1968 Volvo 131 Amazon

This is one of the photographs that I took at the Footman James Classic Car Show Manchester at EventCity in September 2018.

It’s a 1968 Volvo Amazon, a car that was produced from 1956 to 1970 with a choice of 3 different sized 4-cylinder inline engines and this one has the 1,778cc unit – though the DVLA say that it’s 1,780cc. The Amazon was apparently the world’s first car to have front seat belts fitted as standard.

1987 Maserati Biturbo

This is a car that I photographed in the paddock at the Historic Sports Car Club’s Spring Historic Race Meeting at Oulton Park in May 1987.

It’s a 1987 Maserati Biturbo, a car that was produced between 1981 and 1994, but the early cars had a reputation for poor quality and reliability. There were three different sized twin-turbocharged V6 engines offered at 2.2, 2.5 and 2.8 litres, and this car had the 2,491cc unit. The DVLA record says it has been untaxed since December 1994.

1961 Vanwall VW14

This is a photograph I took at the Donington Park Museum in October 1989.

It's the last car built by Vanwall, the rear engined 1961 Vanwall VW14, which was built when the old 2½ litre limit for Formula 1 cars was reduced to 1½ litres starting with the 1961 season, and VW14 was built to contest the 3 litre Intercontinental Formula. The car originally had a 2½ litre Vanwall engine bored out to 2,605cc and only contested a handful of races before development was stopped when the Intercontinental Formula didn't catch on in Europe. Behind the Vanwall is  the 1959 Scarab F1 car built by American Lance Reventlow.

Friday's Ferrari

This is one of the F1 Ferraris that were part of the Corse Clienti demonstration at the Ferrari Racing Days event at Silverstone in September 2017. I took the photograph at Club Corner from the F1 International paddock.

It's a Ferrari 150° Italia as raced by Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in the 2011 season and is powered by the Ferrari 056 2,398cc V8 engine. The car only managed to finish in first place on one occasion, Alonso winning the British Grand Prix. He finished in fourth place in the Drivers' Championship and Massa sixth with the Championship being won by Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull RB7. Ferrari took third place in the Constructors' Championship behind Red Bull and McLaren.

 

1962 Aston Martin DB4

This is a photograph that I took at the Historic Sports Car Club’s Spring meeting at Oulton Park in May 1986.

It’s a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 and has a 6-cylinder inline 3,670cc engine. The DB4 was in production from 1958 to 1963 and 1,110 examples of the basic DB4 were built together with 75 DB4 GTs and 19 DB4 GT Zagatos.

Car Badges

Here are photographs I took of the badges of 6 of the cars at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in August 1996.

1932 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza

1925 Bugatti T35T

1948 Talbot Lago T26

1936 ERA R12B

1959 Ferrari 246 Dino

1938 Maserati 4CM

1930 Aero Morgan

When I went to the Lancashire Automobile Club's Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1966 I walked from the start point to the roundabout that at one time stood at the junction of the A6 and Cross Lane in Pendleton and when most of the cars had come past I walked back along the A6 towards the start point in Albert Square. On the way I came across this car stopped at the side of the road, presumably with some mechanical problem.

It's a three-wheel Aero Morgan, the only one in the Run and the only information in the programme of the event is this:

 

'158. Mr S.D. Wright, Manchester.

          1930 Aero  Morgan, 1100 c.c.'

 

The first three-wheel Morgan was built in 1911 and they were produced until 1952 with constant improvements being made. A three-wheel Morgan was also produced from 2012 till 2021.