Tag Archives: Volvo

Le Jog – Aust Services

At the beginning of December Le Jog passed through Aust Services for an Autotest in the Car Park, below are some of the runners and riders.

MG A, Volker Haltenhof, Horst Pokroppa, Le Jog, Aust Services,

Volker Haltenhof and Horst Pokroppa collected a nice round 100 min time penalty and were classed 30th in their 1957 MG A.

Rover P4, Robert McClean, Susan McClean, Le Jog, Aust Services,

Spirit of the Rally Trophy winners were Robert and Susan McClean who were classified 19th in their 1962 Rover P4.

Porsche 356, Jonathan Miles, Andy Elcomb, Le Jog, Aust Services,

The #10 Porsche 356, also built in 1962, was driven by Jonathan Miles and Andy Elcomb who were classified 11th overall first in class and won a Bronze Medal Status.

Volvo 123GT, Roger Osborne, Barbara Osborne, Le Jog, Aust Services,

Roger and Barbara Osborne appear to have retired their #4 Volvo 123 GT early in the event, which was won by a similar car driven by Andy Lane and Iain Tullie who clocked up just 8 mins 1 sec in penalties over the three day drive from Lands End to John O’Groats.

Austin Mini, Rachel Vestey, Owen Turner, Le Jog, Aust Services,

Classified 14th in their 1972 Austin Mini 1275 GT were Rachel Vestey and Owen Turner, Australian Rachel won the Ladies prize too.

MG B, David Maryon, Andy Ballantyne, Le Jog, Aust Services,

The 1966 MG B driven by David Maryon and Andy Ballantyne also retired from the event.

Thanks for joining me on this “Le Jog” edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Daytona 24 Hour competitor. Don’t forget to come back now !

Not A Mopar – Renault Magnum

Since 1956 the commercial and military vehicle of arm has undergone many transformations from nationalised industry to stand alone privatised business in 1996 to most recently in 2001 an arm of the Volvo Group.

Renault Magnum, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Renault launched it’s stylish Magnum range of rigid and semi rigid trucks in 1990, they were availble with either 6 x 4, 6 x 2 or 4 x 2 axle / drive configurations.

Renault Magnum, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Power for the European version of the Magnum was derived from a 12 litre / 732 cui straight 6 cylinder Volvo motor fitted with fuel injection and engine management system co developed with Delphi, note Australian versions of the Magnum used the European Magnum cab and chassis equipped with a Mack Trucks motor, Roadranger 18 speed transmission and Rockwell or Dana drive axles.

Renault Magnum, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The European Magnum could be ordered with either 440hp, 480hp or 500hp and either a ZF servoshift air-assisted 16-speed manual, or Optidrive II 12 speed automated, with 4 reverse gears, transmissions.

Renault Magnum, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The keys to the last Magnum were presented to hauliers Robert Chabbert on Wednesday 26 June 2013.

Renault Magnum, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Renault Sport F1 4 x 2 Magnum in these photographs was seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed a couple of years ago.

Worth Travelling 200 miles To Hear – Autumn Classic Castle Combe Preview

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Next Saturday Castle Combe will be marking the 60th Anniversary of it’s one and only International Formula One race that was won by Harry Schell driving a Vanwall with some of the cars that took part in that race present for a fantastic selection of displays, demonstrations and and most importantly races.

The track will also be celebrating the 60th Anniversary since the last in period Formula 500 F3 race was run at the track.

Blue Bird Sunbeam 350hp, Don Wales, Pendine Sands

The National Motor Museum will be bringing along a mouth watering selection of vehicles including Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Blue Bird Sunbeam V12 which 90 years ago became the first car to set a World Land Speed Record of over 150 mph, seen above with his grandson Don Wales at the wheel earlier this year, the NMM will also be bringing along the 1955 Connaught Type B Tony Brooks drove at Castle Combe in 1955 prior to winning the 1955 Syracuse Grand Prix and a 1966 Lotus 49 chassis R3.

Other exhibits and vehicles to look out for will be Nick Mason’s 1957 Maserati 250F, of the type Bristols Horace Gould drove to second place at Castle Combe in 1955, and the Pink Floyd drummers distinctive 1953 Ferrari 250MM.

Gordon Keeble, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe,

Expect to see many motor clubs in attendance with pre 1970’s vehicles, a rare Gordon Keeble is seen on the Bristol Pegasus Motor Clubs stand last year, this year their stand will feature a couple of Abarth’s from Tony Castle Millers Middle Barton Garage.

Owners clubs confirmed this year will represent Alvis, Bristol celebrating 60 years since the marques last 1-2-3 class victory at Le Mans, Gordon Keeble, Lotus, Marcos and Reliant.

Cooper Mk X, Steve Jones, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

60 years after the very last all 500 F3 race run at Castle Combe in period, the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club will again be sponsoring the BAC MSC Challenge Trophy, won last year by Steve Jones driving the #74 Cooper Mk X after a close race with the pursuing George Shackleton driving a slightly older Cooper Mk 8.

Look out for some rare cars to take part in the races like Richard Bishop Miller’s successful in period Revis and other on display only including the locally built 1950 Milli Union and the Swedish built Effly the owners of these cars all have wonderful stores to tell about them.

Volvo 122, Gavin Watson, Oulton Park

New for this year at the Autumn Classic meeting will be the Terry Sanger Trophy for pre 1966 Saloons like the Lotus Cortina of the type the much missed Terry drove back in the day and the Volvo 122 seen above driven Gavin Watson seen at Oulton Park last year.

Terry drove some incredible machinery including a Ford GT40 V8 powered Cortina with outsize wheels and the 1971 Harrier F5000 car which he designed and built, the latter will be present next as a static display next Saturday, other races will be for fifties sports cars, VSCC pre war sports cars, look out for the ever entertaining Patrick Blakeney Edwards in his Fraser Nash, the ever popular Healey Challenge, Formula Junior and Historic Aston Martin’s in which Nick Mason’s daughters Holly and Chloe driving a pair of Aston Martin Ulsters were stars last year.

05-Jaguar D-type_1947sc

The life and times of two time Le Mans winner Ivor Beub will also be celebrated at the event Ivor born in East Ham but later resident from nearby Cheltenham won Le Mans driving Jaguar D types in 1955 with Mike Hawthorn and 1957 with Ron Flockhart, cars present in the ‘Danco Dream Garage’ that Ivor drove will include a 1955 Cooper T39 Bobtail sports car 1959 Cooper T51 formula two car along with some of the cars already mentioned.

Other cars present in the dream garage will include event sponsor Bristol Forklifts Julian Bronson’s Scarab which has been rendered hors d’combat after it’s recent outing at Goodwood Revival, also lookout for Andy Wallace in the The Norman Dewis Trophy race for pre ’66 Jaguars, last year the 1988 Le Mans winner drove a Jaguar D-type, at Oulton Park Andy was seen at the wheel of a rather more pedestrian but equally effective class winning Mk 1.

BRM Type 15, Doug Hill, BRM Day, Bourne,

Finally the piece de resistance of the day, and worth making a 400 mile round trip to hear in my opinion will be the National Motor Museum’s BRM Type 15, the sound of which is quite unlike any other you will hear in motor racing and will be demonstrated on the track where such a machine was last raced in anger in a Formula Libre event at Castle Combe 60 years ago.

Castle Combes charity of the day will be the National Motor Museum Trust’s BRM Preservation Appeal which will go toward’s keeping the Type 15 in full running order.

Full details of the action packed Autumn Classic day can be found on this link where tickets can also be purchased online, for those who want a sneak preview of the racing action there is usually a test day for competitors on the Thursday before the event.

Hope to see you there.

Thanks for joining me on this “Worth Travelling 200 Miles For” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a hot Mercury Convertible. Don’t forget to come back now !

Cast Iron, Glassfibre And Marine Ply – Marcos 1800 GT

To create the sensation of the 1964 Racing Car Show, Marcos kept faith with the marine ply chassis construction method espoused by former de Haviland aero engineer Frank Costin, glueing no fewer than 386 pieces of marine ply together which were then bonded to a glass fiber body to end up with a strong and above all light monocoque chassis.

Marcos 1800 GT, Silverstone Classic, Press Day,

Marcos turned to Volvo for a supply of cast iron block B18 engines, more commonly found in the Volvo’s P1800 Coupé, with either four speed or five speed manual gearboxes fitted.

Marcos 1800 GT, Silverstone Classic, Press Day,

At the rear the first 33 1800 GT’s were fitted de Dion suspension, which was dropped in favour of a cheaper Ford live axle for the remaining 73 1800 GT’s that were built up until 1966.

Marcos 1800 GT, Silverstone Classic, Press Day,

The scintillating glass fibre body was the work of the Adams brothers Denis and Peter, featuring a forward hinging front to ease access to the engine.

Marcos 1800 GT, Andrew Smith, Silverstone Classic, Press Day,

With 96hp the 1800 GT could accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 116 mph, however a works entry for Jem Marsh, John Quick and Peter Taggart at Le Mans in 1968 with a slightly larger B20 motor still failed to qualify.

Marcos 1800 GT, Andrew Smith, Silverstone Classic, Press Day,

Despite it’s enthusiastic reception the car proved to be an expensive slow seller, it was not very profitable even after the live axle, which helped drop the price from £1500 to £1340, was adopted.

Marcos 1800 GT, Silverstone Classic, Press Day,

In 1966 the 1800 GT gave way to Ford and Triumph powered models, but today the 1800 GT, such as the example raced by Andrew and Tom Smith seen in these pictures at the recent Silverstone Classic Press Day, is a more highly prized vehicle because it is the last Adams bodied Marcos legible to be driven in Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) events.

Thanks for joining me on this “Cast Iron, Glassfibre And Marine Ply” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a convertible Citroën. Don’t forget to come back now !

Great Western Sprint – Castle Combe

On Saturday I got up at some unseemly hour and braved rain, hail and sunshine on my way over to Castle Combe for the Williams Automobiles Motorsport Specialists Great Western Sprint organised by the Bristol Motor Club.

Volkswagen Golf IV, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

For my sins I volunteered to be a marshal and found myself rather busier than expected by being assigned the paddock gate where my duties included checking competitors competition numbers were visible and that they were wearing mandatory seat belts, gloves and helmet, I was also instructed to make sure each car that passed me had the correct scrutineering sticker attached.

Volvo Amazon, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Before the action started and during the lunch break I’m managed to take a few snaps, above David Jameson’s 1968 Volvo Amazon basks in the mid day sun.

Hillman Avenger Tiger, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Looking mean at dawn above is Neville Breach’s 1972 Sunbeam Avenger Tiger Mk II which unfortunately retired early when the motor started seizing up.

Ford Fiesta ST, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Bristol Pegasus Motor Club’s Pete Goodman only took delivery of his Ford Fiesta ST a couple of weeks ago, but had already put sufficient miles on it for a first service before Saturday, he told me the car was still so new he was circumspect of “really thrashing it”.

Zeus ZR 163, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Among the open wheelers present was the Formula Ford spec 1980 Zeus ZR 163 shared by Russell and Mark Haynes. Up close the body work bears some resemblance to the 1981 Lotus 88. Little remembered Zeus fact; well known scribe for Motoring News, Autosport and more recently MotorSport, Simon Arron once drove a Zeus into the sleepers at Silverstone.

Ralt Judd RT37, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

The 1993 Ralt RT37 was originally built for 2 litre / 122 cui Formula 3 racing, Peter Howgate’s example above is fitted with a 3.2 litre / 195 cui Judd V8.

Lola Tegra T90/50, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Slightly older is the 1990 Lola Tegra T90/50 built for the 3 litre / 183 cui Formula 3000 series. The car shared by Graham Porret and Terry Holmes is now fitted with a 3.5 litre / 213 cui V8. On it’s last run the electrics cut out leaving Terry Holmes stranded in gear just short of the finish line.

Gould GR55, Graves, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Running a top sprint car is fraught with difficulties if the motor gets too warm the electronics take over and cut the motor and will not let it start again until the engine has dropped well below operating temperature, if the engine temperature gets too low damage is guaranteed when the motor is run at maximum revs hence Terry Graves Gould GR55 has a blanket wrapped over it in the near freezing conditions as he waited to go out in the top twelve run offs. Terry who has just acquired this car, still fitted with short hill climb gear ratio’s finished the day with a respectable if breathless 8th fastest time.

Reynard DB Mk1, Sampson, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

With the cars all assembled for the top 12 run offs my enjoyable if a little hectic contribution to the day was over and I had time to watch some of the track action from the pit wall. Above Craig Sampson in the unusual if not unique Reynard DB Mk1 managed forth fastest time while his partner driver Mark Smith recorded the 3rd fastest time of the day.

Gould GR55, Calder, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

The top two spots on the ‘podium’ were reserved for the Calder clan Gould GR55 which had made a 15 hour one way trip from Scotland to Castle Combe. Dad Colin is seen above grinding out the fastest time of the day pipping his daughter Heather by just by a smidgeon over a tenth of a second.

Calder & Calder, Great Western Sprint, Castle Combe

Below father and daughter give each other a hug after the final run’s, to make up for Heather’s disappointment she at least knew the 15 hour journey would be marginally more tolerable than if she had not let her father win.

Thanks for joining me on this “Great Western Sprint” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at the last in the present series of vintage American vehicles. Don’t forget to come back now !

Another Napkin Job – Ginetta G33

By the mid 1980’s Ginetta were looking to return to their glory days of the G15 in terms of volume and they developed a mid engined vehicle known as the G32 and invested in type approval so that the car could be sold as a turn key model. The Walketts even sold out to a team led by Martin Phaff and Mike Modiri with Ivor Walkett remaining as Technical Director to secure the companies future in 1989.

Ginetta G.33, Beale, Gurston Down

The G32 was scheduled to be launched at the 1990 British International Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham. A couple of months earlier Mark Warklett and Noel Palmer, a former TVR employee, were eating pizza in a restaurant when they hatched a plan to fit a ubiquitous all aluminium Rover 3.9 litre / 240 cui V8 developed from the 1960’s Buick 215 V8, into a 4 cylinder Ginetta G27, sketching out the idea on a napkin.

Ginetta G.33, Beale, Gurston Down

While preparing the G32 for it’s launch Ginetta managed to find the time to squeeze a Rover V8 into a G27 which became the prototype G33 that appeared next to the G32 on Ginetta’s stand at the 1990 International Motor Show. The Prototype G33 was tested by Tiff Needell on Top Gear and before they new what was happening Ginetta received a flood of enquiries about the G33 which could reach 60 mph from rest in 5 seconds and had a top speed of 150 mph from it’s standard Rover V8 which produced 205 hp.

Ginetta G.33, Beale, Gurston Down

To meet the unexpected demand Ginetta rushed the G33 into production with a steel space frame chassis and fibre glass body that was wider than the G27 to accommodate the V8. Not having the resources to get the car type approved the G33 was sold in virtually complete form, as was possible in those days, with instructions on how to finish the car off for the same price as a modest performance saloon/sedan.

Ginetta G.33, Beale, Gurston Down

It is thought 90 G33s were built, many with subtle differences due to the lack of time to develop the model properly, up until 1993 when the company had to be rescued from financial difficulties with insufficient resources to continue production of the G33. A prototype 4 cylinder Ford Cosworth powered example of the G33 was built but the car was stolen from the factory before it was developed.

Ginetta G.33, Gurston Down, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

To raise cash the rights to manufacture along with the G33 moulds were sold to a Swedish concern called Gin 1, pronounced Gin Ettain Swedish who manufactured the renamed G34 with a turbocharged 2 litre Volvo motor taken from the 900 Series.

Ginetta G.33, Gurston Down, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

16 Gin 1s were manufactured before they folded with the manufacturing rights and moulds returning to Ginetta who based their 1998 40th Anniversary G40 model on the G33. The #78 seen at Gurston Down is being driven by Graham Beale and according to the programme is fitted with a 1993 cc turbo charged motor, possibly a Ford YB RS Cosworth motor.

Thanks for joining me on this “Another Napkin Job” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at the very last complete car to leave the Bristol factory. Don’t forget to come back now !

Volvo Survivor – Ferrari 750 Monza #0538M

Seriously regular GALPOT may remember a Ferrari Friday in March 2011 in which I posted a photograph taken in 1956 by Road & Track photographer Carlisle Blackwell featuring a Ferrari 750 Monza on the 20th Century Fox back lot.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

Geoffrey Horton caught up with the car chassis #0538 at the Blackhawk last year and while I have no new information about the car I thought you might enjoy looking at the one off low nose body which original owner Mr Paravano is rumoured to have paid Scaglietti well over the odds for.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

Soon after #0538M was purchased by William Shaker for $600,000 with a Chevrolet V8 installed the car is said have gone on an unmanned trip down Mr Shakers drive and come to rest against his Volvo, ironically Volvo is Latin for “I roll”.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

I have not been able to establish which, if indeed any, of the Ferrari’s panels were damaged in the incident.

Ferrari 750 Monza, Blackhawk Museum

Another mystery as yet unresolved is who was seen at the wheel of #0538M when Carlisle Blackwell took the photo’s of it for the cover of Road & Track in December 1956 ?

Ferrari 750 Monza,

(Photo Reproduced Courtesy of the Blackwell Archive)

If you recognise him please do not hesitate to chime in below.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs from the Blackhawk Museum and Pamela Blackwell for permission to use her fathers photograph.

Thanks for joining me on this “Volvo Survivor” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again for a look at a nice self build. 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.