Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Lamborghini LM002


As mad as it sounds, it was a real experience for Lamborghini. I am not talking about a V12 Countach engine nor the 600 horses that went with it. This was their first ever road going SUV as well as first ever 4×4. They produced it between 1986 and 1993.
Lamborghini had experimented with off road vehicles and built its first military vehicle, a prototype vehicle codenamed the “Cheetah”, in 1977. Lamborghini had designed the vehicle with hopes of selling it to the US military. The original Cheetah prototype had a rear-mounted Chrysler V8 engine. The only finished prototype was never tested by the US military, only demonstrated to them by its designer, Rodney Pharis. It was later sold to Teledyne Continental Motors by MTI and is apparently still in the US. This led Lamborghini to develop the LM001, which was very similar to the Cheetah, but had an AMC V8 engine.
It was finally determined that the engine being mounted in the rear caused too many unfavourable handling characteristics in an off road vehicle, and the LMA002 was built with an entirely new chassis, moving the engine (now the V12 out of the Lamborghini Countach) to the front. After much testing and altering of the prototype, it was finally given a serial number and became the first LM002. The production model was unveiled at the Brussels Auto Show in 1986.
Dubbed the “Rambo-Lambo”, its aggressive styling and powerful engine made it a success for Lamborghini. Civilian models were outfitted with a full luxury package, including full leather trim, tinted power windows, air conditioning, and a premium stereo mounted in a roof console. In order to meet the vehicle’s tyre needs, Lamborghini commissioned Pirelli to create the Pirelli Scorpion tires with custom, run-flat tread designs. These were made specifically for the LM and were offered in two different tread designs, one for mixed use and the other for sand use only. These tires could be run virtually flat without risk and were the only rubbers available that could handle the desert heat, the loading and the speeds that the LM could inflict on them. The LM002 was fitted with a 290 litre fuel tank.
For those requiring even more power, the Lamborghini L804 type 7.2 litre marine V12, more commonly found in Class 1 offshore powerboats, could be specified.
The military version of the LM002 was never built and contrary to many claims across the internet of orders from the Libyan and Saudi Arabian military, no military versions of the LM002 exist and none were sold to foreign governments or military forces.
In 1988, Lamborghini sent an LM002 to a team of special engineers with the intention of making it capable of participating in the Paris Dakar Rally. They stripped it of anything that added unnecessary weight and gave it an upgraded suspension, engine modifications which brought it to 600 hp (450 kW), full roll cage, plexiglas windows and GPS equipment. Funding ran out before it could officially be entered in competition, although it did participate in the Rallye des Pharaons in Egypt and another in Greece, both times driven by Sandro Munari.
Near the end of the LM002′s production, Turin based autoshop owner Salvatore Diomante created a one-off “Estate” version by enclosing the back area and raising the roof. This added significantly to the interior room.

Jeremy Clarkson review of LM002 Video here.

Lamborghini club.

www.in2motorsports.com





Sunday, August 28, 2016

Chevron B19


Derek Bennett’s Chevrons were never complicated or ground-breaking racing cars. They were developed with a single purpose; to win races. And they did just that and quite often straight out of the box. One of the main reasons for the instant success was that Bennett rarely designed a new car from scratch. Most of the time the new Chevron was actually a subtle development of the previous season’s car. This certainly was also the case with the Chevron B19 that was driven to a class victory at its debut during the 1971 Oulton Park Sports, GT and Clubmans race.
It might be hard to imagine when placed side by side but the B19′s basic design can be traced back to the B6 of 1967. Both featured a reinforced steel spaceframe but instead of steel and duraluminium the B19 used mostly aluminium as reinforcements. The front part of the chassis consisted of a separate steel spaceframe to make accident repairs easier. Suspension was by double wishbones at the front and lower wishbones with top links at the rear. While a choice of engines was available almost all customers opted for the Cosworth FVC engine. Although displacing over 200 cc less than the displacement limit of two litre, it was considered the most competitive option.
The B19′s immediate predecessor was the B16 and more specifically the single Spyder version built of this model. The fixed head B16 had lost its edge halfway through the 1970 season to the open and much lighter Lola T210, so Chevron’s Works driver Brian Redman asked Bennett to make him an open version. This was easier said than done; for a conservative engineer as Bennett, designing a brand new body was a big step especially with no wind tunnel available to test it. Redman helped out by suggesting to style it after the Porsche 908/3 he had piloted with much success that same season. Incorporating a few tweaks of his own, Bennett did just that.
Although no winner straight out of the box, the B16 Spyder was hugely successful in the final months of 1970. With Redman in top form behind the wheel, it won the European Two-Litre Championship race at Spa and subsequently dominated the Springbok Cup in South Africa. Having just announced his retirement from racing, Redman simply could not stop winning. For the 1971 season Chevron introduced the B19, which was basically the production version of the B16 Spyder. After Redman’s stunning run in the B16 it was hardly surprising that the demand for the new racing car was incredibly high. No fewer than 35 examples were produced, making it the fastest selling Chevron to date.
As mentioned earlier the B19 took a class victory at its debut. This was the start of a highly successful season with numerous overall and class victories. Among the many noteworthy B19 drivers were future world champions Jody Scheckter and Niki Lauda as well as Brian Redman whose retirement had lasted just three months. The main opposition came from the Italian Osella-Abarths and the latest Lolas. Consistency of Lola driver Helmut Marko eventually brought him the European Two-Litre Championship ahead of a host of Chevron drivers. During the end of the year Springbok series, experimenting with new, larger Cosworth engines cost Chevron dearly. Although blisteringly fast, the engines proved rarely reliable, helping Lola win this championship as well.
In addition to the numerous successes on the track, the B19, B21 and B23 were also top sellers with 35, 28 and 26 produced respectively. Even though production stopped in 1973 the cars were raced around the world for many more seasons. Many are still actively campaigned in historic events. Much to the delight of historians and for a variety of reasons there are more examples around today than were ever built by Chevron in period. The best attempt to chart the history of each individual chassis can be found on Allen Brown’s Oldracingcars.com.
The continuing popularity and success are a great tribute to the solid design work of Derek Bennett.
Source; Ultimate Car Pages

Chevron B19 race video here.

Chevron cars.

www.in2motorsports.com 








Friday, August 26, 2016

Cord


As with some of our other featured cars, Cord came about offering something different. Offering a front wheel drive car in the USA for the first time. Using hidden head lights and electrically selected automatic gearbox were just some of the innovations they came up with. I think, gadgets aside, they built beautiful and sophisticated cars in the late 1920′s and through 1930′s. Here is the story of Cord,
Cord was the brand name of an American automobile company from Connersville, Indiana, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937.
The Cord Corporation was founded and run by E. L. Cord as a holding company for his many transportation interests, including Auburn. Cord was noted for its innovative technology and streamlined designs. Cord had a philosophy to build truly different, innovative cars, believing they would also sell well and turn a profit. This did not always work well in practice.
Cord innovations include front-wheel drive on the L-29 and hidden headlamps on the 810 and 812.
Front-wheel drive was introduced by Citroën in the Traction Avant in 1934, and Cord followed, becoming the first U.S. maker to adopt it.
Hidden headlamps did not become common as a standard feature until the 1960s (though DeSoto used them in 1942). The early Oldsmobile Toronados, whose GM stylists later stated they were trying to capture the “feel” of the Cord’s design, also featured hidden headlamps.
Cord L-29
This was the first American front-wheel drive car to be offered to the public, beating the Ruxton automobile by several months, in 1929. The brainchild of former Miller engineer Carl Van Ranst, its drive system borrowed from the Indianapolis 500-dominating racers, using the same de Dion layout and inboard brakes. This allowed it to be much lower than competing cars. Both stock cars and special bodies built on the Cord chassis by American and European coachbuilders won prizes in contests worldwide. The L-29 came with full instrumentation, including a temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, and speedometer on the left with a fuel gauge, oil level gauge, and Ammeter on the right of the steering wheel.
It was powered by Auburn’s 4,934 cc (301 cu in) 125 hp (93 kW) L-head Lycoming in line 8 from the Auburn 120, with the crankshaft pushed out through the front of the block and the flywheel mounted there, driving a three-speed transmission. Gearing in both transmission and front axle was inadequate, and the 4,700 lb (2,100 kg)car was underpowered, limited to a trifle over 80 mph (130 km/h), inadequate even at the time, and readily exceeded by the less expensive Auburn. Still, the styling was lovely, and despite the 137.5 in (3,490 mm) wheelbase and steering demanding fully four turns lock-to-lock, handling was reportedly superb. Priced around US$3000, it was competitive with Marmon, Lincoln, Packard, Franklin, and Stutz.
The 1930 Chrysler copied several styling elements. It could not outrun the Great Depression, and by 1932, it was discontinued, with just 4,400 sold. Wheelbase was 137.5″ and the height of the sedan was 61″.
Cord Model 810/812
The Model 810/812 are probably the best-known of the company’s products. Styled by Gordon M. Buehrig, it featured front-wheel drive and independent front suspension. The front drive enabled the 810 to be so low, runningboards were unnecessary. Powered by a 4,739 cc (289 cu in) Lycoming V8 of the same 125 hp (93 kW) as the L-29, The 810 had a four-speed electrically-selected semi-automatic transmission, among other innovative features.
The car caused a sensation at the New York Auto Show in November 1935. Many orders were taken at the show, but the cars were not ready to deliver until February. Despite production delays, Cord promised Christmas delivery, expecting production of 1,000 per month. This proved extremely optimistic as the first production vehicles were not delivered until April 1936. In all, Cord managed to sell only 1,174 of the new 810 in its first model year.
Early reliability problems, including slipping out of gear and vapour lock, cooled initial enthusiasm, and the dealer base shrank rapidly. Unsold left-over and in-process 1936 810s were sold as 1937 812s. In 1937, Auburn ceased production of the Cord. A single 1938 Cord prototype with some changes to the grille and transmission cover was built, and it still exists. The Cord empire, amid allegations of financial fraud, was sold to the Aviation Corporation, and E.L. Cord moved to Nevada where he earned millions in real estate and other enterprises.
The Cord 812 design was re-marketed almost immediately in 1940, as ailing automakers Hupmobile and Graham-Paige tried to save money and revive the company. Except for their similarity to the 810, their 4-door sedans, the Hupp Skylark and the Graham Hollywood, were unremarkable. Retractable headlights gave way to plain headlight pods, and power came from a standard front-engine/rear-wheel drive design. Only about 1900 were built before production ceased in the autumn of 1940.

Closer and detailed look at the L 29 Video here.

Cord Owners Club.

www.in2motorsports.com





Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Aston Martin Vantage


Another one of the vehicles to accompany us in the centenary celebration of Aston Martin is the Vantage. The name has been used on a variation of models since the mid 1970′s, the first one being hailed as “Britain’s First Supercar” for its 170mph top speed. Since its inception there has been quite a few models right up to today, where Aston Martin has shown their latest Vantage V12 S.
As I mentioned the first Vantage was well received in 1977. It shared an engine with the Lagonda, but it used high-performance camshafts, increased compression ratio, larger inlet valves and bigger carburettors mounted on new manifolds for increased output. Straight-line performance was the best of the day, with acceleration from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.3 seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Ferrari Daytona.
The first series had 375 hp (280 kW), and series specific details such as a blanked bonnet vent and a separate rear spoiler. 38 of these were built. The Oscar India (for 1 October, the date of introduction) version, introduced in late 1978, featured an integrated tea-tray spoiler and smoother bonnet bulge. Inside, a black leather-covered dash replaced the previous walnut. The wooden dashboard did find its way back into the Vantage during the eighties, giving a more luxurious appearance. The Oscar India version also received a slight increase in power, to 390 hp (291 kW). This line was produced, with some running changes, until 1989. From 1986 the engine had 405 hp (302 kW).
The Vantage name had previously been used on a number of high-performance versions of Aston Martin cars, but this was a separate model. Although based on the Aston Martin V8, numerous detail changes added up to a unique driving experience. One of the most noticeable features was the closed-off bonnet bulge rather than the open scoop found on the normal V8. The grille area was also closed off, with twin driving lights inserted and a spoiler added to the boot lid.
The 1986–1989 580X was a performance package, with bigger carburettors and Nimrod racing-type heads, the same 437 hp (326 kW) V8 as fitted to the limited-edition V8 Zagato. 16-inch (406-mm) wheels were also now fitted. If this wasn’t enough, a 450 hp (336 kW) 6.3 litre version was also available from Aston Martin, and independents offered a 7 litre version.
304 Series 2 coupés were built, and 192 Volantes. Of the Cosmetic Vantage (for the US), 14 Series 2 coupés and 56 Volantes were built. Cosmetic Vantages were built for the United States market – they lacked the powerful Vantage engine but retained the Vantage name, and the look was changed with a flattened bonnet. From 1980 they featured DOT-approved 5 mph (8 km/h) safety bumpers front and rear. Most of these cars have since been retrofitted with full power, European specification engines.
A Vantage Volante convertible version was also produced, between 1986 and 1989. A few had been built earlier to special order, but it was not regularly available until then.
James Bond’s car (registered on 18 March 1985 as B549 WUU; last on the road 1 July 2006) in the 1987 film The Living Daylights.
At the beginning of the film, the car is a V8 Volante (convertible). The car used in these scenes was a Volante owned by Aston Martin Lagonda chairman, Victor Gauntlett. Later, the car is fitted with a hardtop at Q Branch, and these scenes feature a pair of non-Vantage V8 saloons, fitted with the same number plate as the initial car, but with Vantage badges now fitted to match the previous Vantage.
The name was kept to one side until the new range of Aston Martins appeared and so did the Vantage name. This was a V8 also, but very different to its predecessor.
The new Vantage, often referred to as “baby Aston” shares a slightly modified platform with the DB9 and the Vanquish and made a fantastic sports coupé to offer to the market at a more affordable price. As you can imagine that didn’t last very long and tuning at Aston Martin began and the cars became faster and more expensive (although still more affordable than the Vanquish and the DB9).
The most recent Vantage coupé is harnessing 420bhp and 470 nm of Torque making the 0-60 in just 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 180mph
And then when we thought we had it all, they came up with the latest Vantage, The V12 S.
In the words of Aston Martin; “The V12 Vantage was an unprecedented engineering achievement. Combining a V12 engine with our lightest sports-car in a package of pure aggression”.
The V12S is 15 kg lighter the V12, it has more than 620nm of Torque and 11% more power. All in all a very quick car with a top speed of 205 miles per hour!!! It marries extreme power with extreme design as well as aggresive styling to the front, roof and rear. All new interior as well as light forged alloys make this car exciting to look at as well as to drive.
The range is currently;
The Vantage, The Vantage S, The Vantage V12 S, Vantage Volante V12 Roadster and the Vantage SP10.

Vantage V12 S Video here.

Jeremy Clarkson drives the Vantage on Top Gear here.

Aston Martin Owners Club.

Aston Martin.

www.in2motorsports.com






Monday, August 22, 2016

Maserati A6GCS Spyder


Greatest or another one of the most beautiful race cars in the world? Well, a bit of both I think. with a purposeful hand beaten aluminium body, a cast alloy straight six 2.0L block with steel liners and aluminium pistons producing 170bhp, it certainly was different in 1953! And you have to admit, this is one good-looking race car
This car was design ed and built with the sole aim of challenging the likes of Ferrari, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz on some of the most iconic race tracks in Europe and around the world.
The story is that before Maserati and Fantuzzi perfected their Barchettas with cars like the 450S and 300S, sports cars loosely based on their Formula 2 efforts like the A6GCS/53 were available. With its aluminium body, Gioachino Colombo designed engine and a 4-speed transaxle it was certainly a captivating design—one that was good enough to beat Ferrari.
In 1953, Maserati updated their two litre sports car known as the A6GCS and called the Sport 2000. With similar specification to the A6GCS, many people simply called it the A6GCS/53.
Colombo also designed an entirely new chassis from oval-tube steel. Like all the chassis of the era, it used two main longerons with cross braces. Braking was provided by large-diameter aluminium drum brakes and the suspension was not too dissimilar from the Formula 2 set-up used by the A6GCS single seat race car.
In total 52 examples of the A6GCS/53 were made, four of these being bodied by Pinin Farina as a striking low-roof coupé. The remaining 48 were bodied by Fantuzzi as racing spyders.
These days the cars are sold at auction for between two and three million US Dollars.

Maserati Club.

www.in2motorsports.com





Thursday, August 18, 2016

Ford Model T


Today we are going right back where it all started. The first mass produced affordable car or simply the Model T by Ford. It was produced from 1908 to 1927, this was the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American.
The Model T set 1908 as the historic year that the auto-mobile became popular. The first production Model T was produced on August 12, 1908 and left the factory on September 27, 1908, at the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan. On May 26, 1927, Henry Ford watched the 15 millionth Model T Ford roll off the assembly line at his factory in Highland Park, Michigan.
There were several cars produced or prototyped by Henry Ford from the founding of the company in 1903 until the Model T was introduced. Although he started with the Model A, there were not 19 production models (A through T); some were only prototypes. The production model immediately before the Model T was the Model S, an upgraded version of the company’s largest success to that point, the Model N. The follow-up was the Ford Model A (rather than any Model U). Company publicity said this was because the new car was such a departure from the old that Henry wanted to start all over again with the letter A.
The Model T was the first auto-mobile mass-produced on moving assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, marketed to the middle class. Henry Ford said of the vehicle:
“I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one – and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.”
The Model T was designed by Childe Harold Wills and Hungarian immigrants Joseph A. Galamb and Eugene Farkas. Henry Love, C. J. Smith, Gus Degner and Peter E. Martin were also part of the team. Production of the Model T began in the third quarter of 1908. Collectors today sometimes classify Model Ts by build years and refer to these as “model years”, thus labelling the first Model Ts as 1909 models.
Early Ts had a brass radiator and headlights. The horn and numerous small parts were also brass. Many of the early cars were open-bodied touring cars and runabouts, these being cheaper to make than closed cars. Prior to the 1912 model year (when front doors were added to the touring model), US – made open cars did not have an opening door for the driver. Later models included closed cars (introduced in 1915), sedans, coupés, and trucks. The chassis was available so trucks could be built to suit. Ford also developed some truck bodies for this chassis, designated the Model TT. The headlights were originally acetylene lamps made of brass, but eventually the car gained electric lights in 1915 initially powered from the magneto until the electrical system was upgraded to a battery, generator, and starter motor, when lighting power was switched to the battery source.
The Model T production system, the epitome of Fordism, is famous for representing the rigidity of early mass production systems that were wildly successful at achieving efficiency but that could accommodate changes in product design only with great difficulty and resistance. The story is more complicated; there were few major, publicly visible changes throughout the life of the model, but there were many smaller changes. Most were driven by design for manufacturability considerations, but styling and new features also played more of a role than commonly realized. In fact, one of the problems for the company regarding design changes was the T’s reputation for not changing and being “already correct”, which Henry Ford enjoyed and which was a selling point for many customers, which made it risky to admit any changes actually were happening.(The idea of simply refining a design without making radical visible changes would resurface, and score even greater production success, with the VW Type 1.)
By 1918, half of all the cars in the US were Model T’s. Ford wrote in his autobiography that in 1909 he told his management team that in the future “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black”.
However, in the first years of production from 1908 to 1913, the Model T was not available in black but rather only grey, green, blue, and red. Green was available for the touring cars, town cars, coupés, and Landaulets. Grey was only available for the town cars, and red only for the touring cars. By 1912, all cars were being painted midnight blue with black fenders. It was only in 1914 that the “any colour so long as it is black” policy was finally implemented. It is often stated that Ford suggested the use of black from 1914 to 1926 due to the cheap cost and durability of black paint. During the lifetime production of the Model T, over 30 different types of black paint were used on various parts of the car. These were formulated to satisfy the different means of applying the paint to the various parts, and had distinct drying times, depending on the part, paint, and method of drying.
The standard 4-seat open tourer of 1909 cost $850; in 1913, the price dropped to $550 and $440 in 1915. Sales were 69,762 in 1911; 170,211 in 1912; 202,667 in 1913; 308,162 in 1914; and 501,462 in 1915. In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with four months’ pay.
By the 1920s, the price had fallen to $260 because of increasing efficiencies of assembly line technique and volume.
The Ford Model T was the first auto-mobile built by various countries simultaneously since they were being produced in Walkerville, Canada and in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester, England starting in 1911 and were later assembled in Germany, Argentina, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan, as well as several locations throughout the US. Ford made use of the knock-down kit concept almost from the beginning of the company.
The Aeroford was an English auto-mobile manufactured in Bayswater, London, from 1920 to 1925. It was a Model T with distinct bonnet and grille to make it appear to be a totally different design, what later would have been called badge engineering. The Aeroford sold from £288 in 1920, dropping to £168-214 by 1925. It was available as a two-seater, four-seater, or coupé.

Short documentary on the T here.

Ford Owners Club.

Model T register.

www.in2motorsports.com






Monday, August 15, 2016

TVR "Wedge"


Before you start reading remember this is the late 70′s and early 80′s. Time of great music, not so great fashion and pop up headlights. Remember the Lotus Esprit, the TR7, the X19 and others. Well, believe or not TVR was not the first with the pop up headlights, but they were the first company in the world to introduce a bonded front screen as well as having the aerial in the rear heated screen element. Clever stuff from the chaps in Blackpool yet again.
Idea behind the car was still the same, light chassis, fibreglass body and a good powerful engine. The Tasmin was the first of the “wedge” cars to be introduced. It was produced from 1980 to 1988 in a combination of models and running gear.
The range to the best of our knowledge was, Tasmin 200, Tasmin 2.8i, Tasmin FHC, FHC+2, 350i, 400, 450, SEAC and V8.
The Tasmin started as a 2.0 pinto fixed head coupé and gradually evolved in to the 2.8 fuel injected car. Available in 2 seater or 2+2 coupé as well as a sport little convertible it wasn’t an instant hit. Infact in 1982 for example TVR only produced 121 cars. This changed gradually as people warmed up to the car and the little snags were dealt with, so by 1985 the numbers were up to just under 500 cars. According to the figures 1167 V6 vehicles were made.
The original Tasmin 200 (2.0 Pinto) was capable of 101 bhp with 0-60mph of 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 110 mph. One TVR started using the Ford Cologne V6 (2.8) the car gained 60 more horses, 0-60 was 8.2 seconds with a top speed of 130mph. Series two and the automatic versions had slightly lower horse power.
In 1982 TVR’s then new owner Peter Wheeler found himself wanting more power than the Cologne V6-equipped Tasmin 280i could offer. Thus, based on the existing car the Tasmin 350i appeared in August 1983. Using the same chassis and body (with some minor changes), a 3.5-litre Rover V8 was installed. After a year, the “Tasmin” part of the name was dropped and the car became plain TVR 350i
The 190 hp (142 kW) V8 propelled the 350i to 130 mph (209 km/h), while 60 mph came up in 6.3 seconds. The Rover-engined 350i provided the added benefit of being marketable in Arab countries, where there was a certain political resistance to buying Ford products because of Ford’s close dealings with Israel. The 350i also provided the basis for the 390SE first seen at the Birmingham Motor Show in October 1984, as well as the extreme 420/450 SEAC and other future developments.
A modified form of the 350i’s chassis, itself a stretched version of the chassis used for the old M-series, also underpinned the S-series as well as the later Griffith. There was a short run of non-factory Sprintex supercharged 350SX (and the bigger hearted 400SX) made by the Northern TVR Centre in the mid-1980s. Nine and two of the respective versions are thought to have been built. Power is not certain, but 260 bhp (194 kW) for the 350SX is commonly cited.
By 1989, after the introduction of the 400/450SE and 420/450 SEAC, the line-up was rationalized and the by now least powerful 350i was dropped. Over 1,000 350i’s were built. The end of the run was marked by the limited edition (25 examples only) 3.9-litre TVR 350SE of 1990-91.

A little about TVR in Blackpool here.

A short and closer look at a 350i here.

TVR Owners Club.

TVR car club.

www.in2motorsports.com 







Saturday, August 13, 2016

Alfa Romeo SZ


This is another one of features about a race car. This car was specifically built to race by Alfa Romeo. A small but perfectly formed and beautifully designed by Bertone and built at Zagato it is a rare sight at events these days.
The Sprint Zagato (SZ) was a race version Giulietta that was specially prepared by Zagato in direct agreement with Alfa Romeo. It was based on the shorter chassis of the Giulietta Spider combined with the mechanicals of the racier Sprint Veloce. Franco Scaglione designed the body in Bertone’s studio, while the aluminium panels were beat out by hand at Zagato’s workshop.
Because of its small size, and aluminium bodywork, the SZ was much faster than its steel-bodied production counterparts. Furthermore, the car used a space frame chassis, which was totally unlike the production Giulietta. Zagato also used perspex side windows and a relatively sparse interior to help reduce weight.
SZ was first shown at the Geneva Motorshow in March 1960. The overall shape of the car reflected the unofficial Sprint Veloce (SVZ) cars which were re-bodied by Zagato as early as 1956.
The last 30 of in the 200 car production run featured a long tail called the ‘Coda tronca’. The entire body was much longer, and was designed to penetrate the air better. Detail changes included a cut-off Kamm tail, narrower front air intake, a lower roof and the use of disc brakes up front.
By 1959 the SZ’s replacement the Tubulore Zagato (TZ) was well under way. After extensive development the car was finally launched in 1963.
Now to the specification and the numbers;
The car sports an in line 4 cylinder DOHC 1290 cc engine fitted to the front of the car with rear wheel drive through a 5 speed gearbox. It produced 100bhp with 112.53 nm of torque. It was only 3.8 meters long and weighed 857 kg with drum brakes on all four wheels.
It managed to each 120mph with a 0-60 mph of 11 seconds and a 1/4 mile of 17 seconds. Respectable number for a 1956 vehicle wouldn’t you say?
Source; Supercars.net
Images; Richard Owen
Alfa Romeo Owners Club.

www.in2motorsports.com





Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Citroen SM


Launched in 1970, the SM stunned the world at a scale no smaller than the DS did 15 years ago. It was a big luxury coupe enclosed with a streamline body, powered by a Maserati quad-cam V6, equipped with all the most advanced technologies available and could travel up to 140 mph, hence the fastest front-drive car in the world. All journalists were excited by this state-of-the-art coupé, but in the end it was a big commercial failure.
The SM was an even more ambitious project than the DS. Regardless of cost, Citroen wanted to show the world it could better the offerings from Jaguar, Porsche, Lotus, Mercedes etc. Its design chief Robert Opron created a striking proposal – it was very large, measuring 4893mm long and 1836mm wide, had a streamline shape that looked specially beautiful from side. The front end was a little odd, with a long long bonnet and 6 rectangular headlights housed behind a full-width glass shade.
The cabin was small compare to the exterior, but enough to carry 2 adults and 2 children. It had a high-tech dashboard, a one-spoke steering wheel like the DS, full leather seats and all the luxurious equipment that you couldn’t find in other French cars. Rain-sensitive wipers and a speed-sensitive hydraulic power steering seem like the latest technology today, but they were already available in the big Citroen coupé in 1970. Most other technologies came from the DS, such as the self levelling hydro-pneumatic suspensions, the servo disc brakes and the headlamps that swivelled with the steering.
The real departure from the DS was engine. The DS always cried for a six-cylinder engine but it never got that during its life. For the SM, Citroen asked its new subsidiary Maserati to develop a new V6. This explained why the car called SM – Sport Maserati. Based on Maserati Indy’s V8, Maserati developed a quad-cam aluminum 90° V6. In 3.0-litre and 220hp form it served Maserati’s mid-engined sports car Merak. For the SM its capacity was reduced to 2670cc in order to fit in a lower tax category in France. The result was 170 horsepower and 170 lbft of torque. Later, power was raised to 178hp by the adoption of fuel injection. A 3.0-litre engine with 180hp was used only for the SM equipped with 3-speed automatic.
While such power output was a marked improvement from the DS, it was not enough for the big coupé which weighed 1450 kg in dry. Citroen claimed 8.4 seconds 0-60 for the 5-speed manual fuel injected SM. For comparison, a contemporary BMW 3.0CSi could do that in 6.9 seconds, while Jaguar E-Type V12 was quicker still.
However, the SM was nonetheless a good high-speed touring car. Its streamline body with Cd 0.34 allowed it to run to 140 mph. Its advanced suspensions delivered a supple ride while the self levelling function led to remarkable high speed stability. Its power steering contributed to a relaxed driving. Sure, it rolled a lot in corners and it delivered no feel through the steering, but it never pretended to be a Lotus Elan. SM was designed to be a luxury grand tourer while retaining the good tradition of French cars.
Initially, car journalists loved the big Citroen coupé very much. Unfortunately, it was soon known for serious reliability and servicing problems – even more so than the DS. Its Maserati V6 was found especially problematic – the vibration due to its 90° V-angle and the requirement for constant re-tuning. Maserati had little consideration for servicing when it designed the engine. Besides, the complex gearbox, suspensions and hydraulic system were all difficult to service. SM became a victim for its over-engineering. As these problems surfaced, sales declined. This was not helped by the 1973 oil crisis either. After Citroen was sold to Peugeot, the new owner decided to terminate the SM.
Source; Autozine.

Video describing owning one here.

International Federation of SM Owners.

www.in2motorsports.com






Monday, August 08, 2016

Honda Civic CRX


This car had, has and will always have a huge following. It was not just popular with people wanting an economical and practical car. It was, is and will be popular with the young who like the customising and tuning challenges the CRX provides as well as many others who are racing these cars in various competition.
The Honda CR-X, originally launched as the Honda Ballade Sports CR-X in Japan, is a front-wheel-drive sports compact car that was manufactured by Honda between 1983 and 1991.
In the US-spec, the CR-X was marketed as an economy sport fastback, with room for two passengers. The European-spec car received a ZC 130 hp (97 kW) engine and a 2+2 seating arrangement. Redesigned in 1988 and produced to 1991, the CR-X was popular for its performance, nimble handling, and good fuel economy. In the United States, its performance model, the Si, was a favourite. Honda’s 1992 CRX del Sol was marketed as a CR-X in some markets.
The first generation CRX was sold in some regions outside Japan as the Honda Civic CRX. At its introduction, the CRX was available in Japan at Honda Verno dealership sales channels, and accompanied the Vigor, the Quint, and the Prelude.
The original 1.3 litre car had an EPA Highway mileage rating of 68 miles per gallon (MPG)in 1984 and was reported to often achieve over 70 MPG in favourable driving conditions. The later 1.5 litre American-market CRX HF (High Fuel economy) model could also reliably achieve very good fuel economy, more than a decade before hybrids appeared on the market, and at no price premium over the base model. The 1.5 litre is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 42 miles per U.S. gallon (5.6 l/100 km; 50 mpg-imp) city and 51 miles per U.S. gallon (4.6 l/100 km; 61 mpg-imp) highway. The Japanese Si and European 1.6i-16 models came with a 1590 cc DOHC engine putting out 135 bhp (101 kW; 137 PS) in the UK-spec model and 140 bhp (104 kW; 142 PS) in the JDM model. Though similar versions of the same engine, the Japanese Si engine was stamped ZC, whilst the European engine was stamped ZC1.
The chassis was significantly changed in 1988 from its original torsion bar front and semi-independent rear, to fully independent wishbones all around in line with its sister Civic/Ballade models. Outside of North America, this generation 2 CRX was available with a 1495 cc sohc or an updated version of the 1590 cc DOHC ZC engine. Many of these were fitted with fuel injection as standard.
In September 1989 Honda also added the 1595 cc B16A VTEC engine to the line-up outside of America. The VTEC engine used Variable Valve Timing to provide increased power in the high rev range, while still allowing low fuel consumption and better idling at low RPMs. The B16A produced 150 bhp (112 kW; 152 PS) in the European 1.6i-VT model and 157 bhp (117 kW; 159 PS) in the JDM SiR model. The CRX was the second car to receive a VTEC engine, shortly after the Integra, although the CRX was more popular and common.
The VTEC-equipped models also received a makeover, with updated bumpers, lights, bonnet/hood, brakes, suspension and dashboard design amongst other things. Additionally, some of these design changes were added to the concurrent non-VTEC models.
One of the options for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) CR-X was a glass roof, a fixed glass panel which stretched from the top of the windscreen to the top of the rear hatch opening. Relatively common in Japan, these are sought-after models in other markets.
Second-generation CR-Xs in the US could choose between three different trim levels: The standard with the 16-valve 1495 cc “D15B2″ engine and Dual-Point Fuel Injection (DPFI), the HF (“High Fuel efficiency”) model with the 8-valve 1495 cc “D15B6″ engine and Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI), or the Si model with the 16-valve 1590 cc “D16A6″ engine and MPFI. “DX” models were available with an automatic transmission, all others had five-speed manuals. The Si models all came with a electric sliding sunroof. A modification was made to the rear of the vehicle on all second generation vehicles in that a glass panel was installed on the upper half of the rear of the vehicle, above the rear lights which aided in rearward visibility in addition to the glass hatchback. This panel is heavily stippled black.
In 1992, Honda replaced the CR-X with a new, Targa topped, Civic-based model called the Honda Civic del Sol, otherwise known as simply the Honda del Sol. The del Sol was also badged as the CR-X del Sol in some markets, and known as simply the CR-X in others. It is because of this that the del Sol is generally considered the “3rd Generation CR-X” among enthusiasts, although it was arguably a very different car and Honda had seemingly quite different design goals when they built it. In the United States, the del Sol came in three trim lines: S (VXi in Japan, later VGi), Si (ESi in Europe), and VTEC (SiR in Japan and VTi in Europe). The 1994-1997 models featured a 160 hp (120 kW) DOHC VTEC-engine. Production of the del Sol ended in 1997, and thus, the CR-X line was retired.
In 2010, thirteen years after the end of CRX production, Honda released the CRZ, regarded as the spiritual successor to the CRX.
The CR-X was Motor Trend magazine’s Import Car of the Year in 1984. The CR-X was Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Millenium for 1990. It also made Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best list for 1985. The redesigned CR-X was on Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best list for 1988. The CR-X Si was Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year for 1988. The 1988 CR-X Si was named one of Road & Track’s 10 Best Cars of All Time.
Like the Civic, due to the wide availability of parts, the CR-X is popular for motorsport usage. In the United Kingdom, there was a one-make series dedicated to the series 2 of the CR-X which soldiered on a few years after the series 3 was introduced and was popular for showroom stock racing series. Nowadays, the car is popular for drag, autocross, and road racing events.

CRX Club.

CRX Community Forum.

www.in2motorsports.com