Brings back memories, i had a Viva 2300 at the time of this race, great car, a bit of a 'sleeper' 😉
@johntilsley911125 күн бұрын
I thought at the time that it was strange that Wendy Wools should sponsor a motor racing series. Very glad that they did though.
@leodis5529 күн бұрын
Nice start by John, some very equal cars of different makes giving some headaches but you kept pushing...nice one John.
@alancrow3544Ай бұрын
pity clutch broke
@jonmurray158Ай бұрын
Great video, car looks absolutely awesome! Great car craft, the car's certainly moving around a bit!
@leodis55Ай бұрын
Looks and sounds great Tony, you sound more fired up to continue with the old girl which is great. Unfortunately this time round I couldn't make it being my "local circuit" not that local though. See you there next time.
@geriatricmotorcars9516Ай бұрын
Looks a real handful 👍
@douglasmitchinson1936Ай бұрын
Nostalgia overload!
@MadMonk_Ай бұрын
Sadly Ford got the Capri out just before Vauxhall released the Firenza otherwise ….. I loved the droop snoop Firenza - an icon of a teenager growing up in Luton in the 70’s. Suppose the fact that most of my family worked at Vauxhall didn’t hurt lol
@MadMonk_Ай бұрын
@@davidsadler7047 no sorry…. Davies, Threlkeld and Gook were the 3 families I was related to. I used to play Rugby for the works club late 70’s
@markholroyde9412Ай бұрын
Victor Meldew on commentary 🤣🤣
@gilleyb1900Ай бұрын
That is a beast.
@alancrow35442 ай бұрын
banger racing Not good Tony fantastic job of avoiding what was going on
@quicknickdriver85102 ай бұрын
Lovely smooth driving, well earned place in class. Sounds great too 🏁
@Firenzaman2 ай бұрын
Thank you! It's a great car to drive!
@leodis552 ай бұрын
Tony you were giving her some pasty there nothing wrong with the driver or the car but as you say a lot more modern cars you are up against even though they still have to nudge you to pass but you pressured 97 BMW in to a mistake 👍keep it going she still sounds nice.
@Firenzaman2 ай бұрын
Thanks! The ol car is running well - hopefully up to Croft next for the HSCC event 10th Aug...
@leodis552 ай бұрын
@@Firenzaman Hi Tony , I will try to get there . Croft used to be my "Local Circuit"
@HoldenRacingUK2 ай бұрын
This needs submitting to the club. They can take a good look at our in car too.
@leodis552 ай бұрын
Well dodged Tony in this compilation. You say this series is not for you ,what will you go in for next ?
@barrystokes58372 ай бұрын
is that the same firenza that u raced all those years ago in the nick whiting/gerry marshall days,or is it a later replica. if it.s the original car,think it would be better racing in a more suitable class than this one-too much crash,bang,wallop for an old car. similarly,is the davies mini cooper the original one that jack davies used to run possibly in races,but especially in hillclimbs & sprints? y
@Firenzaman2 ай бұрын
Yes it is the same original Firenza - and yes you are correct - this series is no longer for me! Yes, again, the Mini Cooper is my Dad's old car, which Jack purchased new in 1964 and raced, sprinted & hillclimbed it. It is fabulously original, having only ever had new sills & front wings. The rest, including F & R subframes are all 1964!!
@barrystokes58372 ай бұрын
thanks for info tony-glad both cars are original!
@firesaab312 ай бұрын
Both me and my mate had droopsnoot firenzas back in the day.
@Firenzaman2 ай бұрын
I'm really surprised at how many Snoots are still running after 50yrs!
@alancrow35442 ай бұрын
have a fantasist race Tony
@leodis552 ай бұрын
Aye up Tony from up north, everything looks good again and good weather as well . I see Mike and John were out in the mini, just need a camera in it. Hopefully some race footage to follow.
@Firenzaman2 ай бұрын
Some Mini videos are coming! :-)
@robertnelson36142 ай бұрын
Awesome ride-along in your Firenza. Thanks so much for sharing.
@danieldravot3412 ай бұрын
The first time I went to Brands, for the ‘83 Race of Champions, I got snowed on . . .
@leodis554 ай бұрын
As usual you and the old girl as one, sadly not for long enough which was a shame but I saw you got some silverware. The old girl is still good to watch ,sounds great. Sorry I missed you before I left but didn't want to bug you on your wind down after the race. Really nice to meet all of you and one day I hope to see you again. At least Mike got 6 laps in . No race 2 for you then ? Thanks for subscribing to my channel.
@nonyanks25104 ай бұрын
Looks like a ton of fun, a very basic clean racer !
@nevillepowell75024 ай бұрын
Looked very slippery
@leodis554 ай бұрын
Hi Tony , nice to finally meet you yesterday and yes it was really cold. You and the car went well looked good on a superb track. I'll look out for the race coverage which I know got cut short .
@Firenzaman4 ай бұрын
Likewise, it was good to see you at Cadwell, and thanks for your support. Shame the race got cut short, but the video of it is here somewhere...! Freezing wind didn't make for great lap times, but at least I was warmer than the spectators 😂
@broken-down-boy4 ай бұрын
Superb!! Could listen to that all day long!
@GregorMarshall964 ай бұрын
Well done Tony, looked and sounded great other than the miss below 4k, but sounds like you sorted it :)
@leodis554 ай бұрын
Nice race Tony shame you lost ground with the misfire. Looked hard to handle in the closing stages with such a fast track and corners but you and the car are as one . Can't wait for race 2 !
@Firenzaman4 ай бұрын
Sadly, no race 2 video. The GoPro said "SD card error"! Dammit 😢
@leodis554 ай бұрын
@@Firenzaman That's technology for you however see you got 2nd behind the beast Baby Bertha suited to Snetterton. I take it you are on for Cadwell Sunday ?
@Firenzaman4 ай бұрын
@@leodis55 Yes, looking forward to Cadwell - one of my favourite circuits!
@richmacer21084 ай бұрын
Chugging into full rich. Very odd. TPS/sensor/map site problem. Apart from that, sounded great, driven great, so nice to see.
@Firenzaman4 ай бұрын
Yes, very odd. During the break we excersised all the loom connectors, also found a collapsed fuel hose between the swirl pot return to tank. It ran glitch free in 2nd race...
@garyl51284 ай бұрын
Shame about the misfire/whatever that was, but great to see you in action, especially with baby Bertha at the beginning.
@leodis554 ай бұрын
Hi Tony it looks like you are down to race at Cadwell 27th/28th April 2024 is that correct ? and if so I will try to be there .
@Firenzaman4 ай бұрын
Yes, hopefully will be there. If all goes well at Snetterton this weekend 🤞
@leodis559 ай бұрын
Good result from yourself and the car . keep the vids coming
@deez787810 ай бұрын
Fantastic, proper old racing car and beautifully driven
@user-gs2ur9lp2b10 ай бұрын
THE TRANSPEED FIRENZA!!!💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 Oh, the memories!! Isn’t this the car that was on that TV drama series with Pete Baldwin’s BDA Mini? Love it!!!
@Firenzaman10 ай бұрын
Yes, it's the car seen in BBC "Driving Ambition". We did a day's filming at a garage near Lewisham, then 2 days filming at Brands, then 3 days filming at West Malling airfield. Happy days!
@bananabender982910 ай бұрын
Sounds sweet. Music to my ears.
@martinpitt794310 ай бұрын
The late Brian Jones the voice of Brands Hatch may he be resting peacefully forever missed.
@colinbeatson502610 ай бұрын
I'd be very interested in the number achieved, and the spec on the engine. More details please Sir.
@Firenzaman10 ай бұрын
We saw 322bhp on this dyno, but the atmospheric corrected figure came out around 315. It is a lovely engine to drive, with a pretty wide torque / power band. It will pull cleanly from 1,000rpm all the way up to 8,000. This engine was originally modified and built by Bill Blysenstein at DTV, Shepreth in 1985, and is today maintained by Anderson Racing Engines, Somerset, UK. The block is a standard Vauxhaul "slant-four" as used in the original Firenza / Magnum saloons (and Bedford CF trucks!). The main bearing caps have additional steel straps, and the bores have been replaced with "top hat" liners. The crank was manufactured by Pheonix, from billet EN60 steel, with Carrillo con rods, and light alloy pistons. The cylinder head is Vauxhall HS 16v, belt-driven twin overhead camshaft (as used in the 1980's Chevette HSR rally cars), with Cosworth dual valve springs and shimmed tappets. Only down side, is its weight!! Heavy enough to bend my engine crane - lol!!
@paulboyle685710 ай бұрын
Tony now looking like his dad, Jack with whom I competed in hillclimbs & races in the late 60,s early 70,s.I believe his old Cooper S has been recommissioned & raced again which is great!
@Firenzaman10 ай бұрын
Ha haa, yes Paul, you're not the only one to spot the similarities! .. and yes, Jack's old mini is still going strong in the hands of my brothers. What car did you race?
@darrylrarmstrong10 ай бұрын
My 2nd car when was 18, 1800 single zenith carburettor Firenza. Next car Magnum.
@iainmccoll39010 ай бұрын
Brilliant racing car the Firenza, remember seeing Gerry Marshall on the limit with these in the 70,s at Brands, and enjoy seeing them just as much now
@Turbomgzt10 ай бұрын
Can't stand people posting fake cars. Pathetic
@daleskidmore168511 ай бұрын
Brian's stentorian voice was the backbone of every race at Brands for so long.
@TalkieToaster.11 ай бұрын
Noice.
@neiljarvis891111 ай бұрын
W hey! That was fun!
@davidsargent878011 ай бұрын
Thankyou so much, brought back memories of my dad and me in his HC magnum estate, going to Thruxton and Brands watching the Firenza's and HS Chevette's.
@zingo266411 ай бұрын
Remember a magazine around 1975 with a pic of firenza droopsnoot , an absolute stunner, great shape of car even now 🙂
@colinveysey763111 ай бұрын
i remember Transpeed based in Hove many years ago
@johngibbins93911 ай бұрын
Sounds sweet, and great driving too
@Firenzaman11 ай бұрын
Thankyou! It is huge fun to drive!
@terrys159511 ай бұрын
I remember watching Gerry Marshall's Baby Bertha back in the day, seeing your car brings back memories 😊