Monthly Archives: August 2014

Prototype Family Restoration – Allard Palm Beach MkII #72/7000Z

At the 1956 Earls Court Motor Show Allard showed today’s featured car, the prototype Palm Beach Mk2, seen in these photo’s displayed by the Allard Owners Club at Silverstone Classic.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

External differences from the original Palm Beach included hidden door hinges and vents behind the front wheels and more comprehensive grill ornamentation.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Internally the four cylinder motor option was dropped and a Jaguar six cylinder was available to complement the base models 120 hp Ford Zephyr six cylinder motor as fitted to the prototype.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

In November 1956 today’s featured car was registered for the road and used as a demonstrator and later by Allard Motor Companies Brian Howard. In 1969 it was sold to the Hemsworth family where it remained until 2012.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

The car, one of just six MkII’s built upt o 1958, was offered for restoration to Sidney Allards son Alan and grandson Lloyd having not turned a wheel since 1976 and being kept outside for several years.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Two years on and the restoration of the aluminium bodied prototype Palm Beach Mk II is complete with Lloyd Allard having been credited with doing most of the dirty work.

During the restoration a resurrection of Allard has also taken place now known as the Allard Sports Car Company with the initial aim of manufacturing a continuation Mk III Palm Beach and continuation Cadillac powered JR as raced at Le Mans in 1953 and through out the USA in later years.

Thanks for joining me on this “Prototype Family Restoration” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you’ll join me again for bank holiday Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Type Approved – Ginetta G32

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In 1983 Ginetta built a prototype G25 with mid mounted motor taken from a Ford Fiesta which was intended to be a kit car.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Feedback on the G25 indicated that potential owners were more interested in a type approved turn key vehicle and so Ginetta revised the G25 prototype into the type approved G32.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

In 1989 the G32 went into production with a mid mounted motor, initially either a 1.6 litre / 97 cui motor taken from the larger Ford Escort XR3i or a 1.9 litre / 115 cui version enlarged by Specialised Engines.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

The 1990 110hp model, seen here with the Ginetta Owners Club at Silverstone Classic, was quoted by the factory as being capable of reaching 60 mph from rest in 8.2 seconds and with a top speed of 120mph.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Later versions of the G32 included a Turbo option and some have been retro fitted with more modern Ford Zetek motors.

Ginetta G32, Ginetta Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

It is believed around 100 G32 Coupés were built with a further 20 convertibles. Note the tail lights came from the Ford Sierra parts bin.

Thanks for joining me on this “Type Approved” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at a prototype Allard. Don’t forget to come back now !

199 mph Spider – Ferrari 458 Spider

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To complement the Ferrari 458 Italia Berlinetta, first seen in 2009 and to replace the F430 Spider, Ferrari introduced the 458 Spider in 2011.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Mechanically identical to the 458 Italia the Spider can reach 62.2 mph from rest in the same 3.3 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

However the extra aerodynamic drag from the drop top configuration means the 562hp motor can only push the Spider to 199 mph ….

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

… as against the 202 mph capability of the hard top 458 Italia.

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The 458 Spider features an aluminium top, weighing just 25 kgs / 55 lbs, which can be retracted in just 14 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The aluminium retractable top is said to be lighter than the soft top of it’s predecessor the F430 Spider.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

When launched Ferrari were hoping to build up to 2,000 458 Spiders, like the one seen here at Sherborne’s Classics at the Castle, a year.

Thanks for joining me on this “199 mph Spider” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Sales Dipper – DeSoto Firesweep Convertible

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When I first saw today’s featured DeSoto Firesweep Convertible on the lawn outside Goodwood House a couple of months ago my first thought was along the lines of “Wow ! a convertible Batmobile.”

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

This is the first DeSoto I recall ever seeing in the flesh and it would appear to me that Virgil Exner, who was responsible for the ‘forward look’ that graced the Chrysler Corp’s models across the Dodge, Plymouth, DeSoto and Chrysler brands, was himself influenced by the 1955 Lincoln Futura that became the 1965 Batmobile for the Batman TV series.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

1958 Firesweeps were offered with six body options of which the rarest was the convertible with just 700 examples built.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

One of the more interesting items on the 1958 DeSoto Options list, not fitted to this car so far as I know, was a 45rpm Hi Way Hi Fi record player, for which Chrysler also had a list of hits that could be ordered from the dealer.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

In 1957 sales of the Firesweep totaled 40,000 so it must have come as a shock to DeSoto executives when sales of the 1958 Firesweeps with slightly larger and more powerful 5.7 litre / 350 cui 280 hp motors slumped to just 18,000 units.

DeSoto Firesweep, Cartier Affairs of Status, Goodwood Festival of Speed

There are numerous reasons why DeSoto sales slumped including a recession which saw unemployment in Detroit alone rise to 20% in 1958 and the same year also marked the end of the post war baby boom which would see US birth’s in decline for 11 consecutive years.

At the time of writing it appears today’s featured car, thought to be one of just twelve Firesweep convertibles known to remain, is being offered for sale by a dealer in the Netherlands, usual disclaimers, with advice to proceed with caution and plenty of your own research, apply.

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

Quick Transport and Transporter – Mercedes Benz Rennwagen Schnelltransporter and 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

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In 1954 the Mercedes Benz Rennabteilng returned to Grand Prix racing and equiped themselves with a special transporter that was capable of 105 mph.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Most racing car transporters at the time were woefully underpowered and would have struggled to reach 60 mph.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

This is a recreation of the original Schnell Tranporter fitted with the correct type 200 hp 3 litre / 183 cui straight six motor as found in the 300 SL Gullwing Coupés.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Mounting the cab ahead of the motor meant the frontal area of the vehicle was reduced, which aided top speed.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Some of the features of the under chassis design would not look out of place on a 21st century Le Mans Prototype (LMP) racing car.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

I have not seen any contemporary evidence showing that Mercedes Benz advertised the original vehicles top speed on the rear wings / fenders.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Sitting on the back of the Rennwagen Schnell Transporter at this years Goodwood Festival of Speed was a Gullwing Mercedes Benz, but this is not a regular 300 SL Gullwing.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Beneath the 300 SL Gullwing bodywork sits a 1955 300 SLR Roadster chassis complete with competition spec 3 litre fuel injected 8 cylinder motor in place of usual 300 SL six cylinder motor.

Mercedes Benz, Rennwagen Schnelltransporter, 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Known as the Uhlenhaut Coupé this was a vehicle devised by Rudolf Uhlenhaut as a 1956 racing prototype. However after Mercedes Benz withdrew from racing activities in Europe at the end of 1955 one of the two Uhlenhaut Coupés was fitted with a silencer the size of a suit case in order not to breach the peace and used by Rudolf as his daily driver.

Thanks for joining me on this “Quick Transport and Transporter” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a classic DeSoto. Don’t forget to come back now !

Wire Wheeled Voiturette – Bugatti Type 37A #37282

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The Bugatti Type 37 was a 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui 4 cylinder vehicle, first seen in 1926, designed to compete in races run to 1.5 litre Voiturette rules.

Bugatti Type 37A, Bugatti Trust, Prescott

Type 37’s shared a common chassis with the 8 cylinder Type 35 race cars, but were not usually fitted with the distinctive alloy wheels of the 8 cylinder model unless they were supercharged.

Bugatti Type 37A, Bugatti Trust, Prescott

The Voiturette motor could be ordered either normally aspirated which produced around 60hp or with a supercharger which increased the output to 80 or 90 hp depending on how long one needed the motor to last. The 67 supercharged cars, like #37282 seen here at the Bugatti Trust, are known as Type 37As.

Bugatti Type 37A, Bugatti Trust, Prescott

The 290 Type 37s built between 1926 and 1930 cost less than half of the amount of the Type 35, the car seen here was originally supplied to Munich Bugatti dealer Omnia Kraftfahrzeug Handels GmbH for 48,938 French Francs.

Bugatti Type 37A, Bugatti Trust, Prescott

I believe this car may have been raced in the Eifelrennen at the Nurburgring by Richard Fuchs in 1937 a race from which he retired.

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

JK Car Corture – Maserati A6G 54 Frua #2114

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Like Pinin Farina bodied A6G I looked at last week today’s featured Frua bodied A6G is believed to have been shown at the Paris Salon albeit in 1955 rather than ’54.