Monthly Archives: June 2012

Harald’s TOJ – Lotus Europa Turbo

Today’s post is the last of the present series of Group 5 Lotus racing cars, featuring the unique Lotus Europa Turbo driven by Austrian Harald Ertl.

Lotus Europa Turbo

(Photographer / Copyright Holder Unknown, photo will be credited or removed by request.)

Harald Ertl was a motoring journalist and broadcaster and considered a ‘gentleman’ racer who in the late 1970’s reached Formula One where he raced with the Hesketh, Ensign and ATS teams.

Harald much more successful driving saloon / sedan cars being crowned Deutsche Rennsport Meister (German Racing Champion) in 1978 driving a BMW 320 Turbo.

In 1979 Harald was contracted to drive a Ford Capri for Zakspeed Racing and during this time it appears he took on the Lotus Europa Turbo project on his own initiative.

Unlike the Group 5 Ark Racing Lotus Elan and Morfe Racing Esprit of Richard Jenvey Harald’s Europa used a chassis from a TOJ sports car to which was attached a small piece of a Lotus Europa chassis in order to comply with the Group 5 unlimited lightening of the original chassis rule.

Harald fitted a Zakspeed Turbo motor sourced from the Zakspeed Capri programme and the semblance of a Lotus Europa body on steroids.

The Europa Turbo’s first race was the 1979 Nurburgring 1000 kms where the car entered by Zakspeed Racing qualified 19th a distant third in class and failed to finish after electrical problems.

The Europa started at least 4 more races in 1979 with Harald scoring a best 6th place finish in an Interserie race at Hockenheim where the car is probably seen in the photo above.

Mario Ketterer, entered by the Immo Klein Racing team, drove the Europa Turbo at its last ‘in period’ appearance in the DRM Nurburgring Super Sprint. Mario qualified 6th, Ertl was on pole, failed to finish. This unique car has been seen competing in historic events in recent years.

After scoring several class victories driving his Zakspeed Ford Capri in 1979 and 1980 Harald Ertl was killed in a plane crash piloted by his brother in law in 1982 aged 33.

Thanks for joining me on this “Harald’s TOJ” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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When is a Ferrari a FIAT ? – FIAT Dino Spider

For 1966 the second tier open wheel Formula 2 regulations called for an engine size of up to 2 litres / 122 cui with a maximum of 6 cylinders based on a stock block of which at least 5,000 copies had been manufactured.

FIAT Dino, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

Ferrari had an engine of the requisite size and number of cylinders, known as the Dino V6 which had been evolving through sports car and formula one racing since 1957 to win the 1958 and 1961 World Drivers Championships and even the 1965 European Hillclimb Championship.

FIAT Dino, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

However Ferrari had not come close to manufacturing 5000 of any model at the time and so a deal was struck with FIAT to manufacture the FIAT Dino in sufficient quantities to meet the 5000 unit regulation required for Formula 2 homologation. In 1966 the FIAT Dino was launched as an open top spider with bodywork by Pininfarina, using a 158 hp 2 litre / 122 cui Dino V6 to power it. A coupé version was launched in 1967. Interestingly FIAT insisted on producing the Dino V6 engines in Turin to ensure there were no breaks in the supply, which was against plans envisaged by Enzo Ferrari who hoped to build the engines at Maranello.

FIAT Dino, Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

The 1967 model, seen here at last years Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival, has belonged to the same owner since 1979, it’s motor was rebuilt in 2007 and according to it’s owner last year it had it’s distributor rebuilt and water pump replaced. Production of the 2 litre FIAT Dino was halted in 1969 and replaced by a larger variation which I’ll be featuring in two weeks.

Thanks for joining me on this “When is a Ferrari a FIAT ?” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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The Compact With The Split Personality – Dodge Dart Swinger

The sales brochure for the 1972 Dart Swinger – “The compact with the split personality” makes for some interesting reading.

Dodge Dart Swinger, Shakespeare County Raceway

“1972 Dart Swinger. The car that’s at home both in the city and on the freeways. It’s compact and nimble enough to give you a fighting chance in downtown traffic and to get you into tight parking spaces.”

Dodge Dart Swinger, Shakespeare County Raceway

Careful inspection of the drivers side of today’s featured model, seen at Shakespeare County Raceway, reveals many indentations caused, according to it’s owner, by a li’l old lady who had difficulty getting in and out of her driveway in San Francisco. This 1972 Swinger is fitted with the optional larger 5211 cc / 318 cui V8 which the sales literature described as “easily up for passing”.

Dodge Dart Swinger, Shakespeare County Raceway

The Swinger name was first applied to all forth generation Dart two door hardtops except the top end Custom line in 1970. Choosing a hip name for a model is fraught with pitfalls especially when that name becomes subverted through the activities of a sub culture. I wonder what howlers are being manufactured today that future generations might find so amusing ? If you have any suggestions please chime in below.

Dodge Dart Swinger, Shakespeare County Raceway

The boot / trunk is described as big enough to carry ” three men’s overnight suitcases, a two-suiter, three lady’s overnighters, a lady’s Pullman case, her warddrobe bag, a train case and your golf clubs.” Considerably more than might fit in my Mk 4 Golf Estate / station wagon even with the seats folded down ! I wonder how many Swingers ever carried so much baggage ?

Thanks for joining me on this “The Compact With The Split Personality” edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Stunning Seicento – Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam

Anyone one heading east along the A412 Uxbridge Road in to Rickmansworth would be forgiven for missing Fairway Tyres located in a building set back from the road with a forecourt.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

It turns out this building is called Tornado House recalling Tornado Cars Ltd which once employed up to sixty people to manufacture around 600 sports cars from 1957 to 1964 that were marked under the Typhoon, Tempest, Thunderbolt and Talisman names.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

Tornado went into liquidation in 1964 it would appear just after the introduction of a hot GT version of the FIAT 600D known as the Tornado FIAT 600D GT.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

Around two and a half million FIAT (Seicento) 600D’s were manufactured between 1955 and 1969, powered by a water cooled straight 4 cylinder motor giving either 21 hp or 29 hp according to size, which lent itself to easy tuning with upgrades available from the likes of Carl Abarth.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

The FIAT 600D, which sold for 590,000 lire new was also manufactured in Barcelona, Spain where it was marketed as the SEAT ( pronounced c @ ) 600, Kragujevac, in what is now Serbia where it was marketed as the Zastava 750.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

As of 2011 it was thought only 65 road legal Seicento’s remain in the UK.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

One of the Tornado FIAT 600D GT’s was acquired by David Render in 1965, readers, of the Lotus 76 and Lotus 77 posts, may remember that David was friends with Colin Chapman of Lotus Cars who suggested and arranged for Davids Tornado FIAT 600D to be fitted ….

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

… with a full blown Lotus Twin Cam motor normally found in the Lotus Cortina and Lotus Elan.

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

With over 100 hp on tap David’s little Tornado FIAT 600D GT became a pocket rocket…

Tornado FIAT 600D GT Lotus Twin Cam, Middle Barton Garage

with which he estimates he won over 50 trophies in the period he owned it. David’s car is seen here at the recent Middle Barton Garages silver jubilee celebration.

Please note Tornado Cars Ltd of Rickmansworth is not to be confused with Tornado Sports Cars of Kidderminster.

Thanks for joining me on this “Stunning Seicento” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”. I hope you will join me for Americana Thursday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Sunday Morning Lotus Hunting – Prescott

Apologies to readers of the regular Tuesday MG blogs which will return next week. On Sunday I attended the Speed Hill Climb at Prescott in search of a couple of Lotus models for Saturdays Lotus blogs.

GSM Delta Ford, Prescott

On arrival in the paddock I found much more than I bargained for, this GSM Delta Ford will feature in a forthcoming blog thanks to the owner Clive Scott who told me all about the car and his families involvement with it’s manufacture. Clive finished the day forth in a class of 15.

Ginetta G12 Zetec, Prescott

For a moment I thought this Ginetta G12 might be yet another car once owned by David Render, but Nick Stephens told me that this was not the case with his Ford Zetec powered example.

Maguire Mini Cooper S, Prescott

Derek Kessell has owned this Maguire Mini Cooper S for 24 years, it has never been raced and only ever used on hillclimbs. It was originally built with a Mini Clubman estate / station wagon body.

Force Empire DS600 Suzuki, Prescott

The tyres on Bill Chaplin’s Force Empire DS600 Suzuki show how tricky the conditions at Prescott were on Sunday Morning, full wets on the front and intermediates on the back, notice also a wild array of tweaked aerodynamic appendages that would not look out of place on a Formula One Car which helped Bill claim third fastest time in a class of 12.

OMS Hornet Suzuki, Prescott

Tina Hawkes driving her OMS Hornet Suzuki turned around her third fastest timed run in the lottery morning conditions, seen here, to a fastest time in class in the dry afternoon run.

Kayne Special III, Prescott

Last week I received an e-mail from John Biggs owner of the Kayne Special III, above, asking if I could put him in touch with Colin Cooper who built the car. When I met John on Sunday he told me that Colin had come to visit Prescott on Saturday and that they had a long chat about the car.

Pardon Hill House, Prescott

I know this is not a property blog, BUT, Pardon Hill House just has to be one of the most desirable properties on the planet for any motorsport enthusiast. You can see the Prescott Hill Climb course right in front of you from the benches right outside the back gate. Here’s hoping my lottery numbers come up before it is too late !

Chevron B47, Prescott

In the wake of the successful Lotus 79 in 1978 almost all open wheel cars the following season were built to take advantage of ground effects with varying degrees of success. Future Ferrari and Mclaren F1 driver Stephan Johansson was one of several drivers who started the 1979 with a Chevron B47, quite possibly the one in the photo above, but switched before long to the more successful March chassis on his way to claiming 4th spot in the 1979 British Formula 3 championship. Chris Bentley Jones who drove the car on Sunday claimed third fastest time in class.

Pilbeam MP97 Judd, Prescott

Sandra Tomlin, above, managed to avoid the wooden spoon in class and pip her son Oliver with whom she shares the wheel of the Pilbeam MP97 Judd.

Lotus 51A Ford, Prescott

I received a tip off last week that a couple of Lotus 51’s would be at Prescott like the won driven by Briony Serrell above, Brioney finished with 5th best time in a class of 13.

Lotus 51A, Prescott

Martin Tippet’s Lotus 51 was suffering from electrical issues and he could only manage 8th best time in class.

Lotus 61 Ford, Prescott

My thanks to Les Buck who is seen driving his Lotus 61 above, finished forth in class, for tipping me off last week at Brooklands that this event was taking place.

OMS CF06 Powertec SBD, Prescott

The two rounds of the Midland Hillclimb Championship main event were convincingly dominated by championship leader Trevor Wills driving the #3 OMS CFO6 Powertec SBD seen above.

Jaguar XK140, Prescott

Finally just as I was leaving a couple of dozen Jaguar XK’s appeared, including this 1956 XK 140, fitted with easy to clean steel wheels, which reminded me that GALPOT regular Geoffrey Horton would soon be getting up to compete in a Concours event in California with his own example of the model.

Further information on the timing results for this event can be found on Roger Warren’s excellent Resultsman website.

Thanks for joining me on this “Sunday Morning Lotus Hunting” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an extraordinary FIAT 600. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Dick Mayo Sprint – Castle Combe

Another weekend another hectic schedule, on Saturday I spent the day marshaling at Castle Combe for the Dick Mayo Sprint run by the Bristol Motor Club (BMC), returning a favour when Zoe Tooth of the BMC kindly sat took the passenger seat when I tried to defend my Cross Trophy some months ago.

I was paired up with Richard, a new BMC member, to look after the marshals post on the inside of Old Paddock Bend on what turned out to be a windy but mercifully mostly dry day. Since I was the senior marshal on the post with a novice and there was only two of us, there was no opportunity to ‘stand down’ and take any photo’s of the on track action. During the lunch break, after a delicious sweet and sour pork with rice and chips, I managed to make a quick tour of the paddock to take a few snaps with my mobile phone.

RAY GR095, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

Of the open wheelers only the Formula Ford spec #24 RAY GR095 of Paul Jevons was not covered against the elements, given that Pauls Ray was the only open wheeler running on treaded tyres, without any aerodynamic down force and probably the least horsepower it is perhaps not surprising he finished last in the F2 Racing Car Class.

Porsche 914/6, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

Porsche Club GB were present in force at the Dick Mayo Sprint the stand out example of the marque being the #59 Porsche 914/6 belonging to Wayne Eason running a 3 litre / 183 cui flat 6 in the 161 to 205 bhp class, despite what ought to be superior handling of it’s mid engine layout Wayne’s 914/6 was beaten by the two rear engine 911 variants running in his class.

Lotus 2-Eleven, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

Amongst many Caterham 7’s and Lotus Elise variations the whistling supercharged, Lotus 2-Eleven track day car of fellow Bristol Pegasus Motor Club (BPMC) member James Spear stood out out as a novelty, James came third in the 12 strong Road Going Specialist Production Cars Class behind a Noble and a Westfield (Caterhan 7 look a like).

GTD, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

Running in the same class and coming 5th, as James, was yet another fellow BPMC member Julian West in his #132 GTD manufactured by GT Developments in Poole Dorset and not to be confused with the Tornado TSC GT40 replicas which are built in Kidderminster.

Caterham Roadsport, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

The Gold Leaf Team Lotus tribute liveried #143 Caterham 7 Roadsport, above, of Chris Bennet came in 5th in the smaller capacity Road Going Specialist Production Cars Class.

Jaguar E-Type, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

Porsche Club GB member Paul Kenelly ran his 1962 #148 Jaguar E-type coupé in the largest engine capacity class of the four Roadgoing Series Production classes finishing with the 9th best time from 10 in his class.

Morgan 3 Wheeler, Dick Mayo Sprint, Castle Combe

Terry Graves driving a Gould managed to record fastest time of the day, as the final runners came out rain made the track so damp the last competitor manged a time that was a full minute and more slower than the best time of the day, ironically by the time Richard and I had put our extinguishers out on the track ready for collection and jumped in his Subaru and returned to the paddock the sun was out and the track was dry ! Above the Morgan 3 wheeler drew a lot of attention in the paddock as it arrived to be put on show for the following days BMC Family Clubs Day, which I will feature next Sunday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Dick Mayo Sprint” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Double Twelve – Brooklands

Last Sunday I was spoiled for choice of interesting events to attend and opted for going to Brooklands where the Double Twelve event was billed as the biggest motoring competition held at the World’s oldest circuit since 1939. Unfortunately I missed the speed trials which were held on Saturday but I did catch the Driving Concours on Sunday.

Hupmobile Eight, Brooklands Double Twelve

As ever, when I visit Brooklands,I probably learned more on Sunday than I had forgotten in a life time. Among many cars I had either never seen let alone heard of was this Hupmobile Eight in the car park.

ALFA Romeo, 1750 Berlinetta Prototype, Brooklands, Double Twelve

This ALFA Romeo, looks like a anorexic “Montreal” but in fact is a 1968 “1750 Berlinetta” a road registered prototype driven here by Corrado Lopresto, one of several ALFA Romeo Prototypes present and one of numerous cars that had been brought over from Italy for the Double 12.

AC Bristol, Greyhound, Brooklands, Double Twelve

A Bristol powered AC Greyound cost 25% more than a Shelby American Cobra when it was manufactured, this 1963 example is one of 82 built between 1958 and 1964 and features a sunroof fitted new by the Allard Motor Company.

Lagonda 2 litre, Brooklands, Double Twelve

Martin Tinsley driving the 1932 2 litre Lagonda, above, demonstrates it’s impressive turning circle on one of the driving tests.

Mercedes Benz, 230, Brooklands, Double Twelve

Another vehicle that had come all the way from Italy was the Mercedes 230, above, driven by Massimo Delbo who won the Mercedes Benz Pre and Post War Sports and Touring Cars class of the Driving Concours.

Hotchkiss Brandt M201 JEEP, Brooklands, Double Twelve

Looks like a Willy’s JEEP from the good ol’ USA and was billed as a WWII Jeep, but in fact this M201 was built under license by Hotchkiss Brandt in 1957 for a contract from the French Military. If you would like to own this vehicle it is the prize in a Raffle organised by the War and Peace Show more details on this link. I now have tickets to win a Morgan, a Triumph and a JEEP, one day I just have to get lucky !

Lotus 61, Brooklands, Double Twelve

The first time I took a photo of Les Buck’s Lotus 61 it was tipping down at Prescott the photo was so blurry all I could make out was that the car was yellow and green. Les told me he plans to be out at Prescott today so weather permitting I’ll have a second crack at getting a photo of the car in action.

MG Super Sport, Brooklands, Double Twelve

With my recent run of Tuesday MG blogs it was a thrill and a surprise to stumble across the oldest MG known to exist this MG Super Sports dates back to 8th January 1925 and during the ’39-’45 war was converted to a hay-mower !

Sinclair C5, Brooklands, Double Twelve

Restricted to a top speed of 15 mph, in order not to be categorised as a motor vehicle on British roads, the Sinclair C5 was a hybrid powered by an electric motor or pedal power. Despite being launched with the aid of Stirling Moss, in 1985, it was the object of much derision with a lamentable performance climbing hills. I suspect this model may have a turbo conversion with 24v electrics because it effortlessly whistled up the Test Hill without the aid of pedal power and appeared to be traveling well over 15 mph.

Rolls Royce, Handlye Special, Brooklands, Double Twelve

At the other end of power spectrum was the Rolls Royce Merlin / Meteor powered 27 litre / 1650 cui Handlye Special, built and driven by Robin Beech, which by virtue of laying a single 20 yard black stripe at the bottom of the Test Hill got my vote for the “Gettin’ a li’l Psycho on Tyres” award !

DB HBR5, Rolls Royce, Brooklands, Double Twelve

The ‘Deutsch Bonnet’ DB HBR5 Coupé belonging to Derek Fritz came third in it’s class of the Driving Concours event a car I shall cover in greater detail in a future Wednesday Continental Curiosity blog.

Fraser Nash TT Replica, Brooklands, Double Twelve

Overall winner of the Driving Concours was Andrew Hall in the 1935 Fraser Nash TT Replica, not to be confused with being a replica of a 1935 car, Andrew can be seen in the passenger seat receiving the trophy a Brooklands Screen mounted on hefty chunck of the Brooklands Track.

Thanks for joining me on this “Double Twelve” edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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