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The Dowsetts Comet – This Is The Only Road-Going Comet In The World

The Dowsetts Comet is a car that many haven’t heard of due to the fact that they’re only produced in very limited numbers in a small factory deep in the English countryside.

Despite their English roots, the cars are powered by fire-breathing American V8s giving them performance as good (or better) than any modern sports car.

The company is headed by Ant Anstead, a renowned engineer and mechanic who became a celebrity in his own right thanks to his extensive on camera presenting work on television programs like For the Love of Cars and Wheeler Dealers.

Fast Facts – The Dowsetts Comet

The Dowsetts Comet is the work of the Dowsetts Classic Car Company, formerly known as Evanta. They build bespoke sports cars in very limited numbers out of a workshop on Dowsetts Farm.
In the spirit of 1960s performance cars like the Shelby Cobra and the Jensen Interceptor, the Comet uses a British designed chassis with an American V8, providing excellent handling and ample power.
The Comet has a steel spaceframe chassis, a front-mid-mounted GM LS3 V8, a Tremec 5-speed gearbox, and a limited-slip differential.
Very few examples of the Comet have been made, in fact at the time of writing it’s believed to be just two, and the car you see here is the only one on the road as the other example is being converted to electric drive by Anstead.

The Dowsetts Comet – A Modern Classic Car

Many people in the automotive world, myself included, believe that automobile design may have peaked in the 1960s. It was a decade that gave us the Ferrari 250 GTO, the Jaguar E-Type, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, the BMW 2002, the Lamborghini Miura, the Ferrari 250 GT SWB, and an impossibly long list of other timeless classics.

The beautiful styling of the Comet has been winning it accolades since it was first introduced back in 2018.

What Ant Anstead and the team at the Dowsetts Classic Car Company (now known as Faeger) set out to do was to capture the design aesthetic of this era, including its beautiful design language and its analogue driving experience, and incorporate it all into a brand new car.

Each Comet starts out as a steel spaceframe chassis, independent suspension is fitted to each corner along with disc brakes and finally a set of Dowsetts bespoke wheels. The body is ultra lightweight thanks to the use of a Kevlar-reinforced composite material for all external panels.

Inside you’ll find opulent red quilted leather, a Moto-Lita wood-rimmed steering wheel, and unexpected modern conveniences like air-conditioning, a reversing camera, and satellite navigation.

The Dowsetts Comet – Performance Figures

Anstead reportedly invested a lot of time in the handling and performance of the Comet, as a result the cars have been lauded by reviewers. The performance figures certainly back this up, with a 0 – 60 mph time of just 3.9 seconds thanks to power output of 430 hp by that LS3 V8.

The interior is beautifully appointed, with ample quilted leather, turned aluminum, and a classic Moto-Lita steering wheel.

The owner of this car, chassis #002, ordered it after seeing chassis #001 under construction. He specified that it be set up for grand touring duties which is why the interior is so well appointed, but after covering just 2,500 miles he suffered a back injury which makes it all but impossible for him to drive the car.

“I got involved with Ant Anstead over four years ago and on visiting his workshop spotted the Barchetta (open top early version of the Comet) and fell in love with it. Ant had by then started work on the Comet and I agreed to buy number two – the first having already been purchased off plan by another client and is now in America with Ant who is trying to fit an electric motor in it so mine is still the only road going Comet in the world!” – the current owner of the Dowsetts Comet

The Comet is now for sale through Silverstone Auctions and it’s due to roll across the auction block on the 13th of November. At the time of writing there’s no price guide listed, if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Above Video: See and gear the Comet in action in this short film from Dowsetts Classic Cars.

Images courtesy of Silverstone Auctions

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from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/dowsetts-comet-car/
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A Rare “Quad Headlight” Jaguar E-Type

This unusual Jaguar E-Type was built to special order for the 6th Earl of Cawdor, Hugh John Vaughan Campbell. The specification included a balanced engine, Koni shock absorbers, competition wire wheels, Restall reclining seats, and a Webasto roof.

After the car was delivered it was taken to Abbey Panels where it was converted into one of just three “Quad Headlight” E-Type coupes ever made by the company. Of course, any changes made to the styling of the famously good-looking E-Type are likely to be controversial, and the Abbey Panels quad headlight conversion has certainly divided opinion over the years.

Fast Facts – The Quad Headlight E-Type

The Jaguar E-Type was originally introduced in 1961, it was quickly heralded as one of the most beautiful cars of all time and one of the fastest production cars in the world.
This car was built as a special order for the 6th Earl of Cawdor, after delivery he sent it to Abbey Panels for the quad headlight conversion, and 18 months later he had a serious accident in the car which (luckily) saw him fly out of the Wesbasto roof (a soft top) avoiding serious injury.
After its accident the car was placed into storage where it would remain for over 40 years until being rediscovered and restored back to original condition.
Since its restoration “The Earl’s E-Type” has taken part in historic car tours and rallies in Europe, as well as extensive touring.

The Earl’s Unusual E-Type

By the time the 6th Earl of Cawdor placed his order for an E-Type in 1965 Jaguar had already been dealing with highly-placed members of British society, including royalty, for decades. That said, there’s no doubt that the Earl’s order received special attention.

The seamless work of Abbey Panels is so good the car looks like it came this way from the Jaguar factory originally.

The Earl was an oftentimes controversial man, and decisions he made are still sparking additional controversies today almost 30 years after his death in 1993. The decision to take a regular E-Type coupe and have the front modified to include an extra pair of headlights was just as controversial in 1965 as it is today.

Living in a remote castle-like mansion in the Welsh countryside, it’s likely that the Earl wanted the extra lights for returning home on those long winter nights.

The quad headlight conversion involved removing the original headlight and then modifying the front fenders and bonnet to accommodate a larger light array with two headlights fitted side by side at each side.

Additional shark gill-like vents were added further back on the front fenders, and the new headlights were left open – rather than sheltered behind glass covers as with regular Series 1 E-Types. Later E-Types would all have their headlights left open like this due to new federal safety laws in the United States – a critically important overseas market for the company.

It’s likely that the Earl wanted the extra headlights for returning home on dark, rural Welsh roads after nightfall.

A Crash And A Rebuild

Just 18 months after receiving the car the Earl would be involved in a serious accident in which he was flung through the fabric Webasto roof. The car was recovered and placed into storage for well over 40 years before being discovered and rebuilt.

As it stands today the car looks exactly as it did the day it was delivered to the Earl by Abbey Panels, with its rare quad headlight arrangement. E-Types that were custom-built in period always attract some attention when they come up for sale, particularly well-known and rare models like the car shown here.

While the styling of this car has always been divisive it does have its fans, so it’ll be interesting to see what it sells for when the auction hammer falls. It’s due to roll across the auction block with Silverstone Auctions on the 13th of November.

If you’d like to read more about this unusual E-Type or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of Silverstone Auctions

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This Might Be The Fastest Radial-Engined Motorcycle In The World

This is the first in a series of stories we’ll be publishing as we follow the progress of Sheppard Motorcycles, Kennedy Motorcycles, and Radial Motion as they build what they hope will become the fastest radial engined motorcycle in the world. This story was written by Noel Probert with the latter section by Matt Sheppard.

In March 2022, a small group of enthusiasts from Adelaide, Australia, will attempt to set a new land speed record on Lake Gairdner in South Australia, becoming the world’s fastest radial-engined motorcycle.

A collaboration between Sheppard Motorcycles, Kennedy Motorcycles, and Radial Motion, the project, codenamed LFO (Low Flying Object) utilizes the innovative compact radial engine from Radial Motion in a purpose-built motorcycle designed to exceed 200 mph (320 km/h) on the dry lake bed.

Sheppard Motorcycles and Kennedy Motorcycles combined in 2021 to set a record of 64.8 mph on a 1948 BSA 500cc machine as part of the Salt Monkeys race team.

Radial Motion has been developing their compact radial engine for aviation use over the past three years. The engine officially went into production in 2021 and has been tested and proven in the Adelaide Rally, powering a modified VW Beetle.

The Radial Motion Engine

Radial Motion is a South Australian company producing an innovative engine of its own design. The compact radial engine is inspired by aircraft engines of the 1930s, reimagined for the 21st century. Compact, lightweight and robust, the Radial Motion engine is intended for light aircraft as well as specialist automotive applications, and versions are also being developed for military use.

The bike is being designed with a trellis perimeter frame and the engine acts as a load bearing member to increase rigidity.

Its unique 120° three-cylinder layout makes the engine visually distinctive while offering several advantages, including ease of access for maintenance and tuning, light weight and improved weight distribution.

The engine used for this project will have a capacity of 2100cc, will be naturally aspirated and use individual throttle bodies. Radial Motion is also preparing a car to run on the salt during Speed Week.

“We’re excited about this new project with Sheppard Motorcycles and Kennedy Motorcycles and can’t wait to see what they achieve on the salt. The Radial Motion engine was designed for aircraft, but seeing it in a motorcycle chasing a land speed record is quite a thrill.” – Nick Mebberson, Director of Radial Motion

The Radial Land Speed Motorcycle

This will be a full custom build driven by the need to construct a custom frame and new gearbox assembly to mate to the monstrous engine. The bike will be constructed with a twin spar chromoly tube frame attaching to an aluminium single-sided swingarm.

All cycle parts used will be of the highest quality. The rear suspension will be fitted with an adjustable shock absorber by Sachs, with high performance Marzocchi upside down forks at the front. Braking will be done with race spec brakes from Brembo. The bike will have a close-ratio 6-speed transmission like that of a road race bike.

A unique body design will allow quick and easy access to all electrical and mechanical components as required and will create smooth flowing body lines. A partial streamlined fairing will cover the front and part of the side of the bike for maximum aerodynamic efficiency.

Careful attention has been paid to reduce the frontal area, by lengthening and lowering the motorcycle.

With an engine capacity of 2100cc, the machine will fit into the engine class 3000, which allows for engines up to 3000cc. The frame will be classified as “special construction partial streamlined”. The class designation will be 3000 APS G, G denotes that we are using “gasoline” or standard pump fuel as opposed to an alcohol-based fuel.

The current class record for Australia is 132.37 mph and the current world record is 208 mph. Both are within reach. A road-legal version of the motorcycle is also being planned.

The Builders

This section was written by Matt Sheppard of Sheppard Motorcycles.

As the director of Sheppard Motorcycles I have been modifying motorcycles for over six years and have a background in panel beating before doing my trade as a motorcycle technician.

After completing my trade I decided I wanted to do something more interesting than standard service and repair work that is the bread and butter of most bike shops. Being passionate about the aesthetics of vehicles I started creating custom bike projects and have modified all manner of bikes from Harley-Davidsons to the classic Honda CT110.

The air-cooled Radial Motion engine was originally developed for use in aircraft, however it’s also now being used to power race cars, road cars, motorcycles, and there are talks underway about military uses for it.

I share a workshop with Kennedy Motorcycles, whose director Mat has his trade as a fitter machinist while serving in the Australian Defence Force before starting his business here.

We both build custom motorcycles, predominantly road-going specials. We have created machines based on American, European, and Japanese machinery.

We have teamed up for a number of local events including displays at the Adelaide Beer and Barbecue festival. It was here that we met Frank and Corinna of the boutique brewery The Prancing Pony. Frank and Corinna are long time land speed fans and competitors and they invited us to be a part of their Salt Monkeys race team, helping us to fulfil our dream of setting a land speed record. We now understand and share their obsession.

The team now holds five national speed records including ours. In 2021 we entered on a 1948 BSA 500cc that we built at short notice and walked away with a new record in our class.

Visit Radial Motion here

Follow on Facebook – Radial Motion – Sheppard Motorcycles – Kennedy Motorcycles – Dry Lake Racing

Addendum

We’ll be following this project closely, and we’ll be bringing you updates as the team progresses – right up to their appearance on the salt at Lake Gairdner, Australia’s answer to Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats.