VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

pete

The 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

By

1965 Bugatti original type 101 chassis and motor, Exner body. The last ‘new’ Bugatti 101 chassis was purchased by Exner, who had Ghia body it per his Revival Car designs, then appeared at the Turin Auto Show in 1965.

Story and photos by Brandes Elitch

When you attend a world class car show, you should expect some drama and excitement. But I am pretty sure that nothing will ever match the excitement when the show cars come through the entrance in back of the Lodge and start to drive on the field at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. You stand there, just a few hundred feet from the Bay, waiting anxiously until about 6:30 when it warms up and sunrise is about to begin, and they start their run. [Read more…] about The 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Concorso Italiano and The Paddock 2025

By

Ed Godshalk in his Cisitalia D46 Monoposto “barn find” condition. Ex-factory team car, 5th place in 1946 Coppa Brezzi race, 1st place 1947 Mt. Ventoux Hill Climb, Ex-Harry Schell. Renowned Cisitalia restorer, Geert Kistermaker is at right.

Story and photos by Brandes Elitch

Looking back, I have to say that some of the best memories are of the original Concours Italiano (later changed to Concorso Italiano).

At the time I was interviewing for a job with a bank in San Francisco, and my interviewers were my friend Joe and his associate, Willem Oosthoek, now perhaps the pre-eminent Maserati expert in the world.

Joe had just bought a very clean and original Maserati 3500 coupe (Willem has one too, of course) and wanted to get started on the restoration. At that time there was an organization called the Maserati Information Exchange (MIE) outside of Seattle, run by Francis Mandarano. Back then, forty years ago, (the event is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year) there were only two events, the races at Laguna Seca, and the Pebble Beach Concours. [Read more…] about Concorso Italiano and The Paddock 2025

Rolex Motorsports Reunion 2025

By

1959 Cooper T51 F1. This car changed the layout of the racing car and set the template for the modern GP class.

Story and photos by Brandes Elitch

Someone once asked Audrey Hepburn if they should go to Paris. Her response was “It is always a good idea.”

Like going to Paris, going to Laguna Seca racetrack for the Rolex Motorsports Reunion is always a good idea. If you are interested in historic racecars, it is mandatory. It is certainly one of most important tracks in the world, along with Monza, Monaco, Nurburgring, and Silverstone, and has been in operation for sixty years.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Finding a Lost Cisitalia D46

By

By Pete Vack

Was it even remotely possible, that one of the rarest and most treasured Italian race cars ever built had been hidden from sight for over 40 years, and was only one hour from VeloceToday Headquarters? Since moving to Williamsburg, we’d helped rediscover an Iso Marlboro Lele built for Howden Ganley, found a rare TVR whose owner had no idea what kind of a car it was, the only true Intermeccanica Formula Junior in the world, and a few odds and ends.

But this mystery car would top everything we had ever dreamed of finding.

In January 2007, the phone rang and I heard a familiar voice. “A friend of mine says she has a Cisitalia D46 in need of restoration. I was wondering if you could come with me to check it out.”

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

In the Paddock and on the Track: Goodwood

By

Photos by Jonathan Sharp

The Festival of Speed (this year July 10-13) creates many photo opportunities, and so we are very glad that Jonathan Sharp is able to allow us to enjoy it, without the heat, travel, and crowds. This year the presentation of 75 years of Formula 1 is an event probably not duplicated anywhere else in the world. But at Goodwood, we take such feats for granted.

Pardon the Red Sea

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Ercole Spada: One Step Beyond

By

1963 Lancia Flavia Sport Zagato. Ercole Spada: “I felt a real necessity to design something completely different.”

By Pete Vack

All quotes attributed to Ercole Spada are from Spada by Bart Lenaerts, Lies de Mol with Ercole and Paolo Spada.

As we reflect on the life of the late Ercole Spada, I realized that for a good part of my life, my primary automotive focus was on the cars built by Zagato. I wanted a Zagato because they were race cars, lightweight, didn’t rust, and often are Alfa-based and just as often, beautiful. They were in a class of their own, and stylistically a step beyond the normal.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Outrageous car, Outrageous article

By

By Pete Vack

From the Archives, August 2011.
Scroll down to read the comments!!!

The brothers Zagato didn’t have a great deal of luck with Lancias.

The Appia Zagato was always too long and too little. Although somewhat successful in the Italian 1100cc events, the street version was underpowered and overwheelbased, and the 1100cc engine strained at anything like racing speeds. From the front it was attractive, but the side view and rear view failed to delight. From the same era, the Abarth, Alfa and the Bandini Zagatos (only one built), were far more pleasing to the eye.
[Read more…] about Outrageous car, Outrageous article

Elsie ‘Bill’ Wisdom

By

Elsie ‘Bill’ Wisdom

Story by Giles Chapman

When we received Giles Chapman’s latest book we thoroughly enjoyed the short bios and interesting stories that comprised “Three Million Miles in a Volvo and other Curious Car Stories.” These are just perfect for the VeloceToday format, and here is the sixth in a series of excerpts from the book.

Embroidery, of the written kind, is an essential skill for every good hack. But the story of how correspondent and racing driver Tommy Wisdom met his wife Elsie takes some beating. Tommy was sailing off the south coast one day with his brother and a friend when their dinghy overturned. The pal drowned but the brothers were rescued and taken ashore, and Tommy recovered on the nearest sofa that could be found. It was in the home of Elsie Swain and, as he dried out, love blossomed.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Abarth, Radbourne Racing and Me (Reviewed)

By

Epitome: Lincoln Small driving the Abarth Sports Prototype SEO14 at Monza, 1997.

Review by Pete Vack

Imagine for a moment. Circa 1960. A life in London, a hard working young heir to a line of pharmacies with photo developing as a sideline (remember them?) in the swinging West End of London on Piccadilly. But this young man was sidetracked as an enthusiasm for things Italian resulted in going to Perugia to study the language. Returning after a love affair and carrying a suitcase full of Abarth accessories, his father gifts him a new Fiat 600 and, in search of more performance, finds a couple of friends in a shed and in no time, circa 1963, Radbourne Racing is born. It will survive and thrive as a tuning shop, dealer, parts source and race center for first Fiat Abarths, then Renault until the 21st century.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Royal Automobile Club’s Magnificent Displays

By

In a class of its own: Displayed in front of the clubhouse, 1955 Osca FS372. Introduced in 1955, the FS372 debuted with the upgraded 1491cc twin-spark engine. Only five were constructed. This example was purchased by Sir Stirling Moss in 2008 and raced by him at various historic motor sports events.

Photos by Jonathan Sharp

Last week we covered the RAC concours classes held on July 9th, so this week let’s take a look at the curated displays, the titles of which, in most cases, are self-explanatory except perhaps for the ‘1000 mile trial 125th Anniversary’ display.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Celebrating the 75 anniversary of the Alfa 1900

By

Text: Frank Rameckers
Photos: Frank Rameckers, Morgan Koetsveld, Alex Goevaers

During the annual Spettacolo Sportivo (Sports Show) of the Dutch Alfa Romeo Club SCARB (Stichting Alfa Romeo Bezitters) held June 28-29 on the legendary circuit of Zandvoort, Frank Rameckers of the 1900 Register celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo 1900. The SCARB is one of the largest Alfa Clubs in the world with 2600 members, many of whom participate in the Spettacolo with their Alfa Romeos.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Two Tails Have I: Alfa 1900 Mystery

By

Detlef Nussbaum’s Alfa with a tale.

At this year’s Alfa 1900 meet (see story), Frank Rameckers helped solve a long time mystery involving a 1900 which defied attempts to identify it. So here is that brief by interesting tale of a tail or two.

Text by Frank Rameckers

At our meet was a very special 1900 dark blue 1900C SS Pinin Farina Coupé of the German Detlef Nussbaum with a very interesting story behind it. In 2023, Chris Jongsma sent me two photos of a silver-gray Coupé with race # 36 and a Dutch license plate that participated in races on the Zandvoort circuit.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe
MENU