British Cars

I've had a couple of interesting British cars come my way over the past few years whilst hanging out at an established British car restoration shop. I've seen some of the finest restorations of E-Types and other rarely seen cars like a '57 Lemans 24 AC ACE Bristol. Some of these were brought back from the grave. One was considered too far gone but the owner wouldn't hear of it. It's spectacular now but of course that came at a price. It was a money is no object restoration.

All of these cars are interesting even if I've seen the ugly side of ownership. They're not all bad but many seem to have had bad owners. That seems to be the fate of inexpensive sports cars. All electrical issues I've seen have been the work of ham fisted mechanics or ignorant owners. (Remember, ignorance is curable, stupidity is not)

A couple of superb TR250's and I have crossed paths as well as the TR6, MGB and other Triumphs like a GT6 (SMALL!) and a real favorite, a RHD TR3.

Now an MGA has popped up as has a TR4 with Surrey Top. The TR4 is my favorite of the series. Gionvanni Michelotti did a magnificent job.

Last but not least a very well sorted +4 Morgan.

I'm leaning toward the TR4 just because it has more "wheaties" :rolleyes: and offers up a lot of choices when it comes to modifications. The MGA is a classic though and is a tough one to overlook especially since the SO likes it a lot. It's beautiful sitting still.

Up to this point doing nothing has been SOP for these temptations but it may be time. :eek:

This guy is selling some of his own cars too. https://www.gassmanautomotive.com/ca...3-triumph-tr4/

What to make of a mid 60s mini if you can find a clean one ? Have not driven one..


Attachment 595833

Attachment 595834

I've had a '59 Frogeye Sprite and a TR3A ... both of which were fun to drive on narrow twisty roads ... both long gone. Always hankered after a TR4 ... GT6 LeMans Fastback would have been fun ...

60's mini are fun to drive. I've got a 64 Morris Cooper. Won't go that fast but handles as good as anything,
a great car. Fairly simple to work on. As with everything from the 60's rusts like you wouldn't believe

I had several Minis (classic) 850 and 1000 all carbs. Very cool car. One of the coolest I should say. Go and get one, you will always wear a big smile with it. Cheap to maintain.

A Midget MG Blaze 1973 (RWA) also. Small, so fun to drive.

Owned several MGB GT from 1967 to 1973 - still have a 1970 a bit prep for track. I like the body shape of it, and very cool to drive, but a bit "old" even in the 70's. Cheap to maintain and very robust.
Attachment 595948

My Mini. 1380cc front spoiler and 13" wheels

I restored a '67 MGB back in 1990, then drove it daily for another 4 years. Despite all the Lucas jokes, it never let me down. All stock spec except for the A-arm bushings (MGB-GT V8) and a correct 3-synchro overdrive.

These are the only pics I have in digital format...

Attachment 596311 Attachment 596312

Lucas tales were kept at bay...until 3 different things hit on a Spitfire this year, and realize there is some truth to it. Electrical was not right with just 2 plugs firing, but nothing seemed to improve until the distributor shaft was sanded clean for better rotor contact, which made a huge gain, and took the tune to 80%. It became apparent the design of the alt brushes do not wear equally, as greater circle travel occurs on outer part of the contact ring. 25k is the limit on that brush, which the manuals choose to have no mention of.. ;)


Attachment 596380

OK...So you roped me into a response. I had a 59 MGA in high school. Bought it when I was 14, it didn't run and by the time I got my license I had a nice driver. Learned auto mechanics also.
Me and one of my high school buddies with the car back in the day

Attachment 596434

Fast forward to today, I still have the car. Back to the original color but with a MGB tranny (synchro 1st) and a slightly warmed over B engine (5 bearings instead of 3)
Have way too much in it but I have a resto shop so it was fill in work.


Attachment 596435

How many people would like to have their first car back in their garage today/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sithot

I've had a couple of interesting British cars come my way over the past few years whilst hanging out at an established British car restoration shop. I've seen some of the finest restorations of E-Types and other rarely seen cars like a '57 Lemans 24 AC ACE Bristol. Some of these were brought back from the grave. One was considered too far gone but the owner wouldn't hear of it. It's spectacular now but of course that came at a price. It was a money is no object restoration.

All of these cars are interesting even if I've seen the ugly side of ownership. They're not all bad but many seem to have had bad owners. That seems to be the fate of inexpensive sports cars. All electrical issues I've seen have been the work of ham fisted mechanics or ignorant owners. (Remember, ignorance is curable, stupidity is not)

A couple of superb TR250's and I have crossed paths as well as the TR6, MGB and other Triumphs like a GT6 (SMALL!) and a real favorite, a RHD TR3.

Now an MGA has popped up as has a TR4 with Surrey Top. The TR4 is my favorite of the series. Gionvanni Michelotti did a magnificent job.

Last but not least a very well sorted +4 Morgan.

I'm leaning toward the TR4 just because it has more "wheaties" :rolleyes: and offers up a lot of choices when it comes to modifications. The MGA is a classic though and is a tough one to overlook especially since the SO likes it a lot. It's beautiful sitting still.

Up to this point doing nothing has been SOP for these temptations but it may be time. :eek:

---

I would love to hear and see about the AC Ace Le Mans.
A friend of mine owns a real one too, Ex-Le Mans and Tour de France in period, with a special bodywork.

A Classic Mini is a great car, ideal for a crazy dog like I was at 18. I loved mine, and girls liked it too.
I miss the no-assistance of any kind experience.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 928cs

I would love to hear and see about the AC Ace Le Mans.
A friend of mine owns a real one too, Ex-Le Mans and Tour de France in period, with a special bodywork.

A Classic Mini is a great car, ideal for a crazy dog like I was at 18. I loved mine, and girls liked it too.
I miss the no-assistance of any kind experience.

---

@#!

Attachment 596785

Attachment 596786

Attachment 596787

If there were such a thing as an r-gruppe gt6, I've put one together. Seems a lot faster than it is. Has lots of drama. But SMALL! Same car I drove as a teen when staying with my aunt and uncle in Seattle in the late 70sAttachment 598469Attachment 598470Attachment 598471Attachment 598472[ATTACH=CONFIG]

I have no clue on how to turn these pix around.

We didn’t make many of these Lotus 340R — quite an interesting variation the Lotus Elise so nice to see a group of seven together and have a chat to the owners several who said they had bought and had them from brand new

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-c...s-were-broken/

Attachment 598474

Steve

A GT6 is fun. A little cramped inside but nice seat of the pants input. The sense of speed is really there!

NOTE: The ignition key is not intuitive! See it? :confused:

An original set of wheels were installed to sell it but I liked the spoke style a lot more.

I used the one-off ill fated gt6r as my inspiration. So a true irs made from triumph bits replaced the rotoflex. Fabricated rear a-arms and vertical shock mounts along a LSD. Front is similar tubular a arms. Vented ford front disks.

Ahh British cars where it all started or uhm didn’t from time to time haha, had a run of TR’s starting with a 250:resurrected from the grave
then TR6’s at least three a couple with hard tops ..
Even had a spitfire or two neighbors had MGB GT and our club consisted of mostly TR6 ‘s and TVR s back after college.
Only recently heard the swan song of British cars and had to pull the trigger on a BR green ‘76 TR6 basket with factory hard top cheaper than a lot of transmissions we talk about around here LOL …Bert

Attachment 598805

How about a Lotus Exige? This is photo of an example I took recently at the Goodwood track. The couple who had long-owned it said it was a much used and much enjoyed example of a series 1.

For those who interested in automotive new product development and engineering this extract is from a Lotus internal memo among my papers.
Attachment 598807
Minutes of one of a stage-gate meeting where we formally signed it off back at turn of the millennium when I was a one of the two directors of Lotus Engineering Ltd business . An original paper with my hand annotation. Obviously just a partial; it wouldn’t be appropriate to post the content of an internal document of a work meeting that I participated in. Note by this point we weren’t using the internal “code name” for the development project. However is under working title of “Elise Coupe” so predates the Exige name we being used.

I seem to recall we launched the first series Exige at Brands Hatch with the help of the worlds fastest man on four wheels — the world land speed record holder and Royal Airforce Pilot Andy Green. Although that event might’ve been the launch of the the Elise motorsport version developed as a single model race series in support of the then hugely popular British Touring Car Championship. Lot going on in Lotus Engineering Ltd and Group Lotus Plc that time. Lotus cars are just one customer of Lotus Engineering: in the latter the talented teams were very busy just with not only refresh of Elise, M250 ( thst a different sage gate we terminated) but also things for other OEMs e.g. developing the GM Speedster/VX220 and the design development of the “world engine” for GM and helping PAG develop the Aston Martin Vanquish a car that is now known to have featured a lot of Lotus innovations. Unsurprisingly some of the specifics of which model launches happened where and when are a bit hazy nearly quarter of a century later.



Maybe if keen on a British car a VX 220 the British Vauxhall marque badged variant:
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/top...vauxhall-vx220
It’s a niche car that might fit the bill? Not only designed and developed with significant Lotus Engineering Ltd support but each was built in the greenfield factory we stood-up at Hethel England specifically to assemble them alongside the then new second generation Elise. They shared the same underpinnings. Don’t know about these cars being a “Classic” yet but recalling all this frenetic activity on the Lotus Engineering project portfolio around 25 years ago makes me feel old :) Particularly when I see the new factory we commissioned back then has been retired and a replaced with new one there!


Steve

… or perhaps a an Aston Martin Vanquish ? This attachment is an old article but it touches on some of the collaboration in Britain during the development and build programme. Aston Martin Lotus Engineering Ltd, TWR and others working together to bring new thinking to a historic British marque. And of course the charming talented Mr Callum who designed it is British.

https://www.autozine.org/Archive/Ast.../Vanquish.html

Steve

Anyone exploring the Shenandoah Valley should visit this place. The photos on the website appear to be down. They are on vacation till July 10. Here's one link that's working.
https://www.gassmanautomotive.com/about-us/

And this one is pretty neat too:
https://www.gassmanautomotive.com/re.../ac-greyhound/


BTW; they have a really cute '53 Morgan Plus 4 Twin Spare for sale.

Dash and glove box of a tr6.. period early 70s fashion :

(Blue warning light, bottom of gauge by 'beam' lit last year 3 - 4 x's, which indicated alternator would be gone by Spring)

Attachment 601073

Attachment 601074

Attachment 601075

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 62S-R-S

Dash and glove box of a tr6.. period early 70s fashion :

(Blue warning light, bottom of gauge by 'beam' lit last year 3 - 4 x's, which indicated alternator would be gone by Spring)

---

Is that common knowledge or did Lucas to offer that tidbit? ;)

One underrated shot of the Spitfire is the fuse panel -- 3 -- w/ 2 spare. Imagine anything like that nowaday...


Attachment 603346

Attachment 603347

Or this sensational one.. from a Tr2

Attachment 603348

RR and bentley cars came with a couple of rolls of copper fuse wire.

Speaking of British Cars. The price on this one knocked me back.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...ign=2023-09-20

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RSTarga

Speaking of British Cars. The price on this one knocked me back.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...ign=2023-09-20

---

Things Gordon Murray touched.;)

I too have an R Gruppe version of an English car. 1955 Austin Healey 100. Actually it is more of a 100S interpretation than hot rod. It was acquired in the late 80's as a former vintage racer with a tuned 13.5 or 14:1 compression ratio motor. As it was run through the prep process, turns out that it was a clapped out car with rust damage if I recall. Was disassembled and placed on the shelf for many years. I ended up racing a Formula Jr instead and the car was forgotten. Fast forward to the early 2000s and the project was revived and the car started coming together. The engine was rebuilt, but detuned to something like 10.5:1 CR and a Toyota Supra 5 speed was installed (common rally upgrade). The car was completely rebuilt from the frame up and an aluminum body/parts were sourced from Forintune, noted Healey specialist. A dual brake master cylinder custom system was installed and a custom exhaust pipe was created coming out just ahead of the left rear wheel. It would probably make purists cringe with some of the departures from stock, but I think they work and the car looks great. Noted Chicago area race car fabricator/mechanic Al Baurle completed the car for us prior to his death. He worked for McKee Cars and created the LaBoa race car.

I don't drive it much sadly, so the car will go up on BaT later this month if I can get my act together. Unless one of you guys knows someone interested... The build is flawless in both cosmetic and mechanical condition. Really cool little car.

Really nice! Thanks for sharing.

Speaking of Healey's here's a Senior 1st car. Perfect. The underside is as nice as the top.
For sale at Gassman Automotive. Apologies for the fish eye shot. The warehouse is tight.

I have had a few. These two Lotus cars have been the most fun.Attachment 605504Attachment 605505

Can't go wrong with either one! Thanks for sharing.

Here's a beautiful Lotus at the Greenbrier Concours back in the spring. 1960 Lotus Elite Series 1. Diminutive Model. ;)

Attachment 605554Attachment 605555
Last drive of the season. Snow is predicted on Wednesday.

The prettiest TR IMHO. Naturally, an Italian had something to do with it. ;)

My 64 Sunbeam Harrington Lemans parked behind my brother's 67 Sunbeam Tiger. This picture was taken in the fall of 67. I left the Sunbeam with my parents when I left for the Army in June 68. My dad used the car as his "airport car" while I was overseas. When I got back in Jan of 70, the car was covered from front to back with door dings even though it had that big ugly molding down the side. That molding actually covered up the seam where the fiberglass top and rear body were attached to the Alpine chassis.

Well how cool is THAT !!!!!

Other than a somewhat dull, plain dash, a car that seems to have it all :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=408gnntt9KA

Gassman has had a couple that "ran" pretty well! ;). I like them.

Raced against Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark.. cited by some as the 'Greatest getaway driver' of the 20th century. 'Ford vs Ferrari' was the last great car film made...


https://thesupercarblog.com/meet-roy...-driver-night/

Regret never seeing one 'Earl's Court Motor Show', with all these marques back then. Serious or sobering.. the 'Bomb project', (spitfire) almost didn't happen when Triumph covered a mock up with sheet, put into a corner while Brit Leyland emerged as the new company. One BL guy noticed and decided to green light, seeing a market that appealed to Sprite buyers, but with roll up windows, and a few extras.

Well dressed also.

Attachment 611110


Earl's Court in '62

https://youtube.com/watch?v=sItz5ZO2b9Y

If anyone has encountered an xkss on the road or Lynx tribute....love to hear a few tales.


Attachment 614424


McQueen often drove his at night, but concern his license would end up revoked, parted with it :


https://louguthry.com.au/news/steve-...7-jaguar-xkss/