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Denish Welch Motorsports - arguably the most successful racing healey of all times.
£180,000 ! - NOT SOLD
Donald Healey's eponymous company built a prototype two-seater sports car for display at the 1952 London Motor Show. It was based on Austin A90 Atlantic mechanicals and sported a sleek body designed by Gerry Coker and built by Tickford. It was dubbed the 'Healey Hundred' (a moniker chosen to reflect the car's ability to reach 100mph), and, subject to a suitably encouraging response, Healey planned to build production versions in-house at his factory in Warwick. As things transpired, not only did the Ice Blue prototype more than impress the public, but also so excited Austin's Managing Director, Leonard Lord, that he struck a deal to build the car in volume at Longbridge. The newcomer was renamed the Austin Healey 100. The rest, as they say, is history.
These early production bodyshells were made by Jensen and then transported to Longbridge where the cars were assembled alongside the A90. The early cars (code named BN1s) were equipped with the same 90bhp 2660 cc engines and manual four-speed transmissions as the A90 though, in an unusual move, Austin modified the gearbox so it operated as a three-speed unit with overdrive on the top two ratios. The car had 11in drum brakes all round. The front suspension was independent by coil springs while the rear featured a traditional live axle supported by semi-elliptic leaf springs. The steering was by cam and lever. A BN1 tested by Motor magazine in 1953 returned a top speed of 106 mph and achieved the 0-60 mph dash in 11.2 seconds.
The 'Big' Healey enjoyed steady development, with the four cylinder cars giving way to the 100-Six in 1956, which in turn was replaced by the first of the 3000s in 1959. By now the engine capacity had risen to 2912 cc and the power output to 124 bhp - sufficient to grace the standard car with a 0-60 mph time of 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 114 mph. There was the option of Laycock de Normanville overdrive for the four-speed gearbox and braking had been improved by the adoption of discs at the front. There were two body options - a two-seater (BN7) or occasional four-seater (BT7). By the time the MKI 3000 was superseded by the MKII in 1961, a total of 2,825 BN7s and 10,825 BT7s had been produced.
Works Healeys scored some memorable results in international rallying and both factory and privately-entered examples raced with honour at the likes of Sebring, Le Mans, and the Nurburgring; also in such marathon road events as the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio. Replicas of these charismatic cars are a popular choice for today's historic events the world over.
Arguably the daddy of them all is the red and white 1959 example that carries the registration number 6200 NO. It's been the personal possession of Denis Welch for the last 32 years and is generally considered to be the most successful racing Healey of all time. Affectionately known as 'The Bulldog' (in memory of a record-breaking boat belonging to Welch's grandfather), the Healey was purchased from a former ballerina and has seen constant action since 1982. In that time it's won just about everything it was eligible for, from UK championships with the Healey Club, HSCC and TR register, to the hotly contested FIA series. It boasts one of the finest records on the fearsome Nordschleife (three wins, plus a 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th) and has twice been victorious on the dips and dives of Bathurst, Australia.
Having sold Denis Welch Motorsport to his son Jeremy in 2007, Welch is now finally ready to part with 6200 NO. On the button, it is equipped to the latest specification, including: straight-cut gearbox with high-performance overdrive; disc brakes all round with dual circuit balance bar system; a long range fuel tank and twin fuel pumps; a 2992 cc competition engine, the performance of which is simply described as 'sufficient'! One imagines the opportunity to purchase 'The Bulldog' will be of interest to competitors the world over, not least those who have been stuck behind it for the last 29 years!
The car's unique roll of honour includes: 1984 Austin Healey /TR register Champion; 1985 HSCC Nostalgia Award; 1986 HSCC pre-1960 Champion & FIA European GTS Class Champion; 1987 HSCC pre-1960 Class Champion; 1988 HSCC Classic GTS Champion & FIA European Class 5 Champion; 1989 HSCC Classic GTS Champion & Austin Healey Club Champion; 1991 HSCC Classic GTS Champion; 1992 HSCC Classic GTS Champion; 1994 HSCC Classic Sportscar Champion.
Individual successes between 1989 and 1995 include:
1989
Cadwell Park, May 7, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Jun 4, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 29, 1st in class
Zolder, Aug 13, 1st Overall
Donington Park, Sep 10, 1st in class
Snetterton, Oct 22, 1st Overall
1990
Cadwell Park, May 7, 1st in class
Spa Francorchamps, May 20, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 3, 1st in class
Donington Park, Jul 8, 1st in class
Donington Park, Jul 22, 1st in class
Zolder Aug 19, 1st in class
Silverstone, Jul 28, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Aug 27, 1st in class
1991
Donington Park, May 6, 1st in class
Monza May 19, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 6, 1st in class
Donington Park, Jul 20, 1st in class
Mallory Park, Aug 26, 1st in class
Thruxton, Sep 8, 1st in class
Silverstone, Sep 28, 1st in class
Eiffel Klassik Oct 6, 7th Overall
Snetterton, Oct 27, 1st in class
Castle Combe Oct 12, 1st Overall
1992
Cadwell Park, Apr 17, 1st in class
Spa Francorchamps May 17, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, May 30, 1st in class
Montlhery, Jun 27, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 4, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Aug 31, 1st in class
Donington Park, Sep 13, 1st in class
Silverstone, Sep 19, 1st in class
Eiffel Klassik, Oct 4, 2nd Overall
1993
Spa Francorchamps, May 16, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 6, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 6, 1st in class
Montlhery, Jun 26, 1st Overall
Montlhery, Jun 26, 1st Overall
Nüburgring, Aug 8, 1st in class
Zolder, Aug 22, 1st in class
Zandvoort, Aug 29, 1st Overall
Donington Park, Sep 4, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Sep 18, 1st in class
Eiffel Klassik, Oct 3, 1st Overall
1994
Castle Combe, May 2, 1st Overall
Donington Park, May 15, 1st Overall
Donington Park, May 15, 1st in class
Brands Hatch, Jun 4, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jun 5, 1st Overall
CadwellPark, Jun 12, 1st Overall
Oulton Park, Jul 2, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 2, 1st in class
Zolder, Aug 7, 1st Overall
Nürburgring Aug 14, 1st in class
Thruxton, Aug 29, 1st in class
Donington Park, Sep 3, 1st Overall
Silverstone, Sep 17, 1st in class
Silverstone, Oct 8, 1st in class
1995
Brands Hatch, Jul 1, 1st Overall
Brands Hatch, Jul 2, 1st in class
Oulton Park, Jul 15, 1st in class
Silverstone, Jul 30, 1st Overall
Eiffel Klassik, Sep 10, 3rd Overall
Dijon, Sep 24, 1st Overall
Class 442. 2401. 'Wessex Electric'. Electric Multiple Unit. In Express livery. Operating the 1A61 1318 Brighton to London Victoria service. Seen departing Brighton Station.
These units were new to the South Western division of Network SouthEast operating services from London Waterloo to Weymouth. These were withdrawn from South West Trains and eventually transferred to Southern Railway to primarily operate the Gatwick Express services.
Peugeot 304 (1969-74) Engine 1288cc S4 OC Tr Production 1,178,425 (all variants)
Registration Number XDL 275 L
PEUGEOT SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690496925...
Launched at the 1969 Paris Motor Show to fill a gap in the mid sized car market. Based heavily on the Peugeot 204 sharing the same floorpan, running gear and bodyshell but with different nose styling and larger more powerful engines.
The Coupe and Cabriolet version replaced theeir 204 equivalents from 1970.
Tha 2 door Cabriolet was a two seater and is probably now the most numerous of the range, still running in the UK
Shot taken 10.06.2012 at the Bromley Pagaent of Motoring REF 85-302
Jaguar XJR V8 s-c (X350) (2003-09) Engine 4196cc V8 Supercharged
Registration Number OE 03 HLY
JAGUAR SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623671588245...
The X350 is the third generation of Jaguar XJ series, replaceing the 1997-02 X308 Series. Like the Audi A8, the X350's chassis and body were constructed from aluminium. While some steel was used in places throughout the chassis, the X350 has a stressed aluminium monocoque/chassis similar in general design to a conventional steel structure, but with two differences; its underbody components are bonded together with aerospace-grade epoxy adhesives while around 3,200 self-piercing rivets are used to create the new XJ's unibody. On its own, the current XJ's bodyshell weighs about the same as a contemporary Mini Hatch. If the car were made of steel, it was estimated that it would weigh 40% more. The third generation of Jaguar's rear suspension changed from the previous double wishbone layout in favour of a more sophisticated multi-link arrangement. In addition the car has all round adaptive air suspension, just like the Audi A8. The X350 features outer headlights larger than the inner headlights as well as greater width length and height, compared to the previous model. Beginning in 2004, chrome trim in the window areas between the front and back doors has been discontinued.
The 4.2 litre V8 Supercharged engine is at the top of the performance model range with an output of 400bhp
Thanks for 19.1 million views
Shot at the VSCC Hillclimb, Prescot, Gloucestershire 03:08:2013 Ref 95a-857
Peugeot 404 (1960-75) Engine 1618cc S4 OHV
Production 17,223 (Coupe + Cabriolet 1,847,568 (all models France) 2,885374 (all models Total Worldwide)
Registration Number KCK 109 F
PEUGEOT SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690496925...
The Peugeot 404 is a large family car styled by Pininfarina, with a long European production run of 15 years, but continueing for a further three years to 1980 in Argentina and a further 16 years to 1991 in Kenya. The 404 was offered initially as a saloon, estate, and pickup. A convertible was added in 1962, and a coupé in 1963. Development of the earlier 403, The 404 was fitted with a 1.6 litre petrol engine, with either a Solex carburetor or Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection or a 1.9 litre diesel engine available as options. They were noteably rugged vehicles with many serving as Taxicabs, and their unbreakable reputation saw them fair well on the unpaved roads of Africa and the pave of Belgium and Northern France
The Peugeot 404 cabriolet/convertible made its first appearance at the Paris Motor Show in October 1961Paris Motorshow, followed six monthe later by the Coupe. The convertible and coupé bodyshells were made by the Pinin Farina workshops in Turin and only the floorpan and mechanical elements were shared with the saloon. These models were initially powered by the same single carburetter engine as the saloon and the option of a fuel injected engine (XCKF1) with a Kugelfischer injection system was added to the range at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1962.
The last 404 Coupé and Cabriolet models were produced in October 1968, after a production run of 17,223 units.
Diolch am 80,518,759 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 80,518,759 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 30.05.2021. at Capesthorne Hall car show, Siddington Cheshire 145-116
Class 67 number 67019 in English, Welsh and Scottish Railway maroon with zigzag gold band leads 67012 named "A Shropshire Lad" in Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone silver and slate grey and DB Schenkers class 92 number 92039 named "Johann Strauss" on their way from Dollands Moor Locomotive Holding Sidings to Wembley European Freight Operations Centre on the evening of 11 February 2014. 67019 and 67012 worked 4B45 from Wembley to Dollands Moor with another class 92 number 031 the day before photographed by Ian Dyer (www.flickr.com/photos/95011660@N06/12435220314/in/faves-9...) passing through Wandsworth Road. 67012 and 67019 were last photographed at this location, also working together, hauling the British Pullman murder mystery lunch between London Victoria and Gillingham on 7 February 2014 (www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/12370298605/in/photoli...), both having been built in 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain. 92039 was last photographed here on 21 January 2014 (www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/12066664886/in/photoli...).
92039 was assembled by the BRUSH Traction Company Loughborough in 1995, from sub-contracted components e.g. Procor UK bodyshell, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB Rail) traction converters and GTO (Gate Turn-Off thyristor) controlled via the MICAS-S2 electronics system, retractable third rail collector shoes and pantographs made by Brecknell Willis, the engraved aluminium BRUSH traction works plates made by J M Ranger Limited of Leicester and cast aluminium based alloy Crew Depot plaque produced by David Newton of Nottingham. For track to train communications class 92s were fitted with the Siemens International Train Radio (ITR) "chameleon" system which could automatically change over to match local ground systems e.g. at international boarders and allowed the driver to select from a range of language settings. STS Signals Ltd supplied electronic Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) control units for class 92s as an add on to the Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment. STS Signals Ltd also developed a twin-lightweight AWS receiver for use on class 92s so that only one receiver was needed to detect both standard strength magnets on lines powered by AC overhead wires (Rx1) as well as the extra strength magnets used on DC third rail lines (Rx2). All non-metallic components of the class 92 were either certified for Eurotunnels fire regulations by the manufacturers or where suppliers could not provide this information products such as the divers seat (made by Chapman Seating Limited) and plastic push buttons these were fire tested by BRUSH.
92039 was photographed by Nicolas B being dragged through Staple, France on 15 November 2015 by ECR 77 number 019.
Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by British Leyland (BL), under the Rover marque. It was produced through its Specialist, Rover Triumph and Austin Rover divisions from 1976 until 1986, when it was replaced by the Rover 800. The SD1 was marketed under various names including Rover 3500, Rover 2300 and Rover Vitesse. In 1977 it won the European Car of the Year title.
In "SD1", the "SD" refers to "Specialist Division" and "1" is the first car to come from the in-house design team. The range is sometimes wrongly referred to as "SDi" ("i" is commonly used in car nomenclature to identify fuel injection).
The SD1 can be considered as the last "true" Rover, being the final Rover-badged vehicle to be produced at Solihull, as well as being the last to be designed largely by ex-Rover Company engineers and also the final Rover car to be fitted with the Rover V8 engine. Future Rovers would be built at the former British Motor Corporation factories at Longbridge and Cowley; and rely largely on Honda.
Design
The new car was designed with simplicity of manufacture in mind in contrast to the P6, the design of which was rather complicated in areas such as the De Dion-type rear suspension. The SD1 used a well-known live rear axle instead. This different approach was chosen because surveys showed that although the automotive press was impressed by sophisticated and revolutionary designs the general buying public was not, unless the results were good. However, with the live rear axle came another retrograde step – the car was fitted with drum brakes at the rear.
Rover's plans to use its then fairly new 2.2 L four-cylinder engine were soon abandoned as BL management ruled that substantially redesigned versions of Triumph's six-cylinder engine were to power the car instead. The Rover V8 engine was fitted in the engine bay. The three-speed automatic gearbox was the BorgWarner 65 model.
The dashboard of the SD1 features an air vent, unusually, directly facing the passenger. The display binnacle sits on top of the dashboard in front of the driver to aid production in left-hand drive markets. The air vent doubles as a passage for the steering-wheel column, and the display binnacle can be easily fitted on top of the dashboard on either the left or right-hand side of the car.
An estate body had been envisaged, but it did not get beyond the prototype stage. Two similarly specified estates have survived, and are exhibited at the Heritage Motor Centre and the Haynes International Motor Museum respectively. One was used by BL chairman Sir Michael Edwardes as personal transport in the late 1970s. The two cars as befit prototypes differ in the detail of and around the tailgate. One car has a recessed tailgate, while the other has a clamshell arrangement, where the whole tailgate is visible when closed.
The SD1 was intended to be produced in a state-of-the-art extension to Rover's historic Solihull factory alongside the TR7. It was largely funded by the British government, who had bailed BL out from bankruptcy in 1975. Unfortunately this did nothing to improve the patchy build quality that then plagued all of British Leyland. That, along with quick-wearing interior materials and poor detailing ensured that initial enthusiasm soon turned to disappointment.
Initial model and first additions to range
Rover 2300 6-cylinder engine, in situ in SD1
This car was launched on its home market in June 1976 in liftback form only, as the V8-engined Rover 3500: SOHC 2.3 L and 2.6 L sixes followed a year later. The car was warmly received by the press and even received the European Car of the Year award for 1977. Its launch on the European mainland coincided with its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1977, some three months after the Car of the Year announcement. Dealers had no left-hand drive cars for sale, however, since production had been blocked by a tool makers' strike affecting several British Leyland plants and a "bodyshell dispute" at the company's Castle Bromwich plant. Closer to home, the car and its design team received The Midlander of the Year Award for 1976, because they had between them done most in the year to increase the prestige of the (English) Midlands region.
Poor construction quality was apparent even in the company's press department fleet. The British magazine Motor published a road test of an automatic 3500 in January 1977, and while keen to highlight the Rover's general excellence, they also reported that the test car suffered from poor door seals, with daylight visible from inside past the rear door window frame's edge on the left side of the car, and a curious steering vibration at speed which might (or might not) have resulted from the car's front wheels not having been correctly balanced. Disappointment was recorded that the ventilation outlet directly in front of the driver appeared to be blocked, delivering barely a breeze even when fully open; the writer had encountered this problem on one other Rover 3500, although he had also driven other cars of the same type with an abundant output of fresh air through the vent in question. Nevertheless, in March 1977, Britain's Autocar was able to publish an article by Raymond Mays a famous racing driver and team manager during, in particular, the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, in which Mays explained why, after driving it for 12,000 miles, he considered his Rover 3500 was "the best car he [had] ever had", both for its many qualities as a driver's car and for its excellent fuel economy even when driven hard. Similar problems persisted until 1980 and were reported in tests of the V8-S version.
In television shows John Steed in The New Avengers and George Cowley in The Professionals both used yellow Rover 3500 models. Although using different registration numbers both were possibly the same car.
[Text from Wikipedia]
Ford Escort 100E (1955-61) Engine 1172cc S4 SV Production 33,131
Registration Number YOK 699
Ford (UK) Set
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...
The 100E Escort and its sister car the Squire 100E were two door four seat small Estate cars. There had previously been Utelicon conversions of the Ford 5cwt van, but these were Fords first factory built small wagons.
related to the Ford Prefect 100E four-door saloon, sharing the same 1,172 cc (71.5 cu in) Ford sidevalve 36 bhp (27 kW) engine and other parts, they used the short doors of the four door Saloon because the bodyshell was optimized for use as a panel van (which was marketed as the Thames 300E). The rear door was in two pieces split horizontally. The rear seat could be folded flat to convert from a four-seater to a load carrier.
The Squire was the more expensive of the pair, better trimmed and competing in the same market sector as the Hillman Husky and Austin A30 / A35 based estate, both significantly more popular in the UK than longer estates at the time. Until 1957 the Squire featured wood trim pieces screwed to the sides of the vehicle
The Escort was a cheaper option, which proved more popular with 33,131 sales against 17,812 of the Squire. a mechanically identical estate car but based on the cheaper Ford Anglia, rather than the Prefect.
Shot at The Enfield Pagaent 29.05.2011 Ref 69-183
Please don't forget to click on the flag
Here we are, one of the rarest Rolls Royces and indeed cars to ever trundle down the roads, the last of the mighty Corniche. Although sold only as the Corniche, it is often dubbed the Corniche 2000 or the Corniche V, depending on your preference.
The last of the original Silver Shadow based Corniche's of the 1960's were built in 1995, and for three years Rolls Royce only sold the Silver Spirit and Spur until these were replaced by the Silver Seraph in 1998 following acquisition of the company by both Volkswagen and BMW.
Volkswagen was contracted to build Bentley and Rolls Royce vehicles between 1998 and 2003, whilst BMW supplied the engines to replace the original Rolls Royce V8 that had been handed down since the introduction of the Silver Shadow in 1965. In the end BMW were only able to supply their own V12 to the Silver Seraph, whilst the original RR V8 continues to be used even to this day, with a 6.75L version ending up in the Corniche V.
Either way, to compliment the new Silver Seraph, plans were launched to create a convertible two-door saloon version with the revived Corniche name. However, instead of taking a regular Silver Seraph, removing the rear doors and cutting off its roof, Rolls Royce instead went to long time partners Bentley for design assistance, with the result that the Corniche V is in fact built on the platform and with the bodyshell of the Bentley Azure,with Rolls Royce grille and badging, as well as Silver Seraph styling added instead. This was the first, and only Rolls Royce car to be derived from a Bentley product, instead of the usual tradition where Bentley cars were derived from Rolls Royce models.
In January 2000 that car was launched and became the company's flagship motor, with a base price of $359,900. As mentioned, the car is powered by a 6.75L Rolls Royce V8, providing 325hp and whisking the car to a top speed of 135mph at a rate of 0-60 in 8 seconds, which is pretty good going for a 6,000lb luxury saloon!
Inside the car came outfitted with every luxury and refinement characteristic of a Rolls-Royce. The car has a Connolly Leather interior, Wilton wool carpets, chrome gauges and a wide choice of exotic wood trims. Dual automatic temperature control, a six-disc CD changer, automatic headlamps and automatic ride control are standard.
Vehicles were built to order, but the heavy base price made them not as easy to purchase as the technically similar Bentley Azure, which meant that eventually only 374 of these cars were built between 2000 and 2002 when BMW took full control of Rolls Royce.
The Corniche V has the distinction of being the last ever Rolls Royce to be built at their traditional Crewe Factory, which had housed the company since 1946. On August 30th, 2002, a Corniche with chassis number SCAZK28E72CH02079 left the factory as the final Rolls Royce product of their home base, leaving in the company of a classic 1907 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
Following the departure of Rolls Royce, the company set up shop in Goodwood near Chichester in the south of England, where the next car to be built was the 2003 Phantom. The spiritual successor of the Corniche V is essentially the Phantom Drophead Coupe, but this is a point of conjecture. Production at the Crewe factory was turned over entirely to Volkswagen and the construction of Bentley automobiles. The Bentley Azure continued in production until 2009, bringing an end to the 14 year old design that had helped spawn the last of the Corniches.
Originally the name was meant to be revived on Rolls Royce's latest car, but in the end was dubbed the Wraith.
Today you'd be very, very hard pressed to find one of these cars. Although many forget about the Corniche V and indeed the Silver Seraph, the surviving examples can still fetch a hefty price of up to £250,000 and more.
1. Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 2. Lancia 037 - Chatsworth Rally Show - 8th June '08, 3. Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb 1990 - Hillman Imp, 4. GMW862D, 5. Subaru Impreza WRC Bodyshell - Prodrive Open Day '07, 6. MINI Clubman Cooper S, 7. JPS Lotus, 8. Ford F3L,
9. Vanishing Point, 10. Jaguar XJ12 & Ford Sierra Cosworth @ Brands Hatch 25/08/08, 11. Porsche 911 T/R - Chatsworth Rally Show - 8th June '08, 12. Ford Popular Van, 13. Ford Escort Mexico Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 14. Mini Cooper S, 15. Jackie Stewart's Tyrrell 003, 16. James Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish V12,
17. Aston Martin DBR9 Carbon-Fibre Door, 18. MINI Cooper S R53, 19. Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe, 20. Race Retro 2011, 21. Mini Seat Racer, 22. Giant House Spider (Tegenaria Duellica), 23. Ford Cortina Mk1 Estate, 24. Ferrari 430 GT3,
25. Goodwood 28th Feb '09, 26. Ferrari 430 GT3 - Brands Hatch 15th Nov '08, 27. Ford Escort Mexico Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 28. 1:43 Porsche and BMW Jägermeister Cars, 29. VW Bus, 30. Fire Damaged 246 Dino GT, 31. Britcar - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 32. No.40 - Brands Hatch Rallycross GP - Late 80s,
33. Mini Bodyshells, 34. Rally Day '10, 35. Brands Hatch 31/07/10, 36. Bluebells, 37. Austin A35 Countryman, 38. 993 RS, 39. Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe, 40. Ford Escort Mkll - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08,
41. Ford Escort Mexico, 42. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 43. Prescott Speed Hillclimb '90 - Hillman Imp, 44. My old 6R4 - G610HFV, 45. Prodrive Open Day '07, 46. Race Retro Show '07 Stoneleigh Park 24th March '07, 47. Austin Cooper S Mk1 @ Brands Hatch - Mini Festival 2012, 48. Ferrari 250 GTO,
49. Ford GT40's @ Goodwood Revival '09, 50. '64 Karmann Cabriolet, 51. AC Cobra, 52. Clockwork Orange, 53. Race Retro Show - 14th March '09, 54. QE2, 55. Britcar 24Hr - Silverstone 20th & 21st Sept '08, 56. Classic Group 1 Touring Cars,
57. Coke Cans, 58. Audi Sport Quattro E2 - Chatsworth Rally Show - 8th June '08, 59. Ford Escort Mexico Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 60. Ford Escort Lotus Twin Cam - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 61. James Hunt's Texaco McLaren M23, 62. Jimmy McRae's Rothmans MG Metro 6R4 - Prodrive Open Day '07, 63. Sunset Over Malaga - Spain Trip June 2012, 64. R90 Alloys,
65. Masters Historic Festival '10, 66. Lotus Sunbeam, 67. Dueling Cortinas, 68. Classics On The Common 29th July '09, 69. Ford Falcon, 70. A1GP - Brands Hatch 2nd May '09, 71. Alfa Romeo GTV, 72. Name The Motor.
1. Opposite Lock, 2. Ferrari 250 GTO, 3. Ferrari Enzo, 4. Ferrari 250 GTO, 5. Tilt-shift fake (with genuine cars) - Ferrari 250TR & Maserati 300S, 6. Jaguar E-Type Series 1, 7. Ferrari 250 GTO, 8. Z-Cars Yamaha R1 Powered Mini,
9. Mini 4x4, 10. GMW862D @ the Official Mini 30th Birthday Photoshoot at Silverstone 1989, 11. 60s Mini Racing, 12. Maserati A6G Zagato, 13. Bill Sollis' Mini Miglia, 14. Stumpy A1 GP, 15. Ferrari 275 GTB4 (Explored 05/02/11), 16. Low Flying Quattro,
17. Bill Sollis' Union Flag Mini Miglia., 18. Ford Pop 100E, 19. Night Racing Tilt-Shift, 20. Morris Cooper S Mk1, 21. Greener than a green thing!, 22. Westfalia Camper - VW T25, 23. Peugeot 405 T16 - Race Retro '08, 24. 60s Mini Racing,
25. IMG_4015, 26. Jaguar D-Type, Austin Healey Sprite and Ecurie Ecosse Transporter., 27. Britcar 24Hr Race @ Silverstone. 10:09pm 20/09/08, 28. Mini, 29. VW Camper, 30. Britcar 24Hr Race @ Silverstone. 10:09pm 20/09/08, 31. Ford GT40's @ Goodwood Revival '09, 32. Tilt-shift fake - Mini 30 photo shoot @ Silverstone 1989,
33. Ford Zephyr Ute, 34. Wire frame Subaru Impreza WRC - Prodrive Open Day '07, 35. Britcar 500 Night Race @ Silverstone, 36. Mini Cooper 1.3i, 37. Ferrari 250GTO - Tilt-shift fake, 38. Mini Bodyshells, 39. "Pikes Peak" Audi Sport Quattro, 40. DoF,
41. Ferrari 430 GT3, 42. Lamborghini Miura - Norwich Union Classic Car Run 1987, 43. Ferrari "Breadvan", 44. Race Retro Show - 14th March '09, 45. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 46. Ferrari 250TR - 0716TR, 47. Mini Mercury Comet Cyclone, 48. ,
49. Britcar 500 @ Silverstone, 50. Mini Cooper 1.3i, 51. Skoda S110R Spaceframe V8, 52. Westfalia Camper - Volkswagen T25, 53. Ford Cologne Capri Mk1, 54. Britcar Into The Night, 55. Audi Quattro A1, 56. Driving home for Christmas.,
57. We come in peace..., 58. Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1, 59. 50 Years Young, 60. Wrong way up., 61. If it ain't rubbin', you ain't dubbin'!, 62. Absolut Vodka - Original (with an added vanilla pod), 63. Renault Alpine A110, 64. Brabham BT42 - Grand Prix Masters - Brands Hatch 26th May '08,
65. Gurston Down Hillclimb '90 - David Nutland, 66. Escort RS1800, 67. Rover P6 V8 5000cc - HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 68. Goodwood 28th Feb '09, 69. Dodge Charger R/T - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 70. White Ferrari Testarossa - very Miami Vice., 71. Ferrari 250 GTO, 72. MINI
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Originally conceived by British Leyland, the Metro was built to similar principals as those of the Mini it was intended to replace, with a small, practical platform with as much use available to the passenger as was possible. The car came under various initial guises, including the Austin Metro, the Austin miniMetro, the Morris Metro van and the MG Metro, a version of the car with a 1.3L A-Series Turbo Engine.
Although the car was launched in 1980, development of a Mini replacement had dated back to the beginning of the 70's. Dubbed ADO88 (Amalgamated Drawing Office project number 88), the Metro was eventually given the go ahead in 1977, but wanted to have the appeal of some of the larger 'Supermini' (what a contradiction in terms) cars on the market, including cars such as the Ford Fiesta and the Renault 5. Designed by Harris Mann (the same guy who gave us the Princess and the Allegro), the car was given a much more angular body for the time, but despite its futuristic looks did share many features of the earlier Mini, including the 675cc BMC-A Series engine that dated back to 1959, and the gearbox. Initial cars also included the Hydragas Suspension system originally used on the Allegro and the Princess, though with no front/rear connection. The car was also built as a hatchback, which would eventually be a key part of its success as the Mini instead utilised only a small boot.
The Metro was originally meant for an earlier 1978 launch, but a lack of funds and near bankruptcy of British Leyland resulted in the car's launch being pushed back. This delay however did allow the folks at Longbridge to construct a £200m robotic assembly plant for the new Metro line, with the hope of building 100,000 cars per year. Finally the car entered sales 3 years late and got off to quite promising initial sales, often being credited for being the saviour of British Leyland. The Metro was in fact the company's first truly new model in nearly 5 years, with the 9 year old Allegro still in production, the 1980 Morris Ital being nothing more than a 7 year old Marina with a new face, and the 5 year old Princess not going anywhere!
As mentioned, an entire myriad of versions came with the Metro, including the luxury Vanden Plas version and the sporty MG with its top speed of 105mph and 0-60mph of 10.1 seconds. Eventually the original incarnation of the car, the Austin Metro, went on to sell 1 million units in it's initial 10 year run, making it the second highest selling car of the decade behind the Ford Escort. However, like most other British Leyland products, earlier cars got a bad reputation for poor build quality and unreliability, combined with the lack of rustproofing that was notorious on many BL cars of the time.
The show was not over however, as in 1990 the car was given a facelift and dubbed the Rover Metro. The 1950's A-Series engine was replaced by a 1.1L K-Series, and the angular bodyshell was rounded to similar principals as those by acclaimed styling house Ital to create a more pleasing look for the 90's. This facelift, combined with an improvement in reliability and build quality, meant that the car went on to win the 'What Car?' of the Year Award in 1991.
In 1994 the car was given yet another facelift, with once again a more rounded design and removal of the Metro name, the car being sold as the Rover 100. Engines were once again changed, this time to a 1.5L Peugeot engine and more audacious colour schemes were available for the even more rounded design of the new car. However, the car was very much starting to look and feel its age. Aside from the fact that the design dated back to 1977, the new car was not well equipped, lacking electric windows, anti-lock brakes, power steering, or even a rev counter! In terms of safety, it was very basic, with most features such as airbags, an alarm, an immobiliser and central locking being optional extras.
Eventually the curtain had to fall on the Metro, and in 1997, twenty years after the initial design left the drawing board, it was announced that the car would be discontinued. Spurred on by dwindling sales due to lack of safety and equipment, as well as losing out to comparative cars such as the ever popular Ford Fiesta, VW Polo and Vauxhall Corsa, with only fuel economy keeping the car afloat, Rover axed the Metro in 1998 with no direct replacement, although many cite the downsized Rover 200 a possible contender. Stumbling blindly on, the next car to fill the gap in Rover's market was the 2003 CityRover, based on the TATA Indica, which flopped abysmally and pretty much totalled the company (but that's another story).
In the end only 2,078,000 Metro's were built in comparison to the 5.3 million examples of the Mini that it was meant to replace. The main failings of the Metro were down to the fact that the car was too big compared to the Mini, and the rounded old-world charm of the Coopers and Clubmans was replaced by the angular corners. Because of this the car simply didn't have the novelty that the Mini continued to claim even 20 years after the first ones left the factory, and the Mini would even go on to outlive the Metro by another 2 years, ending production in 2000, then going on to have a revival in the form of BMW's New Mini Cooper that's still being built today. Unlike the Mini, the Metro also failed to conquer the international market in the same way, scoring its 2 million units pretty much in Britain alone, although some cars were sold in France and Spain, but only to the total of a few hundred.
The Metro however survived only on fuel economy and its spacious interior, but by the early 1990's, whilst other car manufacturers had moved on leaps and bounds, Rover continued to be stuck in the past with not the money or the enthusiasm to change what was a terribly outdated and extremely basic car. Towards the end the Metro, which had only a few years earlier won awards for its practical nature, was ending up on lists for Worst car on the market.
Today however you can still see Metro's, later editions are especially common on the roads of Britain. Earlier models built under British Leyland have mostly rusted away and are apparently only down to about a thousand nowadays, but the Rover 100's and Rover Metros continue to ply their trade, a lonely reminder of how here in Britain, we can never ever seem to move on!
1. WRC Fiesta @ Rally Show 2011, 2. Austin A35 Countryman, 3. Jaguar E-Type Bodyshell, 4. Abstract, 5. Brands Hatch 25th May '09, 6. Ferrari 355 F1 Berlinetta, 7. 911 Targa, 8. Ford Escort Mkll - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08,
9. Ford Capri - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 10. VW Bus, 11. Britcar - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 12. Ferrari 250 GT Nembo Spider - Norwich Union Classic Car Run 1987 - Ferrari, 13. Lydden Hill Sprint '90 - Mini Clubman, 14. Lydden Hill International Rallycross '87, 15. Brands Hatch 23rd Sept '06, 16. Brands Hatch 23rd Sept '06,
17. Prodrive Open Day '07, 18. Renault R8 Gordini, 19. Ferrari 250 Testarossa, 20. Escort Mk2, 21. Classics On The Common 2010, 22. Race Retro '10, 23. Mini Cooper S Mk1, 24. Pit & Paddock - Brands Hatch 23/05/09,
25. Race Retro Show - 14th March '09, 26. Porsche 911 @ Goodwood, 27. Goodwood 28th Feb '09, 28. Going Home, 29. Alexandra Palace Fireworks, 30. Camaro Z/28, 31. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 32. Alfa Romeo 6C,
33. Ford Escort Mk1 - Race Retro '08, 34. Peugeot 405 T16 - Race Retro '08, 35. Lotus F1 - Race Retro '08, 36. Mini Cooper S Mk1 - Race Retro '08, 37. Keith Bird's MG Metro 6R4, 38. Prescott Hillclimb - '88, 39. Brands Hatch 23rd Sept '07, 40. Ferrari 355 F1 GTS,
41. Pre-'66 Saloons, 42. Opel Kadett GT/E, 43. Renault Alpine A110, 44. Mini Sprint, 45. Porsche 911 RS, 46. Aston Martin DB9GT, 47. Camaro 383, 48. Classics on the Common '08,
49. Cooper Bristol Mkll - Brands Hatch 26th May '08, 50. Gentleman Drivers GTs - Brands Hatch 26th May '08, 51. Masters Racing Series - Brands Hatch 26th May '08, 52. MG Metro 6R4, 53. Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb 1990 - Maguire Mini, 54. My old 6R4 - G610HFV, 55. Rally Day '06 @ Castle Combe, 56. Silk Cut Jaguar XJR11 V6 Twin Turbo,
57. Pre-66 Touring Cars Qualifying, 58. Off-Road Rozzers, 59. Brands Hatch 31/07/10, 60. BMW 3.0 CSL Art Car, 61. Michael "The Blade" Rutter, 62. Silverstone Classic 25th July '09, 63. Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato, 64. Nick Swift - Mini Cooper S Mk1,
65. Goodwood 28th Feb '09, 66. Maserati A6G Zagato, 67. Austin Healey - Chatsworth Rally Show - 8th June '08, 68. Ford Escort RS2000 Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 69. Masters Racing Series - Brands Hatch 26th May '08, 70. Absolut Mosaic, 71. James Bond's Aston, 72. Audi Ur-Quattro @ Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe
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1. BMW M3 GTR - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 2. Brands Hatch 25/05/07, 3. Martin Schanche's Escort Xtrac Turbo, 4. Citroën DS, 5. Ferrari 250 Testarossa, 6. TAG Heuer, 7. Race Retro '10, 8. Ferrari 250 GT SWB,
9. Big Cat, 10. Ferrari 430 GT3 - Brands Hatch 15th Nov '08, 11. Vespa SS90 @ Classics on the Common '08, 12. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 13. Keith Bird's Metro 6R4, 14. Ferrari 250 GTO, 15. Rally Show 2011, 16. Stars Of The 70s,
17. Goodwood Revival '09, 18. 8-Port Cooper S Mk3, 19. Ferrari Enzo, 20. Lamborghini Gallardo, 21. Mini Cooper 1.3i, 22. X-Pack Ford Escort RS2000 Mkll - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st July '08, 23. Prescott Hillclimb - '88, 24. Matti Alamäki Lancia Delta S4,
25. 0716TR, 26. Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe, 27. Interserie Revival (Race 2), 28. Bugattis @ Goodwood Revival '09, 29. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 30. Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 31. Mini Miglia @ Brands Hatch, 32. Matti Alamäki - Peugeot 205 T16 @ Lydden Hill Rallycross - Late 80s,
33. Camaro Pro-Street Drag Car - Therapy, 34. Peugeot 405 T16 - Race Retro '08, 35. My old 6R4 - G610HFV, 36. Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe, 37. Chevy Camaro Z/28, 38. Masters Festival 2011, 39. Race Retro 2011, 40. Ferrari 250 GT SWB,
41. Mini Sprint, 42. Ferrari 250 GTB, 43. Ferrari 330 GT, 44. Ferrari Enzo, 45. Christmas Light Bokeh, 46. Cooper S, 47. Ford F150 @ Classics on the Common '08, 48. Ford Escort RS2000 Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08,
49. flickr.com/photos/10184672@N06/2564167867/, 50. Audi Sport Quattro SWB - Race Retro '08, 51. Rally Day '06 @ Castle Combe, 52. Ferrari 250 TR, 53. Ex-GPO Morris J-Type Van, 54. Ford Mustang, 55. Through the trees..., 56. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08,
57. Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 58. Ford P100 - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 59. Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb 1990 - Hillman Imp, 60. Subaru Impreza WRC Bodyshell - Prodrive Open Day '07, 61. Masters Historic Festival '11, 62. MINI Clubman Cooper S, 63. JPS Lotus, 64. Vanishing Point,
65. Jaguar XJ12 & Ford Sierra Cosworth @ Brands Hatch 25/08/08, 66. Porsche 911 T/R - Chatsworth Rally Show - 8th June '08, 67. Ford Popular Van, 68. Ford Escort Mexico Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 69. James Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish V12, 70. Aston Martin DBR9 Carbon-Fibre Door, 71. Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe, 72. Mini Seat Racer
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The CL Series Valiant was introduced in November 1976. Although it used the same bodyshell as the previous VK range, the front and rear ends were restyled. The front end used horizontally arrayed quad round headlamps flanking a central grille. The front guards and bonnet were also reworked accordingly. The new bootlid's curved leading edge flowed down to new taillights that sandwiched a simple centre garnish panel. The bumpers, however, were the same units as had been used on the 1969 VF series Valiants.
The 3.5 L (215 cu in) Hemi-6 and 5.9 L (360 cu in) V8 were dropped, and the only engine options were low- and high-compression versions of the 4.0 L (245 cu in) Hemi-6 and the 5.2 L (318 cu in) V8. The CL's introduction had closely coincided with that of the strict exhaust emission regulations contained in ADR 27A. With the 318 engine, a new emissions control system was introduced: Electronic Lean Burn.
Valiant and Regal sedans also benefited from the 1978 introduction of Radial Tuned Suspension in response to Holden's having marketed their suspension as particularly suited to radial tyres.
36,672 CL Valiants — including the last-ever Chargers — were built.
This Valiant wagon is created for the #mocaround49 challneg #vacationwagon
First generation DMUs in N gauge, both are Graham Farish models of classes 101 and 121 respectively.
On the right is the single-car 121 with the distinctive exhaust pipes up the front of one of the cabs and around the headcode box. Being a new model detail like those are intricately replicated, like the hook for the coupling (above the functional coupling) and the windscreen wipers.
On the left is the 101, one of the old '90s models made in Poole. This one's a two-car unit and the closest one to the camera is the business-end where the little motor is. For a while it had been broken but just today I got it back in working order, and while doing research on the possible fault I found some variations in these things to do with bogies and motors and gears. If I remember rightly from when I took it apart it had a 5 pole motor, but I know for sure it's the 8 wheel drive version with electrical pickup on all wheels and plastic gears. Here's hoping they don't split! Turned out my problem was the motor commutator, it was all dirty and greasy and one of the springs supplying electrical current to it had lost contact. While I was trying to coax it back into life, it sparked a bit (it had run 'sparkily' before it conked out) an then a load of smoke came pouring out.
Once I'd learned what the commutator did, I cleaned it and made sure the other moving parts were working (I had it all taken apart and rebuilt it a few times for testing). Electrical current one way flows through the metal chassis and the other way on to a copper strip running the length of the plastic frames - the connection between the holder for the spring for the commutator and the copper strip wasn't working, but I resolved it by putting a strip of tin foil on it. I had to have a few goes at reattaching the bogies as one of them kept being tilted, and then also the copper pickups from the wheels had to connect with the chassis block and the copper strip in the right places all of the time. Once everything was sorted out - the plucky 101 burst into life again, albeit the wrong way to the set direction, but it was working. A few teething problems were ironed out after some more tinkering, and then on to the direction issue. It turned out it couldn't be easier to fix. The magnet for the motor is exposed at the top of the chassis block when the bodyshell is unclipped, and to change the direction it just needs turning over.
After all that the 101 was in working order again, ready to trundle noisily up and down on my model railway occasionally derailing itself. It doesn't spark as much now the commutator is clean and the reason it is noisy, according to what I've read, is due to the extra stage of gearing at either end of the motor, making for a model that runs well at low speeds. Once it was going I put this to the test - and it does (mind you so does the 121, which by the way if you put it on full power will fly like no other N scale train - it is super speedy!)
- Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Bertone
- Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior Bertone
- Alfa Romeo GT 1600 Junior Bertone
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Nuova Super Berlina
- Alfa Romeo Spider Series 4 pininfarina
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce "Scalina" Bertone
- Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Bertone
The Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior (the green one with single headlights) was the entry model to the Alfa Romeo coupe range. It was introduced in 1965 as the replacement for the 101 series Giulia Sprint 1300, which was the final development of the Giulietta Sprint series.The GT 1300 Junior was fitted with the 1300 (1290 cc) twin cam engine (74 mm bore × 75 mm stroke), as fitted to the Giulietta series cars, but revised for the 105 series with reduced port sizes and other modifications. The smaller engine was introduced in order to allow buyers to choose an Alfa Romeo coupe while avoiding the higher taxes on the models with larger engine capacity, especially in Alfa Romeo's home Italian market.The performance was low-end compared to others in its model line, with a total of 89 bhp (66 kW; 90 PS). However, the GT 1300 Junior's top speed of over 100 mph and 0-60 mph time of 12.6 seconds were very good for a fully-appointed coupe with an engine of only 1300 cc displacement.The GT 1300 Junior was in production for over a decade. Throughout this period it was updated by the factory, incorporating many of the same revisions applied to the larger-engined models.The first GT 1300 Juniors produced were based on the Giulia Sprint GT, with a simpler interior. The major external identifying feature was the black grille with just one horizontal chrome bar. The same 9/41 final drive ratio was maintained, but with a shorter 5th gear ratio of 0.85, instead of 0.79 as on all the other 105 Series coupes.Together with the Giulia 1300 Ti, the GT 1300 Junior pioneered the use of ATE disk brakes as later fitted throughout the 105 series, replacing the Dunlop disks on earlier cars. The first few GT 1300 Juniors lacked a brake servo, and had the low rear wheelarches of the Giulia Sprint GT and Giulia Sprint GTV. From 1967, a servo was fitted as standard, together with higher rear wheelarches as adopted later on the 1750 GTV.In 1968, concurrently with the replacement of the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce by the 1750 GTV, the GT 1300 Junior was revised with many of the new parts from the 1750 GTV. This included the dashboard, the suspension and the new wheel size of 5½ × 14J instead of 4½ × 15J. This revised GT 1300 Junior, however, retained the early "step-front" body style, which, interestingly, makes it the most mechanically refined production "step-front" model. Another intriguing detail is that, just as on the 1750 GTV, the remote release for the boot lid, located on the inside of the door opening on the B-post just under the door lock striker, was moved from the right hand side of the car to the left hand side. This series of GT 1300 Junior was the only model with the step-front bodyshell to have this item mounted on the left hand side. All other step-front models - Giulia Sprint GT, Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, and early GT 1300 Junior with flat dashboard - featured this item on the right hand side.In 1970 the Junior was revised a second time, and received the same nose treatment as the 1750 GTV, without the step but with only two headlights.For 1972, new wheels featuring smaller hubcaps with exposed wheel nuts like those on the 2000 GTV were fitted. At the same time, the GT 1600 Junior was introduced alongside the GT 1300 Junior. From 1974 the GT1300 Junior and GT1600 Junior were both rationalised into a common range with the 2000 GTV. (© en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_105/115_Series_Coup%C3%A9s )
Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by British Leyland (BL), under the Rover marque. It was produced through its Specialist, Rover Triumph and Austin Rover divisions from 1976 until 1986, when it was replaced by the Rover 800. The SD1 was marketed under various names including Rover 3500, Rover 2300 and Rover Vitesse. In 1977 it won the European Car of the Year title.
In "SD1", the "SD" refers to "Specialist Division" and "1" is the first car to come from the in-house design team. The range is sometimes wrongly referred to as "SDi" ("i" is commonly used in car nomenclature to identify fuel injection).
The SD1 can be considered as the last "true" Rover, being the final Rover-badged vehicle to be produced at Solihull, as well as being the last to be designed largely by ex-Rover Company engineers and also the final Rover car to be fitted with the Rover V8 engine. Future Rovers would be built at the former British Motor Corporation factories at Longbridge and Cowley; and rely largely on Honda.
Design
The new car was designed with simplicity of manufacture in mind in contrast to the P6, the design of which was rather complicated in areas such as the De Dion-type rear suspension. The SD1 used a well-known live rear axle instead. This different approach was chosen because surveys showed that although the automotive press was impressed by sophisticated and revolutionary designs the general buying public was not, unless the results were good. However, with the live rear axle came another retrograde step – the car was fitted with drum brakes at the rear.
Rover's plans to use its then fairly new 2.2 L four-cylinder engine were soon abandoned as BL management ruled that substantially redesigned versions of Triumph's six-cylinder engine were to power the car instead. The Rover V8 engine was fitted in the engine bay. The three-speed automatic gearbox was the BorgWarner 65 model.
The dashboard of the SD1 features an air vent, unusually, directly facing the passenger. The display binnacle sits on top of the dashboard in front of the driver to aid production in left-hand drive markets. The air vent doubles as a passage for the steering-wheel column, and the display binnacle can be easily fitted on top of the dashboard on either the left or right-hand side of the car.
An estate body had been envisaged, but it did not get beyond the prototype stage. Two similarly specified estates have survived, and are exhibited at the Heritage Motor Centre and the Haynes International Motor Museum respectively. One was used by BL chairman Sir Michael Edwardes as personal transport in the late 1970s. The two cars as befit prototypes differ in the detail of and around the tailgate. One car has a recessed tailgate, while the other has a clamshell arrangement, where the whole tailgate is visible when closed.
The SD1 was intended to be produced in a state-of-the-art extension to Rover's historic Solihull factory alongside the TR7. It was largely funded by the British government, who had bailed BL out from bankruptcy in 1975. Unfortunately this did nothing to improve the patchy build quality that then plagued all of British Leyland. That, along with quick-wearing interior materials and poor detailing ensured that initial enthusiasm soon turned to disappointment.
Initial model and first additions to range
Rover 2300 6-cylinder engine, in situ in SD1
This car was launched on its home market in June 1976 in liftback form only, as the V8-engined Rover 3500: SOHC 2.3 L and 2.6 L sixes followed a year later. The car was warmly received by the press and even received the European Car of the Year award for 1977. Its launch on the European mainland coincided with its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1977, some three months after the Car of the Year announcement. Dealers had no left-hand drive cars for sale, however, since production had been blocked by a tool makers' strike affecting several British Leyland plants and a "bodyshell dispute" at the company's Castle Bromwich plant. Closer to home, the car and its design team received The Midlander of the Year Award for 1976, because they had between them done most in the year to increase the prestige of the (English) Midlands region.
Poor construction quality was apparent even in the company's press department fleet. The British magazine Motor published a road test of an automatic 3500 in January 1977, and while keen to highlight the Rover's general excellence, they also reported that the test car suffered from poor door seals, with daylight visible from inside past the rear door window frame's edge on the left side of the car, and a curious steering vibration at speed which might (or might not) have resulted from the car's front wheels not having been correctly balanced. Disappointment was recorded that the ventilation outlet directly in front of the driver appeared to be blocked, delivering barely a breeze even when fully open; the writer had encountered this problem on one other Rover 3500, although he had also driven other cars of the same type with an abundant output of fresh air through the vent in question. Nevertheless, in March 1977, Britain's Autocar was able to publish an article by Raymond Mays a famous racing driver and team manager during, in particular, the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, in which Mays explained why, after driving it for 12,000 miles, he considered his Rover 3500 was "the best car he [had] ever had", both for its many qualities as a driver's car and for its excellent fuel economy even when driven hard. Similar problems persisted until 1980 and were reported in tests of the V8-S version.
In television shows John Steed in The New Avengers and George Cowley in The Professionals both used yellow Rover 3500 models. Although using different registration numbers both were possibly the same car.
[Text from Wikipedia]
BMW 328Although BMW's current fame and reputation as one of the greatest automobile manufacturers can be mostly linked to models produced in the last two decades, the history of the marque stretches back almost 90 years and contains numerous achievements that have established it as a benchmark.
The origins of BMW trace back to 1913 when Karl Friedrich Rapp, a Bavarian who had been a well-known engineer in a German aircraft company, formed Rapp Motoren Werke in a suburb of Munich. The company specialized in airplane engines however Rapp found that they were problematic and suffered from excessive vibration. Nearby, Gustav Otto, also an airplane specialist, set up his own shop, Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik, building small aircraft.
Because of the faulty engines, Rapp Motoren Werke secured a contract with Austro-Daimler, who was unable to meet its demands, to build V12 Aero engines under license. The company expanded too quickly, however, and by 1916 Rapp resigned from the company because of financial troubles. In his place Franz Josef Popp and Max Friz, two Austrians, took over the company. In March that same year, Rapp Motoren Werke merged with Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik to form Bayersiche Flugzeungwerke. It was shortly afterwards renamed Bayersiche Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works), or BMW, forming the company we know today.
In 1917, BMW's first aircraft engine went into production, the 6 cylinder Type IIIa. In 1919, using an aircraft powered by its successor, the Type IV, Franz Zeno Diemer set an altitude record of 9,760 metres (32,013 ft). After the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the same year, prohibiting BMW from building aircraft engines, production switched to air brakes for railway cars. When BMW started once again to build aircraft engines in 1922, no fewer than 29 world records in aviation were set with them. The current BMW logo, introduced in 1920, was based on the circular design of an aircraft propeller.
The first BMW motorcycle, the R 32, went into production in 1923 at the newly constructed Eisenach factory next to the Munich airport of the day. The R 32 used a flat-twin engine transversely mounted in a double-tubular frame producing 8.5 horsepower at 3300 rpm. The 2-cylinder 494cc motorcycle could reach a top speed of 59 mph (95 km/h). BMW manufactured 3090 of them during its 3 year life span.
It was 1928 that made history in terms of the BMW car. Produced at the Eisenbach factory, the Dixi 3/15 PS marked the beginning of BMW automobile production. It was built under license from Austin and was essentially the same model as the US Bantam and the Japanese Datsun. The first Dixis used an open roof and were powered by a 743cc 4 cylinder engine producing 15 horsepower. Top speed was in the neighbourhood of 50 mph (80 km/h). In 1929 a new improved version was launched, the DA2, which employed an all-steel body and 4-wheel brakes, and in 1930 the Dixi scored its first wins in motor racing. Total production: 18,976 units.
1932 was the year the BMW AM 4 (Ausfuhrung Munchen 4 Gange - Munich Version 4 Speeds) - a.k.a. BMW's first "real" car - went into production. The AM 4, also called the 3/20 PS, was the successor to the Dixi and the first production car to be built entirely in-house by BMW. The powerplant was a 782cc 4 cylinder unit which featured suspended valves and a double chain driving the camshafts, producing 20 horsepower at 3500 rpm and providing the saloon with a 50 mph top speed.
The next year mark ed the introduction of the 303 saloon and the first BMW inline-six cylinder power unit, a configuration that remains BMW's typical choice even in contemporary cars. The 303 was also the first BMW to use the twin-kidney shaped radiator grilles, another cur rent trademark. Using a welded tubular steel frame, independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering, the 303 was a benchmark in technological achievements. Its 1173cc engine provided 30 horsepower and a top speed of 56 mph (90 km/h).
3 years later, in 1936, the BMW 328 was introduced. It was the most popular and remains BMW's most famous pre-war sports car, the successor to the 315/1 (1934-36). The 328 was built mainly for motor sport, where it proved itself successful by winning the Mille Miglia in Italy in its class in 1938, but quickly became a popular road car as well. A curb weight of only 1830 lb was achieved through the use of an extra-light tubular spaceframe and light alloy parts for the hood, doors and tail end. Using a 1971cc inline-6 cylinder engine with three carburettors that produced a healthy 80 horsepower at 5000 rpm, the 328 could reach a maximum speed of 93 mph (150 km/h). 462 units of this classic were produced in total.
In 1935 BMW entered the record books once again, this time on two wheels. Riding a streamlined 500cc compressor machine developing 108 hp and an amazing power-to-weigh ratio (282 lb curb weight), Ernst Henne set a world speed record for motorcycles of 173.7 mph (279.5 km/h) in 1937. It stood for nearly two decades.
BMW 501BMW's success was unfortunately short lived. After the Second World War, the company lay in ruins. Its factories had been destroyed or dismantled and a three-year ban on any production activities was imposed by the Allies in response to the production of aircraft engines and rockets by BMW during the War. The first post war model, the V8 equipped 501 luxury sedan produced in 1951 was a poor production choice for a country that was also devastated by the war. Demand was low and the 501 did not even com e close to meeting BMW's expectations.
It was a totally different approach that started to bring BMW back on its feet. In 1955, the Isetta 250 was launched and participated very successfully in the mini-car era of the 1950's. It was built under license from the Italian manufacturer Iso and used a motorcycle engine and a single door at the front. The engine was a single cylinder 245cc unit producing 12 horsepower at 5800 rpm and a top speed of 53 mph (85 km/h). During its 7 year production run a total of 161,728 Isettas were built.
A couple of years later, with BMW still having no secure financial foothold, one of the most memorable models in its history was introduced. Launched in 1956, the BMW 507 quickly became famous. The light-alloy 2-door bodyshell with a retractable soft top, designed by Alberecht Graf Foertz, has remained timeless as evidenced by the newly introduced Z8, which draws unmistakable clues and its overall shape from it. A large 3168cc V8 engine using dual downdraught carburettors powered the 507 and provided 150 horsepower at 5000rpm, enough for an impressive 124 mph top speed (200 km/h) but not enough to topple its main rival, the Mercedes 300SL. While only 252 examples of the instantly recognizable 507 were ever produced, it remains a symbol of BMW's struggles and ultimate triumphs during the fifties after the end of the War.
The next step in BMW's evolution and the predecessor to the cars we know today was launched in 1962. The 1500, which had been developed during the crisis of the '50s, was another of BMW's saviors. The excellent suspension and striking design for its time, employing a low waistline with a low-slung engine compartment and rear lid characterized the 1500. A 1499cc 4-cylinder engine producing 80 horsepower at 5700 rpm and providing a top speed of 92 mph (148 km/h) powered it. During its two year production run sales amounted to only 23,807 units; however between all of the models in its range (1500,1600,1800,2000) production totaled 334,165 cars. Based on these cars, the first generation 5 series, the E12, was launched 10 years later in 1972. The 3 series was introduced 3 years later and the 7 series 2 years after that, in 1977.
In 1990 BMW re-entered the aircraft engine manufacturing business after forming BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH jointly with Rolls Royce. In 1998, after extended talks concerning the sale of Rolls Royce, BMW officially bought the rights to the Rolls Royce name and logo from Volkswagen, with the transition expected to take place in 2003. 1994 brought about another purchase, as BMW acquired the Rover Group PLC. After heavy losses, the company was finally sold in 2000, with Rover being split up from Land Rover which was purchased by Ford. BMW held the rights to the new Mini and the hot-hatch goes on sale in early 2002.
Today, the Z3, Z8 and all of the 3, 5, 7 and Motorsport series models continue the BMW tradition of building excellent automobiles with a special emphasis on performance, style and technological advancements. 1992 was another year-to-be-remembered for BMW when it, for the first time, outsold Mercedes in Europe. Hopefully in the future the rivalry between these and other makes will persist and companies such as BMW will continue to build great cars.
The V12 Coupé is probably the rarest XJ40 model ever built.
Designed and manufactured by Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department, this is a strict one-off.
The details on the car are great: the non-functional Perspex side windows, the hand-painted badge (Coupè instead of Coupé, by the way), the 'stretched' door veneers and sill strips all indicate this is not a production car.
The interior and bodyshell do look the bit: convincing enough to pass as a production car!
This rare masterpiece is owned by JDHT and was driven out of its shelter for the annual meeting of the XJ40 owners' forum, XJ40.com.
M94 FVC, a Jaguar XJ6 4.0, is the last XJ40 to come off the production line.
It is owned, like the V12 Coupé by JDHT, who incidentally use it to drive foreign visitors to/from the factories.
That most only happen rarely: this 1994 has covered only 5000 miles!
The Manta A was released in September 1970, two months ahead of the then new Opel Ascona on which it was based. A competitor to the Ford Capri, it was a two-door "three-box" coupé, and featured distinctive round tail lights, quite similar to those on the Opel GT and which in fact were used on the GT in 1973, its final model year. In the UK market, the first Manta was sold only as an Opel: there was no Vauxhall-branded Manta (or Ascona) until after the launch, in 1975, of the Manta B1 and Ascona B.
The second car to use the Manta name was launched in August 1975. This two-door "three-box" car was mechanically based directly on the then newly redesigned Opel Ascona, but the overall design was influenced by the 1975 Chevrolet Monza. The Manta had more "sporty" styling, including a droop-snoot nose not seen on the Ascona, although it was standard, on the UK version of the Ascona, the Vauxhall Cavalier. There was still no "Vauxhall Manta", with the car remaining an Opel in the UK. However, a Vauxhall Cavalier was available with the same coupé bodyshell.
In 1977, a three-door hatchback version appeared to complement the existing two-door booted car. This shape was also not unique, being available on the Vauxhall Cavalier Sports Hatch variant.
Both Manta versions received a facelift in 1982, which included a plastic front spoiler, sideskirts for the GT/E and GSi models, a small wing at the rear and quadruple air intakes on the grille.
(Wikipedia)
- - -
Der Opel Manta ist ein fünfsitziger Pkw der Adam Opel AG, der als Manta A im September 1970 auf den Markt kam. Der Wagen ist die technisch identische Coupé-Version der zwei Monate später vorgestellten Opel Ascona A-Limousine. Das Coupé mit wassergekühltem Vierzylinder-Frontmotor und Hinterradantrieb wurde als Konkurrent des bereits seit 1968 erfolgreichen Ford Capri auf den Markt gebracht.
Der Manta A wurde zunächst mit drei verschiedenen CIH-Motoren angeboten, die auch in der größeren Rekord C-Limousine Verwendung fanden: zwei 1,6-l-Varianten mit 68 PS bzw. 80 PS sowie der 1,9-l-Version mit 90 PS.
Als im August 1988 der letzte Manta B vom Band lief, war seine Technik mit der aus dem Kadett B von 1967 stammenden Starrachse (Zentralgelenkachse) und den seit 1965 produzierten CIH-Motoren überholt, obwohl die letzten Modelle schon mit ungeregeltem Katalysator und 5-Gang-Getriebe ausgerüstet wurden. Für Opel war der Manta ein Erfolg: Von beiden Modellreihen wurden zusammen 1.056.436 Wagen gebaut.
(Wikipedia)
Price in the Netherlands fully loaded less than € 60,000.
Further particularities of the Giulia include the outstanding weight distribution across the two axles, the sophisticated suspension (Alfa Rome patent) and the most direct steering in its segment. In addition, the Alfa Romeo Giulia combines extraordinary engine performance with ample use of ultralight materials, like carbon fibre, aluminium, aluminium composite and plastic, in order to obtain the best weight-to-power ratio (less than 3 in the Quadrifoglio version).
In keeping with Alfa Romeo traditions, the new Giulia offers unique technical solutions that make it the benchmark for its segment. The more sophisticated features include the Integrated Brake System (IBS) for considerably reducing braking distance, and active suspension for exceptional comfort. Exclusive to the Quadrifoglio version, the Torque Vectoring technology affords outstanding torque distribution between the two wheels on the rear axle, and the Active Aero Splitter actively controls downforce at high speed.
Not to be forgotten, the Alfa Romeo Giulia has recently earned five prestigious Euro NCAP stars, scoring 98% in adult occupant protection. This is the highest score ever achieved by a car despite the more severe evaluation system introduced in 2015. This outstanding result was achieved by implementing two key elements: firstly, the adoption of a wide range of innovative safety systems, and secondly, the efficiency of a bodyshell that is light and rigid in equal measure, and makes extensive use of ultra-lightweight materials such as carbon-fibre, aluminium and aluminium composite.
Other Giulia Super models have a 180 HP 2.2-litre Diesel engine and a 200 HP 2.0-litre Turbo petrol engine, both with 8-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. These models have been embellished with the Sport Pack (including sports steering wheel with specific grip, aluminium inserts on the dashboard, central tunnel and door panels, as well as Xenon headlights) and Luxury Pack which includes: full grain leather seats (available in four colours: black, beige, tobacco and red), leather upholstered dashboard and door panels, heated front seats electrically adjustable to eight settings, heated steering wheel, real wood (oak or walnut) inserts on the dashboard, central tunnel and door panels, plus chrome-plated exterior window frames and electrically folding door mirrors. This car also offers refined Mopar accessories in carbon: the wing mirror housing, the front grille and the gearknob.
The stand exhibit is completed by a Competition Red Giulia Quadrifoglio, fitted with a 510 HP 2.9-litre V6 Biturbo petrol engine and presented in the sports configuration featuring 5-hole ultra light-weight 19" wheel rims, carbon ceramic brake system and Sparco seats with carbon structural shell.
1. BMW M3 GTR - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 2. Brands Hatch 25/05/07, 3. Martin Schanche's Escort Xtrac Turbo, 4. Ferrari 250 Testarossa, 5. TAG Heuer, 6. Interserie Revival (Race 2), 7. Race Retro '10, 8. Glam Cabs,
9. Goodwood Revival '09, 10. Ferrari 250 GT SWB, 11. Big Cat, 12. Ferrari 430 GT3 - Brands Hatch 15th Nov '08, 13. Vespa SS90 @ Classics on the Common '08, 14. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 15. Goodwood Revival '09, 16. 8-Port Cooper S Mk3,
17. Lamborghini Gallardo, 18. Mini Cooper 1.3i, 19. X-Pack Ford Escort RS2000 Mkll - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st July '08, 20. VW Bus, 21. Camaro Pro-Street Drag Car - Therapy, 22. Matti Alamäki Lancia Delta S4, 23. Prescott Hillclimb '88 - Alfa Romeo, 24. 0716TR,
25. VW Beetle, 26. Fuch, 27. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 28. Mini Miglia @ Brands Hatch, 29. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 30. Matti Alamäki - Peugeot 205 T16 @ Lydden Hill Rallycross - Late 80s, 31. Peugeot 405 T16 - Race Retro '08, 32. Gurston Down Hillclimb '90 - Audi Sport Quattro SWB,
33. My old 6R4 - G610HFV, 34. Prescott Hillclimb - '88, 35. Rally Day '07 - Castle Combe, 36. Gentleman Drivers, 37. Ferrari 250 GT SWB, 38. Mini Sprint, 39. Ferrari 330 GT, 40. Ferrari Enzo,
41. The Boys In Blue, 42. Christmas Light Bokeh, 43. Ford F150 @ Classics on the Common '08, 44. Ford Escort RS2000 Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 45. Audi Sport Quattro SWB - Race Retro '08, 46. Rally Day '06 @ Castle Combe, 47. Ex-GPO Morris J-Type Van, 48. Through the trees...,
49. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 50. Brands Hatch 26th Oct '08, 51. Ford P100 - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 52. Dodge Charger R/T - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 53. Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb 1990 - Hillman Imp, 54. Subaru Impreza WRC Bodyshell - Prodrive Open Day '07, 55. JPS Lotus, 56. Goodwood Revival '09,
57. Vanishing Point, 58. MGB GT, 59. Jaguar XJ12 & Ford Sierra Cosworth @ Brands Hatch 25/08/08, 60. Porsche 911 T/R - Chatsworth Rally Show - 8th June '08, 61. Ford Popular Van, 62. James Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish V12, 63. Aston Martin DBR9 Carbon-Fibre Door, 64. Masters Historic Festival '10,
65. Beetle & E-Type, 66. Into The Night - Brands Hatch 15th Nov '08, 67. Ferrari 430 GT3 - Brands Hatch 15th Nov '08, 68. Fire Damaged 246 Dino GT, 69. Britcar - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 70. Gurston Down Hillclimb '90 - Audi Sport Quattro SWB, 71. Rally Day '10, 72. Brabham BT42
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
I painted this one satin black when I did it 25-odd years ago. Another one that's deserving of a freshly painted new bodyshell, which will also give me a spare engine to put in something else.
I might end up putting non-standard wheels onto it. At the moment the original one is wearing the cross-spoke alloys off the BMW M635 kit.
Built in Solihull, England, now lives in New York City. No doubt it's a V8 model. Note the GB sticker! 1994 is when the 1st gen Disco made its debut in the US. Today, the Discovery has been renamed the 'LR3' because Americans stopped referring to this as a Land Rover Discovery and just as a Discovery.
Interesting to know how Land Rover were forced to economise on the 1st gen Disco. It used the basic bodyshell structure from the Range Rover, door handles from the Morris Marina, tail lights from the Austin Maestro van, and interior switchgear and instrumentation from the Rover parts bin, even the headlights were from the Freight Rover van.
92003 "Beethoven" in British Rail two-tone grey with EWS Red & Yellow logo and another unidentified class 92 both with a three 'O' shaped channel tunnel logo double-head a freight train of 31 Cargowaggon bogie vans 666A from Dollands Moor Sidings to Wembley European Freight Operating Centre on 9 December 2013. 92003 is famed for being the last British Rail train to ever run, just as this one traveling from Dollands Moor to Wembley at 23:15 on 21 November 1997.
Both class 92s were assembled by the BRUSH Traction Company Loughborough, from sub-contracted components e.g. Procor UK bodyshell, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB Rail) traction converters and GTO (Gate Turn-Off thyristor) controlled via the MICAS-S2 electronics system, retractable third rail collector shoes and pantographs made by Brecknell Willis, the engraved aluminium BRUSH traction works plates made by J M Ranger Limited of Leicester and cast aluminium based alloy Crew Depot plaque produced by David Newton of Nottingham. For track to train communications class 92s were fitted with the Siemens International Train Radio (ITR) "chameleon" system which could automatically change over to match local ground systems e.g. at international boarders and allowed the driver to select from a range of language settings. STS Signals Ltd supplied electronic Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) control units for class 92s as an add on to the Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment. STS Signals Ltd also developed a twin-lightweight AWS receiver for use on class 92s so that only one receiver was needed to detect both standard strength magnets on lines powered by AC overhead wires (Rx1) as well as the extra strength magnets used on DC third rail lines (Rx2). All non-metallic components of the class 92 were either certified for Eurotunnels fire regulations by the manufacturers or where suppliers could not provide this information products such as the divers seat (made by Chapman Seating Limited) and plastic push buttons these were fire tested by BRUSH.
Nº 29d.
(Austin) Racing Mini Mk II (1967-1970).
Red color, Green,Yellow,Black "29" sticker, White interior, Clear windows and Unpainted Metal base.
Escala 1/53 .
Matchbox Superfast.
Lesney Products.
Made in England.
© 1970.
Racing Mini [ Matchbox ]
Debut Series
Matchbox Superfast 1 - 75
Produced
1970 - 1975
Number
29
More info:
matchbox.wikia.com/wiki/Racing_Mini
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Mini Racing - 29d
"The Racing Mini is a model of a Mini MkII with the bumpers stripped off for competition.
It was first released in 1970 in metallic bronze with racing number 29, the Lesney racers frequently got their model number as racing number. The number stickers on the bronze cars are yellow, edged with orange and have black script.
From 1972 to 1976 the mini changed to orange and the stickers can have orange edges or green edges.
In 1976 the colour of the car changed again to red and these have the green edge stickers or a new design of round sticker, which is a plain white disc with a black three printed on it. A number of red cars have no stickers at all.
In 1981 after a spectacularly long run of 11 years the Racing Mini was withdrawn from the range.
There is quite a spread of values based on the colour/sticker combination. Most sought are the red ones with round RN3 stickers, Next come the red ones with RN 29 followed by the bronze ones."
Source: www.chezbois.com/non_corgi/matchbox/Model_3942.htm
More info:
www.bamca.org/cgi-bin/single.cgi?id=SF29b
www.bamca.org/cgi-bin/vars.cgi?mod=SF29b
www.bamca.org/cgi-bin/vars.cgi?mod=SF29b&var=08
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Mini
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Mini is a small economy car produced by the English based British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000.
The original is considered an icon of 1960s British popular culture. Its space-saving transverse engine front-wheel drive layout – allowing 80 percent of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage – influenced a generation of car makers.
In 1999 the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T, and ahead of the Citroën DS and Volkswagen Beetle.
This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. It was manufactured at the Longbridge and Cowley plants in England, the Victoria Park/Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney, Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Chile, Italy (Innocenti), Malta, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia.
The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates – the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III. Within these was a series of variations, including an estate car, a pick-up truck, a van and the Mini Moke – a jeep-like buggy.
The performance versions, the Mini Cooper and Cooper "S," were successful as both race and rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967. In 1966, the first-placed Mini was disqualified after the finish, under a controversial decision that the car's headlights were against the rules.
On introduction in August 1959 the Mini was marketed under the Austin and Morris names, as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor.
The Austin Seven was renamed Austin Mini in January 1962 and Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969.
In 1980 it once again became the Austin Mini and in 1988 the Rover Mini.
BMW acquired the Rover Group (formerly British Leyland) in 1994, and sold the greater part of it in 2000, but retained the rights to build cars using the MINI name."
(...)
----------------------------------
Mark II Mini: 1967–1970
"The Mark II Mini was launched at the 1967 British Motor Show, and featured a redesigned grille, a larger rear window and numerous cosmetic changes.
A total of 429,000 Mk II Minis were produced.
A variety of Mini types were made in Pamplona, Spain, by the Authi company from 1968 onwards, mostly under the Morris name.
In 1969, a fibreglass version of the Mini Mark II was developed for British Leyland's Chilean subsidiary (British Leyland Automotores de Chile, S.A., originally the independent assembler EMSSA). The bodyshell mould was created by the Peel Engineering Company. Production began in 1970 and continued for a few years; these fibreglass Minis can be recognised by the missing body seams and by larger panel gaps. The Chilean market was never very large and the hyperinflation and political and social collapse led to the 1973 coup The Arica plant was closed in 1974. The reason for the fibreglass body was to enable Leyland to meet very strict requirements for local sourcing, increasing to 70.22% in 1971."
-------------------
Mini "Mark II"
Also called
Morris Mini
Austin Mini
Production
1967–1970
Assembly
Longbridge, Birmingham, England
Cowley, Oxfordshire, England
Seneffe, Belgium
Arica, Chile
Petone, New Zealand
Setúbal, Portugal
Cape Town, South Africa
Pamplona, Spain
Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia
Shah Alam, Malaysia
Body style
2-door saloon
2-door estate
2-door van
2-door truck
Engine
848 cc (0.8 l) I4
998 cc (1.0 l) I4
1,275 cc (1.3 l) I4
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini
More info:
www.automobile-catalog.com/make/morris/mini_m/mini_ii_coo...
www.topspeed.com/cars/mini/1959-2006-the-history-of-mini-...
Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by British Leyland (BL), under the Rover marque. It was produced through its Specialist, Rover Triumph and Austin Rover divisions from 1976 until 1986, when it was replaced by the Rover 800. The SD1 was marketed under various names including Rover 3500, Rover 2300 and Rover Vitesse. In 1977 it won the European Car of the Year title.
In "SD1", the "SD" refers to "Specialist Division" and "1" is the first car to come from the in-house design team. The range is sometimes wrongly referred to as "SDi" ("i" is commonly used in car nomenclature to identify fuel injection).
The SD1 can be considered as the last "true" Rover, being the final Rover-badged vehicle to be produced at Solihull, as well as being the last to be designed largely by ex-Rover Company engineers and also the final Rover car to be fitted with the Rover V8 engine. Future Rovers would be built at the former British Motor Corporation factories at Longbridge and Cowley; and rely largely on Honda.
Design
The new car was designed with simplicity of manufacture in mind in contrast to the P6, the design of which was rather complicated in areas such as the De Dion-type rear suspension. The SD1 used a well-known live rear axle instead. This different approach was chosen because surveys showed that although the automotive press was impressed by sophisticated and revolutionary designs the general buying public was not, unless the results were good. However, with the live rear axle came another retrograde step – the car was fitted with drum brakes at the rear.
Rover's plans to use its then fairly new 2.2 L four-cylinder engine were soon abandoned as BL management ruled that substantially redesigned versions of Triumph's six-cylinder engine were to power the car instead. The Rover V8 engine was fitted in the engine bay. The three-speed automatic gearbox was the BorgWarner 65 model.
The dashboard of the SD1 features an air vent, unusually, directly facing the passenger. The display binnacle sits on top of the dashboard in front of the driver to aid production in left-hand drive markets. The air vent doubles as a passage for the steering-wheel column, and the display binnacle can be easily fitted on top of the dashboard on either the left or right-hand side of the car.
An estate body had been envisaged, but it did not get beyond the prototype stage. Two similarly specified estates have survived, and are exhibited at the Heritage Motor Centre and the Haynes International Motor Museum respectively. One was used by BL chairman Sir Michael Edwardes as personal transport in the late 1970s. The two cars as befit prototypes differ in the detail of and around the tailgate. One car has a recessed tailgate, while the other has a clamshell arrangement, where the whole tailgate is visible when closed.
The SD1 was intended to be produced in a state-of-the-art extension to Rover's historic Solihull factory alongside the TR7. It was largely funded by the British government, who had bailed BL out from bankruptcy in 1975. Unfortunately this did nothing to improve the patchy build quality that then plagued all of British Leyland. That, along with quick-wearing interior materials and poor detailing ensured that initial enthusiasm soon turned to disappointment.
Initial model and first additions to range
Rover 2300 6-cylinder engine, in situ in SD1
This car was launched on its home market in June 1976 in liftback form only, as the V8-engined Rover 3500: SOHC 2.3 L and 2.6 L sixes followed a year later. The car was warmly received by the press and even received the European Car of the Year award for 1977. Its launch on the European mainland coincided with its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1977, some three months after the Car of the Year announcement. Dealers had no left-hand drive cars for sale, however, since production had been blocked by a tool makers' strike affecting several British Leyland plants and a "bodyshell dispute" at the company's Castle Bromwich plant. Closer to home, the car and its design team received The Midlander of the Year Award for 1976, because they had between them done most in the year to increase the prestige of the (English) Midlands region.
Poor construction quality was apparent even in the company's press department fleet. The British magazine Motor published a road test of an automatic 3500 in January 1977, and while keen to highlight the Rover's general excellence, they also reported that the test car suffered from poor door seals, with daylight visible from inside past the rear door window frame's edge on the left side of the car, and a curious steering vibration at speed which might (or might not) have resulted from the car's front wheels not having been correctly balanced. Disappointment was recorded that the ventilation outlet directly in front of the driver appeared to be blocked, delivering barely a breeze even when fully open; the writer had encountered this problem on one other Rover 3500, although he had also driven other cars of the same type with an abundant output of fresh air through the vent in question. Nevertheless, in March 1977, Britain's Autocar was able to publish an article by Raymond Mays a famous racing driver and team manager during, in particular, the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, in which Mays explained why, after driving it for 12,000 miles, he considered his Rover 3500 was "the best car he [had] ever had", both for its many qualities as a driver's car and for its excellent fuel economy even when driven hard. Similar problems persisted until 1980 and were reported in tests of the V8-S version.
In television shows John Steed in The New Avengers and George Cowley in The Professionals both used yellow Rover 3500 models. Although using different registration numbers both were possibly the same car.
[Text from Wikipedia]
DB Schenker's class 92 number 92037 named "Sullivan" in two tone Railfreight grey with large EWS logo and three 'O' shaped channel tunnel rings (www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/12700569283/in/photost...) hauls 42 Cargowaggon 4-wheeled vans semi-permanently coupled in pairs with shared a running numbers from Dollands Moor sidings to Wembley on 26 February 2014. 92037 was last photographed here on 24 February 2014 on the same service (www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/12743021204/in/photoli...), and before that on 22 February 2014 (www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/12700392645/in/photost...) working in the opposite direction from Daventry Int Rft Reception Rfd to Dollands Moor sidings and again on 13 January 2014 (www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/11925824505/in/photoli...) from Dollands Moor to Wembley.
92037 was assembled by the BRUSH Traction Company Loughborough in 1995, from sub-contracted components e.g. Procor UK bodyshell, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB Rail) traction converters and GTO (Gate Turn-Off thyristor) controlled via the MICAS-S2 electronics system, retractable third rail collector shoes and pantographs made by Brecknell Willis, the engraved aluminium BRUSH traction works plates made by J M Ranger Limited of Leicester and cast aluminium based alloy Crew Depot plaque produced by David Newton of Nottingham. For track to train communications class 92s were fitted with the Siemens International Train Radio (ITR) "chameleon" system which could automatically change over to match local ground systems e.g. at international boarders and allowed the driver to select from a range of language settings. STS Signals Ltd supplied electronic Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) control units for class 92s as an add on to the Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment. STS Signals Ltd also developed a twin-lightweight AWS receiver for use on class 92s so that only one receiver was needed to detect both standard strength magnets on lines powered by AC overhead wires (Rx1) as well as the extra strength magnets used on DC third rail lines (Rx2). All non-metallic components of the class 92 were either certified for Eurotunnels fire regulations by the manufacturers or where suppliers could not provide this information products such as the divers seat (made by Chapman Seating Limited) and plastic push buttons these were fire tested by BRUSH.
A true household icon, the Triumph Dolomite brought an end to years of ongoing automotive development, and would turn out to be the last traditional Triumph Saloon car before British Leyland destroyed the company.
The Dolomite was, as mentioned, part of an ongoing development scheme that began in 1965 with the Triumph 1300. The scheme was named Project Ajax, and was done to develop a selection of small family saloon cars to replace the Triumph Herald. All of the cars in this range were designed by Giovanni Michelotti, and were powered by a selection of small Triumph engines, ranging from the original 1,296cc to the later 1,493cc powerplant. Triumph were however dissatisfied with the market performance of the 1300; although it had been moderately successful, the higher price and greater complexity meant sales never reached the levels of the simpler and cheaper Herald which preceded it. In an attempt to improve matters, the car was comprehensively re-engineered. Launched in September 1970, the Triumph Toledo was a cheaper and more basic variant of the 1300, but with conventional rear-wheel drive. This new model was assembled alongside the now larger-engined front-wheel drive version (the Triumph 1500) which was launched at the same time as the Toledo.
The Dolomite was a combination of all things implemented on previous Project Ajax creations, a culmination of design methods to create a more upmarket and sporty car. The Dolomite made its debut at the 1971 London Motor Show, but wouldn't go into production for over a year due to strikes at the plant. The Dolomite comprised of a longer bodyshell than the previous 1500, although much of its running gear and rear-wheel drive transmission was carried over from the Toledo. Engines started with a Slant-4 1,854cc engine producing 91hp. Performance was a top speed of 100mph and a 0-60 of 11 seconds. An overdrive gearbox was also made available for fuel economy and relaxed motorway cruising.
The variant that's remembered the most though is the Dolomite Sprint, or more commonly known as the Dolly Sprint. The Sprint was built to compete with the likes of the BMW 2002, and was fitted with a 1,998cc engine with higher capacity carburettors producing 127hp, although it was originally desired to give the car at least 135hp. British Leyland however were able to get 150hp out of a test engine, but the industrial disputes and lack of quality meant that eventually only 125 to 130hp could be a realistic option. The result was a performance of 119mph, and a 0-60 of 8.4 seconds. The original price of the Sprint upon its launch in 1973 was £1,740 (£20,534 today), which put it in good price competitiveness with other cars of similar size.
However, the industrial relations disputes and continued poor quality meant that the Dolly and the Dolly Sprint both suffered heavily in the sales. Between 1972/73 and 1980, only 79,010 Dolomites and 22,941 Dolomite Sprints were built. Attempts at rationalising the range began in 1976, setting the Dolomite Sprint as the top of the range performance model, and the Dolomite 1850HL/1500HL as the luxury versions. This was done to replace the Toledo, which ended production the same year with 113,000 built. Changes as part of rationalisation were minor at best, and even the luxury models suffered heavily at the hands of poor quality. It was rumoured that British Leyland were so ham-fisted with their approach that the wood veneer inside the luxury versions was in fact made up of old floorboards from abandoned houses in the West Midlands, and there'd be every chance you'd get a splinter off them!
Sadly the poor old Dolomite's story had to come to a close, and in 1980 following falling sales, the car was replaced by the Triumph Acclaim, a badge engineered version of the Honda Ballade. Although these cars were initially malaigned for their fragile nature, today they're very much modern day cult cars with quite a strong following. Most people consider the Dolly and the Dolly Sprint the last true Triumphs before the Acclaim changed the game, but sadly the fragile nature of the Dolly's means that only about 1,300 of them are left, with only 300 to 400 Sprints.
The Dolly Sprint however did return to the frontline in 2008 as part of Top Gear's British Leyland challenge, being driven by Richard Hammond. Sadly the poor Dolly didn't fare well against James' Princess 2200, but certainly got away better than Jeremy's Rover SD1!
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With its grounded bodyshell supported by sleepers pictured at Cardiff Canton.
New to Landore >Bristol Bath Road 5/67 > Cardiff Canton 10/69 > Landore > Cardiff Canton 2/86.
Stored Unserviceable 8/91 with collision damage , became the 6th member of the class to be withdrawn when condemned 27/9/91.
4/4/93
The Fiat Tipo (Type 160) is a compact car, designed by the I.DE.A Institute design house, and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.
The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a completely new Fiat platform, which was later also used in Alfa Romeo and Lancia models.
It also stood out because of its boxy styling that gave it innovative levels of packaging, rear passenger room being greater than that in a rear wheel drive Ford Sierra, but in a car that was of a similar size to the smaller Ford Escort. This type of design was comparable to the smaller Fiat Uno, which was launched five years before the Tipo.
The top of the range was the 2.0 Sedicivalvole (16 valves).
The Sedicivalvole gained its engine from the Lancia Thema, and with a much smaller and lighter bodyshell to house it, this power unit brought superb performance and handling, and a top speed of around 130 mph (210 km/h), which made it faster than the Volkswagen Golf GTI of that era.
The XR4Ti was the trim level given to the sportiest of the original release Ford Sierras. The XR4Ti differed from the other Sierra models principally in the adoption of the small side rear window of the 5-door liftback, in the 3-door bodyshell.
Apart from this excentricity, the XR4Ti displayed the usual go-faster styling of the period - big wheels, deep bumpers, red stripes and spoilers. One feature taken from the 'Probe' series of Ford concept cars was the use of a 'bi-plane' rear wing, the top section which biseced the rear window.
If all these styling diversions were not enough of a shock, the 1982 Ford Sierra range replaced the conservative, three-box, square-cut styling of the best selling Ford Cortina Mk V, with the new aerodynamic, slippery form, as pioneered by the Audi 100 of the same year. The media dubbed the styling 'jellymold' and were critical of the grille-less nose. This bold gamble would stand the Sierra on good stead toward the end of its product cycle, when it still looked modern, whilst many of its principle competitors were starting to look dated. At the time, however, it was widely reported (falsely) that Frd was readying to put the conservative Cortina back into production. The Sierra lost the Cortina's position as the top selling car in the UK to the Escort, but enabled Ford to be perceived as an innovative and contemporary company. The Sierra was replaced in 1993 by the dynamic handling Ford Mondeo, which returned Ford to a more conservative styling template for family cars in Europe.
This Lego Ford Sierra model has been created in Lego Difital Designer for Flickr LUGNuts 43rd Build Challenge - 'Plus or Minus Ten' - celebrating vehicles built ten years before or after the birth year of the modeller - in this case the 1982 Ford Sierra.
Austin Healey Sprite (Frogeye) Mk.1 (1958-61) Engine 948cc S4 OHV BMC A Series Production 38999
Registration Number LSV 893
AUSTIN HEALEY SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759812996...
The first of the Austun Healey Sprite's, nicknamed Frogeye for obvious reasons (or Bugeye in the USA), with a one piece lift up bonnet-wing assembly. First announced to the press in Monte Carlo May 1958. just ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix and intended as a low cost sports car for the enthusiast. The Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company, with production being undertaken by Austin-Healey. It first went on sale at a price of £669, using a tuned version of the Austin A-Series engine and as many other components from existing cars as possible to keep costs down, the car was produced at the MG plant in Abingdon.
It was originally intended that the headlights would be retractable and sit in the wings, facing upward when not in use, simular to the much later Porsche 928, but the flip up arangement was abandoned at the design stage to maintain low costs. The body was styled by Gerry Coker, with subsequent alterations by Les Ireland following Coker's emigration to the US in 1957. The car's distinctive frontal styling bore a strong resemblance to the defunct American 1951 Crosley Super Sport.
The problem of providing a rigid structure to an open-topped sports car was resolved by Barry Bilbie, Healey's chassis designer, who adapted the idea provided by the Jaguar D-type, with rear suspension forces routed through the bodyshell's floor pan. The Sprite's chassis design was the world's first volume-production sports car to use unitary construction, where the sheet metal body panels (apart from the bonnet) take many of the structural stresses. The original metal gauge (thickness of steel) of the rear structure specified by Bilbie was reduced by the Austin Design Office during prototype build, however during testing at M.I.R.A. (Motor Industry Research Association) distortion and deformation of the rear structure occurred and the original specification was reinstated.
The 43 bhp, 948 cc OHV engine (coded 9CC) was derived from the Austin A35 & Morris Minor 1000 models, but upgraded with twin 11⁄8" inch SU carburettors. The rack and pinion steering was derived from the Morris Minor 1000 and the front suspension from the Austin A35.
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Shot at the Catton Hall Transport Show, 5:5:2014 Ref: 98-043
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2019
Estimated : € 200.000 - 300.000
Sold for € 173.833
'In rallying form its 4.2-litre engine produced at least 200bhp, which made it competitive with the Big Healeys, and there was a most impressive spread of torque. Had this car been properly developed, it should have had the Austin-Healey 3000 beaten.' – Graham Robson, 'A-Z Works Rally Cars'.
An ultra-rare works rally car of considerable importance, 'AHP 294B' was prepared by Rootes' Competition Department and first registered to Humber Ltd on 1st July 1964. Featured in Graham Robson's 'A-Z of Works Rally Cars' (page 155), it is one of only five surviving works Sunbeam Tiger rally cars constructed by Rootes' Competition Department.
Built in left-hand drive configuration, this extensively campaigned car made its international debut in the 1964 Geneva Rally driven by 'Tiny' Lewis and Barry Hughes, winning the GT Class and finishing 11th overall. Used by Andrew Cowan/Colin Turvey as a 'recce' car for the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally, 'AHP 294B' was driven in that event by Maurice Gatsonides and Albert Ilken, only to retire in the horrendous weather conditions encountered by the Paris starters.
Gatsonides then had the idea of using the Tiger to set some Dutch National Endurance records using the Zandvoort circuit, a successful attempt that culminated in new best marks for three, six, 12, and 24 hours, the latter at an average speed of 75.47mph (see press cutting on file). 'AHP' then went on to compete in the 1965 Tulip Rally driven by Peter Riley and Robin Turvey, being eliminated when it ran out of time after being slowed by un-seasonal snow when on racing tyres. Later in 1965, and again driven by Lewis/Hughes, the Tiger was forced to retire from the Alpine Rally when one of the rear brakes failed. The ensuing localised fire is almost certainly what led to the Tiger being rebuilt at the Competition Department around a new, later-type bodyshell to the latest international rallying regulations which required cars to match the silhouette of the production model.
The Tiger's next competitive appearance was in the 1966 Monte Carlo Rally, driven by Peter Harper and Robin Turvey, from which it retired on Stage 5 having posted some impressive times. Its final outing as a works entry was in the '66 Tulip Rally, serving as Harper/Turvey's recce car. 'AHP' was then sold by the Competition Department, via a well-connected Belgian intermediary, to racing driver Chris Tuerlinckx, who formed 'Sunbeam Tiger Racing' with former Rootes engineer, Vic Heylen.
Driven by Tuerlinckx, the car's first outing as a private entry was the 1966 Tour de Belgique, which 'AHP' won outright to secure only the second international rally victory by a Tiger (John Gott's in the International Police Rally had been the first). Then came an entirely new challenge: the Spa Francorchamps 1,000km. This first venture into endurance racing would end in a 'DNF', but at the following year's Spa race the Tiger won the GT Class and finished a highly creditable 13th overall despite being pitted against works prototypes fielded by the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, Lola, and Mirage. That year's Tour de Belgique saw 'AHP' win the GT category on its way to 3rd overall, and the car continued to be campaigned in Dutch and Belgian events until the early 1970s when it was sold to Hugh Chamberlain in the UK.
It appears that Chamberlain did nothing with Tiger, which he sold in 1988 to 'Big Healey' specialist, Ted Worswick. While with Ted Worswick, the car was restored by Jeff Goodliffe's GRV of Littleborough before being acquired by David Duncanson in 1991. An authority on Rootes Group works rally cars, David Duncanson ensured that 'AHP' was returned to as correct as possible 1966 specification. Subsequently, ex-rallying star Rosemary Smith campaigned the Tiger on several occasions in historic events, winning the Coupe des Dames category more than once (details on file).
Acquired by the current vendor in May 2014, 'AHP' was then treated to a full 'last nut and bolt' restoration by Hardy Hall Restorations of Thornbury, Herefordshire, while the engine has been rebuilt by Knight Racing Services of Daventry. Related bills on file total circa £100,000 (approximately €113,000) and the car also comes with a dynamometer test sheet (213bhp at the flywheel). On delivery from Hardy Hall, 'AHP' and its crew went out the next day and secured a class win in the 2015 Tour Britannia. In 2016, this famous ex-works Tiger successfully competed in the Monte Carlo Historique, and in 2018 led the Bromyard Motor Club's road trip to the Spa Classic, revisiting the historic Belgian circuit 51 years on from its last race there.
Prospective purchasers are urged to examine the most substantial history file, which contains the original buff logbook, period photographs, contemporary press cuttings, results sheets, expired MoTs, FIVA Identity Card, UK V5C Registration Certificate, and a Sunbeam Tiger Owners' Association Certificate of Authenticity. It also comes with the original factory hardtop, with various 1960s events stickers still in place, plus two sets of wheels shod with studded snow tyres. Possessing impeccable provenance and presented in superb condition, this historic works Sunbeam Tiger is ready to use.
Towards the end of the 1970's, British Leyland was in a state of absolute despair. Shoddy and dated car designs married to biblical unreliability meant the company was facing near meltdown, and obviously came to the conclusion that they needed someone else to take the helm before the ship properly sank. Enter the Japanese, more to the point, Honda!
Since the 1960's, the Japanese had shown the world that they can mass-produce reliable cars, and thus were raking in sales by the million as people turned from their flaky European models to the highly efficient Japanese alternatives. Desperate to stop their market being swept out from under them, European Manufacturers imposed heavy import taxes on Japanese imports so as to try and price them out of the market, which meant builders such as Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi were losing a fortune. The alternative past this blockade was to combine their efforts with some of the more struggling car companies of Europe so as to create hybrid cars.
And thus the Triumph Acclaim was born!
Based almost solely on the Honda Ballade, essentially all that differentiated it was the Triumph badge, and the fact that the car was built at the Cowley Plant near Oxford using the former production lines of the Austin Maxi. The intention largely was to replace the 10 year old Triumph Dolomite as the 4-door saloon of the company. Unlike the Ballade however, the car did come with much more luxury features as with a Triumph badge, the car was intended to be more higher market than the conventional Japanese equivalent. But most importantly, the car has the distinction of being the first truly reliable British Leyland car (and it only took them 12 years to get it right!)
Basically, the car's major components were built in Japan and shipped to Cowley, where they were placed into the locally built bodyshells. Build quality was very good too, with the leaky panels and rough ride seemingly absent, and holds the record for the fewest warranty claims on a British Leyland car. However, Japan may have shown Europe how to build a reliable car, but they didn't know how to build a car that didn't rust. Much like it's Japanese counterparts, the Acclaim rusted like crazy. In Japan this was seen as planned obsolescence, with the intention being that a new model would replace it in two or three years time. But in Britain, cars are built to last, with models going unchanged almost completely for years and even decades. Examples being the Mini, which didn't change in any way, shape or form between its launch in 1959 and its demise in 2000!
But still, despite the terrible rusting problem, the car's reliable nature resulted in 133,000 cars being sold, and became the first Triumph to be within the Top 10 highest selling cars since 1965. However, in the end the Acclaim's show of being a good, reliable car was merely a testbed for the variety of other Japanese style products British Leyland intended to push in the near future. After only 4 years of production, the Triumph Acclaim was shelved in 1984 along with many other British Leyland products such as the Austin Ambassador and the Morris Ital so as to rationalise the company into a small number of highly reliable machines based off the Triumph Acclaim's Japanese based success. From the Acclaim, the Rover 200 was a direct descendant, being based heavily on the next generation Honda Ballade, but also spurring from this plucky car was the mechanicals of the Austin Maestro and Montego.
The ending of Acclaim construction in 1984 also brought the end to the Triumph badge itself on motorcars. Although Triumph still exists on motorbikes, the car division has long since perished, together with Austin and Morris. As for the Acclaim itself, it is truly one of those rarities you won't find everyday. Today only 488 are left, which, although much more than the remaining Ital's and Ambassadors of the same period, is still a very low number. But even so, the Triumph Acclaim did show British Leyland how to make a reliable machine, even though it technically wasn't a British machine in the first place!
Taking part in the annual open weekend at the Bridgeton depot of Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust, Western Scottish Leyland Leopard JL2631/OSJ631R with 53 bus seats in the coach bodyshell.
Often described as Britain's first supercar (a little late, Italy beat us to that like 5 years earlier!), but the Aston Martin V8 and the derivative Vantage helped keep the company afloat during those dark years of bankruptcy and recovery, even though it almost committed corporate suicide by developing the overly complicated Lagonda!
The original Aston Martin V8 was a coupé manufactured from 1969 to 1989, built to replace the Aston Martin DBS, a more angular car that killed off the DB6, and by extension the iconic design that had eminated through the James Bond DB5. As with all traditional Aston Martins, it was entirely handbuilt, with each car requiring 1,200 manhours to finish. Aston Martin's customers had been clamouring for an eight-cylinder car for years, so Aston Martin designed a larger car. The engine was not ready, however, so in 1967 the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. Two years later, Tadek Marek's V8 was ready, and Aston released the DBS V8. With the demise of the straight-six Vantage in 1973, the DBS V8, now restyled and called simply the Aston Martin V8, became the company's mainstream car for nearly two decades. It was retired in favour of the Virage in 1989.
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage on the other hand took the original bodyshell of this 60's sports coupé, and completely re-engineered it to create something that was not of this earth! The first series had 375hp, and series specific details such as a blanked bonnet vent and a separate rear spoiler, of which 38 of these were built.
The Vantage name had previously been used on a number of high-performance versions of Aston Martin cars, but this was a separate model. Although based on the Aston Martin V8, numerous detail changes added up to a unique driving experience. One of the most noticeable features was the closed-off hood bulge rather than the open scoop found on the normal V8. The grille area was also closed off, with twin driving lights inserted and a spoiler added to the bootlid.
Upon its introduction in 1977, the car's incredible speed and power was taken up with acclaim, and, as mentioned, was dubbed 'Britain's first supercar', with a top speed of 170 mph top speed. Its engine was shared with the Lagonda, but it used high-performance camshafts, increased compression ratio, larger inlet valves and bigger carburettors mounted on new manifolds for increased output. Straight-line performance was the best of the day, with acceleration from 0–60 mph in 5.3 seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Ferrari Daytona.
The Oscar India version, introduced in late 1978, featured an integrated tea-tray spoiler and smoother bonnet bulge. Inside, a black leather-covered dash replaced the previous walnut. The wooden dashboard did find its way back into the Vantage during the eighties, giving a more luxurious appearance. The Oscar India version also received a slight increase in power, to 390hp. This line was produced, with some running changes, until 1989. From 1986 the engine had 403hp.
1986 saw the introduction of X-Pack was a further upgrade, with Cosworth pistons and Nimrod racing-type heads producing 403hp. A big bore after-market option was also available from Works Service, with 50mm carbs and straight-through exhaust system giving 432hp, the same engine as fitted to the limited-edition V8 Zagato. 16-inch wheels were also now fitted. A 450hp 6.3L version was also available from Aston Martin, and independent manufacturers offered a 7L version just to up the ante.
In 1986, the Vantage had its roof cut off into what would become the convertible Vantage Volante, basically identical. In 1987 The Prince of Wales took delivery of a Vantage Volante, but at his request without the production car's wider wheelarches, front air dam and side skirts. This became known as the 'Prince of Wales Spec' (or POW) and around another 26 such cars were built by the factory.
The Prince was obviously very specific about his motorcars!
304 Series 2 Vantage coupés were built, including 131 X-Packs and 192 Volantes. Volante's are often considered the most desirable of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage range. In all, 534 V8 Vantages were constructed during its 12 year production run, with the car being replaced in 1989 by the Aston Martin Virage, as well as a new generation V8 Vantage which remained somewhat faithful to the original design of the 60's (if not a little more bulky) and was the last Aston Martin design to incorporate a traditional style before changing to the style laid down by the DB7 in 1993.
However, the Vantage did find its way into movie fame as the first Aston Martin used in a James Bond movie since the DBS used in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. In 1987's 'The Living Daylights' (the first film to star Timothy Dalton as 007), Bond was treated to Q-Branch's Aston Martin V8 Vantage, complete with missiles, lasers to separate pesky Lada's from their chassis, and a heads-up display to assist in warding off evildoers. It also came with a 'Winter Pack', which included skis, a rocket propulsion and spiked tyres for better grip. The car however met an unfortunate demise after getting stuck in a snowdrift, forcing Bond to activate the self-destruct, engulfing the car in a fiery explosion. But at least everyone's favourite secret agent had finally been reunited with his faithful Aston Martin once again!
There is some slight incongruity with the film though, as at the beginning of the movie, the car is a convertible Volante, yet for the rest of the movie it's a hardtop regular Vantage. This confused me somewhat, or perhaps whilst Bond had the car shipped he had a roof welded on in the meantime!
Today there are a fair number of Vantages roaming the countryside, their popular design, pedigree Bond Car status and sheer raw power keeping them truly afloat. In fact, these cars are much more prominent than the Virage that replaced it, of which you barely see any!
The Alfa Romeo 105/115 series Coupés were a range of cars manufactured from 1963 until 1977. They were the successors to the celebrated Giulietta Sprint coupé and used a shortened floorpan from the Giulia Berlina car. These appealing cars were made in a wide variety of models over a period of 13 years, so they provide a lot of material for study by Alfa Romeo enthusiasts. The basic body shape shared by all models was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone. It was one of his first major projects for Bertone, and borrowed heavily from his earlier design for the Alfa Romeo 2000 Sprint/2600 Sprint. The balance of glass and metal, the influence of the shape of the front and rear glass on the shape of the cabin, and the flat grille with incorporated headlamps were groundbreaking styling features for the era.All models feature the four cylinder, all-light-alloy Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine in various cubic capacities from 1290 cc to 1962 cc. All versions of this engine fitted to the 105 series coupes featured twin carburettors. Competition models featured cylinder heads with twin spark plugs. Common to all models was also a 5-speed manual transmission and disc brakes on all four wheels. The rear suspension uses a beam axle with coil springs. Air conditioning and a limited slip rear differential were optional on the later models. The 105 series coupés featured the GT (Gran Turismo) model description, which was common to all models in one form or another.The various different models in this range can be considered in two broad categories.On one hand were the various Gran Turismos and Gran Turismo Veloces. These were meant to be the most sporting cars in the Alfa Romeo range and sold very well to enthusiastic motorists around the world. The first model available was the Giulia Sprint GT (1963) which evolved into the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce (1965), the 1750 GTV (1968) and the 2000 GTV (1972–1976), with engines increasing in cubic capacity from 1570 cc (Giulia Sprint GT/GTV) through 1779 cc (1750 GTV) to 1962 cc (2000 GTV).On the other hand was the GT Junior range, which featured engines with smaller cubic capacities. GT Juniors sold in great numbers to people who wanted a sporting, stylish car that handled well, but either did not require the maximum in engine power, or could not afford the taxation on larger engine capacities in some markets - most notably, Alfa Romeo's home Italian market. Junior models began with the first GT 1300 Junior in 1966. The GT 1300 Junior continued until 1976 with the 1290 cc engine and various modifications incorporating features from the evolution of the GT's and GTV's. From 1972 a GT 1600 Junior model was also available, with the 1570 cc engine.Both categories were used to derive GTA ("Allegerita") models, which were specifically intended for competition homologation in their respective engine size classes. The GTA's featured extensive modifications for racing, so they were priced much higher than the standard models and sold in much smaller numbers. Practically all GTA's made were used in competition, where they had a long and successful history in various classes and category. These models included the Giulia Sprint GTA and GTA 1300 Junior.
The GT 1300 Junior was the entry model to the Alfa Romeo coupe range. It was introduced in 1965 as the replacement for the 101 series Giulia Sprint 1300, which was the final development of the Giulietta Sprint series.The GT 1300 Junior was fitted with the 1300 (1290 cc) twin cam engine (74 mm bore × 75 mm stroke), as fitted to the Giulietta series cars, but revised for the 105 series with reduced port sizes and other modifications. The smaller engine was introduced in order to allow buyers to choose an Alfa Romeo coupe while avoiding the higher taxes on the models with larger engine capacity, especially in Alfa Romeo's home Italian market.The performance was low-end compared to others in its model line, with a total of 89 bhp (66 kW; 90 PS). However, the GT 1300 Junior's top speed of over 100 mph and 0-60 mph time of 12.6 seconds were very good for a fully-appointed coupe with an engine of only 1300 cc displacement.The GT 1300 Junior was in production for over a decade. Throughout this period it was updated by the factory, incorporating many of the same revisions applied to the larger-engined models.The first GT 1300 Juniors produced were based on the Giulia Sprint GT, with a simpler interior. The major external identifying feature was the black grille with just one horizontal chrome bar. The same 9/41 final drive ratio was maintained, but with a shorter 5th gear ratio of 0.85, instead of 0.79 as on all the other 105 Series coupes.Together with the Giulia 1300 Ti, the GT 1300 Junior pioneered the use of ATE disk brakes as later fitted throughout the 105 series, replacing the Dunlop disks on earlier cars. The first few GT 1300 Juniors lacked a brake servo, and had the low rear wheelarches of the Giulia Sprint GT and Giulia Sprint GTV. From 1967, a servo was fitted as standard, together with higher rear wheelarches as adopted later on the 1750 GTV.In 1968, concurrently with the replacement of the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce by the 1750 GTV, the GT 1300 Junior was revised with many of the new parts from the 1750 GTV. This included the dashboard, the suspension and the new wheel size of 5½ × 14J instead of 4½ × 15J. This revised GT 1300 Junior, however, retained the early "step-front" body style, which, interestingly, makes it the most mechanically refined production "step-front" model. Another intriguing detail is that, just as on the 1750 GTV, the remote release for the boot lid, located on the inside of the door opening on the B-post just under the door lock striker, was moved from the right hand side of the car to the left hand side. This series of GT 1300 Junior was the only model with the step-front bodyshell to have this item mounted on the left hand side. All other step-front models - Giulia Sprint GT, Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, and early GT 1300 Junior with flat dashboard - featured this item on the right hand side.In 1970 the Junior was revised a second time, and received the same nose treatment as the 1750 GTV, without the step but with only two headlights.For 1972, new wheels featuring smaller hubcaps with exposed wheel nuts like those on the 2000 GTV were fitted. At the same time, the GT 1600 Junior was introduced alongside the GT 1300 Junior. From 1974 the GT1300 Junior and GT1600 Junior were both rationalised into a common range with the 2000 GTV. (©http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_105/115_Series_Coup%C3%A9s).
1. Opposite Lock, 2. Ferrari Enzo, 3. Ferrari 250 GTO, 4. Tilt-shift fake (with genuine cars) - Ferrari 250TR & Maserati 300S, 5. Ferrari 250 GTO, 6. Ferrari 250 GTO, 7. GMW862D @ the Official Mini 30th Birthday Photoshoot at Silverstone 1989, 8. Jaguar E-Type Series 1,
9. Mini 4x4, 10. Low Flying Quattro, 11. 60s Mini Racing, 12. Westfalia Camper - VW T25, 13. Bill Sollis' Mini Miglia, 14. Ford Pop 100E, 15. Peugeot 405 T16 - Race Retro '08, 16. Night Racing Tilt-Shift,
17. Maserati A6G Zagato, 18. IMG_4015, 19. Jaguar D-Type, Austin Healey Sprite and Ecurie Ecosse Transporter., 20. Britcar 24Hr Race @ Silverstone. 10:09pm 20/09/08, 21. Stumpy A1 GP, 22. VW Camper, 23. Morris Cooper S Mk1, 24. Wire frame Subaru Impreza WRC - Prodrive Open Day '07,
25. Britcar 24Hr Race @ Silverstone. 10:09pm 20/09/08, 26. Britcar 500 Night Race @ Silverstone, 27. Ferrari 250GTO - Tilt-shift fake, 28. 60s Mini Racing, 29. Mini Cooper 1.3i, 30. Tilt-shift fake - Mini 30 photo shoot @ Silverstone 1989, 31. Ferrari 430 GT3, 32. Mini,
33. "Pikes Peak" Audi Sport Quattro, 34. , 35. HGTCC - Brands Hatch 3rd May '08, 36. Britcar 500 @ Silverstone, 37. Lamborghini Miura - Norwich Union Classic Car Run 1987, 38. Bill Sollis' Union Flag Mini Miglia., 39. Ford Cologne Capri Mk1, 40. Mini Bodyshells,
41. Britcar Into The Night, 42. Race Retro Show - 14th March '09, 43. Mini Cooper 1.3i, 44. Driving home for Christmas., 45. Ford Zephyr Ute, 46. Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1, 47. Renault Alpine A110, 48. Audi Quattro A1,
49. Brabham BT42 - Grand Prix Masters - Brands Hatch 26th May '08, 50. Greener than a green thing!, 51. Ferrari 250TR - 0716TR, 52. Wrong way up., 53. White Ferrari Testarossa - very Miami Vice., 54. Ferrari 250 GTO, 55. MINI, 56. Skoda S110R Spaceframe V8,
57. Ford GT40's @ Goodwood Revival '09, 58. Lotus Cortina @ Goodwood, 59. Ford Escort RS2000 Mkl - Classic Ford Show - Santa Pod 1st June '08, 60. DoF, 61. Austin-Healey 3000 Mk1 @ Goodwood, 62. Ferrari 250 TDF, 63. Race Retro Show '07 Stoneleigh Park 24th March '07, 64. Ferrari 250 Testarossa,
65. Mustang GT350 @ Goodwood Revival '09, 66. Westfalia Camper - Volkswagen T25, 67. Ferrari 250 GTO, 68. Absolut Vodka - Original (with an added vanilla pod), 69. Prancing Horses, 70. Escort RS1800, 71. Goodwood 28th Feb '09, 72. Jack
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!
When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!
Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!
In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.
On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.
However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!
But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.
Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.
But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.
However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.
Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.
But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.
However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!
So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.
The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D
Chassis number under driver's seat. This should be a long VIN but in this case it has the word 'CHASSIS' and then quite a short number. A re-shell?
Fiat 131 Abarth Rallye (1976) Engine 1995cc S4 DOHC
Race Number 129 Neil Cotty (Colworth)
Registration Number N 84451 (Torino)
Production 400
FIAT ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665060711...
The first series Fiat 131 was introduced at the 55th Turin Motor Show in late October 1974 The 131 came with a choice of a 1,297 cc or 1,585 cc OHV inline-four engines, both from the engine family first introduced on the Fiat 124. Both engines were fitted with a single twin-choke Weber 32 ADF downdraught carburettor. A four-speed manual transmission was standard, with a 5-speed manual and a 3-speed torque converter automatic optional on the 1600 engine only. The initial range comprised eleven different models with three body styles 2 door and 4 door Saloons and an Estate car.
In 1976, 400 examples of the Fiat Abarth 131 Rally were built for homologation purposes These cars were built in a cooperation between Fiat, Bertone and Abarth. Bertone took part-completed two door standard bodyshells from the production line in Mirafiori, fitted plastic mudguards front and rear, a plastic bonnet and bootlid and modified the metal structure to accept the independent rear suspension. The cars were fully painted and trimmed and then delivered back to the Fiat special Rivalta plant where they received the Abarth mechanicals. The street version of the car used a 16-valve DOHC derivative of the standard DOHC engine, which equipped with a double Weber downdraught carburettor produced 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp). The street cars used the standard gearbox with no synchromesh (Rally type regulations required the use of the same type of synchromesh on the competition cars as on the street versions) and the hopelessly underdimensioned brake system of the small Fiat 127. Competition cars used dry sump lubrication and eventually Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection. In race specifications, the engine produced up to 240 PS (180 kW) in 1980, being driven to World Championship status by Walter Röhrl.
The Fiat 131 Abarth was a very successful rally car winning the World Rally Championship 1977, 1978 and 1980 with Markku Allen, Timo Salonen and Walter Rohl at the wheel. Between 1976-81 the Fiat 131 Abarth won 18 WRC rally events.
Diolch am 82,799,995 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 82,799,995 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 17.07.2021 at Shelsey Walsh (Classic Nostalgia), Worcestershire 147-069
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]
Often described as Britain's first supercar (a little late, Italy beat us to that like 5 years earlier!), but the Aston Martin V8 and the derivative Vantage helped keep the company afloat during those dark years of bankruptcy and recovery, even though it almost committed corporate suicide by developing the overly complicated Lagonda!
The original Aston Martin V8 was a coupé manufactured from 1969 to 1989, built to replace the Aston Martin DBS, a more angular car that killed off the DB6, and by extension the iconic design that had eminated through the James Bond DB5. As with all traditional Aston Martins, it was entirely handbuilt, with each car requiring 1,200 manhours to finish. Aston Martin's customers had been clamouring for an eight-cylinder car for years, so Aston Martin designed a larger car. The engine was not ready, however, so in 1967 the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. Two years later, Tadek Marek's V8 was ready, and Aston released the DBS V8. With the demise of the straight-six Vantage in 1973, the DBS V8, now restyled and called simply the Aston Martin V8, became the company's mainstream car for nearly two decades. It was retired in favour of the Virage in 1989.
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage on the other hand took the original bodyshell of this 60's sports coupé, and completely re-engineered it to create something that was not of this earth! The first series had 375hp, and series specific details such as a blanked bonnet vent and a separate rear spoiler, of which 38 of these were built.
The Vantage name had previously been used on a number of high-performance versions of Aston Martin cars, but this was a separate model. Although based on the Aston Martin V8, numerous detail changes added up to a unique driving experience. One of the most noticeable features was the closed-off hood bulge rather than the open scoop found on the normal V8. The grille area was also closed off, with twin driving lights inserted and a spoiler added to the bootlid.
Upon its introduction in 1977, the car's incredible speed and power was taken up with acclaim, and, as mentioned, was dubbed 'Britain's first supercar', with a top speed of 170 mph top speed. Its engine was shared with the Lagonda, but it used high-performance camshafts, increased compression ratio, larger inlet valves and bigger carburettors mounted on new manifolds for increased output. Straight-line performance was the best of the day, with acceleration from 0–60 mph in 5.3 seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Ferrari Daytona.
The Oscar India version, introduced in late 1978, featured an integrated tea-tray spoiler and smoother bonnet bulge. Inside, a black leather-covered dash replaced the previous walnut. The wooden dashboard did find its way back into the Vantage during the eighties, giving a more luxurious appearance. The Oscar India version also received a slight increase in power, to 390hp. This line was produced, with some running changes, until 1989. From 1986 the engine had 403hp.
1986 saw the introduction of X-Pack was a further upgrade, with Cosworth pistons and Nimrod racing-type heads producing 403hp. A big bore after-market option was also available from Works Service, with 50mm carbs and straight-through exhaust system giving 432hp, the same engine as fitted to the limited-edition V8 Zagato. 16-inch wheels were also now fitted. A 450hp 6.3L version was also available from Aston Martin, and independent manufacturers offered a 7L version just to up the ante.
In 1986, the Vantage had its roof cut off into what would become the convertible Vantage Volante, basically identical. In 1987 The Prince of Wales took delivery of a Vantage Volante, but at his request without the production car's wider wheelarches, front air dam and side skirts. This became known as the 'Prince of Wales Spec' (or POW) and around another 26 such cars were built by the factory.
The Prince was obviously very specific about his motorcars!
304 Series 2 Vantage coupés were built, including 131 X-Packs and 192 Volantes. Volante's are often considered the most desirable of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage range. In all, 534 V8 Vantages were constructed during its 12 year production run, with the car being replaced in 1989 by the Aston Martin Virage, as well as a new generation V8 Vantage which remained somewhat faithful to the original design of the 60's (if not a little more bulky) and was the last Aston Martin design to incorporate a traditional style before changing to the style laid down by the DB7 in 1993.
However, the Vantage did find its way into movie fame as the first Aston Martin used in a James Bond movie since the DBS used in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. In 1987's 'The Living Daylights' (the first film to star Timothy Dalton as 007), Bond was treated to Q-Branch's Aston Martin V8 Vantage, complete with missiles, lasers to separate pesky Lada's from their chassis, and a heads-up display to assist in warding off evildoers. It also came with a 'Winter Pack', which included skis, a rocket propulsion and spiked tyres for better grip. The car however met an unfortunate demise after getting stuck in a snowdrift, forcing Bond to activate the self-destruct, engulfing the car in a fiery explosion. But at least everyone's favourite secret agent had finally been reunited with his faithful Aston Martin once again!
There is some slight incongruity with the film though, as at the beginning of the movie, the car is a convertible Volante, yet for the rest of the movie it's a hardtop regular Vantage. This confused me somewhat, or perhaps whilst Bond had the car shipped he had a roof welded on in the meantime!
Today there are a fair number of Vantages roaming the countryside, their popular design, pedigree Bond Car status and sheer raw power keeping them truly afloat. In fact, these cars are much more prominent than the Virage that replaced it, of which you barely see any!
Often described as Britain's first supercar (a little late, Italy beat us to that like 5 years earlier!), but the Aston Martin V8 and the derivative Vantage helped keep the company afloat during those dark years of bankruptcy and recovery, even though it almost committed corporate suicide by developing the overly complicated Lagonda!
The original Aston Martin V8 was a coupé manufactured from 1969 to 1989, built to replace the Aston Martin DBS, a more angular car that killed off the DB6, and by extension the iconic design that had eminated through the James Bond DB5. As with all traditional Aston Martins, it was entirely handbuilt, with each car requiring 1,200 manhours to finish. Aston Martin's customers had been clamouring for an eight-cylinder car for years, so Aston Martin designed a larger car. The engine was not ready, however, so in 1967 the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. Two years later, Tadek Marek's V8 was ready, and Aston released the DBS V8. With the demise of the straight-six Vantage in 1973, the DBS V8, now restyled and called simply the Aston Martin V8, became the company's mainstream car for nearly two decades. It was retired in favour of the Virage in 1989.
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage on the other hand took the original bodyshell of this 60's sports coupé, and completely re-engineered it to create something that was not of this earth! The first series had 375hp, and series specific details such as a blanked bonnet vent and a separate rear spoiler, of which 38 of these were built.
The Vantage name had previously been used on a number of high-performance versions of Aston Martin cars, but this was a separate model. Although based on the Aston Martin V8, numerous detail changes added up to a unique driving experience. One of the most noticeable features was the closed-off hood bulge rather than the open scoop found on the normal V8. The grille area was also closed off, with twin driving lights inserted and a spoiler added to the bootlid.
Upon its introduction in 1977, the car's incredible speed and power was taken up with acclaim, and, as mentioned, was dubbed 'Britain's first supercar', with a top speed of 170 mph top speed. Its engine was shared with the Lagonda, but it used high-performance camshafts, increased compression ratio, larger inlet valves and bigger carburettors mounted on new manifolds for increased output. Straight-line performance was the best of the day, with acceleration from 0–60 mph in 5.3 seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Ferrari Daytona.
The Oscar India version, introduced in late 1978, featured an integrated tea-tray spoiler and smoother bonnet bulge. Inside, a black leather-covered dash replaced the previous walnut. The wooden dashboard did find its way back into the Vantage during the eighties, giving a more luxurious appearance. The Oscar India version also received a slight increase in power, to 390hp. This line was produced, with some running changes, until 1989. From 1986 the engine had 403hp.
1986 saw the introduction of X-Pack was a further upgrade, with Cosworth pistons and Nimrod racing-type heads producing 403hp. A big bore after-market option was also available from Works Service, with 50mm carbs and straight-through exhaust system giving 432hp, the same engine as fitted to the limited-edition V8 Zagato. 16-inch wheels were also now fitted. A 450hp 6.3L version was also available from Aston Martin, and independent manufacturers offered a 7L version just to up the ante.
In 1986, the Vantage had its roof cut off into what would become the convertible Vantage Volante, basically identical. In 1987 The Prince of Wales took delivery of a Vantage Volante, but at his request without the production car's wider wheelarches, front air dam and side skirts. This became known as the 'Prince of Wales Spec' (or POW) and around another 26 such cars were built by the factory.
The Prince was obviously very specific about his motorcars!
304 Series 2 Vantage coupés were built, including 131 X-Packs and 192 Volantes. Volante's are often considered the most desirable of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage range. In all, 534 V8 Vantages were constructed during its 12 year production run, with the car being replaced in 1989 by the Aston Martin Virage, as well as a new generation V8 Vantage which remained somewhat faithful to the original design of the 60's (if not a little more bulky) and was the last Aston Martin design to incorporate a traditional style before changing to the style laid down by the DB7 in 1993.
However, the Vantage did find its way into movie fame as the first Aston Martin used in a James Bond movie since the DBS used in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. In 1987's 'The Living Daylights' (the first film to star Timothy Dalton as 007), Bond was treated to Q-Branch's Aston Martin V8 Vantage, complete with missiles, lasers to separate pesky Lada's from their chassis, and a heads-up display to assist in warding off evildoers. It also came with a 'Winter Pack', which included skis, a rocket propulsion and spiked tyres for better grip. The car however met an unfortunate demise after getting stuck in a snowdrift, forcing Bond to activate the self-destruct, engulfing the car in a fiery explosion. But at least everyone's favourite secret agent had finally been reunited with his faithful Aston Martin once again!
There is some slight incongruity with the film though, as at the beginning of the movie, the car is a convertible Volante, yet for the rest of the movie it's a hardtop regular Vantage. This confused me somewhat, or perhaps whilst Bond had the car shipped he had a roof welded on in the meantime!
Today there are a fair number of Vantages roaming the countryside, their popular design, pedigree Bond Car status and sheer raw power keeping them truly afloat. In fact, these cars are much more prominent than the Virage that replaced it, of which you barely see any!
Direct Rail Services class 57/3 no. 57304 'Pride of Cheshire' sits in the thunderbird siding at Crewe on 07th September 2014 awaiting it's next turn of duty.
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.