Monthly Archives: February 2016

Aero Engined Rennwagen – Mercedes 20.1

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Confusingly in 1913 there was a French Grand Prix run at Amiens where Mercedes were absent and a Grand Prix de France run at Le Mans where the Mercedes cars finished in 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th places.

Mercedes 20.1, VSCC, Loton Park,

To the best of my knowledge today’s featured car listed in event programmes as a Daimler Mercedes Rennwagen GP was not one of the 1913 Grand Prix de France team cars.

Mercedes 20.1, David Biggins, Chateau Impney

David Biggins’s car is shown in the same programmes to have been built in 1913 and I believe the 7,247 cc / 442 cui motor dates from 1914.

Mercedes 20.1, David Biggins, VSCC, Prescott

The six cylinder DF80 was originally designed for aircraft applications, but Paul Daimler had the idea of turning the engine back to front and installing it in the 28/95 model first seen in 1914.

Mercedes 20.1, David Biggins, VSCC, Loton Park,

After the 1914-18 hostilities Max Sailer won the 1921 Targa Florio with a 28/95 a model which remained in production until 1924.

Mercedes 20.1, VSCC, Loton Park,

If one enters the registration number LL4535 into this linked website one discovers that the car is officially registered a Mercedes 20.1.

Mercedes 20.1, David Biggins, VSCC, Loton Park,

Using the registration number and Mercedes 20.1 manufacturer name one discovers from the DVLA Vehicle Check site that the car or some part there of was first registered in the UK on 19th January 1921.

Mercedes 20.1, VSCC, Loton Park,

The detail shots of this car were taken at Loton Park while the most recent shot with David Biggins at the wheel was taken at Chateau Impney with the remainder taken at Prescott.

Thanks for joining me on this “Aero Engined Rennwagen” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a mid range Citroën. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Standing Start World Records – ERA R2A

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In 1934 the second works ERA today’s featured chassic R2A was built up for Humphrey Cook, the teams primary source of funding, to drive.

Initially the car was fitted with an 1,100 cc motor and Humphrey drove the car to a debut win in a handicap event at Brooklands before setting standing start world records for it’s class over kilometer and mile distances.

ERA R2A, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Laguna Seca

Humphrey continued to race R2A until his retirement from racing in September 1935 by which time the chassis had been driven in Europe with a 1500 cc / 91.5 cui motor, which has been retained in the chassis since 1936.

Nicky Embiricos bought R2A the following season an he had Giulio Ramponi fit Tecnauto independent suspension, Nicky crashed the car in it’s first race after the modifications were completed and promptly retired from racing.

R2A has retained the independent front suspension ever since but was fitted with further modified body work under the ownership of George Abecassis from 1946 to 1948 and then finally lowered while in the care of Ted Lloyd-Jones from 1956 to 1957.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for kindly arranging to share Karl Krause’s photograph of R2A taken at Laguna Seca during last years Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Thanks for joining me on this “Standing Start World Records” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again for Mercedes Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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No Body One Brake – GN G.N.A.T.

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GN cars founded by H.R. Godfrey and Archibald Frazer-Nash in 1910 were were made in London up until 1923 and were initially notable for being built with wooden chassis with chain driven JAP engines or belt driven Peugeot engines.

GN G.N.A.T., John Wiseman, Chateau Impney,

By 1919 GN adopted steel chassis and engines of their own design, I believe today’s featured GN G.N.A.T. special has a 1919 steel chassis that was lightened, shortened and lowered by E.G.Sharp who fitted a front axle with a wider track than the rear starting the work in 1925.

GN G.N.A.T., Richard Wiseman, VSCC, Prescott,

Sharp acquired an unusual 1088 cc / 66 cui aircooled V twin JAP engine for the car that featured modified Vitesse cylinder heads that dispensed with the original overhead cam shafts in favour of pushrod operated overhead valves.

GN G.N.A.T., John Wiseman, Chateau Impney,

It was only after the valve gear had been redesigned by E.G.Sharp that the twin carburetor engine produced any useful power.

GN G.N.A.T., John Wiseman, VSCC, Loton Park,

Since the chassis had been lowered a much smaller diameter clutch was fitted with a length of rope tied to the clutch pedal for the driver to pull if the clutch failed to engage properly.

GN G.N.A.T., John Wiseman, Chateau Impney,

Originally E.G.Sharp omitted any bodywork as was common practice in the period and had only one break drum operational on the rear axle to slow the car down.

GN G.N.A.T., Richard Wiseman, VSCC, Prescott,

The car is described in “Specials” by John Bolster as “Very fast, but only moderately reliable” with it’s most notable achievements being a fatest time of the day, FTD, recorded at Stalybridge in 1928 and a class win at Shelsley Walsh in 1930.

Richard Wiseman is seen driving the GN G.N.A.T wearing blue overalls at Prescott while John Wisemann wearing white overalls is seen driving the car at Chateau Impney and on the start line at Loton Park.

My thanks to Tim Murray for kindly lending me his copy of “Specials” 1971 edition by John Bolster.

Thanks for joining me on this “No Body One Brake 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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Short Chassis – FIAT 128 Sport Coupé SL

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In 1971 FIAT launched the Sport Coupé SL variant of the FIAT 128 on a shortened chassis platform.

Fiat 128 Sport Coupé SL, Auto Italia, Brooklands

The Coupé was available with either a 1,116 cc / 68 cui or 1,290 cc / 78.7 cui four cylinder motor with iron block and aluminium head., the one seen in these photographs taken at Auto Italia Brooklands a couple of years ago.

Fiat 128 Sport Coupé SL, Auto Italia, Brooklands

When photo upload Mario Andretti tested one on the 13th of November 1972 at Pocono he was impressed with the under steering, tight, front wheel drive handling, braking, interior size and styling.

Fiat 128 Sport Coupé SL, Auto Italia, Brooklands

The only thing he thought was missing was a couple of hundred horsepower with which to scare the guy’s in Ferrari’s at Pocono.

Fiat 128 Sport Coupé SL, Auto Italia, Brooklands

Sport Coupé’s were popular cars for touring car racing with Hans Hettelder and Freek Plasmeijer recording over 50 race appearances between them in Europe, slightly better known Italian racer Lella Lombardi recording at least seven appearances in 128 Sport Coupés starting in 1977.

Today’s featured car, seen in these photographs taken at Auto Italia Brooklands a couple of years ago, is powered by the larger engine and was first registered in the UK on October 1st 1974.

Thanks for joining me on this “Short Chassis” edition “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow.

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’69 Spoiler – Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

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No sooner had Chevrolet announced the arrival of it’s Camaro model in 1967 to compete against Ford’s Mustang than racers in the USA were lining up to challenge the Mustang’s hegemony in the Trans Am series with the 302 cui / 5 litre Z/28 variant like the example seen here at a Silverstone Classic Press Day a couple of years ago.

Among those racing Z/28’s in 1967 way Bobby Brown whom records show raced a Penske Z/28 with George Wintersteen and Joe Welch in the 1967 Daytona 24 hours where they qualified 22nd but retired.

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Silverstone Classic Test Day,

Bobby also raced a Robert Chevrolet entered Z/28 in the 1967 Sebring 4 Hour race in which he finished 6th from 9th on the grid.

Records show Bobby racing a Z/28 on two further occasions at Lime Rock in 1967 winning his class in a SCCA event in mid May.

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Silverstone Classic Test Day,

Today’s featured car is believed to have been raced by Bobby in 1967 before being shipped to the UK in 1968 where Malcolm Wayne drove it in the British Saloon Car Championship the following season Mike Kearon did likewise.

In 1970 the car went to Bill Davis Racing where it was part of a two car stable that included a Z/28 built from scratch that was driven by Roy Pierrepont.

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Silverstone Classic Test Day,

Adrian Chambers acquired the car in 1971 for his SCA Freight team that was joined midway through the season by Australian Frank Gardner who won two British Saloon Car Championship races with it.

Frank also raced the car in a couple of rounds of the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft 1972 finishing a best 2nd at Diepholz.

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Silverstone Classic Test Day,

After it was replaced in the SCA team by a second generation Camaro Frank had today’s featured car sent first to New Zealand and then to Australia where he raced it into 1973.

John Pollard appears to have been responsible for fitting the larger ’69 spec rear spoiler in preparation for his entry into Australian Super Sedan races somewhere around 1976.

Thanks for joining me on this “’69 Spoiler” 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 !

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Brean Stages Rally – Brean Leisure Park,

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A couple of weeks ago I popped along to Brean Leisure Park where Club Rally Sport West were celebrating the 20th Anniversary edition of the 2 day Brean Stages Rally which was the first round of the Subaru WRC Spares ASWMC Sealed Surface Stage Rally Championship, the AWMMC Heart of England Rally Championship and BP Motor Bodybuilders & Engineers CMSG Stage Rally Championship which between them attracted 96 entries.

Ford Anglia, Andrew Phipp / Colin Silvester, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

Cars of all ages were competing above the #22 1966 Ford Anglia Super with a decidedly non standard 2 litre / 122 cui engine was built in 1966, Andrew Phipp and Colin Silvester retired on stage ten of 12.

MG Maestro, Kevin/Megan McCarron, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

The 1984 MG Maestro driven by Kevin and Megan McCarron was classified 63rd overall one spot ahead of an MG Metro driven by Stewart Wood and Bryony Edmund.

Proton Compact GTi, Ryan Fagan, Jordan Joines, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

Ryan Fagan and Jordan Joines failed to get a full day’s competition in on either of the two day’s of the even in their 2001 Proton Compact GTi.

Darrian T9, John Lewis / Paul Jones, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

At the sharper end of the field John Lewis and Paul Jones guided their #33 Darrian T9 into 22nd place.

Ford Escort Mk2, Josh Payton / Marcus Mizen, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

Having entertained us with his car control at the wheel of a BMW in the Bristol Pegasus Motorsport December Auto Test at Aust Sevrvices Josh Payton and Marcus Mizen were still ‘avin the crack in their 2 litre / 122cui Vauxhall Red Top powered 1981 Ford Escort Mk2 on their way to a Class win and a highly respectable 8th place overall.

Subaru Impreza WRC, Ian Godney / Chrstopher Gifford, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

Try as they might Godspeed and even Godspeed brakes were not enough to get Ian Godney and Christopher Gifford in contention of the win of the two day event, by the end of which their 1998 Subaru Impreza WRC was looking particularly second hand.

Subaru Impreza S12 WRC, Steve / Yvonne Furzeland, Brean Stages Rally, Brean Leisure Park,

Comfortable winners of the 2016 Brean Rally Stages for the second year running were Steve and Yvonne Furzeland in their 2006 Subaru Impreza S12 WRX.

Thanks for joining me on this Brean Stages Rally edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Camaro. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Breezeway Window Trois Chevaux – Citroën Ami 6

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In 1958 following the runaway sales success of it’s 2CV and DS models Citroën chose to build a new 240 hectare greenfield site in Rennes France.

Citroën Ami 6, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The site was officially opened in 1961 by the founding President of the Fifth French Republic Charles de Gaulle and the first model to produced there was the Citroën Ami 6.

Citroën Ami 6, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The Ami 6 with it’s Breezeway Rear Window styling first seen in production on the 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser was essentially a rebodied 2CV with a larger 602 cc / 36 cui twin aircooled engine replacing the 425cc / 26 cui engine of the older model.

Citroën Ami 6, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The original 22hp motor gave the Ami 6 a top speed of 65 mph, the final upgrade of the engine, shared with the Ami 8, produced a ground shaking 32 hp in 1969 which increased the top speed to a hair raising 76 mph.

Citroën Ami 6, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

Known as the Trois Chevaux to differentiate it from the original 2CV Deux Chevaux today’s featured model seen at the Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham was built in 1968 and according to the official records of the DVLA was first registered for the road in the UK in 1968.

Thanks for joining me on this “Breezeway Window Trois Chevaux” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Brean Leisure Park. Don’t forget to come back now !

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