The Collection Store

Compare and Contrast

2008-10-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

Teachers LOVE compare and contrast assignments, and I spent so much time in school, it's must have become ingrained in me. While at the Kruse Fall Auburn auction and the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Reunion, I found a couple opportunities to compare some interesting cars.

At the auction, I found a 1960 Ford and 1960 Edsel parked next to each other, so it was a great chance to see how similar these cars are to one another, as well as how they are different. To boot, the cars were both four-door hardtops, too, making the chance to "compare and contrast" even greater. I'll let the photos speak for themselves, but one detail I noticed on the Ford and Edsel was that, while both sport trim at the top edge of the fenders with different ornaments on the top, the trim is not interchangeable, even though it clearly could have been while retaining different ornaments. Also note the hoods and front bumpers are wildly different, but the rest of the sheet metal looks interchangeable.

At first glance, there appears to be little difference between Auburns and Auburn Salons. With these Auburn Twelve models spotted at the ACD Club Reunion, the difference is much clearer. Note the silver and blue Salon's shorter grille, covered radiator car, more sweeping fender line at the front and more shallow bumper when compared to the regular Auburn Twelve. Also note the different headlamps.

Antro Solo

2008-10-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, it is popular among car companies to announce one or two models that are fueled not with gas, but with electricity. It is unknown, why they mystically disappear after being announced, maybe because of low distance they can drive without battery recharging, maybe because of their ultra high cost. However, it is clear that this kind of engines will prevail above internal combustion ones in some time. It is a wise idea to combine these two engines, produce a hybrid that will be more versatile in nowadays conditions. This is exactly the idea behind this futuristic concept car that combines advantages of both engine types to obtain unique capabilities.

his car is named Antro Solo, and is engineered in Hungary. Apart from having a very futuristic design (it resembles a soapbox a little), it does have very futuristic parameters. While it requires gas to run, it uses only 0.01 liter of gas per kilometer! This was made possible by using electric engine, which accompanies combustion one. Power is gained through many solar batteries on the roof of this car, but even if you are driving in tunnel or rain, there is nothing to worry about - gas powered generator will charge car’s batteries if there is no sunlight.

However, the most amazing and interesting innovation is that if you run out of gas, you can power up your car yourself! There are two pair of pedals in front of passenger seats, so if you run out of fuel during rain, you can always ask your passengers to help you out.

The body of this car is made of carbon fiber, which was made to reduce its weight. It weighs only 272 kg! More than that, carbon-fibered body will increase its durability. Unfortunately, there were no crash-tests yet, because only one car was produced, and it is shown today at the Budapest transport museum. Apart from many other concepts which exist only on paper, engineers of this one hope to begin mass-producing them starting from 2012, which is not so far. One of the most interesting parts is its price, which they claim will start from 18,000 USD. Let’s wait and see, will it gain popularity or it will be forgotten as many other interesting car concepts.

Wisconsin Automotive Museum

2008-10-03T04:52:00.000-07:00

The second and last set of photos I'll post of the Wisconsin Automotive Museum. If you want to see the rest you will have to visit Hartford, and I highly recommend the trip! If any of the cars look dusty or dark, it's not the car. It's my six year old digital camera showing its age.

Hudson engine display.

Another 1920 Kissel

The V12 in a 1934 Pierce-Arrow Model 1240A. According to the placard, this car was used as a limousine carrying passengers up Pikes Peak to the Broadmore Hotel. Unfortunately the other photos of this car did not turn out; it's one of the many real beauties in the collection.

The Soo Line #1003. This display includes the 250 ton locomotive with tender, a caboose, and a private car. The caboose and the private car are further down the track, behind the tender.

Wisconsin Automotive Museum
147 North Rural Street
Hartford, Wisconsin 53207

1955 VW Introduces Karmann-Ghia

2008-09-30T07:40:00.001-07:00

Volkswagen introduced the Karmann-Ghia coupe at the Kasino Hotel in Westfalia, Germany. As the European car market finally recovered from the war, Volkswagen felt that it needed to release an “image car” to accompany its plain but reliable “Bugs and Buses.”
Volkswagen was not the only automotive company looking for a flagship car at the time. Chevrolet had released the Corvette, and Ford the

Thunderbird. The Chrysler Corporation had contracted with the Italian design firm Ghia to create designs for a Chrysler dream car; however, none of the designs came to fruition.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen had contracted with German coach-builder Karmann for their own image car, and Karmann, in turn, had sub-contracted to Ghia for design offerings. Eventually Ghia supplied Karmann with a version of their Chrysler design, modified for the floor plan of the Volkswagen Beetle.

The Karmann-Ghia was released as a 1956 model by Volkswagen. The car’s sleek lines and hand craftsmanship attracted the attention Volkswagen had hoped for. Nevertheless, as sporty as the Karmann-Ghia looked, it suffered from its 36hp flat four engine in the area of power. Still, the Karmann-Ghia sold 10,000 units in its first full production year ,and with the release of the convertible in 1958, production reached 18,000 units for one year.

Sales climbed steadily through the 1960s, peaking at 33,000 cars per year. While General Motors and Ford focused on their Corvette and Thunderbird, respectively, Volkswagen found that the Bug had increased in popularity, especially in the U.S. market. Executives decided to focus their marketing attention on the Bug, abandoning the Karmann-Ghia, which was last produced in 1974.

Big Oil conspiracy continues! 244 mpg Fiat 600!

2008-09-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, we brought you the (alleged) 376 mpg Opel, noting that it (allegedly) was the result of a (unconfirmed) Shell ultra-mileage test on (clandestine) superheated vapor fuel technology, similar to the technology that Smokey Yunick (did indeed) patent and install on a 1984 Fiero. We noted that other (supposed) test vehicles in that Shell program included a (reported) nearly 150 mpg Studebaker and this (existing) 244 mpg 1959 Fiat 600. As it turns out, the Fiat was a museum-mate with the Opel for several years and also recently (actually) sold to a collector looking for more information on it.

“I thought that My car was an ‘ice racer’ because it had theaded rod for suspension and the intake was routed throgh the radiator,” said Lee McKee of Empire Autohaus in Birmingham, Alabama. Lee said he has found some log books and Shell documentation of the car and he hopes to restore the Fiat for Shell’s 2008 Eco-Marathon.

Now, does anybody know where that 150 mpg Studebaker currently (allegedly) resides?

Four-Links - more Partridge bus, more alternative weinermobiles, more hillclimbs, less Beetle

2008-09-05T02:26:00.000-07:00

* That dude from Telstar Logistics had a wild hair about the Partridge Family’s bus recently, for which we’re grateful. He not only dug up what he could of the history of the Chevrolet used for the bus, but he also seemed to get a snap of the same one we saw back in 2006. He says it’s a replica. We say it’s the David Cassidy reunion tour replica. Care to weigh in?

* The previous Modern Mechanix weinermobile streamliner was quickly recognized, and there’s no mystery about who built this most recent one, spotted in the September 1938 issue of Mechanix Illustrated: Charles Christman and Bill Quiggle of Los Angeles. But no details beyond that. Anybody recognize this one?

While we’re linking to Modern Mechanix posts, we should note this unidentified streamlined COE and trailer and an article on the Ghia Selene concept car.

* While I thoroughly enjoyed the Laconia hillclimb last year, I probably would have enjoyed this 1930s hillclimb much better, judging from the video that HelmetHair posted.

* The Beetle really was too big. It needed, oh, a bit of chopping, a bit of channeling, a bit of shortening and maybe some sectioning. Or, at least, in the mind of one Finnish volksrodder, it did. Props on actually driving it around (it’s really not much larger than a snowmobile), but I still don’t understand why he used a Briggs and Stratton instead of a VW flat four. (via)

Four not enough for ya? Me neither.

* Was scanning through some photos of the 2004 Kenosha AMO meet and came across this American/Rogue done up Cowboy-style (the GMers have the Camino; the blue oval group has the ‘chero; we AMCers have the Cowboy). Don’t know anything about who built this one, though.

* We’ve learned to tolerate the majority of the posts at BigLorryBlog about modern haulers and other big trucks, if only because some great vintage stuff pops up from time to time, such as his photographic tour of the trucks in Surrey’s Brooklands Museum, including the above Thornycraft six-wheel-drive, straight-eight aircraft crash response truck.

Or, for example, his post on Bugatti’s proposed, but never built, logging truck. Now wouldn’t that have put those revival Bugattis from the ’90s in a different light?

Or, to continue, his post on the Pacific Intermountain Express prototype cabover tractor.

* Finally, one from this morning. In Communist Poland in the 1960s, farmers apparently couldn’t obtain new tractors, so they had to improvise using whatever materials they could get their hands on. A recent art exhibition takes a look at some of those improvised machines that still work the land today.

2007 Ural Retro Solo

2008-08-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

Click photos to enlarge for detail.
They make great desktop images.

2007 Ural Retro Solo

2007 Ural Retro Solo

Classic solo bike

Still living in the past and loving it? The Retro has the look of motorcycling days gone by, but many of the amenities afforded by modern technology. Take to those twisting, country roads with a bike that begs the question… "Where does that road go?"

SPECIFICATIONS USA - 2007 Ural Retro Solo:

N/A

SPECIFICATIONS Europe - 2007 Ural Retro Solo:

Engine
Type Air cooled 2-cylinder 4-stroke Boxer engine
Bore/stroke 78 mm x 78 mm
Capacity 745 cc
Rated output 29 kW at 5,600 rpm
Max. torque 52 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Carburator Twin KEIHIN L22A A
Max. speed Approx.130 km/h
Ignition Electronic

Power transmission
Clutch Dry double disc
Gearbox 4 speed plus 1 reverse
Final drive Bevel gear with drive shaft
Starting Electric plus kickstart

Chassis/Brakes
Frame Double loop steel tube
Front suspension Telescopic fork
Rear suspension Double sided swinging arm with hydraulic spring shock absorbers - 2 x adjustable
Wheels 2 cross-spoked
Rims 2.15 x 18
Tyres Road tyres 3,50 x 18
Brakes front: discbrake
rear: mechanically actuated drumbrakes

Dimensions/Weights
Dry weight 246 kg
Permitted total weight 399 kg
Length/width/height 2,224/840/1,060 mm
Seat height 750 mm
Usable tank volume 19 l, 95 Octan
Fuel consumption 6.5 l/100 km

Colour black with white stripes

roteus Has Been Acquired By Rival Sports Car Manufacturer, Enduro

2008-08-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Jaguar C-Type Coupe

Vintage looks meet modern motoring with the Hindustan Ambassador and Oxford

2008-08-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

Looking for a vintage motor, but put off by the possible maintenance costs? The Hindustan Ambassador and Oxford could be for you.

It's not exactly the new Fiat 500 - it's actually a car range that has been in production in India (with slight changes) since the 1950s, based on the British Morris Oxford. In fact, it has been described as the 'definitive' Indian car.

But you can pick up both the Ambassador and Oxford in the UK, via exclusive importer Merlin Garages in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The rough 'n' ready Ambassador (pictured above) has an 1800mpfi engine, a 5-speed gearbox and all the basics you would expect, as well as being able to get 33 miles to the gallon. Oh yes - and that authentic 1950s styling.

The Hindustan Oxford is the more upmarket model, adding leather seats, a retro dashboard, Oxford badges, power steering, CD player, sports gear lever, stainless steel hub caps and the option of two tone paint effects.

Future Retro: Drawings from the Great Age of American Automobiles

2008-08-08T09:21:00.000-07:00

“Future Retro: Drawings from the Great Age of American Automobiles” showcases the beauty and ingenuity of American automotive design during the decades following World War II, a landmark period in car styling. Drawn entirely from the collection of Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf, this installation of approximately thirty objects includes twenty-eight drawings from the 1940s through the ’60s, as well as two painted wood car models from the 1950s.

This installation provides visitors with a rare glimpse into the creative process behind the scenes at some of Detroit’s premiere car companies through an eclectic mix of illustrations, ranging from preliminary sketches to fully rendered works intended for presentation to company executives. Some of the drawings offer concepts that would later be incorporated into specific models, while others represent futuristic ideas that never made it past the drawing board. Dating from an era when design and appearance were increasingly important factors in automotive sales, there are ample references to the shapes of airplanes and rockets, along with other emerging technologies that influenced postwar car design.

Peter Wozena, “Proposal for an Oldsmobile,” 1958. Ink, colored and graphite pencils, and opaque watercolor on paper. Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection. Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Patrons of the Museum for a number of years, Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf are both collectors and scholars with a broad range of interests such as Japanese prints and photographs, American art including sculpture, architectural drawings, and American automobile design drawings.

“Future Retro” has been organized as a complementary installation to “Speed, Style, and Beauty: Cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection,” on view in the Gund Gallery through July 3, 2005

Peter Wozena, “Proposal for an Oldsmobile,” 1958. Ink, colored and graphite pencils, and opaque watercolor on paper. Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Collection. Courtesy Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Looking Back At the Aston Martin Bulldog

2008-08-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

Look at that. Don’t you just miss it? Huh, the super flat Aston Martin Bulldog is one among those cars that I miss. Well, just as I miss it I will be bringing it back to you. Just a glimpse of the much missed Bulldog.

It was built in the UK and was designed by William Towns. It was a one hit wonder because it didn’t last for so long in terms of production. The limited edition Aston Martin Bulldog had only 25 units built and it was named under the codename DP K9 which was taken from a Doctor Who character. Usually, UK cars are right-hand-drive ones but the infamous Bulldog was made to be a left-hand-drive one. It was made super flat and it came measuring up to 43 inches high with sharp features and a limited gull-wing door design. The interior part was placed with a monitor that was added in later production. The car is run by a powerful V8 with 5.3L twin-turbo engine powering up a 700 bhp.

The car is installed with a Ford exclusive Ford bumper and a Ford racing cold air intake and this vehicle comes boasting of a racing car power.

The first test drive of the Bulldog was done in the late 1979 and it turned out to be a great success. The car was impressively delivering a top speed of 191 mph from its theoretical 237 mph top speed. It was officially launched in the Bell Hotel located at Aston Clinton in March 27, 1980. It was sold to the highest bidder, holding £130,000 - the total price of its total design and construction.

It was also brought to the US and was back a few years ago to Britain with a new green interior from its original silver and light gray exterior paint job. The original dark brown interior was also changed to black to light tan.

The 1968 Pontiac Firebird Hardtop Coupe

2008-08-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

After a thorough study about Chevrolet pickup ground effects and Chevrolet Tahoe step plates, my own way of relaxing is searching for vintage cars. I mean not just an ordinary vintage car but vintage cars with attitude and power. Last night, I came across with Pontiac’s 1968 Firebird!

When I looked at the specifications and features, it made me even more interested about the Firebird.

Pontiac was forced by GM to drop DeLorean’s Banshee project and soon Pontiac launched the Firebird in February 23, 1967. It was built to compete with the Chevrolet Camaro that was introduced back in September 29, 1966 and the Ford Mustang which was unveiled in April 1964. Now that’s what I call a real battle for the top spot!

The 1968 Firebird is being offered in a convertible and a hardtop coupe version at that time with five engine choices:

Standard Firebird OHC 230 cubic inch six-cylinder one-barrel with 175 horsepower
Firebird Sprint 230 cubic inch six-cylinder four-barrel overhead-cam with 215 horsepower
Firebird 326 with a two-barrel V-8 and 250 horsepower
Firebird H.O. V-8 326 four-barrel with 285 horsepower
Firebird 400 high performance V-8 four-barrel with 325 horsepower.

Standard equipment for this vehicle include:

18.5 Gallon Fuel Tank
7.35 x 14 "Space-Saver Spare" Tire
Anti-Theft Ignition Key Warning Buzzer
Backup Lights
Body Side Marker Lights at Front and Rear
Bright Chrome-Plated Hub Caps
Bright Metal Rocker Panel Moldings
Bright Roof Drip Scalp Moldings on Hardtop Coupe
Carpeted Lower Trim Pads on Doors
Center Dome Lamp (Exc. Convertibles)
Cigar Lighter
Circ-L-Aire Heater and Defroster
Delco-Eye Energizer Battery
Dual Master Cylinder Brake System with Warning Light
Dual-Speed Electric Windshield Wipers with Washer
E:70 x 14 Wide-oval Blackwall Tires (4)
Energy-Absorbing Instrument Panel with Smooth, Contoured Knobs and Levers
Energy-Absorbing Steering Column
Expanded Morrokide Seat Backs and Cushions
Folding Front Seat Back Latches
Four-Way Hazard Warning Flasher
Full Padding on Rear Upper Panel of Front Seat Back
Full-flow Oil Filter
Glove Compartment Lock
Inside Day-Night Mirror with Deflecting Base
Instrument Panel Courtesy Lamp, Glove Box Lamp and Ashtray Lamp
Labeled Instrument Panel Control Switches
Lane-Change Feature in Direction Signal Control
Nylon-blend Loop-pile Carpeting
Outer Front Seat Belt Retractors
Outside Rearview Mirror
Padded Instrument Panel, Sun Visors, and Windshield Corner Posts
Padded Vinyl Trim on Upper Door and Rear Quarter Panels
Parking Brake Warning Light
Passenger-Guard Door Locks - All Doors
Rear Armrests with Integral Ashtrays
Reduce-Glare Instrument Panel and Windshield Wiper Arms and Blades
Safety Door and Window Regulator Handles
Safety Door Latches and Hinges
Safety Front Armrests
Safety Rim Wheels
Seat Belts with Push-Button Buckles for All Passenger Positions
Self-Adjusting Brakes with Corrosion-resistant Brake Lines
Self-Adjusting Hood Latch
Slimline Strato-bucket Front Seats
Soft, Low-Profile Window Control Knobs and Coat Hooks
Theft-Deterrent Door Locks and Keys
Thick Laminate Windshield
Upper-level Ventilation System
Vertical Louvers in Both Rear Quarter Panels
Wood Grain Appearance Instrument Panel

Standard Engine

250 Cu. In. OHC 6, 175 HP, 1-BBL Carb.-Reg. Fuel

Standard Transmission

3-speed Manual-Column Shift

Available Transmissions

3-speed Manual-Floor Shift
4-speed Manual-Floor Shift
Automatic-Column Shift
Automatic-Floor Shift (console required)

Exterior Dimensions (in inches)

Front Tread (Wide-Track) 60
Height 50.0
Overall Length 188.8
Overall Width 72.8
Rear Tread (Wide-Track) 60
Wheelbase 108.1

Interior Dimensions For The Front (in inches)

Head Room (effective) 37.0
Hip Room 56.3
Leg Room (maximum effective) 42.5
Shoulder Room 56.7

Interior Dimensions For The Rear (in inches)

Head Room (effective) 36.7
Hip Room 54.6
Leg Room (maximum effective) 29.5
Shoulder Room 53.6
Trunk Capacity (usable luggage, cu. ft. 9.9

A Look At The Classic Chevy Bel Air

2008-08-03T20:44:00.000-07:00

For car lovers like me, a look back in history always means going face to face with the classic cars that will forever be part of American auto history. When talking about classic American cars, it is hard not to think about the timeless beauty that is the Chevrolet Bel Air. Even if these classic cars are not equipped with a Chevy catalytic converter, it is hard not to like them.

The Bel Air is introduced by General Motors in 1953 as a part of the premium model range. Looking at the exterior design of the Bel Air shows why the American car manufacturer put the Bel Air on top of its lineup. A classic example of the good looks of the Bel Air is the 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door sedan with its white roof, aggressive grille styling and complete with whitewall tires. Even if its safety feature is composed only of its brakes, the Bel Air does not lose any of its appeal.

In fact, even the minute details of the Bel Air gives this car a reputation of being an instant classic. From the ergonomically designed Chevy door handle to the headlights, the Bel Air is truly a car that stands out among the classics. While the Bel Air was demoted to becoming a low level model of Chevrolet, it cannot be denied that the iconic Bel Air is a great step in the progress of the American car industry.

In more recent times, the Bel Air made an appearance at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) as a concept car. The concept Bel Air for the new millennium is a convertible and carries many design and styling cues from the classic Bel Air. Unfortunately though, General Motors looks as if it is not going to release any production version of the concept Bel Air.

Rockport Welcomes Vintage Cars in June

2008-08-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Are you craving for some classic cars? Well, brace yourselves as they gather all together in Rockport this June. The northeast classic car owners will display all the collections on a 5-day road tour on Hancock County, Knox and Waldo.

The Maine Tourism Association will be presenting the 2nd Annual Barnstorming Maine dated for June 3-7 and this one promises to give you some glimpses from the classic cars. Brian Redman, a world racing champion, will managing the said event. The owners will be presenting 25 vintage cars which were all made in 1975 on the region.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Maine Tourism Association, Vaughn Stinson, said, “Barnstorming Maine gives classic car owners the chance to experience Maine’s coastal and inland scenery, unique shopping and museums, and amazing cuisine.”

The hotel Samoset Resort in Rockport will be the dwelling place of these vintage cars. The cars will show up something classy on a three-day tour that includes 400 miles of road travel along the Midcoast region. The event will end with an evening trip out of the Rockland including riding on the ferry Monhegan.

Tour destinations will be:

Cellar Door Winery & Vineyards in Lincolnville
Andrew Wyeth, a famous painter’s Cushing’s Olsen House
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Marshall Point Light and Port Clyde Harbo
Fisherman’s Friend Restaurant in Stonington
Winterport Dragway, and the towns of Hope
Blue Hill
Deer Isle
Castine
Camden

So if you are looking for some classic car recollections and would like to do some reminiscing on the vintage cars that took the place before today’s new generation of cars, be part of the event and feed yourself with these oldies but are true goodies.

If you have an old car that needs car part replacement, like a Bestop Jeep, Jeep Bestop car cover and many more, visit your trusted car parts website and order these car parts. They are offering piles of discounts on your purchase.

A good partner in USA

2008-07-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to classic car classifieds collector car site, a classic car, classic truck site online to buy or sell
your collection. Click on Classic Car Mall links to get the latest up to date information to assist your
buying, selling, and servicing of antique collectible cars, muscle cars and exotic cars from the top
specialty collectors, automotive and classic car insurance companies.

BMW M3

2008-07-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ken Done had definite ideas from the very first moment as to how to decorate the BMW M3 he was given by the Australian BMW Motorsport department.

On the one hand, it was to express something of the fascination which this high-performance vehicle held for him. On the other, it had to be typically Australian and reflect the vitality of his home continent. Done therefore decided to go for exotic colors and paint parrots and parrot fish. Animals that in his eyes particularly share two characteristics with the BMW M3: beauty and speed. The result is as appealing as it is original: Done's Art Car symbolizes both immense dynamism and mysterious exoticism at the same time.

105 Series Alfa

2008-07-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

If you’re not fully awake, be warned because this might get you feeling a bit dazed and confused… Alfa Romeo’s 105 series was brought out in 1962 to replace the 101 series range of compact saloon and performance cars (which included such beauties as the Giulietta Sprint coupé and Giulietta Berlina).

Well, it did and it didn’t because production of the two series actually overlapped and to make matters really confusing, the last of the 101-series 1600cc Giulietta coupés were renamed Giulia Sprint (from 1962-’64) while the 1300cc Giulietta Sprint also lived on until 1965. Meanwhile the subject of this modding guide, the Bertone styled Giulia Sprint GT was launched in 1963.

The first of the 105 series to hit the showrooms was the Giulia Saloon, and this basic floorpan went on to spawn many derivatives, including the: Giulia Ti, Giulia Super, Giulia Giardinetta, 1750 Berlina, 2000 Berlina, 1600 Spider Duetto, 1750 Spider Veloce and 2000 Spider, and Montreal. However, it was and remains the coupé which is the most popular of the 105 cars.

Launched in 1963 as the Giulia Sprint GT, the new car had a lot more interior space than its predecessor. Its lines – created by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro – was also much more modern in appearance and included the famous step-front or scalino bonnet with its exposed leading edge. Power came from a twin Weber’d 1570cc 106 bhp version of Alfa’s all-alloy twin-cam Nord four cylinder which was, unusually for the time, hooked up to an all-synchromesh five-speed gearbox.

Finally, to make sure that this Alfa made the most of its powertrain and looks, the suspension was set-up (front lower A-arms with two upper links with precisely located live axle at the rear) for optimum handling. Indeed so successful was this update of Alfa’s Giulietta recipe, that the Sprint GT soon became the largest seller of all the 105 Giulias.

The first derivative to go on sale following the Sprint GTs launch, was Touring’s four seater convertible model theGiulia Sprint GTC – but only around 1000 were sold before Touring ceased trading. In 1966 Alfa introduced the GT1300 Junior for markets which penalised the larger engined Sprint GT with heavier taxation – unsurprisingly, it was a huge sales success.

Things though, got better in 1966 for performance minded Alfisti. At the same time as Alfa launched the Spider/ Duetto, the popular Sprint GT Veloce or GTV was launched with just 3 bhp more, a revised front grille, revised seats and trim, Veloce badging and quadrifoglio clover leaf badge on the C-pillars. It wasn’t until 1968 though and the introduction of the 1750 GTV that the Veloce’s performance lived up to its name.

However, performance criticisms couldn’t be levelled at the lightweight, alloy bodied 1600 Giulia Sprint GTA (Gran Turismo Allegerita), which featured twin-spark engines in a wide range of tune up to 170 bhp and was launched in April 1965. The 1600 GTA was a massively successful circuit racer and just over 500 of these cars were built,plus 10 supercharged GTA-SA (for Sovralimentata) one of which won the 1967 100-mile Hockenheim race outright… Around 1000 1300cc GTAs were also built over four years from 1968, with the fuel injected Autodelta cars pumping out 180 bhp at 8400 rpm from their rather special engines.

As of 1969, the Giulia Sprint GT range was facelifted and the scalino dropped. The 1750 GTV featured a more conventional front with four headlamps and a chrome whisker either side of the heart-shaped centre grille, meanwhile the Juniors made do with single headlamps. In 1971, the GTV’s 1750 engine was superceded by a larger, torquier 130+ bhp 1962cc unit and the resultant 2000GTV was given a new radiator grille, interior, and an LSD.

The last of the 105 series model launches happened in 1972 when the 1600cc GT Junior joined the ranks. It was though, a relatively short life because the 105 series GT production run came to an end in 1976 – by which time the Junior had adopted the later four-headlamped grille ofthe 2000GTV. Needless to say, by that time, the car which was designed to replace it – the Alfetta GT – had been in production for nearly two years…

Anyway, enough of the history. To find out how to improve Alfa’s 105-series GT, we visited Britain’s leading classic Alfa Romeo specialists, Alfaholics, where we talked to Max Banks.

CLASSIC CAR MANAGEMENT

2008-07-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

Classic Car Management offers a unique and personalized service to classic car owners in an around Bath. Let us take away the hassles of owning and running your pride and joy whatever make and model.

We offer a fully insured friendly service to suit all your requirements in our local workshop.

All work undertaken is managed / scrutinized and most important of all completed! on time. Fully-enclosed transportation is offered as a collection and delivery service locally, nationally and internationally. 100% insurance cover is always in place to ensure you with total piece of mind.

"I have been thoroughly impressed with the professional, friendly service given by Classic Car Management. Their enlightened approach is refreshing, and you really feel there is consideration and care for your vehicle. The helpful advice is always welcomed and often takes the stress out of owning a classic car. All work is carried out to a high quality standard and no problem is too small. I am happy to recommend their quality service, to all.

Gavin Knowles
Engineer/Surveyor

In addition to classic cars we can also service and maintain your everyday car at very competitive rates, further to this we now offer fixed price servicing to give you total peace of mind.

If you need help getting your vehicle to us we can arrange for free local pick up and delivery, please call to find out more.

"We have been hugely impressed by the level of service and commitment shown by Classic Car Management in looking after our cars. Thanks for all your help in gaining fantastic results with 'Track-Day' preparations as well as looking after our 'smooth-running' day to day vehicles."

David Marcussen

This covette sting ray 3 concept was possibly presented at the 1992 Auto show.

2008-07-01T04:53:00.000-07:00

View from the top of the corvette sting ray car

Front View of the Corvette Sting Ray 3 Concept car

GM Chevrolet Corvette concept car

2008-07-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

Extremely rare pictures of one of a kind corvette concept car! I wish they actually made this retro-beauty corvette.

Autech A-10 Nostalgic Sports Sedan

2008-06-30T00:46:00.000-07:00

Idea from Autech, Motor from Nissan, Body from 1968…

First revealed in 1996, the A-10 Nostalgic Sports Sedan was Autech’s design study to build from scratch a RWD car with classic late-60’s styling to celebrate Autech’s 10th Anniversary. The wholly owned Nissan affiliate has often dabbled in retro styling for Nissan’s lineup of cars over the years, the most prolific being the March hatchback based models such as the ‘Ramba’, ‘Bolero’ and ‘Rafeet’. Not to be content with a mere restyling of one of Nissan’s staple small cars, Autech produced the A-10 from the ground up as a totally unique sedan, along the lines of the ‘retro new car’ king: Mitsuoka.

The A-10 is based on the body shell of the Nissan Rasheen (a compact SUV type vehicle) stretched over an S14 Nissan Silvia chassis. Although I was unable to verify it, the A-10 seems to be loosely styled on the Renault R8 Gordini with it’s overly boxy shape having similar proportions and side profile. The R8 Gordini influence spills over into the interior, where large easy to read dials dominate the wood trimmed dashboard in a similar vein to the Renault. The quad headlights also pay homage to the Renault R8, however for the front end at least, thats where the similarities end. As a 10th Anniversary one-off design, the quality of the workmanship is nothing short of superb.

While the styling does a very good job of fooling people into thinking the A-10 is a very well preserved classic car, just one look under the hood will put an end to any conjecture about the car’s heritage. An Autech tuned 2000cc SR20DE occupies the engine bay with it’s bright red cam covers and distinctive black intake plenum and produces 180ps @ 7,200rpm and 20.0kg/m @ 4,400rpm with a high 11.0:1 compression ratio. Power is transmitted through a single plate clutch to a 5 speed manual gearbox, then on through to a viscous limited slip differential. With a dry weight of 1255kg, the SR20DE does an adequate job of making good on the ‘Sports Sedan’ tag given to it.

The Autech A-10 was not produced for sale.

Make: Autech/Nissan
Model: A-10
Chassis: S14
Total Length/Width/Height (mm): 4450/1695/1430
Wheelbase: 2455mm
Weight: 1255kg (MT)
Engine: SR20DE
Max power: 180ps
Max torque: 20.0kg/m
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Front suspension: McPherson Strut
Rear suspesion: Parallel link strut
Tires: 195/60R15

Nissan Figaro Retro Car 1.0 Turbo

2008-06-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

The Figaro is Nissan's exciting concept car. The Figaro has a 1960/70 retro bodystyle with matching interior, instruments and radio, but with a total of 90's specification including power steering, power windows, full air conditioning, CD player, auto box coupled to Nissan 1.0 litre engine, total Nissan Micra running gear. This car turns heads wherever it goes.

This car is already a sought after classic in Europe and Japan. Manufactured in very limited numbers (20,000 to be exact) in 1991, designed by Shoji Takahashi, the Figaro was sold by way of an allocation raffle in Japan due to overwhelming demand. Today, these cars have a cult following which will ensures that the depreciation is always minimal and may even appreciate in value in the not to distant future due to the small amount of cars made. We have seen the Figaro increase in price on the Japanese market over the last 6 months, its becoming the car all the fashionable ladies want to be seen in around Tokyo.

A distinctive, personalised coupe, A wonderful town car that even the Celebrities want to get there hands on Jonathan Ross has one or should I say his wife Jane Goodman has a Figaro, and so has Vanessa Feltz! Eric Clapton,Athina Roussel the Onassis heiress, Frank Skinner, Chris Rea, Michael Corkery, And many more all over the world. Join the ranks - with the Nissan Figaro.

Features and Accessories as standard

Convertable - retractable roof that packs down nicely into into the boot in a minute. Three speed automatic transmission. Soft colour coded and piped leather upholstery throughout, with matching carpets.998cc petrol performance engine with a turbo charger, economy & power. Full spec air conditioning, all electric windows, classic styled wheels, retro styled radio/cassette/CD and dashboard.

These cars come in four colours as standard (pastel - Grey (lapis grey) - Blue (baby blue) - Beige - Green) Here at Figaro UK we are able to offer you our special customisation paint colour of your choice click the service link on the left for more details.

When Nissan announced that it would only be building 20,000 of these cars they was immediately swamped with potential customers - indeed it was over-subscribed by no less the 16 times. Now quite a few Figaro's are arriving in the UK. They make an ideal city cars and a strong fashion statement.

So what's the appeal of a Figaro? Retro styling is accompanied by chrome literally everywhere, from the slim-line bumpers to the external boot hinges, and from the hub caps to the victorian cutlery-style toggle switches. Even the retro-look radio is chromed, until you discover that it's actually a CD player as well.

Engine (cc)

Max Power (bhp/rpm)

Max Speed (mph)

0-60mph (secs)

Fuel economy (mpg)

Transmission

987cc Turbo charger 4-cy

76/6000

100

n/a

3-speed automatic

pretty in pink classic pedal car

2008-06-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

american retro

Your princess will love cruisin' the neighborhood in this American Retro classic. The famous "sad face" sedans of the late 40's inspired this metal pedal car. Nick-named "sad face" because of it’s front end which looks like an "up-side-down" smile. Trimmed with gleaming chrome windshield, chrome hood ornament, chrome steering wheel and chrome hub caps. Features heavy gauge steel construction, solid rubber 5/8" tires and ball bearing steel 8" diameter wheels. It's durable finish is a chip and rust resistant, child safe, non-toxic powder coating. Sturdy driving mechanism with ball bearing pull bars and ball bearing rear axle hangers. Adjustable pedals. Overall Dimensions: 36"L x 15.5"W. Fully assembled. Adult supervision required. Gift wrapping not available. This item ships directly from the manufacturer. Free Shipping!

Classic Cars at Auto Retro Barcelona: Jaguar

2008-06-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

All Rights Reserved

Thanks to some of you I found out that the red car on the right in my recent post about Auto Retro was a Jaguar and you even revealed some more details about the model. Well, in this image I can tell that we are also dealing with a Jaguar but as homework it is your turn to guess again the particular model.

2005 Honda Shadow VTX1300R

2008-05-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Mini Choppers and Dirt Bikes for sale

2008-05-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

PGO Speedster II covered by Swarovksi

2008-05-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

PGO Speedster II covered by Swarovksi

PGO is a French coachbuilder who created a retro roadster inspired by Porsche.

This beautiful Speedster II is powered by mid transverse mounted 2 liter, 4 cylinder engine, 4 valves per cylinder and 138 hp. This “retro” car gets from 0 to 62 mph in 7 seconds. This is a good thing for a “oldie”।

For this presentation PGO covered the Speedster II with 300,000 little shiny crystals. But not any crystals… Swarovski crystals

The Pretty Blonde Cars

2008-05-01T01:21:00.000-07:00

Do you like blondes? I do.
Well, each one admires blondes, their lifestyle and sexual atmosphere they award you. The next blondie cars were grouped up to please your eyes.

1. The 1951 Mercury Coupe was a favourite car of our blondie grannies. It still outlooks bright and cool among these retro car stuff. If I were a blondie girl I would purchase one for my collection *)).

2. This fuchsia car with flames on the trunk will remember you about your childhood. Didn’t you have one like this in that period? Possibly, the mistress eyes are violet with some fire inside and now let’s imagine such blonde lady on the roads. Scary?

3. Once upon a time, there was a man who liked tanga pants and… blondes. He was sad about the color of his car but he decided to correct this terrible situation. Then he went to a tailor and asked him to sew a pair of pants for his iron girl…
His pretty iron girlfriend tried the tanga pants to please its master.
Now the girl makes everyone admire and even sometimes shocks. It seems to me they both are glad.

4. Aren’t you fan of the Pink Panther? This car reminds one about the pink panther. The lovely thin design is a right place for an anorexic blonde mistress and the auto runs fast enough as well. Possibly, if you ever see this car on the roads of your city you can hardly understand what was the noice behind you.

5. Some girl asked herself once: “What is the car for if I can’t run it well?” However, she decided not to throw it out and made a …rose bed of it. Now it looks too lively, too lovely and too helpless.

6. And this sample is for those who are mad about handmade stuff. If you have some metal and tires by hand then it won’t put you into much trouble to construct one. Then don’t forget the classic pink color while painting your future creation. The speed and other characteristics are of no value…

7. This Hummer is the suitable car for those who love mountains, trips and adventures. And, especially, for those whose hair color is natural blonde.
Some blondes prefer gentlemen …oh no no really. Some gentlemen prefer hot blondes at the weel of such blonde hummers.

8. Did you ever see pink zebras? And three-wheel zebras? Ok, you must fall in love with it at first blush. It seems sometimes, the three-wheel vehicles are in great fashion now.
Seriously, if I had more money I would put up one immediately.

9. The following car is dedicated to all graffitti keens. This car won’t let you feel an outsider in any street art district. If you see such a masterpiece don’t you feel like adding one more signiture onto it?
The vehicle is just for graffitti blondes who appreciate real men and not only them.

10. One more retro car, Ford Sedan, 1937, was included in the topic. Maybe its mistress was a blonde lady looked like Jean Harlow and overcame many men when driving this pretty auto. And, maybe, this color was in fashion during those times. Who knows? The car outlook is still mysterious and glamorous.

11. If you are a real romantic person then you can’t resist admiring the next auto.
With such a pretty lady at the wheel the car can take the right place wherever it is. It is fast, gloss and has a true romantic sight behind.

The car was shot in one of motoshows and we could pass by indiffirently … unless it has such an outsanding tailpipe.

12. How do you feel about Brazilian carnival? Ready? Go!

Hello people this car tends to be the one to bring you to any place where people appreciate optimistic mood and … the blondie families. Guess, the car masters didn’t get sufficient place to put all baby toys inside. But this auto is a welcome guest everywhere it can get fun!

13. One anime cartoon fan decided to get into this topic with the next sport car. Well, anyone can’t guarantee the attention of master’s car girlfriend or boyfriend but the kids must be in a great delight.

14. Another pink anime vehicle. It seems to me nowadays autos use so much anime patterns that you needn’t TV any more, sure, if you watch only anime cartoons on it. But, still, this stuff looks glam and shiny. Let’s keep the fingers crossed for the car will find a mistress with whom it will be in great harmony.

15. Are you keen on golf? Are you a blonde girl? This car is just for you. Believe, if you appear in the golf field each man forgets about his game. You will be in the center of the game even you are out of the field. Such an auto can’t help taking much attention. Moreover, if you are not a blonde-haired woman, then color your hair as soon as possible.

16. The retro fuchsia Fiat 500 car attracts many glances when you see this beauty nearby. Doesn’t it look screaming and decorate the gloomy streets of the town? Eh, nevertheless, the car is now just a piece of history.

17. The next nice miniature car must be run by only miniature nice girl, perhaps, with the fair hair color. The vehicle runs fast and its color makes blind everyone around. If you are not struck with the car color then take a look at its lady.

18. Need a taxi? There’s a taxi service only for women in Britain. Maybe, the cabmen are not men but women with curly blonde hair. It attracts so much attention that, perhaps, no policemen could stop such a vehicle. And a woman inside will be very glad ‘cause she gets much more attention than she does in reality.
The service chose Renault for the romantic cab.

19. The Bathing Ape Company, Japan, decided to make the advertisement by painting Bugatti Veyron. It has such a glamorous color that you can’t help looking inside and find a pretty blonde lady within. If your hair color is not blonde then you’d better off this car.

20. This car is right for Barbie and her boyfriend Ken. Some people really call Miatas “girlie cars”. On St. Valentine’s Day, the pretty couple, together with their vehicle, will have a lot of fun. It looks fast, comfort and compact, and the color is like the blush on Barbie’s cheeks.

2nd Oldtimergala 2006 First Pictures

2008-04-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

(More, much more comments, and pictures will follow during the next few days...)

Isdera presented the all-new AK116i.
It took 20 years to build it, a retro-car, with design-elements of the aerodynamic Mercedes of the mid-30's.
These cars were called "Autobahnkurier", so this will explain the "AK".
116i stands for the project, but it's no coincidence that the number 16 is there, the car is powered by two V8-engines of the older (W126) S-Class, each engine is a 5-litre engine.
The car has all-wheel-drive, one engine is for the front-wheels, the other engine is for the rear-axle.

A very impressive car, but unfortunately, you can see that the doors are coming from an old VW Beetle, and I think the side-windows, as well as the rear windows have the same origin...

The second highlight was a Hai-light:

The Monteverdi Hai 450SS (Hai means shark in German...), a dreamcar, the first supersportscar, back in the 70's.
Powered by a Chrylser engine.

At the Oldtimergala, there were some more Monteverdis:

Monteverdi 375L

Monteverdi 375L 2+2

Monteverdi 375S

Monteverdi 375/4

Monteverdi Palm Beach
A convertible, only two were built, because it didn't show a rollbar.

And there were some more cars, built in Switzerland:

Enzmann 506, based on a VW Beetle chassis, powered by Porsche,
built in the late 50's, and 60's, now available again, built by Mr. Enzmann, jr.

Felber-Ferrari, based on a 330GTC

Felber-Lancia, a one-off, production never started, due to the oil-crisis

Some other highlights were based on standard Opel-cars.
Opel is a daughter of GM, some sort of Chevrolet/Pontiac for Europe...

Erich Bitter, former rallye-driver created some interesting, rare, and exclusive cars, his first, and I think most successful car was the Bitter CD.

later, he presented the SC-series, here's the Coupe

the Convertible

and here's the Sedan (Yes, Brooks, there are some more pics around...)

Later, Erich Bitter tried several times to start production with new cars, but these all were just dreams on wheels...
For example the Rallye-Bitter, based on an Opel Manta (a small sporty coupe), by the way, the prototype was built by Isdera (see above, the AK116i):

or the "Berlina", presented in, based on the Opel Omega, better known in the USA as Cadillac Catera.

Frua, well-known Italian designer also created some Opel-based cars.
In 2005, the Frua Opel Diplomat CD Coupe was part of the 1st Oldtimergala.

Just rescued, another Coupe by Frua, based on an Opel Admiral B.

The Frua Opel Kadett Convertible prototype was shown at Schwetzingen earlier, but it was nice to see it again.

Another coachbuilder from Germany, almost forgotten, but the enthusiasts still know the Autenrieths.
A very rare car is this Opel Kapitaen Coupe, normally there was only a 4-door-sedan available.

The Opel Monza, top-of-the-line Coupe was converted by Keinath into a very nice, and rare Convertible.

Not listed for the Concours, but in excellent condition, and wonderful color, a Opel Commodore Convertible.
The Commodore was a more powerful edition of the basic Rekord-series, some sort of a German muscle car.
Karmann (well known for the VW/Karmann Ghia Coupe) built only 4 of these cars.

There were also a lot of Lancias, celebrating the 100th Birthday of the company...

The Fairlady Series

2008-03-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Edgar Gonzalez's Fairlady S212 ,see his more about this model at SPL212.org

Why would anyone build a roadster? Their production numbers are low, they take additional engineering to make, and they lack creature comforts of every kind. The answer to that question is simple, if you put it in perspective.

Why does Chrysler build the Viper? All the same problems apply to it. Chrysler makes the Viper because it attracts attention.

Nissan built Roadsters for the exact same reason, to attract the attention of car buyers. A hundred B210s could drive by in a row and nobody would notice. Everyone notices a Datsun Roadster, even if they don't know what it is.

The roadster story goes way back. If you really want to be precise, the first Datsun roadster is the 1917-18 "Datson", the two seater derived from the Type 51 DAT. Nissan/Datsun also produced roadsters through the 30's, 15,000 being produced in 1937 alone. These cars were usually derived from other models. The roadster produced between 1935 and 1937 had a variety of engines, from 495-747 cc's, was derived from the first generation Datsun type 10 car of 1932.

The first post war roadster appeared in 1952 as the DC-3. It wasn't very powerful or technologically advanced, with a 860cc engine, 3 speed non syncromesh tranny, and leaf spring suspension even worse, it's top speed was just 43 mph with a good tail wind. Some historians say it resembles a chopped top 1930 model A Ford. It was mechanically similar to the pre-war Datsuns, sharing the same basic mechanics as the Datsun DB2 "Thrift". If you look at the DC-3 next to the prewar cars, you'd assume that it was built in the 30's.

1957 pre 200 series roadster

built between 1958 and 1960- don't know much about this car

Between the DC-3 and the next real generation of roadsters, Nissan built a few limited run or prototype roadsters, some with striking similarities to the Figaro retro car Nissan launched in the '90's.

S211

The first new Datsun roadster was introduced in June 1959, the S211 model. The Sports 211 roadster was based on the earlier 210 sedan platform, a car that had recently proven itself in an Australian Rally. It featured a fiberglass reinforced plastic body, seated 4 and had a top speed of 70 mph. Under the hood was a 34 horsepower 988cc C engine. It seems to have taken its styling cues from Austin-Healey roadsters.

The S211 continued until January 1960 when the SPL212 roadster took over. This was a sleeker looking model, still a 4 seater, but with coil springs up front, and side skirts. It featured the Bluebird's 1189cc 48 horsepower E series engine and retailed for $1996 in the US.

The roadster became the spl213 in October 1960, with a stroked 55hp E motor and a whole host of new features. Its next evolution, the Fairlady, appeared that year at the Tokyo auto show to much critical acclaim. Only about 500 of the Sport 200 series roadsters were produced, with sales of the model continuing till early 1963.

The new Prototype roadster became the all new Fairlady Sports 1500 sp310 in October 1963. It was a redesigned 3 seater, that became a 2 seater halfway through the '63 production run. The SP310 had a 1488cc OHV 4 G engine that initially put out 75 horsepower with a single SU(61-63), then 85 horsepower when twin SU's(64-65). Production of the SP310 1500 Fairlady continued till April 65, with the total number of cars produced reaching 6905. For those wondering, the Fairlady name is rumored to have come from then Nissan president Kawamata, who had seen the musical "My Fair Lady" while on a trip to America.

The CSP311 1500 Silvia Coupe bcame out in 1965 and was sold primarily in Japan with a few cars making it a far as Hawaii. Production was discontinued in 1968 with only 550 cars being produced. It is a remodel of the Fairlady 1500 roadster done by Nissan staff under the guidance of Albrecht Goertz.

Albrecht Goertz signed on as a consultant with Nissan in 1963, staying till 1965 primarily to help develop a 2000gt sportscar in a joint venture between Nissan and Yamaha. The project was scrapped after Yamaha's engine didn't live up to its billing, but if you look at photos of this car, its pretty easy to see where the design inspiration for the 240z came from. Goertz is also said to have introduced Nissan engineers to the idea of full scale clay mock-ups, the csp311 being the first car designed that way.

The new 1600 Fairlady SP311 arrived in May 1965. It had a 96hp 1595 cc type R engine, front wheel discs, and lots of trim and interior changes. It would continue in production until late 1970.

Then in 1967 Nissan tweaked the 1600 and introduced the 2000 roadster, or the SR311. This car was basically the same as the 1600, but with an all new U20 engine. This was a pure amalgamation of Prince's technology with the existing Nissan engine. The new combined engineering team at Nissan put a Prince Mercedes based head on a modified and stroked Austin based roadster 1600 block and came up with a SOHC engine capable of 150 horsepower, but in reality the figures were probably as low as 120. It also received a much needed 5 speed gearbox. Production of the SR311(and SP311) continued on, with small changes in October '67, and September and November 68.

The 1600 and 2000's were by the far the best roadsters Nissan produced. The old joke is that the Datsun roadsters were just MG rip offs. The punchline is that, unlike the MG, the Datsun roadsters kept their oil in the engine at night, not all over the garage floor like the Brit cars.
Both Bob Sharp and Pete Brock of BRE were racing roadsters by the end of the 60's along with a handful of privateers. Nissan went so far as to set up an official competition department in the US to supply parts for the team's that were racing roadsters. Nissan/Prince combined speed shops were also instituted in Japan. The roadster, along with 410sss and 411sss Bluebirds, were the backbone of Nissan's rally efforts in Monte Carlo. Roadsters and their drivers have actually racked up quite an impressive number of racing victories, including several SCCA titles.

By the time production ceased in 1970, over 40,000 1600 and 2000 Fairlady Roadsters had been built. The 240z was destined to replace the Roadsters as Nissan's "Flagwaver" marquee model. The roadster technology was getting old, as was that of most of its competitors. Within a few years, very few roadsters would remain in production as the GT style cars took over. The Roadster turns heads to this day, displaying a certain classic elegance that few other Japanese cars do.

There is no roadster site on the web with better information, pictures, and complete coverage of the car than Fairlady.org

The Origins of the Fairlady Z

For a car that had such a distinct impression on the world of the automobile, its amazing how long it took to be developed. The original Z is actually the Fairlady Z, an extension of the Datsun roadster line, and has its roots in another Nissan project.

Roadster hard top prototype by Goertz

Way back in 1963 Albrecht Goertz signed on as a consultant with Nissan. He was there primarily to help develop a 2000gt sports car in a joint venture between Nissan and Yamaha. The project was scrapped after Yamaha's engine didn't live up to its billing, but if you look at photos of this car, its pretty easy to see where the design inspiration for the Fairlady Z came from. Geortz left after the Project was shelved in 1965.

The finished 2000gt prototype, next to a roadster for scale, as Geortz left it at Nissan

clay mock up, front view and rear view of the 2000gt Prototype, its not a Z, but the resemblance is there

Before he left, he did a couple of important things. The first was getting Nissan designers to build their cars using full scale clay mock ups, and to get them to think about design in an international context, not just for Japanese buyers. The second thing he did was help design the Nissan Silvia Coupe CSP310 1600 of 1964. The Silvia was the showpiece of the Tokyo Auto show that year, and is cited as another inspiration for the Z.

Enthusiasts hotly contest who actually designed the Z, but Nissan did issue a letter to Goertz in 1980 giving him credit with the concept of the Z, if not the actual design.

By the mid sixties, Nissan was really starting to make headway with its cars in foreign markets. As a result, models were being redesigned and retrofitted to meet the unique demands of each foreign market, but what they weren't doing was building specific cars for those markets. The Z would change that.

A major development in the ability of Nissan to design the 510, and then the 240Z, was the acquisition of Prince Motors. Prince, unlike Nissan, was a very race car oriented company. They had their own testing track, had begun the R380 series cars(see racing history), and they had a lot of car enthusiasts in the mix, something that Nissan was lacking.

Geortz was gone by the time Nissan pulled the idea of a GT car back off the shelf in '67. Mr. K had never stopped pushing for the development of the Z, even while the project had collected dust. He and Kawasoe, unlike the other Nissan execs, had to watch Americans speed along their highways in Mustangs and muscle cars and imported European sports cars, like Alfas and Triumphs. They needed a sports car, and the Roadster wasn't going to cut it.

The roadster was good car for what it was, but it had an old design, older technology, and had no room left to improve. What Mr. K decided, with Kawasoe's input, was that Nissan Needed a GT coupe that looked good, was safe, and could go fast. And that's what he told the new design team that was responsible for the resurrected GT project.

1970 240Z
Under the supervision of Teiichi Hara, a new design team was formed. Yoshihiko Matsuo, chief designer; Akio Yoshoda, exterior designer; Sue Chiba, interior design; Eiichi Oiwa and Kiichi Nishikawa, design assistants. Engineering was the responsibility of Hidemi Kamahara and Tsuneo Benitani. The biggest single influence on the whole design from beginning to end was Yutaka Katayama, and quite rightfully, he deserves the title as "father of the Z".

Katayama had had a very close relationship with Nissan designers for a number of years, ever since Nissan had sent him to America to try and sell cars designed for Japan to Americans who drove under much more demanding conditions. Kawazoe, Mr. K's counterpart on the US East Coast, had much the same relationship with designers, and was an engineer himself. They had input on every aspect of the Z's design. They demanded American scale performance, not just Japanese performance, they wanted comfortable interiors with room for bigger American drivers, with the refinements that Americans got in their cars.

The design criteria set forth for the Z were;
1. A coupe design for safety and comfort.
2. A style that would set it apart from other coupes, something
completely lacking sedan looks.
3. A design that allowed parts to be shared with other models to keep
costs down.
4. Innovative use of design and new technology.
5. It had to be functional, and fast.

The car that would help pave the road for the Z was the 510. The '68 510 was still a car designed for both the Japanese and American markets, but it incorporated a lot of the ideas that Katayama and Kawazoe had been asking for in a car, most importantly a 1600cc engine. Mr. K was in love with 2 cars in the pre-510 and 240z days. The first was the BMW 1600, which was the benchmark he set when discussing the new 510 with the designer's back in Japan. The other was the Jaguar XKE, which he saw as the epitome of the sports car. Both these cars he considered to be the ideal for each of their respective classes. The 510 showed Nissan that America would accept its cars, and lots of them.

The 510 contained most of the main ingredients used in the 240z: L Series overhead cam engine, MacPherson struts, and independent rear suspension. It also contained a lot of accessories not usually found on economy cars. The 510 also had the dimensions required for success in America, and was slowly gaining ground with American buyers. While Z enthusiasts will deny to the death that the 510 helped lead to 240z's success or influenced its design, there's no escaping the cars engineering similarities.

The Z was supposed to have it all; style, speed, technology, and a bargain price. As drivers and critics alike would discover, the 240z was all that, and more. There were actually 2 different Z's, the Japanese market 2 liter Fairlady Z(S30), and the US 2.4 liter 240Z(HS30). The Japanese market two liter Z had a twin cam engine like the one in the Skylines, designed to meet FIA European racing specs. The 240z HS30 that America got had a bigger 2.4 liter engine that had not at all been designed with racing in mind. Europe was the land of prestige racing, where Japan saw the US as the land of the Dirt Track; thus no one considered that the Z would be seriously raced there.

The Fairlady Z went into production in October 1969, with 2 versions. There was the Japanese market S30 Fairlady Z with a twin cam L20 6 cylinder producing 130hp. And there was the HS30 240z with a L24 SOHC 6 cylinder with twin SU's that produced 151 hp. A third Z, the 432Z(PS30)Shared a performance version of the S20 engine with the Skyline GT-R.

240zg

In October 1971, yet another version of the Fairlady was added to the line up, the slant nose 240ZG. This car was mainly used by racers.

Z's after arriving from Japan

Despite Mr. K's protests, the 240z Actually arrived in America with Fairlady badging. He didn't let any SU dealer have a single car until he had replaced all Fairlady emblems with handcrafted 240z ones. After that, Nissan got the hit and started sending the cars over with 240z logos from the factory.

On October 22, 1969, The 240z was launched in America. Where the 510 was the poor mans BMW, the 240z was the poor mans Ferrari. The nice green showcar had a fully independent suspension, a 2.4 liter inline six with dual SU's that delivered 150+ horses, and was a truly beautiful car to look at. Nissan USA billed it as a "personalized 2 passenger fastback" whose "sleek low lines are complimented by a roomy luxurious interior". That was a slight understatement. The 240z was loaded with luxury sports car features, far too many to list. It was everything that the long touted GT cars of Europe were, except at a fraction of the price.

A Fairlady RHD 260z 2+2 GS30

Its dimensions were pretty close to that of the Porsche 911. It had unit body construction as opposed to the roadsters frame set up. Rack and pinion steering was used instead of the recirculating ball system found on the 510.

1970 was the first true sales year for the Z in the States, and the last year for the 2 roadsters. While the 510 was the beachhead of the Japanese Auto invasion, the 240Z was definitely the car that broke through to American buyers. 33,000 z cars were sold in 1971, 52,000 in 72, and 45,000 in 73. Thus began a wave of Japanese auto sales that would cut deep into the American auto industry, cuts that would take nearly 2 decades to recover from. The Z alone sold a million cars in just over a decade, something the Corvette took 25 years to do.

Getting the Checkered Flag

The 240Z was introduced to US racing way before it was supposed to be, all because on an unfortunate, or for Bob Sharp, fortunate event. Bob had gone to see the New Z car at the New York auto show well before it became available for sale. He fell in love with it and called up Mr. Kawasoe and asked him if he could have one for racing. He was told, "none were available, unless a salt damaged one shows up". The Car went on to the Toronto Auto Show. While there, a model sat on the roof and put a rather large dent in the car. It was immediately pulled from the publicity tour. Sharp got a call from Mr. Usami, who told him to come pick up the damaged car before Nissan execs changed their minds. Pete Brock and BRE would have to wait a couple more months to get their first Z car. Both teams would have 2 240z's each on the track by the end of 1970.

Bob Sharps original Z , the first Z in America

Datsun had already set up a competition department to satisfy the demands of enthusiasts for aftermarket performance parts for their 510's and roadsters, and a lot of that knowledge was now transferred to the Z's. But it wasn't just a one way street. Datsun supported race teams, Brock Racing Enterprises and Bob Sharp Racing, soon became the testing ground for 240z performance parts. You have to remember that the Japanese Z had a different engine, a twin cam 2 liter. BRE and BSR got to find out all the problems with the inline 6 L series, including an unbalanced crankshaft. Unless a Z part had been developed as roadster performance part, it's durability was basically unknown. As a result, BRE and BSR's experiences with the L series crept their way back to Nissan design and into future production. Balanced Z cranks came about in exactly this way.

240Z'S had an incredible amount of success in racing, and not just on the track. In addition to SCCA C Production championships, and IMSA championships, 240z's also won two Safari Rally's and one US rally Championship. For more details, see the racing history and rally history pages.

Beyond the 240Z

Production of 240z continued until late 1973. Based on the success of the 240Z, the 510, and to a lesser extent, the pickups, Road and Track declared that Datsun "would establish a market of its own, one which will force other makers to come up with entirely new models to gain a share of it".

A Z car racing in Japan in 1970

The 260z replaced the 240z in November 1973, and featured a new 2.6 liter engine. A 2+2 GS30 (2 front plus 2 rear seats) version was introduced in January 1974. The 260z's engine, due to design changes to meet tough new emission laws, would not rev as high at the L24, leaving it a little short of power expectations, the carbs were also switched to the flat top version of the SU's. The stretch needed to create the 2+2 also took away from that models styling a bit.

The 260z was phased out for the North American market in mid 1975(1978 in other markets) and replaced by the 280z. The 280z came with a new 2.8 liter engine, and with Bosch L-jetronic fuel injection instead of the hard to tune SU's. The 280z lasted until August 1978 when the 280zx S130/GS130 was introduced.

The 280zx(S130) is a completely different car than the 280z. The suspension is different in design, the body is much more of a luxury car than a sports car, and the interior is much more elaborate. It initially came with a L28 engine, with a turbo inline 6 becoming available in November 1980. The 280zx was discontinued after the 1983 model year.

A BSR race prepped 280ZX

The first of the 300zx's, the z31 version, was sold under the Nissan brand in 1984, sales continued until 1989, with standard and 2+2 versions available. You also had two engine choices, both the new VG30 v6, but one being a turbo version putting out 205hp.

1990 was the beginning of the end for the Z, with the new body style Z32 version of the 300zx. The VG30 became the VG30DE putting out 222hp, or you could have the turbo VG30DETT, with twin turbos that jumped the horsepower to 300. Standard and 2+2 versions were also available.

The 300zx was discontinued in 1996 due to lackluster sales. In the end it was the Z's own success that probably killed it. The Z car had gone from a simple well designed sports car, to a huge high performance luxury sports car. No one could afford it anymore, and everyone in the Z's high price range was buying SUV's by that point. The Z had become far too big a monster for the enthusiast that originally made it a success.

The Z story is a truly amazing one. The car that was initially launched with modest expectations went on to sell a million units in just over a decade, something the Chevy Corvette took 25 years to do. The Z cars have won a huge number of racing victories, including the safari rally in '71 and '73, three straight Japanese Grand Prix's, and 10 consecutive SCCA C Production titles. The 240z and the 510 were both declared among the "Top 100 cars of the Century" by a Road and Track magazine survey of car critics and enthusiasts.

An unsuccessful attempt to revive the original Z was launched in 1997 with the "Z Store" program. Nissan restored 240z's back to better than original condition, and sold them to the public. The new price tag was more than most people could rationalize, and the project was eventually scrapped.

The Z story isn't over. Nissan launched a new Z in 2002, the 350z, to rave reviews. Nissan's sales are up, and the new Z has already been adopted by Tuners as the new car of choice for modification. Many Auto experts consider the new 350Z to be the spearhead of a new era for Nissan, one full of excitement.

The Hot Rod/Custom Award:1936 Ford Roadster 1936 Ford Roadster

2008-03-05T00:48:00.001-08:00

Containing over 4,000 custom-made parts, this 1936 Ford Roadster took more than 40 craftsmen and engineers some seven years to build. Shaped like a soft-sided triangle, there's not a single flat side on the entire car -- including the engine.

The Alumni Award: The Alumni Award : 1963 Corvette Coupe

2008-03-05T00:47:00.001-08:00

The 1963 Corvette Coupe, also known as the Sting Ray, was a landmark in car design with its sharp edges, rounded lines, and slightly retro air. It was known for the thick metal bar dividing the window in two -- a controversial feature that added style but subtracted visibility. It was removed the following year.

The Sports Car Award: The Sport Car Award : 1947 Cisitalia

2008-03-05T00:46:00.001-08:00

This beauty, designed by Pininfarina, marked a pinnacle in Italian sports-car design just as most of the automotive world was moving away from such fancy, custom work. Its cutting-edge design features a long nose and streamlined body. The 1947 Cisitalia, which has been on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, influenced sports-car design for 20 years, according to the judges.

The Race-Car Award: The Race-Car Award : 1959 Austin Healey Sprite

2008-03-05T00:45:00.001-08:00

This automobile is credited with bringing sports-car motoring to a mass market, according to the Art Center's judges. It was affordable, reliable, and known for its "bug-eyed" design.

The Race-Car Award: The Racer-Car Award: 1959 Austin Healey Sprite

2008-03-05T00:44:00.001-08:00

This model was built to show off the wonders of Dubonnet's independent suspension. But it's also known for its avant-garde teardrop design. In its day, the car helped racer Andre Dubonnet set several new European speed records.

The People's Choice Award: The People's Choice Award: 1931 Bugatti Dubos Coupe

2008-03-05T00:42:00.001-08:00

This car was originally built as a Grand Prix racer, driven by French race driver Louis Chiron. Thanks to an extensive restoration -- including reuniting the car with its original chassis -- the Coupe also took home an award from Pebble Beach.

ART CENTER CAR CLASSIC AWARDS

2008-03-05T00:36:00.000-08:00

The Pre-War Classic Award:
1932 Alfa Romeo

The Art Center's judges referred to this 1932 Alfa Romeo as one of "the world's most elegant coupes." A former race-car winner, the body of this model hovers just inches over the pavement. Last August, it won the Strother McMinn Most Elegant Sports Car Trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The Collection Store

Compare and Contrast

Antro Solo

Wisconsin Automotive Museum

1955 VW Introduces Karmann-Ghia

Big Oil conspiracy continues! 244 mpg Fiat 600!

Four-Links - more Partridge bus, more alternative weinermobiles, more hillclimbs, less Beetle

2007 Ural Retro Solo

roteus Has Been Acquired By Rival Sports Car Manufacturer, Enduro

Jaguar C-Type Coupe

Vintage looks meet modern motoring with the Hindustan Ambassador and Oxford

Future Retro: Drawings from the Great Age of American Automobiles

Looking Back At the Aston Martin Bulldog

The 1968 Pontiac Firebird Hardtop Coupe

A Look At The Classic Chevy Bel Air

Rockport Welcomes Vintage Cars in June

A good partner in USA

BMW M3

105 Series Alfa

CLASSIC CAR MANAGEMENT

This covette sting ray 3 concept was possibly presented at the 1992 Auto show.

GM Chevrolet Corvette concept car

Autech A-10 Nostalgic Sports Sedan

Nissan Figaro Retro Car 1.0 Turbo

pretty in pink classic pedal car

Classic Cars at Auto Retro Barcelona: Jaguar

2005 Honda Shadow VTX1300R

Mini Choppers and Dirt Bikes for sale

PGO Speedster II covered by Swarovksi

The Pretty Blonde Cars

2nd Oldtimergala 2006 First Pictures

The Fairlady Series

Edgar Gonzalez's Fairlady S212 ,see his more about this model at SPL212.org

1957 pre 200 series roadster

built between 1958 and 1960- don't know much about this car

S211

There is no roadster site on the web with better information, pictures, and complete coverage of the car than Fairlady.org

The Origins of the Fairlady Z

Roadster hard top prototype by Goertz

The finished 2000gt prototype, next to a roadster for scale, as Geortz left it at Nissan

clay mock up, front view and rear view of the 2000gt Prototype, its not a Z, but the resemblance is there

1970 240Z

240zg

Z's after arriving from Japan

A Fairlady RHD 260z 2+2 GS30

Getting the Checkered Flag

Bob Sharps original Z , the first Z in America

Beyond the 240Z

A Z car racing in Japan in 1970

A BSR race prepped 280ZX

The Hot Rod/Custom Award:1936 Ford Roadster 1936 Ford Roadster

The Alumni Award: The Alumni Award : 1963 Corvette Coupe

The Sports Car Award: The Sport Car Award : 1947 Cisitalia

The Race-Car Award: The Race-Car Award : 1959 Austin Healey Sprite

The Race-Car Award: The Racer-Car Award: 1959 Austin Healey Sprite

The People's Choice Award: The People's Choice Award: 1931 Bugatti Dubos Coupe

ART CENTER CAR CLASSIC AWARDS

The Pre-War Classic Award:1932 Alfa Romeo

The Pre-War Classic Award:
1932 Alfa Romeo