Tag Archives: Allard

Chased By A Panda – Exeter Trial 2013

A couple of months ago I was offered the opportunity to navigate a unique Parsons Trials car on the Exeter Trial by owner Alan “Spence” Spencer. After Alan kindly agreed to make a few modifications so that I could sit in the car properly by raising the seat and adding four inch screen to afford some protection from the on coming wind I agreed to join him and had been looking forward to the experience ever since.

Parsons, Exeter Trial, Cirencester

Alan is seen above strapping himself into the Parsons at the first rendezvous Burford Services, Cirencester where we joined 39 other motor cars at close to midnight. The Exeter Trial was first run on Boxing Day 1910 by the Motorcycle Club from London to Exeter and back. As the roads got better so the trials went off road to maintain some degree of challenge for those taking part. The first part of the 2013 Exeter Trial was a regularity run over an 88 mile prescribed route to the Haynes International Motor Museum with an easy target time of 2 hours, mercifully I had prepared my wardrobe well and was comfortably warm sitting in the Ford Kent powered Parsons despite being exposed to the elements.

Gregory, Exeter Trial, Cirencester

Among assorted Skoda’s, VW Beetles and an Mazda MX5 with an urban paint job starting from Cirencester was this rare #222 Gregory trials car driven by Josh Moss and Chris Ferin. At the Haynes motor museum there was a compulsory two hour break during which I enjoyed a hearty Full English Heart Attack breakfast and a 1/2 hour flat on my back to ease the inevitable stiffness that occurs after sitting in a confined space for 2 hours in ambient temperatures a couple of degrees above freezing.

Ford Special, Exeter Trial, Cirencester

Above the #223 Ford Special of Alex Wheeler and Tony Underhill is parked up alongside the #222 Gregory and ahead of a couple of Suzuki X-90’s that were also taking part at the Musbury Garage checkpoint.

After a very quick observed stopping and reversing test at Haynes we headed for the first off road trial at Windwhistle Hill, by now I had a good grip on the abbreviations used in the route notes which Spence had thoughtfully copied and mounted onto a neat illuminated roller box as used by bomber command navigators in WW2 and by Denis Jenkinson to help Stirling Moss to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia. In the pitch black of the night from the navigators seat of the Parsons at five in the morning the Windwhistle Hill observed section appeared to take place on a very wet and rutted and rocky forestry track, getting down to the start of the time section it was almost as much fun as roaring back up to the top for a clean run which included a compulsory stop and restart halfway up.

Mercedes Simplex, Exeter Trial, Musbury Garage

From Windwhistle Hill we proceeded 5 miles to the next observed section Underdown II following the magnificent chain driven 1903 Mercedes 60 hp Simplex of Ben and Roger Collings with a burbling 4 cylinder 9.235 litre / 563 cui motor which was being guided by chain drive aficionado Duncan Pittaway and Ant Lucas in a raucous TVR V8S. The Mercedes needed a guide on account of the fact that nominal navigator 70 year old Roger Collings, seen above, was fully occupied holding on to two handles to stay in his completely exposed seat.

Volkswagen Beetle, Normans Hump, Exeter Trial

Above the #238 Volkswagen Beetle of Nicola Butcher completes a clean run of Norman’s Hump.

After another clean run up Underdown II we headed for the Musbury Garage check point, as we were running ahead of scheduled time Spence pulled over for a quick cat nap before we pulled into the Garage to get our route card signed. Day light was appearing as we reached observed Section 3 known as Norman’s Hump where there was a long queue of competitors waiting.

FIAT Panda Sisley, Crealy Park, Exeter Trial

We began to feel like we were on a roll as we cleaned Norman’s Hump and the following observed sections Waterloo, Strets, Core Hill and Bulverton Steep which were all on wet surfaces thanks to the yule tide deluge that had ceased earlier in the week. Over the last few morning sections we were running last on the road with the course closing FIAT Panda 4×4, seen above, on our tail.

Parsons, Crealy Park, Exeter Trial

This was not helped by the fact that Spence used an electric pump to inflate his tyres after each section which lost us time, unfortunately the Parsons, seen above at Crealy Park, is not really big enough to carry a time saving gas bottle as many other competitors did. For most of the observed sections we were running between 10 and 15 psi on the rear tyres for extra grip, too low a pressure to be running on the road sections to be safe.

Allard M Special, Crealy Park, Exeter Trial

Just after 10 we arrived at the Crealy Park time control where Spence borrowed Duncans jack to swap the rear wheels over because the tyres on both sides had slipped on the rims, he also checked over the levels which were all fine during the one hour compulsory stop while I took a few snaps of some of the other vehicles taking part including the #242 Allard M Type Special of William Holt and Martyn Wyatt above. After a brunch, chicken and fried rice with satay sauce that I bought at our local take away just before setting off from Bristol, we headed into the sunshine towards afternoon sections starting with Tillerton Steep.

Marlin Roadster, Crealy Park, Exeter Trial

Above Chris Hickling and Wendy Bayless from Falmouth are seen in front of their #207 Marlin which suffered a puncture on Norman’s Hump.

If the morning had proved to be ecstatic with clean runs then Tillerton Steep began a run of drip fed cruel agony as there was a restart on a large slab of wet rock which offered absolutely zero traction. We had failed our first test though we managed to get up the remainder of the course on our second attempt.

BMW 2002, Tillerton Steep, Exeter Trial

Above the Edna Perryman climbs into the back seat, of the #237 BMW 2002 while Colin awaits to cross the ford prior to their run up Tillerton Steep. Note the course closing Panda behind the Mercedes.

We then followed the Mercedes Simplex to Fingle Hill which we cleaned, with slightly raised spirits we continued the short distance to Wooston Steep behind the 1903 Mercedes Simplex which pulled an awesome handbrake turn to line up for the gates that marked the entrance to the path that led to the observed section. Wooston Steep which had two finishes according to class, being in the toughest class 8 we had to make a run past a left fork up to the top, unfortunately we got caught in the ruts which turned left and lost too much momentum to complete the test. The Exeter Trial is about completing ‘cleaning’ all the sections if one completes all sections no more than ten mins behind schedule one is awarded a Gold medal, if one fails one section but completes all the rest within 20 mins of the target time one earns a silver and a bronze is awarded if all bar two sections are completed within 30 mins of the target time.

Mercedes Simplex, Fingle Hill, Exeter Trial

Above Ben Collings blasts up Fingle Hill while Roger hangs on to the 1903 Mercedes Simplex as best he can.

After a third observed Autotest at Wooston Steep it was off to Ilsington Parish Hall for another compulsory hour break during which I enjoyed some decaffinated coffee and some lovely cake. Next it was off round the corner to Simms a long wait ensued as many cars failed to get to the top after the restart. We eventually blasted up the first part of the hill but could not manage the second and ended up being carefully guided, who almost manhandled the car back to the corner so that we could reverse down the remainder of the course. Our shot at a medal was over and dissappointed we headed for Tipley Hill where another long queue awaited us. By now it was getting dark and colder again and since we were no longer in with a chance to win a medal we elected to skip Tipley Hill and headed for the final section Slippery Sam a cross between a rock garden and a bomb hole of a hill, again we flew up the first part but needed two attempts to clear the restart after which we flew around the last couple of corners bouncing over ground that would be an easy test for a four wheel drive but was a thriller in the tiny Parsons.

Skoda Estelle, Simms, Exeter Trial

Above part of discipline of the Exeter Trial is having the patience to sit in long queues in narrow lanes, above the #227 Skoda Estelle of Ben & Rosin Giles awaits it’s turn to get to the start of Simms.

We then headed to the Trecarn Hotel Babbacombe where exhausted we handed in our time card for the final time, glad to be in one piece, and that it had neither snowed or rained during the exhilarating 19 hour 250 mile drive. After a shower we joined many of the competing crews for dinner where tails of triumphs and failure were exchanged. I eventually crashed out feeling like I was still moving !

My thanks to Alan Spencer for taking me along on the Exeter Trial in his little Parsons which will be the subject of a future blog, thanks also to all the marshalls and organisers who put the time and effort in to making the event happen, I hope the opportunity to participate comes round again in the not too distant future.

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

Continental Curiosities – Danville Concour’s d’Elegance

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It’s a great thrill to welcome Jay Wollenweber to ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’. Jay has been running a blog called ‘California Streets‘ since 2009 and has kindly sent me some of his photo’s from the recent Danville Concours d’Elegance and a lot of information to use in today’s “Continental Curiosities” blog.

H Mann Esq lost an arm in the 1914/18 Great war and so when he ordered his 1937 Rolls Royce 23/30, seen above, with James Young coachwork he had the gear stick mounted on the floor in the center of the car instead of it’s usual position between the driver and the drivers door.

Jay tells me the 1939 ALFA Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Touring Berlinetta seen above won the Best In Show Award the weekend before last, chassis #915030 also won the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1998.

In 1950 Allard introduced the K2 to replace the side valve V8 Ford powered K1. 118 similar K2 cars were built with the very first one having an earlier K1 body fitted as part of a rush order making 119 K2’s in all. This particular car is fitted with a 5424cc / 331 cui Cadillac V8.

The Bentley above started life as a four seat 106 mph 1954 R-Type. Chassis #B77ZX was modified for competition with a new coupé body by Robert Peel for Bob Gooda with the registration RG27, that number plate now hangs on a Mercedes. Brian Dumps can be seen racing the car at Silverstone in this linked photograph.

Above is an Austin Healey 100/6 2+2 BN4, distinguished by the smaller distance between the rear of the cockpit and the boot / trunk lid.

In 1962 Chris Lawrence and Richard Shepherd-Barron won their class at Le Mans in a hard topped Triumph powered Morgan +4 similar to the 1962 model above.

The 1965 Lotus Elan S2 was a slightly more refined, quieter and more docile, model of the first series of Elans introduced in 1962. Average Joe motorist would have been put off the fun little car by the price, if he had not one Lotus representative at the time is alleged have said “we’re in big trouble!”

The black London Cab is an icon of London in much the same way as the bright red double deck buses and Buckingham Palace. I do not ever recall seeing one like this 1967 Austin FX4D with white wall tyres, the narrow London streets of 1967 would have made a mockery of the additional expense.

1n 1969 Zagato began manufacturing the ALFA Romeo Junior Zagato based on a shortened 1300 GT Junior chassis pan with a steel shell, aluminium bonnet / hood and door skins. The 1972 model above appears to be one of the last of the 1,108 cars built, before production switched for 12 months to a similar but longer car built on a full length 16 GT Junior chassis of which 402 examples were built.

The Rover 2000 TC above is a one owner car that has lived in San Francisco since new in 1969, you can see more photographs and find out more about this particular car on this link.

The first patent for an exhaust driven turbocharger to force air at more than atmospheric pressure into the cylinder head of an internal combustion motor was awarded to Swiss Engineer Alfred Büchi, who was head of diesel engine research at Gebruder Sulzer, in 1905. Despite the significant increases in performance seen in both commercial diesel and piston powered aircraft. General Motors is credited with bringing turbo technology with first the Oldsmobile F85 Jetfire and a month later on Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spider in 1962. BMW was the first European manufacturer to use a turbocharger for a passenger car application in 1973, the 170 hp BMW 2002 above dates from 1975, not the reverse 2002 turbo stickers on the airdam, a crude attempt to inject the car with ‘eingebaute vorfahrt’ a ‘built in right of way’ normally the preserve in Germany for the 3 pointed star of Mercedes Benz.

Finally it is always great to hear about two GALPOT regulars meeting up, especially on the far side of another continent as Jay did with Geoffrey Horton and his Jaguar XK140 FHC SE MC seen above.

My thanks to Jay Wollenweber for his photographs and the information about today’s featured cars. More of Jay’s photographs will feature in tomorrow’s Americana blog while Geoffrey’s photographs will feature on Ferrari Friday’s blog.

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

The Fast, The Curious and The Elegant – 6th Annual Carmel by-the-sea Concours

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Today’s post is the first of four this that come courtesy of Geoffrey Horton who attended the 6th Annual Carmel by-the-sea Concours on August 14th and subsequently sent me nearly two hundred photographs.

As ever Geoffrey took his faithful Jaguar XK 140 FHC SE/MC to the show a car which looks a little more pristine with every show.

Bracketed in the fast vehicles present was this 1947 Allard LLC, which could serve as a serious competition vehicle on or off road or as a roaring roadster.

This 1965 Lola Ford T70 Mk 1 Spyder chassis #SL/10 was driven to a win the at the 1965 Bridgehampton 200 part the USRRC series, a precursor to the first Can Am Challenge in 1966, by Jerry Grant. Jerry is best known for being the first man to lap a closed circuit at over 200 mph, a feat he achieved on the September 3rd 1972 driving one of Dan Gurney’s Eagle Offy’s. Sadly Jerry passed away two days before the Carmel Concours d’Elegance took place.

Former luxury automobile manufacturer Packard made a chain of bad decisions after the 1939-45 War that saw it make a disastrous entry into the volume market, in which it was too small to compete with the “Big Three” and abandon the luxury market in which the only real profits were to be made. As a consequence Packard merged with Studebaker in 1955 and within three years the Packard name, along with those of de Soto, Edsel, Hudson Nash and Kaiser was to disappear from the market forever. This 1958 Packard Coupé is essentially an up market Studebaker President with some glass fibre body editions to make the headlight clusters and tail fins. These Coupés were sometimes referred to as “Starlights” while the ’58 Packard range was disparagingly referred to as Packardbakers.

Early Lamborghini models can be a bit of a night mare to distinguish the 350 GT is easy it had oval front light’s but it shared its rear end with the early 400GT, often referred to as 400GT Interim, which had four round head lights as did the later more common 400GT 2+2 which can only be distinguished by it’s smaller rear window. The back of this car has the larger rear window indicating it is one of just 23 400GT Interims built around 1966 packing a 320 hp 3929 cc / 240 cui V12 motor.

From 1939 to the cessation of manufacture in 1942 Chrysler built around 1000 Woodie Town & Country Barrel Backs. Using a traditional ash frame, as still used by the likes of Morgan, that is contrasted by Honduran mahogany panels. These cars can fetch up to $250,000 at auction with the correct provenance.

Crosley built a huge variety of small vehicles this 1948 CC Sedan was built in the companies most successful year when over 29,000 vehicles left the factory.

This 1973 Electra King, not to be confused with the other Elektra King, James Bond’s nemesis, was manufactured by the B & Z Electric Car Company in Long Beach California. Classed as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) it was designed as a short range runabout. The cars were in production from 1961 to 1974 when a combination of nuisance law suits from the big automobile manufacturers and California States desire to license and regulate NEV’s made the cost of production prohibitive.

The Austin A40 Devon was the first post war design from Britains largest car manufacturer, this car built in 1951 was shipped straight to the USA earnig valuable export dollars as Britain struggled to shake of rationing of all sorts in the wake of the 1939-45 war. Earlier this year regular readers may remember reading about the convertible version known as the Austin A40 Somerset Coupé with which the Devon shares some body panels.

In 1929 the American Austin Car Company was founded to produce a version of the Austin Seven under license. Unfortunately the Great Depression made hitherto much larger cars much easier to afford and so the car rapidly lost any competitive edge it had. Around 20,000 cars were manufactured before the company filed for bankruptcy in 1934. Approximately 1,500 American Austin Roadsters like the 1931 example above are thought to have been built.

Finally in the Awaiting TLC category is this 1935 MG PA which has been undergoing restoration since 1999.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photo’s of which more will be forthcoming on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and next Monday.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Fast, The Curious and The Elegant” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Jubilee Race Day – Castle Combe

Di Claudio’s Day – Motors TV Live Race Day

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The weather gods decided to give the billed Mini Invasion at Castle Combe an unrelentingly endless variation of track conditions on for the 12 races held on Bank Holiday Monday. Regrettably I missed the opening GadgetHelpline.com Castle Combe Classic race which appears to have been comfortably won by Nick Stagg from pole.

Having parked in a waterlogged field and donned my trusty green wellies I made my way to Quarry Corner in time to catch the 1st of two entertaining Mini Se7en / Miglia races. Kane Astin in the #11 who dropped several places off the line battled through the slippery conditions from 3rd on the grid to take the win in the the larger 1300cc / 79 cui Mini Miglia Class while a 15th place for Gareth Hunt secured a win in the 1000 cc / 61 cui Mini Se7en class. Above Robert Pavey was by no means the first to get caught out by the treacherous conditions at Quarry in the #94 Se7en as he was being lapped by Miglias of Astin #11, Dave Drew #2 and Peter Baldwin #33.

As ever the 1st of the two Ford Kent powered Formula Ford races proved unpredictable on a drying track Steven Jensen in the #22 Spectrum 011b made the best of a forth place start to take the lead from pole starter Roger Ogree in the #3 Van Diemien RF00 while fellow front row starter Natham Ward in the #23 Spectrum 011c was swamped on the line and came through in 6th on the opening lap. As the race progressed Ogree, with an eye on a good points finish, was content to hold station behind Jensen while Ward made amends for his poor start and ended up out fumbling first Ogree and then Jensen to take a well earned victory by just over a second.

As the Mini Challenge cars went to the assembly area the track conditions were still damp and all of the cars were on intermediate tyres however sensing a dry spell Shane Stoney’s crew elected to pull their driver from a scheduled 8th place start in his John Cooper Works Class #89 Mini Cooper S R56 in order to fit slicks and start from the pits. Inspired or wise the choice was the correct one as it soon became apparent that Shanes car was the class of the field lapping around 2 seconds a lap faster than anybody else it was only a matter of time before he picked off the entire field and took the flag nearly 10 seconds to the good from Sam Osborne, back in 14th place Jonathon Brown won the Club class.

Having recently become the owner of a VW Golf IV it was an easy pick to root for Lloyd Allard a member of the well known motoring Allard family who was driving an Allard Motor Sport Golf IV TDi in the National Mobile Windscreens Saloon Car race. Unfortunately despite qualifying well in seventh the conditions got the better of him and his race was effectively ended when he got caught out on an oil slick at the Bobbies chicane which sent him into a tank slapper that ended in the infield wheat crop. To his credit Lloyd regained the track to make an unclassified finish. The race run on a sodden and later oily track was won by pole sitter Tony Hutchings in an Audi TT from Mark Wyatt driving a Vauxhall Astra and Mark Funnel’s Mini Cooper S, Will Claudio in a Peugeot 106 GTi took class B honours with a 4th place overall and Russel Ackers driving a Vauxhall Astra in 6th overall won class C.

With the track still very wet rain tyres were the only option for the start of the of the VADABAR Sports & GT Championship. Starting from pole in his all wheel drive Mitsubishi Evo Gary Prebble must have fancied his chances for taking a second win in the series and he made the most of it with a good get away to take a comfortable early lead, but as I saw several times last year this Championship is Simon Tilling’s to loose and after a poor start from third the drying track played to the strengths of his #23 Radical SR3long enough for Simon to take the lead. While he was searching for the few remaining wet patches on the drying racing surface Simon was nearly caught by Martin Baker in another Radical who finished just one tenth of a second behind Tilling. Above George Micheal did his best to save his #27 Toyota MR2 from a lurid spin at Bobbies, but ran out of talent and clobbered Douglas Watson series sponsors VADABAR BMW E36 M6.

George Robinson made the best of a pole position start to lead the early going from fellow front row starter Ben Rowe driving the #21 MR2, in the non championship Toyota MR2 race, a series that was on a day trip from its usual venue at Brands Hatch. However starting from forth Matthew Palmer was soon within striking distance of the pair of them in his #87 MR2. Several laps in Robinson tripped up and Matthew seized the lead and held it to the end with Rowe finishing second and a crest fallen Robinson coming home third. Jim Davies brought his MR2 Mk3 in forth to claim the class win for the newer cars with smaller motors.

Nathan Ward in the #22 Specrum 011c made no mistakes from pole position on his second start of the day, but it was Ben Norton in the #111 Spectrum, seen in third place behind Roger Ogree above, who came through from a fifth place start to take the win in a race where seven vehicles left the track in separate incidents that necessitated the use of the safety car to clear up some of the mess.

With the first six starting in reverse order that they finished in the first Mini Challenge race and a dry track there was no luxury of a tyre gamble for Shane Storey who started sixth this time round. With just over three tenths of a second covering the top three finishers 3rd place starter Lee Allen got the better of 2nd place starter Lee Patterson leaving pole sitter Martin Depper to claim the last place on the podium unchallenged after the #22 of Chris Smiley, above, completed a whole 1.86 mile lap with a cut tyre in forth place before it finally blew out and sent him into the barriers without any substantial further damage. Henry Gilbert claimed 12th overall and the Club Class win.

The second National Mobile Windscreen Saloon Car Race proved to be the race of the day as William Di Claudio in his little green Peugeot 106 GTi sensationally hounded the more powerful Audi TT ‘saloon/sedan’ (?) of Tony Hutchings over the first 8 laps of the race forcing Hutching’s to go lawn mowing of the outside of Camp on the last but one lap which gave William just enough momentum to seize an unassailable lead as they crossed the line going into the last lap. Mark Wyatt finished a further 4 seconds down the road in third, my man Lloyd Allard managed to keep his Golf TDi on the black stuff second time round starting 34th he came in a well deserved 7th !

The Mini Miglia and Mini Se7en combined race was another close fought affair with rain and the safety car interrupting the entertainment, above Peter Baldwin who started 3rd took the win taking the lead on the last lap from the #22 of pole sitter Richard Casey and early leader David Drew in the #2.

The twelfth and final event of the day held on drying track proved highly entertaining before the start when coming off pit road pole sitter Gary Prebble when straight into the corn field as his slick shod 4 wheel drive failed to find any grip. Prebble fell so far behind the field that he was still weaving through the field to his pole position on the warm up lap ! Craig Flemming starting second in the white and blue #5 Juno TR250 got the jump on Prebble and held the lead for 8 of the 9 laps. An incident requiring the safety car on lap 5 nearly destroyed the race having incorrectly picked up a hard charging Simon Tilling, in the distinctive orange #23 Radical, as the leader when he was still actually only in second place. Fortunately the incident was spotted and Simon was waved through with 3 laps to go and recovered his lost lap to set up a one lap shoot out. As the safety car came in Simon was marooned behind the lapped #41 Spar Jertona 85/09 of Jeremy Irwin while Flemming made the most of his opportunity to get away from the patient Tilling who waited until he crossed the finish line going into the last lap before blasting past the lapped Irwin as though he was standing still. Tilling then set about catching Flemming in what remained of the last lap. Incredibly Simon turned a 1,7 second lap to go disadvantage into a 0.7 second advantage as he crossed the line in a thrilling finish to the days action packed racing. Simon Tilling was the only driver to win both of his events at Castle Combe on Bank Holiday Monday.

William Di Claudio’s giant killing effort in the second saloon car race earned him the Driver of the Day award. As I headed back to the waterlogged car park the sun came out for what turned out to be a mild evening.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Di Claudio’s day edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Racing on Ice – Allard J2 #J2123

16 Blocks of Classics ! – Carmel by the sea Concours d’Elegnce 2011

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Here in the UK the Autumn is already closing in with days of rain. To cheer myself up with a hint of California sunshine I thought to share with you these fabulous photo’s from last month’s Carmel by the sea Concours d’Elegance kindly sent to me by Geoffrey Horton.

I understand for the day of the event sixteen blocks in central Carmel are closed down and given over to that part of the motoring fraternity that is fanatical about presenting their cars built between 1945 and 1989 in better than new condition. First up a Cadillac powered 1955 Allard J2R.

When I first started reading ‘Motor Sport‘ in 1973 the car to have in touring car racing was the 3.0 litre / 183 cui BMW CSL which in full works Group 2 specification with ‘batmobile’ rear wing fairly wiped the hitherto dominant Ford Capri off the top place on the winners rostrum of the European Touring Car Championship. A #55 Jaegermeister sponsored 3.0 CSL looking very much like the car in Geoffrey’s photo, but without the 1974 IMSA GTO spec vented flared wheel arches, driven by Derek Bell and Harald Ertl, won the RAC Tourist Trophy on the 23rd Sept 1973.

I have already posted a blog about the unique 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano Convertible, that was declared the winner of this years Carmel Concours, so with best wishes for the Birthday boy most of you know from his posts on this blog as Jr Cracker here is a Ferrari 250 GT Boano chassis 0553 GT which has gone through several colour changes and engine changes but after a twenty plus year gap now has it’s original motor safely re-installed. Last sold in January 2008 for US$ 975.000.

The 1957 Indy 500 was won by Sam Hanks in the Epperly Belond Exhaust Special, Jack Turner driving the #19 Bardahl Special a Kurtis 500G started 19th and came in 11th last man to complete the full 200 laps.

I believe this wonderful Lola T70 Mk 2 is the only car to have ever to have won a Can Am race powered by a Ford V8, a 302 cui motor fitted with Westlake heads, which Dan Gurney used to take honours in the second ever Can Am race at Bridgehampton in 1966. John Surtees won the 1966 Can Am series in a similar, but Chevrolet powered, Lola T70 Mk 2.

The vintage and history of this Morgan 4-4 is still a mystery to me but nice to see someone flying the motherlands flag in a swinging sixties style.

My thanks to Geoffrey for his wonderful photos, I hope you will join me in wishing the man behind GALPOT’s Ferrari Friday’s, Jr Cracker, a very Happy Birthday !

Thanks for joining me on this Jr Cracker birthday edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be taking a close look at a rare Aston Martin by Touring. Don’t forget to come back now !

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring