Ludwi's 1975 C90 from Indonesia.. sporting the popular street style...
mardi 15 janvier 2013
The New Chevrolet Corvette: Return of the Stingray
The star of countless American films, a cultural icon and a milestone in the American automotive industry: we are talking about the Corvette, the seventh generation of which premieres in Detroit this week. Classic Driver takes a sneak preview.
Da ya think I’m sexy? This decades-old Rod Stewart classic seems to be the motto of the Corvette and, once again, the car is in the spotlight, courting applause and admiration. This is the seventh time since 1953 that the automotive diva has launched itself onto the world stage but, today, the Corvette with the internal code name C7 has little to do with its ancestors. Ever since the Chevrolet C5 model introduced a far more European design language, it’s shunned the notoriety of the car’s 70s and 80s persona.
The Corvette C7 aims to be a serious front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car, now with a re-designed aluminium V8 engine – a 450bhp uprated version of the 6.2-litre unit with variable valve timing, the environmental nicety of cylinder deactivation, and staggering amounts of low-end torque. This is mated to either a six-speed paddleshift auto, or a ground-breaking seven-speed manual gearbox.
Design-wise, it is recognisably still a Corvette, and carries the famous Stingray badge to reinforce its heritage – but we can expect better handling thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase and wider track, along with near-enough 50:50 weight distribution.
Left-hand drive imports are anticipated in the UK later this year, with a price tag just north of £50,000.
| Related Links Modern and classic Corvette can be found in the Classic Driver Marketplace |
Text: Charis Whitcombe (ClassicDriver)
Photos: Chevrolet
What the drivers say…
The first pre-event FIA press conference of 2013 saw Citroën superstar Sébastien Loeb flanked by two drivers who dream of becoming the first champions of the post-Loeb era: Mads Ostberg (Ford) and Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen). The trio was joined by Michal Kosciuszko (Mini) of the newly-created Lotos WRC Team.
Sébastien Loeb (Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT):
“My goal here is not the same as other years, but my preparation for the rally was the same. If I can fight for victory, I will. If not, it’s not as bad as in the past. I am here to have fun and, given the conditions, I think I will. I have never done this rally with a lot of snow; it’s always been just one or half a stage. It promises to be tricky. Thankfully, the shakedown stage was in the field because I think everybody visited the field somewhere! Tomorrow, though, there will be walls, rocks and ditches. We’ll see what we can do.”
Mads Ostberg (M-Sport Abu Dhabi WRT):
“I’ve been a privateer for many years and now I have achieved one of my main goals. The next step is to prove that I deserve this seat, show that I can perform well and score some good results. It’s a big challenge, especially here, my first Monte Carlo, but I feel ready. I was happy to get the chance to drive the Fiesta WRC on snow on tarmac tyres during a good couple of days’ testing in France, but now I just want to start the rally. I’m looking for some strong results early on. I feel ready to push hard on those events I have done before, but I will be more careful on the newer ones. I think it’s going to be a very open season.”
Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen Motorsport):
“It’s the start of a very interesting season. It won’t be easy. We saw this morning how tricky it promises to be here, but I am happy it’s difficult. It’s too soon to be talking in terms of victory, although we will do our best. I really need to finish this event – the team needs me to finish – but I think it will be difficult with these conditions. My longer term ambition is to become the world champion one day, but it’s difficult to anticipate what will happen. I need some comparisons to see where we stand. Once we’ve done some stages, maybe I will have a better idea of my chances.”
Michal Kosciuszko (Lotos WRC Team):
“It’s incredible for me. Here I am sitting with a multiple world champion and driving in the same category. I can’t wait to start. This car is a different dimension for me. I did one day of testing. That’s not a lot, but at least it’s something. Then we had snow at shakedown, so that was positive for me. My aim is to enjoy all these great events and this very nice car. I spent a lot of years in JWRC, SWRC and PWRC, but there is nothing above WRC, so I am very excited and want to improve as a driver.
from best-of-rallylive
TRIUMPH T100 SPRINT BIKE
One of the UK’s top custom and vintage motorcycle builders is The Baron’s Speed Shop, based in South London. They’re famous for their meticulous work on old British iron, both unit and pre-unit—plus the occasional custom build for personalities such as Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.
This 1953 Triumph T100, however, is extra special. “The inspiration came from Bobby Sirkegian’s ‘Pretty Boy’ Triumph,” says Baron’s Dick Smith. “The bike is designed to compete in the Vintage Motorcycle Club’s sprint events held around the country.”
Baron’s started by working on the rigid frame, a factory item but with the lower rails stretched out a couple of inches. The motor has been very heavily reworked, with a lightened and balanced crank, billet conrods and 9:1 pistons. It’s also sporting lightened timing gear and the ubiquitous race-spec Triumph E3134 ‘Q’ cams. The magneto is an authentic Lucas racing component.
Fuel is fed by twin Amal Monobloc carburetors, with rubber-mounted remote float bowls. Spent gases exit via race headers mated to factory 3” megaphones. An uprated clutch handles the extra power, and being a sprint bike, it’s fitted with a close-ratio gearbox. A vintage Smiths chronometric tach monitors revs up to 10,000 rpm.
Rims are valanced Akronts, 21” at the front and 18” at the rear. The hefty Racemaster slick comes from M&H Tires, the company that “Wrote The Book On Traction.” Other neat touches are a modified Wassell aluminum rear fender, a custom fabricated catch tank and braided lines throughout. The peanut tank from Lowbrow Customs is one of the few ‘modern’ pieces, but fits the bill perfectly.
If you’re in the UK, keep an eye out for this machine at upcoming sprint races. The rest of you will have to content yourselves with the other fine builds on The Baron’s Speed Shop website andFacebook page.
With thanks to photographer Gary Margerum.
Dakar 2013, étape 10 : Terranova s’impose à domicile
Today’s action saw Argentina’s Orlando Terranova claim his first stage win of the 2013 Dakar. Stéphane Peterhansel consolidated his lead ahead of De Villiers, while Nani Roma has edged a little closer to the provisional podium. Al-Attiyah has officially retired.
Le pilote argentin Orlando Terranova a signé sa 1ère victoire d’étape sur ce Dakar. Stéphane Peterhansel a conforté sa place de leader devant De Villiers, alors que Nani Roma se rapproche du podium. L’abandon d’Al-Attiyah est officiel.
Etape 10 : Cordoba-La Rioja (632 km)
Just as the WRC stars were completing their shakedown session ahead of the Rallye Monte-Carlo, the car competitors were beginning the 2013 Dakar’s SS10 in La Falda which the World Rally Championship will visit in a few months’ time. There was no snow to be seen here, merely sun-baked tracks (ground temperature: 60°C) and 353km to cover in one go. That’s the competitive distance of an entire Rally Argentina!
Nasser Al-Attiyah, one of the rally’s early pace-setters, failed to start today’s test following a crash and, apparently, engine problems on Monday. That spells the end of this year’s challenge from Qatar Red Bull which leaves South America with five stage wins to its name.
That left Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini/Michelin) with a cushion of almost 50 minutes over second-placed Giniel de Villiers and under no pressure. “We still pushed quite hard today in order to stay focused,” he admitted. He ended up with the day’s third-best time, just 12 seconds behind his team-mate Nani Roma who is now within striking distance of the provisional podium after Novitskiy suffered a puncture.
Argentina’s Orly Terranova spent most of today running first on the road but went on to win SS10 for BMW/Michelin: “I had a good day and I loved the stage. This is my first win with Paulo as co-driver, so I’m very happy for him. The only problem is that I will now be first on the road over the Fiambala dunes tomorrow.”
Giniel de Villiers failed to find a good rhythm this morning and found himself in the dust of Robby Gordon for some 150km: “I couldn’t get close enough to trigger my Sentinel warning device, so all I could do was sit patiently on his tail.” Meanwhile, Carlos Sousa stopped twice to repair the water pump drive belt of his Great Wall, losing around 20 minutes in the process.
The battle in the Truck class was perhaps settled yesterday when Gerard de Rooy was delayed by mechanical trouble. This morning’s leader was Russia’s Nikolaev (Kamaz/Michelin).
A l’heure où les pilotes WRC en terminaient avec le Shakedown du Rallye Monte-Carlo, les autos s’élançaient dans la 10e spéciale du Dakar à La Falda, où le WRC passera dans quelques mois. Ici pas de neige, mais des pistes chauffées à 60°C et 353 km à parcourir d’une traite…soit la valeur du Rallye d’Argentine tout entier !
Grand animateur du début de course, Nasser Al-Attiyah n’a pas pointé au départ de cette étape après une touchette et, apparemment, des problèmes moteur rencontrés hier. Le team Qatar Red Bull quitte donc le Dakar 2013 prématurément après cinq victoires d’étape.
Leader avec près de 50 minutes d’avance sur Giniel de Villiers, Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini/Michelin) n’a donc plus vraiment de pression et s’en remet désormais aux bonnes grâces de sa mécanique. « On roule tout de même sur un rythme soutenu pour rester concentré ». Stéphane a signé le 3e temps du jour à seulement 12 secondes de son équipier Nani Roma qui se rapproche du podium après la crevaison de Novitskiy.
L’Argentin « Orly » Terranova a fait la course en tête aujourd’hui avant de remporter cette 10espéciale sur sa BMW/Michelin : « Tout s’est bien passé, le parcours était magnifique. C’est ma 1ère victoire d’étape avec Paulo mon copilote, je suis heureux pour lui. Seul hic, je vais ouvrir la route demain dans les dunes de Fiambala… »
Pas dans le bon rythme ce matin, Giniel de Villiers s’est retrouvé dans la poussière de Robby Gordon sur quelque 150 km : « Je n’ai pas pu me rapprocher suffisamment de lui pour déclencher le Sentinel, alors j’ai pris mon mal en patience. » Carlos Sousa s’est arrêté à deux reprises pour fixer la courroie de pompe à eau sur son Great Wall et perdu une vingtaine de minutes.
La catégorie Camions s’est peut-être jouée hier avec les problèmes mécaniques du leader Gerard de Rooy. Ce matin, c’est le Russe Nikolaev (Kamaz/Michelin) qui était en tête.
Classement étape 10
1. Terranova/Fiuza (BMW), 3h57min58s – 2. Roma/Périn (Mini), +2min07s – 3. Peterhansel/Cottret (Mini), +2min19s – De Villiers/Von Zitzewitz (Toyota), +5min26s – 5. Gordon/Walch (Hummer), +6min51s…
Classement après étape 10
1. Peterhansel/Cottret (Mini), 28:12:00 – 2. De Villiers/Von Zitzewitz (Toyota), +52min38 – 3. Novitskiy/Zhilstov (Mini), +1h08min40s – 4. Roma/Périn (Mini), + 1h34min04s – 5. Terranova/Fiuza (BMW), +1h58min49s
Dakar 2013 – Leg 10: Cyril Despres takes the lead
The four-time Dakar winner moved to the top of the 2013 event’s provisional leaderboard after today’s SS10, between Cordoba and La Rioja. He is joined on the all-KTM/Michelin podium by Faria and Lopez, while Spain’s Joan Barreda collected his fourth stage win.
Leg 10: Cordoba-La Rioja (636km)
The sun shone down hard today on Serrezuela, location of today’s special stage finish. At midday, the thermometer read 32°C, while the ground temperature exceeded 50°C, but that didn’t dissuade the locals from waiting patiently for the competitors under the shade of eucalyptus trees while nibbling at empanadas…
The bikers had no time to sample the region’s speciality, however, since they still had a further 248km of long straights across the Argentine plains to cover before reaching the shelter of tonight’s overnight camp in La Rioja. Once there, everybody’s objective was to recover ahead of the two big challenges that await them: Fiambala and Copiapo.
The method preferred by Cyril Despres was to do a little cycling and the Frenchman appears to be in great physical and mental shape after dislodging team-mate Ruben Faria from first place. “Today was great fun; I had a good run-in with Joan Barreda.” Indeed, the two men were split by a tiny second at Km164!
“When I saw Cyril’s tyre marks, I realised that I needed to push harder,” commented the Spaniard who went on to claim his fourth stage win of the rally. “We had an enjoyable run together up to the refuelling point.”
His team-mate Paulo Gonçalves (3rd) had a particularly broad smile at the finish: “Speedbrain-Husqvarna got two bikes into today’s top three, which is a great performance.” Alessandro Botturi was less enthusiastic, however, after hurting a little finger in a fall at Km100. Olivier Pain (Yamaha/Michelin) fell again, too, and is sporting a nasty cut to his right arm.
KTM/Michelin’s Joan Pedrero and Kurt Caselli rounded off today’s top five, ahead of the surprising Ivan Jakes who is contesting the Dakar for the sixth time on a privately-entered KTM 450 Rally. The Czech is fourth overall behind Chile’s Chaleco Lopez who has missed the vast open spaces and dunes he left behind in Calama. KTM/Michelin monopolises tonight’s top four.
Stage 10 classification:
1, Barreda (Husqvarna), 4h43m14s. 2, Despres (KTM), +1m15s. 3, Gonçalves (Husqvarna), +2m44s. 4, Pedrero (KTM), +4m27s. 5, Caselli (KTM), +6m56s. Etc.
Provisional positions after SS10:
1. Despres (KTM), 30:47:04 – 2. Faria (KTM), +1min37s – 3. Lopez (KTM), 13min41s – 4. Jakes (KTM), +18min21s – 5. Botturi (Husqvarna), +24min25s…
Mecum Corvette Offerings
2013 of course marks the 60th anniversary of America’s sports car and the fiftieth anniversary of the first production Sting Rays. Later in the year, Corvette will be the featured marque at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, but Mecum Auctions is helping to kick off this important anniversary straight away with a throng of desirable Corvettes that are all up for grabs at their Kissimmee auction, scheduled for January 18-27.
Just like last year, Mecum will have over 300 Corvettes crossing the block throughout the ten day Kissimmee sale. Among them is a wide range of years and prices, so there really will be something for everybone. More than a few are exceptional cars, and even narrowing the lot down to just Corvettes is still a bit overwhelming. Nevertheless, there are a handful of standouts that could stand to be highlighted, including a 1957 car fitted with fuel-injection and the RPO 579D/E “racer” option, two “Big Brake Tankers”, several Split Window Coupes, and a very rare 1971 ZR2 convertible. These cars will join a group of over 3,000 vehicles that caters to a wide variety of tastes and price brackets.
1961 and 1962 “Big Brake Fuelie Tankers”
Fans of pre-1963 Corvettes will not be disappointed at this year’s line up, as there are several impressive and original fuel-injected C1s on the lot. Of particular interest are two beautiful and equally desirable “Big Brake Tankers”.
Lot S122, wearing heavenly Ermine White paint with a red interior, is a 1961 model that started life in the Midwest and was immediately prepared for SCCA competition. It was rediscovered in the late 1980s, recognized as a rare big brake, big tank fuelie and treated as such with a comprehensive and photo-documented four year restoration. It retains all the right original pieces, and even includes the “elephant ear” brake cooling scoops in their original burlap bag. Powered by the desirable Rochester-injected RPO 354 283/315 HP V-8, the car has been turning heads non-stop since its restoration, winning multiple NCRS Top Flight and Duntov Awards and making multiple publication appearances.
Lot S122 1961 Chevrolet Corvette “Big Brake Fuelie Tanker” – Estimate: $275,000-$325,000
Lot S120, a 1962 car finished in a glorious combination of Roman Red with black interior and scallops, is one of less than 2,000 cars with the RPO 582 327/360 HP engine (new for 1962) and features even rarer options like 15.5 x 5 inch wheels, heavy duty brakes, and a 24-gallon fuel tank. What’s more, it has a documented Southern California racing history with owner Tom Mazzola driving, and has been featured on the cover of Vette Magazine. With a mass-produced car like the Corvette, it’s the combination of optional equipment that makes the difference, and that’s why these two cars have such staggering estimates. They really do tick the right boxes for C1 Vettes, so they are definitely cars to watch.
Lot S120 1962 Corvette “Big Brake Fuelie Tanker” - Estimate: $250,000-$300,000
1957 RPO 579E Race Car
The Corvette had somewhat humble beginnings as a sports car in 1953, being more of an underpowered fashion accessory, but 1957 marks one of the many points when the Corvette demanded the world’s attention as a serious performance car. This was the first year that the Corvette would be offered with fuel injection, an important and relatively advanced option that would distinguish GM’s premier sports car from so many others on the market. Immediately, the Rochester fuel-injection system’s added performance grabbed the attention of aspiring racers, and Chevrolet’s options list catered to the needs of these potential customers. Of the over 6,000 Corvettes built in 1957, only 43 were “Airbox” fuelies equipped with the RPO 579D/E option. Lot F246, finished in Arctic Blue with a red interior, is a beautifully presented racing car from that year. The “Airbox” name that is applied to that handful of cars refers to the fiberglass duct work laid onto the inside of the left fender for improved airflow. These cars were also fitted with heavy duty suspension, front stabilizer bars and finned brake drums. That potent combination and the obvious rarity makes the “Airbox” Corvettes highly prized machines in the world of pre-Sting Ray cars.
Lot F246 1957 Corvette Race Car – Estimate: $150,000-$200,000
This particular car, serial #5938, was raced throughout the western United States during the 1960s and underwent a restoration in 2004. Its documented race history includes period photographs. It should be noted that the “Airbox” was added to this individual car, meaning that it is not one of the original batch of 43 cars. Still, it came originally with the special braking and suspension packages, which makes it one of only 51 cars so equipped. That it is not an original “Airbox” car and its stated two restorations are realities that are likely keeping the estimates down, but it is nevertheless a stunning car and will no doubt be a highlight at any Corvette reunion.
1971 ZR2 Convertible
By the dawn of the 1970s, federal emissions regulations were starting to make their long assault on performance cars, and by the end of the decade the Corvette was a pretty gutless performer. Even as early as 1971, the LT1 package had sadly shed 40 horsepower. That same year, however, Chevrolet had a bit of a last hurrah with the ZR1 and ZR2 packages. The potent ZR1 option was only available on the small-block LT1 platform, and included a solid-lifter motor, aluminum radiator, and upgraded suspension. With these additions, the owner had to do without a radio, rear defogger, or power anything.
Lot S164 1971 Corvette ZR2 Convertible – Estimate: $525,000-$625,000
For those who wanted bigger numbers there was the ZR2 package, essentially a ZR1 with the 454 LS6 motor that pumped out 425 horsepower. These options were expensive, though, and since it was apparent that the writing was on the wall for the wildly high-output cars of the previous decade, few ZR1s or ZR2s were sold. This car in fact, Lot S164, is one of just 12 ZR2s and only 2 known convertibles. Finished in very 1970s Ontario Orange, the car was bought new by an American living in Germany, but returned to the United States in the early 1980s, where it has since undergone a body-off restoration. It is also advertised as the last known ZR2. Inducted into the Bloomington Gold Corvette Hall of Fame in 2003 and featured in the National Corvette Museum’s Concours d’Performance exhibit, it is a car with plenty of accolades, but if this car looks familiar, it may be because it has crossed the auction block more than once in recent years. The last time it changed hands was in 2011 atMecum’s Bloomington Gold Corvette auction in St. Charles, Illinois for $410,000. Estimates are higher this time around, partly due to Corvette’s 60th birthday and the related Corvette fever, so it will be interesting to see how high this ZR2 can go. The last of the original “Z” cars, an elite group of Corvettes that includes the 1963 Z06, this car is an interesting slice of Corvette history, but it will clearly come at a price.
1963 Split Window Coupe
There are no less than thirteen Split Window Coupes available at Kissimmee this year, but this one is arguably the nicest. 1963 was not only the first year for the legendary C2, but was also the only year for that unforgettable rear window. The Split Window feature on the 1963 coupes was really more of a styling feature than anything else and got a fairly bum rap from journalists and owners alike because of its ridiculous rear visibility. Legend has it that some owners even had the two-piece window removed and replaced with the one-piece unit from subsequent Sting Rays. Times have changed, and tastes with them, so the more distinctive Split Window Coupes are now a hot commodity.
Lot S97 1963 Corvette Split Window Coupe
This car, Lot S97, features an original 327/360 HP motor with Rochester fuel-injection, and was the recipient of a full restoration by Corvette specialist Bill Braun, who apparently reports it to be one of the nicest 1963 Corvettes he has restored. It has since won multiple NCRS Top Flight Awards and been issued a Gold Spinner Concours Certificate, making it one of the best Split Window Coupes out there.
Mecum Kissimmee Auction 2013 – Information
Date: January 18-27, 2013
Location: Osceola Heritage Park, 1875 Silver Spur Lane, Kissimmee, Florida 34744
Preview: Gates open at 8:00 a.m. daily.
Auction: “Road Art” begins thirty minutes prior to vehicles daily and vehicles begin at 10:00 a.m. daily.
Location: Osceola Heritage Park, 1875 Silver Spur Lane, Kissimmee, Florida 34744
Preview: Gates open at 8:00 a.m. daily.
Auction: “Road Art” begins thirty minutes prior to vehicles daily and vehicles begin at 10:00 a.m. daily.
For additional information, vist Mecum.com.
[Source: Mecum Auctions]
Volkswagen Polo R WRC debuts Wednesday in Rally Monte Carlo
Volkswagen will be starting its WRC adventure on Wednesday when the Rally Monte Carlo commences.
In the number 7 Polo R WRC will be Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila, while inside the number 8 car will be Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. The opening stage of Rally Monte Carlo is from Moulinon to Antraigues.
Developing the Polo R WRC took 17 months of preparations, 1,700 parts entirely designed and about 20,000 km (12,427 miles) of testing. The vehicle weighs only 1,200 kg (2,645 lbs) thanks to its carbon-Kevlar doors, tailgate and wheel arch extensions, along with an entirely stripped interior cabin.
Powering the Polo R WRC is a 1.6-liter, 4-cylinder TSI engine delivering 300 hp (224 kW) connected to a six-speed sequential gearbox. Compared to the stock model, the WRC version is 138mm wider with a width of 1,820mm. To improve weight distribution, the engineers from Wolfsburg had to move the seats to the back.
Source: Volkswagen
Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila and Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia
Introducing the ‘ice note’ crews…
They get up in the early hours of the morning and leave their hotels
while everybody else is fast asleep. After warming up the cars used by
the crews during recce, they then head out to the stages to make
corner-by-corner corrections to their driver’s pace notes, as a function
of the conditions they encounter in the mountains…
The most experienced ice note crews are undoubtedly those who have been recruited by Evgeny Novikov: François Delecour (winner of the event in 1994) and veteran co-driver Denis Giraudet. The pair can claim more than 30 Rallye Monte Carlo starts between them, while their debuts on the winter event date back to 1984 and 1981 respectively. They are still very active, though, and finished sixth (François) and fifth (Denis) on last year’s event.
Fellow Ford driver Juho Hänninen can also count on the help of somebody with bags of experience, namely Lasse Lampi. The Finn made his WRC debut in 1977 (with co-driver Pentti Kuukkala who will be in the car this week) and worked very closely with Mitsubishi in the days when the Japanese make was at its peak, securing three victories in the Principality with Tommi Mäkinen. “Lasse has helped me to fine-tune my notes over the years,” says Juho, “so he knows my system very well…”
Meanwhile, Mads Ostberg (Ford) will benefit from a blend of experience and family ties, since it is his ice notes will be in the hands of his own father, with Mikkelsen’s ex-co-driver Ole Floene in the right-hand seat. “I did my first rally as my father’s navigator when I was 14,” relates Ford’s new team leader. “I owe everything I know to him!”
Thierry Neuville (Ford) has known his ice-note driver, Markus Meyer, for a long time, too. “We were at school together. When we were 18, we decided to compete in a rally in a rented car, with me as the co-driver. The first stage was cancelled and we crashed about 10km after the start of the second one. That’s when I decided to switch to driving,” laughs the Belgian.
In contrast to these longstanding associations, there are some new ‘combinations’ in place this year. For example, Sébastien Loeb’s long-time friend Dominique Heintz is busy looking after the multiple world champion’s racing team, so former works Citroën and Ford driver Patrick Magaud has stepped in. Similarly, Volkswagen’s Sébastien Ogier has been forced to find a replacement for Alex Bengué who has replaced the late Philippe Bugalski as test and development driver at Citroën Racing. The ex-French champion’s shoes have been filled by Nicolas Vouilloz, winner of the inaugural Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC).
from best-of-rallylive
Alex’s KZ400
Alex Veaone from Philadelphia sent is this gorgeous cobalt-blue & white Kawasaki KZ400 and asked if we thought it was good enough to go into The Bike Shed. One quick look at the first photo answered that question, so here she is.
The build started back in August 2012 with a complete rebuild. Alex had never worked on a motorcycle before and had absolutely no idea what he was getting himself into, but after doing some research and getting advice from Do The Ton forum members he got the whole project together in under three months.
The white headlamp and grips work nicely with the blue flash and pinstripe on the tank. Seems like clocks and instrumentation weren’t on the agenda though.
Stubby exhaust and shortie rear end keep it all tight and simple. LED indies are integrated into the sub frame where it’s been cut to accommodate the shortened brat-style flat seat.
The way Alex described it makes it all sound rather easy:
“All it took is a 1978 KZ400 donor bike, small south Philly garage, some parts, some tolls and some upset neighbors. Major upgrades were: Front brake system swap, new battery box, new seat and new rear end. The plan was to clean up an already beautiful KZ400.
Let me know what you think and if you have any questions.”
Well, Alex, I think we keep speak for everyone when we simply say; We love it. Great job.
FROM thebikeshedMonte Carlo : A snowy start to 2013
The fifth decade of world class rallying kicked off today with a snowy
shakedown ahead of the 2013 Rallye Monte-Carlo, round one of the 2013
World Rally Championship. The wintry conditions provided competitors
with a foretaste of what they can expect when serious business begins on
Wednesday.
The city’s snowploughs had been through and cleared the snow along the main roads. In its place, though, they left a layer of water which immediately froze at the sub-zero temperatures, creating a skating rink and causing traffic chaos. Valence was almost entirely blocked and it took us more than an hour to complete our five-kilometre journey.
As we crawled slowly along the icy ring-road, we could see the WRC cars travelling in the opposite direction en route to the start of the 3.58km shakedown stage. After a quick call to a member of Citroën’s management, we learned that the clerk of the course had authorised the use of studded tyres for this morning’s test (decision announced at 7:25am today). The French firm’s plan was two runs per driver, a return to service, then back out for two more runs...
As we wondered whether the rally cars, too, would find themselves caught up in the traffic jam, the drivers clearly believed in the strength of numbers because a dozen of them passed us in a convoy, taking advantage of their four-wheel drive transmissions to use parts of the road that the local motorists clearly preferred to avoid.
Not all the top crews were on studded Michelin tyres for the first pair of runs, however. All the Citroën runners had chosen the tiny metal tips, for example, as did Skoda’s Latvala and Ford’s Hanninen, but Ogier, Ostberg, Novikov and Neuville went out on snow tyres. For the second visit later in the morning, the Citroëns remained on studs, Latvala switched to snow tyres, Ogier tried studs, and all the Ford drivers opted for Michelin snow tyres.
Meanwhile, in the service park, some teams were dubious about the benefits of running their cars in such tricky conditions. “The main thing was to complete the four mandatory passes without hitting anything,” said Volkswagen engineer François-Xavier Demaison. “We completed all our pre-event work before coming to Valence.”
Citroën’s technical staff took a slightly different stance, however: “It’s always interesting to put the cars through their paces before the start and today’s run gave our crews a chance to get into the atmosphere of the event. That can never be a bad thing.”
Shakedown:
1, Neuville (Ford/Michelin), 2m26.1s.
2, Loeb (Citroën/Michelin), +2.6s.
3, Novikov (Ford/Michelin), +2.7s.
4, Hirvonen (Citroën/Michelin), +3.3s.
5, Latvala (Volkswagen/Michelin), +4.3s.
6, Ogier (Volkswagen/Michelin), +4.4s.
7, Sordo (Citroën/Michelin), +5.7s.
8, Ostberg (Ford/Michelin), +6.8s.
Etc.
from best-of-rallylive
M-Sport’s Monte operation
Twelve months ago, Malcolm Wilson’s operation – ‘Ford WRT’ – contested
the opening clash of the 2012 WRC as a factory team. This time round,
while ‘Qatar M-Sport WRT’ is challenging once again for the
Manufacturers’ title, a number of things have inevitably changed since
the withdrawal of Ford’s official backing. Even so, the British team
boss has loss nothing of his customary fighting spirit.
The Ford Happy Hour has become one of the modern WRC’s traditions, and we hear it will continue this season. Indeed, that’s where we talked to Wilson this week, amidst drinks and canapés at Valence’s Café Victor Hugo. But the man himself wasn’t feeling ‘Miserable’. On the contrary…
“In one sense, there haven’t been many changes to the team. We have just tried to make it more efficient with the resources we now have. There is no question, however, that we have fewer people with us on this event, and fewer vehicles. We estimate the cost of bringing one truck to the Monte Carlo Rally to be about £9,000 [€11,000], so valuable savings were possible there. But there are also areas where we have invested more than before, including a comprehensive weather forecast service from MeteoFrance.”
Missing from the service park, too, is the team’s impressive double-decker hospitality unit, but that has more to do with practical reasons than cost savings. “Moving it from Valence to Monaco would have been very complex. We won’t have it in Sweden, either, but it will be in Portugal….”
Wilson stresses that his operation is by no means stretched. “Overall, you know, I’m feeling every bit as confident as before. We have a good, experienced structure, a competitive car and I’m also delighted with the driver line-up I have this year. I have always loved working with youngsters and helping them to obtain their first WRC wins. I think Mads [Ostberg], Evgeny [Novikov] and Thierry [Neuville] can all do that this year, and even Juho [Hanninen], even though he only has two events guaranteed. Hopefully, he will do more.”
M-Sport is also preparing for the future. Its longevity took a boost when it was awarded a contract to prepare Bentley GT race cars, and extra funds for its 2013 WRC campaign can’t be ruled out. “As we speak, there are people exploring new budget opportunities,” he concludes. “The important thing for the moment, is to go out and show that we can get some good results. That’s what we are aiming for…”
from .best-of-rallylive.
MINI John Cooper Works Paceman arrives in the Motor City
The North American International Auto Show continues as MINI has taken the wraps off the John Cooper Works (JCW) Paceman.
Designed to combine "mouthwatering sporting flair and inimitable style," the model features an aerodynamic kit, a lowered sports suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels. There's also a dual exhaust system and an optional Chili Red contrasting paint scheme that is exclusive to the JCW variant.
Interior changes are limited but include a sport steering wheel, cloth sports seats and dark-colored dials. Other highlights include an anthracite roof liner, red contrast stitching and piano black trim.
Power is provided by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 208 bhp (155 kW) and up to 207 lb-ft (280 Nm) of torque. It can be connected to a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed automatic. Both gearboxes send power to an ALL4 all-wheel-drive system which enables the crossover accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 127 mph (204 km/h).
The JCW Paceman will go on sale in the United States in March and pricing starts at $36,200 which includes a $700 destination and handling charge.
Source: MINI USA
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