Tag Archives: Michelotti

Michelotti Mini – MG ADO70

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After rejecting the ADO34 and ADO35 projects to put the MG name on a Mini based vehicle in 1966 the conglomerate known as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd since 1968 re visited the idea of building a Mini based MG in 1970.

BMC ADO70, Gaydon Motor Museum

Project code ADO70 also known as the Michelotti Mini seen here is based on a 1275GT chassis and running gear a model which had been introduced in 1969.

BMC ADO70, Gaydon Motor Museum

The only mechanical modification to the car was the fitting of twin exhaust tail pipes.

BMC ADO70, Gaydon Motor Museum

Paul Hughes at the BLMC Longbridge works was responsible for the split Targa top styling and when the drawings were complete another member of the design team Robin Owen drove the new Mini 1275GT with it’s twin tailpipe modification over to Studio Tecnico Carrozzeria G. Michelotti in Turin, Italy

BMC ADO70, Gaydon Motor Museum

For two months Robin oversaw the removal of the original bodywork and it’s replacement with the new design at Michelotti.

BMC ADO70, Gaydon Motor Museum

On returning the Michelotti Mini to the UK it was immediately apparent that the new body was too heavy and that the twin tailpipe modification was insufficient to make for the lost performance, or to warrant putting the car in production with an MG badge.

New safety and emissions legislation in the USA were also responsible for halting any further development of the ADO70.

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

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I’ve Met The Met – Triumph Herald 1200

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Around the time Standard were buying out Triumph in 1959 a new model was being developed to replace the Standard Ensign and Pennant models which was known as the Herald.

Triumph Herald 1200, Frenchay Show,

To save development costs the Herald was built with a separate chassis and bolt on panels styled by Giovanni Michelotti with saloon / sedan, coupé, convertible, estate / wagon and van variants, the same chassis formed the basis of the 4 cylinder Spitfire and six cylinder Vitesse and GT6 models.

Triumph Herald 1200, Frenchay Show,

The newly merged Standard Triumph decided that Triumph was the more marketable brand name and so the Triumph Herald was launched in 1959 after two prototypes, a Saloon and a Coupé, had completed a well documented test run from Cape Town to Tangiers in late 1958.

Triumph Herald 1200, Frenchay Show,

In 1960 Standard Triumph International was acquired by Leyland Motors in 1961 which allowed for the development of Herald 1200 with rubber covered bumpers and a single carburetor 39hp 1147cc / 69.9 cui.

Triumph Herald 1200, Frenchay Show,

Only 8 Heralds are believed to have been used as Panda Cars 6 by the Monmouth Constabulary and two with the Metropolitan constabulary in Catford, London.

Triumph Herald 1200, Frenchay Show,

The 1963 Herald 1200 seen in these photographs is believed to have been converted into a period Panda Car, the term Panda Car referring to police vehicles is believed to have first been used by the Lancashire constabulary in 1965.

Blue Ford Anglia’s with a white stripe were similarly referred to in a letter to the Times in 1966, but the first blue and white check vehicles, a pair of Hillman Imps one white and the other blue with the doors, bonnets and boot lids swapped over did not appear until 1967 in Dunbartonshire.

Thanks for joining me on this “I’ve met the Met” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Mercedes Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to comeback now !

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Voiture Des Copains – Matra Simca 530LX

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In 1967 Matra replaced it’s René Bonnet inspired Djet model with the 530 an all new mid engined 2+2 deigned by Philippe Guédon who had previously worked for Simca.

Conceived as the car for buddies, Voiture Des Copains, the 2+2 with pop up lights and a targa top was powered by a German sourced 70hp V4 Ford accessed by through the rear window.

While the engines and drive train were built in Germany the steel back bone chassis were built by Carrier in Alençon, Normandy and assembly was completed 150 miles away by French coach builder Brissonneau et Lotz at Creil in Picardy.

Matra Simca 530LX

In 1969 the 530 was upgraded with the engine now producing 75hp and a deal was done with Chrysler Europe to distribute the Ford powered cars through their Simca network from 1970 and to work on a joint replacement.

Production of all but the motor and drive train for the 530 was also brought together under the single roof of the Matra Automobiles facility at Romorantin in the Loire Valley around this time.

Giovanni Michelotti was responsible for minor styling upgrades to the 530 which became the 530LX in 1970 these included replacing the acrylic glass removable rear window with a glass hatch held open with gas struts and the removal of a nudge bar from the front bumper.

Matra Simca 530LX

These 530LX ads found in the French journal “Connaissance des arts” date from March and May 1971 respectively five months before the introduction of the budget black bumper, orange or white only 530SX which had the targa top and pop up headlights deleted.

The under powered 530’s competitors included the Lotus Elan +2 and Porsche 912 which were both more expensive and the cheaper MG B GT.

9,609 530s, 2,062 530As, 4,731 530LXs and 1,146 530SX’s were built by the time production ceased in 1973.

Thanks for joining me on this “Voiture Des Copains” 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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Pull Up Two The Bumpers – Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé #0257EU

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At the end of 1952 Vignale started producing it’s definitive 2 bumper coupé bodies designed by Giovanni Michelotti for the 116 mph Ferrari 212 Inter.

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

It is believed no more than six of these twin bumper 212 Inters were produced from a total of 26 Vignale bodied 212 Inters and that today’s featured #0257EU was the first chassis to be so futuristically equipped,

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

This particular car was initially sold in 1953 to a Turin dealer called Fontanella who exhibited it at the Concorso d’Eleganza San Remo the following year.

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Later in 1954 Luigi Chinetti sold #0257EU to paper product tycoon Robert C. Wilke of Milwaukee who was president of Leader Card Inc who would become a well known sponsor of Indy cars.

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The cars engine block is believed to have been replaced twice, first due to a crack that developed and secondly after a mechanic who over torqued the heads causing the studs to be pulled from the second block.

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The car resided in the United States until 1979 when it was acquired by a Belgian who kept it until 2006 when it returned to the United States.

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

In 2009 Michael Green in Texas bought #0257EU and the original engine block from John Hadjuk in Indiana whom he entrusted with the mechanical restoration of the car while Gassman Automotive in Waynesboro Virginia took care of the rest.

Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Mr Green sold the car for just over US$1.7 million including buyers premium at Scottsdale in January 2014 and it is my understanding that the car, seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July this year, is being offered for sale again by Tom Hartley Jnr £POA.

Thanks for joining me on this “Pull Up Two The Bumpers” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Chevron. Don’t forget to come back now !

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’64 TdF Class Winner – Triumph Spitfire

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To keep development costs down the Triumph Spitfire was based on the Triumph Herald chassis and running gear and like the Herald the bodywork was designed by Giovanni Michelotti.

Despite the unrivaled demand for British Sports cars it was a sign of the times that Triumph had to wait until it merged with Leyland before the Triumph Spitfire 4, later known as the Spitfire Mk1 could go into production in 1962.

Triumph Spitfire, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

For the 1964 season Triumph built four Spitfires in pale blue for the works and one in pale green for Stirling Moss to take part in tarmac based rallies alongside the four green Spitfires built for endurance racing at Le Mans.

Stirling Moss entered his light green Spitfire for his secretary Valerie Pirie in five events of which she only recorded a finish on the 1965 Tulip Rally.

Triumph Spitfire, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Of the rally cars today’s featured car ADU 7B was the most successful having taken part in 5 events from ’64 to ’65.

Rob Slotemaker and Terry Hunter won their class driving ADU 7B on the 1964 Tour de France and Terry Hunter drove with P Lier in the co drivers seat of ADU 7B to finish second overall and first in class on the 1964 Geneva Rally.

Triumph Spitfire, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

In 1965 an additional left hand drive Spitfire was built for Finish works driver Simo Lampinen.

It is believed ADU 7B is the only survivor of the series of Spitfires built for rallying.

Triumph Spitfire, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Mark Field of Jigsaw who was responsible for the recreation of the ADU 1B Le Mans racer found ADU 7B and restored it to it’s current condition which included returning the steering wheel to right where it had been when used by the Triumph works.

Thanks for joining me on this ” ’64 TdF Class Winner” 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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Michelotti Zest – Triumph TR4

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Project Zest was the code name for the Triumph TR4 which was launched in 1961.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

It turns out that the TR4 gave Giovanni Michelloti a second crack at updating the Triumph TR3A having designed the body for the Italia 2000 GT, which was built on a Triumph TR3A knock down kit, first seen in 1959.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

Michelotti’s new design did away with the window curtain’s of previous TR’s replacing them with proper glass window’s operated by proper window mechanisms, it was also one of the earliest cars to have a removable roof panel, predating the Porsche 911/912 Targa Top by five years.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

Mechanically new for the TR4 was synchromesh on all gears, with a Laycock overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears and the steering was altered to accommodate a rack and pinion.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

Two engine options were available for the TR4 one just under 2 litres / 122 cui and the other just over.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

TR4’s found competition success in the USA where Bob Tullis drove a Kas Kastner prepared example to class victory at Sebring in 1961 and SCCA class championships followed in 1962, ’63 and ’64.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

This particular TR4 was part of the works rally team and was driven to a 4th place overall finish in the 1962 Alpine Rally by Mike Sutcliffe and Roy Fidler.

Triumph TR4, TNF Herts, Ware,

Sadly of the over 40,000 TR4’s built between 1961 and 1965 less than 1,000 are still registered with British Authorities.

Thanks for joining me on this “Michelotti Zest” 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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Best Of British – Heritage Motor Center

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On my way home the other day I took a wrong turning off the M42 and decided to continue along the M40 to the Heritage Motor Center at Gaydon.

MG ADO 70, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

I arrived just in time for a tour with a guide being a mid week afternoon it was a one to one tour. Among the exhibits are many prototypes from the British Motor Corporation / British Leyland / Austin Rover / MG Rover conglomoration prior to it’s collapse in 2005, above is a Prototype MG built on the 1970 Mini 1275 platform by Michelloti.

March 701, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

There are a smattering of cool racing cars going right back to Austin’s earliest day’s, above the 1970 March 701 chassis #701/4 which Jackie Stewart drove to 2nd place finishes in the Dutch and Italian Grand Prix.

Austin Seven Swallow, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

In 1922 Austin launched the Seven as an economy working mans model, in 1927 William Lyons founder of the Swallow Side Car company decided to build an upmarket convertible version and the following year followed that with a saloon, the one above was built in 1933, Swallow Side Car eventually became Jagaur, some other brands that the Austin Seven unwittingly helped to establish are BMW, Bristol and Lotus.

Austin A90, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

Among my favorite categories of vehicles at the Heritage Motor Centre are the adventurers the 1955 Austin A90 above was driven 17,500 miles by Richard Pape from North Cape in Norway to Cape Town in South Africa between July and October 1955. The White 1922 Austin twenty in the background was bought by a Mr Filby for £33 in 1932 and then driven 37,000 miles to Cape Town and back.

Land Rover City Cab, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

There are several vehicles which have appeared in films in the Heritage Motor Centre collection, above a Land Rover City Cab that appeared in the 1995 movie Judge Dredd.

Rover T4, Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.

Rover was thrust into the white heat of technology in during 1939 – 45 was when it was asked to turn Sir Frank Whittle’s prototype gas turbine jet engine into a production unit, a project Rolls Royce had to turn down because it was too busy building the Merlin V12’s. After hostilities Rover built 5 road vehicles powered by gas turbines including the 1961 T4 above. The car eventually went into production in 1963 as the P6 marketed as the Rover 2000 regrettably with a 2 litre / 122 cui 4 cylinder motor replacing the gas turbine.

My thanks to Dave my tour guide for a highly entertaining 45 min tour.

Thanks for joining me on this “Best of British 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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