Take a 2019 Tea Break with Delta

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

In the world of homologation specials (of which I am very fond), the Plymouth Road Runner ’Superbird’ and Dodge Charger ‘Daytona’ were probably a couple of the most extreme examples. Interesting facts and comparison from that well known insurance company....

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...7_Weekend_News

18ft long for a 2 door racecar! Nearly 3 feet longer than an E type.

(Also a fan of homologation specials)

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by E.B

Beautiful cars..... trivia fact for the day, out of the 100 (Gordon Keeble) cars manufactured, 90 are still classed as runners today. Photos of each in the club gallery.

http://www.gordonkeeble.org.uk/-Gallery/-gallery.html

One of them has belonged for many years to a friend of mine who happens to live in the same part of the world as Mr Bell. Doubt he will be giving it away though!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

One of them has belonged for many years to a friend of mine who happens to live in the same part of the world as Mr Bell. Doubt he will be giving it away though!

I saw one at Helmingham Hall probably about 10 years ago. Could it have been him? Wasn’t it Ernie Knott who improved the cars later with modifications to the steering and suspension?

When I worked for Mann Egerton in the entire of Norwich (in my youth), the manager (or owner) of the Royal Hotel opposite us had one. Lovely car.....

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

I saw one at Helmingham Hall probably about 10 years ago. Could it have been him? Wasn’t it Ernie Knott who improved the cars later with modifications to the steering and suspension?

When I worked for Mann Egerton in the entire of Norwich (in my youth), the manager (or owner) of the Royal Hotel opposite us had one. Lovely car.....

Might well have been him, I don't know. He actually had two G-K's briefly. Having bought one, a better one came up for sale from Ernie Knott. I went with him to collect it from Ernie, and then drove his Trident (another East Anglian brand) back to Norfolk.

I notice the one being auctioned at Essen a couple of years ago is amongst the pics. Wonder where that ended up?

[John Elwin]

I've just read a press release from Brussels museum Autoworld concerning their forthcoming "So British!" event, & amongst the exhibits is a Gordon Keeble!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

I've just read a press release from Brussels museum Autoworld concerning their forthcoming "So British!" event, & amongst the exhibits is a Gordon Keeble!

Good, an appropriate choice! Trident made in Ipswich, from memory? The most significant one was the car built for the World Cup Rally, or London Sydney- can’t remember which......

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Good, an appropriate choice! Trident made in Ipswich, from memory? The most significant one was the car built for the World Cup Rally, or London Sydney- can’t remember which......

I seem to remember the Trident factory was somewhere round the back of the bus station in Ipswich.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

I seem to remember the Trident factory was somewhere round the back of the bus station in Ipswich.

This Trident?

[Mike Bell]

Yes, that is a Trident- Clipper I think it was called. V6 mostly, although I believe later cars (Ventura?) could have had Triumph i6. The World Cup Rally car is still around, seen some pics on google.....

[bauble]

[Lancsbreaker]

Managed to catch the McLaren film last night, by chance. A good watch, although a bit painful at times....

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by bauble

Time for your cocoa & bed, Bob!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

Time for your cocoa & bed, Bob!

If the car had been built in Luton, it would be different!

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

If the car had been built in Luton, it would be different!

Baby Bertha too he lot of you

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by bauble

Baby Bertha too he lot of you

Which of course was based on the Vauxhall Firenza which in turn was a coupe version of the Vauxhall Viva... Thank you Baub

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Which of course was based on the Vauxhall Firenza which in turn was a coupe version of the Vauxhall Viva... Thank you Baub

Interesting how history can get distorted. According to some motor sport orientated websites BB was built by Vauxhall, but fortunately most of us old enough remember Bill Blydenstein creating the awesome machine! And from the remains of Big Bertha....

No doubt Vauxhall paid for it all, however.

[Tel 911S]

Originally Posted by grantp

This Trident?

Bill Last had a garage in Woodbridge where he sold some TVRs .
When TVR had some money problems , [ nothing new there then , ] he bought the rights to the TVR Trident model & then started making them from the "Factory " in Ipswich & TRIDENT CARS was born .

A friend of mine was chief mechanic there , & he would often turn up at my house on a Saturday morning with the latest thing they had built .

Most of the later cars were based on a Triumph TR6 chassis , with engines being either the straight 6 injected , a Ford V6 , an American 4.7 ltr V8 or other variations .
One day my mate turned up with a 7 Ltr Chrysler Hemi .
It left 2 black lines from wheelspin for several hundred yards up the road , except for a couple of gaps where the 3? speed auto box did a gearchange .

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Interesting how history can get distorted. According to some motor sport orientated websites BB was built by Vauxhall, but fortunately most of us old enough remember Bill Blydenstein creating the awesome machine! And from the remains of Big Bertha....

No doubt Vauxhall paid for it all, however.

Then, as now, these things were opaque. From memory, all the Berthas were entered by Dealer Team Vauxhall (much in the same way way that Ford's would enter many of their cars through dealers such as Dagenham Motors). However, whether it was DTV stumping up the cash for Bill's cars, or it was financed by Vauxhall themselves, I don't know.

Something that has always intrigued me is whether the cars that big Gerry drove so successfully throughout the years would have been so successful in the hands of another driver? Somehow, I doubt it.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Then, as now, these things were opaque. From memory, all the Berthas were entered by Dealer Team Vauxhall (much in the same way way that Ford's would enter many of their cars through dealers such as Dagenham Motors). However, whether it was DTV stumping up the cash for Bill's cars, or it was financed by Vauxhall themselves, I don't know.

Something that has always intrigued me is whether the cars that big Gerry drove so successfully throughout the years would have been so successful in the hands of another driver? Somehow, I doubt it.

Yes, I wonder about other drivers in the car! In modern times Andy Newall has pedalled BB very respectably on occasions when Joe Ward was not driving, but being used to can-am cars probably helped! Agree that DTV in theory was a dealer team but I can imagine VX helping out......

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Tel 911S

Bill Last had a garage in Woodbridge where he sold some TVRs .
When TVR had some money problems , [ nothing new there then , ] he bought the rights to the TVR Trident model & then started making them from the "Factory " in Ipswich & TRIDENT CARS was born .

A friend of mine was chief mechanic there , & he would often turn up at my house on a Saturday morning with the latest thing they had built .

Most of the later cars were based on a Triumph TR6 chassis , with engines being either the straight 6 injected , a Ford V6 , an American 4.7 ltr V8 or other variations .
One day my mate turned up with a 7 Ltr Chrysler Hemi .
It left 2 black lines from wheelspin for several hundred yards up the road , except for a couple of gaps where the 3? speed auto box did a gearchange .

See bauble, something interesting came of the Trident discussion! I forgot they used the 289 Ford engine in some cars......

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Interesting how history can get distorted. According to some motor sport orientated websites BB was built by Vauxhall, but fortunately most of us old enough remember Bill Blydenstein creating the awesome machine! And from the remains of Big Bertha....

No doubt Vauxhall paid for it all, however.

... and of course the the DTV/Blydenstein workshops were not in Luton but Hertfordshire (Royston, I rather think).

[bauble]

I have owned Morris Minor, Hillman Minx,

What can you pundits make of that?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by bauble

I have owned Morris Minor, Hillman Minx,

What can you pundits make of that?

You like cars with at least part of their name starting with the letter M?


Magnum at some point?

[bauble]

Originally Posted by grantp

You like cars with at least part of their name starting with the letter M?


Magnum at some point?

Mmmmmm!

Many makes, mercifully mostly mundane models Mercs, Mazda, Morris, make me maudlin, morbid, mournful. Might madness mean my mind, mesmerised, meanders, moodily, maybe misguided?
Magnificent, modified Midgets may muster magic moments, mates.

Mr Motors Man.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by bauble

Mmmmmm!

Many makes, mercifully mostly mundane models Mercs, Mazda, Morris, make me maudlin, morbid, mournful. Might madness mean my mind, mesmerised, meanders, moodily, maybe misguided?
Magnificent, modified Midgets may muster magic moments, mates.

Mr Motors Man.

Wot no Morgan? Maybe memory maladies manifest.... maybe merely malingering macrophotographic magazine material marauding mysteriously