*RETRO‑MOTORING

 

Saturday, February 01, 2014

Mazda Rotary Powered Ford Escort Mk2 Rally Car

This Ford Escort Mk2 is powered by a Mazda Wankel engine. It sounds fantastic!

Ford Escort Mk2 Wankel

Car 22 - S Hopewell and E Hopewell - Red Ford Escort Mk2 Rotary

Ford Escort Mk2 Rally Car

(And yes, it has been quiet here for a while I know... More content is coming soon, I've been busy rebuilding the main site!)



Tuesday, May 28, 2013

BRSCC Race Day - Oulton Park

Another trip to Oulton! The weather was beautiful (a rare event for a Bank Holiday weekend these days!) and the action exciting with lots of cars and teams from Scotland making an appearance at the Cheshire circuit.

Championships on the day:

  • Teekay Couplings Production GTI Championship
  • Celtic Speed Scottish Mini Cooper Cup
  • BIGProfile SRCC Sports 2000 Championship
  • Scottish Classic Sports and Saloon Championship
  • Avon Tyres Formula Ford 1600 Northern Championship - Post 89
  • BRSCC Alfashop Alfa Romeo Championship
  • Avon Tyres Formula Ford 1600 Northern Championship - Pre 90

I don't think I've ever seen so many Alfa 145s in one place! The Golf GTI championship was great too, it was surprising to see the 8 valvers happily mixing it up in amongst those with 16. Aside from the racing, it was nice to see an MG RV8 parked up - not a common sight at all - and I spent a good few minutes drooling over a white Porsche 356. Although the 911 is my favourite car of all time I think I could be convinced that a 356 would be a worthy substitute! Spot-of-the-day though has to be the Alfa Romeo SZ. Such brutal lines yet somehow so beautiful.

Full picture set here, and below are some highlights.

Car 6 - George Leitch - Blue Ford Fiesta Mk1 MMX271W Car 32 - Alasdair Coates - Red Ford Mustang Car 1 - Robert Marshall - Ford Escort Mk2 RS White Alfa Romeo Spider Car 60 - Robin Eyre-Maunsell - Alfa Romeo 75 Red TVR S Car 9 - Tim Hartland - Blue VW Golf Mk2 GTI 16v Green Triumph TR4 1600WK White Austin Healey 3000 Red Alfa Romeo SZ ES30 Blue TVR Cerbera Red MG MGB Roadster OAG616H Red MG RV8 M300MGR Red MG Maestro Turbo



Sunday, May 19, 2013

BMW E23 732i

You know how it is, you're out driving around with your girlfriend when you spot a distinctive shape out of the corner of your eye whilst passing a car park at 30mph... "Hold on juuuuust one second", as you quickly turn the car round where possible to dive in for a look. If she didn't know that this is something that happens regularly when you're behind the wheel then she does now. Snap, snap with the camera as you roll past with the window down, and then you're back on your way wherever you're going.

Well, that's how it is for me anyway. It's in my blood, I can't help it!

This beautiful E23 7-Series was caught yesterday. I can't remember the last time I saw one anywhere outside of the BMW Museum in Munich. I'd have awarded myself more points for a pre-facelift, but I think the unusual hue of this one balances things out. Plus it was a 732i when I'd have been expecting the full-fat 3.5.

BMW E23 732i B159XYH

A lovely barge, perfect for wafting along the motorway. It would look dwarfed now next to a new 5-Series or any modern large 4x4 but it still has massive road presence. Another of the many, many cars on my "want" list.



Monday, April 15, 2013

BARC Championships - Oulton Park

Saturday, 6th April 2013

My first (but hopefully not last!) visit to Oulton for 2013. I love it there.

Championships on the day:

  • Legend Cars
  • SVG Motorsport Pre 93 Touring Cars and CTCRC Pre 2005 Touring
  • Thermex Classic Saloons and Historic Touring Championship
  • Performance car.uk.com Classic Thunder
  • CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship
  • Autoglym Pre '83 Touring Cars
  • Burton Performance Blue Oval Saloon Series

Lots to see for the retro enthusiast! Of course the interest isn't all on the track, I spied a beautiful Porsche 912 milling about and a black Ford Escort RS1600i lurking in the paddock area. Most interesting car of the day for me was the Ford Maverick Grabber, I'd heard of them but never actually seen one before.

Click for the full gallery. Some highlights below:

Black Ford Escort Mk3 RS1600i SEC800Y BMW E28 5-Series Porsche 912 NNA924G Car 41 - Piers Grange - Ford Sierra XR8 Car 70 - Philip Waller - Ford Maverick Grabber V8 Car 49 - Mark Osborne - Black Triumph Dolomite Sprint Car 22 - William Jenkins - BMW 3.0 CSL 3153cc Car 12 - Demetris Neophytou - Ford Fiesta Mk1 Car 55 - David Howard - Jaguar XJ12 Car 1 - Phil Manser - Red Austin Mini Cooper Car 53 - Stuart Radford - Yellow Triumph 2000 Car 48 - Mike Haynes - Red Ford Capri Mk3