Monthly Archives: December 2015

Something Yet Everything – Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé

The “something” that was “everything” that the Chrysler marketing department believed was never to be sensed or enjoyed in any other car….

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

…. was Chrysler engineering which excelled in 1930 when the 70 and 77 models were introduced.

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

The 77 was available with nine body options, including the Royal Coupé seen here, which were described in the companies marketing campaign as being of “dreadnought construction”.

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

To put the battleship construction into the guaranteed 77 mph performance arena Chrysler were among the pioneers who used of down draught carburetors ….

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

… and a cam driven fuel pump to replace the gravity flow vacuum fuel tank to improve fuel distribution to the 4.4 litre / 268 cui 93 hp straight six engine.

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

A “Multi Range” 4 speed gearbox was used to “out-distance all attempts to equal Chrysler performance.”

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

Further superior engineering was evidenced by the standard “weatherproof hydraulics” for the braking system and a handy brake fluid resevoir mounted conveniently on the engine firewall.

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

The other 8 body styles offered for the 77 Series were Business Coupé, Convertible Coupé, Crown Coupé, Crown Sedan, Phaeton, Roadster, Royal Sedan and Town Sedan.

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

A new Royal Coupé would cost an owner $1725 excluding all extra’s which included a novel electrical option radio for which the wiring was factory fitted.

Chrysler 77 Royal Coupé, Ken Thompson, 2014 Classic Run, Chipping Sodbury

The example seen in these photo’s owned by Ken Thompson was first registered in the UK on the 3rd of June 1930.

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

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Trimmed in PVC – Ford Consul Mk1 Abbot Estate

The Ford Consul was the base model of Fords large British cars that replaced the V8 Pilot and included the Zodiak and Zephyr 6 models.

Ford Consul Mk1 Abbot Estate, The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon

The Consul included a host of modern features that included unitary monocoque body shell, and independent front MacPherson strut suspension, hydraulic clutch and hydraulic brakes on all four 13″ wheels and a curved one piece windscreen that reduced glare from on coming traffic.

Ford Consul Mk1 Abbot Estate, The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon

Inside the stylish George Walker designed body was a three speed column shift and full width bench seats front and rear that were trimmed in the latest easy to clean PVC.

Ford Consul Mk1 Abbot Estate, The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon

Three body styles were available for the original consul saloon / sedan, convertible with manually operated roof contracted out to Carbodies in Coventry and Estate / Wagon contracted out to Abbots in Farnham.

With a top speed of 72 mph and a rest to 60 mph time of 28 seconds the 1.5 / 91.5 cui 4 cylinder Consul Mk1 first seen in October 1950 remained in production until 1956, the example seen here at the The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon was first registered on the 19th of March 1953 and is shown as having a 1.7 litre engine fitted which probably came from a later Mk2 Consul.

Thanks for joining me on this “Trimmed in PVC” 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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Minivan SUV – Talbot Matra Rancho

Having established it’s sports car credentials with Simca on the collaborative Bagheera, Matra’s next joint effort with Simca was to build a front wheel drive off road version of the little 5 door Simca 1100 hatchback which became known as the Rancho.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The design used the front end of the front wheel drive Simca 1100 fourgonette van with an extended chassis on to which Matra’s fibreglass and polyester body, designed by Antonis Volanis, was grafted.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

Unusually the vehicle had three rows of seats not unlike later popular minivans, the interior was largely taken directly from the Simca 1100 parts bins including seats and instrumentation.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The car’s ground clearance was raised for off road use and an 80 hp 1.4 litre / 87.9 cui version of the Poissey engine shared with the Simca 1307 and Matra Bagheera models was fitted.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The Matra Simca was launched in 1977 and was rebranded Talbot Matra Rancho in 1979 after Peugeot merged Chrysler Europe’s brands into it’s portfolio, in all 57,792 Rancho’s were built with Minivan SUV, as seen here, detachable canvas and commercial van bodie styles until 1985 when the model was discontinued.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

Matra went on to develop a Minivan with three row’s of seats for it’s next concept which Peugeot turned down but Renault accepted with open arms leading Matra to becoming part of the Renault industrial complex and the launch of the Renault Espace in 1984.

Thanks for joining me on this “Minivan SUV” 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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