Monthly Archives: August 2015

All Who Joy Would Win – Maserati Barchetta #THB CMTLLC

The origins of today’s featured Maserati Barchetta lie in the still born 1990 Maserati Chubasco concept car which was to feature a back bone chassis of the type favoured by the marques then owner Alejandro de Tomaso.

Maserati Barchetta, Siverstone Classic

Unlike the Marcello Gandini styled Chubasco Coupé the Barchetta was conceived as an uncompromising track and race car designed to appeal to Caterham Seven drivers in search of something a tad more exotic.

Maserati Barchetta, Siverstone Classic

The Barchetta is powered by a 2 litre / 122 cui twin turbocharged 24 valve four over head cam V6 which produces over 300hp.

Maserati Barchetta, Siverstone Classic

The Grantrofeo Monomarca Barchetta Maserati race series was devised for these cars in 1992 which included 6 races all in Italy, the following year the series was expanded to include ten races which included visiting The Netherlands and Denmark, the latter in deference to the Danish High Class racing team who ran up to three cars in the series.

Maserati Barchetta, Siverstone Classic

Today’s featured 1992 chassis #THB CMT*LLC* appears to have been run by the factory team in 1993 for drivers; Giorgio Cipolli, 3rd at Misano, Beppe Schenetti, 3rd at Mugello, Robert Pferdmenges 3rd at Monza, Cor Euser, 3rd at Zandvoort, Beppe Schenetti again, 2nd at Mugello, Thorkild Thyrring, winner at Jyllandsringen, Tobiar Hagenmeier, 7th at Magione and Antonio Tamburini who finished 2nd at Monza.

Maserati Barchetta, Siverstone Classic

In 1993 FIAT bought out de Tomaso’s controlling 51% share of Maserati and canned the Barchetta with just 17 cars built.

#LLC* seen in these photographs at Silverstone Classic, was acquired by High Class racing after the 1993 season, but never raced by them. More recently the car has been owned by the preeminent academic, on the works of romantic poet Lord Byron, Sir James Drummond Bone who sold the last year to a new owner in Germany.

Thanks for joining me on this “All Who Joy Would Win” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Peugeot. Don’t forget to come back now !

Aeon Springs – Hesketh 308C #308C/1

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For most of the 1975 season the dream of Lord Hesketh to run an independently funded Grand Prix team from the stables at his family pile, Easton Neston, Towcester, in Northamptonshire looked to be paying dividends which culminated with a win in the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix for James Hunt driving a Hesketh 308B.

Even as James was crossing the finishing line in Holland the finishing touches were being added to, what I believe is, today’s featured Hesketh 308C chassis #308C/1 that was built to conform to new regulations that were to be mandated from the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix onward.

Hesketh 308C, Silverstone Classic,

As well as having the increasingly popular low monocoque, a mandatory front cockpit roll over protection the 308C, conceived by Dr Harvey Postlethwaite, was notable for dispensing the the traditional springs and shock absorbers in favour of Aeon hollow rubber springs as first tried on the 308B.

James Hunt drove 308C/1 on three occasions finishing 8th from 11th on the grid in the non Championship Swiss Grand Prix, 5th form 8th on the grid in Italy and 4th from 15th on the grid at Watkins Glen in the US.

Hesketh 308C, Silverstone Classic,

A second 308C chassis was completed but during the off season Lord Hesketh had to call time and sold both 308C’s and the rights to Frank Williams who, with new backing from naturalised Canadian oil tycoon Walter Wolf, also picked up the temporarily out of work Dr Harvey Postlethwaite.

The Lord handed over the remains of his own team to his team manager Bubbles Horsley who continued running Hesketh until it folded for good in 1978 while James Hunt moved to McLaren where he achieved his ambition.

Hesketh 308C, Derek Jones, Silverstone Classic,

Despite starting the 1976 season with proven Formula One winner Jacky Ickx to drive the renamed FW05 with rookie Michele Leclere in the second car the FW05’s did not shine.

After Jacky posted a best 3rd, driving 308C/1 – FW05/1, in the non championship race of Champions and failed to qualify for four championship races he parted company with the team, who had already released Michele, after the British Grand Prix.

Hesketh 308C, Silverstone Classic,

For a few races Wolf Williams soldiered on with a solo effort for Art Mezario who failed to finish any of his six starts in the car. while

Second drivers Chris Amon, who wrote off the second 308C chassis in practice in his final Formula One appearance, Warwick Brown and Hans Binder all failed to impress in the last three races of the season.

Hesketh 308C, Derek Jones, Silverstone Classic,

At the end of 1976 Frank Williams and Walter Wolf parted ways, Frank went on to run a second hand March for Patrick Neve engineered by former Wolf man Patrick Head at Williams Grand Prix Engineering.

While Walter retained Dr Postlethwaite and hired Jody Scheckter to form Walter Wolf Racing who hit the ground running at the start of the 1977 season.

Hesketh 308C, Silverstone Classic,

#308C/1 went on to make an appearance at Brands Hatch in the 1978 Aurora AFX Series driven by John Cooper who finished 8th.

American Derek Jones, seen driving the 308C above at Silverstone, tweeted that this car was run by Simon Hadfield, who is said to have taken #308C/1 to Monaco for the Historic event earlier last year by formulajunior.com.

If you know different please do not hesitate to chip in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Aeon Springs” 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 !

Delicious And Wholesome – Ice Cream Vans

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With the summer holiday season still in full swing, at least in the UK, I thought I’d focus today’s post on Ice Cream vans.

Bedford CF, Arnolfini, Bristol,

The first time I remember taking a photo of an ice cream van was in 2005 when I was collecting images that might make interesting subjects for poems, the reflected image of a Bedford CF Ice Cream Van standing in front of the Arnolfini in Bristol above never did get used for a poem, but ever since I have kept half an eye out for these bearers of Delicious Wholesome products.

Morris J-Type, Silverstone Classic,

The oldest Ice Cream van I have in my files is this 1949 J-Type Morris seen above early in the morning at last years Silverstone Classic.

Volkswagen Type 2, Volksfest, Easter Compton,

Earlier this year at Volksfest in Easter Compton I couldn’t resist buying a single scoop of Marshfield Farms finest from The Split Screen Ice Cream Company who claim to be operating the oldest Volkswagen Ice Cream Van in the country in the form of the 2012 British Street Food Award winning 1964 Type 2 seen above.

Citroën HY, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol,

Seen in another early morning photo is this 1968 Citroën HY, belonging to Ice Cream Events, which in an ironically, one couldn’t make this up, used to be operated by French Fire Fighting Services before being imported to the UK in 2011.

Ford Transit, Castle Combe

Since at least the late 1960’s, when they first came into my regular summer experience, Ice Cream vans in the UK have often had Disney characters painted on them, above Mel’s Super Whippy Ford Transit is covered in characters from the animation Cars and was appropriately seen at Castle Combe race circuit a few years ago.

Ford Transit, Porsche Curves, Le Mans,

The further traveled, but more modestly decorated 1995 Transit 150 above is seen on the banking of the Porsche Curves at Le Mans, France, during the 24 Hour race around 05:24 am !

Mercedes Benz Sprinter 311, Bristol,

It would appear that while Bedford CF Ice Cream vans are disappearing they are being replaced by Mercedes Benz Sprinters like the 2000 311 example operated by Carmelo & Sons seen above in Clifton, Bristol.

Thanks for joining me on this “Delicious And Wholesome” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at Lord Hesketh’s all new 1975 Formula One Challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

Touring Torino Salon – Ferrari 195 Inter Touring Coupé #0081S

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Unlike the 166 Inters I have looked at so far today’s featured 195 Inter sits on a chassis with 98″ wheel base as opposed to the 95″ wheel base of most of the 166 Inters.

The 195 is powered by a single carb 130hp 2.3 litre / 140 cui V12 up from the 110hp 2 litre / 122 cui V12 used to power the 37 166 Inters built between 1948 and 1950.

Ferrari 195 Inter Touring Coupé, Hillsborough, Concours d'Elegance

Today’s featured car, the very first 195 Inter ever to be built, chassis #0081S, was delivered to Agenzia Internazionale Commercio Auto Ricambi (AICAR) in Milan on the 31st of October 1950 and was displayed on the Carrozerria Touring stand at the Torino Salon in April 1951.

This car passed through two owners in Italy before US Serviceman Donald Maynard took it back home to Massachusetts in 1959 having acquired it in 1955.

Since then #0081S has been repainted at least three times having started out Oro Metallic, painted red somewhere in the 1960’s/70s and red again in 2013, it is not documented on the internet when it was painted it’s current dark blue.

After winning two awards at the 18th Cavallino Classic in 2009 it was auctioned for just under $1 million in August 2011 and in October 2013 was offered for sale at $1.95 million since when it has changed hands twice.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photograph of this fast appreciating asset, taken at Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance.

Thanks for joining me on this “Touring Torino Salon” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” when I’ll be chillaxing with some ice cream vans. Don’t forget to come back now !

Spoiler Homologation Special – AMC Javelin SST Mark Donohue Edition

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The AMC Javelin was AMC’s iron in the Pony Car fire to compete against the Mustang, Cougar, Camaro, Firebird and the last entries into the Pony market segment the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda on offer from the big three in Detroit, it was styled and developed by Richard A Teague and launched in 1968.