Tag Archives: Goodwood Revival

Wide Body – Scirocco BRM SP-1-63

In 1962 American Tony Settember with backing from compatriot Hugh Powell made his Grand Prix debut driving a Coventry Climax powered Emeryson Mk2 in the British Grand Prix where he finished 11th from 19th on the Grid.

Tony qualified 21st and last for the 1962 Italian Grand Prix and retired, but undeterred Hugh Powell bought out Paul Emery at the end of the season and rebranded the team Scirocco for the 1963 season.

Scirocco BRM, Goodwood Revival,

The team commissioned Roy Thomas to build the chassis which features a combination of monocoque and tube frame elements, John Tojeiro to provide the suspension and Williams & Pritchard to provide the body work.

The new Scirocco’s were powered with V8 motor’s supplied by reigning World Champions BRM which were fitted to Colotti Type 34 six speed gearboxes.

Scirocco BRM, Delane, Goodwood Revival,

Two cars were completed for the 1963 season and were driven by Tony and Englishman Ian Burgess.

The teams world championship effort was disheartening, from 10 entries the team withdrew Ian’s car on three occasions Tony failed to qualify in Italy and the team did not record any finishes although Tony was classified 8th in Belgium despite retiring after an accident 7 laps from the finish.

Scirocco BRM, Goodwood Revival,

The high point of the teams qualifying for world championship races was Tony’s 18th place start in the British Grand Prix.

However alongside their championship programe the Scirocco Powell team made three non championship appearances and at the 1963 Austrian Grand Prix Tony qualified 8th in chassis #SP-1-63 seen in these photographs and brought the car home in 2nd place five laps down Jack Brabham’s Brabham BT3.

Scirocco BRM, Goodwood Revival,

The Scirocco Powell team folded at the end of 1963 and SP-2-63 was sold on to Equipe Scirocco Belge who had Tim Parnell fit a Coventry Climax V8 for André Pelitte who’s best result in 1964 was a 6th place finish in the non Championship News Of The World Trophy at Goodwood.

#SP-1-63 was built a bit wider than #SP-2-63 because Tony was a bit bigger then Ian, it is seen in these photographs at Goodwood Revival a couple of years ago with John Delane at the wheel.

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

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Only Championship Grand Prix Winner – Porsche 804

In 1958 Porsche built their first open wheel racing cars, to compete in Formula 2, based on the successful Porsche RSK sports car.

After experiencing some success with these cars particularly with the likes of Stirling Moss, Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill driving Porsche took the decision to build Formula One car for the 1962 season.

Porsche 804, Goodwood Revival,

As per Porsche tradition at the time the 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui motor is aircooled with 8 cylinders in the classic Porsche two bank flat lay out.

With twin over head cams operating the 2 valves per cylinder and four twin choke carburetors the motor produced around 180 hp.

Porsche 804, Goodwood Revival,

After a disappointing start to the season Dan Gurney came through to win the 1962 French Grand Prix from 6th on the grid to claim to date Porsche’s only championship Grand Prix win as a chassis and engine constructor.

Dan’s 3rd place finish in the German Grand Prix and 5th in the US Grand Prix helped him secure 5th place in the 1962 Drivers Championship standings and Porsche 5th in the Manufacturers Championship standings.

The team withdrew from Formula One at the end of the season having finished 1-2 in the non championship Solitude Grand Prix with Dan finishing ahead of team mate Jo Bonnier.

Thanks for joining me on this “Only Championship Grand Prix Winner” 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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Junior Formula One – Heron Alfa Romeo

In 1960 Les Redmond and Syd Diggory built today’s featured Heron to compete in the Formula Junior Series and fitted it with a Formula Junior spec Ford 105E engine.

South African Tony Maggs bought the Heron and fitted it with a Coventry Climax Formula One spec engine with the intention of racing it in the 1960 South African Grand Prix.

Heron Alfa Romeo, Goodwood Revival

Having failed to qualify for the race due to mechanical problems Tony sold the Heron on to Ernest Pieterse who’s Scuderia Alfa Team fitted the car with the road car based Alfa Romeo twin cam engine that remains in the car to this day.

Ernest success with the car include a 6th in the 1961 Rand Grand Prix, 2nd in the 1961 Mozambique Grand Prix and a win in the 1961 Rhodesian, now Zimbabwe, Grand Prix.

Heron Alfa Romeo, HGPCA Test Day Silverstone

Team Valencia’s David Hume bought the car in 1964 and he continued to race the Heron for two seasons in South Africa without success.

In 1966 Andrew Smuts raced the Heron in its final race the Natal Winter Grand Prix.

Heron Alfa Romeo, Eddy Perk, Silverstone Classic,

Eddie Perk is responsible for reviving the Heron and he is seen at the wheel of the car at last years Silverstone Classic meeting.

Thanks for joining me on this Junior Formula One 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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Elektron Desmodromic Fuel Injection – Mercedes Benz W196 #000 08/54

While making plans for Mercedes Benz re entry into the top echelon of Motorsport in the 1954 season team manager Alfred Neubauer chose 1951 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio as his de facto Number 1 driver.

Mercedes Benz were late turning up for the show in 1954 and Neubauer allowed Fangio to race in the 1954 Argentinian and Belgian Grand Prix which he promptly won.

Mercedes Benz W196, Goodwood Festival of Speed

At the French Grand Prix Mercedes Benz showed up with three streamlined cars that were powered by 257hp straight 8 motors with desmodromic valves, that were positively closed by a cam activated lever as opposed to a valve spring and direct fuel injection developed from the Mercedes Benz DB601 inverted V12 engines used in the fearsome Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighter plane.

The body and chassis made use of the light but highly flammable Elektron magnesium alloys, perhaps the only surprise was that W196 streamliners did not follow the latest aircraft technology by using the latest in disc brakes instead opting to use massive inboard mounted drum brakes.

Mercedes Benz W196, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Fangio led home team mate Karl Kling in an emphatic show of strength though the third car driven by Hans Hermann, seen driving the #10 below, retired with engine problems.

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone showed up the draw back of the streamlined body work when Fangio could not position the car accurately to avoid hitting the concrete filled oil drums that marked the inside of the course and as a consequence Juan could only finish fourth behind two Ferrari’s and a Maserati.

Mercedes Benz W196, Hans Hermann, Goodwood Revival

For the German Grand Prix Mercedes Benz built an open wheel car for Juan, the streamliners henceforth would only appear at Monza in 1954 and ’55, and he went on a three race winning streak in Germany, Switzerland and Italy enough to claim the 1954 World Drivers Championship.

Today’s featured W196 chassis #000 08/54 was the last W196 to be completed in 1954 and was finished in time for Fangio to drive it in the season ending Spanish Grand Prix where he qualified 2nd behind the debutant Lancia D50 driven by Alberto Ascari and finished 3rd after slowing his pace due to an oil leak.

Mercedes Benz W196, Goodwood Festival of Speed

At the non championship 1955 Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires Karl Kling drove this car to a second place finish behind team leader Fangio.

Fangio scored chassis #000 08/54’s only win at the 1955 Belgian Grand Prix which along with three more wins on his way to securing his third World Drivers Championship title.

Mercedes Benz W196, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Hans Hermann seen driving today’s featured car at a Goodwood Revival Meeting a few years ago, when he was 82, scored a career best third place finish in the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix he continued driving Formula one cars sporadically until 1961 a year after falling out of his BRM P25 at the German Grand Prix.

1970 Hans retired from motor racing aged 42 after driving the winning Porsche 917 in the 1970 Le Mans 24 hours with Richard Attwood.

Thanks for joining me on this “Elektron Desmodromic Fuel Injection” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be taking a look at a Prototype Maserati. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Killed By Speculation – Kieft Climax GP

Kieft built up an enviable reputation, with the help of Stirling Moss, in the 500 cc / 32.5 cui Formula 3 series when in 1953 it decided to build a Formula One car for the new 2.5 litre / 152 cui rules that were to be introduced in 1954.

Kieft Climax, Gregory Snape, Goodwood Revival,

Alongside British entrants Cooper and HWM, Kieft built their car around a new V8 “Godiva” motor which Coventry Climax were proposing to sell to prospective customers.

Coventry Climax V8 Godiva, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone,

The new Coventry Climax FPE Godiva motor produced around 240 hp in early tests, but soon afterwards word got out in the press that Ferrari’s new motor was producing 260 to 270hp.

Coventry Climax V8 Godiva, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone,

On hearing this both Cooper and HWM began looking else where for motors while Kieft had already manufactured 2 chassis for the Godiva before Coventry Climax cancelled the project and Cyril Kieft sold the unraced car on and moved completely out of the motor racing business.

Kieft Climax, Gregory Snape, Goodwood Revival,

The Climax FPE Godiva project including all the spares was sold on in the 1960’s, one three litre / 183 cui version was built for the Shannon Grand Prix car which nearly completed a lap of the 1966 British Grand Prix, while another of similar capacity was used by ‘Doc’ Merfield in his Ford Cortina Mk II until he fell ill.

The car was eventually restored and fitted with the Godiva motor seen here by Bill Morris, a notable ERA restorer, and was entered into it’s first race 48 years late in 2002 with the 89 year old Cyril Kieft in attendance.

The car seen at Goodwood Revival with Gregory Snape at the wheel was sold in September 2012 for GB£ 185,000.

When the cars came out for the new Formula in 1954 it was believed the race winning Maserati 250F had around 240hp, the Ferrari 553 Squallo around 260 in a completely useless chassis and the championship winning Mercedes W196’s upwards of 270 hp approaching 290 by the seasons end.

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

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1st Pau & Bordeaux – Maserati 250 F #2516

Today’s featured Maserati 250 F chassis #2516 made 11 appearances in 1955. Jean Behra was the cars primary driver which included two non championship wins at Pau and then Bordeaux in April 1955.

Maserati 250 F, Richmond & Gordon Trophy, Goodwood Revival,

Jean shared the #2516 with Cesare Perdisa to finish third in the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix. At the end of the season Roberto Mieres drove #2516 to a 7th place finish at the Italian Grand Prix and Luigi Villoresi drove the car on it’s final in period European appearance at Syracuse in Sicily where he finished 3rd.

Maserati 250 F Michael Hinderer, Richmond & Gordon Trophy, Goodwood Revival,

The chassis number #2516 was temporarily transferred to the 250 F #2522 at the beginning of the 1956 season, but today’s featured car was eventually sold to Reg Hunt in Australia who continued to race it for many years.

#2516 is seen in the above photograph with Michael Hinderer at the wheel during the 2012 Goodwood Revival meeting.

Thanks for joining me on this “1st Pau & Bordeaux” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a special Delage. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Mystery Special – Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special

Today’s featured car is a Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

It is registered as being built in 1964.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

The motor is a 4136 cc / 252 cui straight 6.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

The origin of the motor could be either from 1964 Mistral or 1964 Quattroporte saloon.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

The origin of the special bodywork is completely unknown despite the car having appeared at numerous shows and the occasional sprint since at least 2007.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

If you know anything else about this mystery Maserati, who built the body and when for example, please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Mystery Special” 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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