The rare Ghia-Aigle coupe Crane just missed buying for $1500.
Allow us to introduce someone who needs no introduction. His resume consists of positions with an all-star cast of motoring journals: Editor and designer, “Auto Aficionado;” Art Director, “Automobile Magazine;” Associate Art Director, “Road & Track;” Founder and Editor, “Vintage Racer” and Art Director, “Motor Trend.”
We are proud to add Larry Crane to the staff of VeloceToday. Below, his first column, in which he lights the fire of a long-burning enthusiasm.
IGNITION: Making sparks
Ideal Toy Company made my first cars. Our vacant lot wore out the plastic wheels pretty fast (first lesson about going sideways) and they segued into wood cars I made with a bandsaw and Elmers glue. A $5 bicycle restoration and a paper route put me on the road.
The first of many adventures was the ride down Bolivar Run past Kendall Oil to Foster Brook and the corner toy store for the latest Dinky offering (imports right from the beginning); then the long ride back up the Run (one hour down and two hours up, another lesson) to within a quarter mile of the New York state line and home. Uncle John (Knox) was only three years older and gave me my first “Road & Track.” I soon gave up toy cars for car magazines and books.
The January issue of SCI featured
Ginther testing a 250 GT Boano.
The epiphany was a single black and white photograph of Richie Ginther road testing a Boano Ferrari 250 GT in the January 1958 issue of “Sports Car Illustrated.” An overhead shot of the side of the car and that elegant single sweep from headlight to taillight with Richie inside the tiny roof with his arms stretched to the steering wheel. It was the coolest image of driving I had ever seen and the car took my breath away — and changed everything.
Dad moved us to the gulf coast to avoid another lake-effect winter. High school was a ’50 Ford 2-door with torched springs that virtually eliminated the suspension. College was a ’54 Ford Victoria with a 312 T-bird engine and a 3-speed with overdrive. Radiused rear wheel wells, flames and ’51 DeSoto grille teeth (each tooth had a single base bolt and a simple hole through the splash pan was the installation) made it mine. Howard Payne College in central Texas didn’t take as I read more about the car life in California. That’s where Ferraris were. Riverside first.
College was a ’54 Ford Victoria with a 312 T-bird engine.
A Ferrari library built quickly. With the help of Harry Morrow and his legendary Autobooks on Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, other books filled gaps in my continuing education. Finally, Harry sold me his Michelotti-designed 1953 Ferrari 195 Inter coupe for $1,500. It was a pretty, little car built by Ghia-Aigle in Switzerland (see Fitzgerald, Merritt & Thompson, page 39, second from top in left column).
The Crane back yard with a delightful stable of cars, circa 1965.
He said he would clean it up and have it running perfectly when I came back the next Saturday with the money. The draft notice arrived on Wednesday and that money bought my pregnant wife the first Alfa Romeo Giulia Super in California, instead. Harry sold his cleaned-up Ferrari to Mark Dees. My project appetite was sated by an Abarth 750 GT Zagato powered by an 8500rpm John-Rich-parts Fiat 600+ and a Moretti 750 Tour du Monde spider with two dead SOHC engines and a Braje Crosley replacement already in residence. A’56 Ford 2-door assured I could make the 6-mile commute to Automech on University Avenue.
Automech was an interesting story. It was a car guy toy shop owned by Bob Blandon, who had helped Alec Ulmann bring the U.S. Grand Prix to Riverside in November of 1960. Bob owned a Maserati 250F and had no place to play with it, so the GP filled that void. Unfortunately, Ulmann’s comment that the successful Los Angeles Times Grand Prix was not a grand prix at all and his would be the real thing, caused L.A. largest newspaper to say not a word about Ulmann’s event and only a handful of informed enthusiasts paid the gate. A couple of years later Blandon hired me to produce a catalog for his little store and pretend to be the manager while he went off to make money. It was a young car guys dream. Everyone who was anyone stopped by on the way to the track. Through the front door passed heroes I had only read about before I left Texas.
Crane’s Ferrari family car.
The Navy Reserve (dodging the Army draft) took two years out of the car guy fantasy. I was only home for a month when the Alfa became a last-series Ferrari 250 GTE family car to share the garage with the Abarth and Moretti — and, by now a Mini 850 with a BMC comp head and a pair of MGA SU carbs. Our home, studio and race-shop garage were rented from Peter Brock. He had purchased the property on the hill overlooking turn nine at Riverside Raceway for his headquarters while he built The Carroll Shelby School of High Performance Driving. When he left to go back to Shelby headquarters to create the Cobra coupe, he offered me the house. We lived there 5 years. You could see almost the entire raceway from our sofa. But Chuck Queener, a Ferrari nut stationed a few blocks away at March Air Force Base, introduced me to the Ferrari Owners Club in Los Angeles and a business opportunity made a move into the city possible, so we made the pilgrimage to car guy heaven.
To be continued.
If I do not err the rare Ghia-Aigle Ferrari picture was taken in the parking lot of the Laguna Seca Mazda Speedway back during the historic weekend in August of 2002. Wonderful car !
It’s always a pleasure to read Larry Crane’s reflections. I look forward to hearing more about his wonderous experiences in future articles. Welcome to VeloceToday Larry!
Finding you’ve resurrected amongst Ferraris, Alfas and whatever else comes in Italian racing red (or French racing blue too)sure is a wonderful way to start my day, Larry.
Good for you!
Rog
Larry,
Glad to see you’re back on the air again.
I really miss Auto Aficionado, but hope you’ll be bringing the same level of “car guy” information and enthusiasm to VeloceToday. Best Regards.
Larry,
Excellent news, you have found a new home. Thank you, and good drivin’.
I am thrilled that Larry Crane has joined up!! He is a remarkable guy with an automotive passion that is unmatched. His “Vintage Racer” was a fabulous magazine and we all know and loved “Auto Aficionado”. VeloceToday continues to improve. Thank you!!
Also, he draws beautifully.
Harlan Hadley
Thank you all very much. The support staff is in place.
Pete’s photo of the 195 inter exhibits some unfortunate modifications. The original windshield was a small two-piece V that fit the top better, there was a very small hood scoop in the center of the hood to feed the single carb and the grille was a lighter, more elegant Pf-style convex egg-crate. I hope this is a second car with the same body design.
Crane
What a mesmerizing story, and you can bet that I will log on next Wednesday morning for the next installment. This kind of thing always makes me wish that I was born ten years earlier! Then, I could have been a car guy in California in the 1960’s too – the ultimate fantasy, and not just for French and Italian cars either!
Larry, welcome to Veloce Today. I look forward to reading your musings and stories. You’re one of the constants in an otherwise fickle business and your words and photos over the years have always been enjoyable.
Jeff Allison
Good to hear your voice again, Larry, and we all hope to hear more of it.
great story Larry- Looking forward to the rest of it and more to come from you…
Hi Larry:
Great to read your words again. That 195 Ghia Aigle coupe was, curiously, serial no. 0195 EL, and was the 1952 Geneva Show car. Last I knew, it was in Melbourne, Australia.
Alan Boe
What a thrill to see that Larry Crane has joined this site! His talent, knowledge, enthusiasm, passion and addiction as a diagnosed “automaniac” have been missed by the readers of Auto Aficionado who call my office daily asking about him, celebrating and reminiscing about each glorious page of the magazine that he created. I’ll definitely send them to this site.
Holy cow!! Thank you all.
Marian, the Xanax is in the mail.
Larry
It’s just great to read your stories again.
And bravo to VeloceToday for having you join them.
I’m really looking forward to the next installment.
Cheers!
Paul
Larry, good to see you in print once more! I’m looking forward to the history behind the guy we know today.
All the best,
Roger
Hi Larry,
It’s absolutely wonderful to see your exceptional literary talents and automotive knowledge appearing in print again — especially in VeloceToday.com. I am really looking forward very much to reading each of your contributions.
Very best regards,
George Carrick.
Larry!
I am thrilled to be able to read your articles once again. I truly miss AUTO Aficionado and am sad that it will not continue, but am quite happy that I can now find you here.
All my best and keep up the sterling work!
Matt
Larry,
Remembering those days stationed at March AFB I had made friends with the guard at Riverside Raceway and was able to get in when testing or the Shelby Driving School was in session. I met Shelby and it was Pete Brock who told me about the Art Center. I met you at a slot-car shop you were working at in Riverside. Brock had invited me to see the Shelby works after they had moved to LAX and I invited you along. My memory could be a little foggy but I thought it was that introduction that eventually led to your renting Brock’s house. As you said you met a Ferrari “nut” (thanks) and we went to our first Ferrari Owners Club meeting in Los Angeles in your Mini. We didn’t know LA and drove up and down Sunset Boulevard trying to find the meeting place eventually arriving as it was ending. I remember seeing Otto Zipper and his
GTO. The club was small then and it would be several years before I became a member and its president.
We have stayed in touch, crossing paths many times over the years, most recently at the 36th Rolex Monterey Historic.
Regards,
Chuck
Hi Larry,
Did you happen to be in Mrs. Potts’ class in third grade? Small town in West Texas?
I hope it’s you,
Stacie