EBay Michelotti Corvette
Not the Rondine but we bet a Michelotti Corvette is still worth a lot of money. Credit McLaren Philadelphia
By Wallace Wyss
On eBay, you gotta figure that everything comes up one time or another. Even Corvettes bodied in Italy by famous carrozzeria. We found it on eBay, but the car is still available at McLaren of Philadelphia, who kindly allowed us to use these photos.
You take a name like Giovanni Michelotti and you think, whatever chassis he designs coachwork for, it’s gonna be wonderful, right? Especially when the actual coachbuilder is Ghia.
Uh, no.
Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2016
1964 MV Agusta Triple, Virgil Elings
By Brandes Elitch
Photos by Dave Fetherston unless otherwise noted
In my previous article, I interviewed Gordon McCall, the organizer of the motorcycle show held every May since 2009 at the Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel Valley, California. It is generally regarded as the premier motorcycle concours in the country.
One of the emcees at the show is Paul d’Orleans, a well-known motorcycle writer (www.the vintagent@blogspot.com). Paul describes the ambiance of the show better than anyone. “The world of motorcycles has all the ingredients of a good, enriching drama: heroic deeds, political intrigue, design brilliance, cut-throat business practices, quirky characters, national tensions, cultural biases, Eros and Thanatos. When diving into the muck of motorcycle history, we find unexpected riches.” [Read more…] about Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2016
Voyage to Wilton House
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
Gauld at Maranello and Monaco
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
VeloceToday for May 17, 2016
Italian Car Day at Brooklands, Part 2
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 S4 and the Attack of the Killer Bs
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.
Greystone Mansion Concours, May 1 2016
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.
VeloceToday for May 10, 2016
John Shakespeare and the Thirty Bugattis Part 1
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.
Gordon McCall: Authenticity and Continuity
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.