Ronnie Peterson’s Lotus Elite Type 75 Is For Sale

This Lotus Elite Type 75 is a little more special than most, it was given to Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson by Colin Chapman who was head of Team Lotus, the team with which Petersen was racing at the time.

Petersen is remembered today as one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers to not win the championship, he came second in the championship standings twice – including in the 1978 season when he was tragically killed as a result of a first lap mass-accident.

Fast Facts – The Petersen Lotus Elite Type 75

• The Lotus Elite Type 14 was originally released in 1957, it was an innovative sports car from Lotus with a full fiberglass monocoque chassis. The Type 75 was released in 1974, it shared a name with its predecessor but no common parts.
• The Type 75 Elite used a full fiberglass shooting brake-style body with a steel backbone chassis, in classic Lotus style, a front mounted engine and four wheel independent suspension.
• Lotus would build over 2,500 examples of the Type 75 and the closely related Type 83, they’ve never been the most popular cars from the Lotus back catalogue and it’s possible to buy a good example today for not a lot of money.
• The Type 75 Elite you see here was given to legendary Swedish Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson by Colin Chapman in a small ceremony at the factory. It’s accompanied today by period photographs of Petersen and Chapman with the car in its history file.

The Lotus Elite Type 75

When Lotus unveiled the Type 75 Elite in 1974 they were in the midst of trying to cast off their reputation as a kit car maker and move upmarket to better challenge their European rivals.

One step in this shift was the sale of the kit-built Lotus 7 to Caterham who would keep in in production for decades, right through to the modern day.

An image from 1974 of Colin Chapman (right) handing the keys of his new Lotus Elite to Ronnie Peterson (left).

The Type 75 was designed by Oliver Winterbottom with much of the engineering being designed by Chapman himself – it would be one of the final cars developed by him, though he did develop the DeLorean DMC-12 for John  DeLorean shortly after the Type 75.

Winterbottom’s design was more angular than many of the Lotus cars that had come before it, perhaps a precursor of what was to come with the Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Lotus Esprit that would appear a year later in 1975.

The Type 75 has a shooting brake layout, two doors with a station wagon or estate rear end. The car has 2+2 seating, ample rear cargo space (by sports car standards), four-wheel independent suspension on coil springs, with power provided by the double overhead cam, four-valve, four-cylinder Lotus Type 907 engine.

Lotus would keep the Type 75 and the closely related Type 83 Elite in production until 1982, they built 2,535 of them in total and only a fraction of that number are thought to have survived to the modern day.

Lotus would likely have used the fact that their Formula 1 drivers were piloting their road cars when not racing in their advertising and PR campaigns. A strategy still employed very successfully today in modern Formula 1.

The Ronnie Peterson’s Lotus Elite Type 75

As mentioned above, this car was given to Swedish icon Petersen in 1974 by Colin Chapman himself. Petersen was driving for the Lotus Formula 1 team at the time, having joined in 1973.

It would be one of two stints with Lotus in Petersen’s career, he returned in 1978 to partner with fellow driver Mario Andretti. Tragically Petersen would be killed as a result of a first lap crash at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, despite this he still finished the season in second place, with Andretti taking the World Championship.

Petersen’s Type 75 is a 502, this means it has air-conditioning but not power steering (503) or an automatic transmission (504) – the 502 is considered by many to be the perfect specification for the car.

Historics Auctioneers will be offering this car for auction with no reserve on the 12th of March, if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of Historics Auctioneers

The post Ronnie Peterson’s Lotus Elite Type 75 Is For Sale appeared first on Silodrome.

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For Sale: A ZIL 131 6×6 Ex-Soviet Military Camper Truck

This is a 6×6 camper version of the ZIL 131, one of the toughest military trucks in history. The ZIL 131 has been in use by the Soviets for decades as a platform for the 9P138 Rocket Launcher, and for carrying loads, hauling equipment, and towing artillery.

The camper section on the back of the truck is largely original to Soviet standards (including a Geiger counter), looking like a vehicle from a Hollywood film set. There are some modern additions however, including a flatscreen TV and modern kitchen equipment.

Fast Facts – ZIL 131 6×6 Military Camper

• The ZIL 131 is the ruggedized, military version of the ZIL 130, the trucks share many components however the 131 was offered with either 4×4 or 6×6 drivetrains and a slew of other modifications for military use.
• The Soviets, and later the Russians, created a significant number of ZIL 131 variations including troop transport, cargo transport, artillery towing, mobile command center, and as a platform for the Grad-1 Artillery Rocket System.
• Well over 1,000,00 examples of the ZIL 131 would be built between 1962 and 2012, a production run that spanned a remarkable 50 years. Over two dozen other nations would use the ZIL 131 in their own armed forces, and the trucks remain active today with over a dozen countries, including Russia.
• The ZIL 131 uses body-on-chassis architecture, power is provided by a front mounted 7.0 liter V8 (gasoline or diesel), power is sent to all four (or all six) wheels via a 5-speed transmission and the truck has a top speed of 80 km/h.

ZIL – Zavod Imeni Likhachyova

ZIL (Zavod Imeni Likhachyova) was one of the largest automobile, truck, military vehicle, and heavy equipment makers in Russia for much of the history of the Soviet Union and beyond – the company didn’t cease operations until 2012.

A wide variety of vehicles were built by ZIL, from the luxurious limousines used by the political elite in the Soviet Union, like the ZIL 114, to the rugged military trucks that could handle Siberian winters just as well as summers in the Sahara.

The camper in the rear has an L-shaped couch that converts quickly into a double bed when required. It also has a two burner stovetop, and adequate cupboard space for essentials.

The company managed to survive the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, in fact it remained in business and in production well into the 21st century, not succumbing to bankruptcy until 2012.

The ZIL 131 Military Truck

The ZIL 131 is a military truck that was first released in 1962, it was almost entirely new and very few parts from its predecessor, the ZIL 164, were used.

Standard truck layout was used, with body-on-chassis design, a front mounted engine, a two door cab, and a rear cargo tray. The ZIL 131 was built with in both 4×4 or 6×6 versions, the latter offering more cargo carrying capacity on and off road.

Diesel and gasoline versions of the 7.0 liter V8 were used, and there was a fuel flexible option that could be run on a number of different fuels including ethanol. Power is sent to the live axles via a 5-speed manual transmission and the top speed is a relatively sedate 80 km/h (50 mph).

A remarkable number of different versions of the 131 were created to fulfill the many roles required of the truck by the Soviet armed forces. The most common is the standard 4×4 tray-back version used for hauling cargo and troops, the larger 6×6 is rarer and was largely used for hauling and towing heavier loads, and as the platform for the BM-21 Grad rocket launching system.

Inside the cab there is seating for three and inside that central glovebox you’ll find a screen for the modern reversing camera system.

One other use of the six-wheel drive version was as a mobile command center and accommodation, almost certainly only for high ranking brass. Though relatively spartan by modern camper standards it would have been luxurious by the standards of Soviet military camps at the time, and it included a convenient Geiger counter mounted on the wall in case you strayed too close to Chernobyl.

The 1986 ZIL 131 6×6 Military Camper Shown Here

The ZIL 131 you see here is one of the rarer command center and accommodation versions of the 6×6 variant. It’s largely original inside though the couches that convert into a bed are a more modern addition, as is the sink and twin gas burners hiding under the counter top.

In the roof you’ll find a lockable hatch allowing roof access, as well as cupboards, shelves, and plenty of period correct Soviet instrumentation. Up front in the cab you’ll find a discrete reversing camera system with the screen hidden inside the glove box. This is likely very useful as the truck has essential no rearward visibility other than the side mirrors.

This truck has a central tire inflation system, allowing the driver to monitor the pressure of all six tires and adjust it on the fly for different terrain and conditions. The original military camouflage has been kept in place and the truck remains mostly original, with a few updates to make it suitable as a modern camper.

If you’d like to read more about it you can click here to visit the listing on Car & Classic. It’s being auctioned live online at the moment, and it’s currently situated in Kent, England.

Images courtesy of Car & Classic

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For Sale: A Ferrari 308 GTB “Vetroresina” Rally Car

This 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB is one of the rarer “Vetroresina” cars with a body made almost entirely from lightweight fiberglass with the exception of the aluminum front lid.

Later cars would get steel bodies that weighed 150 kgs (330 lbs) more, and as a result the Vetroresina cars are sought after for motorsport use. This would be the first and last time that Ferrari would release a car with a fiberglass body, though they have used various fiberglass body parts on some production cars.

Fast Facts – The Ferrari 308 GTB “Vetroresina”

• The Ferrari 308 GTB and GTS were released in 1975 as a direct successor to the popular Ferrari Dino 246 GT and GTS. The design of the 308 and the 246 were designed to be related, with the later car looking considerably more modern.
• For the first time in Ferrari’s history, it was decided to release a production car with a fiberglass body – something the company had been resisting since the 1950s despite the weight benefits.
• When it was released the 308 GTB was powered by a 2.9 liter Ferrari V8 with double overhead cams per bank. Power was rated at 252 bhp in European trim and 237 bhp in USA-specific trim due to emissions equipment, and Vetroresina cars weighed just 1,090 kgs or 2,403 lbs.
• By 1977 Ferrari had changed its mind about the use of fiberglass, and stamped steel bodies that looked almost identical were built by Scaglietti. The weight penalty was approximately 150 kilograms or 330 lbs.

A New Dino – The Ferrari 308 GTB

Though officially the car that carried the Dino name after the Dino 246 GTB was the 308 GT4, the true successor to the 246-series Dinos was the car you see here – the 308 GTB coupe and it’s targa-topped sibling, the 308 GTS.

This car has been modified for regularity rally use with Sparco racing seats and harnesses, lightweight alloy wheels, and a new racing livery.

The 308 GTB was designed by Leonardo Fioravanti at Pininfarina, he had worked with Aldo Brovarone in the 1960s on the design of the Dino 206 GT and the later 246 GT, and was the perfect man to style its replacement.

It’s clear that Fioravanti developed the look of the 308 GTB with influence from his earlier Dino, though the newer car was far more modern looking – defining the leap from 1960s automobile design to 1970s automobile design.

Ferrari 308 GTB Specifications + History

Under the sleek new body of the 308 GTB lay much the same tubular steel chassis as was used on the Dino and the later 308 GT4, and the car is powered by the Ferrari 2.9 liter V8 with double overhead cams per bank.

The 308 GTB rides on independent front and rear suspension consisting of double wishbones and coil springs front and back, telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers, front and rear anti-roll bars, and disc brakes were used on all four corners.

Inside the well-appointed interior you’ll find comfortable seating for two, a gated 5-speed manual transmission, a number of luxury items that made the cars ideal for use as a grand tourer.

With the exception of the seats the interior remains largely original right down to the gated shifter. One notable addition is a red battery cut off switch for safety.

For the first two years, 1975 and 1976, Ferrari took the unusual decision to have the bodies made from fiberglass. This saved considerable weight and had no effect on structural rigidity as the car used a spaceframe chassis.

This experiment with fiberglass was relatively short lived, by late 1976 cars destined for the USA were being fitted with steel bodies, and by mid-1977 the European market cars joined them.

Ferrari would later return to using composites for bodies, though only more high-end materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber, with fiberglass relegated to smaller parts on occasion, like noise sections and valances.

In total over the 1975 to 1980 production run Ferrari would build 6,116 examples of the 308 GTB/GTS, just 808 of them are the early Vetroresina models. These cars are now sought after both for their rarity and for their low weight, tipping the scales at just 1,090 kgs (2,403 lbs) versus the steel-bodied cars 1,240 kgs (2,734 lbs).

The Ferrari 308 GTB Rally Car Shown Here

The car you see here is a 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina that has been lightly modified for use in regularity rallies in Europe.

The 2.9 liter V8 and its 5-speed transmission are transversely mounted for space saving, it leaves room for a small trunk space and it makes a little more room inside the passenger compartment.

This GTB was originally sold by Pozzi in France and it was later bought by a collector who acquired the car for his son as a gift upon his graduation – interestingly he was also the publisher of the Porsche magazine Flat Six.

Since buying the car the current owner has sent it to Cote Fleurie Automobiles, in Trouville, Normandy for a full servicing that included work on the clutch, brakes, suspension, exhaust, hoses, ignition, and timing belts.

Since this time the car has been used in a number of regularity rallies, the owner has now decided to put the car up for sale and they explain that the car will be fully serviced before the sale, including the fitment of new timing belts.

The car will also be accompanied by recently refurbished magnesium wheels, a nose pod for rallying with four spotlights, and two original seats on which the black upholstery has been redone.

If you’d like to read more about this car you can click here to visit the listing or register to bid. It’s due to cross the auction block with Artcurial in Paris on the 18th of March with a price guide of $114,300 USD – $171,500 USD.

Images courtesy of Stéphane Marie via Artcurial

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Live Online Auction: A McLaren MP4/2 Porsche-TAG Formula 1 Engine

This is an original McLaren MP4/2 Porsche-TAG F1 engine, it’s a member of the engine family used by the McLaren Formula 1 team during their dominant romp to multiple World Championship wins in the mid-1980s.

These 1.5 liter V6 engines represented a huge gamble by McLaren, trusting that Porsche could deliver a championship-winning power unit right out of the box – and they certainly weren’t disappointed.

Fast Facts – The TAG-Porsche McLaren F1 Engine

• At the absolute pinnacle of this engine’s development it was capable of 1,060 bhp at 12,600 rpm in qualifying tune, thanks in no small part to the twin KKK turbochargers squeezing 3.2 lbs of boost into the intake.
• This engine, officially known as the TAG-Porsche TTE PO1, was co-developed by Porsche and McLaren, with watchmaker TAG (Techniques d’Avant Garde) footing the bill in return for naming rights.
• Legendary Formula 1 designer John Barnard led the project, working closely with Porsche’s Hans Mezger to get the packaging correct so that the car would both work as a stressed chassis member and work within the strict aerodynamic boundaries of the rear half of the car.
• Just 40 examples of the final production design of the engine would be built, it was a 1,499cc 90º V6 with twin turbos and for its first season it was producing between 650 bhp and 800 bhp depending on the state of tune.

The 1984 F1 Season And Beyond

Once installed into the back of the McLaren MP4/2 F1 car for its first season in 1984, this new engine quickly proved dominant over the competition from BMW, Renault, and Ferrari. This success was helped along by the fact that McLaren had two of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time working for them – Nikki Lauda and Alain Prost.

Over the course of the 1984 season Lauda and Prost would take 12 wins from the 16 races and launched Lauda to his third and final World Driver’s Championship, with Prost coming second by half a point despite the fact that he’d actually won more races – 7 vs 5.

Upon disassembly you’ll note that this engine has all its major parts in place and the seller notes it would be an excellent candidate for a rebuild back to full working order.

The TAG-Porsche V6 would power McLaren for four years between ’84 and ’87, in total it powered the team at three Drivers’ Championships, two Constructors’ Championships, and a total of 25 wins from 68 races.

The McLaren MP4/2 Porsche-TAG Engine Shown Here

The engine you see here is the 29th of the 40 that were built and unlike some other examples of this engine that have come up for sale, this one still has all its important internal parts like the crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, cams, valves, etc.

The seller is a respected figure in the world of vintage Formula 1 cars and parts, in fact he owns a classic F1 car himself and regularly drives in on track.

This engine is potentially rebuildable in the right set of (experienced) hands, making it both an excellent display piece and perhaps a useful spare engine for any current owners of the McLaren MP4 generation cars that were powered by the TAG-Porsche in period.

If you’d like to read more about this engine or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Collecting Cars. It’s currently being auctioned live online, with approximately a week left to bid.

This cutaway gives a look inside the championship winning McLaren MP4/2, you can see the Porsche-TAG TTE PO1 V6 in the rear. Image courtesy of McLaren.

Images courtesy of Matt Woods Photography via Collecting Cars

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