The Other Cars of USA7s Members (Non-Se7ens only)

[S1Steve]

My daily driver. Chevy Silverado 1500, hauls dogs , firewood , mulch. It’s 6 years old now with 32k. Half of those miles are going to and from Philadelphia to Hilton Head South Carolina. I bought it with V6 for it’s power to mileage ratio. 27 MPG if I drive it decent… And it pulls the S1 and trailer with no sweat… 

Edited December 22, 2022 by S1Steve

[SENC]

@slowdude, love the Cortina!

[m wirth]

My old faithful 1973 Hilux Toyota has been with me since Jan of 1973 with 696,456 miles

and is still my go to for daily driving and hauling my new Husqvarna to the trails. It has 1 1/8 sway bar front, 3/4 adjustable rear,

KYB shocks, pan hard rod and locating links. The motor was upgraded in 1975

to a 20r which is ported and balanced with 40mm Weber side draft, rebuilt twice,

trans is 5 speed from a Celica, it was pretty quick in the day before I could afford my LSIS Ultralite,

its 50th birthday is next month. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by m wirth

[panamericano]

M Wirth, don't let the Hilux go.  My Toyota pickup was only 38 when I let it go.  They won't sell it back to me, darn.  I don't like my 2018 Tacoma nearly as much, too big.

[MV8]

15 hours ago, slowdude said:

Here is what got me into British Cars, my 1969 Cortina GT.

 

Growing up in a household which didn't have spare income for classic / sports cars (or anything really), really pushed me into those "everyday hero" types of car. The econo-boxes that were put out there to race and be a bit of a marketing message. The aspirational, affordable, fun but practical and sporty car.

 

It led me to the MK1 Cortina's, which are not cheap. So then I started doing some research and saw that the MK2's are pitifully cheap (and ugly some might say). I also liked their backbone for a lot of the British Sports car industry. Seeing the crossflow in the 7 etc.

 

I found this car in Louisiana. It was in the Bay area for around 30 years (last registration was in 1994). I have the original title + blue plates from I think 73 or so. I knew it would be a long, slow slog, and be something my father and I could take time together to get it back together. I picked it up for cheap, almost too cheap, but here we are.

 

At first I thought I would be able to do a mechanical refresh and get it back on the road and driving. That turned into tearing out the interior, then seeing the floors needed attention. So I need to put floors in, do the pinch weld around the windshield. Part of the rockers (and whatever else I find, I'm sure I will find some more). When taking out the interior, I noticed some of the wiring was shot, and decided to just tear it all the way down. Thankfully the car is super simple and parts are fairly affordable.

 

I picked it up around 8 years ago and life happened (bought a house, got married) etc. I had to finish another project (77 CB750 given to me for free in parts), before I could take the time for the Cortina, as it needs some time. Fast forward to 2022, the CB750 is finished and running/riding... it's time to do some brief work on the 7 and then off to the races with the Cortina. I've been slowly accumulating tools over the past few years, picked up a cheap welder for sale, so I am going to try and get it into the garage, strip it further and start the metal work. I am a bit weary of this because I can tackle mechanical, but metal work seems to be a completely different beast. I look forward to it - working with my hands is a good way to get my mind off of excel and SAP.

 

Engine is a Crossflow 1600, with the 4 speed and a 3.92 rear end. It turns a little bit, I'm expecting to tear into it. If its really bad i'll swap it for a Zetec or something. If I do, I'd let the crossflow go to someone here for their car. It wears its original (but faded) paint (Ermine white) and a red Interior. I'll strip it, clean it up, then repaint it (step above drivers quality - no concours ambitions here). If it's really bad I'll throw a cage in it and turn it into a track car.

 

I'm excited to tear into this in 2023.. it's been waiting very patiently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder how well the german 2800 v6 would fit. They were last installed in the 83-84 ranger pickups but with a fixed timing electronic distributor and feedback two barrel. Holley two barrel and earlier flyweight distrbutor are a direct swap. None had hydraulic cams.

[slowdude]

1 hour ago, MV8 said:

I wonder how well the german 2800 v6 would fit. They were last installed in the 83-84 ranger pickups but with a fixed timing electronic distributor and feedback two barrel. Holley two barrel and earlier flyweight distrbutor are a direct swap. None had hydraulic cams.

Probably pretty well. The Cortina perhana had a V6 and I believe the Taunus is also structurally similar. Might go Barra I6 as they're pretty cheap.

[Croc]

23 hours ago, slowdude said:

Fun X7 Fact- it is the same architecture as the Rolls Royce Cullinan. @Croc you really lucked out with the I6 vs the V8. Especially regarding residual. The V8s can be a typical British Car Experience (weeping oil etc).

 

Never knew that - hysterical.  

 

The V8 in my previous X5 was a great engine but gee it ate oil.  Usually added a quart every 1000 miles.  Same rate from brand new to when I handed it off.  I used to keep spare oil in the car all the time.  No issues at all so far with the X7 and I am 8000 miles in.  

[Croc]

21 hours ago, m wirth said:

My old faithful 1973 Hilux Toyota has been with me since Jan of 1973 with 696,456 miles

 

I remember Dad having one of those when I was growing up.  His died of rust decades ago.  Absolutely bullet proof - nothing ever fails.  Incredibly well engineered.  That is a wonderful classic and I love that you are using it on a regular basis.  

 

 

[Bruce K]

@das76 (Dave) from USA7s has requested that I post images and some background on my Porsche 935 Tribute.  From an article I am writing, here we go:

 

"Flakbau" is a tribute to the racing 935’s, and a labor of love for two owners over a span of 38 years.  Her ski-slope hood, improbably wide stance, miniscule weight and monster power recall competition 935’s, with an added skosh of comfort for street use.  Like the original 935’s, Flakbau is devoid of PASM, PSM, power steering, or power anything except windows.  The shriek of her boxer six is a war cry for zero-assist, old-school race cars. 

 

FLAKBAU ORIGINS:

 

In August of 1985, attorney Barry Thompson of Bristol, CT purchased a pristine 1982 911 SC with just 3,200 miles on the odometer.  The car was garage-kept and unsullied by rain or snow, disciplines which Barry maintained for the next 32 years.  During the initial years, his 911 SC transported groceries, ported Barry to court, and lapped Lime Rock with alacrity. 

 

In 1991, Barry determined that one Porsche was sufficient, and decided to sell an old 356 he had stowed away in Mom’s garage.  That sale accrued a small and shocking fortune.  Money, when accumulated in quantities, generates a force like gravity, but the opposite, prompting cash to fly out of the account.  After assuaging his brilliant wife Therese with substantial retirement investments, Barry considered what Barry wanted – and Barry wanted to go faster around Lime Rock.  That meant costly upgrades to the 911.  The first, added in 1993, were 930 Turbo rear quarterpanels and a full set of three-piece BBS Gold alloy wheels with new race rubber.  In 2001, Barry improved power with a 964 twin-plug dry-sump motor.  A TPC supercharger followed in 2004.  Brembo “Big Red” front brakes, 930 Turbo rear brakes, Wilwood pedal box and Rennspeed pedal covers were appended in 2005.  Unibody triangulation, a brace across the shock towers, rear-seat delete and a Safety Devices super-touring roll cage were 2006 projects.  By now, a new and unborn spirit began whispering in Barry’s ear: “Be my daddy.  Call me Flakbau.  Make me a 935!”.  So, in 2008, Barry gave her a Tarrett 935 coilover front suspension and Smart Sway bars.  A Billy Boat exhaust and front-mounted oil cooler followed in 2010.  A Getrag G50 transmission and Lobro 930 Turbo half-shafts and running gear were added in 2011.  Baby was about to drop:  In 2012, Barry installed a 16 gallon Fuel Safe cell, quick-disconnect Momo steering wheel, Recaro Profi seats, a new fiberglass roof panel and a lightweight Lexan backlight.  Then, in 2013, Barry got radical and CRISPRed his baby:  He installed a carbon fiber Rennspeed 935 front clip, a 935-style double-element rear wing and decklid, and a wild new epidermis of Porsche Wine Red enamel blenderized with candied cherries and gold dust.  Voila!  From under stark fluorescent tubes, clouds of filler dust and billowing primer fumes emerged “Flakbau”. 

 

Beholding his lustrous newborn for the first time, Barry lost all won’t power.  In 2014, he retained Automobile Associates of Canton CT to rebuild Flakbau’s entire drivetrain to strong street/track specs.  By now, of the original car, only tub, rack, dash, doors, front/side glass, hubs and miscellaneous parts were retained.  Automobile Associates rebuilt the motor with balanced Porsche and Pauter engine internals and competition valvetrain, and installed new G50 transaxle internals including Albins ring & pinion, Guard LSD, California Motorsports synchros and forks, Kennedy clutch pack, lightened Patrick flywheel, Hargett shifter and much more.

 

So now it is 2016.  After 31 years of cash, sweat and tears, Barry had transformed his stock 911 SC into a superhero 935.  Though plated for the street, she hadn’t driven one in years.  But the combination of Flakbau’s pro-level throttle, and Barry’s amateur skills, posed a serious risk for the car:  Significant wheelbase reduction courtesy of the Armco.  The prospect of Flakbau with wheels akimbo was horrifying, but Barry knew his limits.  He would be unable to resist that final deep pass, that late dive into the corner.  Flakbau would take Barry anywhere he asked, including into eternity.  Her canvas was painted.  Time for the artist to lay down his brush.  Time for Barry to sell Flakbau. 

 

I bought her in 2018, and subsequent work can be the subject of another post.

 

IMAGES:

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Bruce K

[das76]

That’s a BEAST. I love it. Amazing! 

[Bruce K]

So the cat's out of the bag and I am 26 years Dan's senior!  That's okay - one of my best friend lives across the street and can't be a lick over 45.  In my signature, you will see that I, like Dan, have a Mini history.  It was an earlier Cooper S with the 1,071 CC motor.  Still fast for the time, but mostly known for incredible agility.  I would right turn up the neighbor's driveway, then left turn onto the public walk, pick up my high-school sweetheart at the end of her private walk, and then pull away - and never touch any grass!  I don't have that car any longer, but like Dan, I have three - and for now, that seems like a good number.  I am still finishing two (the 935 and the Lola), so the Alfa 4C is my forget-about-it car - just hop in and go.   My Alfa is a Stage III tune, good for 360 hp.  I had nearly that much power in an earlier, lighter Lotus Exige, but the electronic assists and the slick-shifting DCT make the Alfa noticeably faster.  The remaining two sports cars prove the gravitational theory of money:  Like regular gravity, except when the pile of money grows sufficiently large, cash repels and flies out of the account.   When those first two are done making demands on their sugar daddy, I will consider further cars.  I have two hoists, so we can fit 4 cars and a big SUV into my garage, but I could also store a car or two at my business.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Bruce K

[MV8]

I drove a 930 turbo convertible when I was in high school. Guardsman Red with the gold mesh wheels and wing.

I was working at a tire chain and pulled it around to the bays under the watchful eyes of the owner. I'm such a nice guy, right?

[SENC]

Great write-up Barry!

Edited January 2, 2023 by SENC

[Bruce K]

5 hours ago, SENC said:

Great write-up Barry!

@SENC - It's a little confusing because I reprinted only a portion of an article I am writing.  The previous owner of my car is named Barry,  I bought the car from him in 2018, and my name is Bruce.  And thanks for the compliment! 

 

Also, what is an MV8?  Is that a brand of track car?  I could not find a description on the net, except possibly a BMW M series V8 powered car.

[SENC]

2 minutes ago, Bruce K said:

@SENC - It's a little confusing because I reprinted only a portion of an article I am writing.  The previous owner of my car is named Barry,  I bought the car from him in 2018, and my name is Bruce.  And thanks for the compliment! 

 

Also, what is an MV8?  Is that a brand of track car?  I could not find a description on the net, except possibly a BMW M series V8 powered car.

Sorry Bruce - I knew that, but just got caught up in the story.  Cool car and story.

[Bruce K]

@DAS76 wrote:

 

By coincided I just stumbled across this Lola auction which might interest you

 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-lola-t70-mk2-spyder/

 

Dave - The above Lola featured in the BAT auction is a 100% original ex-Huntingdon Mk II.  This gives the car more historical importance and more $$$ value than my Lola, which is factory-bodied only - the rest is replica or later production.  Advantages to the original Lola include, when set up properly, the Hewland trans is a dog ring box, so once moving, no clutch is required and shifting is DCT-fast.  The Hewland is also quite sturdy, but probably not more so than the more modern baulk-ring synchro Getrag in my car.  Disadvantages include the fact that the Hewland has one fewer gear than my Getrag, and service is much more difficult and costly.  Our motors with Weber carbs are similar, but his motor is tuned to a higher state.  The advantages include another 140 hp.  The disadvantages include racing fuel required and shorter service life.  The original Lola also has inboard front AP brakes.  The advantage is superior brake cooling, as the disc lies in the path of air travelling beneath the car.  The disadvantage is weaker, cantilevered spindles that can break catastrophically (this happened to John Surtees at Mosport in 1965, and nearly killed him).  My Lola has hubs, spindles, uprights and more from the C4 Corvette.  The advantage is additional strength, and the disadvantage is added weight.  The frame on my car more closely resembles an original Mk I Lola, with a central steel ladder for extra strength, making it more suitable for road use.  The disadvantage to my frame compared to the Mk II in the BAT auction is added weight.  The original Lola Mk II frame is a fully aluminum monocoque, which, given the adhesives and fastener technology available at time of construction, resulted in a frame that would loosen with some alacrity.  The disadvantage was the frame then required replacement or rebuilding.  The original Lola in the BAT auction is RHD, which is less appropriate for driving on roads in North America.  My Lola is LHD.  The original Lola in the BAT auction also has significantly smaller personal  accommodations, with basically a baby's high chair for the passenger seat.  My Lola was re-engineered to provide equal seating for both passenger and driver, more suitable for road use.  The disadvantage is my car can carry less fuel in the side pods.  Otherwise, the car in the BAT auction and my car are very similar - nearly indistinguishable in appearance, with original-style AP racing brakes, dash gauges, Mountney steering wheel, fire suppression system (Halon, not ABC), Willans 6-point belts, rack and pinion steering, identical rubber, alloy wheels and more.  Overall, my car is heavier and less powerful. However, it is also far more suitable for road use, and still incredibly fast, as it has run competitively in several races and podiumed in a few.

 

In the image below, the original Mk II T70 (left) is blue, and my car (right) is white.

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Bruce K

[panamericano]

Bruce,

 

Like the new photo for your avatar.  Sounds like the advantage of being able to drive on street and much less fragile are a perfect trade off.

[Bruce K]

54 minutes ago, panamericano said:

Bruce,

 

Like the new photo for your avatar.  Sounds like the advantage of being able to drive on street and much less fragile are a perfect trade off.

Thanks, Panamericano.  I appreciate the avatar compliment.  And you are right about the trade-offs.  I am 72 years old, and no longer need to achieve escape velocity to experience thrills.  This car will exceed my capabilities in nearly every regard, which is more than enough.  The Lola in the BAT auction is a later engine build, which pulls increased power.  In period, Can Am cars produced about the same power as my Lola.  Plus, I saw these Lolas piloted by Bobby Rahal, Mark Donahue, Mario Andretti and other driving luminaries - Steve McQueen owned one - so it is beyond cool to sit in their seat and share their experiences.  Lastly, I love the look of the car - a timeless design, equally at home on the Autobahn and the Nurburgring.  I remember watching these cars circle Watkins Glen in the '60's, and thinking about how neat it would be to drive one on the street.  And now I will know.

[MV8]

3 hours ago, Bruce K said:

Also, what is an MV8?  Is that a brand of track car?  I could not find a description on the net, except possibly a BMW M series V8 powered car.

It's just a short version of a logon I've been using since the late '90s "Miatav8" on miata.net. The image is a TVR Speed 12. They made one road car from the three prototypes for GT1 after the rule change as a heavily modified Cerbera. I might as well have a unicorn avatar, since I don't have one of those either. I just like it.

[panamericano]

" In period, Can Am cars produced about the same power as my Lola. "

 

Good comment.  Vintage racing has that silly aspect.  Unless a club really enforces something, people just pour on the power.  The great pro drivers of the 1960s-70s might have been happy with 450 HP from a 302 TranAm motor.  Now you see those cars with 600 HP, for gentleman and lady drivers that run a few times a year.  Boggles the mind.

Edited January 2, 2023 by panamericano
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