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Sleek Racy 5° Raked Back Radiator – Packard 1408 V12 Convertible Sedan

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The success of the new Packard 120 base model in 1935 led the company dedicating nearly half of it’s workforce to the production of the new model which made up 90% of the companies sales.

Convertible Sedan, San Marino Concours d'Elegance

Skipping a logical 13th series on superstitious grounds the remainder of the companies employees worked on building the senior eights and rarer of all 14th Series Twelves featuring sleek new styling with a radiator raked back 5 degrees.

Convertible Sedan, San Marino Concours d'Elegance

From a total production of 55,042 Packards only 682 Twelves were built in 1936 and as with the earlier 12th series they were sold with 15 different body options.

Convertible Sedan, San Marino Concours d'Elegance

The 1408 Convertible Sedan was the second heaviest of the 14th Series model range weighing in at 5,945 lbs, at $5,050 it was als the second most expensive behind the 5,950 lb Phaeton which cost $6,290.

Convertible Sedan, San Marino Concours d'Elegance

This example owned by Earl Rubenstein placed third in
CLASS S1L – CCCA American Late 1936-1947 Open of the 2014 San Marino Motor Classic where it was photographed by Geoffrey Horton.

My thanks to Geoffrey for sharing the photographs, thanks for joining me on this “Sleek Racy 5° Raked Back Radiator” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a Friday FIAT. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Last True Packard Roadster – Packard 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadster

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With sales still plummeting from 55,000 in 1928 to 28,000 in 1930 Packard had little option but to keep going after the dwindling high end market it knew it catered to well in 1931.

The Eighth Series Packards were offered on the same centrally lubricated chassis as the 1930 Seventh Series.

Packard 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadster, San Marino Motor Classic,

By using larger intake and exhaust valves with a three-piece manifold that featured a cylindrical heater chamber to preheat the mixture Packard engineers managed to get 15hp power more from the 384.8 cui / 6.3 litre straight eight making 120hp in total.

The 1931 840 Rumble Seat Roadster would be the last to be supplied without door window’s and therefore the last true Packard roadster to be built.

Packard 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadster, San Marino Motor Classic,

Just 626 840 DeLuxe Rumble Seat Roadsters would be built before the introduction of the Ninth Series in June 1931.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at San Marino Motor Classic, a couple of years ago.

Thanks for joining me on this “Last True Packard Roadster” 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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Dealers Special – Peugeot 302DS Darl’Mat Cabriolet #705538

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Emile Darl’mat was a Peugeot dealer with a body shop who started offering special bodied Peugeot 302 and 402 based coupes and cabriolets in the 1930’s and went so far as to enter a team of cars for the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1937 and 1938.

Peugeot 302DS Darl'Mat Cabriolet, San Marino Motor Classic

Today’s featured car is based on the Peugeot 302 but fitted with an 1991 cc / 121 cui four cylinder engine from the larger 402 which could be tuned by Darl’Mat to give up to 15hp more power than the standard 55hp. The deco body work was designed by Georges Paulin and built by Carrosserie Pourtout.

Peugeot 302DS Darl'Mat Cabriolet, San Marino Motor Classic

Chassis #705538 resided for many years with the Schlumpf Collection in Alsace and was brought up to it’s present condition by the Mullin Automotive Museum after being purchased by Peter W. Mullin.

My thanks to Goeffrey Horton for sharing these photographs taken at the San Marino Motor Classic last year.

Thanks for joining me on this “Dealers Special” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for the first of several visits to this years Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Operazione San Gennaro – FIAT 1300 Berlina

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The 60hp FIAT 1300 Berlina replaced the FIAT 1200, the chassis of which was used for the 1200TV, in 1961 offered with a price of Lira 1,190,000 (Italian Lira one million one hundred and ninety thousand with and identical version with a larger 73 hp 1500 cc / 91.5 cui motor offered for Lira 1,250,000.

FIAT 1300, Brooklands Double Twelve

The 1300/1500 range, marketed with an elegant modernity strap line, included estate / station wagon along with 2 door Coupé and Cabriolet versions which were fitted with the 73 hp motors only.

FIAT 1300, Brooklands Double Twelve

FIAT 1300’s, like the example seen here at a Brooklands Double Twelve meeting, were fitted with all synchromesh four speed transmissions and were early adopters in this class of disc brakes all round.

FIAT 1300, Brooklands Double Twelve

The 1300/1500 range was also produced by Zastava in Yugoslavia where the Zastava 1300, also known as the Tristać, production continued until December 1979, twelve years after 1300/1500 production had ceased in Italy.

FIAT 1300, Brooklands Double Twelve

Fans of Italian Comedy might remember a FIAT 1300 being abused in the 1966 film Operazione San Gennaro see from 1:25:30, in which Armandino Girasole detto Dudù the character played by Nino Manfredi terrifies his side kick Sciascillo played by Mario Adorf on a trip to Naples airport.

Thanks for joining me on this “Operazione San Gennaro” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Comet. Don’t forget to come back now.

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Highland Green 302 – Ford Mustang Fastback

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In 1968 a Highland Green Mustang GT Fastback running on Torque Thrust alloy wheels with Steve Mcqueen in the drivers seat became one of the motorised film icons of all time when it starred as the pursuit vehicle in a 10 min 53 sec car chase through the streets of San Francisco in the film Bullit. Thanks in no small part to that chase sequence the films editor Frank P Keller won an Academy Award for Best Film Editing.

Ford Mustang Fastback, Brooklands Double Twelve

In 1967 the Mustang was given it’s first face lift with more aggressive styling the Mustang became larger, thanks to a Ford Thunderbird type big block 6.4 litre FE V8 heavier, but now with 320 hp also more powerful.

Ford Mustang Fastback, Brooklands Double Twelve

For 1968 the Mustang gained mandatory side reflectors, the ’67 only brushed steel interior trim was replaced with woodgrain interior trim, 3 point seat belts became standard for the front seats as did seat belt warning and door ajar warning lights. Those last two safety items were way ahead of their time, I did not see those sorts of warning lights on any vehicle at all until I sat inside a brand new Honda while I was working as a car valet at a Honda Dealership during a college break in the summer of 1979.

Ford Mustang Fastback, Brooklands Double Twelve

Unlike Lt Bullit’s Mustang today’s 1968 model is powered by a, then new addition to the Mustang range, 4.9 litre / 302 cui Windsor V8 a motor. The 302 was designed to meet Federal Standards being introduced and would become a regular for the option for mustangs through to the end of third generation Mustang production in 1993.

Ford Mustang Fastback, Brooklands Double Twelve

Although two Mustangs were supplied by Ford Motor Company to the producers of Bullit both cars were debadged of all Mustang lettering logo’s that normally appeared on the model.

Ford Mustang Fastback, Brooklands Double Twelve

If one were foolish enough to steal this Mustang one would be disappointed to find that one could not recreate the double declutching sounds that are a strong aural feature of the Bullit car chase, not only is the motor smaller but this car has an automatic transmission. The Bullit film soundtrack also won an Academy Award.

Ford Mustang Fastback, Brooklands Double Twelve

In the United Kingdom Ford made a promotional film to launch the new Ford Puma in 1997. The film used some of the San Francisco Bullit film sets and edits from the Bullit film to make it look like Steve McQueen, who died in 1980, is driving a Silver Puma, pulling into his garage next to which is parked Lt Bullit’s Highland Green Fastback GT ‘stang, as can be seen in this link.

Thanks for joining me on this “Highland Green 302” 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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Nailhead Power – Kurtis Buick 500X #3

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Today’s photograph by Carlyle Blackwell was purchased by Ed Arnaudin back in the 1950’s.

Kurtis Buick 500X, San Diego, Carlyle Blackwell

Photo Carlyle Blackwell, Publised Courtesy Blackwell Archive, for sales enquiry’s please e-mail infoATpsychoontyres.co.uk and your contact details will be forwarded to the Blackwell Archive.

Bill Murphy’s #96 Kurtis Buick 500X seen in this photo, probably at San Diego in July 1956 where Bill won two races, is thought to be the 3rd of 12 500X chassis designed by Kurtis – Kraft who were well known for building successful open wheelers for the Indianapolis 500.

With a 96″ wheelbase the 4120 chrome moly tube chassis of this model featured 4 bar torsion suspension and was a variation of the KK500C Indianapolis car covered in a hand formed aluminium body secured with Dzus fasteners.

The Kurtis was powered by a 5276 cc / 322 cui nailhead Buick V8 which is said to have produced between 300 (Bill Murphy) and 400 hp (Carol Shelby), this engine featured Hilbron fuel injection and was connected to a Jaguar 4 speed gearbox with the aid of Zidar adaptors.

The car was raced successfully by Bill Murphy from August 1955 to September 1957 during which time he scored 9 overall wins and 18 class wins. Murphy’s employee from his Buick Dealership the Indy Car driver Sam Hanks was asked to shake the car down before races and then acted as engineer and crew chief for Bill during the races.

This car is said to have sat on Bill Murphy’s lot until 1979 and resumed it’s winning ways in 1980, since then this vehicle has appeared at Pebble Beach, Murphy never took risks on the track and the car is thought to have survived to the present day in original condition with no more than a fresh lick of paint.

Bill Murphy born in Alaska, was a successful UCLA dropout who built a huge car dealership empire which included Desoto-Plymouth and what from 1962 – 1965 was known as the worlds largest Buick dealership in Culver City.

Bill who was over 40 years old when he raced the Kurtis, which thought was capable of over reaching speeds 180 mph, business partner Shelby reckoned that Bills Kurtis was more powerful than any contemporary Ferrari or Maserati.

My thanks to Ed and Steve Arnaudin for forwarding Carlyle Blackwells photograph and to R Shelby and Coneptcarz for details about Bill and the 500X.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s ‘nailhead’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

28 07 12 PS My thanks to Pamela Blackwell who has kindly retrospectively given me permission to post the photo’s her father took.

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