One of the most influential and widely imitated classic sports car designs ever is that of the AC Ace roadster—although, of course, much of the world associates its appearance with the later Shelby Cobra derivative, which resulted when the Ace received Ford V8 power and a Carroll Shelby performance makeover in 1962.
The original Ace was itself a derivative. It all began with a one-off sports racer designed by John Tojeiro for driver Cliff Davis in 1952. From the very Read More
Classically proportioned and instantly recognizable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled Aston Martin DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. Designed by Tadek Marek and already proven in racing, the DB4’s new twin-cam, 6-cylinder engine displaced 3670cc while the gearbox was a new David Brown 4-speed, all-synchromesh unit. An immensely strong platform-type chassis, designed by Harold Beach, replaced the preceding DB2/4’s multi-tubular space frame. Boasting disc brakes all around—and with Read More
Assembled by Jensen Motors and introduced in 1964, the Tiger featured a stronger gearbox and Read More
Not long after the stunning Austin-Healey 100 debuted, Donald Healey began planning a high-performance version of his well-received sports car. Knowing that a competitive racing variant would boost the image of the various production models, several special test cars were created in 1953 and 1954 with various motorsport applications in mind.
After Read More
In light of its popularity, and taking into consideration the potential of its rigid and low-frame chassis, the 4-cylinder Austin-Healey gave way in 1956 to the first 6-cylinder version, the 100-6, which boasted a BMC C-Series engine with a cubic capacity of close to 2.7 liters.
The success of the Austin-Healeys across the Atlantic was such that most of the cars produced between 1953 and 1968 were sold in the United States—mainly in California, where the climate was conducive Read More
This month’s column is a tale with both tragic and cautionary threads for those who play in the vintage racing car hobby
This Series 1 E-type roadster was purchased from its second owner in 2005 after being discovered in a garage where it had remained since the mid-1980s. The car was immediately sent to the restoration shop for what became a five-year, race-prepared restoration. This Jaguar is presented with a very high level of finish, Read More
The few alloy-bodied cars were essentially prototypes sold to raise desperately needed foreign currency for the factory design team
During the difficult period after World War II, Jaguar Cars became the United Kingdom’s biggest U.S.-dollar earner, thanks in no small measure to the success of its XK120 sports car. Ironically, the XK120’s creation had only come about because delays in developing the Mk VII saloon had forced William Lyons to find an alternative method Read More
We don’t need to introduce the Aston Martin DB5, the epitome of British style and performance in the 1960s, and the catalog description ran to a couple thousand words, so here is the quick version:
“The Most Famous Car in The World” as arch-Bond fan Dave Worrall’s book of the same name termed it, is the most authentic example of the DB5s used in the filming and promotion of the 1960s James Bond movies “Goldfinger” and “Thunderball.” During the filming Read More
Classically proportioned and instantly recognizable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970.
A new design by Tadek Marek, the DB4’s all-alloy, twin-overhead-camshaft 6-cylinder engine featured “square” bore and stroke dimensions of 92 mm for a displacement of 3,670cc and developed its maximum output of 240 bhp at 5500 rpm. The David Brown gearbox was a new four-speed, all-synchromesh unit.
An immensely strong Read More
The last surviving 1962 team car has rally provenance in abundance, but it doesn’t have an original chassis
The Big Healey’s first major success was in 1960, when Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom made history by winning the grueling Liège-Rome-Liège (Marathon de la Route) event outright. It was the first occasion that a woman had won a major international rally. The following year the Morley twins—Don and Erle—won the Austrian Alpine Rally, a feat they Read More
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