by "Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
Published 06/28/2017 at 13:36
by "Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
Published 06/28/2017 at 13:36
No Tags
STARS: 5
Yes - believe it or not - this heap is registered, insured, and inspected. The interior has been partially redone (hides only) and the tires are new. The engine has also been refreshed. The body however is totally roached! I hope the owner plans on keeping it this way as the patina is truly epic. I was shocked when I saw this decrepit old Jag drive in under it’s own power. It sounded healthy too.
For the first time, I understood why people do this. If you attend a lot of events like these, you become used to pristine restorations. There were plenty of mint condition 120s and 150s at the show, but were there people crowding around them? Of course not. I had to stand in front of it for a few minutes just to get this shot.
The way various surfaces age differently within a couple inches of each other is always fascinating. Check out the trunk lid vs. the body panels next to it. The “bumpers” are in different stages of decay too. Something about the position of the car in that barn saved most of the chrome on the right, but not on the left.
I’m impressed by the wheels. How are they still safe!? Maybe they aren’t? I would be dodging every single pothole I came across. Though perhaps these were strength tested and it’s not a big deal.
New gauges, old wood. New leather too (obviously). Once again, there’s a noticeable difference between the way each panel of wood has aged. The door trim looks like it’d be brand new again after a careful polish, but the gauge area is toast.
A Jensen! As you can imagine, these are incredibly rare in the USA. I have no idea how you’d describe the Carrozzeria Touring styling. Polarizing, or universally loved? A hatchback, or a coupe? Regardless I’ve always been a fan of these because they’re so strange, and seeing one - especially in a quintessentially British color combo like this - is a treat.
Not one, but TWO Marcos GTs showed up. The owners were very excited about this. I like the shape: it looks like a stretched Opel GT to me, or maybe a downsized 250 GTO. Interestingly, these examples are powered by two different straight sixes. One is a TR6 motor, and the other is Volvo sourced.
An Esprit V8 TT, straight out of my childhood supercar book. I’ve always been in love with this shape. It’s perfect. The transmission, however? Not so much. I had a fascinating conversation with the owner about its shortcomings and what he planned on doing to replace it.
Apparently, the Renault sourced transaxle began life as a 4 speed that had a 5th gear slapped onto it. First is extremely delicate, and according to the owner, 5th was added in so sloppily that letting off the throttle abruptly at highway speeds can also shatter the transmission.
The owner mentioned that many years ago, a rebuild kit was made for these transmissions. However, as you’d expect, they sold out quickly and the Esprit community has been without a proper solution to this problem for a long time. That’s where some guy on the forums comes in (hearing these older gentlemen talk about forums excitedly is always amusing). He is an engineer who will be putting in a group buy order ($4000 each) for a rebuild kit that he designed himself. All 5 gears will be changed to slightly different ratios, and attached to just one piece of metal instead of two (that’s why 5th was so delicate).
A DB5. This needs no explanation; it speaks for itself. The owner has a good sense of humor so he put a creepy James Bond cutout in the back. The silhouette caught me off guard twice while I was walking around.
Bonus:
This gorgeous Vantage shows up at British car day every year. I was hoping it’d be there. That paint color is just sublime. It has the best wheels Aston offered too. I think all of the comments cars like this and the Maserati Granturismo about being the “poseur’s” or “poor man’s” supercar are ridiculous. Depreciation is a car enthusiast’s best friend, and the noise/styling of cars like these? That’s what we live for. Furthermore, maintenance is still incredibly expensive. Any and all visits to the dealership beyond a simple oil change will be 4 figures. Rotors and pads, routine service, etc.
Next weekend: The Microcar Classic. That’s always a fun event. Hopefully the Autozam AZ-1 and Toyota Cera that showed up to Japanese Car Day last year will be around.
"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
06/28/2017 at 13:55, STARS: 1
I love the look and general approach of that Jag. As someone who is currently daily driving a 1961 Ford F100 that’s hardly a barn find, yet not anywhere near restored.... I love it.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 14:01, STARS: 0
That must be wild! Which motor?
"EL_ULY" (uly)
06/28/2017 at 14:02, STARS: 2
The lawn a couple days after the show
(oil leak joke)
worth it doe, those cars were so awesome!
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 14:04, STARS: 0
Lol you should see the inside of the museum! Drip pans everywhere, sometimes more than one per car (Diff, trans, engine, etc)
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
06/28/2017 at 14:07, STARS: 2
That Jag would make Tom Magliozzi smile ...
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 14:25, STARS: 1
And you could drive it around Manhattan without worrying about it!
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
06/28/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 1
I guess I’m not totally on board with the leave a car in totally original condition unless it’s in a bit better shape. Of the paint was just faded etc.. maybe. I think a careful restoration would be better, I mean nobody drove the cars in that condition originally. I like historic race cars that got a dent at LeMans and it’s kept.
"Svend" (svend)
06/28/2017 at 16:41, STARS: 2
Marcos , the forgotten car company, as insane as TVR with even weirder styling.
Went under in 2000, brought by a Canadian in 2004, went back under in 2007.
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How to leave a meet without losing your car (or hurting pedestrians).
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Engine start
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"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
06/28/2017 at 17:30, STARS: 1
The only worry would be parking it and leaving it alone.
"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
06/28/2017 at 19:25, STARS: 2
It has a 292 V8 and a 4 speed manual.... it’s a nice break from modern cars that’s for sure
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 19:29, STARS: 1
I get that! Like I alluded to in my ramblings, a side effect of doing this every weekend is that you get a little jaded. As I was standing at the entrance watching the cars roll in, this was the only car that made me laugh out loud and say to the person next to me: “hah... you’ve gotta be kidding me!?”
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 19:30, STARS: 1
Oh MAN some of those later models look incredible!! Especially the one in the engine start video.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 19:31, STARS: 1
Dude that’s sick, what a combo!
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
06/28/2017 at 19:39, STARS: 0
I was just off the highway today and I heard a sound, so I turned and it looked like an XK120, white. It was a Jaaaag for sure but it was quick, pretty sure it was a hard top 120.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 19:50, STARS: 0
I’m really bad at 120 vs 150, regardless both sound amazing.
"Svend" (svend)
06/28/2017 at 20:17, STARS: 2
The Mantara, Mantula and Mantis were the last of the original Marcos’.
The ‘start engine’ Marcos is a Marcos TSO GT which was made under the new Canadian ownership.
Unfortunately they died off but unlike TVR, no one really paid much attention to them.
Shame really.
I always found the later bonnet bulge ones very American.
LM400
LM600
The old Mantis (c1970s) was someting else.
Racing Mantis (late c1960-70s).
Some late reading for you.
http://www.rory.uk.com/Mantis%20XP.html
If you ever get bored to the level that only sleep seems like a good idea. Check out:-
I guarantee that there will be cars and car companies you never knew existed.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 20:25, STARS: 1
hahah omg simon cars looks like it’s 20 years old. and those “American” looking cars are UGLY I am insulted :p
The dark green thing tho... I’m all about it.
TIL: Svend is obsessed with Marcos?
"Svend" (svend)
06/28/2017 at 21:05, STARS: 1
I’m not obsessed by Marcos. I just remember them fondly from my youth.
I love many of the old British cars that are unfortunately no longer.
The likes of wolseley, Riley, etc...
and cars that were but had to change for certain countries regulation like the Morris Minor Lowlight.
I mean look at it. It’s beautiful.
We used to have mobile green grocers that drove Leyland FG vans.
Later Bedford trucks.
So many car, van and truck companies gone to the wall or swallowed up and never to be seen again.
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"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/28/2017 at 21:54, STARS: 1
all of this stuff makes the attendees of british car day look like new Minis. No wonder Top Gear dedicated an entire episode to waxing poetic about the disappearance of english manufacturing.
"Svend" (svend)
06/28/2017 at 22:35, STARS: 1
We have some great engineers in the U.K. but sadly the cost of labour and raw materials means often the R&D is done in the U.K. but the manufacturing is done elsewhere in either Eastern Europe or more often, further afield.
Rolls Royces are built in the U.K. mostly from parts shipped in from Germany.
MG cars, or rather what they are now, are designed and engineered in the U.K., and up until 2016, the parts were made in China and shipped to the U.K. where they were then assembled. MG employs 500 staff for design and engineering but the rest is done elsewhere.
Such a shame. They should of been left to go when they did.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
06/29/2017 at 02:53, STARS: 1
Meanwhile... ze Germans build overpriced FWD “mini” BMWs that people have the nerve to bring to British car day. SMH!!
"Svend" (svend)
06/29/2017 at 03:30, STARS: 1
Like the Rolls Royces, Minis are assembled here in the U.K. (other than the Countryman and Paceman which are made in Austria) but unlike the Rolls Royce most of the parts are made in the U.K. so it’s more British than Rolls Royce.
Car companies have become so convoluted.