Gratuitous Racing Shot.

Austin Seven Special+empty Laguna Seca= Better Thursday than you're having.


Via: Conceptcarz

Happy Hump Day.

MiTo GTA, Absolutely Exhausted.

Ahem, Mr. President!

Don't know if you caught it yesterday (if not you can see it here), but in the middle of his address to congress, president Obama stated emphatically, "the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it." This seemed to imply that the United States was that nation and not Germany as everyone knows it was (except as we're about to discover, it wasn't). Of course, the US was the first nation to truly mass produce the automobile, thanks to Henry and his "T" but that's another story.

From the moment he said it the internet and radio were abuzz with corrective statements attempting to lead the President's attention to one Karl Benz of the then recently united Germany, who's 1885-6 Motorwagen is irrefutably the first commercially available vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. Well then, job well done everybody. Glad we could bring this to the attention of an administration charged with running the most powerful nation in the world. Aren't we all so smart...

Shut up everyone until you know what you're talking about. That's the lesson here. Clearly Herr Benz was very much on the cutting edge of internal combustion technology in his day, and was the first to patent his invention. But to name him as the father of all that is the automobile is to ignore the efforts of many others. Here I will name but four.

1. Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, 1885-6: At the same tim that Benz was finishing off his Motorwagen, Maybach and Daimler were putting the finishing touches on the engine that would make the motorcar more a practical concern and less a novelty. The fact that the work of these two men went on separate from, and without detailed knowledge of the work of Benz, and the broader application of their work (they created the first motorcycle, and were the first to use four wheels on an gas-powered vehicle, they also were the first to apply their new engine to marine craft).

2. Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot, 1769: This gentleman almost certainly created the first self-propelled vehicle that did not require a fabricated running surface (a track in other words). Cugnot's fardier à vapeur (Roughly: "Steam Wagon") was designed at the behest of Louis XV of France to carry heavy artillery pieces (incidentally, in may have also been involved in the first car crash when it went out of control and smashed into the wall of an Arsenal), but was abandoned due to poor performance. If though, an automobile is defined as a vehicle that is able to run without a prepared track, carries its own power source and some fuel, is able to carry a load other than that required to power it, and can be controlled from within (and I think that's a pretty good definition), then this is really where it first came together.

3. Ferdinand Verbiest, 1672: Bit of a mystery here, and there's some debate as to whether it was ever built. Even if it was, it doesn't satisfy all the requirements of being an automobile because it almost certainly couldn't have been ridden, or controlled. Still, this Jesuit monk at least created a design for what, if it was indeed built, would have been a very early example of a self propelled vehicle. I for one find this sketch somehow darling with its modified Hero's Engine concept driving an impeller. It's the first turbine car!

So, I hope this has cleared up a little bit for some people. In between of course go the lives of countless imitators and innovators who's stories will have to be recounted another day. Now if you're ever elected to the highest office in the land, you'll know the history of the industry to which you're offering a bailout, back to its earliest incarnations. And if you're the internet charged with correcting that person, you won't sound like an idiot for starting more than two hundred years after the story began.

Saturday At Autobooks, III

A very cool Saturday this week, with the members of the local Alfa Romeo club bringing out their cars, and several other cool cars besides. I have to confess to first borrowing my friend Justin's camera for the day, then forgetting to bring it, so it's the same lousy phone-pics we usually get. I know, I suck. Still there's a good number of pics, and some really cool cars. The day was capped off for me by a ride in the very same Daytona from last week's pics. Hat-tip to my new best friend Marty for taking me on the ride of the year, even after the H2 nudged off one of the Ferrari's bumper "eyebrows." I am wondering how I managed to keep from photographing any of the GTVs at the store, but oh well... Sorry this installment is a bit late (as if people were waiting for it), but it was my birthday on Monday, and I've been distracted. Here we go then.

Lancia Fulvia HF Fanalone: I'll get more and better pics of this at a later date, it's spectacular, and a treat to ride in.


Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider:


Alfetta GTVs and GTV-6:


Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider:


Mercedes AMG CLK DTM: That's a lot of initialism, even for an epic car.


Cadillac V12 Convertible: Wish I'd been able to get more pics of this one. Another week perhaps.


Jaguar XK120 Roadster:


Lotus Europa S1:


Well, that's about all I was able to take this week. I'm trying to borrow a camera in time for car night this week, and maybe I'll have it for the Hot Rod Art book signing this week. Here's hoping I remember to bring it!

This Week, We Wish We Were Commuting In.

Well! That was a blast commuting last week in the Alfa Romeo SS. It's light weight and tiny, high revving engine made it agile in traffic, and exciting to drive, if a little manic. This week though we're going in a different direction because, it's stopped raining in SoCal, and isn't set to start again for the rest of the week! Yes, we're excited too. In fact, it's set to be a banner week of sunny days and cool breezes; so what better week to indulge in the joys of a small roadster?

A couple of parameters: First, the car needs to have wind up side glass. We know, we know, but we do a lot of night driving, and warming up is helped when you don't have to take the side windows out of the trunk first. Second, we're still not in the mood to spend the end of my commute erecting a top that rivals an A-frame tent for complexity, fold it and forget it, that's what we're looking for. Finally, we're not really looking for awesome power, so a nice, small, efficient "four" will be just the ticket.

That said, it's a real crap shoot out there with lots of choices and huge range of comfort and performance. So, what roadster to choose. Well, as you may have figured out, this site isn't really about going fast (though clearly, we don't mind if we do), but about driving fun, and interesting cars. The obvious choice for a roadster is an MGB, and there is a lot to recommend that car, including simplicity of maintenance and huge parts availability, a function of the "B" being one of the most popular sports cars of all time. That same ubiquitousness of course makes the MGB kind of boring, a worthy car, but...

No, what we're looking for is something a little out of the ordinary, but not too expensive (which itself will make a nice change). We could look to Alfa Romeo, with their Duetto or to Fiat and their 124 Spider, but those cars aren't exactly rare and anyway, this blog has been looking a little Italian lately. So it's to the rest of Europe and the Isles (we're foregoing the Far East for the moment) that we must look.

We think we've found a good answer. It's rare these days, it's not as fun to drive as something like a Sprite, of a Elan, but it's a pleasant car, and a pretty one, in the vein of a Triumph Spitfire. It also has room enough for commuting and, in case we want to get out of town this weekend, touring.

So, without further adieu, the car we'll be enjoying sun and air in this week is...

The Series I Sunbeam Alpine!

Ok, it's not fast, not at all. In fact, this is the slowest of the Alpines, which is saying something. The 1494cc, OHV four cylinder gives a 0-60mph time of around 14 seconds, and it will struggle to break the ton even with a tailwind. We think it looks great though, with its down-draft Strombergs and seperate header tank. To address some of the performance issues, we're thinking about fitting the engine upgrade kit and suspension pieces from the faster, more powerful Harrington Alpine coupes, which should help with getting on. An overdrive gearbox would be a nice addition too, and help keep the fuel milage in the 30s.

We're going to go ahead and wish for one of the removable hard-tops, in body color. It's a nice piece to have for any roadster, and that of early Alpines is one of the nicest looking, doing nothing to spoil the attractiveness of the lines. In fact, with the hard-top in place the Alpine takes on the aspect of a miniature Maserati 3500 GT, well, if you squint a bit anyway... Of course, it also carries the benefit of turning the little Sunbeam into a snug coupe, should the weather man turn out to be less than accurate. Along the same, comfort oriented line, we're going to want the Micorcell seats that were an option on the Harrington cars. Wire wheels should be all that's needed to get the exterior in line aesthetically.

The rest of the car is pretty conventional, with control arms holding the front off the ground while the rear has a live axle on Semi-elliptic leaf-springs. It does feature unit construction though, which we weren't totally expecting, as well as front disk brakes. Really, the car is more about comfort than it is about speed or even handling. It'll offer a nice ride on the freeway, but still acquit itself well on twisting roads because it will be lighter to drive than an MGA or TR-3. We're looking forward to early morning commutes, top down with the heater on and the side windows rolled up.

So that's this week's choice. It's a long-shot in a lot of ways, but it's a good, unusual roadster that combines comfort and style like few others. There's even the matter of a true folding roof that drops completely out of sight behind a clever cover system that also forms the rear seat-back. Not that you'd ever think of using the rear seat for anything besides your jacket or shopping.

No, the Alpine may not entertain on country roads to quite the same extent as an MG or a Triumph, and both those cars would probably leave it for dead. This is a segment about commuting though, and here the Alpine gives everything that could be hoped for. The modifications we've asked for will give the car the power and handling it needs to not only make its way in traffic, but also reclaim some of its rallying/racing heritage when we cut out for the weekend. Despite the cars that appear in the pictures, we'll take ours in Moonstone over Scarlet, with Moonstone piping.

Pagani Zonda R.

Revel in the hotness kids...

Japanese Journalist Braves Toyota TS-010, Comedy Ensues.

Ok, so most of us would cherish the opportunity to ride in Toyota's 3.5 liter Group C challenger, even if it wasn't particularly successful. This hapless reporter though (I have no idea what his name is as all the words are in Japanese.), doesn't seem to know that's what he's going to get, even though he's wearing a racing suit. Thankfully, squeals of stark terror sound the same in any language.

MiTo GTA, Scuderia Sud.

Hrm... Autoblog think this teaser, for the forthcoming MiTo GTA, shows a car that takes more cues from Alfa's own 8C Competizione. I dunno, I see venting in the front bumper that looks straight off the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. I can only hope that some of that cars interactive nature and sublime ride/handling compromise have also translated because the standard MiTo is leaving everyone a little cold.

240BHP from a 1.8 liter turbo "four." Debuts at Geneva.

Via: Autoblog

Le Mans Cars.

You might be able to tell from a couple posts lately, that I've been watching a fair amount of Le Mans retrospectives on the Youtube. I love GT and endurance racing, and Group C and GT1 are two of my favorite classes of racing car. I love the way these low drag, high down-force cars seem to sweep effortlessly through corners, and the sheer functionality of their lines. I especially love the way GT1 cars try to rationalize the need for brutal aerodynamics with some semblance of road car styling. Top level racing at Le Mans has lost a bit of luster in recent years -though the lower classes have come in to their own in a way that hasn't been seen in decades- because of ever tightening rules and a string of wins by one brand. But ten years ago, the Circuit de la Sarthe hosted some of the most exciting racing around, much better than the procession that was F1 at the time. Like all racing, Le Mans has had its historic ups and downs, and I'm hopeful that we're just at the end of one of the slumps, what with Peugeot's 908 HDi finally giving Audi a run for their money.

That being said, it's to earlier generations that I'm turning for inspiration when looking for ten cars that might give a gearhead on a budget a chance at capturing some of that magic of nighttime on the Mulsanne Straight, to Group C, GT1, to Group 6, and beyond. This list was a little harder than the last one to compile, and fewer of the cars really deliver without some kind of modification. There's a quality to endurance racing cars that's hard to define, and harder to capture, but I think I've come as close as could be expected. Keep in mind as well that the term "beer money" doesn't mean what it used to. These days even the cheapest of sports cars are running prices that could have you swimming in PBR for a couple years.

So order up a set of yellow Cibie headlamps and break out our Gulf team jacket (actually, scratch that last one) because here, in chronological order, are my nominations for 10 Beer Money Le Mans Cars!

1. Triumph GT-6:
Well, we're off to a pretty good start here. Not only is the GT-6 a great little classic in its own right, it also has an inline-six cylinder motor, just like so many 50s Le Mans racers from Jaguar and Aston Martin. Go for the MkII version (GT-6+ in the US) and you'll replace the Herald-based swing-axles at the rear end with lower wishbones and trailing arms, so it won't kill you.
There's a very real link to Le Mans as well. In 1964 Triumph sent a team of fastback Spitfires to Le Mans. Most people think the GT-6's roof was based off those cars, but it's the other way around. A fiberglass mold was taken from the prototype GT-6 and used to make roofs for the Le Mans cars. In its stock form the GT-6 is probably the slowest car here over all, but everything on the car can be upgraded, including the motor, for which Triumph published a competition tuning manuel that is still available. You can even find replica Le Mans bonnets for the car. Like those of most British sports cars, prices for GT-6s have been on an upward march in recent years, but the recession has taken the edge off them, and you can now find usable cars for under $4,000.

2. Datsun 240Z:
Prices for these things are all over the map at present. Last year the 240 wouldn't have made the list at all as most good cars were running at an incredibly overvalued $15-20,000. Someone seems to have noticed that 240Zs are neither very rare, nor hard to restore, and so the middle of the market has come down a bit, as has the bottom, with only show-quality cars running big money at the moment.
You don't want one of those cars anyway, not if you're looking to get a bit of a race attitude. The 240Z has everything you need, and if it lacks anything in stock form, you can buy it from a specialist. The inline-six puts out 150BHP, but speed parts make the sky the limit for tuning. Likewise the suspension and bakes are fine as they are, but stiffer springs and firmer pads bring serious rewards. Let me suggest also looking around for a five-speed gearbox, and a limited-slip differential. For the body, a set of headlamp covers and rivet-on fender-flares.

3. Porsche 914:
In best Porsche tradition, the 914 isn't just related to cars that raced at Le Mans, it actually raced there and acquitted itself well, finishing 6th overall and 1st in the GT category at the same race won overall by Porsche's 917 (it was a good weekend for the company). That of course was the 914/6 GT version, but even the lowliest 914 retain much of what made that car a winner including the mid-ship mounting of the engine -Volkswagen 411 sourced in 4 cylinder cars, an all-disk braking system, and four-wheel independent suspension. The gearbox is a five-speed.
There's a lot you can do to these cars, but honestly, Porsche got most of it right the first time. The chassis can handle more power, a lot more. Thankfully, most of that power is sitting trapped in the 411 engine and can be released by tuning. The one to go for would seem to be the later 2.0 liter models, but any 914 will provide largely the same driving experience. Prices seem to be hovering between $4-7,000 for what look to be largely the same condition of car.

4. Fiat X1/9 1300:
All right, we're now squarely into the mid-engine era, both at Sarthe and on the road. So you're looking for a bit of that Alfa 33/Ferrari P4 sensation for the street? Look no further, this is where it starts. Bertone gave real sports car styling to their replacement for the 850 Spider, and the idea of placing the Fiat 128's driveline behind the seats gave impressive handling. The X1/9 sports struts and disk brakes at all four corners and a 1.3 liter SOHC engine attached to a four-speed gearbox.
It may seem tempting to go for one of the late 1500cc cars with their five-speed transmissions, but the extra power was largely sapped by the extra weight of impact bumpers that also did nothing for the handling. Get your hands on an early 1300, and then pay close attention to extracting all the power that's holed up past the stock red-line. That can be harder than it sounds, and, in the US at least, '74 cars aren't exactly cheap. Cars from '75 feature slightly larger bumpers, but unlike those of 1500 cars, they can be replaced with the earlier style. For some reason, these cars are much less expensive. If you don't live in California, then almost any car through '78 is up for the same kind of treatment.

5. Lancia Scorpion/Montecarlo:
All I can say is "good luck." fewer than 1800 Lancia Scorpions were ever imported into the US, and the ones that made it here are either highly prized, or badly neglected. The car's biggest failing in stock form is being slow, very slow. Oh don't get me wrong, on a twisty road, the Scorpion (Montecarlo in Europe) can more than hold its own due to its wonderful handling. It will also hold its own in any parking lot because Pininfarina made sure it looked as spectacular as any super car. The chassis was an evolution of that seen on the Fiat X1/9, and the gearbox gave five speeds. In europe, the Montecarlo got a 2.0 liter Lampredi twin-cam that, at 120BHP, gave just about enough power. But in the US, the Scorpion came with probably the most smog-neutered 1.8 liter version of the same motor giving 86BHP.
Still, there are ways around this (not always legal), and slow as it is, the Lancia can still give a resonable impression of a Ferrari 512M. That's the magic of a car that looks and feels right. You can pay over $5,000 for one of these, but I wouldn't as it's not guarantee of getting a good one.

6: Jaguar XJ-S:
I'm not looking to start a fight here, really. I know this doesn't look like a car that will give much of an endurance racing feel, but I think I'm on to something here. the one real ace in the hole for the XJ-S is price. they can be found running for under $1,500. I say "running" but really that means the car will turn over, and maybe get down the block before the expensive V12 throws another fit and you have to tow it to a specialist. But did you catch the key point there? For 1.5K you get a V12! Some of the coolest cars to race at Le Mans from Lagondas to Ferraris have done so with twelve cylinders. And of course, this V12 was one of them, starting with Group 44 and the XJR-5, through to TWR and the XJR-12.
Other than that... um... Ok, that's really about it. I'm sure you can get more power out of the V12, but you'll never have the money to do that because all your money will go towards fixing it and only a few of the V12 cars were delivered with manual transmissions. Good luck.

7. Mazda RX7:
Ok, we're back to proper sports cars, and this is another one that actually raced at Le Mans in the 80s. Better yet, the RX7 boasts a very real link to the Mazda 787B, a car famous to players of Grand Turismo 4 as the only Japanese car, and the only rotary powered car ever to win Le Mans outright. I've gone for the first generation car, though at this point, the MkII car may be cheaper. Faster too, especially the turbo, which is still an astoundingly cheap sports car.
I like the purity of the first, light weight cars though with their snug cabins and racing heritage. Specialists will be glad to help you get all the power you want out of Mazda's twin-rotor Wankel and there are racing parts galore for the chassis. IMSA and Le Mans replica body-kits are even available. I wouldn't pay more than $3,000 at this point for any of them.

8. Alfa Romeo GTV-6:
Whether it's one of Ferrari's 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competiziones, or the later 575 GTCs, or even Alfa's own 8C 2.9 Le Mans Berlinetta, the Italians have a long history of racing GTs with a big front engine and a transaxle gearbox. The GTV-6 is absolutely the cheapest way to get into such a car for the road.
It's a great car too, as long as you don't mind a shift that is very much of the "shove it and see" variety. The 2.5 liter version of Alfa's V6 uses fuel-injection and one camshaft per bank to produce 160BHP and sends that power to the rear wheels through the aforementioned five-speed transaxle. Front suspension is by double-wishbones and longitudinal torsion-bars. Rear suspension is De Dion, with trailing links and a watts linkage. There's lots you can do to the V6 of course, and there are kits from specialists to help with the suspension. Really though, it can already accelerate to 60MPH in about eight and a half seconds so you might just want to enjoy the car as it comes. I've heard that specialist attention can help the shifter though, and that really would be worth it.
Prices are all over the map with the most money going for late cars that have a 3.0 lier conversion from the Milano but $3,500-5,000 should still get you a driveable car.

9. Toyota MR-2:
Toyota's first real attempt at a sports car since 1967's super elegant, super expensive 2000 GT was a total success. This may be the fastest overall car on the list with a stiff structure, disk brakes, independent suspension by MacPherson-struts, and a mid-mounted, twin-cam, 16 valve 1.6 liter engine. 115BP may not sound like much, but this is one of the best handling cars money could buy in the 1980s, and the car weighs about 2200LBS.
Go for one of the post '86 cars with the stronger transmission and then buy a rear sway bar for it because the car didn't come with one after '85. The biggest mod for MR-2s is of course to find a 4AG-ZE motor from an MR-2 supercharged and bolt it into a lighter, hardtop body-shell, but it's not a process for beginners and when the N/A motor will shriek all the way to 7,500RPM you don't really need anything else. Prices for these (and all Mr-2s really) are incredibly low right now with $2,500 buying a nice one.

10. Mazda MX-5 Miata:
I know, I know, it's not a very manly car. Get over yourself! This is nothing less than the sports car that re-ignited sports cars, and it's one of the best there is. It may not look very racy, but underneath Mazda's engineers had done their job; the Miata was great right from the start. Great engine: a 1.6 liter DOHC 16 valve with 118BHP and a valve cover than looks like a classic Lotus. Great chassis: 2,100Lb weight thanks partly to an aluminum hood, double-wishbones and disk-brakes at all four corners. Great shifter, smooth, direct steering, great seats... the list goes on.
Now hear this! do not, under any circumstances, go out and spend good money on one of the tarted-up special editions! That would totally defeat the point of this car. Look for a well cared for Spec-Miata Series car, one that still gets driven on the street. Then go find a hard-top for it. There's plenty of speed equipment to go around; the limit is that of your wallet. The Miata is the best selling sports car of all time, so prices range from truly beer-money, to twenty-odd grand, depending on year and spec. Go for the lower end and you'll get more racing car feel for the money than with almost any other car.

Well, we've come to the end, and I hope you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have. No go out and get one of these cars before their values shoot through the roof and all that's left on the market for reasonable money are Toyota Paseos. Ugh, that's sends a shiver down the spine.

Ferrari 333SP Fires The Soul, Anything Within Five Feet.