Insure Your Auto - Car Insurance and Loans

Monday, March 5, 2012

Tractor World Show 2012 Report

In the beautiful surroundings of the Malvern Hills at the Three Counties Showground Kelsey Publishing hosted Tractor World from the 3rd - 4th March. The show consisted of two huge halls filled to the brim with a wide range of tractors, stationary engines and the odd truck thrown in for good measure. Saturday saw Howard Pugh host the first Major Tractor Auction of the year and Sunday had a new addition of the Sodbury Sortout. There was also the Build-a-Fergie Competition, which consists of competing teams who build and start a disassembled Ferguson within times that are sub 10 minutes, which is always impressive.

I packed my sketchbook and sandwiches (peanut butter and jam for those of you that are interested)and sketched the day away whilst talking to people from as far away as Nebraska so the show definitely pulled them in from all around.

1917 Overtime Model R

(digitally painted ink sketch)

According to the information this overtime was found in a hedgerow near Didcot after being used as a chassis for a Shepherd hut.

1936 Massey Harris Pacemaker

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Purchased in 2008 as a non-runner, restored mechanically but kept original.

Drivers View

Oil in all the right places (I think)

1953 Nuffield M4

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Converted to a 3-wheeler in the mid 50's and spent it's working life in W. Yorkshire

1952 Allis - Chalmers Model B

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Last sketch of the day was this fantastic Rumely. I always like the way these machines look, with there series of cans connected by tubes, visible functionality at it's best.

1929 Rumely Oil Pull

Model 20-30W

(digitally painted ink sketch)

1944 Farmall Model H

Original lease-lend tractor. Purchased in 1998, and received a full mechanical restoration over the next 12 years.

1917 International Mogul 8-16 hp

Single Cylinder Kerosene tractor, One forward & one reverse gear.

Built in Chicago this tractor was imported by the UK government during the first world war and leased to a farm in the Cambridge area. The Tractor was rescued from a major flood in the 40's by a tractor dealer from Peterborough. it stood in the yard until the 60's when it was bought and restored over 10 years.

1964 Massey Ferguson 35x

Bopught in 1992 in a poor state. Rebuilt engine and new clutch, used daily.

This year sees the 50th anniversary of the 35x, and the show programme (given away free along with two free magazines!), had a very good article on the model.

1970 Massey Ferguson 1150 V8 8.3l

An ongoing project owned by Mike Trout. The Tractor was originally imported from the US, where it had stood idle for 12 years in 2011. A real beast of a thing.

1919 International Titan

1926 Twin City Model 17-28

1931 Case C

Last but by no means least this Fordson Major County which was part of the Howard Pugh Auction.

This is only a section of what was there and if you like what you see I would thoroughly recommend attending Tractor World in 2013 as it was a fantastic day out. Kelsey Publishing also produce a fantastic array of Tractor magazines for more information please visit their website:

www.kelsey.co.uk

Monday, February 27, 2012

Race Retro 2012 Report

On Saturday 25th February, powered by the squidgy energy of choice Soreen, I travelled off to Stoneleigh Park for Race Retro. This is the first time I've attended this event and it's a whopper of a show. Four Halls filled with historic and classic race cars along with some motorbikes too. Along side the bustling exhibition halls there was also a classic rally stage that benefited from the great weekend weather. Here are my sketches and other highlights from the weekend.

1962 Cooper T59 Formula Junior

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Chassis number FJ 3962 was purchased from the Works by Bill McCowan who Raced throughout '62 until crashing at Monza. The car was sufficiently damaged to end McCowans' season. Repaired and raced during 1963 by Mike Budge who painted the car Blue with a bold orange stripe. There are records of the car being subsequently owned by Messrs Nicholson and Brockhurst but the car disappears from 1967 until it is discovered during 2002, dismantled and stored in the back of a derelict van, at a garage in Sussex a stone's throw from Goodwood. The bodywork was still in the Budge colour scheme. Restored by Grant Wilson the car has been raced regularly since 2006.

This Cooper was displayed on the Hall and Hall stand, for more information please visit their website:

www.hallandhall.net

Austin Healey 100s Endurance Car

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Officially the fastest naturally-aspirated Austin Healey 100 in the world

Built in 2008 to challenge the Enudurance Record of 132mph set by Donald Healey in 1954, this car not only broke Healeys Bonneville record but also smashed 17 others, including the UK's 100 mile standing start record. Built on what is believed to be the last known factory chassis this car is rivet for rivet identical to the original car SPL337B.

This car is currently for sale through The Old Racing Car Company:

www.OldRacingCar.co.uk

TZ 350cc Cyclecar

(digitally painted ink sketch)

Currently campaigned by Trevor Duckworth, this beutifully insane headfirst cyclecar is the holder of the British National Records for the quarter mile, kilometre and mile. Both standing start and flyers it holds these records as a 250cc/350cc and some as a 500cc. Originally built by Des Heckle with a 250cc Starmaker engine ans scooter back wheel for Irene Scargill it held all the 250cc world and national records. Trevor bought it in the late 70's and modified it to take the tz engine and racing sidecar wheel.

This bike has probably held more world and national records than any other. Trevor will be running this bike at various Straightliners events as part of the championships this year and hopefully breaking more records with it. To find out more about the Straightliners championship head over to the wesite:

www.straightliners-events.co.uk

Ellis Ford #3 Replica

(digitally painted ink sketch)

The above Car is a replica of Ellis's 1965 World championship winning car. Mike Shirley also has the original engine from this car! It is built on an original LD chassis and is true to the era in which it raced. They tried to ban Ellis' cars several times - big motors, lightweight wheels, bare minimum bodies, Ellis was always tweaking the authorities. You could hear Ellis from miles away with those pom-pom exhausts - usually on booming 427 ford V8s. Mike told me that the Replica has the same V8 that they used in GT40's, I'm glad the engine is still in this fantastic stock car.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw these BRISCA Heritage cars tucked away in the corner. For me these were the highlight of the show. I'm always impressed by the pure fun approach of stock car racing, of course yes it is a seriously competitive sport but there is something to the bravado and ingenuity of these cars that brings a smile to my face. More info on the history and fixtures please visit the BRISCA Heritage website:

www.briscaf1heritage.com

Clive Beales 722

Based on a 1949 Ford Pop and runs a 100e engine with a down draft Webber carburettor.

Brian Owen 886 F2

The Pop body is believed to be from the 1965 world winning car. The car finished 2nd in the 2011 shale championship and 2nd in the points at Coventry and Bradford.

RPD 4

RPD 4 first appeared as a Cotton special owned by Rex Chappell who used it to win the BTRDA Gold Star in 1953. Impressed by the new cars being made by Mike Cannon, Rex ordered a new car to be built; he called it Cannotton and used it to win his second gold Star in 1955.

More information on the Cotton trials cars can be found on the Historic Sporting Trials Association website:

www.hsta.co.uk

Silverstone Auctions had a huge array of cars up for grabs

here's a couple that caught my eye.

1958 Mercedes Benz 190SL

1964 Ford Falcon Sprint

The Classic Rally stage had a huge range of entries here are just a few of them.

Chevy

Austin Metro

Yes an Austin Metro!

Renault

Citroen Visa

Lastly I'm always like a big truck. Based on a left hand drive export Leyland Royal Tiger Worldmaster LRT 3.1 Chassis with a 150bhp underfloor engine. This beautiful transporter was built in 1959 by Marshall Motor Bodies Ltd of Cambridge to the design of the engine development division of Rubery Owen & Co. Ltd the Builder of B.R.M. racing cars. With the capacity of 3 Racing Cars, the transporter was constructed of hardwood with exterior panels of hand beaten aluminium.

If you missed it this year I'd fully recommend attending next year as there was a lot to see and I've only covered a small section of what was on show. For more information please visit the Race Retro website:

www.raceretro.com

Monday, February 13, 2012

The Ford Show & Great Western Autojumble 2012, Report

This Sunday I was off to Shepton Mallet again, not for another tractor show but for the

Ford Show and Great Western Autojumble.

The show was spread out over more halls this year allowing for a wider range of cars along with a bigger Autojumble. I spent most of my time in the main hall as it had the majority of the owners clubs and the most interesting cars.

1960 Thunderbird

(digitally painted ink sketch)

As you can see I really liked the back end of this Thunderbird, as with a lot of these American cars the design of the back is almost like a spaceship.