Sweet and predictable - #43 Maserati 150 S #1643

Thanks to again to Ed Arnaudin for today's photograph of a Maserati 150 S owned by EF Spicer seen here at Thompson CT 20th July 1958.



By the time the smallest ever Maserati, the 150S, was built in 1955 the Maserati brothers were long gone from the company bearing their name working on their new OSCA vehicles.

The popularity of the 1500 cc / 91.5 CUI sports car class racing led Maserati to fill the gap in the lower end of their range with this vehicle.

Following Ferrari who in turn was inspired by the fuel efficient advantages of an HWM four cylinder Alta engine, Vittorio Bellanti also ditched the prevalent smooth 6 cylinder engine architecture in favour of a new 4 cylinder alloy block, dry sump lubricated engine featuring hemispherical combustion chambers, double overhead cams and twin plug ignition which produced 140 hp at 7,500 rpm.

Valerio Colotti designed the chassis with independent front and de Dion rear suspension originally covered in a 300S derived body by Celestino Fiandri in 1955.

For 1956 the slightly less derivative body seen here was designed by Medardo Fantuzzi. Stirling Moss drove one of the factory entered 150 S's in a sports car race to second place on the Nurburgring in 1956 beaten by margin of 'just' 3 seconds over 100 miles by Hans Hermann in a Porsche 550 A.

Stirling is alleged to have said of the 150 S that it was " sweet-handling and predictable but overbodied and gutless.”

EF (Edward Farnham) Spicer drove the #43 in the photo to 9th place in the final all comers race on July 20th, 8 spots behind the winning Porsche 550 of Newton Davis.

My thanks and best wishes to Ed Arnaudin and his son Steve for todays photograph, Jerry Entin for vehicle identification and Terry O'Neil for the results.

Hope you have enjoyed today's sweet & predictable edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow, don't forget to come back now !

Intelnet Carceaology Detective Agency - Ferrari 375 Pininfarina America

Today's Ferrari Friday blog is a real team effort and I'd like to start by thanking four people without whom you would be staring at a funky photo of a Meridian Bridge in Spain. First thanks must go to the amazing Mr Ed Arnaudin who took today's photograph nearly 54 years ago in 1957, second thanks must go to Ed's son Steve who took the time and patience to sort through his Dad's slides scan them and then send them to me 3,500 miles away.

Third there are two people at Ferrari Chat who deserve a special mention, first Kare in Helsinki Finland for having the patience to answer each of my dumb *ss questions before convincing myself that what he said in the first place id correct and finally special thanks must go to Boudewijn Berkhoff who took it upon himself to bring a faded 54 year old slide back to life.



Ed's photo is not the easiest to analyse because if you search Google Images you'll find several vehicles similar but frustratingly with completely different names in particular the 250 Pininfarina Europa and the 375 Pininfarina America.

This only makes sense when one learns that in 1953 Ferrari launched two cars one at the European market the 250 Europa with a 3 litre 183 CUI Colombo designed short block V12 and the other aimed at the US market with a later 4.5 litre 274 CUI Aurelio Lambredi designed long block V12, both cars looked more or less identical with body work by Pininfarina, however they were not assembled on a production line so each differed from the other with varying degrees of obviousness.

In all 21 Europa's were built mostly with Pininfarina bodies while 45 300 hp 150 mph 375's were built from 1953 to 1955, just 8 of those 45 had Pininfarina bodies and one of those was a one off coupe with a wrap around windsceen which makes the car in Ed's photo just one of seven. But which one ?

Once the car model was identified it was relatively easy to find out the whereabouts of those seven Pininfarina bodied cars today; three are red, one is two tone silver, another is silver but with a much larger chrome grill, one is green, another blue and the last is black.

Thanks to the aforementioned Kare I found out that the black 375 was originally grey with red interior delivered bearing the chassis number #0319AL to a Mr Carpenter. Thanks to Tom Roland we have 21st September 1957 as the probable date this photo was taken.

I'd also like to thank Aardy, tx246, Motob, of2worlds, and Ed Niles for chipping in with opinions that hopefully has seen an approximation of the truth emerge.

Hope you have enjoyed today's detective mystery trip in an extremely rare motor car and that you'll join me in thanking everyone who helped make today's blog possible.

Join me again tomorrow for a look at another Italian vehicle photographed by Ed, don't forget to come back now !

Last In Line - Porsche 968 Club Sport

The 968 was the last of the in line 4 cylinder models that evolved from the originally Audi derived 924/944 series with styling queues taken from the Porsche 928 to give it some water cooled Porsche family resemblance.



From 1993 - 1995 the Club Sport was available, stripped of the luxuries from the rest of the 968 range, with stereo, A/C and sunroof being the only options to add to a vehicle optimised for track use with manual windows and no rear seats.



The 236 hp 16 valve 3 litre 183 cui in line 4 cylinder engine with Vario Cam Timing and six speed gearbox was voted Performance Car of the Year by Performance Car magazine in 1993. The Club Sport variant was only marketed in Australia, Europe, Japan and the UK and because of the low numbers produced is considered a collectible among some Porsche aficionados.

Thanks for joining me on today's Vario Cam Timing edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don't forget to come back now !

Variable Turbine Geometry - Porsche 997 Turbo S

This is one of the last series 1 2008 model year Porsche 997's distinguished by the LED indicators across the outer intakes and bug eye headlights lights from the older 996 with which it shares a four wheel drive power train.



With over 100,000 units sold the 997 is without doubt the most popular model Porsche have ever made even the TDM who is not a noted Porsche fan thinks a 997 will "make love to your fingertips and stir your soul." Lets hope he washes his hands regularly.



The 997 Turbo was tested by TDM on an empty German Autobahn with an indicated 200 mph on the clock 2 mph faster than the top speed claimed by Porsche, Motor Trend tested the same model as capable of accelerating 0 - 60 mph (97 kph) in 3.2 seconds a full 0.5 secs ahead of the manufacturers claims.



The turbo S comes with a 525 hp 3,824 cc 233.4 cui flat six cylinder engine which introduced variable turbine geometry on the twin turbo's.



Sadly this vehicle is already a late model a series 2 997 Turbo S was launched in 2010.

Hope you have enjoyed today's variable turbine geometry edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at a performance water cooled edition as we round out Porsche week. Don't forget to feed the fish before you leave and please don't forget to come back now !

Moby DIck - Porsche 935/78 #006

The Porsche 935/78 was a one off vehicle built to win the 1978 Le Mans 24 hours and was the ultimate works development of the, then 15 year old, 911 which would not be topped until the advent of the 911 GT1 built in the late 1990's. Notice that in preparation for Le Mans the drivers seat was placed on the right hand side optimising weight distribution for a race run on a clockwise track.



Thanks to a rule made at the request of arch enemy BMW the body was lowered 10cm 3.9 inches over the standard 911 by cutting out the standard floor plan with the engine like wise now lowered the gearbox was inverted to raise the drive shafts closer to their original height. Apart of from the front windscreen almost every body panel was optimised to maximise the top speed on the 4 mile Mulsanne straight where 235 mph was eventually achieved.



The 935/78 was equipped with a 750 hp 3.2 litre 195 cui flat 6 with 4 valves per cylinder in water cooled cylinder heads, a first for Porsche who had always raced air/oil cooled motors up until this time.



The car seen here driven Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass at the 1978 Silverstone 6 hour race, a warm up for the Le Mans 24 hours, romped away from the opposition, mostly private Porsche's with a single works BMW driven by Ronnie Peterson and Hans Joachim Stuck, finished a ridiculous 7 laps ahead of the rest of the field.



Stommelen/Schurti qualified 'Moby Dick', as the 935/78 was known, third on the grid at Le Mans however a silly stunt in which the car was driven on the road from Porsches garage outside the circuit to the circuit on race day went horribly wrong when predictably the car got caught in race day traffic causing the engine to over heat which created an oil leak. The subsequent loss of performance meant the car could only finish 8th.

935/78 #006 appeared twice more in 1978 but disgraced itself with two retirements and has since been consigned to the Porsche Museum. Joest Racing built two further 935/78's from factory drawings in 1981.

Hope you have enjoyed today's 235 mph edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you will join me again for another turbo charged blog tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !

Awaiting TLC - Porsche 912

From 1965 to 1969 around 30,000 entry level Porsche 912's were sold, featuring the body of the then all new Porsche 911 with the 90 horsepower motor from the old Porsche 356.



In 1967 well known Polish Porsche privateer Sobiesław Zasada won the European Rally Championship in his 912 fitted with a factory supplied rally kit.



The 912 was replaced by the 914 allegedly built in a not so harmonious collaboration with Volkswagen from 1970 - 1976.



In 1976 914's were temporarily replaced in the the Porsche line up by 2099 additional 912 E's, with 911 G series bodies and 2 litre engines from the ill feted 914/4, built exclusively for the US market until the arrival of the water cooled Porsche 924.



Porsche 912's are easily recognisable when looking at the engine, they only have 4 cylinders instead of the 6 of the 911.



This particular model was on it's way to the Porschmode Specialist body shop for some long overdue TLC when I happened on it at the end of last year.



Hope you have enjoyed today's in need of TLC edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at one of the most outrageous Porsches ever built by the factory. Don't forget to come back now !

West Coast Spyder - Porsche 550

My thanks go out again to Ed Arnaudin & Son for today's photograph, Ed purchased this photo by Carlyle Blackwell of Jack McAfee in his John Edgar owned 550 most likely being driven to victory at Pebble Beach, a track I know very little about, on 22nd April 1956.



Photo Carlyle Blackwell, Publised Courtesy Blackwell Archive, for sales enquiry's please e-mail infoATpsychoontyres.co.uk and your contact details will be forwarded to the Blackwell Archive.

Jack McAfee was an extremely successful West Coast driver who started out in hot rod racing by tuning a neighbour friends mother's model T, unbeknown to the fellow's poor mother.

Jack is best known for driving cars owned by John Edgar highlighted by a couple of international appearances including the Nurburgring 1000 kms. Driving the 550 seen here Jack became National class F champion in 1956.

At 29 Jack became the youngest ever Porsche Dealer and was responsible for the often copied McAfee aftermarket wheels for Porsche and VW cars long before Porsche cars were fitted with the iconic Fuchs alloy wheels.

Just 90 Porsche 550 purpose built racing cars, inspired by the 356 specials built and raced by Walter Gloecker, were produced from 1953 - 1956.

Allegedly one of these low slung cars was driven under a pair of railway crossing gates by Hans Hermann during the 1954 Mille Miglia. A light weight 550 A variant was driven to Porsche's first major out right sports car victory by drivers Umberto Maglioli and Huschke von Hanstein in 1956 Targa Florio.

However all of the 550's racing successes are dwarfed by it's position in 20th century movie culture, outside a restraunt on the 23rd of September 1955 Alec Guiness, the original Obi-Wan Kenobi, was shown the #130 Porsche 550 known as 'Little B*st*rd' owned by an emerging acting talent and part time race driver.

Sir Alec thought the vehicle looked sinister and advised the owner 'If you get in that car, you will be found dead in it by this time next week.' Sadly, a prediction that came true on 30th September 1955 when the legend of James Byron Dean was born.

My thanks to Arnaudin & Son for the wonderful photograph and to racingsportscars.com for the race information.

Hope you have enjoyed today's edition of getting a little psycho on tyres and that you'll join me again tomorrow for a look at a Porsche in need of a little TLC. Don't forget to come back now !

28 07 12 PS My thanks to Pamela Blackwell who has kindly retrospectively given me permission to post the photo's her father took.