Mablethorpe Sandracing

Not to be confused with beach racing - which is Motocross and/or Enduro on a beach, Mablethorpe Sandracing runs on a half mile oval track marked out on the beach at the Lincolnshire seaside resort of Mablethorpe.

Made up of a number of classes including Motocross, Speedway/Grass track, Sidecar, Quadbikes as well as converted road bikes with amateur and the odd famous face (Guy Martin, Carl Fogerty, Steve Hislop, Roger Marshall to name a few) competing side by side.

Spectating is free, pull up a deck chair, albeit with a blanket, numerous layers and hot drinks as all the racing is in winter when sun searching holiday makers are absent, and enjoy some fast, close racing.

These shots were from last season, I've not yet attended any 25/26 season events.

#mablethorpe #mablethorpesandracing #sandracing

De Tomaso Pantera Group 4

Due to gothrough RM Sothbey's auction in Paris later this month, this superb example of a De Tomaso Pantara Group 4, estimated to sell for between €300k and €350k

Unveiled in January 1972, the De Tomaso Pantera Group 4 was borne out of customer request, with 14 examples produced. The doors, bonnet, and engine lid were aluminium, all windows were plexiglass, and a roll cage cocooned a pared-back interior. These measures saved 320 kilograms for a total weight of just 1,100 kilograms. The double-wishbone suspension was modified and adjustable Koni shock absorbers fitted. Meanwhile, large Girling brakes featuring vented discs helped slow the 470 horsepower produced by a modified Ford 351 Cleveland V-8, which inhaled through four Weber carburettors.

Leaving the factory in the classic red-and-black Pantera paint scheme, chassis number 2858 was completed in April 1972 and sold new to Achilli Motors. Reportedly the second example produced, the car was changed by Achilli Motors to a vibrant blue. Run from 1973 to 1975 in the Italian Group 4 Championship, this Pantera debuted in the 1000 Kilometres of Monza and qualified for the 1973 Targa Florio.

Retiring after 1975, chassis 2858 remained in storage with Achilli Motors until sold to the second owner, Marco "Spiffero" Curti, in late 1979. He sent the car back to De Tomaso to be rebuilt for the updated 1976 Group 4 specifications. Spiffero raced this Pantera from 1980 to 1983 before parting ways in 1998, with the vehicle subsequently passing through several European racers until being acquired by the current owner.

Returning the car to its Achilli Motors livery, the Pantera was repainted light blue and was the subject of a complete overhaul, utilising modern technology to optimise its performance and reliability. Entered in the 2022 Le Mans Classic, it finished 1st in its class and in the 2025 Tour Auto, it finished 2nd overall, demonstrating the exceptional qualities of this Pantera. The car is accompanied by a spare rebuilt gearbox, four wheels, and other parts.

Boasting known ownership throughout, this Group 4 Pantera presents a wonderful opportunity for a collector looking to compete in historic racing events across the continent.

#rmsothbeys #detomaso #detomasopantera #detomasopanteragroup4 #pantera #panteragroup4 #panteragp4 

"Into Orbit" with McLaren's Megacar F1

"My mind is blown. My soul corrupted. Absolute power has cast its spell. Solo or ménage a trois, I don’t mind. Put me back in the middle, behind the central wheel of the world’s fastest driving machine. I need more, another fix. Two days on the loose in McLaren’s three-seater megacar, and I’m hooked"

Poignant words. Written by my father, motoring journalist Roger Bell for Car magazine in 1994. His prose then repeated by my youngest son Jake as the opening words to his tribute at his Grandfather's funeral.

I was invited to accompany my father in Wales for road test, but, at the time my then employers refused to grant me the time off. Had I realised then just how the F1 was to rewrite everything known about Supercar's, or Megacar's as my father named the F1, I'd have developed a terrible fever for a few days.

Thankfully, Car's Archive let's you read the full article on model designation XP5, K8MCL, and the first test by anyone outside McLaren bar a few prospective customers.

#mclaren #mclarenf1 #mclarenxp5 #k8mcl #carmagazine #rogerbell #gordanmurray

ERA RJB1 Replica of a B Type ERA

RJB1 is a replica of a B-Type ERA, built for Roland Duce by Paul Richardson & David Ellison using many original parts.

The ERA Club has little information on RJB1, nor, it would appear have any other online resources.

Shot at Prescott Speed Hillclimb course in 2024's iteration of the Historique meeting.

The 911 Barchetta by Zollhaus

The excellent magazine Type 7, taking its name from first prototype of what developed into the quintessential Porsche: the 911, have featured the Zollhaus Porsche 911 Barchetta, the 911 model Porsche never built and I wish they had.

Published in two parts via Instagram, the "Barchetta" left Stuttgart in 1971 as a Targa, and prior to this incarnation, a previous custodian had made some Speedster esque style modifications. Some remain like the deck lid and reinforced sills, others, the wide arches and 356 screen for instance, were discarded. 

Freshly coated in the correct 71 Signal Orange, and now running a mildly fettled 2.4 engine providing 190bhp engine and weighing 900kg, Type 7 describe the Barchetta "as a riot to drive, with its light weight being immediatly evident" and "induction noise is more prominent than exhaust".

#zollhaus #zollhaus_ig #zollhausporsche #type7 #type7magazine #type7porsche #porsche #porschebarchetta #barchetta #porsche911barchetta #911 #porsche911 #porsche911targa #1971porsche911targa #speedster