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Moretti 750 Gran Sport Times Three

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Above: Posing with the Harry Jones Moretti are (left-to-right) Viola Jones, Pat McAfee (then wife of Jack McAfee), and Vi’s husband Harry Jones. Santa Barbara paddock, September 1954. Photo: John Edgar, Edgar Motorsport Archive
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By Pete Vack

Thanks to Peter Vanlaw, William Edgar, Alex Vazeos, Rex McAfee, Cliff Reuter, John de Boer, Karl Ludvigsen and Cindy Meitle.

Road & Track, August 1954. The color photo is by photographer and journalist Bob Rolofson; the car, a Moretti Gran Sport—the archetypical “Baby Ferrari”. No doubt many more people saw this photo than would ever lay eyes on the actual car itself; few subjected to the cover photo or the reality would likely soon forget the sight. Even today, the car stirs the imagination.

There might be ten or twenty of these 748cc Michelotti-designed “Gran Sport” Morettis around. John de Boer lists ten known berlinettas (Gran Sport) but emphatically states that the list is far from complete and is constantly updated and there may well be only eight in existence today. Two are very well known and have clear provenances… chassis 1293s (ex-Ludvigsen) and 1294s (now owned by Alex Vazeos), and a third the Road & Track cover car, is featured here for the first time in competition.

While doing last minute research for this article and with the help of William Edgar and Peter Vanlaw, we found some new insights about the Moretti Gran Sports that went though the hands of West Coast importer Ernie McAfee. The competition record of the GS is quite good, but hard to research. Next week in Part II we’ll provide what we know and hopefully readers can add to the list of events.

Saving the Gran Sports

Moretti-GS-750-Ludvigsen

Karl Ludvigsen at the Mille Miglia in 1998 with Moretti GS#1293s. He found, restored and cared for the car for twenty years before selling it to Larry Auriana in 1998.

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Cross Country Miura

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Guy Anderson is a famous exotic car dealer from the South who has identified himself with some of the most exciting cars including Ferrari, Lamborghini and the Cobra. Along the way he has had many adventures, some of which were harrowing at the time but are a good laugh now. He shared one story after being prodded by VT contributor Wallace Wyss

Story and Photos by Guy Anderson

This tale begins with the purchase of a pair of Miuras. One was a 1966 P400 that was painted in white with red and blue accents. The slats, eyelashes, rockers, bumpers and grills were painted in either red or blue. It was bizarre to look at, kind of a “beater”. The second car was a pale blue 1969 “S” with the paint being considered flat, not very glossy.

Both cars were the property of a man who advertised them in www.motors.co.uk.. When I saw the ad I immediately called the owner and struck up a deal to purchase the pair. I sent him a deposit and prepared to venture to Lake Tahoe to drive both the cars back to Atlanta, Georgia, a distance of approximately 2,500 miles.

The early P400 was running but the brakes did not work. The S would start but was popping and skipping “BAD” according to the owner.

The pictures of the cars arrived, but since the pictures were Polaroid shots, you couldn’t see anything but a faint blue and faint white silhouette of the Miuras sitting in a garage. After deliberating what tools and parts were needed to take, we decided on brake parts, alternator belts, points, plugs and a roll of high tension copper-core, spark plug wire and some spark plug ends. We also brought all tools necessary to make such a trip and a carb synchronizer for good measure. [Read more…] about Cross Country Miura

1975 Alfa Tipo 33-TT-12

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alfa-T33

By Alan Yankolonis

There are many stories surrounding the famous Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 that was developed during the period from 1967 through 1977 and there are still a few mysteries related to the provenance of some of these famous Alfas. Of particular interest was a car that was developed in 1975 as a test mule for modifications—AR-115-12-012, an experimental car that now resides in the Simeone Foundation. Previously, there has been very little published about this car, and below we hope to put forth a few theories about the car’s competition record.

Much of the research for this article is from an excellent book published in 2005 and written by Peter Collins and Ed McDonough, entitled; Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 The Development and Racing History. The book covers the ten year span of the development of the Tipo 33 with its racing history and the difficulty of tracking the many chassis numbers, as well as the many rumors and myths surrounding this car model and Alfa Romeo in general.

Alfa T33

The Simeone Alfa T33 as it appears today. The car had been restored by Ambrosiana Motor Car of Italy in 1988 and acquired by Dr. Fred Simeone shortly thereafter.

In the Collins/McDonough book, I read with interest that chassis number AR-115-12-012 which now resides with the Simone Foundation, received little mention as to its participation in the 1975 World Championship of Makes (WCM) (later called the World Sports Car Championship). Chassis #012 did not receive credit for participation in any of the WCM races that year, although a few races did not have chassis numbers listed. As best as I can determine five chassis were utilized in 1975, serial numbers ending in: 008, 009, 010, 011, and one test car. Could it be that #012 was in fact the test car?

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Our Features This Week, May 2nd 2012

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Coming later today, May 9th:
Inside the Paddock Winner
Moretti Times Three
Alfa T33 Mystery
Josef Ganz and the VW
Miura Across America

And, Happy Birthday, Greg Vack!

If you are a Premium Subscriber and would like have a chance to win a copy of “Inside the Paddock” (US shipping FREE), send me your name now..this is the last week of the offer.

Below. find out where you can watch the Alfas from Scuderia Portello in May begining this weekend in Monaco. Tell them “VeloceToday” sent you…

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Sign up for our Premium Subscription now to get a chance to win the hot, and hot off the press “Inside the Paddock”. We’ve extended the deadline to May 4th to enter the contest for this fascinating book on race car tranporters! To enter, send your name and address to vack@cox.net.
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Racing Car Transporter Art

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Mike's depiction of the Scuderia Lancia Transporter, circa 1955.

By Pete Vack

Inside the Paddock was one of those very special books for this reviewer as it was not considered a job, but a joy. Reading was therefore accorded the status of pleasure, something to be done slowly at the end of the day while relaxing and extending the happy experience of turning the pages one at a time, a few each night from beginning to end without need to jump about.
[Read more…] about Racing Car Transporter Art

Gauld on the Ecurie Ecosse Transporter

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Ecurie Ecosse transporter

Brand new, the Ecurie Ecosse Transporter arrives at Silverstone in 1960 with a brace of D-type Jaguars on top.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Throughout the years, racing cars have been dragged to race meetings all over the World in different forms of transport. Today nearly every paddock for an International or National series sees a polished line of modern trucks. However, it was not always this way; when the Scottish racing team Ecurie Ecosse started out in 1952 the drivers initially drove their Jaguar XK120’s to and from the local circuits and then used a 1932 Leyland for circuits further away.

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Via Flaminia Pre-War Tour, May 26th to June 1st

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The Via Flaminia Tour in 2011 was a great success, and the winner in a 1937 Citroën Traction are Ruud and Miriam Wesselink. They won the Bulova watch and the challenge cup. This year the Via Flaminia Pre War will start in Trieste. After 1200 kilometers and the legendary passes through the Dolomites the rally will end in the historic centre of Udine. This delightlfully cozy rally has only 25 entry positions so be quick to grab the last entry. Service team, baggage car and film/photo crew included. Only € 2.990,- for a great week of motoring fun. The formula for success remains much the same. A daily drive of about 170 km, a light competitive element but most of all plenty of enjoyable scenery and accommodations. Transport from Dusseldorf by car train.

For all inquiries contact Bart Kleyn at 0031 6 242 343 45 or b.kleyn@via-flaminia.com. For more information visit Via-Flaminia.com.

Ollon Villars 1958: AC Zagato, Lotus Ghia-Aigle

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Graham Gauld finds oddities at the 1958 Ollon Villars Hillclimb

Clearly the readers of VeloceToday have enquiring minds. They appear to warm to the oddities of this world and no doubt in future months the odd oddity will make its way into my features. Just to give you a warm up I want to take you back to 1958 when Brazil won the world soccer cup and Mike Hawthorn became the first Englishman to win the World Formula 1 drivers championship.

I had decided to return to Modena to see what was happening since last I had been there, but I was stuck as I did not have a car – even though I was sports editor of an automobile magazine. The fact that a friend loaned me his Heinkel three-wheel “bubble car” and I drove it from Scotland to Modena and back…including over the Alpine passes…is another story but we were tough back then as well as stupid! However, on the way to Modena I planned to go to the European Hill Climb Championship event at the Ollon-Villars Hill Climb near Lake Geneva.

Hans Herrmann on the line at Ollon-Villars with the Borgward 1500. Note Wolfgang von Trips looking at him behind the car with von Trips’ RSK lined up behind. The red and white car is Albert Leuenberger’s Lotus II-Maserati with a 1500cc engine.

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Gordini Transporter

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By Roy Smith, historical images copyright Bob Dance

Our lead photo is of the Gordini Transporter Recreation, based on a Laffly chassis and it is actually a race car transporter, not a support truck. Sadly, the original vehicle, based on a Lancia 3RO 6.8 liter, no longer exists as we are given to understand, though many stories abound.

We thought it might be interesting to recall some of the highlights or maybe lowlights of one of the most recognisable racing car support vehicles to grace the paddocks of Europe’s racing circuits in the 1950s. [Read more…] about Gordini Transporter

Ferrari Transporters

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By Pete Vack, Roy Smith and Graham Gauld

As you recall, Marshall Buck reviewed the superb 1/18 scale Ferrari Transporter last December. But recently we came across some other information about the Fiat Bartolettis shared by Ferrari and Maserati, with the help of Roy Smith and Graham Gauld. Combine that with some new images of the “Old Car” 1/43 Ferrari Transporter yours truly dug up out of the past and poof, out comes this article.

The Editor should also mention that Graham’s Maserati transporter photo will be used in his new book on Maserati to be published later this year. French-wise, later, in another article, Roy Smith will tell us a little about the Gordini transporter, the full story of which will appear in his Gordini book, also to be published later on this year.

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Our Features This Week, April 18th, 2012

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We are back, just in time to help celebrate Bill Milliken’s birthday. Last week, many asked us where the new stories were in VeloceToday. We were on an all-too short break, but it also serves to remind us that if our readers don’t either contribute or become a Premium Subscriber, VeloceToday will not be there at all. We need your help to continue to bring you these aticles each week!

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