Spartan Starcraft Camper

This had to one of the coolest retro campers out there, and to be honest if I had a few grand free I’d seriously be tempted by the two currently for sale on ebay. What’s not to like, cool looks, over cab sleeping compartment, 4 berth and oh 6 wheels. To the fair it’s all about the wheels.

Random Picture: 6 wheeled Porsche 935

I would love some more information on this 6 wheeled car, all I’ve been able to find out from a small magazine article is it wasn’t running a 6 cylinder engine. The report stated that it sounded like more cylinders, possibly 12, and had a turbo whistle while on test at Weissach. It also speculated, as at the time many manufacturers were dabbling, that it was a 6 wheeled F1 development car. If you know any more then please get it touch.

Random Picture- Alfa Romeo T33/6/12

The old saying goes “never bring a knife to a gun fight” well Alfa Romeo we’re hoping to take on Ferrari and Porsche with a rocket launcher. This was a secret project built in 1970 to take the GT crown. However it was a short lived story for this 6 wheeled, 5ltr, V12 monster as it was stolen from its garage at the Sebring circuit where it had been testing. The chassis was found a few weeks later but the engine went down in local folklore as being fitted to a hot rod and dominating all its races a few years later!!!!!
 

*edit 20/02/14- Trust me not to pick up on the dates, April 1^st yeah it’s a Photoshop, still cool looking though

Manchester Classic Car, Eventcity

Although there had been indoor classic car shows staged at Eventcity in Manchester, Passion and Power was earlier this year, this was the first outing for the “Manchester Classic Car Show”. Looking at the adverts for it in the local press and on the web it looked like it was going to be a good inaugural event. Ran over the weekend I dropped in on the Saturday morning and I knew I was in for a treat when in a fenced off area six or so classic rally cars came driving past the entrance, including a shot wheel based Audi Quattro!!!!

Random Picture: 6 Wheeled Jaguar XJS

Not been able to find much out about this 6 wheeled Jaguar but it certainly is unusual so ticks that box for inclusion on here.

Donington Park Grand Prix Collection

First off, I’m a big Formula 1 fan so it wasn’t going to be long before I headed over to Donington Park to visit the largest collection of F1 cars in the world. After all I’d driven past it enough times going to the racing and events (Restoration Show). So with a day booked off I made the 200 mile round trip to indulge!!!

Now a little history, Donington Park race circuit has F1 credential with it being used previously, most recently in 1993, for the European Grand Prix. It was even touted very recently with construction work started to replace Silverstone as the permanent home for F1 on these shores, though it all fell through in the end. So it’s easy to say that this is one of the best circuits in the British and a deserving home for the collection.

Jules Proto 6x4

Competing in the Paris Dakar is never an easy feat due to the rigours the vehicles have to go through to just finish. Most are either heavily adapted road cars/4x4 for privateers or for the established manufactured out to prove something with one off purpose built creations with the company face and model name attached to it. However, every so often a team enters with something truly awe-inspiring. The entry of the perfume sponsored “Jules” Proto in 1984 with 6 wheels, 4 powered (the rear axle not being powered), and powered by a mid mounted Chevy 350 V8 with 350bhp transmitted through a Porsche gearbox, all sat in a space frame chassis. The thing looks awesome and like it could take on anything. Unfortunately it didn’t finish due its chassis snapping!!!!!! Still this shows the innovative thinking that this race needs, it also looks cool.

Ford Seattle XXI

There are concept cars that look to the future and occasionally get some aspect right, but the Ford Seattle XXI (named after the city it was debuted in at the Worlds Fair of 1963) got more right than you might think. At a time before computers would fit in your pocket, Ford had been thinking about on board computers that would drive the car, drive by wire (no steering wheel here just a console), satellite navigation and fuel cells/battery packs, and this was back in 1962.

Covini C6W

Getting into the supercar market isn’t easy, you need that x factor, something different from the rest, for Zonda it was an outrageous body, Audi bullet proof reliability but making your car stand out from the crowd these days isn’t easy. So how does another set of front wheels!!!!! Taking its cue from the Tyrell P34 Formula 1 car it has 4 steering front wheels. This is sold by adding added safety ie twice the traction, twice the braking and more stability in the event of a tyre blow out.

Tissier Citroën

In 1972 Pierre Tissier had the concept of building multiple wheeled vehicles based on the DS, these “centipedes” would utilise the front wheel drive as well and the hydraulic suspension and brakes to create multi axle utility vehicle. At the same time he was a Panhard agent in Paris and would regularly travel to and from Spain transporting cars, at the time there was no real suitable vehicle that was both practical and comfortable to use so Pierre built the first of many extended DS’s.

Wolfrace Sonic

This was built as a promotional “vehicle” to launch the Wolfrace Sonic alloys (similar to the Ford XR2 Pepper pots) in the very early 1980’s, this unusual and road legal car had a few surprises up its sleeve or rather under the bonnet, 2 Rover V8 engines sat side by side. These engines were control by an on board computer to make sure they ran in sequence with each other making it very advanced for the time. It also has a digital/LCD dash. You may also have noticed the 6 wheels, well is design to sell alloys. Not been able to find much more out, it is a one off and at some point was painted red. There’s not even a lot of information on the Wolfrace site. I just love the way it looks over the top as a promotional car should be.

6 Wheeled F1 Cars

When you think of 6 wheeled Formula 1 cars the Tyrell P34 always comes to mind, with its iconic 4 up front wheel configuration. However a few other manufacturers had a go, but not with the front, but the rear wheels, here’s some pictures and links to a few, unfortunately the regulations in 1983 took all the fun out of it banning 4 wheel drive and soon after 6 wheeled cars-

1977 Ferrari 312T6-





1982 Williams FW08-6W-





1977 March 1-2-4-





Information-

http://www.racing65.com/greatracingcars/240march2.html

Tyrell P34-






Unfortunately with the exception of the Tyrell the other cars seem to only have been prototypes and run only a few times as a result information on them is sketchy. They do however allow you to hark back to a time when motorsport was all about trying something outrageous and innovitive to push the boundaries of the sport, its a shame the regulations don't allow this any more.

1977 Panther 6

Inspired by the 6 wheel Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 car, Panther produced what was clamed to be the first production car that would do over 200mph. The power came from a 8.2ltr twin turbo V8 producing 600bhp. This car was not all power though, it came with electric everything including the dash, a TV and even a phone, this was back in 1977!!!!! It also had on board inbuilt fire extinguishers and carried 2 spare wheels well the front 4 wheels were a different size to the rears. Only 2 cars were produced , one in black and one in white before production was ceased. This car still has descendants today that I will be picking up in coming articles.







More information-

http://www.supercarworld.com/cgi-bin/showgeneral.cgi?035

Video advertisement-

http://www.mypanther.de/videos/Web_Video_Panther6/web_Panther6.html