AUTHOR PROFILE No.9: ADRIAN STREATHER

The story of Adrian Streather, Porsche specialist, and author of no fewer than 15 Veloce books, so far ...

Adrian Graham Streather was born on December 25, 1958 in Basingstoke Hampshire. His earliest memory of a car is riding on his mum’s lap whilst his father drove around the block in an old 1938 Ford Prefect. Aged about four, Adrian remembers sitting with his father and building their first Airfix model, a Le Mans-winning Bentley. However, Adrian’s interest soon turned to aircraft. In 1975, aged 16, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an apprentice, serving 12 years until 1987 as an Instrument Fitter (Scientific Instrument Maker).

It was during Adrian’s military service that he found his niche in research and writing. Technical publication duties always seemed to land in his lap. It was also around this time that his interest in cars was reignited. Firstly, he purchased a Fiat 124 1800S Coupé with dreams of installing an Abarth kit, then one day in 1978 he was overtaken on the freeway by a pair of brand new Porsche 911SCs. He didn’t see them for long, but he certainly remembers yelling out: “I’ve got to get me one of those!”
With his interest in the automotive world reawakened, Adrian took up motorsports. He joined a local car club (becoming its Confederation of Australian Motorsports (CAMS) representative) and went racing. And not just in cars – he also dabbled in motorcycle racing. After a very short racing career, a Suzuki GS1000S motorcycle even became Adrian’s personal riding machine.
Adrian and a friend built a Ford RS2000 rally car with a lot of help from rally and racing legend Colin Bond, and he progressed a little further with the Ford brand, but truthfully, the less said about Adrian’s short motorsport career the better! Adrian loved the racing, the gladiatorial contest, but was put off by the politics and pecking order that dominated the period. In the end, the ever-increasing financial cost, marriage and children brought his racing career to an end, thank goodness!
After leaving the Air Force in 1987, Adrian found his way into civil aviation, but the desire to own a Porsche was still there. During Christmas 1992 Adrian was invited to join an Austrian airline that had its main base in Switzerland. He accepted, and in April 1993 he left for Switzerland, where on arrival he was appointed the airline’s Engineering Manager. His family followed in July 1993. In May 1993, Adrian purchased his first Porsche: a model year 1979 924. Adrian progressed onto a 944, and finally in 1998 he purchased his first 911, a 964 series Carrera 4. He was hooked for life.

The 911 bug totally consumed Adrian, and almost became a way of life. However, Adrian quickly discovered that the sum of technical knowledge about the 964 series was extremely limited, and filled with many myths. Having a problem on his own C4 that nobody could diagnose or repair, he set himself the task of finding out everything he could about the inner workings of the C4. Within a year Adrian found himself instructing the mechanics at his local repair facility on how the 964 C4 worked. His experiences and running of technical sessions on the 964 series led him to write his first Porsche book, solely dedicated to the 964 series of 911s. Titled Porsche 911: The Enthusiast’s Companion, it was published by Bentley Publishers of Cambridge Massachusetts, USA.

Other 911s followed, but the 964 Carrera 4, with its mechanical gear, shaft and differential-driven all-wheel-drive system, remains Adrian's favourite of all the Carrera 4s across the five model series. Adrian still runs Porsche 911 technical sessions, with a whole 2014/2015 programme planned for 'down under.'

It was during the time of writing this first book that tragedy struck the Streather family. On March 29th 2002, Gail and Adrian’s daughter, Natalie Louise Streather, aged 17 years and 9 months, died in Zürich. The outpouring of support for the Streather family from the Porsche community worldwide was overwhelming. Natalie’s name was carried to victory on the front of the class winning The Racer’s Group Porsche 911 GT-3 at Le Mans in 2002. Her name was also carried to outright victory at the Daytona 24 hour race in 2003 by the same team.

In June 2005 Adrian and Gail hosted special guests and Porsche enthusiasts from the USA and Europe at the Chateau de la Voloniere. Proceeds from this event were donated to the Natalie Louise Streather Memorial Fund founded by Gail and Adrian in the UK, and transferred to Rennwish in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA. The donated funds were used to help construct a new school for young women in Haiti. Previous donations to the fund were used to establish an 'Excellence in Art' award for outstanding art students at Gail’s old school, Salisbury High.
Adrian's second Porsche book was on the 911SC series, and was the first of the Essential Companion series published by Veloce. It was quickly followed by the Porsche 911 (993) and Porsche 911 (996) Essential Companions. Veloce has also published numerous other Porsche-related books authored by Adrian, including the Porsche 964, 993 & 996 Data Plate Code Breaker, and eight Porsche Essential Buyer's Guides. Veloce also published Adrian’s Ford GT: Then and Now book, which included photos of a tour of Essex in the real thing.

Some of Adrian’s published books have been licensed by Veloce for publication in Germany and France.

Veloce created the Battle Cry series and published two of Adrian’s books on Soviet military uniforms, of which he is a collector.

Adrian has also written an automotive-related biography for another publisher, released in English and Turkish. His next contracted book with Veloce is another Essential Companion, this time covering the first generation of the 997 series. He will also be writing an Essential Buyer’s Guide on the same series. In October 2013, Adrian and his wife Gail relocated from Switzerland back home to Adelaide, Australia, which for the moment has left him Porscheless. He’s not without wheels, and he has an Adelaide Metrocard, but it’s a major change from the good old days.

Click here to view all Veloce books by Adrian Streather.

VELOCE READERS' RIDES #2

Thanks to Catherine Flatt for sending us pictures of her awesome 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, which she purchased just before Christmas. The car has a detachable roof, is fully race-prepared and has FIA papers. It is eligible for the Spa 6 Hours, and Catherine hopes to enter the car in Le Mans Classic 2016.

The car being readied for racing.
"At the first Le Mans Classic I was one of only 6 women out of 1,200 drivers and was on the Motor Sports Association Judicial Panel for five years. I was 50 in July last year.

I have now handed my racing boots to my stepson, Pete Flatt, and son, Tom (his 21st birthday present this summer was his ARDS test, but he has yet to take it because he had a serious shoulder surgery just before his birthday).

I have had the roll cage removed (it is very easy to put back on) and the original driving seat put back in. The suspension has been eased off for road use (again, easy to put back for racing) and have sent all the badges away for refurbishment. Everything on it is as original as possible (for the FIA papers, or whatever they are called now), but I have upset the Corvette Club of GB because it has been stripped out etc. However, it does still have the original 8-track cartridge radio/sound system!"

My son, Tom Green, looking like Steve McQueen.
"The Aston was my husband's car and we part-exed it for a 1998 Aston V8 Coupe but the Corvette is very much mine, and I swapped a 512 TR Ferrari for it. I used to have a Dino, but traded that for the 512 TR (obviously, a bit of money coming my way in each transaction) but thought that the Corvette would be much less "precious" than the TR and more fun for all the family. I think it is the only right-hand drive one in the world. It was previously owned by Silvio Berlusconi's right-hand man, Alberto Di Luca."

Me at Silverstone next to the 1953 Aston DB2/4 that I have raced at the Le Mans Classic three times (we sold it earlier this year).

My beautiful 1958 Maserati motorbike (yes, they really did make them for a few years!).Would you like to have your car/motorcycle featured by Veloce? Why not send us your photos and we'll feature the best ones here each month, and also in our newsletter, Facebook and Twitter pages.

RETURN OF THE “P1” – WORLD’S FIRST PORSCHE DESIGNED VEHICLE

The first Porsche branded design was the Type 356 in the year 1948, but the very first vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche dates back to 1898 with the “Egger-Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton model”, known as the “P1” for short. After 115 years, the original and unrestored “P1” has been recovered from a warehouse and untouched since 1902. It will be on permanent display at the Porsche Museum, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

Designed and built by 22-year old Ferdinand Porsche, the “P1” took to the streets of Vienna, Austria, on June 26, 1898. Young Ferdinand had engraved the code “P1” (standing for Porsche, number one) onto all of the key components, thus giving the electric vehicle its unofficial name. The highly compact rear mounted electric drive weighs 287 lbs. and produces 3 hp. For short periods, up to 5 hp could be achieved in overdrive mode allowing the P1 to reach speeds up to 21 mph. The vehicle speed was regulated via a 12-speed control unit and the overall range of the 2,977 lb. vehicle could span up to 49 miles. Another innovation was the Lohner alternating vehicle body, which was mounted on the wooden “chassis” and allowed the vehicle to be a coupe style or an open Phaeton design.

First testing of the “P1” was completed in September 1899 at the international motor vehicle exhibition in the German capital of Berlin. An all-electric vehicle race over a distance of 24 miles was announced in Berlin for September 28. With three passengers onboard, Ferdinand Porsche steered his “P1” across the finish line 18 minutes ahead of the next competitor. More than half the participants failed to finish due to technical problems. Ferdinand also came out on top in the efficiency competition, as the “P1” recorded the least amount of energy consumed.

Five years since the opening of the Porsche Museum in January 2009, the addition of the “P1” will be the centerpiece that introduces visitors to the first part of the newly structured product and motorsport history exhibition. It will bridge the gap between the past and present-day developments such as the Porsche 918 Spyder. The 918 Spyder follows the long tradition to be a technological benchmark that first started 115 years ago with the “P1”.

Source: Porsche

A BIG VICTORY FOR THE SMALL CAR

50 years ago the classic mini won the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time. Paddy Hopkirk made the one-off British small car a motor sport legend in January 1964 – Timo Mäkinen and Rauno Aaltonen repeated the triumph in 1965 and 1967.

Small car, huge win: it is now 50 years since one of the most spectacular victories in the history of international motor sport. On 21 January 1964, the Mini Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally for the first time. It was the pairing of Northern Ireland’s Patrick (“Paddy”) Hopkirk and his co-driver Henry Liddon that pulled off the big surprise, resisting the supposed superiority of significantly more powerful rivals in their small British car. Its faultless run over country roads and mountain passes, ice and snow, tight corners and steep gradients laid the foundations for the underdog-turned-giant-slayer to cement itself in both the hearts of the public and the annals of motor sport legend. Indeed, the classic Mini’s dominance of the Monte Carlo Rally continued over the years that followed, Hopkirk’s Finnish team-mates Timo Mäkinen and Rauno Aaltonen adding two further overall victories – in 1965 and 1967 – to the British manufacturer’s collection.

Now 80 years old, Paddy Hopkirk’s eyes still light up when he recalls the driving qualities of his winning car: “Although the Mini was only a little family saloon, technically it had a lot of advantages. Its front-wheel drive and front-mounted transverse engine were a great advantage, and the fact the car was smaller and the roads were ploughed, they were quite narrow, so I suppose that was an advantage. We were very lucky – the car was right, everything happened at the right time and came together at the right moment.”

It was the legendary “Night of the Long Knives”, the penultimate stage of the Monte, which put the Mini Cooper S with car number 37 and the now famous licence plate 33 EJB on course for victory that winter of 1964. Hopkirk crossed the finish line just 17 seconds off the pace set by his chief adversary Bo Ljungfeldt in the far more powerful V8-powered Ford Falcon. The handicap formula at the time – designed to even out the weight and power differences between the various cars – meant the classic Mini actually led the way in the overall standings. And Hopkirk defended his advantage in the sprint through the streets of Monte Carlo that rounded off the rally. At the winner’s ceremony he shared the cheers of the crowed with his team-mates. Timo Mäkinen’s fourth-place finish and Rauno Aaltonen’s seventh overall set the seal on the success of the Mini Cooper S and ushered in the era of the “Three Musketeers” in the Monte Carlo Rally.

The classic Mini’s victory was celebrated with particular excitement in its native Britain. Hopkirk received a congratulatory telegram from the British government and the Beatles were also among those leading the applause. “I got a telegram from the Beatles,” remembers Hopkirk. “That was followed by a photograph of the four of them autographed to me saying: ‘You’re one of us now, Paddy.’ And it’s very nice to have that nowadays.”

The triumph of the classic Mini in the Monte was lauded as a sensation by motor sport fans around the world. But this wasn’t a success that came entirely out of the blue: the small car developed by Alec Issigonis, then Deputy Technical Director at the British Motor Corporation, possessed an inherent sporting talent from birth. The first person to spot this potential was John Cooper. The sports car designer was the driving force behind construction of a more powerful version of the car. The Mini produced only 34 hp at launch, but its front-wheel drive, low weight, wide track and comparatively long wheelbase made it an extremely agile four-seater and paved the way for its forays onto race circuits and rally courses.

Source: BMW Group

Available from Veloce!
Mini Cooper/Mini Cooper S (Rally Giants Series)
By Graham Robson.

This book describes the birth, development, and rallying career of the BMC Mini-Cooper/Mini-Cooper in the 1960s, providing a compact and authoritative history of where, when and how it became so important to the sport. More info.

VIVA VELOCE! ALFA ROMEO GIULIA COUPÉ GT & GTA – ENLARGED & REVISED 3RD EDITION

Here's a look inside the brand new large format edition of the popular Veloce classic book by Johnny Tipler.

Now with over 100 extra images and 224 artpaper pages. Covers all the shapely & collectible Giulia coupes, including the fabulous lightweight
GTA racer.

Recognised the world over as THE book of the Alfa GT and GTA models, it tells the story of the Giulia from Giugiaro's drawing board to the showrooms, roads and racetracks of the world. Also included is practical advice from leading experts on buying, restoring and caring for Alfa's classic Coupe together with production figures, road test data, homologation papers, addresses of clubs and specialists, reproductions of contemporary ads and brochure pages and much, much, more.

Click here for more info about the book.

100 YEARS OF MASERATI (1914-2014)

A year-long celebration will mark Maserati’s Centenary, a century lived in the name of sportsmanship, innovation and luxury.

The Maserati Centennial logo

The Maserati factory - engine assembly line (1956)

The Maserati Tipo 26B (produced 1927-1930)
Maserati officially enters the hundredth year of its history. It does so in a period of unprecedented health and unparalleled growth. More than 23,000 orders to date worldwide are propelling Maserati into a new dimension. Today Maserati is amongst the fastest growing brands in the United States and a concrete reality in nearly 70 markets in the world, starting with China, Maserati’s second largest commercial reality.

A company that is one hundred years young, Maserati recently showcased its new brand look and marketing communication campaign at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Both are inspired by “The Absolute Opposite of Ordinary” concept, a testament to the company’s first 100 years and a guideline for the next century to come.

It is with great pride that Maserati introduces the Centennial Logo. Maserati’s world famous Trident was inspired from the sculptures of Italy itself, therefore it seemed fitting to sculpt a new image to represent our first 100 years of passion in car-making. The Maserati Centennial Logo is more medallion than graphic, living as a forged symbol of our racing heritage but, even more importantly, it is unique amongst other luxury brands. It serves as a constant reminder of our core belief that everything we build for the next 100 years, will always be—The Absolute Opposite of Ordinary.

Maserati was founded in Bologna, Italy, on December 1, 1914 and officially started operation on December 14, 1914. The nucleus of the company was then represented by Alfieri Maserati and two of his brothers, Ettore and Ernesto. They all had an interest in mechanics and a love for speed. Though predominantly engaged in technical and commercial matters of their new enterprise, they all, at one point, sat behind the steering wheel of their racing cars in the golden days of motor racing. A fourth brother, Bindo, joined the company when Alfieri died in 1932 and a fifth brother, Mario, is credited with designing the famed Maserati logo, taking inspiration from the Neptune fountain in the historic centre of Bologna.

Maserati produced its first car in 1926 – a race car named Tipo 26. It debuted with a victory in the 1926 Targa Florio, the first of an endless string of wins which include two editions of the Indianapolis 500, 9 wins in Formula One and the 1957 F1 World Championship. In 1947 Maserati stunned the world with its first passenger car, the A6 Grand Tourer and in 1963, with the first generation Quattroporte, Maserati gave the automotive market a car that didn’t exist previously – the world’s first sports luxury saloon.

In terms of product range, the Centenary could not have come at a better time, with models such as the brand-new Quattroporte and Ghibli drawing inspiration from a long tradition of successful automobiles which have each redefined Italian sports cars in terms of style and performance, as well as comfort and elegance – and are now taking the world by storm.

Maserati is planning a series of activities to celebrate its first 100 years as events will be organised in all major Maserati markets in the world. The zenith of the year-long activity will be the official Maserati gathering in Modena from September 19 to 21, 2014. An estimated 250 Maserati models will convene in Modena from all over the world. The three-day programme will include driving routes on scenic Italian roads tied to Maserati’s history and multiple sessions on racetrack. A full and detailed programme of the event will be released at a later date.

Also in the second half of 2014, Modena will play host to an extraordinary exhibition of some of the most evocative models in Maserati’s history. The Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari will show a special display of the many iconic Maserati models, including both passenger and race cars, all brought together because they hold special significance in the history of Maserati.

As Maserati's Centennial celebrations get underway, the special section to mark the occasion makes its debut on www.maserati.com. The section provides exhaustive details on the legendary Maserati marque, from its establishment in 1914 to the present day, while #Maserati100 is the official hashtag through which visitors can keep track of all the Centennial news, events and content. The new section will allow visitors to learn about Maserati's history through a captivating voyage that takes in unforgettable cars, famous names, a timeline of the most important events, the biggest projects, the innovations and the many achievements in the world of racing. The content is enhanced with downloadable materials and users can even vote for their favourite Maserati of all time.

The year-long journey from December 2013 to December 2014, Maserati100.com will be frequently updated with new content, events, downloadable material and a section where users can upload content related to events taking place around the world to mark Maserati's Centenary. In order to receive the regular updates and relive Maserati's history, visitors will need to sign up for the monthly newsletter.

The Maserati Centennial year will officially end with a dedicated event on Sunday, December 14, 2014.

Source: Maserati

Coming soon from Veloce! Maserati 250F In Focus
By Anthony Pritchard

The Maserati 250F raced against Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Vanwall for Grand Prix supremacy during the 2500cc Grand Prix Formula years of ’54-’60. Period photographs, including contributions from Tom March, are presented, along with engine cutaways, drawings, technical descriptions, and the chassis and race numbers of every 250F to have competed during this period.
Stories from leading drivers who raced the 250F, including Sir Stirling Moss, Juan Fangio, and Mike Hawthorn, along with Anthony Pritchard’s lively text, helps bring the racing story of this iconic model back to life. More info.

INSPIRED TO DESIGN GETS A 5-STAR REVIEW!

Inspired to Design – F1 cars, Indycars & racing tyres: the autobiography of Nigel Bennett, gets an awesome 5-stars in Auto Express magazine!

Click here for more info about the book.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM VELOCE PUBLISHING!

A very Happy New Year from all at Veloce Publishing. Here's to a roaring 2014 of motoring and motorcycling!

Image from Return to Glory! The Mercedes-Benz SL Racing Car
by Robert Ackerson.

REARVIEW: 2013 VELOCE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Here's a look back at some of our exclusive video interviews from last year. Highlights included Mike Brewer, Tony Mason, Roy Smith, Jonathan Yates & Nigel Bennett. Which was your favourite? Stay tuned for many more new videos on the Veloce YouTube channel in 2014!