Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label California. Show all posts
Friday, 15 April 2016
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Monday, 4 May 2015
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Hotel California - VW California
Continuing the California theme started yesterday today we are looking at a VW California.
Production of the Volkswagen T5 Transporter began in 2003, this one is fitted with a 170 hp turbo diesel engine.
In 2001 Mercedes Benz bought out VW's preferred camper van outfitter Westfalia leading VW to decide to design it's own camper around the popular Transporter platform. VW call their camper the 'California' a name that was first used by Westfalia in connection with a VW camper in 1988.
launched in 2005 the California comes with an electro-hydraulic operated elevating roof, space for two beds, kitchen sink two burner gas hob, fridge and two kitchen cupboards with integrated drawers. Among a long list of options is the VW 4 motion all wheel drive system.
With Ford knocking on Ferrari's lawyers doors with respect to the use of the F 150 name I wonder if Ferrari will ever be knocking on the VW's lawyers doors with respect to the California name ?
Unfortunately thanks to a US 'chicken tax' on imported light trucks, which the already expensive T5 is classed as, you are not ever likely to see a VW California in the State from which it takes it's name, the California is so expensive, £40,000 / $64,000 that only around 300 a year are thought to be imported into the UK.
Fancy seeing why the VW T5 is so highly rated in the UK ? Check out these two advert free clips of the T5 going head to head with the A Team van and over a timed run against the a much more powerful 204 hp Brabus (!) Mercedes Vito Sport X.
Hope you have enjoyed a couple of days in the California Sunshine wishing all readers of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' a relaxing weekend, don't forget to come back now !
Production of the Volkswagen T5 Transporter began in 2003, this one is fitted with a 170 hp turbo diesel engine.
In 2001 Mercedes Benz bought out VW's preferred camper van outfitter Westfalia leading VW to decide to design it's own camper around the popular Transporter platform. VW call their camper the 'California' a name that was first used by Westfalia in connection with a VW camper in 1988.
launched in 2005 the California comes with an electro-hydraulic operated elevating roof, space for two beds, kitchen sink two burner gas hob, fridge and two kitchen cupboards with integrated drawers. Among a long list of options is the VW 4 motion all wheel drive system.
With Ford knocking on Ferrari's lawyers doors with respect to the use of the F 150 name I wonder if Ferrari will ever be knocking on the VW's lawyers doors with respect to the California name ?
Unfortunately thanks to a US 'chicken tax' on imported light trucks, which the already expensive T5 is classed as, you are not ever likely to see a VW California in the State from which it takes it's name, the California is so expensive, £40,000 / $64,000 that only around 300 a year are thought to be imported into the UK.
Fancy seeing why the VW T5 is so highly rated in the UK ? Check out these two advert free clips of the T5 going head to head with the A Team van and over a timed run against the a much more powerful 204 hp Brabus (!) Mercedes Vito Sport X.
Hope you have enjoyed a couple of days in the California Sunshine wishing all readers of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' a relaxing weekend, don't forget to come back now !
Friday, 18 February 2011
California Dreaming - Ferrari California 2+2 Convertible
A couple of years ago I was at an airport and I noticed in the duty free area there was a Ferrari on a turntable that was a raffle prize.
I'd never seen one like it before turns out that it was a California, at £25 / $40 a pop for a ticket I passed on what may well have been my only opportunity to own a Ferrari without regret.
Allegedly the California was originally conceived as Maserati, however the economics of the project dictated that only a Ferrari badge offered any hope of a financial return on the vehicle.
Researching this blog I was surprised to find the California introduced in 2008, shares it's engine design with both ALFA Romeo and Maserati models.
Over 1,000 hours are said to have been spent in a wind tunnel perfecting the aerodynamics of the California so that it's drag coefficient is 0.32 the lowest ever achieved for any Ferrari.
I have to confess it was not until I had run a registration check on these vehicles that I had any idea of exactly which models they were and indeed they were both the same type, I thought the red one was a 612 Scaglietti !
Allegedly there is room on the back seats for two adults in a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti something at 6' 2" I'd love to put to the test.
Even if I had known it comes with a front mounted 450 hp 4.3 litre 260 cui V8 engine I doubt I would have been tempted to buy a raffle ticket....
because for all the attention to detail ...
beautiful craftsmanship ....
seven speed dual clutch transmission ...
and promise of the joys of open air motoring ...
alone price of the road tax on the Ferrari California is enough to keep me on the road for a whole year in my 20 year old jalopy ... but that does not stop me from dreaming :-)
With thanks to the PistonHeads responsible for bringing these dream machines to the Sunday Service at the BMW Plant in Cowley a couple of weeks ago.
Hope you have enjoyed to days California dreaming edition of 'Gettin a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at another vehicle bearing the California name. Don't forget to come back now !
PS Should I have failed to quench your thirst for Ferrari's take a look at the new Ferrari FF with Michele Rahal over on The Drive Channel.
Friday, 26 November 2010
Masking Tape Special - Ferrari LWB 250 GT California Spyder #0919
For Ferrari Friday today we have Steve Arnaudin to thank for sending his Dad Ed Arnaudins pictures for me to share, the vehicle we are looking at today is a Ferrari LWB 250 GT California Spyder at Lime Rock, Terry O'Neil's book 'Northeast American Sports Car Races 1950 - 1959' * suggests these photographs might have been taken on the 9th May 1959 from a meeting held over form the 24th April 1959.
Allegedly when it started raining during the second race on the original date Connecticut Law Enforcement officers moved in to cancel the rest of the days activities !
This 250 GT California Spyder LWB was powered by a 240 hp 2,953 cc /180 cui Colombo designed V12 similar to that in the 250 GT Ellena featured last week. The car is capable of in excess of 140 mph.
The California was the brain child of US importers Jon von Neuman and Luigi Chinetti who wanted a competition car for their biggest market from which the car derives it's name, the interior is deliberately sparton with a 'small' heater the only concession to occupants comfort. Notice there is no seat harness.
The bodywork by Scarglietti on this car was made from steel there were two body types available one with closed in headlights seen here the other with regular headlights lights on the front of the wings, this is particularly important because Bob Grossman the driver seen here drove both sorts of body style and both were painted silver. Seven competition versions of the California Spyder were built with aluminium alloy bodies again in both body styles.
Note despite the absence of a seat harness the car is fitted with a roll bar behind the drivers head. It is not clear why Bob added several rolls of masking tape to the front of his car, it may have been a cheap way to protect his paintwork from chips, scratches nicks and bugs.
Originally finished in dark red this chassis #0919, one of just 45 examples, was built in 1958 and sold to Julio Batista Falla in Cuba before Bob Grossman turned up with it in silver and raced it within the USA, clocking up several wins and class victories in SCCA sanctioned events.
Bob more famously raced another silver 250 GT California in 1959, chassis #1451 one of the seven original competition spec vehicles featuring all aluminium bodies, but curiously without the headlight fairings.
#1451 was part of a three car attack on the 1959 Le Mans 24 hour race by the North American Racing Team, Bob and Fernand Tavano came in 5th overall and 3rd in class (not 1st in class as erroneously stated by an auction house recently). Bob also won the Nassau Memorial Trophy Race in #1451.
(Paragraph on subsequent history of #1451 removed 03/04/11)
My thanks again to Steve & Ed Arnaudin, hope you have enjoyed Ferrari Friday at Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres, looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings, don't forget to come back now !
* Please note :- I do not in anyway endorse, or have any commercial interest in the products or distributors highlighted in today's feature, I am merely passing information on as an enthusiast of all things motoring, I have no experience of handling these products nor have I used these vendors. I recommend anyone interested in these items or distributors do their own thorough investigation into suitability, reliability and particularly prices of both products and vendors before making any purchasing decisions.
26 11 10 Erratum Julio Batista's son has informed me that today's featured car was white when his father owned it in 1958, his Dad had never raced it, if he had he would have painted it yellow as he did with his TR # 0698. Apologies for any confusion.
Allegedly when it started raining during the second race on the original date Connecticut Law Enforcement officers moved in to cancel the rest of the days activities !
This 250 GT California Spyder LWB was powered by a 240 hp 2,953 cc /180 cui Colombo designed V12 similar to that in the 250 GT Ellena featured last week. The car is capable of in excess of 140 mph.
The California was the brain child of US importers Jon von Neuman and Luigi Chinetti who wanted a competition car for their biggest market from which the car derives it's name, the interior is deliberately sparton with a 'small' heater the only concession to occupants comfort. Notice there is no seat harness.
The bodywork by Scarglietti on this car was made from steel there were two body types available one with closed in headlights seen here the other with regular headlights lights on the front of the wings, this is particularly important because Bob Grossman the driver seen here drove both sorts of body style and both were painted silver. Seven competition versions of the California Spyder were built with aluminium alloy bodies again in both body styles.
Note despite the absence of a seat harness the car is fitted with a roll bar behind the drivers head. It is not clear why Bob added several rolls of masking tape to the front of his car, it may have been a cheap way to protect his paintwork from chips, scratches nicks and bugs.
Originally finished in dark red this chassis #0919, one of just 45 examples, was built in 1958 and sold to Julio Batista Falla in Cuba before Bob Grossman turned up with it in silver and raced it within the USA, clocking up several wins and class victories in SCCA sanctioned events.
Bob more famously raced another silver 250 GT California in 1959, chassis #1451 one of the seven original competition spec vehicles featuring all aluminium bodies, but curiously without the headlight fairings.
#1451 was part of a three car attack on the 1959 Le Mans 24 hour race by the North American Racing Team, Bob and Fernand Tavano came in 5th overall and 3rd in class (not 1st in class as erroneously stated by an auction house recently). Bob also won the Nassau Memorial Trophy Race in #1451.
(Paragraph on subsequent history of #1451 removed 03/04/11)
My thanks again to Steve & Ed Arnaudin, hope you have enjoyed Ferrari Friday at Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres, looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings, don't forget to come back now !
* Please note :- I do not in anyway endorse, or have any commercial interest in the products or distributors highlighted in today's feature, I am merely passing information on as an enthusiast of all things motoring, I have no experience of handling these products nor have I used these vendors. I recommend anyone interested in these items or distributors do their own thorough investigation into suitability, reliability and particularly prices of both products and vendors before making any purchasing decisions.
26 11 10 Erratum Julio Batista's son has informed me that today's featured car was white when his father owned it in 1958, his Dad had never raced it, if he had he would have painted it yellow as he did with his TR # 0698. Apologies for any confusion.
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