The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Wilton House 2016: I liked the Maserati 4200; my wife was more interested in the ceanothus.
From: Jonathan Sharp
Dear Pete,
Jose and I managed to grab two days away over the weekend, May 21-22 and saw a recently restored world famous steam engine, the Flying Scotsman, in full steam; Stonehenge, the Salisbury Cathedral and a low-key event at Wilton House for Italian and French cars called “The Wilton Wake Up.” [Read more…] about Voyage to Wilton House
Howden Ganley welcomes Piero Ferrari as an honorary member of the Grand Prix Drivers Club in the Cavallino Restaurant opposite the original factory gates. John Surtees is in the foreground.
By Graham Gauld
In some ways I always dread the month of May as I usually have something going on, not only every weekend but in four different countries! As a result this is written in haste before heading off for Scotland and the Ecurie Ecosse Tour.
Ten days ago it all started with the Annual General Meeting of the Grand Prix Drivers Club which this year was held in Maranello on the invitation of Ferrari, and resulted in a good turnout of members including not only what we would call normal Ferrari drivers but including one World Champion, John Surtees. Piero Ferrari, vice-President of Ferrari was made an Honorary Member of the Club by Club President Howden Ganley and was seated beside John Surtees. [Read more…] about Gauld at Maranello and Monaco
In a coral full of newer and rather too noisy modern Lamborghinis it was great to see this rather elegant Islero taking pride of place in front of the new 4D Theatre.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
VeloceToday is about Italian and French cars. Italian cars, we got. Jonathan Sharp went to Brooklands to find a huge variety of Italians, some as rare as honest politicians. The editor has not seen an Alfetta sedan since he sold his in 1983. And how about that Moretti, or the Quattroporte 3? Part 2 continues Sharp’s venture into the world of “haven’t seen one like that for years!”
Lancia’s Killer B. Credit Petrolicious
By John R. Wright
If too much horsepower is just about right, then Lancia got it just about right with its Lancia S4 rally car. How to describe an all-out racing car used for rallying, one which according to one source would accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 2.3 seconds…on gravel! The Lancia could accomplish this feat as its engine was twin-charged. It was turbocharged and supercharged, the supercharger cutting out when the turbocharger had spooled up to provide sufficient power. Normally set up the engine would produce outlandish horsepower – some sources say 560 horsepower but Lancia engineers tested an engine at 5 bars of boost and achieved around a 1000 horsepower, more than any sane man or woman could use in a rallying event.
Best of Show Concours de Sport, Ron Hein, 1961 Alfa Romeo Sprint Zagato Coda Tronca with Best of Show Concours d’Elegance, Ron & Sandy Hansen, 1903 Thomas Model 18. Photo Greystone.
The Greystone Mansion Concours
Very chi-chi..
Story by Wallace Wyss
Photos by Richard Bartholomew
Wasn’t it F. Scott Fitzgerald who said “The rich are very different from you and me?”
You get a sense of what the rich must have lived like back in 1920’s Los Angeles when you see the sight of this mansion, with stone walls and slate roofs, high on a hill overlooking Beverly Hills.
There have been many articles about the day John Shakespeare loaded up 30 Bugattis to have them shipped to the Fritz Schlumpf in 1964. But none like our exclusive story below, told by David Gulick, the photographer who took the amazing photos of that memorable day. VeloceToday will present a series of those photographs in several parts. We also asked artist Paul Chenard to create a poster commemorating the sale. We’ll offer a free poster to anyone who subscribes to VeloceToday. For those who don’t want to subscribe for $5 a month, we will offer PDFs of this story for $10 via our Donate Button.
Photographer Paul d’Orleans took this image of Gordon McCall with his BSA Rickman Matisse road racer in the background.
Story by Brandes Elitch
If you have attended the Monterey Car Week in August, you are likely familiar with Gordon McCall. For 25 years, he and his wife Molly have he has hosted the first “really big show” that kicks off the week: the McCall Motorworks Revival held at the Monterey Jet Center. The event, which hosts 3000 guests, is really a party, but a very carefully planned one. Gordon says he got this from his mother, who was an epic entertainer from the East Coast. He adds, “Nobody knows how to entertain like an East Coaster, not social climbing but socializing.” The Revival combines very special new and old planes, cars, and motorcycles in an extraordinarily elegant way. Every single detail is choreographed.
Augie Pabst in the Comet C-3 at Road America in September 1957, where he completed in the inaugural RA 500, driving with owner Glen Glendening. Photo Glen Glendening.
By Pete Vack
VeloceToday is often about connections, for ours is a small but happy world. The recent publication of the new Dalton Watson book, Augie Pabst, Behind the Wheel reminded the Editor that a friend here in Williamsburg, Dave Rex, had a once owned a fiberglass special called the Comet. While reading Bob Birmingham’s excellent book, a photo appeared of Pabst in a fiberglass special called the Comet and activated the aging synapses. Sure enough, as a quick email to Dave confirmed, it was the same car. Concurrently, the Editor went through his photo library, and found that he also had his own minor link to Pabst, which is recounted below. [Read more…] about Connections: Augie Pabst
This 1965 Fiat 850 Coupe benefited from spending the first 50 years of her life enjoying Italian sunshine. Behind on the banking is a rather more recent baby performance Fiat, a 100 HP Panda.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
On Saturday April 30, the gates to the Brooklands circuit were opened at 8am to let in the first arrivals for the annual Italian Car day. I am told those early arrivals had started to queue at around 6.30 am. Such is the popularity of this annual event which is now in its 31st year.
