Monthly Archives: December 2013

Short Sword – Lamborghini Jarama S

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When Lamborghini found their Islero model would no longer meet US safety and emissions regulations mandated from 1970 they used the opportunity to develop today’s featured model the Jarama.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

The Jarama sports Coupé was designed around a shortened Lamborghini Espada platform.

02 Lamborghini Jarama S 6208sc

The bodywork was designed by Marcello Gandini working for Bertone.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

Interestingly the headlight covers do not pop up but instead fold down into a recess below the light units.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

Like the Espada the original incarnation of the Jarama was powered by the same 350 hp version of the 4 litre / 244 cui Lamborghini V12 motor.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

From some angles the Jarama looks similar to another Gandini design, the slightly less aggressive ISO Lele which was launched the year before the Jarama in 1969.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

In 1973 revisions were introduced which included a 365 hp version of the V12 and options including removable roof panels, power steering, automatic transmission were available with the model now known as the Jarama S.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

The Jarama name was not taken from the race track outside Madrid, rather the Jarama Bull fighting region.

Lamborghini Jarama S. Auto Italia, Brooklands

From 1970 to 1973 Lamborghini built 176 original variants of the Jarama and from 1973 to 1976 152 Jarama S models as seen in these photograph’s taken at last years Auto Italia held at Brooklands.

Thanks for joining me on this Short Sword edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Pikes Peak Special. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Badge Transformation – Morris 1/2 Ton Pickup

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The design for today’s 1972 (Nineteen seventy two) Morris 1/2 ton pick up, seen at a recent Avenue Driver Club meeting, dates back to the original incarnation of the Austin Cambridge which in A40 guise first saw the light of day in 1954.

Morris 1/2 ton Pickup, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The Cambridge was updated in 1954 when it became the Austin A50 Cambridge and again in 1957 to become the Austin A55 Cambridge which stayed in production until the arrival of the Austin A55 Cambridge Mark II fitted with an all new Farina (as in Pinin) body.

Morris 1/2 ton Pickup, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The Austin Cambridge 1/2 ton pickup was first marketed in 1957 with the latest A55 panels incorporated into the cab with a 4 cylinder 51 hp B Series motor.

Morris 1/2 ton Pickup, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

From 1962 the Pickup was fitted with a unique to type grill and the 61 hp B Series motor from the Farina A60 Cambridge launched in 1961, and Australian spec A55 Cambridge Mk II which was launched in 1959. 1962 also saw the first of these vehicles marketed with the Morris name.

Morris 1/2 ton Pickup, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The Austin variant of the 1/2 ton pickup was dropped after Austin and Morris part of the British Motor Corporation was further merged with Leyland to become British Leyland in 1968. While the Morris variant continued in production until 1973. Despite having no further significant upgrades since 1962 the Morris 1/2 ton was still marketed with a “New, Tough and Versatile” strap line as late as 1968 !

Thanks for joining me on this “Badge Transformation” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me tomorrow for a look at a Lamborghini Jarama. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Bow Tie Or Oval – ISO Grifo Series 2

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Today’s featured car, seen at Silverstone Classic a couple of years ago, is a 1972 ISO Grifo Series 2 with the half hooded head lights that were first seen in 1970.

Iso Grifo, Silverstone Classic

1972 saw the Grifo offered with a 7.4 litre / 454 cui Chevrolet V8 known as the CAN Am, newly introduced 5.8 litre / 351 cui Ford Boss V8 known as the IR8, or the 5.4 litre / 327 cui small block Chevrolet V8. The records lodged with the licensing authorities for this car and the absence of a large pagoda intake on the bonnet show that this car has a Bow Tie (Chevrolet) under the bonnet.

Iso Grifo, Silverstone Classic

I don’t recall seeing any other car with a vented fuel cap cover before. By 1972 the oil crisis was beginning to emerge with the price of fuel rocketing tough trading conditions for manufacturers of large motorcars began to set in.

Iso Grifo, Silverstone Classic

But as we shall see in the coming weeks that did not stop ISO Rivolta introducing two updated models during the course of the year in which the production of the ISO Grifo CAN Am was halted.

Iso Grifo, Silverstone Classic

I am reasonably certain the rear lights of all Grifo models were sourced from the ALFA Romeo Junior / GTV parts bin, if you know this for a fact please do not hesitate to chip in below.

Iso Grifo, Silverstone Classic

By all accounts the French sourced electric windows could be a little temperamental and the factory being aware of this thoughtfully provided a little crank which when inserted into small hole in the door panel would allow one to crank open or close the window as required. If only manufacturers were so thoughtful today !

Iso Grifo, Silverstone Classic

The with a Giotto Bizzarrini designed chassis and Marcello Gandini, working for Bertone, body the Series I Grifos are considered classics, the 78 Series II cars with the half hidden headlights are considered timeless.

Thanks for joining me on this “Bow Tie or Oval” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Morris Pickup. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Lower Cleaner – Lola Chevrolet T330 #HU4

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The 1973 Formula 5000 season which played out in three championships across three continents saw winning cars produced by four different manufacturers namely Chevron, McRae, Trojan and Lola. It was the last named that won most of the races in all three series with their T330 model, a lower and cleaner version of the 1972 T300, like chassis #HU4 featured today which took part in all three series.

Lola T330, Michigan International Speedway

(Photo Copyright Mark Windecker 1973)

According to Old Racing Cars.com chassis #HU4 was first raced at Surfers Paradise in the fourth round of the Tasman Series by Gary Campbell where he retired with an overheating motor. Gary crashed during practice for the next race at Warwick Farm and the car was then bought by Australian Bobby Muir who repaired it and took it to Riverside, where Chuck Jones and Jerry Eisert became co entrants with Bobby for the first round of the US L&M Formula 5000 championship.

Bobby’s best result was a 10th at Riverside after which followed a string of five retirements until Road Atlanta where Bobby crashed in practice and failed to take the start. The photo’s by Mark Windecker show #HU4 and Bobby sitting in it at Michigan International Speedway.

Bob Muir, Lola T330, Michigan International Speedway

(Photo Copyright Mark Windecker 1973)

After missing Pocono #HU4 was entered into the final US race of the season at Seattle by Chuck and Jerry for Clay Regazzoni who was about to transition from BRM to back to the Ferrari formula one Team. As this linked picture show’s the #74 had a new nose with a single full width wing mounted above it, an idea Ferrari had first used at the 1973 Italian Grand Prix three weeks earlier. #HU4 was also fitted with larger radiators requiring deeper ducts at the request of engine builder Ron Armstrong.

Clay Regazzoni, Lola T330, Brands Hatch

(Photo Chuck Jones Collection)

Clay retired in Seattle, but that did not prevent the Jones Eisert team from sending the #HU4 to Brands Hatch for the final race of the Rothmans European Formula 5000 championship where these two photograph’s from Chuck Jones Collection show Clay, who finished 12th, at the wheel.

Clay Regazzoni, Lola T330, Brands Hatch

(Photo Chuck Jones Collection)

In December 1973 AW Brown acquired #HU4 and ran if four Damien Magee in the 1974 European Formula 5000 Championship until the engine blew at Zandvoort and the team was disbanded. Damien scored #HU4’s all time best result a 4th place finish in the series second visit to Brands Hatch. Damien finished the season driving a 1973 Trojan #T101 chassis #T101-105.

#HU4 does not appear to have raced again until it started appearing in Historic Events in 2001. When I finally get around to looking for cars for the GALPOT Museum high on my list of cars to purchase will be #HU4 in it’s funky #74 orange Jones, Eisert and Regazzoni livery which hit the spot when this 14 year old first laid eyes on it in a magazine.

Chuck Jones and Clay Regazzoni would team up again in 1977 when Chuck was involved with the Ensign Formula One team and Clay was chosen as the driver.

My thanks to Jerry Entin for kindly securing permission for me to use Mark Windecker’s photos from Michigan International Speedway and the photo’s from Chuck Jones Collection taken at Brands Hatch.

Thanks for joining me on this “Lower Cleaner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”. I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another stylish ISO Rivolta. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Salmon Over Metallic Grey – Ferrari 375 MM Ghia Coupé #0476AM

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In 1955 Ghia built the body work for a new Ferrari for the last time, and one might well wonder if this had anything to do with the salmon over metallic grey paint job.

Ferrari 375 MM Ghia Coupé, Blackhawk Museum

Today’s featured Ferrari 375 MM Ghia Coupé chassis #0476AM, photographed by Greoffrey Horton at the Blackhawk Museum earlier this year, is not only the last Ghia bodied Ferrari it is also the only Ghia bodied 375 MM chassis making it unique among the 23 street and racing versions of 375 MM.

Ferrari 375 MM Ghia Coupé, Blackhawk Museum

This particular car was shown at the 1955 Turin Motor and New York Auto shows before it found a home with a family in Milwaukee, WI. By 1970 #0476AM had recorded just 12,000 miles, four years later it was sold to a Milwaukee doctor who kept the car for 10 years.

Ferrari 375 MM Ghia Coupé, Blackhawk Museum

In 1984 #0426AM appeared in the Blackhawk Museum for a couple of years before going on a sojourn to Switzerland which lasted at least until December 2002 when the car failed to sell at auction. I am not entirely sure when #0426AM returned to the Blackhawk Museum, if you happen to know please do not hesitate to chip in below.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton once again for saving Ferrari Friday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Salmon Over Metallic Grey” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an open wheel Formula 5000 car. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Hold The Rocker Panel Stripes – Ford GT40 Mk 1 #GT40 P/1034

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In order for Ford to meet the mandatory minimum 50 production number for it to be able to race, Ford sold at least four of it’s Mk1 GT40’s for road use with a minimum of primarily luxury modifications which included, interior carpeting, non-perforated leather seats, and leather door pouches, additionally today’s featured car #GT40 P/1034 was also fitted with wing mirrors, a heated rear screen and reversing light’s. Beyond that the car was equipped with a race tuned 380 hp, 289 cu. in. V-8 engine with four Weber 48IDA carburetors, five-speed ZF manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes just like the racers alongside which it was built at Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, England.

Ford GT40, Carmel by the Sea, Concours on the Avenue

This particular car, seen in these photographs by Geoffrey Horton at Carmel by the Sea Concours on the Avenue last year, was ordered by James Fielding, of Gloucester, England painted Pine Green with no stripes on the rocker panels. Fielding was Chairman of Heenan & Froude, the company that manufactured the dynamometers on which the GT40s were tested and P/1034 was the first GT40 to be delivered to a UK customer in March 1966. Fielding used it exclusively as a road car.

Ford GT40, Carmel by the Sea, Concours on the Avenue

Subsequent owners including Paul Weldon and Australian George Parlby raced the car in classic events, Parlby even had the car painted in the colours of the Gulf Oil Company during a rebuild.GT40 specialist and enthusiast Harley E. Cluxton III, of Scottsdale, Arizona acquired #P/1034 at one point and later it went to Germany where Peter Roessler drove it to victory in the Grand Prix of Stuttgart held at the Hockenheimring.

David Bowden, of Queensland, Australia acquired P/1034 in 1999 where it was again frequently successfully raced by the likes of Kevin Bartlett. In 2001 David had the car repainted it’s original Pine Green with a pair of non original silver stripes.

The current owner returned P/1034 to the USA and earlier this year turned down a high bid of $2,150,000 at RM Auctions for this sublime vehicle.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photograph’s of today’s featured Ford GT40.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hold The Rocker Panel Stripes” 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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Test 7 Gordano – Le Jog

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On Saturday afternoon I gathered with a couple of friends from the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club and a few more from the Bristol Motor Club to marshal Test 7 of the 20th Le Jog classic car rally from Lands End to John O’Groats.

Ford Escort TC, Gordano Services, Le Jog

First competitor to arrive at the start area were David Bryan and Ian Humperson in this Escort Twin Cam built up as a replica of a car in which Roger Clark competed in the 1968 RAC Rally. Unfortunately David and Ian declined to take Test 7 as they had a problem with the rear suspension. However they completed the event and won blue ribands in the Touring Trial.

Hennipman/Hennipman, Peugeot 403, Test 7, Gordano, Le Jog

Yellow head lights were from 1939 to 1993 as much a part of French motoring life as Disque Bleu were to the French Café life, so when we saw the car coming above we could be pretty sure it was French and it turned out to be 1960 Peugeot 403 being crewed by Dutchman Pieter and Thijs Hennipman.

Botterill/Marshall, Rover P5B Coupé, Test 7, Gordano, Le Jog

Competitors chose some unlikely if comfortable steeds for this four day event, run in the spirit of pre special stage rallying with plenty of regularity runs, navigation exercises and auto tests as run in the car park at Gordano Services. Above Nigel Botterill and Julian Marshall had one of the more comfortable vehicles in the event in the form of a 1967 Rover P5B Coupé.

Helmbold/Helmbold, Mercedes Benz 280 TE, Test 7, Gordano, Le Jog

The Botterill / Marshall may have been equaled for comfort by the Mercedes Benz 280 T, but Helga and Selina Helmbold had far more space in the boot / trunk than the pair in the Rover. Seeing this vehicle compete complete with roof rails made me wonder if I might be able to use my own car in this event at some point in the not too distant future. Helga and Selina beat a Porsche 944 to finish fourth in class G2 for vehicles built post January 1975.

Baker/Baker, Porsche 911 SC, Test 7, Gordano, Le Jog

The 1978 Martini striped Porsche 911 SC crewed by Micheal and Simon Baker was probably the outright fastest vehicle in the event so it was no surprise to find them winning class G2.

Harris/Joseph, VW Golf GTi, Test 7, Gordano, Le Jog

Simon Harris and Russel Joseph won the G1 class for under 2 litre cars built post January 1975 in their 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk 1 seen above.

Buzzard/Lyne, ALFA Romeo GTV, Test 7, Gordano, Le Jog

Overall winners of the event were Andrew Buzzard and Rob Lyne seen above in their 1967 ALFA Romeo Giulia Sprint GTV.

Schulze/Krey, Talbot Tagora GLS, Gordano Services, Le Jog

Peter Schulze and Micheal Krey probably had the least likely car on the event, it turns out Talbot Togara’s were used in the French Super Tourisieme series back in the early 1980’s. Peter and Krey won an absolute beginners award for their efforts, if you speak German you can read about their adventure on their Alte Franzosen blog.

Botterill/Marshall, Gordano Services, Le Jog

Not only did Nigel Botterill, left and Julian Marshall, right drive an extremely comfortable car but they cut a fine dash by competing in the finest top and tails as if on their way to a wedding. Nigel and Julian kindly left me their unused meal vouchers which went along way to helping Tim and I thaw out from out marshaling duties.

Sandra Wukovich, Gordano Services, Le Jog

Above Sandra Wukovich catches up with some map reading for the camera’s,

Edelhoff/Wukovich, VW Iltis, Gordano Services, Le Jog

Sandra and Stefanie Edelhoff were competing in this 1979 Volkswagen Iltis a factory classic collection replica of a vehicle used in the Paris Dakar Rally the drive train of which formed the basis of for Audi’s adventure into four wheel drive competition in the early 1980’s.

12 Jaguar XK 120 IMG_5349sc

Once the crew’s had completed their navigation, for the next leg of the event in Wales, they headed off into the rain from whence they came. Above Philip Haslam and Peter Fletcher depart for Wales in their Jaguar XK 120.

Thanks for joining me on this “Test 7 Gordano” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a road going Ford GT40. Don’t forget to come back now !

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