Tag Archives: Alan

Prototype Family Restoration – Allard Palm Beach MkII #72/7000Z

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At the 1956 Earls Court Motor Show Allard showed today’s featured car, the prototype Palm Beach Mk2, seen in these photo’s displayed by the Allard Owners Club at Silverstone Classic.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

External differences from the original Palm Beach included hidden door hinges and vents behind the front wheels and more comprehensive grill ornamentation.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Internally the four cylinder motor option was dropped and a Jaguar six cylinder was available to complement the base models 120 hp Ford Zephyr six cylinder motor as fitted to the prototype.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

In November 1956 today’s featured car was registered for the road and used as a demonstrator and later by Allard Motor Companies Brian Howard. In 1969 it was sold to the Hemsworth family where it remained until 2012.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

The car, one of just six MkII’s built upt o 1958, was offered for restoration to Sidney Allards son Alan and grandson Lloyd having not turned a wheel since 1976 and being kept outside for several years.

Allard Palm Beach Mk II, Allard Owners Club, Silverstone Classic

Two years on and the restoration of the aluminium bodied prototype Palm Beach Mk II is complete with Lloyd Allard having been credited with doing most of the dirty work.

During the restoration a resurrection of Allard has also taken place now known as the Allard Sports Car Company with the initial aim of manufacturing a continuation Mk III Palm Beach and continuation Cadillac powered JR as raced at Le Mans in 1953 and through out the USA in later years.

Thanks for joining me on this “Prototype Family Restoration” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you’ll join me again for bank holiday Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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The Magical Car – Paragon Panther

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Between 1920 and 1924 Count Louis Zborowski and his engineer Clive Gallop built four racing cars all powered by large 18 litre / 1000 cui + World War One aero engines designed for record attempts and racing primarily at Brooklands, the first car was timed at nearly 120 mph and the last in the hands of new owner Parry Thomas in excess of 170 mph in March 1927

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Zborowski’s cars were named Chitty Chitty Bang Bang I – IV, Parry Thomas renamed the 27 litre / 1647 cui Liberty powered Chitty IV ‘Babs’ when he made his record attempts. The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang name is variously attributed to the sound of an idling aero engine or a bawdy song

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Ian Flemming author of the James Bond books became familiar with Count Zborowski’s vehicles when he was invited to Zborowski’s former home Higham Park, where the cars were built, by Walter Wigham chairman of Robert Fleming & Co the investment bank founded by Ian’s Grandfather.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

In the early 1960’s Ian used the legend of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as the inspiration for a story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Magical Car, written for his son Casper that was published in three volumes in 1964 with illustrations by John Burningham.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tells the story of the Paragon Panther a touring car that is restored by Commander Caractacus Pott before revealing the capacity to fly, over traffic jams and glide over water like a hover craft.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

In 1968 a loose adaption of the plot was turned into a musical and filmed with Dick van Dyke playing Caractacus Potts and Sally Ann Howes playing his love interest Truly Scrumptious who never appeared in the books. You can see the trailer on this link.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

In order to make the film the director Albert Broccoli asked Alan Mann to build six identical vehicles for the film of which today’s featured car is one. Apparently these Ford Zodiac V6 powered cars with automatic transmission were tested up to 100 mph before they were delivered and further modified for filming.

Thanks for joining me on “The Magical Car” 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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Vintage Splits – Vauxhall 30/98

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Two weeks ago I blogged about some Vauxhall 30/98’s that I saw at VSCC meetings on the Hills at Prescott and Loton Park. Todays Photographs are of another 30/98 I saw earlier this year at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Vauxhall 30/98, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The known history of elements of this car date back to the 1949 when Alan Southon built a Vauxhall 30/98, registration HAA 383, from parts that were once on the inventory of the Phoenix Green Garage in Hampshire. Sometime after completion Alan used the car in the Brighton Speed Trials.

Vauxhall 30/98, Goodwood Festival of Speed

During the 1950’s the remains of HAA 383 were found in a field in Scotland and the car was reassembled by Carrick Watson still with the registration HAA 383, body number OE 101, chassis number OE 304 and engine number OE 232.

Vauxhall 30/98, Goodwood Festival of Speed

At some point the body OE 101 was reunited with it’s original OE 101 chassis in return for a new chassis and body. The new body was fitted to chassis OE 304 along with an older OD engine.

Vauxhall 30/98, Goodwood Festival of Speed

While the new chassis received the OE 232 engine, a Peppercorn Tourer style body, a Peugeot front axle, a back axle from a Vauxhall 23/60 and the number plate that was generated when Alan Southon built his car from the parts obtained from the Phoenix Green Garage.

Vauxhall 30/98, Goodwood Festival of Speed

HAA 383 has since competed in a number of VSCC events and taken part on the Fluella Pass Hill Climb near Davos in Switzerland. The car has also recently been fitted with a replacement cylinder head made in Australia where 60% of all 30/98’s were originally sold.

My thanks to Pre War Car on who’s site further details about HAA 383 are to be found.

Thanks for joining me on another Carceology edition of ‘Getting’ 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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For A Few £’s More – Jensen S-V8

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After the owner of WJ Smiths & Sons a body works passed away in 1934 two employees, the brothers Richard and Alan Jensen bought the assets and founded Jensen as a coachbuilding firm. Building customised bodies for proprietary chassis supplied by Morris, Singer, Standard and Wolseley. One of their early commissions was for a car based on a Ford V8 for Hollywood legend Clark Gable, this highly acclaimed car facilitated a deal with Ford to produce a limited edition of Jensen Fords.

Jensen S-V8, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The following year Jensen launched the Jensen S type also powered by a Ford V8. Jensen diversified into light commercial vehicles marketed under the JNSN brand and during the war were engaged to make tank turrets and specialised vehicles, ambulances and fire engines.

Jensen S-V8, Goodwood Festival of Speed

After the 2nd World War Jensen produced the Jen Tug light truck for hauling trailers around goods yards and won a number of contracts to produce bodies for among others the military all wheel drive Austin Gipsy, the Austin A40 Sports, Austin-Healey 100, Volvo P1800 and Sunbeam Tiger.

Jensen S-V8, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Concurrently Jensen built an Austin parts bin based Interceptor, and fibreglass bodied 541 Coupé. Perhaps their best known model is the Chrysler powered Interceptor introduced in 1966 with a steel body designed by Carrozzeria Touring and built by Vignale.

Jensen S-V8, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Interceptor remained in production until the company folded in 1976, several attempts were made to revive production one resulting in 11 MK4 Interceptors being built. In 1998 the Ford Mustang Cobra V8 powered aluminium bodied Jensen S-V8, harking back to the 50’s and 60’s 541 and CV8 models was shown to the public and 300 orders were taken to build the car at a new £9 million facility at Speke in Liverpool.

Jensen S-V8, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Unfortunately quality problems including the manufacture of the aluminium body panels slowed the expected production rate and only 20 vehicles were produced, including the one seen here at Goodwood Festival of Speed, before the company again went under in 2002. The Oselli company purchased a licence to complete a further 12 cars, all with heavier easier to manufacture steel bodies, and retained the parts from a further 6 vehicles for spares.

Since production of the 20 original £40,000 cars has ceased at an average unit cost to investors of £450,000 it has been claimed that Jensen went under for the want of just £500,000 to see them through.

Thanks for joining me on this underfunded edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Whippin’ up a storm – Tornado TSC GT40

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A couple of years ago I stumbled across this replica GT40 in the paddock at Castle Combe.

This particular replica marketed under the model name TSC GT40 was manufactured by Tornado Sports Cars of Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

Father and son Alan and Andy Sheldon founded Tornado Sports Cars in 1984 to manufacture self assembly vehicles which could be built by enthusiasts using only simple hand tools.

The first self assembly model Tornado manufactured was the M6GT, a replica of Bruce McLarens well known M6GT road car project which was to take a Can Am Championship Winning McLaren M6 and turn it into a closed cockpit road car for the public to buy. Production of the Tornado M6GT ceased in 1992 3 years after the introduction of the incredibly successful TSC GT40 started.

In 1997 Allan Sheldon retired leaving Andy in charge. Amazingly 22 years after it’s introduction the TSC GT40 is still in production with hundreds of kits having been sold in 31 countries.

To my eyes like David Pipers continuation Ferrari P4 the TSC GT40 seems to share rear light cluster designs originating in the humble little FIAT 850.

For further information on the TSC GT40 I recommend visiting the Tornado Sports Cars website which caters for the casual enthusiast like myself and the prospective customer.

Hope you have enjoyed this weeks home built editions of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me for a special two for the price of one edition of Ferrari Friday tomorrow ! Don’t for get to come back now !

PS If you have not had your fix of Fords today try catching up with the latest on the rumoured new Ford GT with Michele Rahal over on the Drive Channel.

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Wild Goose and The Pet – MINI T Building

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On Sunday I got the chance to pop in to the T Building which houses the MINI Visitor Centre at Cowley near Oxford. Here are a couple of the vehicles on display.

The MINI One Alan Aldridge Special 2008, is a work of art by ‘The Graphic Entertainer’ Alan Aldridge who created a well known related work with an original Mini back in 1965 that appeared on the cover of The Sunday Times Magazine at the time.

Mini Mokes have featured in this blog, before this 1968 Austin Mini Moke is for Weske & Anja over at the Belgian Mini Forum and for everyone at the Mini Moke Club Forum.

The Mini Wildgoose was aimed at folks intent on spending their kids inheritance before the kids spent it for them.

Based on the Mini Van this wild RV conversion provided four seats in a ‘dinette’, ‘double bed’, table, curtain’s, cupboards and water carriers.

Optional extras included combined luggage rack and spare wheel carrier, which I guess was better than having it in the support vehicle driven by the wife, extended wing mirror’s, just how could you possibly reverse with out them (?), hammock bunk and all important undersealing of the cab !

Finally The Pet MINI covered in cow hide, was exhibited alongside a mass produced chaise longue similarly covered by Le Corbusier in 1927 at the ‘neue raume 07’ design exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s Mini Museum edition of Getting a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a 215 hp spec MINI Cooper S R56. Don’t forget to come back now !

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