Monthly Archives: August 2012

Big John’s Return – Ferrari 512M

Today’s featured Ferrari is a 512M replica of the type that I looked at last June.

My research indicates this car appears to be one of at least 2 replica’s built by Bob Houghton in the UK around 1990.

While I was looking into the history of todays featured car I was surprised to learn that 1964 World Champion ‘Big’ John Surtess drove a Ferrari 512S, chassis #1038, in a little remembered return to the Ferrari fold, with Jacky Ickx to finish 2nd in 1970 Spa 1000 kms behind the Porsche 917 driven by Jo Siffert and Brian Redman.

Surtees who became World Champion, driving for Ferrari in 1964, walked out on the team at Le Mans in 1966 after a disagreement over driver arrangements for the 24 hour classic. In the process Surtees threw away a good shot at the 1966 World Championship in which he eventually finished 2nd despite driving an unfancied and unreliable Cooper Maserati for the balance of the 1966 season which had started well with a win for Ferrari in the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix.

Jacky Ickx again drove chassis #1038 on it’s second and final outing at Le Mans in 1970 sharing with Peter Schetty. A single accident in the rain had eliminated four other Ferrari 512S’s and a fifth had dropped out soon after the start. Ickx was in 6th place four hours after the start of the race and climbed all the way up to second around midnight before skidding off at the Ford Chicane killing one marshal injuring a second and writing off the car which was never to be seen again.

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

PS 18 08 12 Thanks to Tim Murray for pointing out that John Surtees won the Belgian Grand Prix driving a Ferrari 1966 not the Monaco Grand Prix as originally stated.

Low Lead 454 – Chevrolet Stingray Corvette (C3)

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Longest running of the Chevrolet Corvette incarnations was the third generation C3 built between 1968 and 1982.

The C3 Corvette took it’s styling cues from the 1965 Mako Shark II Concept Car.

A new feature of the C3 Corvette’s was the T Top removable roof panels, an idea first patented Gordon Buehrig in 1951 for his, unsuccessful, TASCO Sports Car.

The T-Top proved so successful that production of convertible Stingray Corvettes ceased in 1975 and was not revised again until 1986.

For 1971 the engine options were base L48, performance LT1 and ZR1 using the 350 cui 5.7 litre small block and the 454cui / 7.4 litre LS5 and LS6 big block options. With the introduction of low lead fuel in 1971 the LS6 454’s power was detuned from 450 hp as used on the Chevelle SS to 425 hp. I have been unabke to determine if the car in these photo’s taken at last years Goodwood Revival is one of the 188 LS6 powered cars or one of the 5097 365 LS5 powered cars built in 1971.

The absence of “Sting Ray” name plates as used on the C2 Corvettes distinguish 1968 Corvette’s, the single word “Stingray” moniker was used from 1969 until 1976.

The futuristic door entry mechanism replaced with the hitherto ubiquitous release button and door handle combining them into a single recessed unit.

The C3 is said to be the first US car to do away with the side vent window in the door, power window’s were an option for the remaining pain of glass.

Among the 1971 options were white striped tyres at $28 or white lettered tyres at $42, 6,711 and 12,499 vehicles were delivered with these options respectively.

’71 Corvette advertising concluded that “it’s underneath what counts when it comes to performance”.

Despite strikes interrupting production 9,936 Stingray Corvette Coupé’s were manufactured in 1971.

Thanks for joining me on this “Low Lead 454” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Peraluman Zagato – Lancia Fulvia Sport 1.3

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The Lancia Fulvia Sport with an aluminium alloy body designed by Elio Zagato using Lancia Fulvia Coupé running gear was launched in 1965.

Initially Fulvia Sports were powered by an 88hp 1216 cc / 74.2 cui narrow angle, 12°53’28”, V4 with one overhead camshaft operating all the inlet valves and a second operating all the exhaust valves all of which operate in a single cylinder head thanks to the narrow angle of the cylinders.

The longitudinally mounted motor is canted over at 45 degrees from horizontal which allows a low bonnet / hood line. Often wondered if the Fulvia Sport influenced the headlight bezel design of the Datsun 120A-FII.

Today’s featured 1969 Fulvia Sport 1.3 is fitted with an 87hp 1298 cc / 79.2 cui V4 with the cylinder pairs inclined at just 12°45’28”.

Fulvia Sport’s were assembled at Zagato’s factory near Milan using Peraluman, a trade name for a aluminium alloy with up to 5.6% magnesium content which is easier to work and more corrosion resistant than ordinary a aluminium.

FIAT acquired Lancia in 1969 which appears to have led to later Fulvia Sports being fitted with steel bodies and aluminium doors which added overall weight but saved both material and production costs.

Peraluman bodied Fulvia Sports like the one seen here at the recent Simply Italian day at Beaulieu, are most easily distinguished by the small rear light clusters which do not wrap around the rear quarter panel. It is thought somewhere between 600 and 700 Fulvia Sports were manufactured.

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

Camouflaged Origins – MG F-type Magna #F1013

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In 1931 MG introduced the the D-Type and F-Type the former with a four cylinder version of a motor which originated from the Wolseley Hornet. The F Type had a six cylinder engine that used the same four cylinder block with an extra two cylinders added.

MG did it’s best to camouflage the Woleseley origins of the 37hp twin carburetor six cylinder motor with dummy side panels.

Sitting in between the M-type Midget and the 18/80 Six models the 4 seat F-type was considered under powered and under braked when carrying three passengers along with the driver.

This 1932 F-type Magna was taken of the road in 1955 and a ten year restoration was set in motion when a stunt actor acquired it in 1979. Allegedly the actor bought the car after driving an MG J2 while working on the film “Death On The Nile”

A two seater F2 version of the F-type was introduced in 1932 the body of which would be used on the aforementioned J2.

The F-type’s non-synchromesh four speed gearbox was manufactured by ENV. 1250 F-types were built from 1931 until 1932 when the model was replaced by the L-type Magna.

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

TATA Loadbeta TDI

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The Tata Loadbeta TDI, UK market, TL, Mobile, 207 TDi and Telcoline elsewhere, was launched in 1988.

TATA Motors began manufacturing commercial vehicles in 1954, in collaboration with Mercedes Benz until 1969, and has grown to become India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer. In the 1990’s TATA diversified into car MPV and SUV manufacture, initially all sharing some styling similarities to the Loadbeta cab seen here. Since the turn of the Millenium TATA has engaged in collaborations with numerous manufacturers, including Rover which gave birth to the short lived CityRover and acquisitions which have included Jaguar and Land Rover. The last acquisition included the rights to the Lanchester brand.

This 2001 Loadbeta is powered by a 90 hp 4 cylinder Turbo Diesel 1948cc / 118.8cui motor.

Capable of carrying 1000 kgs / 2,200 lbs the load space can easily carry a standard Euro pallet.

Production of the original Loadbeta in two and four wheel drive forms ceased in 2003, three further incarnations of the Tata pickup have appeared since then.

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

Power & Roadholding – Bond Equipe 2 Litre Convertible

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In 1967 Bond expanded it’s range of four wheel vehicles from the hitherto single Triumph Herald based Equipe 4S to include a Triumph Vitesse based Equipe 2 Litre GT.

The following year the chassis was upgraded to the new Mk II Vitesse type which featured improved power and rear suspension leading to the marketing strap line “The New Bond is great on power, great on road holding.”

1968 also saw the launch of the Convertible version of the six cylinder Equipe 2 litre which was marketed like all Equipe’s through Standard Triumph dealerships.

With an envious eye on Bond’s distribution agreement with Standard Triumph, Reliant, manufacturers of Scimitar cars, purchased Bond in 1969 with a view to expanding the distribution of it’s own vehicles. However these plans came to nought in the wake of Triumphs merger into the British Leyland conglomerate which rationalised that the sales of Bond’s alongside Triumphs own products was superfluous.

The 1969 model seen here is one of just 841 convertibles built between 1968 and 1970 when production of all Bond’s in Preston was wound down and the manufacturing facilities closed by their new owners Reliant.

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

Fourth Season Swan Song – Lotus 49C #R6/2 & #R10

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For 1970 Lotus had planned to have the 4 Wheel Drive Lotus 63 ready to challenge for championship honours however even Mario Andretti could not capitalise on any of the cars supposed advantages during 1969 and so the Lotus 49 was updated for a fourth season of competition with 13 inch front wheels to make use of the latest Firestone Tyres as a stop gap while the design and build of the Lotus 72 was finalised.

The car seen above is Lotus #R6/2 the second car to carry the #R6 chassis plate. The first incarnation of #R6 was the first 49 to be built to ‘B’ spec. Unfortunately it was written off by Jackie Oliver during practice for the 1968 French Grand Prix, and in order to make use of existing travel documents the eighth Lotus 49 to be built was given the #R6 chassis plate and is known as #R6/2. Some parts of #R6/1 damaged beyond repair by Oliver are thought to have been used in the replacement #R6/2 seen here, Rob Walkers privately entered 49 #R7, and the #R12 show car built for Ford which was donated to the Donington Museum.

In it’s second incarnation #R6/2 still in high wing ‘B’ spec was used by Graham Hill to win the 1968 Mexican Grand Prix which clinched the 1968 World Championships for Graham and Team Lotus. Graham continued to use #R6/2 in 1969 before the car was given to Jochen Rindt to drive. Jochen scored his first two Grand Prix victories with R6/2 the 1968 US Grand Prix with the car in ‘B’ spec and the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix with the car ‘C’ spec with the low triple plane rear wing that was designed for the Lotus 72. Jochens win at Monaco would be the third consecutive win in the Principality and also the 12th and final Grand Prix win for the Lotus 49 type.

The second Lotus 49C featured today appears to be chassis #R10 which has given me a bit of a mental run around. This car appeared at Goodwood last year in high wing ‘B’ spec.

As you can see from my heavily revised Lotus 49B blog the car started life as Lotus 49 #R5 and for reasons that are not clear the car was renumbered #R10 and sent to the Antipodes for Jochen Rindt to use in the Tasman Series.

Graham Hill used #R10 to win the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix as he had done in 1968 when the car carried the chassis #R5. In 1970 Graham drove #R10 in the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix to fifth place when it was loaned out to the Rob Walker team for whom he was driving.

Emerson Fittipaldi made his first three Grand Prix starts in #R10 towards the end of 1970 scoring a best 4th place finish second time out in the 1970 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

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

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring

Monthly Archives: August 2012

Big John’s Return – Ferrari 512M

Low Lead 454 – Chevrolet Stingray Corvette (C3)

Peraluman Zagato – Lancia Fulvia Sport 1.3

Camouflaged Origins – MG F-type Magna #F1013

TATA Loadbeta TDI

Power & Roadholding – Bond Equipe 2 Litre Convertible

Fourth Season Swan Song – Lotus 49C #R6/2 & #R10