T.W.O. - Shaw Speed & Custom XLST3

At the London International Custom Bike Show earlier this year was the UK round of the AMD World Championship of Bike Building. Amongst the myriad other fantastic bikes (which we'll be getting to in due course) was this: the ‘XLST3’ from Shaw Speed & Custom. SS&C is the custom workshop of an East Sussex Harley dealer, and the south coast boys were the big winner on the night - with XLST3 and a second entry - the Nascafe Racer - coming first and second in the Modified Harley-Davidson class.

XLST3 is based on a 2011 Harley XL1200N, with several trick modifications. The bike sports a custom exhaust system—built in-house—and has also been converted to chain drive. The standard front end has been fettled with titanium nitrided forks, progressive springs and harley XL883 lower forks. A braced swingarm and Öhlins shocks keep the back wheel planted, and a Performance Machine brake system is hooked up to Roland Sands Design Black Ops brake rotors. The frame has been tidied up, the engine cases anodized, and the petrol tank is also from R.S.D. The finishing touch is the lustrous paintwork from Image Design Custom.

If you’re in the USA, there’s a good chance you’ll see this bike at Sturgis bike week: according to Shaw’s Steve Willis, “We’re aiming to get into the AMD World Championship final again this year, to defend the title that we won in 2010 with the bike Strike True II.” Who knows if the bike can win when pitted against the combined might of the US Harley custom scene?

I’d like to think it has a good chance.

Gullwing America Ferrari F340 Competizione

Gullwing America, those love 'em or hate 'em doyens of old carreinvetion, revealed their Ferrari F340 Competizione, which is based on a true classic - a 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlineta. Only three of the original were built, by Vignale specially for the 1952 Carrera PanAmericana race, held in Mexico.

The new F340 Competizione, which pays tribute to the original race car, is actually based on a Ferrari 456 platform, which will receive a 15 inches longer aluminium body, made by hand by Australian Mark Nungent.
GWA's Ferrari 340 Competizione features a rear diffuser and spoiler, new side vents and front splitters.

The Gullwing America Ferrari F340 Competizione is powered by a the 456's 5.4 litre V12, mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox, which puts outs 476bhp at 6300 rpm. Gullwing's F340 comes with a bespoke exhaust system, and free flow air filters to free up a few more Cavallino.

On the interior front, Gullwing have equipped the 340 Competizione with carbon fibre seats,a half rollcage, a special luggage set, and a chronometer, perfect for setting race times, although I suspect I'd be too busy checking people's reactions to set a sizzling lap time.  The new Gullwing America Ferrari F340 Competizione will be a race car, so it will received competition-spec brakes and suspension, together with other racing parts.

Gullwing America did not disclose the price of their one-off Ferrari F340 Competizione...

...but its a fair to say it's wallet-melting expensive.

And for a visual comparison, heres a genuine 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta. You think the new one's expensive...

 More from Gullwing America here.

Section 9 '34 Ford - Evil, Evil Hot Rod

From Section 9 Street Rod Developments; not much technical info but the engine may be a big block Ford, judging by the front- mounted distributor and size of the rocker covers. A purpose-built tube frame and a hefty chanelling job ensure this mean mo'fo' sits close to Mother Earth, and the body features a neat line in windscreen mods.
Mysteries abound with this car; is it airbagged? Wheres the radiator? What's a scrub line? Wheres my one?
Whatever, enjoy the pics and don't have a nightmare about it coming to get ya...

Pics of completed car by Alistair Kershaw of  Akku's World. Nice find mate.

And some bonus build pics from Section 9's website:

How many of you noticed the screen mod?

Now that's channelling, kids...

'Bridge to engine room'

Pip Biddlecomb would be proud.

Spa Classic, May 27-29 2011

Pics courtesy of Jeroen on E21.net.

During the weekend of May 27-29 Spa-Francorchamps hosted for the first time the Spa Classic 2011, a historic meeting organised by the well-known French Peter Auto organisation. As expected the event was much appreciated by both its performers as well as 10.000 enthusiastic spectators.

Spa Classic 2011 hosted no less than seven different races at the 4.352 mile, 21-turn Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, featuring historic GT’s (Sixties Endurance) historic touring cars and GT’s (Asave and Group 1), pre-66 Italian Sports & GTs (Trofeo Nastro Rosso), Prototypes from 1966-1972 and GT’s from 1966-1974 (Classic Endurance Racing 1), Prototypes from 1973-1979 and GT’s from 1973-1975 (Classic Endurance Racing), Sports Cars from the eighties (Group C Racing) and Historic F1, Indy Cars, F3000’s and single seaters from the World Series by Nissan and Renault (BOSS GP).

Boss GP series for old F1 cars:

Benetton B197; don't be fooled by the unfamiliar colours:

Arrows A23, the last car Arrows made:

Prost Peugeot AP02:

Pick a car, any car...

I wonder how much foul play this Birdcage has been part of:

Nice to see old Ferraris getting nailed:

And now, here come the Sportscars:

Sauber C10. More here:

Dauer Racing Tic Tac 962:

Lancia LC2:

Jagermeister Brun 962:

Blaupunkt 962:

Fresh gearbox in a M1 sounds like a lot of work:

And more M1 love:

M10 power in a 1971 Chevron Le Mans prototype:

Porsche 935/78 'Moby Dick':

Chevron B36, with BMW F2 power:

The E21 Turbo Group 5.  The ‘Flying Brick’ was raced by the  BMW Junior Team for Works BMW in the German Motor Racing Championship and was an event where the best touring car drivers and team would showcase themselves. There was a total of 28 E21 320i built during 1977 to 1978 and were fitted with the thoroughbred BMW Formula 2 racing engine, a 2-litre in-line four-cylinder unit that packed 300 bhp.

Ferrari 712 CanAm car:

The Whittington brother's (Reg & Bill) 1979 Le Mans winning 935, driven together with Klaus Ludwig, although the latter, a multiple winner at Le Mans and elsewhere, did most of the driving in the heavy rain. 

Lola T70 MKIII:

Gas turbine Howmet TX; smoke is from the tyres...

The Pierre Nocolet Chevron-BMW B16: