Tag Archives: Sherborne

Fifth Abbott – Healey Abbott Drop Head Coupé # BT 2019

In 1950 Donald Healey replaced the Healey Westland bodied Drop Head Coupé of which 64 examples had been built over the previous 4 post war years and replaced it with a new Drop Head model with bodywork by E & D Abbot of Farnham.

Healey Abbot, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne Castle, Dorset,

The first 14 Healey Abbotts were built on an improved BT chassis featuring Girling dampers and drum brakes.

Healey Abbott, Castle Combe,

Chassis #BT 2019 was the fifth to be built and was supplied new to Brooklands of Bond Street purveyors of a variety of fine cars including Mercedes Benz and Aston Martin in 1951.

#BT 2019 was registered in the UK on the 1st of January 1952 and is seen in the top photograph sixty years later at Sherborne Castle, having spent half that time in a barn, the current owner bought the car from well known Big Austin Healey racer John Chatham.

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

Archbishop – Ford Consul Cortina Super Estate

In the early 1960’s Ford of Britain’s Project Archbishop the code name given to the family car designed by Roy Brown Jr that was to be launched on the 20th of September 1962 as the Ford Consul Cortina range.

Ford Cortina Estate, Sherborne Castle

Initially the car was offered only with a 1.2 litre / 73.2 cui 3 bearing Kent engine until January 1963 when the 60hp 1498 cc / 91.5 cui 5 bearing Kent engine became available for the Cortina Super models like the 1963 Estate / Wagon seen in these photographs at Sherborne Castle last year.

Ford Cortina Estate, Sherborne Castle

The Ford Consul Cortina Estate was launched in March 1963 and like the Anglia 105E Estate first seen in 1961 it was built in house at Dagenham rather than contracted out to Abbott’s of Farnham, as had been all other post war Ford Estates.

Ford Cortina Estate, Sherborne Castle

Today’s featured Consul Cortina Super Estate, complete with original imitation wood panels, was registered for the road in the UK on the 16th of May 1963.

Ford Cortina Estate, Sherborne Castle

The Consul Cortina was mildly face lifted in October 1964 and fitted with superior “Aeroflow” through-flow ventilation.

Thanks for joining me on this “Archbishop” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a couple of acres of Town ‘n’ Country. Don’t forget to come back now !

350 Rocket V8 – Oldsmobile Cutlass

The third generation Oldsmobile Cutlass was introduced in 1968 with new styling overseen by Stan Wilen.

Oldsmobile Cutlass, Classics At The Castle, Sheborne

Every year there were upgrades to the third generation Cutlass which by 1970, when today’s featured car was built, was available with seven different body options.

Oldsmobile Cutlass, Classics At The Castle, Sheborne

In 1970 a third 455 cui / 7.4 litre V8 engine was made available for the Cutlass, this one is fitted with the smaller 350 cui 5.7 litre Rocket V8 which could be ordered with two barrel or with two four barrel carburetor options producing over 325 hp in top W31 form.

Oldsmobile Cutlass, Classics At The Castle, Sheborne

Those Cutlasses fitted with floor mounted gear changers were fitted with Hurst shifters.

Oldsmobile Cutlass, Classics At The Castle, Sheborne

This particular ‘matching numbers’ Cutlass was imported from Florida in 2013.

Oldsmobile Cutlass, Classics At The Castle, Sheborne

There are probably less than half a dozen Cutlass models of any age in the UK.

199 mph Spider – Ferrari 458 Spider

To complement the Ferrari 458 Italia Berlinetta, first seen in 2009 and to replace the F430 Spider, Ferrari introduced the 458 Spider in 2011.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Mechanically identical to the 458 Italia the Spider can reach 62.2 mph from rest in the same 3.3 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

However the extra aerodynamic drag from the drop top configuration means the 562hp motor can only push the Spider to 199 mph ….

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

… as against the 202 mph capability of the hard top 458 Italia.

Ferrari 458 Spyder, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The 458 Spider features an aluminium top, weighing just 25 kgs / 55 lbs, which can be retracted in just 14 seconds.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The aluminium retractable top is said to be lighter than the soft top of it’s predecessor the F430 Spider.

Ferrari 458 Spider, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

When launched Ferrari were hoping to build up to 2,000 458 Spiders, like the one seen here at Sherborne’s Classics at the Castle, a year.

Thanks for joining me on this “199 mph Spider” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

3rd Right Hand Drive – Ferrari 250 GT/E #2245

Today’s Ferrari 250 GT/E was built in 1961 the 33rd of the 1st series of 302 GT/E models and only the 3rd right hand drive model.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Not much is known about this car’s history apart from the fact that it was delivered painted Celeste (blue) with a blue interior.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

In the early 70’s a similar car might have fetched around £1,200, by January 2002 this car was offered for sale at £57,000 pounds.

Ferrari 250 GT/E, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

This is the earliest 250 GT/E I have come across and the only one that has the original 250 GT/E pattern tail lights.

Thanks for joining me on this “3rd Right Hand Drive” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Silverstone Classic. Don’t forget to come back now !

Chrome, Stripes And A Sheriff – Classics At The Castle

This weeks Americana Thursday blog comes from Classics at the Castle where a fabulous selection of US cars were on display.

Pontiac Le Mans, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne

My favourite was this ’67 Pontiac Le Mans, somewhere around the time this car was built the US show the Monkees hit our shores and even on the steam powered black and white the Pontiac derived Monkeemobile looked like the coolest thing on the planet perhaps bettered only by the crime fighting jet powered Batmobile.

Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne

I looked at a Mustang Cobra Jet a couple of weeks ago, it apppears that there are at least two in south west.

Ford Crown Victoria, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne

Similarly I looked at a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor not so long ago, this one is said to have served Hurricane Katrina hero Sheriff Bill McGee who commandeered water for citizens in Forrest County, Mississippi from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for which he was charged with interfering with, intimidating and impeding a federal officer.

Cadillac Coupé de Ville, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne

In 1957 you would be pushed to find more graceful Detroit sheet metal than that found on the Cadillac Series 62 Coupé de Ville.

Ford Tudor, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne

I know at least one of my regular readers is a stripping expert, here are some I found on the back of a ’47 Ford Tudor.

Oldsmobile Cutlass, Classics At The Castle, Sherborne

Finally a tail light from a ’72 Oldsmobile Cutlass, not a manufacturer we see much of on this side of the pond.

Thanks for joining me on this “Chrome, Stripes And A Sheriff” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me for Ferrari Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Sherborne Details – Classics At The Castle

Last weeks Classics at the Castle threw up plenty of details and here is a small selection I managed to capture.

De Dion Bouton 10hp, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

It looks like this De Dion Bouton has been around for sometime it was offered for auction around 8 years ago it is thought to be a 10hp model from 1910, suitable for a DIY enthusiast with an aptitude for woodwork, as the saying goes.

Aston Martin DB4, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Looking pretty in light blue was this 1958 Aston Martin DB4 powered by a 6 cylinder 3670 cc / 223 cui motor designed by Tadek Marek.

Porsche 911R R, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

The most obvious give away that this Porsche 911R was a replica of the car Gérard Larrousse & Maurice Gélin won the 1969 Tour de France with was that it is a right hand drive model, apart from that it was convincing in many details including the lightened filler cap.

Sunbeam 16/20 Cabriolet, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Cool brass fittings for cockpit ventilation circa 1914 on a Sunbeam 16/20 Cabriolet.

Mazda MX5 BBR, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

Not sure how distracting speakers built in to the headrest of a 1991 Le Mans Special edition Mazda MX5 BBR Turbo would be, but they were dropped from later models.

Lamborghini Aventador, Classics at the Castle, Sherborne

With a zero to 100 km/h time of just 2.9 seconds tail lights are all one is likely to see of a 2012 Lamborghini Aventor.

Thanks for joining me on this “Sherborne Details” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for some Chrome, Stripes and a Sheriffs Car. Don’t forget to come back now !