GTC Silverstone- Coup double pour TDS Racing ! / Double benefits for TDS Racing!

Pour sa première apparition en GTC en European Le Mans Series, la BMW Z4 GT3 TDS Racing a signé une victoire sans contestation sur le circuit de Silverstone. L’équipage en profite même pour occuper la tête du championnat !

Pour la première fois de son histoire, le team TDS Racing engageait une autre voiture qu’une LM P2. Après avoir brillé dans d’autres séries, l’équipe a décidé de s’aligner en European Le Mans Series en catégorie GTC. Pour l’occasion, Une BMW Z4 GT3 n°59  était confiée au trio Franck Perera, Eric Dermont et Dino Lunardi.

Après des essais libres réussis, Franck Perera décroche la pole position de la catégorie GTC avec un temps de 2’01'939, avec plus d’une seconde d’avance sur ses poursuivants.Eric Dermont prend un départ prudent et évite les voitures devant lui lors de l’incident de début de course. Même s’il est 4ème à la fin du premier tour, la voiture a été préservée. Il se cale ensuite sur un bon rythme de course qu’il tient tout au long de son relais.

Il passe alors le volant à Dino Lunardi qui va faire passer la BMW de la 4e place en GTC à la 1e après son double relais ! Après un second bon relais d’Eric Dermont, Franck Perera finit le travail de ses coéquipiers. Avec déjà une belle avance, ce dernier assure et se permet de creuser l’écart avec ses poursuivants. Au final, Franck passe la ligne en vainqueur avec deux tours d’avance et prend du coup la tête du championnat GTC. Une victoire sans contestation qui marque un superbe début de saison. 

Dino Lunardi : «Cela s’est bien passé, je dirai même que ce fut la course presque parfaite. Franck avait déjà fait une bonne partie du travail ce matin en décrochant la pole position. Puis Eric, en charge du départ, a bien géré le premier virage qui était assez chaud. Il a perdu quelques places mais a maintenu un très bon rythme.
L’inquiétude venait des pneus Dunlop qui sont nouveau dans la série. De plus, nous avions fait peu de tests sur la longévité du pneu. Après le relais d’Eric, j’ai eu à faire un double relais. Comme nous étions décalés au niveau de la stratégie, je me suis retrouvé avec un grand écart à combler. Je suis content car, à la fin de mon premier relais, j’étais premier. La course a ensuite été pliée lorsque les nos deux plus sérieux adversaires se sont accrochées. Franck a fini le boulot de la meilleure des manières.
Tout s’est bien déroulé : nous n’avons pas tapé dans les pneus ce qui était la clé du succès et l’auto était vraiment parfaite.
Nous réalisons le « hat trick » à savoir la pole position, le meilleur temps en course et la victoire. Nous ne pouvions pas démarrer mieux la saison. Maintenant, place à Imola, la terre des Ferrari où nous nous attendons à souffrir. » 

For its first appearance in GTC in European Le Mans Series, the BMW Z4 GT3 of TDS Racing

 team had a victory without any contest on the Silverstone track. The line-up is now leading the championship!

For the first time in its history, the TDS Racing team entered a car other than a LM P2. After

 having shone in other series, the team has decided to run in European Le Mans Series in

 the GTC category. On the occasion, a BMW Z4 GT3 was given to Franck Perera, Eric Dermont

 and

 Dino Lunardi.

After successful free practices, Franck Perera set the pole position of the GTC category with

 a time of 2’01'939, one second ahead of his opponents. Eric Dermont had a safe start and

 avoided the cars in front of him during the crash of the first corner. Even if he came 4th,

 he kept the car. He then drove on a good pace which he kept all throughout his stint.

He handed to Dino Lunardi who moved the BMW from 4th to 1st place in GTC in a double stint! 

After Eric Dermont’s second good stint, Franck Perera ended his teammates’ work. With a substantial lead, he secured his place and even widened the gap with his opponents. At the end, Franck crossed the finishing line as a winner with two laps ahead. Meanwhile, the line-up is now leading the GTC championship. A victory without any contest which marks a superb beginning

 of the season. 

Dino Lunardi : «Everything went well. It was nearly a perfect race I would say! Franck had 

already done a good part of the job this morning by setting the pole position. Then Eric, 

in charge of the start, handled well the first corner. He lost a few places but then had a good pace.
We were worried about the Dunlop tyres which are quite new in this series. Moreover, we

 only did a few tests on the lifespan of the tyres. After Eric, I had to double stint with a big gap to narrow. I am happy because at the end of my first stint, I was leading. Then the race was nearly finished, when our two most serious opponents collided. Franck ended the job in 

the best possible way.
Everything went well. The tyres were not worn out and this was crucial to the race. The car was perfect.
We have done a “hat trick”: pole position, the fastest lap during the race and the victory.

 We could start better; In May, we will be at Imola, Ferrari’s land, where I reckon we might suffer»

Cool & Vintage - This is how we roll

Over the past year or so, Portuguese dealer Cool & Vintage has produced several videos that highlight exactly how a classic car should be enjoyed: on an open road, accompanied by a relaxing soundtrack and carrying a smouldering young lady (or two). Enjoy the highlights...

Video: Cool & Vintage

You can find the full stocklist of Cool & Vintage in the Classic Driver Market.

This six-figure Vincent almost ended up on the scrapheap

The last time this gleaming Vincent Rapide changed hands, it was in exchange for the princely sum of 10 English pounds and an Amal TT carburettor. Things worked like that back in 1959, when the 'classic bikes' of today were just seen as old ones that many thought fit only for the scrapheap...

Indeed, this very machine almost met an early demise in the crusher and would probably have been turned into tin cans and cooking foil  had it not been for the quick work of Vincent fan Harry Lloyd who, having heard that its previous owner had bust its gearbox and somehow managed to lose its wheels, rushed to its rescue with the aforementioned £10 note and sporty carb.

A costly error

Harry fixed the old girl up using bits from his existing Meteor and Comet machines, bolted on a sidecar and used the Rapide for everything from commuting around his home city of Liverpool to criss-crossing the UK on family holidays.

But a decade and 20,000 miles later, a snapped primary chain caused him to lay the bike up in a municipal garage where it languished for another 10 years – until an 'administrative error' led to some council workers being ordered to throw it in a skip.

In-house restoration

Yet once more Harry arrived in time to save it from destruction and, to prevent such a thing happening again, he took it home to the safety of his spare bedroom – where it remained until 2007, when he finally got around to sending it away to be restored from the ground up by leading specialist Glyn Johnson of the Vincent Workshop.

The sad part of the tale, however, is that Harry died in 2008 without ever seeing the bike finished. Which is a shame because, as Amy Shore's artfully shot images show, it is now, quite possibly, the very best of the mere 65 Series A Rapides that survive.

Two-wheeled trust fund

Completed in 2013, the restoration included a full mechanical rebuild, fresh paint, new or refurbished ancillaries – and every nut, bolt, screw and washer upgraded with stainless steel substitutes finished to the appearance of the originals.

Now, still carrying the registration mark it was issued with in 1939, the mighty, 1,000cc V-twin with 110mph potential is set to be among the stars of Bonhams' spring Stafford sale on 26 April, where it is expected to fetch around £250,000 for the members of Harry's family who have inherited it.

Which is not bad for a bike that was saved from the scrapheap. Twice.

Photos: © Amy Shore for Classic Driver

LIVE FAST: KOTT MOTORCYCLES’ RACY THRUXTON

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

From his home base in California, Dustin Kott’s earned a reputation for building café racers with exceptional proportions. So when Ryan Reynolds was looking to add another bike to his already enviable collection, Dustin got the call.

The star of the upcoming Deadpool movie is an avid motorcyclist, with a taste for classically-styled machines. (His collection includes numbers from Deus and Raccia Motorcycles). Now he was looking to transform a 2014-model, fuel-injected Triumph Thruxton.

It’s not a make or model we’re used to seeing from Kott Motorcycles, but that didn’t deter Dustin. “The end goal was to transform the linear and aesthetic proportions of the machine to accommodate Ryan’s special requests,” he says, “and to reveal exactly what lay dormant within the modern Thruxton’s unrealized potential.”

Dustin’s first step was to ride the Thruxton to get a feel for the stock machine. “After the first ride the idea was not so much to fix the machine,” he explains, “but rather enhance the ride to allow the rider to feel more engaged, more required, and maybe slightly less docile.”

The biggest issue, in Dustin’s mind, was the lack of of a cohesive line from the Thruxton’s steering stem to its tail—particularly the frame’s drop from the tank to the seat. So he set about modifying the frame to perfect its linear flow—adding some neat perforated steel panels in the process.

As a side effect, Dustin now had space to stash away the Thruxton’s wiring harness, ECU, fuse box, fuel injection module and downsized lithium battery. Which then highlighted the next challenge: the Thruxton’s in-tank fuel pump.

Dustin wanted to fit a vintage Japanese tank to the Triumph, and settled on a late model Yamaha XS1100 unit. “Some may feel that fitting a Japanese tank to a British motorcycle is the final insult. But our thinking was that of dimensional and aesthetic liberty.

“It allowed for a taller tank-height-to-triple-clamp ratio, which always gives the impression of desirable fullness.”

Luckily the XS tank had enough internal space to retrofit the Triumph’s fuel pump inside. Plus, the vacant space between the frame’s backbone and the tank’s tunnel turned out to be a great place to stick the ignition switch.

To finish off the bodywork, Dustin fabricated one of his signature, round bar constructed tail units. Any electrical components that hadn’t already found a home were relocated to under the cowl, and a discreet LED taillight installed.

The focus then shifted to the bike’s handling. Keeping things British, Dustin fitted a pair of high-performance Hagon shocks and Avon tires. He then designed new rearset plates around the Thruxton’s frame down tubes, improving the riding position in the process. Up front, clip-ons were an obvious choice, paired with the original controls.

To wring the maximum performance out of the Triumph twin, the EFI was remapped and the stock exhaust system swapped for a stainless steel Arrow two-into-one system. “It sounds absolutely brutal at speed,” says Dustin. The airbox also gave way to velocity stacks.

Dustin’s handiwork is evident throughout the build—from the subtle inner rear fender to the custom-made exhaust and engine mounts.

When it came to finishing options, Dustin wanted to stick with a factory Thruxton vibe, “while redefining the overall stance and ride-ability.” To match the brushed metal casings, the majority of new components were given a brushed nickel or aluminum appearance.

There’s brandy-wine paint on the tank and tail, enhanced with pewter gold pinstriping. And reddish brown leather covering over the seat foam. All beautifully done.

One little detail is missing, though: the speedo. Instead, painted in a neat script onto the headlight bucket, are the immortal words ‘Live Fast’. It’s a typically neat and sympathetic touch from Kott, and sums up the spirit of traditional café racers.

Looks like Mr Reynolds has a knack for choosing builders as well as scripts.

Kott Motorcycles | Instagram | Images by Alex Martino | Other builds from Kott Motorcycles

via BIKEexif

How Jack Heuer invented the Carrera – and wrote watch history

There are few more 'quintessential' drivers' watches than the Heuer Carrera - and the good news for lovers of the old-school Carrera look is that this year's Baselworld watch show saw the wraps pulled off a couple of new models that hark right back to the '60s originals...

An amazing comeback

Both carry the classic 'Heuer' marking (rather than the modern TAG Heuer), but the truest to the spirit of the original chronograph is the new, £4,800 Carrera Telemeter, a 39mm watch with a silver dial and contrasting black subdials that, save for the date window and the addition of the 'telemetre' scale, really does echo the '60s Reference 3647. The second piece, the Carrera Chronometer, is a simple, three-hand watch featuring a COSC-certified Calibre 6 movement - and a tempting price tag of £2,600.

It all begins at Sebring

For those who don't know the story of how the Carrera came into being, its existence can be traced back to 1963 when Jack Heuer, the great-grandson of Heuer founder Edouard, was attending the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race at which the legendary Rodriguez brothers, Ricardo and Pedro, were driving for Ferrari.

The pair were idolised as Mexico's most famous racing drivers, and present on the day were their parents, with whom Jack struck up a conversation in the pits. Soon, talk turned to their country's most famous race - La Carrera PanAmericana - and Jack immediately became enthralled both by the idea of the event (which had been scrapped eight years earlier) and by the evocative 'Carrera' name.

Carrera here, Carrera there

He quickly determined to use it for his next chronograph design and soon registered exclusive rights to it for watch use - at almost the same time, incidentally, that Porsche acquired the right to use it on its sports cars.

By December 1963, the new Heuer Carrera driver's chronograph was ready for launch. It featured a 36mm steel case, a Valjoux 72 manual wind movement and the reference number 2447D. Known as the 'Carrera-12' due to its 12-hour totaliser at six o'clock, the new watch retailed in the U.S. at $98.45 - and quickly became the default choice of both professional drivers and enthusiastic amateurs.

Found on the arms of racing royalty 

As the years passed, the Carrera name appeared on numerous different designs of Heuer watch, ranging from simple 'time only models' to automatic chronographs with dual time-zone and date functions. In every case, however, the Carrera remained a rugged and functional 'tool watch' aimed specifically at drivers.

Over two decades of continuous production, Carreras of one sort or another were seen on the wrists of the world's leading racers, including Bruce McLaren, Jo Siffert, Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni to name but a few.

Passing the baton

The Carrera line was dropped in the early 1980s, but strong demand for its return by enthusiasts around the world resulted in its revival in 1998 with a 'Classics' series based on the 1960s originals. The reborn Carrera proved to be a major success and, during the past 15 years, the name has been applied to a wide range of TAG Heuer driving watches - but, in our opinion, few have captured the spirit of the originals as successfully as this year's Baselworld releases.

Photos: Tag Heuer

You can find several classic and modern Heuer Carreras for sale in the Classic Driver Watch Market.

DEEP CREEK DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN

As I write this Kris Reniers of Deep Creek Cycle Works will be loading his van and heading from his home in Belgium to France for the first instalment of Bike Shed Paris. You might think from these images, and the 15 bikes he’s previously built, that Kris is a pro-builder spending his days with and angle grinder in hand. Not so, he has a normal, full-time job like the rest of us and fits in tool time once the sun has gone down for the day.

Despite having such build list behind him, this is Kris’ first foray with the Bavarian boxer, not initially an engine configuration that inspires him. This donor started out life as a 1980 R100RS and after 35 years was in pretty bad shape. Kris wanted a sturdy, reliable bike to ride to the pub on a Sunday, head out for the day with his mates and generally look good whilst wearing a suit at the DGR; hence the name of this project The Distinguished Gentleman.

Kris wanted a more stylish aestheic from arguably a more sophistatcated period in time but buying an R60/2 frame would have blown the budget so he fabricated a subframe to the same dimensions and welded it on, enabling the retro plunger shocks to be fitted.

Cylinders poking out ahead of your shins is a tried and tested showcase of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it engineering, but as a design it could be described as a bit clunky. Kris has tried to rebalance this by adding some asymmetry and filling the gap between tank and engine. A somewhat Dakar-esque addition was fabricated for the right hand side of the fuel tank adding capacity and a visual distraction.

The left side is taken care of by a pretty large spotlight on an outrigger. The yellow tinted glass is a popular mod these days and a throwback to Europe a few decades ago so Kris carried this over to the mini screen, mounted to a Manx style nose fairing. The dash is a pretty simple setup relying on the trusty Motogadget digital speedo for the necessary info.

Obviously it’s no use going to this much trouble without putting some time into the mechanicals, so Kris gave the beemer a full overhaul, front to back, replacing worn out components, seals, bearings and gaskets as he went.

To finish the tank and break up the large expanse of gloss black knee pads were added in brown leather to match the seat. The in-house fabricated seat floats above the rear-end at a sportier height than the bobber style suspension set-up suggests.

Kris has really enjoyed this build and has now changed his mind about the venerable BMW boxer. Although he’s enjoying the weekends on the Distinguished Gentleman, something tells us he’ll be searching for another project real soon. Check out Kris’ other work on Facebook or head to Bike Shed Paris this weekend, April 11-12th and see for yourself.

via The Bike Shed

At L'alpine Classique, the skiing season closed in style

In the classic car world, it's always difficult to create something new, something that hasn't been done before. But that's what Sebastien Chirpaz (founder of the stylish scarf brand 'A Piece of Chic') managed to do last weekend, with the first 'L'Alpine Classique' in Chamrousse.

Chirpaz is crazy about vintage style and clothing from the 1920s to the 1950s, but he also likes classic cars and bikes – and adores ‘telemark’ skiing. So he decided to combine everything: he invited some classic car owners to the Alps for a day with a retro-chic atmosphere, along with some telemark demonstrations.

And we have to say: for a premiere, it went extremely well for Chripaz and his small team. Well, okay, the weather could have been better, but that's always the risk when you organise something at an outside venue like this. And it could have been a lot worse. The Sunday began with a coffee, in the forest between Grenoble and Chamrousse. The idea was to do a small hillclimb, for both vintage cars and bikes, and then to head on together to arrive in Chamrousse. A clutch of vintage Vespas from the Grenoble club did it easily, while the 1926 FN bike found it had to change its spark plus rather quickly. The small-scale tour felt like it was taking place in the mid-50s, with the convoy of cars and bikes, and their drivers and passengers in correct period dress. You almost never find classic cars in the middle of the Alps, surrounded by snow, and the sight of them in this situation was one of the huge pleasures of the Alpine Classique.

After lunch below the skiing pistes, the telemarkers began their demonstrations. This method of skiing is rapidly growing in popularity, with more and more people taking part every year. It suited the event perfectly: the skiiers were very stylish, while the art of telemark is smooth, fluid, but also very technical.

The inaugural event was a real success for the 80 participants and the partners: Fusalp, launching its new retro-inspired collection, Arpin, presenting some stylish and very traditional wool pieces (tartan rugs as well as clothes in the Alpine style), Opinel pocket knives (a traditional companion for the skier, ideal when enjoying a slice of saucisson between pistes), and of course A Piece of Chic, who created a limited-edition scarf for the event. Chirpaz has already started to plan his next event, which might take place over a full weekend, not just a Sunday – and with an introduction to telemark for all the participants, perhaps?

If you want to enjoy classic cars and bikes in a retro-chic atmosphere during the last snowy days of the season, stay tuned for the 2016 edition of ‘L'Alpine Classique’.

Find numerous classic cars and vintage bikes in the Classic Driver Market.