1963 AC SHELBY COBRA
1963 AC SHELBY COBRA 4.7-LITRE MARK II ROADSTER
REGISTRATION NO. OYM 28A
CHASSIS NO. CSK2116
ENGINE NO. CSX2116
Footnotes
Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries. Only 1,000-or-so Cobras of all types were built between 1962 and 1967, but such was the model's enduring popularity that production was resumed in 1982 under the auspices of Brooklands-based Autokraft.
Convinced that a market existed for an inexpensive sports car combining European chassis engineering and American V8 power, Le Mans-winning Texan racing driver Carroll Shelby concocted an unlikely alliance between AC Cars and the Ford Motor Company. The former's Ace provided the simple twin-tube chassis frame - designed by John Tojeiro - into which was persuaded one of Ford's lightweight, small-block V8s. It was discovered that the latter was lighter than the six-cylinder Ford Zephyr unit that AC was using, yet with vastly greater potential. To cope with the projected power increase, the Ace chassis was strengthened with heavier gauge tubing and supplied fitted with four-wheel disc brakes. Weighing a mere 1.5cwt more than a Bristol-engined Ace yet endowed with double the power and torque, the Cobra turned in a breathtaking performance, racing to 60mph in 4.4 seconds and reaching the 'ton' in under 12, exceptional figures by early 1960s standards and none too shabby even today.
The 260ci (4.2-litre) prototype first ran in January 1962, with production commencing later that year. Exclusively for the USA initially, Cobras - minus engines - were sent from England to be finished off by Shelby in California, and it was not until late in 1963 that AC Cars in Thames Ditton got around to building the first fully finished cars to European specification.
After 75 Cobras had been built with the 260ci engine, the more powerful 289ci (4.7-litre) unit was standardised in 1963. Rack-and-pinion steering was the major MkII up-date; then in 1965 a new, stronger, coil-suspended MkIII chassis was introduced to accommodate Ford's 427ci (7.0-litre) V8, an engine that in race trim was capable of producing well in excess of 400bhp. Wider bodywork, extended wheelarch flares and a bigger radiator intake combined to create the definitive - and much copied - Cobra MkIII look. Keeping ahead of the competition on the racetrack had been the spur behind Shelby's adoption of the 427 engine, but some MkIIIs to 'street' specification came with Ford's less powerful 428ci hydraulic-lifter V8.
But for Brian Angliss, the Cobra story would have ended in 1967. The Autokraft boss had built up a business restoring Cobras and supplying parts, and in the early 1980s acquired the rights to the AC name plus a quantity of jigs and tooling from the old Thames Ditton factory. Keeping the overall style of the MkIII, Autokraft produced the MkIV, which was appropriately updated to meet current legislation and powered by a 'Federalised' Ford 5.0-litre V8 engine. Around 480 were built.
Chassis number 'CSX2116' was invoiced to Shelby American on 16th April 1963 and shipped to Los Angeles three days later aboard the 'SS Loch Gowan'. Invoiced on 18th June 1963 to Burton Motors of Sacramento, California, the Cobra was sold new to a local doctor who used it for a few years before giving it to his daughter. She used the car as daily transport for several years before the clutch failed, at which time it was sold to Steve Dangremond of Santa Rosa, California. The Cobra was advertised for sale by Mr Dangremond in late 1977 and bought by Dr Grant Hill of Chotoka, Alberta. Dr Hill fitted Weber carburettors and raced 'CSX2116', eventually trading it to Fred Yule in Portland, Oregon. At that time, the car was still finished in its original colour scheme of dark blue and retained its original black leather interior.
'CSX2116' returned to the UK in the late 1980s and was advertised through Hampson's Ltd, by which time it had been refinished in red and fitted with a full-width roll bar. Subsequent owners in England were Dr Carlos Barbot, Trojan boss Peter Agg and Formula 1 racing driver Rupert Keegan. 'CSX2116' was last restored in 1988, records on file indicating that an extensive mechanical restoration was undertaken at this time. The car still retains its original black leather interior though the Weber carburettors have gone, replaced by an easier to maintain four-barrel Holley. There is considerable additional accompanying documentation including correspondence between previous owners, a copy of the original bill of sale, Shelby American Automobile Club letter of authentication, FIA papers and Swansea V5 registration document. The car has belonged to the current owner since 2006.
Early Cobras are offered for sale only rarely and this example represents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a fine example of this classic of Anglo-American sports car design.
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Lamborghini Urraco P300
Despite having been conceptualised as the model to dramatically increase sales and bring Lamborghini greater financial stability, the Urraco P250 proved a commercial flop. Production started in late 1972 following major equipment and floorspace investment. However, by late 1974, less than 500 had been delivered. The Urraco should have gone into production two years earlier than it eventually did. Lamborghini had originally conceived the model with a view to selling over 1000 examples every year.
The disappointing reality left Lamborghini deep in the red, but the Urraco was only partly responsible for a difficult few years.
Compounding the firm’s troubles had been delays for the Countach, a worldwide recession, problems at Lamborghini Trattori and unionised labour, all of which contrived to take their toll on the company founder. In 1972, Ferruccio Lamborghini had sold his tractor company along with 51% of his motor car business. He cashed out of the final 49% in 1974 when the world was in the midst of an energy crisis that slashed demand for gas guzzling machinery.
Throughout this tumultuous period, development work continued on the Urraco. It mainly focused on the Paolo Stanzani-designed V8 engine that had been created especially for the new model at considerable expense. In November 1974, an uprated Urraco P300 was launched at the Turin Motor Show. It immediately went into production alongside the Countach LP400, Espada Series 3 and Jarama S.
Most significantly, the Urraco P300 came with an enlarged three-litre engine. Equally importantly, the power unit now incorporated dual instead of single overhead camshafts.
To take capacity up to three-litres, Paolo Stanzani’s all-alloy 90° V8 was stroked from 53mm to 64.5mm. Bore went unchanged at 86mm for an overall displacement of 2997cc (an increase of 534cc). Compression was dropped from 10.5:1 to 10.0:1. Four new Weber 40 DCNF twin-choke downdraught carburettors were installed to replace the old 40 IDF 1s used previously.
The consequence of these improvements was a dramatic jump in output. Peak power was up 40bhp to 260bhp at an otherwise unchanged 7500rpm. The torque rating also rose considerably; 195lb-ft was now on tap at 3500rpm compared to 166lb-ft at 5750rpm for the P250.
As before, ignition was via two Marelli coils and a single Marelli distributor.
Lamborghini’s five-speed manual gearbox was beefed up to cope with the increased power and torque. Transmission was via a single dry-plate clutch and Lamborghini differential. New damper settings improved the ride, but otherwise little was changed to the existing platform The P300 was based on the same steel monocoque body shell as its predecessor. The engine was housed transversely like the Miura.
Suspension was independent all-round with MacPherson struts, coil springs and telescopic shocks. Anti-roll bars were fitted at either end The twin circuit brake system incorporated unchanged 278mm ventilated Girling discs. Campagnolo’s handsome five-bolt cast magnesium wheels were retained. They measured 7.5 x 14-inches and originally came shod with Michelin XWX tyres.
An 80-litre fuel tank was fitted in the engine bay.
Visually, the only change made to the P300 Urraco was a switch from a two-bank to six-bank radiator cooling vent on the front lid. The rest of Marcello Gandini’s soft wedge creation was unaltered.In a decade not exactly renowned for design longevity, the Urraco proved somewhat timeless. Compared to Bertone’s other mid-engined 2+2, the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, the baby Lamborghini aged very well, even though it was ultimately outsold by the Maranello product by five to one.Build quality was considerably improved over earlier examples and nowhere was this more apparent than in the cockpit.Bertone had originally been responsible for furnishing the bodyshells, but by the time the P300 was on stream, this work had been taken in-house.
Lamborghini used better quality materials and ensured a higher standard of fit and finish.To this end, P300s were generally equipped with full leather interiors instead of the often garish two-tone leather and fabric combinations seen earlier.
The full width dash layout was still just as haphazard though. The rev counter and speedometer were located at either end of the instrument binnacle and angled in towards the driver. Supplementary gauges and various rocker switches were housed in between.
Lamborghini’s unusual deep dish steering wheel with its four arced horizontal spokes and leather rim was also retained. Like the P250 (which remained in production for a few months longer to use up an overstock of parts), the only update was the gradual shift to anodised black bumpers, wipers and window frames. A more conventional three-spoke steering wheel was also introduced towards the end of production.
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Some Particulars of the Butler Motor Tricycle ~ The Motor Cycle, January 9th, 1919.
1884 The world's first petrol-engined tricycle was patented by Edward Butler (this was a year ahead of Gottlieb Daimler in Germany). It had a single rear wheel, a single seat between the front wheels and a horizontal twin-cylinder engine operating on a Clerk two-stroke engine with pump compression running at around 100rpm. Its cylinders went either side of the rear wheel, directly coupled to it by curved connecting rods. That design was never built.
1888 A revised version, named the Petrol-Cycle ran. It had a four-stroke engine and a reduction gear to allow it to run at 600rpm. It was water-cooled with coil ignition and a jet carburettor supplied by a float chamber.
1889 It was first used and called an Inspirator by its designer.
1890-1897 The original design could only carry one person, so a later version was designed to carry three people - two at the front, between the twin wheels, and the driver at the rear. This is thought to have been a Bolle built by Humber and fitted with the Butler engine. At that time, British legislation was very restrictive and although the clever design was advanced for the era, its backers moved on to other fields. The patents were bought by Lawson Co but never progressed any further.
Butler is credited with inventing or developing the spark plug and coil ignition, magneto and the spray jet carburetor, as well as the word 'petrol'. His Petrol-Cycle was broken up for scrap in 1896, the few remaining pictures of this first British motorcycle are in the Science Museum in London.
https://cybermotorcycle.com/marques/british/butler.htm
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Unrestored: 1965 Abarth 1000 Bialbero "Long Nose"
This Abarth 1000 Bialbero chassis Tipo 129 is said to be the last of the 15 “long nose” made, designed by Mario Colucci for the Sibona & Basano body shop in Turin.
The engine is said to be the Type 229 B “wet sump right rotation”, the latest evolution of the 1000 twin cam engine powered by two huge double throat carburettors, the engine that drives this rare car sold new in France to the Abarth…
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TWO STROKE TITAN When the Suzuki T500 Cobra was launched in 1968, it was a sensation; no manufacturer had built such a large and powerful two-stroke model before. Suzuki’s expertise in two-stroke engineering, thanks to the defecting East German rider/engineer Ernst Degner, was utilised to the full, and this 47hp twin not only outperformed most 650’s of the time but was also more reliable!
It needed less maintenance, than almost any other motorcycle with massive roller main bearings with a direct injection oiling system into the crankcase but it did have its quirks such as bicycle style manual air pump on the diagonal frame tube - presumably to inflate a flat at the roadside (good luck with that!). The performance was also four-stroke like, with plenty of pulling power from low in the rev-range, and no oiling up of the spark plugs. In fact, the only two-stroke habit the Cobra had was its prodigious thirst for fuel!
The model had a styling update and became the T500 Titan, with ‘seventies style” colour schemes and carried on being produced, with modifications like an extra cooling fin on the barrel, now 11 instead of 10, and revised porting. The carburettors also dropped a size from 34mm to 32mm without any notable loss of power, but now able to deliver a more respectable 50mpg instead of just 35mpg.
The original Cobra and Titan are today great classic Suzuki’s and have a loyal following. These models gave birth to the TR500 Road-race machine ridden on occasion by Barry Sheene and was successfully production raced at the Isle Of Man TT races twice and beat the heavier and less agile Honda CB450 both times!
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Iota Magazine: Mis Arnott, your association with motor racing is unique. This season Arnott cars have raced frequently, and your activities have extended beyond manufacture to servicing and to team management. Did you intend to go into production when you built your first 500, or was that just an expression of your inherent interest in racing?
Daphne Arnott: George Thornton and I made the prototype for fun. One day at Brands Hatch Bob Brown of Bromley saw the car and fell in love with it. He drove the car to win its first race, and then, encouraged by his enthusiasm we decided to manufacture some more. Bob Brown has been our main supporter through many trials, for which we are very grateful.
Iota: We referred to your inherent interest in motor racing. Did your early association with racing through your father's activities first arouse your enthusiasm?
Arnott: Yes. I come from a long line of engineers dating back to my great grandfather, who was Captain and Secretary of the Bath Road Club. He was also in control of Werner Motor Cycles, who were the originators of the vertical twin. My father is designer of the Arnott supercharger and markets them through his company, Carburettors, Ltd.
Iota: But when did you become interested enough in racing to want to take some active part in it?
Arnott: In my early days at Brooklands and then as a spectator at Brands Hatch during 1951, when two makes of cars predominated, and it seemed to me there was room for another.
Iota: Did you do all the design work on the Arnott yourself?
Arnott: No. It was the combined effort of George Thornton and myself.
Iota: What have you learned from this season's racing?
Arnott: Enough to write a book, but primarily to stick to one's own decisions and not be sidetracked by well-meaning helpers.
Iota: Why did you choose torsion bar suspension for the Arnott 500?
Arnott: For Formula III cars I believe it is the suspension of the future.
Iota: We hear you are going to use Albion gearboxes in the 1953 cars. Why is this?
Arnott: Because the Albion has proved to be the most reliable in every way and it has the best selection of ration to offer. In our prototype car the Albion completed 2,000 hard racing miles without trouble.
Iota: What other new features are to be incorporated in next season's car?
Arnott: Recent trials have proved to us that the design we have settled on is fast, devoid of roll and virtually unspinnable. There will only be minor modifications - including considerably lighter road wheels.
Iota: Do you make these wheels yourself?
Arnott: Yes. We machine the entire wheel at our Edgware works and the weight of our newest front wheel is only 10 lb., including hub and races.
Iota: In view of your father's long experience, have you any special carburation modifications in view?
Arnott: Next season we shall be using a special Arnott carburretor, but I cannot give you any details of that just yet.
Iota: What are your views on swing-axle rear suspension?
Arnott: Although I think the swing axle system has much to recommend it - it is light and simple - I believe that durability is the important factor in the long run. The main criticism I have against swing axles is the extreme stresses thrown on the driving shafts which tend to fracture at the hub ends. I base my opinion on this season's record, when wheels have been lost on swing-axle cars on numerous occasions, luckily with no fatality to drivers, but there have been very awkward moments for spectators and for other competitors.
Iota: Did you find that the long-chassis car was superior to the short-chassis prototype?
Arnott: It all depends on the driver's preference. The short chassis prototype does not drift. The longer chassis does.
Iota: How many cars have you produced?
Arnott: Six cars last season. Our intended production rate was hampered by various modifications incorporated during the year - inevitable with a new design.
Iota: What are your future production plans?
Arnott: During this winter we intend to build twenty new cars for delivery early in February.
Iota: Have you done any competition driving?
Arnott: No. To date I have had little time for competition driving.
Iota: Do you intend to drive an Arnott in competition?
Arnott: Yes but I am one of the few females who agree with men about "Women drivers." A great deal of unwarranted publicity surrounds a woman racing driver, and whether or not she can drive seems unimportant. When I feel I am competent enough to enter a race I will, but I shall be heavily disguised as a man.
Iota: Are you running a "works" team next year?
Arnott: Yes, but we have not decided how it will be done.
Iota: Do you intend to continue indefinitely with a "works" team or will you confine your racing to one "works" entry when your cars have stronger numerical representation?
Arnott: We have never run a "works" team, I should like to make that clear. One of the cars in the team has always belonged to me and I will continue to race one car next year. If a team proves to be a commercial proposition for all participants, then I shall certainly continue with it.
Iota: It is apparent from your answers that you are a business woman, an engineer and a 500 c.c. motor racing enthusiast. You combine these activities very successfully, but do you find it an advantage or otherwise in being a woman in such [a] competitive sphere?
Arnott: It took some time to convince people that a woman could take motor racing seriously.
[x]
Arnott’s 1955 Le Mans’ entry [x]
Other cars built by Arnott in its seven years as a constructor included a supercharged Austin A30-powered sportscar, a streamliner for record-breaking attempts, and a GT car, although a variety of other cars were also made.
While Arnott did not blow away the field in races, they did manage to break nine International Class I records at Montlhery in October 1953. John Brise, father of Formula 1 driver Tony Brise, piloted the 500cc streamliner – based on the standard 500cc chassis but with beautifully sculpted bodywork – to a fastest lap of 122mph, and set new records for 50km, 50 miles, 100km, 100 miles, 200km, 200 miles, 500km, 1 hour, and 3 hours.
In 1955, Daphne Arnott took an eight-person team to the ill-fated 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Their 1,100cc Coventry-Climax powered car suffered an accident in practice, and so the team did not start the race. Only two of the eight drivers had completed any running at the time of the accident, and Arnott was not one of them.
Arnott was more slightly successful at the 1957 Le Mans event, when the team ran a Cooper-Climax powered version of their GT car – the team did not finish the race, thanks to a dropped valve, but they were able to start it. It would be Arnott’s last attempt at the legendary endurance event, and the failure led to the end of the marque.
- Kate Walker [x]
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1965 MKI Mini Cooper Tuned 4-cylinder Transverse Mounted FWD 998cc Push-Rod OHV engine with twin HS2 SU Carburettors
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A Motorcycle myth confirmed - Elvis Presley and Triumph Motorcycles
Triumph Motorcycles has uncovered the truth behind a famous motorcycle myth – that Elvis Presley gave an extraordinary biker gift to every member of his Memphis Mafia in 1965.
With the discovery of the original cheques in the Graceland archives, signed by the man himself, as well as recollections from Jerry Shilling, Elvis’ close friend, it can be confirmed that Elvis bought nine Triumph motorcycles as gifts, so he and his closest friends could ride together in the hills of Los Angeles.
THE STORY
Elvis Presley is an enduring music legend and a cultural icon. The best-selling solo artist in history and a genuine movie star, making 31 films during his career in Hollywood. He was also a passionate biker, riding bikes in several of his films including a red and silver Triumph 650 Bonneville ‘Desert Sled’ in the 1968 comedy western “Stay Away Joe”.
But, Elvis’ introduction to Triumph motorcycles came several years earlier, with this story, which is as rock and roll as the man himself.
In June 1965, Elvis had been on the set of the musical ‘Frankie and Johnny’ at Samuel Goldwyn Studios, Hollywood. Taking a break from filming, Elvis spent his down time with his closest friends, known as ‘The Memphis Mafia’ at his Bel Air home.
Jerry Schilling, Elvis’ friend and member of his famous ‘Memphis Mafia’, put a down payment on a new Triumph T120 650 Bonneville at Robertson & Sons on Santa Monica Boulevard. When he brought the bike home, Elvis asked to take it for a ride around the Bel Air neighbourhood. Jerry, of course, obliged and Elvis jumped on the bike. He was impressed, in fact when he returned, he told his transportation manager, Alan Fortis, to “order one for all the guys, but… it has to be tonight!”
Robertson & Sons managed to deliver seven Triumphs that night, a mixture of 650 TR6’s and the high-performance, twin-carburetted 650 T120’s. They rode together around Bel Air, riding late into the evening, only stopping when neighbours called the police to complain. The remaining bikes arrived two days later and the nine of them made sure they made the most of down time from filming, riding the Pacific Coast Highway together on Sundays.
Jerry Shilling, a close friend of Elvis recalls: “Elvis loved to ride and I knew that when he saw my new Bonneville he’d want to try it...and when he did, he wanted all the guys to have one so we could ride them together!”
THE 1964 TRIUMPH 650 TR6 AND BONNEVILLE T120
The bikes that Elvis bought are considered most likely to be 1964 models of Triumph’s game-changing performance roadster, the 650 TR6 and 650 Bonneville T120 – essentially the same bike with one or two carburettors and different states of tune. The ’64 Bonneville came in the sophisticated Gold and Alaskan White and the TR6 in the distinctive ‘Hifi Scarlet and Silver Sheen’ with gold pinstriping, black frame and forks.
Named after Triumph’s multiple land speed records at the Bonneville salt flats, the Bonneville T120 is recognised across the motorcycling world as a genuine design icon, responsible for establishing Triumph as number one in the 60s for performance, handling and style and the 1964 US-spec ‘Bonnie’, with its higher bars is considered a classic.
HELP FIND THE MEMPHIS MAFIA TRIUMPHS
All nine of the original bikes are currently lost to time, with no formal record of where they went after the summer of ’65. Triumph is now launching an appeal to fans around the world to help track down or uncover the fate of these bikes.
Triumph’s researchers are keen to hear from anyone who has a lead on what happened to one of these bikes, or perhaps a last known location.
With the collective eyes of the Triumph and Elvis communities on the look-out, it is hoped that one of these historic bikes will one day come to light and make history by being placed on display alongside other historic Triumphs.
If you have any information related to the whereabouts of one of these historic bikes, please contact Triumph at
[email protected].
A ONE-OF-A-KIND ‘ELVIS PRESLEY’ CUSTOM TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLE AND MATCHING GIBSON LES PAUL GUITAR
The discovery of this great story has filled in a gap in the history books and added a new, previously untold chapter to Triumph’s own story. In celebration of this newly uncovered shared history between two iconic and enduring brands, Triumph and Elvis Presley Enterprises have commissioned a one-of-a-kind custom motorcycle to raise money for a very worthy cause.
This custom Bonneville, based on a brand-new T120 model, features a custom design scheme by award-winning Georgian custom artist J Daar and is inspired by the 1964 Memphis Mafia bikes and 1968 Stay Away Joe Desert Sled, as well as being influenced by Elvis’ most iconic 1968 Comeback Special look. The design features gold block lettering, representing Elvis’ name written in lights, as well as silhouettes on a red background, echoing the set design of his most famous ’68 Comeback Special performance.
The bike was unveiled by Triumph USA Marketing Director, Adam VanderVeen, at the 2023 Barber vintage motorcycle Festival in Birmingham Alabama, where it was on display on the ‘Isle of Triumph’ alongside a host of historic Triumph motorcycles. These included an original 1964 Bonneville T120 in the same gold colour scheme as several of the bikes purchased by Elvis, which was entered into the VAHNA Motorcycle Show by owner Laura Langham.
Speaking at the show, custom motorcycle artist J Daar said: “I was honoured to pull the sheet off this amazing motorcycle. Tribute bikes are always special, but an homage to The King is one of the coolest projects I’ve worked on. This bike is something the new owner can be incredibly proud to have in their garage. Not only is it a unique design celebrating a great story, but it’s also a great way to raise money for such a worthy cause.”
Also on display at Barber Fest was a Les Paul guitar with a temporary custom wrap designed to complement the one-off Bonneville T120. The Les Paul, donated by Gibson, will also be painted by artist J Daar and is to be auctioned along with the motorcycle. The choice of guitar was inspired by another instance of Elvis’ generosity; when rehearsing for the ’68 Comeback Special, Elvis played a Les Paul, which he then gifted to his chef. The design adopts the same red, silver and gold scheme as the motorcycle, as well as the prominent Elvis graphic featured on the fuel tank and side panels, and incorporates silhouettes of The King around the body, inspired by his iconic ‘’68 Comeback Special’ look.
Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer for Gibson commented: “We have had the honour of working in partnership with the Elvis team to celebrate his legacy over many years, so when we heard that our friends at Graceland and Triumph were working together on a custom motorcycle to raise awareness and funds for a good cause, we wanted to join in honouring Elvis’ spirit of generosity – and similar to what we did with our ’59 Legends Collection in support of The 2022 Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride, this customized Gibson Les Paul model pairs perfectly with the amazing design scheme of the bike.”
“We are excited to be partnering with an iconic brand like Triumph to bring this one-of-a-kind custom Bonneville T120 to life while benefitting one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes Community Services in Memphis,” says Dana Carpenter, Executive Vice President, Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, owner of Elvis Presley Enterprises. “The added generosity of our friends at Gibson for contributing a matching custom Les Paul guitar, strengthens the legacy of generosity and community that Elvis Presley stood for.”
This custom Bonneville T120 motorcycle and matching Gibson Les Paul guitar have been donated to the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation to raise money for one of Elvis' favourite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counselling and services for abused children and their families.
More details about the auction will be available soon at Graceland.com
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1979 Ferrari 400 Automatic i - Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy.
The 400 Automatic i succeeded the 400 Automatic in November 1979, the “i” suffix in the model name standing for “injection”, as a fuel injection system replaced the two banks of three side draught Weber carburettors. The fuel injection system used was Bosch K-Jetronic, and concurrently a single distributor mounted at the right rear of the engine, with a Dinoplex electronic ignition system, replaced the earlier twin distributor layout.
Prince Bernard of the Netherlands was a regular customer of the Prancing Horse's 2+2 models, but this 1979 Ferrari 400 Automatic i was a favourite of his wife, Princess Juliana.
Info: ferrari.com
Engine: front, longitudinal 60° V12
Total displacement: 4823 cc
Power: 228 kW (310 hp) at 6500 rpm
Top speed: 240km/h
0 - 400 M: 16.4sec
0 - 1000 M: 29.2sec
#ferrari #ferrari400 #luxury #modena #scuderiaferrari #ferrarimuseum #ferrariclassic #rarecars #museums #classiccar #carmuseums #museoferrari #ferrariheritage #luxus #supercar #oldtimers #royalty #supercars #luxuryvehicle #classiccars #traveling #forzaferrari #ferrarilife #luxurycars #cavallinorampante #travel #ferrariworld #prancinghorse #carsofinstagram #princessjuliana
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Michael Savage New Canaan Ten Traditional Muscle Vehicles
With the appeal of motion pictures like The Fast as well as The Furious, Gone in Sixty Seconds as well as The last Trip, there has been some reference to the great old muscular tissue vehicles which were commemorated in movies like Bullit, Vanishing Point and also naturally The Dukes of Hazzard collection. This top 10 listing looks at several of the muscle auto icons born from the late 60's and also very early 70's.
The major measure of these autos is power, with Brake Steed Power (bhp) being the term flung around most frequently. What this describes is the power released by the engine before the transmission, generator, differential, water pump, and also various other parts sap its power. If you are utilized to Kilowatts, after that think about that 250kw translates to 335.26 bhp.
The 1969 Pontiac GTO
Conceptualised to gain attract the more youthful market, Pontiac placed a 6.3 litre V8 engine into the midsized Tempest shell, creating a cheap rapid car. To the shock of Pontiac's advertising and marketing group the GTO became massively popular and also in 1969 they fitted it with a 6.5 litre V8 which might kick out 366bhp. The Judge was birthed.
The 1970 Buick GSX
Michael Savage New Canaan
Once again the concept right here was to squash a beast of an engine right into a midsized body, in this instance the Buick Skylark. In 1967 the Buick GS came to be recognised as a standalone design available as a sedan and convertible.
The 1970 version was provided an impressive 7.5 litre engine efficient in producing 400bhp. The GSX body can be found in yellow or white just, including in the photo which made this cars and truck an unique classic.
The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro
There were different options available to those buying a very first generation Camaro, the Z28 bundle being one of the most interesting. With a 4.9 litre engine, power steering, disc brakes on the front and a four speed hands-on gearbox, the Z28 was produced racing - creating up to 400bhp.
The Plymouth Roadrunner
Developed to defeat 14 secs over a quarter mile, the Plymouth Roadrunner was stripped down to the bare fundamentals, sacrificing also the rugs in order to make this into a monster of a maker. It included a beefed up guiding, brake and shock absorber and a 6.3 litre engine which pressed 335bhp. An optional boost originated from the 7.0 litre version's 425bhp.
The Dodge Opposition
Hitting the market in 1970, the Dodge Opposition was a hit from the get go, offering greater than 80,000 in the first year. Although numerous alternatives were provided, the R/T is the model which draws in one of the most interest with its 7.0 litre Hemi engine rejecting 425bhp. Later on designs lost the story, with the '72 model going down to a meager 240bhp. See the Challenger in the cult timeless flick, Vanishing Factor.
The 1966 Ford Fairlane GT
Introduced in '62 with a 3.6 litre V8, the Ford Fairlane was provided a transformation in 1966, total with a 6.4 litre engine capable of 335bhp. As if this were inadequate they chose to upgrade to a 7.0 litre NASCAR engine with 435bhp. Rigid front suspension and also disc brakes provided the vehicle much better taking care of, and the brute power kicked the dial over 60mph (100km/h) in six seconds.
Oldsmobile 442
Michael Savage New Canaan
The Cutlass model was outfitted with a cops spec engine with the ability of 310bhp. The 442 refers to the four barrel carburettor, four speed hands-on gear box and the twin exhausts. The 442 had a credibility for its handling when contrasted to various other muscle mass autos, many thanks to its enhanced springs, shocks as well as the calming safety of an anti-roll bar.
The 1968 version was redesigned as a hot sports car, with a 7.5 litre block blowing up 390bhp.
Plymouth Barracuda
Although the Barracuda was launched in 1964, simply a couple of weeks before the Ford Mustang, it was not till 1970 that Plymouth obtained larger popularity with attractive lines and also some serious roar under the hood in the kind of a 7.2 litre 390bhp. The various other choice was a smaller sized 7.0 litre Hemi block which knocked senseless some added power at 425bhp!
Despite having an overhauled suspension the power was so much that the 'Cuda gained a credibility for difficult handling.
The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
The 1965 Chevelle SS sported a 6.5 litre block pushing 375bhp, which was all too much for the front end of the car, making for some pretty terrible handling. Fortunately this was attended to with the revamping of the suspension as well as the addition of disk brakes on the front.
1969 saw the introduction of the leading engine specification, which was included in the El Camio pick-up as well. The 1970 SS was powered by a 7.4 litre V8 with 450bhp drawing the Chevell to 100km/h in just 6 seconds. Later on designs were readjusted for unleaded fuel and also the power result experienced considerably.
Dodge Battery charger
Bo as well as Battle each other's ride of selection, the Charger was launched in 1966 and some 37,000 autos were offered in the initial year. A 7.0 litre Hemi reputedly rejected around 500bhp, though it was formally rated at 425bhp. This beast reached 100km/h in just 5 and a fifty percent seconds. The Hemi engine choice was available till 1972.
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c.1952 Sunbeam-Porsche 990cc Special
Registration no. XML 841
Frame no. S8-5250
Engine no. P-22034
The manufacturing rights to the famous Sunbeam motorcycles were acquired by BSA Ltd in 1943 from AMC of London who had succeeded John Marston Ltd, manufacturers of Sunbeam's since 1887. AMC continued production with variations on Marston's range, even retaining the model designations however, BSA abandoned Sunbeam motorcycle production throughout WW2, producing only Sunbeam bicycles.
In 1945, BSA were given designs of German motorcycles as part of the reparations programme, basing the BSA Bantam and the Sunbeam S7 around those of the DKW R125 and the BMW R75 respectively. The running-gear of the first S7's were closely based on BMW lines, though the engine, a pre-war-designed in-line twin, was perhaps an unfortunate choice, lacking the power to match the S7's appearance. BSA themselves experimented with a four-cylinder version though this remained a prototype only.
In 1969, Gordon Griffiths the then owner of 'XML 841' became dissatisfied with the S8's lack of power, deciding to change its powerplant. Griffiths, a highly experienced motorcycle 'special' builder chose to transplant the S8's engine with that of a Volkswagen 1200 Beetle, but whilst as reliable as expected, the lack of power continued to fall short of the enthusiastic riders expectations.
Griffith's next step to increase the Sunbeam's power was a logical one, utilising a 1955 Porsche 'A-Series' motor. A special bell-housing was cast in aluminium, as were rocker-box covers, replacing the Porsche pressed-steel items. The Sunbeam-Porsche's first show outing was to the 1972 BMF Rally.
Road-tested by the late John Ebbrell for Motor-Cycle News (copy article on file) 'XML' made many show-stopping appearances including one at Olympia for 'Motor Cycle', having been fitted with concentric Amal carburettors as part of the owners continued commitment to improve the machine. A BMW tank and indicators, Norton 'Roadholder' forks and much-revised rear suspension have been fitted, the most recent modification being a custom-built Boyer-Bransden two-tier electronic ignition system and a genuine Vincent Black Shadow speedometer. The latter were acquired by 'XML's' second custodian, an APMC member and engineer, who inherited the machine in 1992 and is relinquishing it only because of increasing age.
This unique Sunbeam-Porsche is offered with an immensely-detailed history file, casting patterns, large-format photographs, V5C and RF60 logbook. A unique opportunity for the lover of motorcycle engineering at its best, or for the Porsche owner who relishes two wheels.
Motorcycle Monday
From the Bonhams site
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Lancia A 112 Abarth
As the first-generation Mini forged ahead with its early sales success, Italian carmaker Autobianchi must have been looking on with envious eyes. Its attempt to grab a slice of the pie was launched in 1969 as the A112, a three-door hatchback that used the same (back then) relatively unusual transverse engine/front-wheel drive layout in a marginally larger package.Bertone’s Marcello Gandini, the man behind the Lamborghini Miura, Countach and Diablo, was drafted in to do the design, which to contemporary eyes looks like a very agreeable mash-up between the Fiat 126 and the British Mini. Speaking of Fiat (which had bought the brand a year earlier), under the skin was a shortened 128 Platform, while power came from a 903cc inline-four taken from the 850.The Mini Cooper and Cooper S had proven years before the A112 that tiny cars have performance potential, and it didn’t take Autobianchi long to go down the same route with its creation. It turned to Fiat motorsport arm Abarth for the work, which involved dropping in a 982cc engine with a twin-choke carburettor and a ruder exhaust.In 1975 the capacity was bumped up to 1050cc, with the power climbing to about 70bhp. Doesn’t sound like much, be we are talking about a car that weighed less than 700kg. Continuing the Mini parallels further, the A112 turned out to make a pretty sweet rally car, leading to the creation of the one-make Campionato A112 Abarth series.
A112 production lasted all the way up until 1986, by which time Autobianchi had made about 1.2 million of the things. Today, though, survivors are relatively scarce, even back in the A112’s native Italy. You’ve even less chance of finding on in the UK or USA where they weren’t ever sold officially, but there are a few kicking around in both countries.
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Tapedeck hereos
TAPEDECK HEREOS DRIVER
I had “high hopes” for my little car, but in the end I was “lost for words” as the fantastic rasp of that exhaust still “echoes” to this day. Tape deck comes with a selection of realistic cassette tape designs.
TAPEDECK HEREOS DRIVER
“What do you want from me?” the little 33 screamed as I pushed the accelerator into “Interstellar Overdrive” to keep up with the 105’s at my first driver training day. Retro music player with fully animated Retro Cassette Deck. As with the No Eson of Mine bonuses, telekinect the tape into the tape deck stage right for a reward. “In the flesh” the two models were “poles apart”, 85bhp vs 105bhp. They have been on the road for national tours, in the recording studios, and even composed scores for film and television. Each member of the band is a formally trained and established musician. “Green is the colour” I should have waited for, when they came in twin carb version. Tape Deck Heroes is establishing themselves as one of the leading cover band acts in Los Angeles. The Alfa 33 had the superb “free four” boxer engine, but in Alfa’s “momentary lapse of reason”, mine only came as a single carburettor model, the Gold Clover Leaf model. and communities about retro tape use for games and decks and all stuff. The two cars were like “apples and oranges”. August 2021 V7 change log notes (any unreleased heroes, villains or packs might. YuGiOh HERO Strike Structure Deck E - Emergency Call SDHS-EN029. "It would be so nice” if I could “take it back” to the “time” of “the happiest days of our lives” when I got my first Alfa, “a new machine” that replaced my “mother” ’s hand me down Swedish car. Ben starts his turn by cycling his deck and drawing to hand size. Quote from: Victor Lee on June 21, 2011, 03:09:12 PM Slow day today, not much fish around. Dillon uses Todorokis enhance to pick up Grapsing Tape Toss from his momentum.
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1973 TRIUMPH X75 HURRICANE
Superb example of one of the first factory customsToday the factory custom is taken for granted as an integral part of mainstream motorcycling. Harley-Davidson has almost made it an art form, and nearly all other manufacturers have followed suit. But it was BSA that pioneered this now successful concept with Craig Vetter’s strikingly styled X75 Hurricane of 1973. Not only was the X75 the world’s first factory custom, it also influenced later mainstream motorcycle design.
The Hurricane grew out of the lukewarm response to the original BSA Rocket Three in America. This was considered ugly and overweight, and in 1969 BSA in the US approached a young designer and fibreglass manufacturer Craig Vetter to produce a prototype custom Rocket Three. There was already a growing interest in customised machines among young American motorcyclists and the directors of BSA in the US wanted something that evoked the lean US-specification Triumph Bonnevilles of the mid-1960s. Vetter’s own philosophy was to contrast the age-old traditions of the British motorcycle industry with the American underground youth culture.
Vetter set to work on a stock 750cc BSA Rocket Three, creating a single curvaceous moulded fuel tank, seat and side panels. Although the 67x70mm three-cylinder engine was standard, Vetter modified the cylinder head by enlarging the fin area. This was done purely for aesthetic reasons, as were the black painted cylinder barrels. With three 27mm Amal concentric carburettors the power was 58 horsepower at 7,250 rpm. The distinctive triple silencers exiting on the right were derived from those of the Team BSA flat tracker. Going for a lean look, Vetter installed separate instruments and a traditional chromed headlamp. The standard gaitered forks also made way for cleaner Ceriani-style units. The one-piece nine-litre tank and seat incorporated a steel fuel cell within the fibreglass while the conical hub twin leading shoe front brake was from the A75. The Vetter Rocket Three also received Borrani light alloy 19 and 18-inch wheels rims and an Aztec Red colour scheme.
Considering the precarious financial state of the BSA company at that time it was surprising that BSA executives approved a limited production run of the Vetter Rocket Three. Unfortunately, the finalisation of the production version coincided with the closure of BSA’s Small Heath factory so the Vetter was transferred to the Triumph plant at Meriden for further development. When it finally went into production in September 1972 the official model name was the Triumph X75 Hurricane. However, it was still essentially a BSA Rocket Three, as evidenced by the forward slanted cylinders. The name also carried on a BSA tradition of meteorological themes, including Cyclone, Lightning, and Thunderbolt.
The general specifications were that of the four-speed BSA A75, but some Hurricanes were also based on the five-speed A75V. The dry weight was considerably less than the standard Rocket Three at 202kg, and the longer forks increased the wheelbase to 1,524mm. The top speed was nearly 200 km/h. The Hurricane was primarily a US market model and only 1,172 were built. Today it is one of the most coveted BSA/Triumph triples. Vetter’s styling was visionary and few designs have withstood the ravages of time as well as the X75 Hurricane.
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