Back in the 1960s the Mk1 Cortina was a hugely popular car. For those that are still running around GAZ has fully adjustable GT dampers to improve the rear suspension and bring it into the 21st Century.
GAZ fully adjustable GT dampers enable the damping bump and rebound rate to be adjusted to suit the conditions, load and driving style. They have adjustable damping rates which can be altered by means of an easily accessible knob on the side of the units.
GAZ can set these dampers up for general road use or for serious classic racing if that’s your preference.
GAZ dampers feature a zinc plated body and protective plastic sleeve to keep them looking good and working well for long into the future.
All units are individually tested before leaving the factory and are covered by a two year warranty.
GAZ rear dampers for the Cortina Mk1 can be ordered as GT7-2056 and retail at £67.28 + VAT each.
GAZ can also rebuild the front struts of the Mk1 Cortina to whatever specification is required by the owner: direct standard replacement, fast road or various race options.
For further details visit the GAZ website: www.gazshocks.com
Now is the time of year when most MGBs are tucked up in their garages waiting for the first signs of spring, but it’s also the time to get out into the garage and put some added enjoyment into your MGB in the form of a Fidanza lightweight aluminium flywheel.
Fidanza lightweight flywheels offer…. • Faster throttle response and quicker acceleration • Additional horsepower to the wheels by reducing parasitic losses due to flywheel weight • Smoother, faster gear shifting • Easier braking, better slowing (due to reduced rotational mass) • Reduced clutch wear and improved efficiency (from better heat dissipation) • Cost savings and longevity (friction plate is replaceable and can be replaced any number of times when worn) • Potential for increased fuel economy (if you can keep your foot off the gas!)
Fidanza flywheels now come with a new green friction plate coating to protect the steel friction surface from moisture, oil and grease contamination during shipping, storage and installation. The steel friction plate is the only part of the flywheel that is subject to wear and it’s replaceable. When it eventually wears out there is no need to buy a complete new flywheel; just replace the friction plate and you’re off again!
Fidanza flywheels are available for the following MGB models: 1963-1967 1.8 litre 120 tooth flywheel – Fidanza part number 126991 1968-1980 1.8 litre 127 tooth flywheel – Fidanza part number 126801
As a special incentive Fidanza is offering a special winter discount on these flywheels. The 126991 flywheel is currently on offer at $447.96 instead of the list price of $527.02 and the 126801 is on offer at $388.70 instead of $457.29. Prices are plus shipping and import tax.
For more information on Fidanza’s premium aluminium flywheels and other great products or to find a dealer in your area visit www.fidanza.com
Delivery vans are working overtime at this time of the year and if you’ve spent a long time in a large van you know how cold, loud and tinny that experience can be.
However, if your van happens to be a Mercedes Sprinter, DEI can come to the rescue with its new insulation kits.
A DEI insulation kit will keep the cold out and the warmth in as well as dampening that loud, tinny noise thus making driving a van all day that much more comfortable.
DEI insulation kits contain DEI’s own D-MAT thermal & acoustic insulation, Boom Mat sound damping pads for specific areas, insulated Boom Mat joining tape and Boom Mat spray adhesive to fix it all in place and keep it there – even when summer eventually comes and those panels get unbelievably hot!
DEI Sprinter Van Insulation Kits are available for both short and long wheelbase vans. The short wheelbase kit contains 250 sq. ft. of insulation and can be ordered as part 050400 at £307.11. The long wheelbase kit contains 350 sq. ft. of insulation and can be ordered as part 050401 at £385.29. Prices are subject to shipping charges and import tax. Visit the designengineering.com website for details.
For more information about this and other DEI Heat and Sound control products visit: www.designengineering.com or e-mail sales@designengineering.com.
The Watt’s linkage (also known as the parallel linkage) is a type of mechanical linkage that allows the axle of a vehicle to travel vertically whilst preventing sideways motion. As the name implies it was invented by James Watt and was included in his patent specification of 1784 for the Watt steam engine.
In spite of its long history the concept works just as well today and it forms the basis of the Burton Watts Linkage kit for the Ford Escort Mk1/2 made for Burton by GRP4 Fabrications.
The kit features high quality fabrication and machining, high quality Aurora rose joints, TIG welded and zinc plated rods, a cast alloy rear cover for extra rigidity, removable Watts pin, a Watts cover pin and swivel that have been designed for ease of lubrication.
The kit can be ordered as part number MP1211L and retails at £330.00 inc.VAT.
Available from Burton’s Performance Centre in Essex or by ordering from the Burton Power website – www.burtonpower.com. For further details contact Burton Power on 0208 554 2281
With the introduction of the Mk3 Cortina, Ford changed from a one piece propshaft to a two part shaft with a centre bearing. These centre bearings wear in time and produce a pronounced shuddering when the shaft no longer runs snugly in the bearing.
Fortunately, Burton Power can provide a replacement assembly comprising: bearing, rubber and outer casing all for just £45.50 inc. VAT.
The replacement bearing is suitable for: Ford Cortina Mk3 1970-1976 Ford Cortina Mk4 1976-1979 Ford Cortina Mk5 1979-1982 Ford Taunus TC Mk1 1970-1975 Ford Taunus TC2 Mk2 1976-1979 Ford Taunus TC3 Mk3 1979-1982 Ford Transit Mk1 1965-1978 Ford Transit Mk2 1978-1985 (excluding overdrive models)
Available from Burton’s Performance Centre in Essex or by ordering from the Burton Power website – www.burtonpower.com. For further details contact Burton Power on 0208 554 2281
The Ford Atlas Axle started life in the 1960s being used in the Transit Mk1. It proved tough and durable and was soon used in the powerful V6 Capri model as a heavy duty alternative to the English axle. It was later used in most of the Capri Mk2/3 range, the 2.0/2.3 Cortinas, the later Transit models and continued into the Sierra range in the P100 pick-up truck.
It’s heavy-duty ability made it suitable for competition use, but its weight counted against it due to its cast iron casing.
Burton Power now have a lightweight alloy casing for the Atlas ‘pigs head’ differential housing which has been manufactured to take the larger 60mm axle tubes specifically for competition use.
The alloy housing can be ordered as part number AXAT11 and retails at £759.50 inc. VAT. It is suitable for most Capri models and modified competition Escort Mk1/Mk2 using a narrow Atlas/Mk 1 Capri unit.
Available from Burton’s Performance Centre in Essex or by ordering from the Burton Power website – www.burtonpower.com. For further details contact Burton Power on 0208 554 2281
Brown & Geeson has over 25 year’s experience of supplying steering wheel and hub kits in the UK; today its range of hub kits boasts over 800 vehicle applications from classic to modern. Its latest introduction, the BG8368 is a new collapsible hub kit suitable for all 1994 to 1999 Ferrari F355 cars. B-G Hub Kits are produced in Italy from the finest cast aluminium materials and are dual drilled to be compatible with various steering wheels featuring either a 6 x 70mm PCD pattern (such as MOMO, Sparco, OMP, Simoni, Mountney M-Range) or 6 x 74mm PCD pattern (such as Nardi, Personal, Raid). The BG8368 collapsible hub kit retails at £71.99 inc. VAT.
For more details contact Brown & Geeson Ltd. +44 (0) 1268 764411 or visit their website: www.b-gdirect.com
Basketball star Michael Jordan’s generously appointed Mercedes S600 coupé recently sold for more than 170,000 euros at an auction – despite a rather high mileage. In addition to the celebrity bonus, the luxury car from 1996 features several extras from Sportservice Lorinser. The German vehicle tuner explains the “accessories” that top athletes, successful actors and industrialists were able to order for the top-of-the-range Mercedes and the corresponding W140 sedan at the time.
Four different alloy wheel designs were offered for these vehicles by the Mercedes specialist, who has now been in the business for 90 years. The D 93 installed on Jordan’s Mercedes offered the largest range for the S-Class and its coupé spin-off. “It started with 16 inches, which makes us think more of a compact car these days,” Managing Director Marcus Lorinser remembers with a smile. A 1.98 meters tall basketball player, however, preferred the maximum possible 20-inch rims even then. Some media had listed 18-inch wheels when reporting on the auction, which is soon proven incorrect, though, with a look at the tire sidewalls. Another special feature of the cool celebrity ride is the chrome finish of the rims, for which the catalog at the time listed “silver” as the standard color.
The images also show that Sportservice Lorinser even offered the matching bodykit for the flagship coupé in the 1990s. The C140 incidentally was the first Mercedes model available with ESP. A screen navigation system and adjustable shocks were also available as optional extras, depending on the model year. But back to spoilers and such: In addition to the mighty rear wing, which was available with or without a third brake light, Lorinser installed bumper spoilers with fog lights, a corresponding rear apron and side panels with SL slots on the front fenders. The latter are styled in chrome on the Jordan coupé to match the rims. Other optional “catalog items” featuring the high-gloss material are door sill panels, tailgate trims and air intake trims for the hood.
Everything is standard under the hood, though. But with a V12 with 394 HP (290 kW) and 570 Nm, that is just fine. Especially as the sound modulated by the Lorinser exhaust system is sure to raise goosebumps when cruising the streets.
Real sports cars deliver extraordinary driving performance, but usually have a somewhat spartan appearance. For those unwilling to sacrifice any luxury, space or comfort, the Audi S8 has been available since 1996, and as regards acceleration, it can hold its own against the contemporary Porsche 911. The fourth generation of the racy luxury limousine came onto the market in early 2020, with a powerful V8 bi-turbo petrol engine delivering 571 hp (420 kW) and 800 Nm. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h: 3.8 seconds! As such, it is faster than a current 992 model. But can it also compete with even faster super sports cars? With this comparison, ABT Sportsline comes into play with an extremely attractive performance upgrade.
The software of the high-tech ABT Engine Control unit has been precisely adapted for this model and can unleash a hefty 700 hp (515 kW) from the new S8. Maximum torque increases to 880 Nm. This amazing power is clearly reflected in the new performance figures: Now the traditional standard sprint from a standing start to 100 km/h is achieved in 3.4 seconds. For vehicles equipped with ABT Power and ceramic brakes, an optional top speed increase to 270 km/h is available. The 5.18-metre limousine, weighing over 2.3 tonnes, generally cuts a fine figure, even when cornering. This is down to the meticulously designed standard suspension. The chassis can tilt up to three degrees when cornering, and a camera constantly monitors the next 15 metres, to facilitate active response to any uneven surface.
Aesthetically, the Audi S8 maintains an elegant, understated appearance. Therefore, upon request, ABT Sportsline adds just one discreet carbon fibre rear spoiler. Additional sporty trappings include 20-inch ABT GR or FR wheels. The latter is also available in 21-inch, as featured on the pictured vehicle. The design is a particularly attractive interpretation of the classic five-spoke design. Its diamond-machined outlines and mystic black finish provide an interesting colour contrast. In turn, the GR features a striking concave rim well and a glossy black painted wheel chassis contrasts with a diamond-machined rim flange. The sporty and elegant wheel is also available as an alternative in matt black with an entirely diamond-machined finish.
From inside too, the owner can drop subtle hints to his passengers that they are not travelling in a standard S8. The ABT start-stop-switch-cap and ABT shift knob cover make this possible. A step on the accelerator will remove any doubt.
The 600 hp (441 kW) Audi RS Q8 is a spontaneous headturner. The impressive SUV does not only make its presence felt on the street, but also convinces on the handling course. Now it has an even more charismatic voice, thanks to the optional ABT exhaust system. An electrically controlled exhaust flap on each side of the vehicle and four active pipes create a glorious resonance. Power delivery also benefits, thanks to the integrated interference pipe and reduced exhaust backpressure. It is also a feast for the eyes: The car features a quartet of 102-mm endpipes, which feature real carbon. In addition, the world’s largest automotive aftermarket and performance parts specialist for Audi and VW also supplies a polished exhaust housing with embossed ABT logo and offers endpipe covers in glossy black for the rear skirt.
Attractive alloy wheels are essential in creating a vehicle’s coherent aesthetic. The 23-inch ABT High Performance GR in “glossy black” looks breathtaking, even on the massive SUV coupé. The strongly concave base and the diamond machined rim flange contribute to the unique design. All ABT Sportsline high-performance wheels feature one-piece manufacturing and are up to 40% lighter than conventional cast wheels. Modern flowforming technology is used for creating the High Performance GR: Parts of the cast rim base are rolled out and compressed as part of an additional production stage. This allows the rim bed volume to be reduced by up to 50 percent. This facilitates thinner wall thicknesses and thus a slim design with extreme stability. Furthermore, ABT Sportsline offers a sporty finishing touch: A rear spoiler and fender inserts made of carbon fibre, which visually emphasise the dynamic performance of the vehicle perfectly.
Audi’s air suspension also makes its contribution to the performance of the 2019 Nordschleife record-breaker, which became the fastest production SUV back then. Thanks to ABT Level Control (ALC), it can now be made even more sporty. Comfort level lowers it by 25 mm; Dynamic level lowers it by 15 mm. A further 10 mm is possible in “Coffee Mode”. Want even more performance? In this case, the Bavarian company can deliver performance upgrades* up to 700 hp (515 kW) and 880 Nm, or even to 740 hp (544 kW) and 920 Nm. Corresponding VMAX increases to 310 or even 315 km/h are also available. Up-to-date information on further options can be found in the ABT Configurator.
