Eagle creates a very special Jaguar E-Type, the Speedster

When Jaguar E-Type was first presented, Enzo Ferrari stated it was the sexiest car ever built. Many agree with him, including Eagle, a company that is dedicated to this car. Eagle not only restores E-Type units, it also improves them by adopting modern solutions, in order to make them cars that can be used on an every day basis. If Eagle can improve the way the car works, why couldn't it improve the way it looks. Maybe because it would be very difficult to perfect what already looks perfect, but they have managed to do so with the Eagle E-Type Speedster. Have a look at this beauty below.



Paul Brace and his team were the people you can credit this car for. The idea has emerged when dr. Rick Velaj, from Connecticut, USA, asked Brace for something special. Considering all cars from Eagle are special (we'll tell you more about it later), what he really meant was that he wanted a car nobody else had, based on the E-Type. Brace has drawn some sketches, for a speedster version, and the idea was approved. With no time or money limits.

All E-Type cars made by Eagle are almost rebuilt in order to become more reliable. All electric systems are replaced by Bosch or Nippondenso, the body is entirely new, the chassi gets an extensive revision in search for problems and eventual replacement of parts and the engine also receives improvements. "We always use a proper XK Jaguar engine (and would only ever consider using proper Jaguar six-cylinders). Often we rework the original E-Type engine. We offer many variants of specification from big valve with sports cams to a lovely 4.7 litre rework. To achieve 4.7 we use a crankshaft especially built for us and different piston sizes (bored and stroked). We normally use original SU carburettors but sometimes use sequential fuel injection with individual throttle bodies and Pectel management. This is a fabulously efficient system", Brace told MotorTips.

In the Speedster case, the best was not enough. "We also offer an incredible XK engine which is 4.7 litre all aluminium block and head. Much lighter and with all the 4.7 litre torque. This is our very own aluminium block, which looks identical to the original E-Type block. Our 4.7 litre XK engine produces over 300 genuine bhp and over 474 genuine Nm of torque", Brace added.

The body has been modified to adopt the speedster style, with a custom windshield and other changes, such as the five-speed gearbox entirely made by Eagle itself (the original one was a four-speed unit), but one of them is special above all: the entire body is made of aluminium, what makes the car incredibly light.

Finish quality, as you may imagine, is huge, as in most hand-built vehicles. A regular Eagle E-Type can take more than 3,500 hours to be completed. The Speedster consumed 5,500 hours. Prices? Brace says they have not defined them, but he gives us an idea on how much it would cost. "We have not finalised the cost yet but our usual E-Type rebuilds cost £295,000 (plus any upgrade costs). The Speedster will be more, particularly because the body shell is entirely handmade in aluminium."

The good news, for the ones that can afford having such a car, is that anyone can have a Speedster. "We will build more if asked, but as we are a small company and it is hand built, we will only be able to produce a very small number (one per year?)". Mr. Velaj must not worry. The E-Type Speedster will remain a very special vehicle, even if improved units appear. "I would expect the next Speedster to incorporate an aluminium 4.7-litre block and fuel injection. It will weigh under 1,000 kg and have over 474 Nm of torque... AWESOME!", Brace said. We certainly agree!



























Source: Eagle

Una Bugatti per Damiano: forgotten Bugatti Brescia Type 22 is rescued to help people

Damiano Tamagni was a 22-years-old Swiss lad that was beaten to death by three young criminals in a Carnival night in Locarno, Swiss. His parents, instead of only mourning, created a foundation in order to prevent juvenile violence, the Fondazione Damiano Tamagni. What does this have to do with cars, you may ask, but, in this case, everything. In order to work, this foundation has to count on financial help and it has received a very nice one from a lady that was lying at the bottom of the lake Maggiore, in Switzerland. Her name? Bugatti Type 22 Brescia.



People do not have a real idea of how this precious car was ever sunk, but it seems the car was one of three vehicles ordered by a Swiss dealer of Bugatti. Since only two clients paid the import taxes, the remaining car could not enter the country. Why it has been sunk makes no sense at all to us, but... The fact is that the car was in the water for over 80 years, at least. It was first delivered in Nancy, France, in April 11, 1925.

The Type 22 comes from the Type 13, the first car Bugatti has mass-produced (2,005 units). The name Brescia has emerged from a victory that happened in 1921 in this Italian city in which all first four places included Bugatti Type 13 vehicles. The road legal versions of the car were named "Brescia modifiée", or Brescia modified. The Type 13 was a light car (450 kg) powered by a four-cylinder 1,4-litre engine (more precisely 1,368 cm³). It delivered 40 hp at 4,500 rpm. As with most cars of that time, Bugatti only sold the structure of the car (chassis and engine), which was taken to a coachbuilder in order to have a body. The one that was built for the Bugatti in the lake Maggiore was a service from Emaille, a coachbuilder that must not be that popular, once no one knows of other works it might have performed.

Now the car will be restored (believe, it is possible) and sold. The money will be given to Fondazione Damiano Tamagni. This is why the operation to save the car, officially announced in November 2008, was called "Una Bugatti per Damiano", or "A Bugatti for Damiano". It is a pity the car can't bring Damiano back, but at least it will help some other young guys not to leave so soon.



These are pictures that gives us an idea on what the car may look like when its restoration is completed. This is a 1923 Type 22, once driven by Colonel B. Austin, a disabled man (he had no legs) that entered the car in 16 races and won 11 of them. This helped change laws in the United Kingdom in order to allow handicapped people to drive. The pictures are at The Annex to The Green Dragon at Picasa and we have received the kind authorization of its owner to publish them here. What a noble car this is...










Source: Una Bugatti per Damiano and The Annex to The Green Dragon at Picasa

Superior Glass Works gives 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Nomad 25 chances to live

In 1954, General Motors was in its best form and could choose what to see or not to customers. One of these products, presented at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in New York, during the Motorama event, was the Corvette Nomad, a station wagon based on the North American automotive icon. It never reached production (not as it was presented, once there was a 1955 Chevrolet Nomad), but Brad and Donna Peterson, owners of Superior Glass Works, have decided to give this great looking car a chance to come to life. In fact, it will have 25 chances to do so as the Superior 54 Sport Wagon.



Only 25 of these beautiful cars will leave Superior Glass Works at a cost of US$ 125,000 each. But do not be mistaken: "Superior Glass Works does not produce complete ‘turn-key’ cars. They will be shipped without paint or interior", said Brad Peterson to MotorTips. Therefore, the cars will be sold as Complete Rolling Packages, what includes a fiberglass and balsa reinforced plastic body, a set of custom-crafted window glass and chrome trim, power windows, power door locks, air-conditioning, custom frame (designed and built with Art Morrison Enterprises), with Morrison’s front cross member, steering arms, sway bar, power rack and pinion steering and the Corvette C5 suspension.

The car has been prepared to accecpt any LS-Series Chevrolet V8, what includes the fantastic LS9 that powers the Corvette ZR1. " An engine is not provided with the base package, but can be provided as an added-cost option", states Peterson.

The car you see in the pictures is the Superior 54 Sport Wagon that will be presented at the 2009 MSRA's Back to the 50s, an event that will happen from June 19 to June 21, 2009 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The official public presentation of the car will be there. According to Peterson, the car "will be more finished than what you see in those pictures". If the car already looks gorgeous unfinished, we can imagine what it will become in its final form. And in the hands of those able to pay US$ 125,000.










Source: Superior Glass Works via Autoblog.nl

"Icons of Speed and Style" will sell special vehicles connected to customisation

Next September 26 will be a special day for lots of car collectors that are in love with custom cars. In this day, at Petersen Automotive Museum, in Los Angeles, California, RM Auctions will offer real pieces of customisation history. We could speak about all of them at once, but it is much better to have a look at each one instead. Be our guests.



This baby is known "Killer Car" and there are reason for that. This 1970 LS6 Chevelle Convertible was driven by Ray Allen to win in almost all NHRA-sanctioned races it entered in 1970 and was crowned as the 1970 Super Stock World Champion. Completely restored, the car was already sold in an auction in 2006 and reached US$ 1.2 million. This time, the initial offer for it will be US$ 500,000 and top bids are expected to reach US$ 700,000. Hard times...



The Alexander Brothers, Mike and Larry, counted on the help of the talented designer Harry Bentley Bradley to buid this 1965 Dodge Deora Custom Pick-Up. This one-of-a-kind vehicle was based on Dodge A100 and became one of the most popular custom cars ever built. So much that Bradley left General Motors to work for Mattel and help create great Hot Wheels designs. The lowest price expected for it is US$ 350,000 and may increase up to US$ 500,000.



This is one of the cars that the famous drag car racer "Big John" Mazmanian had the chance to change: a 1961 Chevrolet Corvette. It was driven by his nephew, Rich Siroonian, to drive the car, what led them to win class honours at the 1962 Winter Nationals. The car was equipped with a 283 bhp small block engine, a four-speed transmission and Positraction. But they were not satisfied and placed a supercharger to help the engine generate even more power. Siroonian won the Bakersfield March Meet with it. The car competed until 1963, when Mazmanian exchanged it for a 1941 Willys. The minimum bid expected for it is US$ 300,000; the maximum, US$ 400,000.



The 1964 Road Agent custom car is another one that must have been known by dozens of kids in the 1960's and 1970's as a toy (such as Deora). It was built by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. These kids are the same guys that now may be able to buy the real thing. The car was powered by a rear engine, the same one that powered the Chevrolet Corvair, and uses its transmission as well, only turned upside down. The chassis of the car was unique, made of chrome molybdenum steel tubes. If the front suspension seems familiar, that's because it is a 1937 Ford suspension with a VW torsion bar. This incredible-looking vehicle will start at US$ 250,000 and may reach US$ 350,000 if things run as expected.



Another sibling of Dodge A100 is the "Little Red Wagon Wheelstander", created by Bill "Maverick" Golden. Instead of the "slant six" engine that powered this pick-up truck, Golden chose to put a 426 (7-litre) Hemi engine ahead of the rear wheels. This is what made the A100 raise its front wheels and hold them there throughout the drag race. The least RM Auction expects for it is US$ 200,000. The top price may be US$ 300,000. Or more, of course.



This car is based on a 1932 Ford Five Window Coupe. Don Tognotti bought it for US$ 200 in 1960 and started adding interesting stuff to it, such as a 1951 Firepower 331 (5.4-litre) engine with four Stromberg 97 carburetors and a 1937 DeSoto transmission. The final cost of the car was US$ 4,056.22 at the time. "The Avenger", as it was named, won its class at the 1961 Grand National Roadster Show. The car now will be sold for a minimum of US$ 200,000 and may reach a price of up to US$ 250,000. Quite an investment, considering it is also driveable.



Bizarre stuff are normally very close to geniality. Ray Farhner has reached both with its 1850 "Boothill Express". This is the only Kustom Kar ever to be exhibited at the New York Museum of Modern Art. Based on a Cunningham Hearse that was drawn by four horses, it carried Bob Younger' body, one of the members of Jesse James Gang, to Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery in 1889. Considering the way the driver is located in this car, he should already drive the car from inside the hearse, especially when you know it is powered by a 500 bhp Chrysler Hemi engine. Prices may vary from US$ 150,000 to US$ 200,000.



This is the 1940 Westergard Mercury, but you may consider it one of the first custom cars of the world. It was created by Harry Westergard for a man named Butler Rugard, who wanted to have fadeaway fenders, just like the first concept car of the world, Buick Y-Job, had in 1938. Westergard is considered as the grandfather of custom car masters. As such, his Mercury's creation price may range from US$ 125,000 to US$ 175,000.



This 1960 Lincoln Continenal Mark V Limousine was bought at Schilling Motors in Memphis, Tennessee, for US$ 10,544.50. It was delivered to its owner on February 29, 1960. Any clue of the guy who owned this car? Elvis Presley. The car was customised by Hess & Eisenhardt, the same company that created the Lincoln X-100 Limousine in which John Kennedy was murdered, and had everything a car of that time could have, such as two separate units for front and rear air-conditioning and rear power privacy glass. Even though his first owner was "The King", the car is not the king of this list. It is expected to reach a minimum price of US$ 80,000 and a top value of US$ 120,000.



"The Wizard" Top Fuel Dragster is the first car ever to win two Top Fuel World Championships in sequence. Bennie “The Wizard” Osborn managed to do that in 1967 and 1968. His car became world famous and has also turned into a widely known toy. Its price, anyway, is no game at all: minimum of US$ 75,000 and an expected top of US$ 100,000.

These are fantastic vehicles. We just hope them to reach loving hands and careful owners. For the sake of history.

Source: RM Auctions