The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Note: There will be NO VeloceToday on August 22nd. We will return to our normal schedule on August 29th.
Premium Subscribers, please send us your name and address if you would like to be included in the drawing on August 30 for the Maserati Zagato book.
Processing for VeloceToday Select Orders for “Barn Find Alfa” and “Cuban Grand Prix, 1957” may be delayed a few days.
Maurice Gatsonides; race driver (1953 Nurburgring), rally driver (outright winner, 1953 Monte Carlo Rally), sports car manufacturer (Gatso, Gatford), and successful inventor, (electronic speed traps) was a tour d’force, yet little is known about this fascinating man. In a stroke of luck, in conversations with our correspondent Gijsbert-Paul Berk, it was revealed to the Editor that Berk once called Gatsonides his boss. Do tell more, we asked. Thusly, here is Berk’s personal memoires of the multi-talented Dutch carmaker and a photo history of the man and the cars.
By Gijsbert-Paul Berk
Photos courtesy Gatsonides family and Gatsometer BV
At the Dutch Institute for Automobile Management where I studied in 1948, it was a tradition that each autumn a group of students had to organize a TSD rally for students, parents and special guests. One of these guests was Mr. Maurice Gatsonides, a well-known Dutch rally driver and the builder of the Gatso sports car.
[Read more…] about Maurice Gatsonides: Rally driver, Race driver, Manufacturer, Boss Part 1
By Pete Vack
This article originally appeared in VeloceToday in 2007
As we approached the tomb of what promised to be the long lost Cisitalia D46 (oh, well, there may be more lost D46s, but nevertheless, this one was truly long lost) we wondered if it was really 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? Read Part 1
“Howard Carter and King Tut’s tomb had nothing on us..”
After talking with owner Betty Peters at her home in Suffolk, Virginia, we were led out to a corner of a very large lot. Her grandson Bruce pointed to the shed, and said, “Go, see for yourself.”
Covered with years of bushes, the doors of the shed were difficult to open. But even at a glance, it was clear that the chassis did not belong to an American midget, or a Formula Junior. The rusty rails and tubular body supports shouted “Italian”. We stumbled through the shed until we got a good look at the front suspension. The transverse springs, Topolino style, dated the chassis to the early 1950s, as did placement of the front engine.
The D46 was initially designed by Dante Giacosa. Note the shape of the frame, the reinforcements, and in particular, the small coil spring rear suspension.
Mad for Speed, the Racing Life of Joan Newton Cuneo
By Elsa A. Nystrom
217 pages, softback, black and white photos
ISBN 978-0-7864-7-93-8
$39.95
Published by McFarland www.mcfarlandpub.com
Available at Amazon.com or order from 1-800-253-2187
Review by Pete Vack
Photos courtesy the Author and the Newton Family
In 1909, Joan Newton Cuneo, all of 5 foot 2 inches and 125 lbs., competed against a top-notch field of professional men race drivers in a three day series of races held in New Orleans just prior to the Mardi Gras. With her new 50 hp Knox Giant, she easily won her races in the amateur divisions. What turned heads however, was that this tiny dynamo came in second to the future Indy winner Ralph De Palma in the 50 mile event, and again finished second to De Palma in a 10 mile race the next day, beating drivers Bob Burman, Lewis Strang and George Roberston. France’s Madame du Gast had nothing on the petite Mrs. Cuneo. Cuneo, already a proven fearless and talented competitor, was quickly becoming the Danica Patrick of her day.
Less than a month later, the Automobile Association of America, already in bed with the car manufacturers and in full control of all sanctioned racing in the U.S., officially banned women from racing or any other type of time trial or Tour. [Read more…] about Mad for Speed: Book Review
One of Zagato's finest appeared at the Oldtimer's Grand Prix this year.
Story and Photos by Alessandro Gerelli
This year’s Oldtimer’s Grand Prix, held last weekend August 10-11 at the Nurburgring, was short on Ferraris but long on Maseratis. Alessandro Gerelli brings you the cars in two parts.
VeloceToday Select Number Two:
Barn Find Alfa
Edited by Pete Vack
Price: $20.00
Pages: 32 glossy; color photos
Dimensions: 8.5″ x 5.5″
Description: Shipping and Handling are FREE.
*Premium Subscribers take 50% off! Contact vack@cox.net to order.
Become a Premium Subscriber now and get one copy free!
In the 1970s, the Editor retrieved an Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce from a barn, sold it and forgot about it. Thirty-five years later he received an email from the cars’ current owner, wondering if he had any as-found photos or information about the car. We found the photos, beginning the intriguing story of an Alfa Veloce that was once raced, lost, found, raced again and restored by a succession of owners, all of whom contributed their words, photos, and experiences for this story. A Barn Story unlike any you’ll ever read! Click HERE for more details.
Attention PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS!
Win Maserati A6G 2000 Zagato
by Walter Bäumer, a $155 USD value!
If you are NOT a Premium Subscriber, click
here to subscribe and become eligible to win.
To enter, simply send an email to me at vack@cox.net with your name and address.
Drawing will be held on August 31st.
Shipping is FREE!
Book is provided by Dalton Watson Fine Books.
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.”
Sam knew his cars. Here he is racing his Abarth Allemano in the 60s. Courtesy Sam Coronia.
Panhard, the Flat Twin cars 1945-1967 and their origins
11.5 by 8.25
336 pages Softbound, approximately 1000 illustrations, B&W
$38.75 USD, £25 plus shipping
Order from https://stinkwheel.co.uk/shop/
Review by Pete Vack
This is one of the most important and well-researched books this year, in fact, in the past several years. For not only does it address a rare topic, but does so with immense authority based on superb research, a confidence that comes with deep understanding of the technical issues that are so much a part of the subject, a love of the marque that is both overwhelming and yet balanced and the ability to take relevant side roads that delightfully amplify the main subject. We are pleased that it is entirely in English.
The author, noted Panhard historian David Beare, gives us a brief historical look at the Panhard-Levassor firm from its beginning in 1891, enough to set the stage for the tiny and amazing post-war Panhards.
If ever there was a misunderstood and underrated car (at least outside of France), it was the Dyna Panhard. Even the name is confusing, often Panhard Dyna, and also seen as Dyna-Panhard with a hyphen. Born under the reign of Nazi Germany during WWII, the project was encouraged by Jean Panhard, the son of the founder, Paul Panhard, and two remarkable engineers, Loius Delagarde and Louis Bionier. (Remarkably, Jean Panhard reviewed the text of Beare’s book and last month appeared at a Panhard club celebration of his 100th birthday!) [Read more…] about Panhard, the flat twin cars 1945-1967: Book Review
Paris-Madrid, 1903.
By Graham Gauld
Here in the South of France there are a lot of “Brocantes” which, to you and me, means a space in a town or village where people set up a table and sell all the rubbish they have in the house for a few cents a time.
I am always on the lookout for real rarities such as commercially printed postcards of photos from auto racing 100 years ago.
Let me tell you the story behind two of those cards. The first shows a photo taken at the 3rd Coupe des Voiturettes held at Compiegne in northern France on September 27 1908. It was a great day for the French manufacturer Sizaire-Naudin as they finished first, second and fourth. What is even more interesting is that both Louis Naudin and Georges Sizaire, the founders of the company along with Georges’ brother Maurice, were racing in the event and finished first and second. The second is linked closely with the world’s oldest race driver.
VeloceToday Select Number One:
Cuban Grand Prix, 1957
by David Seielstad
Price: $20.00
Dimensions: 8.5″ x 5.5″ horizontal format, 36 full color pages on glossy 80 lb paper
Description: Shipping and handling is FREE!
Premium Subscribers Benefit! Contact vack@cox.net and get 50% off!
Become a Premium Subscriber now and get one copy free!
Click HERE for more details.
Robert Pauley, a Chrysler engineer and car enthusiast who worked with Giovanni Savonuzzi in Detroit, sent us a collection of Kodachrome slides he had taken while at the Cuban Grand Prix in 1957. We found that another VeloceToday contributor, noted Ferrari historian David Seielstad, had written about the race. We combined Pauley’s never-before-published photos, Seielstad’s text, and the Editor’s epilogue, ‘Twilight of the Gods’ to create a unique view of this important but little known epic race.