1913 Morris Oxford

This is a photograph that I took before the start of the Lancashire Automobile Club’s Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1977.

It’s a 1913 Morris Oxford and the programme of the event had this note about the car:

 

22      H. Marquis, Lytham

           1913 Morris 9 H.P. 4 Cylinders

Reputed to be the oldest Morris in private hands, this is the fiftieth car made by Morris Motors. It is painted in the same manner as one given by William Morris to his wife.

1937 Maserati 4CM

I took this photograph in the paddock at the Vintage Sports Car Club's Richard Seaman Memorial meeting at Oulton Park in June 1969 where it competed in the Historic Trophy race. 

It's the 1937 Maserati 4CM of Dan Margulies which the programme of the event says has a 1,498cc supercharged engine. Grand Prix racing in the 1930s was dominated by the German teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union, and to a lesser extent the Italian Alfa Romeo team. Smaller manufacturers like Maserati built their cars for the Voiturette (or 'small car') class which was for cars with a maximum capacity of 1½ litres. The 4-cylinder Maserati 4CM introduced in 1932 had considerable success, but when these cars started to be outclassed by the British ERA cars Maserati produced the 6CM with a 6-cylinder 1½ litre supercharged engine. I don't know the chassis number of this car, but Dan Margulies was associated with several of the 4CM models and I've been unable to find a photograph of one with a nose like this one.

Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph that I took at the Ferrari Racing Days meeting at Silverstone in September 2017.

It's a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and has a 6,262cc V12 Ferrari F140 FC engine with an output of 740PS at 8,250 rpm. It was in production from 2012 to 2017.

2004 Alfa Romeo 166

This is a car that I came across in a side street in Hyde in December 2016.

It's a 2004 Alfa Romeo 166, a car that was produced from 1996 to 2007 with petrol engines ranging from 1,970cc to 2,959cc and a diesel engine of 2,387cc. There's a 2.0 badge on the rear of the car and there were originally 2 models with this size engine, one with a 4-cylinder inline 1,970cc unit and the other with a turbo charged V6 engine of 1,996cc. The cars were given a facelift in 2004 and the turbo charged model was discontinued, so this should be the 1,970cc model. The DVLA record shows that it currently has no record of this car.

1937 Delahaye 135

I took this photograph at Knickebrook corner during a morning practice session at the Vintage Sports Car Club's meeting at Oulton Park in May 2019.

It's Malcolm Underwood in his 1937 Delahaye 135 which the programme of the event says has a 3,590cc engine. The Delahaye 135 was produced from 1935 to 1954 with a 6-cylinder inline engine, initially of 3,227cc, later increased to 3,557cc.

1959 Cooper T51

This is a photograph that I took in the paddock at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1998.

It’s the 1959 Cooper T51 of Andrew Garner which the programme of the event says has a 2½ litre engine, presumably the 2,495cc Coventry Climax FPF engine that powered these cars in 1959. The T51 was the car with which Jack Brabham won his first World Championship in 1959.

1945 AEC Matador

This is one of the participants in the Emergency & Specialised Vehicles class at the Greater Manchester Transport Society's Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in Heaton Park, Manchester in September 1995.

It's the 1945 AEC Matador from the Society's own Museum of Transport in Manchester and is a former military vehicle that was converted to a recovery vehicle for Lancashire United which was based in Atherton and was swallowed up by the Greater Manchester Transport Executive in 1976. A note in the programme of the event says this:

AEC Matador, 1945                                                     LSU282

Entered by                    Greater Manchester Transport Society

Previously a towing vehicle for Wigan Corporation, this vehicle was originally a gun tractor for the army. It was rebodied by Seddon and shows little resemblance with its previous appearance.

Strangely, though the programme says it's a 1945 vehicle the Museum's own website says that it dates from 1941, and the DVLA record shows the year of manufacture as 1944.

1971 Lola T212

This car took part in the HSCC Pre '80 Endurance Challenge race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2018 and is pictured in the paddock prior to the commencement of racing..

It's the 1971 Lola T212 that was driven by Bob and Vicky Brooks and has a 4-cylinder inline 1,798cc Ford Cosworth FVC engine. It was designed by Lola for the 1971 European 2 Litre Sports Car Championship which it won, thanks to winning drives from Helmut Marko, Vic Elford and Jo Bonnier. The car pictured has the same livery as the only Lola T212 to take part in the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hour race where it was driven by Guy Edwards and Roger Enever, but it retired after 8 hours with a broken flywheel. If it is that car it is chassis HU26.

1969 Jaguar XJ

This is a photograph that I took at the Footman James Classic Car Show Manchester at EventCity in September 2018.

It's a 1969 Series I Jaguar XJ and has a 6-cylinder inline 4,235cc engine. The Series I car was introduced in 1968 and replaced by the Series II in 1973.

Friday’s Ferrari

 

I took this photograph during a Corse Clienti Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli race at the Ferrari Racing Days meeting at Silverstone in September 2017.

It's the Ferrari 488 Challenge of Danish driver Christian Overgaard, a car which has a 670hp 3,902cc V8 turbocharged engine developed from that of the Ferrari 488 GTB.

1942 Trippel SG-6 Schwimmwagen

As well as the Grand Prix Collection at Donington Park there was a separate area set aside in the later years of the museum for Tom Wheatcroft’s son Kevin’s collection of World War II military vehicles. This is a photograph of one of them that I took on a visit there in September 2014.

It’s a 1942 Trippel SG-6 Schwimmwagen, an amphibious vehicle originally designed in 1935 and intended for civilian use but adapted for use by the Wehrmacht in 1937. It has a 6-cylinder inline 2½ litre Opel engine.

1958 Jaguar XK150S

I took this photograph of Marc Gordon in his 1958 Jaguar XK150S at Druids Corner during the morning qualifying for the Equipe Pre ’63 race at the Aston Martin Owners Club’s meeting at Oulton Park In May 2018.

The XK150 was introduced in 1957 and followed the XK120 and XK140, being succeeded in 1961 by the E-Type. It was powered by the 6-cylinder inline 3,781cc Jaguar XK engine.

1921 Fiat 501

This is one of the cars that took part in the Lancashire Automobile Club's Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1976.

It's the 1921 Fiat 501 of John Ward of Bromsgrove and the programme of the event had this note about the car:

45     Mr John Ward, Bromsgrove, Worcs.

         1921 Fiat 501, 10 h.p. 4-cylinder.

Purchased by the present owner many years ago after standing on blocks in a barn. After fitting a charged battery it started immediately and was driven home. No major items have been replaced and the original upholstery is still serviceable. Winner of the Special Test last year.

The DVLA record says that this car has been untaxed since July 2010.

Maserati 250F

This is a photograph I took in the paddock at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1997.

It's a Maserati 250F but isn't listed in the programme of the event. I've seen photographs showing that Stirling Moss drove it in the HGPCA Pre-1960 Grand Prix Cars Race but I've not been able to find out the owner or chassis number.

1973 Porsche 914

This is a photograph that I took in one of the car parks at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2017.

It's a 1973 Porsche 914 which has a 1.8 litre flat-4 air-cooled engine. Almost 120,000 of these cars were produced between 1969 and 1976 with engine sizes ranging from 1.7 to 2.0 litres, the 2.0 litre models also having the option of a flat-6 engine. 

1938 MG TA Midget

This was one of the cars that took part in a vintage car run from Stockport to Matlock in July 1985 organised by car dealers Gordon Ford of Stockport.

It’s a 1938 MG TA, the first of the T-type Midgets, which replaced the MG PB in 1936 and has a 4-cylinder inline 1,292cc engine. It was succeeded by the TB in 1939 and the various T-type Midgets continued until the TF was superseded by the MGA in 1955.

Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph that I took at the Ferrari Racing Days meeting at Silverstone in September 2017.

It's a 2006 Ferrari F430 which replaced the Ferrari 360 and was itself succeeded by the Ferrari 458. It was produced between 2005 and 2009 and has the 4,308cc Ferrari F136 E V8 engine.

1931 Bugatti T51

I took this photograph at Druids Corner during race number 2 at the Vintage Sports Car Club's Hawthorn Memorial Trophies race meeting at Oulton Park in July 2015 which had the grand title of 'Premier Cru Racing for Pre-1941 Standard and Modified Racing Cars - 20 Mins. Incorporating the Bruce Spollon Memorial, Ten Tenths Vintage Restorations Pre-War Continental Trophies'.

It's  the 1931 Bugatti Type 51 of Stephen Shoosmith which has a supercharged 2,262cc twin cam straight-8 engine. It has the same chassis and body as the Type 35, but with a twin cam instead of a single cam engine.

1951 Bedford SB

This is a photograph that I took at the Greater Manchester Transport Society's Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in Heaton Park, Manchester in September 1988.

It's a 1951 Bedford SB and the programme of the event had this note about it:

MPW 455 Bedford SPG, Duple Vega, 1951

Entered by Moseley PSV Preservation Group, Loughborough, Leics. New to Stainsby of Kings Lynn, passing to Birds of Hunstanton on acquisition of the company in the mid 1960s, being operated until 1977. Since passing to the group the vehicle has been extensively refurbished.

Pre-War Sports Cars at Silverstone

This is a photograph that I took at Luffield corner at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1994.

If that's a black number 1 on the door of the leading car then it's the Alfa Romeo 8C Le Mans of Klaus Werner. Behind him is the Bentley Speed Six of John May and on the outside the Alfa Romeo 8C Le Mans of Peter Groh. The blue car behind the leading Alfa is the Bugatti T40/37 of Michael Steel and the car on the left-hand side is another Alfa Romeo 8C, that of either Hartmut Ibing or Heidi Kampfer.

1949 Jowett Javelin

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 1949 Jowett Javelin which has a 1,486cc ohv flat four engine. Over 23,000 were produced between 1947 and 1953.

1971 Aston Martin DBS V8

This car was driven by Paul and Clive Hipwell in the 45 minute long AMOC Intermarque Championship race at the Aston Martin Owners Club’s meeting at Oulton Park in May 2015.

It's a 1973 Aston Martin V8, with a 5,340cc V8 engine designed by Tadek Marek. Introduced in 1969 as the DBS V8, 4,021 cars were produced between then and 1989, the name changing in 1972 to the Aston Martin V8 and eventually to the AM V8.

1977 Wolf WR2

This is a photograph I took at the Donington Park Museum in September 2014.

Walter Wolf was a Canadian who became a Formula One constructor in 1976 by buying the assets of the Hesketh team when it withdrew from F1. The first car designed and built by the team led by Harvey Postlethwaite was WR1 which, driven by Jody Scheckter, won its first race in Argentina then went on to win the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix, finishing second to Niki Lauda in the Drivers' World Championship and fourth in the World Constructors' Championship. It was powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV 2,993cc V8 engine. This is the second car built, WR2 which Jody Scheckter drove in three races in 1977, finishing in third place in the Spanish Grand Prix, second place in the German Grand Prix, then another third place in the Dutch Grand Prix.

Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph that I took at the Ferrari Racing Days meeting at Silverstone in September 2017.

It's a Ferrari 488 GTB with the 3,902cc twin turbocharged 32 valve F154 V8 engine which has two overhead camshafts per bank. Manufacture of the 488 started in 2015 and ended in February 2019. Its successor was an updated version of the 488, the Ferrari F8 Tributo.

1953 Cooper Bristol

This car competed in the Classic Racing Cars race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2008.

It's the 1953 Cooper Bristol MkII of Ed Cottam which has a 1971cc 6-cylinder inline Bristol engine that was derived from the pre-war BMW 328 unit. Father and son Charles & John Cooper had started the Cooper Car Company in 1946, and at first specialised in building cars for the new 500cc class of racing that British enthusiasts had started as a simple and economical way to go motor racing after the war. This developed into the International Formula 3 class in 1950, and Cooper then ventured into the Formula 2 class by putting a 1,100cc JAP engine into one of these cars, way below the 2 litre limit allowed, but even with the lack of power the car was still reasonably competitive because of its light weight. When the World Championship was run under Formula 2 regulations in 1952 because of a dearth of the larger-engined Formula 1 cars Cooper decided to design a car to compete at that level. The 1,971 Bristol engine was chosen, but the Cooper Bristol MkI (later designated the T20) could not really compete with the Ferraris and Maseratis in World Championship races and was much more successful in minor British events. In 1953 the MkII (later T23) car was introduced, having a tubular frame chassis instead of the box section frame of the earlier car and the drive train was altered to lower the driver's seat. Although a better car it wasn't much more successful than the MkI, and the following season when the new 2½ litre Formula 1 regulations came into force the car was rendered obsolete. They still soldiered on for a few years, mainly in minor British events, and then became regulars in the historic racing scene, where they're still to be seen to this day.

1924 Bentley 3 litre Blue Label Tourer

This is one of the cars that took part in the Lancashire Automobile Club's Manchester to Blackpool Veteran and Vintage Car Run in June 1975 and is pictured just after the start at the junction of Peter Street and Lower Mosley Street.

It's the 1924 Bentley 3 litre of Mr D.C.Y. Dickson and the programme of the event had this note about the car:

58.    Mr D.C.Y. Dickson, Garstang, Lancs.

         1924 Bentley 3 litre Blue label tourer 15.9 h.p. 4 cylinder.

Jointly owned by Mr. Dickson and his brother Mr. J.C. Dickson (No. 57) this car has been driven alternately by them in every run except last year when it obligingly stood down for a Rolls-Royce! Twice winner of the Daily Telegraph Challenge Trophy; three times winner of the Vauxhall Trophy it has also won the Turner Trophy.

(Note: the Daily Telegraph Challenge Trophy was awarded for the best performance by any competitor, the Vauxhall Trophy went to the best performance by 'Cars of 1919-1924 up to 3,000 cc', and the Turner Trophy was awarded for the best performance in a special test.)

1938 AC 16/80 Competition Sports

This is a photograph I took at the Vintage Sports Car Club's meeting at Oulton Park in June 2008.

It's a 1938 AC 16/80 Competition Sports, chassis L635, and has a six-cylinder inline 1,991cc engine. It is one of only 44 Competition Sports models produced and the DVLA record says that it has been untaxed since May 2020.

1954 HWM Jaguar

This is a photograph that I took at the Silverstone Classic meeting in July 2010.

It's Roger Buxton’s 1954 HWM Jaguar with which he and Michael Steele competed in the two hour long RAC Woodcote Trophy for Pre 1956 Sports Cars race. It has the 3,442cc straight-6 Jaguar XK6 engine that powered the Jaguar XK models, and also the C-Type and D-Type. John Abecassis and John Heath had built and raced their Formula 2 HWM cars since 1950 and in 1953 built their first sports car on a Formula 2 chassis. The team remained involved in sports car racing till 1956 when John Heath died in an accident at that year's Mille Miglia race.

2015 Maserati Quattroporte

Here are two photographs of a car that I took on a walk alongside Salford Quays in January 2022.

It’s a Maserati Quattroporte, a sixth-generation car, and has a 2,987cc V6 turbodiesel engine.

1969 Lotus 61

This was one of the competitors in the HSCC Legends Racing Historic Formula Ford race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2005.

It’s the 1969 Lotus 61 of Dick Dixon and has a 1,599cc 4-cylinder inline Ford Kent engine that was originally developed for the 1959 Ford Anglia, and styling reminiscent of the Lotus 56 which contested the 1968 Indianapolis 500 race. The car number 6 alongside is another Lotus 61, that of Neil Davies.

Friday's Ferrari

This was one of the Ferraris that I photographed at the Ferrari Racing Days meeting at Silverstone in September 2017.

It's a Ferrari California with a 4,297cc 32 valve V8 Ferrari F136 engine, and body designed by Pininfarina.