Author Archives: psychoontyres

Black Cat – Jaguar XK120 #670138

I’d like to thank Geoffrey Horton for sending me these photographs of Phil Hill’s Jaguar XK120 at the 2007 Danville Concours de Elegance.

This chassis #670138 is known to have been raced by Phil, who was guest of honour at Danville in 2007, in at least 3 races in 1950 in which he scored two second place finishes and a win in the 100 Mile race at Pebble Beach in November 1950.

Last week it came to light that I had overlooked something in my original blog on the XK120, namely that while the standard XK 120 took it’s name from it’s 120 mph capability, it has transpired that Norman Dewis was bolted into an XK120 with a streamlined roof and recorded a production car record speed of 172.412 mph on the 21st October 1953 driving along a stretch of Belgian Motorway known as the Jabbeke Straight, between Bruges and Ostend.

My thanks to Terry, Tim, Allan, and Tony at The Nostalgia Forum for the additional details and thanks again to Geoffrey for today’s marvellous photographs.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s Black Cat edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow, Ferrari Friday, for a look at my favourite road going V8 Ferrari. Don’t forget to come back now !

Cobra Killer – de Tomaso Mangusta # 8MA 1216

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This Mangusta is one of a handful of genuinely show stopping cars at Bristol’s Italian Auto Moto Festival last weekend and my personal favourite of those present.

When I was a kid and we got our first black and white television I was completely captivated by a Sci Fi puppet series called Thunderbirds and there were three real machines representing transport that seemed to capture that vision of the future, the Mangusta with its clean lines and gullwing engine cover, the supersonic Concorde and the ship named Queen Elizabeth 2 or QE2.

Mangusta translated means mongoose a carnivore immune to some snake venom known to kill vipers and typically avoid cobra’s. However the myth is that Mongeese are cobra killers and that is why the name was chosen for this vehicle because de Tomaso wanted to build a car that was better than the Shelby Cobra after a misunderstanding about a supply of engines that went to Shelby.

The Giorgetto Giugiaro body is fitted on to pressed steel back bone chassis which has it’s origins in de Tomaso’s first road car the Ford 4 cylinder Kent powered Vallelunga.

401 Mangusta’s are thought to have been built from 1967 to 1971 of which around 128 may have survived.

All bar one Mangusta were fitted with Ford V8’s the 306 hp 4729 cc / 289 cui for the European Markets, and the 220 hp 4949 cc / 302 cui for the US Market, the US versions had pop up lights in place of the twin headlamps of the European versions. The odd Mangusta was built with a Chevrolet Small Block V8.

Tarantino aficionado’s might recognise the 155 mph Mangusta from Kill Bill Vol. 2, see trailer at 1m 27 seconds, and Kylie Minogue fans might recognise the Mangusta from the 2001 ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ video.

Chassis 8MA 1216 seen here was purchased by Alitalia pilot Giancarlo Furiosi and kept by him until 2009 when portrait photographer Jonathan Root acquired it.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s Cobra Killer edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a black cat. Don’t forget to come back now !

More Mini Fun – ABS Freestyle

Beginners Luck – Cross Trophy Car Trial

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Yesterday marked my return to competitive driving, after a 21 year gap, as a rookie in the discipline of Production Car Trials, a low cost discipline that was just as unlikely as my first attempt at competition in a series for Citroen 2 CV’s and in a vehicle with an equally unlikely competition history.

The Cross Trophy Car Trial was held in a field belonging to fellow competitor Duncan seen here at the wheel of his magnificent 1921 GN with his daughter just visible in the passenger seat.

A car trial is an event in which competitors are required to drive up a variety of ‘off road courses’ of varying difficulty, none of which on this event was more than a hundred yards long several of which were considerably shorter. The courses were marked out by Clerk of the Course Mal.

The aim of the competition is to see who can get the furthest up each hill with points being awarded on the number of markers cleared by the front wheels. Here the Westfield Ford of Malcom & Ann from Kidderminster can be seen scoring a perfect zero having cleared the last marker of a hill. The competitor with the lowest number of points wins his or her class.

I was running in the production front wheel drive class for vehicles which included this Citroen AX.

The 3 other classes included Front engine open sports cars, like this Scimitar SS1 1600 crewed by Dave and Chris from Yeovil who were running this car in for the much longer Lands End Trial next week,

front engine rear wheel drive saloon cars like this Ford Escort RS 1600 being driven by Nigel and his daughter Alice seen at the wheel here celebrating her 16th birthday,

and finally rear engine rear wheel drive cars like this Joyner being driven by fellow rookies to the discipline Ian & Tanya.

I had been unable to find a passenger for this event but fortunately 12 year old Laura seen here stepped in on the day and bravely sat alongside me in the 20 year old VW Passat as I struggled to find traction with clearly the largest car in the competition.

During scruitineering the battery and ballast security was checked, Malcom & Ann were carrying 280 lbs / 127 kgs of steel over the rear wheels of their Westfield, I had no ballast in the Passat. Tyre pressures for which a minimum permissible 14 psi was highly recommended were also checked during scruitineering.

Laura found my Passat considerably more comfortable than her Dad Andy’s Marlin in which she was also a passenger and by the end of the day Andy, Laura and I had all swapped passenger roles, going up a slope in a light rear wheel drive vehicle seemed considerably easier than a heavy front wheel drive car like the Passat.

After a total of four attempts on each of the five hills the Bristol Pegasus MC’s secretary Tim Murray, seen in the background here, added up the scores of all competitors and unbelievably yours truly was announced as winner of the front engine front wheel drive class, call it beginners luck or the versatility of the large and in charge Passat, I was thrilled to bits.

My thanks to Duncan, Laura, Andy, Mal, Tim, to my fellow competitors and everyone from the Bristol Pegasus MC who made this a memorable day out.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s, Car Trial edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now!

Eye popping variety – Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival

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Yesterday was a long day due to a variety of pleasurable commitments which meant I got up at 7 am so that I could go down to watch the Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival being set up.

Getting up so early was not in the least disappointing , seeing my home city centre full of Ferrari’s, Maserati’s, a couple of De Tomaso’s and a familiar Lamborghini amongst many others, some models of which I saw close up for the very first time.

It was a particular joy to briefly meet David who’s Special ALFA Romeo Lenham Healey was featured on this blog some month’s ago and Richard Harman who’s extremely rare South African Autodelta 3 litre / 183 cui ALFA Romeo GTV6 will be feature on this blog in the not to distant future.

As the name suggests this Festival is a veneration of all modes of Italian powered personal transport including a stunning array of motor bikes, Benelli, Laverda, Ducatti, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta among them, many worthy of inclusion in this blog and indeed one will also appear on this blog in the near future.

Finally mention should be made of the many ‘Mods’ who turned up on their Lambretta’s and provided a welcome Quadrophenia inspired sound system to their area of the Festival.

I’d like to thank the organisers for arranging a memorable day out in my adopted home town and thank all those who took the time and trouble to bring their bella machina’s from far and wide, I look forward to sharing more detailed images and stories of some of the 50 vehicles I photographed during my all too brief two hour visit.

Compared to last years excellent Festival the organisers excelled themselves and cranked up the level of expectation for next year up another notch.

Hope you have enjoyed todays Italian edition of ‘Gettin a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow when God willing I’ll be reporting on my competition debut in the discipline of Production Car Car Trial’s. Please keep your fingers crossed for me and don’t forget to come back now !

“Kahuna” Ed Arnaudin 1928 – 2011

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It was with great sadness last Monday that I heard of the peaceful passing on April 3rd of Ed Arnaudin who’s photographs, taken at sports car races spanning 1957 – 1959, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to research and share on this blog over the last six months.

Ed showed signs of a passion for engineering in childhood with an interest in midget racing and by building powered model planes, he went on to graduate as an Engineer from Columbia University.

While serving as an Officer with the United States Marine Corps in Korea Ed married his high school sweetheart Dorothy for whom he provided well in life and in death.

Ed’s interest in racing continued from his childhood in to the late fifties when he attended sports car races where he took many of the photographs that have appeared in this blog.

In professional life Ed headed teams that were granted six US Patents from 1965 to 1975 relating to the production, coating, insulation and shielding of electric copper cables.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s Ed shared his passion for racing with his sons Rick and Steve at Indianapolis, photographs from this period will appear here in future blogs.

As a manager Ed became vice president of the Copperweld Corporation in which role he mentored younger executives who referred to him as “Kahuna” possibly a reference to the 1959 film Gidget in which the leader of a group of surfers is called ‘The Big Kahuna’.

Ed was an active member of his church where he took leading roles in Sunday School and Bible Study.

A keen golfer until his health prevented him enjoying playing further Ed continued to enjoy the game from the 19th hole.

After surviving throat cancer, in retirement Ed returned to his love of model flying becoming an award winning model glider builder.

With racing interests that also included NASCAR and Formula 1 it was surprising to learn that Ed was of the opinion that the World of Outlaws sprint cars is the superior form of motor sport, perhaps a reflection of his life long consummate ‘hard ass’ exterior personality.

Ed is survived by his wife these past 60 years Dorothy, sons Rick and Steve, the latter who kindly sent me his Dad’s photo’s to share, five grand children and brother Robert, to all of whom I hope you will join me in extending sincerest condolences.

A service of witness to the resurrection and celebration of the life of Edwin H. Arnaudin ,Jr will be held tomorrow. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to The Brandermill Church, 4500 Millridge Parkway, Midlothian, VA 23112 and Bon Secours Hospice Foundation, 5875 Bremo Rd. Suite 710, Richmond, VA 23226.

My thanks to Steve for sharing the details of his Dad’s life.

Please join me again tomorrow when I shall be sharing the latest from the Italian Auto Moto Festival held here in Bristol City Centre. Don’t forget to come back now !

Scaglietti Pontoon – Ferrari 250 TR #0754

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I’d like to thank Geoffrey Horton for today’s photograph of David Love’s 1958 Ferrari 250 TR seen here at Danville Concours d’Elegance in 2008.

Ferrari 250TR, Danville Concours d'Elegance

The 250 TR powered by the lightweight 276 hp 2,953 cc /180 cui Colombo Tipo 125 engine was a hugely successful sports car winning the Le Mans 24 hour race, with Phil Hill and Oliver Gendebien at the wheel in 1958 and further variations winning the endurance classic in 1960 and 1961.

#0754, originally painted blue, was sold to Yugoslavian born Guatamalan Jaroslav Juhan co driver of the car, under the ‘Equipe Los Amigos’ banner, in the 1958 Le Mans 24 hours with Frenchman François Picard who collided with the Lotus of Jay Chamberlain in heavy rain six hours into the race.

After Le Mans #0754 returned to the factory for repairs to the Scaglietti pontoon bodywork and was re painted red before being shipped to Vasek Polak a friend of the now retired from racing Juhan.

Once in the USA #0754 was driven to numerous overall and class victories by Jack McAfee, George Keck and Jack Graham.

Jack Graham comprehensively damaged the car on the October 22nd 1960 when he locked his brakes at Laguna Seca and came to rest against an oak tree. After surviving serious injuries Jack retired from racing.

Bob Gengami had the car repaired and raced it in 1962 selling it on to Bob Allen who advertised #0754 TR as ‘freshly overhauled’ in 1964 when David Love acquired it.

David described the car he purchased as ‘completely unusable’ and after unsuccessfully suing the vendor began the slow process of restoration to the condition in which we see the car here. Along the way David raced the car from 1965 to 1968 and since 1974 he has raced #0754 in historic events.

The 250 TR is generally accepted as one of the two most desirable Ferrari’s amongst auctioneers, behind the 250 GTO, a 1957 250 TR was sold for US$ 12,100,000 in May 2009.

Thanking Geoffrey for sharing this sumptuous photograph, more details and photographs on the history of #0754 TR can be found on Tams old race car site here.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Scaglietti pontoon edition of Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres and that you’ll join me again tomorrow when I’ll be celebrating the life of one of this blogs earliest contributors Mr Edwin Arnaudin. Don’t forget to come back now !

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring