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Abarth Ascending

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Was this the first Abarth or the last Cisitalia?

By Pete Vack

Although new information has surfaced about the Cisitalia Abarth 204, in looking over years of notes, letters and books, we note that as far back as 30 years ago historian John de Boer got the facts down and got them right. He passed his knowledge on and we absorbed it into the first edition of this author’s Illustrated Abarth Buyer’s Guide.

De Boer, along with collector and owner Serge Lugo, was one of the first to realize that the Cisitalia Abarth 204 is a car which marked a transitional phase in the history of Cisitalia and Abarth, and as such an important milestone for both companies; he also recognized that the ensuing Abarth 204 A berlinetta was not a 204 buy more correctly a 205, ending the confusion and properly assuming that the first Abarth built with the Abarth badge was the 205.

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The 205 Abarth with a Vignale body by Michellotti; the first Abarth and badged as such. Photo by Alessandro Gerelli.

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Art and the Design of the Mangusta Part 2

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Classic race car instruments and steering wheel design. Functional design with elegant execution to match the De Tomaso/Shelby P70 race car chassis. Photo by Dick Ruzzin.

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By Dick Ruzzin

De Tomaso’s Racing Vision

Included in the very small owner’s manual that accompanied all new Mangustas is a message from Alessandro de Tomaso himself. He makes a special statement to his customers, speaking to them very personally:

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The Complete Saga of the Caswell/Lymber BNC

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BNC in garage-under-cardboard

French Charm seeing the light of day after forty years. Photo by George Lymber.


Part 1 French Charm

By Eric Davison

In 2012 Eric Davison wrote a three part article about a BNC that had appeared at Watkins Glen in 1948. Below, we have combined all three parts into one for a unique, total account of this rare car. Sadly, the owner of the BNC at the time, George Lymber II. died on Oct 3 2013.

Getting involved in writing about old cars is something like a disease that is incurable. The symptoms keep on recurring. Case in point: Last year I was involved in helping my friend Phillipe Defechereux with the latest edition of his book about Watkins Glen in the period from 1948 to 1952. (Watkins Glen, The Street Years. 1948 – 1952. Dalton Watson)

The intention was to try to locate some of the cars that appeared at the Glen during those years and to tell where they are today. Unfortunately I had only a few months in which to work. To do a comprehensive job would take years and would make a pretty good book all by itself.

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Phillip Island Classic March 11-13, 2016, Australia

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Mick Stupka 1954 Citroën 11D, Rod Wood 1953 Holden 48/215, turn 4.

Mick Stupka 1954 Citroën 11D, Rod Wood 1953 Holden 48/215, turn 4.

Story and photos by Vince Johnson

Cubic inches certainly had the headlines at the 27th Phillip Island Classic, south of Melbourne, recently. Not only were there more than two dozen Formula 5000 open wheelers racing during the three day meeting, the Group Q & R ‘big banger’ sports car grids included five McLarens, (three of them 8 liter Chev-powered), several Lolas, a six liter E-Type Jaguar and a pair of V8 Elfins. [Read more…] about Phillip Island Classic March 11-13, 2016, Australia

As Found Classic: Talbot-Lago Pourtout

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Car as found at Elkhart Lake. Pure beauty here. But was it Figoni?

As Found Classic Number Twenty-Two

This photo was taken by my father Don Vack on June 18, 1960 at Road America near Elkhart Lake Wisconsin. At a time when American cars could be called many things but rarely beautiful, my father made an effort to show me, and later my brother Greg, that there were in fact cars that were beautiful, stunning, and well-proportioned; most did not hail from Detroit. This Talbot Lago was one of them. For over a half century, we wondered who the coachbuilder was, for lack of other ideas, assumed that it was a Figoni et Falaschi creation. Now, thanks to Peter Larsen, Bruno Martin and current owner Steve Hamilton, we can answer that question.

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Abarths and Wine at Avignon

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Focusing on Wine and Abarths...

Photos and story by Graham Gauld

Avignon in the south of France is a medieval city famous for the fact that Pope Clement VI actually bought the town in 1348 from its Italian owner, Joanna the first of Naples. Clement then made Avignon the home of the next six Popes of the Roman Catholic Church.

OK that’s your ancient history lesson is over for the day. Now onto more recent history. Avignon also hosted its annual Historic Car festival which is an impressive event that covers no fewer than 13 individual halls on the Exhibition site. It makes Retromobile with its two halls almost look small! Mind you, most of the halls contain small stands selling everything from head gaskets for 1952 Simcas to every known 1/43rd scale motor truck car or racing car ever built. It is a kind of fans-fest on steroids.

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Goodwood Member’s Meeting 2016 Part 1

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The Tony Brooks Trophy grid is almost a perfect reflection of the 1959-60 season. Barry Cannell’s 1959 Cooper Climax T51 leads this pack away at the start.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

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The weather forecast for the 74th Goodwood members meeting kept getting worse as the event approached. By Saturday morning, March 19, it was on with the walking boots, two pairs of socks, thick corduroy trousers, a vest, thick country style shirt, a tie (there is a dress code you know) tweed jacket and a very worn old wax jacket and off to Goodwood where at least the racing would be hot even if the weather was going to be cold.

It turned out that on a few occasions over the weekend the racing was rather too hot for comfort. The first race of the Sunday program was for 1960s single seaters. The ex-Innes Ireland Lotus of Steven Bond was hit in the side by another car. The Lotus then hit the tire wall which turned the car on its side. It then proceeded to tumble end-over-end before plunging head long into the pedestrian foot tunnel under the track. [Read more…] about Goodwood Member’s Meeting 2016 Part 1

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