Tag Archives: deluxe

Last True Packard Roadster – Packard 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadster

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With sales still plummeting from 55,000 in 1928 to 28,000 in 1930 Packard had little option but to keep going after the dwindling high end market it knew it catered to well in 1931.

The Eighth Series Packards were offered on the same centrally lubricated chassis as the 1930 Seventh Series.

Packard 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadster, San Marino Motor Classic,

By using larger intake and exhaust valves with a three-piece manifold that featured a cylindrical heater chamber to preheat the mixture Packard engineers managed to get 15hp power more from the 384.8 cui / 6.3 litre straight eight making 120hp in total.

The 1931 840 Rumble Seat Roadster would be the last to be supplied without door window’s and therefore the last true Packard roadster to be built.

Packard 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadster, San Marino Motor Classic,

Just 626 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadsters would be built before the introduction of the Ninth Series in June 1931.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at San Marino Motor Classic, a couple of years ago.

Thanks for joining me on this “Last True Packard Roadster” 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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Centralised Chassis Lubrication – Packard Model 745 Deluxe Eight Club Sedan

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With sales plummeting in the wake of the Wall Street Crash Packard offered three top of the range Seventh Series models in 1930.

Packard Model 745 Deluxe Eight Club Sedan, Blackhawk Museum, Danville, California,

The 733 Standard 8 and 740 Super 8 powered models were built on a 140″ wheelbase chassis, and the long wheel base 745 with Super 8 power on a 145″ wheelbase chassis as seen on today’s featured Deluxe Eight Club Sedan.

Packard Model 745 Deluxe Eight Club Sedan, Blackhawk Museum, Danville, California,

New features on the Seventh Series Models included laminated shatter proof window’s, thermostatic radiator shutters for the 106hp straight eight engine, Bijur centralised chassis lubrication, Watson shock absorbers and hypoid rear axle for a smoother and quieter ride.

Packard Model 745 Deluxe Eight Club Sedan, Blackhawk Museum, Danville, California,

Today’s featured 745 is one of 3007 such models Packard built and has a body by Ray Dietrich who’s Dietrich Inc was founded in 1925, Ray likened himself to automobiles as an architect to a building.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California.

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

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Hemispherical FirePower – Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe Newport

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The advantages of a hemispherical cylinder head are that it makes an efficient combustion chamber with minimal heat loss to the cylinder head, however there are numerous difficulties to be overcome to make such a head reliable and commercially viable due to the complexity of the cross flow valve gear, the need for domed piston crowns to attain the necessary compression ratio and the need for high octane fuel to prevent inefficient and destructive detonation in the combustion chamber.

Chrysler engineers began developing hemispherical combustion chambers in 1940 for an inverted V16 that powered a prototype for the P.47H Tunderbolt and was considered for the XP.60C, but the motor was so delayed it never went into production.

Later Chrysler also worked on a hemi head design with Continental for the 810hp Continental AV-1790-5B V12, air-cooled twin-turbo gasoline engine that powered the M47 Patton Tank which was manufactured from 1951 to 1953.

Chrysler New Yorker, Palo Alto Concours d'Elegance

In 1951 Chrysler introduced it’s first FirePower V8’s with hemispherical heads on the New Yorker and Imperial models and as an option for the Saratoga.

Bill Sterling and Robert H. Sandidge drove a Hemi powered Saratoga to a third place finish in the 1951 Carrera Panamericana finishing behind two Ferrari 212 Inters, less than 16 mins behind the winning car driven by Piero Taruffi and Luigi Chinetti.

Similarly Belgian Paul Frére drove Hemi powered Saratogas’s to class wins at the Mille Miglia and Spa 24 Hour races, Lee Petty won the first of his three NASCAR titles in 1954 scoring seven victories in Hemi powered Chryslers and Dodges.

Chrysler New Yorker, Palo Alto Concours d'Elegance

The grill on today’s featured car suggests that it is a Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe Newport built for the 1954 model year which was fitted with a 235 hp version of the Hemi that was good for a theoretical top speed of 97 mph.

New Yorkers appeared on the Carrera Panamericana in 1951,’52 and ’53 but were not as successful as the Saratoga, Reginald McFee scored the models best result a 12th place finish in 1952.

Today’s featured New Yorker was driven on the 2011 Carrera Panamericana by David Buchanan and New York auto engineer Raffi Najjarian dropping out on day 2, I believe they finished third in class with the same car in the 2015 edition of the event.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance in 2011.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hemispherical FirePower” 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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The Smoothest Car Afloat – Dodge Deluxe Convertible

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To mark the Centenary Anniversary of the foundation of Dodge, by brothers Horace and John, in 1914 this months Americana Thursday posts will feature five post ’45 Dodge models starting with today’s featured 1948 Dodge Deluxe Convertible.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

When Dodge resumed production of private motor vehicles in 1945 like most manufacturers it turned to it’s 1942 designs with minor cosmetic alterations. The D24 1948 Dodge Deluxe Convertible, seen here at Summer Classics Easter Compton, is no exception being based on a design that can be traced back to 1940.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Power for the ’48 Deluxe models came from an L head 3.8 litre / 231 cui in line six which produced 100 reliable horsepower. Note the DVLA records for this car show it is fitted with a 5 litre / 302 cui motor of unspecified age and origin.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

1948 D24 Dodges were available with 6 or 7 passenger sedan, 4 door town sedan, 2 door club coupe or convertible bodies supplied to Dodge by Briggs Manufacturing Company which was eventually purchased by Chrysler in 1953 after the death of Walter O. Briggs in 1952.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

The success of the D24 models can be judged by the fact that 10 years after the model had stopped being produced they were still being used by taxi operators across the USA such was their comfort for fares and reliability for operators.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

One of the innovations the series benefited from was Fluid Drive, a fluid clutch which meant a stick shift manual could be operated like an automatic requiring less clutch operation than a conventional friction clutch and no doubt contributed to the strap line “The Smoothest Car Afloat” which stayed with the Dodge D24 series from 1946 to 1949.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Production of the Dodge D24 Deluxe and sister Custom models peaked in 1948 at over 250,000 units, production of these models continued into the first three months of 1949 before they were replaced by an all new design.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Smoothest Car Afloat” 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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Summer Classics – Easter Compton

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After visiting Queen Square a couple of weeks ago I popped over to Easter Compton for the Summer Classics meeting.

Volkswagen Beetle, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Representing the home of the Volkswagen, Wolfsburg (Wolfs Castle), was this 1959 Beetle.

Citroën CX 25 GTi Turbo, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Turbo’s were all the rage in the 1980’s this is a top of the range Citroen CX 25 GTi Turbo from 1985 capable of 130 mph.

Raleigh Safety Seven, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

From 1933 an air cooled twin cylinder Raleigh Safety Seven 3 wheeler, built by the manufacturer in Nottingham better known for building bicycles since 1885 as it does to the present day.

Pontiac Firebird, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

If the signage on this California Highway Patrol car is to be believed this 1997 Pontiac Firebird was converted from a drug dealers car, though I suspect that might just be a bit of PR. If you know different please do not hesitate to chip in below.

Oldsmobile Delta 88, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Delta was an upmarket trim option introduced to the Oldsmobile 88 in 1965, this Oldsmobile Delta 88 was built in 1972.

Dodge Deluxe Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton Convertible, Summer Classics, Easter Compton

Dodge is celebrating it’s centenary this year, this 1948 Dodge Deluxe Convertible with Fluid Drive transmission was based on a design that went back to 1940 complete with L head side valve motor. These solid Chrysler Corporation D24 cars outsold Fords in the immediate aftermath of World War 2.

Thanks for joining me on this “Summer Classics” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at another vehicle with Can Am history. Don’t for get to come back now !

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Breakfast – Redhill Village Hall

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Last Sunday I joined my friend Nick in his Mustang GT for a drive over to Redhill Village Hall, where a select gathering of petrolheads gathered for an excellent breakfast.

Vauxhall 30 90, Redhill Village Hall

When I first came across this 1922 Vauxhall 30/90 at an Avenue Drivers Club meeting a couple of years ago it had just had the wooden frame for it’s body panels rebuilt. The panels have been refitted but there is still some way to go with the upholstery before the restoration is complete.

Audi 200 Quattro, Redhill Village Hall

Fifteen years after becoming the first foreigner to win the Safari Rally, Hannu Mikkola repeated the feat in 1987 in one of his last appearances for Audi driving a 200 Turbo Quattro in what would be his final World Championship Rally win. The 220 hp 20 valve 5 cylinder motor above powers a car that is a stripped and stickered up to replicate the car that Hannu drove.

Jaguar XK150, Redhill Village Hall

Two days after celebrating its 56th Anniversary since it’s registration for use on British roads was this 1958 Jaguar XK150.

Ford Consul, Redhill Village Hall

Bristling with extra’s including sun visor, rear view mirrors and a hand operated spot light was this 1959 Ford Consul.

Austin Allegro, Redhill Village Hall

One of the design criteria for the Austin Allegro was that the styling should eschew mainstream trends and so British Leyland reinvented the steering wheel, it’s quartic wheel afforded the driver extra leg room. While many laughed at this feature at the time perversely it foresaw, by several decades, the arrival of the modern open wheel competition steering wheel.

Ford V8 Deluxe Fordor Sedan, Redhill Village Hall

Finally this Ford embossed tailpipe appeared on a 1938 Ford V8 Deluxe Fordor Sedan.

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

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Excelsior Twin Carb – Berkeley Sports SE328 Deluxe

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Berkeley was Europe’s leading manufacturer of fiber glass caravans when it diversified into car manufacture in 1956 to fill seasonal gaps in it’s manufacturing capacity.

Berkeley SE328, Carmel By The Sea, Concours On The Avenue

The first Berkeley sports car was the SA322 designed by Lawrence “Lawrie” Bond featured an all fiber glass shell and body beating the Lotus Elite which used similar technology to market by a full year.

Berkeley SE328, Carmel By The Sea, Concours On The Avenue

After 163 SA322’s had been built the original 11 hp 322cc/19.65 British Anzani motorcycle engine was replaced by a 18hp 328cc / 20 cui Excelsior motorcycle engine of the type seen above. Today’s featured car is a Delux version distinguished by the twin carburetors. The two stroke motor is started with the aid of a Dynastart electric motor that also served to charge the battery once the 2 stroke motor was set in motion.

Berkeley SE328, Carmel By The Sea, Concours On The Avenue

Fuel gauges were optional extra’s on Berkeley sports cars however the Deluxe models were fitted with tachometers and a fuel gauges as standard. Early Berkeleys were fitted with a column shift for the chain driven three speed gearbox that drives the front wheels.

Berkeley SE328, Carmel By The Sea, Concours On The Avenue

Stirling Moss’s sister Pat drove a Berkeley Sports SE328 in the 1958 Liége-Brescia-Liége Rally as part of a six car works team and was leading as far Slovinia before the heat on the Italian hills took it’s toll and resulted in her being towed by another team car.

Berkeley SE328, Carmel By The Sea, Concours On The Avenue

The diminutive chrome hub caps fitted with ‘spinners’ were another standard feature of the SE328 Deluxe. In all around 1259 SE 328’s that were capable of 70 mph accelerating from rest to 50 mph in just over 30 seconds while achieving over 50 mpg are thought to have been built.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing today’s photographs that were taken at last years Concours on the Avenue at Carmel by the Sea.

Thanks for joining me on this “Excelsior Twin Carb” 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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