VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

pete

Brooklands Italian Car Day, April 29, 2017

By

The Brooklands Memorial stands behind this Fiat 850 Coupe. Built by Vickers Armstrong to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Motor Course, it was unveiled by Lord Brabazon of Tara in July 1957.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

This is the fifth year in a row that Jonathan Sharp has covered the Italian Car Day at Brooklands. And despite the narrow focus, there are very few repeats, as can be seen by Sharp’s photo selections over the years.

2013
2014
2015
2016

As Pete has said, I have covered the Italian Car Day at Brooklands for VeloceToday for the past 5 years but I have been attending the Italian Car Day in its various guises and locations for over 30 years. This year, as usual, Brooklands was groaning under the weight of Italian cars. But there seemed to be a higher percentage of newer cars, which would seem to indicate to me that those who currently buy new Italian cars also embrace the Italian life style and motoring heritage. Walking around the site I kept coming upon cars that I once owned, or have wanted to own – and I am not talking about the Ferraris and Lamborghini’s that were present in reasonable numbers. I get more of a buzz coming across an immaculate Alfa Sud or a Fiat 130 than I do finding a paddock full of 458’s and Aventadores. And, therefore, it is those types of cars that we present in this article.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Bastille Day Annual French Car Rally and Rendez-Vous Preview

By

Festive caravan of vintage French autos going round Columbus Circle. The “Bastille Day” Celebration in NYC!

Story by Philippe H. Defechereux © 2017

The One Day Every Year When French Unicorns Run Free in New York City Streets

To certain onlookers, they may briefly evoke unicorns, except that their outer surface is often quite colorful and their one horn is inside the car. To hear most New Yorkers who catch a good glimpse, they look more like UFOs on wheels. But not to the numerous French car aficionados, expats or tourists on a visit from France. For them the strange vehicles are quite familiar and a propitious apparition to behold. [Read more…] about Bastille Day Annual French Car Rally and Rendez-Vous Preview

The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2017

By

1957 Mondial GP is the author’s first focus bike.

Story by Brandes Elitch, photos by David Fetherston

On May 6, about 3000 motorcycle enthusiasts gathered at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley, California for the 9th annual Quail Motorcycle Gathering. Carmel Valley is a surprisingly rustic and rural stretch of road that runs from Carmel Village on the bay to Salinas inland. The program states that “what began as a small gathering of enthusiasts has grown into one of the premier celebrations of motorcycling in the country,” and this is an understatement. There may be other “events” such as Daytona Bike Week, but there is no other motorcycle show like this or anything close, anywhere in the country. On the green in back of the Lodge were about 350 motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles, with a special tribute to 50th anniversary of the Norton Commando. [Read more…] about The Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2017

Fangio, Suixtil and Modena, 1957

By

At Modena in 1957, Juan Manuel Fangio, shows Maserati chief engineer Giulio Alfieri, in jacket shirt and tie, and Swiss journalist Hans Tanner, back to camera, his bandaged wrist. Fangio would bring attention to a line of racing suits from an Argentinean-based company named Suixtil.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld unless otherwise noted

European motor racing in the years immediately following World War II tended to be a strictly European affair; that is until the arrival of the great Juan Manuel Fangio in 1948. Unlike Europe, where there was a war to contend with, young Fangio learned his motor racing craft in the wild and dangerous racing in Argentina in the 1930s and 1940s.

He proved to be not only a tough competitor but also a winner. Who better to be an ambassador for the Salomon Rudman’s Argentinean-based Suixtil company’s entry into the area of motor racing? Rudman’s enthusiasm for motor racing saw him produce clothing, which would not only be stylish but also comfortable. He took advice from his motor racing friends like Fangio as to design and functionality. [Read more…] about Fangio, Suixtil and Modena, 1957

VeloceToday for May 9, 2017

By

780x275_GUM-banner_v2

Five fascinating stories this week: Peter Darnall on Bira’s big day; Jonathan Sharp trackside at Silverstone; Graham Gauld remembers Sir John Whitmore; Pete Vack on Hugus’ Ferraris; Gijsbert-Paul Berk on Farman automobiles.

featres

The Day of the White Mouse

By

By Peter Darnall

Saturday, May 6, 1939 – Brooklands Motor Circuit, England

Imagine sitting in a race car on the starting line for the JCC International Trophy event. That fellow in the old Maserati beside you looks completely out of place. He is a small man–so small that he is sitting on a large cushion to be able to see out over the cowling. He looks like a jockey in his flamboyant silk driving suit. Everybody was talking about the Maserati since it had been unloaded from the transporter in the paddock. The car was decked out in light blue livery with yellow chassis rails and wheels—a bit overdone by conservative Brooklands “the right crowd and no crowding” standards. The white mouse insignia on the cowl is familiar but the flag painted on the tail is a mystery. [Read more…] about The Day of the White Mouse

Sir John Whitmore, 1937-2017

By

John Whitmore, right, with Alan Mann in the Shelby Cobra Team in 1965.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

There comes a time in life when you begin to see too many of your friends in the obituary columns, and it happened again last week with the death of Sir John Whitmore. I have lost a great friend of sixty years standing.

This then, is not a catalog of all his races but a private look into a fairly private man who eventually found himself after his racing days were over.

John was something special not only due to his ability driving cars but due to his frightening intellect and constant urge to expand his knowledge, particularly in the field of human endeavor.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Silverstone VSCC Formula Vintage Trackside

By

Maserati 250F of Graham Adelman just ahead of the Ferrari 246 Dino.

Formula Vintage – Round 1 – Silverstone
National Circuit, Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 April 2017

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Last week; Paddock Scenes

Last week Jonathan Sharp took us into the Silverstone Paddock area, and this week he gets trackside at Silverstone, bringing us over thirty images of track action.

Results of the events can be found here: Silverstone Results [Read more…] about Silverstone VSCC Formula Vintage Trackside

Farman Automobiles

By

Farman autos: Better than the La Royale?

Last week we brought you Farman, Part 1, the aeronautical side of the French Farman firm. This week, Gijsbert-Paul Berk tells us the brief but upper crust history of the Farman automobile.

Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk

In October 1919 at the Salon de l’Automobile in Paris the Farman company presented its first motor cars; a landaulet bodied by Kellner and a bare chassis. Their objective was “to build an automobile “that was absolutely perfect in every detail”. The A6 prototypes on their exhibition stand were indeed magnificently finished. [Read more…] about Farman Automobiles

VeloceToday for May 2, 2017

By

780x275_GUM-banner_v2

We publish rare Alfa and Ferrari photos from Le Mans, 1970; VeloceToday interviewed Ed Hugus in 2003 about his Ferraris and here is the full story; The planes and cars of the Farman Brothers; Jonathan Sharp at Silverstone.

featres

And How! 5-2: Le Mans, 1970

By

And How! is a new regular feature in VeloceToday, just right for those stories which are too short or too little or news items that don’t qualify as full length articles.

N.A.R.T. 512S driven by the All American team of Ronnie Bucknum and Sam Posey would finish fourth after the Porsche 1-2-3 victory.

1970 was Steve McQueen’s year at Le Mans, as related recently in the new book, Le Mans in the Rearview Mirror. (Read review) The company had shot thousands of feet of film at the 1969 event, but none was ever used in the movie. Shooting the race for the movie would have to wait until 1970, when McQueen had arranged with the John Wyer Porsche team to identify the drivers and car colors with the Wyer 917s; Unfortunately the Wyer Porsches all retired. Ironically, the Porsche 908 camera car, driven by Jonathan Williams, placed 9th overall. The Porsche 917K of Herrmann and Attwood would lead a three car Porsche parade at the finish.

In the wake of the new book, Dale LaFollette at Vintage Motorphoto remembered that he had bought roll of negatives at an auction consisting of black and while images taken at Le Mans that year. We can’t let that go to waste, can we? So below are 15 of the best of the lot; a lot of Ferraris, Alfas and Matras. Perfect for And How!

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe
MENU