This week is dedicated to one car building partnership who between them have built some really inspiring rides.  The Beardmore Brothers, John and Robin, have turned out a fantastic array of machinery, here is a selection along with the reasons they are great.


2000cc Lada : Weblink

Why is it important?
You know when a car is the a joke?  Like when Skoda became the punch line on a bunch of Jasper Carrot jokes.  Well Lada was one of those.  Eastern European built Italian car?  Could there be a more uninspiring combination?  The Beardmore Bros. saw through that image and looked at the car underneath.  Rear wheel drive on a Fiat floorplan?  Ideal for a Fiat Twincam conversion then.  Which leads directly to the reversal of the stereotype.  Suddenly all these hot hatches are getting smoked off the line by a car that is the butt of jokes.  This is perhaps the epitome of the street sleeper.

Where is it now?
The car was sold in 1993.  I wonder if it is still alive...


Hillclimb Morris Minor : Weblink



Why is it important?
When the UK retro scene was a fairly new thing, or at least when it first got its own magazine and a name to cover a range of spread out people, there was a car that a lot of people were already waiting for.  John Beardmore was building another minor, not any old minor though, a mid mounted fiat twincam powered convertible lowlight minor.  The result lived up to expectations, fantastic finish, great engineering, all round a quality car.  Again though it is more important than just another nice car, the fact that it was built in a garage, a small one at that, the fact that it is a complete home brew project serves as inspiration to all those that lament their lack of space, or money.  You can achieve great things in a small amount of space working evenings and weeks, this car is proof of that.

Where is it now?
John still owns the car and plans to do more hillclimbs this year.


V8 Reliant Kitten : Weblink



Why is it important?
If the Lada was the butt of some jokes, then the Reliant Robin was the comedians best friend.  The three wheel Reliant Robin was the epitome of the uncool, mainly driven by old people as a mobility device, rather than an actual car.  The Kitten was its four wheel equivalent and was for the most part ignored.  Whilst it four wheels it still retained the deeply uncool body shape of the Robin.  When it the Beardmore brothers decided to build a drag car they picked the Kitten as a base.  Whilst it seems like an odd choice they looked at it for what it actually was, a small, chassis built, rear wheel drive car with a very light body.  Perfect for a V8 conversion then.  Easy to work on and already super light.  Once again the Beardmore brothers show that you can look through the perceived image of a car and get to the actual machine underneath.

Where is it now?
John sold the car on and it is being reconditioned and bought back out to play again.


Concours Morris Minor GPO Van : Weblink


Why is it important?
People who modify cars have a bit of a bad reputation within certain elements of the 'classic' car community.  The thing is, we love our cars just as much as they do, we just choose to do something different with them.  Robin Beardmore owned and modified many Morris Minors, so I'm sure that certain elements of the classic community were dreading to see what he'd do with a very rare rubber winged Post Office van.  They shouldn't have worried, Robin restored it to concours condition and has since won a number of prizes for it.  It is important as it serves as reminder to the classic car community, that may not appreciate some of what we do, that we do love and cherish our cars.

Where is it now?
As far as we know it still lives with Robin.


Whats next from Beardmores....
Those Beardmores never stop though, Robin is currently building a Minor on an Mazda MX5 floor plan, you can follow the build and get more information about all their cars on their fantastic site : http://beardmorebros.co.uk

 

 

Not only do we bring you all the best of the world of retro cars, as well as some great features, but we can now bring you a shiny new desktop image.

It looks like this, only bigger 

 

The photography is by Simon 'Rmad' Coulson and was taken during our trip to Japan.  The car is a Nissan 330C 4dr Hardtop with air suspension and a V8 engine transplant, it is cruising home on the high way to Tokyo after a day at the Nakayoshi Hot Olds Meet.  Nice!

The backdrop is available in a variety of sizes, just hit the links to download your required size :

RSM Backdrop 1 1600x1200 (488.47 kb)

RSM Backdrop 1 1280x1024 (333.41 kb)

RSM Backdrop 1 1024x768 (202.00 kb)

RSM Backdrop 1 800x600 (128.44 kb)

Grab it whilst it's hot. There will of course be more background images in the future. If you've got any car requests, drop them in the comments section and we'll see what we can do.

Better late than never as they say.  Welcome to this/last week's linklog

We're really enjoying putting our little online magazine together and it is always nice to see other people doing similar things, so we were really pleased to be able to check out Kustomra'mag by the people at Kustomrama.com.

The first issue is now online and it is a great pictorial magazine so go and check it out: http://www.kustomramag.com/


We featured Dirk from Pixeleye before, but it is definitely worth checking out his blog: Raceblog.  For non-German speakers it translates well through google.  There is a whole bunch of photographs and videos to check out as well as news on events across Europe.


Keeping it hot rod and custom as seems to be the theme for this weeks link log I stumbled across this last week.  It is the blog of occasionally controversial Kustom car builder George Barris, it isn't updated often, but it is worth an hour or so trawling through the archives and links. http://avalonmm.tv/barris/


From hot rods and customs, and kustoms, we'll head off inevitable to drag cars.  Euro dragster has a great hall of fame area, you could do a lot worse than spending a while reading through the hall of fame and getting a useful who's who in UK drag racing. http://www.eurodragster.com/news/features/hall_of_fame/default.asp


Keeping it drag racing, this is a serious wheel stand!

DarrenW headed to Big Bang a few weekends ago and came back with a great selection of photos and some things to report... they have now been distilled into a fine brew for a Retro Scene Mag Feature, you can get to it here :

http://www.retroscenemag.com/Features/Articles/BigBang2008/index.html

Expect some more reportage from Darren over the next few months as he is doing a bit of trans European show attending.  You can also get at our previous features here : http://www.retroscenemag.com/Features/ .  Tell your friends.

 

RSM Linklog will be published on Monday. 

Or maybe it should be titled 'How one thread changed the retro world'.  Rmad is fond of his time machine, mine isn't quite as good, more of a Bond Bug than a Deloreon, so it doesn't go back as far.  However that being said it can take you to a vastly different time, a time when the term Bosozoku was virtually unknown, an innocent time.

Today I will give you the story of how one thread changed the retro scene.  All the way back in April 2004 there was a thriving Japanese car scene quietly grooving along doing its own thing.  In the US this centred around the Datsun 510, which had a legacy from motorsport over there.  In Europe the 240Z and 260Z had its fans and there was a small but dedicated following for other Datsuns.  The Toyota AE86 was growing in popularity and value world wide off the back of the rising interest in drifting.  So there was already a ground swell of interest in Japanese cars, which was starting to float into the general consciousness of the regular retro fan.



If left like this then I have no doubt that interest would have gradually risen.  Something else happened.  A couple of days into 2004 someone went to a car meeting in a service stop at Diakoku in Yokohama, Japan, and they took some photos, four months later they put up a thread on VWvortex to show off his pictures.  That was all, but it was everything.

Here is that thread : http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1364258&page=1 titled : I'm back Part IV - Old School JDM-ness at Daikoku and even Bosozoku!!! (56k, go make a sandwich)

The thread contained images of cars that a lot of people had never seen before, what’s more it contained images of cars modified in a style that even more people had never seen before.  Some were amazed, some fascinated, some disgusted.  Everyone had a reaction.  VWvortex has a popular forum, a very popular forum, but the posting on there alone wouldn't have been enough to spark a fire of interest across the scene.  What happened next was that this thread gradually filtered out and got linked to on other forums and blogs.  Suddenly every forum you went into had this link, from Australia to the Ukraine, VW forums, Japanese car forums, drift forums, Alfa Romeo forums.  It was everywhere.



Suitably inspired people went off to find out what it was all about, to find more pictures of this type of car.  Each gallery discovered heralded more links to explore and fish our way around, clicking on everything because we couldn't speak Japanese.  In addition to finding more picture of Bosozoku style cars a lot of people also discovered the more restrained style of modifications, what is commonly called shakotan style, so started posting those up, particularly when people were ridiculing the bosozoku style.



Each time these things got posted they often required a little explination and soon the scene became aware of terms like bosozoku, grachan (originally incorrectly called garuchan), shakotan and even decotora.  Suitably inspired people have started building rides in this style outside of Japan.  Other people had their eyes drawn to the shakotan style cars and have gone out and bought cars to build.  The general profile of older Japanese cars has risen and the speed of its rise can, at least in part, be attributed to a single thread.



So next time you are out and about taking photos of interesting things, you never know what fire you might spark!

The original directory of images is here as well as a second set here 

 

 

PS: If "VadGTI" ever reads this; Thank you!

We love a rare car here at RSM, and few come rarer than this.  The Alfa Romeo 164 Pro-car is unique, the lone legacy of an aborted race series.


The idea was to extend the BMW M1 Pro-car series that ran before Formula 1 races in the mid 80's to include more manufacturers.  The only people that managed to get a car together before the idea was scrapped were Alfa Romeo.

The 164 Pro-car is essentially a 164 silhouette with a mid mounted 600hp V10 engine that could rev to 12,000rpm.  It was the only car ever to use this particular engine, so not only is the car unique, but the engine is too.



The car was built in 1988 by Motor Racing Developments Ltd., who were the company behind the Brabham F1 team and the car is in fact classed as a Brabham BT57. At the time Brabham were owned by Alfa Romeo and this was one of their first projects for the company. Brabham ceased to exist as a company in 1992, having been through a number of buy outs and some turbulent financial periods.  The car eventually ended up with Fiat before disappearing.

Check out these two videos of it in its prime :

 



There is good news though, it has recently been rediscovered and features in this issue of AutoItalia magazine.  It is currently on display at the Alfa Museum so if you can get yourself over to Italy it will definitely be a chance to see this totally unique car.



If you want to learn more and are lucky enough to speak German there is a whole load of information here on Alfisti.net

So... what else has a V10 engine that we can shoe horn into an Alfa 164...

There is a lot to take in about the VW scene, it has a history and a level of activity that at times can rival the hot rod scene for depth, which can make it a fairly intimidating place to penetrate.  Fear not!  The Samba is here to help you.

The Samba is probably one of the most impressive single make sites on the internet, which masses of information, forums, for sale areas, reference data and,.. well,.. everything you could ever want to know about aircooled VWs.  Their dictionary is a great place to look up those VW terms that get casually dropped into conversations.

Being picture lovers we are also very keen on their gallery it really is a remarkable website.


Talking of things that just get dropped into conversation, we previously covered definitions for Bosozoku, Grachan, Shakotan and Kyusha-kai, however there are more things to know if you want to work towards complete knowledge of JDM things.  Luckily 7tune has come along and filled in some more gaps, head here to check it out.


We love to get under the skin of scenes and see things that we really wouldn't get the chance to see in real life, at least we would need to spend a fortune on plane flights to see them.  This is why we love the Jae Bueno blog, not only does it include some generally cool posts but it also is a great way to see what he has been photographing.  His flickr folders are a treasure trove for the American car and lowrider lovers out there.  Have a look around, there is some great stuff in there.


I kind of like finishing with a video, so this week I have this gem, onboard with a DTM BME E30 M3 at a Bergrennen event.


The sound is great and I want a go!...

Sometimes you can't have what you want.  Sometimes there isn't enough time, money or space to have that car that you really want right now.  So what do you do?  Buy a smaller version, that’s what!

There are so many model and die cast cars around you could have a blog dedicated just to that subject.  We however are better off just dipping our toes into the water from time to time.

Here are a bunch of die cast cars from manufacturer Jada. The range of cars they do is vast and covers modern day as well as retro stuff, it is mainly American focussed with a selection of cool VW models.  Click on the images below to be taken straight to a place when you can spend your cash money on them!  Or check out the Jada Site for the full range.

Their VW range has some really nicely styled cars, including split screen campers and more unusually a range of Type3s.









This Datsun 240Z caught my eye for its nicely observed selection of modifications



Perhaps my favourite thing those is their "For Sale" range of readymade rat look rides, or dream project bases, whichever takes your fancy







I'm sure we'll be re-visiting car models as there is so much ground to cover!

I've just filled up the Mr.Fusion with garbage, so we can set off on another journey into the past. It's April 1985, if you could pull yourself away from your new Tetris game then you might well be popping to your local newsagents for a copy of the popular car modification magazine Street Machine: 

Once you'd stuck your new tax disc holder in the windcreen of your radically designed Ford Sierra you might have been wishing you'd gone for that front-driven Cavalier instead, then you could fit some of the fantastic new 'GMS Bodystylers' bodykits available from your neighbourhood Vauxhall dealers. Not only could you get the kits, there were 'wheel trims, graphic striping and tailblazer rear reflectors' too: 

 

Stylish. I know what you're thinking; this is the April issue, and that's some kind of joke? Sadly not, but this is: 

The monthly custom profile was on the newly released (January '85) Sinclair C5. This example had a steering wheel fitted in place of the standard under-knee handlebars - suggested motivation was a fork lift truck powerplant. Oh, how I laughed (actually, as a thirteen year old at the time I was confused rather than amused). Elsewhere in the issue the SM team slipped a peculiar entry into their review of 1985 kit cars:

Although it was  a joke at the time, they probably didn't realise there might actually be a market for such a thing in 20 years time...especially if it was a two door...and based on a Mondeo.

 

Turning to the classifieds, now is the time we really need to get the DeLorean to 88! Hmm, 1960 gullwing (that's the bootlid, not the doors!) Chevy Impala, MoT'd and taxed, good condition for eight-hundred notes? I'll take two! 

I know, you saw the cover and you want some of that V8 action...how about this Minor from the back page? The stance is a bit 70's but bodywork like that will never go out of fashion. Even today, with a mildly raised front end and some skinnier front rubber (for the 'gasser' look) that car could be a show winner. That's all from me for today, I'm off to find Biff's Almanac so I can change the future!

 

 

Things have sure changed since I were a lad. Unless your Mum and Dad were loaded your first car was going to be old - depending on the era you might have ended up with a Triumph Herald, an Escort, Mini, Cortina or even a Fiesta to call your own. These days a financed Saxo with a years free insurance is far from beyond the reach of today's new (or new-ish) drivers...a situation which, to me at least, is a real shame. Luckily Adam decided not to follow the crowd and took a more old fashioned route for his first foray into motoring freedom helped along the way by his petrolhead Dad and a whole host of internet-based buddies. The result? The super cool Polo you see here.  We caught up with Adam just before Wheels Day, took some snaps and chucked a few questions in his direction. 

Name: Adam Phelps 

Age: 17

Occupation: Studying Maths, Physics, Chemistry and DT

Other Hobbies: Guitars and music. 

Car/cars: Mk2 VW Polo C Saloon (1.05) Modifications: Coilovers, Banded CoupeS steels (13x7&8) with 175/50s, bucket seats, CoupeS steering wheel and dash, amp and speakers, chequered boot.

Future car plans: Finish 205 track car, finish Locost project, past that I'm pretty open!

Dream car: Ferrari 250GTO, SWB Audi Sport Quattro

Favourite crisps: Prawn Cocktail

Anyone you'd like to thank: My dad for encouraging and helping me with everything, and building up a formidable collection of tools over the past 30 years! Also all the Retro-Rides and other forum members who have inspired me, given me advice and sold me cheap parts. 

Those 'L' plates are gone now, by the way. Adam passed his test last week.  Well done Adam...see you at the shows!