Bloody knuckle division
My Cars:
FIAT 500 @1960 500cc 2 cyl motor. Strangely, for something I own, it is all Fiat parts. Except for a catalytic converter, don't ask.
1951 Bristol 401. Mildly modified Ford 6 (144cu in Falcon) 5 spd Toyota Celica tranny. Stainless liners in the wheel cyls, alternator.
Bristol began building cars after WW2 was over and they had to stop making bombers.
The base for the line was a pre war BMW. The first Bristol cars were copies of a BMW 328 and were called 400's
The 401 is essentially the same except for a body based on an Italian by superleggera
modified a bit by Bristol in their wind tunnel.
The original engine was a BMW 2liter 6 with a rather wonky valve arrangement. the head had hemispherical combustion chambers but the cam was in the block, operating tha valves through a whole bunch of extra rockers and pushrods. Renault, Borgward, Chrysler, and others did something like this, but with less complication.
ALFA Romeo Guiletta spyder. 1300 cc dohc motor, 5 spd trans.
Series 101 hull, series 750 engine, series 105 transmission. dual path brakes using a Renault 18 master cylinder. Stainless liners in the wheel cylinders, Alternator.
In the background, amongst the weeds and trash, you can see the GOKWiiS, the amphibian. Read about it in an earlier blog under "amphibians'
I'm still trying to find the picture of my '67 VW Van with the '49 Ferrari formula one painted on the side. The picture that Road and Track published shows it all faded and devoid of its original splendor.
Despair not, I'll be back trashing the Seattle Symphony Orchestra's generals soon.
FIAT 500 @1960 500cc 2 cyl motor. Strangely, for something I own, it is all Fiat parts. Except for a catalytic converter, don't ask.
1951 Bristol 401. Mildly modified Ford 6 (144cu in Falcon) 5 spd Toyota Celica tranny. Stainless liners in the wheel cyls, alternator.
Bristol began building cars after WW2 was over and they had to stop making bombers.
The base for the line was a pre war BMW. The first Bristol cars were copies of a BMW 328 and were called 400's
The 401 is essentially the same except for a body based on an Italian by superleggera
modified a bit by Bristol in their wind tunnel.
The original engine was a BMW 2liter 6 with a rather wonky valve arrangement. the head had hemispherical combustion chambers but the cam was in the block, operating tha valves through a whole bunch of extra rockers and pushrods. Renault, Borgward, Chrysler, and others did something like this, but with less complication.
ALFA Romeo Guiletta spyder. 1300 cc dohc motor, 5 spd trans.
Series 101 hull, series 750 engine, series 105 transmission. dual path brakes using a Renault 18 master cylinder. Stainless liners in the wheel cylinders, Alternator.
In the background, amongst the weeds and trash, you can see the GOKWiiS, the amphibian. Read about it in an earlier blog under "amphibians'
I'm still trying to find the picture of my '67 VW Van with the '49 Ferrari formula one painted on the side. The picture that Road and Track published shows it all faded and devoid of its original splendor.
Despair not, I'll be back trashing the Seattle Symphony Orchestra's generals soon.
Labels: ALFA, Bristol, FIAT, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Trash, Weeds
posted by Lane Savant at 9:10 AM
1 Comments:
Doug:
What a treat, seeing the entire booty of your driveway, displayed for the callous world to peruse. God, remember the fun we had in 1970 bombing around the U District in that underpowered 2 cylinder Fiat? Christ, it was like a motorcyle with doors, with room for 3.5 human beings. It does get fabulous mileage though. It was kind of like the precursor to the Smart Car. And Jesus, the 1951 Bristol. For those of you who have not actually seen this vehicle or ridden in it, it is still right hand drive, and it feels funny as shit to drive it around. It, too, turns heads. The Ford Falcon engine actually has a lot of pep. It could challenge the counter balance on Queen Anne Hill, something the 1960 Fiat had to think twice about. This car is rare as duck's teeth. You would have to travel far and wide to just feast your peepers on such a vehicular treasure. So let's have some respect for it, OK?
The last time I saw the Alfa Romeo (year omitted?) it was still on blocks at Palmer Automotive on Roosevelt, and if it wasn't enought to bust your knuckles all day on other people's cars, then you would spend hours restoring your own. I never saw it on the road, but I did see it perched quietly in your driveway's Palmer Calvacade of Vehicles. Perhaps, someday, you will take the shreds of tarp off of it, and put the top down and tool around Lake Washington in it. That would be cool. And GOKWiiS. What can one say about an amphipian that sprung whole out of your imagination, your basement forge, and the junk yards of Seattle-Tacoma? It simply has to be seen to be believed. A fucking sport car that drives down the boat ramp into deep water and putters about at 5 knots without sinking. Beyond Cool!
Glenn
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