Under US Influence - Morris Minor 4 dr

When the Morris Minor was launched in 1948 it featured headlights set either side of the radiator grill, making the car look rather like the scariest Sci Fi creatures known to man the 'Cybermen'.



In 1949 the Minor was introduced into the US market with the headlights set higher in the wings to meet US regulations giving us the Minor look that is familiar across much of the world today. All Morris Minors post 1951 featured the high mounted US spec lights that can be seen on this early Series II model from 1953.



The centre bonnet contours came about as a result of the car being widened by 4 inches between the prototype and production stages in 1948.



This early Series II model is powered by the same 30 hp Austin designed 803 cc / 49 cui motor as the late Series II Tourer featured yesterday. This engine all though a full 115 cc / 7 cui smaller than the original MM Series engine of 1948 - 1952 was 2.5 hp more powerful than its predecessor.



The extra power improved the Minors top speed performance from 58.7 mph to a full 63 mph, it could accelerate for the first time to 60 mph in just 52 seconds. These improved performance figures were traded against a 6 imperial mpg rise in fuel consumption from 42 mpg to 36 mpg.



One of the stranger things I remember as a child and vehicle passenger in the early sixties in Cyprus is wondering why vehicles ahead would often slow down for no apparent reason then veer into the centre of the road, this happened many times and most times just before the vehicle ahead came to a complete stop in the middle of the road a funny orange coloured pointy thing would seemingly randomly suddenly appear somewhere on the right hand side of the vehicle.

This vertical piece of chrome in the B post is the top of one of those pointy things more commonly known as a Trafficator fully developed by Max Ruhl and Ernst Neuman in 1927 with internal illumination and solenoid operation.

Hard to believe indicators as we know them today on the four corners of the car did not become a legal requirement on new vehicles until the mid sixties in some parts of Europe, the Morris Minor made the switch from Trafficators to corner indicators in 1961.



I mentioned yesterday how the Tourer had big rear lights from 1962, here you can just how small these units would have been on the Tourer when it was new.

I hope you have enjoyed todays edition of 'Getting a lil' psycho on tyres, I'd like to wish all of my American readers and particularly all those who have actively contributed so much fun to this blog a Happy Thanksgiving.

Don't for get to come back for a Ferrari Friday now !

One piece at a time - Morris Minor Tourer

Way back in my school days I remember listening to Johnny Cash's tale about taking a piece of Cadillac home from the factory in his lunch box every day and thinking 'if only ...' Looking at this beautiful black nugget of quintessential Englishness I began to wonder if someone had managed to pull off the feat of stealing this car one piece at at time from the Morris Factory at Cowley since the sum of the parts span the entire 3 series of production of the Minor Tourer from 1948 - 1969.



The split screen is from somewhere between '48 and '56
but the grill is post '54.



Not sure what's under the bonnet, at least an eye popping 30 hp 803 cc which comes in at 49cui.



The 'Morris Minor' badge is almost certainly Series II.



And when we look at the back we see those big tail lights match the side lights at the front, definitely post '62.



We know from the 8th series 'VG' licence plate on the boot this car was probably first registered in Norwich and it appears to have been replaced one piece at a time ever since then.

Hope today's edition was a breath of fresh air, thanks for popping by, looking forward to putting tomorrows edition of Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres together, don't forget to came back now !

More bodywork with an ash frame - Morris Minor 1000 Traveller

The Morris Minor was conceived by Sir Alec Issigonis, best known as the father of the revolutionary 'Mini' and entered production in 1948.



There were 3 series of 'Moggie thou' this particular 67/68 model is one of the third series, distiguishable by a single piece windscreen and officially known as Minor 1000.



Powered by a 4 cylinder BMC A series 1098 cc / 67 cui motor the car could achieve 77 mph.



The two door Estate/Stationwagon version was introduced with the second series of the Minor in 1952.



Minor Travellers like the later Mini Traveller featured a varnished ash framework, the same timber as used internally by Morgan.



At the time production of Morris Minors was discontinued each vehicle was estimated to be losing the British Leyland Motor Corporation around £9.



One might be forgiven for thinking the door lock was an afterthought, but I can remember public awareness campaigns on television advising us to lock cars at all times in the late 1960's early 1970's long before the crime of 'joy riding' had been thought of.



I have driven a couple of Minors and they are very easy to handle at a sedate pace, they do not feel anywhere near as solid or purposeful as a VW Beetle, great for tootling around country lanes all day but not so comfortable on an Autobahn as the Beetle was.



Minors have featured on a number TV series the Traveller probably most famously on 'Heartbeat' a series about the Police in Yorkshire set in the 1960's. There is even a Corgi die cast available complete with Sergeant Oscar Blaketon figure.



For the serious Moggie Thou fan there is also a 1:12 scale model available complete with opening doors !

Thanks for popping by today's sedate edition of "Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres", hope you'll join me tomorrow for more, 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 the 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.

A badge engineered van - Austin Minor

In 1968 as British Motor Holdings merged with Leyland Motor Corporation to form British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) the Austin Minor Panel Van & Pick Up was introduced to replace the Austin A35 Panel Van & Pick Up, the design of which dated back to 1956.



Ironically the Austin Minor Panel Van was a badge engineered Morris Minor 1000 apart from the bonnet badge, crinkled 'Austin' grill and 'Ausitn' steering wheel boss the Austin Minor Panel Van is identical in every respect to the Morris Minor a design that originally dates back to 1948 !



This particular vehicle was registered somewhere between 1968 - 1969 and so was one of the early Austin Minors which are also distinguished 'AA' prefix to its chassis number rather than the 'MA' featured on the Morris Minor Van.



Manufacture of the Austin and Morris Minor Vans ceased in 1971 as the whole Morris Minor range was replaced by the exciting modern and thoroughly maligned Morris Marina.

Slightly off topic congratulations to Jimmie 'I don't sign autographs' Johnson on taking his fifth consecutive Sprint Cup title after a fascinating race at Homestead Miami last night.

I imagine I am not alone in wondering why the title was not awarded to either the driver who won the most races Denny Hamlin or the driver who had the seasons, including the Chase, highest average finish (my driver) Kevin Harvick ?

Wishing you all a healthy week, as I look forward to preparing tomorrow's edition of 'Gettin a lil' psycho on tyres', don't forget to come back now !

May the best man win - Homestead Miami

When the intelnet first entered my life around 2003/4 thanks to some excellent writing by Jerry Bonkowski I found myself developing an interest in all things NASCAR.



That interest turned to fandom when I won a Happy Harvick hat thanks to a competition run by Jay Busbee's From The Marbles Blog.



Last year I was fortunate for a third time when I won tickets to go to the Aarons 499 at Talladega, where these photos were taken, thanks to Buck Fever over at rowdy.com.



Today is the final round of the NASCAR Sprint Cup and 'my driver' Kevin Harvick stands an outside chance of winning it all.

May the best man win, Go Harvick ! Go #29 ! Go Happy !

More fun at 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' tomorrow don't forget to come back now !

Honeymoon Racer - Crosley Hotshot Sport

My heartfelt thanks once again go out to John Aibel for sharing with us some photo's of his 1951 Crosley Hotshot Sport, a vehicle that in 1951 competed in my favourite race the Le Mans 24 hours.



Twelve months after Briggs Cunningham took a shot at top honours at Le Mans with his Cadillac Le Mans special 'Le Monstre' and more conventional 61 Series 'Petit Pataud' two Florida enthusiasts made a low budget attack on the Le Mans 24 hours 'Index of Performance award' which sought to calculate the best performance for vehicles completing the race based on engine size and distance covered with this cute little Crosley Hotshot Sport.

Crosley was an American manufacturer that went against the grain in the US automotive industry by building small and light vehicles from 1939 to 1952. Indiana industrialist Powel Crosley Jr came to prominence manufacturing auto accessories, cheap radio's and other household electrical goods distributed by independent retailers and backed by a then pioneering 'money back guarantee' .



The legend behind the Crosley Le Mans entry is that Phil Stiles and George Schrafft inspired by the success of the stock Hotshot in the Sam Collier Memorial 6 Hours at Sebring in December 1950, were discussing the potential of the Hotshot over the odd libation when they decided to write to the FIA stating they had a Crosley to race in the Le Mans 24 hours, and to Powel Crosley saying they had an entry to Le Mans and were in need of a chassis ! The returning correspondence confirmed both an entry for Le Mans and the supply of a chassis !

The Hotshot / Super Sport VC chassis was prepared for the race by Pappy Dwyers race shop in Indianapolis with a one off aluminium body and sent back to Crosley where a specially developed 726 cc engine was installed.



The cast iron over head cam engine was probably the strongest part of the package having a 5 bearing crank so that it could run all day at full power in order to power military generators which was its original application, as a race engine it was frequently modified Bandini even had a twin over head cam version. The stock engine gave around 26.5 hp the development engine for Le Mans on the #59 seen here around 42hp.

Once ready at the Crosley factory Phil and George went to pick it up from Ohio in George's Aston Martin DB2, they then borrowed Mr Crosley's boat trailer and converted it to take the Le Mans challenger to the docks in New York for eventual shipping. On the way to NY Phil and George took the Crosley off the trailer fitted the trailer plates to the car and then ran the motor in on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

In practice at Le Mans it was discovered the lights were not up to racing at night and more powerful Marchal units were fitted along with a Marchal generator while a new Prestolite generator was ordered from the States.



During the race the car was an immediate success, despite using only top gear so as not to risk damage to the standard non synchromesh Hotshot / Super Sport three speed gearbox, George was able to turn in 73 mph average laps and easily lead his class however 2 hours into the race the roller bearings in the new Marchal generator proved unequal to its task, with Phil at the wheel the unit seized and tore off its mounts, damaging the ignition loom and the water pump mounted on the back of the generator.

After bye passing the water pump and relying on thermosiphon cooling, like an old Model T Ford, the car was prepared to run using only the battery, however once it became dark and the lights were required the battery was inevitably run flat and after 40 gallant laps the devastatingly quick in its class Crosley was out for good.



The next day the team pooled funds to release the Presolite generator from customs in Paris and fitted it to the Crosley so that Phil and his newly wed wife could tour Europe, in Switzerland the local authorities mistook them for and favourably treated them as entrants in the Monte Carlo Rally.

The Crosely was returned to George Schrafft who replaced the standard Hotshot gearbox designed for 26.5 hp motors with a more robust 4 speed FIAT gearbox. This change without any modifications to the rest of the drive train resulted in the rear axle being pushed back one inch, which does not appear to have adversely affected either the performance or reliability of Le Biplane Torpedo as John sometimes refers to his unique Crosley.



The story of how John came to own this splendid Honeymoon Racer is one of 15 years perseverance, in the late 60's John read an article about the car written by Phil Stiles in a 1958 issue of Road & Track. John decided to trace the car with a letter published in R&T and got so many responses he founded the Crosley Auto Club.

Becoming friends with the owner of Le Biplane Torpedo through the club John expressed his interest in purchasing it over many years at the AACA Hershey Annual Fall meeting. He was disappointed one year to find the owner had sold it on to buy a motorhome in the 1970's, in the early 80's Johns brother established the Crosley was for sale after the owner had decided to sell his entire collection of racers.



John reluctantly had the roll bar fitted after surviving a slow roll in another vehicle at Dellow without one, and has raced the Crosley and remembers having many entertaining races with Bob Duell in his Panhard Jr and with two other chaps one in a pre war Morgan and a Renault Special.

He says of his car "On my first track run with it, I was going as fast in the corners as the Lotus 7's. They of course were much faster out of the turns! " Look out for a book to be published on US Le Mans challengers by Tim Considine which will feature this Crosley in the near future.



I'd like to thank John once again for taking the time and trouble to share these photo's of his wonderful Crosley and particularly for taking the time to tell me the romantic story behind it. I have always had a strong conviction that there is something quite noble about taking what is essentially a road vehicle racing it and then returning it to road use, highly impractical in this day and age with all the safety requirements for racing but as Johns "Le Petite Pataud" Replica and Le Biplane Torpedo show once upon a time this was not an unusual practice.

Special thanks to Chief 187 for putting me in touch with John and thanks to everyone for popping by this bumper edition of Getting a lil' psycho on tyres, I hope you'll join me tomorrow for a slightly shorter edition, don't forget to come back now !

Did Magnumpi pass on this ? - Ferrari 328 GTS

It must say something about the power of television that all though I have rarely watched it as an adult, I still know things about some of the folks who inhabit that world. Back in the 80's there was a private eye show, the mother of a friend of mine used to refer affectionately to as 'Magnumpi', a private eye who lived in some completely improbable paradise and blagged pretty much everything he needed, including a Ferrari 308 GTS, from some benevolent fellow with a clipped English accent called Higgins.



Even though I never saw an entire episode I do know, but don't ask me how, that Magnumpi decided to trade in his bachelor life style for a family and a regular (?) job in the Navy when the show came to an end. Today's car the 328 GTS is probably the vehicle Magnumpi would have upgraded to if he had not been so rash.



The 328 GTS (GTS meaning Gran Turismo Spider - Targa top as opposed to its sibling the hard top GTB - Gran Turismo Berlinetta) out sold the GTB 5 to 1 between 1985 to 1989. It was powered by a 270 hp, 4 valve per cylinder, 3185 cc / 194 cui V8 good for taking the car to 60 mph in less than six seconds and on to over 160 mph.



328's are considered by Ferrari aficionados to be the most reliable Ferrari's ever built, because the engine does not need to be removed from the vehicle for routine maintenance. Just the kind of convenience a family man might be looking for, shame the 328 only has two seats !

Slightly Off Topic postscript to yesterdays blog I'd like to welcome everyone who has popped in from the Ferrari Chat Forum, and thank Julio Batista whose Dad raced 500 TRC #0698 against Armando Garcia Cifuentes, Julio kindly posted a photograph of 500 TRC #0690, the subject of yesterdays blog, which shows the extent of the damage sustained after its horrendous accident in Havana.

Thanks for popping by, I hope you'll join me for an amazing life is stranger than fiction story about a small but hugely storied car from the United States tomorrow, don't forget to come back now !