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Rear of the 9.42 to Swansea.
From Wikipedia
The British Rail Class 800 is a type of bi-mode multiple unit used in the United Kingdom on the Great Western Main Line since October 2017. They use electric motors for traction, but in addition to operating on track with overhead electric wires, they have diesel generators to enable them to operate on unelectrified track. Based on the Hitachi A-train design, the trains have been built Hitachi since 2014. They are also very similar to the Class 802 units, which have uprated diesel engines and larger fuel tanks.
The units are also due to enter service on the East Coast Main Line from May 2019, under the brand name "Azuma. This date was originally earlier, but following delays in type testing and concerns over the safety of interconnecting electrical cables between the coaches, the date had to be changed.
These trains are being assembled at the Hitachi Newton Aycliffe facility, alongside the related Class 801 electric multiple unit, from bodyshells shipped from the Kasado plant in Japan; no body construction takes place in the UK.
The Class 800 units are part of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP). The train is part of the Hitachi AT300 product family. Train operating companies have also given the train separate brands. On Great Western Railway, they are known as Intercity Express Trains (IET) and when they enter service with London North Eastern Railway, they will be known as Azumas.
1/32 slot car Porsche 911R in Team Gulf livery c.1969. Modified and lowered MRRC kit with slimline motor.
I spotted this unique Volkswagen camper in East Brewton, Alabama.
The cab is made from the front of a T1 van. The camper is made from a T3 Westfalia bodyshell. This vehicle is powered by a modern, rear-mounted, VW TDI diesel engine. The owner says the camper body can be removed and the vehicle can be used as a flat-bed truck.
Porsche 993 (911) Carrera (1993-98) Engine 3600cc Flat 6 268bhp
Registration Number E 8 HUN (Cherished number, first allocated from Exeter for Barnstable)
Production 68,029
PORSCHE SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690528015...
The 993 designation is the companies internal name for this generation 911. The external design of the Porsche 993, penned by Englishman Toni Hatter, used the basic bodyshell architecture of the 964, but with changed external panels, with much more flared wheelarches and a smoother front and rear bumper design, an enlarged retractable rear wing, teardrop mirrors, but keeping the doors and roof panels.
The Carrera represented the "base model" of the 993, and was available in rear and all-wheel drive versions. It was equipped with the naturally aspirated 3.6 liter M64 engine, further developed from the 964 and combined with a new dual-flow exhaust system now incorporating two catalytic converters. In contrast to the 964 were the numbers Carrera 2 or 4 were used to differentiate between two and four wheel the numbers have been dropped and the models are simply referred to as C2 and C4.the cars can be distinguished by the Carrera 4 having clear front turn signals and rear red lenses instead of orange on the 2W
Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 62,399,647 oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd
Thanks for a stonking 62,399,647 views
Shot 30-07-2017 exiting the 2017 Silverstone Classic REF 129-582
The second generation of the Impala after the original Bel Air, the Impala for the 1959 showed heavy redesigns, sharing bodyshells with lower-end Buicks and Oldsmobiles as well as with Pontiac as part of a GM economy move. As a result, the Chevrolet's wheelbase was 1-1/2 inches longer, used a new X-frame chassis, had a roof line that was three inches lower, a body that was two inches wider, and its curb weight increased. Its tailfins protruded outward, rather than upward and taillights were a large "teardrop" design at each side.
The Impala became a separate series, adding a four-door hardtop and four-door sedan, to the two-door Sport Coupe and convertible. Sport Coupes featured a shortened roof line and wrap-over back window. The standard engine was an I6, while the base V8 was the carryover 283 cu in (4,640 cc), at 185 hp (138 kW). Optional were a 283 cu in with 290 hp (220 kW) and 348 cu in (5,700 cc) V8 up to 315 hp (235 kW). Standard were front and rear armrests, an electric clock, dual sliding sun visors, and crank-operated front vent windows. A contoured hooded instrument panel held deep-set gauges. A six-way power seat was a new option, as was "Speedminder", for the driver to set a needle at a specific speed and a buzzer would sound if the pre-set was exceeded.
The 1960 Impala models reinstated three round taillights on each side, a nonfunctional front air intake scoops, and a white band running along the rear fender.
The available V8s were reduced to seven, in 283-cu in or 348-cu in displacements. The carbureted Turbo-Fire 283 cu in V8 could have either 170 or 230 hp (130 or 170 kW). The 348 cu in was available in 250 to 320 hp (190 to 240 kW) with a 350 hp (260 kW) Super Turbo-Thrust Special with triple two-barrel carburetors, 11.25:1 compression ratio, and dual exhausts. Fuel injection was no longer an option on full-size Chevrolets. New to the options list was speed and cruise control.
Production was 490,000 units.
Right-hand drive cars were made in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, for New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa and assembled locally from CKD or SKD kits. The right-hand drive dashboard was a mirror image of the 1959 Chevrolet panel and shared with equivalent right-hand drive Pontiac models. Australian models were assembled by hand on the GMH Holden assembly lines.
The world may consider the Volkswagen Golf GTi as the worlds most influential Hot Hatchback, but it wasn't the first. That distinction went to the Chrysler Sunbeam. A Talbot bodyshell powered by 155 of Chryslers finest Brake-Horsepowers, producing an astonishing top speed of 125mph and a 0-60mph of 8.3 seconds.
It truly was the first of the many practical but powerful cars that would come to shape motoring in the 1980's, killing off the traditional sports car and giving new meaning to the anarchistic times just around the corner. More often than not you'd find Hot Hatchbacks in the hands of hoodlums who would use them for Ram-Raiding Supermarkets and generally causing mischief. So much so that eventually insurance rates on cars such as these were forced higher so as to deter youths from buying them.
I don't usually go for going away shots but I think it works okay here. Direct Rail Services class 57 no. 57002 leads classmate no. 57010 south at Cathiron (South Nuneaton) on 10th July 2014 working light locomotives from Crewe Gresty Bridge to Daventry DRS.
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.
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (2007-09) Engine 4691cc V8 Production 500
ALFA ROMEO SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759785842...
First shown as a concept at the 2003 Frankfurt Motorshow the intent to build a limited run of 500 was announced at the 2005 Paris Motor Show. The production version is similar to the concept, with small variations, the most noticeable exterior difference being the rear hinged hood. The bodyshell is carbon fibre and produced by the ATR group, it is mated to an all steel chassis mad by Italian company ITCA Produzione with final assembly at the Maserati factory in Modena.
The car uses the platform and powertrain of the Maserati Gran Tourismo with the engine assembled by Ferrari. The V8 has variable timing valves and produces an output of 450 PS. Transmission is a six speed transaxle gearbox with computerised gear selection by means of levers behind the steering wheel.
The 500 cars were released as follows
USA 90 United Kingdom 40
Italy 80 Switzerland 35
Germany 80 Others 65
Japan 70
France 40 Total 500
Shot at the Classic and MPH Show, NEC, Birmingham 13.11.2010. Ref 66-009
Sold for £24,750
`The definitive small-bore sportscar', as Car & Driver has termed it, the Elan was introduced at the 1962 Earls Court Motor Show. Based around a steel backbone chassis clad with a lightweight composite body, it rode on all-round independent suspension and also featured four-wheel disc brakes, pop-up headlights and integral bumpers. The engine was clever too, mounting a Harry Mundy designed light alloy twin-cam cylinder head on a cheap, robust and readily available Ford `Kent' bottom end, mated to a four-speed manual transmission. More than the sum of its parts, the diminutive Lotus redefined its class in terms of ride, handling and performance, thanks to Colin Chapman's superlative grasp of spring and damping rates resulting in a precise yet supple chassis.
All Elans are special, but this one is a proven winner. The vendor states that this car was completely restored on a new Tony Thompson chassis with a new lightweight bodyshell incorporating reinforced footwells and boot floor, foam-filled double-skinned underwings, diff cooling vents, Tony Thompson eight-point rollcage, plumbed-in fire extinguisher, and fully adjustable Koni suspension with 26R-spec front anti-roll bar. The engine is reportedly an all-steel John Smirthwaite-built Twin Cam utilising twin Weber 45DCOE carburettors and camshafts selected for a broad torque band to suit rally use. Other parts include straight-cut gears, uprated clutch, Tony Thompson driveshafts, Salisbury LSD, magnesium Minilite-style alloys, aluminium radiator / swirl pot and Tony Thompson competition exhaust. There's bias-adjustable braking, with the handbrake lever mounted on the transmission tunnel.
It comes with an impressive history of results: 1st-in-class and 10th overall in the 2001 Classic Marathon, 1st overall on the 2002 London-Lisbon rally and a 1st-in-class on the 2005 Rally of the Tests.
Unrallied for the past five years, this well-prepared Elan nevertheless has great potential.
Classic Days Schloss Dyck 2018 - Driven by Dave Marcis, a NASCAR legend and the last team owner without manufacturer support. Frame is from 1979, bodyshell from 1985. 5.7 litre V8, max. 850PS, detuned 650PS.
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!
Spotted on visit to Bridport Porsche Specialists Marque 21. www.marque21.co.uk/
Many thanks to Kieron & Samie for organising the visit :-))
Chassis n° 4609606
Coachwork by Henri Chapron
- Open headlight version with desirable green LHM hydraulic fluid
- Matching numbers (chassis, body, engine)
- Comprehensively restored to concours condition 1990-1993
- Registered in the UK
Bonhams : The Zoute Sale
Important Collectors' Motor Cars
The Zoute Grand Prix Gallery
Estimated : € 180.000 - 220.000
Withdrawn
Zoute Grand Prix Car Week 2025
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2025
Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary Traction Avant, Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering.
The project had been initiated in the 1930s by the company's managing director, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and would be brought to fruition by designers Andre Lefebvre, previously with Voisin and Renault, and Flaminio Bertoni, who had worked on the styling of the pre-war Traction Avant. Part of Boulanger's brief had been that the proposed 'VGD' (Voiture de Grand Diffusion or Mass Market Car) should be capable of affording a comfortable ride over sub-standard rural roads while remaining stable at sustained high speeds on the Autoroutes. The solution to these seemingly incompatible requirements was the famous hydro-pneumatic suspension, suggested by Citroën engineer Paul Mages. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival until recently in top-of-the-range models.
In September 1965 the DS's original 1,911cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine – inherited from the Traction Avant - was replaced by a short-stroke 1,985cc unit, also available in 2,175cc and 2,347cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox. Other models offered alongside the original DS were the ID (a simplified, cheaper version), the cavernous Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron. Chapron's first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroën but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing. Built by Chapron, Citroën's own Décapotables were erected on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate). In total, 1,365 usine (factory) convertibles were made with either the DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.
First registered in 1968, this matching-numbers DS 21 Décapotable has the most desirable hydraulic semi-automatic gearbox. We're advised by the vendor that this DS remained with the first owner until 1988 when it was sold to a Parisian professor of psychology, Mr Ike Benzakein. This car has belonged to only two families since it left the factory before it was purchased by our vendor from the Zoute Sale in 2019.
In 1990, Mr Benzakein commenced a restoration to the highest standard; the chassis, body, engine, transmission, hydraulics, interior, and convertible hood all being restored to 'as new' condition, while the car was repainted in Bleu Antartique, a colour that was available in period. It is believed that during the restoration the front of the car was modified from the twin headlamp configuration to the arguably more attractive single 'Frogeye' version. Today, this DS remains in outstanding condition; fastidiously maintained, it is reported to run and drive superbly. Restoration bills are on file. An eye-catcher at any gathering, this magnificent and rare piece of French motoring history is 'on the button' and ready to be enjoyed. The car is currently registered in the United Kingdom and is being offered with a V5C registration document.
Peugeot 205 T16 (Homolagation) (1984) Engine 1899cc S4 Turbo
PEUGEOT SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690496925...
In iorder to homologate the 205 T16 for International Group B competition, Peugeot were requrired to build a minimum batch of 200 road-going examples, and in accordance with FIA regulations these had to be based on a current production road car. Peugeot decided to base the Group B rally car on the two door version of the 205..The engine was based on the cast iron block of the Diesel version of the then new XU engine family, albeit with a specially developed 16-valve head. The gearbox came from the Citroen SM but was mounted transversely. The car had all wheel drive. The body was built by Heuliez, where standard three door bodyshells from the production line were delivered and heavily modified. Heuliez cut off the complete rear of the car and welded in a transverse firewall between the B-posts. The rear frame was then built in a mixture of sheet steel profiles and tubes. The front was modified in a similar way with a tube frame carrying the front suspension. The completed bodies were delivered to Simca (Talbot) for the 200-series production cars and to Peugeot Talbot Sport for the competition versions. All street versions were LHD and finished in a dark grey colour, apart from the first one which was white with the competition cars decals.The competition cars of the first evolution series (VIN C1 to C20) were built at the sport department Peugeot Talbot Sport and presented to the public at the same day as the standard street version. Later competition vehicles of the Evolution 2 series (VIN C201 to C220) were built differently as the rear spaceframe had no more sheet steel profiles in it but was completely made from tubes only.
Apart from appearance the homolagation cars had almost nothing in common with the regular production model and shared the transverse mid-engine, four-wheel drive layout of the rally car, but had less than half the power; at around 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp).
A big thankyou for an incredible 23.3 Million views
Shot at the Classic Car Show, NEC, Birmingham 16:11:2013 REF 101-286
LOCATION:- Derby Litchurch Lane
DATE:- 18.06.2001
'Networker Classic' prototype, what would of been the BR class 424 seen here stored at Litchurch Ln Works in Derby.
This vehicle was originally a 4-CIG driving trailer 76112. The "Networker Classic" concept involved rebuilding Mark 1 design Southern Region EMUs of Classes 411, 421 and 423 to meet current crash-worthiness standards. This involved building a new bodyshell on the existing chassis, but keeping the original electrical and motor equipment. Therefore, the aim was to produce a 'new' unit at one quarter the cost of manufacturing a train from scratch. The rebuilt units would have had a life of at least fifteen years, thus saving considerable amounts of money when replacing old stock. However, for some reason the project was not successful, and train companies turned to new-build trains of Classes 375, 376, 377, 444, 450, 458, and 460 from various manufacturers.
Porsche 911 Carrera RS (1973-74) Engine 2808cc Production 48
Registration Number YYY 568 M
PORSCHE SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690528015...
The RS was built so that Porsche could enter racing formulae that demanded acertain number of road cars of the same specification were built for homologation purposes. The RS (Rennen Sport) was originally introduced with a 2687cc engine developing 210bhp with Bosch (Kugelfischer) MFI, revised and stiffened suspension, a "ducktail" rear spoiler, larger brakes, wider rear wheels and arches. In RS Touring form it weighed 1075 kg (2370 lb), in Sport Lightweight form it was about 100 kg (220 lb) lighter, the saving coming from the thin-gauge steel used for parts of the bodyshell and also the use of thinner glass. In total, 1580 were made, comfortably exceeding the 500 that had to be made to qualify for the vital FIA Group 4 class.
49 Carrera RS cars were built with 2808 cc engines producing 300 PS (221 kW).
Shot at the Masters Historic Festival, Oulton Park 17:03:2012 Ref 82-193
Porsche 911 Carrera RS (1973-74) Engine 2687cc HO6 OC Production 1580
*Registration Number KDN 528 L
PORSCHE SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690528015...
The Carrera name was reintroduced to in 1973, originally applied to the 356 Carrera and in turn came from Porsche class victories in the Carrera Panamerica races accross Central America in the 1950's. The RS was built so that Porsche could enter racing formulae that demanded that a certain minimum number of production cars were made. Compared with a standard 911S, the Carrera 2.7 RS had a larger engine (2687 cc) developing 210bhp. With revised and stiffened suspension, a "ducktail" rear spoiler, larger brakes, wider rear wheels and rear wheel arches. In RS Touring form it weighed 1075 kg, in Sport Lightweight form it was about 100 kg (220 lb) lighter, the saving coming from the thin-gauge steel used for parts of the bodyshell and also the use of thinner glass. In total, 1580 were made, comfortably exceeding the 500 that had to be required to qualify for FIA Group 4 Class.
49 Carrera RS cars were built with 2808 cc engines
In 1974, Porsche created the Carrera RS 3.0 with K-Jetronic Bosch fuel injection producing 230 PS It was almost twice as expensive as the 2.7 RS but offered a fair amount of racing capability for that price.
Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 27,597,200 views
Shot 27:07:2014 at Silverstone Historic Festival REF: 103-261
Weeds are growing profusely around the Goods Shed, as Bath Road's RXLD Pool 47 584 'County of Suffolk' works 1S71 north through Lawrence Hill, on May 13th 1989.
She was built by Brush as D1775, entering service on October 23rd 1964.
TOPS info:-
47584 RXLD BR B M E XA.
41A Tinsley 23/10/1964
34G Finsbury Park 10/1967
40B Immingham 10/1969
52A Gateshead 04/1972
30A Stratford 08/1972
Allocation recoded 30A to SF 05/1973
Renumbered 47 180 05/1974
IM Immingham 03/1975
TI Tinsley 05/1976
IM Immingham 05/1977
TI Tinsley 11/1977
SF Stratford 08/1978
Named County of Suffolk, with the county's badge on a circular plaque above the nameplate, on 13/5/79 (the plates had been fitted on 11/5/79).
Renumbered 47 584 15/12/1980
BR Bristol Bath Road 10/1987
CD Crewe Diesel 05/1991
The nameplates were removed in 10/93.
Renamed THE LOCOMOTIVE & CARRIAGE INSTITUTION, on a circular nameplate in the form of a locomotive driving wheel with the date 1911 at the centre, at Bristol Temple Meads Station on 13/12/95.
WQ EWS Headquarters Pool 21/03/2000
Store 23/03/2000
SP Springs Branch 30/03/2000
The loco was stopped at Polmadie on 20/3/00,authorised for component recovery 21/3/00 and moved to Motherwell on 23/3/00 and stored.
It was moved from Motherwell to
SP CRDC on 30/3/00 for disposal. Pushed inside the Scrap Shed on 12/4/00 having previously had some small bits removed. By 17/4/00 it had been reduced to frame, cabs and
bogies, and on 19/4/00, it lost its bogies and the bodyshell was placed on a Bogie Bolster wagon.
Withdrawn 02/03/2001
Eventually, the frame and cabs were moved by road overnight on 23/10/02 to Booth Roe Metals, Rotherham, and these had been broken up completely by 28/10/02. The loco
was said to be owned by HNRC at that time.
I hope you enjoy looking through my Flickr images. Please consider helping me pay for my Flickr subscription, and to help me buy-back some of the 4000 of my slides from the past that I'd like to get back.
I'll rescan all of my older uploads in the fullness of time.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
FGW's efforts to increase the number of seats in HST sets resulted in some conversions to a composite layout featuring both First and Standard class seating. A not entirely new idea even for the mark lll bodyshell as Scotrail did similar with their push / pull rakes in the early 80's. Nonetheless it remains a relative rarity in the railway scene today with FGW being the only operator of composite mark lll's at this time.
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!
Taken 23/10/19 at a foggy Bath Spa Station: According to Wikipedia the Classs 800s are "... a type of electro-diesel train used in the United Kingdom, based on the Hitachi A-train design. They have been built by Hitachi since 2015. The first units entered service on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) in October 2017, and will enter service on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) from December 2018.
These trains are being assembled at the Hitachi Newton Aycliffe facility, alongside the related Class 801 electric multiple unit, from bodyshells shipped from the Kasado plant in Japan; no body construction takes place in the UK.
The Class 800 units are known as IETs (Intercity Express Trains), as part of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP). They have been named Azuma, meaning East in Japanese, by future operator Virgin Trains East Coast."
First Greater Western Limited, trading as Great Western Railway (GWR), is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that operates the Greater Western railway franchise
James Bond Lotus Esprit Car/Submarine was based on an SI Bodyshell and nicknamed "Wet Nellie".It was used in the 1977 film "The Spy Who Loved Me"
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.
Gaydon, British Motor Museum
The Metro was launched just before the 1980 Motor Show. It was intended to be the 'new Mini', except BL kept the ever green Mini in production and made the Metro a rather bigger car or 'supermini'.
In engineering terms, the Metro was similar to previous small Austins. The three door hatchback bodyshell, however, was all new with styling developed in the Longbridge design studio.
This then top-line Metro 1.3 HLS was one of 300 pre-production models built in May 1980 and formed the centrepiece of Austin Rover’s stand at the 1980 Motor Show. Not long after it was formally presented to the Trust's collection.
A series of photographs documenting the release of GB Railfreight's Class 92, 92 044 "Couperin" from the Wabtec Brush works at Loughborough. 044 had spent exactly 14 months there for overhaul, reliability mods and new wheelsets. The assisting locomotive was a fellow Brush Traction machine, Class 60, 60 002 "Graham Farish 50th Anniversary 1970-2020".
The 60 had also been out of traffic for more than a year after a turbo fire. The Covid-19 pandemic had delayed repairs and then some additional mods were done as well as its immaculate repaint - the first GBRf loco repainted at DB Cargo's Toton depot.
This was the 60's first working for GBRf after its long spell in Toton and also its first run on the main line sporting its recently received new name commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Graham Farish.
This was also the first time two of GB Railfreight's Brush "cousins" - the Class 60 and Class 92 - had been together. The locos share a common bodyshell design, built by Procor in Wakefield, and have other similar components.
Potentially most historically of all, though - with the subsequent announcement the Brush Traction works are due to close by the end of the year - there's a good chance this was the last time a Class 60 will visit the place where the 100-strong class were built in 1989-1993.
GB's sole active grey 92 had lost its tunnel rings and Crewe Electric depot plaques whilst in Brush, but there are rumours of a new livery to come in due course. However, that won't be before it gets back to earning some coin for its owners (and DB!) with a brief visit to Crewe for a test run, before heading to Dollands Moor to resume tunnel duties.
60 002 ran from Toton as 0Z60 08:45 Toton TMD to Loughborough Brush, then moved 92 044 to Crewe ETD on 0Z61 09:58 Loughborough Brush to Crewe ETD, before the 60 then ran on solo to resume biomass duties on 0Z62 13:09 Crewe ETD to Tuebrook Sidings.
From Bonham's catalogue:
Sold for £2,070 inc. premium
Footnotes
Its styling inspired by Raymond Loewy's Studebakers, an entirely new range of cars was introduced by the Rootes Group in the mid-1950s, the first arrival with this new look being the Sunbeam Rapier. A two-door sports saloon, the latter was announced in 1955, in advance of its Hillman and Singer siblings. Whitewall tyres and a chromed waistband dividing the two-tone colour scheme were obvious transatlantic influences, while the Rapier's pillar-less bodyshell and unique wind-down rear quarter window made for the ultimate in fresh-air motoring this side of a full convertible. Styling changes, mechanical improvements, and larger and more powerful engines were introduced as the Rapier progressed through Series I to V over the next ten years.
The Rapier played an important part in Rootes' competition programme, achieving some notable successes both in circuit races and on the 'rough stuff'. The car was first raced in Series I form in the 1956 Mille Miglia but rallying was its true forte, as demonstrated by an impressive tally of class wins and team awards extending into the 1960s. In 1958 Peter Harper finished 5th in the Monte and won the RAC Rally outright, while Paddy Hopkirk finished in 3rd place on the 1959 Alpine event. The Tour de France was another event in which the Rapier excelled, as exemplified by a commanding 1, 2, 3 class finish in 1962.
The overdrive-equipped Rapier offered here is an example of the Series IV, introduced in October 1963, which featured a more powerful version of the existing 1.5-litre engine and, from October 1964, an all-synchromesh gearbox. Other significant changes included 13" wheels and a diaphragm clutch. Owned by the current vendor for a number of years, '452 GYU' has been used periodically for rallies/shows and has been driven by his wife. Described as in generally good condition, with original interior, the car is offered with sundry bills, current MoT/tax and Swansea V5. A Holbay modified engine is the only notified deviation from factory specification.
Lot heading
1964 Sunbeam Rapier Series IV Saloon
Registration no. 452 GYU
Chassis no. B/3300791/OD/HHO
Engine no. B/3300791/OD/HHO
The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open sports car which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1971. The Sprite was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on 20 May 1958, just before that year's Monaco Grand Prix. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to the sporting versions of the pre-war Austin Seven. The Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company, with production being undertaken at the MG factory at Abingdon. 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.
In 1961 the Sprite was joined by a badge-engineered MG version, the Midget, reviving a model name used by MG from the late 1920s through to the mid 1950s. Enthusiasts often refer to Sprites and the later Midgets collectively as "Spridgets."
The little Sprite quickly became affectionately known as the Frogeye in the UK and the Bugeye in the US, because its headlights were prominently mounted on top of the bonnet, inboard of the front wings. The car's designers had intended that the headlights could be retracted, with the lenses facing skyward when not in use; a similar arrangement was used many years later on the Porsche 928. But cost cutting by BMC led to the flip-up mechanism being deleted, therefore the headlights were simply fixed in a permanently upright position, giving the car its most distinctive feature. 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. 48,987 "Frogeye" Spriters were made.
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 two front chassis legs projecting forward from the passenger compartment mean the shell is not a full monocoque. The front sheet-metal assembly, including the bonnet (hood) and wings, was a one-piece unit, hinged from the back, that swung up to allow access to the engine compartment.
The 43 bhp, 948 cc OHV engine (coded 9CC) was derived from the Austin A35 & Morris Minor 1000 models, also BMC products, 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. The front suspension was a coil spring and wishbone arrangement, with the arm of the Armstrong lever shock absorber serving as the top suspension link. The rear axle was both located and sprung by quarter-elliptic leaf springs, again with lever-arm shock absorbers and top links. There were no exterior door handles; the driver and passenger were required to reach inside to open the door. There was also no boot lid, owing to the need to retain as much structural integrity as possible, and access to the spare wheel and luggage compartment was achieved by tilting the seat-backs forward and reaching under the rear deck, a process likened to potholing by many owners, but which resulted in a large space available to store soft baggage.
I'm on the hunt for illustrated 1970's boxes for some of my Matchbox Cars:
MB 41 Siva Spyder (Streaker)
Like the Guildsman, this is another bizarre (but cool) car:
freespace.virgin.net/dr.dean/who1/othersivas.htm
"he 'S160' began life as a project for Marcos as a GT with a Hillman Imp engine. However, Marcos dropped the concept and SIVA re-designed it into the SIVA S160 Spyder. The car debuted in the 1971 Racing Car Show. The 'Spyder' was based on a VW beetle floorpan. The Spyder was unique in that all the car switchgear was housed in the driver's door. A bare bodyshell was available for £525 or a completed car was available for £895. There were 12 'S160 Spyder' produced in total."
Ashley Laminates Ltd was a company set up by Peter Pellandine and Keith Waddington in 1955 to produce fibreglass body shells for car conversions and in 1956 Peter founded Falcon Shells Ltd. The advert above features The Ashley Sportiva Coupé whose fibreglass shell came in two forms as either the open-top Roadster or the covered Coupé. Both versions could be fitted onto the Ford Prefect E93A (1172cc) chassis or a modified form of chassis specially constructed from Ford parts. ‘The Ashley 1172’ conversion kits were launched in November 1960 and remained in production until 1962.
.
ashleysportiva.weebly.com/ashley-bodyshell-models.html (Ashley Laminates car models).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_(automobile) (Ashley Laminates).
Waiting to leave Platform 3.
From Wikipedia
The British Rail Class 800 is a type of bi-mode multiple unit used in the United Kingdom on the Great Western Main Line since October 2017. They use electric motors for traction, but in addition to operating on track with overhead electric wires, they have diesel generators to enable them to operate on unelectrified track. Based on the Hitachi A-train design, the trains have been built Hitachi since 2014. They are also very similar to the Class 802 units, which have uprated diesel engines and larger fuel tanks.
The units are also due to enter service on the East Coast Main Line from May 2019, under the brand name "Azuma. This date was originally earlier, but following delays in type testing and concerns over the safety of interconnecting electrical cables between the coaches, the date had to be changed.
These trains are being assembled at the Hitachi Newton Aycliffe facility, alongside the related Class 801 electric multiple unit, from bodyshells shipped from the Kasado plant in Japan; no body construction takes place in the UK.
The Class 800 units are part of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP). The train is part of the Hitachi AT300 product family. Train operating companies have also given the train separate brands. On Great Western Railway, they are known as Intercity Express Trains (IET) and when they enter service with London North Eastern Railway, they will be known as Azumas.
Two Hillman Avenger Tigers at the Wheelnuts 2015 Classic Car Rally, Stroud Glos.
Named to evoke memories of the Sunbeam Tiger, the Avenger Tiger concept began as a publicity exercise. Avenger Super (four-door) cars were modified by the Chrysler Competitions Centre under Des O' Dell and the Tiger model was launched in March 1972. Modifications included the 1500 GT engine with an improved cylinder head with enlarged valves, twin Weber carburetors and a compression ratio of 9.4:1. The engine now developed 92.5 bhp (69 kW) at 6,100 rpm. The suspension was also uprated, whilst brakes, rear axle, and gearbox are directly from the GT.
A distinctive yellow colour scheme ("Sundance") with a bonnet bulge, rear spoiler and side stripes was standard, set off with "Avenger Tiger" lettering on the rear quarters.
Road test figures demonstrated a 0–60 mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 108 mph (174 km/h). These figures beat the rival Ford Escort Mexico, but fuel consumption was heavy. Even in 1972, the Tiger developed a reputation for its thirst.
All Avenger Tigers were assembled by the Chrysler Competitions Centre and production figures are vague but around 200 of the initial Mark 1 seems likely.
In October 1972, Chrysler unveiled the more "productionised" Mark 2 Tiger. The Avenger GL bodyshell with four round headlights was used. Mechanically identical to the earlier cars, the bonnet bulge was lost although the bonnet turned matt black, and there were changes to wheels and seats. These cars went on sale at £1,350. Production was around 400. Red ("Wardance") was now available as well as yellow ("Sundance"), both with black detailing.
Fourth highest price of the day.
1965 Ferrari 275 GTS
Sold for US$1,586,250 inc. premium
From the catalog:
Coachwork by and Design by Pininfarina
Chassis no. 07767
Engine no. 07767
3,286cc SOHC All-Alloy V-12 Engine
6 Weber Twin-choke Carburetors
260bhp at 7,000rpm
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Hydraulic Disc Brakes
*Matching numbers example, quipped with rare and desirable factory hard top
*Exceptionally well-presented example with less than 45,000 original miles
*Desirable US-delivered example, imported new by famed Ferrari agent Luigi Chinetti
*Restoration carried out by noted restorers MPI Motion Products and North Coast Exotics
*Accompanied by original books, tools, Massini report and restoration records
THE FERRARI 275 GTS
There had been open-top Ferrari road cars before the advent of the 250 series, but it was, chiefly, Pininfarina's offerings on the later chassis that established the convertible as a fixture of the Ferrari range. After the experimentation and variety which characterized the coachwork of the 250-series cars, the arrival of the 275 in 1964 brought with it bodywork being manufactured by Pininfarina themselves, with a considerably improved build quality. The chassis followed Ferrari's established practice, incorporating a multi-tubular frame tied together by oval main tubes, and for the first time on a road-going Ferrari there was independent rear suspension, this setup employing a double wishbone and coil-spring arrangement similar to that of the 250LM sports-racer. The adoption of a rear-mounted five-speed transaxle combining the now all-synchromesh gearbox and differential in a single unit helped improve weight distribution, and this feature would characterize future generations of front-engined Ferrari road cars.
By the mid 1960s, Ferrari's road cars were beginning to lose some of their rougher edges and take on a more luxurious mien. The 275 GTS's interior is notable for its generously sized seats and wood veneer dashboard, the latter appearing for the first time in a Ferrari. Even the most sybaritic of customers, though, would acknowledge that the driving experience is the raison d'ętre of Ferrari ownership, and in this respect the 275 GTS had lost none of its predecessors' aggressive charm. Car & Driver magazine had this to say: "Since the engine is heir to a V12 tradition that's gone on for almost twenty years, it's only natural that it should be the dominating factor in the car's personality, and that the whole car should have been developed around the engine and its own unique character. You can feel it as much as you can hear it. It has a taut, powerful rush of response that comes to you through the seat of your pants, through the steering wheel rim. The instant the clutch is engaged, the chassis takes on life and begins to move as a unit with the engine, it's an all-in-one-piece sensation that you normally feel only in racing cars, one that's unique to the Ferrari among normal passenger vehicles today."
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
This remarkable, matching numbers example of the timeless Ferrari 275 GTS benefits from a concise and well-researched chain of ownership - including a documented 33-year period of care by one devoted owner - in addition to a spectacular restoration performed by the Ferrari specialists at Motion Products (MPI) and North Coast Exotics.
According to research complied by marque expert Marcel Massini, chassis no. 07767 is the 137th of the just 200 275 GTS examples built. The chassis was sent to Pininfarina for Spider coachwork in June of 1965, and the luxurious motorcar was completed at the Maranello Ferrari Works presumably during August of 1965, having completed its engine assembly by Ferrari foreman Mr. Amos Franchini. The 275 GTS had the exterior finished in 'Argento 20265' silver metallic, while the interior was trimmed in 'Nero Franzi' black leather. The car was configured as a left-hand drive, US-market example, with speedometer in miles-per-hour. 07767 is believed to have been fitted with the rarely optioned hard top from new, as sold with the car today.
The new 275 GTS would make its way Stateside right away, being delivered to legendary Ferrari importer and 24 Hours of Le Mans Winner Luigi Chinetti and Chinetti Motors in September of 1965. Chinetti is recorded as having sold the new Ferrari to its first owner in November of 1965. By 1972, the car was owned a Mr. Thomas W. Donahoe of Houston, Texas, before being acquired by Mr. Charles H. Noble, Jr of San Antonio, Texas, in who's devoted ownership the exotic Ferrari 275 GTS would remain for the next 33 years. By the 2000s, Mr. Noble would have noted Ferrari restorer Bob Smith Coachworks of Gainesville, Texas re-paint the car in red, a very common Ferrari color at the time, in addition to other light restoration work. The 275 GTS would leave Mr. Noble's devoted custodianship in 2012 - at which point Mr. Noble was 86 years old - when renowned classic car dealership Fantasy Junction brokered the Ferrari to the consignor, a noted Ferrari collector from Ohio. The car had just 42,490 miles recorded on the odometer at the time and was sold with its rare factory hard top. In 2014 the Ferrari would make an appearance at the XXII Palm Beach Cavallino Classic held at The Breakers Hotel and was shown later that year at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
During 2017 and 2018, the consignor entrusted his rare and desirable, matching numbers Ferrari 275 GTS to his preferred Ferrari restoration shops with a restoration of the car in mind. The specialists at Motion Products (MPI) - at the time with the late Wayne Obry at the helm - completely stripped the Pininfarina-built Spider coachwork in order to properly change the exterior color to the stunning 'Blu Ferrari 20-A-180' dark blue color seen on the car today. Photos taken of the car in bare metal shows a very clean and unhurt bodyshell, with no signs of past accidents or serious rust issues. Additionally, MPI would retrim the sporty 2-seater cockpit in lovely Tobacco-colored leather hides, while installing new Wilton carpets in dark blue, matched by a fresh dark blue Spider convertible top. The factory hard top was also refinished at the time in neatly contrasting black paint. North Coast Exotics would take on the mechanical aspects of the restoration, by completely stripping and rebuilding the original matching numbers Type 213 V12 engine with new pistons, in addition to rebuilding the 5-speed transaxle and restoring the chassis, brakes and suspension. A period-correct 6-carburetor set up featuring 12 individual velocity stacks was fitted, a very rare factory option believed to have been fitted to just four 275 GTS examples from the Ferrari factory. The original Weber 40DCZ6 3-carburetor set up with the original F.I.S.P.A airbox and intake manifolds is offered along with the car, should one wish to go back to the stock configuration.
Still displaying the rewarding benefits of the expert restoration, this outstanding 275 GTS has just 44,975 original miles recorded on the odometer at the time of cataloging. The car is thoroughly documented with Marcel Massini's comprehensive report, a stack of invoices reflecting the work MPI and North Coast Exotics carried out in addition to a leather binder containing receipts and documentation from Mr. Noble's ownership. The original tool kit, jack, owner's manual, and the previously mentioned factory hard top - one of an estimated just 20 examples made - is also offered with the 275 GTS. Presented in the lovely period-appropriate livery of Blu Ferrari over Tobacco and fitted with Borrani wire wheels shod on Michelin XWX tires, the Ferrari looks just right. Offering the visceral appeal of open touring at vintage driving events - or running with the rare and desirable factory hard top fitted - this beautiful matching numbers 275 GTS model from the most successful era of Ferrari production would complement any collection of sports cars or open grand tourers.
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It's Bonhams day!
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This year I was able to escape the snow and join Fred in Scottsdale for sunshine, cars, and music! I also drove down to Tucson to meet Doug for lunch and spend a nice evening visting with Richard and Lola.
While the bodyshell might change from what was previously showed, the engine and capacity of the SLS AMG stays at an exciting high.
For more about the unveiling of the golden SLS AMG check www.sls-amg-reporter.com
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.
1969 Mustang Body Shell is used at the FORD booth to be built (by Galpin Auto Sports) into turnkey car during the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Watch this car being built in 3 days at the SEMA Show
on YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=z47Pt8dtBcY
The BREL built Class 321's of the early 1990's were one of the final EMU designs using the BR MK3 bodyshell that had seen use through the 1980's in EMU designs from Class 317 onwards. Originally used on the WCML they have had a presence on the Great Eastern for a number of years now.
On 17th May 2019 Class 321 321342 is seen heading a peak time train between London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria on approach to Shenfield.
950001 on Burton Ot Wetmore Sidings to Burton Ot Wetmore Sidings at Stenson.
950001 was built in 1987 using the same bodyshell as the Class 150/1 Sprinter units that were built from 1985-1986. It was originally classified as a Class 180 test unit, but since this designation was used by the former First Great Western "Adelante" units, Now leased by First Hull Trains, it has been reclassified into the departmental series. The unit is formed of two driving motor vehicles. Individual carriages numbered as follows:
DM: 999600-999601
The car that turned Rover from big cars for fat cats into a fully-fledged mainstream manufacturer, the R8-series 400.
Based on the Honda Concerto but with mostly Rover engines (the then-state of the art K-series), except the 1.6 litre (which was the D-series Honda unit) the R8 sold millions. This 420 had the early and ytroublesome 2.0 M16 engine, a twincam development of BL's old O-series unit.
I first took more notice of these machines after seeing the Stig rag a '92 416GTi around the TG test track - these had the 16v CRX engine in them and had all the screaming, high-revving character of the Honda wrapped in a classier bodyshell.
Very, very close to being finished now. Quite a bit of time spent today painting the gold wheel centres, getting the suspension fitted and finals bits of assembly, as well as the final fitment of chassis to bodyshell (always a little nerve-wracking, as they don't always go together once the interior is in place).
Ashley Laminates Ltd was a company set up by Peter Pellandine and Keith Waddington in 1955 to produce fibreglass body shells for car conversions and in 1956 Peter founded Falcon Shells Ltd. The advert above features The Ashley 1172 whose fibreglass shell came in two forms for either the open-top Roadster or the covered Coupé which could be fitted onto the Ford Prefect E93A (1172cc) chassis. ‘The Ashley 1172’ conversion kits were launched in 1958 and remained in production until 1961.
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ashleysportiva.weebly.com/ashley-bodyshell-models.html (Ashley Laminates car models).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_(automobile) (Ashley Laminates).
The Peugeot 404 is a large family car produced by French automobile manufacturer Peugeot from 1960 to 1975. A truck body style variant was marketed until 1988. The 404 was manufactured under licence in various African countries until 1991 (in Kenya) and was manufactured in Argentina by Safrar/Sevel in El Palomar, in Québec, Canada at the St-Bruno-de-Montarville SOMA Ltd. plant and in Chile by Automotores Franco Chilena S.A. in Los Andes.
Styled by Pininfarina, the 404 was offered initially as a saloon, estate, and pickup. A convertible was added in 1962, and a coupé in 1963. 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. Introduced at the Paris Motor Show as an option was the inclusion of a 3-speed ZF automatic transmission, similar to the unit already offered on certain BMW models, as an alternative to the standard column-mounted manual unit.
Popular as a taxicab, the 404 enjoyed a reputation for durability and value. Peugeot's French production run of 1,847,568 404s ended in 1975. A total of 2,885,374 units had been produced worldwide at the end of production.
Saloon introduced with 72 hp petrol engine and column-shift four-speed gearbox with gate "reversed" (first down, up for second and towards the wheel for third down and fourth up) – identical to the 203 and 403 (except that fourth gear is direct drive). The grand touring model has square air vents on the dashboard and body-coloured wheels.
Introduction of the Super Luxe model: Superstructure painted silver, chrome headlight rims, large diameter hubcaps, tan leather interior trim, front armrest. The grand touring model has body colour wheels replaced with metallic silver ones.
1962
New suspension with increased travel and flexibility. Dashboard is modified and square air vents are replaced by circular directional vents New reinforced drum brake linings Anti-reflective paint used for the dashboard.
Introduction of Commerciale, Break and seven-seat Family estate versions, with tandem coil spring rear suspension in the place of the sedan's single spring arrangement. These versions have a balanced spring system to assist in opening the tailgate, different rear light clusters, rear bumper arrangement and the fuel filler cap is no longer hidden behind the rear number plate, but behind a flap in the rear wing. These variants are also longer (4,590 mm (181 in) compared to 4,445 mm (175 in)) and heavier (1,190 kg (2,624 lb) compared to 1,100 kg (2,425 lb)) than their saloon equivalents.
Convertible launch
The Peugeot 404 cabriolet/convertible made its first appearance at the Paris Motor Show in October 1961 and the accompanying coupé version was launched six months later. 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 US$3,899 price in 1965 put the convertible in the same price bracket as the Jaguar E-Type in the American market.
1963
The 404 Super Luxe sedan has the 85 hp fuel injection engine (XCKF) and has door cappings trimmed with leather The 404 grand touring sedan adopts painted side window trims instead of chrome The steering wheel and horn ring change. The Family estate gains a split middle row of seats to improve access to the rear row. The 404 coupé is introduced with the same body as the cabriolet but with a fixed roof (Wikipedia).
See also (in Dutch):
- Delivered new in France
- Automatic transmission
- Owned by Bernard Fornas since 2013
- Only 7.500 kilometres recorded
Bonhams : The Zoute Sale
Important Collectors' Motor Cars
The Zoute Grand Prix Gallery
Estimated : € 45.000 - 65.000
Sold for € 49.450
Zoute Grand Prix Car Week 2025
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2025
With E-Type sales falling and an outright ban on convertibles looming in its most important export market – the USA – Jaguar addressed the problem of defining its successor as the 1960s drew to a close. Code named 'XJ27', the car that would evolve into the XJ-S was styled by Malcolm Sayer (the man responsible for the E-Type) under the fatherly eye of Jaguar boss, Sir William Lyons.
Conceived as a comfortable and long-legged Grande Routière, rather than an out-and-out sports car like the preceding E-Type, the XJ-S made use of the Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 saloon platform and running gear. Shorter in the wheelbase than its saloon siblings, the XJ-S debuted at the 1976 Frankfurt Motor Show as a V12-powered coupé with six-cylinder and soft-top versions following in the 1980s, the expected ban on open cars having failed to materialise.
One of the most important developments in the evolution of the V12-powered XJ-S was the introduction of the HE (High Efficiency) engine in 1981. Incorporating a new 'Fireball' cylinder heads, designed by Swiss engineer Michael May, this more fuel-efficient unit enabled the top-of-the-range XJ-S to meet tighter worldwide emissions legislation. Combined with a higher (2.88:1) final drive ratio, the result was an improvement in fuel consumption of up to 20% at some engine speeds. It is worth noting that that figure applied to the automatic transmission version, which with a top speed of 155mph (approximately 249km/h) was the world's fastest 'slush pumper'.
The car's 150mph performance was not achieved without penalty however, its prodigious thirst causing sales to nosedive as oil prices soared. However, the arrival of the HE (High Efficiency) V12 in 1981 and the introduction of the smaller six enabled it to weather the storm. The introduction of the six-cylinder model in 1983 coincided with that of the Targa-style cabriolet - the first open Jaguar since the E-Type's discontinuation - but it was not until 1988 that a full convertible became available.
Jaguar's first response to demands for an open-top XJ-S was somewhat conservative in engineering terms. The car had not been designed with an open version in mind, so a Targa-style arrangement was adopted for the XJ-S Cabriolet, which retained a substantial roll hoop in the interests of maintaining rigidity in the absence of a fixed roof. Essentially an exercise in niche marketing to test public reaction, the Cabriolet's production was entrusted to outside specialist contractors, with bodyshells being transported back and forth across the Midlands before returning to the Brown's Lane factory prior to final despatch. Following the Cabriolet's deletion, both the Coupé and conventional Convertible models lasted until the end of XJ-S production in 1996.
This left-hand drive, automatic transmission XJ-S V12 Convertible was manufactured on 6th August 1990 and delivered new to Jaguar France in Paris finished in Solent Blue metallic with Magnolia interior. Mr Fornas purchased the car from the well known dealer Jean Guikas (GTC Sarl) in July 2013 when it had a genuine total of 3,395 kilometres on the odometer. Reportedly, the car had had only one previous owner (Mr Jacques Delair, 8, rue du Treuil, 16160 Gond Pontouve) who bought it from Jaguar Bordeaux, the car being delivered to him on 13th July 1990. He never drove the car on public roads but only within the grounds of his French château, hence the minimal invoices accompanying it. The car also comes with a JDHT certificate and is presented in the excellent condition one would expect of a car that has covered a trifling 7,500 kilometres from new!
Skoda Felicia (1994-2001) Engine 1289cc S4
Registration Number X 676 ROH
SKODA SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722493201...
The Skoda Felicia was one of the first Skoda's to benefit from Skoda Autos takeover by Volkswagen. As such the car was offered with a wider range of engines, including the first Skoda diesel. Debuted on the Charles Bridge in Prague in October 1994. In 1998 the high customer satisfaction of the Felicia contributed strongly to Skoda winning the Best Manufacturer award in the JD Power car survey. In 1998 the Felicia received a minor facelift that included a new grille, and larger bumpers, but there also minor upgrades to the chassis and bodyshell crash safety.
A big thanks for 21.7 million views
Shot 20:04:2014 at Weston Park Ref 99a-422
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!
Marsden kit MMK040, the 1958 Atlantean PDR1 with Alexander bodywork. 187 was numerically Newcastle's first of this combination. Although appearing to be a one-piece bodyshell, the stepped join line of the two halves is almost seamless.
Peugeot 104 (1972-88)
PEUGEOT SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690496925...
Peugeot's first super-mini sharing the same bodyshell as the Citroen LNA. Engines range 954 cc, 1124 cc 1219 cc and a 1360 cc. Shot at Cars in the Park, Lichfield 04.07.09 ref 40-92