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An Affordable Le Mans Classic Racer: The 1960s TVR Grantura

The TVR Grantura is a member of an increasingly rare subset within the classic car world – vehicles with impeccable period competition history that are still affordable enough to be bought by the average Joe. Or Josephine for that matter.

Over the decades TVR has developed a global reputation for building “proper” sports cars designed to go as fast as possible without the excess weight and complexity of things like ABS, traction control, or airbags. TVRs are purely analogue machines – if you crash one, it’s your own fault.

Fast Facts – The TVR Grantura

The TVR Grantura was the first production car ever built by the Blackpool-based company. The first Grantura appeared in 1958 and the model was sold until 1967, spread across five generations from Mark I to Mark IV, and including the 1800S.
The origin story of the name “TVR” is perhaps the single best-loved piece of automotive trivia in all of British history. The company was simply named by its founder – a man named Trevor. He took three letters out of his name and ran with it, creating an enduring sports car brand with a fiercely loyal fanbase.
As TVR’s first production car, the Grantura set the standard for the many TVRs that would follow. The car has a lightweight fiberglass body, a tubular steel backbone chassis, and an engine and many other parts sourced from major automakers to help save costs.
The car you see here is the Mark II version of the TVR Grantura, it’s powered by a 1600cc MGA engine fitted with a few go faster bits, power is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission and a BMC rear axle.

Trevor + TVR

In the 1950s the western world was awash with low-volume car makers using fiberglass bodies, some variation of a tubular steel chassis, and bought-in engines, gearboxes, suspension, and brakes.

Though the car itself has been restored the interior has been kept largely original, so as not to remove decades of patina.

Very few of these automakers would survive for more than a few years, though many legends were born during this automotive primordial soup era – companies like Lotus, Marcos, and TVR.

TVR had started out in 1946 in Blackpool, England. The company was founded by Trevor Wilkinson, he initially called it Trevcar Motors however it was soon changed to the name it still carries today – TVR.

The early years were defined by Wilkinson working largely alone, repairing cars and doing other automotive work, but this all changed in 1949 when he developed and built his own chassis alongside his company’s first employee – Jack Pickard.

Early successes encouraged the two men, and they developed a series of one-off road cars and racing cars. By 1958 they were ready of the big league – they developed the TVR Grantura as their first production automobile and put it on sale.

Weighing in at just 650 kilograms or 1,433 lbs, the TVR Grantura is both lightweight and aerodynamic – making it a formidable race car in its displacement class.

The TVR Grantura

The TVR Grantura was developed using the many lessons that had been learned in the early years of the company. The Grantura was intended to be a road-legal sports car that would double as a highly effective racing car – with a few modifications here and there.

All generations of the Grantura had a tubular steel backbone chassis – this would be a design feature used by TVR in one way or another for decades and it’s a concept that works exceedingly well.

This chassis was clothed in a fiberglass body that was quick to make and very lightweight, and many other parts including the drivetrain, brakes, and suspension were sourced from other mass-produce British cars.

The Mark I Grantura was a relatively simple affair, with a choice of engines from 1.1, 1.2, and 1.6 liters. It had drum brakes from the Austin-Healey 100 and VW Beetle-based front and rear suspension.

This is the BMC 1,588cc inline four that was also used in the MGA. This engine has been rebuilt by Hurley, and it retains its twin SU carburetors.

The Mark II Grantura was a more refined car and a sign of things to come, it now came with the 1.6 liter MGA engine as standard and it had a longer, stronger chassis as well as independent suspension on all four corners.

The TVR Grantura became a common sight on race tracks around Britain, frequently winning and/or landing in the podium places. The cars were also raced on the Continent and across the Atlantic in North America against other cars in their engine class – like the Porsche 356, the MGA, various Triumphs and Lotuses, and more exotic cars like the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ.

Thanks to the low weight of the Mark II, just 650 kilograms or 1,433 lbs, the car would frequently beat production cars (like the MGA) that its engine was sourced from.

The Grantura would continue to be modified and refined over the course of its production run, right up until it was replaced by the somewhat similar TVR Vixen in 1967.

The original seats, central tunnel upholstery, door cards, and roof lining have all been kept in place, giving the car the look and feel of a proper ’60s racer.

The TVR Grantura Mark II Shown Here

The car you see here is the slightly more refined Mark II version of the Grantura, with the stronger, longer chassis, the more powerful 1.6 liter MGA engine, and independent suspension all round.

Originally registered new in England in April 1961, this TVR was fitted with the popular 1588cc BMC engine also used in the MGA. It was kept for 28 years by its first owner, it was then sold to a collector who took the car to numerous events and won several prizes with it.

Over four years between 2006 and 2010, the car was fully restored down to the bare chassis, it retained the original upholstery and interior, and a new 5-speed gearbox was fitted – though the original will also be delivered with the car.

Specialists Hurley rebuilt the 1.6 liter engine, including the twin SU carburetors and the rare HRG Engineering rocker cover. The car is now registered in France and it comes with a lengthy history folder, including invoices, photos, letters, technical documentation, period articles and even a period user manual.

If you’d like to read more or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing. It’s due to cross across the auction block on the 18th of March with a price guide of $22,800 – $34,200 USD.

Images courtesy of Artcurial

The post An Affordable Le Mans Classic Racer: The 1960s TVR Grantura appeared first on Silodrome.

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A Rare Supercar Killer: The Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400

This is the only alloy-bodied Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400 in the world. While that name may be a bit of a mouthful it does tell you something important – this featherweight two-seater is powered by a supercharged Cosworth engine producing 400 bhp.

400 bhp is vastly more than most cars produce, even most modern sports cars, and it’s within sight of the 471 bhp produced by the Ferrari F40 and the 444 bhp produced by the Porsche 959. The key difference being weight – the Brooke Cosworth weighs in at just 510 kgs (1,124 lbs).

Fast Facts – The Brooke Cosworth Double R

The Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400 was introduced in Britain in 2006 and it quickly received glowing reviews from British motoring media.
The car is an all-new design based on the earlier Brooke Kensington ME190 designed to compete with the Caterham CSR 260. Unlike the Caterham, the Brooke has a mid-engined layout.
Just 15 examples of the Double R were ever made and the car you see here is the only one with a full alloy body – a £15,000 ($20,300 USD) factory option.
The non-supercharged version of the Brooke Cosworth Double R has a tubular steel spaceframe chassis, a longitudinally mid-mounted 2.3 liter 260 bhp Cosworth inline four-cylinder engine, a 5-speed gearbox, independent suspension and disc brakes at all four corners, and either a fiberglass or alloy body.

Brooke Cars And The Cosworth Double R

When the Brooke Cosworth Double R and its sibling, the Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400 were released in 2006 it’s likely that the folks over at Caterham sat up and took notice.

The cockpit is spartan to say the least, with seating for two a shared footwell, a removable steering wheel, and a right-side shifter.

Based on the design of the earlier Brooke Kensington ME190, the Brooke Cosworth Double R was a re-engineered vehicle with no interchangeable parts with its forebear. It has a lot in common with the cars from Caterham with the exception of one thing – the engine is behind the driver rather than in front of them.

Brooke Kensington was originally founded in the mid-1990s as a kit car company, one of many in the UK, producing their unusual two-seater that seemed to take equal parts of influence from the Light Car Company’s Rocket and the Caterham 7.

Brooke Cosworth Double R Specifications

The company was taken over in the early 2000s by James Booker, with James Rose (ex-MG Rover) as the primary technical development engineer. They developed two key versions of the car, the non-supercharged Brooke Cosworth Double R, and the supercharged variant with 400 bhp, the appropriately named Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400.

Both cars are powered by the 2.3 liter 260 bhp Cosworth inline four-cylinder engine, essentially the same engine used by the Caterham CSR 260. Each of these engines was built by hand by Cosworth in the same facility where they were making the engines for the Williams Formula 1 Team.

This is the supercharged version of the 2.3 liter Ford Cosworth inline four-cylinder engine, it produces 400 bhp despite its diminutive size and it was built by the same people who were building Formula 1 engines for Williams.

The naturally aspirated version of this engine produced 260 bhp, with the supercharged version making 400 bhp.

In a car that weighs just 510 kgs (1,124 lbs) the 260 bhp engine option was already more than ample, but with the 400 bhp engine the Brooke became a legitimate supercar killer – accelerating from 0 – 60 mph in ~2.9 seconds, and on to 100 mph in 6.5 seconds.

Though obviously the top speed of your average supercar will be higher, this only has a limited impact on a race track where the acceleration, braking, and cornering abilities of the Brooke would potentially give it an edge – depending on the specific track of course.

Thanks to its stiff, lightweight tubular steel spaceframe chassis, its lightweight fiberglass (or alloy) body, race-tuned independent suspension on all four corners and four wheel disc brakes, the Brooke Cosworth Double R was one of the quickest cars in its £31,995 ($43,350 USD) price range.

The End Of The Road

At some point between 2006 and 2014 Brooke Cars ceased trading, information about it is scarce but the cars the company built during their brief few years of operation are now much sought after by those looking for an interesting alternative to a Caterham 7.

Operating a low-volume car company is a difficult business, the majority that try it tend to fail, however thanks to those that try we have ended up with a number of fascinating cars throughout history – vehicles like the Tucker 48, Bricklin SV-1, DeLorean DMC-12, Vector W8, and the car you see here, the Brooke Cosworth Double R.

Just 1 of the 15 cars that were built had the full alloy body option, it costs an extra £15,000 ($20,300 USD).

The Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400 Shown Here

This is actually the second time we’ve featured this car on Silodrome, it was last sold in 2021 and since this time it’s accumulated very little mileage.

This car is one of just 15 that were built and it’s the only one with a full aluminum alloy body, originally a £15,000 ($20,300 USD) factory option.

The first owner of this car kept it in an air tight storage bubble for the first 12 years of its life. The second owner drove it a little more frequently but the mileage stayed very low, just 1,369 at the time of cataloguing.

In January of 2022 this Brooke was given a servicing by Bell Sport and Classic, and it’s now ready for its new owner – whether they should wish to drive it or store it as an investment.

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.

Images courtesy of Silverstone Auctions

The post A Rare Supercar Killer: The Brooke Cosworth Double R Supercharged 400 appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/brooke-cosworth-double-r-car/
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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.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/ronnie-peterson-lotus-elite/
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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

The post For Sale: A ZIL 131 6×6 Ex-Soviet Military Camper Truck appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/zil-131-truck-russian/
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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.