Over the past few years I have described several engines that have had long successful lives and we now add to the list an engine that started in the US and branched out into a Formula 1 winning motor and a source for some of the best sports cars produced in the UK. The engine in question started life in 1961 as the Buick 215, an all aluminium motor of 3.5 litres capacity … [Read more...]
Fangio Rises Again!
Juan-Manuel Fangio is to rise again from the ashes - not quite literally as his body is to be exhumed as part of a paternity case. He died in 1995 and the 20th anniversary is coming up in a few weeks. Two years ago, Oscar "Cacho" Espinoza launched the case to prove that he is the illegitimate son of the great champion. This is an interesting case. Fangio, the elder, never … [Read more...]
Matra
MATRA – Mecanique Avion Traction was founded in 1945 as a defence company with the intention of creating a twin engined plane that was capable of 500mph (800kph). For the first 20 years they concentrated on defence and aeronautics but in the early 1960s they bought Automobiles Rene Bonnet and created Matra Automobiles. Rene Bonnet made very light sports cars and used Matra … [Read more...]