Monterey Can-Am 1967, McLaren M6A, Bruce McLaren

Held at Laguna Seca Raceway; finished 1st.

Forza Integrale!

The special relationship between the Lancia Delta Integrale and rallying dates back to 1987, when the Delta HF 4WD made its debut in Group A. After the decline of Group B, while it had been a great spectacle, it had lost all contact with standard production road cars. Nevertheless, Group B had served its purpose as far as Lancia was concerned, since the ultra-advanced technology developed for the Delta S4 was subsequently applied to the various versions of the Delta integrale.

Certainly Lancia enjoyed more successes in Group A, as outlined below. Apart from its 5 European championship titles, the Integrale achieved so many wins that the true score may be impossible to calculate. Here are just a few examples from the 1990 season:
- World Constructors Championship,
- European Championship,
- Italian Championship (1-2-3),
- Italian Ladies' Championship,
- the national championships of Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, Portugal,   Spain (on asphalt), and France (on dirt) - all in Group A.
- the Group N Austrian and Portuguese Championships.

In 1987 the Integrale era in the World Rally Championship began with the HF 4WD. it won on it's debut  in Montecarlo with a Miki Biasion & Juha Kankkunen 1-2. The season went on to be a triumph for the Lancia Martini colours with wins in Argentina and San Remo (Biasion), the 1000 Lakes (Marku Alen) and the RAC (Kankkunen). It was Lancia's seventh constructors' title and Kankkunen's second driver's title.
1988; another triumphant season for the Lancia Martini team which again took both the constructors' and drivers' titles and put three drivers in the first three places: Biasion, Alen and Alex Fiorio. 1989 and business as usual for Lancia Martini and another hatfull of rally wins: Montecarlo again with Biasion leading three other Lancias, then Portugal (Biasion again and another Lancia hat-trick), the Safari with a Biasion repeat of the previous year's win and on to the Tour de Corse (Auriol Occelli), the Acropolis (Biasion), Argentina (Kenneth Ericsson) and San Remo with a win to christen the debut of the 16-valve with Biasion at the wheel. Biasion took the drivers' title with Fiorio as runner-up and Lancia grabbed its third consecutive constructors' title.

1990, and faced with increasingly threatening competition the Integrale 16v lost no time in showing what it was made of with Auriol coming in first and Biasion third in Montecarlo.In Portugal a 1-2-3-4-5: Biasion, Auriol, Kankkunen, Dario Cerrato and Jorge Bica. After that Auriol won the Tour de Corse, Biasion the Argentina Rally, Kankkunen the Australian and again Auriol the San Remo. Although Carlos Sainz won the Driver's title with the Celica GT-Four, Lancia was constructors champion for the fourth time running.
1991; Lancia's fifth consecutive constructors' title and a drivers' championship won by Kankkunen. On the way there, Kankkunen won the Safari, the Acropolis, the 1000 Lakes and the Australian rally. In San Remo, Auriol, Biasion and Cerrato drove the Delta HF integrale 16v into first, second and third places and Kankkunen drove the message home by winning the RAC.

But in 1992, after winning its tenth Constructor's Championship title,Lancia announced its withdrawal from active involvement in the rally scene.
But, the Integrale was still in there, fighting under the banner of the Martini-Racing stable to which Lancia supplied cars and drivers after 16 years of profitable collaboration. And by the end of the year, another World Title.

While the likes of the Stratos and Delta S4 are the poster boys for Lancia rallying, the Integrale is the king of the Elephant hill and one of the most successful rally cars of all time.

Top Trumps Car Of The Day - Ferrari BB Concept

The Curious Case Of Brabham Tuning

From BMWblog.com:

Don’t remember the old-school legendary Brabham Racing? Here is a short history of them. The British racing car manufacturer was founded by two Australians in 1960, Jack Brabham, driver, and Ron Tauranac as a designer. In 1960s, Brabham was the world’s largest manufacturer of open wheel racing cars and it won several championships in Formula One, Two and Three. In 1992, the company went through a tough financial crisis and were unable to pay their lenders. But now, Brabham is back and their focus seem to be on becoming a BMW tuner. In a press release, the company announced three models: 

  1. Brabham BT 92 – based on an M3 Coup 
  2. Brabham BT 60 - a tuned up M5
  3. Brabham BT 70 - a sporty interpretation of the X6  

Will they make it? Do we need another BMW tuner? Not sure at this point, but I look forward to the Essen Motor Show where the cars will be unveiled. In the mean time, here is a teaser image of the BT 92.

The Brabham name on an X6!?! What the duece?

Anyway, they then issued a press statement saying they're nothing to do with the Brabham family or the original Brabham Racing!  Huh?

Brabham Racing, a BMW tuning outfit, has issued a statement claiming they are not related to Sir Jack Brabham, and have no intention of being associated with him. The statement comes as Sir Brabham, the first person ever knighted for motorsports and co-founder of Brabham/Motor Racing Development Ltd., has openly questioned the motives of the German tuner, implying that the company is trying to sell their cars and products by using the Brabham name without permission.
In their statement, Brabham Racing said, "It never was our intention to associate our brand with Sir Jack Brabham and his achievements as an engineer and racing driver nor with his legacy in motor racing history."Regardless, the use of the Brabham name still seems questionable. The company openly implied a connection to Sir Brabham's company in a November press release. In that release, the company writes, "One of the most illustrious names of automotive history has returned. After numerous successes in Formula One and being dormant for nearly sixteen years, the legendary motor racing brand was relaunched."Sir Brabham's firm went belly up in 1992; sixteen years ago.The company also claims Sir Brabham has a "questionable" legal ground for a dispute, as one of company shareholder acquired rights to the name "Brabham Racing" several years ago.

Sir Jack at one point was threatening to sue Brabham Tuning, Now I'm no lawyer, but judging from the German-based firm’s press release above, I’d say that Sir Jack and his family have a mighty strong case. And you thought legal battles about intellectual rights to a great F1 team of the past were exclusive to Lotus...

BMW Blog tested it in 2009, as it had just gone on sale at a price of - wait for it - $310,000. Gulp.

Son Of Supervan

After Supervan, comes Son Of Supervan. Simple really.
Also built by Alan Arnold in 1981 as a follow-up promo vehicle for CBS Automotive products as Supervan was, this one is the first Hustler kit car body made, which uses Mini running gear and packs a 1430cc punch.

Supervan. No, the other one

Does anyone remember the CBS Supervan?

It's a Bedford CF, built by Alan Arnold and a friend as a promotional vehicle for CBS Automotive parts (Alan was marketing manager) in the late 70's. It has a 4.4 litre Rover V8 engine (an Aussie import lump, this was before the domestic Rover version was enlarged), Jaguar XJ12 suspension back and front (the back was widened by 10"), the interior had Recaro seats had stereo speakers in the head-rests, the suspension had air shocks and it raises and lowers at the touch of a button.
The headlights have covering flaps to conceal them and the front grill bars are made of acrylic; they all illuminate for the side lights with the corner ones acting as indicators.

My all-time favourite Bedford CF custom - and that includes Invader, Rhapsody In Blue and Stargazer. Man, it looks near timeless now. Apparently, it's in dry storage somewhere in the UK, so hopefully the owner will pull it out of mothballs and help kick-start the UK vanning scene, which is showing signs of a revival.

With thanks to Mopar on Rods & Sods forum for the scans of the HR&C feature; saves me having to dig my copy out!

And the Street Machine feature:

Some more info on it here: here.

With grateful thanks to Fully-Sick for nicking my original posting on The Retro-Rides forum.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

- Amazosan

Triumph TR4(27) - A Beautiful British V8

It seems the Americans are quite fond of creeping up behind unsuspecting British sports cars and lamping them repeatedly with the V8 stick. Hot on the heels of the Daimler SP250 I showed you in February, here's Jason Norman's Triumph TR4 with a 427ci Chevy big-block. No wonder it's got that insane grin on it's face.
More here.

N.B. Award yourself a beer from your fridge if you thought of Al Murray when you saw the title...