vendredi 12 juin 2015
This Porsche 930 was born of two brothers' remarkable racing ambition
While it might look like yet another tuning company’s cheerful attempt to cash in on the '80s craze for tuned 911s, this 930 was built by the famous French Porsche privateers, the Alméras brothers, and among their (extensive) credentials is a win at the Monte Carlo Rally…
Two brothers, one mission
From the 935-esque aero and (utterly cool) BBS Turbofan wheels, to the two KKK turbochargers and 934 injection system, inspiration for this 3.3 930 was clearly drawn from the competition cars that, at the time, the Alméras brothers were so familiar with preparing. In fact, over 40 years, Jean-Marie and Jacques Alméras dabbled (often successfully) in almost every discipline bar Formula One, so it’s fair to say they know a bit about building Porsches.
French Porsche lore
Revealed to the world at the 1983 Geneva Motor Show, this car received much attention at the time, particularly from the French press, who took a liking to its carefully developed and balanced engine. Michelin even used it to run high-speed tests for its then-new range of TRX tyres – it could reach in excess of 180mph, after all…
Benefitting from a recent mechanical overhaul (carried out by the Alméras brothers themselves), the car will be auctioned by Artcurial at its upcoming Automobiles sur les Champs 8 sale in Paris. The pre-sale estimate is 80,000 to 120,000 euros; not an unreasonable price to pay for a car that could be considered part of French Porsche lore. And we’d bet it’s a blast to drive (if a bit frightening)…
Photos: Artcurial
This car will be offered for sale at Artcurial's Automobiles sur les Champs 8 sale, which will take place on 22 June 2015 at the Théâtre du Rond-Point, Paris.
TAMARIT MOTORCYCLES NEPTUNO TRIUMPH
Nope you’re not drunk, by all means have another. Your double vision isn’t a result of that murky, brown bottled craft ale you’re supping, rather the case of a builder producing a prized pair again. Whereas on Friday we flashed a couple of shiny deBolex at you, today is the turn of an altogether hairier bunch of Europeans showing their goods.
Tamarit Motorcycles, to be precise, a Spanish garage with a long history of building fettled Bonnies, we featured their previous Pegaso build last year, but they’ve be around a fair bit longer than that!
Found Med-side in sunny Spain, a slick video on their homepage gives you a feel for the style and ideals their builds emit. Like all the best adventures, Tamarit began at a table in a bar, fuelled by one or two Cervezas. Sharing stories of work and play the discussion typically turned to balancing the two and how a more enjoyable lifestyle could be achieved. The obvious, yet risky answer was to combine the life passions with a proper business; and with hard work it’s paying off.
8 years later and the guys are thankful that more and more people are supporting what they do. It’s the passion and the pride of their job that shines through in the machines they build.
To the bikes. Unlike Devito and Swarzenegger these two actually share a family resemblance, they just part their hair on different sides. Diverging from their common base one has headed in a scramblery direction and the other, putting out more of a dirt tracker vibe.
Named Neptune 1 and Neptune 2, the plan was to demonstrate how varying a number of parts can give the same bike two different feelings. Both were originally 2006 carbureted Bonneville Blacks and both were treated to the same initial strip down and build up of frame trimming, servicing and upgrades.
Utilizing a mix of performance and purely aesthetic parts, the two bikes share a spattering of Hagon shocks at the rear, replacing the under-damped, over chromed originals. Up front forks have been rebuilt and resprung. The most obvious visual connection between the two, and signalling the dirty intentions, are those block-heavy Continental TKC80 tyres. Decent enough on and off road, they are a great compromise for the Triumph, whose off road pretensions are limited.
Other items shared between bikes include the chainguard, cam cover, and those perforated side covers. On either bike the rider grasps a set of braced Renthal bars and a mini speedo keeps track of progress.
Where the bikes diverge is mainly found with the seat and exhaust setup. Here, the tracker sports a traditional solo seat, the fibreglass unit extending beyond the rear axle and negating the need for a mudguard. It also forgoes one up front, just the number board and projector light set up to deflect debris. Fork protectors also keep the stanchions shiny and free of chips.
Sensibly, the front brake remains, flat-track influence looks great but it’s tricky to go far on the road without all the bike’s faculties in place.
The Scrambler has a rather timeless appearance. Mixing a chunky, fluted duel seat with a traditional high level twin pipe setup. Whereas the Tracker has a 2-1 megaphone, I’d wager either will sound rather fruity, though only a sound thrape along the Mediterranean coast would decide a winner (Call me!).
A sizeable front mudguard on the Scrambler adds a dash more practicality over it’s stripped down sibling, but with both bikes featuring a full set of mini indicators, mirrors and aluminum bash plates, either should be happy frolicking in the dirt on or off road.
A perfectly executed petrol blue and white paint job brings class to both bikes, the dash of red from the cam cover a cheeky nod amongst the sea of black powder and polished metal.
Although they were brought up together, the twins are up for grabs indivually from the Tamarit website so if they tickle your fancy, get in touch with the guys.
via The Bike Shed
Freeride - Jumping Motocross - Old School - 1998 (2 strockes)
Some of my buddies and I waaaay back in the good old days that have been transferred from camcorder tape to DVI to computer several times I have piles of footage I have to go through and will need converting! Quality is 'As Is' watch for more oldies to come usually uploaded in the winter when I have more time. Enjoy guys some of Canada's most talented riders from back in the day! :) Heddletown is on the Blue Yamaha YZ250 in this video!
THE STUNNING CONCEPTS AND MOTORCYCLES OF VILLA D'ESTE
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Photography by Federico Bajetti
Can motorcycles or brand-new concept cars be featured in a Concours d'Elegance? Yes, they can.
I've always admired Villa d'Este for its variety and great diversification. The vehicles on display cannot just be judged by their age and place in history, but also by their sheer beauty. Motorcycles and concept cars bring the perfect balance to the event lineup, and add more interest to the event.
I confess that every year I feel guilty for not dedicating enough time to the bikes on display. This year, I wanted to spend few more moments with these old bikes and do them justice. Each time you come back from a ride on a bike you have a story to tell, because motorcycling is always an adventure—I wanted to imagine the stories these special motorcycles have lived through.
Bikes are just as stunning as classic cars. They have more mechanical details compared to aesthetic ones: the switches, the exposed choke of the carburetors, the transmission, the chain and the engine. Especially on older motorcycles, you see everything—there’s nothing between the rider and the mechanical parts underneath.
The bikes that were on display covered a century of two wheeled racing and travelling. From an early 1912 Puch Type N to a wonderful Harley Davidson Model 10, to the Guzzi 750 S3, and BMW S1000 RR superbike—there was certainly many different takes on the two-wheel theme.
Why motorcycles are often snubbed by motoring enthusiasts I'll never know: it's a part of the motoring hobby that’s still very accessible to nearly everyone and fun in every way.
The winner of the Concorso Motociclette price was a 1974 Munich 4-TTS-E,an old German bike that was the first production motorcycle with 100 horsepower. Not a bad choice, in my opinion.
Aside from motorcycles, the other "alternative" attraction to Villa d'Este is the concept car class, which never fails to amaze the crowd.
Modern concept cars retain much of the exuberance that older ones had, and this year, the new concepts were quite provocative.Inspired directly by legends of the past, we saw four cars in particular that took heritage vehicles as inspiration: the Mostro Zagato, BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage, Touring Superleggera Berlinetta Lusso, and the Lamborghini Asterion. These concepts are futuristic re-interpretations of classics: the Mostro is the "new version" of the homonymous Costin-Zagato Maserati 450S, the BMW of the legendary 3.0 CSL, the Touring is a direct inspiration of the elegant Ferrari 2-seater berlinettas of the ’50s and the last one—a hybrid with nearly 1,000 hp that takes direct inspiration from the iconic Miura. These new cars have in their lines the same artistic freedom of their counterparts from the past. You may call them outrageous, soulless and (yes) filled with electronics, but their incredible presence and character is undeniable. I personally like the idea of new cars inspired by the old ones, even if the line cannot be possibly called "retro". There's a strong difference between the sort of concept cars we saw at Villa d'Este and an obsessively repeated "vintage" line. In the present day, manufacturers cannot fool their customers with old-looking designs—these are a step beyond what came before them.
While I was at the event I talked to Filippo Perini, the head of Design of Lamborghini, and he told me that he took inspiration from the gentlemen's cars of the past to create the Asterion: a more "relaxed"-looking car that has in its veins the same blood of the first cars produced by Lamborghini, the 3000 and 3500 GT. Its interior was the most elegant, handmade combination of high technology and traditional craftsmanship.
The same I could say with the BMW Hommage: I was told that the veteran British driver who campaigned the original CSL back in the day shed a few tears of emotion in seeing a new model based on his old racing car.
Possibly, the most interesting one from a "classic" point of view is the Berlinetta Lusso by Touring. It’s a modernization of the idea of a classic GT car. Based on the chassis and powertrain of a Ferrari F12, it wants to represent the strong desire in the high-end market for an elegant and handmade 2-seater coupe. It will be a limited production car like some of the other concepts at the show.
I think we're in the second pioneering era of car history, and we cannot ignore it. I want to be clear that carburetors are still fun and have lots of character, but there's something intriguing at looking at the what’s next for our supercars: it is notable that a part of the heritage is still there, alive and well.
DEBOLEX BONESHEART SPECIALS
Where would Cagney be without Lacey? If that’s a bit too retro and tenuous, what about Robin? He’s pretty decent at fighting crime, but frankly a bit crap without Batman around the corner. Some things simply work well in pairs; wheels and testicles are alright on their own, or in greater quantity, but a deuce is definitely the preferred option. deBolex Engineering are now notorious for knocking out some cracking CB750s, with an attention to detail and finish that belies owner Calum’s young years.
We first saw his handsome pair of Bonehearts a few weeks ago in the back of a van outside the Carreau du Temple in Paris. Three days later and anyone who’d visited Bike Shed Paris, fans and fellow builders alike, would have been left in no doubt that Calum’s bikes are proper. I think that’s the correct term they use around deBolex’s HQ in Croydon, Surrey.
The Bonesheart Specials are a pair of identical customs produced for the Swedish app developer behind aGreatday.tv and the upcoming Bonesheart app; an interesting concept whereby folk can enter competitions to win customs of their own. With influences from the MK3 and MK5 these CB750F2N based customs are deBolex’s most ambitious builds to date.
Full creative control was handed to Calum in the knowledge that a slick and menacing looking bike would be a guaranteed outcome. One thing the Boneshearts owner wasn’t expecting was a degree of practically engineered into the project. Calum goes on to say, “Building two identical customs proved to be a challenge but very rewarding especially in the aluminum tail piece and seat design, we wanted a seat that was removable, that would withstand the test of time, be comfy and stopped water from getting into the compartment below. These are the things that take time during the build and being on with such a tight schedule we don’t have time for research and development! But we feel we have come up with a seat design that we can now transfer to all our builds. Thankfully I have a second pair of hands on the team, our upholsterer Desmond is also experienced on the tools so together we can take on more work and incorporate more elaborate ideas “.
If you got up close and personal to these bike at either Bike Shed London or Paris you’ll have seen the slick catch and relatively cavernous storage area beneath the seat. Easily enough for a mini D-lock, disc lock, a super slimline pair of waterproof trousers and perhaps an iPhone on charge (I’ll lend you that idea Calum). Although not the 6 Plus; that thing wouldn’t fit in a Volvo.
As is now a prerequisite for builds at the this level, a full and complete strip down is required prior to cleaning up, powder coating and painting the mechanicals. With completed bikes being shipped all over the world, gremlins and faults are simply not acceptable. One ace that deBolex does have up their sleeve is an in-house paint facility, again a proper one, with full paint mixing facilities and an oven. The flatting, sanding and final finish are all Calum’s graft, and the result suggest it’s worthwhile.
To make these CBs stop, go and turn as well as they look some fairly serious upgrades are required. A modified top yoke not only holds the Motogadget speedo, but also grip the burley upsidedowners pinched from a more modern CBR.
In a break from the usual deBolex custom airbox, this four-banger sucks through trusty K&Ns and re-jetted carbs. Batch produced, to the now tried and tested design, stainless exhausts sound great and exiting from one side, also look clean and simple.
Dunlop Sportmax rubber not only offers a handsome tread pattern, but plenty of adhesion once the free breathing motor is let loose. And yes, these bikes have been at delivered to the show in a back of a van, but they were built to be ridden, more about that further down.
Tarozzi foot rests, set in a slight rearward position add a sportier feel, and irradiate that curled up like a pretzel look. The clip-ons are low but not uncomfortable and the forks set-up for the winding roads but not rock hard, race spec teeth cracking levels.
The owner of the Bonesheart Specials, and the namesake tech company, is an avid custom fan and keen for others to see the result of his investment and deBolex’s handiwork. These CBs won’t be locked up in a fancy glass office in Stockholm, far from it. The final shakedown was completed last week around London (check the vid here)and now both bikes are bound for Biarritz for the custom bike, surfing extravaganza, Wheels & Waves. And yes, they will be ridden all the way down. So if you see Calum in France next week, wave him over, there’ll probably be a decent picnic stashed under those seats.
For a spot on the waiting list or to discuss your project get in touch via the deBolex website. Or for envy shots, follow Calum’s trip on Facebook and Instagram. And to see behind the scenes check out their Youtube channel here.
via The Bike Shed
When classic cars become subjects of modern art
These stylish prints depicting popular classic cars are the work of Nick Schulz’s design and illustration company, L-Dopa…
A wide range of subjects
The Sonoma County-based artist has put his crisp and modern take on an eclectic range of classic cars, from favourites such as the Mini, to gargantuan American land-barges such as the Lincoln Continental. And he doesn’t just illustrate cars – his other series of prints include men’s health, travel and leisure, and ‘wired’; the latter satirically portraying modern society’s obsession with technology.
Photos: L-Dopa
You can find further information about the full collection of L-Dopa prints here.
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