*RETRO‑MOTORING

 

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



Sunday, March 24, 2013

The Citroen Visa

Citroen Visa "Satellite Control Pod" dashboard
The "Satellite Pod" dashboard

Citroen Visa Interior
Interior trim

Citroen Visa rustproofing - electrophoretic tank immersion
The bodyshell undergoing immersion in an electrophoretic tank



Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Opel Kadett C Coupe

One of the best-looking mainstream Coupes of all time, in my opinion. The mini skirt certainly adds to the photo.

Opel Kadett C Coupe



Sunday, March 10, 2013

Fiesta Firefly : A Bright New Style Setter

The Fiesta is a good-looking and lively performer which has captivated enthusiasts throughout Europe.

Now Ford's Special Project engineers have taken a look at it with a view to adding even more personality and visual appeal, they've designed the Firefly!

Ford Fiesta Mk1 Firefly Special Edition Brochure

It's a Special Edition car with a real sporting appeal, good looks, low running costs and an attractive low initial price.

The Fiesta Firefly is very distinctive with a three-colour body side tape stripe and 4.5" body coloured wheels.

Choose a really dashing body colour from Strato Silver, Signal Red, Terracotta or Cordoba Beige.

The Firefly combines the zip of the 950 (40 BHP) or 1100 engines with the 'S' suspension to give a car that really handles well.

Ford Fiesta Mk1 Firefly Special Edition Brochure

Sporty Performance; definitely unsporting price!

Call in at your Ford Dealer for a test drive and see what fun the Firefly can be.

From the moment you settle down in the 5 position adjustable seat and grasp the 4-spoke Ghia steering wheels you'll know it's the car for you.

Admire the styling inside with its colour-keyed 'Chevron' fabric trim and outside black finish Rocker panels, locks, handles and window surrounds.

Enjoy the sound of the Ford push button P21 radio, the convenience of the intermittent wipe/electric screen washers and passenger door mirror.

But most of all know that you're going to have a car which combines spirited performance with a low price.

Ford Fiesta Mk1 Firefly Special Edition Brochure



Thursday, March 07, 2013

The Rover SD1 Production Line

I wonder if any of the cars in this picture have survived?

Rover SD1 Production Line



Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Sunday, March 03, 2013

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013

The 1957 Vauxhall Victor

Salute the Victor

1957 Vauxhall Victor F-Series Brochure

Latest and greatest in Vauxhall value

New, right from the road up, the Victor heralds a new generation of cars... lower, swifter, more efficient. The low roofline of the Victor is only 58 inches high! Though built so low to the road, headroom is generous and ground clearance ample. This very modern design pays big dividends in easy driving. Weight is kept low and there is a new flat-ride suspension system. So the Victor shows remarkable reluctance to roll on corners. Sure-footed safety is designed right into the Victor.

Powered by a new, deep-skirt 'square' engine, the Victor is very much a top gear car - with swift, smooth top gear acceleration from walking pace into the middle seventies.

This top gear flexibility cuts petrol consumption, too. Because the Victor's 'square' engine performs so efficiently throughout its whole speed range, it puts the Victor far ahead of its class for all-round fuel economy.

Full panoramic windscreen

1957 Vauxhall Victor F-Series Brochure

Three's company in the front or rear seat of a Victor when one is a child. There's no less than 52 inches of hip room in this roomy four seater!

Wide panoramic rear window

1957 Vauxhall Victor F-Series Brochure

These youngsters show how much room there is in the rear seat of a Victor. Put a grown-up between them and they've still got fidget room.



Sunday, February 24, 2013

Mercedes Benz SLC wind tunnel testing

Mercedes Benz SLC in the Wind Tunnel

Testing a Mercedes in a wind tunnel. The ribbons show how air is flowing over the body, and can indicate regions of turbulence.



Saturday, February 23, 2013

Mk1 Ford Fiesta on the paint line

Green Ford Fiesta Mk1 being painted

What price a freshly painted brand new bodyshell nowadays?



Monday, February 11, 2013

Datsun Stanza

I know I must have seen a 3-door when they were current - there was a large Nissan dealer just a few miles away and the marque was everywhere around here. But any Stanza is a rare sight these days, and every one I recall seeing has had five doors.

Blue Datsun Stanza 3-Door

When did you last see one?



Thursday, February 07, 2013

1980 Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Blue Alfa Romeo Giulietta in the Pininfarina Wind Tunnel Wind tunnel testing.


Red Alfa Romeo Giulietta Testing the doors resistance against side impact.


Alfa Romeo Giulietta Testing of the seat belts.


Red Alfa Romeo Giulietta Testing the roofs resistance in roll-over accidents.


Alfa Romeo Giulietta A mechanism testing the resistance of the bonnet.


Alfa Romeo Giulietta dashboard Dashboard.


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