Mario Marchesini and Antonio Alberoni pose in the palazo of Budrio with the Marchesini Lancia and Alberoni's Maserati 200S. Photo copyright Mario Marchesini

Lorenzo Marchesini, our Editor at Large, is developing some interesting plans for the summer. After visiting Concorso Italiano at Monterey for the first time last year, Lorenzo was so impressed that he decided he must return in 2003, but this time driving his 1972 Lancia 2000 from his hometown in Budrio, Italy, Italy to Monterey. He intends to confirm the fabled reliability of the pre-Fiat era Lancias and to strengthen the ties between his hometown and the country that send the liberators to end the WWII German occupation.

To do so Lorenzo first had to get the car out of storage in Italy. Since 1992, Lorenzo's brother Mario kept the car in good condition, while Lorenzo moved with his family to the U.S. Lorenzo has owned the Lancia since 1979 and also uses it as his mode of transport while vacationing at the Italian Riviera.

Alberoni's garage is filled with his Maseratis and and mementoes. Mario, at left, allows the Lancia to rest before it's long journey to California. Photo copyright Mario Marchesini

Mario recently sent us a photo of Lorenzo’s Lancia in the garage of Antonio Alberoni, where it sits quietly along with an amazing collection of Maseratis – including a Barchetta 200S – a Ferrari BB, a 1920’s FIAT and several motorcycles as well as an array of period signs, steering wheels, and old gas pumps.

Since the photo was taken, the green Lancia sedan has covered the 1000 miles from Budrio to the port of Amsterdam and is now enroute to the U.S. We hope to report on the car’s arrival in Baltimore, sometime next month.

The trip from Baltimore to Northern Virginia will be the first U.S. leg of a 3600 mile trek to Monterey. And the car will be fully loaded, as also arriving from Italy this summer will be Lorenzo's brother Mario and Antonio Alberoni, both of whom will accompany Lorenzo on his journey from Coast to Coast-California or Bust-- and back.

In addition to being an orthodontist, Mario Marchesini learned the craft of race photography from Budrio resident Franco Zagari. He puts it to good use at this visits to the Ferrari test track at Fiorano. Photo copyright Mario Marchesini

All three Italians are natives of Budrio, a suburb of Bologna. It is a village, where, as Lorenzo puts it, "one can savor an unrivaled plate of home made lasagna Bolognese and tagliatelle al ragu and the Sangiovese at the local restaurants meanwhile discussing the importance of motor racing with patrons and waiters.” Budrio is also the birthplace of Ettore Guizzardi, the mechanic that accompanied Count Borghese and assured the Itala’s victory in the Peking-Paris race that was held in 1907. Cars and motorcycles are still an important part of life in the village as can be witnessed by the many discussions that take place on a daily basis at the “Bar Centrale”, the equivalent of Starbucks. Native moderators include among others renowned automobile historian and photographer Franco Zagari, Formula One driver Pierluigi Martini, Indy Champ Alessandro Zanardi and a host of motorcycle world champions from Fausto Grissini to the likes of Tarquino Provini. It is a village where car enthousiasts and personalities are warmly received and that has been visited by such illustrious foreign visitors as T.A.S.O Matthieson and Renee Dreyfus.

Lorenzo Marchesini lives on the outskirts of Washington D.C. where he works as an independent financial analyst after a career at the Investment Center of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N. in Rome and the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC.

Antonio Alberoni is a businessman with a very special eye for historic Italian racing cars, and has been collecting from the early 1960's. He was also the treasures of the Italian Maserati Owners Club and regularly participates at historic racing events in Italy as well as in other parts of Europe.

Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer in the new Giovanni Agnelli which won it's maiden race in Spain. Ferrari can still do no wrong. Photo copyright Mario Marchesini.

Mario Marchesini spent years studying photography with Franco Zagari (who still lives in Budrio), became an excellent photographer, as well as making a career as an orthodontist. He often visits the track at Imola, about 20 miles from Budrio, as well as the Ferrari test track at Fiorano. Along with the Lancia photos, he also sent us some photos of Luca Badoer in the GA, taken on April 26th. Note, he writes, "that the lower part is painted in black so that the photographers will not be able to photograph secret or new parts. Also, 25th of April in Italy is a national holiday (the end of World War II). No one works, but the Scuderia Ferrari was testing on the Mugello track anyway."

Letters

Sirs,
As a subscriber to Veloce Today, I was excited to see a picture of the Fiat Dino Spider. If you plan to cover this model in Fiat part IV could you please make mention of the Fiat Dino Group at Yahoo Groups for which I am the Moderator. We have about 100 members from all over the world in the group and I'll make sure they all come and subscribe to your letter. If you need any photos, pictures or technical information I can probably help. I own a 1967 spider currently under going a restoration.
Regards,
Joe Ventura San Diego, Ca

Yes, here you go. Part IV is coming soon, and will definitely cover the coveted Dino.

Hi Peter,
I wanted to write and let you know how pleased I am to have found VeloceToday. The Martin Swig article is great I miss his PBS tv show, Back Road Adventures. Italian car fans don't have much to chose from only one magazine comes to mind 'Italian Car' from the UK , so it is very gratifying to find a publication dedicated to the Italian automobile.
Best Regards Jorge Garcia

Hello,
Great article about Mr. Swig and the California Mille. But the author must have heard Mr. Swig wrong. Mille means thousand. Miglia means mile.
Ralph de Masi

Yes.

Dear Editor,
Hey, are you guys aware of http:www.mirafiori.com It is I believe the largest Fiat Enthusiast website in the US-check it out. They is great parts tech and general Fiat owner camaraderie. I hope you will let your Fiat enthusiast readers now about it.
Pierre Beniston

Consider it done

Peter
In the December 1986 issue of "Classic and Sportscar", Patrick O'Brien had a great article on Franco Scaglione. As a teenager, I liked to visit the Arnolt showroom on Erie Street in Chicago, and drink in the beauty of the Arnolt Bristol Bolide; truly an awesome roadster, and much better looking than the photographs.
Is it possible that Scaglione was also behind the Porsche Abarth Carrera, and the Bertone prototype for the 750 Series Alfa Giulietta Spider? The definitive biography has not yet been written on Scaglione.
You do a great job with Veloce Today.
Neal Conley

Thanks and yes, Franco has been tagged for the Abarth Carrera. Much controversey about the subject, and perhaps only Franco, god rest his soul, knows for sure.