Monthly Archives: April 2011

105/115 Series – ALFA Romeo 2000 GTV

The ALFA Romeo 2000 GTV was part of the 105/115 Series Coupés in production from 1963 to 1977, it is thought that 37,459 2000 GTV variations were produced from 1971 to 1976.

The Bertone penned bodywork was built onto to shortened Giulia Berlina floorpan, all 105/115 Series Coupés used four cylinder all alloy twin cam engines, this particular one has the largest 1962 cc / 119 cui motor that came equiped with carburettors and was good for 150 hp.

An undetermined number of 105/115 Series Coupés were assembled near Petoria in South Africa allegedly alongside other knock down kits including Datsun’s.

Date for your diaries Saturday April 16th Bristol City Centre will be hosting the Italian Auto Moto Festival, today’s photo’s as were many others featured here over the last 6 months were taken at this event last year.

E-mail me if your planning to attend it would be great fun to meet up.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s all alloy twin cam edition of ‘Getting a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Body Kit Special – Ferrari 599tc GTB Fiorano

4 Replies

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was introduced in 2006 as the brands two seat flagship.

It was Styled by Pininfarina under the direction of Frank Stephenson who lists the new MINI, BMW X5 and McLaren MP4 -12C in his portfolio.

The 599 GTB is powered by a 612 hp 5999 cc / 366 cui V12 making it the most powerful road car to leave the Ferrari factory.

However for some that is not enough, so far as I can work out, from the silver body kit this example may have had some tuning by the Dutch Novitec Russo company who offer an 800 hp twin supercharger upgrade.

The standard 612 hp car will get from rest to 62 mph in 3.7 secs, reach 100 mph in 7.4 seconds

and 160 mph in 19 seconds.

Top speed for the standard car is 205 mph.

Presumably the ‘tc’ designation on the side of this car indicates this particular vehicle will represent an opportunity to improve on the standard performance figures.

Looking back, from my seat in the peanut gallery, it is hard to believe anybody would want such a car in any colour except Ferrari Russo, but I guess it takes all sorts.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s body kit special edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Rats Nest to Concours – Jaguar XK 140 FHC SE/MC

18 Replies

I’d like to welcome Geoffrey Horton a new contributor to ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’. Geoffrey got in touch with me regarding research on my Carden blog, he is the grandson of George L Ward one half of Ward and Avery who some of my readers from rowdy.com may remember as being responsible for manufacturing the Carden designed AV Monocar.

For 13 years Geoff worked at an apartment complex where every day the 70 year old owner of a silver XK140 FHC/SE had promised Geoff his car.

When the owner died the promised car disappeared, still in shock some weeks later Jeff saw this particular car in the San Francisco Chronicle for $3,000 he did not hesitate to pick up the cash and take a his trailer along with a bottle of Jack Daniels to collect it.

The previous owner of this vehicle told Geoffrey it had been running fine prior to storage for 14 years in a barn. When Geoffrey purchased this car it was a rats nest, they had eaten the interior and were storing dog food in the wool headliner.

The condition of the car as we now see it is the result of a four year body off restoration. Since 1986 the car has won numerous awards at Concours events including Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Carmel by the Sea, Neillo Serrano and SF Presidio.

The car completed on the 21st September 1955 has it’s original engine and gearbox. More information on the XK140 model can be found on the Big Cat in Northern Rhodesia – Jaguar XX 140 FHC blog.

I’d like to thank Geoffrey for taking the time to send me his photo’s and look forward to sharing more of his concours photo’s in the months to come.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s concours edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Integrated Nose – Porsche 944 S2

3 Replies

Porsche introduced the 944 model in 1982, it shared the same platform as the earlier 924 and latter 968 models. The 944 shares similar body revisions, wider wheel arches, of the earlier 924 Carrera GT.

In 1987 the 944 S2 broke new automotive design ground being the first example of a vehicle with an integrated front bumper where the wing and bonnet (fender and hood) blended smoothly with the bumper. This design feature is still much in evidence today.

The 944 S2 was also noted for carrying the largest 4 cylinder motor of it’s day the then brand new 208 hp 3 litre / 183 cui engine was particularly smooth thanks to its counter rotating balance shafts.

Optimum front to rear weight ratio of the 924/944/968 design was achieved by placing the gearbox directly in front of the rear axle.

60 mph from rest could be reached in 6.6 seconds,

top speed for the 944 S2 was quoted as 150 mph.

My thanks to the Pistonhead who brought this 944 S2 along to the Sunday Service at the BMW plant back in January.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s integrated edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Schoolboy Legend – Triumph Dolomite Sprint

3 Replies

June 1975 was examination month for what we in England used to call ‘ O Levels’ a wretched set of national examinations for 16 year olds to see if they were clever enough to progress on to studying for ‘A levels’ another wretched set of national examinations used to determine if one clever enough to progress to University education.

One of my ‘O Levels’ was in the subject of geography, being ridiculously well travelled it was a subject I found relatively easy. On the morning of my geography examination all those sitting the examination were sat in a large mock Tudor examination hall that also doubled as the chapel and library from time to time if I remember correctly.

At 8:55 am the examination invigilator dressed in the customary university gown over an ill fitting jacket and chalk stained trousers proceeded to read through the list of candidates but there was a problem, Student A first on the list was not present.

As soon as it transpired that Student A had not been seen at morning prayers our geography teacher was summoned and the rest of the attendance register proceeded with out incident. Our geography teacher Mr B was informed of the situation and it became apparent that Student A was still at home some miles away.

At 9 am the Geography examination proceeded as planned and some 15 mins later Student A sheepishly put in an appearance having been collected in Mr B’s cream, might have been white, Triumph Dolomite Sprint and driven poste haste along the country lanes of Surrey into school. The ride into school in Mr B’s Dolomite Sprint was later described by Student A as ‘expletive fast’.

The Triumph Dolomite Sprint; powered by a 127 hp 1998cc /122 cui four cylinder iron block motor with an alloy head that featured 16 valves run off a single overhead cam, possibly the worlds first mass production 16 valve cylinder head, was a direct challenger to the BMW 2002 Tii on performance but at 2/3rds the price.

Performance figures included 0 – 60 mph in 8.4 seconds with a top speed of 119 mph faster than the fuel injected 2002 in acceleration to 60 mph by over 1 second, with a marginally faster top speed.

Of the 22,941 Dolomite Sprints made between 1973 and 1980 this 1979/1980 model is thought to be one of just 1,300 road worthy examples left.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mr B for teaching me some valuable lessons about writing which I try and apply to this blog every day.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s 16 valve edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

RIP Eddie Stobart – Ford Escort RS 1800 Replica

2 Replies