Monthly Archives: January 2016

Main Battle Tank Logistics – MAN LKW 10 t mil gl KAT I (8×8)

In 1962 the German federal agency for defence technology and procurement (Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung, BWB) suggested the bidding companies for a new range of amphibious 2,3 and 4 axle vehicles with a 4 – 10 ton payload form a common development bureau to spread the huge development costs of the project.

Under the leadership of MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg) it’s partners that included Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz (KHD), Büssing, Krupp and Henschel formed the “Common Bureau of the German Utility Vehicle Industry” (Gemeinschaftsbüro der Deutchen Nutzfahrzeugindustrie) in 1964 to meet the demands of the project.

LKW 10 t mil gl KAT I (8x8), Ben Gott, Charlie Sincock, Goodwood Festival of Speed

By 1976 when the first KAT 1 was delivered the requirements for the vehicles whose primary role was Main Battle Tank (MBT) Logistics, keeping up with them off road to supply them with ammunition and fuel, had altered ditching the amphibious requirement, but keeping the off road requirement meaning the vehicles needed a 1.2 m / 4′ fording capability like the main battle tanks they were intended to supply.

To date 3 generations of MAN KAT 1s have been built with payloads capacities of 5 tons for the 4×4 up to 15 tons for the Long Wheel Base 8×8 developed for the German Air Force, an example of the latter was used by Porsche as one of their support vehicles on their Dakar team in the 1980’s.

LKW 10 t mil gl KAT I (8x8), Ben Gott, Charlie Sincock, Goodwood Festival of Speed

One of the more interesting aspects of the Dakar Rally which I believe is unique to the event is that all support vehicles for the car and motorcycle entrants are competitors in a support vehicle category.

The Race2Recovery team used the short wheel base MAN LKW (Lastkraftwagen) 10 t mil gl (militarisiert geländegängig – military, cross country) KAT I ( seen in these photographs crewed by Ben Gott and Charlie Sincock at Goodwood Festival of Speed, in their successful 2013 attempt on the Dakar.

LKW 10 t mil gl KAT I (8x8), Ben Gott, Charlie Sincock, Goodwood Festival of Speed

First registered in the UK on the 19th of December 2005 I believe this example, the largest vehicle ever seen on the Goodwood hillclimb, is powered by a turbocharged 12 litre / 732 cui Deutz V8 producing 320 hp that drives all eight wheels with an automatic 16 speed gearbox up to a theoretical top speed of 80 mph.

On the 22nd of February 2010 a merger between the military division of MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG and Corporate Sector Defence of Rheinmetall AG was rubber stamped by Bundeskartellamt (German Government Mergers Dept) with a new entity Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH, or RMMV, that is now responsible for building the latest version of the LKW 10 t mil gl KAT I (8×8) which is known as the HX range.

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

Layout By Committee – Hardy Special III

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Having built a Riley based special Dick Hardy undertook his work on his second special in 1955 starting with a 1921 GN chassis he found under a pile of rubble at Micheal Meo’s garage in Hamstead around 1953.

Inspired by pre war Auto Unions Dick fitted a supercharged 1928 JAP twin engine, that he bought in 1954, behind the drivers seat in the Hardy Special II.

Hardy Special II, Rachel Williams, Chateau Impney

The Hardy Special II was quick but the period engines were weak, today the Hardy Special II is owned by the Gray family who still compete with it.

The VSCC committee appears to have refused to let Dick build another rear engined special, no doubt for fear of too many others being encourage to build similar vehicles and so the Hardy Special III came to be built with the engine in the front.

Hardy Special II, Rachel Williams, Chateau Impney

I gather Dick did not begin work on the Hardy Special III until he was already in his seventies around 2001.

He started by fitting the steering gear from a three wheel van to a 1922 GN chassis with 1932 Morgan front suspension.

Hardy Special II, Rachel Williams, Chateau Impney

Dick again chose a super charged motor for his third special, but this time a 1096cc / 66.8 cui V twin JAP KTOR.

Rachel Williams is seen at the wheel of the Hardy Special III in these photographs at Chateau Impney last year.

Hardy Special II, Rachel Williams, Chateau Impney

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

Keeping Tabs On 954 2+2s – Ferrari 250 GT/E 2+2 #3601GT

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Looking for information about today’s featured Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 I checked out all the usual suspects the DVLA Vehicle Check site suggests this car was built in 1961 and registered in the UK on the 20th of November 2012.

Barchetta has not got a note on this registration and so was unable to help, though the photograph’s did make me wonder if this car is actually a Series III car built between 1962 and 1963 because the fog lights are recessed into the front wing fender panel.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic,

Next I had a look at a thread devoted to 250 GT/Es on the Ferrari Chat site, all 30 pages of it, but could not find anything conclusive and so I left a post asking if anyone had the chassis number for the car.

While I was going through the 30 pages I found out that a chap called Tom Wilson tries to keep tabs on all 954 250 GT/E 2+2’s that were built and runs a website dedicated to the model, he likens the self imposed task to a “full time job”.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic,

Some interesting stats Tom came up with include; that 221 GT/Es were confirmed alive and well between 2009 and 2011, 2 had been rebuilt as convertibles.

337 GT/Es were confirmed alive and well up to 2009 and there were 129 GT/E’s about which there was no information beyond the factory assigned chassis numbers and build dates.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic,

Of the rest 45 had been converted into SWB Berlinetta’s, 36 into GTO’s, 34 into Testa Rossas, 19 into California Spyders, 4 into 250 GT TdFs, and 2 into 225 Vignales.

Tom described the remaining 15 GT/Es as having been converted into cars that “defy categorization“.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Silverstone Classic,

During the hour or so it took me to write this blog there have been two responses to my request for help identifying today’s featured car at Ferrari Chat, Global Moderator El Wayne speculated that the car might have been built in ’63 or actually be a 330 America, same GT/E body but with a bigger engine.

Kare, not or the first time, saved the day by confirming the car is chassis #3601GT a Series II 1962 car, one of at least to originally supplied to an entity known only as “Sonas”, that has been cosmetically altered front and rear to resemble a later Series 3 GT/E.

Primarily for Tom and Kare’s benefit and any other 250 GT/E aficionado’s, here is a list of the six 250 GT/E blog’s I have published so far, with links, that includes one unknown 250 GTO replica which has not so far been confirmed as having 250 GTE underpinnings.

250 GT/E Blogs :-

#2245

#2259

#2835 Wisconsin SWB

#4019 uncredited double bubble Zagato replica

#4049

#4089

#4873 looks like an approximation of a TRC

Unknown Replica

Possible Roelufs 250 GTO Replica does this have 250 GT/E underpinnings ?

My thanks to Kare at Ferrari chat for once again for identifying today’s featured car.

Thanks for joining me on this “Keeping Tabs On 954 2+2s” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another unique special. Don’t forget to come back now !

Ground Effect Silhouette – Porsche 935 JLP-4

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Born Hans Johan to Dutch parents who settled in Muncie, Indiana John Lee Paul won a Harvard Scholarship before making his fortune managing mutual funds.

From the early 60’s until 1976 John raced sporadically and showed a good turn of speed by taking several class victories driving a Porsche 550 RS and there after a Chevrolet Corvette.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

In 1977 John competed in the IMSA GTO class with a Porsche 911 Careera RS and a Dekon built Chevrolet Monza, the following season he moved up to competing in the IMSA GTX class with a Protofab built Corvette and later his first Porsche 935 which became JLP-1.

The of the highlights of his 1978 season was winning the Daytona Six Hour race for production cars driving a Mazda RX2 shared with Jim Downing another was a class win with Dick Barbour and Brian Redman at Le Mans in Dicks Porsche 935.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, John Fitzpatrick, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

For 1979 John ran the ever more modified JLP-1 in both the IMSA and SCCA Trans=Am series winning 6 races in the latter.

The following year he split his time between, running in Preston Henn’s Porsche 935 K3 in the States and his own modified K3 which became JLP-2 in Europe, until after the Le Mans 24 Hours where he Guy Edwards and son John Paul Jnr finished 9th.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

JLP-2 then returned to the States for the remainder of the 1980 season where father and son recorded a win at Road America.

For 1982 JLP racing ran a new Gaaco built 935 JLP-3, in which Jnr won at Potland and Daytona at the season’s end, and a Chevy powered Lola T600 which finished only once, 3rd at Sears Point, from six starts.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

By now John Paul Snr had commissioned Lee Dykstra to design and Fabcar to build the ultimate no expense spared Porsche 935 silhouette race car seen in these photograph’s at Goodwood Festival of Speed with John Fitzpatrick at the wheel.

JLP-4, unlike all other Porsche 935’s, was built with a monocoque chassis and a subframe to hold the 840 hp twin turbo 3.2 litre / 195 cui flat six motor.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, John Fitzpatrick, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Lee Dykstra with the aid of the Lockheed wind tunnels managed to incorporate aerodynamic venturi into the chassis as first seen in a racing application on Colin Chapman’s 1978 Lotus 79.

Rolf Stommelen joined the Pauls in JPL-3 to win the 1982 Daytona 24 hour race before Jnr and Snr shared the same car to win the 12 Hour Sebring race.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Jnr then drove to a solo victory in JLP-3 at Road Atlanta, another in the T600 at Laguna Secca before jumping back into JLP-3 to share a victory with his Dad at Charlotte.

The $750,000 (US Dollars Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand) JLP-4 was ready for it’s debut at Brainerd and after qualifying 2nd Jnr came home first, 17 seconds ahead of Danny Ongias who was followed by team patron Ted Field both driving a Lola T600’s.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, John Fitzpatrick, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

At Portland, the cars second appearance, Jnr qualified on pole and won by 37 seconds from Ted Field, this turned out to be the last victory for the car which was damaged in testing.

The Pauls meanwhile notched up 2 more victories in JLP-3 in the 6 hour race at Watkins Glen and at Road Atlanta.

Porsche 935 JLP-4, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

At end of the season Jnr’s eight wins and his seasons other placings were enough for John Paul Jnr aged 22 to be crowned the youngest ever IMSA champion.

JLP-4 appeared twice in 1983 at Daytona for the 24 hours where Jnr and Phil Currin qualified 41st but withdrew and at Road Atlanta where Jnr shared the driving with Rene Rodriguez to come home 6th from 6th on the grid.

By now John Paul Snr was a wanted man, on the run in Switzerland, for shooting a federal drug informant, after serving six months in Switzerland for traveling with false documents he was extradited to the USA where he pleaded guilty to attempted murder for which he served 13 years, while on parole after being questioned about the disappearance of his girl friend John Paul Snr went on the run again, neither he or his girl friend have been seen since.

John Paul Jnr continued racing with some success until he too was imprisoned; for admitting to racketeering, preparing a boat to smuggle drugs from Colombia to Louisiana, three years later he was released and continued racing, winning an IRL race at Texas before being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Thanks for joining me on this “Ground Effect Silhouette” 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 !

All Ages And Abilities – BPMC Auto Solo / Auto Test Aust Services

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A couple of weeks after Le Jog visited Aust Services I went back to lend a hand with the timing for the Auto Test / Auto Solo event run by the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club that I would have entered myself, but I doubt my employers would have been amused seeing one of their marked SEAT Toledo TDi ambulances being thrown around with competitive abandon.

Ford Cortina, Gilmour, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

Among the 25 entries of all ages and levels of ability were Jayne & Andria Gilmour who were taking part in their very first motorsport event with their fabulously original 1980 2 litre / 122 cui Ford Cortina GL Mk V, while they had lot’s of fun they retired after a couple of runs for fear of damaging their pride and joy, but promised to come back with a more powerful Cortina they are building.

FIAT Panda, Thompson, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

Youngest competitor taking part was 14 year old Sam Thompson who again was on his first event and competing against his more experienced father Chris for class honours in his Mum’s Fiat Panda.

Toyota MR2, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

I’m not sure who was driving the Toyota MR2, the car made a lot of noise, but the driver was having too much fun doing donuts while trying to follow the route through the cones to be competitive.

Subaru Impreza, Benstock, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

Über rally marshal Mark Benstock used the opportunity to make a rare appearance behind the wheel of his 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX and promptly won the Autosolo Class C award, at the end of the event Mark kindly offered anyone interested the use of his car for a drive round the track, had I not been sodden in water proofs and wellies I might have been tempted to have had a go.

BMW 318 Ci SE, Payton, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

The 2002 BMW 318 Ci Se driven by the Payton’s provided much entertainment through out the afternoon, one wag commenting that the car needed wipers on the door window’s such was it’s side ways progress of the car with a noisy locked differential, Jack won class C of the Auto Test from Josh.

Mazda MX5, Welsh, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

The best times of the day were set by the Mazda MX5 driven by the Welsh brothers, with A Welsh being the quickest in the Auto Solo event.

Vauxhaul Viva, BPMC Auto Solo Auto Test. Aust Services

Finally I am not too sure who was driving this splendid farm find 1972 Vauxhall HC Viva, but the owner told me that since being put back on the road it has benefited from a boast in performance courtesy of a modern 2 litre / 122 cui 16 valve Vauxhall “Red Top” XE motor which in standard trim is good for 150hp nearly double the 77 hp available from the original HC Viva motor.

Thanks to everyone at the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club who made this a rainy day of affordable motorsport to remember, their next competitive event will be a 40th Anniversary Navigation exercise on Friday Feb 19th in Wales, see website linked above for details, or come along to the next club meeting at BAWA on Monday Feb 8th.

Thanks for joining me on this “All Ages And Abilities” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow, when I’ll be looking at another Daytona 24 hour challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

Airship Powered Belgian – Métallurgique 60/80 Maybach

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In 1898 the Belgian manufacturer of railway locomotives and rolling stock Métallurgique in an effort to diversify unveiled it’s first prototype car that resembled the contemporary German two cylinder Daimlers.

Encouraged by the public’s enthusiastic response Métallurgique built a factory for car manufacture in 1900 and launched it’s first 2 cylinder model for sale in 1901 before expanding it’s range to include four cylinder models with pressed-steel chassis, swing axles, high-tension ignition and with a novel for the period electric dynamo option to facilitate electric lighting.

Métallurgique 60/80 hp Maybach, Brian Moore, Chateau Impney

The companies pre 1914/18 range was topped by the 60/80 model that was powered by a 4 cylinder 10 litre / 610 cui motor that could reach speeds of 62.5 mph.

Métallurgique 60/80 hp Maybach, Brian Moore, Chateau Impney

The engine today’s featured 60/80 car is said to have been swapped for it’s current 6 cylinder 21 litre / 1281 cui Maybach airship motor in 1910 when the motor was new, one source suggests this was allegedly done to satisfy run away school boy turned racer David Loney Bruce Brown’s requirement that the Métallurgique should have a 100mph capability, but I have not seen any independent corroborating evidence backing the allegation.

Métallurgique 60/80 hp Maybach, Brian Moore, Chateau Impney

MM 1907 was first registered for use on British roads on 17th of May 1950, thanks to the “YoungManGoneWest” blog published in August 2011 we know that Douglas Fitzpatrick, believed to be Douglas Bader’s flying instructor, appears to have owned this Métallurgique from at least 1957 as evidenced by a Pathé newsreel that show’s him polishing the car at Beaulieu and that he drove it in the Brighton Speed Trials in 1959, ’61 and ’64, Douglas reckoned his Métallurgique was capable of 120 mph in one report on Bizarre Cars in 1966.

Métallurgique 60/80 hp Maybach, Brian Moore, Chateau Impney

A Dutchman Ad Schuring who visited Douglas Fitzpatrick at Sheringham Hall in Norfolk and was taken for rides in the Métallurgique seems to recall that the 60/80 appeared in non staring rolls in the films Around the World in 80 Days 1956 and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 1968.

Douglas Fitzpatrick had a German called Gerry, who lived above the garages at Sheringham Hall, look after the Métallurgique along with his other cars that included an Achilles, a Wolseley Siddley, a brace of Rolls Royces and a supercharged Singer Gazelle.

Brian Moore is seen at the wheel of the Métallurgique 60/80 Maybach in these photograph’s at Chateau Impney Hillclimb last year, if you happen to know anything about the veracity of the story about David Loney Bruce Brown’s involvement with the fitting of the Maybach engine to this Métallurgique in 1910 please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Airship Powered Belgian” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for another visit to Aust Services. Don’t forget to come back now !

Minimum Weight Restricted Bore- 1908 Mercedes Grand Prix

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The very first Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France run at Le Mans in 1906 was run to a maximum weight of 1000 kgs / 2204 lbs and maxiumum fuel consumption formula which encouraged manufacturers to put large engines into flimsy chassis, the winning car was a 90hp 13 litre / 793 cui Renault with shaft drive to the rear wheels driven by Ferencsz Sziz.