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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

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Angoulême, Circuits des Remparts, 16-18 September

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Heavenly vintage racing at Angouleme France.

Story and photos by Ian Wilson

The city of Angouleme hosts many superb festivals and colourful events throughout the year, and the third week in September is no exception seeing the annual Circuits des Remparts return to the town. Weeks of preparation have seen crash barriers put in place, marquees erected, local people reminded, and shop windows decorated with a race theme. Race weekend is here, and the place will again ring to the sound of engines. [Read more…] about Angoulême, Circuits des Remparts, 16-18 September

This Week, of Interest

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VeloceToday’s Michael T. Lynch to speak at Watkins Glen

Michael T. Lynch

Michael T. Lynch

Two award-winning motorsports authors will be the featured speakers at the International Motor Racing Research Center’s October 8 celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first Formula One race at Watkins Glen. The talks begin at 1 p.m. Authors Michael T. Lynch and Gordon Kirby will discuss America’s World Champions, Phil Hill and Mario Andretti. Lynch, co-author of “American Sports Car Racing in the 1950s,” will focus on Hill, World Champion in 1961. Kirby will speak about 1978 champion Andretti, subject of his “Mario Andretti: A Driving Passion.”

Art Show at the IMRRC.

Several regional artists have been gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Formula One race in Watkins Glen at the International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC). On October 8th an art exhibit titled ‘The Art of Formula One’, will commemorate this occasion featuring the beauty and power of Formula One racing. The exhibit will spotlight images created by artists who have a unique personal history of attending the racing events at the Glen, bringing to life to the stories and the data that were part of this era of world class racing in Watkins Glen. The ‘Art of Formula One’ will open with an artist’s reception on October 8th from 4:00PM to 6:00PM and will remain on display until November 19th. For further information please contact Cynthia Hill or Jon McKnight, Director of Marketing at the International Motor Racing Research Center at (607) 535-9044 or by email, oldracerjon@gmail.com

2011 Supaloc Classic Targa Adelaide

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Guy Standen and Andrew Coles, 1974 Fiat 124 Sport CC on Montacute stage.

Story and photos by Vince Johnson

The 2011 Supaloc Classic Targa Adelaide, held from 14-17 September, marked the return of classic rally cars to the hills around the South Australian capital. Covering over 200 kilometres of special stages on closed roads, this first round of the 2011 Australian Targa Championship revived memories of the Classic Adelaide Rally, last run in 2009. Outright winner in that event, Kevin Weeks, has signed his company, Supaloc Steel Building Systems, to a four-year deal as naming rights sponsor. [Read more…] about 2011 Supaloc Classic Targa Adelaide

This Week, of Interest

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Mystery car no more.


Last week reader Bill Spear emailed a photo taken from Life magazine back in the 1950s. We don’t know when or where the photo was taken, but while Spear has always thought it neat, he had no idea what the car is, who built it, nada.

So of course he sent it to us. After doing a bit of searching, we could find nothing definite. It was time to call in the real experts. We turned to Dino Brunori, author of “Enrico Nardi, a Fast Life”, who replied:

The car is a Fiat 1100 body by Carrozzeria Ala d’Oro from Reggio Emilia, built in 1948. Carrozzeria Ala d’Oro was founded in 1946 by Franco Bertani, a gentleman driver italian champion in 1938 1100cc class, and Officine Reggiane in Reggio Emilia.

Officine Reggiane was a small factory that grow up during the war, manufacturing parts for airplanes, mainly wings and cockpits, and therefor had nothing to do at the end of the war.

The workforce was rescued by Bertani with the set up of Carrozzeria Ala d’Oro. The Ala d’Oro bodied most part of the first Stanguellini production cars and several sports models, plus artisans cars and trucks. This 1100 was originally fitted with an hard top very similar to an airplane cockpit (see picture). The design was an in-house work. The car still exist in the hands of an italian collector.

Our thanks to Bill Spear for the question and Dino Brunori for the answer!

Photo courtesy Dino Brunori.

Fairfield County Concours

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At the Fairfield County Concours, I spotted a fantastic ‘Barn Find’ 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux Coupe. The pre-auction estimate was $150,000-200,000. I knew that these were very desirable models even in such sad shape and I was not surprised to find out the next day that it sold for significantly over this estimate at $337,000!

Story and Photos by Werner Pfister

Fabulous weather, fantastic cars and a good cause underscored the Fairfield County Concours in Westport, Connecticut this past weekend. Since its humble beginning eight years ago in Westport’s Veterans Green on Main Street, this event has grown into a world class event at the expansive Fairfield County Hunt Club.
[Read more…] about Fairfield County Concours

This Week, of Interest

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Today:
*Brandes Elitch on the Alfa 1900SS Ghia
*Alessandro Gerelli takes us to the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti
*Newcomer Al Axelrod highlights WWII planes and classic cars at Morgan Adams, Colorado
*Roberto Motta’s full report with images of the surprising Rally Australia
*Erik Nielsen is back with the Grand Prix of Italy

Coming up:
*Larry Crane reviews a Delahaye history
*Ed McDonough drives a very special Delahaye
*Karl Ludvigsen on his Talbot
*Michael T. Lynch on the GTO
*Roberto Motta and the Editor on the Abarth SP 1000
*Eric Davison’s Watkins Glen Memoirs

Brandes Elitch on the Alfa 1900 SS Ghia

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Eltich found this rare one off Ghia Alfa at Concorso. But does it have a twin? Photo by Petya Elitch.

By Brandes Elitch
Color photos by Petya Elitch

“The early fifties were a magical time for all Italian coachbuilding, one of those magical moments when, for no particular reason…a series of favorable conjunctures determine the success…of an entire category. These were the years in which the Italian bodywork line was born…Mario Boano participated in Italian coachbuilding’s moment of grace with the Lancia Aurelia B20 and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. A third model worth remembering is the 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 C coupe. This is a model which is understandably influenced by Ghia’s contemporary work with the Chrysler stylists.”
From “Ghia, Catalog Raisonne, by Valerio Moretti, Automobilia, 1991, Milan

While not as famous as Pininfarina or Giugiaro, Ghia has an illustrious history, employing designers such as Michelotti, Frua, Savonuzzi, Boano, Exner, Tjaarda, Giugiaro, Sapino, and others. Most American collectors would be surprised to learn that the contract for the Lancia B20 was personally given to Ghia by Gianni Lancia, although it is one of the best known of Pinin Farina’s products. Likewise, they would be surprised to learn that Alfa Romeo gave Ghia stylists Boano and Scaglione the brief for the Giulietta, which was then produced by Bertone. There are a lot of surprises in the Ghia Catalog Raisonne. On page 148 is a picture of a 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 C, a straight side view. In this view, there are a few seemingly contradictory design elements, but there is no question that it is a compelling design. And then it was my turn to be surprised, when I saw this same car, now a show quality restoration, likely better than new, on the field at the Concorso Italiano during the Monterey Historics.

Elitch ponders the Ghia's influence on the 1964 Mustang and wonders what would Bob Cumberford think? Photo by Petya Elitch.

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Morgan-Adams Concours 2011

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1963 330 America 2+2, Chuck and Janice Kirkpatrick at Morgan Adams.

CENTENNIAL COLORADO AIRPORT, August 27th

Text and Photos by Al Axelrod

A concours event at an airport? Didn’t we all complain when Concorso Italiano was held at the airport a few years ago? But when the planes are vintage WWII like the P51 and a B25 combined with a select group of excellent vintage cars and bikes, the airport setting becomes a plus rather than a liability. And that was the ambiance of the Morgan Adams Concours, held on August 27, 2011
[Read more…] about Morgan-Adams Concours 2011

This Week, of Interest

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Monterey’s Magazines and our Contributors

Every year, each of the events at Monterey produce their own high quality, ultra slick event magazines. The feature articles are of course the gems, surrounded by luxurious advertisements. Although VeloceToday correspondents have written for these publications in the past, 2011 seems to a banner year. Here are the articles written by VeloceToday contributors (in alphabetical order) that appeared at Monterey this year:

Karl E. Ludvigsen
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Program:
Moss, 722 and the 1955 Mille Miglia.

Michael T. Lynch
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Program:
The Last of the Grand Touring Race Cars: The Ferrari GTO

The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering Program:
A Playground for the City of Speed (History of Riverside International Raceway)
Reunion to Quail Run (Reprise of 2010 Event)

Pete Vack
Concorso Italiano Events Magazine:
Ferrari F50: The Essential Thinly Disguised Grand Prix Car

Wallace Wyss
Concorso Italiano Events Magazine:
Confessions of a (former) Barn Finder

There are six new in articles VeloceToday this week so scroll down…

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The Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for Sunday, September 18, Westport, CT. with a full day of programs on Saturday, Sept. 17. Three Cunningham C-3s will be on view at the show: a recently discovered Barn Find, a fully restored example owned by VeloceToday Contributor Chuck Schoendorf, and Briggs Cunningham’s car that is still in the collection of his family.

This Week, of Interest

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VeloceToday is a bit late this week due to Hurricane Irene, which left us without a/c, power, Internet, telephone and water for several days, reminding us of what the 17th century Williamsburg was really like. Our thanks to the members of Dominion Power of Virginia, who have done wonders to restore service in record time.

Our many correspondents have also been working overtime to bring you the following stories this week:

Eric Davison wrote the Belgian Grand Prix report. Eric is a contributor to VeloceToday, the author of the recent book “Snake Bit: Carroll Shelby’s Controversial Series 1 Sports Car”, and as we’ll see later on, attended Watkins Glen in 1948 and recorded those early events with a color camera. That’s over 63 years of watching and reporting on races! Quite a guy.
Hugues Vanhoolandt attended the Belgian Grand Prix for VeloceToday and returned with stunning exclusive photos to accompany Eric’s text.

Brandes Elitch begins our coverage of Monterey week with a view of a Lancia Flaminia at Concorso Italiano. Two more to come from Brandes and next week, as well as much more from our other correspondents who covered Holy Week for us.

Roberto Motta brings us the latest Rally results from Germany with many great action shots, plus the news of the Ferrari 458 Italia Spider.

Alessandro Gerelli brings us his views of the Italians at the Oldtimers Grand Prix at the Nurburgring held in August.

Now, who could ask for anything more?

VeloceToday Contest Winners, Prizes, and Answers

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6/22 Barry Morgan:“McQueen’s Machines.” IMRRC Raffle Tickets
6/29 Virgil Taylor: Wyss Artwork. 1964 Series II Ferrari GTO
7/6 Paul Jewell: Wilson “Giulietta Book.” Mascherina is the grille.
7/13 Gérard Gaud:“Nardi, a fast life.” Car in photo was a 1936 Morettini.
7/20 Richard Diver: Pena Rhin art. Four French Ferrari drivers retired in the race.
7/27 Rick Stephenson:“Rendezvous 458 Italia” poster. Ideas to improve VT.
8/3 Robert Rose: Schumacher print. Linda Christian last kissed Portago and was in “Tarzan and the mermaid”.
8/10 Kevin O’Malley: “The Art of the Poster”. Hank Ketcham was a resident, designed posters and a judge.
8/17 Ted Sechowicz: “Ferrari 250 GTO” GTOs have four Dzus on the nose and one for the oil filler flap located in the passenger side c-pillar.”
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Below, a summer re-run. We hope to be back with much much more next week, weather and hurricane Irene permitting.

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