Motor Mania

[pattyfrank]

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1 hour ago, Graham (G4FUJ) said:

They are great little cars Patty.  One of my fellow Prescott marshals has one (mind you he also has Alvis and various others).  Great for shopping trips and the dog loves it because she can easily enter/exit and has plenty of room at the back.

Thanks Graham! It will go to the first Cars & Coffee. Irresistible, off the charts 'cute" factor besides being so useful -- yes to shopping and carrying my mini schnauzer.  Cheers. 😁

[John Z. Goriup]

Some of my most ardent Ferrari tifosi friends & aquaintances have never even heard of a Ferrari 250 GT Interim Berlinetta. In late '58 Ferrari had commissioned Pininfarina to design a new GT coupe, since the 'old' Tour de France berlinetta was getting a bit long in the tooth. As was Enzo's usual practice at the time, he tasked his friend Sergio Scaglietti to fabricate the bodies. In 1959 seven of these all alloy coupes were produced on the existing TdF frame layout and still utilizing drum brakes, since the shorter, lighter, stiffer new frame with disk brakes ( a first for Ferrari road cars )) for the planned 'Passo Corto' ( SWB ) berlinetta was not deemd ready for production yet.  Another significant element in the development of the 250 GT series involving the Interim coupes  is that this was the first time the three individuals who collectively contributed so much to 'the legend', Giotto Bizzarini, Carlo Chitti and Mauro Forghieri were the driving force of the development team that created the sensational SWB in '60, which famously and gloriously culminated in '62 with the introduction of the 250 GTO series of berlinettas.

M240-P / 35mm Summilux FLE

JZG

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Edited March 26, 2021 by John Z. Goriup

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[John Z. Goriup]

.........and a rear view. Wisely very little was changed back there whe the SWB was introduced a year later.

JZG

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[John Z. Goriup]

Rarely seen nowadays............a Lotus Mk VI, their first production car.  In the same family since purchased new as a kit in '53, used on the track only these days but kept in sound condition and as original as possible on this side of the Atlantic.

M240 / 50mm Summilux Asph.FLE

JZG

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used

[John Z. Goriup]

Definitive proof that God has no sense of humor. You recieved the invitation to the world's most exclusive Concours d'Elegance, you've prepared the car, you got it to Pebble Beach, particpated in the 55-mile Tour d'Elegance and won your Class.............and just when your success is announced and you're called to the ramp to accpt your reward, the damned automobile decides it's time to 'fail to proceed'. What to do - well, you get a tow strap, hail one of the VIP golf carts used for transporting elderly, frail, disabled, lazy and self-important folks and have the car towed across the awards ramp...........hardly dignified but in the end it all worked out, hinting that perhaps He does have a sense of humor, but we just don't get it.

SL / 24-90 V.E.

JZG

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[Rona!d]

What do you expect, JZG, it´s an awfully old vehicle. Wouldn´t have happened with a modern Hyundai 😉

[John Z. Goriup]

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Ronald, undoubtedly you're correct that it most likely wouldn't happen with the modern cars popular nowadays, on the other hand, would you ever even consider paying to attend a Concours that featured new Hyundais, KIA's and all the other bland, faceless, featureless 'appliances' that pass for automobiles in these confused times of massive changes to the industry.

JZG

[pattyfrank]

33 minutes ago, John Z. Goriup said:

Ronald, undoubtedly you're correct that it most likely wouldn't happen with the modern cars popular nowadays, on the other hand, would you ever even consider paying to attend a Concours that featured new Hyundais, KIA's and all the other bland, faceless, featureless 'appliances' that pass for automobiles in these confused times of massive changes to the industry.

JZG

Ronald. Seems you've received a proper 'ack" 😉  But John. You know I never thought one would see Japanese motorcycles at a "Concours" either. Yet it is beginning to happen. Perhaps in some distance century Hyndais, KIAs, etc. will be all the rage at shows, however unattractive the thought. 😝  Regards.

[Gelatino]

On 2/17/2021 at 3:22 PM, John Z. Goriup said:

This one's for Graham.

A very original 1930 Morgan Aero Super Sport three-wheeler, Ser. # M 318.

No proper vintage race meeting would be complete without a few early 'Big Reds' out on track.

M240-P / 35mm Summilux FLE

JZG

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Saw this morning something approching, a little younger

[Graham (G4FUJ)]

That's the modern version.  Last few going through the factory now.  Quite what the new generation will be like I don't know.  Factory has leaked a photo to Autocar, but difficult to see what is underneath as far as platform/engine/driveline goes.

Wilson could tell you all about the trials and tribulations of owning one such as in your photo

[John Z. Goriup]

As I read headline upon headline about the demise of the ICE era, read that as Internal Combustion Engine, and listen to all the talking heads on the haunted fishbowl hyperventilating about a utopian future once we all electrify the global auitomotive fleet I am reminded of all the magnificent & wondrous gasoline-powered cars I've owned, driven, collected, raced, modified and simply enjoyed deeply for what they are, and the wonderful times I've had in the company of so many equally wonderful people enjoying motorsports and automobiles. It'll be a sad day when the last pure gas-powered car rolls off the assembly line. 

This nostalgia has caused me to spent increasing time going through my collection of prints, negatives and transparencies of thousands of various cars I began taking circa 1953 or thereabouts, and spending time lately on my computer reviewing thousands of digital images.

In the process I have picked out images of what I thought were particularly memorable examples.

One such interesting subject is the '49 JAGUAR-PARKINSON Special, posted below. It belonged to a young California architect named Don Parkinson, who purchased one of the first XK-120s imported into the U.S., to be used as a race car on weekends. In his zeal to win, he overcooked it entering a corner at the old Pebble Beach road coarse, hit a large eucalyptus tree and wrecked the car. The remains were transported back to International Motors, the Hollywood based Jaguar dealer for Los Angels and handed over to a young Phil Hill, fresh from a stint in England as a Jaguar trainee and lead mechanic for the dealership's racing department...... and also Parkinson's brother-in-law. 

The car was completely dismantled , the frame straightened, strengthened & shortened, the suspension modified, the motor enlarged to 3.8 liters from 3.4, equipped with larger valves, racing camshafts, Weber carbs, set back 12" lowered in the chassis by 4' and offset to the right of centerline and a handmade aluminum 2-seater cycle-fendered body, styled by teen-ager Robert Cumberford who went to work at General Motors as a stylist and was instrumental in the Corvette project was fabricated in house. Track-ready the car weighs about 2000 lbs, and the following year Parkinson won the Pebble Beach road race.

Other than the addition of all the mandated safety items necessary to comply with US sanctioning bodies, the car remains remarkably original and continues to race to this day.

I shall miss machines like this terribly once they're all relegated to museum artifact status.

M9-P / 35mm Summilux FLE

JZG

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[John Z. Goriup]

...............and a rear view.

JZG

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[John Z. Goriup]

The image of the engine compartment that made me start this post .................reminds me of a nest full of baby robins waiting to be fed.

JZG

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[Graham (G4FUJ)]

Nest full of baby robins...  What a great description!

[John Z. Goriup]

If you enjoy vintage sports racing cars, I suggest the best time by far to see & study these things is race-day morning. Qualification is behind them, and they're as clean and well turned out as they ever get during the season......at sunrise, hot coffee in hand - motor mania just does not get much better than that.

Allow me to present a series of some of the more memorable specimens that left a lasting impression. 

M9-P / 35mm Summicron Asph. IV, M240-P / 35mm Summilux FLE (silver) & SL with all of the three L zooms.

Starting in n o particular order with a 1960Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage, one of 19 produced, fresh from a total refurbishing.

JZG

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Edited May 25, 2021 by John Z. Goriup

[John Z. Goriup]

1963 Alfa-Romeo TZ Coda Tronca Coupe. 112 produced between '63 & '65, this is one of the sweetest driving Alfas ever made ......fast, light, comfortable, reliable, and a joy to drive.

JZG

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[John Z. Goriup]

Ex-Whittington brothers 1979 Porsche K1 935 - another sharp, sensational driving car that really defines all that's good and lovable about the Porsche 911.

JZG

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[John Z. Goriup]

1971 Ferrari 312B2 F1 car - the first of a total of four of this model built, this very car won the '72 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, with Jacky Ickx earning his last F1 victory.

Other drivers include Mario Andretti, Clay Regazzoni, Arturo Merzario - participated in 24 Grands Prix before being retired from the werks team.  

History on four  wheels !

JZG

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[John Z. Goriup]

Ex-works 1955 Jaguar D-Type LeMans racer

JZG

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[John Z. Goriup]

1965 Sunbeam Tiger. The winningest Tiger of the 3700 + total built, with 347 cu.in. Weber IDA carburated motor, B-W T-10 four-speed transmission, alloy body panels and hand-made aluminum hardtop. Owned for 35 years by original owner and raced extensively worldwide.

JZG

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