Tag Archives: de

OK, But Not Very Fast – Lotus 58

The Lotus 58 was designed with de Dion suspension front and rear, in Colin Chapman’s eternal quest for more grip, to take part in Formula 2 races for the 1968 season.

Chapman’s original intention was for the 58 to be used as a development vehicle for the Lotus 57 Grand Prix car which was to have used a similar chassis but fitted with a larger Ford Cosworth 3 litre / 183 cui that powered the various iterations of the Lotus 49.

The Lotus 58 chassis and wedge shaped body closely resembles that of the Lotus 56 Indy challenger but is powered by a 225 hp four cylinder 1598 cc / 97.5 cui Ford Cosworth FVA motor which met the requirements of the second tier open wheel Formula 2 regulations.

The one and only Lotus 58 chassis was completed the day Jim Clark was killed at Hockenheim, his death along with that of Jim’s replacement Mike Spence at Indy in a Lotus 56 along with numerous crashes that befell Jackie Oliver in his Lotus 49’s meant that development of the Lotus 58 was pushed back until the end of 1968 when Lotus had to decide which cars to take to the Antipodes for the Tasman Series.

Graham Hill thoroughly tested the car with a Tasman Spec 2.5 litre / 152.5 cui Cosworth DFW motor and came to the conclusion that it was “OK, but not very fast”. It would appear the advantages of the de Dion suspension which keep the wheels vertical in the corners and thereby keep a larger tyre footprint on the ground were not obvious enough to pursue. The Lotus 58 was pushed aside never having raced in Formula 2 as originally intended, or in the Tasman series, while the similar Cosworth DFV powered Lotus 57 never even left the drawing board.

In 1998 two enthusiasts persuaded Colin’s son Clive Chapman to restore the Lotus 58 and he gave the task to former Hill and Clark engineer at Lotus Eddie Dennis. After some 1500 hours of work Dennis ran the car at the former works Lotus test track at Hethel before handing it over to the new owners Malcolm Ricketts and Don Hands.

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

Shopping Around #2 – Cadillac 6 Window Sedan

Leave a Reply

Last week I looked at the Cadillac Series 62 4 Window Hard Top Sedan, by coincidence just after I finished preparing that blog I came across this 6 Window Sedan at Easter Compton.

Unsurprisingly from the front the Flat Top 4 window and six window sedans look almost identical.

However from the side the difference can be seen in the sloping rear roof line of the six window model.

It was only when I got home that I realised that today’s featured car is missing the tell tail the small badge below the arrow behind the front wheel on the front wing / fender which distinguishes a Series 62 ‘6229’ from the ‘6329’ de Ville 6 window Sedan which would be identified by small chrome ‘Cadillac de Ville’ lettering above the chrome arrow on the tail wing / fender.

The difference in the basic price when new between the two models was $418, if you know what the extra cost gave you apart from a difference in the badges already mentioned please chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Shopping Around #2” 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 !

Family Affair – GSM Delta

Leave a Reply

In 1957 John Scott met South African Bob Van-Niekerk who had plans to build a sports car in South Africa. John told Bob that if he one of his cars won a race in Britain he would arrange to manufacture them in the UK.

Bob with fellow South African’s Willie Meissner and Verster de Wit who was responsible for the body styling produced a mould in the UK and sold the first body built in the UK in order to pay the cost of shipping the moulds to South Africa.

Above John Scott’s son Clive is seen standing next to his grand son, John’s great grandson, Ben behind the 1962 GSM Delta Clive purchased in 2009.

Bob went back to South Africa and set up GSM (Glass Sport Motors) with Willie Meissner and started production of their first vehicle which carried the Dart name.

Immediately competitive in South Africa, scoring 1-2 victory on it’s debut in a 4 hour race in Cape Town in 1958, by 1960 one of the GSM Dart’s found it’s way to the UK in 1960 and won first time out at Brands Hatch. True to his word John started a second production shop for the GSM in West Malling, Kent renaming the car Delta, as Daimler had already found out the Dart name was the property of Chrysler in the USA.

Power for the GSM Delta came from off the shelf Ford’s from 1 litre / 61 cui to 1.5 litres / 92 cui in size, the motor seen here is one of the larger pre crossflow Ford unit’s. Ford components were also used for the steering, brakes, gearbox and rear axle.

When Clive bought this car in 2009 he was surprised to find that he recognised his mothers handwriting in the log book.

Among the winners in the British built GSM Delta’s between 1960 and 1965 was Dutchman Jan van Niekerk, Jeff Uren, 1959 British Saloon Car Champion who is also known as the man behind the “Savage Cartina’s“, John Glyde Walker, Joe Krupwicz Americans Bob Clift, Bill Osband, Dave Johnson and Don Grohs.

Figures vary as to how many GSM Delta’s were built between 1960 and 1961, Clive puts the number at “approximately 40” of which he believes fewer than 10 remain. The car that Clive owns won the 2001 Paul Matty Challenge in 2001 and the 2006 Aldon / HSA Championship.

My thanks to Clive for his help with today’s blog.

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

“Tender At Heart” – Ford V8 30 Saloon

Leave a Reply

The 1938 Ford V8 30 Saloon appears to be a 1938 Ford de Luxe Sedan built for the British market complete with right hand drive.

Like the Deluxe the V8 30 was powered by a ‘flathead’ V8 with either 60hp or 85hp options.

New for 1938 was the distinctive heart shaped grill which is easily distinguished from the V shape grill of the 1937 models.

The remaining panels were identical to the earlier 1937 models, not even a new dash with recessed controls for safety could do much to stimulate sales. After the 1939/45 war the British built Ford V8 30 updated and given a brief new lease of life in the UK, marketed as the Ford Pilot.

In September 1939 Lenham, in Kent, Auxiliary Fire Station had a budget of £60 to acquire a Fire Tender and a Mr Hulland managed to acquire a Ford V8 30 hp Saloon for £30 and spent the remainder on having it converted. The depreciation from the new value of the vehicle at £230 in 1938 showing how desperate the times were at the commencement of the 1939/45 war.

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

Choices Choices – Simply Italian National Motor Museum Beaulieu

1 Reply

In the interests of keeping my regular Friday readers happy I needed little convincing by GALPOT regular David Roots to forgoe the delights of the Avenue Drivers Club monthly meeting at Queens Square, in order to take a trip to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu for the third Simply Italian parade on Sunday.

On the way down I passed at several cars making their way to Queens Square, a magnificent Alvis and several other vintage cars taking part in a Vintage Rally, and a number of classic sports cars taking part in a Classic Rally before stumbling accross this F40 as it slowly made it’s way through the achingly picturesque village of Beaulieu, pronounced ‘Bewley’.

In the never seen one before category was the Vignale Gamine, one of just 300 vehicles, based on a FIAT 500 platform with a 21 hp 2 cylinder motor. This slow selling Alfredo Vignale pet project led to Carrozeria Vignale going out of business and the production facility being acquired by de Tomaso for their Pantera models.

One of my favourite toys when I was not yet six was a Lancia Flamina similar to the 1962 Coupé seen here which had yellow jeweled headlights.

Appropriately on the other side of the car park to the Vignale Gamine was this de Tomaso Pantera which with it’s Ford motor and running gear has to be one of the most practical and affordable ways of running a genuine Italian super car.

Speaking of practical this 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Baldoni, one of just 250 550 hp 200 mph 2 wheel drive super cars with a distinctive white and gold stripe was carrying a child seat on the passenger side. The owner told me he has had the car just nine weeks and in that time has driven it 5000 miles at 25 mpg on the road and as little as 5 mpg on track days. He has also had to replace a set of tyres !

Around lunch time the grounds of the National Motor Museum echoed to the sound of LEFT ! RIGHT ! LEFT ! RIGHT ! LEFT ! RIGHT ! LEFT ! as a squad of 13 field gunners from HMS Sultan ended a 56 mile weekend yomp with a limber and 12 pounder field gun, of the type used during the Boer War, in tow. The gun and breach alone weighs some 400 kgs, nearly 900 lbs ! All of this was to honour the men of 40 Commando in the Falklands Conflict who covered the same distance in 1982 to retake Port Stanley and to raise funds the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, follow this link to find out more and make a donation.

After lunch the results of a public vote for the most popular vehicle present was announced, the 1988 FIAT Panda 4×4 above, which came complete with a fitted tent was awarded a bottle of Beaulieu Bubbly, a local sparkling wine.

A well deserved second went to GALPOT regular David Roots and his Lenham based ALFA Romeo 4C Special,

while most visitors votes went to this Maserati Merak.

My thanks and congratulations to David for telling me about this fabulous event which was interspersed with visits into the National Motor Museum which I shall cover in greater detail on Sunday.

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

Mini Bora – Maserati Merak SS

Leave a Reply

The Maserati Merak was conceived while the company was in the ownership of Citroen as a more affordable version of the Maserati Bora launched in 1971.

Like the Bora the Merak was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Ital Design and featured many similarities in the body panels ahead of the mid mounted motor though the chassis pan featured many differences thanks to the lighter weight of the Meraks 3 litre / 183 cui motor which was first seen in the 1970 Citroen SM with a slightly smaller displacement.

The Merak went through 3 phases of development when first launched in 1972 the Merak used many interior Citroen fixtures and fittings including a single spoke steering wheel, dash panel, instrumentation, gearbox along with brakes actuated by Citroen’s high pressure hydraulic system.

In 1975 Maserati fell under the Control of de Tomaso and for 1975 most of the Citroen interior derived components were replaced including the high pressure hydraulic operated brakes which became vacuum assisted and the Citroen gearbox which was swapped for a ZF gearbox. The revitalised 220 hp model, like the 1980 vehicle seen here at Bristol’s Italian Auto Moto Festival last year, was lighter than the original and given Merak SS branding to distinguish it from the original.

In 1976 the third and final version the Merak 200OGT aimed at avoiding the 38% purchase tax cars in the Italian market attracted if they were fitted with engines over 2 litres / 122 cui. Consequently the 170 hp 2000 GT had an engine measuring 1999 cc 182.986 cui cc.

The Merak was discontinued in 1983 having outsold the Bora by better than 3 to 1 with 1860 being built of which the Merak SS was the most common with around 1000 units built.

The 2012 Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival will be held this coming Saturday April 28th and will be celebrating not only the 40th Anniversary of the Maserati Merak and Khamsin but also the 40th Anniversary of the Lancia Beta and 50th Anniversary of the Alfa Romeo Giulia along with the 100th anniversary of the founding of Bertone. Motorcycle fans will be able to see a large selection of Italian bikes with MV Agusta being the featured manufacturer, an interesting selection of Lambretta’s and Vespa’s will also be in attendance. Best of all the event is free and can be found in the streets around St Nicholas Market.

I have arranged to meet David Roots at 11 am near his unmistakeable Lenham ALFA Romeo, SEE THIS LINK, if your visiting why not pop by and say hello ?

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

African Adventurer – Ferrari 340 America #0122A Touring Coupé

1 Reply

Today’s featured car is the 340 America, seen here at Gooodwood Festival of Speed, a bye product of Ferrari’s Lamperdi V12 powered Grand Prix programme. With the failure of Ferrari’s Colombo designed 1.5 litre / 122 cui supercharged V12 Grand prix cars to make any impression on the pre war Colombo designed straight 8 supercharged 1.5 litre / 122cui Grand Prix cars thanks to poor fuel economy, Enzo Ferrari asked Lamperdi to design what has become known as the all alloy 4.5 litre / 274 cui long block V12 which was to run in Grand Prix racing without a super charger.

The new V12 was first built in a 3.3 litre / 201 cui guise and then in a 4.1 litre / 250 cui configuration before being stretched to a full 4.5 litre / 274 cui specification. No sooner had the new motor been developed into a winner, in the 375 chassis, than it was made redundant for World Championship Grand Prix racing thanks to a lack of competition which led to an immediate rule change.

As the 375 Grand Prix programme was in progress in 1950 Ferrari started to build a series of 23 340 America sports car chassis fitted with the 200 hp 4.1 litre / 250 cui spec motor. Only 2 of these chassis were fitted with a Coupé body by Touring, a model fitted with a Vignale Barchetta body won the 1951 Mille Miglia with Luigi Villoresi at the wheel and Pierro Cassani doing the co driving.

So far as I can establish this car might be chassis #0122A which was sent to the 1951 Brussels Motor Show and sold to a Belgian. I believe this is the same car as entered by Equipe Nationale Belge for Alain de Changy in the 1958 Grand Prix Leopodville now known as Kinshasa in Belgian Congo where it did not finish. Two weeks later the car was entered in the Angolan Grand Prix for Yves Tassin who finished 10th behind a far more modern D type Jaguar, a Riley Special, unspecified Triumph and Austin Healey amongst others.

As seen here at Goodwood Festival of Speed Councour’s d’Elegance the car won the best in show Award.

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

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring

Tag Archives: de

OK, But Not Very Fast – Lotus 58

Shopping Around #2 – Cadillac 6 Window Sedan

Family Affair – GSM Delta

“Tender At Heart” – Ford V8 30 Saloon

Choices Choices – Simply Italian National Motor Museum Beaulieu

Mini Bora – Maserati Merak SS

African Adventurer – Ferrari 340 America #0122A Touring Coupé