Tag Archives: Racer 187

Hansgen History For Sale – Hansgen Jaguar Special

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Walt Hansgen was working at the family F.G. Hansgen body repair shop in Westfield, New Jersey when he was bitten by the racing bug aged 32.

In 1951 he managed to scrimp, save and borrow enough to buy a brand new Jaguar XK120 but despite ever improving results soon found it was not fast enough to keep pace with the competition and the new C-type Jaguar first seen in September 1952 in particular.

After racing in borrowed vehicles most of the way through 1952 Walt and Emil Hoffman built the chrome molly steel frame for today’s featured Hansgen Jaguar Special and transferred the running gear from his XK120 to save around 700 lbs in weight.

Hansgen Jaguar Special, Lime Rock, Ed Hyman,

Photo Copyright Ed Hyman 2007

Walt is known to have raced the car on at least 9 occasions through 1953 winning the SCCA Regional Cumberland Cup third time out and culminated by winning the 6th Annual Grand Prix of Watkins Glen.

Walt sold the car to Paul Timmins for the 1954 season and continued racing with a C-Type he bought from Marsten Gregory until he was eventually picked up by Briggs Cunningham to race as a professional.

Paul scored at least four second place finishes from at least eight known starts in the Hansgen Special.

Hansgen Jaguar Special, Lime Rock, Richard Rowley

Photo Copyright Richard Rowley 2014

Today the Hansgen Special is owned by Bob Millstein who bought her in 1983 and set about a six year restoration which was rewarded with a Jaguar Club of North America’s National Concours Champion award in 1989.

Since then Bob has continued to race the Hansgen Special which is seen in these photographs at Lime Rock. Ryan ‘Racer 187’ Smith, seen in the Daimler in the top photo, tells me the Hansgen Special is up for sale. If you would like to know more about this piece of Hansgen History, I will gladly put you in contact with the vendor, usual disclaimers apply.

My thanks to Ryan Smith for arranging permission for me to use the first photo by Ed Hyman and the second by Richard Rowley.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hansgen History For Sale” edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at an unusual Japanese Formula One Car. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Five Daimlers And A Lanchester – Classics at the Castle

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Today’s post is dedicated to this blogs most prolific e-advocate Rowdy Ryan ‘Racer 187’ Smith who is also a fan of the Daimler and Lanchester brands.

Daimler Fifteen, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Last weekends Classics at the Castle meeting at Sherborne had a handful of said brands in attendance including the 1935 Daimler Fifteen above which is powered with a 6 cylinder version of the Lanchester Ten 4 cylinder motor, and as such the first Daimler motor to be equipped with poppet valves in place of the marques favoured Knight sleeve-valves.

Lanchester Eleven, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The Lanchester Eleven replaced the Lanchester Ten in late 1936 and is easily externally distinguished by the windscreen wipers mounted at the bottom of the screen, as seen on this 1937 example, as opposed to being mounted in the roof above the windscreen on the Lanchester Ten.

Daimler 24hp EL24, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

According to some sources the Daimler EL24 above was built in 1936 while the DVLA have the car down as being registered in February 1940. If you know anymore about this car, of a type popular among civic leaders and Mayors, do not hesitate to chime in below.

Daimler SP250, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Without question my favorite vehicle in the car park was this 1962 SP250, it looked like a well used and abused life size Dinky Toy.

Daimler V8, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Powered by the same hemi V8 as the SP250 was this 1965 Daimler 2.5 V8 which shares a body shell with the Jaguar Mk 2.

Daimler Six LWB, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Above is a 1996 Daimler Six one of just 1,330 LWB Sixes built between 1994 and 1997 when the model was replaced by the V8 powered Daimler Eight.

Thanks for joining me on this “Five Daimlers And A Lanchester” 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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