Monthly Archives: March 2015

Brutus – American LaFrance BMW

Located in Summerville South Carolina the American LaFrance Fire Engine Company specialised in building equipment and vehicles for the emergency services, the roots of the company go back to 1832, the company announced it was ceasing operations in January 2014.

American LaFrance BMW, Herman Layher, Cholmondeley

Herman Layher and Dietmar Gulden from the Auto & Technik MUSEUM SINSHEIM built today’s featured American LaFrance, known as Brutus, in it’s current form between 1998 and 2008.

American LaFrance BMW, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power,

This two ton leviathan is powered by a 650 hp 47 litre / 2863 cui BMW VI a mid 1920’s V12 bomber engine that was used in a variety of applications by the Axis nations of Germany, Spain, Japan and the Soviet Union who built these motors under licence as the Mikulin M-17. This particular one was found in a Spanish scrap yard.

American LaFrance BMW, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power,

The LaFrance chassis is believed to have come from a 1908 fire engine, despite it’s phenomenal weight and power it is only fitted with puny rear wheel brakes, a fact that keeps the temptation to use full throttle far from the drivers mind….

American LaFrance BMW, Herman Layher, Cholmondeley

… as would the 2.8 mpg (UK) / 3.7 mpg (US) fuel consumption.

American LaFrance BMW, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power,

This car has no fire wall behind the engine and the driver is protected from the flywheel, that could spin at up to 2000 rpm, only by an industrial safety guard.

American LaFrance BMW, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power,

Brutus is considered by Herr Layher, seen at the wheel in these photographs at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, to be the most dangerous vehicle in the world.

With the motor turning at 800 rpm Brutus will reach 60 mph and at 85 mph it will spin it’s wheels in top gear, to date it has not been driven over 124 mph.

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

Hot & Violent – Maserati Khamsin

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The Maserati Khamsin was launched in 1974 to replace the Maserati Ghibli and like it’s predecessor the cockpit accommodated two seats and two rear cushions.

Maserati Khamsin, Auto Italia, Brooklands

For the first time Maserati commissioned Bertone to design the Khamsin and Marcello Gandini is credited with carrying out the work on behalf of his employer which included asymmetrical vents in the bonnet /hood. A post 1977 Khamsin like this 1978 example is easily distinguished by the three vents at the front.

Like the late Maserati Indy, Bora and early Merak models the Khamsin was building a selection of parts from owner Citroën’s parts bin that included braking and steering components.

Maserati Khamsin, Auto Italia, Brooklands

The Khamsin was the only Maserati to be fitted with Citroen’s self centering steering gear, meaning the driver must hold the steering wheel at all times when negotiating corners because other wise the steering wheel will positively self center in a much shorter time than a traditional self centering system activated by the castor angle of the front wheels.

Maserati Khamsin, Auto Italia, Brooklands

Only the 4.9 litre / 300 cui V8 engine from the Maserati Ghibli SS was available to 170 mph Khamsin customers, this was fitted with Bosch fuel injection, replacing the Weber Carburettors and produced 10hp less than the 330hp Ghibli SS.

Maserati Khamsin, Auto Italia, Brooklands

Khamsin is the name given to a hot and violent Egyptian wind that blows in the desert for 50 days.

Production of the Khamsin ended in 1982 with only 435 vehicles built a disappointing third of the number of it’s predecessor, it was the last V8 Maserati model to be built until the arrival of the Shamal in 1990.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hot & Violent” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another aero engined car, not powered by a Curtiss OX motor. Don’t forget to come back now !

Implosion Fallout – Derrington Francis ATS

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Following the success in 1961 sweeping the Formula One World Drivers, with Phil Hill, and Manufacturers championships along with the World Sports Car Championship which included winning all but one race including the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours with Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien Ferrari went into an equally disastrous melt down over the running of the company that saw key employees walk away from Maranello.

Among those who left were Chief Engineer Carlo Chiti and Development Engineer Giotto Bizzarrini who almost immediately founded ATS, Automobili Turismo Sport, to rival Ferrari in the production of racing cars and sports cars all funded by one of Ferrari’s preeminent customers Count Giovanni Volpi who ran the Scuderia Serenissima racing team.

Derrington Francis ATS, Goodwood Revival,

For 1963 ATS had built two ATS 100 Formula One cars powered by their own V8 motor and persuaded Ferrari drivers Phil Hill and Giancarlo Baghetti to defect from Maranello and drive for them.

The 1963 season yielded an unsustainable 8 retirements equally between the two ATS drivers with the teams only finishes being recorded at the Italian Grand Prix where Phil finished 11th and last placed starter Giancarlo finished 15th.

Derrington Francis ATS, Jason Wright, Goodwood Revival,

Undeterred by the lack of enthusiasm for his 1960 Walker Climax project, for 1964 former Stirling Moss and Rob Walker mechanic Alf Francis persuaded performance equipment magnate Vic Derrington to fund a new team.

Alf Francis built a new chassis six inches shorter than the ATS 100s driven by Phil Hill and Giancarlo Baghetti and fitted it with a Carlo Chiti designed ATS V8 motor and steering wheel boss from the now defunct ATS team.

Derrington Francis ATS, Goodwood Revival,

The Derrington Francis was ready for the 1964 Italian Grand Prix for Portuguese driver Mário de Araújo Cabral.

Mario coincidentally had been “encouraged to withdraw” from the grid at Monza in 1963 by the race organisers to make the last place on the grid available to failed qualifier but home boy ATS driver Giancarlo Baghetti.

Derrington Francis ATS, Goodwood Revival,

After qualifying 19th for the 1964 Italian Grand Prix Mário this time took the start, but retired after 24 laps with ignition problems.

The Derrington Francis Racing Team folded after Dan Gurney damaged the Derrington Francis while testing it.

Derrington Francis ATS, Jason Wright, Goodwood Revival,

Meanwhile Mário retired from the top level of the sport with his best result from four starts being 10th place in the 1959 Portuguese Grand Prix on his debut.

Jason Wright is seen at the wheel of the Derrington Francis ATS at Goodwood Revival events in 2011 and 2012.

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

Golden Wonder Scottish Champion – Triumph TR7

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In 1976 Triumph initiated a Rally Programme with it’s TR7 model initially in 2 litre 16 valve 4 cylinder Sprint form and finally in 280 hp 3.5 litre / 215 cui V8 form.

Triumph TR7, TNF Herts Film Show, Ware

Legend has it that today’s featured car was loitering in the Triumph compound of the Triumph Press Depeartment when Triumph Competitions Manager John Davenport was invited to take his pick of four cars for the 1978 season SJW548W was the last of the four allegedly chosen because they were; white, without sunroofs and closest to the entrance which John entered to make his selection.

Triumph TR7, TNF Herts Film Show, Ware

However SJW458S is known to have originally been a Carmine coloured TR7 with a Sprint motor so more likely John Davenport chose four cars whose registration numbers were transferred to the teams scratch built rally cars, SJW458S was the 11th works TR7 to be built the third never to have been in competition with a Sprint engine .

Triumph TR7, TNF Herts Film Show, Ware

Like the Works Rally Spitfire I looked at last week this TR7 was refitted as a left hand drive car so that European drivers; Jean luc Therier, Simo Lampinen and Per Eklund could drive it.

Triumph TR7, TNF Herts Film Show, Ware

During the 1978 season both Jean Luc and Simo recorded retirements when they drove SJW 458S on the Tour de Corse and RAC Lombard Rally respectively.

Triumph TR7, TNF Herts Film Show, Ware

Peter Eklund and Mike Broad scored the cars best result in the 1979 season with a second overall on the Mintex Rally while Simo recorded 12th and 13th place finishes on the 1979 Welsh and Scottish Rallies.

Triumph TR7, TNF Herts Film Show, Ware

Scottish air traffic controller Ken Wood bought SJW 485S for the 1981 Scottish Rally championship in which he and Peter Brown narrowly finished 2nd before making amends and winning the 1982 Scottish Rally Championship with the cars new sponsor Golden Wonder.

My thanks to owner Steve Rockingham who kindly trailered SJW485S to a recent TNF Herts Film show and kindly left it in the snow for the day to be deservedly admired.

Thanks for joining me on this Golden Wonder Scottish Champions edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I will be sharing the tail of the Derrington Francis Formula One car.

Don’t forget to come back now !

Four Independently Sprung Tons – Bluebird Proteus CN7

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Between 1955 and 1964 Donald Campbell, son of Sir Malcom, set 6 World Water Speed records in the remarkable jet powered hyroplane Bluebird K7.

Equally remarkably during much of this time Donald was also raising the funds for todays featured Bluebird-Proteus CN7 for an attack on the 394 mph land speed record which had been set by John Cobb driving the Railton Mobil Special in September 1947.

After Donald had set a new water speed record of 202 mph with his K7 hydroplane he asked it’s designers Lew and Ken Norris if they would like to design and build today’s featured record breaking car.

Bluebird-Proteus CN7, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

The Norris brothers set about devising possibly the worlds most sophisticated motor vehicle with a monocoque chassis housing a modified 4,450hp Bristol-Siddeley Proteus turbo prop motor that delivers power through two gearboxes to the front and rear axles which in turn drive the independently sprung 52 inch Dunlop wheels.

The Norris Brothers and many since anticipated that the Bluebird Proteus CN7 would be capable of 500 mph.

Despite the cars front wheels having only a 4 degree turning angle Donald Campbell gave the CN7 it’s first public outing at Goodwood in 1960 managing a couple of demonstration laps. With the engine running at idling speed it still managed to reach 100 mph on the straight.

Bluebird-Proteus CN7, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

Donald’s first attempts to break the World Land Speed record at Bonneville in 1960 ended with an accident in which he suffered a fractured lower skull and a broken ear drum.

While recuperating Donald learned to fly and rebuilt CN7 for a Land Speed Record Attempt in 1963.

Bluebird-Proteus CN7, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

Lake Eyre in Australia was chosen not only because more space was available by also because it had not rained there for 20 years… until Donald and CN7 turned up.

In 1964 Donald returned to Lake Eyre and without a properly dried out salt surface managed to raise the World Land Speed Record to a disappointing 403 mph, nearly 100 miles an hour short of his target.

On the 31st of December 1964 Donald became the first man to set World Speed Records on Land and Water in the same year when he set his final new record aboard K7 of 276 mph on Lake Dumbkeyung also in Australia.

Bluebird-Proteus CN7, National Motor Museum, Beaulieu,

The regulations for land speed records were relaxed to allow thrust powered vehicles without driven wheels shortly after Donald set his record in the four wheel drive CN7.

The Norris brothers were envisaging rocket propulsion for a new Bluebird Mach 1.1 vehicle when Donald was killed aboard K7 on Coniston Water in England while he was trying to raise the World Water Speed record on January 4th 1967.

Bluebird Proteus CN7 is seen in these photographs at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu where it is usually to be found when not out on loan.

Thanks for joining me on this “Four Independently Sprung Tons” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another Triumph Rally car. Don’t forget to come back now !

Doorjamb Vented – Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Holiday Coupé

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The full size Oldsmobile 88 was launched in 1949 and by 1950 it had become the General Motors brands best seller a position it maintained until 1974.