The Art of Conservation, Alfa Romeo SZ Coda Tronca
Review by Pete Vack
Lest one think that this is an old discovery, you are right, it is. Alfa SZ chassis 00170 was purchased by Italian car collector Corrado Lopresto in 2014, and this unrestored treasure was on the show circuit by 2015, where it was photographed by Jonathan Sharp at the Wilton Concours in England. [Read more…] about The Art of Conservation, Alfa Romeo SZ Coda Tronca
Barossa Vintage Collingrove Hillclimb 2024
Story and photos by Vince Johnson
Barossa Vintage Collingrove Hillclimb, 6 October 2024 Spring in South Australia’s wine country sees the vines in leaf and the Barossa Valley hills at their finest. Vintage at the wineries is still a long way off but the long weekend in October brings a different vintage to the SA Sporting Car Club’s hillclimb track at Mount McKenzie near Angaston. Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the world’s second oldest continually-running veteran car club’s Collingrove meeting echoed to the sounds of last century’s classic and sports cars and motorcycles as they raced the clock to the top. [Read more…] about Barossa Vintage Collingrove Hillclimb 2024
Augie Pabst: Goodbye, Old Friend
By Jeff Allison
One of America’s finest and most popular drivers, August “Augie” Pabst Jr., died on October 9, 2024 at 90, leaving a legacy of excellence in racing in the U.S., Canada and internationally at Le Mans, Brands Hatch and Nassau. He was the great grandson of Captain Frederick Pabst, who became the president of the Pabst Brewing Company in 1872. In an interview with Forza (April 2013), Pabst mentioned “… I used to work at the brewery in the summertime in the packaging department,” but that was his only association with the brewery until much later in his life. [Read more…] about Augie Pabst: Goodbye, Old Friend
Augie Pabst Photo Gallery
Photos courtesy Jeff Allison, Willem Oosthoek, Tom Shultz, Alan Boe and others
Jeff Allison and Willem Oosthoek scoured their files for photos in the short time available after learning of Augie Pabst’s death. They’re not all conclusive, but they do show his talent and versatility driving such a diverse variety of cars with different teams, at different tracks and in different conditions. He was one of the best! [Read more…] about Augie Pabst Photo Gallery
VeloceToday for October 8, 2024
BMW’s Italian Designers, Part 1
By Jackie Jouret
Photos courtesy The BMW Archive
To be successful at Le Mans, or in any high-speed competition, you need more than just a powerful motor. You also need effective aerodynamics. With low drag combined with stability at speed, power becomes less important overall, and even a relatively underpowered car can win races.
BMW’s 328 had been winning races since its 1936 debut at the Nürburgring, but it did so largely thanks to exquisitely balanced performance and responsive handling rather than outright power. (Which is not to say that the M328 six-cylinder engine was anything short of a masterpiece; it remains a superb engine, with hemispherical combustion chambers and an innovative valvetrain.) Those traits had allowed the BMW roadster to sweep the podium for 2.0-liter sports car class in the 1938 Mille Miglia, for instance, where the mountainous course played perfectly to the car’s strengths. [Read more…] about BMW’s Italian Designers, Part 1
And How! Closing the Roundel
By Pete Vack
This week we begin a multi-part series on Italian designers and BMW, researched and written by BMW Roundel columnist Jackie Jouret. These exclusive articles for VeloceToday are the result of some interesting connections and coincidences.
Although I’ve owned a lot of Alfas, my first new car was not an Alfa but a 1971 BMW 2002, chosen over an Alfa Berlina 1750. It will long be remembered, perhaps mostly because we kept the window sticker. It was in the days before the great inflationary spiral of the 1970s, and the cost off the showroom floor was only $3706. That’s three thousand, seven hundred six dollars. [Read more…] about And How! Closing the Roundel
Gauld Visits the Malaga Museum
Story by Graham Gauld
Photos by Graham Gauld unless otherwise noted
For me a visit to any motor museum not only exposes to you cars and models you have heard about but never seen in the metal, so to speak, but demonstrates the sheer variety of marques the world has produced in the 130 year history of the automobile.
Recently I took a short trip to Malaga in the south of Spain. [Read more…] about Gauld Visits the Malaga Museum
Nick Soprano’s Dream Car
Story and photos by Sean Smith
From the Archives, December 2018
Well before Nick Soprano climbed behind the wheels of some of the world’s greatest sports cars, he was drawing his version of the perfect high performance machine. Every young car lover does this, but Nick never grew out of it. [Read more…] about Nick Soprano’s Dream Car
Classic Memories: Gauld at Silverstone
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
As regular readers know, I always look forward to the Silverstone Classic in late August, but for me this year was a rush as I had to get back fast before going on a brief visit to Malaga in Spain (coming up), so only now can I sit back and reflect on an event which always churns up interesting cars and people.
Take Peter Fenichel, for example, who was racing a Stanguellini Formula Junior that interested me, as anything to do with Stanguellini does since I have known the family for over sixty years. Peter is an American retired financial man with a passion for racing and a cheerful demeanor.
Chantilly Art and Elegance Concours 2024
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Every two years, the château and grounds of Chantilly hosts a new edition of the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Concours. It is difficult to find a more beautiful setting to house the most beautiful automobiles of the past and present, especially when the sun is out. This edition already marked the tenth anniversary of the creation of this event which revives the tradition of the elegance concours of the 30s and 50s, when coachbuilders unveiled their latest creations.