MY FEEDLY

The BMW M1 – The First BMW “M” Car That Was Almost Built By Lamborghini

The BMW M1 is the end result of BMW wanting to beat their fellow Germans over at Porsche in Group 5 racing. The Porsche 935 was going to be impossible to beat with any of the cars BMW had in production at the time, so this in mind they approached Lamborghini to collaborate on a mid-engined supercar that could trounce the 935 and get the roundel back to the front of the grid.

The original plan had been to have Lamborghini actually build the car however the Italian automaker was on somewhat shaky financial ground at the time. Early prototypes of the M1 had been built at Lamborghini with a tubular steel space frame chassis developed by Gianpaolo Dallara, with a body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

As the relationship with Lamborghini fell apart a group of former Lamborghini engineers set up a company called Italengineering and offered to continue developing the car. BMW accepted and the M1 continued its development cycle in Italy just 10 miles down the road from Lamborghini’s headquarters.

The M1 would be the first mid-engined BMW production car and it would remain so for decades until the release of the BMW i8 in 2014. Giugiaro used the earlier 1972 BMW Turbo concept car designed by Paul Bracq as his inspiration for the M1, applying his own distinctive style resulting in a car that was unmistakably a child of its era.

The purpose of the M1 project from the outset had been motorsport and as a result, every aspect of the car had been designed with the race track in mind. The rigid tubular steel space frame chassis was fitted with a BMW M88 3.5 litre inline-six cylinder engine which was longitudinally mounted behind the driver and passenger.

The M88 engine was a master stroke of engineering from BMW icon Paul Rosche, it has four valves per cylinder operated by double overhead cams. The head is alloy and it has an iron block, and it makes use of six individual throttle bodies feeding in ample air for the 3453cc swept capacity.

A few versions of this engine were developed including the M88/1, M88/2, and M88/3. The road going version fitted to the production M1 was capable of 273 hp at 6,500 rpm and 243 lb ft of torque at 5,500 rpm, however the Procar version was turning out over 450 hp in race trim.

Above Image: The interior was provided comfortable accommodations for two people, with modern refinements like electric windows, air conditioning, and a stereo.

Suspension on the M1 consists of double wishbones with adjustable coil springs and Bilstein shock absorbers front and back, rack and pinion steering was used, and the car was fitted with ventilated disc brakes measuring 300mm up front and 297mm in the rear.

A 5-speed manual transmission was used with no automatic transmission offering unsurprisingly, and the somewhat snug interior could comfortably accommodate two people with refinements like electric windows, a stereo, and air conditioning.

Over the course of the 1978 to 1981 production run just 455 examples of the BMW M1 were built, with 56 of these being race cars not intended for the road. Today the M1 is remembered as the German company’s first dalliance with mid-engined cars, and the sound of that M88 six singing over your right shoulder is enough to make anyone a fan for life.

The 1980 BMW M1 Shown Here

The M1 you see here is a 1980 model and unusually it was imported into the United States relatively early on in its life, in 1984. Only a small number of M1s were imported into the USA and as a result they’ve always been a popular car throughout North America, both for their desirability and their scarcity.

When it was imported in late 1984 federalization and emissions modifications were completed by South Coast Compliance in Santa Ana, California. In 1987 the car was bought by its current owner who has kept it in remarkable condition for 35 years, accumulating just 3,075 miles in all that time and spending over $50,000 USD on the vehicle since 2018.

It’s now due to cross the auction block with RM Sotheby’s on the 22nd of May with a price guide of $350,000 to $425,000 USD. It’s accompanied by a matching spare wheel, service invoices, historic documentation, and a BMW Classic certificate confirming the presence of its numbers-matching engine.

If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

The post The BMW M1 – The First BMW “M” Car That Was Almost Built By Lamborghini appeared first on Silodrome.

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Jaguar XK150 S – The Cheapest XK150 In The World (It Needs A Little Work)

The final version of the Jaguar XK150 S was released in 1960, it would be the most powerful version of the car ever made with 265 hp and a top speed of 135 mph – a remarkable figure for the era.

The XK150 S you see here has obviously seen better days. The reason it looks the way it does is because on one rainy day in 1996 the owner had a slight mishap on a rain soaked curve in the road. The car spun off into a tree leaving the front severely damaged, the rear right side seriously indented, and the driver miraculously unharmed save for a tow truck sized dent to his pocket book.

After the accident the owner kept the car tucked away out of sight and weather for almost 25 years, only rolling it out recently to have it photographed for the upcoming Bonhams MPH May Auction due to be held on the 22nd of this month.

With a price guide of $14,000 to $21,000 USD this is undoubtably the least expensive Jaguar XK150 S for sale anywhere in the world at the moment, particularly considering it’s in complete (albeit damaged) form with the engine, gearbox, chassis, and body all accounted for.

If you’d like to read more about this car you can click here to visit the listing, if you’d like to read more about the XK150 you can scroll down and read on.

The Jaguar XK150

The Jaguar XK150 was released in 1957 as a replacement for the XK140, which itself was a replacement for the XK120.

The Jaguar XK line of sports cars was heralded by the arrival of the XK120 in 1948, just three short years after the end of WWII. The XK120 came about almost by accident, it was developed as a show car to display the then-new Jaguar XK engine to the general public at the 1948 London Motor Show.

Above Image: This XK150 has certainly seen better days, though hopefully it’ll soon be in the hands of restorers.

The overwhelming positive reaction to the car was such that Jaguar put it into production, so quickly was it put into production that the first 242 cars had handmade wooden body frames with hand-shaped aluminum alloy body panels. Later cars would be all steel once the factory had been tooled up for full scale production.

The post-WWII boom years were a golden age for many parts of the world and cars like the Jaguar XK series were driven by some of the most famous and influential people in the world including Clark Gable who took delivery of the very first XK120 production car.

When it was first released the XK120 was the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of 120 mph, this top speed would be bettered by each following generation with the XK140 achieving 125 mph and the “S” version of the XK150 managing the aforementioned 135 mph.

Jaguar had ensured that its XK series had always been luxurious by the standards of the time, however the level of luxury increased slightly with each of the three generations culminating in the XK150 which was more of a gentleman’s grand tourer rather than the dashing droptop sports car piloted by Clark Gable back in 1949.

When it was first released the XK150 was offered as either a fixed head coupe or a drop top coupe. For the uninitiated a fixed head coupe is a two door car with a fixed metal roof and a drop head coupe is a convertible with a thicker, heavier roof that provides almost coupe-like levels of noise and weather protection. An open top roadster with a minimal folding roof would be released a year later in 1958.

As with all the XK models the XK150 was powered by the Jaguar XK engine with had donated its name to the model line. This was the engine that launched Jaguar to the very pinnacle of motor racing in the 1950s with triple back to back wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the engine bay of the Jaguar D-Type in 1955, 1956, and 1957 with the D-Types taking five of the top six places in 1957.

The combination of speed, beauty, and luxury have made the XK150 an enduringly popular car with a devoted following around the world. Of all of the surviving cars the most highly sought after are the XK150 S models like the one shown here – so there can be little doubt this car will be snapped up by someone who’ll have it rebuilt.

Images courtesy of Bonhams

The post Jaguar XK150 S – The Cheapest XK150 In The World (It Needs A Little Work) appeared first on Silodrome.

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The Rare Jowett Jupiter Mk 2 – The Only One Ever Built

This is the only Jowett Jupiter Mk 2 ever made, and interestingly it was built for the first time 58 years after it was originally designed.

The reason for this almost six decade gap between the design and eventual construction of the car was due to the fact that automaker Jowett was forced out of the car building business for economic reasons in the mid-1950s – leaving the Jupiter Mk 2 as a completed design that would never be built. Or so it was thought.

Jowett had originally been founded all the way back in 1906, the company built engines followed by small affordable cars and commercial vehicles up until the outbreak of World War Two, when all automotive production ceased and they were tasked with building engines and aircraft components for the Allied war effort.

The company would release two new cars in the post-war years, the Jowett Javelin and the Jowett Jupiter. The Javelin was an economical four-door family car which was produced in significant numbers, over 23,000 left the production line between 1947 and 1953.

The Javelin was a sports car designed to appeal to both the local and export markets – particularly the US market which was buying British sports cars hand over fist at the time from marques like Jaguar, Triumph, and MG.

Against all odds the Jowett Jupiter proved to be a remarkable success on the race tracks of Europe, they would take a class win at the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hours, a class 1st and 2nd in the 1951 Monte Carlo International Rally, an outright win in the 1951 Lisbon International Rally, and a class 1st and 2nd in a 4-hour race at the Dundrod Circuit in Northern Ireland in 1951.

Above Image: The interior of the car is exactly as spartan as you would expect from a 1950s-era roadster, with seating for two and a bank of centrally mounted gauges.

These victories no doubt helped the sales of the small sports car, approximately 900 were built between 1950 and 1954. A large part of the reason for the Jupiter’s success was its engineering team, the tubular steel chassis was designed by Eberan von Eberhorst, formerly with Auto Union, and the lightweight aluminum body helped keep the curb weight down to 2,100 lbs (953 kgs).

The car was powered by a the 1,486 cc Jowett flat four engine which was mounted up front, the entire front section of the car would lift up for engine access which also provided access to suspension and other components.

The race track successes and general popularity of the Jupiter led Jowett to put the wheels in motion for an upgraded Mk 2 version with a more modern body but many of the same underpinnings. These drawings were lost to history for decades until they were rediscovered in 1979 when they were bought by Jowett enthusiast and restorer Allan Fishburn.

Fishburn set about building the Jupiter Mk 2, the first and only one that would ever be made. He started with the chassis from an original Mk 1A Jupiter that had been damaged and had an all-alloy body shaped to the original Jowett drawings from the 1950s.

The project was completed in 2011, then purchased in 2016 by the current owner who set to work bringing the car up to the standard it would have been in had it been shown to the world at the Earls Court Motor Show.

A full rebuilt costing thousands of pounds stirling was undertaken with specialists rebuilding the engine, redoing the body, and putting it all back together with remarkable attention to detail. As it stands today this is the only Jowett Jupiter Mk 2 and it likely always will be.

If you’d like to read more about this car or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Silverstone Auctions. It’s due to cross the auction block on the 22nd of May with a price guide of £25,000 to £30,000, which works out to approximately $34,700 to $41,600 USD.

Images courtesy of Silverstone Auctions

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Unrestored Survivor: 1975 Ford Bronco With 3,150 Miles From New

This Ford Bronco has been in single family ownership since it was bought new in the mid-1970s, in all the decades that have passed since it’s been garage stored and it’s only covered 3,150 miles – it’s now being offered for sale for the first time.

The Bronco has been in the headlines a lot in the last few months, in July 2020 Ford announced the new Bronco model family and it proved wildly popular, with order books quickly filling. A significant reason for the popularity of the 2021 Bronco is that Ford went back to the first generation model for the styling cues, developing a 4×4 with a retro look but with modern underpinnings.

The First Generation Ford Bronco

The first generation Ford Bronco is now one of the most desirable vintage four-wheel drives in the world alongside its longtime rival, the International Harvester Scout. The reason these two in particular are so beloved is probably down to a combination of nostalgia and the purely analog driving experience they offer – with no driver aids, parking assist, ABS, lane keeping assist, or even air conditioning usually.

When the Ford Bronco was first released in 1965 it was playing catch up, the CJ Jeeps had already been in the game for years, the Scout was wildly popular, and other imported four-wheel drives like Land Rovers and Land Cruisers weren’t doing badly either.

The team behind the Bronco shared some of the same faces as the team that had developed the Mustang, including Ford product manager Donald N. Frey, Ford engineer Paul G. Axelrad, and of course, the legendary Lee Iacocca.

They developed an all-new chassis for the Bronco and a new steel body, then they raided the Ford parts bin in an effort to trim costs, sourcing engines, transmissions, axles, and brakes. The body design was famously so simple that the door skins from either side of the car were interchangeable before the holes were drilled for door handle fitment.

Above Image: The interior of the truck looks almost new, remarkable given it’s 46 years old.

For the first few years of production the Bronco came with just one engine option, the 105 hp inline-six from the Ford Falcon. In 1969 this changed with the introduction of the 289 cu. in. V8 also used in the Ford Mustang – offering a considerable boost in power.

The first generation Bronco would stay in production from 1965 until 1977, proving to be a very successful new model for Ford and starting a model family that now extends to six generations over 56 years and counting.

The 1975 Ford Bronco Shown Here

As mentioned above, this Bronco has been in single family ownership since it was brand new, being passed down from father to son and covering just 3,150 miles in all those years. It was kept safely tucked away from rain, snow, and wind in a garage.

Amazingly the original window sticker is still attached, this Bronco was ordered new with the Ranger package and the 302 cu. in. V8 mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The original numbers-matching engine is still in the vehicle.

The unusual paint color is called Hot Ginger Metallic, and it has a matching ginger interior with plaid accents. This vehicle also came new with power steering, the 4,500 lb GVW package, Ford 3300 Traction-Lok, an extra cooling radiator, locking hubs, and as it was intended for export, it came without a catalytic converter.

If you’d like to read more about this Bronco or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Mecum. It’s due to cross the auction block in mid May and it’s being offered with no reserve.

Above Image: It’s powered by the Ford 302 cu. in. V8 with 220 hp at 4,600 rpm and 300 lb ft of torque at 2,600 rpm.

Images courtesy of Mecum

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For Sale – An Original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger Beetle Camper

This is an original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger, possibly the most unfortunately named vehicle of all time. I’ve never actually seen one of these come up for sale though I have occasionally seen them pop up on obscure motoring forums as an object of curiosity (and no small amount of mirth).

The Super Bugger first appeared in the early 1970s, a small company was founded in Costa Mesa, California that supplied turn-key Super Buggers as well as kits and/or plans for people who wanted to build their own. It’s not known what happened to the company however a few short years later they had disappeared.

Shortly after this in 1977 Mechanix Illustrated magazine published plans for a vehicle that appears almost identical to the Super Bugger named the “Minihome” which led to even more Beetle-Camper conversions.

We know that people were still creating their own Super Buggers well into the 1980s and possibly longer. It’s likely that creating a conversion like this nowadays would be illegal in most jurisdictions due to increasingly stringent engineering requirements on car modifications, however Beetles that were converted in period have no problem renewing their registration.

Due to the popularity and the inexpensive nature of the VW Type 2 van it’s hard to know why the original designers of the Super Bugger chose to use the Beetle as the basis for a camper conversion rather than the Type 2 – which had already been a popular target for camper conversions for 20+ years by that point.

Whatever their reasons for choosing the Beetle the Super Bugger designers succeeded where few likely thought they would in creating a tiny camper capable of accommodating two people, and surprisingly still capable of highway speeds depending on engine choice.

Above Image: This was the original ad run by the company that developed the Super Bugger.

It’s claimed that the Super Bugger conversion would only add an average of 250 lbs of weight to the Beetle, this is because the structure of the camper section is largely made of wood and fiberglass, both of which is lighter than the steel used in the original body.

The design requires that much of the Beetle’s body is cut away, just leaving the front section in place along with the steel floorpan. The new camper body is then fabricated and placed on top, we haven’t been able to find any information about the rigidity of the vehicle once complete but it does seem likely that rigidity suffered to some degree.

The actual interior design of the camper section was quite clever, it provides snug accommodation for two including two single beds, a two-seater dining table and chair, two forward seats for the driver and passenger, and a small kitchenette with a gas cooker and sink.

The cooker and sink was installed in such a way that they could be used both internally and externally, a hatch in the side of the camper allows for it to be slid out for outdoor BBQ style cooking which would have the added bonus of not smoking out the interior.

The Super Bugger you see here is a period conversion based on a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle with a 1973 Super Beetle engine for more power. Impressively the vehicle is still in the possession of the original builder who has now owned it for 52 years.

During the build a set of wider rear tires were used for stability and the suspension was modified to accommodate the additional weight. Inside you’ll find an AM/FM CB radio, ’70s style carpeting throughout with matching curtains, and it even has a crank-handle skylight for ventilation.

Over the years the owner has won awards at numerous local car shows in Illinois and this car was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine back in 1977. He notes that everywhere he goes this unusual camper draws a crowd of people who are full of questions, and he explains that the car is highway capable and it gets approximately 27 mpg.

The seller has handed the vehicle over to Mecum who will be offering it for auction over the next few day. At the time of writing there’s no price guide and it’s hard to know what a vehicle this unique may sell for.

If you’d like to visit the listing to read more or register to bid you can click here.

Above Image: An artist’s rendering of the vehicle as published in Mechanix Illustrated magazine in 1977.

Images courtesy of Mecum

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For Sale: A Beautifully Restored 1981 Toyota Hilux DLX Pickup Truck

This 1981 Toyota DLX Pickup has been immaculately restored with careful attention to small details, like the correct silver and silver-gray sport stripes and even the signature DLX patterned cloth with vinyl upholstery.

In recent years we’ve seen vintage four wheel drives becoming increasingly popular as many enthusiasts discover them, or rediscover them. It wasn’t too long ago that you could buy a vintage Toyota Hilux like this one for next to nothing, sadly those days are now long gone.

Although the Toyota Hilux has long been highly regarded in the United States it was the appearance of a gloss black example in the 1985 film Back To The Future which really helped cement the desirability in the hearts of a new generation of Americans.

Of course, the DeLorean DMC-12 will almost be the most famous car from that film series but the brief appearances of the Hilux embedded the Japanese 4×4 deep into the psyche of many young men and women.

Toyota Pickups were typically smaller and more fuel efficient than comparable American trucks, they were sold at competitive prices too which helped many of the Japanese manufacturers quickly establish a strong presence in the North American market that persists to this day.

The model line has typically been called either the Toyota Truck or Toyota Pickup Truck in North America, however most other world markets know it as the Toyota Hilux. The first examples of this model family were introduced in 1968 and the model remains in production today, currently on its 8th generation with no signs of slowing sales.

Above Image: This restored Toyota Pickup benefits from some period-correct upgrades, like the alloy wheels, chrome roll bar, and KC Daylighter spotlights.

Over the course of its ongoing production run the Hilux, or Toyota Pickup, has become famous for two key attributes: reliability and toughness. These traits have led to the trucks becoming a staple vehicle in a huge array of places, from Australian sheep farms to Mujahideen camps and everywhere in between.

The 1981 Toyota Hilux DLX Pickup Shown Here

The Pickup you see here is a desirable example for a few reasons, it’s fitted with the 2.4L 22R engine mated to the original 5-speed manual transmission, and it comes with the SR5 package (Sport Runabout 5-Speed).

The original purchaser of the vehicle ticked a significant number of boxes on the options list and as a result the truck is very well appointed with a 10 cassette factory AM/FM radio, bucket seats, and air-conditioning, with additional features like power steering and power brakes.

A small number of tasteful upgrades have been applied to the truck including alloy wheels, uprated tires, a chrome roll bar, and a pair of period-correct KC Daylighter spotlights.

Originally delivered to Texas, this DLX Pickup benefits from a recent restoration. The listing explains that the rebuild started with a rust-free truck, which isn’t always easy to find, and it now benefits from some additional refinements like spray-in bed-liner and a beautifully detailed underbody.

There DLX Pickup you see here is due to roll across the auction block with Mecum in May with a price estimate of $40,000 to $50,000 USD – a figure it’ll likely achieve with no problem if the right bidders are in the room.

If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.