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Trevor DTRe Stella Electric Motorcycle – A Flat Tracker For The Street

This is the new Trevor DTRe Stella, an electric dirt tracker from Belgium that produces 260 Nm (or 192 lb ft) of torque at the rear wheel thanks to the magic of reduction gearing.

It’s common knowledge that electric motors are torque monsters, they typically produce 100% of their torque from 0 rpm right through their rev range – the team at Trevor spent countless hours on the dyno to use this instant torque to their advantage, creating a wall of torque that bests many four-door saloon cars.

“Trevor” might sound like an unusual name for an electric motorcycle company from Belgium, but it all makes sense when you learn that Jeroen-Vincent Nagels, co-founder of Trevor, is a big fan of the British sports car maker TVR.

As any TVR owner will tell you, the company was named for its founder Trevor Wilkinson, who simply removed the “R”, “E”, and “O” from his name to make it sound a little more racy.

Much like the Trevor FTR Stella, the cars built by TVR have always been lightweight, mechanically simple vehicles focussed on nimble performance, and they’ve often been prodigiously powerful.

Above Image: The DTRe tips the scales at just 79 kilograms, or 174 lbs, but it produces 192 lb ft of torque at the rear wheel.

The project to build the DTRe Stella began almost by accident, when Philippe Stella and Jeroen-Vincent Nagels were holed up in a cottage in Cadaques, a small coastal village near Barcelona. The two men were working on a new project for their custom motorcycle outfit dubbed “The Mighty Machines”.

They had a couple of vintage dirt bikes on hand that they used to ride into town for groceries and whiskey, and of course to explore the dirt roads that litter the region.

It was during these off-road excursions that the two men first began to throw around ideas for a new electric motorcycle, something lightweight with flat tracker styling that would be ideal for exploring cities and dirt trails alike.

Skipping forward to a year later the two men were in London at The Bike Shed, unveiling N60 MM.01, an electric motorcycle built as a collaboration between Belgian motorcycle company Saroléa and The Mighty Machines.

It would be here that the men would talk to Torsten Robbens of Saroléa about their idea, fittingly while watching a dirt track race. This conversation kickstarted the project into high gear, the name Trevor was registered and Robbens brought in John McInnis – the former designer at electric motorcycle manufacturer Alta Motors.

Above Image: The street-legal and off-road-only versions of the DTRe Stella, the road-going version has all the lighting required by law to be used on the street.

By early 2020 the first prototypes were ready, they made use of a lightweight chromoly steel trellis frame that surrounds a 2.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. A set of Öhlins Blackline forks are used up front paired with an Öhlins Blackline STX46 monoshock in the rear.

19″ HAAN flat track wheels are used front and back fitted with road legal Dunlop DT3 flat track tires, and directional control is provided courtesy of a set of alloy Domino handlebars.

The electric motor is mounted at the swingarm pivot point, it’s an 11 kW brushless DC three-phase motor. This gives the Trevor DTRe Stella 192 lb ft of torque at the rear wheel courtesy of carefully chosen sprockets – creating a reduction drive that significantly multiplies the electric motor’s torque.

The bodywork is a single piece of ABS that gives the DTRe that distinctive flat tracker look, the final specification of the bike will depend on whether you choose the street-legal or off-road version. The street bike with all the required lights for legality will set you back €14,495 and the off-road version will cost €12,995.

For the money you get a highly-capable electric motorcycle with a range of 1.5 hours, a top speed of 90 km/h, a weight of 79 kilograms, and a charging time of 1.3 hours with a 3 kW charger.

If you’d like to read more or order yours you can click here to visit the website.

Follow The Mighty Machines on Instagram here

Images by Bram Coppens + Rob Mitchell

The post Trevor DTRe Stella Electric Motorcycle – A Flat Tracker For The Street appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/trevor-dtre-stella-electric-motorcycle/
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An Uprated 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 – Now With 402 hp + 456 lb ft

This 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is a great example from the first year of production of the now famous high-performance Mach 1 version of one of America’s most successful sports cars. The car has been sympathetically upgraded with a slew of new performance parts to significant boost power and performance, all while keeping the exterior in factory stock condition.

The Ford Mustang Mach 1

First introduced in mid-1968 as a 1969 model year, the Mach 1 included a range of performance upgrades and styling enhancements that set the car apart from other more pedestrian Mustangs, and apart from the five other factory performance Mustang models available at the time – the GT, Boss 302, Boss 429, Shelby GT350, and Shelby GT500.

With the Mach 1, Ford was looking to add to the Boss 302 and Boss 429 performance models and begin to move away from the Shelby Mustangs – 1970 would be the last year for the Shelby cars until they made a comeback in 2005.

Ford offered the Mach 1 package only on the “SportsRoof” fastback body style and original cars are identifiable by the body style code 63C on the door data plate – many Mach 1 copies or “tributes” have been made over the years but original cars are easy to detect.

Above Image: The characteristic styling of the Mach 1 is hard to miss, with its blacked out hood, hood pins, chin spoiler, rear spoiler, and hood scoop.

Each new Mach 1 started with a SportsRoof body, they all came with V8 engines however there were a number of choices for new buyers, ranging from the 351 cu. in. (5.8 litre) Windsor V8 with a two-barrel carburetor and 250 bhp all the way up to the 428 cu. in. (7.0 litre) Ram Air Cobra Jet & Super Cobra Jet V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and 335 bhp.

Externally the Mach 1 was fitted with a matte black hood with hood pins, a hood scoop (including an optional Shaker scoop), new wheels with Goodyear Polyglas tires, chrome exhaust tips, a chrome pop-open gas cap, a rear deck spoiler, rear window louvers, and a black dealer optional chin spoiler.

The cars weren’t all show and no go however, apart from the V8 under the hood they also come with competition suspension and an optional “Traction Lok” limited slip differential rear end. Depending on engine there were also front or front and rear sway bars fitted.

There has been no small amount of debate over whether the 351 V8 or the 428 V8 are better, the larger engine is more powerful of course but it’s also notably heavier, and this can have a detrimental impact on handling – though this isn’t a problem if the kind of motor racing you’re interested in happens one 1/4 mile at a time in a straight line.

Ford kept the Mach 1 in production from 1969 until 1970, they brought the nameplate back from 2003 to 2004, and recently they revived it again in 2021. Surviving original examples from the first series are always popular with collectors, but buyers always need to do their due diligence and make sure they’re not getting a clone or “tribute” as they’re sometimes called.

Above Image: The “Mach 1” decal running along the upper perimeter of the trunk lets everyone behind you know what you’re driving.

The 1969 Mach 1 Mustang Shown Here

The car you see here is a 1969 example that benefits from a professional nut and bolt rotisserie restoration, it started out as a rust free California car, and it’s been comprehensively upgraded to the point where it’s now much quicker than it would have been when it left the factory.

The rebuild included competition suspension, but a lot of the focus on the rebuild was in the engine bay. The original 351 V8 was stroked out to 392 cu. in. and balanced and blueprinted. It was fitted with RHS aluminum cylinder heads, a Weiand Stealth intake, an Eagle 3.850 inch-stroke crankshaft, a Ford Motorsports dampener, BRC forged pistons, a Crower camshaft and valve springs, a Holley 750 4-barrel carburetor, and a slew of other mods.

Power is now at a dyno-tested at 456 lb ft of torque and 402 hp – considerably more than even the 428 V8 ever made when new.

If you’d like to read more about this Mustang or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Mecum, it’s due to roll across the auction block in March and it’s being offered with no reserve.

Images courtesy of Mecum

The post An Uprated 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 – Now With 402 hp + 456 lb ft appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/ford-mustang-mach-1-upgrade/
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Tardza – The Recycled Porsche

Tardza is a unique short film about an unusual Porsche 911, nicknamed Tardza by its owner Pawel Kalinowski.

The car has a fascinating history, it belonged to a homeless man in Seattle who lived in it with his dog for many years, before crashing it one day and leaving it at a body shop to get the fender repaired.

He didn’t have the money for the repairs, and he had other debts, so the car was forfeited and ended up being bought by Kalinowski and shipped to Poland.

If you’re a member of the global vintage Porsche community you probably already know who Pawel is. For the uninitiated he’s the founder of Car Bone – one of the world’s leading suppliers of parts for custom vintage 911s, not to mention 356s, 914s, and many other models.

The story behind Tardza starts out tragic, the former owner was struggling with both drug addiction and homelessness, but in his previous life had been successful enough to have bought a 911.

After the car was bought by Kalinowski it became a community project of sorts, he made friends around the world who helped supply parts for the car and over time it’s been completely restored – all except for that front fender a memento from its former life.

As with most Car Bone projects the 911 wasn’t intended to be returned to factory condition, but rather to be rebuilt as an entirely unique car that pays homage to its own heritage.

Read more about Car Bone here

Images: Bartek Kolaczkowski

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Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special – An Affordable Mid-Engined Classic

This is a Lotus Europa Special, arguably the most desirable version of the famous mid-engined sports car that helped establish the British automaker as a significant force in the world of sports car manufacturing.

Lotus And The Ford GT40 Program

What a lot of people don’t know is that the original design for the Europa was penned for Ford, in the hope that it would be chosen as the basis of the car that would become the Ford GT40 and go on to dominate the 24 Hours of Le Mans, trouncing Ferrari in the process.

As it played out Ford chose the Lola Mk 6, a similar design from a competing British company, and it would be Lola engineers that would work with Ford to create the now legendary GT40.

All wasn’t lost for Lotus however, the Europa would go on to become a mid-engined icon in its own right, and it would be the godfather of one of the most famous cars of the 20th century – the DeLorean DMC-12.

The Lotus Europa – An Affordable Mid-Engined Car

The project to develop the Europa kicked off in the mid-1960s. Colin Chapman’s Lotus Formula 1 Team was successfully making use of mid-engined cars and it was decided to bring this same architecture to the company’s road cars.

Above Image: The interior of the Europa has seating for two, with excellent visibility for both the driver and passenger.

At the time Lotus was using a steel backbone chassis as the core of its road cars, this would then be fitted with a lightweight fiberglass body. The benefits of this were significant, it meant Lotus didn’t have to invest in expensive steel stamping equipment and it helped keep their cars as light as possible – a core tenet of Chapman’s “simplify then add lightness” philosophy.

Lotus had made good use of Ford engines and gearboxes in the past but this stopped with the release of the first Europa, possibly because they didn’t get the GT40 contract or perhaps because they were looking for reliable engine sources closer to home.

Chapman would eventually decide on using a modified version of the Renault 16 engine in the Europa, providing 82 hp at 6,000 rpm for the 610 kg (1,350 lb) car which was considered adequate at the time.

Both the buying public and the press were clamoring for more power and so later versions of the Europa were fitted with the superior Ford-based Lotus Twin Cam engine that was used in the Lotus Elan and the Lotus Cortina.

This Twin Cam Europa would first appear in 1971, power was appreciably increased, with 105 hp from its 1,557cc (1.6 litre) capacity. Though slightly heavier, the Twin Cam was a better engine in every regard and it transformed the Europa.

In 1972 the Europa Special would appear, this would be the final major iteration of the model, and it would feature the “Big Valve” version of the Twin Cam engine, now producing 126 bhp. This would be the fastest and arguably the most desirable version of the car, it’s capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds it has a top speed of 123 mph (198 km/h).

Above Image: The unusual back end of the car holds the Twin Cam engine, with big valves in this instance, and a small luggage trunk.

When first released in 1972 the Big Valve Europa Special was painted in the John Player (a cigarette company) livery consisting of black with gold accents. This livery was chosen to emulate Lotus’ F1 cars which had clinched the 1972 Formula 1 World Championship.

The John Player livery became so popular that the original run of 100 cars was expanded to thousands, although the first cars are the only ones with the special numbered JPS plaque.

The Europa would leave production in 1975 to be replaced by the Lotus Esprit, though the two cars looks vastly different they shared very similar underpinnings.

The 1973 Lotus Europa Special Shown Here

The car you see here is a desirable 1973 Special, making it a Twin Cam “Big Valve” with 126 bhp. The car is wearing the now famous John Player Special livery and it’s presented in good original condition throughout with its original paint scheme and wheels in place.

With an estimated hammer price of €20,000 to €30,000 this car is an order of magnitude less expensive than other mid-engined cars from this era, and it offers that beautifully balanced handling with fine steering feel that Lotus cars are famous for.

If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Bonhams, it’s due to roll across the auction block at the Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris on the 3rd of March.

Images courtesy of Bonhams

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380 bhp Ford Mustang-Based Batmobile – $27,800 to $41,800 USD

There are few cinema cars as famous as the Batmobile, and few Batmobiles (if any) that are as beloved as the Batmobile from the Tim Burton Batman films Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992).

The Tim Burton Batmobile was a stark departure to the Batmobiles that had come before it, it was a long, sleek design with a jet turbine engine running through the middle of it and a total length of 25 feet.

The Tim Burton Batmobile

First appearing in 1989 in Batman, this new Batmobile proved wildly popular with fans. It was designed by conceptual illustrator Julian Caldow and it was built by Keith Short in collaboration with Eddie Butler.

The vehicle used a significantly modified Chevrolet Impala chassis, two were built for use on screen – one of which can be seen at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and the other is in a private collection.

Above Image: The cockpit has a sliding canopy and seating for two. The vehicle is right-hand drive and there are plenty of gauges to keep the driver occupied.

As is the case with essentially all famous cinema cars, people quickly got to work building replicas. As with all replicas the quality varied wildly, but one of the most popular was made by Z Cars in the United States.

Using a Ford Mustang donor car the fiberglass body was moulded in several parts, and it was fitted to the new spaceframe chassis. The wheelbase was extended significantly – the 1965 Ford Mustang has a wheelbase of 108 inches and the new body requires a wheelbase of over 140 inches.

As you would expect the original drivetrain was kept in place for most of these builds, the complications of running an actual turbine engine are significant after all, as Jay Leno can best explain.

These Batmobile replicas have proven popular with the general public and they’re always a huge hit at car shows, owners explain that even stopping for fuel usually turns into a 30 minute event of explaining how they ended up owning a Batmobile and allowing people to take pictures with it.

The Batmobile Shown Here

The Batmobile you see here is believed to be one of those builds from Z Cars, there is a little mystery surrounding it, but we do know that it’s fitted with a 380 bhp Chevrolet 5.7 litre small block V8.

Above Image: As the car is actually powered by a 380 bhp V8 the front “jet intake” is actually more of a cold air intake.

The interior of the car is well-equipped, it has two seats and it appears to have a manual transmission. The car is right-hand drive and there are a plethora of switches, gauges, and lights that’ll take some getting used to.

The reason there isn’t much information on the car is because it’s being offered for sale on the instruction of a high court ruling. The car was first registered in the UK for road use in January 2012 as a 1965 Ford.

It’s currently not registered however the process of getting it back to road-registered status in the UK shouldn’t be particularly complicated – though any buyer would need to research this for themselves.

If you’d like to read more about this unusual car or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing. The estimated hammer price is between £20,000 to £30,000 (approximately $27,800 to $41,800 USD) which seems rather reasonable given the obvious desirability of having your own Batmobile – through it may not fit in your garage given its length of 22 feet.

Images courtesy of Bonhams

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from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/tim-burton-batmobile/
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Land Rover Defender V8 – The Perfect Defender 90?

The marriage of the Land Rover Defender and the ubiquitous 3.5 litre Rover V8 first occurred in the 1980s when it was first offered as an engine option from the factory. It would be the most powerful engine factory-fitted to the Defender (or earlier Series Land Rovers) up until that point in history.

Although not as economical as the diesel options, and not as cheap to run as the smaller petrol engine, the Rover V8 was as close to perfect for the Defender as any engine could be.

The Rover V8 is an all-alloy engine so it doesn’t add weight over the front axle compared to the original iron block engine, in fact its slightly lighter depending on final configuration at 170 kgs (370 lbs) vs 205 kgs (450 lbs). The improved performance when the V8 is mated to a 5-speed gearbox also gives the Defender the ability to comfortably cruise at modern highway speeds without sounding like the conrods could shoot through the block at any moment.

The Rover V8 was never as popular with buyers as the diesel and smaller petrol engine options and as a result they’re reasonably rare now – and much in demand. It’s become increasingly common for people restoring Defenders (and Series Land Rovers) to fit the Rover V8 and mate it up to a more modern 5-speed gearbox – transforming the vehicle in the process.

Of course the mileage will never be as good but the instant throttle response and huge torque increase help significantly with any serious off-roading.

Above Image: This Defender benefits from a restored interior with new upholstery, door cards, and a tasteful wood rimmed steering wheel.

As the classic car world becomes increasingly aware of vintage 4x4s we’re seeing far more interest paid to them, and as a result an entire industry has grown in recent years to restore, modify, and improve them.

The Defender you see here has been comprehensively restored, all body panels have been replaced with the exception of the front wings and rear tub. Unusually this car has had both a refurbishment, and later a full restoration, the latter taking place at the workshops of Vintage Reborn.

Unusually this vehicle has been fitted with a Land Rover Puma-generation bonnet and “Series” doors – as these come with removable tops that better suit top-down driving.

It’s now finished in the Ferrari hue of Rosso Rubino with black trim items including the stainless-steel front grille, headlight guards and chequer plate panels which are fitted to the sills and the tops of the front wings.

The new black fabric hood was supplied by Land Rover specialist Exmoor Trim, it’s fitted to a heavy-duty frame, and the car also comes with a new bikini hood for the summer months. The Defender is now riding on a set of new 16-inch steel wheels fitted with chunky Goodyear Wrangler tires.

Above Image: The Rover V8 is approximately 34 kgs or 75 lbs lighter than the more common iron block four cylinder engine.

Inside you’ll find that the three seats have been fully re-trimmed in fluted black leather with red stitching, it also has a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and in the rear, folding benches provide additional seating for up to four passengers.

In order to provide modern security the car is fitted with a Category 5 tracker with digital app controls, and the rear heater element has also been converted to function as a discreet engine isolator switch.

The Rover V8 and the 5-speed transmission have been restored, the vehicle also benefits from a full disc-brake conversion – a smart upgrade given the added power. If you’d like to read more about this Defender or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing, it’s currently on Collecting Cars with three days left on the bidding at the time of writing.