Steady Special ~ A Love Story

What is new from the other side of the Pond? My good friend submitted this Love Story

FAMOUS FORMER OWNER AND A VERY ‘SPECIAL’ LANCIA REUNITED AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL 2014 AFTER ALMOST SIXTY YEARS

The ex-Ronald ‘Steady’ Barker 1934 Lancia Astura makes its UK public début at Autosport International as the ‘Steady Special’, the car its owner redesigned almost 60 years ago

Currently undergoing complete restoration in Thornley Kelham’s workshops and, in the best coachbuilding tradition, soon to sport a bespoke body, the 1934 Lancia Astura ‘Steady Special’, once belonging to Autocar road tester and star columnist ‘Steady’ Barker, is unveiled at Autosport International 2014.

The Steady Special is no ordinary classic car: it is a piece of British as well as Italian automotive history. Steady Barker purchased it as a mammoth six-seat limousine and chopped almost four feet out of the chassis, replacing the limo body with a lighter, enclosed sports racer shell, fronted by a modified DB2 bonnet. This is the very car he drove to an interview for the position as Autocar's road tester in 1955, later securing the job as road test editor; he also raced it in the early Fifties.

Having lived a romantic life of varied fortunes, much like Steady himself, the car was delivered to specialist restorer Thornley Kelham’s premises in Gloucestershire in 2012. They were chosen by the Lancia’s current owner, classic car enthusiast and Guild of International Engineering Specialists founder Michael Scott.

“Our brief was to return the car to its original splendour, as well as turn Steady’s original design sketches of some sixty years ago into reality,” says Wayne Kelham, one of Thornley Kelham’s directors. “This has required a full restoration, including engine, suspension, gearbox and brakes. We are bringing the car back to life, including the fabrication of an all-aluminium body based on Steady’s sketches, turned into reality with the help of the latest technology, using the expertise of Stuart Brown of 3D Engineering.”

The car, fittingly unveiled at Autosport International (which, like Autocar, is part of the Haymarket publishing titles) will soon be ready to be driven again by Steady Barker, almost sixty years later. “I test drove the driving chassis in November, and was happy with the way the car responded; I cannot wait to see it, completed in all but details, at Autosport,” said Steady Barker. Big celebrations are planned for Steady’s 94th birthday in April, when the finished Steady Special will be a suitable carriage for the occasion.

THE END

For further information and high-res photos contact:

AV PR
The Studio
194a Upper Richmond Road West, London, SW14 8AN
tel. 00 44 (0) 203 632 5924
Mob. 00 44 (0) 7415 095 543
Email: angie@angievoluti.com Website: www.angievoluti.com

ALLARD PALM BEACH AT CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW

   

British car manufacturer Allard Sports Cars completes restoration of original Palm Beach Mk2 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 November 2013


The ultimate original restoration is on display at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show on 15-17 November: Allard Sports Cars Ltd, owned by the original Allard family, has completed a full nuts-and-bolts restoration of a very rare (one of only six ever made) prototype 1956 Palm Beach MkII.

With very few British car manufacturers still operating under the original name, this Palm Beach is especially notable for having been restored to its former glory by the same family business and name which launched it as a new car in 1956.

The Palm Beach Mk2 was found in poor condition just a year ago, and has been painstakingly restored by Alan and Lloyd Allard’s team over the last ten months. Carrying chassis number 72/7000Z, it is one of only six ever made, and its restoration has taken over 1,200 hours excluding the body’s preparation and paint; the original chassis houses a fully-rebuilt Ford Zodiac six cylinder in-line engine and gearbox, whilst the aluminium body panels are painted in period carmine red inspired by the 1961-64 Jaguar E-type colour range.    

The car takes pride of place on the Allard Owners’ Club stand at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, NEC Birmingham, together with an original Cadillac 331 engine (used in the Allard JR model) and a range of bespoke Allard Aluminium products.

THE END

For further information and high-res photos contact:

AV PR                                                                 Lloyd Allard    
The Studio                                                         Allard Sports Cars
194a Upper Richmond Road West,                 Stanley Court
London, SW14 8AN                                           Edison Close
tel. 00 44 (0) 203 632 5924                                Gloucester
Mob. 00 44 (0) 7415 095 543                             tel. 00 44 (0) 1452 725666
Email: angie@angievoluti.com                           Email: info@allardsportscars.co.uk
Website: www.angievoluti.com                          Website: www.allardsportscars.co.uk

Note to Editors: the Allard Motor Company ceased manufacturing vehicles in 1958 but its motorsport activities (rallying, racing and drag-racing) continued; Sydney Allard’s son, Alan, took over in 1963 and business, selling components and accessories, is still on-going. Lloyd Allard, Alan’s son, took over from his father in 2008 and a new Allard Sports Cars Company was founded in 2011. The team retains key people from the original Allard company and the business has always stayed wholly under the Allard family. Fewer than 2,000 Allard sportscars were built from 1946 to 1958 and their value as classic cars (especially if with a racing pedigree) has been steadily increasing over the last few years. The 1953 ex-Le Mans, ex-Zora Arkus-Duntov No. 5 JR was sold in January this year for $605,000 by RM Auctions.

Allard Palm Beach Mk2 specs
Original date of manufacture: 15.10.1956
Registration number: 545 EXR Chassis number 72/7000Z
Chassis frame - Twin tube side members, braced with flitch plates and with both tubular and box cross members.
Engine - Fully rebuilt Ford Zodiac six cylinders in-line. Capacity 2553 cc. Carburation by triple SU with six branch fabricated exhaust. Gearbox - Ford four-speed.
Body - All aluminium with steel/aluminium inner panels. Two doors, two-seater.
Trim - Cream and red leather, with black carpeting edged in red leather.
Suspension and axles - telescopic shock absorbers with all-round coil springs, twin trailing arms and Panhard rod at the rear; forward-mounted radius rods at the front. Divided front axle, Salisbury solid axle at the rear.
Steering – Right-hand drive with Marles high-ratio steering box.
Brakes - Lockhead with 12" x 2 1/4" drums front and rear.
Fuel system - Twin tank arrangement with the tanks mounted each side within the rear wing.
Wheels - wire type, mounted on splined hub with centre lock spinner.
Dimensions - wheelbase 8' - track 4'3" - width 5'3" - overall length 12'6"

 

Allard Palm Beach Mk2, outside Allard's workshops 

 Angie Voluti

AV PR

The Studio

194a Upper Richmond Road West,

London

SW14 8AN

tel. 00 44 (0) 203 632 5924

Mob. 00 44 (0) 7415 095 543

Email: angie@angievoluti.com

Website: www.angievoluti.com  

 

The Jensen Revival

19 December 2011

A Bridge to Jensen: historic workshop acquisition consolidates the marque’s revival

Gama Cars Limited, the Oxfordshire-based company which has been playing a pivotal role in the resurgence of both the Jensen brand and one of its best known models, the Interceptor, has recently acquired Cropredy Bridge Garage.

The high standards of mechanical, bodywork, servicing and restoration work carried out by Gama Cars on the top-of-the-range Interceptor R model now apply to the whole Jensen range, thanks to Cropredy Bridge Garage’s forty years of specialist expertise, history and enthusiasm for the Jensen marque.

Whilst Gama Cars has been building a modern interpretation of Jensen’s grand tourer of the ‘70s by upgrading original Interceptors on behalf of Jensen International Automotive, Cropredy Bridge Garage has been the UK centre of excellence for straightforward restoration work on all Jensen cars (including Interceptors, C-V8s and 541s) since 1972.

‘We already had a close relationship with Cropredy Bridge Garage, because of the workshop’s facilities and skilled staff,’ says Matt Watts, Managing Director of Gama Cars Limited. ‘When the opportunity arose, it made sense to incorporate it into the business and offer the entire range of services, larger facilities and combined expertise to our Jensen customers.  We look forward to ensuring we are the marque’s beacon in the UK and abroad.’   

Cropredy Bridge Garage is well known to both Jensen owners and marque enthusiasts. Apart from catering for all mechanical, bodywork, servicing and parts needs, it also offers a selection of carefully maintained Jensen models for sale, as well as providing concierge service to those who wish to acquire a specific Jensen. Alternatively, one can be built to individual specifications, thanks to a close partnership with JIA, the company which launched the Interceptor R in January 2011.

Gama Cars Limited is a specialist in modernising and restoring prestige cars: skilled technicians carry out engine enhancement, brake and mechanical upgrades, bespoke bodywork and restoration services. Now with extra heritage.   

Photo credit: Mach V Photography  

For more information contact

 

Angie Voluti PR    Cropredy Bridge Garage The Studio  Riverside Works Forest Road, Hartwell  Cropredy, nr Banbury Oxfordshire                                                                                                                                                                      Ox17 1PQ NN7 2HE Tel. 01294 758159 Tel: 01604 863 044 Mob: 07415 095 543 E-mail: sales@cropredy-bridge.co.uk E-mail: angie@angievoluti.co.uk  www.copredy-bridge.co.uk www.angievoluti.co.uk

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