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Gas Turbine locomotive 18000 stands in the shed at the Didcot Railway Centre, 29th July 2016.
Locomotive History
In 1946 the Great Western Railway ordered from Brown Boveri of Switzerland a prototype gas turbine locomotive. However the locomotive did not arrive at Swindon Works until February 1950, well after the Great Western Railway had been nationalised as part of British Railways. 18000 spent its working life under test hauling express passenger trains from Paddington before being officially withdrawn in December 1960. The engine proved to be un- reliable and expensive to operate and was competing with diesel hydraulic and diesel electric powered locomotives of a more proven design. After withdrawal the locomotive was offered to the European Office for Research and Development and moved back to Switzerland, where the gas turbine was removed and the locomotive modified for use as a testbed for experiments on rail-wheel interaction. Once these experiments were concluded the locomotive was put on display outside the Mechanical Engineering Testing building in Vienna in 1975 and was eventually secured for preservation in the UK in the early 1990s initially being stored at Crewe Heritage Centre. The current aim is to carry out body side repairs and to conserve the locomotive bodyshell as a static display.
Coachwork by Henri Chapron
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 180.000 - 220.000
Sold for € 201.250
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2018
Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in top-of-the-range models until earlier this year. The DS's original 1.911 cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1.985 cc unit, also available in 2.175 cc and 2.347 cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox.
Other models offered alongside the original DS were the ID (a simplified, cheaper version), the cavernous Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron. (Chapron's first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroën, but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing). Henri Chapron started his career in the motor industry as an upholsterer's apprentice, working for various coachbuilders in the Paris area. In 1919 he started his own business in the well-to-do Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine where his main activity was re-bodying cars that had been requisitioned in wartime by the French Government. Chapron moved to larger premises in Levallois-Perret in 1923 and became the official builder of coach and convertible models for Delage and Delahaye, going on to body many of the most elegant French and European automobiles of the inter-war period.
Despite a much-reduced demand for bespoke coachwork after WW2, Chapron survived thanks to his exemplary creations for Delahaye, Talbot and Salmson, switching to offering bespoke versions of unitary construction models when motor manufacturers began to abandon the traditional separate chassis frame. The arrival of the Citroën DS in 1955 presented Chapron with a fresh opportunity that would result in his name being forever linked with this remarkable car.
Citroën's own Décapotables were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate). In total, 1.365 usine (factory) convertibles were made with either the DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.
Equipped with the semi-automatic transmission, this beautiful DS21 was delivered new in Paris, France to its first owner, engineer Mr Gaston Westercamp, who had ordered it at the Quai André Citroën. The car cost 27.640 francs, and the original bill of sale is on file. Fastidiously maintained by Mr Westercamp, the DS had covered some 82.000 km when he sold it in 2000. The car was still in superb original condition, retaining its original dark green leather upholstery and original carpets, while the body - rust-free and undamaged - had been repainted in the original Carrara White in the 1990s.
In 1975, Mr Westercamp had moved to Toulon, which is where the DS found its next owner: Mrs Jeltske Homan van der Heide, who continued to pamper the car for the next 17 years in the same manner as its first custodian. Now displaying a total of some 128.000 km on the odometer, this DS remains outstandingly original and in superb order, and as such is an exceptional rarity and an unusual find today. Fully serviced, it comes with all books, tools, service records, invoices, old Carte Grise, and the aforementioned 1967 sales invoice plus, of course, the all-important Attestation Chapron.
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.
Under a big sky, An almost new Class 155, 155344 in West Yorkshire PTE livery had just passed through Salwick station whilst running between Preston and Kirkham with a Leeds to Blackpool North service on September 24th 1988. Based on the Leyland National Bus bodyshell modules and assembled at Workington, each coach of a two-car 155 'Super Sprinter' was 23 Metres long and were the first BR second generation DMU's to feature sliding plug doors. There were forty-two units built, with 155301-335 for use on Provincial Services, whilst the final seven 155341-347 were built for the WYPTE. Soon after their introduction there were incidents of doors opening whilst units were in motion. The whole fleet of 42 units were subsequently grounded. Leyland and BREL reworked the fleet at the now-closed Steamport Museum at Southport, where two roads were used inside the former MPD for the work to be carried out.
The 35 Provincial units would eventually be split-up and converted to Class 153 single units, with the work being done at the Hunslet-Barclay factory at Kilmarnock in 1991/92. The seven WYPTE 155's were not included in the conversion programme and eventually passed to Northern.
155's are now rare visitors to Preston and Blackpool.
Ford Escort Mk.II (1975-80) Engine 1297cc S4 OHV Production 631,828 (in the UK - over 2 million worldwide)
Registration Number FCT 656 V (Boston, Lincilnshire)
FORD of BRITAIN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...
The Escort Mk.II was launched in 1975, redesigned with a more square shaped body on the existing Escort underside and running gear. Built in Britain at Halewood and a number of other countries. Unlike the first Escort (which was developed by Ford of Britain), the second generation was developed jointly between the UK and Ford of Germany. Codenamed "Brenda" during its development, The car used a revised underbody, which had been introduced as a running change during the last six months production of the Mark I. Rear suspension still sat on leaf springs
The "L" and "GL" models (2-door, 4-door, estate) were in the mainstream private sector, the "Sport", "RS Mexico", and "RS2000" in the performance market, the "Ghia" (2-door, 4-door) for a hitherto untapped small car luxury market, and "base / Popular" models for the bottom end.
A cosmetic update was given in 1978 with L models gaining the square headlights (previously exclusive to the GL and Ghia variants) and there was an upgrade in interior and exterior specification for some models. Underneath a wider front track was given.
In 1979 and 1980 three special edition Escorts were launched: the Linnet, Harrier and Goldcrest.
As with its predecessor, the Mark II had a successful rallying career. All models of the Mark I were carried over to the Mark II, though the Mexico gained the RS badge and had its engine changed to a 1.6 L (1,593 cc) OHC Pinto instead of the OHV. A "Sport" model was also produced using the 1.6 L Crossflow. A new model was released, the RS1800, which had a naturally aspirated 1,833 cc. The works rally cars were highly specialised machines. Bodyshells were heavily strengthened and characterised by the wide wheelarch extensions, and fitment of four large spotlights for night stages. The Mark II Escort continued its predecessor's run on the RAC Rally, winning every year from 1975 to 1979 and racing in a variety of other events around the world.
Production ended in Britain in August 1980, other countries following soon after.
Many thanks for a Marmalising
51,242,366 views
Shot 01.05.2016 Shot at Catton Hall, nr. Weston on Trent Derbs. REF 116-054
TVR Tina (1967) Engine 875cc S4 OC
Registration Number UTU 108 J (Cheshire)
TVR SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...
Martin Lilley acquired an ailing TVR in 1965 and set about a rejuvenating the company., The TVR Tina was born out of an idea to produce a less expensive car and drive up sales. Based on a Hillman Impt Sport, and designed by Trevor Fiore’, subsequently built by Italian coachbuilder Fissore, this Coupe and a Convertible version were unveiled at the 1966 Turin Motorshow, called Tina after race driver and TVR employee Gerry Marshalls daughter,.and with some modifications to the nose of the Coupe, to appease US Regulations (the target market if the cars were to be viable) they made their UK debut at the 1966 London Motoshow. The Tina proved a mild sensation with customers offering cheques for a place on the waiting list.
Just the coupe was shown at the Turin Motor Show in 1967 and TVR said that production would commence in early 1968, each car priced at £998.00, all taxes included. On of the problems facing any prospective builder was that the bodyshell was to be fabricated out of fibreglass and then bonded to the steel Imp subframe and this wasn't practical and a metal body would be too heavy for the planned engine.
But (there has to be a but) TVR needed a financial partner in order for the project to take off, who could cope with the anticipated volumes required. after failed consultations with Rootes, Jenson and Aston Martin the car never went into production and the 2 prototypes faded into obscurity
Gerry Marshall aquired this Coupe in 1989 with a view to restoring it, but his race carreer and other commitments did not allow the necesssary time, Tina Marshall inherited the car in 2005 and set about the painstaking task of researching original pictures and drawings and with help, including David Hives who had a hand in building the car has brought it back its Motor Show heydays
Many thanks for a fantabulous
48,823,062 views
Shot at the NEC Classic Car Show 13:11:2015 Ref. 112-553
Austin Allegro 1300 SDL Mk2 (1976-80) Engines 1275cc. S4 Tr.
Registration Number UTC 884 T (Bristol)
AUSTIN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759808208...
The Allegro was designed as a replacement for the 1100 - 1300 models, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis the new car was launched in 1973. The Allegro used front-wheel drive, using the familiar A-Series engine with a sump-mounted transmission. The higher-specification models used the SOHC E-Series engine (from the Maxi), in 1500 cc and 1750 cc displacements. The two-box saloon bodyshell was suspended using the new Hydragas system (derived from the previous Hydrolastic system used on the 1100/1300). Stylistically the car bucked the trend of the 1970's sharp edge look in favour of a rounded bodyshell Early Allegro models featured a "quartic" steering wheel, which was rectangular with rounded sides. This was touted as allowing extra room between the base of the steering wheel and the driver's legs. The quartic wheel did not take off, and was dropped in 1974
The updated Allegro 2 was launched at the 1975London Motorshow the Allegro 2 had the same bodyshells but featured a new grille, reversing lights on most models and some interior changes to increase rear seat room, Changes were also made to the suspension, braking, engine mounts and drive shafts.
The Allegro received its second major update, launched as the Allegro 3 at the end of 1979. The refreshed car used an "A-Plus" version of the 1.0 litre A-Series engine (developed for the forthcoming new Metro), and featured some cosmetic alterations in an attempt to keep the momentum going, but by then the Allegro was outdated and the Metro was due on stream in 1980. By 1980 the Allegro failed to dent the he top 10 best selling new cars in Britain, a table it had topped a decade earlier, though BL were represented by the fast selling Metro and the Triumph Acclaim. The Vanden Plas models were rebranded as the 1.5 and the 1.7, the 1.5 having a twin carburettor 1500 cc engine and a manual gearbox, while the 1.7 had a single carburettor 1750cc engine and an automatic gearbox. Some models of Allegro 3 (the early HL and later HLS models) were equipped with four round headlights, rather than the more usual two rectangular ones. The final Allegro was built in March 1982 with its successor the Austin Maestro going into production December 1982
Many thanks for a Marmalising
51,119,593 views
Shot 01.05.2016 Shot at Catton Hall, nr. Weston on Trent Derbs. REF 116-017
Taking a day off at Butterley is preserved British Rail Class 141 Pacer unit, 141113.
The Class 141 has often gone down in British Railway history as one of the worst trains to ever be used on the UK network, a cheap alternative to replace ageing stock that turned out to be more trouble than it was worth.
The concept of Pacer units goes back to a multitude of prototypes created during the late 1970's and early 80's through a partnership between British Rail and nationalised car manufacturer British Leyland. The concept was to create a set of diesel multiple units that would be based on the bodyshell of the highly successful Leyland National bus with the underpinnings of redundant 4-axle goods wagons fitted with Leyland engines.
The first mainstream prototype of the Pacers were early railbuses known as LEV1 and RB004. LEV1 was built in 1978, and was, for all intents and purposes, a Leyland National bus on train wheels. This was followed by several other LEV (Leyland Experimental Vehicles) derivatives until 1984, when single railcar RB004 was built, its external design matching that of the Class 141. At the same time, a boxy two-car prototype designated Class 140 was launched and operated between 1980 and 1981, being only a proof of concept and not intended for mass production.
The Class 141 was designed between 1983 and 1984, taking the external styling of the RB004 railbus and combining it with the two-car bodyshell and layout of the Class 140. The primary intention of the Class 141 was to replace the many ageing DMU's from the early 1950's, with their main area of operation being in the West Yorkshire region around Leeds, York and Sheffield. Seeing as British Rail were very short on cash, having suffered the lowest year for rail ridership ever in 1982, the Class 141 was deemed the only option for replacing their extensive fleet of increasingly tired trains.
The units were formed of semi-permanently coupled two-car sets, each powered by a Leyland TL11 engine producing 205hp, whisking the Class 141 to a top speed of 75mph. As mentioned, the units were built of lightweight bodies placed upon what were essentially repurposed four-axle chassis donated from redundant freight wagons. The trains had a total capacity of 94 passengers.
The Class 141 was launched on services out of Leeds to York, Huddersfield, Halifax, Doncaster, Wakefield and Sheffield from mid-1984, with an eventual 20 units being built for the task. Originally, units were outshopped in a tasteful version of the BR Blue and Grey, but, as sectorisation began to take hold, the units were repainted into a variety of colours, including the rather dreary Green and Buttermilk, before eventually being repainted into the West Yorkshire PTE (Passenger Transport Executive) Red and White.
However, almost immediately, the quality issues of the Class 141's did nothing to help the already very low opinion of the railways. These trains were noisy, slow, underpowered, uncomfortable and highly unreliable. Their four-axle design, with the axle attached directly to the chassis rather than on separate bogies like on other trains, meant that on jointed track the trains would bump violently up and down, making the train riding experience similar to that of a 8.5 earthquake!
The engines on these units made the carriages vibrate and resonate with an irritating humming, and the poorly fitted panels and other parts of the unit's interior meant that the train would squeak and rattle as it went along.
There were other issues too, primarily with the gearbox. These were prone to failure after only a few hundred miles of service, which meant that many of the units were out of service being repaired. The continuous unreliability of these mechanisms eventually saw the entire fleet stored in 1988, with units sent north to the Andrew-Barclay Ltd workshops in Kilmarnock for refurbishment. The refurbishment also included the addition of BSI couplers, so as to make the units more compatible with Class 142 and 143 derivative Pacers, as well as the newer Sprinter units such as Class 150's and 156's. The units eventually returned to work in 1989, but their careers weren't exactly long in the grand scheme of things.
By the mid-1990's, it was apparent that these units, that weren't even 10 years old, were in no way fit for purpose, and in 1997 all units were retired from operation, being replaced by the aforementioned derivative Pacer variants, the Class 142, 143 or 144, or by Sprinters such as Class 150, 153, 155, 156 or 158. One unit, however, was converted into a weedkilling train for Serco, its seats being removed and replaced with tanks to spray weedkiller onto the line so as not to be overgrown.
One would've hoped that the Class 141's were just quietly sent to the scrapheap like they deserved, but the trains did somehow get themselves a new lease of life in Iran of all places!
This wasn't the first time Pacer units had been considered for export, the original LEV1 had been offered for sale in the USA, and RB004 was sent to Canada for a while. One Class 141 was trialed in Malaysia in 1984 before being later sent to Thailand, but neither country was impressed by its performance.
12 units were eventually exported to Iran to work commuter trains out of the nation's capital Tehran, the first units being sent there between 2001 and 2002. Once these units had left our shores, little was known about what became of them. Two were noted to still be in service as of 2005, while another two somehow wound up in the Netherlands and are now in storage somewhere. It is largely assumed that the Iranian units have all been withdrawn and put into storage following the introduction of newer DMUs.
Here in the UK, 3 units are preserved; one at Butterley, one on the Colne Valley Railway, and one at the Weardale Railway, while the remains of another unit are also at the Weardale but has been stripped for spare parts. Two units are known to have been scrapped, one of which due to accident damage. 141104 was involved in a head-on collision with a Class 156 at Huddersfield in November 1989, resulting in 33 injuries. While the 156 was returned to work in 1990 after minor repairs, the lightweight 141 was apparently so badly damaged that it was written off and promptly scrapped.
So there we are, the Class 141, the pioneering Pacer that let lose a slew of underpowered, cheaply built little railbuses onto the UK network. There is nothing much redeemable about these trains, they were slow, unreliable and unpleasant to ride one. Perhaps as a novelty you can travel aboard the few preserved units, but for an everyday commute, these trains could induce seasickness the likes of which you'd never seen before!
Humber Sceptre II (1966-67) Engine 1725cc S4 OHV
Production 11,983
Registration Number LFM 184 D (Chester)
HUMBER SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665287863...
The Sceptre I was introduced in 1965 with a shape somewhere between the Hillman Super Minx and the Sunbeam Rapier, with the former's bodyshell and the latter's grille, quad head lights, dual overdrive and servo front disc brakes.
For 1966 the model was upgraded as the Sceptre II with a larger 1725cc engine and an Automatic option, and revised front end styling.
A Humber Sceptre Mk II series was tested by Motor magazine, published April 1966, with performance figures of a top speed of 94.8mph, a 0-60 mph time of 12.5 seconds and 19.5 seconds for the standing quater mile
Diolch yn fawr am 71,253,366 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 71,253,366 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 21.04.2019 at the annual Weston Park, Easter car show Ref 138-362
50050 pauses at Reading with a westbound express, 1st January 1978.
Locomotive History
In 1965 British Rail needed a high-powered diesel locomotive to speed-up services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) between Crewe and Glasgow prior to completion of the electrification work. At that time, English Electric had been experiencing great success with a private venture in the form of DP2. a 16CSVT engine test bed locomotive. As a result of its success, an order for a fleet of fifty locomotives was placed with English Electric based on the DP2 power unit and mechanicals but with a British Rail designed bodyshell and additional electronic systems. These systems included dynamic braking, wheelslip protection, electronic power control with automatic control of tractive effort and strangely for a passenger locomotive, slow speed control. The class were built at the English Electric Vulcan Foundry and the first of the class D400 entered traffic in October 1967. D400 became 50050 under the 1973 TOPS renumbering scheme. In 1973 with the completion of the electrification to Glasgow approaching it was transferred to Bristol for crew training duties prior to the transfer of the class 50 fleet for Western Region duties from 1974. 50050 was refurbished at Doncaster works in summer of 1983 and re-entered traffic on the 5th July 1983. It was withdrawn ten years later but retained until March 1994 for rail tour duty.
After withdrawal it was bought for preservation and is currently (November 2024) owned by Boden Rail and has been hired to Locomotive Services, Crewe for occasional main line railtour duty.
Praktica LTL, High Speed Ektachrome
TVR Vixen S3 (1968-70) Engine 1700cc
Production 438 (723 Vixen S1 to S3)
Registration Number YLW 708 H (London)
TVR SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...
The Vixen was a hanbuilt, glass fibre bodied with a tubular frame chassis as used in the Grantura 1800S. he chassis used double wishbone suspension at both ends, and disc brakes at the front (with drums at the back.) and was significantly lighter than its mainstream competition.
The Vixen Series 1 was introduced in 1967 as an evolution of the discontinued 1800S with the same chassis with a change toa Ford (Kent) 1599cc engine, in the same trim as the unit from the Ford Cortina GT developing 88bhp. The bodywork was also slightly revised, with the bonnet having a broad flat air intake scoop. The rear of the car with fitted with the round Cortina Mark I tail lamps
The S2 followed in 1968 with the longer wheelbase chassis (90 inch) from the TVR Tuscan V8. The bonnet was restyled again, with some early cars having a prominent central bulge, and later cars having twin intake ducts at the front corners of the bonnet. The tail lamps were updated from the round Cortina Mark I style to the newer wraparound Mark II style, and the body was bolted rather than bonded to the chassis the interior was improved to give a more quality feel.
The Series 3 was introduced in 1970 The heat extraction vents on the flanks behind the front wheels were decorated with "Aeroflow" grilles borrowed from the c-pillars of the Ford Zodiac Mark IV and its Ford engine was now in the same tune as the Ford Capri with 92bhp,Instead of wire wheels, cast alloy wheels were fitted as standard.
The Series 4 followed in late 1972 using the TVR M Series chassis and Vixen bodyshell
Diolch am 76,435,687 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 76,435,687 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 21.07.2019 at , Ashover Classic Car Show, Ashover, Derbyshire 143-599
The 2000 London-Sydney Marathon winner- Stig Blomqvist/Ben Rainsford
Built by Basil Green Motors - Johannesburg
5,0 Liter
V8
ca. 500-550 ex.
Built by Basil Green Motors of Johannesburg exclusively for the South African market, the 'Perana' is the only V8-engined Capri officially sanctioned by the Ford Motor Company. Basil Green used the Ford 302ci (5.0-litre) Windsor V8 engine, modifying the chassis and running gear to cope with the extra power, and the result was a high-performance car with an excellent power-to-weight ratio that was soon cleaning up in domestic racing. Indeed, so successful was the Perana that after a single season's dominance it was banned. For the road, the Perana came with 281bhp on tap and a top speed of 147mph. It was also extraordinarily flexible. How British and European enthusiasts would have loved to get their hands on the Perana, and Ford surely missed a trick by not offering such a car in other markets. It is estimated that around 500-550 were produced between 1970 and 1972. This Capri Mk1 to full house Perana specification cost in excess of AUD200,000 (approximately £116,000 at the current rate of exchange) to build in 1999, before winning the 2000 London-Sydney Rally driven by former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist and preparer Ben Rainsford. Since then, the Marathon rally coupe has participated in several other long-distance events. These include the 2004 London-Sydney Rally, 2004 Carrera Sudamericana Marathon, 2007 Classic East African Safari Rally, 2010 International Rally du Maroc and the 2011 Sol Rally Barbados. Specification highlights include a 302ci 'Windsor' Cobra type V8 engine; 'Jerico' type top-loader 4-speed gearbox; Marathon-specification bodyshell; full roll cage with side-bars; live five-link rear axle; all round disc brakes; rack-and-pinion steering; glassfibre bonnet; Perspex side windows; and Bilstein-damped suspension currently set up for 'Tarmac' events. An alternative Proflex-type Safari high-ride 'Gravel' suspension is included in the spares kit, together with a spare set of wheels. Offered with Ford dating letter confirming September 1969 manufacture of donor car, fresh MoT valid to August 2014, current historic vehicle eligible road fund licence and Swansea V5C, this unique Perana-specification Capri represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a well-sorted car with a proven record in long-distance rallying that awaits preparation for the next long haul.
Metropole Classic Cars
Meubellaan 1
Druten
Nederland - Netherlands
June 2021
Barons Classic American Auction info:
The second series Fulvia Sport was launched at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. Changes included a five-speed gearbox, revised suspension geometry, taller ride height, a taller final drive and wider tyres. The body was now all-steel and seated 2+2 passengers. Some of the Zagato's most unusual features were lost; the bonnet was now hinged at the front and the spare wheel compartment hatch was deleted.
Sport 1.3S (Tipo 818.650/651): 1970-72. Same engine as Series 1 1.3S but five-speed transmission. Very early versions of these Series 2 cars were fitted with Series 1 bodyshells with a separate spare-wheel hatch, smaller rear lights and aluminum bonnets and doors. Later versions have all-steel bodyshells, no spare wheel hatch and larger rear lights.
This 1975 1.3S was imported from Italy and has participated in the Giro d'Italia, a classic car rally organised once every four years that only totally original classic cars are eligible for.
Buster Lang's All-American Classic, Custom, Hot Rod & Bike Show
Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey
13th-14th August 2016
310068 is a rare sight at Crewe as it passes through the station, 12th September 1981. In December 1975 came the first major change to the “Corporate Blue” policy when it was decided that suburban and local DMU’s and EMU’s will generally receive “blue/grey” intercity livery instead of plain corporate blue. This took time to implement and as late as 1981 many of the units that were plain blue in 1975 still had not been repainted. 310068 is recently ex works and has acquired blue/grey livery.
Unit History
The class 310 four car units were built at Derby Carriage works between 1965 and 1967. They were the first EMUs to be based on the Mark II bodyshell, which featured semi-integral construction. They were built for West Coast Main Line suburban duties from Euston (rarely operating north of Birmingham) and remained on these duties until displaced by class 317 EMU’s in 1987. They were then cascaded to the London Tilbury and Southend lines displacing class 302 EMU’s (built in 1958) until again displaced, this time by class 357 EMU’s between 1999 and 2002 and withdrawn.
With the front corridor connection door partly open on a sultry evening, Class 442 'Wessex' 2415 in worn Network South East livery with temporary South Western Trains (SWT) branding, was stood at New Milton whilst working the 15.50 London Waterloo to Poole service on May 28th 1998.
Based on the BR Mk.3 bodyshell the 24 x 5-car units were introduced in 1988. SWT withdrew the entire class in 2007 when their duties on the South Western main line from Waterloo were operated by new Class 444's built by Siemens. Following their use on Gatwick Express services and some use on the Brighton Line, 18 of the fleet have now passed to South Western Railway for use between Waterloo and Portsmouth. Unit 2401 holds the World speed record for an electric train powered from a live rail, 108 mph acheived on April 11th 1988.
W113
Zoute Sale - Bonhams
Estimated : € 85.000 - 125.000
Sold for € 161.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2021
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2021
"Some cars don't change, they just get better. The Mercedes-Benz 280 SL, latest version of a line that began as the 230 SL in 1963, is the same as ever, just better," concluded Road & Track after testing a 280 SL in 1968. "For those who value engineering finesse and high-quality construction, it's alone in the field," enthused the highly respected American motoring magazine. At the same time, its manufacturer considered the 280 SL "a Grand Tourer in the traditional sense" and "a unique combination of sports car performance and saloon car comfort (a Mercedes-Benz saloon naturally)".
These attributes help explain the 280 SL's phenomenal success, particularly in the all-important North American market, where the optional automatic transmission was considered an essential feature by the majority of customers. The fact that it looked like 'sex on wheels' helped enormously too, of course. In addition, the 280 SL's essential user-friendliness broadened its appeal beyond the traditional sports car-enthusiast market, and many celebrities and film stars owned 280 SLs.
The last of a popular and highly successful line began with the 230 SL of 1963; the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL was introduced in 1967, powered by a new 2.8-litre six-cylinder engine that produced 180bhp, 20 horsepower more than the preceding 250 SL's. The 280 SL's 200km/h top speed was not more significant, but it was remarkably quicker off the mark. Its 0-100km/h time of 10 seconds is a whole second better than its predecessor's.
Autocar was full of praise for the 280 SL's effortless performance: "Those going abroad will be pleased to know that the 280 SL can sustain 160km/h with ease and still have a good bit in hand for surging up to 192km/h when traffic and conditions permit. All the time, the engine is smooth, and it has a sweet song to its exhaust note, which starts as a deep throb and builds up to a busy hum at maximum revs."
Christened 'Pagoda' after their distinctive cabin shape - devised by French designer and classic car enthusiast Paul Bracq - these SL models were amongst the best-loved sports-tourers and today remain highly sought after by collectors.
This superb manual transmission 280 SL Pagoda was ordered new by Mr John I. Clark from Winsconsin, USA, in April 1971 as a European delivery including US equipment from the Mercedes Factory in Sindelfingen for the total price of $7731 (invoice on file). Ordered in April 1971 in Germany, this Pagoda was registered in 1972 in the US for the first time and is believed to have stayed with its first owner for over 40 years. According to the US-Title, the 280SL remained with the Clark family until shortly after Mr. John I. Clark's death in 2014. After its return to Europe in 2016, this Pagoda has been converted to European specification with the correct headlights, taillights, speedometer, etc. Furthermore, it benefits from a complete, no-expense-spared restoration carried out in Belgium between September 2017 and September 2018 by renowned marque specialists, Top Classics. The car has been refinished in its original and highly desirable exterior colour of Dark Blue (904). The interior has been fully re-trimmed in contrasting natural leather (originally black) and features luxurious bouclé carpeting. The black Sonnenland three-layer soft-top is new, while additional insulation in the doors and floor make for an enhanced and more comfortable driving experience.
Once the car had been dismantled, the bodyshell was sand-blasted and any areas of corrosion repaired before applying the first coat of epoxy primer. The suspension and rear axle were overhauled and powder-coated, and new shock absorbers fitted all around. The braking system was renewed in its entirety, including the handbrake mechanism and a completely new fuel system installed (tank, pump, fuel lines, etc.). The exhaust system is new throughout. The original engine and gearbox likewise have been completely overhauled, a new cylinder head was installed at the same time we've been advised. All the brightwork has been re-chromed to the highest standard, while new colour-matched wheels shod with whitewall tyres complete the picture. The whole process has been nicely documented in the car's file together with some older correspondence, invoices including the original purchase invoice from new, MB-Datenkart. The car comes with the old US title dated 1972 from its first owner and current Belgian registration documents as well as recent technical inspection. An exceptionally well-restored Mercedes-Benz 280 SL 'Pagoda' with hardtop presented in beautiful condition and hardly 650 kms driven since its extensive restoration.
Not exactly proving its environmental efficiency, DB Schenker Class 66, 66115, kicks out some smoke as accelerates away from a brief stop at Peterborough while working the Middleton Towers to Arpley Sidings loaded stone train. On this particular day I passed this train three times, the first when it was waiting for my Class 170 to overtake it at Ely, the second here at Peterborough, and the third time at Leicester as it awaited my Class 170 to overtake it again!
One of Britain's, and indeed Europe's, most numerous diesel locomotives, the Class 66 has become the face of nearly every freight operating rail company on the UK network, a simple, utilitarian design with an enormous, powerful engine. But with it's popularity among rail companies came a price, as it is often listed as one of the most hated locomotives ever to hit the UK rails, largely because of the slew of older BR classic locomotives it replaced from the late 1990's onward.
But is it really deserving of such a bum rap?
By the mid-1990's it was apparent that a majority of the ex-British Rail locomotives were well beyond their bloom of youth. Aside from the Class 58's of 1983, the Class 60's of 1989, and the American built Class 59's of 1985, most locomotives in the service of freight companies were coming up to 30 or 40 years old, and reliability was a major issue. Years of under-investment in the BR freight sector Railfreight Distribution, had resulted in a fleet comprised of decrepit diesels such as the Class 37's and Class 47's, being worked into the ground to keep the company rolling. Although the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 was a catalyst to investments for freight trains working those particular trunk routes to the South East, with the construction of the Class 92's and the refurbishment of Wembley based Class 47's, the remainder of the freight operators, by this time led by shadow franchises Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline, were left with a fleet that was slowly dying before their eyes. Class 47's, especially, needed a major overhaul every seven years, costing £400,000; yet had an average daily availability of less than 65% with only 16 days between major failures.
Enter Wisconsin Central, who, in 1996, bought the three franchises together with Railfreight Distribution and mail operator Rail Express Systems to create EWS, or English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. As part of the franchise commitment, the intention was to replace the ageing diesel fleet with a standard design that would reduce maintenance and operating costs substantially, with higher levels of reliability and efficiency. Looking at the fleet of diesels in general, it was noted that among the most reliable classes in the UK were the small fleet of 15 Class 59's, built by General Motors between 1985 and 1995 for private Aggregate operators such as Foster Yeoman and Hanson, as well as energy company National Power for the haulage of their coal trains between Collieries and Power Stations. These engines were, for the most part, substantially younger than the likes of the Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, and more reliable than the early built Class 56's from Romania, which were infamous for their poor build quality.
Seeing their success, EWS placed an order in 1997 for 250 locomotives based on similar principles to that of the Class 59, often dubbed one of the biggest locomotive orders since the age of Steam. Locomotives were built at GM's factory in London, Ontario, and externally the bodyshell and design shared that with the Class 59. Internally though, the engines took many of GM's previous developments and updated the engine and traction motors to enable higher speeds. The new locomotive was fitted with the 20 year old design of the EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, found originally in the GP60 freight locomotives of North America. However, some of GM's newer creations also made it into the mix, such as updated cab-control systems, the kind found in the Irish Railways Class 201 of 1994.
Originally designated Class 61, the first of these new locomotives arrived by boat at Immingham in June 1998, prior to proving tests at Derby. The locomotives then shipped at a rate of 11 per month into the UK via Newport Docks, until the order was completed in December 2001. After unloading, EWS engineers then simply took off the tarpaulin, unblocked the suspension, and finally as each was shipped with water and fuel, hooked up the batteries, before starting the engine and handing the locomotive into service. Almost immediately, other UK freight operators took interest in the Class, and operators such as Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services also placed orders for the class.
Upon their introduction, reliability levels for EWS's operations improved substantially. Each locomotive is specified and guaranteed to 95% availability, aiming for a minimum of 180 days mean time between failures. It is designed to cover 1·6million km between major rebuilds, equivalent to 18 years' service, with each major rebuild costed at £200,000. But with their success came the sad reality that the much loved classes of yesteryear were going to be given the push, and this is where a majority of the Class 66's unpopularity comes from. It could have been understood the replacement of the 40 year old Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, as it was quite clear they were past their prime, the same could equally be said for some of the earlier Class 56's of the late 1970's. However, the line was stepped across with the withdrawal of the Class 58's and Class 60's, as the desire of EWS to have a standardised fleet, resulted in the removal of locomotives that were nowhere near life-expired. The large-scale retirement of these extremely reliable and powerful locomotives that weren't even 20 years old was seen as a travesty, and whilst some Class 60's have seen a revival with other operators as of late, the Class 58's are all but extinct, whilst many Class 60's continue to languish in yards across the UK, mostly at Toton in the East Midlands.
Nevertheless, the class continued to grow over the years, and, upon the conclusion of Class 66 production in the UK in 2014, 446 of the class were eventually built. But we can't forget also that the class has seen major success across Europe as well, with dozens of engines in operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy.
Today, a majority of the class is still in service with a variety of operators. DB Schenker, the successor to EWS, continues to operate the largest fleet of 249 locomotives. Freightliner operates 141, DRS operates 19, GBRf operates 72 and Colas Rail operates 5. Not all of the locomotives however remain with us, as three have been written off.
The first was 66521 on the 28th February, 2001, where after hitting a Land Rover that had fallen down an embankment from the M62 motorway, a southbound GNER InterCity 225 set led by lightweight Class 82 DVT, 82221, derailed and ran straight into the path of the oncoming Class 66 which was working a northbound coal train. With an estimated closing speed of 142mph, the DVT was obliterated upon hitting the Class 66, and the freight locomotive was mangled and distorted as it was crushed between its loaded coal train behind and the passenger coaches in front. In the disaster, 10 people were killed, including 66521's driver Stephen Dunn, although his instructor Andrew Hill, who was also riding in the cab, was able to survive. The locomotive however was for the most part destroyed, and scrapped later that year.
The second was on the 4th January, 2010 involving 66048, which derailed at Carrbridge in snowy weather. Coming down the Highland Mainline with a loaded container train, it passed a signal at danger and was derailed at trap points, subsequently falling down an embankment into trees and injuring the two crew members.
The third was on the 28th June 2012, where GBRf 66734 derailed at Loch Treig whilst working Alcan Tanks. The inability of recovery crews to access the highly remote and dangerous location resulted in the engine being cut-up on site.
Additionally, many Class 66's have suffered low-speed collisions and derailments, either through faults in the track, driver error, or faults with the rolling stock.
However, despite the criticism, and often being dubbed as bland and utilitarian, the Class 66 is still a major part of the UK freight network, working behind the scenes without need of major attention so as to get the job done. Indeed it may find a home among rail enthusiasts, and perhaps one day it'll be dubbed a classic like the Class 37's and 47's it replaced, but at the moment it's the UK networks humble hero, plying its trade the best way it knows how.
To quote Colin Marsden from his excellent book 'Traction Recognition' (Ian Allan): "The Class 57 was the brainchild of Porterbrook Leasing in conjunction with Freightliner to provide a low-cost replacement for the ageing fleet of Class 47s. The project used the bodyshell of a Class 47, which was totally gutted to its main frame members and then rebuilt using refurbished equipment. The original Sulzer power unit was replaced with a 12-cylinder General Motors 645-series engine, purchased second or third hand from US rebuild companies". Delivered between 1998 and 2005, the 29-strong fleet has seen service with a variety of passenger and freight operators - but not, as far as I'm aware, with DB Schenker. This fictional image (based on DRS locomotive 57012) shows what a Class 57 might look like in DB corporate livery (28-Jul-11).
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86017 heads north with an express on the Down Fast at Stafford overtaking class 310 EMU 077 with a local service, 4th March 1978
Locomotive History
86017 was originally E3146 and was built by English Electric at there Vulcan Foundry works, entering traffic in April 1966 for West Coast Main Line duties. It became 86017 in the 1973 TOPS renumbering scheme, 86317 when fitted with modified wheels in the early 1980’s and 86417 when fitted with improved suspension in the late 1980’s. It was withdrawn in September 2001 and broken up by CF Booth, Rotherham in November 2004. The class 310 four car units were built at Derby Carriage works between 1965 and 1967. They were the first EMUs to be based on the Mark II bodyshell, which featured semi-integral construction. They were built for West Coast Main Line suburban duties from Euston (rarely operating north of Birmingham) and remained on these duties until displaced by class 317 EMU’s in 1987. They were then cascaded to the London Tilbury and Southend lines displacing class 302 EMU’s (built in 1958) until again displaced, this time by class 357 EMU’s between 1999 and 2002 and withdrawn.
Singer Chamois (1964-70) Engine 875cc S4 OC
Registration Number NJW 677 E (Wolverhampton)
SINGER SET
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The Singer Chamois was introduced in October 1964 as an attempt to increase the Imps apeal with a more upmarket version the Chamois featured wider rimmed wheels, walnut veneer. external side trim, a wider choice of colours and metalic paint options along with a horizontal grille. Later (1969 on) cars have quad headlights.
In 1966 the Chamois was joined by the Chamois Sport with output increased from 39bhp to 55bhp by virtue of a twin carburettor sports engine version of the 875cc unit, and servo assisted brakes, the interiors featured reclining seats, quad headlamps from 1969 in line with the standard Chamois.
In 1967 the range was further expanded with the Chamois Coupe The coupe bodyshell is similar to the standard body but features a more shallow-raked windscreen and rear window which, unlike that on the standard bodied cars, can not be opened
Many thanks for a fantabulous
47,310,221 views
Shot at Weston Park Classic Car Show 27.03.2016 - Ref 111-644
Lancia Flavia 2000HF Coupe (1969-73) Engine 1991cc HO4 OHV Production 6791 (+ 15025 Saloons)
Registration Number LNG 602 L (Norfolk)
LANCIA SET
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The Lancia 2000 (Tipo 820) is a series of automobiles produced by Lancia between 1971 and 1975. Designed as a four door Saloon by Lancia Engineers under Piero Castagnero prior to the companies aquisition by the Fiat Group, and was a dirct evolution of the Lancia Flavia. The 2000 sedan kept the central part of the body (roof, doors, interior) and the entire drivetrain (except for some improvements to the fuel injection) of its predecessor, the second series of the Flavia, changes were made to the front and rear of the body where the designers updated its looks the tail was squared and simplified, and the nose lost its separate air intake and headlamp nacelles. The mechanics retained most of the Flavia's specifications including the front-wheel drive, 1991cc boxer engine, independent suspension and disc brakes all around, with vacuum-assist and split-circuits (called "Superduplex" by Lancia).
The Lancia two door 2000 and 2000 HF Coupé was designed by Pininfarina, who manufactured the cars bodyshell. The interior is also the work of Pininfarina bearing a close resembleance to that of the Ferrari 330 GT. The cosmetic changes to the 2000 Coupé were largely confined to a new grille (matte black instead of chrome) with headlamps incorporated into the now wider intake, new bumpers (with rubber strips on the HF), and the tail was shorn of its vestigial tailfins, with a raised and squared decklid. The Lancia 2000 and 2000 HF coupé were technologically advanced for the day with features such as 5 speed transmission, power assisted steering and electronic fuel injection on the 2000 HF.
The 2000 and 2000HF Coupé are considered to be some of the last true Lancia cars
Many thanks for a fantabulous
46,374,149 views
Shot Brooklands New Years Day Gathering, 01.01.2016 - Ref 111-265
6V09 Tinsley - Coton. The scrapyard on the right is itself being scrapped. It used to have an Aston Martin bodyshell on its roof; guess that has not been scrapped!
Ford Escort Mk.II RS1800 (1975-80) Engine 1840cc Cosworth BDE S4
Production 631,828 all models. (in the UK - over 2 million worldwide)
Registration Number UCP 382 R (Huddersfield)
FORD of BRITAIN SET
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The Escort Mk.II was launched in 1975, redesigned with a more square shaped body on the existing Escort underside and running gear. Built in Britain at Halewood and a number of other countries. Unlike the first Escort (which was developed by Ford of Britain), the second generation was developed jointly between the UK and Ford of Germany. Codenamed "Brenda" during its development, The car used a revised underbody, which had been introduced as a running change during the last six months production of the Mark I. Rear suspension still sat on leaf springs
The "L" and "GL" models (2-door, 4-door, estate) were in the mainstream private sector, the "Sport", "RS Mexico", and "RS2000" in the performance market, the "Ghia" (2-door, 4-door) for a hitherto untapped small car luxury market, and "base / Popular" models for the bottom end.
A cosmetic update was given in 1978 with L models gaining the square headlights (previously exclusive to the GL and Ghia variants) and there was an upgrade in interior and exterior specification for some models. Underneath a wider front track was given.
In 1979 and 1980 three special edition Escorts were launched: the Linnet, Harrier and Goldcrest.
As with its predecessor, the Mark II had a successful rallying career. All models of the Mark I were carried over to the Mark II, though the Mexico gained the RS badge and had its engine changed to a 1.6 L (1,593 cc) OHC Pinto instead of the OHV. A "Sport" model was also produced using the 1.6 L Crossflow. A new model was released, the RS1800, which had a naturally aspirated 1,833 cc. The works rally cars were highly specialised machines. Bodyshells were heavily strengthened and characterised by the wide wheel arch extensions, and fitment of four large spotlights for night stages. The Mark II Escort continued its predecessor's run on the RAC Rally, winning every year from 1975 to 1979 and racing in a variety of other events around the world.
Diolch yn fawr am 67,361,022 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 67,361,022 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 02.09.2018 at Himley Hall, Wolverhampton Ref 136-074
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The Jensen Interceptor was a sporting GT-class car hand-built in the United Kingdom by Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1976. The Interceptor name had been used previously by Jensen for an earlier car made between 1950 and 1957. The car broke with Jensen tradition by having a steel bodyshell instead of glass-reinforced plastic and by having the body designed by an outside firm, Carrozzeria Touring of Italy, rather than the in-house staff. The early bodies were Italian-built, by Vignale, before production by Jensen themselves began – with subtle body modifications – in West Bromwich.
- - -
(Wikipedia)
I know this custom-built "truck" quite well, it was built many years ago now by a local micro car collector, around the remains of a rusty Isetta 600 bodyshell and a modified VW water-cooled chassis, and it is very well built!
Trekked down to the weekly cruise night, a smaller crowd this week... Perhaps due to possibility of rain in the forecast...
Great Western Railway three car 150938 departs Bristol Temple Meads with 2F98, 16:44 Bristol Parkway – Warminster, 25th May 2016.
Unit History
150938 is a temporary unit formed of two car Class 150/2 unit 150238 with the addition of the undamaged vehicle from 150219 (57219). On the 3rd April 2016 150219 was involved in a collision with 43160 at Plymouth. 150219 and 150238 are from the final batch of eighty five class 150 two-car units which were built at York in 1986/87 with front-end gangway. They had different interiors to the earlier class 150/1 units and were used on longer-distance services. The end gangways make them very similar in appearance to later batches of the electric class 317 units, also based on the Mark III bodyshell.
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Completely new body in very modern style. The look of car reminded some critics of a bath tub, and it consequently gained the soubriquet "Taunus Badewanne". At a time when competitors boasted that all four corners of the vehicles were visible from the driver's seat, the new Taunus instead offered a streamlined form. However, in Germany the concept of streamlining in cars was associated with narrow passenger cabins reminiscent of the 1930s and of the still popular Volksagen Beetle. The new Taunus, however, provided greater interior width than its predecessor despite being no wider on the outside. Although the 1.7 litre version was launched with the same 60 PS power output as the outgoing model, the new model was a full 10 km/h (6 mph) faster, which was attributed to improved aerodynamics and a lighter bodyshell.
(Wikipedia)
Hillman Avenger Tiger (1972-73) Engine 1498cc S4 OHV Production 600 approx
Registration Number DTR 222 K (Southampton)
HILLMAN SET
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Limited production version of the Hillman Avenger intended for racing and rallying
Standard specification includes twin Weber carburettor engine, and alloy wheels. Up to 110 mph in favourable conditions, formed the basis of a successful race/rally saloon. Homologated as a Group 1 race car, winning the RAC Championships. A few competition cars fitted with 1.8 and 2.0 litre engines
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
Many thanks for a fantabulous
48,151,729 views
Shot at the NEC Classic Car Show 13:11:2015 Ref. 112-274
The Volkswagen Beetle (officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in Germany the Volkswagen Käfer, in Poland the Volkswagen Garbus and in the U.S. the Volkswagen Bug) is a two-door, four passenger, rear-engine economy car manufactured and marketed by German automaker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003.
The need for this kind of car, and its functional objectives, was formulated by the leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, who wanted a cheap, simple car to be mass-produced for his country's new road network. Hitler contracted Ferdinand Porsche in 1934 to design and build it. Porsche and his team took until 1938 to finalise the design. The influence on Porsche's design of other contemporary cars, such as the Tatra V570 and the work of Josef Ganz remains a subject of dispute. The result was one of the first rear-engined cars since the Brass Era. With 21,529,464 produced, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single platform ever made.
Although designed in the 1930s, the Beetle was only produced in significant numbers from 1945 on (mass production had been put on hold during the Second World War) when the model was internally designated the Volkswagen Type 1, and marketed simply as the Volkswagen (or "People's Car"). Later models were designated Volkswagen 1200, 1300, 1500, 1302 or 1303, the former three indicating engine displacement, the latter two derived from the type number. The model became widely known in its home country as the Käfer (German for "beetle") and was later marketed as such in Germany, and as the Volkswagen in other countries. For example, in France it was known as the Coccinelle (French for ladybug).
The original 25 hp Beetle was designed for a top speed around 100 km/h, which would be a viable speed on the Reichsautobahn system. As Autobahn speeds increased in the postwar years, its output was boosted to 36, then 40 hp, the configuration that lasted through 1966 and became the "classic" Volkswagen motor. The Beetle ultimately gave rise to variants, including the Karmann Ghia, Type 2 and external coachbuilders. The Beetle marked a significant trend, led by Volkswagen, Fiat, and Renault, whereby the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout increased from 2.6 percent of continental Western Europe's car production in 1946 to 26.6 percent in 1956. The 1948 Citroën 2CV and other European models marked a later trend to front-wheel drive in the European small car market, a trend that would come to dominate that market. In 1974, Volkswagen's own front-wheel drive Golf model succeeded the Beetle. In 1994, Volkswagen unveiled the Concept One, a "retro"-themed concept car with a resemblance to the original Beetle, and in 1998 introduced the "New Beetle", built on the contemporary Golf platform with styling recalling the original Type 1. It remained in production through 2010, being succeeded in 2011 by the more aggressively styled Beetle (A5).
In the 1999 Car of the Century competition, to determine the world's most influential car in the 20th century, the Type 1 came fourth, after the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS.
HISTORY
THE PEOPLES CAR
In April 1934, Adolf Hitler gave the order to Ferdinand Porsche to develop a Volkswagen (literally, "people's car" in German, pronounced [ˈfɔlksvaːɡən]). The epithet Volks- literally, "people's-" had been applied to other Nazi-sponsored consumer goods such as the Volksempfänger ("people's radio").
In May 1934, at a meeting at Berlin’s Kaiserhof Hotel, Chancellor Hitler insisted on a basic vehicle that could transport two adults and three children at 100 km/h while not using more than 7 litres of fuel per 100 km (32 mpg US/39 mpg UK). The engine had to be powerful for sustained cruising on Germany’s new Autobahnen. Everything had to be designed to ensure parts could be quickly and inexpensively exchanged. The engine had to be air-cooled because, as Hitler explained, not every country doctor had his own garage (ethylene glycol antifreeze was only just beginning to be used in high-performance liquid-cooled aircraft engines. In general, radiators filled with water would freeze unless the vehicle was kept in a heated building overnight or drained and refilled each morning).
The "People's Car" would be available to citizens of Nazi Germany through a savings scheme, or Sparkarte (savings booklet), at 990 Reichsmark, about the price of a small motorcycle. (The average weekly income was then around 32RM.)
DEVELOPMENT
Ferdinand Porsche developed the Type 12, or "Auto für Jedermann" (car for everybody) for Zündapp in 1931. Porsche already preferred the flat-four engine, and selected a swing axle rear suspension (invented by Edmund Rumpler), while Zündapp insisted on a water-cooled five-cylinder radial engine. In 1932, three prototypes were running. All of those cars were lost during World War II, the last in a bombing raid in Stuttgart in 1945.
The Zündapp prototypes were followed by the Porsche Type 32, designed in 1933 for NSU Motorenwerke AG, another motorcycle company. The Type 32 was similar in design to the Type 12, but it had a flat-four engine. NSU's exit from car manufacturing resulted in the Type 32 being abandoned at the prototype stage.
Initially designated Type 60 by Porsche, the design team included Erwin Komenda and Karl Rabe. In October 1935, the first two Type 60 prototypes, known as the V1 and V2 (V for Versuchswagen, or "test car"), were ready. In 1936, testing began of three further V3 prototypes, built in Porsche's Stuttgart shop. A batch of thirty W30 development models, produced for Porsche by Daimler-Benz, underwent 2,900,000 km of further testing in 1937. All cars had the distinctive round shape and the air-cooled, rear-mounted engine. Included in this batch was a rollback soft top called the Cabrio Limousine. A further batch of 44 VW38 pre-production cars produced in 1938 introduced split rear windows; both the split window and the dash were retained on production Type 1s until 1953. The VW38 cars were followed by another batch of 50 VW39 cars, completed in July 1939.
The car was designed to be as simple as possible mechanically. The air-cooled 25 hp (19 kW) 995 cc motors' built-in oil cooler and flat-four engine configuration's superior performance was also effective for the German Afrika Korps in Africa's desert heat. The suspension design used compact torsion bars instead of coil or leaf springs. The Beetle is nearly airtight and will briefly float.
THE FACTORY
On 26 May 1938, Hitler laid the cornerstone for the Volkswagen factory in Fallersleben. He gave a speech, in which he named the car Kraft-durch-Freude-Wagen ("Strength Through Joy Car", usually abbreviated to KdF-Wagen). The name refers to Kraft durch Freude ('Strength Through Joy'), the official leisure organization of Nazi Germany. The model village of Stadt des KdF-Wagens was created near Fallersleben in Lower Saxony in 1938 for the benefit of the workers at the newly built factory.
The factory had only produced a handful of cars by the start of the war in 1939; the first volume-produced versions of the car's chassis were military vehicles, the Type 82 Kübelwagen (approximately 52,000 built) and the amphibious Type 166 Schwimmwagen (about 14,000 built).
The first Beetles were produced on a small scale in 1941.
WARTIME PRODUCTION
A handful of KdF-Wagen (Typ 60) were produced primarily for the Nazi elite from 1941 to 1944, but production figures were small because the factories were concentrating on production of the Kübelwagen (Typ 82), the beetle for the Wehrmacht (Typ 82 E), the Schwimmwagen (Typ 166), and a handful of other variants. The factory produced another wartime vehicle: the Kommandeurswagen (Typ 87); a Beetle body mounted on a 4WD Schwimmwagen chassis. The Kommandeurswagen had widened fenders to accommodate its Kronprinz all-terrain tires. 564 Kommandeurswagen were produced up to 1944, when all production was halted because of heavy damage to the factory by Allied air raids. Much of the essential equipment had already been moved to underground bunkers for protection, which let production resume quickly after hostilities ended. Due to gasoline shortages late in the war, a few "Holzbrenner" Beetles were built powered by pyrolysis gas producers located under the front hood.
POST-WAR PRODUCTION AND BOOM
In occupied Germany, the Allies followed the Morgenthau plan to remove all German war potential by complete or partial pastoralization. As part of this, in the Industrial plans for Germany, the rules for which industry Germany was to be allowed to retain were set out. German car production was set at a maximum of 10% of the 1936 car production numbers.
Mass production of civilian VW cars did not start until post-war occupation. The Volkswagen factory was handed over by the Americans to British control in 1945; it was to be dismantled and shipped to Britain. Thankfully for Volkswagen, no British car manufacturer was interested in the factory; an official report included the phrases "the vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car ... it is quite unattractive to the average buyer ... To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." The factory survived by producing cars for the British Army instead. Allied dismantling policy changed in late 1946 to mid-1947, although heavy industry continued to be dismantled until 1951. In March 1947, Herbert Hoover helped change policy by stating
There is the illusion that the New Germany left after the annexations can be reduced to a "pastoral state". It cannot be done unless we exterminate or move 25,000,000 people out of it.
The re-opening of the factory is largely accredited to British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst. Hirst was ordered to take control of the heavily bombed factory, which the Americans had captured. His first task was to remove an unexploded bomb that had fallen through the roof and lodged itself between some pieces of irreplaceable production equipment; if the bomb had exploded, the Beetle's fate would have been sealed. Knowing Germany needed jobs and the British Army needed vehicles. Hirst persuaded the British military to order 20,000 cars, and by March 1946 the factory was producing 1,000 cars a month (in Army khaki, under the name Volkswagen Type 1), which Hirst said "was the limit set by the availability of materials". During this period, the car reverted to its original name of Volkswagen and the town was renamed Wolfsburg. The first 1,785 Type 1s were made in 1945.
After World War II, it was officially designated the Volkswagen Type 1, but was more commonly known as the Beetle.Following the British Army-led restart of production and Hirst's establishment of sales network and exports to Netherlands, former Opel manager (and formerly a detractor of the Volkswagen) Heinz Nordhoff was appointed director of the Volkswagen factory in 1949. Under Nordhoff, production increased dramatically over the following decade, with the one-millionth car coming off the assembly line by 1955. During this post-war period, the Beetle had superior performance in its category with a top speed of 115 km/h and 0–100 km/h in 27.5 seconds with fuel consumption of 6.7 l/100 km (36 mpg) for the standard 25 kW (34 hp) engine. This was far superior to the Citroën 2CV, which was aimed at a low speed/poor road rural peasant market, and Morris Minor, designed for a market with no motorways / freeways; it was even competitive with more advanced small city cars like the Austin Mini.
In Small Wonder, Walter Henry Nelson wrote:
"The engine fires up immediately without a choke. It has tolerable road-handling and is economical to maintain. Although a small car, the engine has great elasticity and gave the feeling of better output than its small nominal size."
There were other, less-numerous models, as well. The Hebmüller cabriolet (officially Type 14A), a sporty two-seater, was built between 1949 and 1953; it numbered 696. The Type 18A, a fixed-top cabriolet, was produced by Austro-Tatra as a police and fire unit; 203 were assembled between January 1950 and March 1953.
The chassis became a technological and parts donor to Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Bulli) and external coachbuilders like Rometsch, Dannenhauer & Stauss, Wilhelm Karmann, Enzmann, Beutler, Ghia-Aigle, Hebmüller & Söhne, Drews, Wendler.
On 17 February 1972, when Beetle No. 15,007,034 was produced, Beetle production surpassed that of the previous record holder, the Ford Model T. By 1973, total production was over 16 million, and by 23 June 1992, over 21 million had been produced.
DECLINE
Though extremely successful in the 1960s, the Beetle was increasingly faced with stiff competition from more modern designs globally. The Japanese had refined rear-wheel-drive, water-cooled, front-engine small cars including the Datsun 510 and Toyota Corona, whose sales in the North American market grew rapidly at the expense of Volkswagen in the late 1960s. Honda introduced the N600, based on the space-efficient transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive layout of the original Austin Mini, to the North American market in late 1969, and upgraded the model to the Honda Civic in 1972. The Japanese "big three" would soon dominate compact auto sales in North America. In 1971 Ford introduced its Pinto, which had some market impact as a low cost alternative. As the 1960s came to a close, Volkswagen faced increasingly stiff competition from European cars as well. The Beetle was faced with competition from new designs like the Fiat 127 and Renault 5, and more robust designs based on the Austin Mini layout such as the Superminis. German competitors, Ford and Opel also enjoyed strong sales of modern smaller cars like the Ford Escort and Opel Kadett. Volkswagen's attempts to boost the power of their air-cooled motor to meet the demands of higher highway speeds in the late 1960s, then comply with new pollution control regulations, caused problems for reliability and fuel efficiency that impaired the reputation of the aging design. Safety issues with the Beetle came under increasing scrutiny, culminating in the 1972 release of a rather scathing report. During the early 1970s, sales of the Beetle in Europe and North America plummeted.
There were other models introduced to supplement the Beetle in the VW product line throughout the 1960s; the Type 3, Type 4, and the NSU-based and larger K70. None of these models, aimed at more upscale markets, achieved the level of success as the Beetle. The over-reliance on a single model, now in decline, meant that Volkswagen was in financial crisis by 1974. It needed German government funding to produce the Beetle's replacement.
Production lines at Wolfsburg switched to the new water-cooled, front-engined, front-wheel drive Golf designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1974, sold in North America at the time as the "Rabbit". The Golf would eventually become Volkswagen's most successful model since the Beetle. The Golf would be periodically redesigned over its lifetime, entering its seventh generation in 2012, with only a few components carried over between generations, while the Beetle had only minor refinements of its original design.
The Golf did not kill Beetle production, nor did the smaller Polo which was launched a year later. Production of the Beetle continued in smaller numbers at other German factories until 19 January 1978, when mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico: markets where low operating cost was an important factor. However, this shift in production did not completely end sales of the Beetle in Europe, although after this date sales of the Beetle in Europe were very low. Beetle sedans were produced for U.S. markets until July 1977 and for European markets until 1985, with private companies continuing to import cars produced in Mexico after 1985. The Beetle convertible/Cabriolet ended production (as 1979 models) as of January 31, 1980.
The last Beetle was produced in Puebla, Mexico, in July 2003. The final batch of 3,000 Beetles were sold as 2004 models and badged as the Última Edición, with whitewall tires, a host of previously discontinued chrome trim, and the choice of two special paint colors taken from the New Beetle. Production in Brazil ended in 1986, then started again in 1993 and continued until 1996.
The Beetle outlasted most other cars which had adopted the rear air-cooled engine layout such as those by Subaru, Fiat, and General Motors. Porsche's 356 series which originally used some Volkswagen sourced parts, continued to use the classic rear engine layout (which later became water-cooled) in the Porsche 911 996 series, which remains competitive in the second decade of the 21st century.
WORLDWIDE END OF PRODUCTION
By 2002, over 21 million Type 1s had been produced, but by 2003, annual production had dropped to 30,000 from a peak of 1.3 million in 1971. VW announced the end of production in June 2003, citing decreasing demand, and the final original Type 1 VW Beetle (No. 21,529,464) rolled off the production line at Puebla, Mexico, on 30 July 2003 65 years after its original launch. This last Beetle, nicknamed El Rey (Spanish for "The King" after a legendary Mexican song by José Alfredo Jiménez) was delivered to the company's museum in Wolfsburg, Germany.
To celebrate the occasion, Volkswagen marketed a final special series of 3,000 Beetles marketed as "Última Edición" (Final Edition) in light blue (Aquarius Blue) or beige (Harvest Moon Beige). Each car included the 1.6 engine, whitewall tires, a CD player with four speakers, chrome bumpers, trim, hub caps and exterior mirrors, a Wolfsburg emblem above the front trunk's handle, chrome glove box badge, body coloured wheels, tinted glass, a rear parcel shelf, and VW Última Edición plaque.
A mariachi band serenaded production of the last car. In Mexico, there was an advertising campaign as a goodbye for the Beetle. In one of the ads was a very small parking space on the street, and many big cars tried to use it, but could not. After a while, a sign appears in that parking space saying: "Es increíble que un auto tan pequeño deje un vacío tan grande" (It is incredible that a car so small can leave such a large void). Another depicted the rear end of a 1954 Beetle (the year Volkswagen was established in Mexico) in the left side of the ad, reading "Erase una vez..." (Once upon a time...) and the last 2003 Beetle in the right side, reading "Fin" (The end). There were other ads with the same nostalgic tone.
- Engine: Fuel-injected (Bosch Digifant) four-cylinder horizontally opposed, 1,584 cc, 50 hp (37 kW), 98.1 N·m (72.4 lb·ft) @ 2,200 rpm, three-way catalytic converter
- Rated fuel mileage: 32.5 mpg-US (7.2 L/100 km; 39.0 mpg-imp)
- Max cruising speed: 130 km/h
- Brakes: front disc, rear drum
- Passengers: Five
- Tank: 40 L (11 US gal; 9 imp gal)
- Colours: Aquarius blue, Harvest Moon beige.
PROTOTYPES
DIESEL
In 1951, Volkswagen prototyped a 1.3 L diesel engine. Volkswagen made only two of these air-cooled boxer diesel engines (not turbocharged), and installed one engine in a Type 1 and another in a Type 2. The diesel Beetle was time tested on the Nürburgring and achieved 0–100 km/h in 60 seconds.
DESIGN
The Beetle featured a rear-located, rear-wheel drive, air-cooled four-cylinder, boxer engine in a two-door bodywork featuring a flat front windscreen, accommodating four passengers and providing luggage storage under the front bonnet and behind the rear seat – and offering a coefficient of drag of 0.41; to this relatively good CD, the also streamlined rear of car was of help. The bodywork attached with eighteen bolts to its nearly flat chassis which featured a central structural tunnel. Front and rear suspension featured torsion bars along with front stabilizer bar – providing independent suspension at all wheels. Certain initial features were subsequently revised, including mechanical drum brakes, split-window rear windows, mechanical direction-indicators and the non-synchronized gearbox. Other features, including its distinctive overall shape, endured.
Its engine, transmission, and cylinder heads were constructed of light alloy. An engine oil cooler (located in the engine fan's shroud) ensured optimal engine operating temperature and long engine life, optimized by a thermostat that bypassed the oil cooler when the engine was cold. Later models of the carburetor featured an automatic choke. Engine intake air passed through a metallic filter, while heavier particles were captured by an oil bath. After 1960, steering featured a hydraulic damper that absorbed steering irregularities.
Indicative of the car's utilitarian design, the interior featured painted metal surfaces, a metal dash consolidating instruments in a single, circular binnacle, adjustable front seats, a fold-down rear seat, optional swing-out rear windows, front windows with pivoting vent windows, heating via air-to-air exchange manifolds operating off the engine's heat, and a windshield washer system that eschewed the complexity and cost of an additional electric pump and instead received its pressurization from the car's spare tire (located in the front luggage compartment) which was accordingly overinflated to accommodate the washer function.
Throughout its production, VW marketed the Beetle with a four-speed manual transmission. From 1961 (and almost exclusively in Europe), VW offered an optional version of the Saxomat semi-automatic transmission: a regular 4-speed manual transaxle coupled to an electromagnetic clutch with a centrifugal clutch used for idle. Subsequently (beginning in 1967 in Europe and 1968 in the United States), VW offered an optional semi-automatic transmission (marketed as Automatic Stick Shift and also called AutoStick[citation needed]), which was a 3-speed manual coupled to an electro-pneumatic clutch and torque converter.
While the overall appearance of the Beetle changed little over its life span, it received over 78,000 incremental changes during its production.
EVOLUTION AND DESIGN CHANGES
BEETLE CABRIOLET
It was in 1948 that Wilhelm Karmann first bought a VW Beetle sedan and converted it into a four-seated convertible. The Beetle Cabriolet began production in 1949 by Karmann in Osnabrück. After successfully presenting it at VW in Wolfsburg, production started in 1949.
The convertible was more than a Beetle with a folding top. To compensate for the strength lost in removing the roof, the sills were reinforced with welded U-channel rails, a transverse beam was fitted below the front edge of the rear seat cushion, and the side cowl-panels below the instrument panel were double-wall. In addition, the lower corners of the door apertures had welded-in curved gussets, and the doors had secondary alignment wedges at the B-pillar.
The top was cabriolet-style with a full inner headliner hiding the folding mechanism and crossbars. In between the two top layers was 25 mm of insulation. The rear window was tempered safety glass, and after 1968, heated. Due to the thickness of the top, it remained quite tall when folded. To enable the driver to see over the lowered top, the inside rearview was mounted on an offset pivot. By twisting the mirror 180 degrees on a longitudinal axis, the mirror glass would raise approximately 5.1 cm.
The convertible was generally more lavishly equipped than the sedan with dual rear ashtrays, twin map pockets, a visor vanity mirror on the passenger side, rear stone shields, and through 1969, wheel trim rings. Many of these items did not become available on other Beetles until the advent of the optional "L" (Luxus) Package of 1970.
After a number of stylistic and technical alterations made to the Karmann cabriolet, (corresponding to the many changes VW made to the Beetle throughout its history), the last of 331,847 cabriolets came off the production line on 10 January 1980.
1950–1959 MODELS
During this period, a myriad of changes were made throughout the vehicle beginning with the availability of hydraulic brakes and a folding fabric sunroof in 1950. The rear window of the VW Beetle evolved from a divided or "split" oval, to a singular oval. The change occurred between October 1952 and March 1953. Beetles built during this time were known as a "Zwitter", or "hybrid", as they used the split-window bodyshell with oval-model chrome trim, vent windows and dashboard.
1953 models received a redesigned instrument panel. The one-piece “Pope's Nose” combination license plate/brake light was replaced by a smaller flat-bottomed license plate light. The brake light function was transferred to new heart-shaped lamps located in the top of the taillight housings.
In 1954, Volkswagen added 2 mm to the cylinder bore, increasing the displacement from 1,131 (1100) cc to 1,192 (1200) cc. This coincided with upgrades to various key components including a redesign of the crankshaft. This increased power from 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) to 36 hp (27 kW; 36 PS) and improved the engine's free revving abilities without compromising torque at lower engine speeds. At the same time, compression ratios were progressively raised as, little by little, the octane ratings of available fuel was raised in major markets during the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1955, the separate brake lights were discontinued and were combined into a new larger taillight housing. The traditional VW semaphore turn signals were replaced by conventional flashing directional indicator lamps for North America.
For 1956, the Beetle received what would become one of its more distinctive features, a set of twin chrome tailpipes. Models for North America gained taller bumper guards and tubular overrider bars.
For 1958, the Beetle received a revised instrument panel, and a larger rectangular rear window replaced the previous oval design.
1960–1969 MODELS
1960 models received a front sway bar along with a hydraulic steering damper.
For 1961, significant technical advances occurred in the form of a new engine and transmission. The engine remained at 1200cc but the power increased to 40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS) primarily due to an increase in compression ratio to 7.1:1. The carburetor received an electric automatic choke and the transmission was now synchronized on all forward gears. The traditional semaphore turns signals were replaced by conventional flashing directional indicators worldwide.
For 1962, the Beetle received a mechanical fuel level gauge in place of the former fuel tap. At the rear, larger tail lights were introduced incorporating a separate amber turn signal section to meet new European standards (these turn signals remained red in the US market until 1973). The former hand-pump style windscreen washer was replaced by a new design using compressed air. A Schrader valve located on the washer fluid tank allowed the system to be charged at a filling station to the recommended 35 psi (2.4 bar).
1964 models could be identified by a widened light housing on the engine lid over the rear license plate.
The largest change to date for the Beetle was in 1965: the majority of the body stampings were revised, which allowed for significantly larger windows. The windshield increased in area by 11% and was now slightly curved, rather than flat. Door windows increased accordingly by 6% (and door vent window edges were canted slightly back), rear side windows 17.5%, and the rear window 19.5%. The result was a more open, airy, modern look.
For 1966, the big news was an optional new 1300cc 50 hp (37 kW; 51 PS) engine in lieu of the previous 1200cc engine that had been the sole engine since 1954. Models so equipped carried a "1300" badge on the engine lid. The 1300cc engine was standard for North America.
For 1967, a yet-again larger-displacement engine was made available: 1500cc, 53 hp (40 kW; 54 PS) at 4,200 rpm. 1200 and 1300 engines continued to be available, as many markets based their taxation on engine size. 1500cc Beetles were equipped with front disc brakes and were identified with a "VW 1500" badge on the engine lid. North America received the 1500 engine as standard equipment, but did not receive front disc brakes. These models were identified by a "Volkswagen" badge on the engine lid.
The rear suspension was significantly revised including a widened track, softer torsion bars and the addition of a unique Z-configuration equalizing torsion spring. On US, UK and Ireland models, the generator output was increased from 180 to 360 watts, and the entire electrical system was upgraded from 6 volts to 12 volts. The clutch disc also increased in size and changes were made to the flywheel. New equipment included a driver's armrest on the door and locking buttons on both doors. Safety improvements included two-speed windscreen wipers, reversing lights (in some markets), and a driver's side mirror. In accord with the newly enacted US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, North American models received a dual-circuit brake system, the clear glass headlamp covers were deleted; the headlamps were brought forward to the leading edge of the front fenders, and the sealed-beam units were exposed and surrounded by chrome bezels.
1968 was a year of major change. The most noticeable of which were the new larger, higher mounted C-section bumpers. At the rear, new larger taillamps were adopted and were able to accommodate backup lamps, which were previously separate bumper-mounted units. Beetles worldwide received the '67 North American style vertical headlamp placement, but with replaceable-bulb headlamps compliant with ECE regulations rather than the US sealed beams. Other improvements were a new outside gas filler with spring-loaded flap, eliminating the need to open the trunk to refuel. The fuel gauge was integrated with the speedometer and was now electrically-actuated rather than cable-operated. The windscreen washer was now pressured by the spare tire, which was to be maintained at a pressure of 42 psi (2.9 bar). A pressure valve in the connecting hose closed airflow to the fluid reservoir if spare tire pressure fell below 30 psi (2.1 bar), which was above the recommended pressures for the road tires. A ventilation system was introduced, which drew fresh air into the cabin from louvres on the front decklid. For improved shifting, the shift lever was shortened, stiffened and moved rearward by
78 mm.
A number of safety improvements were made in order to comply with new American safety regulations: these included trigger-operated outside door handles, a secondary front hood latch, collapsing steering column, soft vent window latches, rotary glove compartment latch and instrument panel knobs labeled with pictographs. US models received a padded instrument panel that was optional in other markets. To meet North American head restraint requirements, VW developed the industry's first high-back bucket seat.
A new 3-speed semi-automatic gear box with torque converter and vacuum-operated clutch became available mid-production year. The semi-automatic models received a vastly improved semi-trailing-arm rear suspension (also known as "Independent Rear Suspension" although the earlier swing axle Beetles were also independent) and eliminated the need for the equalizing torsion spring. This new rear suspension layout would eventually become an option on later models. Beetles equipped with the automatic were identified with a "VW Automatic" badge on the engine lid and a matching decal in the rear window. In North America, the badging and decal were later revised to read, "Automatic Stick Shift".
For 1969, the only exterior change was the fuel filler flap no longer had a finger indentation due to a new interior-mounted fuel door release. For North America, the Beetle received a heated rear window, day/night mirror and the semi-trailing, independent rear-arm suspension as standard equipment.
1970–1979 MODELS
In 1970, A new "L" (Luxus) Package was introduced including, among other items, twin map pockets, dual rear ashtrays, full carpeting, a passenger-side visor vanity mirror, and rubber bumper moldings. The optional 1500 cc engine now came with an engine lid having two rows of cooling louvers, while the convertible's engine lid gained two additional sets for a total of four. For North America, the 1500 cc engine was enlarged to 1600 cc engine and produced 57 hp (43 kW; 58 PS)
For 1971, for the first time there were two Beetles, the familiar standard Beetle and a new larger version that was different from the windscreen forward. All Beetles received an engine upgrade: the optional 1500 cc engine was replaced by a 1600 cc version with twin-port cylinder heads and a larger, relocated oil cooler. The new engine produced 60 hp (45 kW; 61 PS). The ventilation system was improved with the original dash-top vents augmented by a second pair aimed directly at the driver and passenger. For the first time the system was a flow-through design with crescent-shaped air exits fitted behind the rear quarter windows. Airflow could be increased via an optional 2-speed fan. The standard Beetle was now badged as the VW 1300; when equipped with the 1600 engine, it was badged 1300 S, to avoided confusion with the Type 3, which wore VW 1600 badges.
The new larger Beetle was sold as the 1302/1302 S, offering nearly 50% increased luggage capacity. A new MacPherson strut front suspension was incorporated, similar to what was used in the Type 4, and the front track was widened. The new suspension layout allowed the spare tire to be positioned flat under the trunk floor, although the car had to be lengthened slightly to accomplish this. This also allowed a reduction in turning radius. To gain additional trunk volume, the under-dash panel was lowered, allowing the fuel tank to be shifted rearward. From the windscreen back the big Beetle was identical to its smaller progenitor, except for having the semi-trailing arm rear suspension as standard equipment. Overall, the big Beetle was 50 mm longer in length and 35 mm wider and rode on a 20 mm longer wheelbase than the standard model. Both Beetles were available with or without the L Package. The convertible was now based on the 1302 body. In North America, the 1302 was marketed as the Super Beetle and came only with the L Package and 1600 cc engine. While it lacked the front disc brakes that normally accompanied the larger motor, it was fitted with brake drums that were slightly larger than the standard Beetle. With the Super Beetle being sold as the premium model in North America, the standard Beetle, while retaining the same 1600 cc engine, was stripped of many of its earlier features in order to reduce the selling price. Bright window and running board moldings disappeared, along with the day/night mirror, horn ring, map pocket, locking glove box and miscellaneous other items.
1972 models had an 11% larger rear window 40 mm taller, larger front brakes[citation needed] and the convertible engine lid with four rows of louvres was now used on all Beetles. Inside the vehicle, a four-spoke energy-absorbing steering wheel was introduced, the windshield wiper/washer knob was replaced in favor of a steering column stalk, and intermittent wipers were a new option available in selected markets. An engine compartment socket for the proprietary VW Diagnosis system was also introduced. The rear luggage area was fitted with a folding parcel shelf. A limited-edition Commemorative model was launched in celebration of the Beetle's passing the record of the Ford Model T as the world's most-produced automobile. The Commemorative Beetle was a 1302 LS finished in a special Marathon Blue Metallic paint and unique 4.5 x 15 styled steel wheels. In the U.S., it was marketed as the Super Beetle Baja Champion SE.
1973 models featured significantly-enlarged "elephant foot" taillamps mounted in reshaped rear fenders. In the engine bay, the oil-bath air cleaner gave way to a dry element filter, and the generator was replaced with an alternator. The 1302/Super became the 1303 with a new taller wrap-around windscreen. The changes to the cowl and windshield resulted in slight redesign of the front hood. The instrument panel, formerly shared with the standard Beetle, was all-new and incorporated a raised speedometer pod, rocker-style switches and side-window defrosters. The limited-edition GSR (Gelb-Schwarz Rennen) was a 1303 S available only in Saturn Yellow paint equipped with special 140 mm wide sport wheels fitted with 175/70-15 Pirelli Cinturato CN36 high-performance radial tires. Front and rear deck lids were finished in matte black, as was all exterior trim with the exception of the chrome headlamp bezels. Inside were corduroy and leatherette high-bolstered sport seats and a small diameter three-spoke steering wheel with padded leather rim and a small red VW logo on the bottom spoke. In North America, the GSR was sold as the Super Beetle Sports Bug. The North American model had body-color deck lids and was available in Marathon Blue Metallic in addition to Saturn Yellow. In some markets, the sport wheels (in both 4.5-inch and 5.5-inch widths), sport steering wheel and sport seats became available as stand-alone options.
For 1974, North American models received newly required 8.0 km/h impact bumpers mounted on self-restoring energy absorbers, which added approximately 25 mm to the car's overall length. On the Super Beetle, the steering knuckle, and consequently the lower attachment point of the strut, was redesigned to improve handling and stability in the event of a tire blowout. A limited-edition Big Beetle was introduced based on the 1303 LS. Available in unique metallic paint colors, the car featured styled-steel 5.5 in (140 mm) wide sport wheels wrapped in 175/70-15 tires, corduroy seat inserts, upgraded loop-pile carpet, wood-look instrument panel trim and a padded steering wheel with bright accents. In the North American market, a limited-edition Sun Bug was introduced as a standard Beetle or Super Beetle. Both were finished in metallic gold and featured styled-steel 4.5 in (110 mm)-wide sport wheels. Inside were brown corduroy and leatherette seats, loop-pile carpet, and padded four-spoke deluxe steering wheel. The Super Beetle Sun Bug included a sliding-steel sunroof.
In 1975, front turn indicators were moved from the top of the front fenders down into the bumper. At the rear, the license plate light housing was now molded of plastic with a ribbed top surface. To comply with tightening emission standards, the 1600 cc engine in Japanese and North American markets received Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, a derivative of the Bosch D-Jetronic system formerly used in the VW Type 3 and Type 4. The injected engine received a new muffler and in California a catalytic converter. This necessitated a bulge in the rear apron under the rear bumper and replaced the distinctive twin "pea shooter" tailpipes with a single offset pipe, making injected models identifiable at a glance. 5 mph (8.0 km/h) bumper-equipped North American models retained fender-top front indicators. The 1303 received rack and pinion steering. In North America, the 1303/Super Beetle sedan was moved upmarket and was now christened La Grande Bug. Similar to the Big Beetle of 1974, La Grande Bug was available in blue or green metallic paint in the U.S. and blue, green or gold metallic in Canada and was equipped with the same features as the 1974 Sun Bug. Mid-year, the Love Bug was introduced for North America: based on the standard Beetle, it was available only in Phoenix Red or Ravenna Green (both colors shared with the VW-Porsche 914) with all exterior trim finished in matte black. A price leader, the Love Bug retailed for less than a standard Beetle. The "Volkswagen" script on the engine lid of all North American Beetles was replaced with a "Fuel Injection" badge.
In 1976, the 1303/La Grande Bug was discontinued, with the larger body continuing only in convertible form. To make up for the loss in North American markets, the standard Beetle was upgraded, regaining some of the features that were removed in 1971. In addition, the 2-speed ventilation fan was included, previously available in North America only on the larger Beetle. The automatic stickshift option was discontinued as well.
1977 models received new front seats with separate head restraints. This was the final model year for the Beetle sedan in North America. The convertible was offered in a Champagne Edition in triple white with the padded deluxe steering wheel, burled elm-grain dash trim and (110 mm wide sport wheels. Approximately 1,000 Champagne Editions were produced.
WIKIPEDIA
W111
Zoute Sale - Bonhams
Estimated : € 75.000 - 100.000
Sold for € 83.375
Zoute Grand Prix 2022
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2022
'Exclusive' is a much bandied-about word in the classic car world, but it is a most apt description of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5. Why? Because at $13,500 in 1970 its price was not only $3,500 more than that of the equivalent Mercedes-Benz sedan but also more than double that of a Cadillac Deville Coupé! Commonplace it was not.
The 3.5-litre version of the 280 SE typifies the resurgence of larger-engined Mercedes-Benz models that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the progressive easing of fiscal constraints, which had dissuaded customers from buying cars with large capacity engines, encouraged the German manufacturer to offer bigger, more potent power units. Thus the ultra-luxurious 280 SE Coupé/Cabriolet and 300 SEL saloon were the models chosen by Mercedes-Benz to launch its magnificent new 3.5-litre V8 engine in September 1969. An over-square design featuring a cast-iron block and aluminium-alloy cylinder heads, each equipped with a single overhead camshaft, this all-new, state-of-the-art power unit produced 200bhp courtesy of Bosch electronic fuel injection and transistorised ignition.
The new V8 engine had particularly smooth-running characteristics and endowed the 280 SEs with performance superior to that of many out-and-out sports cars. Thus equipped, the Coupé/Cabriolet was good for 125mph (200km/h) with 60mph (97km/h) reachable in 9.5 seconds, a substantial improvement on the six-cylinder version's figures. As befitted top-of-the-range luxury models, the 280 SE 3.5 Coupé and Cabriolet came equipped with automatic transmission, power windows, and a stereo radio as standard.
Although the equivalent SEL saloon used the 'New Generation' bodyshell, the 280 SE Coupé and Cabriolet kept the elegant coachwork that had debuted back in 1960/1961 on the 220 SE. Nevertheless, there had been some refinements made: the radiator shell was lower and wider, with a correspondingly flatter front end to the bonnet, a characteristic that has led to enthusiasts referring to these face-lifted cars as 'flat radiator' models, while the bumpers were now fitted with rubber strips. Significantly, the 280 SE 3.5 was to be the final model featuring this long-established and much-admired body style. It was truly Mercedes-Benz's flagship model, representing status, luxury and reliability. Today these last-of-the-line classics are highly sought after by discerning Mercedes-Benz collectors.
Most elegantly finished in the original colour combination of beige grey (beigegrau) with bamboo (bambus) coloured leather interior, this beautifully presented Mercedes-Benz incorporates a host of desirable options including a Becker Grand Prix radio; central armrests front and rear; heated rear screen; additional spotlights; automatic transmission; electric sliding sunroof; and electric windows.
As per the Mercedes-Benz data card (copy on file), the car was sold new via the Munich based dealer (code 226) but its first custodian was a medical doctor based in Vienna. The doctor owned the Mercedes from new until 1989 when the car was sold to its second Austrian owner, who would keep it until 2012 (copies of Austrian registration documents are on file). In 2012 the car was sold via a German dealer to its first German owner, who in turn sold it to the current vendor, a very well-respected collector of fine cars based in Munich. Clearly this car has been looked after all its life, and recent expenditure includes the following:
• 2017: comprehensive service by Mercedes-Benz in Munich including a comprehensive brake service; repair of the power-assisted steering; cooling circuit overhaul; installing new engine mounts; check and repair of heating and ventilation system, etc for a total of €14,600
• 2018: overhaul of the automatic gearbox and further smaller repairs, again at Mercedes-Benz Munich €5,530
• 2018: installing safety belts at CarTech Knowledge, Ismaning near Munich €2,000
• 2020: dry ice blasting and repair of some rust on wheel arches including paint, again at CarTech €5,150
• 2021: service with some minor repairs at CarTech €3,050
As we near Christmas, I felt that a festive railway piece was in order, and thus I give you the unsung hero of the British Christmas season, the Class 325 Parcels Unit. If you have relatives in the North of England who need to transport Christmas Cards and other presents to relatives in the south or Vice Versa, chances are it will travel aboard one of these plucky units that will scoot it up the West Coast Mainline at 100mph overnight, or rarely during the day.
In this scene we see a trio of Class 325 units trundling through the countryside near Crawford in Scotland, working a northbound mail service from Willesden Railnet Terminal in North London to Shieldmuir Railnet Terminal in Southern Glasgow, speeding through a snow covered South Lanarkshire countryside.
The Class 325's were built as a joint venture between BREL and ABB of Italy using the traction motors and bodyshell design of a Class 319 Thameslink unit in order to create a parcels unit to replace the ageing Travelling Post Officer (TPO) stock of the 1960s. Built to the same external design as a Class 365 Networker unit, inside they are literally an empty shell in which is stored trolleys full of precious cargo and mail. In days gone by this would have been filled with shelves and rows of workers meticulously sorting letters and parcels for their individual destinations, but since all the sorting is now done by computer, they are no longer necessary. Built to travel at 100mph, 16 of these 4-car units were built to run on both 25kv Overhead AC electric wires, and on 1500 volt DC 3rd rail on the Southern Region, although this was never common practice.
However, as it turns out, the construction of these units was one of the biggest wastes of time and money ever to be done by British Rail as when things were starting to look up for mail borne rail traffic, the operator of the mail train, Royal Mail, decided in 2004 it would withdraw the Mail Train contract, and send everything by gas-guzzling lorries. Overnight, the ever popular mail train that had run since the Victorian days was axed and the millions of pounds worth of purpose built locomotives and stock found itself immediately redundant. The Class 325's were put into storage after only 9 years of service, and would not return to the rails until 2005, when a contract was struck between GBRF (Great British Rail Freight) and Royal Mail to operate a small number of trains between the Willesden Railnet, Warrington and Shieldmuir, and thus mail traffic returned to the mainline, but not in the way it had done previously. Since then there have been plans to return operations to the East Coast Mainline as well, working trains to Newcastle from London.
Since there are now so many spare sets available, these units usually operate as triplets of 12-cars in order to increase capacity, whereas before they would often run as single or double sets. Today, the surviving 15 units (325010 being scrapped in 2012 after being stripped for spares) are not a common sight in the day, although in the run up to Christmas these units are given extra diagrams to operate more services in the morning and afternoon, which means that whenever there's on out and about, I'll usually go and try to grab some shots of these rare but vital little units.
Morris Six MS (1948-53) Engine 2215cc S6 S6 OHC
Production 12,400
Registration Number CSU 419 (Re-registered 1986, on a date related number, first allocated to Kincardineshire)
MORRIS SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690377489...
The Morris Six MS was a six-cylinder midsize car made from 1948 to 1953. It was the company's first post war six-cylinder car. At launch the car was priced at £671 on the UK market.
The car was very similar to the 1948 Issigonis designed Morris Oxford series MO sharing the same bodyshell from the windscreen backwards. The bonnet was lengthened to take the overhead camshaft, single SU carburettor, 2215 cc six-cylinder engine which produced 70 bhp.
The whole car was longer than the Oxford with a wheelbase of 110 inches Suspension was independent at the front using torsion bars and at the rear there was a conventional live axle and semi elliptic springs. The steering was not by the rack and pinion fitted to the Oxford but used a lower geared Bishop Cam system. The 10 inches (250 mm) drum brakes were hydraulically operated using a Lockheed system.
The design was shared with Nuffield Organisation stable-mate Wolseley as the 6/80
Many thanks for a fantabulous 32,706,700 views
Shot on 01.01.2015 at Brooklands New Years Day Classic Car Gathering Ref 104-204
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020
Bonhams
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2020
Estimated : € 130.000 - 160.000
Sold for € 149.500
Few sports cars have proved as versatile as Porsche's perennial 911, a model that, for the past 50 years, has proved equally capable as a Grand Tourer, circuit racer or rally car. A 'modern classic' if ever there was one, the 911 first appeared at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show as the '901', but shortly after production proper commenced in 1964 had become the '911' following Peugeot's complaints about the use of '0' model numbers. The preceding Type 356's rear-engined layout was retained but the 911 switched to unitary construction for the bodyshell and dropped the 356's VW-based suspension in favour of a more modern McPherson strut and trailing arm arrangement. In its first incarnation, Porsche's single-overhead-camshaft, air-cooled flat six engine displaced 1,991cc and produced 130bhp; progressively enlarged and developed, it would eventually grow to more than 3.0 litres and, in turbo-charged form, put out well over 300 horsepower.
Manufactured in January 1966, this 1st Series (pre-A Programme) Porsche 911 was delivered new finished in Aga Blue with black leatherette interior, and left the factory equipped with a Webasto heater and radio loudspeaker, as confirmed by its accompanying Porsche Certificate of Authenticity. Chassis number '303509' is one of the very early, short-wheelbase cars of the type much favoured by the historic rallying fraternity, a situation that has led to unmodified examples such as this one becoming a great rarity and consequently much in demand.
In 2012 the car was imported into the Netherlands where the current vendor, a Porsche collector, commissioned a full restoration with no corners cut. Undertaken by Dutch specialists, the rebuild was completed in 2016 and was photographically documented (see history file). This restoration included a full engine and gearbox rebuild, a six-coat re-spray in the original Aga Blue livery, re-chroming of the brightwork, a new Pepita interior, and an overhaul of the instruments. The body restoration was carried out by Houvers of Winterswijk, while the matching engine and gearbox were rebuilt by Koban Tuning of Lichtenvoorde, Holland. Closest attention to detail was taken to bring everything back to original specification. In total, some €140,000 were spent to return the car to the effectively 'as new' condition it is presented in today, with many invoices available. Only a relative handful of kilometres have been covered since the restoration's completion and this beautiful Porsche 911 is presented in commensurately excellent condition.
Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk.2 (1983-92) Engine 1781cc S4 inj 16v 132bhp
Production 6,000,000 (all Golf Mk.2's)
Registration Number F 468 MHJ (Chelmsford)
VOLKSWAGEN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738785355...
The second-generation Volkswagen Golf was launched in Europe at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show.and launched into the British marketplace March 1984. It featured a larger bodyshell, and a wider range of engine options than the Mark 1 and a more rounded style. During the life of the Golf MK2, there were a number of external style revisions. Notable changes to the looks of the Golf MK2 included the removal of quarterlight windows in the front doors, and the introduction of larger grille slats with the August 1987 facelift. The most notable was the introduction of so-called "Big Bumpers", which were introduced in the European market with an August 1989 facelift.
The successful hot GTi model was continued with the Mk2 as a sporty 3- or 5-door hatchback. Like late Mk1 GTIs, it featured a fuel-injected and was later joined by the more powerful Golf GTi 16v marked by discreet red and black "16v" badges front and rear.
NB car in the background
Audi A6 TDi S line V6 Estate (3rd Gen) (2006) Engine 2698cc V6 TDI
Registration Number YY 06 VCP (Beverley)
Diolch yn fawr am 67,009,228 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 67,009,228 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 22.07.2018 at the Curborough Sprint, Curborough, Staffordshire Ref 135-346
The 2000 London-Sydney Marathon winner- Stig Blomqvist/Ben Rainsford
Built by Basil Green Motors - Johannesburg
5,0 Liter
V8
ca. 500-550 ex.
Built by Basil Green Motors of Johannesburg exclusively for the South African market, the 'Perana' is the only V8-engined Capri officially sanctioned by the Ford Motor Company. Basil Green used the Ford 302ci (5.0-litre) Windsor V8 engine, modifying the chassis and running gear to cope with the extra power, and the result was a high-performance car with an excellent power-to-weight ratio that was soon cleaning up in domestic racing. Indeed, so successful was the Perana that after a single season's dominance it was banned. For the road, the Perana came with 281bhp on tap and a top speed of 147mph. It was also extraordinarily flexible. How British and European enthusiasts would have loved to get their hands on the Perana, and Ford surely missed a trick by not offering such a car in other markets. It is estimated that around 500-550 were produced between 1970 and 1972. This Capri Mk1 to full house Perana specification cost in excess of AUD200,000 (approximately £116,000 at the current rate of exchange) to build in 1999, before winning the 2000 London-Sydney Rally driven by former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist and preparer Ben Rainsford. Since then, the Marathon rally coupe has participated in several other long-distance events. These include the 2004 London-Sydney Rally, 2004 Carrera Sudamericana Marathon, 2007 Classic East African Safari Rally, 2010 International Rally du Maroc and the 2011 Sol Rally Barbados. Specification highlights include a 302ci 'Windsor' Cobra type V8 engine; 'Jerico' type top-loader 4-speed gearbox; Marathon-specification bodyshell; full roll cage with side-bars; live five-link rear axle; all round disc brakes; rack-and-pinion steering; glassfibre bonnet; Perspex side windows; and Bilstein-damped suspension currently set up for 'Tarmac' events. An alternative Proflex-type Safari high-ride 'Gravel' suspension is included in the spares kit, together with a spare set of wheels. Offered with Ford dating letter confirming September 1969 manufacture of donor car, fresh MoT valid to August 2014, current historic vehicle eligible road fund licence and Swansea V5C, this unique Perana-specification Capri represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a well-sorted car with a proven record in long-distance rallying that awaits preparation for the next long haul.
Metropole Classic Cars
Meubellaan 1
Druten
Nederland - Netherlands
June 2021
Having covered trains in the east of the city on the first day, we turned our attention west on the second day and took a ride out from Paris Montparnasse to complete a circuit up to Mantes-la-Jolie. Whilst changing trains at Versialles Chantiers I was very pleased to see SNCF Z 5300 no.359 and 349 roll in on a stopping service to Paris Montparnasse. These ageing EMU's resemble New York Subway cars due to their aluminium bodyshells and are gradually being replaced by refurbished BB7600's for Transilien.
Porsche 993 (911) Carrera Cabriolet (1993-98) Engine 3600cc Flat 6 268bhp
Registration Number P 610 UAF (Truro)
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 129-587
Standing in the rain at Manchester Oxford Road is Northern 156422 ready to work 2O89, 15:46 Manchester Oxford Road – Liverpool Lime Street, 23rd May 2024.
Unit History
Built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in 1988 the Class 156 is based on the Mark III bodyshell and is powered by 6-cylinder Cummins NT855-R5 diesel engine through Voith automatic transmissions. I first saw 156422 on the 15th July 1988 at Sheffield, over thirty five years ago.
Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk.2 (1983-92) Engine 1781cc S4 8v Production 6,000,000 (all Golf Mk.2's)
Registration Number G 622 HCC )Bangor, Camarthanshire)
VOLKSWAGEN SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738785355...
Note this car has had its inner pair of headlamps removed
The second-generation Volkswagen Golf was launched in Europe at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show.and launched into the British marketplace March 1984. It featured a larger bodyshell, and a wider range of engine options than the Mark 1 and a more rounded style.
The successful hot GTi model was continued with the Mk2 as a sporty 3- or 5-door hatchback. , it featured a naturally aspirated Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injected 1,781 cc Inline-four engine developing 110bhp, joined in 1986 by the Golf GTi 16v with output increased to 137bhp the model was marked by discreet red-and-black "16V" badges front and rear In 1990, like the Golf, the GTI was given a facelift, and the "Big Bumper" became standard on all GTIs
1990 also saw the arrival of GTi G60 featuring the 8v 1.8 with a G60 supercharger
Thankyou for a massive 53,510,836 views (Flickrs latest count adjustment)
Shot 29.05.2016 at Curborough Sprit Course, Curborough, Lichfield REF 119-222
Haldane 3000HD (1988-94) Engine 1993cc S4 OHC Ford Pinto
Registration Number Q 25 TDS (Undefined age registration, issued from Glasgow)
HALDANE ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/organize
John Haldane launched Haldane Developements Ltd. in Glasgow in 1988 to produce automobiles and kits. In 1993 Brian Harrison and Alisdair Scott took over production until 1994. From 1994 Pilgrim cars took over production, retaining the Haldane name but moved the facilities from Glasgow to Henfield in West Sussex. Production finally ended in 2008 after around 136 vehicles had been produced.
The first model was the HD100 a model based on the Austin Healey 100, with a fibreglass body mounted on a chassis developed in house. The four cylinder engine came from the Vauxhall Chevette. From 1993 a revised chassis was released to accommodate Ford engines. Around 100 examples were built between 1988-1994.
In 1991 a second model, the HD3000 complemented the range, modeled on the Austin Healey 3000 it otherwise corresponded with the HD100 around 36 were built by 2008
This Austin Healey replica was built by Haldane before the Scottish company ceased trading. The rights are now with Pilgrim who are planning to return the car to production.
Styled on similar lines as the classic Austin Healey the car has a composite (GRP) monocoque bodyshell, powered by a modern engine with Ford Sierra suspension and a robust backbone chassis and Geoscan designed suspension. It will be supplied either as a kit priced between £13,900 to £16,900 dependant upon specification or factory built for £18,000 for one with used components to £ 27,000 for a top specification factory built car with new components.
Diolch am 77,976,492 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 77,976,492 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 06.10.2019 at Bicester Scramble, Bicester, Oxon. 143-1263
Humber Sceptre 1 (1963-65) Engine *1592cc S4 OHV
Production 17,011
Registration Number HAS 101 (Cherished number first issued in Inverness)
HUMBER SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665287863...
Humber variation on the Hillman Super Minx/Singer Vogue theme. With the Super Minx bodyshell but a unique roof, glass and upper/rear bodywork not shared with the Super Minx or the related Singer Vogue. Originally intended as a replacement for the Sunbeam Rapier but was launched as a Humber while a modified Rapier continued until 1967.. This resulted in the Sceptre being more sporty in character than traditional Humbers. The Sceptre was positioned at the top of the mid-range Rootes Group cars, above the Hillman Super Minx and Singer Vogue. It featured similar twin headlight styling to the Vogue and a more powerful 80 bhp, The high level of equipment included disc front brakes, overdrive, screen washers, reversing lamp, rev counter and a full range of instruments. Automatic transmission was made available later. Whilst the Super Minx and Vogue received revised six light styling in 1964, the Sceptre body continued unchanged until 1965 when it was replaced by the MK II.
*This car is powered by the later 1725cc engine fitted from the 1966 in the Humber Sceptre (Ser.II)
Many thanks for a fantabulous
47,089,066 views
Shot at Weston Park Classic Car Show 27.03.2016 - Ref 111-558
Triumph GT6 Mk.3 (1970-73) Engine 1998 cc S6 OHV Production 13,042
Registration Number CWD 760 J (Warwickshire)
TRIUMPH ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623847263736...
Introduced in 1966 the first series of GT6 was introduced in 1966 as a six cylinder sports coupe based on the Spitfire. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and based on the recently introduced Spitfire Mk. IV. The new body was a sleek fastback design with an opening rear hatch, In essence a two seater but with a small extra rear seat could be ordered, large enough for small children. The family resemblance to the Spitfire Mk II was strong, the longer 6-cylinder engine necessitated a new bonnet top with a power bulge and the doors were provided with opening quarter light windows and squared-off glass in the top rear corner. The 6-cylinder engine was, like the Vitesse 2 litre, tuned to develop 95 hp (71 kW) with a top speed pf 106mph
The Mk.II GT6 was launched in 1978 using a 104bhp version of the six cylinder engine, with optional overdrive as available on the Mk.1. Now fitted with lower wishbone independant rear suspension. The Mk.2 also got a new facia, better ventilation for both engine bay and cockpit and Rostyle wheels, though wires were a popular option. There were other changes for the Mk II; the front bumper was raised (in common with the Spitfire Mk 3) to conform with new regulations ecessitating a revised front end, and side vents were added to the front wings and rear pillars. Under the bonnet, the engine was the uprated Vitesse MkII unit developing 104 hp (78 kW) with a new cylinder head, camshaft, and manifolds Performance improved slightly to 107 mph
The third generation of 1970 was the GT6s last major facelift the entire bodyshell was revised to match the changes made to the Spitfire Mk IV: modifications included a cut-off rear end, recessed door handles and a smoother front end,and the deletion of the chrome stripes on top of the wings . Only detail changes were made to the mechanics, but in 1973 – close to the end of the car's production life – the rear suspension was changed again, this time for the cheaper "swing-spring" layout fitted to the Spitfire Mk IV. Engine output was simular to that of the Mark 2 but better aerodynamics led to a new top speed of 112 mph
Diolch yn fawr am 65,531,840 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel
Thank you 65,531,840 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe
Shot 06.05.2018 at Catton Hall Car Show, Catton Hall, Walton on Trent, Derbyshire Ref 133-600
.
Chassis n° 1E1944
Coachwork by Lynx
This car started life as number 3 short nose D Type built by LYNX in 1977. The car was then converted by LYNX into a LYNX XKSS in the 80s.
Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020
Estimated : € 250.000 - 350.000
Sold for € 184.000
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
September 2020
"The factory fire in February 1957 extinguished the career of the XK SS, a road-going sports car based on the D-Type. As a result of the hiatus in production, and dislocations of plans for new product lines as important as the 3.4 saloon, the XK SS was abandoned. It was a cruel fate for a car that was a true thoroughbred, made in the image of the Le Mans winner, and one of the classic might-have-beens of motoring history." – Eric Dymock, The Jaguar File.
One of the rarest Jaguars of all, the XK SS was a spin-off from the D-Type racing programme. To satisfy the FIA's sports car regulations, the D-Type had been built in numbers greatly exceeding the demand for such a specialised piece of racing equipment, and conversion to road trim was viewed as the best way of clearing unsold stocks, hence the XK SS. The idea of a road-equipped D-Type is credited to Jaguar works driver Duncan Hamilton, who fitted a windscreen and hood to his ex-factory 1954 Le Mans car ('OKV 1') in 1956.
Modifications to make the D-Type acceptable for road use included installing a seat and door on the passenger side; removing the division between driver and passenger; fitting a full-width wraparound windscreen; and heat-shielding the side-exit exhaust system. A mohair hood and detachable side screens provided weather protection, and, as twin fuel tanks and the spare wheel occupied the boot space, a luggage rack was provided on the tail. The 3.4-litre XK engine remained pretty much to racing specification, producing around 250bhp, which, in a car weighing just 18cwt (914kg), made for electrifying performance. Production commenced during the winter of 1956, but the loss of a number of bodyshells in the fire at the Brown's Lane works in February 1957 severely curtailed the XK SS programme, with the result that only 16 had been made when production ceased in November of that year.
Testing an XK SS in 1957, the esteemed American motoring journal Road & Track recorded figures of 5.2 seconds and 13.6 seconds for the 0-60mph and 0-100mph times respectively, which are none too shabby even by today's standards. With an estimated top speed in excess of 150mph, the XK SS remained the fastest catalogued Jaguar sports car for many years.
Like many other legendary sports cars, the Jaguar XK SS inspired a number of imitations. An acknowledged master in this highly specialised field is the Sussex-based firm of Lynx Engineering, which enjoys an international reputation for accuracy and quality second to none. The car we offer is the third chassis manufactured by Lynx and the first of the exclusive series of only nine such replicas built to Jaguar XK SS specification (see email correspondence on file from Lynx and the company's co-founder Chris Keith-Lucas). Its history is known from new; indeed, this XK SS served as Chris Keith-Lucas's wedding car!
Built in the late 1980s, this XK SS takes its identity from a 1967 Jaguar E-Type, chassis number '1E1944', which was registered in the UK as 'PEH 670F'. Of riveted aluminium sheet, the coachwork conforms to the original method of construction. Unlike the original, however, the Lynx XK SS is powered by a larger, 3.8-litre XK six fitted with triple-Weber induction and a stainless-steel sports exhaust system. (Its original engine was a 4.2-litre XK unit taken from a Series 1½ E-Type.) Finished in British Racing Green, the car also features competition wheels and a nicely patinated black leather interior.
Previously owned by Roland Urban, founder of the French Jaguar Drivers' Club, the XK SS was completely overhauled in the early/mid-2000s and was purchased by the current vendor in 2008. In 2009 the engine was overhauled by Paris-based Cecil Cars, while earlier this year the car received new tyres and the carburetion system was overhauled as part of a general check over (see invoice on file for €4,617 from Prestige Garage in Vence, South of France). Offering breathtaking performance with classic Jaguar style, this beautifully executed XK SS re-creation comes with valid French Carte Grise.
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]
Bonhams : the Zoute Sale
Estimated : € 150.000 - 200.000
Sold for € 161.000
Zoute Grand Prix 2019
Knokke - Zoute
België - Belgium
October 2019
Few sports cars have proved as versatile as Porsche's perennial 911, a model that, for the past 50 years, has proved equally capable as a Grand Tourer, circuit racer or rally car. A 'modern classic' if ever there was one, the 911 first appeared at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show as the '901', but shortly after production proper commenced in 1964 had become the '911' following Peugeot's complaints about the use of '0' model numbers. The preceding Type 356's rear-engined layout was retained but the 911 switched to unitary construction for the bodyshell and dropped the 356's VW-based suspension in favour of a more modern McPherson strut and trailing arm arrangement. In its first incarnation, Porsche's single-overhead-camshaft, air-cooled flat six engine displaced 1,991cc and produced 130bhp; progressively enlarged and developed, it would eventually grow to more than 3.0 litres and, in turbo-charged form, put out well over 300 horsepower.
This desirable 1st Series (pre-A Programme) Porsche 911 was delivered new on 14th October 1965 to P.C. Southwest in San Antonio, USA as confirmed by its accompanying Porsche Certificate of Authenticity. Chassis number '302577' is one of the early, short-wheelbase cars of the type much favoured by the historic rallying fraternity, a situation that has led to unmodified examples such as this one becoming a great rarity and consequently much in demand.
In 2006 the car was brought back to Germany and in 2015 was bought by the current vendor, a Porsche collector, who commissioned a full restoration with no corners cut. Undertaken by Dutch specialists, the rebuild took two years to complete and was photographically documented (see history file). This restoration included a full engine and gearbox rebuild, a six-coat re-spray in the original Aga Blue livery, re-chroming of the brightwork, a new interior in Pepita, and an overhaul of the instruments. The body restoration was carried out by Garage Houwers of Winterswijk, while the matching engine and gearbox were rebuilt by Koban Tuning of Lichtenvoorde, Holland. Closest attention to detail was taken to bring everything back to original specification, even down to the tinted windows and the original Blaupunkt radio. In total, some €140,000 were spent to return the car to the almost 'as new' condition it is presented in today, with many invoices available. Only some 100 kilometres have been covered since the restoration's completion and this beautiful Porsche 911 is presented in commensurately excellent condition. Indeed, in 2019 at Techno Classica, Essen this car's fine quality was recognised by a concours award from the organisers, SIHA (trophy included in sale). The car is offered with its Porsche Certificate of Authenticity confirming 'matching numbers', German registration papers and the aforementioned restoration records.
In 2006 the car was brought back to Germany and in 2015 was bought by the current vendor, a Porsche collector, who commissioned a full restoration with no corners cut. Undertaken by Dutch specialists, the rebuild took two years to complete and was photographically documented (see history file). This restoration included a full engine and gearbox rebuild, a six-coat re-spray in the original Aga Blue livery, re-chroming of the brightwork, a new interior in Pepita, and an overhaul of the instruments. The body restoration was carried out by Garage Houwers of Winterswijk, while the matching engine and gearbox were rebuilt by Koban Tuning of Lichtenvoorde, Holland. Closest attention to detail was taken to bring everything back to original specification, even down to the tinted windows and the original Blaupunkt radio. In total, some €140,000 were spent to return the car to the almost 'as new' condition it is presented in today, with many invoices available. Only some 100 kilometres have been covered since the restoration's completion and this beautiful Porsche 911 is presented in commensurately excellent condition. Indeed, in 2019 at Techno Classica, Essen this car's fine quality was recognised by a concours award from the organisers, SIHA (trophy included in sale). The car is offered with its Porsche Certificate of Authenticity confirming 'matching numbers', German registration papers and the aforementioned restoration records.