“You can’t let one bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones.”
Dale Earnhardt
Wishing everyone with an interest in NASCAR a happy & healthy Cup season.
Don’t forget to come back now !
In Memory – #3 Dale Earnhardt
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Tag Archives: Preparation. Psycho
California Dreaming – Ferrari California 2+2 Convertible
A couple of years ago I was at an airport and I noticed in the duty free area there was a Ferrari on a turntable that was a raffle prize.
I’d never seen one like it before turns out that it was a California, at £25 / $40 a pop for a ticket I passed on what may well have been my only opportunity to own a Ferrari without regret.
Allegedly the California was originally conceived as Maserati, however the economics of the project dictated that only a Ferrari badge offered any hope of a financial return on the vehicle.
Researching this blog I was surprised to find the California introduced in 2008, shares it’s engine design with both ALFA Romeo and Maserati models.
Over 1,000 hours are said to have been spent in a wind tunnel perfecting the aerodynamics of the California so that it’s drag coefficient is 0.32 the lowest ever achieved for any Ferrari.
I have to confess it was not until I had run a registration check on these vehicles that I had any idea of exactly which models they were and indeed they were both the same type, I thought the red one was a 612 Scaglietti !
Allegedly there is room on the back seats for two adults in a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti something at 6′ 2″ I’d love to put to the test.
Even if I had known it comes with a front mounted 450 hp 4.3 litre 260 cui V8 engine I doubt I would have been tempted to buy a raffle ticket….
because for all the attention to detail …
beautiful craftsmanship ….
seven speed dual clutch transmission …
and promise of the joys of open air motoring …
alone price of the road tax on the Ferrari California is enough to keep me on the road for a whole year in my 20 year old jalopy … but that does not stop me from dreaming 🙂
With thanks to the PistonHeads responsible for bringing these dream machines to the Sunday Service at the BMW Plant in Cowley a couple of weeks ago.
Hope you have enjoyed to days California dreaming edition of ‘Gettin a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow for a look at another vehicle bearing the California name. Don’t forget to come back now !
PS Should I have failed to quench your thirst for Ferrari’s take a look at the new Ferrari FF with Michele Rahal over on The Drive Channel.
Unlimited Grass Track Racer – #SS11 Xtreme Chevrolet
It is a great privilege to get down and dirty on the 11th Day of Christmas with Adrian Turners eye popping Unlimited Class 10 #SS11 Xtreme Chevrolet grass track racer built in 2009.
State of the art Xtreme Race Car chassis have been built in Somerset by South Somerset Autograss Club founder members and regular race winners John Gay and Russ Shepherd since 2006.
Adrian Turner a building contractor started racing in 1984 and qualified for the 2010 Nationals with this car.
The National Autograss Sport Association (NASA) Class 10 is for open wheel vehicles with motors over 2065 cc / 126 cui with no limits on the tuning. Adrian’s car is fitted with an all aluminium (US pronunciation) 5,665 cc / 345.7 cui LS6 engine more usually found at home in the front of a Chevrolet Corvette.
Lighter than a Formula One car at 600 kgs / 1323 lb and with around 480 hp at the rear wheels transmitted by a two speed gear box the #SS11 Xtreme Chevrolet is capable of over 100 miles an hour on 1/4 mile muddy grass tracks thanks to the grip afforded by 15 inches of rear suspension travel.
Sadly soon after I took my photographs of the #SS11 Xtreme Chevrolet it was badly damaged by crash barriers after a roll while in the hands of one of Adrian’s friends, thankfully no one was hurt. Adrian plans to rebuild the chassis around a smaller engine with a FIAT Seicento body.
I’d like to thank Tim Street of Rebel Racers for his assistance and the last photo in this blog and Adrian for his time, I am sure you will join me in wishing them both the best of luck for the season ahead, I look forward to catching Tim and Adrian at the first grass track meeting of the year at Oak Tree Arena on the 20th of March.
Hope you have enjoyed today’s grass roots edition of ‘Getting a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll hop aboard with me tomorrow on the 12th and final day of Christmas for a ride on an icon from London. Don’t forget to come back now !
