Commercial Break:Sierra Sapphire Cosworth, 1988 (UK)

Callaway 'Sledgehammer' Corvette - An Explosive C4

Peter Gabriel once sang 'let me be your sledgehammer, this will be my testimony'. Well, Reeves Callaway built this sledgehammer which has become his testimony; a 252mph testimony to how fast a 4th-generation Corvette can be pushed. The genesis of the Sledgehammer Corvette can be traced to another Callaway project, the 'Top Gun' Corvette that achieved a maximum speed of 231mph in a Car & Driver test, but Callaway felt that the Corvette was capable of more; not only in the way of a higher top speed, but also to improve day-to-day usability. That means air-con and a full stereo system. Oh, and the trifling matter of 898 bhp and 772lb/ft of torque, 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and the 1/4 Mile in 10.6 seconds. It comes up for sale at auction in January. Just don't use it to crack nuts.
Full story here; its a cracking read.

- Amazosan

Autobaan

Rover 827i Coupé - A (Gentle)Man's Best Friend

The Rover 800, a fallen star of the British motor industry in need of some old-school lovin'. Once hailed as the saviour of Rover, now near-forgotten by the mainstream and the enthusiast and rapidly nearing extinction; when was the last time you saw a pre-facelift Rover 800? The R17 (the facelift model) is faring a little better; helped by the poster boy of the 800 line, the Coupé. Every time I see one of these cars, I get the urge to scour eBay and buy one; I've fully-specced 820 turbos (and the Honda/Rover V6 models if you're really lucky) going for the price of a cheap flatscreen TV, which is not much in the way of Sterling (arf) for a car that to my mind has the junior-league Bentley thang sewn-up like a Barbour Putney Sportsquilt. Add a little altitude adjustment to the ride height, and I think the air of authority is complete.
More here, perversely from a German classic site; just add translation. And no, I'm not sure if the pictures are of two cars or it can change wheels at will.

- Amazosan

August 3, 1986 - Spa 24 Hours

The first place no.11 635CSi driven by Altfrid Heger, Dieter Quester and Thierry Tassin. BMW dominated the competition by capturing first, second, third, fourth and fifth place positions.

A Moment Of Silence

Wiessman Of The Sea

High Overheads

Commercial Break: Chevrolet Opala/Comodoro, 1983 (Brazil)

1953 Studebaker Champion Coupe - From Tubs To Dubs

They say theres more than one way to skin a cat, although the cat tends to object to it, so I'm told. Now keeping to that macabre maxim, there also seems to be more than one way to customise a Studebaker. You may remember this beauty from a while back, but the Studebaker champion coupé isn't just a one-trick pony when it comes to being modified; in fact the particular car here is on it's second incarnation, having been a balls-out Pro-street car with a big-block Chevy motor. But once the engine decided to release it's internal components to the outside world, the car was given a Pro-Touring makeover, but with the big tubs at the rear retained for a lil' wrinkle on that well-established look, with 18 inch rims filling them out rather nicely. The car runs an 350ci LT1 small-block, and before anyone cries that the car has somehow been demoted by have a smaller engine under the bonnet, well seeing as it's from a '96 Pontiac Trans Am which in standard form has 295bhp, methinks that those big ol' skins at the rear have no problem getting lit up.

Go here, to get that champion feeling.

Commercial Break: Toyota Celica Liftback, 1979 (US)

Uxbridge Autoshow 2013

July 21st, Middlesex showground, Uxbridge.
A little late with the pics, but I think you will find it's worth it. Last year's show was cancelled due to flooded fields but the weather this time around was one for shorts, not soaking. Although there was a large OSF contingent, Uxbridge does have a habit of attracting some unusual automobiles and there were some oddballs in attendance.
More pictures here, if you're interested.

- Amazosan

Got Crabs?

Tara Green Metallic, just like my old Mini 1275GT. #sniff

Fabric bodied 1929 Rolls-Royce 20 HP 4 Light Sports Saloon:

Period.

 

 1936 Rolls Royce 25/30; 1201 made. Engine is a 4257cc 6-cylinder OHV engine, and came with a four speed gearbox and rode on a 132 inch wheelbase, and this one has Park Ward bodywork.

Red Transit-er, red Transit:

Crusty Farnham:

Hunter GT:

Standard Flying Fourteen. The 1,776 cc engine and transmission were also used in the Jaguar Mk IV:

1951 Lea-Francis 14HP Saloon:

"Marty, he's in a '46 Ford. We're in a DeLorean. He'd rip through us like we were tin foil."

Whats a Cosworth? Double.

Cougar in blue jeans. Mercury Cougar with the Midnight/Chamois Decor Option. Yeah, this is from the factory.

Polished:

Unpolished:

'36 Ford three-window with SBC had a recent Custom Car feature:

Pontiac Tempest:

This Falcon looks like its about to take flight:

A duet of Jowetts. By Jupiter!

Another Lea Francis 14HP, this one's the Sports version. The chassis was the same as the saloon, only a foot shorter:

The beautiful Tojeiro Bristol with Bristol's 6-cylinder 2-litre engine. The original car, (reg no. LOY 500) bodied in the style of a Ferrari 166 Mille Miglia, predated the AC Ace which itself then became the basis for the Cobra. I believe this one is a replica:

Lowered E23 on modern BMW rolling stock was just class:

We all know what a Jensen Interceptor looks like, but have you looked at the dash of a series 1 close up? EIGHT TRACK HEAVEN:

'34 Roadster is a former Street Machine feature car from the late 80's; she's got a little unwanted 'patina' but still looking good:

Phwoar.

Phwoar. Again.

1953 Mercedes 170D; a rare RHD diesel version at that:

Taxi time; a French 1906 Unic:

1959 Beardmore paramount MKVII, powered by a contemporary Ford Consul engine:

And Austin FX3D:

Sunbeam Imp on Alleycats; ooh, ahh etc:

Seen this early K-G before; never fails to be photogenic:

Not a Jag or Merc. Bedford S-type and ML:

One-owner Sceptre:

Sunbeam Talbot 90 MKI convertible:

Ants on the grass:

The gold standard:

'Oh, have you not heard? It was my understanding that everyone had heard...'

Could have done with this last year:

Everyone (surely?) knows about the factory Le Mans Spitfire programme, but real ones are alitle out of reach for the average enthusiast. T6 Fabrications can make you a homage based on a Spit or GT6 chassis:

Check out the Flickr pics for these if you're interested in hot Perkins Diesel and tractor action:

They were negotiating a sale; I wanted to gazump the buyer:

Starlet with a Suzuki Hayabusa lump. Yumz.

Original, genuine, supersexy Series X RS2000. If I was to own a MKII, this would be it, preferably with a period Janspeed turbo kit. Oooooooooooooooooooooooof.

Two Ford campers, two totally different approaches:

Morris LD:

Solar panels on a 400E?

Of course, everyone knows Pininfarina got the inspiration for the Testarossa side strakes from a BL-era Scammel Routeman:

FIN