Advertising Feature 

Woodmans Auctions Limited 

Woodmans Auctions Limited specialises in the sale of Classic, Sports and Racing Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia, and holds regular sales at Thruxton Circuit near Andover in Hampshire.

-  We are currently inviting entries for our next sale on Saturday, 18 February 2012.

-  Our auctions are conducted in the stunning ‘Marquee Building’ in the Central Paddock at Thruxton Circuit.

-  We offer very competitive Entry Fees and Commission rates, with Automobilia being free to enter!

-  In excess of 200 lots of automobilia and over 40 vehicles will be offered for sale.

-  Friday ‘Viewing Day’ is free to enter, Saturday ‘Sale Day’ is entry by catalogue only.

-  Full restaurant facilities will be available throughout the day on Sale Day, 18 Febraury, in the Goodwood Restaurant.

-  Our transport partner Cherwell Logistics will be on hand to assist with moving any vehicles.

-  For more information please call 07766 811 402

-  Or email info@woodmans-auctions.com

-  To view the online catalogue go to www.woodmans-auctions.com

Advertising Feature

Mercedes-Benz 280CE Rally Car


Mercedes 280CE two-door, two-seat coupe with a straight 6, 2.8i engine. Right-hand drive. Manual 5-speed. Rear-wheel drive. Strengthened suspension. Fully integrated roll cage. Extensively lightened (using chrome molly steel and aluminium as well as the addition of a fibre-glass bonnet and boot lid) to get the car to approximately 1300kgs. Racing seats (MOMO Acropolis). SPA plumbed in fire system. The car was professionally prepared in Australia for the previous owner who successfully campaigned the car in the 2000 London-Sydney Marathon Rally. Imported into the UK 2006. Dry stored. Based in Hampshire, UK.

















For full details contact Tom Rogers : +44 (0)7818 580271 : tomgonediving@yahoo.co.uk

The Dews Speed Series 2012

The Dews Speed Series is a speed championship organised by members of the Downton Engineering Works Social Club consisting of hill climbs and spirits.

The Club was reformed in 2009 by some of the original 1960s club members following a reunion of ex-Downton Engineering Works employees. Many of its members not only worked at Downton but have original cars that were either owned, or worked on, by the Company though, of course, new members do not need to have been an employee.

The series runs from March to October and includes Castle Combe and Clay Pigeon sprints, and Wiscombe Park, Charmouth, Harwood, Prescott, Manor Farm and Castle hill climbs, with the first event taking place at Castle Combe on 24 March organised by Bristol Motor Club.

To qualify for the Championship competitors are required to take part in both disciplines and the best six out of nineteen rounds count towards points. The DEWS Speed Series is sponsored by Harris Motorsport.

Full details of the DEWS Speed Series at www.dewsc.org.uk

Or contact the Club at:

DEWS Club
3 Crane Street
Cranborne
Dorset
BH21 5QD

Email downton@live.co.uk 

2012 celebrates fifty years of the MGB

Across the world MGB enthusiasts are ready to make 2012 a year to remember. And why not for goodness sake? Fifty years is worth celebrating and, after all, not only is the MGB a good looking car that is cheap to buy, it is also fun to drive and easy on the pocket. A two-seater sports car that sums up all that is best about 60s design, available from just two or three thousand pounds. This is a bargain in any language.

Manufacture of the MGB began in May 1962 and by the time production came to a end on 23 October 1980 half a million cars had rolled off the line, making it a world best seller. In 1966, a typical year, exports accounted for three-quarters of production with the Roadster outselling the GT by about two-to-one. The six-cylinder MGC was introduced in 1967 followed by the MGB GT V8 in August 1973, both of which only sold in limited numbers. America was a big customer, too big to ignore, and when stringent Stateside auto-legislation arrived in 1974/75 the MGB Roadster appeared for the first time with its controversial rubber bumpers. Other changes included; an increased ride height, hazard warning lights, servo brakes, and a single twelve-volt battery. Towards the end of October 1980 the final 1,000 Limited Edition cars brought production to an end at the famous Abingdon Works, the home of MG since 1929.

The EX214, or ADO 23 MGB in BMC speak, had moved on a long way since the early pre-production days when the car, complete with V4, two-litre engine and coil sprung rear suspension, promised a mild revolution in British engineering. Alas, and as ever, accountants won the day and what emerged was a stylish but very conventional sports car powered by a good old fashioned four-cylinder, 1800cc engine. Its top speed of 103mph was, however, very competitive and at £949 including taxes, so was the price.

The MGB Roadster, without going into detail, is a car with a friendly disposition and takes the form of a non-complaining, easy going companion, at its best on dry roads and a delight to drive on warm summer evenings. In the wet though, the car becomes quite unruly and likely to suffer rear end break-away at the slightest provocation. That aside the overdrive, where fitted, allows for economical cruising at reasonable motorway speeds and the driving position is the agreeable side of acceptable. It is simple in construction and in the case of breakdown, easy and cheap to repair. I do like the Roadster, but enjoy the GT hardtop more.

The GT, designed by Pininfarina and introduced in October 1965, is altogether a more grown-up, better proportioned and civilised car. Italian in looks (although calling it a mini Ferrari might be stretching things), it also comes as a surprise to learn the MGB suddenly became a family-friendly car and a practical load-lugger. Other changes such as the Salisbury-type differential, stiffer springs and anti-roll bar were lessons learned, put into action and thus, the GT is less wayward in the rain and generally the driver enjoys a higher standard of road holding. A heavier car than the Roadster, the performance of the GT was acceptable, but no more. Top speed nudged the magic ‘ton’ while its 0-60 acceleration, by modern standards, was positively sluggish at 11.3 seconds. However, that said, on the open road the overdrive, standard on the GT, allowed relaxed and economical cruising.

In an attempt to modernise the image of BMC in the ‘sporting car’ market, the more powerful, six-cylinder MGC was introduced at the 1967 London Motor Show and although the engine, shared with the equally new Austin 3-litre saloon, added 20mph to the top speed it was a heavy unit, derived from the Austin Healey 3000. Weighing a hearty 567lb the engine also sat badly across the front suspension and created more problems than it solved. The turning circle for example increased from 2.9 to 3.5 lock-to-lock, while the attractive bonnet line was severely disrupted by the addition of a large hump, necessary to accommodate the taller engine. More than anything, the MGC suffered poor fuel consumption and lacked any real driver involvement. With poor low down torque the car also suffered unwanted understeer when pushed hard. In the end, less then 9,000 units, split between Roadster and GT, were produced between 1967 and 1969 with nearly half exported to the USA.

A better idea was the MGB GT V8. Powered by a slightly less powerful version of the 3.5-litre Range Rover engine and introduced in 1973, the credit for this move belongs to engine tuner Ken Costello who was already offering an unofficial V8 conversion to the general public. Sadly, and although the new car was capable of 125mph and 25mpg it arrived just too late. And as the result of limited engine supply, production was restricted and the ever-increasing costs of complying with US emissions the MGB GT V8 never made it across the Atlantic. Then, in 1974, the ‘rubber bumper’ was introduced across the range, and from then on it was downhill all the way. Just 479 cars were sold in 1975 and production stopped altogether in 1976. Only 2,591 cars were built which, if nothing else, should make them future collectors’ items.

2012 will see three official celebration events organised by the MG Car Club along with the MGB50 Committee; MG Live in June, Silverstone Classic in July, and the final Blenheim Palace gathering in September. In addition, the Historic Racing Drivers Club will be staging a FIA Appendix K Race Series, which is aimed at attracting the rarer models such as the WSM MGB and the Jacques Coune MGB Berlinette.

Full details of various meetings and race dates are available at:

www.mgcc.co.uk
www.mgownersclub.co.uk
www.mglive.co.uk
www.silverstoneclassic.com
www.blenheimpalace.com
www.hrdc.eu

January 1962

AS EVER the major motor sport in January was the Monte Carlo Rally, which ran without snow except over the Col du Granier, where the icy conditions caused a certain amount of havoc among the 300 crews. 1962 turned into a battle between the diminutive Swedish SAAB driven by Erik Carlsson and Eugen Bohringer in the huge German Mercedes 220SE, with Erik coming out on top, his first victory on the Rally. After heavy criticism, the existing formula used by the French to determine a winner the previous year, based on handicap, was dropped for 1962. This created what was basically an open race over five special stages through the mountains, plus four laps of the Grand Prix Circuit.

BMC also had a good event with three class wins: Peter Riley (MG Midget); the Morley brothers (MGA); and David Seigle Morris (Austin Healey 3000), while Pat Moss in a Mini Cooper won The Ladies Cup. Unfortunately, the similar car of Rauno Aaltonen and Geoff Mabbs crashed heavily and then burnt out. Thanks to the dry conditions Rootes had five Sunbeams finish in the top twenty with Paddy Hopkirk, Peter Proctor, Graham Hill, Peter Harper and Ian Lewis all driving Rapiers and taking the Team Prize. The Merrick brothers probably chalked up the first finish in an international rally for a Jaguar E-type when they crossed the line in 200th place.

MOST RACING drivers during the sixties had an aversion to cold weather and disappeared during the winter months to find warm sunshine. It was hard luck when they arrived in New Zealand to be met by tropical storms. Even so, Stirling Moss completed 75 laps of the Ardmore Circuit in Auckland to win the New Zealand Grand Prix held on 6 January, beating John Surtees by over a minute-and-a-half. Local driver Bruce McLaren was third with Roy Salvadori fourth. In Wellington a week later, rain stopped play after 28 laps leaving Jack Brabham the winner, but by the time the GP circus reached Christchurch for the Lady Wigram Trophy it was hot and sunny. On 21 January Moss won again, beating Brabham by just a few seconds with Surtees right up his exhaust pipe in third. The last race in January took place again in Christchurch with the crowd pleased to welcome Bruce McLaren as winner of the Invercargill Trophy, his first victory in New Zealand.

BACK IN the UK the Motor Cycling Club held its annual Exeter Trial the same way as they had been doing since 1910 and continues to do so in 2012. Conditions in 1962 were dry but many of the two-hundred-odd competitors still managed to make a bodge of Simms, needing the help of the resident tractor to reach the top.

AWAY FROM the sporting scene the Beatles were taking their first steps to stardom by signing up for Decca Records and the Pope ex-communicated Fidel Castro. On 8 January 93 passengers died in a train crash near Harmelen in Holland. As if that was not bad enough 4,000 people died when an avalanche smothered the town of Nevado Huascaran in Peru.

FINALLY, weather-wise the UK began the year in freezing conditions, it was -17 at Northolt near London but things improved(?) on 21 January when 19mm of rain fell. Happy New Year.

A Cornucopia of Competition European Editor Peter Collins looks back at 2011. Click on gallery top right to view images.

The core of any publication is its content. Whether it is online or on the printed page, with nothing to read or browse, nobody would bother to look and so here at Retro-Speed we travel considerable distances and spend considerable time bringing back the news, the stories and the pictures from as broad a cross-section of historic motorsport and classic motoring as possible.

For myself, Christmas is a brief break and my 2011 kicked off appropriately on 1 January with a visit to the VSCC’s Much Marcle New Year’s gathering. There is something quintessentially British about turning out in vintage cars, many with their roofs down and often in miserably cold weather, just for the hell of it and I am looking forward to first-footing it again in 2012.

The superb Vintage Sports-Car Club has much involvement in bringing these events about and it is to them that we all turn for one of the very first competitive events each year, the Brooklands Driving Tests. It is always a pleasure to visit the historic racing-circuit site and especially to see owners exercising their steeds and giving spectators an enjoyable weekend so early in the year. In addition, it is well worth the visit to examine the huge variety of cars brought by spectators.

From the sublime, but definitely not to the ridiculous, it’s a long way to my next event, the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. Traditionally held over the last week of January, this is at least five days in length and, with at least five different start points, it is a revocation of the Montes of the ‘50s and ‘60s and with upwards of 300 entries it is an impressive sight and, not least, a great way of seeing some fantastic parts of France if you follow the route taken by the participants. Mind you, it takes more planning to do that than if you actually were taking part but, in my opinion, it is one of the best events of the year bar none.

Because of this it is sad that even as early as this in the year we came up against one of the biggest problems facing the continued growth of historic motoring – clashing dates. The fabulous Retromobile show, held each year in Paris, has always started just after the finish of the Rally and many have been able to cover both but now, a new set of organisers have seen fit to decide to run the show concurrently with the Rally. This, on the face of it, seems particularly poor timing, especially as the show has been retimed to occur earlier in the year. Indeed, it is very difficult to understand the decision.

Detailed map planning with Michelin yellow maps is essential in order to gain anything worthwhile from the Monte Historique and thereby comes the fun. Motoring throughout Drome, the Alpes and Alpes Maritime from one photographic spot to another is almost the same as actually taking part in the event, and the final run into Monte from the last control at Eze provides the same elation. Plan well ahead and spend a minimum of two days following the rally and I guarantee satisfaction.

Retromobile, in cosmopolitan Paris, could not be a bigger contrast. It is small but a great show every year and has the advantage that at least one night can be spent in Paris. If you do the show and not the rally in 2012, there will be time to visit two auctions. One by Bonhams and the other by Artcurial. The latter in 2011 managed to sell a Lancia 037 Stradale for in excess of Euro220K thus removing, at a stroke, yet another car from my ever-diminishing reasonably-priced wish-list.

Back in blighty, it was time for Race Retro and the wonderful sight of Miki Biasion flinging Justin Law's Lancia Integrale around the Mickey Mouse rally ‘special stage’. For some reason, the event always seems to clash with the VSCC’s priceless Pomeroy Trophy, the outcome of which is supposed to be the ‘perfect touring car’. Whether you consider the ultimate winner of this event to be that, is in the eye of the beholder, but everyone enjoys the driving tests and high-speed races, sorry, trials, where ten-year-old totally standard Volvo Estates can be seen competing against highly-tuned competition cars. It’s all huge fun and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards put on one of his customary great drives to take victory in his wonderful Nash saloon recreation.

My year continued with a quick drive – thanks to Mike Archer – down to Turin for the reopening of the Biscaretti Museum, now renamed the Agnelli, although most still use the former title.

A wonderful museum and, so long as the exhibits are changed around each year allowing visitors a worthwhile trip more than just once, it deserves much success. If nothing else, get there to see the ‘grid’ of Grand Prix cars and wait for the whole routine to be played through at least once. It is both superb and enthralling.

An entirely non-motoring trip to Central America (but did you know there is a race-circuit in Guatemala?) was followed by the excellent Historic Sports Car Club’s International Trophy at Silverstone. The HSCC can always be relied on to provide good racing and full grids and, with a calendar that takes them to most of the leading circuits in the UK, one can always be sure of an enjoyable event.

For 2011 they resurrected 2-litre sportscar racing with their Martini Trophy. In period, this category swung from one extreme of overfull grids to the other of scratching for entries, and prototypically 2011 has seemed the same but the cars are spectacular and sound great so let’s hope 2012 sees improvement. The category has witnessed the return – or should I say the continuation – of the career of John Burton, a very real and tangible connection to his days of orange Chevrons and the Worcestershire Racing Association. He has clearly proven he has lost none of his ability over the years.

SeeRed at Donington suffered from the ludicrously overcrowded calendar, but in an oblique way. The VSCC were keen to take up their traditional September date at Donington, only for Masters to take up the option and force the VSCC to retreat to a May weekend. Perhaps the saddest sequel to the saga was that nobody gained as the VSCC lost out on entries due to short notice and Masters suffered terribly depleted grids because entrants were keeping their powder dry for the Revival.

Donington is a great circuit and it would be a shame if it suffers again in the same way in 2012.

The long circuit at Brands is many people’s favourite. It doesn’t even seem to suffer from the fact that it has been around for ever. For spectators the excitement of Dingle Dell has been diluted somewhat but otherwise it contains just about all the ingredients a great track needs. I suppose it’s living proof that sometimes, not holding a Grand Prix is the very best thing that can happen to a venue.

Almost every corner has its devotees and watching, during a great Masters or HSCC meeting, a close field of F2 cars battle round Druids or Group C cars come out of Dingle Dell like corks out of bottles and then later change direction over the hump at Clearways all provides a very real connection with the past.

Then, it was off to Monza and I just love the place. Many don’t, but the sheer atmosphere, even without cars circulating, makes me tingle. When you consider what has happened there over the years, it leaves some international circuits with a fairly thin legacy.

Yet, once again, the spectre of the overcrowded calendar and clashing events caused problems. Considering the majesty of the place and the fact that it is virtually the only chance to race an historic car at this cathedral of speed, the sudden inclusion of another classic meeting at Spa meant that the expense of both was beyond the means of many. If it is not possible to avoid clashing dates, would it be possible to ensure the various categories of racing don’t clash. Yes, I am fully aware that promoters are in the business purely to make money, but there must be fall-out somewhere and sometime – and to no-one’s advantage.

Monza is, amongst many other features, the straight past the pits, walking through the forest and hearing the cars but not seeing them; watching them come up under the old banking, then through Ascari and sliding out, over the kerbs before sling-shotting down the straight to Parabolica. And, of course, it’s Parabolica itself, where more races have been settled than I care to think about.

I then had the privilege of spending a restful weekend in the Val d’Arda near Piacenza at the annual Silver Flag hillclimb. All I can say is, if you’ve ever fancied a couple of days with fabulous cars, fabulous scenery, fabulous food and fabulous wine, make sure you pencil it into your diary now.

Goodwood Festival of Speed needs no further comment from me; one loves it or hates it. I particularly enjoy the Cartier Style et Luxe displays every year where there is still plenty of opportunity to see the obscure, bizarre and just plain rare. The whole event has now been expanded to include a much larger new cars exhibition and it is difficult to see where it will all be in five to ten years’ time.

One date clash that occurs every year, come what may, is that the HSCC’s excellent Historic Superprix takes place at Brands Hatch at the same time as the Festival of Speed. The same comments apply as to the Masters event on the same track earlier in May, definitely one not to miss.

July means it’s time for the Silverstone Classic which is big, very big, extraordinarily big. It also has the same effect on lesser historic meetings as the Revival, in that entrants save their cars in order to enter. This is a shame, as it means that for the sight of some particular cars, one is forced to visit certain events. I know that large numbers of people were unhappy with the two pits arrangements, as well as dissatisfied spectators unable to see the pit-lane from the opposite side of the track. However, for sheer quantity, it’s the place to go.

I have already mentioned the dates' dilemma that faced Donington race-meetings, suffice to say that Masters in September had some pitifully thin fields and one wonders how small the entries for meetings will be allowed to drop before organisers take some sort of action.

Classic Endurance Racing at Silverstone, also in September, was a seriously bright spot in the calendar. With this category, Patrick Peter manages to draw in a more than healthy entry of interesting cars that go to make up extremely enjoyable and varied racing. These latter qualities are also a major attraction of Goodwood’s Revival. For the paying spectator this must be one of the best, if not the very best, historic meeting of the year. Add in the aviation and, if it is blessed with good weather, it all adds up to a wonderful spectacle. There are real nuggets to be found too, such as spectating at the bend with no name where you will see cars absolutely flat out and on the limit. Fab!

Going into the final stages of the year, I forsook my usual visit to the San Marino Rallylegend this year (a must for Group B and 1980s/90s rally fans) and tried the newly resurrected Giro D’Italia and the well-established Padova Classic Show.

The former, with a good historic entry, thoroughly deserves to succeed. The organisation is good and those involved are very brave introducing the event under the current economic restraints. The Padova show simply leaves one speechless. It is huge. Ideally one needs a minimum of two days to get around it but, and it’s a big but, prices of everything are very expensive. So go and enjoy, but leave your wallet at home.

The Brighton Veteran run, which took place on yet another dry and mild day, would normally have finished my year off, but I had been asked if I would like to take part in the Classic Rally Association’s Winter Challenge rally from Chester to Monte Carlo. An event such as this has always been on my ambitions short list so I jumped at the chance. Mind you, I hadn’t factored in that it was a round of the FIA Regularity Challenge and therefore all the UK hotshots would be taking part. It was wonderful, exhilarating and at times, downright difficult, but it was really satisfying to finally arrive at that mecca of all true rally people, Monaco.

In the midst of all this I wrote my latest book – on Alfa Romeo Touring Cars of the 1990s and 2000s, since you ask – and now there’s the short Christmas break before my new season starts, but, it beats the hell out of working!

December 1961

THERE HAVE been some great Christmas number one records but I’m not sure Danny Williams singing Moon River is among them. Mind you, in 1961, after three glasses of sherry my mother was able to sing along with Danny, word perfect. Things didn’t improve for New Year’s Eve either. The choice lay between Cliff Richard and The Young Ones or Rock A Hula Baby sung by Elvis. At least if you lived in Scotland a cold front blowing in from Scandinavia guaranteed snow on 25 December. For the rest of us the weather was just cold and miserable.

It was a case of throw more coal on the fire and settle down in front of the telly with yet another helping of turkey. The BBC line-up for Christmas evening included The Black and White Minstrel Show followed by Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine in Rebecca, a psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. ‘On the other side’, ITA fought back with Coronation Street followed by Max Bygraves. Things improved dramatically on Boxing Day when BBC Grandstand televised live motor racing from Brands Hatch.

1961 HAD in fact been a good year for British motorists, what with the launch of the Jaguar E-type, MG Midget, Triumph TR4, Morris/Austin Mini-Cooper, or for the decidely more adventurous, the Daimler SP250 and TVR Grantura MK11A. And it was nice to know that 84 per cent of UK drivers still preferred to drive a car manufactured in Great Britain. The family man could choose between a Morris Minor, Ford Anglia or Triumph Herald before looking across the English Channel for an alternative. That these, generally more advanced, foreign vehicles carried hefty import duty also did much to protect the home market.

ON TRACK just eight Grand Prix made up the Championship, with five going to Ferrari and three to a Lotus Climax. The American driver Phil Hill became World Champion, followed home by Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney. Sadly ‘Taffy’ von Trips was killed at Monza along with several spectators during the Italian Grand Prix. Ferrari also won the Sports Car Championship with wins at Sebring, Sicily - the Targa Florio, Le Mans and Pescara. Other drivers of note to win non-Championship F1 races were, John Surtees, Jim Clark, Innes Ireland and Roy Salvadori.


ALTHOUGH INFLATION was running at around just 1.7 per cent, and a new house could be had for £2,000, kit cars were becoming more popular in the UK as a way of saving purchase tax and some of these have now become classics in their own right, including the Gilbern, Elva, Turner and Lotus Seven. It is mildly amusing to note that Colin Chapman claimed a Seven could be home constructed in just 20 man-hours, and that is without build instructions, no official factory help was permitted in this tax saving dodge.

ALSO, FIFTY years ago saw the introduction of Porsche Club GB, an organisation that, from its 100 founder members in 1961, now boasts a list of some 16,000.



NATURALLY MOTOR racing in this country was enjoying its annual winter break, except of course for that wonderful institution, the BRSCC ‘Boxing Day Brands’ meeting, which took place whatever the weather. I have now forgotten how many times I froze to death or got soaked through watching competitors race for the Christmas Trophy and how many times we got stuck trying to leave the muddy car park. But in 1961 it was Graham Hill driving yet another Ferrari who lifted the coveted first prize. And for the record, Les Leston won the Peco Trophy race while Christabel Carlisle finished third in the Touring Car race driving her ultra-rapid Mini. Other events taking place during December included the Exeter Trial and VSCC Driving Tests, both of which, unlike Boxing Day Brands, survive to this day.

AS 1961 came to a close, out in the big world the Walt Disney film Babes in Toyland was launched on an unsuspecting public, and still in America, on 11 December the war in Vietnam officially began as the first US Marine helicopters arrived in Saigon. In Niteroi, Brazil, a circus tent burnt down killing 323 people, while nearer home, as a New Year gesture and after 400 years, Portugal finally handed back Goa to India.

Shakespeare County Raceway  Click on gallery top right

The Shakespeare County Raceway at Long Marston Airfield, near Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire hosts a full schedule throughout the year, starting at the end of March through to the end of October.

For 2012 Shakespeare County Raceway offers a wide and varied selection of Public Track Day RWYB (Run what ya brung) events catering for all tastes. To compete all you need is a vehicle. This will be checked for safeness by the raceway's knowledgeable scrutineering crew, seatbelts, suitable clothing, a valid driving licence and a crash helmet.

Two MSA/ACU National Championship Rounds are held at the Raceway as well as weekends in partnership with the NSRA (National Street Rod Association); the Nostalgia Nationals and Hot Rod Drags. There are also Public Track Days and Public Track Weekends, including a weekend for Ladies that Launch!

The predicted gloomy weather conditions for the Raceway’s 23rd annual NSRA Hot Rod Drags, 16-18 September 2011, did not deter the many thousands of enthusiasts turning out for this very popular event, though the start of the weekend was blessed with some fine end of summer season sunshine for five hours of traditional Friday Street Drags.

Saturday was wet, with intermittent showers, thunder and lightning and it wasn’t certain that the event’s traditional Dusk Rollin’ Cackle could take place. But, following much hard work by the marshals, twenty-five cars were able to roll down the staging lanes at 7.00pm. The evening was rounded off with fireworks, live bands and burlesque dancers in the main marquee. Rain continued through to Sunday morning until midday, when the track was at last given the all clear and then five hours of nostalgia racing was enjoyed by much appreciating spectators.

For more information go to www.shakespearecountyraceway.com.

Images from Jon Spoard www.ukdrn.co.uk and Jeni Long www.yawningcatphotography.com.

How to re-cycle lager cans   by Ken Davies

We had hastily prepared a 1979 2-litre Porsche 924 for the HSCC 70s Sports Car series and entered the 750 Motor Club's popular Birkett 6-hour team relay as part of a six-car team, with the unlikely sobriquet of Ecurie Porumphorganda (EP) in order to test the car, so here I was in the assembly area on Silverstone's Wellington Straight waiting for the first practice session to start.

There was however one nagging doubt in my mind. Was a 6-hour race with 61 teams, 300 drivers in a selection of the quickest club racing cars, the most appropriate place to be in an untried race car?

On the day my practice session went better than I'd expected and I settled into a good rhythm as soon as I’d learned which way the corners went, one eye constantly on my mirrors to keep out of the way of the swarms of indecently quick Caterhams and Radicals, all moving faster than a journalist at a free buffet. The good news was; 924 showed no evil handling vices, with all temperatures normal and the 2-litre Audi 100/VW LT 35 engine running smoothly.

Just one glitch spoilt a relatively stress-free 30 minutes. My home-fabricated exhaust fractured just under my feet, where the two manifold pipes run into one. I soldiered on, however, to complete the session and get as much practice as possible on Silverstone's magnificent 3.64-mile historic grand prix circuit.

Once back at the team’s pit, I crawled underneath to survey the damage and cannibalised two lager cans to roll flat and curve around the damaged area of the exhaust, fixed at each end with jubilee clips. That would have to do until I could remove the system and do a permanent repair.

The 61st Birkett started promptly at 11:15, only to be red-flagged immediately for a start-line incident which eliminated eight cars, but fortunately not Matt Hammond, EP's star driver in his 2-litre Focus! The restart was 27 minutes later, this time without incident, the 6-hour’s clock now running to 17:42 and dusk.

As well as a team driver I was also team manager so I spent most of my time on the pit wall timing and hanging out the pit-board. Generally, EP's team of 6 ran reliably, with just one stop-go penalty for a yellow flag infringement interrupting the flow and a visit to the gravel – by the same car, forcing me to scramble another car onto the circuit out of my planned sequence.

Key to winning the Birkett is a favourable number of credit laps from the handicapper, who bases his calculations on the declared lap times of the individual team members. EP had secured 40 credit laps which seemed four or five too few and this proved accurate, as one-by-one the 6 hours ticked by with EP steadily heading south in the result sheets, 15th at the end of 90 minutes, eventually finishing 55th on 118 scratch laps, 158 on corrected handicap.

I had successfully fitted in a 40-minute stint at two thirds distance, my hastily repaired exhaust still very noisy and severely reducing the power output of the 924 but, all-in-all, a satisfactory first event and I eventually left Silverstone in the dark with a long list of improvements for the car before the HSCC season opener in April 2012; watch this space ......

Postscript
The pair of legs poking out from under the 924 belong to my faithful companion Dave Leopold; eminent consultant physician, renowned Porsche authority, and keen amateur race mechanic who's never happier than fabricating works of mechanical art out of old tin cans.

Get me to the church ..... Co-driver Peter Collins’ final account

When I last reported on my baptism of fire, I had not yet enjoyed what is the heart and soul of any Monte rally – heading through the mountains. Up, over the top we went and down the other side of the first Col and, rather like the child who comes back from their first day at school saying that it was okay but they don’t think they’ll go back again, I thought weeeeeeeell, how much of this can I take?!

As this was a rally whose route was chosen by the best in the business we naturally attacked all the well-known Cols, and names such as the Granier and the Grimone blurred by with their succession of lacets (hairpins to you and I). I was becoming increasingly confident ….. when suddenly the signpost and route pointed to the Col de Pennes! Those of a certain age may well have sat through those enthralling Shell or BP marketing films of the 1960s events, such as the Monte or Alpine, where cars are clinging to shelves many thousands of metres up, on loose surfaces with no barrier marking the demarcation between the road and an awfully long way down, whilst jolly light music is being played in the background and crews wave with beaming smiles at the cameramen. I am here to tell you it isn’t like that, or rather the roads are, but the rest was to be seen from under the dashboard! Somebody once said that, if you missed one of the thousands of corners, your rapid descent through mountain air would be okay except for the last inch – I didn’t fancy taking my chances.


It was, in fact, remarkable that such a route still existed and it was clear that the organisers weren’t messing about. Not only that, but after a very hard day, we were all expected to plot a new route and drive hard for four hours of night before our next rest halt. It was totally exhilarating and so intoxicating that I was still trying to piece it together in my mind a day after Monte was reached. But reach it we did, thanks to particularly robust driving by car-owner Peter Baker.

Towards the end I was quietly satisfied with a regularity time only 2 seconds out after 17kms, but then we ran out of fuel ….. though arrival in Monte was still triumphant despite our lowly position.


Would I do it again? Well, I am getting married in January and I beseeched Peter to take that into account throughout the route and now it looks like I will get to the church on time. Maybe I will have a good think about another event after that because I can see where I went wrong several times, and how to put things right, and I’ve learnt all about average speeds, and ………. stoppit, it’s too soon!!!

From Champ to Chump  Co-driver Peter Collins’ account of Leg 1

When asked if I was interested in taking part in the Winter Challenge to Monte Carlo (20-24 November 2011) I jumped at the chance, after all, I had covered similar events in the past as ‘press’ – what could be more simple than actually following the route in a competing car?

That was in April and now I was standing at a freezing Calais in November, my ears ringing from all the advice and instructions I had been given, not least from the driver, Peter Baker.

The weather took a decided turn for the worse and the whole of Northern France was blanketed in fog and drizzle ...... was I in the wrong place? The journey to the first night halt at Beaune took many hours to accomplish, with complicated map reading, and I soon learnt that this classic rally business is very serious.




Through a night of doubt and sorrow onwards we went, but it was tremendous and a fabulous dawn over Champagne was superb justification for what had gone before. After several regularities, which at first were totally confusing, along with wrong slots, I felt triumphant on our arrival.

But, there’s three days to go! ..... watch this space.

PC
Bar Le Coq' Ain, Hotonnes

History Reinvented  Words and images from Peter Collins. Click on gallery top right to view images.

In response to the exciting European city-to-city endurance races of the late 19th century Giros or Tours sprung up in many countries, and Italys contribution to the genre first ran in 1901. Unsurprisingly, as the countrys leading car manufacturing centre, the race started from Turin (Torino). In fact, outside the USA, Turin still remains probably the greatest motor-minded car city in the world.

The organisers of the event thought big and its route from Turin led south via Rome before returning up the east side of Italy and heading to the finish in Milan. Sadly, and in similar vein to many other events that allowed horseless carriages to compete on public roads, it succumbed to a serious incident near Ferrara during the return leg and the event was dropped for some time.

Other Giros continued, particularly in Sicily, but it was not until 1973 that an attempt was made to revive the Turin start. The plan would have been well known to those familiar with the French Tour de France Auto, as it would be neither race or rally, but a combination of both disciplines plus some regularity sections. Divided into five daily Tappas, the cars would run from Turin to Rome, using a rural route that linked a series of special stages and race circuits.

And although largely ignored by the UK press, the Giro dItalia turned into a fabulous road/race/rally event designed for both standard saloons and fully prepared racing cars, with all things accepted in between. Abarth in particular held the Giro in very high esteem and it became quite common for spectators to witness Osella, Abarth-engined Fiat 124 Spiders, Fiat and Lancia prototypes, and even World Sportscar Championship Lancia Monte Carlo Turbos, albeit slightly detuned, on the public roads.

Perhaps the greatest vehicle to take part was the official Autodelta Team Le Mans Alfa Romeo Tipo 33, running with a temporary roof and windscreen wiper. Its driver, Jean-Claude Andruet, told me that he considered the event won even before the start, until he found out that engineer, Carlo Chiti, had been fiddling with the engine before the start. It never ran properly again.

By 1989, when race-prepared Alfa Romeo IMSA Turbos occupied the top three positions, the authorities were becoming increasingly worried about competition cars flying along the evermore crowded Italian roads, and once more the Giro was suspended. All of which makes it highly surprising that this year, 2011, the organisers took a deep breath and made the brave decision to again revive this fabulous event.

In response, it was a rather modest entry of modern and historic cars that took on the five-day challenge, running over the traditional 1,500km distance beginning from Turin. Day One saw competitors leave for Monza via the Alpine foot hills for a couple of stages. Day Two continued from Monza to Franciacorta, near Brescia, again via stages. Day Three and it was on to Imola, briefly heading into the Apennines on the way. Day Four perhaps provided the climax to the event with a repeat assault of the mountains used during day three, plus races at Mugello, before finishing in Arezzo. On the last day, the cars made their way via Perugia and Magione to Vallelunga for the final race of the 2011 Giro dItalia Automobilistico.

The difficult special stages created a high attrition rate among the modern GT racers with cars such as the Championship Lamborghini Gallardo struggling. But the serious potential of the idea was there for all to see, so I make this plea to the organising club, Automobile Club Torino, and the various sponsors: Dont be disheartened. You have now done all the hard work and 2012 will be even better.

For more information on Giro dItalia Automobilistico and full results go to www.giroditaliaauto.com

November 1961

HISTORY UNFOLDED in November 1961 when for the first time, the RAC Rally left Blackpool and headed straight into the forests, utilising some 200 miles of special stages that included familiar names such as Kielder, Redesdale, Selby Dovey, Speech House and Eypnt to find a winner. Some complained about the rough unmade tracks but on the whole, organiser Jack Kemsley was applauded for what was a brave decision. And it did not end there as the 2,000-mile route also included Mallory Park, Rest and be Thankful, Oliver’s Mount, Oulton Park and Prescott. The rally concluded with a one-mile driving test on Brighton sea front. At last, Britain had itself an event worthy of International status.

It was inevitable that a Swede would win and despite several ‘offs’ the two-stroke SAAB of Eric Carlsson/John Brown held back a strong challenge from Pat Moss/Ann Wisdom, Peter Harper/Ian Hall and Paddy Hopkirk/Jack Scott to make it two on the trot for Eric.

One-hundred-and-fifty cars started the 1961 RAC Rally including 25 Sunbeam Rapiers, 15 Austin Healeys, 3 Porsches, a brace of Jaguars, and one each of Morgan, TVR, Warwick GT and a Humber Super Snipe driven by the BBC crew of Raymond Baxter and Willy Cave. Before you laugh …. the Humber won its class.

A long list of Scandinavians; Tom Trana, Rauno Aaltonen, Bengt Soderstrom, Simo Lampinen, Harry Kallstrom and Stig Blomqvist, dominated the event until, in 1972, Roger Clark and Tony Mason broke the stronghold.

Some think this month’s Wales Rally GB is no more than a shadow of its former self, and this well this may be true, but have you ever driven a rally car at full tilt down a narrow unmade forest road in the dark and possibly on black ice? That’s how it is today, and that’s how it was in 1961, even for the Humber Super Snipe.



ELSEWHERE ON Retro-Speed we have previewed the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, affectionately known by one-and-all as ‘the old crocks race’. It’s hard to believe that 600 cars (where do they all come from?) will set off from Hyde Park on this epic 60-mile adventure. I only mention this because fifty years ago entries were restricted to 250, and apart from a brief cocktail party things were done and dusted in a matter of hours. Now, of course, like so many things we cherish, it has fallen into the hands of corporate entertainment and one has to wonder what the likes of Michael Sedgwick, then curator of the Montague Motor Museum, would have thought of such a fuss over a few old cars.




OTHER NEWS from November 1961 included the selection of Sean Connery to play James Bond ahead of Patrick McGoohan and Roger Moore, whilst in Hollywood all hell let loose when a raging fire destroyed hundreds of homes including those of Burt Lancaster and Zsa Zsa Garbor. Jack Nicklaus turned ‘pro’ and Neil Armstrong flew a Bell X 15 rocket plane at 6,587kph.



FINALLY, on 27 November Samantha Bond was born. She later became Miss Moneypenny to Roger Moore’s James Bond: “Flattery will get you nowhere James, but don’t stop trying.”

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Land speed records were broken many times by the legendary Bluebird racing car with Sir Malcolm Campbell at the wheel. An inspirational machine, still held in great affection by the British public 100 years after it was named and painted blue by Campbell, following a production of the Maeterlinck opera. With its streamlined body the Bluebird reached speeds of more than 300mph, an achievement that will never be forgotten.

For more information on GTO London collections and the Bluebird cufflinks contact info@gtolondon.com or go to www.gtolondon.com

K Sport, Italy - a privileged visit  Words and images from Lawrence Clift.  Click to view the gallery

Imagine the scene, an ex-works Lancia Delta integrale rally car surrounded by three Lanica Rally 037’s which are in a workshop on axle stands in various states of preparation with their panels, suspension engines and transmission laying on benches around them. Well, this is what greeted us whilst in San Marino for the 9th running of Rallylegend. We had been granted permission for a private visit to Lancia rally preparation company K Sport, who are based in the village of Torriana, North West of San Marino. Both sat nav’s were misbehaving by giving different directions as to how to get to our destination, but we eventually stumbled upon K Sport which is attached to a large warehouse. It turned out that the owner of K Sport is also the owner of the aforementioned warehouse and that he has a passion for Lancia’s, so who could blame him for having his toy cupboard next door?

Upon entering, the first thing that greets you is the far wall which has wheel racking full of wheel rims. There must have been close to 800 rims! Luca greeted us and pulled the cover away from a car to reveal a Fiat 131 Abarth which was parked next to a Ferrari 308GTB, two Stratos’ and the crème de la crème, an ex Tabaton Grp B Lancia Delta S4. I just knew that we were in for a treat and that this would get us in the mood for the forthcoming rally. After a browse amongst the body panels from Rally 037’s and Delta integrale’s, we were taken upstairs to the shrine as what greeted us through the doors was Lancia heaven! Just imagine, 7 Delta’s (S4, HF4WD and integrale), Rally 037, 2 Stratos’, an LC1 and 2 Beta Monte Carlo Turbo’s. Amongst the soft furnishings were trophies that had been won with K Sport prepared cars. A time limit hadn’t been applied to our visit, but I could have spent the afternoon just browsing through the memorabilia and volumes of books, which had all been placed meticulously in order.


Back down in the workshop were the three ex Martini Rally 037’s in mid state of preparation with one of them receiving a new roll cages which would comply with and satisfy the current FIA safety requirements, along with modern type suspension and brakes. 2012 will mark the third year of a project which the FIA have run to get the early (1982 to 1985) Group B cars into the FIA historic sporting rally championship (until now the most recent cars allowed were 1982) meaning that cars such as the 037, long wheelbase Quattro, Citroen 1000 Pistes, Opel 400 etc can compete. I just had to stand back and take in all that I was seeing. It was as if I’d been taken back 20 years or so and was stood in the Abarth workshops.


Thanks go to Mick Covill of Rally Legend Replicas who arranged the visit and to Luca for allowing us to get up close to these rallying Queens.

A brief history of the International Rally Drivers Club (IRDC)

If you Google IRDC, you’ll get a long portfolio of organisations for which this anachronism neatly fits, however, to a dedicated team of individuals and a loyal membership it has only one meaning; International Rally Drivers Club.

The IRDC has its origins in the much grander and historic Monte Carlo British Competitors Club, founded in 1931 to protect and promote the interests of an increasing number of sporting motorists making the annual pilgrimage to the Mediterranean. In 1950 the Club was re-founded in London and by the AGM the following year, membership had reached 150. Five years later the Club celebrated its silver jubilee; the Monte Carlo Rally was cancelled but membership had doubled! In 1961 it was succeeded by the British International Rallies Club, indicative of the wider interests of British competitors who were then travelling to Scandinavia, Africa and the classic events in Europe. The Monte Carlo Rally still featured prominently in the competitive and social activities and a rather grand prize presentation, dinner dance and cabaret was held in London’s Connaught Rooms – cost 52/6d!

In 1969 the current IRDC was formed by legendary championship navigator Rodney Spokes, a future Dealer Team Vauxhall team manager, active international competitor and Monte Carlo Rally regular. Spokes realised that British competitors didn’t have much of a voice on that event and with the era of the Monte Carlo Rally British Competitors Club ending, formed the IRDC. The Club acquired the assets of its forerunners, including the now familiar badge depicting the flags of Great Britain and Monaco, the wheel chains and snow shovels (essential equipment for competitors), and the heraldic legend Per Ardua Ad Solem – Through Adversity to the Sun.

It was originally thought that only a co-driver’s representative body was needed, but it was soon acknowledged that drivers and organisers also needed a voice and the Club represented all competitors and organisers with its input on various organising, regulatory and steering committees including, of course, the RACMSA. An enduring example of this is the specification for special stage direction signage devised by the Club in the 1970s and utilising the now familiar format of fluorescent orange triangular arrows. The system became de rigour on rallies around the world and remains as one of the most visible influences the IRDC has had on the sport.

In 1971 the Club carried out the first statistical analysis of the RAC rally and the beginnings of today’s Performance Improvement Scheme was formed and applied to several national championships. The Scheme also provided the most comprehensive information on crews for accurate entry seeding on rallies. Through the 1970s, 80s and 90s the Club went from strength-to-strength; a ‘Rally Drivers Ball’ was held on the eve of the Lombard and Network Q RAC rallies and IRDC team entries were common place on home and international events.

The IRDC Directory was published containing a who’s who of the sport’s competitors, teams, organisers, journalists and suppliers, and the journal became essential reading to all involved in the sport. A website followed at the end of the 1990s, and a series of papers has also been produced to help less experienced rally competitors including: Guidelines for Competing Abroad; Notes for Co-Drivers; Making Pace Notes; Budgets; Movement & Service Schedules; Car Preparation; Spares Checklist; and A Glossary of Foreign Translations for Use in an Emergency, essential reading for any international competitor.

The Club continues to flourish, with a truly international membership including a large number of the sport’s household names including; Stuart Turner, Malcolm Wilson, Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams, John Haugland, Gwyndaf Evans, et al. The latest generation of drivers is also represented; IRDC member Tom Cave from Aberdovey was just 17 years old and the youngest international rally competitor in 2008 when he successfully finished the Rally Wales GB WRC in his Ford Fiesta ST, just days after passing his UK driving test.

Qualification for full membership to the IRDC is participation in at least one international rally, with associate membership open to team managers, journalists and those involved in the sport.

For more information on the International Rally Drivers Club go to www.irdc.org.uk

Team Retro-Speed in Japan, October 2011. Click on Gallery top right to view images.

Re-union with a Fairlady Z

Whilst working for Shell in Japan for three years (1970-1973) Dave Williamson was able to join members of the Datsun domestic rally team for practice on the loose surface mountain roads that are a feature of their country. Competing was not really an option due to language difficulties but driving his own car, a Datsun 1800 SSS, usually with Stuart Harrold who was also an expatriate at the time, ensured that rally driving practice could be continued pending a return to the UK.

Particularly notable was the opportunity to drive (carefully!) a fully rally-prepared Datsun 240Z (a Fairlady in Japan) campaigned in the very competitive National Championship by Bun Yokoyama. Readers can refer to the Motoring News report of 18 January 1973 for a full description of rallying in Japan, written by Dave and Stuart.




Forty years on, Dave and Joan Williamson returned to Japan for re-unions with Shell and other friends including Yokoyama-san. Although no longer the owner of the 240Z, the latter had arranged a surprise re-union with that same car and its new owner at the Motegi Twin Ring Circuit; a huge complex developed by Honda incorporating a conventional track and Indy car oval, located about 90 miles north of Tokyo and opened in 1997 at a cost of 5 billion yen. Using an area featuring tarmac and gravel surfaces, the opportunity came again to drive this wonderful historic car and to take numerous photos to go in the album alongside those from 40 years ago.



The Motegi complex also features a wonderful three-storey Honda motor museum exhibiting Honda products, especially the racing cars and bikes through the history of the Company. Of particular interest was the early Honda F1 car which Dave photographed at the 1964 German Grand Prix on the full-length Nurburgring and which was driven by Ron Bucknum. That whirlwind weekend trip to Germany was one of the early Page & Moy tours by coach.

Advertising Feature

Birthday surprise for Stirling Moss

At the 2011 Goodwood Revival, the artist Neale Thomas presented Sir Stirling Moss with a birthday surprise whilst he was signing copies of a recently published book. The gift was one of Neale’s original drawings and depicted Sir Stirling together with Mike Hawthorn, Raymond Mays and a BRM V16 during the early 1950s.

Along with thanks from Moss, his wife Susie was clearly delighted and commented that it was wonderful. They both appeared to appreciate the fact other drivers were in the picture, though Lady Susie said, “I never met Raymond Mays but I’ve heard a lot about him,” before giving a deep laugh.

Neale Thomas, who lives in Sweden, has exhibited in the UK three times this year; Race Retro, Silverstone Classic and the Goodwood Revival. As passionate about classic cars as he is about painting, Neale captures the visual excitement and culture of 1940s, 50s and 60s motor sport. His motivation is to preserve on canvas key moments in historic motor racing, the legendary racing drivers and their cars. His work is good value for money; indeed Retro-Speed’s Editor-in-Chief is the proud owner of a piece of Neale’s artwork and we highly recommend a visit to his trade stand when he’s next in the UK.

Take a look at www.nealethomas-retroracingcar-paintings.com

Preparing a Porsche 924 for the track   by Ken Davies

Until 2005 I raced a Porsche 911E 2.2 litre in the HSCC Series for 70s Production Sports Car. It was great fun, with close racing and great camaraderie, and I have always regretted selling the car. So much so I have decided to return to the fray, this time with a Porsche 924; they are class competitive, good value for money and relatively easy to find, prepare and run.

My ‘new’ car was located via the Internet and lived in Cornwall, not very convenient when you live in Wales, but never mind, with standard specification, sans sun roof and electric windows, it fitted the bill nicely and I also liked the colour, it’s painted in traditional Porsche ‘Guards’ Red.

Back in the workshop and preparation got underway as follows:-

Weld in load-bearing plates and fit full cage with side impact bars;
Fit six-point harnesses;
Replace seats;
Removed unnecessary weight such as headlamp motors and sound proofing (saving 4 kg);
Replace engine with known unit;
Exhaust system fabricated without centre box;
All suspension and steering components uprated or replaced;
Fit plumbed-in fire extinguisher, battery cut out and outer body safety pull cables;
Fit rear spoiler, paint towing eyes yellow, add stickers and finally, road test and MOT.

Of course, the above hides a myriad other lesser but necessary improvements while, and as is always the case, the first start-up revealed duff starter motor, u/s battery and my inability to put four plug leads on in the correct sequence. Once overcome my Porsche 924 ran perfectly.

















Having judged the HSCC Finals Meeting at Silverstone a might ambitious first time out, I have entered the Birkett 6 Hour Relay on the 29 October 2011 as part of Team Ecurie Porumphorganda.

Wish me luck!

To be continued …..

THE UNITED States Grand Prix held on 8 October 1961 at Watkins Glen in New York State was a big day for Innes Ireland and Team Lotus, as they both scored their first championship wins. Unfortunately, for American race fans, hero and newly-crowned World Champion, Phil Hill, was demoted to the position of race starter as Ferrari, still in shock after losing Taffy Von Trips at Monza, decided to give the last round a miss.

Without any red Italian cars on the grid it was going to be a straight fight between Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren and Stirling Moss, with Brabham claiming pole in the new V8 Cooper Climax, over a second faster than Graham Hill in the BRM. And from the way Brabham accelerated away from the field it looked like an easy victory was in the bag, but at the end of lap one it was Moss leading. On lap six Brabham was back in front until lap 16 when Moss regained the position. In the meantime, McLaren holding third was under pressure from Innes Ireland, with Graham Hill a distant fourth. Moss and Brabham continued their battle until on lap 39 the V8 engine of Brabham cried enough. McLaren had also suffered gearbox problems and the order going into the final stages was now Moss, Hill and Ireland. Then Moss stopped out on the circuit leaving Innes Ireland and Graham Hill fighting it out. On lap 74 Hill retired, leaving Ireland with a comfortable gap over new second place driver Roy Salvadori, who put in a determined charge until he too retired on lap 97.

So it was that, after 100 laps and 230 miles, Innes Ireland driving for Team Lotus stood on the rostrum and sprayed the champagne over Colin Chapman. Just weeks later Ireland was fired by Chapman.


BACK IN the UK Steve McQueen was being semi-macho by driving a Mini at the Brands Hatch BRSCC Meeting. He was, however, soundly beaten, and by a woman, luckily it was Christabel Carlisle! The outright race winner was Mike Parkes; not in a Ferrari but behind the wheel of a Jaguar Mk11. An unfortunate Jimmy Blumer was disqualified, after winning the sports car race in a Cooper Monaco, for receiving a push start. Victory passed to the second placed Lotus Fifteen of Roy Pierpoint. A week later, at Silverstone, the Aston Martin Owners Club joined forces with the Eight Clubs Meeting and 750 Motor Club to produce an entertaining day of motor racing with names such as Peter Sargent, Jem Marsh, Graham Warner, Bill Moss and Dick Protheroe, all winning prizes.

AT THE Earls Court London Motor Show several new cars were making their first appearance including the Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet, both rather daft versions of the popular Mini. More interesting was the one-off and very stylish Zagato GT, based on the slightly longer wheelbased, Mini Van. Under the Reliant banner was the first of the Sabre sports cars, while opposite on the Fiat stand, a new and nervous, sparkling 1300 was no doubt preparing itself to rust away before the very eyes of its first owner.

Jaguar, not content with just one winning design, the E-type, was looking at stealing sales away from Rolls Royce and Bentley with the gargantuan Mark X. Anyone ever unfortunate enough to have driven one of these dogs will realise at once it was the ambition of hope versus fact. Ford were hard at work on the new Cortina, not due for another twelve months, so gathered together an out-of-date Consul, Classic and Capri. Thank goodness the firm was saved from embarrassment by the eminently likeable 105E Anglia; such a good, five star, family car, especially in Super trim. Finally, Vauxhall was launching the mid-range VX 4/90, a car I always liked. It was so well finished and with 85bhp just about qualified as a mild Grand Tourer. I was stopped once for speeding in a VX 4/90 but that's another story.


FINALLY, in 1961 the first issue of Private Eye was published on 25 October priced at 6d.

Team Retro-Speed Car - Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf

Mike Archer, Retro-Speed's Commercial Manager and photographer, acquires an Alfa 145 Cloverleaf.

The story begins in the saloon bar of The White Horse, just a few miles from my home in Dorset. The guy at the bar is complaining vociferously: "The car has cost me a fortune, it's taken the last eight months just to get the thing through an MOT, it's got to go."

One hour, and a couple more glasses of wine later, I became the proud owner of a top of the range 150bhp Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf finished in Italian bright red. It came with a full service history and a log book declaring just one previous owner. Mileage 112,000. It was love at first sight.

Having transferred our personal plate it was time to tidy up the paintwork, a job admirably carried out by local traditional body shop, Oxenburys of Bridport and finally, as a sort of official launch we returned to the car park of The White Horse and met with the original buyer. Then, with a wave of the hand Angie and I began our voyage of discovery in E9 TAG.





The 'trendy' and individual shape of the Alfa is most pleasing while it's ready enthusiasm for fast driving makes it an ideal second car. So far we have attended several AROC member days and enjoyed two outings on the Retro-Speed-organised Cotswold Economy Drive.

We can thoroughly recommend the The White Horse Public House at Litton Cheney www.thewhitehorse-littoncheney.co.uk and Oxenburys & Sons Coachworks in Bridport telephone 01308 422020.

Retro-Gnome on the Porsche 944

SOME OF YOU OUT THERE believe we have an unacceptable bias towards Italian cars. This of course maybe true, and why not, some of the most entertaining and successful rally and race cars originate from south of the Alps – Turin, Milan and Modena. Anyway to help address the balance slightly we have now added a Porsche to the editorial stable. Not a 911, as anything air-cooled has become just too damn expensive. Instead we have settled on a split clean, 2.5 litre 944 with auto transmission. This is because (a) these cars are currently great value, and (b) as LJK Setright once proclaimed: “having to keep depressing a clutch pedal is just so much wasted effort.” The real question is, will a slush box detract or add to the overall everyday driving pleasure? We shall see.

The first 944 rolled off the line in late 1982 as a more masculine, mid-range version of the neat and tidy 924 that was criticised by one-and-all as being no more than a jumped-up Volkswagen. Actually, to date, the 924 is the single most important model Porsche has ever produced. Compared to the ‘trickle’ of 911s, the novel 125bhp budget 924 sold 50,000 units between its launch date in November 1975 and April 1978. It saved the Company.

But it did dilute the brand. After all, the name Porsche had always been associated with competition and the underpowered 924 was viewed around the world as a ‘bit of a wimp’. In an attempt to remind buyers of what Porsche was all about, the factory took the 924 down the turbo-charging route before taking a deep breath and committing to the slightly insane 924 Carrera GT variant. It was a clever move and in homolgated form three cars were entered at Le Mans in 1980, finishing sixth, twelfth and thirteenth overall. The following year the factory even entered the World Rally Championship with an Evolution GTS but the vastly superior Audi Quattro put an end to their brief campaign. Four hundred Carrera GTs were built and today have become very collectable.

The 944, with its wide wheel arches and spoilers could easily be mistaken for the previous 924 Carrera GT which was, of course, intentional. However, it was of a less brutal disposition, especially under the bonnet, where the highly tuned, turbo-charged engine with dry sump lubrication had been replaced with a more orthodox 2.5 litre, fuel-injected four-cylinder version of the mighty Porsche 928 V8, now producing 163bhp and 151 lbs. of torque. The car scaled a reasonable 1180kg and, with rear transaxle/gearbox and near fifty/fifty weight distribution, proved an entertaining and fast cross country companion; some thought it quicker than a 911. Enough said.

Practical features included the fold down rear seats, giving the car an inordinate amount of luggage space, and the flip-up headlamps, these naturally helped reduce the overall drag (35cd) which in turn improved fuel consumption. Our 944 can easily return 30-plus mpg. From launch the car was available as a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic, aimed at the important US market.

With a retail price of £12,999 (£13,477 for the auto) this was an expensive car; no power steering as standard but electric windows, sunroof, a fancy Panasonic stereo cassette radio and electric mirrors were included, as were fog lights and a leather stitched steering wheel. Although the two large doors closed with a reassuring quality clunk, the dashboard and pin-striped seats, a carry over from the 924, looked decidedly cheap and downmarket. These remained until 1985 when power steering was at last included and the ‘oval’ 911 dashboard fitted. More welcome was the extra clearance between the steering column and driver’s thighs, suspension improvements and the introduction of the ‘tele-dial’ alloy rims.

Porsche does nothing by halves and over the next couple or three years produced a whole raft of new models beginning with the 150mph Porsche 944 Turbo, followed by the 16valve (ventiler) 944S and then the 944 Turbo S. In 1989 the engine size was increased to 2.7 litres and then upped again to 3.0 litres when the S2 was launched. A Cabriolet also joined the line up.

The last 944s were built during 1991 when total production reached 163,302. But actually, that was not quite the end of the story as the factory decided on one final fling. In 1992 the much respected 3.0 litre 968 Coupe and 305bhp 968 Turbo S appeared. It was in 1995 that the four-cylinder, rear transaxle era at Porsche came to an end.

The early 1980s had been a difficult time and those manufacturers who depended on the US market had had to face up to a new reality. Emissions. Unleaded fuel was to become mandatory and governments around the world were united in demanding lower CO2 levels. At this point the aging flat six, air-cooled 911 was genuinely under threat and the plan was to sell only the 924/944/928, in other words, dump history, take a deep breath and move on. As we now know, this decision was delayed until that fateful day in 1998 when Porsche introduced the water-cooled 996, the 911 nobody wanted. The last ‘real’ Porsche rolled of the production line on 31 March 1998.

Having re-read the above I feel less guilty about owning a 944, even one with automatic transmission.

The good news is not all 944s have passed into the hands of hooligans or been converted to race cars, some one hundred examples are currently listed on Pistonheads classifieds of which probably some 20 per cent are worth further investigation. Even more good news is that there now exists a thriving countrywide network of knowledgeable independent, value-for-money, Porsche specialists.

And 944s are currently real bargains, most selling for between £2,000 and £4,000. But beware, although a good one will provide years of satisfaction, a lemon will soak up money quicker than you can earn it. The 944 is actually quite a simple, almost a modern car to maintain, just keep changing the oil and remember the engine is driven by a cam belt that degrades with age.

Body shells were galvanised and undersealed so corrosion as such should not be a problem. The sunroof and tailgate are prone to leaks so replace seals and clean out the water channels, and the heater mechanism is complicated. Easy really, basically with a 944 ‘what you see is what you get’. And if there is an engine/transmission problem you will hear it on the road. The louder the noise the more expensive to rectify. All parts are easily available.

With any car of this age history is an imperfect art and low ownership status, together with a sheaf of bills extending back over twenty years, represents only part of the story. Meet and chat with the current seller, find out why he/she wants to part with their pride and joy, establish length of ownership and are they current members of a Porsche club. Finally, make sure it is their car to sell and don’t hand over any money until ownership is firmly established.

Helpful websites:
Porsche Club Great Britain www.porscheclubgb.com
The Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club www.tipec.net
Porsche 944 Parts www.944online.com

Advertising Feature

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THE 10 SEPTEMBER 1961 was a sad day in the history of motor racing. On lap two of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Wolfgang ‘Taffy’ von Trips, after starting from pole position, lost control of his Ferrari going into the Parabolica and crashed into the crowd. Not only was he fatally injured but fourteen spectators also died. The race was not stopped and fellow team member, the American driver Phil Hill, was declared winner and Champion Driver for 1961. It was, however, the last time the old banking was used as part of the Monza circuit. Why didn’t the organisers take note when at the previous year’s meeting British teams refused to take part in the Italian Grand Prix on the grounds of safety?

I AM writing this having just returned from the 2011 Oulton Park Gold Cup Meeting and although a rather damp day the full grids and competitive driving made the trip north well worthwhile. In 1961, of course, the Gold Cup was a serious affair involving all the current Grand Prix teams and the 60-lap race was contested by Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Tony Brooks, Graham Hill, Jim Clark and John Surtees, among others. Excitement surrounded the entry of the novel, four-wheel drive, Ferguson Climax to be driven by Moss and when wet conditions prevailed (nothing changes) all eyes were on the blue and white car. McLaren started on pole with Moss, Hill and Clark breathing down his neck but on lap six Stirling took the lead and after breaking the lap record on more than one occasion, took the chequered flag. It is the only four-wheel drive car to win a Formula One race.

Vulcan

THE 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show, which incidentally attracted a record 950,000 visitors, proved a significant moment in the history of BMW. Since 1958 volume production had been concentrated on the diminutive, two-cylinder 700 but at last a full sized four-door family saloon powered by a 1500cc engine appeared on the stand, supported by a two-door 3200CS Coupe designed by Bertone and powered by a powerful 160bhp V8. Suddenly BMW had arrived.

THE RECENT death (31 August) of the test pilot Peter Twiss, aged ninety and the first man to break the 1,000mph barrier flying the Fairey Delta 2, served as a reminder that not so long ago Britain ruled the skies. At the SBAC Farnborough Air Show in 1961 a record 250,000 spectators watched as Vulcan, Comet, Hunter, Jet Provost, Buccaneer and Fairey Rotodyne rolled, swooped and looped in the sky above Laffan’s Plain. Ah, those were the days.



ELSEWHERE during September 1961 things were relatively quiet. In Turkey the new military government sentenced fifteen previous members to death; the Soviet Union resumed nuclear testing; and Tom and Jerry, dormant since 1957, re-appear on US television.

Lancia Stratos 40th Anniversary  Words and images from Lawrence Clift

The 40th anniversary of the Lancia Stratos is to be celebrated at the forthcoming Rallylegend 6-9 October 2011.

This is the exciting part, and frustrating, as the entry for this year’s Rallylegend, which is held in the tiny principality of San Marino, is now open. I say frustrating as it’s a long wait, but all eyes will be on the official website www.rallylegend.com on 26 September when the entry list will be published and we can see what cars and drivers lie in wait for the eager, expectant fans.

Rallylegend is in its 9th year of running and this will be my fourth visit. Why do I go? Being a Lancia owner and enthusiast of the marque, it’s great to see the all conquering Delta integrales doing what Abarth had intended, along with the Delta S4s, Rally 037s and Stratos. Also, it’s rallying as it used to be with MkII Escorts, Opel Mantas (sorry, Asconas), Grp A integrales, Sierra Cosworths, Toyota Celicas and the queens of rallying, the awesome Grp B cars.


Along with the cars, the event attracts former drivers and World Champions such as Miki Biasion the event patron, Juha Kankkunen, Stig Blomqvist, Didier Auriol, Walter Rohrl, Sandro Munari and Francois Delecour to name a few. Sure, the health and safety brigade are slowly but surely making their presence felt, but with the rally having proper night stages and fantastic spectator viewing, this is a mecca for me and thousands of other fans.

Up until last year, the Grp B cars were able to compete (typical Italians) but the FIA got wind of this, so now they ‘only’ demonstrate, to such an extent that their pilots seem to be more on the edge! Like many events Rallylegend goes from strength-to-strength and grows in size each year, this year will be no exception. Recce begins on Wednesday and continues on the Thursday along with scrutineering, with the cars being displayed on Friday, then it will be a drive into the undulating countryside for the first four stages of the event, starting at 19:30 and with the last car entering parc ferme at around 03:30! Then competition starts all over again on Saturday with the first cars finishing in the late evening. This year will see the event going into the Sunday as 2011 is the 40th anniversary of the Lancia Stratos and the Rallylegend organisers have lined up a display of famous Stratos along with their drivers.
















The first time I saw a Stratos was back in 1991 and I couldn’t imagine why this beautiful, red, squat looking car, could be let loose in the forests of the world as it would wreck the beautiful bodywork, but history proved otherwise as the car gave Italian Sandro Munari three World Championships along with countless outright WRC wins, before Fiat brought about its early demise in favour of the Fiat 131 Abarth.

SIR STIRLING MOSS was at his supreme best during the summer of 1961. For example, he won the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in outstanding fashion after a race-long battle with ‘Taffy’ von Trips, the four-cylinder Lotus Climax of Moss holding off the more powerful ‘works’ Ferrari V6 cars to win by a margin of more than twenty-one seconds. Moss averaged 91mph for two hours and eighteen minutes around the most challenging circuit in the world. And in the rain! Phil Hill in the other Ferrari was a mere one-point-one second behind his team mate to finish third.

Two weeks later Stirling Moss won the Tourist Trophy Race at Goodwood behind the wheel of the familiar Rob Walker-entered Ferrari 250 GT, beating the similar car of Mike Parkes and the Zagato Aston Martins of Roy.Salvadori and Jim Clark. Innes Ireland came fifth in another Aston Martin. This was the seventh time Moss had won the Tourist Trophy and he was presented with a cake with seven candles in celebration.

He then travelled to the Karlskoga circuit in Sweden for the Kanonloppet race and although arriving late, and missing practice and qualifying, was allowed to start from the back of the grid and won in a Lotus supplied by the UDT Laystall racing team, beating Jo Bonnier in a Porsche and John Surtees driving a Cooper Climax. On the 27 August and now in Denmark, Moss emerged victor of the inaugural Danish Grand Prix.

Sir Stirling then appeared at The Guards Trophy Meeting at Brands Hatch on August Bank Holiday where he once again drove the dark blue Ferrari to victory, winning the Peco Trophy Race by a margin of thirty-three seconds from Bruce McLaren in an E-type Jaguar. However, disappointment followed in the main event when he retired his Cooper on lap 24 of 76 after the gearbox refused to co-operate any further.

Of course, the real motor sporting story of that summer concerned the incredibly difficult Liege-Sofia-Liege rally, an almost non-stop, ninety-hour race across the roughest roads in Europe that were to claim all but 8 of the 85 cars that left the start in Belgium on 30 August. Remarkably three DS 19 Citroens finished in the top five with Lucien Bianchi and Georges Harris winning by a margin of fifty minutes from the Porsche Carrera of Walter and Wenscher. Of the 77 cars that headed into Yugoslavia only twelve survived, this included the Mini of David Hiam and Derek Astle. Sadly the pair later failed to complete the timed section that included the Gavia/Vivione/Stelvio loop within the time limit and were forced to retire. They were just two minutes late.

Elsewhere: Barack Obama was born in August 1961 while the Soviet Premier Khrushchev gave his approval to the building of the Berlin Wall. In the Top Ten – Eden Kane was number one (‘Well I ask you’) with Helen Shapiro (‘You don’t know me’) second and the Everly Brothers (‘Temptation’) close behind in third. I guess if Stirling Moss had made a record he would have been number one.

Cooper Maserati T61 by European Editor Peter Collins.  Click on Gallery at top right to see PC's images

V FOR VICTORY?

Do you ever bother to look at those signs that tell which town is twinned with which? The other day I came across an example that must have been set up with the continental party having to wear extremely pink rose-tinted spectacles and be possessed of an extremely vivid imagination to believe there was much in common between the two places, but the car you see here, brought together part of South West London and the hometown of the Este family in Italy, and later Luciano Pavarotti.

On the face of it, the Surbiton of Cooper Cars had little in common with the exotic headiness of Maserati’s Modena, but this car brought the two together as a way of trying to find what Sir Stirling Moss describes as ‘that hidden advantage’.

The quintessentially British racing-car producer Cooper had a long history of building successful cars, even if it was slow to react to changes in evolving technology and the market-place. Boss John knew how to make money out of the business and mostly this involved spending as little as possible in the first place. The cars were essentially simple in concept and throughout the 1950s this had stood them in good stead.

As well as being at the forefront of pioneering the rear-engined race-car in Grands Prix, they had amassed a good back-up business building sports racing cars. Mostly powered by 2-litre Coventry Climax four-cylinder motors, the latest version, as the 1950s turned to the 60s, was dubbed the Monaco.

UK national racing at this time was fairly parochial. Rarely did anyone try rocking the boat with any different new-fangled foreign stuff, mainly because it was expensive and communications with somewhere like Italy were a pain. You had to book a long-distance telephone call in advance!

But there was always the aforementioned Moss ‘hidden advantage’ factor. This card had been played very successfully in sportscar racing in the US by Roger Penske, who later went on to run one of the most successful Indycar teams. He bought the remains of a crashed 1961 GP Cooper and rebuilt it into a sportscar using outriggers to support vestigial bodywork. The car was light and, using a torquey 2.7 Climax motor, very quick. It immediately started winning and eventually was inevitably banned with the claim that its two seats were too narrow.

By 1962, Eric Broadley at Lola was beginning to see the light and realised the potential of the using lighter, more powerful engines and set about designing the first of his winning V8-powered models. At the same time, in the US, the concept of a Cooper chassis fitted with a proprietary American V8 was taking off, led by Carroll Shelby of AC Cobra fame. The plan was that Cooper T61M sportscar chassis, suitably strengthened, would be supplied from Surbiton and a 4.7 litre Ford V8 as per Cobra fitted. The resultant confection was christened the King Cobra.

Only one was built up in the UK and this was little used by the time Ford abandoned the project, but the seed was sown that was to lead to such iconic sports racers as the McLaren Can Am cars and the Lola T70 series.

Tommy Atkins had been the entrant of British ace Roy Salvadori’s Cooper sportscars for a few years when the idea struck that the combination of a Cooper and a sophisticated Italian racing V8 might just be that secret weapon they needed to win UK national sports racing. A Cooper T61 chassis was obtained and through his and Salvadori’s relationships with UK agent Condiri and the Modena concern – which was to lead with the latter to the lovely Cooper Maserati T81 Grand Prix cars – a big V8 was obtained.

To make sure it all stayed together, Harry Pearce, Atkin’s chief mechanic, built up the chassis in similar fashion to the then current Cooper GP cars but the tubular frame was strengthened by a 20-guage steel sheet under-tray that was welded and riveted in position. The number stamped on the engine – 151/10 – proves it to be one of the units built for the 1963 Maserati Le Mans effort. A V8 of 4941cc it reputedly developed 430bhp at 7000rpm and, according to Steve Hart, it weighs little more than a Climax four of half the capacity.

Pearce went to Modena to collect it and had to wait while it was rebuilt due to a crank vibration. The unit ran on four 46IDM Weber carburettors instead of injection, the car’s tubular frame carried the vital liquids – oil and water – from front to back, and huge Girling brakes were fitted.

First time out was at Silverstone in April 1964, where a second place was obtained. It also proved that the engine was not right and later tests at Climax showed it was developing valve-bounce at 6000rpm and possessed a very narrow rev-band. It was undriveable in the wet and Salvadori switched off one of the magnetos in these conditions to help matters.

In May at Goodwood, Salvadori broke the lap record as he brought the car through from a very bad start to win the Whitsun Trophy prompting Autosport’s reporter to say that: “one can assume that this car is now really right”. Its performance at the GP support race at Brands in June was reported as “the car has yet to be sorted in the handling department” and “when it is finally sorted out we can expect some fireworks” from the same magazine.

After just the one year of competition the team disbanded and the car eventually found its way into the hands of Maserati fan Toby St George Matthews who drove it once in a club race when his ex-Rindt and Elford Cooper Maserati T86 GP car wouldn’t start!

It was acquired by Peter Kaus for the Rosso Bianco collection and sold on from there to Michael O’Shea at a Goodwood Revival Bonhams auction.

To no-one’s great surprise the car proved, hmm, difficult to handle after a restoration by Maserati expert Steve Hart. This was through no fault of his, it was simply that, as already mentioned, it was a bit of a beast. Luckily, a lot more is known and understood about chassis and suspensions today, so, enlisting the help of Roberto Giordanelli, O’Shea initiated a development programme. It was desperately needed as Roberto found the car impossible to handle, even in a straight line.

The car was taken back to basics and painstakingly the team ran through a problem-solving exercise that took many days of testing. Suspension was adjusted and tweaks administered until at last came the day when both Michael and Roberto took the car out and returned with smiles.

With the help of time, modern technology and not a little expenditure, the car is a competitive proposition and Michael has now enjoyed driving the attractive green racing car with its rare Maserati V8 scream at most of Europe’s leading circuits, including the recent 2011 Silverstone Classic. For sure this will be a winning combination.

THE FORMULA 1 season moved into July with the French Grand Prix. Baghetti in the Ferrari led the Gurney Porsche across the line by just a tenth of a second. Jim Clark finished third ahead of Innes Ireland with Bruce McLaren fifth. The race was blessed with wonderful sunshine, but the hot weather was not due to last.

THE 1961 British Grand Prix took place at Aintree on Saturday, 15 July and in case you think wet weather is something new, I can report that is not the case, with the 1961 event noted for being the wettest British Grand Prix in history. Only Dunlop supplied racing tyres and their wet weather option suffered a notoriously short life in dry conditions, even so all cars started with them.

Thirty cars lined up on the grid with the V6, rear-engined Ferraris of Phil Hill and Ritchie Ginther joined on the front row by the four-cylinder Porsche of Jo Bonnier. Strangely the first four cars to qualify all recorded a 1minute 58 seconds. Moss started from fifth place in the Rob Walker Lotus Climax, while the most interesting car in the line-up was the four-wheel drive Ferguson-Climax driven by Jack Fairman. First time out it proved very competitive in the prevailing conditions, capturing twentieth slot.

From the drop of the flag Ferraris took command with the Porsche soon falling back but as always Moss was revelling in the poor conditions and on lap 6 he was in third place. Two laps later Taffy von Trips, Phil Hill and Moss were nose-to-tail and the crowd at last forgot the rain, and cheered their hero on. On lap 10 Stirling Moss moved into second place and was challenging for the lead. But it was not to be, on lap 24 he spun the Lotus, dropping him way down the field and then on lap 45, with the rain easing at last, he was forced, with no brakes, into retirement.

However, this being Moss and being 1961 the Ferguson suddenly appeared with 25 laps remaining with himself at the wheel, having taken over from Fairman. It amused the spectators but actually the car had already been retired so the team had no option other than to bring the four-wheel drive car in.

Of course, there was still a real race going on and although von Trips was way ahead, the American pair of Hill and Ginther were only a second apart. But team rules applied and that’s how they finished, after a very difficult 75 laps Ferrari were one, two and three.

ELSEWHERE, the world said goodbye to writer, adventurer and womaniser, Ernest Hemingway when he decided enough was enough and committed suicide.

THE SUMMER was also suffering more than its fair share of air disasters with a Russian Ilyushin crashing in Morocco just a day after a United Airlines DC8 failed to land successfully at Denver. Eighty-nine people died. A week later a DC6 operated by Aerolineas Argentina went missing between Buenos Aires and Comodoro Rivadavia adding sixty-seven more deaths to the total. Then an Eastern Airlines flight was high-jacked out of Miami but fortunately there were no casualties and after diverting to Cuba the Lockheed Electra was allowed to continue to Tampa. Thank god air travel has become safer.

2011 sees Clan owners celebrating forty years of their favourite marque. 

Dave Williamson, the Clan Owners Club Chairman says: "Although the Clan variants enjoyed only short production runs, a large proportion of the cars are still in use – a tribute to the design and build quality and the longevity of the fibreglass monocoque body. A number of cars are competing effectively in racing, sprinting, hill-climbing and rallying."

Dave owns LUP 62J (though now in different livery), the ex-works rally Clan which finished 2nd overall on the Manx International Rally in 1972.

For further information see: www.clanownersclub.com or contact Dave Williamson on 01981 250436

For 'then' and 'now' images click on Gallery at top right of page.

AS THE longest day of the year approached it was once again time for the annual pilgrimage to Le-Sarthe in western France for Les Vingt-Quatre Heures du Mans, or to you and me, the Le Mans 24 hours.



Although beaten by Maserati at the Nurburgring 1,000km, everyone was expecting a Ferrari victory at Le Mans where no less than eleven cars had been entered, led by the experienced pair of Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill. Aston Martin was also strongly represented (five cars) while Maserati themselves arrived on the grid with three twelve-cylinder Type 63s. Further down the field four Lotus Elites were mixing it with various Abarths and DB Coupes. Rally driver Paddy Hopkirk was sharing a Sunbeam Alpine with Peter Jopp, Jim Clark was in an Aston Martin. while Stirling Moss teamed up with Graham Hill in a Ferrari 250 GT.

It was under an overcast sky when, at four o’clock, the fifty-five drivers sprinted to their cars and took off on the opening lap. Two hours later and the circuit was awash, the heavy rain causing mayhem. Walt Hansgen crashed his Maserati at Tertre Rouge while Bruce Halford left the road on the pit straight. Both were taken to hospital as the Rodriguez brothers continued to lead the pack in their Ferrari TR61. Around ten in the evening it finally stopped raining and the Gendebien/Hill Ferrari found itself in the lead. But at one o’clock the Mexican pair were back in front with ‘works’ Ferraris now first, second, third and fifth. The private 250GT of Moss and Hill was fourth but failing oil pressure and a blown head gasket saw them retire.

At half distance the position at the front was the same, just twenty-eight seconds separated the leaders as dawn broke but then around 7.00am the Rodriguez Ferrari lost thirty minutes due to a misfire, putting them back into fourth place. This soon became third when the second place V6 Ferrari of Ginther and ‘Taffy’ von Trips ran out of fuel. Then with four hours to go they moved into second, five laps behind Gendebien. But the 24 hours of Le Mans can be very unfair. Suddenly, with thoughts now on finishing, the car cried enough and Pedro coasted into the pits with a holed piston.

After 2,782.19 miles at an average 115.92 mph Gendebien/Hill, Parkes/Mairesse and Noblet/Guichet gave Ferrari a well deserved overall one-two-three victory with the best Maserati back in fourth. The Index of Performance went to a 702cc DB Panhard while Peter Harper and Peter Proctor won the Index of Energy in their Sunbeam Alpine.

MEANWHILE BACK in sunny Sussex, the Goodwood Members Meeting took place during the same weekend and Jaguar were celebrating their Silver Jubilee in grand style, beginning with a 150-mile rally from London to Beaulieu, followed by a dance and slap-up meal. On the Sunday Sir William Lyons led a cavalcade of historic Jaguars which included a number of famous winners, and then Lord and Lady Montagu judged the Concours d’Elegance …… won by a Jaguar MK1X. All the time the Jaguar Brass Band entertained the enthusiastic crowd. Do they still play in the empty workshops of Browns Lane?

IN BELGIUM at the magnificent Spa race track on 18 June, Ferrari again proved their dominance by not only winning the Belgium Grand Prix, but also finishing second, third and fourth. Fresh from victory at Le Mans, American Phil Hill set fastest qualifying time and then went on to win the race, albeit by only seven-tenths of a second from Taffy von Trips. These were heady days for the ‘il Commendatore’.

OTHER EVENTS of note from June 1961: thirty-two passengers died when the Paris to Strasbourg Express crashed down a ravine near Vitry-le- Francois; Adolf Eichmann appeared in an Israel courtroom on charges of committing war crimes; and Ernest Hemingway was released from a psychiatric hospital and shot himself six days later. Top of the hit parade was Elvis Presley with ‘Surrender’ followed by ‘Runaway’ sung by Del Shannon.

DURING MAY 1961 four things of note were happening in the world of motor racing: engine size had been reduced to one-and-a-half litres;
Stirling Moss was brazenly winning everything in sight; John Surtees was making the transition to cars; while behind the scenes Colin Chapman and Jim Clark were preparing for their forthcoming historical onslaught on the sport.

MONACO, the first GP of the season, produced a front row shared by Moss and Clark, split by the new Ferrari of Ritchie Ginther. This is the famous race where Stirling removed the side panels of his Rob Walker Lotus Climax to gain extra cooling and spent most of the 100 laps fending off the faster V6 Ferraris of Ginther, Hill and ‘Taffy’ von Trips. The race lasted 2hr 45m 51s and Stirling Moss averaged 113.787kph to win by a margin of 3.6 seconds. Jim Clark was down in tenth with Surtees eleventh.

At Silverstone Moss also won The International Trophy. He finished miles ahead of second placed Jack Brabham, who in turn beat Roy Salvadori, all three were driving Cooper Climax cars. John Surtees finished a great fifth in the Vanwall while an unfortunate Clark retired with clutch trouble at around three-quarters distance. This was another ‘proper’ race, lasting over two hours and forty minutes.

Those of you who were at the 2011 Donington Historic Festival may have wondered at the speeds attained by the Formula Junior drivers. Well, fifty years ago, at the Silverstone meeting, Peter Arundell almost broke the 100mph when he qualified at 99.60mph and Jim Russell won the race with an average of 90.56 mph. That’s was pretty damn quick.

At the Aintree ‘200’, held in wet weather, Stirling Moss and Clark were both out of luck, Moss had his engine blow up and, while suffering a multitude of niggling problems, Clark struggled on to the finish albeit down in seventh place. Once again, John Surtees had a good day out, crossing the line fourth.





A CENTENARY celebration this year is Indianapolis, better known as the ‘Indy 500’. The track, first opened in 1909, was downright dangerous so the surface was ripped up and replaced with 3.2 million bricks. Eighty thousand spectators attended the first race on Memorial Day 1911 where forty cars competed for the first prize of £25,000. Ray Harroun, the only driver without a riding mechanic, was declared the winner but only after a protest for ‘dangerous driving’ was turned down. In 1961 the legendary Mr. A.J. Foyt won at the ‘brickyard’ having averaged an astonishing 139.13mph. There were only twelve finishers with Jack Brabham making his mark on American history by arriving home in eighth place.

IN EUROPE the ‘Tulip’ rally was won by the British crew of Geoff Mabbs and Leslie Griffiths in their privately-owned Triumph Herald Coupe, as careful study of the handicapping system showed that if Tiny Lewis retired his similar ‘works’ car then victory would be theirs. No, I don’t understand it either! If you know the real story please let us know.

ELSEWHERE, British diplomat George Blake was sentenced to forty-two years imprisonment for spying, the term being equal to the number of agents betrayed, and Alan Shepard became the first American in space. On 6 May Tottenham Hotspur defeated Leicester City 2-0 to win the FA Cup Final, while two weeks later at the Crystal Palace, Roy Salvadori won the London Trophy in a Cooper T63.

HAVING BEGUN in rather flippant and unhelpful mood it’s time we gave you some useful advice.


There are differing levels of complication connected with road rallying, some, those events organised by sympathetic clubs or organisations, are very straightforward and are just a matter of following written instructions, usually by way of listed junction descriptions, which are ticked off as you go. These are best described as ‘tours’ where both driver and navigator can expect to remain friends, stay in good hotels and discover areas of countryside blissfully free from congestion. Visits are often arranged along the way to ‘motoring’ places of interest such as museums or ‘classic’ race meetings, pressure is minimal and most will return home, having enjoyed extended time behind the wheel of their pride and joy.




Of course, there are those among you who may find the above excruciatingly boring. Well fear not as there exists across Europe, even the world, a multitude of rallies that offer shiny medals and gold cups in return for blood, sweat and tears. Mostly known as Marathons or Trials, they set out, sometimes in deep mid-winter or under the hot desert sun, to test car and the combined skills of driver and navigator to their limit. No mountain pass is high enough, no forest track through the Andes long enough. Of course, some crews refuse to be drawn into to this life-or-death gladiatorial combat and instead take the more relaxed approach, enjoying the magnificent scenery and perhaps lingering for a few minutes longer over lunch. This strategy does have its advantages, not least being car preservation and as a result many subscribers to the theory return home with prizes.




Between the two extremes are multifarious opportunities to test one’s skills, but in essence the rules stay the same ....... two people, one car and a map.

For more information we suggest:

The Historic Rally Car Register - Enjoyable Scenic Tours. www.hrcr.co.uk/
The Classic Rally Association - Well organised competitive events lasting from two days to a week. www.classicrally.org.uk/
HERO - UK and European competitive rallies that include London to Lisbon and the infamous Lands End to John o’Groats. www.heroevents.eu/
The Endurance Rally Association - Tough epics such as Peking to Paris and Trans America. www.endurorally.com/

IT WAS a busy start to the motor sporting season with John Surtees winning the 9th Glover Trophy at Goodwood and Graham Hill giving the new Jaguar E-Type its first ever victory at Oulton Park. But perhaps the biggest news of April 1961 was the winning of the East African Safari Rally by the British team of John Manussis/Bill Coleridge/David Beckett in their Mercedes 220SE. Only 33 cars survived the 3,300-mile route with Ford Anglias taking first, second and third in their class and Ford Zephyrs winning the Team prize thanks to a fine drive into third place overall by Anne Hall and Lucille Cardwell.


IN ITALY, at the little known street circuit of Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast fifty cars vied for a place on the grid for the popular, thirty-five lap, Formula Junior race. Thirty-six cars eventually started and the event was won by Jo Siffert in his Lotus with David Piper in a similar car second and Giancarlo Rigamont third in the pretty Osca-Fiat.

TESTING FOR the 24 Hour Le Mans race in June took place at Le Sarthe with Ritchie Ginther in the new V6 Dino, rear-engined Ferrari setting the pace.

OF A slightly more relaxed nature, although still very demanding, the Mobil Economy Run took place over a distance of some 1,000 miles, starting and finishing in Worthing on the south coast after having been as far north as the Lake District and Harrogate. A lumbering Austin A99 managed 37.24mpg while the best Mini achieved 57.76mpg. Considering today’s technology we don’t seem to have made that much progress.

FOR THE forty odd thousand fans who attended the BARC Easter Goodwood Meeting on Monday 3rd April, conditions were most unpleasant, being overcast and wet. Mike Parkes won the first race of the day driving the Equipe Endeavour Jaguar 3.8 saloon, just beating Graham Hill in the second Equipe entry. There then followed the Lavant Cup Race for 2/3 litre racing cars but just nine drivers lined up for the 21-lap race. However, what the race lacked in quantity, it made up with quality as Dan Gurney took on Stirling Moss and Bruce McLaren. Moss made a bad start but fought his way up from seventh to third in just five laps and then, after a short duel with McLaren, took the lead. All this excitement proved too much for Gurney who crashed out. Stirling Moss won the race at an average of 90.47mph. But Moss was soundly beaten in the main event of the day, the International 100 Glover Trophy, by John Surtees, better known in 1961 as a World Motor Cycle Champion, after the two had a real fight lasting many laps. Moss finally retired with a blown engine leaving Surtees to win in the Reg Parnell, Yeoman Credit Cooper. The day finished with the 10- lap Fordwater Trophy race for GT cars where once again Mike Parkes led the field home, this time driving a Ferrari Berlinetta belonging to Equipe Endeavour.

ON THE same day as Goodwood the first European round of the Grand Prix season was held at Pau. Bad planning, and as such attracted a diluted entry. With no Moss, Gurney, McLaren or Salvadori around it was an easy win for Jim Clark in the Lotus Climax. Jo Bonnier finished thirty seconds behind the leader but third place Bandini was two laps further back. The hundred laps held in very hot conditions must have seemed a lifetime.

FIFTY YEARS ago 238 passengers lost their lives when the British liner, MV Dara exploded off Dubai and the distance to Venus was noted for the first time as being officially 26,372,600 miles. Yuri Gagarin became the first man to enter outer space and finally, US President Kennedy began his attempt to overthrow the government of Cuba with the invasion of the Bay of Pigs.

How To Enjoy Classic Rallying

IT IS POSSIBLE to compete on ‘classic’ road rallies and have fun. How much fun depends heavily on your sense of humour. It is true that some couples have disappeared into the mountains, never to be seen again, but on the whole most make it back to base, still in one piece and still talking to each other.

However, to succeed, in other words win a prize, three things are essential. First, of course, you need a classic car. Pretty obvious that. Anything, as long as it’s reliable. Then join a motor club where, with a modicum of good fortune, the third part of the jigsaw falls into place; the finding of a competent navigator.


This is the tricky bit, as the quality of said person depends solely on how much money the driver has in his/her kitty, but generally speaking the basic model comes for a few shillings; cheap, but in times of stress will not necessarily know their right from their left. Such luxury costs substantially more, usually around three-quarters of all expenses. Top notch navigators, those who excelled at university, don’t touch alcohol, come with their own pencil and pay nothing, in fact, some may even expect to turn a small profit.

Road rallies come in all shapes and sizes, length and complication. From the summer evening fifty-mile, clue-solving jaunt that ends convivially in the local hostelry, to the full-on and seemingly never ending trans-European adventure. Many of these masochistic nightmares take place in mid-winter, over ice-covered Alpine roads where the less experienced crews can expect to spend many a happy hour either completely lost, or digging their way out of snowdrifts, probably both. This means you.















Eventually, of course, all events come to an end and, laden with depression, the novice will at some point pluck up the courage to leave the bar and survey the results board where, surprise, surprise, they discover that the last two hours or five days were not a complete disaster. And that is the problem with rallying. It’s a game of ‘if only’. If only this, and if only that. Next time you will do better, maybe even win a prize. If only ………

Advertising Feature  

CLASSICS AND BRUNCH at the Cothi Bridge Hotel

Swansea Motor Club member, Nomad Supersports and 911 racer, former Porsche Club GB chairman and hotelier extraordinaire, Terry Davison, has regained the Cothi Bridge Hotel after its 25-year lease-out period finally ended in the autumn of 2010.

Located midway between Carmarthen and Llandeilo on the A40 the hotel sits on the east bank of the picturesque River Cothi at Pontargothi, easily accessible from Nantgaredig. Terry has just completed phase one of his comprehensive three-phase redevelopment plan, by opening the idyllic riverside restaurant and lounge for business.

Ever the enthusiast, Terry, who has owned the hotel since 1972, now intends to start the Welsh equivalent of the popular north London meeting place for petrol-heads the Ace Cafe, with an invitation extended to all motoring enthusiasts to meet once a month on a Saturday morning for brunch and a natter.

One make clubs will be invited to take part and certain Saturdays will have a marque theme; Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mini Cooper, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, et al. Terry is currently formulating a calendar before invitations and press releases are sent out, so watch this space.

In the meantime, the enthusiastic team is providing fine cuisine for lunches and dinners. Morning coffee is served from 10:00 and traditional afternoon tea is available. Once again the Cothi Bridge Hotel could become the mecca for the Welsh motoring enthusiast it was 25 years ago!

Mike Hawthorn - Something you may not know 

It is well known that when Hawthorn died on the 22 January 1959 behind the wheel of his Jaguar he had been following the very rapid Mercedes 300 SL of Rob Walker. Quite naturally, the press concluded that the two were racing each other and in the poor conditions Mike Hawthorn had over done it and lost control. However, what is not so well-known is that he had at some point earlier in his career lost one kidney due to infection, with the other giving his doctor cause for concern. His life expectancy had been no more than a few years. In fact, previous to the accident he had been suffering blackouts, so perhaps on that fateful day just outside Guildford that’s exactly what happened ……..?

FIFTY YEARS of the Jaguar E-Type. You would have to be living on a desert island not to know that the Jaguar E-Type is celebrating its fiftieth birthday this month. Yes folks, it’s true, in March 1961 at the Geneva Motor Show, the world’s press were quite rightly gobsmacked by the first appearance of the dashing new sports car from Brown’s Lane. Of course, after half a century everything one needs to know about the ‘Coventry Cat’ has been reiterated a thousand times so I won’t ramble on. Instead why not seek out a copy of Philip Porter’s ‘The Most Famous Car In The World’ (ISBN 0-75283-182-8) for no other reason than it’s a damn good read.

NEARER HOME, on the 19 March, the British Racing Sports Car Club put on a good day of close competition at a wet and blowy Snetterton in Norfolk. Jaguars again took the headlines by winning the saloon car race with Peter Sargent in his older 3.4 Mk1 beating the 3.8 model of Sir Gawaine Baillie. Ford Anglias filled the next three places, led by John Young. Not many spectators bothered to stay for the final race of the day for grand touring cars, which was their loss as the extremely fast Lotus Elites of Warner, Hunt and Nurse provided some real entertainment by running wheel-to-wheel over several laps. In the end it was Graham Warner in the ‘Chequered Flag’ car that took the, err, chequered flag.

IN WEYBRIDGE, Surrey, just a stone’s throw from the defunct Brooklands Circuit, racing driver Tony Brooks invited some of his pals along to the opening of his new showroom and ultra modern service station in March 1961. They included not only, Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland and Graham Hill but also two drivers who helped put Brooklands on the map, Reg Parnell and Raymond Mays. Somehow, learning Brooks had taken on a boring BMC franchise rather let the side down.

STILL IN the south of England, the first meeting of the year at Goodwood took place when the BARC played to a full capacity crowd who enjoyed spring- like weather and were treated to a fine day of racing. Here the mighty Jaguars were beaten in the unlimited sports car race when Henry Taylor in his one-and-a-half litre Lola finished 2.4 seconds in front of the much more powerful, but less agile, Lister-Jaguar of de Selincourt.

BUT EVEN so, March 1961 quite rightly belonged to the new Jaguar 3.8 litre E-Type Open Two-Seater, offered at the knock down bargain price of just £2,097.15.10, including all taxes. The Coupe cost an extra £100 and a glass fibre hardtop, £76.10.00. Interestingly, nowhere in the official advertising was a top speed mentioned. Maybe it was just the stunning shape that gave it a 150mph look, even standing still!

THREE Bs   Featuring Peter's original images 

1. The first of our Retrospective Bs features Martin Brundle.

Back in the days when it was possible for a country to run a second Grand Prix during any one year under the guise of calling it the European Grand Prix, Tom Wheatcroft had been hassling Bernie Ecclestone for a long time to let him run a GP at his Donington circuit.

Finally, he got his way and a full Grand Prix was held at the East Midlands track in April 1993. Now April can be capricious when it comes to weather and poor Tom was landed with one of those spring weekends from hell. It started raining and blowing on the Thursday and didn’t let up for the whole duration.

The upside was that it enabled the brilliance of Ayrton Senna to shine through on race day when he won in the ostensibly lower-powered McLaren-Cosworth.

Track conditions had been appalling and our first picture is of Martin Brundle in his Ligier Renault JS39 tackling free practice on the Friday morning. He is just navigating through the second half of the Esses and is in the process of getting very wet.

2. The second B stands for both BMW and Birmingham.

During the late 1980s and into the following decade, Birmingham held what was to be the UK’s only closed public roads race-meeting since 1926 when this sort of reckless, disgraceful behaviour was made illegal on the Queen’s highways of Britain. A special law had to be passed to allow it to happen and the meeting was called the Birmingham Superprix.

It featured the powerful F3000 single-seaters and was both great to watch and successful but various problems meant that it was stopped after this event in 1990.

Here we are at the exit of Honda turn where the cars finished a lap and headed off past the pits and over the start/finish line. The main race was backed up by a round of the British Touring Car Championship and this is the Ecurie Ecosse/Drambuie BMW M3 of Ian Forrest, head down and tail out, leading Nick Whale’s similar car with the typical Birmingham backdrop of a tyre-depot behind.

But never mind, it was great while it lasted.

3. The third B stands for both Bentley and Brands Hatch.

John Webb, boss of Brands Hatch Circuit was famous for having new ideas. He dreamt up Formula Ford and Formula 5000 for instance. In his constant quest for something new he would occasionally make mistakes and this is possibly one of them.

In the days when the BTCC was very expensive to take part in and required highly modified cars, he decided it would be a good idea to run races for totally standard saloons and this became a reality on 11 July 1971 at Brands.

Here we see Alan Harman hurling his T series Bentley, from which he has thoughtfully removed the hubcaps, into Druids on a beautiful Sunday with virtually no spectators to be seen. It lined up on the grid with others from Fiat 500 through Mk 3 Zephyr to Mach 1 Mustang.

The race was a hoot but ‘production’ cars would not become a BTCC reality until 1974 when Group 1 took over……

WITH A NEW FORMULA to be introduced for the 1961 Grand Prix season of an upper limit of 1500cc, and no supercharging, all the teams were busy. First race of the World Championship was set for Monaco in May and over the winter Ferrari had been building a new, high revving, V6 angled at 120 degrees. Add this to the existing Dino 156 engine, and Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips were going to be spoilt for choice. Much anticipation also surrounded the Porsche factory team, entering their first full GP season with flat six engines and fuel injection, led by Bonnier and Dan Gurney. Moss was again to drive for privateer Rob Walker, while Jim Clark and Innes Ireland were to lead the charge for Lotus. Bruce McLaren was once more partnering Jack Brabham in the Cooper Car Company team, based in Surbiton Surrey.

Other new rules included running on commercial fuel and, wait for it, the introduction of seat belt attachment points, although the wearing of said item was optional. Cars had to be fitted with electrical master switches and a roll bar that could not extend forward or sideways of the driver. Finally, fuel fillers had to fit flush with the bodywork along with dual circuit brakes. In 1961 safety still had some way to go.

During January and February the F1 scene moved to New Zealand and Australia with Brabham winning in Auckland and Moss taking the honours in Sydney. The Daytona 500 was won by Panch driving his Pontiac at an average speed of 149.6 mph.


BACK IN the UK the RAC, supported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, decided that for 1961 saloon cars had to conform to Group 2 rules, meaning they would remain basically similar to their road-going counterparts. Anti-roll (sway) bars could be fitted and suspension modified with different springs and dampers but engine tuning was restricted to just ‘playing around’ with existing components. Drivers were disappointed, as they preferred the freedom allowed under the Continental ‘Appendix J’ Group 3 rules, where preparation was, shall we say, more adventurous. However, as the season was to progress most teams failed to understand fully the limitations placed on them, whilst at the same time organisers resorted to the famous ‘white stick’ when trying to monitor the situation. Some things never change.

ENOUGH HAS been written about the 1961 Monte Carlo Rally, where an ill-conceived formula gave victory to a team of non-competitive, underpowered French Panhards. We prefer to think of René Trautmann, who was driving a ‘proper’ Citroen DS19, as the moral victor. The rules would change again for 1962.

AS THE circuits around Europe began stirring from their winter slumber the general public got wind of a secret new British sports car, scheduled to appear at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show and capable of 150mph. I wonder what it could be .......?

OTHER EVENTS from February 1961: The Beatles played at the Cavern in Liverpool for the first time; a Boeing 707 crashed on the approach to Brussels Airport killing all 72 people, including all members of the American figure ice-skating team.


FINALLY, six hundred passengers who had been held hostage for ten days aboard the cruise liner Santa Maria, off the coast of Brazil, were released back to the mainland.

Retro-Gnome on the Lancia Fulvia  

LET'S GET ONE THING CLEAR, when it comes to rust, the Lancia Fulvia is no worse, and a damn sight better, than a thousand other ‘classics’ built during the sixties and seventies. At this point, owners of Porsche 911s, Mercedes and E-Type Jaguars should be nodding their heads in agreement. It was the later Beta, built from cheap Russian steel, that created this misnomer which resulted in Lancia customers being offered their money back and the Company finally closing shop in the UK. The Fulvia on the other hand, was a petite and delightfully harmonious sports car, brilliantly conceived, immensely strong and a joy to drive. In HF form it was also a prolific rally winner.

The Fulvia range kicked off at the Geneva Show in 1963 with a rather frumpy, 1091cc, 58bhp, four-door Berlina, designed to replace the ageing Appia and provide well-heeled Italian families with an alternative to the common Fiat 1100. The Pietro Castagnero-designed Coupe, using the same V4 twin-overhead-cam engine, but with a healthier 80bhp, arrived in 1965, around the same time as the aero dynamic, all aluminium Sport, better known as the Zagato. By 1968 all Fulvias were uprated to 1300cc.

As early as 1965 the Fulvia Coupe had began its illustrious rally career, and just twelve months later the first HF Squadra Corse-prepared 1.2 HF was homologated under the guidance of Gianni Tonti. This was replaced with the publicly available 101bhp, 1.3 HF in 1967. Trautmann drove the first 1.6 litre car as a prototype on the 1968 Tour de Corse and RAC Rally. This model when produced officially became better known as ‘Fanalone’ (Italian for big headlamps) and, with its direct rally heritage and possible 132bhp, has become the most desirable Fulvia in the range.


At this point it is necessary to understand that everything to do with Lancia is complicated. All the above relates to ‘first’ series models, those created and built by real Lancia engineers with little interference from Fiat who took over the ailing Company in October 1969 when production had dropped to a dismal 37,000 units.

First thing Fiat did was to raid the corporate parts bin and as from 1970 the Berlina, Coupe, HF and Zagato evolved into ‘second’ series cars. Myriad changes took place, common or garden nuts and bolts were standard issue and sadly the delightful four-speed box was replaced with a brash five-speed unit. Not all was bad though, at least the heater now worked as did the all-round disc brakes. The Zagato took on the 1.6 engine while the Fulvia HF continued but lost its competition extras, no aluminium and no oil cooler. However, it still kept the aggressive wide wheels, fat tyres and rally connections, a ‘series’ two even won the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally. The last HF was built in 1973.

The final Fulvia, only the standard 1.3 Fulvia Coupe was left in production, and it had now become a ‘third’ series, left the factory in the first week of 1976 when production of the nice-to-drive, but flawed and frail, Beta was in full swing.

Buying a Lancia Fulvia, as with all specialisist cars, demands knowledge and patience. Original, good condition cars still exist, while restoration is no more difficult than that of say, a Mini Cooper S or a Ford Lotus Cortina. Parts are available both here and in Italy, workshop manuals have been reprinted and, with the advent of the Internet, knowledge and encouragement is proffered from across the world.

And talking of the Internet, this is the best place to find Fulvias for sale. But for goodness sake, do the homework before traipsing half way across Europe. Check out matching numbers and remember: it’s easy to build an HF look-a-like out of a plain and simple Coupe.


All Coupes are enjoyable to drive, spacious and economic to run; expect 32-plus to the gallon from a 1.3 along with a genuine 100mph top speed Acceleration is acceptably brisk. Most genuine HFs are ‘second’ series; they do not, as standard, have yellow-painted cam covers or oil coolers, but they do have different distributors and an oil temperature gauge instead of a clock on the passenger side of the dashboard. Also, the suspension is carried over from the early cars and the ultra wide 6J wheels only fit the HF. They should be described on the log book as a 1.6 HF Lusso, which refers to the extras fitted by the factory to make occupants more comfortable. Of course it was possible, for competition use, to order a basic, no frills HF.

Well, I did say at the beginning it was complicated.




Fulvias for sale at:
www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk
www.omicron.uk.com

THE MONTE-CARLO RALLY 1961  By now we all know that the first Rallye Monte-Carlo took place one hundred years ago, when just reaching the Principality at the height of winter 1911 was a great achievement. But what happened and who won the event in January 1961, fifty years ago?

Of course as time passed and cars became faster and more reliable the organisers could no longer depend on bad weather or regularities to provide a level playing field. The previous year, for example, a team of powerful Mercedes 220SEs had taken four of the five top places with only a spirited drive by Peter Harper in his Sunbeam Rapier preventing a grand slam. Therefore, in 1961 they introduced a complicated ‘index of performance’ that, along with heavy snow, proved very helpful to the manufacturers of smaller vehicles, such as those made in France.

Three-hundred-and-five cars set off from eight start towns, including Glasgow, Athens and Varsovie, but bad weather forced 49 retirements out of 65 from Scotland, 18 of 25 from Portugal, 33 of 46 from Paris and 10 of 13 from Frankfurt. In fact, at Charbonnieres, after the concentration run, and before the rally ‘proper’ started, only 199 cars were still running.

In the end the formula, though thought unfair, did work and a last-minute scrabble developed between three 850cc Panhard PL 17s, a couple of BMW 700s, a NSU Prinz, two Renault Ondines, a Skoda Octavia and Erik Carlsson in his rather strange Saab 95 Estate. The French Panhards took the top places based on index, with Rene Trautmann, fastest and most consistant driver of the Rally in his Citroen, relegated to fourteenth place. Anne Hall and Val Domleo won the Coupe des Dames in the works Austin A40.

In 1962 the index was modified, the classification run increased and five special stages produced a worthy winner. It was a classic year, but that’s another story.


BACK IN LONDON over 63,000 people attended the BRSCC Racing Car Show while Dunlop was awarded the coveted Ferodo Trophy. Their tyres being fitted to every winning F1 car in 1960.

THIS YEAR Retro-Speed will again be covering the Exeter Trial which in 1961 attracted 265 mixed vehicles that by-and-large enjoyed a trouble-free drive through Devon, only ‘Simms’ with its remarkably steep gradient causing problems before the finish in Weymouth.

FINALLY, in January 1961 John F. Kennedy became the 35th President of the USA. And a Boeing B52 Stratofortress crashed in North Carolina, it was carrying two atomic bombs. They did not explode.

RETROSPECTIVE WALES  For all images click Gallery top right

Classic rallying at all levels has become very fashionable, perhaps less so for the Rally of the Tests and Le Jog but certainly for stage events, such as the Roger Albert Clark and the recently added National section of Wales Rally GB.

Of course, and I hope no one accuses me of being a grumpy old man, but rallying in Wales is no more than a pastiche of itself in the days of 1978/79 when great endurance events such as the ‘Welsh’ attracted 200 cars for its three days of almost continuous action. My first image was taken at Halfway and features Markku Alen and IIka Kivimaki heading towards third place in 1978 with the works spec. Fiat 131 Abarth, prepared in Turin and entered by the UK Fiat concessionaires.

The following year the Welsh Rally ran through 35 special stages totalling 250 competitive miles. Roger Clark was forced out of his beloved Escort to drive a front-wheel-drive Fiesta leaving Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz, seen here ‘yumping’ on Eppynt, to take victory in their Ford Escort RS 1800. Russell Brookes and Paul White in a similar car finished second.

Moving on to 1983, the era of Group B ushered in the Audi Quattro and the exciting, if outclassed, Opel Manta 400. Flying high on Eppynt is again amply demonstrated, this time by sixth placed Jimmy McRae and Ian Grinrod in their brand new Manta while forging their way through the incessant Welsh rain is the Finnish pair of Lassi Lampi and Pentti Kukula who went on to third overall.

Although the 2010 Roger Albert Clark Rally stayed in the Yorkshire forests its likeness to these earlier events, with copious amounts of bad weather, quality driving and heaps of team spirit, was quite uncanny. Classic rallying has every right to be fashionable.

Monte Carlo Rallye History 1911

IMAGINE ……. It’s October 1910 and tucked away in the heated garage is a Daimler motor car. Your pride and joy. During the long summer days you have motored village to village, county to county. Up hill and down dale. On more than one occasion the family have even endured trips to London. But on reflection it’s not been enough and in secret moments you wish for more of a challenge, a real motoring adventure.

Lucky then that Gabriel Vialon and Antony Noghes came up with the idea to run a ‘rallye’ to Monte Carlo in the January of 1911. For you and many like you, life would never be the same again.

The first event, organised as a response to the successful Nice Carnival and run under the title Rallye Automobile Monaco, had few rules. There were eleven optional start points and crews had to average 10km per hour and be in Monte Carlo by 28 January. The passage controls were compulsory and closed between 10pm and 7am. Comfort, condition and the number of passengers decided the winner.

In the end the first of the twenty-three cars to begin, Esmarch on a Durkopp, set off from Berlin on 21 January. Other towns included Brussels, Vienna, Paris and Geneva. He arrived in the Principality four days later after a reasonably trouble-free journey.

Those who had chosen Vienna, however, suffered minus eighteen degree temperatures and frozen snow. Popular French racing driver Henri Rougier, who had started from Paris, put up the fastest average of 36.2km an hour and was declared winner, taking home 10,000FF, which sounds par for the course. Poor Esmarch, although obviously first choice when distance was taken into account, was classified sixth. He was most annoyed, refused any prize and in the end was excluded.

Monte Carlo - Setting the Record Straight

IT WOULD be reasonable, but quite wrong, to assume that until the advent of the Monte Carlo Rally in 1911 no Englishman had driven the eight-hundred-and-fifty miles separating London from the famous Principality with the sole purpose of establishing a record.

In fact it was in April 1906 that Mr. Charles Jarrott, along with three friends and supported by a delectable arsenal of food and drinks, departed the Automobile Club in Piccadilly on a seven-litre Crossley, intending to reach the south of France within forty-eight hours.

The merry crew crossed the Channel at Folkestone and on reaching Boulogne soon settled down to an urgent pace that was to take them via Abbeville and Pontoise, and then on to Versailles and Dijon. Here, bad roads and poor navigation slowed them down but undeterred they continued to Lyon, Aix-en-Provence and Frejus where it was necessary to negotiate the winding mountain roads before the final descent into Monte Carlo. Triumphantly they completed their journey in thirty-seven-and-a-half hours, having averaged nearly twenty-five mph door to door.

Between Boulogne and Monaco, a distance of seven-hundred-and-eighty miles, the engine of the Crossley was kept running continuously without problems. There were no punctures and Jarrott, surely one of Britain’s finest pioneer motorists, drove the whole distance.

THE MONTH started badly with two air crashes, the first over New York when a collision killed 136 passengers, and the second above Munich when a Convair 340 lost power and fell into the city streets and 52 people perished. Then, on 19 December fire swept through the US aircraft carrier, USS Constellation killing 50 crew and injuring a further 150 servicemen.

ON A BRIGHTER note it was 100 years ago that the Motor Cycling Club organised its first London to Exeter and Back. The weather going west was terrible with heavy rain and sleet, luckily the sun came out for the return journey. There were fifty-one gold medals.



THOSE LUCKY enough to be in Nassau watched Moss win the TT Race in a Ferrari 250GT and the Rodriguez brothers win the 400km Nassau Trophy, also driving a Ferrari. Whilst in the world of Formula One, Jack Brabham was crowned Champion with Bruce McLaren runner-up and Moss third. Cooper Climax took the Manufacturers title.


THE BRSCC held its annual film show on 2 December at the Warner Cinema in Leicester Square, London where members were treated to ‘Giuseppina’, the story of an Italian petrol station, and ‘Heroric Days’, black-and-white footage from the early days of motoring. Sounds interesting.

AS ALWAYS, the Boxing Day Brands Hatch Meeting was a sell out, the main race of the day being the Silver City Trophy for Formula Libre which was won by Tony Marsh in his Lotus. John Surtees was favourite but non-started. Jim Clark, who had just been awarded his full Grand Prix driver’s licence, won the Formula Junior race while Sir Gawaine Ballie, 7th Baronet of Polkemmet and avid stamp collector, led the field home in the saloon car race behind the wheel of his Jaguar Mk11 3.8.



FINALLY, last week, as an early Christmas present I was introduced to Erik Carlsson at the beginning of the Roger Albert Clark Rally. Carlsson, winner of the 1960 RAC Rally in the diminutive three-cylinder, two-stroke SAAB was on top form, apart from complaining about the ‘shit’ weather, but still happy to stand next to the famous red SAAB with Stuart Turner and pose for the fans. He is an incredibly popular person.

Advertising Feature 

DRIVING BACK  through The Midlands, on my way home from Rally of the Tests, it seemed a good opportunity to pop in and say hello to proprietor Jeremy Welch and the other guys at Denis Welch Motorsport. Anyone who has been competing in an Austin Healey or Jaguar E-Type this season will already be familiar with the name.

The home of the Company is not, as some might image, to be found hidden away in the back of a big red articulated truck. Instead they occupy a purpose-built factory-come-workshop just outside Burton-on-Trent, where a skilled twelve-man team design and manufacture components, build cars and provide an extensive range of parts to the race and rally fraternity, both over the counter, and on-line.

On the day of my visit the service dept was hard at work fettling customers’ cars including E-Types and a modern Mercedes whilst in a quieter, closed off area a pair of familiar British racing green Austin Healeys were awaiting a winter overhaul ready for 2011. Sharing space and as a special project, in keeping with its heritage, the Company has created a ‘new’ Donald Healey 100S Endurance Car which has already broken the land speed records originally set way back in 1953.
















Naturally the Denis Welch organisation sells ready-prepared cars and supplements its customer racing services with an ‘arrive and drive’  option which can be tailored to include specific long distance events such as the Spa Six Hours or Le Mans Classic.

Evidence of success is everywhere and the shelves are festooned with silver cups, accolades and awards, testament to a company determined to be the best. Oh yes, and I almost forgot, the big red articulated truck is parked right outside.

Many thanks to Jon Hinkley for his time and courtesy and to find out more about Denis Welch Motorsport go to:  www.bighealey.co.uk

Pininfarina History by Peter Collins.  Click top right to see PC's images 

STILE ITALIANO 

The late 19th century was not a great time to be bringing up a family of eleven children in rural Italy; the tenth was christened Battista and with these mouths to feed the Farina family upped sticks and headed away from their hometown area of Cortanze d’Asti to the city of Torino, for the simple practical reason that there might be more work there. Battista had been nicknamed Pinin, which in Piedmontese dialect meant the smallest or baby of the family. The name stuck.

Meanwhile, the search for work had led an elder brother, Giovanni, to be appointed to one of the hundreds of carrozzerie in Torino, Marcello Alessio. Pinin would often go and meet his brother after work and fell in love with cars in the process. In his spare time, he already had a job cleaning all the copper pots in his mother’s kitchen, Pinin would draw or sketch the cars he had seen at Alessio’s and sometimes he would fantasise about the possibilities of designing his own car and then sketch his thoughts.

By 1910, Giovanni had acquired considerable experience of horse and horseless vehicles at Alessio’s and that year he left to start up his own carrozzeria with brothers Carlo and Pinin. The latter was only seventeen and the new company, named Stabilimenti Farina, enabled him to meet and mix with all the top automotive and racing men in Torino: Lancia, Wagner, Nazzaro, Cagno and many others.

Pinin was put in charge of ‘publicity and design’ and it wasn’t long before Fiat themselves came knocking at the door asking for ideas re their important new ‘Zero’ model. After sifting through myriad proposals the choice came down to just two, one from Farina and the other from Pinin. Fiat boss, Agnelli approached Farina, for an opinion and naturally, he chose his own design. In commiseration and possibly with encouragement in mind Agnelli later presented Pinin with a torpedo-bodied version of the Zero.

After the conclusion of World War One the combination of experience (including a fact finding mission to America) and burning ambition led this outwardly modest and unassuming man to consider leaving Stabilimento Farina and strike out alone. The break finally came in 1930.

Carrozzeria Pinin Farina was set up in Turin, at Corso Trapani 107, after Vincenzo Lancia guaranteed him work and the family of his wife, Rosa offered sufficient financial backing. Within a year he was designing a special Lancia Di Lambda for the Queen of Romania and already Auto Italiana magazine were referring to him as ‘the insuperable master builder’.

The new company began with 90 employees and took on Franco Martinengo from Stabilimenti Farina as its first styling director. He is on record as saying that during those formative years the shape of any car was controlled by the height of the radiator. It was only when lower and wider radiator concepts were introduced that Pinin’s men could move on and create a more individual style.

Recognition within the industry secured a flow of orders to the factory and the early design influences of Americans: Cord, Studebaker and Buick began to give way to the more streamlined look associated with racing cars. In 1937 an aero-dynamic Lancia Aprilia appeared on the Mille Miglia. Hand drawn in house, its efficient shape later proved to be near perfect.

Crucially for the long haul after the end of hostilities, Pinin built up in-depth relationships with many of the mainstream manufacturers, to the point where he could arrange for them to provide him with specially modified chassis that would make construction of the shapes he envisaged so much easier. Eventually they would lower radiators, carburettors, seats and the steering-wheel for him in advance.

It cannot be stressed too highly how important and useful it was for his cars to win the many competitive pre- (and post) war Concours d’Elegances. Nowadays we have Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Het Loo and Villa d’Este but then there was a never-ending succession of Concours everywhere and in all seasons. Winning increased Pinin’s standing throughout the automotive industry and market place.

It was the establishment of Cisitalia in 1947 that gave Pinin Farina and the whole Italian carrozzeria industry, the necessary kick and impetus enabling them to show the world the pre-eminence of Italian car design, especially from Torino. The gorgeous little coupe that Pinin penned for them forged a place forever in history as the first ever GT car. Pinin Farina continued his definition of idea and shape through the 1948 Maserati A6 1500 and the forgotten 1949 Fiat 1100S and 1951 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn Due Porte, to the epochal Lancia Aurelia B20. The same year a Cisitalia 202 was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York as part of an exhibition entitled Eight Automobiles and was described in the programme by Arthur Drexler as ‘rolling sculpture’.

Pinin’s determination had shown through as early as 1946 when the Paris Motor Show of that year was not prepared to display Italian manufacturers’ wares, so Pinin simply set up his own show in the street outside the main gates. In 1952 he made another important visit to the USA and came back with contracts from Nash to build the Nash Healey Spider based on an English floorpan and American engine and later, several sedans for mass production. This US connection was to stand the Company in good stead for decades to come.

Perhaps the most enduring and profitable relationship Pinin was to be involved with also arose that year at the Paris show, in the form of a cabriolet. It was based on the 212 Inter chassis from Ferrari and this ‘partnership’ survives as strong as ever today with the 599 Fiorano, California and 458 Italia models. This relationship became more than one of company interaction. It is reported that whenever Enzo Ferrari departed meetings, Pinin would stand to attention and give a little bow.

Complete body designs to high-volume manufacturers started in 1953 with the stylish Peugeot 403 saloon and continued with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider of 1955, the British Austin A40 of 1958 and its later middleweight A60. It had become clear to Pinin that the only way forward for the Company, and to allow for expansion, was to embrace full industrialisation to allow increased production which led to a move out of Torino to a spacious, modern factory in Grugliasco in 1958. By then there were nearly 1,000 employees and by 1960 output exceeded 11,000 car bodies. In 1961 the family changed their name by deed poll to Pininfarina and the company was duly renamed Carrozzeria Pininfarina. The Alfa Romeo Duetto of 1966, as featured in the film ‘The Graduate’ with Dustin Hoffman, immortalises Pininfarina’s lines of the period.

Sergio, one of Pinin’s sons became the General Manager of the new factory in 1961. Upon Pinin’s death on 7 April 1966, Sergio became Chairman and Renzo Carli took up the post of Chief Executive. The connection with Lancia had endured and Pinin had used the prototype Lancia Florida (to materialise as the Flaminia) as his own road car right up to the time of his death.

Chief designer Aldo Brovarone was joined by Leonardo Fioravanti in 1967 and became responsible for many of the best-known Pininfarina projects. This led to him taking control of Pininfarina Studi and Ricerche in January 1982, at a new location in Cambiano 20km from Torino, after it was split off from Industrie Pininfarina. Fioravanti, along with Antonello Cogotti, had also been responsible for the establishment of an in-house wind-tunnel in 1972. In 1980 the fiftieth anniversary of the Company was celebrated by the construction of the Ferrari Pinin. This was a four-door saloon Ferrari powered by a flat-twelve as used in the 512. Although Enzo was sympathetic to the concept and was interested in the possibility of producing it, Gianni Agnelli said no, because he thought a saloon did not fit in with the Prancing Horse’s image.

A new factory was built in the 1980s to accommodate the courageous Cadillac Allante project where Pininfarina designed and built a lavish coupe and the shells were airlifted, 56 at a time, to Detroit for final finishing.

One could easily to fill a book with just the most important car concepts and projects that the Company produced over the years but as Pinin realised it was necessary to industrialise and expand frontiers to survive, Pininfarina has done just that. In 1987 it co-designed a new high-speed train for Italian railways and most recently was involved with refurbishing the Anglo-French Eurostars. Other projects have included the 2006 Winter Olympics Torch, shopping trollies for the USA and the Company also acted as design consultants for Coca Cola Freestyle.

Although the motor car industry is facing considerable difficulty many manufacturers employ their own designers, with hugely varying results. Luckily, the 3,000 people employed by various Pininfarina spin-off companies around the world allow most of us to be touched by the original character and aesthetic.

Whilst the motor car industry has faced considerable difficulty in recent years with many manufacturers employing their own designers, with hugely variable results, the 3,000 people employed by the various Pininfarina spin-off companies around the world cause most of us to be touched, in some way or another, by the Pininfarina aesthetic today. That’s not bad a legacy for a family from rural Northern Italy who has helped establish their country at the forefront of world design.

Wales Rally GB Fifty Years of Special Stages 

EXACTLY FIFTY years ago special stages were introduced into British rallying when 172 cars set off from Blackpool to compete on the 1960 RAC Rally, now known as Wales Rally GB.

Competitors headed for Scotland where a 1,000-mile loop included a two-mile timed blast up Monument Hill. It was the beginning of a successful campaign by organiser Jack Kemsley to introduce a genuine driver challenge into the event, thus making it worthy of the title ‘International’. Monument Hill turned out to be narrow and very rough, which suited the front-wheel-drive Saab and the Swedish out-and-out driving style of Erik Carlsson.

At the same time Mr. Kemsley also took the opportunity to introduce a continental style ‘tulip’ road book into the event where, throughout the route, every junction was numbered, pictured and described. In a moment traditional and rather silly problem-solving was resigned to the dustbin and co-drivers cheered.

Actually the 1960 RAC Rally rather fizzled out even before it had hardly started when the ‘works’ German Mercedes team pulled out on hearing their only rival for the Championship, a Citroen driven by Rene Trautmann, had crashed into retirement. And complaints of bad driving hung in the air at the finish after crews failed to maintain a 30mph average while contending with bad, South London, rush-hour traffic.

In the end penalties were scrubbed, neutral zones introduced and as a future deterrent, all cars were forced to display large door numbers. At the West End nightclub ‘Talk of the Town’ everybody enjoyed a slap up meal before Erik Carlsson and Stuart Turner were pronounced winners.

The following year contained over 200 miles of special stages and at the same time introduced fans to the legendary forests of Kielder, Dovey and Radnor. Great action that will live on and on; first for modern cars on the Wales Rally GB, 11-14 November 2010, then later on the fantastic ‘classic’ Roger Albert Clark Rally, 26-29 November.

More at:  www.walesrallygb.com  and  www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org

In November 1960 the average wage in the UK was £14.10.00 a week with a litre of petrol costing 5.76p, while on the other side of the Atlantic history was in the making when the people of the United States elected John F. Kennedy as their next President.

PERHAPS OF more importance, at least to motor racing fans, was the second running of the American Grand Prix at Riverside where Stirling Moss, driving the Rob Walker Lotus Climax, enjoyed a relatively trouble-free afternoon to take the chequered flag thirty seconds ahead of Innes Ireland. Back in London at the annual Motor Show his sister Pat was showing off the Austin Healey 3000 she had used to win the recent Liege-Rome-Liege rally. Together they made a formidable family act.


ALTHOUGH IN the minority, foreign manufacturers in 1960 were being heavily taxed on imports into the UK meaning the little Lancia Appia 1100cc family saloon at £1,588 cost £50 more than a Mk11 Jaguar while a Facel Vega, sporting some 300bhp, at £6,376 cost three times as much as an AC Aceca.


Not surprisingly, as it still is today, the Fiat 500 was a leading contender in the fun stakes, its twin-cylinder engine quite capable of pulling four people along in relative comfort and at the same time returning 50mpg. Some things don’t change. The Mini, on the other hand, was still a relative newcomer, popular but suffering a thousand reliability problems. Many customers thought it wise to spend the modest £90 extra that it required to own the more grown-up Ford Anglia.

Even then it was becoming clear that European car makers such as Citroen, Panhard, Saab and Borgward were trying harder to woo the motoring public. Their cars were more modern in design, attractive to the eye and better built than say, the comparable Austin and Morris which looked decidedly old-fashioned and buried in the past. Even the latest Jaguar felt tacky when compared with the latest offerings from Mercedes Benz and Porsche. The British economy under Harold (you’ve never had it so good) Macmillan was on the brink of another recession and complacency of the British Motor Industry was partly to blame.


AWAY FROM the doom and gloom rally enthusiasts were looking forward to an exciting RAC Rally, running for a full five days and due to begin from Blackpool on 21 November. The European Championship was still up for grabs so a full entry, including stars such as Eric Carlsson, Eugen Bohringer and Frenchman, Walter Schock was guaranteed. Special stages were still on the far horizon but even so it was going to be a tough week with a demanding combination of races and hill climbs, combined with a thousand-mile Scottish road section to keep crews on their toes. The event, however, contained no navigation problem-solving while after the Brands Hatch finish the rallyists could look forward to a slap up dinner at the London Hippodrome.



TALKING of Eric Carlsson, Saab had selected the London Motor Show to launch its brand into the UK, starting with the three-cylinder, two-stroke 96 which they happily compared in design terms with the sleek shape of its jet fighter aircraft. These tough Swedish cars arrived at the docks already undersealed and fitted with a host of extras fitted as standard, including a clock, radiator blind, rear seat height adjustment and something called ‘first stage’ air conditioning. It was advertised as being a rugged sports car that combined unequalled speed, safety and comfort, all for the grand sum of £885.2.6. This doesn’t sound much for such a good car. Unless of course you were a member of the working class earning £14.10.00 a week.

NOBODY KNOWS why, maybe it’s just talent, but I find it incredibly easy to upset people. Is it because I drive a Range Rover, or think the E-Type Jaguar a load of rubbish? Possibly. More likely it’s because I think Alonso is a better driver than Webber, Button, Vettel and Hamilton and should be World Champion. Oh, didn’t I say? In my opinion Hamilton is nothing special, no better than average and the same goes for Button. Give me drivers with real talent like Massa and the likeable Spaniard, Fernando. See, now even you’re upset.

But like everybody I need friends and last week my conscious finally got the better of me. So as a first step, I went green. Thank the Lord there are at least forty shades of the stuff.

First stop was the local Toyota dealer to give the best selling Prius a once over. Goodness me, what an ordinary looking car. And it’s not very quick at 101mph. I can run faster than that. Alloy wheels and air-conditioning may be included but who in their right mind wants to pay £25,000 just to ease a conscience. The whole idea of battery power, anyway, is faintly ridiculous. Toyota admits to losing money on every Prius it builds. That’s no wonder, after all the car has two engines. Sorry but, all in all, the Prius is not as green as the Company would have you believe.

Needless to say I was glad to leave the showroom and climb back up into the Range Rover parked out on the double yellow line, pleased to be once more behind the wheel of a no-nonsense and genuine, real life gas-guzzler that on a good day can just about manage fifteen to the gallon. And no, I don’t even feel guilty, just forking up £425 per year in road tax gives me the right to indulge in moral complacency.

Of course I read the papers and recognise the increasing need to be carbon active, whether it be by reducing one’s footprint or excepting the popular stance on neutrality. Separating rubbish and washing out all the old tin cans is a good place for the amateur to begin but personally I was looking for something a might more constructive. Dare I say, something more sophisticated? Then after the second bottle of Pinot Grigio it all became clear.

For every week that the Range Rover stays in my hands I would plant a tree. I figured that even though our back garden is only average there is room for at least a couple of hundred of the Swedish, fast growing variety. Fast is important because it is essential to the plan that when the last tree hits the soil the first has grown tall enough to justify chopping down. It’s a great idea. Maybe I could even make a small profit?

Of course, if you drive a medium hatch with low emissions things get easier. Instead of having to get to compete with the Forestry Commission, what you do is before arriving home, stop off at the garden centre, buy a pack of seven miniature Japanese Bonsai trees and plant one a day in the window box. Carbon trading has never been easier.

And as I now qualify for a bus pass the next obvious step up the ladder would be to use public transport. It’s a great idea so I’m giving it a try. Here we are in sunny Stratford-upon-Avon and having just dropped the Range Rover in for a service, normally I would beg a lift the twelve miles home. But not today.

Your truly is at the bus stop and unless I’m very much mistaken, here comes a number 28. Just check the time-table. Let’s see, yes, Monday and Friday it stops at the Dog and Duck in my village except, oh, during November, January and market days, when it turns left at the cross-roads three miles before and disappears in the opposite direction. Bugger, but never mind, the little old lady with the shopping trolley is suggesting I walk across town and taking a 45, which unlike the 28 will definitely drop me outside the village pub. Great, because it’s now midday and I’m in need of something stronger than a Coca Cola. Full of confidence and maybe a touch naive, I arrive at bus stop number two and yes, Miss Marples is right, there is a number 45. And yes, it will drop me at the Dog and Duck. But there is a problem. The service is temporally suspended.

Watching Stirling Moss in the pit lane at the Oulton Park Gold Cup Meeting a few weeks ago I formed the opinion that maybe he was getting just a bit too old to be playing around with racing cars. After all, this was an event he had won fifty years previously in a Lotus Climax. But I now know I was wrong. When his turn came to pilot the pretty OSCAR sports car he leapt over the side and behind the wheel with the dexterity of a twenty-year-old. Then, with a quick look over the shoulder he was gone, off to join the fray and give it his best over a fifteen lap stint. This man in the blue overalls and white crash helmet is a legend.

THE 1960 International Gold Cup Meeting, actually held in September (so I’m cheating slightly), and organised by the Cheshire Car Club was the last race for the old two-and-a-half litre Grand Prix cars and Moss was on top form with a qualifying time of almost 100mph. As usual he was racing against Jack Brabham (the new World Champion), Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Jo Bonnier, Jim Clark and Dan Gurney. In the race Stirling made a bad start but soon made his way up the field and passed Brabham to take an easy victory, averaging some 94mph.

THE NAMES of Bruce McLaren and Graham Hill came up again in October when, fifty years ago, Ford Motor Company decided to promote the reliability and strength of the new Ford 105E Anglia ahead of the annual Motor Show by mercilessly thrashing three examples around Goodwood non-stop, in a seven-day marathon. Other drivers included Tommy Wisdom, Gordon Wilkins and Roy Salvadori. The cars were standard except for a rev-counter, twin spot-lamps and full harness belts. Michelin X tyres were fitted as were Halda Speed Pilots.

The leading car covered 10,468.8 miles at an average speed of 62.34mph and 32.07 mpg. In fact all three of these small family saloons covered a similar distance, but each had its own problems to overcome.

Roy Salvadori crashed and damaged his Anglia and then later, in the hands of Gordon Wilkins it snapped a half shaft. The radio packed up in Graham Hill’s car, which must have annoyed him not having ‘Music while you work’ playing in the background but, more seriously, the cylinder head needed changing owing to burnt out valves. The same problem also afflicted Bruce McLaren’s engine so after this minor epic, I guess Ford Motor Company retired from the scene and returned to Dagenham with a long list of ‘things to do’.

MEANWHILE Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham had packed their bags after Oulton Park and cleared off to sunnier climes. Jack stopped off in New South Wales to win the Bathurst International 100-Mile Race before meeting up with Moss in Watkins Glen where the Lotus Climax of Stirling once again proved superior to the Cooper Climax of the Australian.

IN FRANCE, just outside Paris, The 1,000kms of Montlhery took place on 23 October where it proved a walkover for the magnificent Ferrari 250 GTOs. They went unchallenged and took the top five places with the car of Olivier Gendebien and Lucien Bianchi crossing the line first. The Aston Martin DB4GT of Salvadori and Innes Ireland finished sixth, some 60km behind. For possibly the first time an Italian car also won the Index of Performance when the Fiat Abarth of Bernard Consten and Condrilier beat the D B Panhards into second and third place.

FINALLY, and still in France The Paris Motor Show took place in October where Jaguar gave pride of place on its stand to the 3.8 MK11 that Bernard Consten, him again, drove to Touring Category victory in the Tour de France that year. Aston Martin displayed its latest DB4 models while all on its own, hidden in a corner, was an example of Chapman’s finest design, the Lotus Elite.

On the Simca stand was the Ariane saloon that had recently completed the enormous distance of 200,000km at an average speed of 104.77kph around the Miramas circuit in the South of France between 25 April and 14 July. It was driven by a team of eight drivers and only stopped for fuel and routine servicing. I wonder if the radio stopped working? Whatever, it makes the Ford Anglia septenary slog around Goodwood seem a bit on the ordinary side.

Those who know their cars rate the Talbot 105, designed by Georges Roesch, as one of the world’s most satisfying driving experiences. This Swiss born-and-raised engineer came to England just before war broke out in 1914 to work for Daimler but two years later moved to the Sunbeam, Talbot and Darracq combine where, under the supervision of Louis Coatalen, he designed his first car, the Talbot four-seater known as the 10/23.

After a spell working for Darracq in Paris he returned to Talbot at Barlby Road, London in 1925 and turned his attention to creating a six-cylinder upmarket sports car to be called the 14/45. Launched at the London Motor Show in 1925 it was an immediate hit, with sales running at one hundred cars a month.

Roesch was famous for testing cars personally and often indulged in long arduous journeys across Europe, thinly disguised as summer holidays. Through a series of mechanical upgrades the 14/45 soon gave way to the more powerful ‘75’, this denoting its top speed.

At this point in 1930 Talbot agent Fox and Nicholl Ltd decided that with 60bhp the car was fast and strong enough to race in the Double Twelve two-day event at Brooklands. Roesch increased power output still further, to 90bhp, and things looked good for a straight fight against Bentley. Sadly, driver Rabagliatti made a bad mistake and spun directly in front of team mate Hebeler. His co-driver was killed in the accident along with a spectator who died when the car ploughed through the iron railings and into the crowd. The third team car was immediately withdrawn.

At Le Mans in 1930 the team finished third and fourth with the other car winning the Biennial Cup For Efficiency. In Ireland they won the Tourist Trophy and the Irish International Grand Prix whilst later in the year, at Brooklands, the team took victory in the prestigious 500-Mile Race.

For the following season Roesch unveiled the now famous 105. Road cars gave 100bhp at just 4,500rpm but this was increased by 40 per cent for the three Fox and Nicholl race machines and at Brooklands they finished first, second and third on the road, only to be beaten on handicap by an MG. At Le Mans they again finished third. In 1932 the act was repeated for the third year in a row.















But to some the greatest triumph for Roesch and the Talbot 105 came in the 1932 Coupe des Alpes, a rally considered at the time even harder than the Monte Carlo. The factory-entered cars swept the board with wins in all classes above two litres and best of all, the Team Prize, the first time for a British car since 1923.

In 1935 the Sunbeam, Talbot, Darracq business suffered financial ruin and was taken over by the Rootes Group and a year later the final Roesch Talbot, a 110 Speed Tourer was launched, powered by a wonderful 4.5 litres straight eight engine.

For the most comprehensive history of Roesch and his cars we recommend ‘Georges Roesch and the Invincible Talbot’ written by the late Anthony Blight. Published by Greenville in 1970 and running to 496 pages it is now a collector’s item so expect to pay between £130-£200.

The Talbot Owners Club specialises in all ‘Roesch Talbots’ produced at the Clement Talbot factory in London between 1903 and 1937 - www.talbotownersclub.co.uk

Advertising Feature  

HIDDEN AWAY  in the depths of Oxfordshire is Middle Barton Garage. Best known for its unbounded enthusiasm for the Abarth brand, here a small team of experts prepare, service, restore, supply spares and also sell these exciting classics.

The hot weather combined with a delectable selection of these Fiat-derived cars produced the perfect backdrop to our visit, in fact, little imagination was required to believe we were actually in Italy. The re-launch of the Abarth name has awoken public interest in the original cars and the team at Middle Barton, guided by owner Tony Castle-Miller, are enjoying every minute.

Tel:  +44 (0)1869 340289
E-mail:  carsandparts@middlebartongarage.com
Web:  www.middlebartongarage.com

STIRLING MOSS returned to motor racing after his bad crash during the Belgium Grand Prix in June by winning the 75 km sports car race held at the Karlskoga circuit in Sweden. After a Le Mans-style start his new 2.5 litre Lotus 19 finished six seconds ahead of Jo Bonnier with David Piper in third.

AT THE Portuguese Grand Prix on 14 August Moss was placed fifth at the finish until it was discovered he had driven his Lotus backwards around the circuit. Seems the car went off the road and stalled, as it was an uphill section and thinking the race was over he push-started the car against the traffic. He was disqualified. Brabham once again took the chequered flag, ahead of McLaren, with Jim Clark beginning to show real promise by crossing the line in third. John Surtees had been leading comfortably until,on lap thirty-six, leaking fuel from the front tank caused his foot to slip on the brake pedal (that was his excuse) and he sailed off into the scenery.

MOSS THEN competed in the Tourist Trophy race for production sports cars over 108 laps of Goodwood. The 1960 event was considered easy being only three hours duration, half the 1959 distance. Moss, after another Le Mans-style start and behind the wheel of the now famous dark blue Ferrari 250GT, had little trouble beating Salvadori and Ireland, both in Aston Martins.

WHILE ALL this drama was unfolding the VSCC was holding its annual Silverstone Meeting. Eight ERAs turned up, and Cecil Clutton won his particular race driving the ferocious 1908 G.P. Itala at an average speed of 57.86mph. Patrick Lindsey came first in the All Comers Scratch Race and set FTD behind the wheel of ‘Remus’ at 79.0 mph while during the lunch break Sir Francis and Lady Samuelson put in some gentle laps with the 1914 T.T. Sunbeam. The weather stayed fine and everyone enjoyed the day.

FINALLY, Volkswagen proudly announced its updated ‘Beetle’ which ‘couldn’t freeze and couldn’t boil’, now with 40bhp and a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox. They also claimed a hundred per cent increase in luggage space under the bonnet. Now how did they manage that?

AND I just had to mention Joseph Kittinger who, on 16 August 1960, entered the record books by free-falling from 102,800 ft for four minutes and thirty-six seconds, on the way achieving the fastest ever top speed attained by a human being, reaching a maximum speed of 614mph. It’s true.

European Editor buys classic racer 

WITH OUR COMBINED Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint experience mounting fast, i.e. the trip back to London from Dorset plus a quick trial run on the M1 motorway, we felt ready to go racing so the car was entered first at Monza, then a week later, it was on to the wonderful Italian Silver Flag Hillclimb.

After a full service, well I did check the oil and water, the car disappeared on a trailer towards mainland Europe, thanks to the generosity of Andy Wolfe. Ed and myself followed on by train, arriving after dark at the wonderful Milano Centrali station, which reminds one so much of Grand Central Station in New York, only bigger and err, more Grand.

At the Autodroma next day and after a bout of typical Italian confusion, the car’s papers were found to be in order and our little black Alfa was issued with its first scrutineering ‘passed’ sticker. We could now relax with our friends, Gary and his wife, who were in Italy on their honeymoon. Iona immediately fell in love with the Alfa. Gary is also my plumber, but that’s another story.

On race day one the temperature soared into the thirties, it reminded me that Nick Savage, back at Silverstone, had mentioned it might be a good idea to recore the radiator. Too late now as Ed continued flinging the car through the Rettifillio grinning from ear to ear. And so he might, we were second in class and leading the category. Back in the paddock several knowledgeable Alfa blokes were paying us attention so I lifted the bonnet and checked the water and oil. They seem impressed.

Things were not going so smoothly for some of the other teams, James Wheeler for example was rescued by race organiser Jason Wright who knows all the right people. A quick phone call and essential brake pipes were hastily manufactured overnight and delivered and fitted just in time for Sunday.

If anything the second race was started in even higher temperatures, which was worrying, I kept thinking about radiators, but in the end everything stayed in one piece and Ed crossed the finish line without the remotest of dramas. It was a dream come true. Four months ago I didn’t even own a car, now we were celebrating our first podium finish. And at Monza.

To be continued ……

Editor-in-Chief notes.......

THIS MOST AGREEABLE of ex-airfield racing circuits, situated deep in rural Wiltshire countryside and established way back in 1950, is looking to celebrate its 60th birthday over the weekend of 31 July/1August by staging a unique Diamond Anniversary Meeting.

It has over the years proved itself a quick and demanding track, well-liked by the fast and the famous including Moss, Hawthorn, Salvadori and John Surtees. The lap record, however, was not established until 1997 when ‘classic’ race-driver Nigel Greensall hustled his Tyrell round at a speed of 130.93 mph. Sadly safety issues saw the introduction of two chicanes for the 1999 season making the 1.85 mile circuit significantly slower. The current record of 59.387sec is held by Dan Clarke driving an F3 car.

Noise, a problem it shares with the likes of Monza Park in Italy, has always been an issue with local residents and as a result the British Championships for Formula Three and GT cars were banned. However, the national series for historics, saloons and subdued GT cars always provide packed grids and continues to attract a large following, as does the annual Rallyday (this year on 18 September) where past and present ex-works cars demonstrate their speed and agility in front of an appreciative audience.

Retro-Speed enjoys any excuse for being at Castle Combe; it is a friendly, good value circuit where the ‘club’ atmosphere is still prevalent. Something the enthusiast should treasure.

VARIETY PERFORMANCE  For all images click Gallery top right

Two totally different Retro-Spectives: from Crystal Palace, and the London Earls Court Motor Show.

Right at the end of the life of South London’s wonderful little parkland race circuit at Crystal Palace, the then employment agency Trumps decided to sponsor an unusual event. The plan was for a June evening race-meeting and rock concert to attract a mixed bunch of spectators.

They hadn’t factored in the British summer weather. All day long on 18 June 1971 the rain fell incessantly out of a black sky. Into the evening it continued, getting darker all the time, but those racers who were brave enough took to the track for practice, with the power-boat impressions as seen in the images - click on Gallery at top right of page.

Dave Brodie’s famous black 2.1 litres twin-cam Ford Escort ‘Run Baby Run’ is splashing through North Tower Corner, along with the unusual Mark 2 Ford Cortina of Doc Merfield that was powered by one of the never-raced in period Godiva Coventry Climax V8s bored out to 3 litres. The F3 image makes for sad viewing as the two drivers in their March 713M cars are James Hunt and Roger Williamson.

Not surprisingly, the officials called a halt to the nonsense before practice had finished and that was the end of that. A sad end to a brave venture.

Much more successful was the 1967 edition of the annual London Motor Show that was always held at Earls Court. Shown are: Pininfarina’s Fiat Dino Speciale Coupe along with the Barbarella-like silver leather interior of the amazing Lamborghini Marzal that was powered by what was effectively half a V12 cut longitudinally to make a straight six.

Last but not least, is the UK debut of AC’s almost traditional 428 Coupe that was built on the Cobra chassis to appeal to less sporting instincts.

Dave and Joan Williamson are impressed with the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power. Click top right to see their images   

AS FIRST TIME visitors to this relatively new event, we were impressed. This is a two-day event, but we were only able to visit on the Sunday due to rallying commitments.

After bacon butties and a decent cup of coffee we set off to look around the show. Despite the grey skies there were plenty of visitors and the spacious layout meant ‘the right crowds but no crowding’. If you are looking for Stirling Moss or Jenson Button, then you won’t find them at the POP, yet, but on display in the paddock was a splendid selection of early formula one cars from the Tom Wheatcroft collection at Donington. Amongst these were: Ascari’s double-world-championship-winning 500 Ferrari; three Vanwalls, including the original Thinwall Special (which was probably a Ferrari?); the 16-cylinder BRM Mark Two, this must surely qualify as the noisiest racing car ever, spectators winced as it was started up; and the 8CM Maserati.

An ex-Paddy Hopkirk Mini was there, driven by the present owner, and nearby a very nice 1989 Lancia Delta Integrale which was one of the most successful rally cars of all time. Perhaps the two stars of the paddock were a flame-belching 24-cylinder 1930 Packard aero-engined Bentley, nicknamed ‘Mavis’, and another 12-cylinder aero-engined monster from the Sinsheim Motor Museum in Germany. Barry ‘Whizzo’ Williams was putting himself about and seemed to be driving anything that he could get his hands on, including a Kart at one stage! Justin Law was there with his super fast Lister Jaguar, attempting to beat his record time of 68.4 seconds set at the 2009 POP. Also doing its stuff was a JCB GT Dragster which powered its way down the track raising clouds of smoke which enveloped spectators. The track incidentally is 1.2 miles long and was first used as a stage on the 2006 Tour Britannia.

There was also a superb collection of racing bikes in the paddock – one of the oldest was the 1910 Singer 498CC and amongst the most modern was the Ducati Desmo Sedici MotoGP 2005 bike, which could reach speeds of up to 240mph along the Polo straight. Most of the bikes were out on the track at some time during the day.

Over 120 cars clubs were represented and there were several air displays, including the Breitling Formation wing-walkers (not for the faint-hearted), an R44 Helicopter Aerobatic display and a thrilling tri-services helicopter agility display which involved flying backwards, sideways and sometimes nearly upside-down as the pilots manoeuvred round each other, rotor blades whirling within inches of disaster. Most of the helicopters were on static display and there was a constant succession of small boys (and one or two small girls) to be seen in the pilot’s seat, particularly on the RAF Shawbury stand because Shawbury is the base where pilots are trained to fly these machines.

Cholmondeley Castle has superb gardens, which were also open to the public, and a large lake which hosted power-boat racing and international jet-ski heats and finals. The whole event was much more relaxed than Goodwood – you could get right up to the straw bales to take photos of the track, the tickets represented good value for money and the beer tent provided decent cold beer. And for an hour or two in the afternoon the sun even shone! There also seemed to be little of the traffic chaos experienced around Goodwood as the local police had things well in hand. We certainly recommend a visit!

THE BIG UK event of the month was the opening of the extended Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, just a stone’s throw from London. A modest investment of £40,000 produced a new full-length Grand Prix-acceptable race track with a lap distance of 2.65 miles, plus a host of new features that included: a tunnel leading directly from the paddock to the new all-concrete infield pit area; two bridges; and a pair of grandstands, allowing a large section of the predicted one-hundred-thousand-crowd to watch their heroes in modest comfort. Nobody mentioned toilets. The inaugural meeting, which included a race for F1 cars, was scheduled for the forthcoming August Bank Holiday, organised by the BRSCC and already had entries promised from the majority of the top teams, such as Lotus and Cooper.

ON 16 JULY the annual British Grand Prix took place at Silverstone with the field of twenty-four cars being flagged away by Stirling Moss, who was still recovering from his previous crash at Spa. Jack Brabham started from pole but it was Graham Hill in the BRM who proved fastest on the day. That is until he spun away the lead with just a short distance to go, leaving the Australian to cross the line and take his fourth victory in a row. John Surtees was second with Innes Ireland half-a-minute behind in third.

ANOTHER SMALL but significant step forward in motor sport history came when Stuart Turner was appointed rallies editor of the fledgling motor sport newspaper ‘Motoring News’. He became the first ‘Verglas’.

IN SAILING, Francis Chichester reached New York fifty years’ ago this month to establish a new solo record of just forty days for the Atlantic crossing. While in Russia, Sputnik was launched into space and returned eight days later with the two dogs on board still safe and well, if a little hungry.

European Editor buys classic racer. Part one of a never-ending story 

FOR YEARS I’ve bleated on to those around me about buying a car, a proper car, prepared for competition. But nobody believed me. Why should they? Of course, friends sympathised, “It’s okay Peter, we understand. Just keep writing and taking the pictures. Leave the racing to us.” Cheeky buggers.

And then it happened, yours truly bit the bullet and, spurred on by my good mate Ed McDonough, I stuck two fingers up, bit on my cheroot and did the deed. Easy. Actually it wasn’t easy at all. There would be no story had it been easy.

I love Italian cars, especially Alfa Romeo and in particular, the gorgeous 50’s Giulietta Sprint. Unfortunately, as well as being hard to find in good condition, they command very high prices so when I heard that Ed had imported a more mundane early Berlina TI and remembering the Alfa centenary was just around the corner, I compromised. “Come on, let’s do the old girl up and compete.”

Friends groaned, “It’ll never happen.” Actually they were right but at the same time, they were wrong!

True, the Berlina project never got off the ground. But this was more than offset by the good news. Early in March 2009 I became the proud owner of a genuine race-prepared Giulietta Sprint. It was advertised on the internet by Dorset garage proprietor and ex-racer, Peter Smart, we chatted but then I fell ill and let things slide. By a stroke of luck and unbeknown to me the car was then put on display at Race Retro and spotted by Ed who negotiated a deal on my behalf and paid for it with my money. I was propped up in my sick bed reading an old copy of Motor Sport magazine when the text came through.

Having been informed that I was now the proud owner of a most desirable, but as yet untested, 1957 Alfa Romeo 1300cc Giulietta Sprint Coupe I figured it would cause no offence and be quite reasonable to take a closer look at the beast. Thus, after swallowing a couple of aspirin I made the necessary arrangements to hot foot it down to sunny Dorset. Was I nervous? You bet.

To be continued ........

RING CYCLE 

In these days of race circuit emasculation and tracks seemingly being designed for anything but great racing and spectating, the Nurburgring Nordschleife as we know it today is, in fact, a homogenised safety version of the original. Compared to somewhere like Magny Cours or the current Hockenheim it is obviously majestic but nevertheless it is, in parts, a shadow of its former self.

This all came about because of the appalling accident record in motor-racing during the late 1960s. The cars were becoming much faster but were still relatively frail and the number of driver deaths was giving grave cause for concern. One to speak up was Sir Jackie Stewart and he advocated considerable improvements to circuits to make them safer.

This reached the point where the drivers in effect decided to boycott the Nordscleife in favour of somewhere less dangerous. There was a huge outcry and the Eifel region of Germany could see economic disaster if it lost the annual Grand Prix, so, at vast expense, the Nordschleife was sanitised in 1970/1 with all the worst corners eased and the big bumps flattened. Also included was the addition of Armco barrier where there had previously been none.



In 1969 and 1970 I was lucky enough to visit the original track for the European Touring Car Championship 6 Hours races. These were highly prestigious events with works teams from all the major manufacturers and many privateers making up an entry of some 120 cars.

As can be seen from the pictures, the track was very different to that of today. The Karussel was narrow and steep with no outside viewing and anything from trees to hedges lined most of the 15 miles.

The race was won by the Porsche 911S of Toine Hezemans and Gijs van Lennep, both very much part of Porsche’s driving heritage, after the fancied Turbocharged BMW 2002s both dropped out. The 1300 and 1600 classes were mopped up by Autodelta Alfa Romeo GTAs.

19 JUNE

Spa lived up to its name as the world’s most dangerous circuit when, during the Grand Prix of Belguim, it claimed the lives of two drivers; Alan Stacy crashed after being hit in the face by a bird, while Chris Bristow lost control at Malmedy and died instantly when he was thrown into the surrounding fence. Moss also had a lucky escape but still finished up in hospital with two broken legs, as did Michael Taylor, whose various injuries meant an end to his racing career. Lap speeds during practice were very fast with Brabham averaging 137mph and improving on the lap record by seven seconds. That was incredibly fast. Unlike today, when such mayhem would force the organisers to stop the race, things continued as normal. Jack Brabham crossed the line first in his Cooper Climax chased by Bruce McLaren in a similar car. In sixth and last place was Lucien Bianchi who, incidentally, won the Tour de France three times, in 1957/58/59. He died in 1969 testing an Alfa Romeo T33 at Le Mans.


IN AMERICA on the same day, 19 June, the Charlotte Motor Speedway opened in North Carolina, hosting for the first time the World 600 NASCAR Race. It was won by Joe Lee Johnson. Of course they do things differently in the States and he picked up a substantial $27,000 for taking his Chevy across the line at an average speed of 107.7mph. Not bad for a couple of hours’ work. The year before he had been crowned NASCAR Champion in the, wait for it, Convertible Division. The mind boggles.




BACK IN EUROPE the annual 24-hour battle for sports cars took place at Le Mans over the weekend 25/26 June with only the well-judged drive of Jim Clark and Roy Salvadori in the British Aston Martin DBR1/300 finishing third, breaking the Ferrari stronghold. The V12 Italian cars, with Paul Frere and Olivier Gendebien taking overall honours, claimed six of the top seven places. The best Porsche could do was 11th/12th, just thirty miles behind was the silver MGA Twin Cam driven by Lund and Escott. Four Lotus Elites were entered and two made it across the line to win the Energy Index Class while the three ‘works’ Triumph TRSs held hands for most of the twenty-four hours but in the end were non classified finishers. It was not a classic race, no records were broken, but as usual lots of beer was consumed to keep the heat at bay and everybody but the French went home happy.

Retro-Gnome on the Ford Anglia 105E 

IF EVER A CAR DESERVES classic status it’s the cheeky Ford Anglia 105E. Born at the same time as the Mini, but without the fanfare, it has over the years proved itself an ideal clubman’s race and rally machine, with flexibility proving to be its middle name. Although on the face of it generally boring and uninspired, apart from a few token mid-Atlantic design features such as tail fins and reverse rear window, the £500 family car from Dagenham took on a new personality when the tuning companies got bored with front-wheel drive and looked further afield. In the Anglia they found a car ripe for development as almost every aspect of design lent itself to improvement and ambitious racing drivers, always looking for a performance edge, were quite prepared to pay the price. The happy if boring car with the smiling grille, drum brakes and cross-ply tyres was destined to become a champion. At least, as long as it didn’t rain.

Hard to believe but until 1959 Ford dealers were still bogged down selling a range of small family cars dating back to before the Second World War. They were decidedly funny to look at and strange to drive being upright in stature and fitted with side-valve engine, three-speed gearbox and transverse front springing. No wonder then, that when the new Anglia was introduced with its unburstable, rev-happy OHV engine, ‘proper’ suspension and remote style four-speed gearbox, the loyal Ford buyer jumped for joy. And although sixty miles an hour still took the best part of thirty seconds there was a distinct racy feel about the way it went about its business, best of all, it could stand a good thrashing and keep going long after say, a Mini, so often let down by its cheap and nasty components. In one word, the Ford Anglia 105E was, rugged. Mind you, dial in some rain, a few leaves and a damp road surface and the skinny tyres and live rear axle soon put things into prospective where, unlike the Mini, discipline was/is required to avoid making contact with the surrounding countryside. In the ‘anglebox’ one soon learnt the art of opposite lock and sideways motoring……

Of course the story may have ended differently, but this was the beginning of the ‘swinging sixties’ and a whole generation of ‘boy racers’ wanted more control and power from their cars. For the first time chequered ‘go faster’ tape appeared, along with ‘lowering kits and wheel spacers. Performance could be easily enhanced and acceleration improved by substituting exhaust or carburettor. Family cars intended by the factory to cruise their lives away at a steady fifty-five miles per hour could now be coaxed towards the magic ‘ton’. Better breathing worked wonders. And at weekends the tuning experts, who advertised so profusely in the press, put theory into practise, Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Mallory Park and Goodwood echoed to the sound of ‘souped up’ saloons, their drivers racing wheel-to-wheel, battling for supremacy. Drama and accidents were guaranteed aplenty with many a would-be hero returning home nursing a bad headache.

At launch there were just two options, the basic or utility ‘fleet’ model, devoid of chrome and almost everything else (even the boot lock was reduced to no more than a simple twist and turn Allen-key), and the de-luxe version, by contrast a very smart and more substantial feeling, family-orientated car, well suited to the middle class of Great Britain. At a reasonable £610 it was in direct competition with the old fashioned but much loved Morris Minor and the new swing axle Triumph Herald.

The raked rear window was very fashionable but all-in-all, it was the engine of the new Ford Anglia that set it apart. Here was an over-square, short stroke OHV unit giving 39bhp and 52lbs of torque at just 2,700 rpm. More good news, this chunky engine block had always been designed with increased capacity in mind by using crankshafts of differing throw. Hence, with some minor adjustment the original three bearing 997cc engine soon became available as a 1198cc option. This model was known as the ‘Super’ and featured, among other things, a vinyl roof, wheel trims, cigar lighter and a padded dashboard, very executive. By 1963 the Cortina was in production and the GT version was powered by a substantially stronger, five bearing 1500cc development of the same, original ‘Kent’ engine, producing 78bhp at 5,200rpm. To complete the Cortina line, in the same year Colin Chapman agreed to build a specialist competition twin-cam engine capable of 105bhp and just in case you are wondering about the relevance, all the above could be slotted straight into the little Anglia. And that’s what happened.

Obviously, further associated changes needed to be made if more bhp was to be translated into genuine on-road, or to be more precise on-track performance, such as improved brakes and handling. No problem, the front suspension struts were interchangeable with those from the, still in production, Ford Classic, and guess what? The Classic was fitted with disc brakes as standard. To help it go round corners, tuning company and Ford enthusiasts Superspeed offered a meaty anti-roll bar that connected the independent front suspension units tightly together and reduced unwanted movement, while a set of Koni adjustable shock absorbers and lowered rear springs helped keep the back anchored to the ground. Finally the standard skinny wheels where replaced with wide five and a half J items fitted with Pirelli Cinturato radial ply tyres.

Where money was no object Allards of South London could supply a supercharging kit for less than £70 or, for an all inclusive £750 they would sell you a complete race/rally homologated Anglia Allardette. A car instantly recognisable, not only because of its low stance, engine whine and loud exhaust noise, but because most were finished in two-colour combinations that included mucky brown and white or bright blue and white, with the darker colour giving way to the lighter shade somewhere beyond the front doors. It was, shall we say a very distinctive colour scheme. Inside, the dash was painted matt black while a raft of necessary auxiliary instruments surrounded the re-calibrated speedometer and matching rev-counter. With Halda Twinmaster, a flexi map-light, aircraft-style seat belts and ‘stick on’ number plates it was, as they advertised, the ultimate ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’. By golly they were right.

Ford as a manufacturer saw the value in ‘winning on Sunday, selling on Monday’ and were intent from the word go to prove the Anglia a winner, and in 1959 immediately entered cars on the RAC Rally (Anne Hall won the Ladies Cup) and then the Monte where Graham Hill suffered dynamo failure and then snatching brakes, after which he wisely retired. Anne Hall, however, managed a steady 36th place. The biggest test so far came at Easter 1960 when four cars were entered on the East African Safari. Out of 84 starters only 25 finished, including all four Anglias. This easily gave them the team prize.

In the same year three cars were prepared for a record breaking run at the Goodwood circuit with the aim of covering 10,000 miles in seven days. Each car was fitted with a Halda Speed Pilot allowing better judgement of the required average speed. Among the drivers were Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori and a very young Bruce McLaren. After what must have been the most boring seven days in history two cars, even having had cylinder head changes, achieved their goal. The third car was rolled by Salvadori and required some major body repairs, but even so it managed 9,588 miles within the time limit.

The mid-sixties had its share of publicity stunts and Ford was no exception. An Anglia was driven through every country in Western Europe, starting in Norway to as far south as Sicily, on the road for near twenty-four hours a day and carrying four passengers at all times. Hundreds of drivers were involved until the final man behind the wheel, Stirling Moss, arrived in Vienna, the car having covered a total of 75,000 miles at an average 36mpg. Hard to believe but true.




As a rally car the Anglia was slow, but reliable and very strong. In 1961 Anne Hall won the Ladies Cup on the Monte whilst a lone Anglia was the only under 1500cc car to finish the Liege-Sofia-Liege rally in which out of 85 starters only eight struggled to the end. Proving the point, two years later in 1963 the season began with Sydney Allard winning his class on the Monte Carlo Rally with son Alan second, both driving the infamous Allardettes. On the Safari Rally across Africa an Anglia finished second out of just seven finishers.








But it remains a sad fact that despite its success Ford never took the car seriously and when in 1964 the decision was reached to have a real crack at the European Rally Championship it was an official team of Cortinas that led the charge. Ironic then that Anglias continued to be raced with success right across Europe and North America until in 1966, the car achieved its finest hour by winning the British Saloon Car Championship in the hands of John Fitzpatrick.




Of course every car is finally replaced and come January 1968 the cheeky Ford Anglia had to give way to the sparkly new Escort, but it was still not quite the end. During the year ‘run out’ cars were produced, fitted with lots of handy extras and finished in attractive metallic colours such as Blue Mink, Silver Fox or Amber Gold. Where are they now?

Today Anglias are cheap and cheerful. Even the very best sell for less than £5,000 while most that appear on e-bay or in Classic Car Weekly are up for a mildly optimistic £2,000 or so. The good news then is that youngsters can still buy a ‘starter’ classic that’s fun to drive and inexpensive to run. And most Anglias will now have radial ply tyres and (thank goodness) a heater, unless of course it’s a basic model, as supplied to the police, salesmen and district nurses.

Retro-Speed would like to thank:
Richard Sprigg, Team Double Trouble Ford
Roger Chinery of Affordable Classics who always has a good selection of cars for sale www.affordableclassics.co.uk

For more club enjoyment take a look at:
www.fordanglia105eownersclub.co.uk
www.classic-fords.co.uk

IN 1960 the Tulip rally was much harder than it sounds, starting in Holland and winding its way via the famous Col de Turini before finishing in Monte Carlo. Pat Moss, driving the ‘big’ Healey, URX 727, which she later bought from BMC, won the Ladies Class and completed the course eighth overall. More significant, three Minis were entered and all three finished, a record. Incidentally, the winning Citroen ID19 was badly damaged five miles from the finish but driver Verrier along with Rene Trautmann virtually pushed the car over the finish line. Sounds like a well deserved victory.


BACK HOME at Silverstone forty-year-old Harry Schell crashed badly in practise for the International Trophy Race when his Cooper slid off the track and overturned. He was thrown out and died instantly. Although Moss started on pole, a long ding-dong battle with a determined Innes Ireland resulted in a collapsed front suspension, so once again he was forced to retire. Only three cars finished the race with Ireland leading home Brabham and Graham Hill.


BIGGEST EVENT of the month was arguably the 44th Targa Florio, run over ten laps and a total distance of 720km. Sixty-nine cars started at twenty-second intervals with the slowest and the oldest going first. Then, after a wait of two minutes, the first of the brutish sports cars raced after them. On lap four the leading Bonnier/Herrmann Porsche RS60 made its stop for fuel and a driver change, while Maglioli in the Maserati continued until lap six giving him the advantage. Meantime the weather had improved and cars were now racing on dry roads which gave the Porsche an advantage. Vaccarella now behind the wheel of the Maserati had a stone rupture the petrol tank on lap eight, he ran dry and coasting downhill too fast crashed into a bank. After seven hours and thirty-three minutes Bonnier crossed the line and was declared the winner. ‘Taffy’ von Trips and Phil Hill followed him home in a Ferrari V6 Dino 246 with Gendebien third in another Porsche. A good day for the German team.

FOR THOSE more interested in football the FA Cup Final took place on 8 May with Wolverhampton Wanderers beating Blackburn Rovers 3-0 including an own goal. LEAVING US with just a Royal wedding, when Princess Margaret said yes to Antony Armstrong-Jones. By 1978 she had said no once too often and they divorced.

Words and images by Bob Segui who believes the Nash Healey to be a truly international car  

ONCE YOU OWN A HEALEY a Healey something happens inside, and when you find yourself without one, you find that you want another one. This is what happened to me after selling my award-winning 1959 Austin Healey Sprite a couple of years’ ago. I had owned my Sprite for over thirty years and found that as I got older, I was getting bigger and my car seemed to be getting smaller. I knew that I wanted another Healey and thought it would be pretty cool to have a car that was made the same year I was born. So I started looking at cars by Donald M. Healey (DMH) that were made in 1953.

My search started with the Austin Healey 100. I had seen them at club meets and I even had the privilege, when I lived in San Diego, of taking DMH for a drive in a red 100 when he was visiting a fellow club member in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. I believe that this is the car that he is seen standing next to on the cover of ‘Donald Healey, My World of Cars’. On the plus side, I liked that the car had great lines, was a little bigger and had more horsepower than my Sprite. On the minus side, I ruled the 100 out because I felt I also wanted a car that I could lock and had roll-up windows, so the search continued. I remember seeing Nash Healey roadsters at the 2002 International Meet in Lake Tahoe and started re-reading my Healey books so that I could learn more about this car. DMH in the book Donald Healey, My World of Cars, shared that his company in the late 1940s was in financial trouble and the teaming-up with Nash allowed him to get out of debt and make the Healey 100. I learned that a coupe version was also made in 1953, I liked that the car had roll up windows and that the car could be locked.

The history of the Nash Healey starts in the mid 1940s, WWII had just ended and service men and women were coming home, bringing with them something that was new to America, ‘sports cars’ from Europe.

DMH was building a Riley-powered sports car called the Healey Silverstone. This car was doing well in races in Europe and caught the attention of Briggs Cunningham. DMH was commissioned to build a Healey Silverstone with a new engine from America, a Cadillac engine. This car was very successful and DMH wanted to purchase additional engines from General Motors, so he took a trip to America on the Queen Elizabeth. Looking back, this trip would turn out to be an important event in the continuation and success of DMH’s car company.

In a chance meeting aboard the Queen Elizabeth, DMH met George Mason, the President of the Nash Motor Company. DMH shared that he was on his way to see if he could secure engines from General Motors for the Healey Silverstone. Mr. Mason offered engines if DMH was unsuccessful with GM. Mason knew that having a sports car with the name Nash on it would be a nice addition to the Nash Family of cars. It was through this meeting that the Nash Healey was born and a long-term friendship was established. This chance meeting would turn out to be profitable for both men.

A prototype with a 102 inch wheelbase was designed by DMH and constructed using a body provided by Panel Craft of England. A 234.8-cubic-inch (3.8. litre) high-compression 6-cylinder Nash Ambassador engine was fitted with an aluminium head and two 1¾ inch S.U. Carburettors. A three-speed manual transmission with overdrive was standard. The prototype was shown publicly for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in early fall of 1950. Production of the Panel Craft-bodied Nash Healey began in late 1950 and continued until March 1951 in Warwick, England. The Nash Healey was built in England, but was for export only to the United States, and a total of 104 Roadsters were built. Some people think that the 1953 Corvette made by Chevrolet was the first American Sports Car, the Nash Healey beat it by 2 years. From April 1951 until January 1952 the Nash Healey was not made.
















1950 was the first entry of a Nash Healey at Le Mans. It finished the 24 hours in 4th and in 1951, a Nash Healey finished 6th. Two special-bodied Nash Healeys entered and qualified to race at Le Mans in 1952. One dropped out due to engine trouble, the other finished, beating cars by Aston Martin, Cunningham, Ferrari and Lance. Only two factory-prepared Mercedes-Benz 300SL coupes completed more total miles in the 24 hours than the Nash Healey.

Also in 1952, the Nash Motor Co. had acquired the services of Pininfarina of Turin, Italy to redesign the body for the Nash and Nash Healey. The Nash Healey was truly an international car. The engines were manufactured by Nash at the Kenosha, Wisconsin plant, and then shipped to England where they were installed in the chassis with the ‘trailing link’ front-end suspension. The chassis and engine were then shipped to Turin were they were married to the custom hand-built body by Pininfarina. The new Nash Healey was shown for the first time at the Chicago Automobile Show in February 1952. Only 150 Pininfarina-bodied Nash Healey Roadsters were built that year.

1953 saw the addition of a longer 108 inch-wheelbase hardtop coupe named the Le Mans. This was done to honour the Nash Healey placed 2nd in the 1952 Le Mans Race. Only 162 Nash Healeys were built in 1953, 62 of them being the new Le Mans Hardtop. It was also during this year that the engine was increased to a 258.6-cubic-inch (4.1-litre) and the 2 S.U. Carburettors were replaced with 2 HY Carter Carburettors. The 1953 Nash Healey Hardtop, also known as the Le Mans Hardtop, won first place at the 1953 Italian International Concours d’Elegance held at Tresa, Italy.

In 1954 the roadster was no longer being produced and the LeMans Hardtop went through some minor restyling. Less than 100 cars were built. Production costs were higher than the price for which Nash was able to sell the car in the states and production stopped. Records indicate that 506 Nash Healeys were made between December 1950 and August 1954.

As I mentioned before, this chance meeting aboard the Queen Elizabeth turned out to be profitable for both DMH and George Mason. For DMH it allowed him to get out of debt and to make the Healey 100. For George Mason, the meeting led to a friendship that one day allowed him to be introduced to Len Lord, President of Austin Motorcar Company. George Mason reached an agreement with the Austin Motorcar Company to produce the Nash Metropolitan.

The Nash Healey also has a history on the big and small screen. There have been a few movies where a Nash Healey can be seen, the most famous being Sabrina (1954) starring Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden. And for those that used to watch ‘The Adventures of Superman’, Clark Kent (aka Superman)’ also drove a Nash Healey. It’s pretty cool owning the same make of car that Superman chose to drive.

In 2005 a 1952 Nash Healey was the oldest of five cars selected to appear on the ‘America on the Move 1950s: Sporty Cars’ commemorative postage stamps by the United States Postal Service – the other cars were a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, 1953 Studebaker Starliner, 1953 Kaiser Darrin and 1953 Ford Thunderbird.

If you have the chance to see a Nash Healey at a car show or on the street, stop and look at an international car with a great history.

Note:
If you look at the side close-up of the Nash Healey you will notice the reflection of a yellow car, an Austin Healey 100. Bob believes that if the Nash Healey had not been made, then there is a good chance the Austin Healey 100 would not have been created.

Advertising Feature 

GIVE IT six months and this ultra-modern hotel, open just a month (April 2010) and sited smack in the middle of the old Brooklands circuit, will be right up with the best. There are, admittedly, teething problems but these pale into insignificance when the standard of service, rarely encountered outside Japan and Singapore, is taken into account.

We were met on arrival, helped with check-in, which lies in the centre of the defunct Solomon Straight, and then shown to our room which, incidentally, overlooked what remains of the Railway Straight. And what a room, impressively large with six foot queen-sized bed, fluffy pillows and crisp white sheets. There is also included an abundance of technology and large worktop to help those forced to upload magazine content before sleep, including ample plug sockets, instant internet and a wide screen TV to catch up with the election news. Downside? Nothing but water or tea/coffee to drink, abysmal lighting and a lack of useful chairs.

Nowadays I consider myself a connoisseur of hotel bars, I like them long and busy with a traditional feel, and that’s what we got, although comfortable hideaways are provided for that private conversation. The same could be said for the Brasserie, well appointed, exaggeratedly expansive, very stylish, but not expensive. Sit in the middle if you want to be noticed or slip quietly away into the half-light, there is a choice.

















Breakfast taken in the same restaurant may be buffet style, but the bacon, sausages and scrambled eggs were of the first order, pity then we had to toast our own bread. Just a small niggle and hardly worth comment as we checked out, declined the offer of an umbrella, unneeded as it happened, and made our way the few yards into the helpful arms of the Brooklands Society.

The exclusive four-star Brooklands Hotel and Spa has not forgotten its links with the past and is located next to Mercedes World. It offers a bold art deco experience with Italian-style dining. All rooms measure at least thirty-one square metres and feature walk in rain showers. Very reasonable weekend special offers are available and we are happy to give it an eight out of ten Retro-Speed rating. Many thanks to Gavin Ellis and his colleagues for all their help.
For more information: www.brooklandshotelsurrey.com or telephone +44 (0)1932 335700.

STIRLING MOSS was a household name during the sixties so when he separated from his wife, Katie, and then just days later was stopped for dangerous driving in the Mersey Tunnel the press had a field day. Moss was banned for twelve months (not because of his divorce but for crossing a double white line!) and unable to drive in the UK. He countered, however, by obtaining an American licence which allowed him to continue racing.

He appeared at the Easter Monday Goodwood Meeting where some sixty thousand spectators were treated to a feast of fine racing, supported by an air display given by the ‘Black Arrow’ Hawker Hunters. While in memory of times past a Spitfire and Hurricane indulged in their own dogfight.

Moss, behind the wheel of the Rob Walker Cooper and using his new licence for the first time set a new lap record of 102.13mph but was still beaten into second place by Innes Ireland of Team Lotus.


MEANTIME and thousands of miles away eighty-four optimistic crews were mud-plugging their way 3,400 miles across Africa on the Safari Rally. By the end of the first stage almost fifty cars had retired, including the four Mini Minors, while the field was further depleted when the southern re-route turned out to be worse than that first planned. Needless to say it was a local, Bill Fritschy, behind the wheel of a Mercedes who crossed the line first while congratulations were also in order for John Harrison whose Ford Zephyr was the top British car in third place. Ford also won the team prize.


FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE miles per gallon should come before speed, Mobil once again sponsored the Hants and Berks Economy Drive where a 1670cc Standard Ensign plodded round at an average 40.39mpg, while a Mini achieved no less than 57.15mpg. And this was no slow drive in the country as the two-day route embraced the UK’s most difficult terrain and was set at a rally-style 30mph average. Only standard cars built in this country were allowed to compete.


MOST INTRIGUING event of the month was the second running of the 24-Hour Grand Prix d’Edurance for pedal cars and organised on behalf of Save The Children by Bristol University. Run around the grounds of the College ten teams battled for supremacy. Each lap was nine-sixteenths of a mile and the winner, a Mobo, covered 496 laps, being 93 miles, before the flag fell. An all-girl team set a new record of 6.2mph on their way to second place. At least there was plenty of overtaking.

TAXI!

The Stratos was at the height of its powers in the World Rally Championship when Fiat decided that it needed to showcase a far more prosaic member of its road car range on the stages of the world and plumped for the development of its bread-and-butter 131 saloon.

Ing Sergio Limone and the men at Abarth in Corso Marche, Turin, developed the fabulous 131 Abarth complete with a 16-valve version of the 2 litre Aurelio Lampredi twin-cam motor. The car was immediately competitive and some classic rally years ensued with Ford being their closest competition with their RS1800 Escort.

The 131 was at its ultimate best on tarmac stages, being blindingly quick over the Tour de Corse for instance. Ing Limone admits that Abarth never totally sorted the car’s loose-surface handling, leaving the car with some traction problems on gravel.

Here we see one of Corso Marche’s attempts to solve this problem. The year is 1978 and this is Walter Rohrl on the RAC in his iconic Alitalia-liveried 131. His co-driver, Christian Geistdorfer, is not in the passenger seat but can be seen peering from behind Walter, sitting in the back. The idea of this was to place more weight over the rear-axle and thus hopefully improve rear-wheel grip and traction.

Nobody is certain whether this worked to any great advantage, but Walter had fun at the overnight stops in York when he drove the car around wearing a chauffeur’s peaked cap!

Words and images from Bob Segui, founder in 1980 of the San Diego British Car Club Council 

THE LAST vehicle to be manufactured that carried the ‘Healey Wings’ that made it to the road is the Healey Fiesta. If you are asking, “The Healey What?” read on.

Built in Germany in 1978 as a standard Ford Fiesta and shipped to the USA, it was selected by the Ford Motor Company to be modified into the ‘Healey Fiesta’. The idea came from auto entrepreneur Gary Kohs of Detroit. He thought the Fiesta would be a good candidate for modification into a car that would be competitive with the Mini Cooper. He had a rendering made by artist Harry Weeks of California and presented the idea to Ford, suggesting that Healey Automobile Consultants Ltd. of Warwick, England would be the best company for making the modifications. Ford bought the idea and made arrangements with Donald Healey and his son Geoff.

A stock American-specification 1978 Fiesta was shipped to Healey and body modifications, engine enhancements, a roll cage and unique paint refinements were made. Some of the work on the car was done by the British Company, Broadspeed. Probably the most obvious visual changes were the oversized spoiler under the front bumper (popular in the late 1970s) and the bright British Racing Green paint with yellow pinstripes, which at first glance may have seemed gaudy, but upon further consideration was found to contribute to the car’s personality. The wheels were changed to 13” x 6” Minilites by the Healeys.

Engine modifications included removing the emissions control devices, increasing the compression ratio from 8.5 to 10.1 by using different pistons, fitting the Ford ‘Mexico’ head and using a different camshaft with considerable more valve overlap. The intake manifold was matched to the ports and a Weber 32/36 DGV 2-barrel carburettor was used. The crossflow head exhausts into a fabricated manifold and the advance curve of the distributor was set for the requirements of the engine. These engine modifications produced around 80 bhp at 5500 rpm. The Healeys estimated a peak horsepower of 105 bhp SAE net at 6200 rpm.

Only one Healey Fiesta was made. About the time the Healey Automotbile Consultants Ltd. completed the car, Ford had decided to stop importing the Fiesta to the USA; so plans for production of the Healey Fiesta were dropped. This must have been a disappointment for the Healeys, as the serial number plate on the car’s firewall gives an indication that they were anticipating making more. The car’s Healey serial number is HF-001, indicating they could have made 998 more before running out of numbering spaces. The car also has the original Ford VIN as well. Before sending it back across the ‘pond’ special Healey winged badges were made and put on the car. The car also carries a badge on the firewall and on the instrument panel stating that the car was ‘Designed and Built by:  Healey Automobile Consultants Ltd. Warwick, England’ with Donald Healey’s signature.

When the Fiesta was sent to the Healeys in England, they modified it into what they thought was to become the Healey Fiesta ‘prototype’. The car came back to the US where it was displayed at four 1979 International Automotive Shows and made available to motor sports journalists. While the car was in Los Angeles, Road & Track magazine was able to have the car for a weekend. This resulted in the Healey Fiesta being the featured cover car on the August 1979 issue of Road & Track. Inside that issue was a four-page article describing its history. The car is also mentioned in two of Geoffrey Healey’s books: ‘Healey - The Specials’, with a reverse image photo of it on the back dust jacket; and ‘The Healey Story’. The Road & Track picture and the picture on the dust jacket of the book Healey - The Specials, are the same picture, only reversed. The Healey Fiesta is also featured in a two-page spread in ‘The Healey Book’ by Bill Emerson

After a short time in Ford Motor Company hands, it was put up for sale when they were clearing out some of their concept and show cars. For a period of time it lived in Massachusetts, then in Ohio before making its way to California.

I am the third private custodian of the car. The second person to have the car stated that, “no one should be the sole owner of such a piece of history.” So, you may be asking yourself; “Why one would want to have a one-of-a-kind vehicle?”

It all started back in the early 1980s when I had the opportunity to meet and become friends with Donald Healey. I was living in San Diego at the time and one morning when Donald Healey was visiting the city, I got up early and went to the home in which Donald was a guest and made him breakfast. To say thank you for making him breakfast, Donald signed and personalised a copy of a book I was reading. He wrote a thank you and that my scrambled eggs were good.

Almost twenty years later, when I heard the Healey Fiesta was for sale, I started to look in my Healey books to find out more about the car. It was then I noticed Donald’s words, which he had written during his breakfast, in the book, Healey - The Specials. I also noticed the picture of the Healey Fiesta on the back dust jacket of this book. That was all it took. I immediately flew to Ohio to see the car firsthand, made an offer, and as they say, the rest is history.

The driving impressions written of the Fiesta in its heyday were that it compared to the standard older Mini. It is definitely quicker than a standard Fiesta and is handles better. A friend of mine who owned a Mini Cooper S and drove the Healey Fiesta on the street, compares it favourably to the Cooper in acceleration and braking, even though the Fiesta is somewhat heavier.

The strangest question I have been asked so far is not, “How did you come about getting the car?” but, “Why do you have it?” After about the tenth time hearing that same question, I came up with two answers. The first being, “I was selected by a panel of six judges to have the car” and the second, “Pssst…. Be quiet…. They don’t know it’s gone!”

So, if you see the Healey Fiesta at a British Car Show sometime soon, please don’t ask me, “Why do you have it?” Just know that I am honoured to be its current custodian. Mark Miller of Ohio was correct in that no one can own a piece of history.

Note:
15th Annual Rolling British Car Day, Sunday 18 April
P.F. Chang's Parking Lot, 5621 Passeo del Norte, Carlsbad (take Interstate 5, than Palomar Airport Road East (inland) to Passeo del Norte)
Enjoy a coastal drive, then twisty bits through the back country to our picnic destination, Felicita Park
www.sandiegobritishcarday.org

DO IT YOURSELF  

It’s a chilly, windswept, Saturday 12 April in 1969 and the location is the paddock at Brands Hatch. One of the potential winners of the next day’s BOAC 500kms World Sportscar Championship race chugs slowly up the hill towards the exit in order to get to the pits and track for the final qualifying session. Usually this would be a job undertaken by the mechanics but here the fabulous factory V12 Ferrari 312P is being driven slowly by works driver Chris Amon and in the ‘passenger seat’ is his team mate, the late, great, Mexican, Pedro Rodriguez, wearing his trademark deerstalker.

The pair were to annex second fastest time to put the car in the middle of the front row. In those days the grids were formed up 3-2-3 and on pole was one of three works Porsche 908/3 cars shared by the late Jo Siffert and Brian Redman, whilst on the outside of the front row was the Team Filipinetti Lola T70 Mk 3B GT of the late Jo Bonnier and Herbie Muller. Sadly this car destroyed itself in the race, cartwheeling several times along Bottom Straight with Bonnier at the wheel. Luckily he survived that one.

The 312P may have been quick in practice but the race went to the Porsches, who finished 1-2-3, leaving the Ferrari in fourth. It was not necessarily one of the quickest prototypes from Maranello, but it was certainly one of the best looking.

Richard and Liz Pugh following in the foot-steps of Denis Jenkinson  

WITH HINDSIGHT, doing a four-day bash around Europe in deepest winter, with a route which included Bavaria and The Black Forest when heavy snow had been forecast, may not have been the brightest idea, especially using our BMW 325i. Not exactly the best means of transport, when the white stuff is around.

My bed time reading for our trip: the recollections of Jenks taken from the late 1950s and 60s as he reported from Europe for Motor Sport. As a young twenty something I used to think that belting around the continent in a Porsche 356 or a Jaguar E-Type was the thing of dreams.

The purpose of our little jaunt was to take in three museums. The first was the Audi museum in Ingolstadt. (Hands up those who can name the four marques that make up the Audi rings?) The museum was sponsoring an exhibition of the Silver Arrows. Or in other words, the pre-war German racing cars funded in part by the National Socialist Party of Germany in the years to 1939, with encouragement from a certain Reich Chancellor. Second, was the Porsche museum in Stuttgart which was celebrating its first birthday. And third, the Schlumpf collection in Mulhouse to see the largest collection of Bugatti cars in the world and a lot more.

Boarding the 8.30am P&O ferry from Dover, after just ninety minutes down the M20 from London, was a change from the tunnel. Jenks, I imagine, would have taken the A20 via Maidstone, Ashford, etc.

Out of Calais and quickly up-to-speed on the A16 heading east towards our first night stop in Heidelberg on the banks of the Necker. Through the Eiffel mountains, passing Spa ‘Franco chaps’ and the Nurburgring and into the bar for a cheeky beer at 5pm.

Preparing for the trip and mindful that, for our hard-earned cash, BMW does not give you a spare wheel, a jack or even a wheel brace, I had bought a spare tyre and wheel. Well, to be more accurate, a spare front tyre and a rear wheel. Someone might have mentioned they are a different size! Jenks, I imagine, would have been blessed with a good set of Pirelli Cinturatos, a jack and wheel brace. Neither would he have had to contend with bloody security wheel nuts!

A quick blat from Heidelberg got us into the Audi museum for lunch. We were given a warm welcome and grabbed a coffee in the most magnificent café. The museum was hugely impressive and took you through the history of the German motor industry. Our pipe-smoking foreign correspondent would have approved of the fine display of DKW motor cycles. But we had come to see and learn about the Silver Arrows. The special exhibition, which is only on for three months, is staged with the co-operation of Mercedes and Audi. Ironic, given that during the pre-war years of racing they hated each other. The first time these cars have all been at the same place since 1939.

During the war the cars were stored and after 1945 some were put up as part of the reparations and fell into disrepair. There are numerous tales of how they were unearthed and subsequently restored. One of the Ferdinand Porsche-designed Auto Union cars was found in the Ukraine some years back and sold in America in 2009 for £5.5 million! If I had a critism at all, it would be that magnificent as they now look, are they.perhaps a little over restored?

We woke the next morning to a thick carpet of snow and we had to get to Stuttgart. Our three-museum-tour was in danger of becoming a one-museum-tour. We slithered and skidded our way to the autobahn, more with hope than expectation, and joined everyone else at 35kph for about an hour, when we ground to a halt. With some nifty map work (no sat nav thank you) we managed to by-pass the autobahn system for some miles and re-join about 60km from Stuttgart. It had been a very long and nerve-racking morning but we eventually arrived at the Porsche museum in Zuffenhausen. One would have thought aliens from another planet had landed.

Straight up to the magnificent restaurant. Everything about the whole place just showed such attention to detail in every respect. We would be happy to return just for the restaurant. Ah yes, the cars.

As expected, the display took one through every marque since 1948 and reminded you of the history and background of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche. The Le Mans group C cars, the whole 911 story, etc. Did you know that both Ferry and father were imprisoned by the French in 1946? Porsche fanatic Jenks would have been impressed to see a number of fine examples of his beloved 356. What, however, would he have made of the V8 Panamera hatch-back? Not only has it got four seats but the engine is cooled with water …. sacre bleu!

Snow was falling, it was getting dark and we had some miles to cover to Freiberg in The Black Forest. This was beginning to feel like a seriously bad idea and being stuck for the night was starting to look a real possibility. Jenks would have managed very well in his 356 with winter tyres, but our low-profile Bridgestones were next to useless. (Please someone remind me why we have 40 aspect tyres on road cars?) Slowly, however, the kilometres ticked by and we made it to our hotel in time for dinner, after a minor detour to the bar to calm the nerves.

Down to Mulhouse in the morning to The Schlumpf Museum. The fascinating story of the mill-owning brothers has been written up many times but it is a must for anyone passing that part of the world. The excellent audio system talks you through the things you wish to listen to and learn about. The range of exhibits is breath-taking, from the Bugatti Royale (often called the Coupe de Patron, Ed-in-Chief) to the winning Jim Clarke Lotus 25 and the whole range of Type 35 Bugattis. Even one of the unrestored Mercedes and Auto Union Silver Arrows is on display, along with the history of Ettore Bugatti and much, much more.

Out of Mulhouse, snow behind us, over the Rhein and on to the autoroute for a fast trip home via the tunnel. Yes, Jenks … a tunnel under the Channel.

Anybody need a rear tyre for a 325i?

Note:
The four Audi rings:  Audi, Horch, Wanderer and DKW were absorbed into the Auto Union in 1932.

THE MOST important news this month fifty years ago was that Elvis Presley had completed his national service and was back in the recording studio, but teenagers had to wait until July before the number one hit ‘It’s Now Or Never’ would be released.

BACK ON the race track the press was making a fuss of champion motor cyclist John Surtees, who was making his debut at Goodwood driving a Cooper. But although he tried hard in the wet conditions it was another up and coming star, Jim Clark in the Lotus, who set a new lap record of 90.38mph on his way to winning the ten-lap Formula Junior race.




ON THE same day, 19 March, the Gran Premio Siracusa took place for Formula Two cars on the 5.5 kilometre road circuit, it was also raining.

Moss had been fastest in practise driving a Porsche, with Innes Ireland in the Lotus half a second slower. The third car making up the front row was the Cooper of Gendebein. For the opening laps on Sunday, Moss once again proved he could out drive the opposition in a less powerful car and on lap 20 he held a ten second advantage. Sadly, he also reinforced his reputation as a car breaker when on lap 25 the engine dropped a valve and Taffy von Trips in the Ferrari passed him to take the lead and go on to win. Of the eighteen starters, ten were privately entered Coopers.

BACK HOME the Cambridge Motor Club organised a speed trial at Snetterton on 6 March that consisted of a flat-out section of track followed by a spin round the pylons and back to the paddock via a chicane. All good club-level fun. Peter Westbury turned up with a Formula 2 racing car while everyone else was happy to race what they owned. Strangely, fastest time of the day was shared between the Cooper and an Aston Martin DB3S.

FOR THE motorist who enjoyed touring the traffic-free roads of Europe the Royal Automobile Club issued their latest Continental Handbook which contained 640 pages of information. Members paid 6/6d while non-members had to stump up 10/6d.

FINALLY, on 7 March ATV put on a programme about racing drivers, with Gordon Wilkins interviewing Moss, Brabham, Flockhart and ‘Lofty’ England. It was supported with footage of Fangio showing everyone the correct way round Monza.

LAURENCE POMEROY, son of the famous designer who put his name to many early Vauxhalls including the Prince Henry and 30/98, donated the Trophy that bears his name to the VSCC in 1946, a year before he became their President.

The Trophy itself is a model of a 1914 Vauxhall 4½ litre Grand Prix car constructed by the late master model maker, Mr. Rex Hayes, while the rules, designed to establish ‘the best kind of fast touring car’, were created by Pomeroy and Cecil Clutton, that wonderful Edwardian character who continued to race well into his eighties and always with the same car.

Competitors had to complete a series of tasks as follows:  first came the one-hour High Speed Trial, followed by the steering test, and quarter mile sprint. On the Sunday crews drove to Cheltenham where a road section through the Cotswolds had to be completed using as little fuel as possible. The winner was created from adding together the total marks lost.

Today the event still carries on the tradition and as William Boddy stated not that long ago, “It’s still a reasonable way of arriving at the conclusion as to which vintage or modern car would make the right choice.”

Click to view Gallery of 2010 VSCC Pomeroy Trophy, 27 February

More 2010 VSCC events at www.vscc.co.uk

Retro-Gnome on Brooklands  

MOST OF OUR READERS are too young to have visited Brooklands in its heyday, while those of you who did probably can’t remember what they were doing five minutes’ ago let alone in 1933. It is not in the least patronising, therefore, just to run over a few facts.

The construction of Brooklands Motor Course, situated on the estate of Mr. H. F. Locke King in deepest rural Surrey, began in autumn 1906 and was completed ready for Stanley Edge to make an attack on the international twenty-four-hour record in June of the following year.

The first race meeting held on 6 July (prize money, £15,000) was considered a bit of a failure as only four thousand spectators bothered to turn up. With this in mind Locke King must have given a sigh of relief when approached by Alliott Verdon Roe, who realised the potential of using the unused inner track area as an airfield.

In 1921 a two-hundred-mile race took place, won by Major Segrave at 88.82mph and in August of 1926 the circuit hosted the inaugural British Grand Prix, where Britain’s now favourite driver, Segrave, was narrowly beaten by the Senechal/Wagner Delage.

By the early 1930s Brooklands had established itself as the major European sporting arena and manufacturers such as Bentley, on the back of their Le Mans victories, enjoyed their own celebrity races. Now the amateur had to give way to the true professional and the paying spectator watched excitedly as the likes of Birkin, Dunfee and Kaye Don vied for fastest time.

A black and white map of the circuit from 1932 shows how the original three and a quarter mile circuit had, over such a short space of time, developed into the epicentre of forward engineering. Nobody could argue that when bad weather made flying and testing impossible the ‘Bluebird Café’ became host to the most vibrant and creative conversation in the world.

On a typical race day it would, I think, be quite fair to compare the Brooklands atmosphere with that of today’s faintly ridiculous Goodwood imitation. It was expensive for the family man and very exclusive, two-and-six to get in and a further ten bob for the paddock. Whoever termed the phrase ‘No crowding and the right crowd’ was a cynic of the first order.

This is not really the time or place to relate in detail the many amusing and tragic episodes that took place side-by-side at Brooklands, instead I refer you to a couple of books on the subject:  The History of Brooklands Motor Course by William Boddy and, for those who have flying in their blood, Wings Over Brooklands by Howard Johnson.

The track was closed for racing after The Third August Outer-Circuit Race on the eve of war in 1939 and looking at the programme I see thirteen cars started and a Graham-Paige driven by Mr. G. Baker was first to cross the line having averaged 99.46 mph.

But this was not the end. In late 1935 the prototype Hawker Hurricane, mainstay of the Battle of Britain, became the first of thousands to be taken by road from the Kingston factory, finally assembled and then test flown from Brooklands. And soon after Vickers Armstrong opened a factory where the Barnes Wallis-designed Wellingtons began rolling off the production line. In fact, so important did Brooklands become as part of the war effort on 4 September 1940 the Luftwaffe bombed it. In a matter of minutes 83 workers were dead and 419 lay badly injured when one bomb scored a direct hit on the machine shop. However, production continued and aircraft deliveries were not unduly affected.

When peace returned the circuit was purchased by a group of enthusiasts (shades of Donnington?) but it was a hopeless cause and in January 1946 the track was sold to Vickers Armstrong by The British Racing Drivers Club, Brooklands (Weybridge) Ltd. And that, basically, was that. Until now.

Today Brooklands although surrounded by housing estates and supermarkets is once again recognised as the ‘spiritual’ home of motor racing and most weekends enthusiastic car clubs make use of the track remains, including part of the old banking, and, of course, the Test Hill. They also visit the fine Museum. In closing we should take time to thank Mercedes, who now own Brooklands, for creating a spectacular visitor centre where their products can be admired, driven and tested in much the same spirit as did the pioneer motorists with Sunbeam and Bentley all those years ago.

PS

Reading deeper into Brooklands’ history threw up some very interesting facts. For example, at that last pre-war race meeting there were two events for veteran cars. The first race (winning average 22mph) included such fine vehicles as: 1897 Leon Bollee, 1899 Panhard, 1899 Stanley Locomobile, 1899 Century Tandem and a 1899 De Dion Bouton. Twenty-five cars in all were entered and although it sounds mighty improbable, the winner was a 1901 Ariel Tricycle.

The second race featured cars built between 1902 and 1904. As before, all vehicles had to be in touring trim and as turned out by the manufacturer ready for the road. Winner was Mr. F.W. Hutton-Stott, Jnr. driving a 1902 Wolseley.

Further investigation reveals the winner of race one was the first of its type fitted with a water-cooled cylinder head while the Wolseley was a special raised suspension model, exported to India. So even then, the game of one-upmanship had begun.

Bruce McLaren won the Argentine Grand Prix, held at the Autodromo at Buenos Aires on 7 February, his Cooper-Climax covering the 312kms at an average speed of 133.208kph.

Graham Hill was having his first drive for B.R.M. but the car hated the extremely high temperatures as did the Lotus of Alan Stacy. Moss also broke his Rob Walker-entered Cooper-Climax but such were the rules he took over the other team car bumping off Trintignant in the process and finished third. Imagine one driver handing his car over today!

Brands Hatch Circuit announced their plans to create a ‘proper’ Grand Prix circuit. The old track was to be extended from a very short 1.24 miles to 2.7 miles and would include a completely new loop turning 170 degrees left from Bottom Bend and heading out into the country before returning to the finishing straight via Clearways. First race was scheduled for August Bank Holiday.

The National status Cat’s Eyes Rally organised by the Thames Estuary Motor Club featured two start points, one in Essex (Lamb’s Garage) and the other in Northamptonshire (Ace Service Station, Weedon). After an easy run in to Oxford, crews faced a navigational section around the Cotswolds, set at a 30mph average with several check-points. Naturally as the night wore on things got more difficult as bad weather had swollen several fords, making them almost impassable. Somehow more plot and bash led competitors into the area around Hemel Hempstead before proceeding to North Weald Airfield for a series of driving tests. Pat Moss was on very good form. The Rally finished at Southend Airport where the Cat’s Eyes and Noilly Pratt Trophies were handed to winner, Robin Richards in his Riley 1.5, ably navigated by Mr. G. C. Davies. First individual team was Ecurie Mickey Mouse.

On a slightly different front the motoring public were introduced to a N.S.U. Wankel rotary engine for the first time, although 27bhp at 17,000rpm from 125cc was a bit lame. Funny, but apart very few reciprocating parts the rotary engine has been a waste of time. Why did Mazda not give up the fight before now?

Retro-Gnome on MGBs  

THINK MGB GT and what springs to mind; the open road, everlasting sunshine, hidden villages, thatched cottages, lots of friendly bonhomie? Or degenerating bodyshells left to slowly rot and rust away in the back yard.

Fact is, these are very good and incredibly cheap ‘classics’ that, if cared for, motor on forever. But don’t tell anyone because they are so tempting I might just buy one. And while the open roadster is the natural summer choice the GT fixed-head coupe is much the better, all round practical proposition. Anyway, it’s faster and does more miles to the gallon.

Over the years I’ve lost count of how many of these cars I have driven, some good, some very good and quite a few which, if truth be told, should never have been on the road. Recently I got behind the wheel of a low mileage, well-loved 1972 example, sensibly modified with full length sunroof, alloy wheels and a nice Moto-Lita wood-rim steering wheel. And guess what? I loved every minute.

The first MGB roadsters were registered in 1962, followed by the GT three years later. During 1967 the car received a make-over, leather was replaced by retrograde vinyl but received in return an alternator and a new, stronger gearbox with the option of automatic transmission. Soon afterwards, when British Leyland took over, rumours started circulating that production was to be moved and the evocative birthplace of MG, the Abingdon Works, would close. Luckily, at least for the time being, it proved untrue and the purists heaved a sigh of relief.

The biggest market for the MGB was North America and ever-changing, more restrictive legislation dictated design changes that did the cars no favours at all. In 1970 the car received a recessed grille, rocker switches and Rostyle wheels and 1972 saw the carburettors being changed to meet new US emission laws. A year later, brushed nylon trim was introduced as well as alarming new orange and yellow paint schemes. But it was to get worse when in 1974 rubber bumpers appeared for the first time and the ride height was increased. Oh dear, oh dear. A Jubilee Edition held up sales but the fitting of a single Stromberg carburettor and catalytic converter in America made it quicker to wait for a bus.

In 1980 Michael Edwards became a hated man when he first decided to close Abingdon forever and then watch as the MG range was finally allowed to die with only a modicum of dignity. British Leyland was in turmoil, with bad publicity, strikes and poor quality control dragging the Company into an abyss from which it would never recover.

However, the MGB and in particular the later unwanted ‘rubber bumper’ GT versions have an important role to play as a starter classic for youngsters. Those of us who can pick and choose from a range of exotica would do well to remember that, without these cheap and unloved sports cars the next generation would simply miss out on a whole generation of British classics. Bad enough that the government has already usurped their chances of obtaining a driving licence by destroying a whole raft of small affordable cars under the name of ‘scrappage’.

But what are MGB GTs like to drive? Well, for those who live in a vacuous world of air conditioning and blue tooth they are uncomfortable, noisy and the steering is hard work, while the cart spring suspension is guaranteed to loosen teeth and bring on a headache. At the same time the twin 6 volt batteries are impossible to reach, will go flat overnight and even on a good day something is liable to fall off. Naturally the purists love these deficiencies to bits, they call it ‘character’.

On the upside people smile at you, the brakes are pretty good and there is plenty of room among the shopping for a set of tools and jump leads. Insurance is cheap, road fund licence probably zero, spares are easy to find and an ‘in tune’ car will return thirty-five to the gallon on its way to an easy 100 mph. Just make sure the tyres are in good condition. Even the rubber bumpers serve a purpose in Tesco’s car park.

Once behind the wheel it’s comforting to find an array of Smiths chrome bezel instruments, whether they work or not is another matter. Turn the key and the motor should cough once or twice before bursting into life and sending a series of shock waves through the bodyshell. This will reduce to a gentle rocking motion as the B Series engine settles down. Oil pressure will rise and fall in sympathy as will the needle on the fuel gauge. Trust is at a premium when driving an MG.

I like the gear change but the clutch throw is exaggerated, one needs long legs and short arms as the steering wheel, in true vintage fashion, nestles against the stomach. I also love the overdrive on third and top gears. Was it standard? Not sure. Anyway, when cruising it provides a useful extra two ratios. Be careful though when changing down as neglecting to knock it out when selecting second speed sets off all sorts of nasty metallic clonks. And talking of clonks, expect one from the prop shaft, although the tone is less alarming.

When it rains you will be glad you opted for the Coupe over the roadster as the leaks are restricted to the lower levels so your head and shoulders stay dry. The wipers on this car are two-speed and efficient washer jets soon clear the screen, while keeping the small front quarter lights open allows just sufficient breeze to stop the windows from misting up.

Handling is very basic as one would expect from an English car and in the wet the car will easily slide and try to spin – how did drivers cope in icy conditions when only Dunlop C41s were available? This is, of course, just another helping of ‘character’ and should not be taken seriously.



From the above you may think me not a great fan of the MG but that would be a wrong conclusion. I have travelled in the passenger seat of such a car all the way from Liege in Belgium to Istanbul, and back again, at rally speeds, covering 5,000 miles in ten days over some of the worst tracks that Turkey, Greece and Slovenia had to offer.

The car never once protested and at the finish was eager to do the trip again, which I had no intention of doing. But at my time of life, would I go out and buy another one? Why should I, there is already one in the garage.





Clubs:
www.mgownersclub.co.uk
www.mgcc.co.uk

Spares:
www.ukmgparts.com

Peter Collins on the Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia. Click to see Gallery

BY THE MID-1930s Benito Mussolini’s increasingly bellicose actions and his encouragement of Italian re-armament had prioritised the country’s industrial output increasingly to the military. For Alfa Romeo this meant more emphasis on their traditional aircraft engine business with the effect that, according to Fusi, in 1936, Alfa only produced eighteen cars all year.

Two years before, at the Milan Motor Show, an entirely new Alfa had been announced. This was the 6C 2300; the genius Jano had completely reworked the old six cylinder 1900 motor and now, with two Solex carburettors, the new engine produced 68 bhp at 4400 rpm. One year on and further development was enough for the series to be re-titled 6C 2300 B. With independent suspension all round this was a serious step towards a modern Alfa that would be the basis of the Company’s passenger-car output for the years ahead. The emphasis on re-armament did not help and it was to take until 1937 before any sort of significant numbers were produced.

Carrozzeria Touring had been taken on to help and four-door saloons designed by them had appeared in 1934/5 which proved popular as well as relatively cheap and easy to make but the impetus of the increased pace of industrial output and Alfa’s success in races such as the Mille Miglia had caused development rates for Alfa’s engines to increase and in 1937 a 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia emerged from Portello that made use of the more powerful motor and more efficient, lighter bodywork construction methods.

Hey presto! The car you see here was introduced to a startled world. In addition to the bodywork, with much co-operation from Carrozzeria Touring, the new car was light and powerful. The 6C Mille Miglia was Touring’s first use of what was to become their trademark bodywork construction method called Superleggera. This involved a light frame of thin steel tubes which could be covered by an aluminium skin.

The method allowed Touring’s designers much more freedom and the results can clearly be seen with this fabulous Mille Miglia. The tapering bodywork towards the rear and the way the almost art deco strakes over the rear wheels blends round into the tail, were indications of the direction the Carrozzeria was to lean in its designs through the years immediately after the finish of the war.

With its more powerful motor developing 105 bhp and ultra-light construction helped by such detail as the skimpily-framed seats, plus the use of Plexiglas in the side and rear windows, the 1937 prototype was entered for the Mille Miglia. It finished fourth in the hands of Giovanbattista Guidotti and Ercole Boratto, who was Mussolini’s personal driver. The car went on to win the Bengazi-Tripoli race in December 1937 with Boratto at an average 134 kph for the 1,020 km event.

The exquisite example you see here comes from the next year of production, 1938, when just over 100 of these 6C 2300 B MMs were produced. It was clearly an Alfa Romeo of the future, but, typical of the company, owed its origins to the past.

I would like to thank Eddie McGuire for his whole-hearted assistance and the Bonfantis for allowing the use of their car. Their museum, Museo Bonfanti in the northern outskirts of Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto, enjoys an ever-changing selection of automotive exhibitions and is a must-see venue if you are ever in the area.

The Monte Carlo Rally was won by Walter Schock and a clean sweep for Mercedes, they finished first, second, third and fifth. Naturally, they also won the Team prize. The cars were fuel-injected and featured limited slip diffs. Highest place British car was the Sunbeam Rapier, driven by Peter Harper and navigated by Raymond Baxter, which split the German cars by finishing in fourth place. Incidentally, such was the popularity of this event that not only did the radio feature regular reports but both the BBC and ITV showed the event on television.








The Buenos Aires 1,000 kms in far away Argentina was another factory walk-over, this time for Ferrari when Phil Hill drove his 3 Litre V12 into first place ahead of team mate ‘Taffy’ Von Trips.





Nearer home the Motor Cycling Club held its thirty-fifth Exeter Trial. From three start points: Kenilworth, Longford and Launceston, competitors travelled via the Pin Hill climb to Deller’s Café in Exeter where a splendid fried breakfast was on offer. There followed a series of tough challenges that included Tillerton, Fingles Bridge, Simms and Waterloo before the finish at Weymouth. Sadly Simms had been partially tarmaced by the local council so was a doddle whereas Waterloo, although dry, still remained difficult and many cars failed to reach the top. At the seaside finish fifty-six crews claimed first class awards.

Away from the mud and six volt-charging systems The Chequered Flag opened their new premises in Edgware, North London, claiming it as the country’s only centre for grand touring and competition cars.

Motoring News, the only weekly motoring newspaper, carried out a survey on caravans. What! I don’t believe it.

While Alexander Conversions offered tuning kits for most family cars as well as anti-roll bars and an overdrive conversion for the Ford 100E - very interesting.

The New Zealand Grand Prix was won by Jack Braham after Moss once again was forced to retire.

The agenda for the Annual Conference of the Royal Automobile Club (in 1966 they controlled UK motor sport) was finalised and fireworks were predicted as competitors demanded a better, more qualified organisation. It was possible, for example, for more than one rally to pass through the same area at the same time such was the popularity of the sport and the lack of organisation.

In January 1960 the RAF was advertising for Aircraft Controllers. The pay, once one had qualified, was a stonking £13.6s.0d a week but meals and accommodation were free so maybe it wasn’t such a bad deal. Only thing I don’t understand, what did an Aircraft Controller actually do?

Retro-Speed wishes you Happy Motor Sporting New Year

Dan MacIntosh’s unabridged account of the early days.   

MANY PEOPLE over the years thought that Jim Clark was a ‘Borderer’ when he was in fact a ‘Fifer’ and very proud of it. Jim was born on 4 March 1936 at Wester Kilmany Farm in the village of Kilmany Fife where his father James moved to in 1931 taking over the tenancy of the farm on the Anstruther-Gray Estate part of a 1,000-acre hill farm on the southern slopes of the Ochil Hills in Kinross-shire. Wester Kilmany was an arable farm and gave Mr Clark the opportunity to grow cereals as well as being good grazing ground. Mr Clark was a very good farmer and stocksman knowing a good beast, be it sheep or cattle, buying all his cattle from Ireland to fatten off Jim’s grandfather and uncle who also farmed in Kinross-shire so it was a real farming family that Jim was part of. Jim was the youngest of a family of five, having four sisters, Mattie, Susan, Isobel and Betty. Mr Clark and his wife Helen were married in 1924 Mr Clark was an Elder and Session Clerk in the local Kirk this meant that the family was brought up in the Scottish Presbyterian Faith having a good idea of what was right and what was wrong, fair or unfair, where your word was your bond like so many Scottish families whither they were churchgoers or no.

Mr Clark fought in The Great War joining the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry when he was seventeen years old like so many young men who worked around Kinross-shire. Mr Clark was captured near the end of the War and held prisoner at a coal mine in Germany until the end the War. I recall an old friend Mr Duncan Rose telling me that there were eight workers on the farms on a large Estate in Kinross-shire he being one. He also joined the Fife and Yeomanry and went to the War but was the only one to come back. So many young men of that generation paid the ultimate price in a war to end all wars, supposedly.

Jim and Betty, who was three years older, went to the wee village primary school only about five hundred yards from home, with all the other children from the village and surrounding farms. I mind a few years’ ago talking to two men who as boys played with Jim, shoving him everywhere in his wee pedal car they used to shove him to the top of the brae at the farm then he would shoot down across then main Tay Ferry road and along the wee road to the school with his legs going like the clappers. Even at such an early age Jim liked speed and when I suggested that they surely were Jim’s first mechanics they laughed saying, “aye a suppose we were.”

Jim was not the only one in later years destined to become a World Champion because Geordie Wilson would go onto become World Horse Shoeing Champion and another boy David Rollo would go onto play International Rugby as a prop forward for Scotland and I think maybe the British Lions. Aye no bad for a wee village primary school from Fife.

In 1942 when Jim was six years old the Clark Family left Kilmany to start a new life farming in the Scottish Borders at Edington Mains Farm, Chirnside, Berwick-shire.

 

Less is more 

Peter Collins on the ultimate Aston Martin. Click on gallery top right to view images.

“For sheer performance, the Aston Martin DB4GT must be the car of the show” said John Bolster in his 1959 Earls Court Motor Show report in Autosport magazine. He was, as usual, right on the money. With its 3.7 litre six-cylinder engine giving 302 bhp and a smaller and lighter body than its sibling DB4 it had serious potential.

After the Second World War entrepreneur David Brown was looking for a business to sink some money into that he felt would be a good investment and a classified advertisement in The Times newspaper, offering the Aston Martin car company for sale, caught his eye. He was an enthusiast of British sports cars and Aston in particular so for an alleged outlay of £10,000 he bought the company. He also acquired Lagonda and with it, an engine. Combining this unit with a new coupe resulted in the DB2 and the new, revitalised Aston Martin was once again reborn, lack of finance being a recurring theme throughout the company’s history. The ‘DB’ appellation refers to David Brown and by the time the DB2/4 was on the road manager John Wyer – later to run the classic Gulf Porsche 917 race team – was thinking of the future.

Aston couldn’t keep making warmed over DB2s for ever so, in 1955, he called in Pole Tadek Marek to design a new engine for a new range of cars. Marek insisted that it should have an iron block for durability although Wyer was disappointed as his mind was heading down the potential race car road. In the end there wasn’t a choice, as the Birmingham company approached to assist with development told Aston there would be an eigtheen month wait as they were stacked up with work, but if they didn’t mind modelling the block in alloy their sister business down the road was looking for work and would be only too happy to assist.

The result was the classic Aston twin-cam straight-six of 3.7 litres capacity and at the 1958 London Motor Show it made its debut under the bonnet of the new DB4, which was launched to huge press and public acclaim. Propitiously, the next year at Le Mans, Aston won the 24 Hour grind after many years of trying and David Brown then put a stop to the vast expenditure that sportscar racing caused.

John Wyer, however, was a born and bred ‘racing improves the breed’ man and hankered after a return to the race tracks. Almost before the DB4 went public he had instigated the development of a smaller, lightweight version that was to be known as the DB4GT and one of these is featured here.

Only 75 were built altogether and they were conceived as a sporting carriage for gentlemen who may also wish to race at the weekends. The engineers at Aston Martin had taken the DB4 as a base and had shortened the chassis by 5 inches and reduced the weight by 100kg. The roofline was also lowered. The result was strictly a two-seat car and was powered by a much improved version of the 3.7 six that incorporated triple Webers, dual ignition, bigger valves and high-lift camshafts. Power was up from 260 to 302bhp and depending on the axle-ratio, it was possible to achieve a genuine 170mph. The bodies were still constructed on the Touring Superleggera principle but out of thinner gauge alloy than the DB4.

Months before the launch of the car Stirling Moss took the prototype to a win in the GT race accompanying the 1959 International Trophy at Silverstone and also used one at the Nassau Speed Weeks in November to win one of the heats. Into 1960 he again won in the Aston at the Goodwood International “as expected” according to Gregor Grant in Autosport, adding that it, “provided Stirling Moss with the opportunity of showing how rapid the Aston Martin DB4GT is.”

Our featured example, chassis 0145, sits on gorgeous factory Borrani wire-wheels, with its tightly sculpted bodywork in suitable British racing Goodwood green. The interior in fawn Connolly leather, now beautifully patinated, was originally sold to one Mark Garnier of Sheffield on 22 April 22 1961.

After 1,931 miles he took it back for its first service in June where, other than general fettling, a new speedo was fitted. It then settled down and passed through subsequent owners but crucially was never rebuilt and it remains as a very rare example of one of these very fast Astons in original condition with its original engine.

Sitting in the creased and comfortable driver’s seat as the car snarls forward, operating the short gear-lever controlling the four-speed box feels exquisitely mechanical and delightfully well-oiled in motion as the Webers snort and this high-speed carriage lunges for the horizon and the red-line.

This is a superb example of the ultimate Aston Martin and that includes the Zagato, and I express my thanks to Cars International of Kensington.

 

The First Grand Prix of the United States  
Sebring in Florida, an airfield circuit 5.2 miles long, hosted the first Grand Prix of America run on 12 December and attracted eighteen starters with Stirling Moss on pole in the Cooper Climax, three seconds faster than Jack Brabham in a similar car. Phil Hill, first American and in one of four Ferraris was down in eighth place. Most surprising entry was a Maserati 250F. It was probably a good thing that it expired during practice and never re-appeared. Final car to qualify was the Offenhauser Midget driven by Roger Ward.

Stirling Moss roared into the lead, chased by Bruce McLaren, Brabham and Innes Ireland. Unfortunately, on lap five his gearbox blew up and his chances of being World Champion once again evaporated. Poor old Moss.

It was, however, a very exciting finish. Entering the final lap just seven cars were racing with Jack Brabham leading. Von Trips coaxed his Ferrari on but stopped a few yards from the line. When the flag fell he pushed the car over to gain sixth place. In the meantime, Brabham ran out of petrol leaving McLaren to win at an average speed of 159.116kph.

Vintage & Sports Car Club
At the other end of the scale, on 13 December, the VSCC held their annual driving tests at Hendon in North London. First Class Awards were all scooped by Austins but the Lancia of John Borthwick, illustrious member of the Lancia Motor Club managed a well deserved second.

Racing Car Show
Motor sport fans were getting geared up for the inaugural Racing Car Show, to be held on 2-9 January, the showpiece being Braham’s Championship-winning Cooper.

BRM
Tickets were also available for the BRM Supporters Club film show on the 19 January at Kensington Town Hall.

 

Ed McDonough on driving a Lola T90 at the Silver Flag Hillclimb  

I HAVE READ hundreds of pages of information about the Lola T90/92s and where they went after Indy 1966/67. I have seen the legal depositions and letters from lawyers spanning 40 years. It is fascinating. Very little of it is under-handed. John Mecom Jr. sold the Graham Hill car after Indy in 1966 and when he was told it had been later crashed and written off, he believed it, and thus a very significant person had said there was no Graham Hill winning car from 1966. Mecom sold the car to Interstate Racing and one Bif Caruso. The check bounced and Mecom never got paid. When Interstate had no funds, Lindsay Hopkins backed the car for Chuck Hulse who crashed in the 1967 Indy race. Caruso, it is said, took the bent chassis home to California. When he later saw the Mecom crew chief, he told him the car had been crushed, as he had never paid for it, and it was now a flower pot somewhere. However, he sold the car on, and eventually Phil Henny had it restored and sometime later it got to Pat Ryan complete with 4-cam engine. Walter Goodwin was also strong on the fact that Stewart’s 1967 car was a new chassis and not a 1966 chassis ‘up-graded’. And also, we discover, the chassis plates were moved around!

It would thus be easy to get totally lost in the mysteries. However, the most telling legal documents are those which confirm that Martin Birrane, owner of Lola, bought the Stewart car from John Mecom, as Mecom went to the trouble of finding his old cars and buying them back.

As the 50th anniversary of Lola Cars approached back in 2007, the cars were readied for a number of events in preparation for celebrations in 2008. Early in 2008 I had my first moving encounter with the Stewart car, as it appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed press day. I had a chance to sit in the pristine T92 and talked through the details and history with Barrie Williams who was demonstrating it... and trying to work out what to do with a 2-speed box which had been in the car when it was restored. The Lolas were well received at the Festival, but there were others who wanted to see them.

Claudio Casale, the prime mover behind the great cars that journey to the Silver Flag Hillclimb in Italy, asked if I could make enquiries about whether Lola would attend a 50th anniversary celebration at Silver Flag. Lola Heritage’s Glyn Jones, with Martin Birrane’s blessing, and I thus headed off to Italy in July, with my wife Nancy making her debut as Indy car crew person! The adventures had started.

Now, some readers are familiar with the Silver Flag, a 9-kilometer hillclimb from Castell’Arquato to Lugagnano to Vernasca. Some historic events are races interspersed with meals. This one is meals interspersed with races! Not far from Piacenza, the Silver Flag brings out the best of Italian historics, and increasingly cars from around Europe. The Italians have very rarely seen an Indy car. They have never seen one that would go winding up one of their mountains. We were never without company and help, including the delivery of methanol as that is what this Ford 4-cam runs on...plenty of it. It appeared!

Claudio had organised a Lola ‘enclave’ and a dozen Lolas had their own space in the paddock. On Saturday, as I sat in the car, I asked Glyn about the gearbox, as there had been discussions about putting the 4-speed box in. He suggested that I would find out when we started it! As it happened, this was not an altogether easy process. The car hadn’t run in some weeks and all the fuel had come out as happens regularly with methanol cars to preserve them. It didn’t want to start at first so we had an offer from the local polizia/carabinieri to assist. Glyn got in and they slowly towed him down the paddock. Too slow I thought. Then I realised what they were up to. They got him out onto the main road, stopped everyone else, and towed him until that fabulous engine burst into life. Up the road he went to warm it up as the pre-start crowd gathered. The police brought him back and they stayed with us all weekend, hoping to do it again.

It was time for me to climb aboard for an official run, a truly daunting experience. I settled my backside onto the Stewart tartan... the seat cover was there courtesy of Jeanette Jones. Jackie said he wouldn’t drive at Goodwood without it, and Mr. Jones got Ms Jones to make a template and construct the final effort. The cockpit is wide and roomy, the gauges are pretty minimal... the rev counter reads to 10,000 and there are oil and water gauges, and that’s all. But the serious part is knowing that this car is methanol-fuelled and that when methanol is alight you cannot see it. As methanol has to be sprayed into the intakes via the old plastic squeezy bottle, everyone gets a little nervous, especially the driver. Glyn hoisted the heavy Gerhart mechanical starter into place, shouted instructions, and within seconds the Ford screamed and I was out to the start-line. I had learned by now that the 4-speed box was in place which made the process a lot easier.

In spite of this car’s pedigree and specialist nature, it was amazingly manageable... no stalls, a reasonable clutch, lots of feel... but noise... lots of it. Former great Italian F1 woman driver Maria-Teresa de Filippis was the official starter. She made a show of bringing the Italian national flag down on my head! The revs rose and slightly too enthusiastically the T92 smoked off the line, clearing the plugs and getting the tail at a bit of an angle, quickly straightening up and then taking off again.

The first 4 kilometers of this ‘hill’ are virtually flat, with a series of five chicanes set up with plastic cones by the marshals to keep speeds in hand. As the Indy car came out of a fast bend before the first chicane, the marshal saw which car it was, and kicked the cones aside urging me to “go... avanti”. Thus, on public roads, I pressed on, ignored the now moved chicanes and touched perhaps 175! Into Lugagnano, it was on the very steady brakes, down to second gear, trying not to watch hundreds of people jumping up and down just a few feet away. The road wanders straight downhill until the real all 2nd and 3rd gear corners start. I used 1st^t once and the rear came away and I just caught it, resolving to use 2nd and 3rd only. In no time, the T92 was at the top, drawing another huge crowd. The car now runs on an unusual Roadstone radial road tire, as it is near impossible to find competition tires in this size. However, they worked very well indeed and, as Goodwood had proved, they worked in the wet as well.

The weekend provided a chance for me to learn the Gerhart starter... what a job. As I went for my second run, I looked over and saw that Nancy, who had been using the squeezy, was madly shaking her hand... she had set herself alight... now that’s a real woman! The second run brought us the reward of ‘quickest car’, Glyn got to drive a T294 sports racer and won his class. It had been a true Lola celebration.

Retro-Gnome tries to destroy a new super-charged Range Rover      

EVERYBODY SHOULD DRIVE one of these cars. The Government would be making so much money Gordon Brown, or whoever the Chancellor of the Exchequer is these days, could pay the national debt off in just a few weeks if not days.

However, before taking delivery of this very fast tractor I carried out a straw pole in the bar of the hotel I was staying in. To a man, they all agreed, the super-charged Range Rover, average fuel consumption one mpg on a good day, is a great car. Mind you, they may have been bias as they all owned oil wells in Saudi Arabia.

“How tall are you?” said the nice lady on the phone.
“Well, they don’t call me Retro-Gnome for nothing.”
“Okay, you had better bring a ladder.”

And sure enough next day I found out why. This is a very tall car. It’s also very long and very wide. Altogether, taking size into account, this car is extremely good value at £80, 000, although the rear entertainment system is extra. But would sheep or the odd pig want to watch daytime television on their way to the slaughter house? Exactly.

The Land Rover factory survives, at least for the time being, in Solihull near Birmingham but the Company also uses Eastnor Castle on the Welsh borders where those drivers, not entirely convinced buying a Range Rover is a good idea, are taken to be indoctrinated.

A full-size jungle has been created in rural Worcestershire so those nice people from Kensington, Fulham, Mayfair and Chelsea can come and play to their hearts’ content. They even have double yellow lines and a barn built in the shape of Harrods to keep them happy.

But all joking apart this is one hell of an experience. The instructor naturally makes the whole episode look easy, up one vertical cliff, down the next, through a quagmire, round and round a series of tree trunks, another mud plug then back up the next cliff, covering about two miles before starting lap two. Now its my turn. Wipers on and going for it. Fifty metres in and the Range Rover is sideways on and hanging over the edge. I’m thinking, well and truly stuck in the jungle. I look at the instructor. He looks at me.

“It’s not a race. It’s about survival. Slow down.”

He fiddles with the levers down by the gear stick. Hill descent selected. Low ratio selected. The old girl grinds and groans until suddenly one wheel detects a slight whiff of traction. Sensors spread the news and then, like God is real, I can once again see land through the windscreen and not just sky. With the smell of roast mud attacking my nostrils I trundle very, very cautiously on my way.

We break for lunch and it is with great relief that yours truly discovered he’s not the only dumbo in the pack. Even better, during the afternoon the sun comes out and I eventually get the hang of driving off-road.

I’ve neglected to pass on any technical information because quite frankly I hate the stuff, it’s boring. Suffice to say it hits sixty miles an hour in under six seconds on its way to a top speed of around one hundred and forty miles an hour.

The amazing thing is you actually get two cars for the price of one, because away from Africa the Range Rover metamorphoses from SUV to limousine. It is every bit as comfortable as a Mercedes S Class and, hard to believe, even beats a Lexus on the noise count. Okay, so the rear seats are a bit slabby and narrow. And the graphic instruments and auto dipping headlights are painful reminders that change is not always a good idea. But the interior finish, sound system and the touch screen sat nav are great so taken as a whole this is a very good car.

Of course I could tell you that when going through the car wash on the way home both front windows leaked water. But hey, why let the facts get in the way of a good story.

 

 

Peter Collins investigates the history of Lola   

IN ALL THE BEST TRADITIONS of fledgling British 1950s racing-car constructors, Lola started small. Eric Broadley of Bromley, just on the cusp between south-east London and Kent, had a cousin, Graham, who was in the tailoring and gentleman’s outfitting business. In his spare time Graham had built a racing car and, again in the best traditions of British home racing car construction of the period, it was a Special to the regulations of the 750 Motor Club’s Formula 750, based originally around the Austin 7 engine.

Eric got the taste for motor-racing by trying the car at Silverstone in 1954. He was very busy as a chartered surveyor in a building firm working for the UK retail business Marks and Spencer erecting or enlarging their stores, by 1957 he had also managed to build his own Special but this was for the larger 1172 Formula that was based around the Ford side-valve motor most often found in the Ford Popular saloon.

It was extremely successful that year and the derivation of the name Lola comes reputedly from Eric’s then girlfriend, when she borrowed a couple of lines from a very popular song of the time “whatever Lola wants, Lola gets”.

The car’s results were enough to persuade potential clients to want to queue up to purchase replicas, so, having sold Lola to Alan Wershat, who renamed it Lolita, Eric took the plunge and turned constructor at the end of the year but, instead of replicas of his current car, he had ideas that would move him ahead into mainstream and international motor-racing, as he had designed a sports car that would fit into the 1100cc class that was dominated at that time by Lotus 11s and Elvas.

Still working out of the lock-up garage behind his cousin’s tailor’s shop in Bromley, Eric built the new Lola over the winter of 1957/8. He christened it the Mark 1 and it incorporated his own ideas on suspension design with wide-based wishbones, coil spring/damper units and long trailing arms front and rear.

On its first outing at Brands Hatch in August, the combination of Eric and Mark 1 became the first-ever sports car to lap the circuit in under a minute. Immediately the queue formed again for replicas and Broadley decided to lay down an initial line of three cars. During a test session, he asked the then current class ace Peter Ashdown to try the car. The established driver was very quick and simultaneously, Eric decided he was never going to be a grand prix driver, so settled for the role of a lifetime of designing cars for others to drive.

The Lola Mark 1 in Ashdown’s hands was almost unbeatable and annihilated the opposition, leading John Bolster to report after 
track test in Autosport: “it is literally true that this little bombshell has completely rejuvenated the 1100cc sports car class which was rapidly losing interest to the public. It is equally true to say that Lola victories are now taken for granted........” Such was the popularity of the car that Lola was still turning them out into 1962. In all 35 were built.

Laying down the line of Mark 1s meant vacating the lock-up in favour of the tiny workshop attached to Bob Rushbrook’s garage, still in Bromley. While Maurice Gomm built the bodies over in Byfleet, Bob was to stay with Lola, becoming works manager by the early 1970s.

For his Mark 2, Broadley turned to single-seaters and built a Formula Junior. It was quick, but, by 1960, to be on the podium you needed a rear-engined car like a Lotus 18 and the Lola, with its front mounted unit, was only ever going to pick up the left-over places. Even so, 29 were built and it is reckoned to probably be the best-handling FJ car of its genre. A 1-2 at the Nurburgring in 1960 certainly points to that conclusion.

The Mark 3 of 1961 was another Junior, but was radical and a remarkable glimpse of single-seaters of the future. The driver was seated well forward in the chassis and the fuel was carried in a cell behind him, in front of the engine amidships. Formula One was to get around to this arrangement in the 1980s. Sadly, despite the innovation, it failed to achieve any real success despite 11 being constructed, although, at a minor Formula One race at Brands late in the year, Hugh Dibley managed to place one fitted with a Cosworth 1340cc motor, in the top half of the field on the grid and held that advantage in the race, suggesting that there was potential.

Broadley has always said that he has never been interested in running works teams of cars, especially in Grands Prix, but he has been happy to be commissioned to do so. Just this opportunity arose for the 1962 season when the Yeoman Credit finance house decided to put money into motor sport. They chose Reg Parnell Racing and their drivers were to be John Surtees and Roy Salvadori. Broadley designed the Mark 4, a car that was state of the art for the period but at first was powered by four cylinder Climax motors until the proper V8 FWMV arrived. With the first car to receive a V8, Surtees took pole at the first World Championship race of the year at Zandvoort and remained one of the top three fastest in GPs for the rest of the year, taking second in the British and German GPs and winning the 2000 Guineas race at Mallory Park.

Broadley and Surtees were to develop a special relationship leading to other projects in later years but as 1962 drew to a close, Surtees announced that he was going to Ferrari and without reasonable finance in 1963, the Parnell team’s F1 Lolas slipped down the field.

After another FJ car, the Mark 5 in 1962, Lola bounced back into the news. Broadley had seen “the apparent potential of large-capacity American engines and their compact size made it logical to put them into a mid-engine GT car”. So they did.

Launched at the 1963 Racing Car Show, the Lola Mark 6 GT was a sensation. The basis of the car was a central monocoque with wide sills that doubled as fuel tanks inside which were four formers with bosses to take the roof structure and door frame. The floor had boxed bracing members for the seat and gear change and the suspensions were hung each end off subframes attached to the main chassis. Double wishbones at the front and lower wishbones with upper radius arms were at the rear. Again in the best traditions of small-scale racing-car production of the period, Ford’s parts bin was raided and Cortina Mark 1 ‘ban-the-bomb’ rear lights were an external feature of the car!

Power came from a 260bhp 4.2 Ford V8, later to be replaced with a 4.7 and the first race was the Daily Express trophy meeting at Silverstone in April. At the last minute Ferrari’s team manager Dragoni refused to release Surtees to drive the car, so the debut was conducted by Tony Maggs from the back row of the grid. Gregor Grant reported that Maggs passed nine cars on the first lap and eventually it finished fifth in class and ninth overall, a very encouraging debut. Two were entered at Le Mans and both retired, but a car sold to John Mecom won the Nassau Tourist trophy at the end of the year.

It is well-known history now that the car became the basis of thinking for Ford’s GT40 project and, indeed, Ford bought two of the three cars and took Broadley on as a consultant. This was a period of time he does not look back on with much pleasure due to the constraints involved and when he left after 18 months he established a new Lola factory at Slough.

In the meantime, the T53/4/5 Formula cars had been introduced, although none were spectacularly successful as this was the period that Lotus and then Brabham had made their own. The change to ‘T’ type numbers is explained by Mike Lawrence; the first, the T53, was the third expression of the Mark 5.

The return of Broadley to Lola led to the huge success story of the handsome T70. With distant connections to the Mark 6 GT via the GT40, this new sports racing car continued the earlier philosophy of the utilisation of American V8s in the back of a monocoque structure. In similar fashion to his previous two designs, the car was basically a sheet steel floor with side boxes containing fuel tanks. Box structures were welded on front and rear to carry the suspension and the engine/gearbox. The open bodywork was also fixed to the chassis with small screws to add a little extra rigidity. 5.4 or 6.2 litre Chevrolet V8s were the most popular type of power chosen and the car was successful right from the start.

The new car’s debut race was at Silverstone in torrential rain. Gregor Grant noted in Autosport that cars were revolving and going off so frequently that places were changing every few yards. Both Clark and Surtees, the latter in the Lola, spun many times and when the race was stopped due to the conditions Surtees was second. By June, at Mosport in Canada, he had taken the first of many international wins for the model in the Players 200 race ahead of Jim Hall’s Chaparral.

This Surtees/Lola relationship was booming as in September, the combination of John and a Lola T60 Formula Two car won the prestigious Gold Cup at Oulton Park only for it all to seriously falter when he crashed heavily later in the year in the Canadian GP with injuries so bad most thought he would never race again.

Meanwhile, Lola had been commissioned to build Indy cars and started in 1965 with the T80. These were not spectacular but they led through development to the T90 that John Mecom ordered for 1966. Similar to the T80 but with full monocoque construction allowing them to carry more fuel, they were fitted with Hewland 2-speed gearboxes and asymmetrical suspension. Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart were the key drivers at Indianapolis and by dint of staying out of trouble during the start pile-up they were well on their way to providing Lola with a 1-2 win when Stewart suffered an engine failure as the four-cam Ford motor blew up when he was well in the lead. Graham Hill saved the day though by taking an historic first place. For 1967 the T90 Mark 2 had symmetrical suspension and with Stewart again driving, he was challenging for second when the engine again blew up but it was all enough to prove that Lotus weren’t the only English single-seaters capable of beating the Americans on their home ground.

Broadley was reported as saying that “Indy has some problems – one or two are tremendously emphasised while the rest that you get in road-racing don’t come into it...” and Indy car racing proved to be a happy hunting-ground for the company. Four-wheel drive was tried in 1968 and later Roger Penske had chosen collaboration with Lola for his driver Mark Donohue’s attack on Indianapolis. 1972 was the last appearance of one of Broadley’s cars at the brickyard until the T700 of 1983 rekindled interest and success in the USA in CART racing that continued through to 2006.

Returning to the T70 sports cars, Surtees made a remarkable recovery from his accident and 1966 showed continued success by the combo. In the new Can Am racing series Surtees took a T70 Mark 2 to the overall Championship win and, frustrated by his Formula One Honda’s lack of success and excess weight put together a deal by which a T90 was adapted to take Formula One Honda mechanicals, the resultant car being the Honda RA300/Lola T130 and it took a very exciting debut win in the 1967 Italian GP at Monza. Another one-off displaying Lola’s many talents, was the T120 which was a sports car built to accept BMWs complex Apfelbeck 2 litre motor in the European Mountain climb Championship. This connection with BMW led to their motors being used in the Formula Two T100 and, in 1968, a developed T100 designated T102, being constructed solely for BMW’s Formula Two use. Lola’s own T100s took wins at Mallory Park and Zandvoort with Surtees.

Perhaps, though, it was the arrival of the T70 Mark 3 GT in 1967 that really grasped the public’s imagination. A sensationally swoopy roofed body by Specialised Mouldings extended the flexibility of the T70 especially at a time when Group 7 (Can Am) type cars were being phased out in UK racing at the end of 1966. Luckily the FIA took all the T70s built into consideration when homologation time came around and so the Mark 3 GT was accepted into Group 4 sports car racing, where they became a common and popular sight, even after the T70 had been replaced by the updated T160 in Can Am.

Lola had sought the acceptance of the T70 GT into Group 4 because FIA engine capacity restrictions were to come into force from 1968 with a three-litre limit for prototypes and 5 litres for GT cars, provided 50 had been built.  This total was reduced to 25 in 1969, which rule Porsche bent by producing its 917 and Ferrari did the same building 25 512S and M cars. The FIA was miffed and responded by putting a blanket 3 litre limit on sports cars for 1972. With the availability of Cosworth’s V8 as a long-distance engine, Lola, and others, built prototypes and in 1972, the T280 emerged for the Jo Bonnier racing team. Sadly for them, this was one of those Ferrari steamroller years when Maranello’s 312PB cars won everywhere, but not without being challenged.

A new market was penetrated in 1970 when the T200 entered Formula Ford and the start of a new European 2 litre sports car series provided Lola with a virtually tailor-made sales arena. The first of this line was the T210, powered mainly by Cosworth’s FVC, which developed into the T212 before the T290-8 cars evolved each year and dominated the category from 1972-1980.

In 1971, the T240 was a conventional monocoque and served as an F2/FB car but, the next year its chassis was utilised by the all-new T300 Formula 5000 car. This was the first of a line of T3xx F5000s, possibly the most successful and profitable single-seaters Lola ever made. Lola’s predilection with big-engined cars had enticed them into the UK’s F5000 series right from its start in 1968. Single-seaters utilising Chevrolet V8s were right up the company’s street and the T140/2 series appeared utilising T70 suspension parts. Popular and reliable, these cars were replaced by the T190/2 series before the T330/2 appeared.

The factory at Slough was proving to be inadequate as Lola increased its sales and investment in motor sport, so a site was found at Huntingdon and a purpose-built factory constructed in 1971. Only two members of the total Slough personnel found themselves unable to make the move such was the loyalty of the staff.

By 1980 the majority of classes in national and international racing were catered for from Formula Ford and sports 2000 to CART Indy cars. Two arenas revisited at that time were Formula Two and Group C/GTP. In the former, the Championship winning Toleman F2 cars of 1980 were productionised by Lola for subsequent years and designated the type T850. Sports cars have always been close to Broadley’s heart and for Group C/GTP he came up with the state-of-the-art T600 series that incorporated all the latest in ground-effects complete with covered rear-wheels. It was the star of the Silverstone 1000 Kilometres. It is all too easy to forget that Lola also supplied cars at club/national level and one or two of the T640-4 series Formula Fords were usually to be found mixing it at the front of hectic FF battles throughout the mid-1980s.

The return to Indy cars was netting superb results such that by 1993 five Championships had been won. In Europe F3000 had replaced Formula Two. Its title belies the fact that it was seen as a means for teams to use all the Cosworth V8s made redundant in Formula One by the rising tide of turbo motors. The rules were late in being drawn up and customers wanted cars. As the only big single-seater then in development at Huntingdon was the T900 Indy car it was adapted to the new formula. Others had the same problem and after the unsatisfactory first year in 1985, Lola turned the formula into a very successful arena, initially with the T86/50.

The company had started a complex new numbering system in 1985 with each category of racing having a separate number. So, in 1985, the F2/F3000 T950 was the ninth design for this type of racing while ‘50’referred to the actual category. This was changed again in 1986 when that year’s F3000 car was the T86/50 with the year to start with followed by the Lola