A&G Cafe Racers “Gert”

Mostly the stories we get in the shed are in-depth tales of all the technical work that went into a build, but every now and then its just a darn good yarn about how the bike began its life.  In the case of  A&G Cafe Racer’s “Gert”, is definitely the latter.

The starting point for this ‘Muscle bike’ project was a GPz1100.  They found one in Portsmouth on the south coast of the UK, and on a perfect winter’s day in late Jan the guys set off from Nantwich in Cheshire in a hired transit van.  With ‘Gert’ (named after a Great Aunt Gertrude) safely secured in the back of the van, the clear blue sky became dark and stormy, and within the hour a snow storm was upon them, blizzard conditions, thunder and lightning, zero visibility. The guys soldiered on valiantly into the night; but were eventually defeated by one particularly vicious incline, and they were forced to take refuge in a local pub. This is when all sympathy is lost as the hand-pulled ales and home cooking appear to have done a fine job of helping the guys get over the effects of the traumatic journey, and also gave them some ‘inspiration’ for the build itself.

Back in the warmth of the workshop in Nantwich, complete with raging hangovers, the work started in earnest.  The bike was stripped back to the bone and the motor was removed.  One look at the top end revealed that this Zwaka had had an easy life up to now.  So the first job was to chop the frame and measure up for the alloy tank and tail. “Mick the Tank” handmade all the stunning alloy on the bike.  The front mudguard would look as much at home in a gallery as it does hugging the front tyre.  Unfortunately the wiring loom wasn’t in such good condition as the engine, so a complete new loom was required which was a major headache for Al (you sure that wasn’t the real ale?) . GPz1100 B1’s are fuel injected, but Gert had a Carb conversion so all the injection wiring had to be removed which was extremely complex. The carburettors were crying out for bell mouths, so George sourced them and machined up some beautiful aluminium adaptors. The Harris Race System needed some attention too, so they had it powder coated black and tracked down a racing baffle.  The result is visual and aural perfection. The rearsets are from a CBR1000 which were modified to suit, along with special adaptor plates.  A&G do all their own powder coating, and from what we can see in the photos, they’re a dab hand at it.

From stormy beginnings to a shiny alloy work of art, Gert’s been on some journey.  The hours that have gone into this build are plain to see, but as is often the case it’s the stories behind these bikes, the things you can’t see that provide the ingredients for what this scene is all about – good old fashioned banter down the pub with like minded mates.  Thanks for the bike guys, and thanks for the story.

What the Welsh stage names mean / Les spéciales galloises traduites pour vous…

Welsh is a colourful Celtic tongue which pre-dates English. It shares its roots with the language spoken in Brittany and many words are similar to modern-day French. For visitors, however, many place names are unpronounceable. We tried to uncover the meaning behind the some of the places visited by this weekend’s rally…

The internet served as an initial source of information, and we also asked some Welsh speakers on the event. In certain cases, they were left scratching their head. Elfyn Evans was quizzed, too. He lives in Dolgellau, Mid Wales, but even he couldn’t fill in the remaining blanks.

If any of our visitors can help, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Gwydyr (SS1): This forest takes its name from Gwydyr castle, ancestral home of the Wynn family. The different interpretations of the word include ‘field of blood’, because the Wynns are said to have bought the castle with money made as mercenaries!

Penmachno (SS2): ‘Pen’ means ‘head of’, so this signifies the upper reaches of the Machno River, a tributary of the River Conwy, which reaches the sea near the rally’s start venue.

Clocaenog (SS3/19): A mystery word, I’m afraid.

Hafren (SS4/7): Another mystery.

Sweet Lamb (SS5/8): This name was chosen by the rally complex’s founder. It is taken from a poem (The War Song of Dinas Vawr) featured in an Arthurian novel by Thomas Love Peacock (The Misfortunes of Elphin) in 1829. It talks about sheep-stealing by invading armies. “The mountain sheep are sweeter, but the valley sheep are fatter. We therefore deemed it meeter [better], to carry off the latter.”

Myherin (SS6/9): Another mystery, especially as ‘Myherin’ visits Tarenig Forest.

Gartheiniog (SS10/12): Mystery.

Dyfi (SS11/13): This is the Welsh spelling of the short River Dovey which flows through Mid Wales to the Irish Sea.

Dyfnant (SS14/17): ‘Nant’ means small stream. It refers to the moorland near the River Dovey’s source.

Chirk Castle (SS15/16): The original 13^th Century castle was built next the River Ceiriog (or Keyroc). ‘Chirk’ is believed to be a corruption of this name.

Penllyn (SS18): ‘Pen’ means ‘head of’ and ‘Llyn’ means ‘lake’, so… ‘head of the lake’.

Kinmel Park (SS20/21): Another mystery, especially as the letter ‘K’ does not exist in Welsh.

Great Orme (SS22): There are two headlands near Llandudno: Great and Little Orme. The name ‘Orme’ is actually of Viking origin and means ‘sea serpent’. The Vikings thought the peninsular resembled the head of a sea serpent when seen from the sea.

Llandudno (finish venue): ‘Llan’ means church, the ‘church of Saint Tudno’. The 13^th century chapel on Great Orme is located where Tudno – a 7^th Century missionary – is said to have lived in a cave.

One last name, just for fun… As our British visitors will know, on the island of Anglesey near Llandudno is the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch! Translation? Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of Saint Tysilio of the red cave.

Le gallois est une langue celte très colorée, antérieure à l’anglais, qui n’est pas sans rappeler le breton. D’ailleurs, beaucoup de mots gallois sont similaires à ceux de la langue française actuelle. Nous avons traduit pour vous le nom de certaines spéciales du Wales Rally GB 2013.

Pour cela, on a demandé de l’aide à nos amis Gallois. Mais même pour eux, ce n’est pas évident. Elfyn Evans, par exemple, habite à Dolgellau, au cœur du Pays de Galles, mais il n’a pas pu répondre à toutes nos questions.

Gwydyr (ES1) : « Le nom de cette forêt vient du Château de Gwydyr, demeure de la famille Wynn. On pourrait traduire par « terre de sang » car les Wynns avaient acheté le château avec l’argent de leurs crimes. »

Penmachno (ES2) : « Pen signifie « tête de », donc ça pourrait vouloir dire au-dessus de la rivière Machno, un affluent de la rivière Conwy qui se jette dans la mer tout près de Deeside.

Clocaenog (ES3/19) : Un mystère, désolé !

Hafren (SS4/7) : Un autre mystère !

Sweet Lamb (SS5/8) : « Ce nom a été choisi par les concepteurs de ce complexe de rallye. Il vient d’un poème (The War Song of Dinas Vawr) tiré d’un roman arthurien de Thomas Love Peacock (The Misfortunes of Elphin,1829) qui parle de vol d’ouailles par des envahisseurs. « Les moutons de montagne sont plus doux, mais les moutons de vallée sont plus gros. Nous avons jugé mieux de prendre ce dernier. »

 (ES6/9) : Un autre mystère, d’autant que Myherin traverse la Tarenig Forest

Gartheiniog (ES10/12) : Mystère également

Dyfi (ES11/13) : C’est le nom gallois de la petite rivière Dovey qui s’écoule du cœur du Pays de Galles jusqu’à la Mer d’Irlande.

Dyfnant (ES14/17) : « Nant » signifie petit ruisseau, en référence à la lande près de la source de la rivière Dovey

Chirk Castle (ES15/16) : Le château du 13^e siècle a été bâti près de la rivière Ceiriog (ou Keyroc). « Chirk » serait une déformation de ce mot.

Penllyn (ES18) : « Pen » signifie « tête de » et « Llyn » veut dire « lac », donc…

Kinmel Park (ES20/21) : Un autre mystère, surtout que la lettre K n’existe pas en gallois !

Great Orme (ES22) : Il y a deux promontoires près de Llandudno : Great et Little Orme. Le nom Orme a des origines vikings et signifie « serpent de mer ». Les Vikings trouvaient que la péninsule ressemblait à une tête de serpent vu de la mer.

Llandudno (arrivée) : « Llan » signifie « église », donc l’église de Saint Tudno. La chapelle du 13^e siècle de Great Orme est située où Tudno – un missionnaire du 7^e siècle – est supposé avoir vécu dans une grotte.

2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT Final Edition breaks cover

Limited to 350 units

Following a teaser released earlier this week, Mercedes-Benz has revealed the 2014 SLS AMG GT Final Edition.

The last hurrah for the SLS will be built in a limited series of 350 units which will feature the same V8 6.3-liter engine from the regular SLS AMG GT version outputting 591 HP (435 kW).

This special edition is distinguished by a carbon fiber hood and front splitter, along with a redesigned front bumper and new brakes. We also notice the updated rear wing and carbon side mirror housings, while the light surrounds have been darkened.

A replacement for the SLS has already been announced and will likely come out in 2014 wearing the "SLC" moniker. Codenamed "C190", it will be smaller than the SLS and is expected to receive a newly developed V8 4.0-liter twin-turbo rated at 493 bhp (327 kW) that will also power the next-gen C63 AMG.

Full details about the SLS AMG GT Final Edition will be disclosed next week when the car will get its public outing at the Los Angeles and Tokyo motor shows where it will be showcased alongside the S65 AMG.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

Elfyn Evans: the local star! / Elfyn Evans : le héros local

Saturday’s Wales Rally GB action visits the forested mountains east of Dolgellau where the local hero is undoubtedly this weekend’s provisional WRC-2 pace-setter, Elfyn Evans. He is the son of Gwyndaf, but his rise up the sport’s ladder means he is recognised increasingly for his driving ability rather than his filial ties. Aged just 24, he is one of the fastest and smartest drivers of his generation.

It’s difficult to believe that Elfyn Evans was just another J-WRC hopeful barely a year ago. Since clinching last year’s Junior crown, though, he has lost no time becoming a regular face on the world championship, either in a Ford Fiesta R5 or, as in Sardinia, behind the wheel of a WRC car.

He grew up in Dinas Mawddwg which sits almost within walking distance of classic Rally GB stages such as Dyfi and Gertheiniog, so it is little wonder he was attracted to rallying, not to mention the influence of his dad’s own remarkable pedigree in the sport (1996 British Champion). “I was always interested, and my spectating days started when I was three or four years old,” recalls the youngster, “but it was only at the age of 16 or 17 that I really felt the urge to push.”

Dad, who runs a Ford dealership in Dolgellau, spotted Elfyn’s natural talent much earlier, however: “When he was 11, he could perform reverse flicks and handbrake turns in old cars. I never pushed him, though. Personally, I would have preferred him to take up soccer; it would have cost me less! I didn’t take much notice when he started competing. I was happy he was enjoying himself but under no illusions. I told him that if he didn’t dominate, he should forget about a career. He kept doing well, but it was a message I repeated frequently. Indeed, in 2012, his 2013 programme rested on the result of his J-WRC campaign. And it’s still like that. Today is possibly the toughest period of all as he tries to move on to the next step…”

With the final round of the 2013 WRC passing so close to home, it’s no surprise to see the Evans family out in force this weekend’. Even his grandmother says she will be “in the woods” today. “I follow Elfyn’s results closely,” she smiles. “Rallying is a way of life in our family and I am very proud of him, of course. But I’m more than 80 now, so I sometimes get a little nervous when he’s competing.”

It’s not just the Evans family that follows Elfyn’s career. Unsurprisingly, he is something of a local celebrity. Out of interest, we quizzed Emma who works at the Ffynnon Hotel where we are staying in Dolgellau… “Ever heard of him? I went to school with him!” she reveals. “We always believed he would succeed as a driver, and we always buy our cars from his dad’s garage!”

Very soon, if Elfyn manages to put together a good programme for 2014, it is highly probable that his reputation will soon take off internationally, too!

Aujourd’hui, les spéciales du Wales Rally GB traversent les forêts près de Dolgellau, chez Elfyn Evans, le leader du WRC-2, qui s’est fait un prénom dans la discipline après les nombreuses victoires de son père Gwyndaf. A 24 ans, Elfyn semble promis à un bel avenir.

Il est difficile d’imaginer qu’Elfyn était encore en championnat WRC Academy l’an passé. Après avoir décroché le titre, sa carrière a fait un bond en avant cette année. Elfyn est désormais considéré comme un pilote du WRC sur une Ford Fiesta R5, ou une Fiesta RS WRC comme en Sardaigne.

Elfyn a grandi à Dinas Mawddwg, un petit village au bord de l’A470, tout près des spéciales de Dyfi et de Gertheiniog, des classiques du Rally GB. Pas étonnant alors que ce gamin fut attiré par le rallye, sans même parler de la carrière de son père (Champion britannique 1996, quatre fois vice-champion…). « Le rallye m’a toujours intéressé. Je devais avoir trois ou quatre ans quand j’ai assisté à mon premier rallye en spectateur. Mais c’est à 16 ou 17 ans que tout a vraiment commencé. »

Son père, concessionnaire Ford Dolgellau, avait remarqué les aptitudes du fiston bien avant : « A 11 ans, il maîtrisait déjà parfaitement le demi-tour en marche arrière et les freins à main sur de vieilles voitures. Je ne l’ai jamais poussé. Personnellement, j’aurais préféré qu’il joue au foot, ça m’aurait coûté moins cher ! »

« En 2006 quand Elfyn a disputé la F1000 Cup sur une Nissan Micra, j’étais heureux de le voir s’amuser, sans autres prétentions. Je lui ai dit que si les résultats ne suivaient pas, on arrêtait tout. Je le lui ai répété en Fiesta ST Trophy, et puis comme ça tous les ans. En 2012, il avait beau être en WRC Academy, je n’avais pas changé de principe : dans les premiers, ou stop… Aujourd’hui, passer à l’étape supérieure est peut-être le moment le plus crucial… »

Le Wales Rally GB passant si près du fief des Evans, il n’est pas surprenant de voir toute la famille réunie autour d’Elfyn ce week-end. Même sa grand-mère est dans les spéciales aujourd’hui ! « Comme son père Gwyndaf, je suis mon petit-fils de très près. Le rallye, ça fait partie de notre vie, et je suis très fière d’Elfyn évidemment. Mais j’ai plus de 80 ans aujourd’hui, et je suis un peu nerveuse quand il est en course. »

Elfyn est un héros local. Emma, qui travaille au Ffynnon Hotel, nous a dit qu’elle avait été à l’école avec Elfyn « Si je le connais, bien sûr ! On était dans la même école, pas dans la même classe car on a un an d’écart. On savait tous qu’il réussirait comme pilote… Et puis on achète toujours nos voitures au garage de son père. »

Elfyn aura peut-être un programme très intéressant pour 2014 et sa carrière pourrait vraiment décoller. A suivre…