Aston Martin DBS V8FI prototype: English ice princess

All classic Aston Martins are valuable, let alone unique factory prototypes. Therefore, the decision to photograph this early DBS V8 prototype on a bed of snow was certainly a brave one…

Many will be familiar with the story of the late 60s DBS. Somewhat larger than the DB6 it replaced – and now a full four-seater – its coachwork had the sharper lines in vogue at the time. But beneath that atypically square Aston grille lay a very familiar six-cylinder engine, as the planned V8 was behind in its developmental schedule.

Life after testing

While the first customers were enjoying their six-cylinder DBSs, Aston added a 5.0-litre V8 to this burgundy test mule, making it one of the first road-going Astons to be fitted with an eight-cylinder engine. Once its testing duties were complete, the car was sold to a private owner who replaced the test engine with the 5.3-litre production-spec V8 – sacrilege some might say, but it’s worth remembering the 5.0-litre was a development of that used in the Lola T70 Mk III and hardly the most reliable, as shown by its early retirement from the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Factory-fitted flourishes

Perhaps the last place you’d want to take a race-bred prototype would be a post-blizzard forest, despite the factory-fitted, non-production flourishes which included aluminium sills – perhaps providing better salt protection – and a pair of snow-snorting bonnet nostrils (no 80s banker jokes please) for improved cooling. But you must surely agree that the burgundy hue (or ‘Dubonnet’ in official terms) provides an amazing contrast against the white backdrop?

Photos: Tim Wallace for Aston Workshop

The prototype Aston you see here is currently available in the Classic Driver Market.

The wonderful world of Peter Sellers

We say 'wonderful world' with more than a little irony. One of the greatest British comic actors of all time, Peter Sellers' off-screen life was a total contrast: a life of depression, addictions and ill-health, with a string of failed marriages to add to his woes...

When it came to motors, the late Peter Sellers never really seemed to know what he wanted. By the time he had made his first appearance as Inspector Clouseau in the original Pink Panther film of 1964, the famously troubled star is said to have owned no fewer than 83 different cars, ranging from custom-built Radford Minis to the one-off Bristol 407/410 convertible that had appeared on the firm's stand at the previous year's Turin show.

Sellers had a similar propensity for acquiring women - and wives. He married four times, most famously to Swedish actress Britt Ekland whom he wed just 10 days after meeting, and embarked on other relationships with Liza Minnelli and Sophia Loren, to name but two.

Acquire and discard

As with cars, his favoured modus operandi was to acquire and discard, just as he did with everything else in his life, from properties to hi-fi to cameras. Many believe such behaviour was  simply the manifestation of a troubled mind that, Sellers often said, prevented him from having a personality to call his own. Instead, he created the people he was required to portray in the movies that made him famous, becoming them not just at the time of  filming or recording, but throughout the duration of his involvement in the production - be that the bungling and incompetent Clouseau or the touchingly naive Chance, the reclusive, television-loving gardener who is thrown into the limelight when his simple statements are misinterpreted as metaphorical wisdom.

Indeed, Sellers was so unsure of his true self that he once refused to appear as a guest on a prominent British chat show unless he could arrive in disguise. Only when he had done so, and performed in character, did he feel sufficiently confident to be interviewed as Peter Sellers, actor and comedian.

A taste for metal underwear

Had Sellers not died from a heart attack in 1980 at the young age of 54, who knows what further examples of his genius we might have seen. Another Dr Strangelove, perhaps, or developments of the characters Bluebottle, Hercules Grytpype-Thynne and Major Dennis Bloodnok which helped to make his name in the 'Goon Show' of the 1950s ? That's a question that can never be answered. But one thing is certain: no comic actor had a greater appreciation of metal underwear - as fellow Goon Spike Milligan liked to call Sellers' frequently changing automobiles.

 

Photos: Getty

The Legends of Belstaff

Since the introduction of the Trialmaster in 1948, Belstaff has been the benchmark for biker's outerwear. That iconic creation inspired a series of legendary jackets, each with its own unique heritage -- The Roadmaster, The Panther, The S Icon and the Triumph. The Legends Collection lives on in the spirit of the trials, achievements and adventures of those who wore them. Carefully considered with the motorcyclist in mind, each archival piece is designed with the same ergonomic elements that make the Trialmaster an enduring classic. Perfected over generations and adapted for individual advantage, these jackets form the foundation of the Belstaff collection.

it's start

How Singer Turns a Porsche 911 Into Art

The best early '70s Porsche 911 that never existed. 
Get the full story here: http://bit.ly/1bLXS5j

2014 Rockstar Energy Racing Photo Shoot

Go behind the scenes at the official Rockstar Energy Racing Team photo shoot! Davi Millsaps, Jason Anderson, and Joey Savatgy take to the track on the new KTM bikes. 2014 is going to be a big year for the Rockstar team and the boys are looking good. Be sure to catch all the action at A1 on January 4, 2014! - See more at: http://derestricted.com/motorcycles/2014-rockstar-energy-racing-photo-shoot#sthash.WPR5nFw6.dpuf

2014 Dakar: longer, higher and tougher / Dakar 2014 : plus long, plus haut, plus dur

The Dakar’s organiser Etienne Lavigne took the wraps off the 2014 event’s itinerary at a press conference in Paris. The 171 bikers will start the famous event in Rosario, Argentina, on January 5, and can look forward to a total distance of more than 9,000km (including 5,000km in stages) before the finish in Valparaiso, Chile, on January 18.

Le directeur du Dakar, Etienne Lavigne a dévoilé le parcours 2014 du célèbre rallye-raid lors d’une conférence de presse à Paris. Les 171 motards au départ le 5 janvier à Rosario (Argentine) devront parcourir plus 9 000 km dont près de 5 000 km chronométrés pour rallier l’arrivée à Valparaiso au Chili le 18 janvier.

The 2014 Dakar places the emphasis very much on endurance with a menu of almost 5,000 competitive kilometres awaiting the two-wheel competitors. “That’s anaverage 50km per day more than last January, so the challenge will be a couple of notches harder for everyone,” notes the Dakar’s sporting director David Castera.

The car and bike route will split for five stages totalling 2,000km, around 40% of the total distance. The bikers also face two two-day ‘marathon’ legs with no overnight servicing permitted. These marathon legs total 2,702km (1,228km from San Rafael to Chilecito, plus 1,474km from Salta to Calama) and include 1,590 timed kilometres (726 + 864).

Last spring, the five-time Dakar winner Cyril Després switched to Yamaha (Michelin) where he will team up with Olivier Pain. Meanwhile, after having to sit out the 2013 event because of a shoulder injury, KTM’s spearhead Marc Coma will be looking for revenge in a bid to equal the number of wins claimed by his former team-mate. The Austrian make will also be represented by Ruben Faria, Chaleco Lopez and David Casteu. After a familiarisation outing last January, Honda will be hunting for victory, too, helped by Helder Rodrigues, the world champion Paolo Gonçalves and Joan Barreda.

The press conference paid a tribute to Kurt Caselli (KTM), winner of two Dakar stages in 2013, who sadly lost his life during last week’s Baja 1000.

L’édition 2014 est placée sous le signe de l’endurance avec près de 5 000 km chronométrés qui attendent les 171 concurrents sur deux roues.« Avec en moyenne 50 kilomètres supplémentaires à parcourir chaque jour par rapport à la dernière édition, on peut dire que nous avons haussé le niveau de difficulté d’un ou deux crans : cet allongement touchera tout le monde ! » assure David Castera, directeur sportif du Dakar.

Le parcours des motos sera dissocié sur cinq spéciales soit 2 000 kilomètres sur les itinéraires chronométrés (40 % de la distance). Les motards devront également affronter deux étapes marathon disputées sur deux jours chacune où les concurrents seront installés dans un bivouac dédié sans assistance. Au total, ces étapes spéciales représentent 2 702 km (1 228 km entre San Rafael et Chilecito + 1 474 km entre Salta et Calama), dont 1 590 km en spéciale (726 km + 864 km).

Côté sportif, les cartes ont été redistribuées avec l’arrivée du quintuple vainqueur de l’épreuve, Cyril Després, chez Yamaha (Michelin) au printemps. Cyril sera épaulé par Olivier Pain. Privé de Dakar en 2013 suite à une luxation de l’épaule, Marc Coma, fer de lance de KTM, tentera de prendre sa revanche et d’égaliser le nombre de victoires de son ancien coéquipier. L’équipe autrichienne engage également Ruben Faria, Chaleco Lopez et David Casteu. Après une année d’apprentissage, Honda visera également la victoire avec l’aide d’Helder Rodrigues, du champion du monde Paolo Gonçalves et Joan Barreda.

Un hommage a été rendu à Kurt Caselli (KTM), invité surprise de l’édition 2013 et vainqueur de deux étapes, qui a perdu la vie la semaine dernière lors de la Baja 1000.

YAMAHA XS400 BY WALT SIEGL

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

Walt Siegl’s name is synonymous with classy, high-end Ducati customs. So it’s a little unusual to see a smaller displacement Japanese motorcycle roll out of his workshop—in this case a Yamaha XS400.

Walt built the bike for Grace Song, the personal assistant of one of his customers. Grace owns a couple of small vintage bikes, but needed something more capable of keeping up with traffic. Walt explains how the project came about: “She asked me who I might recommend to build her a bike, and her boss mentioned her need for a bigger machine as well. I finally got the hint, and since I was secretly waiting for a Japanese project, I offered her the build.”

Walt had spent enough time with his client to get a feel for her sensibilities, so when she stated that the bike shouldn’t be “precious looking,” he immediately knew that it shouldn’t be a rat bike either. The goal was to build an “approachable” motorcycle, with just the right amount of patina.

The XS400 was chosen because of its relatively low height. First the frame was trimmed of all unnecessary tabs and a new rear loop added, before being painted gloss black. Walt then removed the gloss finish using a gritty polishing paste, before bringing it back to semi-gloss by applying a special compound to remove the swirl marks.

The original tank was cut into four sections and made smaller, before knee cut-outs were added. It was then painted with a semi-gloss finish, to match the frame’s treatment. Special consideration was given to the seat—it had to be low enough for slow speed maneuvering and had to be able to accommodate a pillion. Once it had been shaped accordingly it was covered in high-grade leather.

A Bultaco fender was mounted to the front with a bespoke brace, while the rear fender was taken from a Maico and cut to fit. Aftermarket shocks were fitted at the rear and surface treated, so as not to stand out too much. The stock forks were dropped slightly and re-sprung with Ceriani springs. Rounding off the vintage trials-inspired touches are 18” (rear) and 21” (front) Akront rims from a Montesa—mated to the stock Yamaha hubs with Buchanan’s stainless steel spokes.

Finally, all the aluminum parts on the bike were sand blasted and polished with Scotch-Brite to achieve a semi-gloss finish throughout. But Walt wasn’t quite done yet: “By the time the project was finished and sitting on the workshop floor, it looked a little too ‘together’. That’s where the decals come in.

“I think it now looks like the bike the youngsters from the seventies with limited resources but tons of pride would have ridden.”

Check out Walt’s builds on his website and follow his news via the Walt Siegl Facebook page. Images by Julien Roubinet.

from BIKEEXIF

Léopard

YAMAHA XJR400 BY ELLASPEDE

Let’s say you’re a relatively new convert to motorcycling. And you want a custom bike, something a little smaller and cheaper than an 883 Sportster, Triumph Bonneville or Moto Guzzi V7.

The obvious option is the Yamaha SR400. Or maybe one of the more compact vintage Honda CBs. But Australian builder Ellaspede has come up with another solution—the Yamaha XJR400, little brother to the evergreen XJR1300.

“Being an import-only model in Australia, there aren’t that many good XJR400s around,” says Ellaspede’s Hughan Seary. “So locating one took a while. Our client Matthew managed to find a great example in black, rode it in, and we started discussing possibilities. Whilst taking cues from our previous XJR, he had some other ideas he wanted to explore.”

One of the cues was cafe styling, so clip-ons and a humped seat were in order. The ability to carry a passenger was another requirement, so Ellaspede made the custom seat unit just long enough to achieve this.

Under the seat are discreet frame mods, relocated electrical items, and a custom rear guard with a plate relocation bracket to help with legal requirements. The removal of the airbox left space for BMC pods to feed air into re-jetted carbs, and the standard headers are now hooked up to a SuperTrapp muffler.

A lowered headlight and Acewell gauge help clean up the front end, while Posh indicators and an LED taillight take care of the other lighting duties. To reduce the revs, the front cog was swapped out for a 1-tooth-up unit. Many fabricated, powder coated, painted and polished items help finish the look.

Matthew got himself a cool ride because he chose a donor bike that didn’t need a huge amount of work to produce a sharp, semi-modern take on the cafe racer genre. If you were a young rider looking for an affordable custom, would you have done the same?

STUNNING CAR GREETING CARDS FOR MEN BY JOCHEN PAESEN

• POSTED BY MOTO VERSO
 
• WITH JOCHEN PAESEN

These stunning car greeting cards for men have been beautifully designed and drawn by Jochen Paesen. Whether it be a birthday, Christmas or greeting card this is what ever man wants to see on a card. You have a great collection of classic, muscle and racing cars to choice from with my particular favourite set being the muscle cars. If your looking for a classy and different set of cards to hand out this Christmas them look no further, these will look cool anywhere. These really are true man cards, they don’t exist in shops you normally get a boat or maybe if your lucky some dudes playing cricket.

Belgium based designer and illustrator Jochen is the creative Director at the BMW Group so he know’s a thing or two about cars. He has picked some of the most iconic cars for his greeting cards with some of my favorite included in the list.

All of these cool cards are available to buy on Jochen’s Behance page, check them out here or you can visit his shop at www.jochenpasen-shop.com to see all the other amazing artwork he has for sale.

BRANDING THE WILKINSON BROS URAL SIDECAR MOTORCYCLE

After designing the graphics, we dusted off the vinyl plotter and stickered up the shop bike, a UralRed October sidecar motorcycle. The intention was to echo the good ol’ days of hand-lettered service trucks and bold branding.

Once the graphics were stuck on, we gave them a test spin with a little imitation of old sidecar racers. Looking through countless old pics, we can’t help but smile when we see the monkeys hang so far out and low to weight the rig on an inside turn. Of course, our version of the maneuver reveals the challenges of high ground clearance on our stock Ural. 

It may be worth noting that Wilkinson Bros is our graphic design and creative marketing company, we don’t actually apply vinyl graphics on vehicles as a service. Your friendly neighborhood sign-guys will be a much better source! With that said, check out this 1-minute vid to get a behind-the-scenes look into how we applied the graphics (and gave them a test ride):

Branding the Wilkinson Bros Ural Sidecar from Good Spark Garage on Vimeo.

The funky-cool looks of the Ural turns heads for sure. With its red paint and retro persona, it was the perfect canvas for vintage graphics and a unique choice for a “business” vehicle. Of course, it also makes for a good lunch-runner; how many motorcycles can you comfortably accommodate two large pizzas, a 2-liter Coke and breadsticks?

via goodsparkgarage

Hellendoorn Rally 2013 - Porsche 964 RSR

This onboard is from Harry Kleinjan and Bart den Hartog with the spectacular Porsche 964 RSR during the Hellendoorn Rally 2013 at SS11 Almelo.
The Porsche became world famous after the big crash into the water when they drove this stage for the second time.

The Land Rover's 1st Birthday, April 1949.

http://youtu.be/uwDiDvo8-wM

Posté avec Blogsy