A lesson from Lotus - Elan plus 2

The elegant Lotus Elan plus 2 was introduced in 1967 .



It was capable of 120 mph powered by a 126 hp 1558 cc / 95 cu inch 4 cylinder engine.



5200 plus 2's were made between 1967 and 1975. The registration of this model suggests it was made in between 1971 and 1972.



This non standard badge, celebrating all of the Lotus world constructors championships is at least 6 years younger than the rest of the vehicle to which it is affixed. Lotus Team Manager Peter Warr who played a role in the 1970, '72 and '73 championship victories passed away yesterday.



Peter should be best remembered for taking Ayrton Senna to Lotus on Ayrton's own terms and extending the life of the Lotus F1 team by several years after the death of founder Colin Chapman. However he is most well known for saying of Nigel Mansell (above Lotus 87 in 1981) "he'll never win a Grand Prix as long as I have a hole in my arse", which was probably all the encouragement Nigel needed to leave the Lotus team and become the winner of the 4th most Grand Prix of all time a World and Indycar champ. The lesson from Lotus must be 'never speak ill'. RIP Peter Warr.

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Memories of Tony Curtis - Ferrari Dino 246 GT

The TV industry of the sixties and seventies thought up all sorts of curiosities that are simply inconceivable in todays world.



In 1971 one such was a programme called The Persuaders an attempt at making a thriller series popular in the UK and US. The premise was that two playboys Lord Brett Sinclair an English all action (Soldier / Racing Driver) Aristocrat teams up with Danny Wild a Bronx self made millionaire to solve all sorts of 'errors of impunity' to avoid ninety day jail sentences for fighting in a bar ! A community service order for rich people.



The show was not a success in the States and was cancelled after the first series though it was immensely popular in Europe, in Sweden The Persuaders translated to 'Snobs on the Job', in Germany and France the translations of the shows were a comic departure from the original.



The lead roles were played by Roger Moore and Tony Curtis who's respective signature cars were an Aston Martin DBS registered 'BS 1' and a Red Ferrari Dino 246 GT registered 221400 MO. The Ferrari 246 was powered by a 175 hp 2.4 litre / 147.6 CUI 65 degree V6 which gave it a top speed of 146 mph, 3,761 were produced from 1969 to 1974.



The highlight of many a Sunday afternoon during my school days was watching the Persuaders and I still associate Tony Curtis with his Ferrari Dino no matter that he was actually far better recognised for his comedy films including 'Some Like it Hot' made around the time I was born.

Off topic I'd like to welcome all my readers from Belgium, particularly Wesley and Anja who's Mini Moke featured in this blog a last week, mention of which was made on the Belgian Mini Forum.

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Sorry Im late. Some idiot in a red Lamborghini parked in my spot.

Following on from yesterdays dream pick up, earlier this year Bristol hosted a classic car show in the middle of town where I saw for the first time up close my all time favourite 2 + 2 sports car and by far my favourite Lamborghini.



Powered by a 3929 cc / 239 cui 325 hp 60 degree V12, this gorgeous if monstrous vehicle measures is 186 inches long, 73 inches wide and is 46 inches high, that's just six inches higher than a GT 40 !



1217 Espada models were built from 1968 to 1978, the name refers to the sword used by Spanish bull fighters .



The Espada was designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone and reminds me of the vehicles from the 1960's sci fi puppet tv series "Thunderbirds".

Late Kudos

To Alsatian Sebastian Loeb on lifting his all time record seventh World Rally Drivers Title !

And to Greg Biffle on winning at Kansas, looks like Jimmy is the target again huh ?

Go Happy ! Go Harvick ! Go #29 !

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I JUST WANT ONE ! - Maloo R8 !

The odd Latvian Lada Zhiguli notwithstanding it's not everyday I amble along the streets of Bristol and get stopped dead in my tracks on seeing a vehicle and think WTF is that I want one and want it now !



Such was the case with this vehicle, which oozes refinement and speed by the bucket load yet looks like a pick up. Turns out the Maroo R8 is manufactured by Holden Special Vehicles in Australia and has it's origins in the humble Holden Ute - pick up.



This Maloo R8 would appear to be the latest E series introduced in 2007, which features a 412 hp 6 litre / 366 CUI LS2 V8 from the Corvette parts bin.



This pick up does not just look fast either, it holds the record for being the worlds fastest pick up timed at 168 mph / 271 kph a staggering 13.5 mph / 22 kph faster than its closest competitor the Dodge Ram SRT-10.



I don't think its a stretch to say the Maloo R8 is a considerably better looker than the Dodge either.

For a long time the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino has been my dream pick up, my dream just took a turn for the Australian outback :-)

Hope this Antipodean Stunner leaves you in good spirits for the week ahead, Don't forget to come back now ! Hear ?

Keep turning right - 2010 Somerset Grand Prix

Yesterday I took a couple of hours off to visit Oak Tree Arena home of Somerset Raceway. Finding it was none to easy as the track, which opened in 2008 has yet to be photographed for Google Earth, however it's off Junction 22 of the M5 on the A38 heading for Bridgewater, a tad south of Burnham Without.



I didn't spot the signage first time but a local resident kindly pointed me in the right direction.



Above Dan Lewis Class 5 Mini.

This weekends event was billed as the Somerset Grand Prix, a round of the 2010 National Autograss Championship, hosted by the South Somerset Auto Grass Club under the National Autograss Sport Associations governance.



Above Otis Williams, Class 1 (Junior), Mini.

NASA promotes Autograss as a family sport catering for Juniors aged 12



Above, Paul, Fackerells, Class 10, Special.

with Seniors starting at 16 and allegedly running up to and over 70 !



Above, John Gays Class 7 Suzuki SC100.

Cars run in 10 classes which split into bodied



Above open wheel Specials.

and space frame open wheel specials.



Above Peugeot 205 & Vauxhall Nova.

NASA Autograss racing is a non contact sport run professionally for amateurs, the racing is close, and atmosphere friendly. I look forward to watching how the the Oak Tree Arena develops as a venue in the future. One things for sure I'll certainly be going back.

Further NASA fixtures can be seen here. Information about the South Somerset Autograss Club can be found here.

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Is your Mini too big ? Introducing the Mini Mini !

Cut & Shut open top fun for all :-)

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Don't get mad get even - Replica Revenge Mini.

Today's featured vehicle is a replica of 'The Revenge Mini' which won the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally in the hands of Rauno Aaltonen and Henry Liddon. Unusually the car is probably most famous because of the events that took place on the 1966 Monte Carlo Rally.



There has always been a bit of an edgy competition between France and Britain in just about every field of endeavour, I guess no one wants to be first loser against their immediate neighbour. Evidence of this can be seen in the Monte Carlo Rally of 1966. The Mini Cooper S had been the winning car on the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964 in the hands of Paddy Hopkirk and Henry Liddon and again in 1965 with Timo M aekinen and Paul Easter at the wheel. Timo and Paul crossed the line in first place in 1966 with Roger Clark in a Lotus Cortina second followed by Aaltonen and Hopkirk both driving Mini's in third and forth.



However much to the surprise of everybody the top four and two other British cars were disqualified for cheating. Their crime was running non standard (performance enhancing ?) single filament headlight bulbs. It transpires that when teams had entered they had done so on the understanding that these bulbs would be legal as they had been over the previous two years but then the rules were changed after entries had closed making these bulbs illegal because the models of the disqualified cars did not have single filament bulbs fitted as standard.

Curiously the car declared as the winner Pauli Toivonens Citroen was allowed to and did run with these bulbs because some ID19's were fitted with the single filament bulbs on the normal production lines. Naturally the result upset everyone Prince Rainer snubbed his own prize giving ceremony , Pauli Toivonen, declared the winner, swore he would never drive a Citroen again, and kept his word, and the British Motor Corporation protested the result which 10 months later was declared final and stood.



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Of course better than getting mad is to get even so in 1967 BMC came back and Rauno Aaltonen with Henry Liddon co driving the #177 took the Mini's third and final Monte Carlo Victory. Observant fans of Michael Caine and the original 1969 film 'The Italian Job' will remember Crocker making reference to the '66 Monte disqualification in the workshop where the Minis are being prepared and some one is checking the head lights Crocker says 'I hope their dual filament bulbs, we wouldn't want to be caught doing anything illegal now, would we ?'

Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend. 'Don't forget to come back now. Hear ?'