Historic Racing Cars Today (with Images!)

[John Turner]

Whilst Mark Wright's E-Type is receiving the finishing touches:-

[John Turner]

And Whizzo's (back to camera) MGB seems to require rather more attention!

[Al Weyman]

Yuk, dont like that front end treatment on the Bee, was that really homologated.

[Peter Mallett]

It was the prototype 1964 car. Actually it's a replica because the original nose was lost.

It was built for Le Mans and ran quite well.

However as it is at the moment the car suffers from cooling problems. It suggests to me that BMC had special bits to make it run properly.

The reg (IIRC) is BMO 512B.

The guy with the black jacket and the scowl is my mate Terry Bower. He looks after it.

[John Turner]

Al, Syd Enever designed this nose for the Le Mans 'B's which were there from 1963 to 1965. The first to be so fitted was run as a private entrant, in 63, although it had plenty of unofficial works backing. In the following 2 years the works entered the B also with this drop snoot nose. I think it was a different car each year so that we know that at least 3 cars were fitted with this nose 'in period' specially for Le Mans where the high speeds justified a more wind cheating front end. I agree it doesn't entirely suit the B body style but seems to have been effective in function.

Edit - I was obviously typing my response, as Peter was posting his. The current problems re cooling that Peter alludes to clearly suggests the factory must have done something to aid cooling, although my source book makes no reference to it. It does say, however, that this nose allowed an extra 10mph on the Mulsanne!

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by AL Weyman

Bet it got a bit light on the front end over 100mph.

Al, I've made a new thread out of the rest of your post, as it will probably get picked up quicker, there!

[Peter Mallett]

And you moved it to where?

[John Turner]

Give me chance, Peter, I was about to put the link in by editing Al's post above, further. It's here:-

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...04#post1522104

Hope you're going to answer it for Al, now!

[Peter Mallett]

Done.

[Peter Mallett]

The interesting bit about the B at Le Mans was (I think) 1965 when it finished 11th overall and second (?) in class at an average speed of 99.99mph. The comps manager at the time figured this was better publicity than a 100mph average!

I'm not certain they ran that nose every year, in fact I have pictures of DRX 255C with conventional grill. (This one was crashed by Roger Enever on its way to the Marathon De La Route).

Indeed its more likely that only one set of bodywork for that nose was produced because it needed different front wings from the production components.

What they did do was replace the doors, front wings boot lid and bonnet with aluminium components (of course the bonnet was available as an option).

The first year of running they sent two cars to Sebring having tested them on an airfield in sub zero temperatures. Unsurprisingly they went bang after about two hours. 6 and 7 DBL were the cars IIRC.

Funnily enough not long after that 6 DBL appeared in practice for Le Mans with BMO 512B. They had some seriously fast Atlantic crossings in those days.

I've posted this in the Motorsport History forum for discussion.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

I'm not certain they ran that nose every year, in fact I have pictures of DRX 255C with conventional grill. (This one was crashed by Roger Enever on its way to the Marathon De La Route).

Indeed its more likely that only one set of bodywork for that nose was produced because it needed different front wings from the production components.

According to Peter Browning, the Team's Competition Manager at Le Mans, they ran with the droop snout nose 3 years in succession and on different cars with, and I quote 'another droop-snout' nose, on each occasion;-

1963 - 7 DBL
1964 - BMO 541B
1965 - DRX 255C

As far as I can tell, they only used these special noses for Le Mans. The normal front end was used elsewhere, such as at Sebring.

[John Turner]

Further discussion on the Le Mans MGBs here, please:-

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...post1522413;-M

[johnh875]

A couple of happy snaps from the Philip Island historic races last weekend - Maserati 250F (1956 Australian GP winning car in the hands of Stirling Moss) & Lister Jaguar


Porsche 904/8 from the Porsche museum


An Australian based GT40


Lola T610, driven by former Gold Star winner & general all-round legend John Bowe on the weekend & the fastest car of the day (not surprising for a 1982 car with 6L of grunt)


Gurney Eagle F1


1953 Allard J2R, my favourite car there & one of only 17 built. Powered by a 6.9L Cadillac engine. Never thought I would see one of these!


This isn't "today", it was 2 years ago at the same meeting - the first Maybach special. This was a locally constructed car powered by an engine from a WW2 Maybach scout car.


Link to full gallery of 88 pics from the weekend including more of the locally based cars.

[johnh875]

Hmm, those pics were supposed to come up like the thumnail images in the earlier posts, what am I doing wrong? If necessary can someone fix them up, my 10min has expired (slow dial up connection at the moment).

[John Turner]

Well my technical knowledge is not good enough to know how to change them, and I'm inclined to leave them as they are! Obviously thumbnails are better for load up time and bandwith, so they are preferable.

Great pictures, anyway, thanks!

[John Turner]

Now, 3 from the 750MC's 'Historic' racing series for early 750 formula cars, and 1172cc side valve cars (amongst others!). All on the grid at the late September 750MC meeting at Cadwell, last year. This is Richard Reeve in his Mk6 Lotus:-

[John Turner]

Paul Grele's Marsh Grayford Special:-

[John Turner]

And the diminutive Austin 7 Mason Special of Mike Whitby:-

[macca]

That Lola 610 has a colour scheme that reminds me of the Ultramar car that Guy Edwards drove at Le Mans in 1982 - only that one didn't have a huge wing or a 6-litre engine, it had a 3.9-litre DFL.

The nose on the Maserati 250F looks a bit odd - anyone know what chassis no. it is?

Paul M

[Andrew Kitson]

Well done to all on correctly identifying most of the pics I posted.
Others are:

4.

The 2003 Goodwood Revival, the paddock access road to the assembly area, Jim Woodley's Galaxie and Lord March's Willment Replica.

6.

Derek Graham's F.Atlantic GRD 272 at the 2003 Silverstone HSCC finals meeting. In DART team colours.

8.

Francis Gomm's ex-Piquet 1978 F3 Ralt RT1 in the assembly area at Snetterton in 2002 - where the March 702 pic was taken too John!
9.


11.

Mike Whatleys F5000 Surtess TS8, again at the 2003 HSCC Silverstone meeting. Does Mike still own it now he has retired from driving?

[krt917]

Thanks for the info Andrew - I should have got the Piquet F3 Ralt.

john 875, I think the Porsche you have pictured is an earlier car than a 904/908 (which were two distinct models in any case). An RS60 perhaps?

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by macca

That Lola 610 has a colour scheme that reminds me of the Ultramar car that Guy Edwards drove at Le Mans in 1982 - only that one didn't have a huge wing or a 6-litre engine, it had a 3.9-litre DFL.

Thats more like the colour scheme it had in 82 when I saw it a silverstone.
Lola 610
The Ultramar scheme came later in the year. Agreed it had a DFL in it then.

[Nordic]

This was taken around the late 70's early 80's

Alfa
I wonder what became of the unpainted body on top of the Land Rover behind the Alfa!

This was taken at the same meeting, a GP at Silverstone I think. The 312PB would have been about 10 or 11 years old and I thought it looked very dated.

Its odd to me to now see a 956 or other early grp C car and think, they are twice as old as that Ferrari was when I saw it, does that make any sense?
312PB

[John Turner]

Three from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, 1996. Firstly, R. Boudman's 'Blue Crown Special':-

[John Turner]

Duncan Rabagliati's Connaught L2:-