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MOTORING NEWS: Thursday, December 13,19fe LOTS OF LIGHT. Visibility should be first-class in the Avanti, which is claimed to have 3,715 square inches of glass, much of it curved to the body contours. COKE-BOTTLE, WASPIE or wedge? Designed by Raymond Loewy, the waist of the Avanti describes an aerodynamic inverse curve, a design feature formerly seen only on supersonic aircraft. There are those who think it should be kept there. THE EVOLVING OF THE AVANTI # Continued from page five. planetary gear system which changes without a clutch, rather like the efficient (but spurned by British manufacturers) Hobbs Mechamatic type. When starting in position No. 1, the unit always stays in low gear until manually changed. In position No. 2, it stays within a 1.47 gear ratio at all times, except when attempting to change down from excessive speeds, and in ?╟ú drive ?╟Ñ position, the initial thrust starts in second gear, and then automatically changes up to third. It is possiblle, however, to change down from ?╟ú drive ?╟Ñ to either No. 1 or No. 2 for a sudden burst of accelera- WHOA, THERE. "Andy?╟Ñ Granatelli, who broke a number of lHin. Dunlop-licensed disc brakes at the tion, while changing down with- out revving up the engine will provide a braking effect As mentioned previously, Dun- lop-designed lli-inch caliper disc brakes are used at the front, with 11-inch drum brakes at the rear. The handbrake, mounted at the right of the steering column, operates on the rear drums. Suspension is by coil spring at the front and leaf springs at the rear, with a rigid rear axle. Manual or power steering is optional, with 3.5 turns lock to lock, giving the car a turning circle of 37 feet between kerbs. No statistics Studebaker, taking a leaf out of R-R?╟╓s books, do not give either engine b.h.p. or perform- ance statistics for their new car; like Rolls, they say that, what- ever it is, ?╟ú it is sufficient for the purposes of the driver |?╟÷and leave it at that. The engine is a 90-degree o.h.v. V.8, with a capa- city of 289 cu. ins. (4,737 c.c.); compression ratio is 10:1 without the supercharger and 9:1 with it recessed. Instruments include the four passengers, with the rear a Studebaker status symbol, ?╟úwe fitted, and a single ?╟ú four barrel ?╟Ñ speedometer, fuel, oil pressure seats being set on a slightly hope to convince the American carburettor is employed. and water temperature gauges, higher elevation than the front, people that our other auto- For added bodyshell rigidity, a ammeter, clock, rev. counter and thus giving the passengers in the mobiles, the Lark and Daytona* heavy-forged door latch is fitted, manifold pressure gauge, ignition, back a better view straight series and the Gran Turismo to form a solid seal that unites windscreen wiper and indicator ahead. The side window glass is Hawk, possess superior qualities the door and the pillar tightly?╟÷ controls. A group of three curved to match the body con- in their price classes, and thus so that it becomes a structural switches is positioned in a header tours, and the quarter lights open merit greater consideration in the member of the body, the entire panel, these switches controlling fully. Both the bonnet and the market place.?╟Ñ side becoming in effect a one- the running lights, instrument boot are opened from inside the The new car itself seems to piece unit just as if the door Panel lights, and air distribution, car. have been a success, so far; but opening did not exist/Studebaker Between the front bucket seats .. Egbert?╟╓s hopes of securing higher claim that, when this latch is is a console on which is mounted Record-breaking sales for other Studebaker models engaged, it is impossible for the the gear-lever and a quadrant U k?╜.* seem unlikely to be realised. At door to open accidentally, even carrying the selector controls for L in?╟?g?╟ú me A\anu is pasicaiiy ^ moment, U.S. car sales are when it is subjected to terrific the heater, defroster, and fresh !L .Sk*Jvk ana ^re,k e tar?╟╓ at their highest ever, with all of stress and strain. air intake ducts, together with a &*uaeo&Ker nave usea tne super- major manufacturers licking The interior of the Avanti is cigarette lighter, ash tray, and 5*?.a*gea 'ver?½lon?╟╓ wim oranateiu their lips over increased buying?╟÷ fully safety padded, and the in- lockable map cubbyhole. dnvmg, to demonstrate its pace pord, f0r example,'with an 18% struments. controls and radio are There is plenty of room for ana. Pin JPU, cA*y by record- increase 0Ver those of the same breaking. Early this year, at Las time last year, have made the Vegas, Granatelli set up a one- smallest gain. Only Studebaker way time of 171.10 m.p.h., which have dropped down. There are is impressive by any standards, a number of possible reasons lor August 14, atBonneville this, but perhaps the most likely SaU Flats in Utah, he took 29 i8 that, in the resurgence of U.S. stock car records in 12 American confidence after the hours. He covered the flying Cuban affair> customers seem to irnle at a two-way average of be insisting on the larger and 168.15 m.p.h., easily beating the. more expensive models; this previous record, set up a few Wo\ild explain not only why days before by Mickey Thomp- studebaker?╟╓s low-priced range, son, mid broke both standing but also the compacts from the and flying start records m larger firms are taking a several divisions, over distances hnmjrwrina ranging from one kilometre to ?Σ≤ . ?║ , 10 miles. His 10-mile flying start . To cnd ??n a note, average was 163.90 m.p.h., which however; at South Bend, they was 11.43 m.p.h. faster than are engaged in the design of Thompson?╟╓s further new models ; and if these So. in the Avanti. Egbert has are as orj$inal in conception as produced ?╟ ?╟ the world?╟╓s fastest the Avanti, they will deserve to production car.?╟Ñ Sheer straight- and should give Studebaker the line performance, however, was inCTeased sales it needs. After not the ultimate aim of Stude- a^> ?? would be a shame to see baker?╟╓s president. He says him- yet another old 110 years old-?╟÷ self that ?╟ú Admittedly, this is not and respected firm go the way of a car for everyone ...?╟Ñ and 80 many others, that, by producing the Avanti as J.H. U.S. stock car records with a blown Avanti, brakes to a stop. With front, the car has plenty of stopping power. WINTER WONDERLAND THE Queens University M.C.'s ** Winter Rally,** the penultimate Ulster Rally Championship qualifier, held oh December 1, was undoubtedly the best rally held in Ulster this year. It consisted of six driving tests?╟÷three done twice?╟÷and a marvellous 110 miles navigation section in Mid-Down. Thirty- two crews started and 17 were classified as finishers, eight having retired and seven having been excluded for exceeding the maxi- mum time allowance of 231 minutes. From the Carryduff start com- petitors attempted the tests, an hour and a half being allowed for this. These were fairly open, competitors losing marks equal to the amount they were slower than the best performance. The third test had to be scrubbed due to a complaint from the local farmer. Best performance went to Dr. Thompson Glass (Hayrake) who lost 1.4 marks. Second and third were Adrian Boyd (Sebrine Sprite) and Ian Wood side (Sprite) with 3.4 and 3.8 respectively followed by Norman Lynas (Mini), Robert Woodside and Robert McBumey (VWs), Brian Falloon (Sprite) and Ronnie McCartney (Cooper-Mini). The road section which followed was without doubt the best, seen in Ulster for many a day. Forty- one T.P.s and three checks in 87 miles had to be visited in 185 minutes, as the last 23 miles was only a run in to the finish. Six sets of references were handed out?╟÷at the start of the section and at T.P.s 8,16, 22, 27, and 35. The first set started off with a 9-minuter followed by stages of 2, 6, 3, 20, 2, 9 and 2 minutes. Time point 3 to 4 (three minutes) was the first tightish one, the approach being tricky. The 2-minuter between T.P.s 5 and 6 was really excellent, but being INTER-CLUB OCTAGON AN inter-club trophy rally was run jointly on December 2 by the Octagon, R.A.F.A., and Metrovick clubs. The route of 120 miles, all in Cheshire, was over good* ?╟úyellow?╟Ñ roads in the main, with occasional excursions into somewhat rougher territory. Of the four sections, two were by map reference, one by conven- tional route card, and one by ?╟ú Tulip ?╟╓?╟╓-type diagrams. Route check symbols augmented the manned controls. Regularity was imposed throughout for safety?╟╓s sake, the event being run in day- light on a Sunday. In the event, virtually no other traffic was ; encountered, probably due to the cold weather on the day. 1. K. G. Fnser/M. ?╟≤ points; 2, A. I. (Alpine) 20; 3, A. J. BHI/B. J. Looker (Riley 1.5) 430; 4. G. A. Swards/D. Dixon (Herald) 530: 5. J. N*. Sawlev/J. S. Lee (Magnette) 600. The Inter-Ciah Itanphjr t 1. Metrovick; 2, R.A.F.A. (Octagon failed to qualify). followed by a 9 allowed everyone to use their 59 secs. The stages on the next set of references were 7,1, 5,2, 5, 3, 3, and 15 minutes, the latter including a check. Thompson Glass /Fenton Coulter (Hayrake) had a wrong approach at the first of these (50 marks) and then dropped a minute (five marks) on the 1-minute stage, which ran on to another map. The times allowed for the next set of stages were 2, 4, 3, 5, 10 and 7 minutes. The first of these caught quite a number, crews having to plot and cover a very twisty mile in the two minutes allowed. .On the stage between T.P.s 18 and 19, a 3-minuter, Ronnie McCartney/Terry Harry- man (Cooper-Mini) had a punc- ture. Driving on, they reached T.C. 19 on time, changed the wheel and cleared the 5-minuter to T.C. 20. It was here that Robert McBumey/Derek Surge- nor (VW), who were losing a Tot of oil, had a wrong departure. They retired soon after with the oil warning light coming on too often. The next set of references saw all but one crew losing their dean sheets, the times being 3, 2, 3, 2 and 2 minutes. Many crews had by now picked up wrong approaches, in- cluding Adrian ana Derek Boyd (Sebring Sprite), who were soon to retire with navigator sickness, Robert Woodside/Brian Railton (VW), who retired thinking that a wrong approach entailed ex- clusion, ana Dennis Bell /Stirling Wisenor (Sprite). The next set of references from T.P. 27 to 35 involved 3, 3, 2, 2, 7, 2, 2 and 3 minutes stages. On the 2-minuter to T.P.31, the remaining clean sheet disappeared, McCartney/ Harryman having to follow another competitor for three- quarter miles of very narrow lane and dropping a minute in the process. Glass /Coulter had another wrong approach on the 2-minuter to T.P. 34 having gone the long way round. The last set of instructions, handed out at T.P. 35, started off with a very, tricky 2-minuter which caught nearly everyone including Glass/ Coulter, McCartney / Harryman and Dr. Jack Keatley/Norman Devlin. (Cooper-Mini) who were now having to push-start their car, having a very low battery. The remainder of the stages were of 11, 3, 2, 2, and 2 minutes and on very muddy, greasy roads did quite a bit of sorting out. So the rally ran out with the straight- forward 23-mile run to the finish control in Killinchy. The results showed McCartney^ Harryman to have brought their 3-day old Alexander Cooper-Mini in to a comfortable win from Neville Haire/John Armstrong (Mini), while Ian Woodside ?╟÷ having missed three time points?╟÷ dropped to 11th. T.A.H. PROVISIONAL RESULTS Overall placings:: 1, R. J. McCartney/ T. A. Harryman (Cooper-Mini) 19.6 marks lost (10 on road); 2. G. N. Haire/ ?╟?0.0 (45); 4, G. P. C. Th<wnpson/N. ??. Percival-Price (Sprite) 134.6 (120). Open can i 1, Thompson/Percival-Price; 2, W. Dick/R. Charlesson (Turner) 142.6 (120); 3, D. BeH/S. Wisenor. Closed can > 1, Haire/Armstrong; 2 Kealley/ Devlin; 3, Thompson/Mrs. Thompson. Hopkkrk Trophy (best undergraduate member) > W. Dick (Turner). Navigators' Nightmare TC'OLLOWING the Increasing trend of clubs from other parts of the country to . look towards Wales for their rallying country, the Newport Car Club found their normal sporting areas booked on the usual date for their annual Foster Rally. Happily, by arrangement with South Wales Automobile Club the Foster was rearranged to take place on November 24/25 being S.W.A.C.?╟╓s date for their autumn event, and on this occasion no ?╟ú invaders ** were in the area. David Jenkins, navigator of the winning car on the Cotswold for the last two years, was clerk of the course, and in his usual manner put on an excellent event with the accent appropriately on navigation rather than sheer driving ability, though some of his ?╟ ?╟ tricks of th^ trade?╟Ñ did make for rather less finishers than expected. Starting from Newport, it was anticipated that the route would run through 155 to the meat on 141 and 142, but David had been exploring his local country very thoroughly, and the first surprise was -a brand new toad at 155/323977. . Most navigators thought the mileage was a bit off, but told their.drivers to pull the stops out going round via the edge of Pontypool; they of course, lost time which, after all, was the intention of.the or- ganisers. Following this, the event ran across 155 to the east, with the route card being picked up about eight references at a time. After- receiving a- new route card, competitors ?╟≤ always seemed to find themselves with a two-minute section to start, and more time was lost when naviga- tors were doing about four tilings at once. i Map 155 has not been revised very recently and. with the re- construction of the Newport- Chepstow trunk road, the map and the road junctions vary somewhat. It is understood that John Williams and Tony Hooper passed the same pub three times before finding the way to approach 408919 from the south. The experts from the Steel Company of Wales, Dodd/Rutter and Thomas/Tucker, ran into trouble at 474983, where the wide white road does not exist, and they both ended in a field. The Tnomas / Tucker M.G.A. flatly refused to be extricated, and they completed the rally as back seat passengers in Jerry Dodd?╟╓s Austin Cooper. After the sorting out on 155, the rally moved on to 142 and then over Capel-y-fin, where tho redoubtable Jenkins had found a few more miles of road not on the map, to approach 211372 from the south, and thence to the finish at that incomparable rendezvous of rallies ?╟÷ Bishops Meadow. RESULTS Outright Winner, Foster Trophy t Harvey/Eustace (Austin Cooper). Best S.W.A.C. t Willi a ms/Hooper (Austin Cooper). Best S.C.W. t. Dodd/Rutter (Austin Cooper). Best Semi-Experts r Chick/Warrington (Vauxhall Victor).