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The AMC Eagle SX/4 – An American 4×4 Sports Car That Was Ahead Of Its Time

The AMC Eagle SX/4 was a car decades ahead of its time, it offered a sports car body with increased ground clearance and a four-wheel drive powertrain, creating an entirely new automotive genre overnight.

The larger but closely related AMC Eagle had been released in 1979, it’s widely regarded as the first American “Crossover” vehicle that combined road car comfort and handling with a four-wheel drive system and increased ground clearance for the occasional off-road excursion.

Fast Facts – The AMC Eagle SX/4

The AMC Eagle SX/4 was one of the world’s first four-wheel drive sports crossover vehicles, it combined the body of the AMC Spirit with a 4×4 drivetrain and increased ground clearance.
AMC introduced the Eagle SX/4 in 1981 to accompany the larger AMC Eagle line of 4×4 vehicles that had been introduced in 1979.
The series proved immediately popular for AMC, and helped keep the company afloat as their Jeep line of 4x4s suffered waning popularity during the 1979 Oil Crisis due to their poor mileage.
The AMC Eagle SX/4 was powered by either the Iron Duke 2.5 liter inline-four or the 4.2 liter inline-six cylinder engines, the automatic transmission came as standard, and cars either had full time four-wheel drive or switchable 2×4 / 4×4 systems.

The Sports Car That Doesn’t Always Need A Road

Period reviews for the AMC Eagle SX/4 were overwhelmingly positive, albeit often a little bemused by the unusual nature of this new sports car with higher ground clearance and a four-wheel drive system. The usefulness of such a vehicle was undeniable – particularly for those who live through long snowy, icy winters.

Above Image: This is a period advertisement for the AMC Eagle SX/4, these cars became popular in northern latitudes with regular heavy snowfalls, as the four-wheel drive system made them much easier to handle in slippery conditions.

Magazine reviews from the likes of Popular Mechanics and Car and Driver lauded the capabilities of the quirky new crossover, with the Popular Mechanics review coinciding with a particularly snowy Detroit winter.

At the time, passenger cars with four-wheel drive systems were largely unheard of. The Jensen FF two-door four-wheel drive GT car had been released in England back in the late 1960s of course, but the AMC Eagle pre-dated the Audi Quattro and the many 4×4 passenger cars that were to come.

AMC had hired the company behind the Jensen FF who had developed an all-wheel drive system designed for passenger cars, “FF” stands for “Ferguson Formula,” the name chosen for the system by Ferguson Research Ltd.

The Eagle SX/4 had been created by taking the AMC Spirit, a fastback unibody sports car coupe, and adding a variant of the four-wheel drive system used on the full-size AMC Eagle, which had been co-developed by AMC and Ferguson Research.

The AMC Eagle predated the SX/4 by two years, and it had been developed by taking the AMC Concord, offered in station wagon, coupe, and four-door sedan versions, and adding elevated suspension and a four-wheel drive powertrain.

This is a period ad for the AMC Eagle, the larger 4×4 four-door station wagon in the model line that used the body from the AMC Concord.

On its release in 1981, AMC billed the Eagle SX/4 as “The Sports Car That Doesn’t Always Need A Road,” and while this may have been leaning a little towards hyperbole it does clearly demonstrate their intentions for the model.

The End Of AMC

Ultimately the innovative Eagle and Eagle SX/4 wouldn’t be enough to save AMC, the company suffered serious financial losses in the mid-1980s and it was eventually sold out to Chrysler in 1987.

Chrysler were mainly interested in the Jeep brand that was owned by AMC, as well as their factories and expansive nationwide dealership network.

The AMX Eagle and SX/4 would remain in production until 1988 when they were axed by Chrysler. Today the cars are looked back on has historically important given their innovative nature, but they haven’t yet become collectors items outside of their own niche enthusiast group.

This is an original ad for the AMC Eagle SX/4, the smaller 4×4 sports car coupe that was based on the AMC Spirit body.

The AMC Eagle SX/4 Shown Here

The car you see here is a one-owner, six-cylinder 1982 AMC Eagle SX/4 that is said to have been sitting unused since 1995.

The seller spent some time getting the car back into running and driving condition, the car is now operational and the 2×4/4×4 switch is working, however it’s clear that plenty more work needs to be done to get the car back into proper road worthy condition.

There is a highly active AMC Eagle community online that specializes in sourcing parts and helping to keep the cars on the road, and given the unique nature of the cars it seems only a matter of time before the wider classic car community rediscovers them

If you’d like to take the project on you can click here to visit the eBay listing, it’s being offered out of Hatboro, Pennsylvania and at the time of writing there are a few days left to bid.

This is the drivetrain of the AMC Eagle and Eagle SX/4 cars, it utilizes a live axle rear on leaf springs, with independent suspension on coil springs up front.

Images courtesy of eBay Motors

The post The AMC Eagle SX/4 – An American 4×4 Sports Car That Was Ahead Of Its Time appeared first on Silodrome.

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The Weird & Wonderful Reyonnah 175 Prototype N°1 From 1951

This is the Reyonnah 175 Prototype N°1, as the name suggests it’s the first Reyonnah 175 prototype and had French automotive history played out slightly differently, this car could have been just as famous as microcars like the Brütsch Mopetta, the Peel P50, and the Messerschmitt KR200.

Perhaps the single best feature of the Reyonnah 175 is the fold-in front wheels, when parking this allows the driver to lift the front of the car, the front wheels fold in, and the car can be rolled into a motorcycle parking space.

Fast Facts – Reyonnah 175 Microcar

The Reyonnah 175 was the brainchild of Frenchman Robert Hannoyer, the name of the car is Hannoyer’s surname in reverse (an ananym), and he developed it out the back of his wife’s store over a period of three years in the late 1940s.
The post-WWII period in Europe was a time of strict austerity, gasoline and raw materials were in short supply, as a result small motorcycles, motor scooters, and microcars became popular forms of transportation for millions of Europeans.
Robert Hannoyer’s Reyonnah microcar has seating for two in tandem, a folding roof, a rear mounted engine, small windscreen, and four wheels. The two rear wheels have a narrow track and the two front wheels have a wide track for stability, but they can be folded in for easy parking.
The car was first shown at the 1950 Paris Auto Show where many orders were taken, the car caused a buzz and demand was strong, but mass-production required a major automaker to come onboard and none were forthcoming. Just 16 are thought to have been made.

The French And Their Fabulous Machines

Since the invention of the automobile, France has been responsible for many of the motoring world’s most unusual cars. Vehicles like the Citroën 2CV and its four-wheel drive sibling the Citroën 2CV 4×4 Sahara, the Helicron, Citroën Méhari, Matra Djet, Renault 4, Citroën DS, Bugatti Type 32 “Tank Car,” the Panhard CD, and countless others.

This phenomenon may be explained by the fact that the French like to drink at lunch on workdays. Whatever the reason, it’s given the car world some variety and innovation that it would never have seen otherwise.

Above Video: This film shows the Reyonnah 175 in action, with its creator showing you around the vehicle and tailing about its history. It’s in French however YouTube does offer auto-translated closed captions, if you click the gear icon in the lower right of the screen and select “Subtitles/CC.”

Robert Hannoyer’s Unusual Reyonnah 175

The Reyonnah microcar started life somewhat humbly, as a hand-built prototype built by a Parisian man named Robert Hannoyer out behind his wife’s shop in the late 1940s.

He spent three years on the design and development immediately after WWII, when raw materials and gasoline were in very short supply. Hannoyer realized that the vast majority of cars on the streets of Europe contained just one person, perhaps two.

The Reyonnah was first shown to the world at the 1950 Paris Auto Show where it attracted quite a response, including many orders from people who wanted one for themselves. Hannoyer also took the car to a number of other shows and concours events – it never failed to draw a crowd though sadly no major automakers took interest in the project.

With the front lifted the two front wheels fold inwards, giving the Reyonnah a narrower track and allowing it to fit into a motorcycle parking bay. Lifting the front is made easy by the fact that the weight of the engine is in the rear.

Hannoyer built approximately 16 of them in total before the project was shut down for good. The clever design of the Reyonnah and its ability to park in such a small space made it a better solution for many prospective microcar buyers, and it would likely have been successful if it had been produced in volume.

Reyonnah 175 Microcar Specifications

Hannoyer designed a car that could carry up to two people while using as little fuel and requiring the least amount of raw materials possible. His first prototype, the car you see here, was powered by a rear-mounted 175cc single-cylinder AMC engine with a three-speed gearbox powering the rear wheels.

The car can accommodate two people sitting in tandem, and unlike its three-wheeled contemporaries, the Reyonnah microcar has excellent stability due to its four-wheels. The rear two wheels are closer together and the front two are wider apart, however if you lift the front of the car the two front wheels fold inwards – meaning you can use a motorcycle parking bay.

As with a normal sized car, the Reyonnah has a steering wheel, three pedals, and a shift lever mounted to the right of the steering column.

For practicality Hannoyer designed the car with a windscreen and a folding top, later versions also had headlights and indicators.

The 1951 Reyonnah 175 Prototype N°1 Shown Here

The car you see here is the first of the Reyonnahs, prototype number one. This is the car that was taken by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) for testing where it traveled 50 km at an average of more than 95 km/h at the Montlhéry autodrome.

This car also took part in the 1951 Paris-Chartres-Paris, and it participated in several concours d’elegance, including Enghien-les-Bains with actress Paulette Dubost.

Robert Hannoyer kept this car for many years, and after his passing it remained with his family for sentimental reasons, though they have now decided to part with it so it can receive the care it needs. It requires a restoration or a recommissioning, though some work has already been done and the car is running and driving.

If you’d like to read more about this unusual microcar or register to bid you can click here. It’s due to cross the auction block in Paris on the 18th of March with a price guide of $67,900 – $90,500 USD.

Images courtesy of Artcurial

The post The Weird & Wonderful Reyonnah 175 Prototype N°1 From 1951 appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/reyonnah-175-car/
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Top Gear Presenter Chris Harris Is Selling His Ferrari 512 TR

This 1992 Ferrari 512 TR currently belongs to Top Gear presenter Chris Harris, he bought it back in 2013 and featured the car in a film titled “Bread” on the /DRIVE YouTube channel which has now amassed 1.4 million views and counting.

Harris started out at Autocar magazine almost 20 years ago, his first tasks there were menial jobs like cleaning ashtrays, though he quickly rose to become the road-test editor. He would later write for Evo Magazine and Jalopnik among many others, before being appointed as a Top Gear presenter in 2016.

Fast Facts – Chris Harris’ Ferrari 512 TR

The Ferrari 512 TR was first released in 1991 as the closely related successor to the Ferrari Testarossa – a supercar that became a ’80s icon thanks in part to its prominent roles in the Miami Vice TV series and the Sega video game OutRun.
Though the 512 TR and the Testarossa look almost indistinguishable to the untrained eye, the 512 TR had a modified chassis, uprated suspension and brakes, a series of engine and transmission modifications, and the engine was lowered by 30mm to further improve handling.
Including the closely related Testarossa, 512 TR, and F512 M models Ferrari sold almost 10,000 units, making it one of the Italian marque’s most mass-produced models.
The 512 TR you see here was bought by Chris Harris in 2013 with 52,000 miles on the odometer, he’s used it sparingly and today it shows just over 66,000 miles – the car has been regularly serviced by Ferrari Swindon and Bob Houghton.

The Ferrari 512 TR – An Evolution Of The Testarossa

That “TR” at the end of the model name stands for “Testa Rossa,” a hat tip to the Ferrari Testarossa that the car is closely based on, which itself was named after the World Sportscar Championship winning 1957 250 Ferrari Testa Rossa racing car.

Above Video: This is the original episode of /Drive from 2013 that features Chris Harris driving the 512 TR you see here at speed through the French countryside.

The name “Testarossa” means “Red Head” in Italian, this is probably one of the most quoted pieces of automotive pub trivia in the world, along with the fact that British automaker TVR is named for its founder Trevor, and the fact that the Volkswagen Beetle was developed on instructions from Adolf Hitler.

When it was released in 1984 the Ferrari Testarossa lit the automotive world on fire, its primary task was to compete with the Lamborghini Countach, and to replace the outgoing Ferrari 512 BB.

The Testarossa was wider, longer, more spacious, and more powerful than its predecessor, yet it used fundamentally the same engine – a 4,943cc 180° Ferrari flat-12 engine named the Tipo F113.

Ferrari would keep the Pininfarina-designed Testarossa in production from 1984 until 1991, at which point it was replaced with the Ferrari 512 TR – essentially an evolved version of its predecessor.

The flat-12 Ferrari Tipo F113 is sometimes referred to as a flat V-12. It has a displacement of 4,943cc, double overhead cams per bank, 48 valves, and it produces 422 bhp at 6,750 rpm.

The Ferrari 512 TR – Specifications

Ferrari incorporated a significant number of upgrades into the 512 TR, the tubular steel chassis was modified, the flat-12 engine was lowered by 30mm, the double A-arm suspension was modified front and rear, improved brakes were fitted, and some minor modifications were made to the body to improve aerodynamics.

The 512 TR was given a modified version of the Tipo F113 flat-12 used in the Testarossa and before that in the 512 BB. The compression ratio was increased from 9.3:1 to 10.0:1, it was given re-profiled camshafts, the ports and valves were enlarged, the inlet plenums were redesigned, and the fuel injection system was changed over to the Bosch Motronic M2.7 model.

Overall the power was increased from 385 bhp to 422 bhp at 6,750 rpm, with torque increasing very slightly from 361 lb ft up to 362 lb ft at 5,500 rpm.

These updates were enough to keep the almost 10 year old Testarossa platform in production for a few more years, the 512 TR is arguably the best example of the breed, and there’s still something otherworldly about the sound that emanates from that engine when its approaching on the red line.

The inside of all the Testarossa model series cars was noticeably bigger than the outgoing 512 BB model, with more width, headroom, and leg room.

Chris Harris’ Ferrari 512 TR

As mentioned above, this is Chris Harris’ Ferrari 512 TR. It’s a car that he’s owned for almost 10 years, he’s used it on a number of trips including a family holiday to France – this is when the /DRIVE film above was made.

He’s now offering it for sale in a live online auction on the Collecting Cars platform, at the time of writing there are six days left to bid and the bidding is currently sitting on £80,000.

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

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

The post Top Gear Presenter Chris Harris Is Selling His Ferrari 512 TR appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/chris-harris-ferrari-512-tr/
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The Ford Capri – This Was The “European Ford Mustang”

The Ford Capri was originally intended to be named the Ford “Colt,” an equine reference to the venerable Ford Mustang. Ford hoped that the Capri would mirror the American success of the Mustang and in many ways it did, becoming one of the most popular sports cars in Europe.

The Capri was developed, engineered, and built entirely in Europe by Ford’s European and British subsidiaries. It was designed by American Philip T. Clark, who worked on the design team of the first Mustang.

Fast Facts – The Ford Capri

When the Ford Mustang was released in 1964 it became one of the best selling cars in the country, and it single-handedly founded the “Pony Car” genre that went on to become one of the most enduring over the past 50+ years.
This incredible success was something that Ford hoped to replicate in Europe, however it was believed that the V8 Mustang was too big and too thirsty to be a top sales contender in Continental Europe and the UK.
A new coupe was designed in Europe, using many parts already in production with the Ford Cortina, and making use of Ford’s catalogue of European engines.
The Ford Capri was released in late 1968, it received a warm welcome and sales were strong from the start. Over the course of the 1968 to 1986 production run there were three generations built, with over 1.9 million units sold.

The “European Ford Mustang”

The incredible sales success of the Ford Mustang in the United States had almost taken the automaker by surprise. When it was first released they anticipated 100,000 annual sales however actual sales figures exceeded 400,000 units in the first year alone.

This Capri is fitted with the desirable 2.8 liter fuel-injected Ford Essex V6, an upgrade over the earlier carburetor-fed engine, the fuel-injected engine offered more power and better reliability.

While Ford were enjoying this success they began to wonder how they could replicate it in their second biggest market – Europe. Gas guzzling V8s were never going to be mass-produced best-sellers in Europe due to higher fuel prices, and the physical size of the Mustang was likely too big for European tastes at the time.

What Ford needed was a smaller, more fuel efficient Mustang that made use of pre-existing Ford engines and parts as much as possible to help keep development and production costs as low as possible.

They originally intended to call the car the “Colt,” however Japanese automaker already had this name trademarked, so they went with Capri instead.

The Ford Capri – Design + Specifications

A design team led by American automotive designer Philip T. Clark came up with what we now know as the Mark I Ford Capri. The car was designed with a steel unibody and it made extensive use of Ford Cortina parts, including the front MacPherson struts and the live axle on leaf springs in the rear.

A number of engine options were offered depending on where the Capri was being built – production took place at the Halewood factory in the UK, the Genk factory in Belgium, and the Saarlouis and Cologne factories in Germany.

The interior of the car has a classic ’80s feel to it, it’s still fitted with the original stereo and it comes with the 5-speed manual transmission.

Over the course of its production run the Capri would be offered with over a dozen engines starting with the 1.3 liter Kent inline-four and range through the Taunus V4, Cologne V6, Pinto inline-four, all the way up to the 6.0 liter Windsor V8 that was fitted to the South African Perana version.

Ford would keep the Capri in production from 1968 until 1986, selling almost 2 million of them and creating a car that is looked on with all the affection of the Mustang within the European classic car community.

The 1983 Ford Capri 2.8 Injection Shown Here

The car you see here is a desirable Ford Capri 2.8 Injection model, as the name suggests it has a 2.8 liter fuel-injected engine – the Essex V6.

This engine was chosen as the replacement for the outgoing carburetor-fed 3.0 liter Essex V6 which could no longer meet increasingly strict emissions requirements.

The fastback styling of the car was influenced by the Mustang, but not so much so as to look like a clone. The Capri would go on to become one of the best selling European sports cars of its time.

In standard trim the 3.0 Essex V6 produced 148 bhp, the newer fuel-injected 2.8 liter unit produced a claimed 158 bhp, it was also easier to start in cold weather and it proved more reliable over all.

The Capri shown here is fitted with the 5-speed manual transmission and it’s finished in Burgundy with a Grey leather interior featuring Recaro sport seats.

A number of jobs were completed on the car in 2019 including the fitment of replacement track rod arms and ends, a replacement clutch, front discs, pads and calipers, fan belts, oil pump and tappets, as well as a full service.

The car is now due to cross the auction block with H and H Auctions on the 16th of March with a price guide of £12,000 – £14,000, which works out to approximately $15,600 – $18,300 USD. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of H and H Auctions

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Full Documentary: “The ’49 Ford In Your Future”

When the 1949 Ford was released it was the first all-new automobile design introduced by an American Big Three automaker after World War II. It’s been called “the car that saved Ford” as its strong sales figures brought in critically needed funds, helping to keep Ford alive.

During WWII America’s automakers were all focussed on the war effort, Ford produced a number of military vehicles, the most famous of which is doubtless the Ford GPW – their own version of the Willys Jeep.

Henry Ford II Driving the First 1949 Ford off Assembly Line at Rouge Plant, 1948

Here you see Henry Ford II driving the first 1949 Ford off the assembly line at the Rouge Plant in 1948, he accompanied by men who worked on the production line – the 1949 Ford could fit three adults sitting abreast front and back.

The war ended in 1945 and automotive production started up not long after, though the cars that were being built were lightly updated pre-war models.

1948 would be the year that the first generation of cars developed after the war were released, Ford led the way with their 1949 model series, beating Chevrolet by 6 months and Plymouth by 9 months.

The styling of the ’49 Ford was revolutionary, it used a sleek, aerodynamic “three box” design that was vastly more modern than anything else on the market at the time. It was a significant influence on both American and European automakers, and it helped set the tone for automotive design in the 1950s.

This page from the original brochure highlights the advancements that had been made in suspension and chassis design, and the focus that had been placed on ride quality.

The 1949 Ford was first shown to the public at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in June of 1948, there was a four-door sedan, a two-door “woodie wagon,” a two-door convertible, and a two-door coupe.

The car was kept in production for a total of 16 months rather than the more common 12 months as Ford had trouble meeting demand for the car – they would ultimately sell 1,118,762 units.

The engine had been moved forward a few inches compared to similar previous Fords to allow more space for passenger comfort – this was a key consideration in all aspects of the 1949 Ford design.

The 1949 Ford design would remain in production with updates to create the 1950 and 1951 models before they were succeeded by the 1952 Ford, a car that took much of its inspiration from its forebear.

If you’d like to read more about the 1949 Ford you can click here to visit the official page on the model from Ford.

The film above is a promotional documentary about the car that runs at 41 minutes in length, giving a detailed look into the car, its design and development, and its history.