Tag Archives: RM Auctions

Hawkeye Special – Bentley 3/8 litre #477

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Of the proper, UK definition, Vintage vehicles built between 1919 and 1930 few hold the beholders gaze and ooze presence like an open tourer Bentley, today’s featured car the “Hawkeye Special” is the first of four Bentley specials I’ll be featuring on Sunday’s in January.

Bentley 3/8 Litre, Hawkeye Special, Dana Point, C d'E

This particular car, a Red Label Speed model was built in 1924 with a 70 hp four cylinder, four valve per cylinder, 3 litre / 183 cui motor and first registered to a customer in Rochdale near Manchester on the 4th of June the same year.

Bentley 3/8 Litre, Hawkeye Special, Dana Point, C d'E

Records show #477 was fitted with a 24 valve six cylinder 6 1/2 litre 140 hp motor, upgrading to the latest motor’s was common for any number of Bentley’s of this period.

Bentley 3/8 Litre, Hawkeye Special, Dana Point, C d'E

In the early-1970s renowned Bentley builder John Guppy and Hawkeye “The Flying Swede” Wijkander upgraded the car with an 8 litre / 488 cui six cylinder motor, #TW2702 of the type that was launched prior to Bentley’s financial collapse in 1931. The original 8 litre motors were said to produce 220 hp the one on the Hawkeye Special is said to produce over 400 hp.

Bentley 3/8 Litre, Hawkeye Special, Dana Point, C d'E

Guppy and Wijkander were responsible for the 2 seat coach work carried by #477, giving it the presence of a pit bull on steroids, as seen in these photo’s taken a couple of years ago by Geoffrey Horton at Dana Point Concours d’Elegance.

Bentley 3/8 Litre, Hawkeye Special, Dana Point, C d'E

The huge motor allowed the drivers of the original two ton Bentley 8 litre models to drive at walking pace in top gear and then accelerate rate smoothly to a top speed of above today’s highway speed limits without effort.

Bentley 3/8 Litre, Hawkeye Special, Dana Point, C d'E

The Hawkeye Special #477 was sold by RM Auctions for US$671,000 in August 2012.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing today’s photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hawkeye Special” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a Protect-O-Top from Santa Clara CA. Don’t forget to come back now !

Brighton Speed Trials Under Threat of Permanent Cancellation !

In their infinite wisdom, Brighton & Hove City Council are seeking to ban the Brighton Speed Trials from 2014.

If you care about speed and or motorsport history, please sign this linked petition to save Brighton Speed Trials in 2014 and beyond.

It’s a faf to Register before signing, but relatively painless compared to loosing the event which has been run with few interruptions since 1905.

You do not need to be resident in Brighton or even the UK to sign.

More on Brighton Speed Trials on this link.

Thanks and please spread the word through whatever social media you have at your disposal.

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Hold The Rocker Panel Stripes – Ford GT40 Mk 1 #GT40 P/1034

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In order for Ford to meet the mandatory minimum 50 production number for it to be able to race, Ford sold at least four of it’s Mk1 GT40’s for road use with a minimum of primarily luxury modifications which included, interior carpeting, non-perforated leather seats, and leather door pouches, additionally today’s featured car #GT40 P/1034 was also fitted with wing mirrors, a heated rear screen and reversing light’s. Beyond that the car was equipped with a race tuned 380 hp, 289 cu. in. V-8 engine with four Weber 48IDA carburetors, five-speed ZF manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes just like the racers alongside which it was built at Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, England.

Ford GT40, Carmel by the Sea, Concours on the Avenue

This particular car, seen in these photographs by Geoffrey Horton at Carmel by the Sea Concours on the Avenue last year, was ordered by James Fielding, of Gloucester, England painted Pine Green with no stripes on the rocker panels. Fielding was Chairman of Heenan & Froude, the company that manufactured the dynamometers on which the GT40s were tested and P/1034 was the first GT40 to be delivered to a UK customer in March 1966. Fielding used it exclusively as a road car.

Ford GT40, Carmel by the Sea, Concours on the Avenue

Subsequent owners including Paul Weldon and Australian George Parlby raced the car in classic events, Parlby even had the car painted in the colours of the Gulf Oil Company during a rebuild.GT40 specialist and enthusiast Harley E. Cluxton III, of Scottsdale, Arizona acquired #P/1034 at one point and later it went to Germany where Peter Roessler drove it to victory in the Grand Prix of Stuttgart held at the Hockenheimring.

David Bowden, of Queensland, Australia acquired P/1034 in 1999 where it was again frequently successfully raced by the likes of Kevin Bartlett. In 2001 David had the car repainted it’s original Pine Green with a pair of non original silver stripes.

The current owner returned P/1034 to the USA and earlier this year turned down a high bid of $2,150,000 at RM Auctions for this sublime vehicle.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photograph’s of today’s featured Ford GT40.

Thanks for joining me on this “Hold The Rocker Panel Stripes” 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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Steel Shell Camelion – Ferrari 250 GT SWB #3087

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According to the best records at my disposal today’s steel shelled Ferrari 250 GT SWB chassis #3087 was originally supplied painted midnight blue with a tan interior to Otello Feretti of Bologna in December 1961.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Later in the 1960’s the car was sold and sent to the USA and by the 1970’s it had been painted silver by 1974, been used in competition for the first time at Laguna Seca in 1975, and changed hands at auction in 1976 for US$ 22,000.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

In 1983 the chassis #3087 was offered for sale at US$ 115,000 and in 1989 it was restored.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

During the 1990’s the car won it’s class at the VI. Cavallino Classic and was offered for sale at US$ 700,000 in 1998.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

A decade later, now painted red, #3087 changed hands at RM Auctions in Monterey for over $4 million and found it’s in the UK. Ferrari Classiche fitted an authentic exhaust before #3087 was resprayed Silver and the interior fitted with Connoly Rosso hide.

The superb detailing of the car seen here at last years Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham is credited to Ashley Moran.

Thanks for joining me on this “Steel Shell Camelion” 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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