Monthly Archives: February 2011

Under The Skin – Bristol 403

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Continuing the Centenary Celebrations of the Bristol Aeroplane Company which for my part went horribly wrong when I originally identified the car in today’s photographs as a Bristol 401.

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With that error thankfully corrected I am now armed with a Bristol Owners Club Membership and Car List and a Christmas treat to myself recommended by Teb Marius, the excellent ‘Bristol Cars, a very British story‘ by Christopher Balfour to help correctly identify the various Bristol models in future.

Apart from the badging differences and chromed bumper of the 403 detailed in my Bristol 401 blog there is little externally to help tell a 401 apart from a 403.

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Internally however there were many changes between the two models, the 403’s engine ran with larger valves in the cylinder head and larger crankshaft bearings which helped boost the power of the BMW derived engine by 15 hp up to 100 hp. Coupled with improved ‘Alfin’ brakes and an antiroll bar on the front suspension the 403’s performance was much crisper loosing 3 seconds from the standstill to 60 mph acceleration test to record a time of 13.4 seconds.

Just 287 104 mph Bristol 403’s were produced from 1953 to 1955 when the process of separating the Bristol Car Company from the Bristol Aeroplane Company, it’s parent, was getting underway.

Hope you have enjoyed to days ‘Alfin’ arrested edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow for a look at a fabulous drop head Bristol with tail fins. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Hotel California – VW California

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Continuing the California theme started yesterday today we are looking at a VW California.

Production of the Volkswagen T5 Transporter began in 2003, this one is fitted with a 170 hp turbo diesel engine.

In 2001 Mercedes Benz bought out VW’s preferred camper van outfitter Westfalia leading VW to decide to design it’s own camper around the popular Transporter platform. VW call their camper the ‘California’ a name that was first used by Westfalia in connection with a VW camper in 1988.

launched in 2005 the California comes with an electro-hydraulic operated elevating roof, space for two beds, kitchen sink two burner gas hob, fridge and two kitchen cupboards with integrated drawers. Among a long list of options is the VW 4 motion all wheel drive system.

With Ford knocking on Ferrari’s lawyers doors with respect to the use of the F 150 name I wonder if Ferrari will ever be knocking on the VW’s lawyers doors with respect to the California name ?

Unfortunately thanks to a US ‘chicken tax’ on imported light trucks, which the already expensive T5 is classed as, you are not ever likely to see a VW California in the State from which it takes it’s name, the California is so expensive, £40,000 / $64,000 that only around 300 a year are thought to be imported into the UK.

Fancy seeing why the VW T5 is so highly rated in the UK ? Check out these two advert free clips of the T5 going head to head with the A Team van and over a timed run against the a much more powerful 204 hp Brabus (!) Mercedes Vito Sport X.

Hope you have enjoyed a couple of days in the California Sunshine wishing all readers of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ a relaxing weekend, don’t forget to come back now !

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California Dreaming – Ferrari California 2+2 Convertible

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A couple of years ago I was at an airport and I noticed in the duty free area there was a Ferrari on a turntable that was a raffle prize.

I’d never seen one like it before turns out that it was a California, at £25 / $40 a pop for a ticket I passed on what may well have been my only opportunity to own a Ferrari without regret.

Allegedly the California was originally conceived as Maserati, however the economics of the project dictated that only a Ferrari badge offered any hope of a financial return on the vehicle.

Researching this blog I was surprised to find the California introduced in 2008, shares it’s engine design with both ALFA Romeo and Maserati models.

Over 1,000 hours are said to have been spent in a wind tunnel perfecting the aerodynamics of the California so that it’s drag coefficient is 0.32 the lowest ever achieved for any Ferrari.

I have to confess it was not until I had run a registration check on these vehicles that I had any idea of exactly which models they were and indeed they were both the same type, I thought the red one was a 612 Scaglietti !

Allegedly there is room on the back seats for two adults in a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti something at 6′ 2″ I’d love to put to the test.

Even if I had known it comes with a front mounted 450 hp 4.3 litre 260 cui V8 engine I doubt I would have been tempted to buy a raffle ticket….

because for all the attention to detail …

beautiful craftsmanship ….

seven speed dual clutch transmission …

and promise of the joys of open air motoring …

alone price of the road tax on the Ferrari California is enough to keep me on the road for a whole year in my 20 year old jalopy … but that does not stop me from dreaming 🙂

With thanks to the PistonHeads responsible for bringing these dream machines to the Sunday Service at the BMW Plant in Cowley a couple of weeks ago.

Hope you have enjoyed to days California dreaming edition of ‘Gettin a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow for a look at another vehicle bearing the California name. Don’t forget to come back now !

PS Should I have failed to quench your thirst for Ferrari’s take a look at the new Ferrari FF with Michele Rahal over on The Drive Channel.

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Whippin’ up a storm – Tornado TSC GT40

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A couple of years ago I stumbled across this replica GT40 in the paddock at Castle Combe.

This particular replica marketed under the model name TSC GT40 was manufactured by Tornado Sports Cars of Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

Father and son Alan and Andy Sheldon founded Tornado Sports Cars in 1984 to manufacture self assembly vehicles which could be built by enthusiasts using only simple hand tools.

The first self assembly model Tornado manufactured was the M6GT, a replica of Bruce McLarens well known M6GT road car project which was to take a Can Am Championship Winning McLaren M6 and turn it into a closed cockpit road car for the public to buy. Production of the Tornado M6GT ceased in 1992 3 years after the introduction of the incredibly successful TSC GT40 started.

In 1997 Allan Sheldon retired leaving Andy in charge. Amazingly 22 years after it’s introduction the TSC GT40 is still in production with hundreds of kits having been sold in 31 countries.

To my eyes like David Pipers continuation Ferrari P4 the TSC GT40 seems to share rear light cluster designs originating in the humble little FIAT 850.

For further information on the TSC GT40 I recommend visiting the Tornado Sports Cars website which caters for the casual enthusiast like myself and the prospective customer.

Hope you have enjoyed this weeks home built editions of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me for a special two for the price of one edition of Ferrari Friday tomorrow ! Don’t for get to come back now !

PS If you have not had your fix of Fords today try catching up with the latest on the rumoured new Ford GT with Michele Rahal over on the Drive Channel.

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What’s cookin’ ? – DAX Tojeiro

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Continuing the theme of self builds started with the unique scratch built Rhodes Ridley on Monday today we are looking at a DAX Tojeiro.

DJ Sportscars International Ltd under the DAX brand have been building kits replicating the AC Cobra requiring no special tools, welding or Glassfibre Reinforced Plastic work for over 25 years.

Their Tojeiro kits currently marketed under the ‘427’ name can be supplied to take a huge variety of motors small block to big block US V8’s Rover V8’s Jaguar sixes & V12’s, currently DAX have a demonstrator with a 500 hp 8.2 litre 502 cui V8 capable of accelerating from rest to 60 mph in 4 seconds and on to over 180 mph.

After trying one at Brands Hatch ex Formula One driver Jonathon Palmer described the big block Chevy DAX demonstrator as ‘just staggering’ not bad for a vehicle that when complete should comply with Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) standards necessary for registering a vehicle on the road.

Any one interested in finding out more might like to visit Simon Johns DAX factory in Harlow Essex for an open day on Good Friday April 22nd, see link for contact details, if I am in the area I’ll make a point of being there myself.

Thanks to the unknown PistonHead who brought this sinuous vehicle to Januarys Sunday Service at the BMW Plant, Cowley.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s Detroit muscle powered edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again when we up the ante with a whirl wind 427 cui powered kit car. Don’t forget to came back now !

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Special Kit – Lenham Healey ALFA Romeo Special

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Continuing yesterdays ‘one off’ theme today’s photo’s are of what is so far as I know a unique vehicle based on a Lenham Healey kit car. Built to use Austin Healey 100 motor and running gear the original kit vaguely resembled an Allard at the front and a boat tailed Bugatti at the back. The owner of this one installed a twin cam Alfa engine and completely reworked the nose as a homage to 1930s vintage racing ALFA Romeo’s.

I understand that Lenham manufactured a variety of kit cars starting in the 1960’s, the best known of which is probably the Lenham Sprite a Fast back GT fibre glass body built to accept Austin Healey Sprite or MG Midget running gear, they are also well known for making hard tops for Austin, MG and Triumph convertibles.

Lenham also made an outstandingly attractive sports prototype racing car the Lenham P70 in the late 60’s early 70’s which Vincent Mausset’s Darnval Cars brand became involved with the intention of manufacturing a road going variant. Darnval went on to become named entrants of the Connew Grand Prix car featured a couple of months ago.

My thanks to ‘trashbat’ at the ALFA owners forum without whom I might have spent months trying verify the identity of the kit upon which today’s special is based.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s unique special and that you will join me again tomorrow for a look at another home built car. Don’t for get to come back now !

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