Showing posts with label Mini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mini. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Sunday, 24 January 2016
Sunday, 27 December 2015
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Sunday, 20 May 2012
GALPOT Weekly #31
Welcome to GALPOT Weekly #31 an overview of daily blogs posted at 'Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres'.
Week #31 started off at Castle Combe with a look at the recent Motors TV Live Race Day, an action packed day of thirteen races of which I managed to catch 12. Chris Smiley is seen above in the second MINI Challenge race hanging on to third place prior to getting sent into the barriers, without injury, as his tyre is about to blow.
You can find out all about the 1927 MG 14/28 above and the "Imshi" chassis on which it is based, which I looked at on Tuesday on this link.
On Wednesday I started a new continental feature, first of the curious continentals featured was the 2 cylinder powered Panhard 24 bt.
Fifteen 1955 Chevrolet Bel Airs were present at the 1955 Indy 500 in a pace car capacity, the car that Chevrolet Sales Manager Thomas H Keating drove to pace the field in 1955 had a hole in the boot / trunk lid for a rear facing movie camera, which means that it was probably not the Bel Air above which I looked at on Thursday.
Ferrari's 250GT Pinin Farina Coupé, which was featured on Friday, was the first Ferrari designed for series production, the 1958 example above was delivered to 1958 World Champion Mike Hawthorns Tourist Trophy Garage and sold to an Irishman.
Yesterday I looked at the Lotus 77 'Adjustacar' which after a shaky start and a season of many modifications returned Lotus and Mario Andretti to victory lane in the season ending 1976 Japanese Grand Prix for the first time since 1974 and 1971 respectively. Above Grand Prix rookie Gunnar Nilsson is seen at the 1976 British Grand Prix.
Today's post features nine Group C sports cars which first appeared in Britain at Silverstone in May 1982. Above is the unsuccessful M482 from the hitherto successful, at Le Mans, Rondeau Team, which but for a Porsche 911 would have won the inaugural 1982 World Endurance Championship.
Thanks for joining me on this "GALPOT Weekly #32" edition of "Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres". I hope you will enjoy catching up using the links to last weeks posts and that you will join me again at "Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres" for a blog in which a GALPOT reader won a prize at the Simply Italian parade at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu last weekend. Don't forget to come back now !
Week #31 started off at Castle Combe with a look at the recent Motors TV Live Race Day, an action packed day of thirteen races of which I managed to catch 12. Chris Smiley is seen above in the second MINI Challenge race hanging on to third place prior to getting sent into the barriers, without injury, as his tyre is about to blow.
You can find out all about the 1927 MG 14/28 above and the "Imshi" chassis on which it is based, which I looked at on Tuesday on this link.
On Wednesday I started a new continental feature, first of the curious continentals featured was the 2 cylinder powered Panhard 24 bt.
Fifteen 1955 Chevrolet Bel Airs were present at the 1955 Indy 500 in a pace car capacity, the car that Chevrolet Sales Manager Thomas H Keating drove to pace the field in 1955 had a hole in the boot / trunk lid for a rear facing movie camera, which means that it was probably not the Bel Air above which I looked at on Thursday.
Ferrari's 250GT Pinin Farina Coupé, which was featured on Friday, was the first Ferrari designed for series production, the 1958 example above was delivered to 1958 World Champion Mike Hawthorns Tourist Trophy Garage and sold to an Irishman.
Yesterday I looked at the Lotus 77 'Adjustacar' which after a shaky start and a season of many modifications returned Lotus and Mario Andretti to victory lane in the season ending 1976 Japanese Grand Prix for the first time since 1974 and 1971 respectively. Above Grand Prix rookie Gunnar Nilsson is seen at the 1976 British Grand Prix.
Today's post features nine Group C sports cars which first appeared in Britain at Silverstone in May 1982. Above is the unsuccessful M482 from the hitherto successful, at Le Mans, Rondeau Team, which but for a Porsche 911 would have won the inaugural 1982 World Endurance Championship.
Thanks for joining me on this "GALPOT Weekly #32" edition of "Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres". I hope you will enjoy catching up using the links to last weeks posts and that you will join me again at "Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres" for a blog in which a GALPOT reader won a prize at the Simply Italian parade at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu last weekend. Don't forget to come back now !
Sunday, 5 February 2012
GALPOT Weekly #16
Welcome to GALPOT Weekley #16, this week my competition season kicked off with a navigation exercise.
Bob Bull kindly took me along, in his 'daughters' supercharged Mini Cooper S, as a navigator for the Bristol Pegasus Motor Clubs January Navigation Exercise. See how I got on by following this link.
My potted history of MG Cars continued on Tuesday with a look at Andrew Moreland's supercharged MG PA.
Wednesdays blog featured a special Ford Mexico that turned out to be a multi purpose vehicle having been used as a racer, run around and wedding car by it's original owner John Webb.
The 501st GALPOT blog featured a Kurtis 500S a sports car frame with an Indy winning heritage.
Photo Courtesy Sven Platt.
Ron Howard is making a film called "Rush" at the moment about the extraordinary 1976 Grand Prix season one of the vehicles that should feature in the film should be the Ferrari 312 T2 as driven by Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni that I looked at on Ferrari Friday. I wonder if Ron's legendary attention to detail will pick up that Niki's new car for the 1976 British GP, seen above, appeared in practice with his name missing from the side of the cockpit ? Details that maketh the film for us anoraks :-)
Photo Ed Arnaudin courtesy Steve Arnaudin.
Yesterday I looked at the first monocoque chassis car to appear at the Indianapolis 500 since the Cornelean driven by Louis Chevrolet in 1915. The Lotus 29 chassis 29/3 driven by Jim Clark led 28 laps in the 1963 Indy 500 before getting beaten by Parnelli Jones and then the following year the car was rechristened the Pure Firebird Special and given to Bobby Marsham to drive, see photo above. Find out what happened next on this Lotus 29 link.
Derek Buckler like Colin Chapman started out building a successful competition special and then built a small company making copies of it on the back of his success. Derek allegedly gave his first model the Buckler Mk V name so that customers would not think this was his first design.
Coming up next week I'll be looking at a commercial Terraplane that I had no idea even existed until a couple of weeks ago, on Tuesday I'll be looking at an MG that was prepared in Wandsworth for hire to racing drivers at Brooklands and on Thursday I'll be taking a behind the scenes look at Fords 2013 Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup challenger which already seems to have gone along way to achieving it's aim of re engaging the public.
Thanks for joining me on this GALPOT Weekly #16 edition of 'Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres' I hope you'll have fun following the links above and that you will join me again at 'GALPOT' during the week ahead. Don't forget to come back now !
Bob Bull kindly took me along, in his 'daughters' supercharged Mini Cooper S, as a navigator for the Bristol Pegasus Motor Clubs January Navigation Exercise. See how I got on by following this link.
My potted history of MG Cars continued on Tuesday with a look at Andrew Moreland's supercharged MG PA.
Wednesdays blog featured a special Ford Mexico that turned out to be a multi purpose vehicle having been used as a racer, run around and wedding car by it's original owner John Webb.
The 501st GALPOT blog featured a Kurtis 500S a sports car frame with an Indy winning heritage.
Photo Courtesy Sven Platt.
Ron Howard is making a film called "Rush" at the moment about the extraordinary 1976 Grand Prix season one of the vehicles that should feature in the film should be the Ferrari 312 T2 as driven by Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni that I looked at on Ferrari Friday. I wonder if Ron's legendary attention to detail will pick up that Niki's new car for the 1976 British GP, seen above, appeared in practice with his name missing from the side of the cockpit ? Details that maketh the film for us anoraks :-)
Photo Ed Arnaudin courtesy Steve Arnaudin.
Yesterday I looked at the first monocoque chassis car to appear at the Indianapolis 500 since the Cornelean driven by Louis Chevrolet in 1915. The Lotus 29 chassis 29/3 driven by Jim Clark led 28 laps in the 1963 Indy 500 before getting beaten by Parnelli Jones and then the following year the car was rechristened the Pure Firebird Special and given to Bobby Marsham to drive, see photo above. Find out what happened next on this Lotus 29 link.
Derek Buckler like Colin Chapman started out building a successful competition special and then built a small company making copies of it on the back of his success. Derek allegedly gave his first model the Buckler Mk V name so that customers would not think this was his first design.
Coming up next week I'll be looking at a commercial Terraplane that I had no idea even existed until a couple of weeks ago, on Tuesday I'll be looking at an MG that was prepared in Wandsworth for hire to racing drivers at Brooklands and on Thursday I'll be taking a behind the scenes look at Fords 2013 Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup challenger which already seems to have gone along way to achieving it's aim of re engaging the public.
Thanks for joining me on this GALPOT Weekly #16 edition of 'Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres' I hope you'll have fun following the links above and that you will join me again at 'GALPOT' during the week ahead. Don't forget to come back now !
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Rare Mini Variation - Ogle SX 1000
After serving as a decorated and honoured Supermarine Seafire pilot in the Second World War David Ogle DSC MBE attended the Central School of Art to study Industrial Design.
On completion of his studies he worked for Murphy Radio and later Bush Radio where he was credited with the design of the TR82 transistor radio.
In 1954 David founded his own industrial design studio which has been credited with the design of all manor of wheeled transport from Chopper Bicycles (1970), through the Reliant Scimitar, to award wining truck cabs for Leyland Road Train vehicles.
In 1959 Ogle design started building the first of three series of glass fibre bodied cars the 1.5 built on a Riley Chassis with a BMC (British Motor Corporation) motor of which eight were built.
In 1962 Ogle launched the SX1000, as seen here at Goodwood, initially as a conversion built around a customer supplied Mini.
It is thought 66 of these vehicles were built with the last one leaving the factory in 1964. The slippery Coupé was capable of 110 mph when fitted with a top of the range Mini Cooper S engine.
After David Ogle died driving an SX1000 on the way to Brands Hatch and car production at Ogle had been wound up the SX1000 body moulds were sold to a boat builder in the Midlands who exhibited his self named Fletcher GT at the Racing Car Show in 1967.
Today with only 26 of the original SX1000's thought to have survived Nostalgia Cars in Taunton Somerset produce identical replica SX1275 models as kits for Mini enthusiasts.
Thanks for joining me on todays SX1000 edition of 'Gettin a li'l psycho on tyres' I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
On completion of his studies he worked for Murphy Radio and later Bush Radio where he was credited with the design of the TR82 transistor radio.
In 1954 David founded his own industrial design studio which has been credited with the design of all manor of wheeled transport from Chopper Bicycles (1970), through the Reliant Scimitar, to award wining truck cabs for Leyland Road Train vehicles.
In 1959 Ogle design started building the first of three series of glass fibre bodied cars the 1.5 built on a Riley Chassis with a BMC (British Motor Corporation) motor of which eight were built.
In 1962 Ogle launched the SX1000, as seen here at Goodwood, initially as a conversion built around a customer supplied Mini.
It is thought 66 of these vehicles were built with the last one leaving the factory in 1964. The slippery Coupé was capable of 110 mph when fitted with a top of the range Mini Cooper S engine.
After David Ogle died driving an SX1000 on the way to Brands Hatch and car production at Ogle had been wound up the SX1000 body moulds were sold to a boat builder in the Midlands who exhibited his self named Fletcher GT at the Racing Car Show in 1967.
Today with only 26 of the original SX1000's thought to have survived Nostalgia Cars in Taunton Somerset produce identical replica SX1275 models as kits for Mini enthusiasts.
Thanks for joining me on todays SX1000 edition of 'Gettin a li'l psycho on tyres' I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Goodwood Revival #7 Jaguar Foxbat
In the last of this series of blogs about the Goodwood Revival, today we are looking at a unique Jaguar XK150.
The XK150 was launched in 1957, updating the XK140 with a one piece windscreen, higher wing line over thinner doors and wider bonnet.
The XK150 was powered by the same 3.4 litre double overhead cam iron block straight 6 motor which was available with a standard 180 hp or with an SE spec 210 hp featuring a modified cylinder head.
Initially the XK150 was slower than the XK140 until the introduction of a 250 hp 'S' motor featuring triple carburettors and straight ported cylinder head.
Legend has it that this 1959 car belonged to an industrial chemist in Swindon called Geoffrey Stevens in the mid 1970's. Mr & Mrs Stevens wanted a car that could carry their two Labradors.
Over a period of two years from 1975 to 1977 Mr Stevens set about restoring his rusty XK150 and grafting the back of a Morris Minor Traveller onto the back of his car turning it into a shooting break, with enough space to carry his dogs.
The rear lights come from a Mini Traveller, apparently the badges on the boot were hand cut by my Stevens.
The Foxbat came up for auction at Goodwood with an estimated value of £30,000 - £35,000, surprisingly it did not find a buyer.
Thanks for joining me on this Foxbat edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' I hope you will join me tomorrow when I'll be looking at some of the vehicles that took part in last weekends Palos Verdes Concours, if you think you know your motorcars you might be surprised at some of these most of which I had not heard of until Geoffrey Horton sent me his photo's. Don't forget to come back now !
The XK150 was launched in 1957, updating the XK140 with a one piece windscreen, higher wing line over thinner doors and wider bonnet.
The XK150 was powered by the same 3.4 litre double overhead cam iron block straight 6 motor which was available with a standard 180 hp or with an SE spec 210 hp featuring a modified cylinder head.
Initially the XK150 was slower than the XK140 until the introduction of a 250 hp 'S' motor featuring triple carburettors and straight ported cylinder head.
Legend has it that this 1959 car belonged to an industrial chemist in Swindon called Geoffrey Stevens in the mid 1970's. Mr & Mrs Stevens wanted a car that could carry their two Labradors.
Over a period of two years from 1975 to 1977 Mr Stevens set about restoring his rusty XK150 and grafting the back of a Morris Minor Traveller onto the back of his car turning it into a shooting break, with enough space to carry his dogs.
The rear lights come from a Mini Traveller, apparently the badges on the boot were hand cut by my Stevens.
The Foxbat came up for auction at Goodwood with an estimated value of £30,000 - £35,000, surprisingly it did not find a buyer.
Thanks for joining me on this Foxbat edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' I hope you will join me tomorrow when I'll be looking at some of the vehicles that took part in last weekends Palos Verdes Concours, if you think you know your motorcars you might be surprised at some of these most of which I had not heard of until Geoffrey Horton sent me his photo's. Don't forget to come back now !
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
More Mini Fun - ABS Freestyle
While at Dundry for the Cross Trophy Car Trial on Sunday I came across several vehicles about which I knew very little including this ABS Freestyle.
Manufactured by Westholme Aviation Limited in Somerset this kit car was marketed by Funbuggies.
The steering gear from a Mini is bolted onto the front of the chassis, with integral roll cage,
and a similarly sourced engine and gearbox is bolted on to the back.
Extra grip to the rear, driven, wheels is afforded by the two spare wheels mounted on a separate cage behind the engine.
This ABS Freestyle which is SVA (Single Vehicle Approval) tested and road registered is shared by father and son Richard and Matthew who trailer the Freestyle to and from events as it does not offer much protection from inclement weather.
Unfortunately ABS Freestyles are no longer in production and Funbuggies appears to be no longer in business.
SOT further to yesterdays blog it turns out that not only did I win the front engine front wheel drive class in Sundays Cross Trophy Car Trial but Tim Murray informs me that my scores when adjusted by an index against all the entries in the other 'Clubsport' classes that I also won the Cross Trophy as well ! I am honoured, humbled and pleased as punch. Apparently the trophy will be awarded at the end of season AGM which will no doubt be the subject of another blog.
Hope you have enjoyed today's Freetstyle edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at a show stopper. Don't forget to come back now !
Manufactured by Westholme Aviation Limited in Somerset this kit car was marketed by Funbuggies.
The steering gear from a Mini is bolted onto the front of the chassis, with integral roll cage,
and a similarly sourced engine and gearbox is bolted on to the back.
Extra grip to the rear, driven, wheels is afforded by the two spare wheels mounted on a separate cage behind the engine.
This ABS Freestyle which is SVA (Single Vehicle Approval) tested and road registered is shared by father and son Richard and Matthew who trailer the Freestyle to and from events as it does not offer much protection from inclement weather.
Unfortunately ABS Freestyles are no longer in production and Funbuggies appears to be no longer in business.
SOT further to yesterdays blog it turns out that not only did I win the front engine front wheel drive class in Sundays Cross Trophy Car Trial but Tim Murray informs me that my scores when adjusted by an index against all the entries in the other 'Clubsport' classes that I also won the Cross Trophy as well ! I am honoured, humbled and pleased as punch. Apparently the trophy will be awarded at the end of season AGM which will no doubt be the subject of another blog.
Hope you have enjoyed today's Freetstyle edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at a show stopper. Don't forget to come back now !
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
The Real McCoy - Mini Cooper S
The 1964 Monte Carlo Rally boasted a superb entry including factory backed vehicles from Citroen, Ford, Mercedes, Saab, Volvo, Volkswagen and a fleet of 6 works Mini Coopers.
Starting from Athens, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Lisbon, Minsk, Monte Carlo, Oslo, Paris and Warsaw, the field converged on Rheims in France and from there on to 5 competitive stages and a couple of laps of the Monaco Grand Prix track.
The Ford Falcon Sprint of Bo Ljungfeldt won every stage of the rally including the laps around Monaco but in those days the overall results were determined by a handicapping system which translated stage times and engine size into points which meant Ljungfelds 305 hp 4.7 litre 289 cui Falcon did not have a sufficient time margin over the 70hp 1071cc / 65 cui Mini Cooper S seen here crewed by Paddy Hopkirk and Henry Liddon which was declared the winner of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.
33 EJB is thought to have been built in 1963 and crewed by Hopkirk and Liddon to 3rd overall and 3rd in class in the 1963 Tour de France prior to winning the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.
The car belongs to the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon and is seen here at the Prodrive workshops because the engine was not running properly.
Like the Revenge Mini Replica I blogged about some months ago 33 EJB also has it's Replica's like this one built in the USA.
Finally I'd like to correct an oft repeated error reference the registrations of the works Mini's on the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally seen in the 5th paragraph of this link.
What ever BMW or anyone else may say the registrations of the works Minis on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 were as follows :-
33 EJB #37, Hopkirk/Liddon, Cooper S, 1st overall/1st in class.
570 FMO #182 Makinen/Vanson, Cooper S 4th overall/2nd in class
569 FMO #105 Aaltonen/Ambrose, Cooper S 7th overall/3rd in class
477 BBL #39 Baxter/McMillan, Cooper 43rd overall/2nd in class.
18 CRX #187 Thompson/Heys, Cooper S crashed
277 EBL#189 Mayman/Domleo, Cooper S crashed
My thanks to Alan, Tim, Stephen, Darren, Fred at The Nostalgia Forum who helped me out with the registration numbers.
Hope you have enjoyed to days Handicap edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Top Class Mini Racer - MINI Cooper S R56
When I first started spectating at motor races Mini's were a feature at many meetings including the very first meeting I went to where my Mum's boss George Barkhuizen won the days feature handicap race in a beige Mini with a white roof and a fuel barrel hanging out of the boot thanks to a recalcitrant boot lock out in Zambia. Mini's were also raced in Britain in spec championships including the 850's seen here at Silverstone usually producing tight racing and close finishes.
1977 World Grand Prix Drivers Champion James Hunt prepared and raced his own Mini when he first got the bug using extreme weight saving measures such as not fitting windscreen wipers. Today spec racing Mini's like David Kirkpatrick's seen at a track day here are very much alive and kicking despite having been out of production since 2000 as indeed are many non spec Mini's with all sort of non standard Mini power units.
On Sunday at the PistonHeads meeting in Cowley I had the opportunity to familiarise myself with the latest in retro MINI spec racing with this MINI Cooper S R56 prepared by OX4 Racing for Chris Oakham who races in the top tier JCW Class of the MINI Challenge.
This spec racer is of course light years ahead of an original spec racing Mini, the JCW division calls for turbocharged 215 hp motors up from the standard R56 192 hp thanks to upgraded induction, exhaust, Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and race spec intercooler.
To help keep the wheels on the road and all that power in check these vehicles are fitted with KW suspension, limited slip differential and 6 (six) piston front brake callipers.
17" control racing tyres, slicks or wets, are mounted on Dynamic rims.
Too make sure every one plays fair the Mini Challenge has dedicated championship scales, enforced 'parc ferme' rules control fuel, limits on the number of tyres used and to keep the driving standards up each vehicle has an on board camera allowing officials to a valuable source of evidence should things appear to get out of hand !
To complete the purpose bred racer look the JCW Class vehicles have an aero package to play around with too !
On the Lo 'E' Nuf Vee Dub Club site Chris Oakham the driver of the #51 Mini Cooper S R56 is known for lashing up Mini's and ripping up cats' eyes with his Passat in between his racing activities. Chris took the #51 to victory lane at Snetterton and finished 6th in the JCW Class rankings last year, it is still unclear what his plans are for this year but I'm sure you will all join me in wishing him every success.
Any one wishing to join in the fun here is a link to the Mini Challenge prospectus. There was a MINI Challenge try out day at Brands Hatch on Saturday 29th January which included trials for novices, those keen to continue could gain medical certification and attend Approved Racing Drivers School courses the same day in order to qualify for racing licences.
If you missed the boat and are interested in taking part you could try sending an e-mail to the address on the Mini Challenge home page, they seem particularly encouraging to fresh recruits. Wishing all competitors a fun and safe championship.
Hope you have enjoyed today's recruiting office edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you will all join me again tomorrow for a look at one of my favourite BMW's. Don't forget to come back now !
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Wild Goose and The Pet - MINI T Building
On Sunday I got the chance to pop in to the T Building which houses the MINI Visitor Centre at Cowley near Oxford. Here are a couple of the vehicles on display.
The MINI One Alan Aldridge Special 2008, is a work of art by 'The Graphic Entertainer' Alan Aldridge who created a well known related work with an original Mini back in 1965 that appeared on the cover of The Sunday Times Magazine at the time.
Mini Mokes have featured in this blog, before this 1968 Austin Mini Moke is for Weske & Anja over at the Belgian Mini Forum and for everyone at the Mini Moke Club Forum.
The Mini Wildgoose was aimed at folks intent on spending their kids inheritance before the kids spent it for them.
Based on the Mini Van this wild RV conversion provided four seats in a 'dinette', 'double bed', table, curtain's, cupboards and water carriers.
Optional extras included combined luggage rack and spare wheel carrier, which I guess was better than having it in the support vehicle driven by the wife, extended wing mirror's, just how could you possibly reverse with out them (?), hammock bunk and all important undersealing of the cab !
Finally The Pet MINI covered in cow hide, was exhibited alongside a mass produced chaise longue similarly covered by Le Corbusier in 1927 at the 'neue raume 07' design exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland.
Hope you have enjoyed today's Mini Museum edition of Getting a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you will join me again tomorrow when I'll be looking at a 215 hp spec MINI Cooper S R56. Don't forget to come back now !
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