Monthly Archives: October 2014

Roelofs Replica – Ferrari 250 GTO Replica

Today’s featured Ferrari is a Replica ’64 250 GTO notchback seen at Sherbourne Castle a couple of years ago.

Ferrari 250 GTO Replica, Sherborne Castle

The ever growing demand for real classic Ferrari’s drove up prices massively in the late 1980’s and saw some seek a cheaper alternative by commissioning replica’s usually based on a Ferrari 250 GT/E chassis.

Ferrari 250 GTO Replica, Sherborne Castle

By shortening a 250 GT/E chassis a passing likeness to the more desirable 250 GT SWB, GTO, and TR models could be achieved at a cost of $300,000 plus a 250 GT/E donor car.

Ferrari 250 GTO Replica, Sherborne Castle

While the exterior likeness might pass muster shortening a 250 GT/E chassis meant that often the gear shift was not in the correct place and or the seats beeing too far forward as a result of the 250 GT/E suspension being bulkier than that on the model being copied, also the steering geometry for a long wheel base GT/E was not the same as for shorter models.

Ferrari 250 GTO Replica, Sherborne Castle

It appears that today’s featured Replica was built by Piet Roelofs, on the eastern outskirts of Arnhem in The Netherlands, who is reckoned to be one of the better Replica manufacturers by Micheal Sheehan an exotic car broker who tracks over 200 replica Ferrari’s.

My thanks to El Wayne at Ferrari Chat for pointing me in the direction of the manufacturer of today’s Replica.

Thanks for joining me on this “Roelofs Replica” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another 500cc Formula 3 Car. Don’t forget to come back now !

The Smoothest Car Afloat – Dodge Deluxe Convertible

To mark the Centenary Anniversary of the foundation of Dodge, by brothers Horace and John, in 1914 this months Americana Thursday posts will feature five post ’45 Dodge models starting with today’s featured 1948 Dodge Deluxe Convertible.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

When Dodge resumed production of private motor vehicles in 1945 like most manufacturers it turned to it’s 1942 designs with minor cosmetic alterations. The D24 1948 Dodge Deluxe Convertible, seen here at Summer Classics Easter Compton, is no exception being based on a design that can be traced back to 1940.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Power for the ’48 Deluxe models came from an L head 3.8 litre / 231 cui in line six which produced 100 reliable horsepower. Note the DVLA records for this car show it is fitted with a 5 litre / 302 cui motor of unspecified age and origin.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

1948 D24 Dodges were available with 6 or 7 passenger sedan, 4 door town sedan, 2 door club coupe or convertible bodies supplied to Dodge by Briggs Manufacturing Company which was eventually purchased by Chrysler in 1953 after the death of Walter O. Briggs in 1952.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

The success of the D24 models can be judged by the fact that 10 years after the model had stopped being produced they were still being used by taxi operators across the USA such was their comfort for fares and reliability for operators.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

One of the innovations the series benefited from was Fluid Drive, a fluid clutch which meant a stick shift manual could be operated like an automatic requiring less clutch operation than a conventional friction clutch and no doubt contributed to the strap line “The Smoothest Car Afloat” which stayed with the Dodge D24 series from 1946 to 1949.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Production of the Dodge D24 Deluxe and sister Custom models peaked in 1948 at over 250,000 units, production of these models continued into the first three months of 1949 before they were replaced by an all new design.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Smoothest Car Afloat” 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 !

Inspiring Engineers :- Renishaw Castle Combe Heat 2014

On Sunday I popped along to Castle Combe where my friends son Ben Goodman was taking part in the Renishaw Castle Combe Heat 2014 meeting for electric vehicles in the Greenpower series designed to inspire young engineers.

Team MPH, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

Ben seen above in the #552 MPH+, Magnotsfield Petrol Heads, races in the F24+ class for 24 volt powered vehicles with drivers aged 16 to 25. Next to him is Magnotsfield Schools original #8 MPH which finished 8th in last seasons F24 class for drivers 11 to 16.

Renishaw Castle Combe Heat 1 F24

The Greenpower Series races last 90 mins for the younger F24 class requiring 2 driver changes while the races for the F24+ class are single driver one hour ‘sprints’. There were two races for the F24 class and only one for the F24+ class.

Dougal, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

What really astounded me about these races was variety of approaches to making a vehicle with a stock battery and stock motor go the furthest distance, added to which Sandbach High School went the extra mile and added cool graphics to both of their vehicles the Martini striped Dougal above and …

Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

…Brian which alongside the circa 1973 Lotus inspired graphics above carries the strap line “Complete And Utter Chaos” with CAUC logo’s. Unfortunately while quick Dougal proved to be unreliable while Brian made it to two mid table finishes in the F24 races and 15th from 19 in the F24+ race.

FR-5M, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

The FR-5M from Foremarke Hall school in Derbyshire showed some particularly elegant lines around the rear wheels. The FR-5M only took part in the F24 races finishing 10th in the first race and 13th in the second.

BY-Pod, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

Twin boom cars are a rarity despite having appeared in Can Am in the 1980’s, the Indy 500 in the 1960’s and Le Mans 24 hours in the 1950’s, if with little success. The local Chipping Sodbury School have revisted the theme with their BY-Pod which finished 7th in the F24+ race covering 31.5 miles in an hour.

Rotary Racer +, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

Chipping Sodbury’s lead entry Rotary Racer+ won both of the F24 races and finished second in the F24+ event covering 37 miles in an hour.

Jet, Renishaw Castle Combe Heat

Winning the F24+ event by a whole lap was Jet entered by Cullimore Racing for David Cullimore, National Champion since 2012, who covered 38.8 miles in the hour.

Ben finished a respectable 10th with 27.6 miles recorded and the #8 Magnotsfield School car finished 9th in the first F24 race with a team of rookie drivers, but could only manage 23rd in the second thanks to suspected tracking damage.

My thanks to Pete Goodman and Martin Baker for telling me about this event.

Thanks for joining me on this “Inspiring Engineers” edition of “Gettin’ a little psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !