Moving within the yard at Wansford is UK Rail Leasing Class 56, 56081.

The Class 56's were once the pride of British Railway's freight network, a humble design mixed with incredible amounts of power to operate the toughest cargo the UK industry could throw at them, today sadly now whittled down to their final few by the advance of time and technology.

By the 1970's, freight traffic in the UK had dwindled to its lowest ever thanks to the massive shift from rail transport to road transport, compounded largely by the construction of the Motorway network. As such, British Rail was left with only a few long-distance or heavy-haul operations that lorries and trucks couldn't compete with, these being the Freightliner container trains and the lucrative coal market, supplying coal-fired power stations with their precious fuel from the collieries spread across the UK. As such, one of Dr. Beeching's various ways to streamline operations and reduce working costs was through the introduction of the Merry-go-Round train (MGR). The concept was to run lengthy block-trains loaded with coal to the power station and then unloaded, all while the train does not stop, thereby saving the amount of time taken to carry out the operation. Introduced in 1966, the operation was an immediate success, combined with the introduction of the now famous MGR Hopper wagons that replaced many of the older wooden or steel bodied mineral wagons of the steam era.

However, locomotives were the bigger problem as there weren't enough reliable engines to go around. By the start of MGR operations, British Rail had been inundated with a myriad of locomotive designs, and while some like the Class 37 and the Class 20 were quite successful and reliable engines, many classes, such as the Class 17, were highly unreliable, or there were such small numbers of particular locomotive classes that they couldn't really justify their operation. The result was a massive standardisation plan throughout the early 1970's, primarily done to kill off many of the earlier, more obscure classes such as Class 29's, but also the Diesel-Hydraulic Class 22's, 35's, 42's and 52's. The result was that there were not enough of the reliable locomotives left to operate the MGR workings, and thus a new class of locomotive was designed throughout these years specifically for the task of MGR trains.

BREL was assigned to design the locomotive, which would be powered by a 3,520hp Ruston-Paxman 16RK3CT engine, a derivative of the English Electric CSVT used in the earlier Class 50's. The bodyshell was utilitarian, taking many queues from the earlier Class 47's although somewhat shorter. Additionally, these locomotives were the first to be fitted with air train brakes only, using the Davies and Metcalfe E70 system. Earlier designs had variously been fitted with vacuum train brakes, or a dual braking system.

Designated Class 56, the first batch of these locomotives was for some very strange reason built under license in Romania by a company called Electroputere, known also for the Romanian 5100 kW Class 45 Electric. The first batch consisted of 29 locomotives, 56001 to 56030, but were quickly found to have major build quality flaws and were highly unreliable. As such, the remainder of the fleet was built in the UK, with 56031 to 56115 being built by BREL Doncaster, and 56116 to 56135 being built by BREL Crewe. The original Romanian locomotives were later rebuilt with upgraded quality and running gear to iron out the faults, or were withdrawn early.

Upon their launch in 1976, the class were immediately put to work on the MGR operations in the north of England, and were quite successful at their jobs. Their operations however were not limited simply to coal, with other operations including lengthy tanker trains, Freightliner container trains and, in some instances, Speedlink pickup goods. However, even before production of the class had ended in 1984, their market in the coal business was swept quite literally out from under them. In a time of major industrial disputes and strike action from all sectors of the nationalised British Industry, and the coal industry was no exception, led by Arthur Scargill and the various Trade Unions of the National Coal Board. The result was that by the middle of the 1980's, the results of the industrial turmoil and essential corporate suicide had resulted in most of the UK coal industry's market seeking their coal from other nations, primarily Poland, and thus many coal mines went out of business.

The result on the Class 56 was that it had much of its work removed and by the time the last class members rolled off the production line, there were only a few coal operations left to keep the class ticking over. Although, as mentioned, the class could find other work, many did find themselves languishing in depots such as Tinsley and Knottingley waiting for work that didn't appear to be coming.

Privatisation saw the class broken up and then put back together again, initially split among the BR shadow franchises Transrail and Loadhaul, before being reunited by the formation of 1997's English Welsh & Scottish Railways or EWS. EWS employed the Class 56's on many operations, including replacing Class 37's in South Wales on the steel trains, but things very soon turned bleak, not just for the 56, but for all of the older British Rail designs. The unreliability of those early Class 56's had helped many private contractors realize how poorly built many of the older BR classes are, and desired something much more sturdy. The result was the Canadian Class 59, ordered by Foster Yeoman in the mid-1980's, the spiritual precursor to what would be EWS's standard diesel freight locomotive, the Class 66. Upon their introduction in 1999, the 66's made quick inroads into the Class 56 fleet, and by 2003 only a handful remained in service. The end finally came for the Class 56's on the 31st March, 2004, with a farewell railtour being operated from Bristol to York.

But this was not the full end for the Class 56's, as many have since seen a new life in the private sector. Several members of the class were exported to France in order to assist in the construction of LGV High-speed lines, including the LGV Est from Paris to Strasbourg. Other small operators also saw the potential of these extremely powerful locomotives, one of the first being the redundant Fastline Freight, which rebuilt several Class 56's in order to create 56/3's for greater reliability. For many though, the scrapyard was their only future, whilst others remained in storage for year after year until in about 2012 many class members were taken on by Colas Rail, who began using them on their various Log Train operations as well as infrastructure workings. Private contractors such as British-American Railway Services (BARS) and Devon & Cornwall Railways (DCR) have also taken on several engines to help them with their routine operations. Perhaps the largest operator of the surviving fleet is UK Rail Leasing, which has 14 locomotives on its books.

The Hillman Avenger is a rear-wheel drive small family car originally manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1970–1976, and made by Chrysler Europe from 1976–1981 as the Chrysler Avenger and finally the Talbot Avenger. The Avenger was marketed in North America as the Plymouth Cricket.

The Avenger was initially produced at Rootes' plant in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, England, and later at the company's Linwood facility near Glasgow, Scotland.

1970: Hillman Avenger

Introduced in February 1970, the Avenger was significant as it was the first and last car to be developed by Rootes after the Chrysler takeover in 1967. Stylistically, the Avenger was undoubtedly very much in tune with its time; the American-influenced "Coke Bottle" waistline and semi-fastback rear-end being a contemporary styling cue, indeed the Avenger would be the first British car to be manufactured with a one piece plastic front grille. However, from an engineering prospective it was rather conventional, using a 4-cylinder all-iron overhead valve engine in 1250 or 1500 capacities driving a coil spring suspended live axle at the rear wheels. Unlike any previous Rootes design, there were no "badge-engineered" Humber or Singer versions in the UK market. The Avenger was immediately highly praised by the press for its good handling characteristics and generally good overall competence on the road and it was considered a significantly better car to drive than rivals like the Morris Marina.

Initially, the Avenger was available as a four-door saloon in DL, Super and GL trim levels. The DL and Super could be had with either the 1250 or 1500 cc engines, but the GL was only available with the 1500 cc engine. Since the DL was the basic model in the range, it featured little more than rubber mats and a very simple dashboard with a strip-style speedometer. The Super was a bit better equipped, featuring carpets, armrests, twin horns and reversing lights, though the dashboard was carried over from the DL. The top-spec GL model featured four round headlights (which was a big improvement over the rectangular ones from the Hillman Hunter that were used on the DL and Super), internal bonnet release, two-speed wipers, brushed nylon seat trim (previously never used on British cars), reclining front seats, and a round-dial dashboard with extra instrumentation.

Not only was the Avenger's styling totally new, but so were the engine and transmission units, which were not at all like those used in the larger "Arrow" series Hunter. Another novelty for the Avenger was the use of a plastic radiator grille, a first in Britain and at 4 ft 6 in (137 cm) wide claimed as the largest mass-produced plastics component used at this time by the European motor industry. The Avenger was a steady seller in the 1970s, in competition with the Ford Escort and Vauxhall Viva. Chrysler was attempting to make the Avenger to be a "world car", and took the ambitious step of marketing the Avenger as the Plymouth Cricket in the U.S. Complaints of rust, unreliability, plus apathy towards small cars amongst buyers in the U.S., saw it withdrawn from that market after only two years.

Introduction of body and trim variations

In October 1970, the Avenger GT was added to the range. It had a twin-carburettor 1500 cc engine, four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission (also optional on the 1500 DL, Super and GL). The GT featured twin round headlights, go-faster stripes along the sides of the doors and "dustbin lid" wheel covers, which were similar to those found on the various Datsuns and Toyotas of the 1970s.

The basic fleet Avenger was added to the range in February 1972. It was offered with either 1250 or 1500 cc engines (the latter available with the automatic transmission option). The fleet Avenger was very basic: it did not have a sun visor for the front passenger, and the heater blower had just a single speed. In October 1972, the Avenger GT was replaced by the Avenger GLS, which came with a vinyl roof and Rostyle sports wheels.

In March 1972, the five-door estate versions were introduced, in DL and Super forms (both available with either 1250 or 1500 cc engines) and basically the same specifications as the saloon versions. However, 'heavy-duty springing' was fitted and the estate had a maximum load capacity of 1,040 lb (470 kg), compared to 840 lb (380 kg) for the saloon.

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The two-door saloon models were added in March 1973, with all engine and trim options of the existing four-door range. Styling of the two-door was similar to the four-door, but the side profile was less curvaceous.

The car was extensively marketed in continental Europe, first as a Sunbeam. It was without the Avenger name in France, where it was known as the Sunbeam 1250 and 1500; later the 1300 and 1600. Some northern European markets received the car as the Sunbeam Avenger.

Both engine sizes were upgraded in October 1973. The 1250 became the 1300, while the 1500 became the 1600 with nearly all the same previous trim levels except for the basic fleet Avenger, which was discontinued at this point. The GL and GT trim levels were now also offered with the 1300 engine and two-door saloon body.

1972: Avenger Tiger

Named to evoke memories of the Sunbeam Tiger, the Avenger Tiger concept began as a publicity exercise. Avenger Super (four-door) cars were modified by the Chrysler Competitions Centre under Des O' Dell and the Tiger model was launched in March 1972. Modifications included the 1500 GT engine with an improved cylinder head with enlarged valves, twin Weber carburetors and a compression ratio of 9.4:1. The engine now developed 92.5 bhp (69 kW) at 6,100 rpm. The suspension was also uprated, whilst brakes, rear axle, and gearbox are directly from the GT.

A distinctive yellow colour scheme ("Sundance") with a bonnet bulge, rear spoiler and side stripes was standard, set off with "Avenger Tiger" lettering on the rear quarters.

Road test figures demonstrated a 0–60 mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 108 mph (174 km/h). These figures beat the rival Ford Escort Mexico, but fuel consumption was heavy. Even in 1972, the Tiger developed a reputation for its thirst.

All Avenger Tigers were assembled by the Chrysler Competitions Centre and production figures are vague but around 200 of the initial Mark 1 seems likely.

In October 1972, Chrysler unveiled the more "productionised" Mark 2 Tiger. The Avenger GL bodyshell with four round headlights was used. Mechanically identical to the earlier cars, the bonnet bulge was lost although the bonnet turned matt black, and there were changes to wheels and seats. These cars went on sale at £1,350. Production was around 400. Red ("Wardance") was now available as well as yellow ("Sundance"), both with black detailing.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillman_Avenger

This miniland-scale Lego 1972 Hillman Avenger Tiger has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 91st Build Challenge, - "Anger Management", - all about cars with some link to being angry.

Problems during production and testing led to several class 323 bodyshells being stored in Halifax. Here seen at the former Asquiths engineering company at Highroad Well. These units were built by Hunslet in Leeds.

With Triumph Herald convertible bodyshell.

The Austin Maxi is a medium-sized, 5-door hatchback family car that was produced by Austin and later British Leyland between 1969 and 1981. It was the first British five-door hatchback.

The Maxi (code name ADO14) was the last car designed under the British Motor Corporation (BMC) before it was incorporated into the new British Leyland group, and the last production car designed by famed designer Alec Issigonis. It was the first car to be launched by British Leyland.

The new chairman Lord Stokes decided to also change the hatchback's name to the Maxi in homage to the Mini of 10 years earlier. All Maxis were produced at the Cowley plant in Oxford, although the E-Series engines were made at a new factory at Cofton Hackett in Longbridge.

Underneath the Maxi's practical and spacious bodyshell lay an all-new front-wheel drive chassis, which was interlinked with an innovative five-speed manual transmission; the fifth gear was another rarity on family cars in 1969 and one which many manufacturers did not adopt until more than a decade later.

Despite the new platform, the Maxi's styling suffered from the decision to save tooling costs by re-using door panels from the Austin 1800 "Landcrab", which gave the Maxi an unusually long wheelbase in relation to its length, coupled with the fact that the carried-over doors made the Maxi resemble a scaled down version of the 1800 (and the Austin 3-Litre, which also used the same doors).

The Jaguar XJ (XJ40) is a luxury sedan manufactured by Jaguar Cars between 1986 and 1994. Officially unveiled on 8 October 1986 it was an all-new redesign of the XJ to replace the Series III, although the two model ranges were sold concurrently until the Series III was discontinued in 1992. The XJ40 used the Jaguar independent rear suspension arrangement, and featured a number of technological enhancements (such as electronic instrumentation)

Development:

Throughout the 1970s Jaguar had been developing "Project XJ40", which was an all-new model intended to replace the original XJ6. Scale models were being built as early as 1972. Due to the 1973 oil crisis and problems at parent company British Leyland, the car was continually delayed. Proposals from both Jaguar's in-house designers and Pininfarina were received. Eventually, it was decided an internal design would be carried through to production and, in February 1981, the British Leyland board approved £80 million to produce the new car.

Jaguar historians claim that the XJ40 was the last car which company founder Sir William Lyons had contributed to during its protracted development phase. The previous generation XJ had been the final Jaguar to be developed wholly under Lyons' leadership - although he continued to take an active consultative role within Jaguar design, long after had retired from the day to day management of the firm following its merger in 1966 with the British Motor Corporation.

During development, the XJ40 pioneered significant improvements to the way Jaguar designed, built, and assembled cars. Among these improvements was a 25 per cent reduction in the number of bodywork panels required per car (e.g. three pressings needed for a Series 3 door compared with one for a XJ40 door), resulting in not only a more efficient assembly process, but also a weight saving and a stiffer structure. Greater attention to panel gaps improved the drag factor (reduced from 0.849 Cd to 0.762 Cd), while also improving the fuel economy and lowering wind noise inside the cabin.

Mechanicals:

AJ6 4.0 L engine (in a 1990 Daimler)

Initially, only two engines were offered across the XJ40 models: a 2.9 L and a 3.6 L version of the AJ6 inline-six. In 1990, these were changed to 3.2 L and 4.0 L versions. In 1993, the XJ12 and Daimler Double Six (both equipped with the Jaguar V12 engine) were added to the available models.

During the development of the XJ40, British Leyland had considered providing the Rover V8 engine for the car, which would have eliminated the need for future Jaguar engine production. The XJ40 bodyshell was allegedly engineered to prevent fitting V-configuration engines such as the Rover V8; this delayed the introduction of the V12-powered XJ12 until 1993.

The automatic gearbox used in the 2.9 L, 3.2 L and 3.6 L six-cylinder cars was the four-speed ZF 4HP22. On the 4.0 L, the four-speed ZF 4HP24 was used. A stronger automatic gearbox was required for the V12-equipped cars, and the four-speed GM 4L80-E was selected. The manual gearbox fitted to early cars was the five-speed Getrag 265, while later cars received the Getrag 290.

The automatic transmission selector was redesigned to allow the manual selection of forward gears without accidentally selecting neutral or reverse. This new feature was dubbed the "J-Gate" and has carried over to more recent Jaguar models.

Exterior:

The curvaceous lines of the outgoing Series XJ were replaced by the more angular, geometric shape of the XJ40. The nose of the car would accommodate either matched pairs of round headlights, or rectangular single units; the latter were fitted to the higher-specification Sovereign and Daimler trim levels, and also to all cars for the US market.

The bumper is a visually distinct black-rubber-covered bar that runs the full width of the car and incorporates the sidelights and indicator lights. The bonnet is hinged at the front. Window frames are either chromed or black, depending on model. Rain gutters, door mirrors, and door handles are also finished in chrome. All XJ40s have a chrome surround for the windscreen and a single windscreen wiper.

Early low-specification cars were fitted with metric-sized steel wheels and plastic wheelcovers. From 1991, the wheels were changed to non-metric sizing.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJ

The Austin Maxi is a medium-sized, 5-door hatchback family car that was produced by Austin and later British Leyland between 1969 and 1981. It was the first British five-door hatchback.

The Maxi (code name ADO14) was the last car designed under the British Motor Corporation (BMC) before it was incorporated into the new British Leyland group, and the last production car designed by famed designer Alec Issigonis. It was the first car to be launched by British Leyland.

The new chairman Lord Stokes decided to also change the hatchback's name to the Maxi in homage to the Mini of 10 years earlier. All Maxis were produced at the Cowley plant in Oxford, although the E-Series engines were made at a new factory at Cofton Hackett in Longbridge.

Underneath the Maxi's practical and spacious bodyshell lay an all-new front-wheel drive chassis, which was interlinked with an innovative five-speed manual transmission; the fifth gear was another rarity on family cars in 1969 and one which many manufacturers did not adopt until more than a decade later.

Despite the new platform, the Maxi's styling suffered from the decision to save tooling costs by re-using door panels from the Austin 1800 "Landcrab", which gave the Maxi an unusually long wheelbase in relation to its length, coupled with the fact that the carried-over doors made the Maxi resemble a scaled down version of the 1800 (and the Austin 3-Litre, which also used the same doors).

1971 FIAT 500.

Registered in July 1994. Last MoT test expired in May 2013.

Mini bodyshell lurking in the workshop behind.

Audi Coupe (B3) (1989-91) Engine 2309cc S5 OC 20v Production 1,090,590

Registration Number G 455 PNN

AUDI SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623635550501...

The Audi B3 Saloon was launched in 1986 for the 1987 model year based on a new platform which broke the relationship between the 80 and the Volkswagen Passat, the corresponding third generation of which used the transverse-engined Volkswagen B3 platform, whilst Audi stuck with the longitudinal front wheel drive layout for the B3-series 80. Designed by J Mays, it introduced a new aerodynamic look and a fully galvanised bodyshell. This was the first mid-sized car to feature a fully zinc-coated body, giving it longevity and durability against corrosion perforation.[

The Audi Coupe was introduced for the 1988 model year basically a typ 89 saloon with a shortened wheelbase, modified rear suspension and a new front suspension system that previewed what was to come in the B4 Audi 80. It came with the 115 PS (85 kW; 113 bhp) 2.0E as well as the 10-valve and 20-valve 2.3E engines. with good looking two door bodies, and ;ess aggressive appearance than its predecessor

Please click on this link to my Flag Page to register a view from your country.

s04.flagcounter.com/more/VIv

Thankyou - Rob.

Shot taken 10.06.2012 at the Bromley Pagaent of Motoring REF 85-036

Morris Six MS (1949-54) Engine 2215cc S6 OC Production 12,400

Registration Number MAB 170

MORRIS SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690377489...

Announced in a major press release by Morris Motors, on 26th October 1948, along with the Morris Minor, MO Series Morris Oxford and its sister car the Wolseley 4-50, the Morris Six was Morris' first Post War six cylinder car, all of the new range were of integral construction of chassis and body and rode on independent front suspension with torsion bars. At launch the car was priced at £607 (including tax) on the UK market though the price went to £671 on 1 March 1949. Its engine rated under the old system, which was dropped that year, at just over 20hp and with a clear external likeness to its prewar 25hp predecessor the car was also very similar to the Issigonis designed Morris Oxford MO sharing the Oxford's bodyshell from the scuttle backwards, and his Minor MM. The bonnet was longer than the Oxford's to take the overhead camshaft, single SU carburettor, 2215 cc six-cylinder engine which produced 70 bhp. The whole car was longer than the Oxford with a wheelbase of 110 inches against the Oxford's 97 inches. Suspension was independent at the front using torsion bars and at the rear there was a conventional live axle and semi elliptic springs. The steering was not by the rack and pinion method fitted to the Oxford but used a lower geared Bishop Cam system. The 10 inches (250 mm) drum brakes were hydraulically operated using a Lockheed system. Production was delayed until March 1949 because of difficulties with metal fatigue in the bulkhead or scuttle's link to the front suspension. Suspension was independent at the front using torsion bars and at the rear there was a conventional live axle and semi elliptic springs. The steering was not by the rack and pinion method fitted to the Oxford but used a lower geared Bishop Cam system. The 10 inches (250 mm) drum brakes were hydraulically operated using a Lockheed system. Production was delayed until March 1949 because of difficulties with metal fatigue in the bulkhead or scuttle's link to the front suspension. Aside from the grille and identification marks the whole car was shared with Nuffield Organisation more luxuriously finished stable-mate Wolseley as the 6/80.

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 26,952,400 views

Shot 07:07:2014 at on Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 102-1040

Entering Leicester with the terminating 2L56 service from Lincoln is East Midlands Trains Class 156, 156411.

Based on the earlier designs of the Class 151, the Class 156 was an express variant created for longer distance operations on the then British Rail Regional Railways sector. 114 units were constructed by Metro-Cammell (now owned by Alstom) at their former Washwood Heath works in Birmingham, with the primary goal of replacing the last few 1st generation DMU units from the 1950's and early 60's on longer distance trains.

The original Class 151 was designed as a competitor against BREL's Class 150 as a new unit for the 1980's. The Class 151 however had many flaws that made it somewhat inferior to the Class 150, and thus was not chosen for mass-production. In response, the Class 156, Metro-Cammel's second attempt at a widespread unit for BR operation, was conceived upon much more conservative principles. The bodyshell was made of steel instead of aluminium, and the cab design was deliberately similar to the BREL Class 150 to ease union acceptance.

The vehicles are powered by 6-cylinder Cummins NT855-R5 diesel engines through Voith T211r hydraulic automatic transmissions and Gmeinder final drive units. They have a top speed of 75mph.

Unlike the Class 150 units, the 156's have a single-leaf sliding door at either end of each coach. This reflected the expected longer journeys with fewer stops that the Class 156 was supposed to operate. As with the Class 150, all the doors are operable by passengers when released by the guard using one of two passenger door control panels; they are energized using a carriage key to turn a rotary switch situated on the cab bulkhead. Units operated by Abellio ScotRail have additionally been fitted with door-control panels near the centre sets of doors for the convenience of the guard.

The first 100 units were all ordered by the Provincial Sector of British Rail, and carried the sector's livery of blue and beige with light blue stripe. Twenty units, numbers 156401-419/422 based at Tyseley depot, were later repainted into Regional Railways Express livery after the rebranding of Provincial.

The last fourteen units, numbers 156501-514, were ordered by Strathclyde PTE, and carried an orange and black livery. This was later replaced by a carmine and cream livery, reminiscent of the 1950s livery carried by Mk.1 coaching stock.

In the early 1990's, British Rail was looking to save costs on rural routes, and decided that operating two-car trains was too expensive. The company planned to convert a number of Class 156 units into single-car vehicles as Class 152. In the event, the decision was taken to do this with the Class 155 units instead.

The Class 156's entered service with Regional Railways in 1988, primarily on services in the Scottish Lowlands and Northern England. They were a major hit, with their extra capacity and express style seating being quite popular among passengers. The 156's plied their trade for many years until the introduction of the faster Class 158's somewhat demoted them to many slower workings, although many 156's retained express operations and would often work in conjunction with 158's.

One Class 156 however has been lucky enough to leave the UK on an excursion to Holland, this being 156502 from the Scottish Region. In summer 1989, in connection with celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Dutch railways, British Rail was invited to send an example of its latest rolling stock to be exhibited at Utrecht for two weeks. Class 156 unit number 156502 from Glasgow was selected; it was unusual as it carried the Strathclyde Passenger Executive (SPE) orange and black livery. On 16th June, 1989, the unit was driven under its own power by a Derby train crew from the Railway Technical Centre to the Netherlands. As the Channel Tunnel was still under construction, the train was carried on the SNCF train ferry from Dover Western Docks to Dunkirk, from where the unit was driven through France and Belgium to the Dutch border at Essen and on to Utrecht with help from SNCF, SNCB and NS train crews. The unit was exhibited along with various items of rolling stock from across Europe for around two weeks, after which it returned to the UK.

Today, all units remain in service with a variety of operators from Scotland to the North of England, Anglia and the Midlands. Many of the former Central Trains units from the original batch were offloaded following the mass introduction of Class 170's in the mid-2000's, and have found allocation elsewhere with East Midlands Trains and Northern Rail.

As it stands, East Midlands Trains operate 14 units on services in the East Midlands and Anglia. Northern Rail operate 40 to work around Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, York, Hull, Carlisle and Blackpool. Abellio Scotrail operate 48 units that work the entire length and breadth of Scotland, from their various services across the border to Newcastle and Carlisle, to the remote and rural operations of the West Highland Line to Fort William and Mallaig. Abellio Greater Anglia operate the smallest fleet of 5 units on various services in the Anglia region, including trains to Great Yarmouth. During the transfer of stock within First TransPennine Express, a small number of 156's were leased to the company to cover their operations around Liverpool in 2015, though it is understood that these units have either been or soon will be retunred to Northern Rail.

Porsche 996 GT3 RS

The 996 platform was used as the basis for two lightweight GT variants called GT2 and GT3. The GT3 was based on the standard 996 Carrera, but was stripped of a great deal of equipment for weight savings, featured stiffer, adjustable suspension and upgraded brakes, and used the bodyshell of the four-wheel-drive version, which incorporated additional front-end stiffening. It was produced in two versions. The first, commonly referred to as the Mk.I GT3, was released in 1999 in all markets, save North America. It featured a naturally aspirated version 3.6L flat six making 360 bhp (270 kW). This engine was shared with the 996 Turbo and was a derivative of the Le Mans winning engine developed for the 911 GT1. The Mk.II GT3 variant was based on the second generation of the 996, and featured updated aerodynamics, and a more powerful version of the 3.6L engine from the MK.I, now producing 380 bhp (280 kW). The Mk.II was the first GT3 marketed in the North America. In a 2004 testing of the Mk.II GT3, the car accelerated 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds, and produced 1.03 g on the skidpad, the second highest number ever recorded by a street legal automobile.

Source Wikipedia

Coachwork by Henri Chapron

Bonhams : the Zoute Sale

Estimated : € 240.000 - 320.000

Sold for € 425.500

Zoute Grand Prix 2018

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2018

Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering.

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. Citroën's own Décapotables were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate) but the model was never produced in England, where Citroën's right-hand drive cars were assembled at its Slough factory up to 1966. 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.

The beautiful Citroën convertible offered here is the first of three DS23 IE cars built by the Chapron factory for 1973, and one of only four such examples with the 2.3-litre IE (fuel injected) engine. It was originally ordered by eminent Parisian Raoul d'Iray in October 1972 through the Citroën dealership in Paris 18th, 6 rue d'Oran. Carrying the Chapron build number '9414', this exceedingly rare car was finished in December 1972 and first registered in March 1973 under the Parisian number '3304 ZB 75' to Mr Raoul d'Iray, 148 Avenue Louis Roche, Gennevilliers/Seine, France.

At that time, Henri Chapron's cars were no longer sold through the Citroën dealer network, and every car that Chapron transformed had to be approved by the French licensing authority (the 'Service des Mines') before it could be registered. These papers accompany the car. The DS remained in Raoul d'Iray's ownership for a decade. It then passed to a Mr Van Houten, remaining with him for a further decade before passing to Mr Jaap Knap, a Citroën dealer.

Last publicly offered for sale in 2006 at Rétromobile, this rare Citroën DS23 IE Décapotable was purchased by the car collector and hugely successful fashion entrepreneur, Mr Kevin Stanford, who registered it in the UK with his personal registration plate, '56 KS'.

For the next 12 years the car was enjoyed by Mr Stanford and his family before being purchased by a UK car collector. Since then it has received a detailed mechanical overhaul at the hands of the widely respected UK-based Citroën specialist, Olivier Houiller of French Classics Ltd. Recent receipts totalling over £15,000 accompany the car, as does the extensive Chapron build documentation that was provided by Noëlle-Eleonore Chapron, Henri Chapron's daughter.

This magnificent and very rare piece of French motoring history is 'on the button' and ready to be enjoyed. An eye-catcher at any gathering, it comes with the aforementioned documentation and is currently registered in the UK.

W111

Publicly displayed for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1967, Mercedes-Benz's fifteen 'New Generation' models went on sale the following January. But although the fuel-injected 280 SE saloon shared its bodyshell with the 'New Generation' 280 S, the 280 SE Coupé and Convertible retained the elegant looks of the outgoing 250 SE that had debuted back in 1959 on the 220 SE, designed by Paul Bracq. The 2,778cc overhead-camshaft six-cylinder Type M130 engine though, was all new. In fuel-injected 'SE' form the seven-bearing M130 produced 160bhp at 5,500rpm, an output sufficient to propel the manual transmission model to 118mph with the automatic, an increasingly popular choice, not far behind. Just as important in an age when automobile induced atmospheric pollution was becoming a hot political issue, was the fact that the M130 brought with it improved fuel economy and more efficient emissions control. The suspension was essentially the same as that of the equivalent saloon model, albeit reconfigured for a lower ride height, with braking courtesy of discs all round. Plush and well appointed, the interiors featured a leather-covered dashboard, (usually) leather upholstery, Becker radio, and round speedometer and rev counter flanking vertically stacked gauges. The thickly padded convertible top was manually operated, while air conditioning, electric windows, central locking and power assisted steering were among the several options listed. Production of the 280 SE Coupé and Convertible totalled a little over 5,000 units between 1968 and 1972 when production ceased, and today these timelessly elegant Grand Tourers are keenly sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.

The current owner purchased this beautifully presented Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet in 2010 in the United States, where it was first delivered, since when it has formed part of his exclusive private collection. After purchase he commissioned respected restorers Aston Workshop to embark on a comprehensive restoration. In the course of the restoration the car was professionally re-sprayed in the most attractive shade of green metallic, while the interior was re-trimmed to a very high standard in tan leather. A total of £ 59,000 was spent, and the invoices are on file. Since its restoration, the Mercedes has seen minimal use and would make a welcome addition to any serious collection. The car also features the desirable optional extras of air conditioning and electric windows. Offered with US title, EU customs have been paid.

It is worthwhile noting that the 280 SE Cabriolet is the next most desirable variant after the now prohibitively expensive 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, with very little difference in performance in the real world.

The Zoute Sale

Bonhams

Sold for € 126.500

Estimated : € 130.000 - 160.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2016

Knokke - Belgium

Oktober 2016

A rare Commercial 3-door version by Land Rover Special Vehicles.

1978 MGB GT.

Anglia Car Auctions, King's Lynn -

"V5 Present

MoT Nov 2018

Chassis number: GHD5451041G

A bare metal restoration, including the bodyshell media blasted, was undertaken by Autowerk in Heacham at a labour cost of £6,300. A supporting invoice dated August 2017 is retained in the file. Many new parts were fitted including rings, SU carburettors, ignition system, wiring, the head gasket was replaced and the barrels honed. The car was finished in it's original Rover Flame red and a new interior was fitted. Described as driving very well. The history file includes a large quantity of receipts dating from the 1980's to 2017 and nine MoTs dating between 1987 and 2005 and MoT history from 2006 to present. Mileage recorded at 24,000."

Sold for £4346.

Lancia Fulvia 1600 Sport Zagato (first series) (1965-69) Engine 1584cc V4 DOC

Registration Number LNV 487 L (Northampyonshire)

LANCIA SET

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he Fulvia Sport was a fastback 2-seater based on Coupé mechanicals, built for Lancia by Zagato—where it had been designed by Ercole Spada. The Sport was commissioned by Lancia to Zagato as more aerodynamic and sportier version of the coupé, which could be used in road and track competitions. The Series 1 was launched at the 1965 Turin Motorshow. Three peculiarities of the Sport body were the engine bonnet hinged to the right hand side, the rear hatch, which could be lifted electrically by an handful of centimetres to aid cabin ventilation, and the spare wheel, housed in a separate compartment, accessed from a rotating panel which held the rear number plate.

The second series Fulvia Sport was launched at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. Changes included a 5-speed gearbox, revised suspension geometry, taller ride height, an alternator in place of the previous dynamo, a taller final drive compared to coupés, and wider tyres. The body was now all-steel, and seated 2+2 passengers. Some of the Zagato's most unusual features were lost: the bonnet was now hinged at the front, and the spare wheel compartment hatch was deleted. Several other changes set the second series apart from the first: new driving lights, side mirror moved from the wing to the door, larger bullet-shaped tail lights from the Peugeot 204, and stamped steel wheels without hubcaps

The Series II 1.3S shared the same engine as the Series Ibut with five speed transmission. Very early versions of these Series 2 cars were fitted with Series I bodyshells with a separate spare wheel-hatch and smaller rear lights and aluminium bonnet and doors. Later versions have all-steel bodyshells, no spare wheel hatch, and larger rear lights.

Many thanks for a fantabulous

48,254,999 views

Shot at the NEC Classic Car Show 13:11:2015 Ref. 112-319

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The Ghibli name was resurrected in 1992 with the release of the Ghibli II (Tipo 336). The Ghibli II appeared with updatedMaserati Biturbo engines: a 2.0 litre V6, with the highest output, for the Italian and European markets and a 2.8 litre V6 for other countries, operated via a six-speed manual transmission (early 2.8 cars have a 5 speed manual) or 4 speed automatic. The two-door, four-seater coupé was similar in appearance to Maserati Shamal, as both were an evolution of the previous Biturbo coupe. The Ghibli shows its Biturbo heritage in the doors, interior, and basic bodyshell, which were carried over from the Biturbo.

In 1994, the car was revised. A refreshed interior, new wheels, a fully adjustable electronic suspension and ABS brakes were added. Another round of improvements resulted in the Ghibli GT in 1996. It was fitted with spoked alloy 17" wheels, and had suspension and transmission modifications.

The coupe was built for luxury as well as performance. The car featured a Connolly Leather interior with burl elm trim.

The final year of production for the Ghibli II was 1997. It was replaced in the Maserati lineup by the 3200 GT the following year.

Several special edition models were produced by Maserati. The first was the Ghibli KS (Kit Sportivo), followed by the race version Ghibli Open Cup which featured improved power through roller-bearing turbos, a freer-flowing exhaust, and remapped fuel computers. The Cup also featured a toned-down carbon fiber-trimmed interior with aluminum pedals and a MOMO steering wheel, and the drivetrain included tweaked suspension and Brembo brakes. To celebrate the world speed record on water, Maserati made a further 60 special edition Ghiblis called the Ghibli Primatist, featuring bright blue paintwork and blue / turquoise leather.

At the time the Ghibli Cup had the highest ever per litre power output of any street legal car, surpassing the Bugatti EB110, andJaguar XJ220.

The racing version Ghibli Open Cup is highly sought after by collectors today. In 1996, the car received a modification upgrade, resulting in similar track times to those of the Ferrari 355 Challenge. After the end of the 1995 racing season, several of the original 23 cars were used in national GT events.

- - -

(Wikipedia)

My second purchase from Padbus came about six months after the Goldliner. 175 (EFC 175V) is a Leyland Leopard/Plaxton Supreme IV built in 1989 (although representing a 1980 vehicle) and withdrawn during 2000, then stored for a further three years before passing into my hands. The bodyshell is an early resin casting by an unknown manufacturer with scratchbuilt running gear. It is in the second style of Padbus livery, a yellow front combined with the same shade of green used by Central; the green later changed to that on the Goldliner.

Continuing the build of this model using a 3D printed bodyshell.

I have now added custom printed blinds to show the tram as it could have been around 1950, used on EX journeys to the Embankment. Lifeguards have been fitted. That at the rear appears to have operated in conjunction with the passenger step, shown in lowered position, as the platform doors are open.

The lifeguards etc are still awaiting paint. Transfers need to be fixed and final varnishing undertaken. Trolley poles will also have to be fitted.

Shown here on my Kennington Cross layout.

ELVA SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157625425083592...

AUTOMOTIVE BADGES

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Elva was a sports and racing car manufacturing company based in Bexhill, then Hastings and Rye, East Sussex, United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1955 by Frank G. Nichols. The name comes from the French phrase elle va ("she goes")

Frank Nichols's intention was to build a low-cost sports/racing car, and a series of models were produced between 1954 and 1959. The original model, based on the CSM car built nearby in Hastings by Mike Chapman, with Standard Ten front suspension, and a Ford Anglia rear axle with an overhead-valve-conversion of a Ford 10 engine. About 25 were made from 1955 with the cylinder head devised by Malcolm Witts and Harry Weslake,

The 1956 Elva MK II works prototype was fitted with a Falcon all-enveloping fibreglass bodyshell The car was offered as standard with 1,100 c.c. Coventry-Climax engine. This went through various changes up to the Mark IV of 1958.

Elva produced a single-seater car for Formula Junior events, the FJ 100, initially supplied with a front-mounted B.M.C. 'A' series engine in a tubular steel chassis. Elva produced a rear-engined FJ car, with B.M.C. engine, at the end of the 1960 season. In 1961 "an entirely new and rather experimental Elva-Ford" FJ-car debuted at Goodwood, making fastest lap, driven by Chris Meek

Frank Nicholls moved production to Rye, Sussex where the Mk. VI was produced, making its debut at the 1961 Brands Hatch, Boxing Day meeting. On September 8, 1963, Bill Wuesthoff and Augie Pabst won the Road America 500, round 7 of the United States Road Racing Championship, at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin driving an Elva Mk.7-Porsche.redesigned to take the 1700cc Porsche air cooled engine, and the cars successfully contested the 1964 European Hill Climb Championships.

Around 1964-1966 Elva made a very successful series of Mk 8 sports racers mostly with 1.8 litre BMW engines and some with 1.15 litre Holbay-Ford engines. The Mk8 had a longer wheelbase and wider track compared to the Mk7, which was known for difficult handling due to a 70-30 weight bias to the rear. Following the success of the McLaren in sportscar racing, Elva became involved in producing cars for sale to customers.

Later a tie-up with Elva and the Trojan Group was arranged and they took over the manufacture of the McLaren sports/racer, under the name McLaren-Elva-Oldsmobile

The Elva Courrier roadcar was introduced in 1958 Initially all the cars were exported, home market sales not starting until 1960.

After about 50 cars were made it was upgraded to the Mk II which was the same car but fitted with a proprietary curved glass windscreen, replacing the original flat-glass split type, and the larger 1600 cc MGA engine. Approximately 400 of the Mk I and II were made before production was taken over by Trojan moving the operation to Croydon and Trojan introduced a Mark 2 version in 1962 which was sold as a complete car.at £965 or in kit form

Thankyou for a massive 57,583,565 views

Shot 02.04.2017 at Curborough Sprint, Curborough, Lichfield, Staffordshire REF 125-023

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The Maserati Shamal (Tipo 339) is a compact, two-door coupé introduced by Italian automaker Maserati on December 17, 1989. It is named after shamal, a hot summer wind that blows in large areas of Mesopotamia. The Shamal was designed byMarcello Gandini, who is famous for designing the Lamborghini Countach and the Lamborghini Miura. The Shamal shows its Biturbo heritage in the doors, interior, and basic bodyshell, which were carried over from the Biturbo. Gandini's styling signature is visible in the profile of the rear wheel wheel arch which resembles that of the Lamborghini Countach.

The center pillar acts as a roll bar and is always finished in black, a distinguishing characteristic of the Shamal. The name "Shamal" appears on either side of the central pillar in chrome lettering. The car has alloy wheels, a small rear spoiler and a blacked-out grille with chrome accents.

The two-seat interior of the Shamal features extended leather seat cushions, temperature control and the famous Maserati oval clock, which is situated in the centre of the dashboard. The gear lever is finished in elm. While built for comfort as well as performance, the Shamal was not as luxuriously appointed as the similar Maserati Ghibli II.

The front-engined Shamal is powered by a 3.2-litre twin-turbocharged V8, DOHC and 32 valves engine (AM 479) producing some 326 bhp (243 kW). It has a six-speed Getrag manual transmission and an electronic active suspension control system. This system updates the adjustment on each wheel, based on road conditions and the level of comfort desired.

The Shamal has a top speed of 168 mph (270 km/h) and a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration time of 5.3 seconds.

The final year of production for the Maserati Shamal was 1996. Factory figures indicate that 369 Shamals were produced between 1989 and 1996.

- - -

(Wikipedia)

1972 Range Rover.

Modified with a 4-door bodyshell. 14 previous keepers.

Triumph GT6 Mk.III (1970-73) Engine 1998cc S6 OHV Production 13043

Registration Number XPB 5 N

TRIUMPH SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623847263736...

The final facelift for the Michelotti designed GT6. This time the whole bodyshell was revised to match the changes made to the Spitfire Mk.IV; these included a cut-off rear end, recessed door handles and a smoother front end.

Only detail changes were made to the mechanics, but in 1973 – close to the end of the car's life – the rear suspension was changed again, this time for the cheaper (but still effective) "swing-spring" layout also fitted to the Spitfire Mk.IV. a larger front anti-roll bar was fitted. A brake servo was also added in 1973, and seats were changed from vinyl to cloth. Engine power and torque for the MK3 was similar to the MK2, but better aerodynamics led to a new top speed of 112 mph

Thanks for 19.8 million views

Shot at Shugborough Hall Car Show, Milford, Staffordshire 13:08:2013 Ref 96-262

Ford Lotus Cortina Mk.1 (1963-66) Engine 1558cc S4 DOC Production 4012

Race )re 1965 Masters Touring Cars

Race Number 144 Paul Pochciol, James Hanson

FORD UK SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

The history of the Cortina Lotus began in 1961. Colin Chapman had been wishing to build his own engines for Lotus, mainly because the Coventry Climax unit was so expensive. Colin Chapman's chance came when he commissioned Harry Mundy (a close friend and designer of the Coventry Climax engine and technical editor for Autocar) to design a twin-cam version of the Ford Kent engine. Most of the development of the engine was done on the 997cc and 1,340cc bottom end, but in 1962 Ford released the 116E five bearing 1,499 cc engine and work centred on this. Keith Duckworth, from Cosworth, played an important part in tuning of the engine The engine's first appearance was in 1962 at the Nürburgring in a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark. Almost as soon as the engine appeared in production cars (Lotus Elan), it was replaced with a larger capacity unit of 1558cc

Whilst the engine was being developed, Walter Hayes (Ford) asked Colin Chapman if he would fit the engine to 1,000 Ford saloons for Group 2 homologation. The Type 28 or Lotus Cortina or Cortina Lotus (as Ford liked to call it) was duly launched. Ford supplied the 2-door Cortina bodyshells and took care of all the marketing and selling of the cars, whilst Lotus did all the mechanical and cosmetic changes. The major changes involved installing the 1,557 cc engine together with an Elan close ratio gearbox, he rear suspension was drastically altered and lightweight alloy panels were used for doors, bonnet and boot. Lightweight casings were fitted to gearbox and differential. All the Lotus factory cars were painted white with a green stripe (although Ford built some for racing in red, and one customer had a dark blue stripe due to being superstitious about green). The cars also received front quarter bumpers and round Lotus badges were fitted to rear wings and to the right side of the radiator grille.

Initially, the engines were built by J. A Prestwich of Tottenham and then Villiers of Wolverhampton. In 1966, Lotus moved to Hethel in Norwich where they had their own engine building facilities

To homologate the car for Group 2, 1000 were required to be built in 1963, and the car was duly homologated in September 1963. In the same month, in the car's first outing, in the Oulton Park Gold Cup, the car finished 3rd and 4th behind two Ford Galaxies, but beat the 3.8-litre Jaguars which had been dominant in saloon car racing for so long. Soon Ford were running cars in Britain, Europe, and the USA, with Team Lotus running cars in Britain for Ford, and Alan Mann Racing running cars in Europe, also on behalf of Ford. The Cortina Lotus was able to beat almost anything except the 7-litre V8 Ford Galaxies, and later, Ford Mustangs.

Advertising of the revised version appeared at the London Motor Show in October 1964, for the 1965 model year, it made much of the newly introduced aeroflow through-flow ventilation, evidenced by the extractor vents on the rear pillars. The front grille was extended to encompass the direction inditcators Also in 1964, front disc brakes became standard across the range

Diolch am 101,233,716 o olygiadau gwych, mae pob un ohonynt yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 101,233,716 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 08.04.2023 Masters Race Weekend, Donington Park, Leicestershire REF 167-850

Bonhams : the Zoute Sale

Sold for € 195.500

Zoute Grand Prix 2017

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2017

'The new engine turned out to have enormous marketing power. It became a real status symbol to have that little word 'turbo' on your rear deck, and this fashion spread right across the motor industry.' - Peter Morgan, 'Original Porsche 911'.

A 'modern classic' if ever there was one, Porsche's long-running 911 sports car first appeared at the 1963 Frankfurt Show as the '901' but shortly after production proper commenced in 1964 had become the '911' following Peugeot's complaints about the use of '0' model numbers. The preceding Type 356'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 favour 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 1,991cc and produced 130bhp; progressively enlarged and developed, it would eventually grow to more than 3,0 litres and, in turbo-charged form, put out well over 300 horsepower.

Much of the Porsche 911's development had resulted from the factory's racing programme, and it was the then Group 4 homologation rules, which required 400 road cars to be built, which spurred the development of 'Project 930': the legendary 911 Turbo. In production from April 1975, the Type 930 Turbo married a KKK turbocharger to the 3,0-litre RSR engine, in road trim a combination that delivered 260bhp for a top speed of 250km/h. But the Turbo wasn't just about top speed, it was also the best-equipped 911 and amazingly flexible - hence only four speeds in the gearbox - being capable of racing from a standstill to 162 km/h in 14 seconds.

The Turbo's characteristic flared wheelarches and 'tea tray' rear spoiler had already been seen on the Carrera model while the interior was the most luxurious yet seen in a 911, featuring leather upholstery, air conditioning and electric windows. The Turbo's engine was enlarged to 3,3 litres for 1978, gaining an inter-cooler in the process; power increased to 300 bhp and the top speed of what was the fastest-accelerating road car of its day went up to 257 km/h. Originally sold only as a closed coupé, the Turbo became available for the first time in both Targa and cabriolet forms in 1988.

More refined than hitherto yet retaining its high performance edge, the Turbo sold in the thousands, becoming the definitive sports car of its age. When Porsche revealed that the original 911 would be replaced by the new Type 964 in 1990, dealer stocks of the existing Turbo model sold out overnight. Production of the Type 930 ceased in September 1989, and there would not be another 911 Turbo until the Type 964 version was launched in September 1990. In total between 1975 and 1977 only 1.625 EU-examples of the 3.0 litre Turbo were built which makes this series almost as rare as the 911 2.7 Carrera RS with 1590 examples built.

This Type 930 Turbo was built for the German market and delivered to Porsche dealer Otto Glocker in Frankfurt where it was purchased by its first (Belgian) owner, Mme Padevain-Dupont in 1976. Incidentally, 'Dupont' was her husband's name, and - apparently - at that time a wife needed her husband's authorisation to buy a car! Madame Padevain was born in 1911 so she was already 65 years old when she bought the 911. The car was taken straight to Belgium and has belonged to the first owner's family ever since. The accompanying Porsche Certificate of Authenticity confirms that the engine and colour scheme of Sienna Metallic over 'Brown-Beige' leather are matching. Moreover, it lists the purchase price of 66.500 DM.

Always well looked after by its lady owner, the car was taken to Monaco in 1993 by Madame Padevain and registered there as 'L106', which we can still find on the windscreen. The history file contains a map of Cannes and a parking card from Monaco where the Porsche was kept for many years by Madame Padevain's family.

Sadly, in 2000 Madame Padevain died and the car's ownership passed to her son; documentation on file shows that the Porsche had 122.000 km recorded at that time. While in Madame Padevain's son's possession, the car was treated to a complete overhaul, which was carried out by D'Ieteren Porsche in Belgium. At the same time the 911 was repainted in its original colour and the interior re-trimmed. The restoration was carried out between 2000 and 2009; expenditure on mechanical work alone amounted to over 600.000 Belgian Francs (all invoices on file).

Once the restoration had been finished, the son, who by this time was approaching old age, hardly drove the car. It was then registered in his name and taken back to the South of France where it stayed until last year. Today, this beautiful car is presented in its original specification and in unmolested condition - the latter a rare attribute among early 911 Turbos - with only some 148.000 km recorded on the odometer. The last service was carried out in September 2017. The car is offered with an extensive history file containing the aforementioned restoration invoices including all invoices since 1976 up to now; Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and Certificate of Conformity; and the original service booklet, the latter stamped on six occasions between 1976 (1.319 km) and 1994 (98.417km). All books and tools come with this exceptional Type 930 Turbo, together with the original Porsche pouch and the 2 original keys.

The only Jaguar XJ220 in the world that lived up to its name, being fitted with a stunning V12 engine and making it the world's fastest production car. However, costs, setbacks, a recession or two and a myriad of other problems resulted in the dream becoming a nightmare, and the match of styling and power made in heaven being turned quickly into a BDSM session in hell!

The proposal for the Jaguar XJ220 seemed to come right out of nowhere. In 1986 the company was sold to Ford after ownership under British Leyland, and was producing a selection of strange luxury motors including the XJS and the XJ, which, although were very good and highly luxury machines, weren't exactly setting the world on fire.

But racing had been put forward to the company before, and racing team owner Tom Walkinshaw encouraged Jaguar to put one of their XJS's into the 1981 European Touring Car Championship, in which they succeeded in winning the competition in 1984. Jaguar had started to provide factory support to racing team Group 44 Racing, who were using the Jaguar-engined XJR-5 in the IMSA GT Championship, supplying V12 engines from 1983 onwards and supporting a Le Mans entry in 1984. Tom Walkinshaw and Jaguar agreed to entering the FIA Group C World Sportscar Championship and developed the XJR-6, which was powered by the Jaguar V12 engine; the car was launched during the 1985 season.

TWR took over the IMSA GT Championship operation in 1988 and one model – Jaguar XJR-9 – was launched to compete in both series. The XJR-9, which retained the Jaguar V12 engine, went on to win the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Sportscar Championship in the same year. The poor fuel consumption of the Jaguar V12 combined with new rules restricting refuelling during races forced the replacement of the V12 engine in the XJR-9s successors, the XJR-10 and XJR-11. The normally-aspirated Austin Rover V64V engine, designed for the MG Metro 6R4 had recently been made redundant thanks to the Group B rally ban in 1987, and the design rights were for sale. The compact, lightweight and fuel efficient nature of the small-displacement, turbocharged engine was investigated by TWR, who considered it an ideal basis for a new engine to power the XJR-10 and purchased the design rights from Austin Rover Group.

Jaguar and their Director of Engineering, Jim Randle, felt these racing cars were too far removed from the product available to the general public, especially with the rule changes that mandated the replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine in the forthcoming XJR-10 and XJR-11 racing cars. Therefore a project was initiated to design and build a car capable of winning Le Mans "in house", just as the Jaguar C-Type and D-Type had done. The groundwork for the project was undertaken by Randle over Christmas 1987, when he produced a 1:4 scale cardboard model of a potential Group B racing car.

The cardboard model was taken into the Jaguar styling studio and two mock-ups were produced. One was said to be reminiscent of the Porsche 956, the other took elements of the then current Jaguar XJ41 project and Malcolm Sayer's work on the stillborn Jaguar XJ13 racing car.

The project still had no official support, leaving Randle no option but to put together a team of volunteers to work evenings and weekends in their own time. The team came to be known as "The Saturday Club", and consisted of twelve volunteers. To justify the resources consumed by the project, the XJ220 needed to provide meaningful data to the engineers on handling, aerodynamics, particularly at high speeds, and aluminium structures. These requirements, together with FIA racing regulations and various government regulations governing car design and safety influenced the overall design and engineering direction of the car.

The FIA Group B regulations steered the concept towards a mid-engine, four-wheel drive layout, with a Jaguar V12 engine as the power source. The concept car was designed and built at very little cost to Jaguar, as Randle called in favours from component suppliers and engineering companies he and Jaguar had worked with in the past. In return he offered public recognition for their assistance and dangled the possibility of future contracts from Jaguar.

The name XJ220 was chosen as a continuation of the naming of the Jaguar XK120, which referred to the top speed of the model in miles per hour. The concept car had a targeted top speed of 220 mph so became the XJ220. The XK120, like the XJ220, was an aluminium-bodied sports car, and when launched was the fastest production car in the world.

Jaguar and engine designer Walter Hassan had previously created a 48-valve variant of their V12 engine specifically for motorsport use. It featured a double overhead camshaft layout with four valves per cylinder, compared with the single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder of the production engine, which was used in the Jaguar XJ and Jaguar XJS models at the time.

TWR and Cosworth had manufactured a number of these racing V12 engines during the 1980s and they had been raced competitively, with a 7-litre version of this engine featuring in the Le Mans winning Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9. Five of these engines still existed, all of which were fitted with dry sump lubrication. These engines were chosen and considered to be especially useful as the dry sump would lower the vehicle's centre of gravity. The displacement of the V12 was set at 6.2L for the XJ220.

Jaguar had little experience with four-wheel drive systems at the time, having previously only produced rear-wheel drive cars. Randle approached Tony Rolt's company, FF Developments to design the transmission and four-wheel drive system for the XJ220, with Rolt's son Stuart running the project. Tony Rolt was the Technical Director of Ferguson Research, where he was heavily involved in the design of the four-wheel drive system used in the Jensen FF, the first sports car to be fitted with such a transmission. Tony Rolt also had a long involvement with Jaguar, winning the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans with the factory works team driving the Jaguar C-Type.

The mid-engine complicated the design of the four-wheel drive system, and an innovative solution was needed to get drive from the rear of the engine to the front wheels. The chosen design took the front-wheel drive from the central differential on the rear transaxle and sent it through the V in the centre of the engine using a quill drive, before joining an inverted differential. The clutch was a twin-plate unit designed by AP Racing.

The design brief for the exterior restricted the use of aerodynamic aids, and aimed for a stylish yet functional body similar to the Jaguar D-Type. Drag and lift were limited at the envisioned ground clearance for road use, but the design allowed for additional downforce when the car was set up for racing; the body produced around 3,000 lb of downforce at 200 mph. The design was also intended to have a variable rear wing that folded into the bodywork at lower speeds. Aerodynamic work was undertaken at the Motor Industry Research Association wind tunnel using a 1:4 scale model, as the project was unable to budget for a full-scale mock-up.

The bodywork for the concept car displayed in 1988 was hand built from aluminium by Park Sheet Metal, a specialist automotive engineering company that manufactures concept cars and low-volume, niche models for various manufacturers, including Bentley. QCR Coatings undertook final painting of the bodyshell in silver. The concept also featured electrically operated scissor doors and a transparent engine cover to show off the V12 engine.

The concept car had a Connolly Leather-trimmed interior produced by Callow & Maddox, and was fitted with front and rear heated windscreens, electric windows, air conditioning, heated electrically adjustable seats with an Alpine Electronics CD player. The dashboard was supplied by Veglia.

The concept car was completed in the early hours of 18 October 1988, the day it was due to be unveiled at the British International Motor Show, being held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Jaguar's marketing department had allocated space on their stand at the motor show for the XJ220, but had not seen the vehicle until its arrival. Jaguar chairman John Egan and Roger Putnam, who was in charge of Jaguar's racing activities, were shown the vehicle the week before the motor show and signed off on the concept, allowing its unveiling. The car received an overwhelmingly positive reception by public and press, and a number of wealthy Jaguar enthusiasts handed over blank cheques to secure a purchase option should the XJ220 concept go into production. Ferrari displayed their F40 model at the same event; an estimated 90,000 additional visitors came to see the Jaguar and Ferrari cars.

The XJ220 was not initially intended to be a production car, but, following the reception of the concept and financial interest from serious buyers, a feasibility study was carried out by teams from TWR and Jaguar. Its conclusion was that such a car would be technically feasible, and that it would be financially viable. The announcement of a limited production run of 220 to 350 cars came on 20 December 1989. The list price on 1 January 1990 was £290,000 exclusive of value added tax, options and delivery charges, but by 1992 that had increased considerably owing to indexation of contracts. The offer was four times oversubscribed, and deposits of £50,000 exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) were taken from around 1400 customers; first deliveries were planned for mid-1992.

What Jaguar didn't reckon on was that the 1990's were going to get off to a very bad start, with a good old fashioned recession to usher in the new decade. This, combined with the various downgrades that would have to follow to make the car road legal, would result in the Jaguar XJ220 giving the company and the customers headaches in more ways than one.

In 1991, the company constructed a new £4 million factory at Wykham Mill, Bloxham, for the single purpose of building the XJ220, the plant being opened by the late Princess Diana. But, in order to comply with a variety of road legislation, engineering requirements resulted in significant changes to the specification of the XJ220, most notably replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine by a turbocharged V6 engine.This downgraded engine made that desirable rocket car more run-of-the-mill, and many pulled back their deposits.

At the same time the economy collapsed and when the first production cars left the factory in 1992, many of the original potential buyers who had put down their hefty deposits found that they couldn't afford it, and wanted their money back. Many of them cited the fact that the four wheel drive, V12 had been downgraded to a two wheel drive, V6, and thus they weren't getting what they paid for. The result was that Jaguar went so far as to take their customers to court, and forced them to buy a car they no longer wanted, the problem being exacerbated by the fact that in 1993, the McLaren F1 took the title of world's fastest production car, was available with the V12 and all things it promised, and was much smaller and more manageable than the bulky XJ220.

A total of just 275 cars were produced by the time production ended, 22 of their LHD models never being sold, each with a retail price of £470,000 in 1992, probably one of the biggest automotive flops in motoring history, right up there with the DeLorean and the Edsel. But this would later be advantageous for many, as this pedigree 'worlds-fastest-car' machine would go in later years for a much lower price. £150,000 mind you, but it's a lot better buying the one's that weren't sold at this reduced price, than at the initial asking price back in 1992. Therefore buyers were able to procure themselves a first-hand XJ220, for half the price, a representative saving of nearly £250,000.

Today the XJ220's are rare beasts indeed, rarely coming out to play due largely to their expensive upkeep, heavy fuel consumption and sheer size. But keep your eyes open in some of the more affluent neighbourhoods, be they Dubai, Beverley Hills, or the South of France, and chances are you'll be able to find one.

Crash damaged 31401 striped out awaiting the cutters torch at Doncaster works on 07/08/88. Its major components used to build a replacement, 31400, using the bodyshell of 31161. This too was withdrawn by July 1991 hardly justifying the expense !

Leyland Prototype Coach No. RDB977091 stands at Shepherds Well.

This coach was built by British Leyland as an experimental prototype incorporating Leyland bus body parts on the underframe of a former BR Mk1 coach which was stripped of its bodyshell and the underframe was re-furbished and equipped with a new Leyland body and B4 bogies.

The coach placed into service on the Manchester to Brighton cross country service for passenger evaluation.

VGT 386R displayed at the Festival of Steam and Transport 2019. Historic Dockyard Chatham.

From this angle looking very much like the earlier Triumph Toledo. However the Dolomite 1500 has a good size boot, whereas the Toledo using the bodyshell from the even earlier Triumph 1300 had a small boot.

A bold (or may be desperate) move from Triumph to go from front drive on the Triumph 1300 and Triumph 1500 to use rear wheel drive on the similar later range of Triumph Dolomites.

Fiat 126 (1972-80) Engine 652cc S2 Production 4,673,655

Registration Number RDG 483 W

FIAT SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665060711...

Designed by Sergio Sartorelli as a replacement for the Fiat 500, the 126 used a simular layout to its predecessor retained the rear engine layout and keeping the same wheelbase, but with an all new bodyshell and improved passenger safety.

The engine capacity increased from 594cc to 652cc by the end of 1977 and a claimed output of 23 bhp, though 594cc engines remained available until early 1983

In Italy, the car was produced in the plants of Cassino and Termini Imerese until 1979. By this time 1,352,912 of the cars had been produced in Italy.

A subsequent increase took the engine size to 704 cc in new rhe restyled model Fiat 126 Bis (1987–1991), with 26 hp

In Poland, the car was produced under licence by Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych (FSM) in Bielsko-Biała and Tychy under the brand Polski Fiat 126p (literally in English: Polish Fiat 126p) between 1973 and 2000.

The car continued however to be manufactured by FSM in Poland, where it was produced from 1973 to 2000 as the Polski Fiat 126p.

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 26,763,200 views

Shot 07:07:2014 at on Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 102-950

In 1970 a new Taunus, the Taunus Cortina (TC), was introduced, as a two- or four-door sedan, station wagon (or Turnier) and coupé. It was very similar to the British Ford Cortina Mk III but without the "coke bottle" belt line. Also, the Taunus was available as a coupe, a bodystyle that the Cortina was never made in.

Both cars were developed under the auspices of Ford of Europe, and most major components including key parts of the bodyshell were identical. From 1976 Taunus and Cortina models were identical in all but name, 'Taunus' being the name used in left hand drive (LHD) markets, and 'Cortina' in right hand drive ones, although the Cortina name was used in LHD South Korea and Taiwan. The Mk III was also sold in Scandinavia, alongside the Taunus.

The Ford Taunus TC series was conceived in the late 1960s to be a "world car" alongside its technical sibling the Cortina Mk III, with construction and design work taking place on both sides of the Atlantic. As with the design of the first generation, it was done under the supervision of Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, of former General Motors fame. The car is often nicknamed "Barock 2" (pointing back to the Taunus P2 series of the late 1950s, commonly known as the "Barock-Taunus") or "The Knudsen Nose" by its German owners because of the pointy hood scoop that, as the legend has it, was put there on direct order from Knudsen. Otherwise the major design work is rumoured to have been done by German car designer Luigi Colani, who also did design concepts for BMW's motorcycle division in the late 1970s.

(Wikipedia)

- - -

Der Ford Taunus TC ist ein Pkw der Mittelklasse von Ford, der von Herbst 1970 bis Mitte 1982 gebaut wurde. Die Schwestermodelle des englischen Ford Cortina MK III (daher auch die Bezeichnung „TC“) haben Vierzylinder-Reihenmotoren oder Sechszylinder-V-Motoren und Hinterradantrieb. Sie sind Nachfolger der Ford 12m und 15m (P6), die mit Frontantrieb (P6) und V-4-Motoren technisch anders ausgeführt waren.

(Wikipedia)

Lancia Fulvia 1.35 Sport Zagato (2nd series) (1970-73) Engine 1298cc V4 DOC

Registration Number Unknown

LANCIA SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623795824232...

he Fulvia Sport was a fastback 2-seater based on Coupé mechanicals, built for Lancia by Zagato—where it had been designed by Ercole Spada. The Sport was commissioned by Lancia to Zagato as more aerodynamic and sportier version of the coupé, which could be used in road and track competitions. The Series 1 was launched at the 1965 Turin Motorshow. Three peculiarities of the Sport body were the engine bonnet hinged to the right hand side, the rear hatch, which could be lifted electrically by an handful of centimetres to aid cabin ventilation, and the spare wheel, housed in a separate compartment, accessed from a rotating panel which held the rear number plate.

The second series Fulvia Sport was launched at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. Changes included a 5-speed gearbox, revised suspension geometry, taller ride height, an alternator in place of the previous dynamo, a taller final drive compared to coupés, and wider tyres. The body was now all-steel, and seated 2+2 passengers. Some of the Zagato's most unusual features were lost: the bonnet was now hinged at the front, and the spare wheel compartment hatch was deleted. Several other changes set the second series apart from the first: new driving lights, side mirror moved from the wing to the door, larger bullet-shaped tail lights from the Peugeot 204, and stamped steel wheels without hubcaps

The Series II 1.3S shared the same engine as the Series Ibut with five speed transmission. Very early versions of these Series 2 cars were fitted with Series I bodyshells with a separate spare wheel-hatch and smaller rear lights and aluminium bonnet and doors. Later versions have all-steel bodyshells, no spare wheel hatch, and larger rear lights.

Many thanks for a fantabulous

48,254,999 views

Shot at the NEC Classic Car Show 13:11:2015 Ref. 112-318

47368 at Carnforth on September 6th 2020. The battered brush was withdrawn in 2001 and at some point after was obviously acquired by West Coast for spare parts. In the foreground is the bodyshell of 47500 with one of its cabs visible on the right

Presumably undergoing restoration?

West Coast Railway Company class 57/3 no. 57314 eases out of Derby on 14th December 2014 with 5Z66 Derby-> Carnforth Steamtown empty Statesman stock.

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. Network Rail operate some Class 57/3s, First Great Western operate the Class 57/6 fleet and West Coast Railways operate a fleet of 57/0, 57/3 and 57/6.

Mark 4 front end grafted onto a mark 3 bodyshell. Quite a good styling job from VW.

A brand new purchase for ConnexionsBuses, the first in 2 years, is of Mercedes-engined Euro 6 compliant Optare Solo SR YJ67 GGO - seen here exiting the Holly Bank loop working HCT service 16 to and from Acomb. This has gained the new-style Connexions logo with the union flag 'big X'; but the vehicle bodyshell itself is different from the other Solos as this has curved-top skirt panels as would normally be seen on a Versa, in addition to a new latch fitted between the front wipers. Audibly this bus sounds as if it has the same engine as a Wright Streetdeck, it certainly sounds almost identical to First York's 35100.

Collection Adrian Van Lerber

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2019

Estimated : € 25.000 - 35.000

Sold for € 51.750

Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in computer-controlled form on top-of-the-range models into the 21st Century. The DS's original 1.911 cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1.985 cc unit, also available in 2.175 cc and 2.347 cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection, and a five-speed gearbox.

This particular DS underwent extensive refurbishment at the beginning of 2000: the semi-automatic gearbox being overhauled, the bodywork restored to concours condition, and the seats rebuilt (retaining the original covers). The only notified deviations from factory specification are a chromed steel exhaust system and conversion to the superior green LHM fluid. Finished in black with silver roof and blue fabric interior, the car is offered with restoration invoices, FIVA identity card, 2014 MFK (TüV), and Swiss registration papers.

W111

2.192 cc

120 PS

2.729 ex.

Bonhams : the Zoute Sale

Sold for € 103.500

Zoute Grand Prix 2017

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2017

'In the design of the 220 SE coupé, practical considerations have sometimes been given up for better looks, but the car gives passengers as well as the driver a fine feeling of safety, based in fact on first-class road-holding, excellent brakes and precise steering, not to mention the extreme comfort of the wide, well-upholstered individual front seats.' – Car & Driver.

Mercedes-Benz debuted four new models at the Frankfurt Show in 1959 - the 220 SEb among them - all of which shared the same basic unitary-construction bodyshell and all-round independent suspension. Longer than their predecessors, these elegant newcomers featured a wider radiator shell, wrap-around windscreen, wider rear window, and vertically positioned twin headlamps. The new 220 SEb retained the fuel-injected, single-overhead-camshaft engine of the previous 220 SE, though maximum power of the 2,195cc six was increased by five horsepower to 120bhp (DIN). Top speed was now 107mph (170km/h) with 60mph (97km/h) attainable in under 14 seconds. Coupé and Cabriolet models appeared in 1960 and 1961 respectively, minus the already dated-looking tail fins of the saloon. More modern in style, the luxurious 220 SEb Coupé and Cabriolet were better appointed too, being equipped as standard with a rev counter and leather upholstery, while four-speed automatic transmission with floor-mounted gearchange lever was avaiable as an option. Front disc brakes were fitted from the start of production, a benefit not enjoyed by the 220 SEb saloon until 1962. By the time production ceased in October 1965, fewer than 17,000 220 SEb Coupé and Cabriolet models had been manufactured, and today these stylish and luxuriously equipped Grand Tourers are highly prized.

Delivered new via the Mercedes-Benz sales organisation in Switzerland on 29th May 1963, this 220SEb Cabriolet has been in the vendor's private collection since 1999. We are advised that the previous owner's widow stated that her husband was the sole owner in Switzerland, but here are no documents surviving from this stage of the car's life.

Since 1999, restoration and maintenance have been documented by invoices and photographs. Having commenced in 2003, restoration of the bodywork was completed in 2009 using original Mercedes-Benz panels as far as possible, while any unobtainable panels were made by hand (no off-the-shelf panels were used). The car was then repainted in the original colour (DB 190 graphite grey) with subsequent cavity sealing. These works are documented by numerous photographs in addition to the invoices. The mechanicals were fully tested and, where necessary, reconditioned; since then, only regular maintenance has proved necessary as no repairs have been needed. A list of the works carried out is available on request.

The bumpers and sill trim strips were newly chromium-plated during the restoration; the remaining trim is described by the vendor as in a good-to-very-good original condition. The red leather upholstery is still largely original as are the nicely patinated door panels and carpets. All wood trim was re-veneered, and the interior also features a period-correct Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio with MP3 adapter and Hirschmann electric antenna. The rebuilt convertible hood is made of original-specification 'Sunland' fabric with horsehair padding, while the tonneau cover is new (shrunken original with car). An original power steering system as well as the obligatory hazard-warning flasher has been retrofitted. The wheels are shod with new Vredestein Sprint Classic tyres (185/80 R14) and the battery likewise is new. In March 2017, a cosmetic and mechanical overhaul of the engine ancillaries was carried out, though no repairs were found necessary. Driven regularly and ready to enjoy, this elegant Mercedes-Benz soft-top is offered with copy data card, German 'Historic' registration papers, and TüV.

God, if you'd put in a deposit for one of these back when this was proposed, you would have been jibbed in more ways than one! This really was the dream car that turned into an absolute nightmare!

The proposal for the Jaguar XJ220 seemed to come right out of nowhere. In 1986 the company was sold to Ford after ownership under British Leyland, and was producing a selection of strange luxury motors including the XJS and the XJ, which, although were very good and highly luxury machines, weren't exactly setting the world on fire.

But racing had been put forward to the company before, and racing team owner Tom Walkinshaw encouraged Jaguar to put one of their XJS's into the 1981 European Touring Car Championship, in which they succeeded in winning the competition in 1984. Jaguar had started to provide factory support to racing team Group 44 Racing, who were using the Jaguar-engined XJR-5 in the IMSA GT Championship, supplying V12 engines from 1983 onwards and supporting a Le Mans entry in 1984. Tom Walkinshaw and Jaguar agreed to entering the FIA Group C World Sportscar Championship and developed the XJR-6, which was powered by the Jaguar V12 engine; the car was launched during the 1985 season.

TWR took over the IMSA GT Championship operation in 1988 and one model – Jaguar XJR-9 – was launched to compete in both series. The XJR-9, which retained the Jaguar V12 engine, went on to win the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Sportscar Championship in the same year. The poor fuel consumption of the Jaguar V12 combined with new rules restricting refuelling during races forced the replacement of the V12 engine in the XJR-9s successors, the XJR-10 and XJR-11. The normally-aspirated Austin Rover V64V engine, designed for the MG Metro 6R4 had recently been made redundant thanks to the Group B rally ban in 1987, and the design rights were for sale. The compact, lightweight and fuel efficient nature of the small-displacement, turbocharged engine was investigated by TWR, who considered it an ideal basis for a new engine to power the XJR-10 and purchased the design rights from Austin Rover Group.

Jaguar and their Director of Engineering, Jim Randle, felt these racing cars were too far removed from the product available to the general public, especially with the rule changes that mandated the replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine in the forthcoming XJR-10 and XJR-11 racing cars. Therefore a project was initiated to design and build a car capable of winning Le Mans "in house", just as the Jaguar C-Type and D-Type had done. The groundwork for the project was undertaken by Randle over Christmas 1987, when he produced a 1:4 scale cardboard model of a potential Group B racing car.

The cardboard model was taken into the Jaguar styling studio and two mock-ups were produced. One was said to be reminiscent of the Porsche 956, the other took elements of the then current Jaguar XJ41 project and Malcolm Sayer's work on the stillborn Jaguar XJ13 racing car.

The project still had no official support, leaving Randle no option but to put together a team of volunteers to work evenings and weekends in their own time. The team came to be known as "The Saturday Club", and consisted of twelve volunteers. To justify the resources consumed by the project, the XJ220 needed to provide meaningful data to the engineers on handling, aerodynamics, particularly at high speeds, and aluminium structures. These requirements, together with FIA racing regulations and various government regulations governing car design and safety influenced the overall design and engineering direction of the car.

The FIA Group B regulations steered the concept towards a mid-engine, four-wheel drive layout, with a Jaguar V12 engine as the power source. The concept car was designed and built at very little cost to Jaguar, as Randle called in favours from component suppliers and engineering companies he and Jaguar had worked with in the past. In return he offered public recognition for their assistance and dangled the possibility of future contracts from Jaguar.

The name XJ220 was chosen as a continuation of the naming of the Jaguar XK120, which referred to the top speed of the model in miles per hour. The concept car had a targeted top speed of 220 mph so became the XJ220. The XK120, like the XJ220, was an aluminium-bodied sports car, and when launched was the fastest production car in the world.

Jaguar and engine designer Walter Hassan had previously created a 48-valve variant of their V12 engine specifically for motorsport use. It featured a double overhead camshaft layout with four valves per cylinder, compared with the single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder of the production engine, which was used in the Jaguar XJ and Jaguar XJS models at the time.

TWR and Cosworth had manufactured a number of these racing V12 engines during the 1980s and they had been raced competitively, with a 7-litre version of this engine featuring in the Le Mans winning Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9. Five of these engines still existed, all of which were fitted with dry sump lubrication. These engines were chosen and considered to be especially useful as the dry sump would lower the vehicle's centre of gravity. The displacement of the V12 was set at 6.2L for the XJ220.

Jaguar had little experience with four-wheel drive systems at the time, having previously only produced rear-wheel drive cars. Randle approached Tony Rolt's company, FF Developments to design the transmission and four-wheel drive system for the XJ220, with Rolt's son Stuart running the project. Tony Rolt was the Technical Director of Ferguson Research, where he was heavily involved in the design of the four-wheel drive system used in the Jensen FF, the first sports car to be fitted with such a transmission. Tony Rolt also had a long involvement with Jaguar, winning the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans with the factory works team driving the Jaguar C-Type.

The mid-engine complicated the design of the four-wheel drive system, and an innovative solution was needed to get drive from the rear of the engine to the front wheels. The chosen design took the front-wheel drive from the central differential on the rear transaxle and sent it through the V in the centre of the engine using a quill drive, before joining an inverted differential. The clutch was a twin-plate unit designed by AP Racing.

The design brief for the exterior restricted the use of aerodynamic aids, and aimed for a stylish yet functional body similar to the Jaguar D-Type. Drag and lift were limited at the envisioned ground clearance for road use, but the design allowed for additional downforce when the car was set up for racing; the body produced around 3,000 lb of downforce at 200 mph. The design was also intended to have a variable rear wing that folded into the bodywork at lower speeds. Aerodynamic work was undertaken at the Motor Industry Research Association wind tunnel using a 1:4 scale model, as the project was unable to budget for a full-scale mock-up.

The bodywork for the concept car displayed in 1988 was hand built from aluminium by Park Sheet Metal, a specialist automotive engineering company that manufactures concept cars and low-volume, niche models for various manufacturers, including Bentley. QCR Coatings undertook final painting of the bodyshell in silver. The concept also featured electrically operated scissor doors and a transparent engine cover to show off the V12 engine.

The concept car had a Connolly Leather-trimmed interior produced by Callow & Maddox, and was fitted with front and rear heated windscreens, electric windows, air conditioning, heated electrically adjustable seats with an Alpine Electronics CD player. The dashboard was supplied by Veglia.

The concept car was completed in the early hours of 18 October 1988, the day it was due to be unveiled at the British International Motor Show, being held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Jaguar's marketing department had allocated space on their stand at the motor show for the XJ220, but had not seen the vehicle until its arrival. Jaguar chairman John Egan and Roger Putnam, who was in charge of Jaguar's racing activities, were shown the vehicle the week before the motor show and signed off on the concept, allowing its unveiling. The car received an overwhelmingly positive reception by public and press, and a number of wealthy Jaguar enthusiasts handed over blank cheques to secure a purchase option should the XJ220 concept go into production. Ferrari displayed their F40 model at the same event; an estimated 90,000 additional visitors came to see the Jaguar and Ferrari cars.

The XJ220 was not initially intended to be a production car, but, following the reception of the concept and financial interest from serious buyers, a feasibility study was carried out by teams from TWR and Jaguar. Its conclusion was that such a car would be technically feasible, and that it would be financially viable. The announcement of a limited production run of 220 to 350 cars came on 20 December 1989. The list price on 1 January 1990 was £290,000 exclusive of value added tax, options and delivery charges, but by 1992 that had increased considerably owing to indexation of contracts. The offer was four times oversubscribed, and deposits of £50,000 exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) were taken from around 1400 customers; first deliveries were planned for mid-1992.

What Jaguar didn't reckon on was that the 1990's were going to get off to a very bad start, with a good old fashioned recession to usher in the new decade. This, combined with the various downgrades that would have to follow to make the car road legal, would result in the Jaguar XJ220 giving the company and the customers headaches in more ways than one.

In 1991, the company constructed a new £4 million factory at Wykham Mill, Bloxham, for the single purpose of building the XJ220, the plant being opened by the late Princess Diana. But, in order to comply with a variety of road legislation, engineering requirements resulted in significant changes to the specification of the XJ220, most notably replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine by a turbocharged V6 engine.This downgraded engine made that desirable rocket car more run-of-the-mill, and many pulled back their deposits.

At the same time the economy collapsed and when the first production cars left the factory in 1992, many of the original potential buyers who had put down their hefty deposits found that they couldn't afford it, and wanted their money back. Many of them cited the fact that the four wheel drive, V12 had been downgraded to a two wheel drive, V6, and thus they weren't getting what they paid for. The result was that Jaguar went so far as to take their customers to court, and forced them to buy a car they no longer wanted, the problem being exacerbated by the fact that in 1993, the McLaren F1 took the title of world's fastest production car, was available with the V12 and all things it promised, and was much smaller and more manageable than the bulky XJ220.

A total of just 275 cars were produced by the time production ended, 22 of their LHD models never being sold, each with a retail price of £470,000 in 1992, probably one of the biggest automotive flops in motoring history, right up there with the DeLorean and the Edsel. But this would later be advantageous for many, as this pedigree 'worlds-fastest-car' machine would go in later years for a much lower price. £150,000 mind you, but it's a lot better buying the one's that weren't sold at this reduced price, than at the initial asking price back in 1992. Therefore buyers were able to procure themselves a first-hand XJ220, for half the price, a representative saving of nearly £250,000.

Today the XJ220's are rare beasts indeed, rarely coming out to play due largely to their expensive upkeep, heavy fuel consumption and sheer size. But keep your eyes open in some of the more affluent neighbourhoods, be they Dubai, Beverley Hills, or the South of France, and chances are you'll be able to find one.

Estimated : CHF 70.000 - 100.000

Sold for CHF 66.700 - € 60.597

The Bonmont Sale

Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams

Golf & Country Club de Bonmont

Chéserex

Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz

September 2019

Porsche's long-running and much loved 911 sports car first appeared at the 1963 Frankfurt Show as the '901', but shortly after production proper commenced in 1964 had become the '911' following Peugeot's complaints about the use of '0' model numbers. The preceding Type 356'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 favour 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 1,991cc and produced 130bhp; progressively enlarged and developed, it would eventually grow to more than 3.0 litres and, in turbo-charged form, put out well over 300 horsepower.

The first of countless upgrades to the perennial 911 came in 1966, two years after production had commenced, with the introduction of the 911S, which featured stylish Fuchs five-spoked alloy wheels and a heavily revised and more powerful engine. Improved handling courtesy of a lengthened wheelbase arrived in 1969 and then in 1970 the 911's air-cooled, flat six engine underwent the first of many enlargements - to 2.2 litres. By this time the models on offer had stabilised at three: the entry-level 911T, middle-ranking 911E and top-of-the-range 911S, all of which were available as either a closed coupé or Targa convertible. With the 2.2-litre engine's arrival, a common type of cylinder head was adopted, the differing power outputs being determined principally by valve timing rather than valve sizes as had been the case hitherto. In 1972 all 911 variants received the 2,341cc (nominally 2.4-litre) unit, which in 'E' specification produced a maximum of 165bhp.

According to the vendor, this delightful Porsche 911E Targa had been comprehensively restored by Harald Brandner of BMC Classics in Florida, USA in 2011/2012. When the car arrived in Europe, the engine was again thoroughly overhauled by renowned specialist Tobias Nussbaumer of Flat Six Cars in Basel. Since then it has seen only sporadic use in good weather only. Finished in grey with grey/black interior, this extensively restored 2.4-litre 911 is offered with Swiss Carte Grise; MFK document; and assorted invoices, correspondence, and photographs relating to its restoration.

The Mark I Ford Escort was introduced in the United Kingdom at the end of 1967, making its show debut at Brussels Motor Show in January 1968. It replaced the successful long running Anglia. The car was presented in continental Europe as a product of Ford's European operation. Escort production commenced at Halewood in England during the closing months of 1967, and for left hand drive markets during the autumn/fall of 1968 at the Ford plant in Genk. Initially the continental Escorts differed slightly from the UK built ones under the skin. The front suspension and steering gear were differently configured and the brakes were fitted with divided hydraulic circuits; also the wheels fitted on the Genk-built Escorts had wider rims.[1] At the beginning of 1970, continental European production transferred to a new plant on the edge of Saarlouis, West Germany. The MkI was also built in Israel between 1969 - 1975.

The Escort was a commercial success in many parts of western Europe, but nowhere more than in the UK, where the national best seller of the 1960s, BMC's Austin/Morris 1100 was beginning to show its age while Ford's own Cortina had grown, both in dimension and in price, beyond the market niche at which it had originally been pitched. In June 1974, less than six years after the car's UK introduction, Ford announced the completion of the two millionth Ford Escort, a milestone hitherto unmatched by any Ford model outside the USA.It was also stated that 60% of the two million Escorts had been built in Britain.[3]

The Escort had conventional rear wheel drive and a four-speed manual gearbox, or 3 speed automatic transmission. The suspension consisted of a simple live axle mounted on leaf springs, but with rack-and-pinion steering. The Mark I featured contemporary styling cues in tune with its time: a subtle Detroit-inspired "Coke bottle" waistline and the "dogbone" shaped front grille — arguably the car's most famous stylistic feature. Similar styling featured in the larger Cortina Mark III (also built in West Germany as the Taunus) that was launched in 1970.

Initially, the Escort was sold as a 2-door saloon (with circular front headlights and rubber flooring) on the "De Luxe" model. The "Super" model featured rectangular headlamps, carpets, a cigar lighter and a water temperature gauge. A 3-door estate was introduced at the end of March 1968 which, with the back seat folded down, provided an impressive 40% increase in maximum load space over the old Anglia 105E estate, according to the manufacturer. The estate featured the same engine options as the saloon, but it also included a larger 7½ inch diameter clutch, stiffer rear springs and in most configurations slightly larger brake drums or discs than the saloon. A panel van appeared in April 1968 and the 4-door saloon in 1969.

Underneath the bonnet was the Kent Crossflow engine. Diesel engines on small family cars were very rare, so the Escort featured initially only petrol engines — in 1.1 L, and 1.3 L versions. A 940 cc engine was also available in some export markets, but few were ever sold.

There was a 1300GT performance version, with a tuned 1.3 L Kent (OHV) engine sporting a Weber carburetor and uprated suspension. This version also featured additional instrumentation with a tachometer, battery charge indicator and oil pressure gauge. The same tuned 1.3 L engine was also used in a variation sold as the Escort Sport, that used the flared front wings from the AVO range of cars, but featured trim from the more basic models. Later on a further "executive" version of the Escort was produced known as the 1300E. This featured the same 13" road wheels and flared wings of the Sport, but was trimmed in an upmarket, for that time, fashion with wood trim on the dashboard and door cappings.

Hannu Mikkola's 1970 World Cup Rally -winning Escort.

Roger Clark's 1972 RAC Rally -winning Escort RS1600.

There was, in the early days of the Escort, a higher performance for rallies and racing — the Escort Twin Cam, which featured an engine with a Lotus-made 8-valve twin camshaft head fitted to the 1.5 L non-crossflow block, which had a bigger bore than usual to give a capacity of 1558 cc. Production of the Twin Cam, which was originally produced at Halewood, was phased out as the RS1600 was developed.

The Mark I Escorts became very successful as a rally car, and they eventually went on to become one of the most successful rally cars of all time.[5] The Ford works team was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s / early 1970s, and arguably the Escort's greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally being driven by Finnish legend Hannu Mikkola. This gave rise to the famous Escort Mexico (1.6 L "Kent" engined) special edition road versions in honour of the rally car.

In addition to the Mexico, the RS1600 was developed which used a Kent engine block with a 16-valve Cosworth cylinder head. This engine was essentially a detuned Formula 3 engine designated BDA, for Belt Drive A Series. Both the Mexico and RS1600 were built at Ford's Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) facility located at the Aveley Plant in South Essex. As well as higher performance engines and sports suspension, these models featured strengthened bodyshells, making them an ideal model for rallying. Even today Mark I Escorts are still popular in the amateur rally scene. The BDA engine has a distinctive growling which can be heard for quite a distance when the vehicle is being driven hard, such as in competition.

Ford also produced an RS2000 model as a more "civilised" alternative to the somewhat temperamental RS1600, featuring a 2.0 L Pinto (OHC) engine. This also clocked up some rally and racing victories; and pre-empted the hot hatch market as a desirable but affordable performance road car. Like the Mexico and RS1600, this car was produced at the Aveley plant.

The Escort quickly became one of Britain's most popular cars, comfortably outselling the conceptually similar Vauxhall Viva HB launched two years earlier. It was also a success on export markets, though in the larger European markets it tended to be outsold by the Opel Kadett, its General Motors rival. The car was built in Germany, Britain and in Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

For my video; youtu.be/FgL5LQqEZkk

The 1949-51 third generation Mercury adopted a pontoon appearance, the bodyshell now shared with the 1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan (the headlights and grille distinguishing the two vehicles); inside, the two lines would feature separate interior designs.

The 1949 Mercury Eight became the definitive lead sled.

In 1950; Front indicators were larger, the high- end Monterey coupe was introduced, in the same vein as the Ford Crestliner, the Lincoln Lido and the Lincoln Cosmopolitan Capri Coupe.

Models available in 1950 were; the M72A 2 door Coupe, the M72B 2 door Club Coupe, the M72C Monterey 2 door Coupe, the M74 4 door Sedan, the M76 2 door Convertible and the M79 2 door Wagon (wood sides)

1951; The bull nose grille continued out to the outside of the fenders to include the indicators.

Engine; 110hp 255 cu in Flathead V8

Daimler Double Six series III (1991) Engine 5343cc V12 OC

Registration Number J 52 PWK

ENTRANT: David Kelly

DAIMLER SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623789085238...

Essentially the same bodyshell and running gear as the Jaguar, with the Pinninfarina cabin changes, The Vanden Plas version lasted just eighteen months, replaced by the HE with similar equipment.

This car was used by Her majesty the Queen from 1991 to 1995 attending various public engagements and also personally on journeys from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle. The car joined the Royal fleet in replacement of a 1984 model the Queen had enjoyed for seven years.

When the current owner bought this car in 2008 he had no idea of its Royal Heritage, only discovering it some months later via the Jaguar daimler Heritage Trust and the Royal press Office, after he had repairs done to the car discovering that it was painted and trimmed in non standard colours and a non-standard bench rear seat with lap belts and no headrests.

Shot at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 30:06:2012 Ref: 87-097

In 1970 a new Taunus, the Taunus Cortina (TC), was introduced, as a two- or four-door sedan, station wagon (or Turnier) and coupé. It was very similar to the British Ford Cortina Mk III but without the "coke bottle" belt line. Also, the Taunus was available as a coupe, a bodystyle that the Cortina was never made in.

Both cars were developed under the auspices of Ford of Europe, and most major components including key parts of the bodyshell were identical. From 1976 Taunus and Cortina models were identical in all but name, 'Taunus' being the name used in left hand drive (LHD) markets, and 'Cortina' in right hand drive ones, although the Cortina name was used in LHD South Korea and Taiwan. The Mk III was also sold in Scandinavia, alongside the Taunus.

The Ford Taunus TC series was conceived in the late 1960s to be a "world car" alongside its technical sibling the Cortina Mk III, with construction and design work taking place on both sides of the Atlantic. As with the design of the first generation, it was done under the supervision of Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, of former General Motors fame. The car is often nicknamed "Barock 2" (pointing back to the Taunus P2 series of the late 1950s, commonly known as the "Barock-Taunus") or "The Knudsen Nose" by its German owners because of the pointy hood scoop that, as the legend has it, was put there on direct order from Knudsen. Otherwise the major design work is rumoured to have been done by German car designer Luigi Colani, who also did design concepts for BMW's motorcycle division in the late 1970s.

(Wikipedia)

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Der Ford Taunus TC ist ein Pkw der Mittelklasse von Ford, der von Herbst 1970 bis Mitte 1982 gebaut wurde. Die Schwestermodelle des englischen Ford Cortina MK III (daher auch die Bezeichnung „TC“) haben Vierzylinder-Reihenmotoren oder Sechszylinder-V-Motoren und Hinterradantrieb. Sie sind Nachfolger der Ford 12m und 15m (P6), die mit Frontantrieb (P6) und V-4-Motoren technisch anders ausgeführt waren.

(Wikipedia)