For Mature Audiences

Plymouth GTX

The Least Junked Car

Plymouth Belvedere

Forward Design

Plymouth Savoy

More Like A Six Cylinder

Plymouth PD

Plymouth PB Sports Roadster

Mix’n’Match Electric Blue

Plymouth Belvedere

Floating Power

 

Plymouth PA Rumble Seat Sport Roadster

Breaking Into The Top Ten

Plymouth Model U

GALPOT Weekly #3

Just noticed I got the dates completely wrong on last weeks GALPOT Weekly so I'll just number them for the time being. This week was highlighted by two Birthday Editions of Galpot.



Monday started with Racer 187's birthday edition looking at a RHD Daimler Sovereign Coupé from Remscheid, Germany that is/was looking for a new home.



On Tuesday I concluded a series on vintage Vauxhalls with a brief look at a Vauxhall Bearcat a 14/40 chassis fitted with a Stutz motor.



A trip to Shakespeare County Raceway on Wednesday revealed a dinky li'l hot rod in the form of a Ford Anglia sibling of the Ford Prefect I looked at a week earlier.



Returning to the mean streets of Bristol for Americana Thursday I had took a look at a 1975 Plymouth Voyager Sport probably as rare a sighting in this country as a Ferrari in the USA.



Continuing with another prancing horse saddled for carrying extra cases of beer, on Ferrari Friday I looked at the stylishly understated 365 GTC/4 2+2.



Yesterday it was off to Silverstone and Oulton Park for a look at a couple of 2 foot tall low riding Lotus 15's.



Today GALPOT rounds out the week as it started this time with the Jeff Fuller Birthday edition featuring some street and competition Lancia Beta Monte Carlo's.

Thanks for joining me on this weeks GALPOT round up if you have not already had a look at the full blogs summarized here I hope you'll find to click on he links down lighted in grey.

Coming up next week I'll be starting with a cute li'l pickup truck designed in Greece, looking at a British interpretation of the 50's American Dream Car concept and looking at the remains of the car that carried the inventor of the Gatso speed camera to victory in the Monte Carlo Rally, in 1953.

All this and more to come in the week ahead at GALPOT, I look forward to you joining me daily. Don't forget to come back now !

Rootes 'n' Chrysler - Hillman Avenger Tiger Replica

The Hillman Avenger was conceived as early as 1963 to replace the Hillman Minx, however another project that became the Hillman Hunter eventually replaced the Minx and the Avenger was re conceived in 1965 as a midrange vehicle between the Hillman Imp and the Hunter going head to head in the market against the dominant Ford Cortina and much maligned Morris Marina.



Doing away with the traditional waist line and adopting a 'flow back' the Avenger avoided looking in anyway stunted alongside it's larger Hunter stablemate, the Avenger body shell was one of the earliest to benefit from the use computers in the design process.



In 1970 the Avenger was launched with a conventional, for the period, front engine rear wheel drive layout which dispensed with the conventional rear leaf springs in favour of a four link rear suspension to give the vehicle superior handling characteristics.



Two sporting versions of the Avenger were built both with 107 hp uprated engines with big valves and two Webber Carbs , the Tiger 1, launched in March '72, is externally distinguishable by square headlights, a power bulge in the bonnet, four fog lights and a set of Minilite wheels. Intended to be an edition limited to 100 the Tiger 1 ended up being limited to 200 examples, all bar 3 of the Tiger 1 models were Sundance Yellow with black stripes the exceptions all being white with Rootes Group (Chrysler) blue stripes.



The Tiger 2 featuring a matt black bonnet, four round headlights and a cheaper set of alloy wheels but retaining the rear spoiler was launched in October '72 with a production run of 400. Tiger 2's were available in Sundance Yellow or Red with the familiar black detailing.



Despite the badging on this vehicle an HPI check of the registration leads me to confidently believe that this particular vehicle is not one of only 20 original Tigers thought to exist today. Bernard Unett won the British Saloon Car Championship in 1974 and 1976 driving Mopar sponsored Avengers. In all over 600,000 Avengers were built over 11 years to 1981.

US readers might know this model better as the Plymouth Cricket, it was also sold as the Dodge Avenger - South Africa, Dodge 1800 & Polara - Brazil, Dodge 1500 in Uruguay and Argentina where it was also known as the Volkswagen 1500 !

With thanks to David Rootes who facilitated my visit to the Classic and Saloon Car Action day at Castle Combe recently.

Thanks for popping by the Tiger edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !

Off The M4 - Atwell Wilson Motor Museum

For several years now every month I have been making a trip up to London to go and see my folks, on the way back no matter what time of day I frequently find myself in a traffic jam some where around J18 on the M4 which could add anything up to an hour on my normal 2 hour journey time.



About 18 months ago forewarned, by a big new electric message board on the M4, of an impending jam between Junction 18 and 20 I took a detour and followed the A338 from Junction 14 down to Upper Eddington and then followed the A4 west to Bristol.



Going through Calne I passed a sign for a Motor Museum, 18 months later with a little time on my hands I managed to follow the sign about a mile down Stockley Lane and on the left I found the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum.



Entrance is an unbelievably low £5 and within were over 100 2, 3, 4 wheeled vehicles, and one soon to depart 6 wheel World War 2 AEC RAF Refuelling Tanker.



The collection can broadly be divided into vintage and classic mass production vehicles with a particularly interesting collection of Limousines both British and American which are available at very reasonable rates for wedding hire.



The Atwell Wilson Museum was founded by Richard and Hasel Atwell, who lived in Wiltshire all of their lives, in 1962 they started collecting vehicles with a local connection and maintaining them in a road worthy condition. Richard passed away last year, the Museum that has grown out of the collection is run by 15 volunteers.



On the weekend of July 9th and 10th the museum will be hosting a classic car weekend, if you have a classic car, or even if you don't but would like to attend call 01249 813119 or e-mail enquiries@atwellwilson.org.uk for details. I shall look forward to attending on one of the two days.

Thanks for popping by today's Atwell - Wilson edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a closer look at the Atwell - Wilsons 1962 Plymouth Fury. Don't for get to come back now !

Chthonic deity of vengeance - Plymouth Fury

The second generation Plymouth Fury was in production from 1960 to 1964, in 4 door saloon / sedan, 2 door coupé, 4 door estate / station wagon or 2 door convertible body styles. The model featured in today's blog was built in 1961.



Second generation Furies are distinguishable from their earlier siblings by featuring unit-body construction doing away with the need for a separate chassis.



The Fury takes its name from mythological subterranean personifications of vengeance.



An electric motor powers a hydraulic pump which acts to power the hood down and back up, the hood is locked shut manually and sealed with a couple of press studs.



Allegedly the '62 Fury was downsized after the President of Chrysler misheard a GM executive saying that Chevrolet, GM's bargain equivalent of Chryslers Plymouth brand would not have any full size cars in it's '62 model line up.



With some 5,400 body welds to each Plymouth the unitary construction of the second generation Fury was estimated to have 40% more sag resistance and double the twist resistance of the first generation Fury with its body on frame construction method.



There is some debate about the '61's down turned fins which were critically acclaimed but not well received by the public , were they a deliberate feature or an unresolved feature by designer Virgil Exner who suffered a heart attack in 1960 and was near death when the 1961 and '62 Fury designs were finalised.



A particularly cool feature of the second generation Fury is that it has no gear stick / shift either floor or column mounted but instead the Torqueflite automatic gearbox is operated by just five simple push buttons at the 9 o'clock position to the left of the steering wheel.

A copy of this transmission operating system was also adopted by Bristol Cars on their 407 model which also used identical Chrysler 313 cui V8 engines and Torqueflite gearboxes to this particular Plymouth Fury.



Imported from California in 1976 this is thought to be the only working '61 Plymouth Fury in the United Kingdom and can be hired for weddings for a modest £275 pounds.

My thanks to the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum for keeping this magnificent land yacht in working fettle and on display,

Thanks for joining me for another Mopar edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' I hope you will join me again tomorrow when we take a peak at something very large and in charge from behind the Iron Curtain. Don't for get to come back now !

Beep Beep - Plymouth Road Runner Superbird

Thanks to GALPOT's biggest fan Jr Cracker today we are looking at a Plymouth Road Runner Superbird allegedly seen behind a strip bar.



In 1969 NASCAR legend Richard Petty left Chrysler for Ford, Petty had wanted to run a more aerodynamically efficient Dodge Charger but Chrysler executives insisted Richard run the Plymouth Road Runner in the Grand National Series now known as the Sprint Cup. Richard came second in the 1969 Championship to David Pearson also driving a Ford although Bobby Isaacs took the seasons most wins 17, driving the Dodge Daytona model Petty had been so keen to run, Isaacs finished only 6th in the '69 seasons final standings.



Chrysler executives managed to tempt Richard Petty back into the Plymouth fold by introducing the Road Runner Speedbird with it's aerodynamic nose and enormous back wing, the height of which was determined as much by the requirement of the public to be able to open the boot/trunk of the road going versions as by any aerodynamic considerations.



Ironically Richard was injured in an accident driving his Road Runner Superbird in the Rebel 400 at Darlington in 1970, the resultant injuries meant "The King" had to sit out 5 races of the season which allowed Bobby Isaac to win the 1970 title in his #71 Dodge Daytona, effectively Dodge Challenger with the same nose and rear wing modifications as the Superbird.



By 1971 NASCAR had outlawed these aerodynamic curiosities, the advantages of which only kicked in at around 90 mph plus.

Chrysler needed to build 1920 Superbirds, one for every two dealerships in the USA, in order to be allowed to race, published figures suggest up to 2,783 examples may have been built though the generally accepted figure is 1,935, of which 1000 are thought to still exist.

Only 135 Superbirds were originally fitted with the 426 Hemi V8, outlawed from NASCAR racing, while the rest had 440 Super Commando motors with either a single 4 barrel carburettor or three two barrel carburettors.

All road going Superbirds were fitted with horns that imitated the famous cartoon Road Runner who's logo adorns the rear wing supports and the off side front pop up head light cover.

My thanks to JC for his photographs taken on his Android.

Thanks for dropping in on this Superbird edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now ! Beep ! Beep !

Saturday Night Racer - #27 Ray Miles

Late in 1960 Ray Miles had a date that would alter the course of his life, his date Linda lived near Pleasantville Speedway in New Jersey, as Ray heard the roar of the track his curiosity was aroused and they ended up going there on their first date. Ray was hooked immediately and never missed a race after that and Linda soon decided her future lie elsewhere.



Working for a Ford dealer, Ray found a ride in the 6 cylinder #52 Plymouth Coupe owned by Pete Hearon of Goshen NJ, running at Vineland on Friday nights. Ray finished the 1962 season which he describes as a 'learning experience'.



Vineland closed down at the end of 1962 so Ray headed back to Pleasantville known locally as P'ville and bought a '39 Chevy Coupe for $400 from Harry McConnell. The car had a 4,277 cc / 261 cui 6 cylinder Chevy motor hooked up to a 1 ton International rear axle from a postal truck, as Ray says "nuttin' fancy" .



Ray painted the car school bus yellow and put the #27 on. In 1966 Ray Bartling from the Sears Automotive Centre In Cardiff NJ where both Rays were working got involved with the #27 and became crew chief. The two Rays stuck together from 1966 through to 1975 when Ray hung up his helmet.



In 1967 P'ville was a NASCAR sanctioned track where Ray finished 3rd in points, 11th in the State of New Jersey.



Running on a tight budget if the team did not win enough money they would either make or borrow the parts needed to get to the next race. Eventually the chassis was replaced with a used one purchased from the legendary and much missed Tom Skinner this chassis was eventually fitted with a stock 5,276 cc / 322 cui Buick wrapped up with Rays original #27 Chevy Coupe body.



Towards the end of his driving career Ray drove several other vehicles including the Ed Browns #14 which Ray describes as a "fast mammy jammy!"

Today Ray has retired with his wife Suzy, and 5 Cats to Palm Springs where he has learned to play boogie woogie piano.

Keeping in touch with his racing buddies and keeping the memory of many others alive he started running the excellent Limited Sportsman Racers website where there is a wealth of information on the whole P'ville scene including the drivers, crews cars and some rare video footage. Look out for Bobby Isaacs doing a demonstration at P'ville in his #71 K&K Insurance Dodge Charger Daytona with the 23 inch wing on the back !

Ray goes to reunions with his friends from P'ville at Harry Flemmings Pumpkin Run in Egg Harbour Township which comes highly recommended during the first weekend of November.

Slightly Off Topic

I'd like to wish David Piper who played an important role in the making of the film Le Mans subject of Sundays blog and in the building of the Ferrari 330 P4 # 0900 subject of yesterdays blog a belated Happy Birthday he turned 80 yesterday.

Hope you have enjoyed todays Saturday Night Racer blog and that you'll join me tomorrow with another racer of a very different kind of vehicle based in New Jersey. Don't forget to come back now !