1975 model-year 911S Coupe. The Salmon Metallic exterior was neatly color-coded by the Cinnamon Leatherette interior with matching carpets, and the new 911S was optioned with sunroof, 6x15 light metal wheels, stabilizer bars, Koni shock absorbers, 5-speed manual transmission and Michelin tires.
According to the original Castrol New Car Owner Protection Plan located in the cars impressive history file, the first owner was a Mr. Martin Yacoobian, Jr. of Tarzana, California. Merlin Olsen Porsche Audi Inc. of Encino, California was the selling dealer. By 1995, the Salmon Metallic 911S was in the hands of a Mr. John Farsakian of Thousand Oaks, California, with whom the car is believed to have remained until 2007. The consignor, a Danish Porsche enthusiast, purchased the car in California in February of 2008. It is believed, that the 911S lived in the greater Los Angeles-area from new until then, benefiting from the dry, Southern Californian climate. In April 2008, North Hollywood, California-based TLG Porsche Service replaced the original clutch with a new unit, and installed the crucial oil-fed chain tensioners, while performing an engine out service. The drive shafts were serviced at this point as well.
The car has resided in a climate controlled garage in Denmark since the summer of 2008. A professional respray in the original Salmon Metallic color was carried out in 2012, but many surfaces, such as the door jambs and front compartment, were left in the original paint. The interior, including the carpets, remain in original condition, and speaks for the gentle use this fine Porsche has seen over the years. In fact, the odometer reading of less than 91.000 is indeed believed to be the actual mileage from new. This well-kept 911S 2.7 Sunroof Coupe retains its original matching numbers engine, and is offered with the Porsche issued Certificate of Authenticity, US-Title with EU-duties paid, receipts, books, tools, jack and original spare wheel.
Powering north with the Southampton Docks to Halewood Jaguar empty car wagons is DB Schenker Class 66, 66101, one of only a handful of these locomotives painted in DB Schenker red.
One of Britain's, and indeed Europe's, most numerous diesel locomotives, the Class 66 has become the face of nearly every freight operating rail company on the UK network, a simple, utilitarian design with an enormous, powerful engine. But with it's popularity among rail companies came a price, as it is often listed as one of the most hated locomotives ever to hit the UK rails, largely because of the slew of older BR classic locomotives it replaced from the late 1990's onward.
But is it really deserving of such a bum rap?
By the mid-1990's it was apparent that a majority of the ex-British Rail locomotives were well beyond their bloom of youth. Aside from the Class 58's of 1983, the Class 60's of 1989, and the American built Class 59's of 1985, most locomotives in the service of freight companies were coming up to 30 or 40 years old, and reliability was a major issue. Years of under-investment in the BR freight sector Railfreight Distribution, had resulted in a fleet comprised of decrepit diesels such as the Class 37's and Class 47's, being worked into the ground to keep the company rolling. Although the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 was a catalyst to investments for freight trains working those particular trunk routes to the South East, with the construction of the Class 92's and the refurbishment of Wembley based Class 47's, the remainder of the freight operators, by this time led by shadow franchises Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline, were left with a fleet that was slowly dying before their eyes. Class 47's, especially, needed a major overhaul every seven years, costing £400,000; yet had an average daily availability of less than 65% with only 16 days between major failures.
Enter Wisconsin Central, who, in 1996, bought the three franchises together with Railfreight Distribution and mail operator Rail Express Systems to create EWS, or English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. As part of the franchise commitment, the intention was to replace the ageing diesel fleet with a standard design that would reduce maintenance and operating costs substantially, with higher levels of reliability and efficiency. Looking at the fleet of diesels in general, it was noted that among the most reliable classes in the UK were the small fleet of 15 Class 59's, built by General Motors between 1985 and 1995 for private Aggregate operators such as Foster Yeoman and Hanson, as well as energy company National Power for the haulage of their coal trains between Collieries and Power Stations. These engines were, for the most part, substantially younger than the likes of the Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, and more reliable than the early built Class 56's from Romania, which were infamous for their poor build quality.
Seeing their success, EWS placed an order in 1997 for 250 locomotives based on similar principles to that of the Class 59, often dubbed one of the biggest locomotive orders since the age of Steam. Locomotives were built at GM's factory in London, Ontario, and externally the bodyshell and design shared that with the Class 59. Internally though, the engines took many of GM's previous developments and updated the engine and traction motors to enable higher speeds. The new locomotive was fitted with the 20 year old design of the EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, found originally in the GP60 freight locomotives of North America. However, some of GM's newer creations also made it into the mix, such as updated cab-control systems, the kind found in the Irish Railways Class 201 of 1994.
Originally designated Class 61, the first of these new locomotives arrived by boat at Immingham in June 1998, prior to proving tests at Derby. The locomotives then shipped at a rate of 11 per month into the UK via Newport Docks, until the order was completed in December 2001. After unloading, EWS engineers then simply took off the tarpaulin, unblocked the suspension, and finally as each was shipped with water and fuel, hooked up the batteries, before starting the engine and handing the locomotive into service. Almost immediately, other UK freight operators took interest in the Class, and companies such as Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services also placed orders.
Upon their introduction, reliability levels for EWS's operations improved substantially. Each locomotive is specified and guaranteed to 95% availability, aiming for a minimum of 180 days mean time between failures. It is designed to cover 1·6million km between major rebuilds, equivalent to 18 years' service, with each major rebuild costed at £200,000. But with their success came the sad reality that the much loved classes of yesteryear were going to be given the push, and this is where a majority of the Class 66's unpopularity comes from. It could have been understood the replacement of the 40 year old Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, as it was quite clear they were past their prime, the same could equally be said for some of the earlier Class 56's of the late 1970's. However, the line was stepped across with the withdrawal of the Class 58's and Class 60's, as the desire of EWS to have a standardised fleet, resulted in the removal of locomotives that were nowhere near life-expired. The large-scale retirement of these extremely reliable and powerful locomotives that weren't even 20 years old was seen as a travesty, and whilst some Class 60's have seen a revival with other operators as of late, the Class 58's are all but extinct, whilst many Class 60's continue to languish in yards across the UK, mostly at Toton in the East Midlands.
Nevertheless, the class continued to grow over the years, and, upon the conclusion of Class 66 production in the UK in 2014, 446 of the class were eventually built. But we can't forget also that the class has seen major success across Europe as well, with dozens of engines in operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy.
Today, a majority of the class is still in service with a variety of operators. DB Schenker, the successor to EWS, continues to operate the largest fleet of 249 locomotives. Freightliner operates 141, DRS operates 19, GBRf operates 72 and Colas Rail operates 5. Not all of the locomotives however remain with us, as three have been written off.
The first was 66521 on the 28th February, 2001, where after hitting a Land Rover that had fallen down an embankment from the M62 motorway, a southbound GNER InterCity 225 set led by lightweight Class 82 DVT, 82221, derailed and ran straight into the path of the oncoming Class 66 which was working a northbound coal train. With an estimated closing speed of 142mph, the DVT was obliterated upon hitting the Class 66, and the freight locomotive was mangled and distorted as it was crushed between its loaded coal train behind and the passenger coaches in front. In the disaster, 10 people were killed, including 66521's driver Stephen Dunn, although his instructor Andrew Hill, who was also riding in the cab, was able to survive. The locomotive however was for the most part destroyed, and scrapped later that year.
The second was on the 4th January, 2010 involving 66048, which derailed at Carrbridge in snowy weather. Coming down the Highland Mainline with a loaded container train, it passed a signal at danger and was derailed at trap points, subsequently falling down an embankment into trees and injuring the two crew members.
The third was on the 28th June 2012, where GBRf 66734 derailed at Loch Treig whilst working Alcan Tanks. The inability of recovery crews to access the highly remote and dangerous location resulted in the engine being cut-up on site.
Additionally, many Class 66's have suffered low-speed collisions and derailments, either through faults in the track, driver error, or faults with the rolling stock.
However, despite the criticism, and often being dubbed as bland and utilitarian, the Class 66 is still a major part of the UK freight network, working behind the scenes without need of major attention so as to get the job done. Indeed it may find a home among rail enthusiasts, and perhaps one day it'll be dubbed a classic like the Class 37's and 47's it replaced, but at the moment it's the UK networks humble hero, plying its trade the best way it knows how.
E9
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Estimated : € 240.000 - 300.000
Sold for € 178.246
Zoute Grand Prix 2018
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2018
1973 was a landmark year for BMW, for not only did the German manufacturer power Jean-Pierre Jarier to the European Formula 2 Championship, it also captured the European Touring Car Championship using one of the most iconic racing 'saloons' of modern times: the 3.0 CSL, known popularly as the 'Batmobile'.
BMW had returned to six-cylinder power for its range-topping models in 1968 with the launch of the 2500 and 2800 saloons. Also new was the 3.0 CSL's forerunner, the 2800CS coupé, though the latter's running gear had more in common with the existing, four-cylinder 2000C/CS. The introduction of the similarly styled 3.0-litre CS in 1971 brought with it numerous improvements, including four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, and with 180bhp on tap the model was good for around 130mph. For racing purposes there was the lightweight 3.0 CSL.
Visually indistinguishable from its more 'run of the mill' relations, the CS and CSi, the 3.0 CSL (Coupé Sport Leicht) was creative homologation at its best. The BMW engineers' solution to the marketing department's requirements was to develop a limited production run 'homologation special' to meet the constrictive framework of the Group 2 racing class regulations. By removing the trim; using thinner steel for the main bodyshell; aluminium alloy for the doors, bonnet and boot lid; and Perspex for the side windows a valuable 300lbs (136kgs) in weight was saved – 'Leicht' indeed.
Homologated initially with a fractionally over-bored (3,003cc) engine (enabling it to compete in the over 3-litre class) the 3.0 CSL came with 206bhp for road use and well over 300 horsepower for the track. In 1973 the engine's stroke was increased, upping capacity to 3,153cc (nominally 3.2 litres) and from mid-season onwards the racing CSLs used the so-called 'Batmobile' aerodynamic package, developed at Stuttgart University, which consisted of a front chin spoiler, large rear wing and various other devices. Illegal for road use in Germany, the wings were left in the boot for final installation after purchase.
Thus equipped, the Batmobiles were able to defeat the previously all-conquering Ford Capri RS2600s, Toine Hezemans capturing the 1973 European Touring Car Championship for BMW at the wheel of a 3.0 CSL and co-driving one to a class win at Le Mans that year with Dieter Quester. Ford bounced back in 1974 but from 1975 onwards the BMW Batmobiles won five consecutive European Touring Car Championships, a quite unprecedented run of success.
This original, left-hand drive BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile is offered fresh from extensive recommissioning and restoration. According to BMW, chassis number '2275537' was manufactured on 25th September 1973 and delivered on 2nd November 1973 to the UK importer, BMW London Ltd. The original colour was Polaris metallic, paint code 060.
In 1975, the car was purchased by the lady vendor's father, a Dumfries garage proprietor, having been first registered in the UK in October of that year. Its owner drove the BMW for circa five years, servicing it himself. Since 1980, the car has sat in his workshop, and over the years was dismantled with a view to restoring it. The current odometer reading is circa 57,279 kilometres (approximately 35,600 miles) which in view of the car's lengthy period of inactivity is believed genuine.
Early in 2018, the Batmobile was delivered to Classic Restorations (Scotland) Ltd in Alyth as a bodyshell and crates of parts, to be rebuilt. We are advised that the works included a complete engine overhaul: new cylinder head, pistons, bearings, chains, etc. In addition, the suspension and brakes were completely overhauled with all components cleaned and powder coated prior to re-assembly. Other components renewed include the clutch; clutch and brake master cylinders; metal brake pipes and hoses; radiator; alternator; distributor; exhaust system; and tyres.
The bodywork has had some small patches welded to the inner wheelarches, which have been sealed and coated with 3M Body Schutz (in black). The rear spoiler has been stripped, repaired, and partially repainted (the body had already been repainted in the original silver colour). The interior has been re-upholstered and the carpets and headlining renewed using new original BMW material throughout. Accompanying paperwork consists of sundry restoration invoices and photographs; current MoT certificate; and a UK V5 registration document.
With only some 110 Series 1 Batmobiles produced compared to over 19,000 standard CS/CSi models, these 'specials' will always be rare and today this ultimate BMW coupé is highly sought after.
An incredibly busy 10 minutes at Nuneaton. While changing trains I was treated to not one, not two, not three, but four intermodal freights passing on each of the stations lines.
Next up, and running wrong-line through Platform 7 at Nuneaton is Freightliner Class 66, 66590, working an intermodal freight from Felixstowe to Ditton in Merseyside.
One of Britain's, and indeed Europe's, most numerous diesel locomotives, the Class 66 has become the face of nearly every freight operating rail company on the UK network, a simple, utilitarian design with an enormous, powerful engine. But with it's popularity among rail companies came a price, as it is often listed as one of the most hated locomotives ever to hit the UK rails, largely because of the slew of older BR classic locomotives it replaced from the late 1990's onward.
But is it really deserving of such a bum rap?
By the mid-1990's it was apparent that a majority of the ex-British Rail locomotives were well beyond their bloom of youth. Aside from the Class 58's of 1983, the Class 60's of 1989, and the American built Class 59's of 1985, most locomotives in the service of freight companies were coming up to 30 or 40 years old, and reliability was a major issue. Years of under-investment in the BR freight sector Railfreight Distribution, had resulted in a fleet comprised of decrepit diesels such as the Class 37's and Class 47's, being worked into the ground to keep the company rolling. Although the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 was a catalyst to investments for freight trains working those particular trunk routes to the South East, with the construction of the Class 92's and the refurbishment of Wembley based Class 47's, the remainder of the freight operators, by this time led by shadow franchises Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline, were left with a fleet that was slowly dying before their eyes. Class 47's, especially, needed a major overhaul every seven years, costing £400,000; yet had an average daily availability of less than 65% with only 16 days between major failures.
Enter Wisconsin Central, who, in 1996, bought the three franchises together with Railfreight Distribution and mail operator Rail Express Systems to create EWS, or English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. As part of the franchise commitment, the intention was to replace the ageing diesel fleet with a standard design that would reduce maintenance and operating costs substantially, with higher levels of reliability and efficiency. Looking at the fleet of diesels in general, it was noted that among the most reliable classes in the UK were the small fleet of 15 Class 59's, built by General Motors between 1985 and 1995 for private Aggregate operators such as Foster Yeoman and Hanson, as well as energy company National Power for the haulage of their coal trains between Collieries and Power Stations. These engines were, for the most part, substantially younger than the likes of the Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, and more reliable than the early built Class 56's from Romania, which were infamous for their poor build quality.
Seeing their success, EWS placed an order in 1997 for 250 locomotives based on similar principles to that of the Class 59, often dubbed one of the biggest locomotive orders since the age of Steam. Locomotives were built at GM's factory in London, Ontario, and externally the bodyshell and design shared that with the Class 59. Internally though, the engines took many of GM's previous developments and updated the engine and traction motors to enable higher speeds. The new locomotive was fitted with the 20 year old design of the EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, found originally in the GP60 freight locomotives of North America. However, some of GM's newer creations also made it into the mix, such as updated cab-control systems, the kind found in the Irish Railways Class 201 of 1994.
Originally designated Class 61, the first of these new locomotives arrived by boat at Immingham in June 1998, prior to proving tests at Derby. The locomotives then shipped at a rate of 11 per month into the UK via Newport Docks, until the order was completed in December 2001. After unloading, EWS engineers then simply took off the tarpaulin, unblocked the suspension, and finally as each was shipped with water and fuel, hooked up the batteries, before starting the engine and handing the locomotive into service. Almost immediately, other UK freight operators took interest in the Class, and companies such as Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services also placed orders.
Upon their introduction, reliability levels for EWS's operations improved substantially. Each locomotive is specified and guaranteed to 95% availability, aiming for a minimum of 180 days mean time between failures. It is designed to cover 1·6million km between major rebuilds, equivalent to 18 years' service, with each major rebuild costed at £200,000. But with their success came the sad reality that the much loved classes of yesteryear were going to be given the push, and this is where a majority of the Class 66's unpopularity comes from. It could have been understood the replacement of the 40 year old Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, as it was quite clear they were past their prime, the same could equally be said for some of the earlier Class 56's of the late 1970's. However, the line was stepped across with the withdrawal of the Class 58's and Class 60's, as the desire of EWS to have a standardised fleet, resulted in the removal of locomotives that were nowhere near life-expired. The large-scale retirement of these extremely reliable and powerful locomotives that weren't even 20 years old was seen as a travesty, and whilst some Class 60's have seen a revival with other operators as of late, the Class 58's are all but extinct, whilst many Class 60's continue to languish in yards across the UK, mostly at Toton in the East Midlands.
Nevertheless, the class continued to grow over the years, and, upon the conclusion of Class 66 production in the UK in 2014, 446 of the class were eventually built. But we can't forget also that the class has seen major success across Europe as well, with dozens of engines in operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy.
Today, a majority of the class is still in service with a variety of operators. DB Schenker, the successor to EWS, continues to operate the largest fleet of 249 locomotives. Freightliner operates 141, DRS operates 19, GBRf operates 72 and Colas Rail operates 5. Not all of the locomotives however remain with us, as three have been written off.
The first was 66521 on the 28th February, 2001, where after hitting a Land Rover that had fallen down an embankment from the M62 motorway, a southbound GNER InterCity 225 set led by lightweight Class 82 DVT, 82221, derailed and ran straight into the path of the oncoming Class 66 which was working a northbound coal train. With an estimated closing speed of 142mph, the DVT was obliterated upon hitting the Class 66, and the freight locomotive was mangled and distorted as it was crushed between its loaded coal train behind and the passenger coaches in front. In the disaster, 10 people were killed, including 66521's driver Stephen Dunn, although his instructor Andrew Hill, who was also riding in the cab, was able to survive. The locomotive however was for the most part destroyed, and scrapped later that year.
The second was on the 4th January, 2010 involving 66048, which derailed at Carrbridge in snowy weather. Coming down the Highland Mainline with a loaded container train, it passed a signal at danger and was derailed at trap points, subsequently falling down an embankment into trees and injuring the two crew members.
The third was on the 28th June 2012, where GBRf 66734 derailed at Loch Treig whilst working Alcan Tanks. The inability of recovery crews to access the highly remote and dangerous location resulted in the engine being cut-up on site.
Additionally, many Class 66's have suffered low-speed collisions and derailments, either through faults in the track, driver error, or faults with the rolling stock.
However, despite the criticism, and often being dubbed as bland and utilitarian, the Class 66 is still a major part of the UK freight network, working behind the scenes without need of major attention so as to get the job done. Indeed it may find a home among rail enthusiasts, and perhaps one day it'll be dubbed a classic like the Class 37's and 47's it replaced, but at the moment it's the UK networks humble hero, plying its trade the best way it knows how.
The Citroën LN was introduced in 1976 as a combination of the bodyshell of the Peugeot 104 Z Coupé with the 602 cc air-cooled two-cylinder engine of the Citroën 2CV. Later models, called LNA, had larger water-cooled engines. Production ended in 1986.
Class 47/0 No.47295 runs round its train at East Suffolk Jct Ipswich on 4th March 2002.New as D1997 on 3rd June 1966 at 50A York,withdrawn in March 2002 and moved to Brush Traction,Loughborough for partial stripping 27th January 2003.Whilst at Brush she was sold to the Brush Type 4 Fund in February 2003 and the bodyshell moved to MOD Ashchurch for secure storage,then on to Long Marston.Cutting up took place at EMR Kingsbury in July 2011.
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.
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
Direct Rail Services class 57 no. 57306 clings onto the rear of 1Z57 Liverpool South Parkway-> Wembley Central footex on 19th April 2015.
The first Class 57s were built in 1997 for Freightliner, a Class 47 bodyshell was taken, stripped, rewired and then fitted with an EMD engine. In 2002, 12 further Class 47s were converted to 57s for Virgin Trains, these were numbered 57/3 and fitted with ETH. In 2003, four additional locos were ordered for dragging Pendolinos, these were fitted with Dellner couplings from new and the remainder of the fleet was retrofitted with Dellners in the same year. DRS now operate the majority of the class 57/0 and 57/3. First Great Western operate the Class 57/6 fleet and West Coast Railways operate a fleet of 57/0, 57/3 and 57/6.
The Porsche 911 (pronounced as Nine Eleven, German: Neunelfer) is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany.
These 1972 and 1973 Carrera RS models, valued by collectors, are considered by many to be the greatest classic 911's of all-time. RS stands for Rennsport in German, meaning race sport in English. The Carrera name was reintroduced from the 356 Carrera which had itself been named after Porsche's class victories in the Carrera Panamericana races in Mexico in the 1950s. The RS was built so that Porsche could enter racing formulae that demanded that a certain minimum number of production cars were made. Compared with a standard 911S, the Carrera 2.7 RS had a larger engine (2687 cc) developing 210 PS (150 kW; 210 hp) with MFI, revised and stiffened suspension, a "ducktail" rear spoiler, larger brakes, wider rear wheels and rear fenders. In RS Touring form it weighed 1075 kg (2370 lb), in Sport Lightweight form it was about 100 kg (220 lb) lighter, the saving coming from the thin-gauge steel used for parts of the bodyshell and also the use of thinner glass. In total, 1580 were made, comfortably exceeding the 500 that had to be made to qualify for the vital FIA Group 4 class.
Thundersley Invacar model 70 (1948-76)
Registration Number TJN 352 K
(Thundersley) INVACAR ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157633397772115/
Developed by Bert Greeves in 1948 who adapted a motorcyle with the help of his paralysed cousin Derry Preston-Cobb, for Derry's use. Spotting a comercial opportunity for such a vehicle they formed Invacar Ltd. and approached the Government.
Constructed with an ice blue fibre glass bodyshell and chain drive, tens of thousands were produced. Developments included a wider track and extended wheelbase and use of Austin Mini wheels saw the Invacars right through to the end of the final DHSS contract in 1977. With more than 50 variants produced , apart from the Invacar a number of other simular vehicles were licensed by the Ministry of Health including AC Cars, Thundersley and Tippen.
From the 31st March 2003, they became illegal on British roads, The veteran vehicle could not stand up to modern day government regulations requiring approval under the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval Scheme as part of a standard set by the European Union.
All Invacars were owned by the Government and leased to their disabled keepers as part of their disability benefit. Their use had been in decline since the introduction of Motobility. But there were still around 200 in use in 2003 prior to the recall and scrapping scheme
Shot 19:02:2012 at Coventry Transport Museum. Ref 81a-195
Please do not forget to visitS the Flag Counter on the link below to record a visit from your country. So far 52 countries (last new country Austria and 32 US states last new State Michigan) Last new overseas visitor Italy last new US state visitor Pennsylvania
Originally conceived by British Leyland, the Metro was built to similar principals as those of the Mini it was intended to replace, with a small, practical platform with as much use available to the passenger as was possible. The car came under various initial guises, including the Austin Metro, the Austin miniMetro, the Morris Metro van and the MG Metro, a version of the car with a 1.3L A-Series Turbo Engine.
Although the car was launched in 1980, development of a Mini replacement had dated back to the beginning of the 70's. Dubbed ADO88 (Amalgamated Drawing Office project number 88), the Metro was eventually given the go ahead in 1977, but wanted to have the appeal of some of the larger 'Supermini' (what a contradiction in terms) cars on the market, including cars such as the Ford Fiesta and the Renault 5. Designed by Harris Mann (the same guy who gave us the Princess and the Allegro), the car was given a much more angular body for the time, but despite its futuristic looks did share many features of the earlier Mini, including the 675cc BMC-A Series engine that dated back to 1959, and the gearbox. Initial cars also included the Hydragas Suspension system originally used on the Allegro and the Princess, though with no front/rear connection. The car was also built as a hatchback, which would eventually be a key part of its success as the Mini instead utilised only a small boot.
The Metro was originally meant for an earlier 1978 launch, but a lack of funds and near bankruptcy of British Leyland resulted in the car's launch being pushed back. This delay however did allow the folks at Longbridge to construct a £200m robotic assembly plant for the new Metro line, with the hope of building 100,000 cars per year. Finally the car entered sales 3 years late and got off to quite promising initial sales, often being credited for being the saviour of British Leyland. The Metro was in fact the company's first truly new model in nearly 5 years, with the 9 year old Allegro still in production, the 1980 Morris Ital being nothing more than a 7 year old Marina with a new face, and the 5 year old Princess not going anywhere!
As mentioned, an entire myriad of versions came with the Metro, including the luxury Vanden Plas version and the sporty MG with its top speed of 105mph and 0-60mph of 10.1 seconds. Eventually the original incarnation of the car, the Austin Metro, went on to sell 1 million units in it's initial 10 year run, making it the second highest selling car of the decade behind the Ford Escort. However, like most other British Leyland products, earlier cars got a bad reputation for poor build quality and unreliability, combined with the lack of rustproofing that was notorious on many BL cars of the time.
The show was not over however, as in 1990 the car was given a facelift and dubbed the Rover Metro. The 1950's A-Series engine was replaced by a 1.1L K-Series, and the angular bodyshell was rounded to similar principals as those by acclaimed styling house Ital to create a more pleasing look for the 90's. This facelift, combined with an improvement in reliability and build quality, meant that the car went on to win the 'What Car?' of the Year Award in 1991.
In 1994 the car was given yet another facelift, with once again a more rounded design and removal of the Metro name, the car being sold as the Rover 100. Engines were once again changed, this time to a 1.5L Peugeot engine and more audacious colour schemes were available for the even more rounded design of the new car. However, the car was very much starting to look and feel its age. Aside from the fact that the design dated back to 1977, the new car was not well equipped, lacking electric windows, anti-lock brakes, power steering, or even a rev counter! In terms of safety, it was very basic, with most features such as airbags, an alarm, an immobiliser and central locking being optional extras.
Eventually the curtain had to fall on the Metro, and in 1997, twenty years after the initial design left the drawing board, it was announced that the car would be discontinued. Spurred on by dwindling sales due to lack of safety and equipment, as well as losing out to comparative cars such as the ever popular Ford Fiesta, VW Polo and Vauxhall Corsa, with only fuel economy keeping the car afloat, Rover axed the Metro in 1998 with no direct replacement, although many cite the downsized Rover 200 a possible contender. Stumbling blindly on, the next car to fill the gap in Rover's market was the 2003 CityRover, based on the TATA Indica, which flopped abysmally and pretty much totalled the company (but that's another story).
In the end only 2,078,000 Metro's were built in comparison to the 5.3 million examples of the Mini that it was meant to replace. The main failings of the Metro were down to the fact that the car was too big compared to the Mini, and the rounded old-world charm of the Coopers and Clubmans was replaced by the angular corners. Because of this the car simply didn't have the novelty that the Mini continued to claim even 20 years after the first ones left the factory, and the Mini would even go on to outlive the Metro by another 2 years, ending production in 2000, then going on to have a revival in the form of BMW's New Mini Cooper that's still being built today. Unlike the Mini, the Metro also failed to conquer the international market in the same way, scoring its 2 million units pretty much in Britain alone, although some cars were sold in France and Spain, but only to the total of a few hundred.
The Metro however survived only on fuel economy and its spacious interior, but by the early 1990's, whilst other car manufacturers had moved on leaps and bounds, Rover continued to be stuck in the past with not the money or the enthusiasm to change what was a terribly outdated and extremely basic car. Towards the end the Metro, which had only a few years earlier won awards for its practical nature, was ending up on lists for Worst car on the market.
Today however you can still see Metro's, later editions are especially common on the roads of Britain. Earlier models built under British Leyland have mostly rusted away and are apparently only down to about a thousand nowadays, but the Rover 100's and Rover Metros continue to ply their trade, a lonely reminder of how here in Britain, we can never ever seem to move on!
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
322482 waits departure time at Leeds working 2V36, 14:02 Leeds – Ilkley, 25th November 2013.
Unit History
In the late 1980’s British Rail built a branch off the London Liverpool Street – Cambridge Line to serve Stanstead Airport. Five new four car electric multiple units were built at York to work the new service becoming class 322. They are similar to the class 321 units and are the last units based on the Mark III bodyshell. The class worked the Stanstead services until displaced in 1997 when four units moved to North West trains for Manchester – Euston semi-fast duties. The four units returned to East Anglia in 1999 before moving to Scotrail in 2001 for duties around Edinburgh. In 2011 the class moved to Northern Rail for duties around Leeds.
Arrived Sims Metals, Newport for breaking up on the 4th August 2022.
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 27,520,600 views
Shot 27:07:2014 at Silverstone Historic Festival REF: 103-216
The Mazda Luce (Italian for 'light') was the largest Mazda model available, at launch in 1969, through to 1991. The second generation car was launched in 1972, the LA2.
The car was still compact by US standards, at 1660 mm wide and approximately 4500 mm long.
Mazda installed their 12A and 13B twin-rotor rotary engines to produce the Mazda RX4 performance coupe (using the Luce 2-door bodyshell).
Conventional Luces used a conventional 94 PS 1.8 L, or 103 PS 2.0 litre 4-cylinder engine.
The car received a more conventional styling update in 1976 (LA3), losing some of the period cool of the LA2. The overall body form though, still reflected a Japanese interpretation of the period coke-bottle styling.
The LA2 Luce Coupe is shown here.
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (2007-09) Engine 4691cc V8
Registration Number THE 8 C
ALFA ROMEO SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759785842...
First shown as a prototype at the 2003 Frankfurt Motorshow. In 2006 Alfa Romeo announced production a limited series of 500 8C Copetizione production Coupes. To be produced in four colours, Alfa Red, Competition Red, black or yellow with custom paint jobs available to customer specification at an additional charge.
The bodyshell is made of carbon fibre, produced by ATR Group, and fitted to a steel chassis, made by Italian company ITCA Produzione. The final assembly takes place at the Maserati factory in Modena, Italy.
Powered by a modified Maserati engine of 4.7 litres featuring a Ferrari/Maserati derived 90-degree cross-plane, with wet sump lubrication of 400PS and manufactured by Ferrari.
The 500 cars will be distributed: USA 90, Italy 80, Germany 80, Japan 70, France 40, United kingdom 40, Switzerland 35, Others 65
Shot at Brooklands New Years Day meeting 01:01:2013 REF 90-24
This one has the badge Jaguar 3.8 LITRE on the hood (bonnet), and Jaguar 3.8 S on the trunk (boot). The overall design looks a bit different than the Mark II, and in fact it turns out that this is an S-Type. So, quoting from Wikipedia: Jaguar S-Type (1963-68):
• • • • •
The Jaguar S-Type was produced from 1963-68 as a technically more sophisticated development of the Jaguar Mark 2. It sold alongside the Mark 2, as well as the Jaguar 420 following its release in 1966. The 1960s S-Type should not be confused with the retro-styled Jaguar S-Type sold from 1999.
Contents
[hide]
•• 2.1 Engines
•• 2.4 Styling
•• 2.6 Interior
• Production
1963–1968
3.4-litre S-Type – 9,928
1963–1968
3.8-litre S-Type - 15,065
• Successor
• Class
4-door saloon
• Layout
4-speed manual; 4-speed manual/overdrive; or 3-speed automatic options available
2,730 mm (107 in)
• Length
4,750 mm (187 in)
• Width
1,683 mm (66 in)
• Height
1,416 mm (56 in)
1,625 kg (3,583 lb)
• Related
History
The Jaguar Mark 2 was introduced in 1959 and sold throughout most of the 1960s. It had a live rear axle and was powered by the XK six-cylinder engine first used in the Jaguar XK120 of 1948. In the Mark 2 the engine was available in 2.4, 3.4 and 3.8 litre capacities.
In 1961 Jaguar launched two new models. The full size Jaguar Mark X saloon (pronounced "mark ten") used Jaguar’s new independent rear suspension and a triple SU carburettor version of the 3.8 litre XK engine. The other new car for 1961 was the Jaguar E-Type sports car, which shared the same 3.8 litre engine as the Mark X but used a scaled down version of the independent rear suspension.
Having released the Mark X, with its many technical refinements, Jaguar boss Sir William Lyons expected the Mark 2 would need updating with similar features if it was to retain its place in the market. Accordingly, work began on developing the S-Type (codenamed "Utah Mk III", the Mark 2 having been “Utah Mk II”) as soon as development work was finished on the Mark X.
The S-Type was a major redevelopment of the Mark 2. It used a mid-scale version of the Mark X independent rear suspension to replace the Mark 2's live rear axle and featured longer rear bodywork, among other styling and interior changes. The S-Type was available with either 3.4 or 3.8 litre XK engines but only in twin carburettor form because the triple carburettor setup would not fit into what was essentially still the Mark 2 engine bay.
By the time of the S-Type’s release in 1963, the Mark 2 remained an unexpectedly strong seller despite its age. Although the Mark X was selling less well than hoped, especially in its intended market of the USA, Sir William decided to retain all three models in the Jaguar range concurrently. The Mark X was renamed “420G” in 1966 and was joined by another new model, the 4.2 litre 420. The 420 was developed to replace the S-Type but because some demand remained for the S-Type, all four saloon models (Mark 2, S-Type, 420 and 420G) remained on sale until the arrival of the Jaguar XJ6 in 1968. The XJ6 replaced all but the 420G in the Jaguar range.
Development
Engines
No new engines were developed for the S-Type. It was first released with the twin carburettor variant of the 3.8 litre XK engine, the same as that which had powered the 3.8 litre Mark 2 but which was no longer offered on the Mark 2 after the release of the S-Type. The 3.8 litre was the only engine offered on S-Types sold into the US market.
The lower powered 3.4 litre S-Type used the same 3.4 litre engine as the Mark 2. It was released a few months after the 3.8S and was not made available at any stage on Jaguar’s press demonstrator fleet in the UK. Whereas the 3.4 litre remained the most popular engine option for the Mark 2, the 3.8 litre S-Type outsold the 3.4S in the ratio 3 to 2.
Mechanical
Despite the S-Type’s weight gain of 152 kg (335 lb) over the Mark 2, no changes were deemed necessary to the Dunlop four-wheel disc braking system.
Major changes were made to the S-Type’s steering system. The Burman power steering system in the Mark 2, with its 4.3 turns lock-to-lock, was regarded as being excessively low geared and lacking in road feel. In the S-Type it was replaced by a higher-geared Burman unit of 3.5 turns lock-to-lock, which linked the input shaft and hydraulic valve by a torsion spring to improve its ‘feel’.
The heating and ventilating system of the Mark 2 was not considered adequate for the more upmarket S-Type and was replaced with an improved system. Separate control of ventilation direction was provided for both driver and front seat passenger. Warm air could also be directed to the rear passengers through an outlet situated on the propellor shaft tunnel cover between the two front seats.
Suspension
A key element of the Mark X that Jaguar wanted to include in the S-Type was its sophisticated, and by then widely acclaimed, independent rear suspension. The suspension was a revelation at the time of its introduction, and remained the benchmark against which others were judged until the 1980s. Essentially a double wishbone setup, it used the driveshaft as the upper wishbone. It carries the drive, braking, suspension and damping units in a single fabricated steel crossbridge, which is isolated from the bodyshell by rubber blocks. Including this suspension in the S-Type necessitated the development of a new crossbridge suitable for its 54” track, coming as it did between the 58” track of the Mark X and 50” track of the E-Type.
The S-Type used the same subframe mounted, coil sprung, twin wishbone front suspension as the Mark 2.
Styling
Sir William wanted to introduce some of the Mark X’s sleeker and sharper lines into the S-Type but with limited time and money available, most effort was applied to restyling the rear bodywork. The S-Type was given extended rear bodywork similar to that on the Mark X, which also gave it a much larger boot than the Mark 2. Relatively minor changes were made to the frontal styling of the car in an attempt to balance the longer rear styling but the overall affect at the front was still very rounded. The only change made to the centre section was to flatten and extend the rear roofline, which made the car look larger and helped to give rear seat passengers slightly more headroom.
The styling of the S-Type was regarded by many of those who worked on it as being not altogether successful. The mismatch between the horizontal lines of its rear styling and the rounded front was least flattering when viewing the car from the front quarter. Ref. [1] quotes Cyril Crouch, Assistant Chief Body Engineer at Browns Lane during development of the S-Type, as saying “We ourselves appreciated what an ugly looking car it was, and when it came out there was a ...’Is that the best you can do?’ sort of thing! People like myself had to take the stick for producing such an abomination! Perhaps I shouldn’t call it that, but I think everyone was very pleased to see the end of the S and move on to the 420. It seemed an odd-looking vehicle.”
The reasonable sales success of the S-Type prior to the release of the Jaguar 420 suggests that not everyone was as offended by its styling as Mr Crouch. Nevertheless, the 420 did ‘finish the job’ in a styling sense by adding to the car a squarer, four-headlamp front end more like that of the Mark X.
The list of the significant styling differences between the Mark 2 and S-Type is as follows:
• the tail was extended, with styling features similar to the Mark X only scaled down
• the Mark 2's spats over the rear wheels were deleted and the rear guards brought lower over the wheels and reshaped
• new slimline bumpers were used front and rear, the front bumper still featuring a dip to reveal the full depth of the radiator grille
• wraparound indicators and low mounted sidelights were added at the bottoms of the front wings
• the foglamps were recessed more deeply into the wing fronts
• the grille was given a thicker surround and centre bar
• the headlamps were given a small peak, making the car look longer and thus going some way to balancing the longer tail
• the roofline was extended rearwards slightly to make it look flatter and the rear window became more upright.
Bodyshell
Starting with the Mark 2’s monocoque bodyshell, Jaguar’s engineers had to alter it to accommodate the independent rear suspension's extra bulk and weight and the extended rear bodywork. Structural changes at the front were minimal and no changes at all were made to the inner scuttle, windscreen or dashboard structure.
A list of the significant structural differences between the Mark 2 and S-Type is as follows:
• the Mark 2’s underbody reinforcing rails were extended to the rear of the car and enclosed, sweeping up and over the space for the rear suspension assembly
• the boot floor was double-skinned and ribbed for additional strength
• the spare wheel well was relocated centrally in the boot floor (it was on the left in the Mark 2)
• the lid of the new longer boot (trunk) was secured by two catches rather than the single catch of the Mark 2
• the 12 gallon fuel tank was removed from under the boot floor and replaced by two 7 gallon tanks inside each rear wing
• new front wings were made to carry the frontal styling changes listed above
• new attachment points were made for the new wings and bumpers
• new wheelarches were made to match the new front guards and rear structure
Interior
The S-Type’s interior again reflected the styling of the Mark X but included features unique to the S-Type, not all of which found their way into the 420. Changes to the rear seat accommodation gave the impression of far greater room than in the rear of a Mark 2 and changes to the front of the cabin also gave the impression of greater luxury.
The list of interior differences between the Mark 2 and S-Type includes:
• a scaled down Mark X walnut veneer dashboard with a pull-out map tray below the centre section. The veneer extended to the dashboard centre section, which in the Mark 2 was black vinyl covered
• a full width parcel tray was fitted below the dashboard
• new controls were provided to go with the improved heating and ventilation system
• the front seats were widened to give the appearance of being almost full width, and each was provided with an inboard armrest.
• the centre console was redesigned to suit the wider front seats and rear compartment heating arrangements
• the door trims were given horizontal fluting
• Mark X type armrests were added to the front doors along with a map pocket
• the rear doors were given new armrests with a flip-top ashtray and magazine pocket
• the front seats were given a new fore and aft adjustment mechanism that raised the rear of the seat as it was moved forwards
• the backs of the front seats lost the Mark 2’s picnic trays and were made thinner, to the benefit of rear seat passenger legroom
• the rear seat had a 50 mm (2.0 in) thinner squab and its backrest was more steeply angled, further benefitting headroom already enhanced by the slightly higher rear roofline. These changes did, however, leave longer legged rear seat passengers in a fairly uncomfortable 'knee-high' posture.
Performance
A contemporary road test by Autosport magazine [2][3] was typical in describing the 'on paper' performance of the 3.8 S-Type as slower than the 3.8 litre Mark 2 but its actual cross country performance as faster. Despite its extra weight, the S-Type’s independent rear suspension allowed it to corner faster than the Mark 2, especially on uneven surfaces. Other benefits ascribed to the rear suspension were better traction and a much smoother ride for rear seat passengers. Some enthusiasts rued the loss of the Mark 2’s “driftability” and noted that the S-Type suffered more body roll during high speed cornering but the consensus was that the S-Type provided significant improvements over the Mark 2 in roadholding, safety and ride comfort.
Ref. [4] concluded its test report on a 3.8S with these words, "It can be a convenient family car, a businessman's express, a sports coupe, and a grand tourer. The latter two classifications come particularly clear to anyone who spends much time with the car in the wet, when the surefootedness of its all independent suspension and the Dunlop RS-5 tires makes its responsive handling an absolute revelation. The S-Type represents a great step forward for what has always been a fine automobile." The RS-5 cross-ply tyres were soon to be replaced by much better Dunlop SP41 radials, further enhancing the car's handling and grip.
Recorded performance figures obviously differed between testers and gearbox options but for the purposes of comparison, the following contemporary data are typical:
• 3.4 Mark 2 automatic
0-60 mph 10.0 sec
Max speed 118 mph (190 km/h)
• 3.4S manual/overdrive
0-60 mph 13.9 sec
Max speed 115 mph (185 km/h)
• 3.8S manual/overdrive
0-60 10.3 sec
Max speed 125 mph (201 km/h)
• 3.8S automatic
0-60 mph 11.5 sec
Max speed 116 mph (187 km/h)
Production developments
Several significant changes were made to the S-Type's interior and mechanicals during its six years in production.
Of the various performance enhancing mechanical changes, most were applied to both the 3.4S and 3.8S at the same time. These were:
• In June 1964 the original Dunlop RS5 cross-ply tyres were replaced with Dunlop SP41 radials, removing the former’s tendency to squeal under hard cornering and providing higher limits of adhesion with more gradual breakaway at the limit.
• In October 1964 the brakes were given a bigger servo, requiring lower pedal pressures.
• Also in October 1964, the Moss four-speed manual gearbox with no synchromesh on first gear was replaced with Jaguar’s own all-synchromesh four speed gearbox. Revised gear ratios improved acceleration and a more compact Laycock A-type overdrive unit was fitted (when the overdrive option was specified)
• A very few of the last S-Types built had the same Marles Varamatic variable ratio power steering that was available on the 420 and 420G. Detail of the Varamatic steering system can be found in the Jaguar 420 article.
The only production development not shared by both the 3.4S and 3.8S was that the Powr-Lok limited slip differential option ceased to be available on the 3.4S when the 1967 cost saving trim revisions were introduced.
In 1966 a dashboard switch was provided for the heated rear window, which had previously remained “on” as long as the ignition was on, leading to instances of flat batteries.
Reflecting a tougher economic climate (and similar changes made to the Mark 2s in 1966), all S-Types made from late 1967 onwards had Ambla upholstery instead of leather, and tufted carpets instead of woven. As part of the same revisions, dummy horn grilles replaced the foglamps in the front wings and the S-Type adopted the 420's new pattern wheel trim rings and hubcaps.
Sales performance
Though introduced in 1963, only a small number of S-Types was produced in that year. The S-Type did not manage to overtake the Mark 2’s production figures until 1965. It repeated the feat in 1966, the year in which the Jaguar 420 and its badge-engineered partner the Daimler Sovereign were introduced. In 1967 the 420/Sovereign outsold both the S-Type and the Mark 2, despite a resurgence in the latter’s sales that year. Both the Mark 2 and 420/Sovereign easily outsold the S-Type in 1967 and 1968. Sales of the S-Type in 1968, its last year of production, fell below four figures. Top seller in 1968 was actually the venerable Mark 2, potential buyers of both the S-Type and 420/Sovereign hanging back to wait for the new Jaguar XJ6.
Introduced late in 1968, the Jaguar XJ6 was slightly larger than the S-Type and 420/Sovereign and swept them both from the Jaguar range along with the Mark 2. The 420G continued to be available until 1970.
Production figures for each year of the S-Type's life were:
1963 - 43
1964 - 7,032
1965 - 9,741
1966 - 6,260
1967 - 1,008
1968 - 909
Specifications
• Engine
Jaguar 6 cylinder in line, iron block, alloy head
• Capacities
3.4 L (3442 cc) or 3.8 L (3781 cc)
• Bore/Stroke
3.4 L (83mm x 106mm) or 3.8 L (87 mm x 106 mm)
• Valves
DOHC 2 valves per cylinder
• Compression Ratio
8:1 (7:1 and 9:1 optional)
• Max. Power
3.4 L 210 bhp (157 kW; 213 PS) @ 5500 rpm or 3.8 L 220 bhp (164 kW; 223 PS) @ 5500 rpm
• Max. Torque
3.4 L 216 lb·ft (293 N·m) @ 3000 rpm or 3.8 L 240 lb·ft (325 N·m) @ 3000 rpm
• Carburettors
Twin SU HD6 (1.75in)
• Suspension
Front independent, with wishbones, coil springs with telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
Rear independent, with lower wishbone and driveshaft as upper link, radius arms and twin coil springs with telescopic dampers
• Steering
Recirculating ball, worm and nut; power assistance optional
• Brakes
Servo assisted discs on all four wheels, inboard at rear
• Body/Chassis
Monocoque bodyshell with bolted front subframe, five seater saloon, front engine rear wheel drive
• Tyres/Wheels
6.40 x 15 crossply or 185 x 15 radial, 5.0in rim, five-stud disc wheels with wire spoke optional
• Track
Front=1,403 mm (55 in) Rear=1,378 mm (54 in)
Diecast Models
The S-type was modelled by Spot-on in the 1960s.
References
• ^ Taylor, James. "Jaguar S Type and 420 – The Complete Story", Crowood, ISBN 1-85223-989-1
• ^ "Autosport" magazine - 7 August 1964
• ^ "Jaguar S Type & 420 – 'Road Test' Limited Edition", Brooklands Books ISBN 1-85520-3456
• ^ "Car and Driver" magazine Road Research Report - June 1964
Further reading
• Ball, Kenneth. "Jaguar S Type, 420 1963-68 Autobook", Autopress Ltd ISBN 0-85147-113-7
• “Used cars on test: 1964 Jaguar S-Type 3.8". Autocar vol 127 (nbr 3725): Pages 28 – 29. 6 July 1967.
• "Buying secondhand: Jaguar S-Type and 420". Autocar vol 142 (nbr 4089): pages 44 – 46. date 8 March 1975.
• Harvey, Chris. "Great Marques - Jaguar", Octopus Books Ltd ISBN 0-7064-1687-2
Managing to squeeze the odd few minutes in here and there on this one (which admittedly has a very low parts count!). Bodyshell still needs polishing and detail painting, but other components are coming together.
Must get this one done by the end of 2014...
Austin Allegro 2 1300SDL (1979-82) Engine 1275cc S5 BMC A+ Series
Registration Number YHO 581 V
AUSTIN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759808208...
The Allegro (ADO67) was designed as a replacement for the 1100 - 1300 models, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis the new car was launched in 1973. The Allegro used front-wheel drive, using the familiar A-Series engine with a sump-mounted transmission. The higher-specification models used the SOHC E-Series engine (from the Maxi), in 1500 cc and 1750 cc displacements. The two-box saloon bodyshell was suspended using the new Hydragas system (derived from the previous Hydrolastic system used on the 1100/1300). Stylistically the car bucked the trend of the 1970's sharp edge look in favour of a rounded bodyshell Early Allegro models featured a "quartic" steering wheel, which was rectangular with rounded sides. This was touted as allowing extra room between the base of the steering wheel and the driver's legs. The quartic wheel did not take off, and was dropped in 1974
The updated Allegro 2 was launched at the 1975 London Motorshow the Allegro 2 had the same bodyshells but featured a new grille, reversing lights on most models and some interior changes to increase rear seat room, Changes were also made to the suspension, braking, engine mounts and drive shafts.
The Allegro received its second major update, launched as the Allegro 3 at the end of 1979. The refreshed car used an "A-Plus" version of the 1.0 litre A-Series engine (developed for the forthcoming new Metro), and featured some cosmetic alterations in an attempt to keep the momentum going, but by then the Allegro was outdated and the Metro was due on stream in 1980. By 1980 the Allegro failed to dent the he top 10 best selling new cars in Britain, a table it had topped a decade earlier, though BL were represented by the fast selling Metro and the Triumph Acclaim. The Vanden Plas models were rebranded as the 1.5 and the 1.7, the 1.5 having a twin carburettor 1500 cc engine and a manual gearbox, while the 1.7 had a single carburettor 1750cc engine and an automatic gearbox. Some models of Allegro 3 (the early HL and later HLS models) were equipped with four round headlights, rather than the more usual two rectangular ones. The final Allegro was built in March 1982 with its successor the Austin Maestro going into production December 1982..
Thanks for 20.2 Million views
Shot at the Catton Hall Transport Show, 5:5:2014 Ref: 98-040
Porsche 997
n° 208 of 356
Chassis n° WP0CB2A93BS795617
Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020
Estimated : € 220.000 - 250.000
Unsold
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
September 2020
With the introduction of the first 911 Speedster in January 1989, Porsche revived a charismatic model from its past, the name previously having been applied to that most stylish of the many Type 356 variants. Originally conceived as a basic, no frills, entry level version of the 356, the Speedster would later evolve into one of the most lavishly equipped, exclusive, and expensive models in the Porsche range.
Based on the 911 Turbo Cabriolet, though normally aspirated, '89 Speedster was launched immediately prior to the introduction of the new Type 964 bodyshell and thus was the last 911 model to feature the 'old style' body. The latter was reworked by chief stylist Tony Lapine, incorporating numerous references to the original 356 Speedster as well as a pair of controversial 'camel hump' cowlings behind the seats that concealed the stowed-away manual hood.
Following the Type 964's introduction in August 1989, it took Porsche a couple of years to reintroduce the Speedster to the 911 line-up, the Type 964 version being announced in October 1992. Based on the Carrera 2, it looked very like its immediate predecessor but unlike the latter was not initially available with the wide 'Turbo-Look' body style. With the Type 993's introduction in 1994, the Speedster once again disappeared from the 911 catalogue, only to be revived a few years later as part of Porsche's 'Exclusive' programme of strictly limited edition models.
This policy of offering the Speedster via the Exclusive programme continued on the succeeding Type 996 and Type 997 iterations of the 911, the latter arriving in 2005. As an homage to the first Porsche Speedster of 1954, it was announced that only 356 would be built. This new Speedster featured the wide body of the Carrera 4S Cabriolet but was rear-drive only, being powered by the 402bhp engine of the Sport Classic. Porsche's PDK seven-speed dual-clutch automatic was the only available transmission. Porsche claimed a top speed of 305km/h (190mph) and a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 4.4 seconds, making the Type 997 Speedster one of the world's fastest convertibles.
The Speedster's signature double-bubble hood cover was retained for the Type 997, while the wide Fuchs-style wheels and front/rear bumpers and valances were other Sport Classic carry-overs. There was leather in great abundance in the interior, with even the smallest details trimmed in that material, while Porsche claimed that, once familiar with the procedure, the owner could deploy the hood in under two minutes. Despite shedding various components and adding aluminium doors and carbon brakes, the Speedster ended up weighing almost exactly the same as the C2S Cabriolet, thanks to its wide body and generous level of equipment. "The result is that it drives very much as you'd expect, offering flashing performance, admirable body rigidity and superb steering, chassis balance and poise," declared Autocar.
The Speedster offered here was built for the North American market and delivered new to Quebec, Canada, remaining there for some five years before returning to Germany in 2016. Subsequently converted to European specification, the Porsche is currently registered in Germany where it has had only one owner. Finished in white with black leather interior, this exceptional Speedster has covered only 3,174 kilometres from new and is presented in commensurately superb condition. Accompanying documentation includes sundry bills; a summary of its Canadian history; German registration papers; and a Vehicle Inspection Report rating the car as excellent in all areas.
Depending on their country of residence, prospective purchasers should consult with the local registration authorities regarding the registration of this vehicle or speak to a Bonhams specialist for further advice.
Please be advised that due to the limited number of kilometres recorded on the odometer, this Lot may incur VAT liability upon registration in the EU. The VAT payable will be the rate prevailing in the country of registration.
E9
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Estimated : € 240.000 - 300.000
Sold for € 178.246
Zoute Grand Prix 2018
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2018
1973 was a landmark year for BMW, for not only did the German manufacturer power Jean-Pierre Jarier to the European Formula 2 Championship, it also captured the European Touring Car Championship using one of the most iconic racing 'saloons' of modern times: the 3.0 CSL, known popularly as the 'Batmobile'.
BMW had returned to six-cylinder power for its range-topping models in 1968 with the launch of the 2500 and 2800 saloons. Also new was the 3.0 CSL's forerunner, the 2800CS coupé, though the latter's running gear had more in common with the existing, four-cylinder 2000C/CS. The introduction of the similarly styled 3.0-litre CS in 1971 brought with it numerous improvements, including four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, and with 180bhp on tap the model was good for around 130mph. For racing purposes there was the lightweight 3.0 CSL.
Visually indistinguishable from its more 'run of the mill' relations, the CS and CSi, the 3.0 CSL (Coupé Sport Leicht) was creative homologation at its best. The BMW engineers' solution to the marketing department's requirements was to develop a limited production run 'homologation special' to meet the constrictive framework of the Group 2 racing class regulations. By removing the trim; using thinner steel for the main bodyshell; aluminium alloy for the doors, bonnet and boot lid; and Perspex for the side windows a valuable 300lbs (136kgs) in weight was saved – 'Leicht' indeed.
Homologated initially with a fractionally over-bored (3,003cc) engine (enabling it to compete in the over 3-litre class) the 3.0 CSL came with 206bhp for road use and well over 300 horsepower for the track. In 1973 the engine's stroke was increased, upping capacity to 3,153cc (nominally 3.2 litres) and from mid-season onwards the racing CSLs used the so-called 'Batmobile' aerodynamic package, developed at Stuttgart University, which consisted of a front chin spoiler, large rear wing and various other devices. Illegal for road use in Germany, the wings were left in the boot for final installation after purchase.
Thus equipped, the Batmobiles were able to defeat the previously all-conquering Ford Capri RS2600s, Toine Hezemans capturing the 1973 European Touring Car Championship for BMW at the wheel of a 3.0 CSL and co-driving one to a class win at Le Mans that year with Dieter Quester. Ford bounced back in 1974 but from 1975 onwards the BMW Batmobiles won five consecutive European Touring Car Championships, a quite unprecedented run of success.
This original, left-hand drive BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile is offered fresh from extensive recommissioning and restoration. According to BMW, chassis number '2275537' was manufactured on 25th September 1973 and delivered on 2nd November 1973 to the UK importer, BMW London Ltd. The original colour was Polaris metallic, paint code 060.
In 1975, the car was purchased by the lady vendor's father, a Dumfries garage proprietor, having been first registered in the UK in October of that year. Its owner drove the BMW for circa five years, servicing it himself. Since 1980, the car has sat in his workshop, and over the years was dismantled with a view to restoring it. The current odometer reading is circa 57,279 kilometres (approximately 35,600 miles) which in view of the car's lengthy period of inactivity is believed genuine.
Early in 2018, the Batmobile was delivered to Classic Restorations (Scotland) Ltd in Alyth as a bodyshell and crates of parts, to be rebuilt. We are advised that the works included a complete engine overhaul: new cylinder head, pistons, bearings, chains, etc. In addition, the suspension and brakes were completely overhauled with all components cleaned and powder coated prior to re-assembly. Other components renewed include the clutch; clutch and brake master cylinders; metal brake pipes and hoses; radiator; alternator; distributor; exhaust system; and tyres.
The bodywork has had some small patches welded to the inner wheelarches, which have been sealed and coated with 3M Body Schutz (in black). The rear spoiler has been stripped, repaired, and partially repainted (the body had already been repainted in the original silver colour). The interior has been re-upholstered and the carpets and headlining renewed using new original BMW material throughout. Accompanying paperwork consists of sundry restoration invoices and photographs; current MoT certificate; and a UK V5 registration document.
With only some 110 Series 1 Batmobiles produced compared to over 19,000 standard CS/CSi models, these 'specials' will always be rare and today this ultimate BMW coupé is highly sought after.
Towards the end of the 1970's, British Leyland was in a state of absolute despair. Shoddy and dated car designs married to biblical unreliability meant the company was facing near meltdown, and obviously came to the conclusion that they needed someone else to take the helm before the ship properly sank. Enter the Japanese, more to the point, Honda!
Since the 1960's, the Japanese had shown the world that they can mass-produce reliable cars, and thus were raking in sales by the million as people turned from their flaky European models to the highly efficient Japanese alternatives. Desperate to stop their market being swept out from under them, European Manufacturers imposed heavy import taxes on Japanese imports so as to try and price them out of the market, which meant builders such as Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi were losing a fortune. The alternative past this blockade was to combine their efforts with some of the more struggling car companies of Europe so as to create hybrid cars.
And thus the Triumph Acclaim was born!
Based almost solely on the Honda Ballade, essentially all that differentiated it was the Triumph badge, and the fact that the car was built at the Cowley Plant near Oxford using the former production lines of the Austin Maxi. The intention largely was to replace the 10 year old Triumph Dolomite as the 4-door saloon of the company. Unlike the Ballade however, the car did come with much more luxury features as with a Triumph badge, the car was intended to be more higher market than the conventional Japanese equivalent. But most importantly, the car has the distinction of being the first truly reliable British Leyland car (and it only took them 12 years to get it right!)
Basically, the car's major components were built in Japan and shipped to Cowley, where they were placed into the locally built bodyshells. Build quality was very good too, with the leaky panels and rough ride seemingly absent, and holds the record for the fewest warranty claims on a British Leyland car. However, Japan may have shown Europe how to build a reliable car, but they didn't know how to build a car that didn't rust. Much like it's Japanese counterparts, the Acclaim rusted like crazy. In Japan this was seen as planned obsolescence, with the intention being that a new model would replace it in two or three years time. But in Britain, cars are built to last, with models going unchanged almost completely for years and even decades. Examples being the Mini, which didn't change in any way, shape or form between its launch in 1959 and its demise in 2000!
But still, despite the terrible rusting problem, the car's reliable nature resulted in 133,000 cars being sold, and became the first Triumph to be within the Top 10 highest selling cars since 1965. However, in the end the Acclaim's show of being a good, reliable car was merely a testbed for the variety of other Japanese style products British Leyland intended to push in the near future. After only 4 years of production, the Triumph Acclaim was shelved in 1984 along with many other British Leyland products such as the Austin Ambassador and the Morris Ital so as to rationalise the company into a small number of highly reliable machines based off the Triumph Acclaim's Japanese based success. From the Acclaim, the Rover 200 was a direct descendant, being based heavily on the next generation Honda Ballade, but also spurring from this plucky car was the mechanicals of the Austin Maestro and Montego.
The ending of Acclaim construction in 1984 also brought the end to the Triumph badge itself on motorcars. Although Triumph still exists on motorbikes, the car division has long since perished, together with Austin and Morris. As for the Acclaim itself, it is truly one of those rarities you won't find everyday. Today only 488 are left, which, although much more than the remaining Ital's and Ambassadors of the same period, is still a very low number. But even so, the Triumph Acclaim did show British Leyland how to make a reliable machine, even though it technically wasn't a British machine in the first place!
Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by British Leyland (BL), under the Rover marque. It was produced through its Specialist, Rover Triumph and Austin Rover divisions from 1976 until 1986, when it was replaced by the Rover 800. The SD1 was marketed under various names including Rover 3500, Rover 2300 and Rover Vitesse. In 1977 it won the European Car of the Year title.
In "SD1", the "SD" refers to "Specialist Division" and "1" is the first car to come from the in-house design team. The range is sometimes wrongly referred to as "SDi" ("i" is commonly used in car nomenclature to identify fuel injection).
The SD1 can be considered as the last "true" Rover, being the final Rover-badged vehicle to be produced at Solihull, as well as being the last to be designed largely by ex-Rover Company engineers and also the final Rover car to be fitted with the Rover V8 engine. Future Rovers would be built at the former British Motor Corporation factories at Longbridge and Cowley; and rely largely on Honda.
Design
The new car was designed with simplicity of manufacture in mind in contrast to the P6, the design of which was rather complicated in areas such as the De Dion-type rear suspension. The SD1 used a well-known live rear axle instead. This different approach was chosen because surveys showed that although the automotive press was impressed by sophisticated and revolutionary designs the general buying public was not, unless the results were good. However, with the live rear axle came another retrograde step – the car was fitted with drum brakes at the rear.
Rover's plans to use its then fairly new 2.2 L four-cylinder engine were soon abandoned as BL management ruled that substantially redesigned versions of Triumph's six-cylinder engine were to power the car instead. The Rover V8 engine was fitted in the engine bay. The three-speed automatic gearbox was the BorgWarner 65 model.
The dashboard of the SD1 features an air vent, unusually, directly facing the passenger. The display binnacle sits on top of the dashboard in front of the driver to aid production in left-hand drive markets. The air vent doubles as a passage for the steering-wheel column, and the display binnacle can be easily fitted on top of the dashboard on either the left or right-hand side of the car.
An estate body had been envisaged, but it did not get beyond the prototype stage. Two similarly specified estates have survived, and are exhibited at the Heritage Motor Centre and the Haynes International Motor Museum respectively. One was used by BL chairman Sir Michael Edwardes as personal transport in the late 1970s. The two cars as befit prototypes differ in the detail of and around the tailgate. One car has a recessed tailgate, while the other has a clamshell arrangement, where the whole tailgate is visible when closed.
The SD1 was intended to be produced in a state-of-the-art extension to Rover's historic Solihull factory alongside the TR7. It was largely funded by the British government, who had bailed BL out from bankruptcy in 1975. Unfortunately this did nothing to improve the patchy build quality that then plagued all of British Leyland. That, along with quick-wearing interior materials and poor detailing ensured that initial enthusiasm soon turned to disappointment.
Initial model and first additions to range
Rover 2300 6-cylinder engine, in situ in SD1
This car was launched on its home market in June 1976 in liftback form only, as the V8-engined Rover 3500: SOHC 2.3 L and 2.6 L sixes followed a year later. The car was warmly received by the press and even received the European Car of the Year award for 1977. Its launch on the European mainland coincided with its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1977, some three months after the Car of the Year announcement. Dealers had no left-hand drive cars for sale, however, since production had been blocked by a tool makers' strike affecting several British Leyland plants and a "bodyshell dispute" at the company's Castle Bromwich plant. Closer to home, the car and its design team received The Midlander of the Year Award for 1976, because they had between them done most in the year to increase the prestige of the (English) Midlands region.
Poor construction quality was apparent even in the company's press department fleet. The British magazine Motor published a road test of an automatic 3500 in January 1977, and while keen to highlight the Rover's general excellence, they also reported that the test car suffered from poor door seals, with daylight visible from inside past the rear door window frame's edge on the left side of the car, and a curious steering vibration at speed which might (or might not) have resulted from the car's front wheels not having been correctly balanced. Disappointment was recorded that the ventilation outlet directly in front of the driver appeared to be blocked, delivering barely a breeze even when fully open; the writer had encountered this problem on one other Rover 3500, although he had also driven other cars of the same type with an abundant output of fresh air through the vent in question. Nevertheless, in March 1977, Britain's Autocar was able to publish an article by Raymond Mays a famous racing driver and team manager during, in particular, the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, in which Mays explained why, after driving it for 12,000 miles, he considered his Rover 3500 was "the best car he [had] ever had", both for its many qualities as a driver's car and for its excellent fuel economy even when driven hard. Similar problems persisted until 1980 and were reported in tests of the V8-S version.
In television shows John Steed in The New Avengers and George Cowley in The Professionals both used yellow Rover 3500 models. Although using different registration numbers both were possibly the same car.
[Text from Wikipedia]
Freight Rover D114 TFT had been new to Busways in October 1986 and is seen here at Bridge Street, Luton on 29th September 1996 operating for The Lutonian. The vehicle was a true 'breadvan' with a Dormobile bodyshell converted by Carlyle as were many of these early Freight Rover and Ford Transit vehicles.
Scanned from an acquired print.
Coachwork by Chapron
Chassis n° 4251058
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2019
Estimated : € 150.000 - 200.000
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 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 in present-day 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 and bought the rights to his design. Still made by Chapron, the Usine (factory) convertibles were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate) and could only be sold via the Citroën dealer network. Chapron continued to build his own range of bespoke designs on the DS platform, which were always different from the Usine. It is estimated that some 1,700 Usine convertibles were made between 1960 and 1975, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.
One of 241 Usine convertibles built in 1963, this car was delivered on 4th July of that year and was acquired by the current vendor on 19th August 1981 in Niort, France. It is believed that the vendor is only the second owner. Used sparingly over the course of the last 37-plus years, the car has been partially restored, the soft-top being renewed in 1981, the paintwork redone in 1982, and the front seats re-trimmed in 1995, while in 2000 the engine was changed (original engine plate available).
Overall, the car is in very good original condition while noteworthy features include a stainless steel exhaust, Continental Edison radio, anti-fog system, Robergel wheels, central armrest, and very rare Chapron leather-trimmed headrests. The car has been regularly maintained by a DS specialist located near Bordeaux, France, and almost all the hydraulics parts have been replaced.
Finished in Blanc Carrare (white) with black leather interior, this beautiful Décapotable is offered with French Carte Grise, certification from Conservatoire Citroën, and all invoices for the work carried out.
Porsche 997
n° 208 of 356
Chassis n° WP0CB2A93BS795617
Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020
Estimated : € 220.000 - 250.000
Unsold
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
September 2020
With the introduction of the first 911 Speedster in January 1989, Porsche revived a charismatic model from its past, the name previously having been applied to that most stylish of the many Type 356 variants. Originally conceived as a basic, no frills, entry level version of the 356, the Speedster would later evolve into one of the most lavishly equipped, exclusive, and expensive models in the Porsche range.
Based on the 911 Turbo Cabriolet, though normally aspirated, '89 Speedster was launched immediately prior to the introduction of the new Type 964 bodyshell and thus was the last 911 model to feature the 'old style' body. The latter was reworked by chief stylist Tony Lapine, incorporating numerous references to the original 356 Speedster as well as a pair of controversial 'camel hump' cowlings behind the seats that concealed the stowed-away manual hood.
Following the Type 964's introduction in August 1989, it took Porsche a couple of years to reintroduce the Speedster to the 911 line-up, the Type 964 version being announced in October 1992. Based on the Carrera 2, it looked very like its immediate predecessor but unlike the latter was not initially available with the wide 'Turbo-Look' body style. With the Type 993's introduction in 1994, the Speedster once again disappeared from the 911 catalogue, only to be revived a few years later as part of Porsche's 'Exclusive' programme of strictly limited edition models.
This policy of offering the Speedster via the Exclusive programme continued on the succeeding Type 996 and Type 997 iterations of the 911, the latter arriving in 2005. As an homage to the first Porsche Speedster of 1954, it was announced that only 356 would be built. This new Speedster featured the wide body of the Carrera 4S Cabriolet but was rear-drive only, being powered by the 402bhp engine of the Sport Classic. Porsche's PDK seven-speed dual-clutch automatic was the only available transmission. Porsche claimed a top speed of 305km/h (190mph) and a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 4.4 seconds, making the Type 997 Speedster one of the world's fastest convertibles.
The Speedster's signature double-bubble hood cover was retained for the Type 997, while the wide Fuchs-style wheels and front/rear bumpers and valances were other Sport Classic carry-overs. There was leather in great abundance in the interior, with even the smallest details trimmed in that material, while Porsche claimed that, once familiar with the procedure, the owner could deploy the hood in under two minutes. Despite shedding various components and adding aluminium doors and carbon brakes, the Speedster ended up weighing almost exactly the same as the C2S Cabriolet, thanks to its wide body and generous level of equipment. "The result is that it drives very much as you'd expect, offering flashing performance, admirable body rigidity and superb steering, chassis balance and poise," declared Autocar.
The Speedster offered here was built for the North American market and delivered new to Quebec, Canada, remaining there for some five years before returning to Germany in 2016. Subsequently converted to European specification, the Porsche is currently registered in Germany where it has had only one owner. Finished in white with black leather interior, this exceptional Speedster has covered only 3,174 kilometres from new and is presented in commensurately superb condition. Accompanying documentation includes sundry bills; a summary of its Canadian history; German registration papers; and a Vehicle Inspection Report rating the car as excellent in all areas.
Depending on their country of residence, prospective purchasers should consult with the local registration authorities regarding the registration of this vehicle or speak to a Bonhams specialist for further advice.
Please be advised that due to the limited number of kilometres recorded on the odometer, this Lot may incur VAT liability upon registration in the EU. The VAT payable will be the rate prevailing in the country of registration.
The remains of a circa early 1970s British-built Austin-Morris EA public service ambulance w/ bodywork by ‘Wadham Stringer’ coachbuilders, sitting abandoned and neglected in the woods on a country lane near Darlington, County Durham, U.K. The body was made entirely of fibreglass, and every other non-plastic component on this vehicle has long since been removed. All that remains is this bare cracked bodyshell, which after being decommissioned as an ambulance used to be painted light blue (as a mobile grocer shop), and has now deteriorated to “hearing aid beige” bare exposed fibreglass. The vehicle has been siting in this exact same spot for decades.
Examples of abandoned classic vehicles in the wilderness such as this one have become an increasingly rare sight in the United Kingdom nowadays. However, as these pictures prove, they still exist out there in the year 2025.
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!
Note in the background the 1957 Jaguar XKSS, a car spawned from the famous racing D-Type and spiritual older brother to the E-Type.
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
Well that was fun and bit wet from the short, frequent and heavy rain showers we've been having today. It's a good job my brain remembered that the caravan makers put a car on top of a caravan when they introduced their alu-tech bodyshell so I thought it would easily able to hold my weight for an FDT. HFDT everyone!!!
VW Golf Mk.III Avantgarde Cabriolet (1993-01) Engine 1984cc S4
Chassis No: WVWZZZ1EZTK001465
Registration Number N 182 XKR (Maidstone)
VOLKSWAGEN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738785355...
The third generation Volkswagen Golf was introduced in 1991 replacing the Mk.II version.
The Cabrio version was launched in 1994 three years after the Hatchback, replacing the long running 1 st generation Cabrio and was to outlive the Mk.3 Hatch which was replaced in Hatchback and Estate form in late 1999, remaining in production until 2001.
Though the Cabriolet did receive an update in mid 1999 with the front, rear, and steering wheel styling from the Golf Mk4 while still maintaining the body from the Mk3 Cabrio.
Conceived as a thoroughly modern design its high-strength two-door monocoque bodyshell featured an integral roll-over hoop and driver's / passenger's airbags. The hood is a six layer quick release hood, . While, drivers had the advantage of both power-assisted steering (complete with an adjustable column) and ABS brakes. Available in S, SE, Avantgarde and Colour Concept trim levels and with a choice of 1.6 (100bhp), 1.8 (75 / 90bhp) or 2.0 litre (115bhp) engines, the model enjoyed a seven-year production run between 1994 and 2001
This car was offered for sale at the H and H Buxton Pavilion Gardens sale of 10th April 2019, with an auction guide price of £ 3,000 to £ 4,000
Diolch yn fawr am 70,007,134 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 70,007,134 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 10.04.2019 at The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire Ref 138-294
Ford Lotus Cortina Mk.1 (1963-66) Engine 1558cc S4 DOC Production 4012
Registration Number ACU 470 B
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.
A Big thankyou for an incredible 24 Million views
Shot 04:05:2014 at the Donington Historic Festival REF 102-149
The interior of this model was built from scratch at the same time as the bodyshell was first converted. Over the years it was plundered for various bits but has been rebuilt and re-seated. The lower deck now has the correct black leather seats, for which the texture of the acrylic has come in handy. The grey areas are a mixture of shades and so will all need repainted to ensure colour consistency.
Bond Ranger Van Mk.G (1961-66) Engine 247cc Single Cylinder Villiers two stroke
Production 3253 (all body styles)
Registration Number BMU 441 A
BOND SET
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Last of the line of the Bond Minicar dating back to 1949, originally built by Sharp's Commercial Ltd. until the change of company name to Bond Cars ltd. in 1964, both companies based in Preston. The basic concept for the minicar was derived from a prototype built by Lawrence "Lawrie" Bond, an engineer from Preston and former aeronautical designer for the Blackburn Aircraft Company. Sharp's Commercials was a company contracted by the Ministry of Supply to rebuild military vehicles, seeing the post-war downturn in orders of military vehicles Bond approached the Managing Director of Sharp's, Lt. Col. Charles Reginald 'Reg' Gray, to ask if he could rent the factory to build his car. Gray refused, but said that instead, Sharp's could manufacture the car for Bond and the two entered into an agreement on this basis. The car proved popular in the UK market, where its three-wheel configuration meant that it qualified for a lower rate of purchase tax, lower vehicle excise duty and cheaper insurance than comparable four-wheel cars. The three-wheel configuration, low weight and lack of a reverse gear also meant that it could be driven on a motor cycle licence. In April 1962 the purchase tax rate of 55 percent, which had been applied to all four-wheeled cars sold in the UK since the war was reduced to 45 per cent, in November 1962 it was reduced by another 20 per cent to 25 per cent – the same rate as that applied to three-wheelers. This rapid change meant that at the point of sale, some three-wheelers became more expensive than four-wheeled cars like the Mini, resulting in a sharp decline in sales, from this point and the final Minicar was produced in 1966 by the end of production 24,482 Bond Minicars had been produced
The Mark G was billed as a new line Minicar and proved the final evolution, still based to a large extent on the bodyshell of the Mark F. With a revised shape fibreglass roof, new doors, new windscreen with opening quarter lights and bigger wheels largely transformed the cars appearance. However, although the car was similar in layout to the Mark F, almost everything mechanically about the Mark G was different with very few components carried over. Steel supports around the quarter lights allowed the windscreen to be both more steeply raked and moved forwards to provide more interior room. This also allowed a properly sprung bench-type rear seat to be fitted capable of seating two adults. The front seats were adjustable for position and the passenger side now folded much further forward than on previous models to allow easier access to the rear though the doors were still felt to be too narrow for easy entry.
Production of the Mark G began in August 1961 and initially the Bond 250 G Minicar was the only version available.
Under the bonnet, the car utilised the new Villiers Mk 35A unit designed specifically for the car. A development of the 9E, this incorporated numerous mechanical refinements to improve strength and reliability albeit slightly to the cost of overall power, now rated at 11.5 bhp (9 kW; 12 PS) at 4,500 rpm. Rear suspension was completely revised, with trailing arm units controlled by Armstrong dampers. The rod and cable brake systems of previous cars was also replaced by Lockheed hydraulic brakes acting on all three wheels.
Two further models were added to the range in 1962, the Bond 250 G Estate and the Bond 250 G Ranger. The estate featured a large hatchback, hinged at the roof. Inside, the rear seats could be folded flat reversed (so the passengers faced the rear or removed entirely.On the Ranger version the rear seats and rear side windows were omitted.
Shot 25:04:2012 Chasewater Transport Show, Chasewater, Brownhills, Staffordshire Ref: 84-035
I shot this ad for the December '08 issue of Mustang Enthusiast Magazine.
This was built by Autoworks International for Dynacorn with a Dynacorn Replacement Body Shell.
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The Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI) was a coachbuilding company founded in 1960 in Turin by former president of Ghia Luigi Segre and Arrigo Olivetti (from the Fergat company, a manufacturer of automotive components). OSI was intended to be an independent design branch of Ghia's, focussing on niche efforts.
The short lived company made some custom built cars based on Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Ford models. One of their first contracts was to build the bodyshells of the 1960 Innocenti 950 Spider, designed by a young Tom Tjaarda at Ghia's behest. Probably its best known model outside Italy was the Ford 20M TS Coupé based on the German Ford Taunus 20M. The car was designed by Sergio Sartorelli, better known as the designer of the Type 3 based Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 34. Approximately 2,200 of the Ford 20M based coupés were produced, of which approximately 200 were thought to have survived through till 2010.
(Wikipedia)
Class 57 no 57309, named "Brains", stabled at Rugby on 26 September 2007.
57309 was built in 2003 using the bodyshell of Class 47 no 47806. 47806 was built by Brush Traction in 1966 and was originally numbered D1931. It was renumbered to 47254 under TOPS in March 1974, and then became 47651 in 1986 when fitted with eth.
57309 is currently owned by DRS and is now named "Pride of Crewe".
Sold for £ 2.500
The Jaguar Land-Rover Collection
Brightwells Auctions
Bicester Heritage
Buckingham Road
Bicester
Oxfordshire
England
March 2018
The A90 Six Westminster was introduced at the 1954 London Motor Show alongside the smaller A40/50 Cambridge saloon range.
It used the new BMC C-Series 2.6-litre straight-six engine which, with a single Zenith carb, produced 85bhp. Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs and wishbones, with leaf springs and anti-roll bar on the live axle at the rear. The four-speed column-change transmission had synchromesh on the top three ratios.
They were as tough as old boots, and even in period competed successfully on International rallies. Nowadays they remain a long-distance rally car of choice, their eminently tuneable C-series engines able to take lots of punishment, as can the sturdy bodyshell and rugged suspension.
This superb 1956 model registers just over 32.000 miles on the clock, which although unsubstantiated, could well be correct given the superb original condition of the car. Show car or race car – those are the options. What happens next is entirely down to you.
The V5C shows five previous owners, although sadly there is no other paperwork with the car.
We do know that its last MOT took place in 2012, but it has seen so little use over the last 12 years that some recommissioning work is bound to be required, however a few weekends work should have it back to near show condition.