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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

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Ferrari GTO S/N 3987

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Stephen Mitchell recalls his youth in California during the 60s and his GTO.

Filmmaker Stephen Mitchell recently wrote “Rendezvous Redux” for VeloceToday. Below, for the first time, is the full story behind Stephen Mitchell, the amazing YouTube videos and GTO 3987. And whether you view the two film clips before or after reading the article make sure you do and watch them all the way through. You will be amazed. Trust me.

GTOs at Willow Springs

The Great Putdown

In early 1964, Car and Driver’s Editor David E. Davis thought it would be a great idea to compare the new Pontiac GTO with a real Ferrari GTO, and bet the March cover on it. Came the big day and a Ferrari GTO couldn’t be found. Uh-oh.
[Read more…] about Ferrari GTO S/N 3987

Driving the Ferrari GTO

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Aside from the videos (which you don't want to miss) there are few still shots of Mitchell actually driving his GTO. But here is Tom Price enjoying his GTO in 2009. Photo by Richard Prince.

By Stephen Mitchell

Seen in the context of its time, there was nothing quite like the GTO.

When entering the cockpit, I never got used to the fact that the pedals were so close. I’m 5’10″ and my knees were splayed around the steering wheel in an effort to fit into the car. Anyone who has ever made this complaint about a Lusso (which I also owned at the time) or GTE never sat in a GTO! This lack of legroom was probably a result of the rearward placement of the engine for better weight distribution. The bulkhead behind the seat limited aft seat travel, so there was no way to adjust for comfort. I always had it in mind to have the pedals moved forward, but never did. You adapt to the GTO, it doesn’t adapt to you. I’ve heard similar remarks made about the Old Man.

Headroom was fine and the seat was comfortably wide. One of my favorite things about the car was the position of the gear lever in relation to the steering wheel. Visually, that marvelous aluminum gear knob looked as though it would be too high for comfort. One is accustomed to having to reach down for the lever to shift. With the GTO, the knob was only inches away from the wheel, so shifts could be made very quickly with a short lateral move of the hand. In front of you, the tachometer had a telltale that would move to…and remain at…the highest revs attained. I never exceeded 7500 rpm.

GTO shift lever and knob was more than prominent but well placed. This is the interior of chassis 4399 as photographed by Hugues Vanhoolandt.

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This Week of Interest: Win a Pebble Beach Poster Book

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This week we have another great prize, and just in time for Pebble Beach. Written by Robert T. Devlin, “Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance: The Art of the Poster” has 58 color plates of the Pebble Beach posters from 1950 to 2003. From the start, posters have been created to promote the Concours, and over time, these posters have become treasured works of art in themselves. Created by prominent artists, these posters not only document the history of the Pebble Beach Concours, they dramatically depict the importance of the automobile in our society and in our lives. Devlin discusses the art, the subject the times and the artists involved. We thank Dalton Watson for their contribution to our contest.

This week’s question: Name three reasons the creator of Dennis the Menace was important to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Email answers to pete@velocetoday.com by Friday Noon EDT August 12th.


Author and artist Wallace Wyss will be manning a booth at Concorso Italiano to introduce his new novel, “Ferrari Hunters.” We like our fiction to be fast and furious, and that’s what Wyss has achieved here. Michael Steadman, a part time detective and Ferrari hunter, an ex-Navy SEAL hired to investigate a murder and the theft of a $2 million prototype sports car. A great summer read and yes, we’ve read and it and couldn’t put it down. Wyss can be contacted at photojournalistpro@hotmail.com to place an order before August 19th. If you visit Wyss at his booth at Concorso, be sure to tell him VeloceToday sent you.


Our friend Dino Brunori, author of “Enrico Nardi, A fast life”, is helping to organize another event in Italy this September 24th and 25th. Called “Aido 2011” for short, it’s open to 80 red, white, green cars to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italy. The event will take place in the region of Brescia, 220 km across hills, vineyards, Lake Iseo and two Alpine passes. Click here for a report on last year’s event. Get your entries in now and send an email to Dino at dbrunori@gmail.com.
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Last week’s contest was won by Bob Rose, who was one of many who correctly named Linda Christian as the woman who last kissed Portago at Rome during the 1957 Mille Miglia. Christian had a role in “Tarzan and the Mermaids” in 1948.

The Lancia Flavia Zagato

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This immaculate Flavia Zagato was on Flickr, for sale in 2008. Credit Chill in Zonda.

A Close Encounter of the Third Kind

By Pete Vack

The brothers Zagato didn’t have a great deal of luck with Lancias.

The Appia Zagato was always too long and too little. Although somewhat successful in the Italian 1100cc events, the street version was underpowered and overwheelbased, and the 1100cc engine strained at anything like racing speeds. From the front it was attractive, but the side view and rear view failed to delight. From the same era, the Abarth, Alfa and the Bandini Zagatos (only one built), were far more pleasing to the eye.
[Read more…] about The Lancia Flavia Zagato

This Week, of Interest: Win a Signed Schumacher Print

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Contest: Win a Ferrari F1 print signed by Michael Schumacher
Morry Barmak at Collector’s Studio in Toronto, Canada, has donated this 8.5×11.5 print of the Ferrari F2005 as driven by Michael Schumacher and signed by the seven time world champion. (See the new arrivals at Collector’s Studio.)

To Win: Answer these questions in an email address to pete@velocetoday.com by 12 noon EDT Friday August 5th 2011. Entrants with complete answers will be then drawn from a hat.

The famous womanizer Marquis de Portago was last kissed by who, when, where, and in what Tarzan movie did his last lover appear?

Last week’s winner of the Pena Rin poster was Richard Diver from Canada.

We also want to remind our readers of Automobilia Monterey 2011

The 9th Annual presentation of the serious collector’s “Candy Store”, with the only opportunity during Concours/Vintage Race Week to see these 40+ selected international dealers in a single venue!
Show hours as follows:
Tuesday, August 16, 2011: opens at 10am and closes at 6pm
Wednesday, August 17, 2011: opens at 10am and closes at 7pm

Located, as always, at:
The Embassy Suites, Seaside, CA
US 1 & Route 218, just north of 68 [Salinas-Monterey Highway]

Admission & Silent Auction, benefiting The Monterey Rape Crisis Center: Single day $15 ~ Two-day $20

For Questions: tony@automobiliamonterey.com

This Week, of Interest: Win Rendezvous Art

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Contest: Win a Rendezvous Poster
Artist Chad Glass, along with filmmaker Stephen Mitchell, got together to envision what a modern version of the famous “Rendezvous” video would entail. Instead of a Mercedes, it would be more fun to do the dash across Paris in a Ferrari 458 Italia. (Read story) Chad is offering an 18 x 24 inch print of this image to our contest winner.

To Win: Easy! VeloceToday would like your opinion. Answer these questions in an email address to pete@velocetoday.com by 12 noon EDT Friday July 29th 2011. Entrants with complete answers will be then drawn from a hat.
1. What do you like best about VeloceToday?
2. What do you like least about VeloceToday?
3. What can we do to improve VeloceToday?

Last week’s winner was Richard Diver from Canada. Thanks to all who entered.

Next week, August 3rd, enter our contest to win a Ferrari F1 photo signed by Michael Schumacher. This week, scroll down for five new articles.

(Vignale) Ferrari Beaters

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A personal account by Eric Davison
With thanks to Marcel Massini and Richard F. Merritt

The recent story by Wallace Wyss about Ferrari ‘beaters’ (The Joy of Beater Ferraris) brought back a memory about a time when there were even Vignale Ferraris that were beaters, although that pejorative had not yet been used in conjunction with automobiles.

Unlike today when the name Ferrari evokes dollar signs and the older the Ferrari the more dollar signs, in the late 50s and early 60s an old Ferrari sports racing car was just a tired old piece of outdated aluminum that had outlived its competitive life having been surpassed by the latest model.

0332MM in the early 1990s after a complete restoration. Car in lead image above is not 0332MM. Photo courtesy Marcel Massini

But, there were people who had an inkling of what was to come. One such man was a gentleman named Herb Armstrong. Herb was employed by Chrysler International and was headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. [Read more…] about (Vignale) Ferrari Beaters

24 Karat Ferrari GTO Art to be Unveiled at Pebble Beach

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Dante Rubli is an internationally known artist who has been creating unique works of art for twenty five years. Based in Bern, Switzerland, Dante uses such diverse materials as wood, steel, gold, and platinum for his custom furniture, and now, automobiles. [Read more…] about 24 Karat Ferrari GTO Art to be Unveiled at Pebble Beach

This Week, of Interest: Time Warp 275 GTB; Win a Poster

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Stop press

Although a Ferrari 275 GTB was NOT the car used in the famous video “Rendezvous”, (see article below) here’s one that has been in a time warp that just came to our attention. Ferrari hunter Tom Shaugnessy recently obtained this totally original, virtually untouched alloy bodied 275 GTB and it will appear at Concorso this year, then be up for auction at the Gooding later in the weekend. Tom found it ealier this month at a Ferraris specialist shop. Good luck Tom…

This week’s contest

To win this poster courtesy of the Simeone Foundation , tell us what Frenchman, later to drive for Scuderia Ferrari, did not finish in this event. Last week’s winner was Gérard Gaud from France. We had multiple winners and we drew the name from hat. This week we’ll do the same. Entries close on Friday at 12 noon EDT USA. Send all entries to pete@velocetoday.com.

This week, things French

*Film maker Stephen Mitchell, new to VeloceToday, starts off the set by telling us how director Claude Lelouch influenced his life and work and ponders a recreation of his most famous work, “Rendezvous.” “Let’s do it again in a 458 Italia”, he says.

*Next comes two articles about the amazing blazing Renault Shooting Star, which sounds even nicer in French as “Etoile Filante”. The first part is free, (Freemium) feature, the second is for our Premium Members only. So please join up. You won’t be disappointed!

*Then, top photog Hugues Vanhoolandt sent us what he liked about the Goodwood Festival this year–at least the French and Italian cars he caught going up the hill.

Renedezvous Redux? Reflections on Claude Lelouch

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Would it be possible to recreate Claude Lelouch's legendary film 'Rendezvous'? Director Stephen Mitchell would use a new Italia.. Original art, 'Rendezvous with 458 Italia' for VeloceToday by Chad Glass.

By Stephen Mitchell
Artwork by Chad Glass
French Translation follows English text

When Stephen Mitchell was recently introduced to VeloceToday by Wallace Wyss, he told us a bit about himself, mentioning Ferrari, film making, and Paris. We added this up and asked him his thoughts on, of course, Claude Lelouch’s film ‘Rendezvous’. Bingo!! We pressed the right button.

Mitchell was born and raised to have a Hollywood career–literally. A native of Los Angeles, he studied sound, cinematography and editing with department heads from CBS Cinema Center in Studio City, California where Steve McQueen had his Solar Productions. Working as an extra and in small speaking parts in Hollywood films, he practically lived on the set of the television series Mission: Impossible as a family friend directed many of the show’s episodes. Obviously a film career was in the making, but instead of Hollywood, Mitchell’s film career began in France. “I went to Paris because I saw a film by Claude Lelouch—“A Man and a Woman”. It showed me exactly the kind of film I wanted to be making and it wasn’t happening in Hollywood.” We’ll let Mitchell take it from here…

While my interest in films was already well established, strangely enough my passion for cars took root while I was recovering from a head-on collision on the Ventura Freeway. I wasn’t expected to live through the first night but, in the end, my father and I both survived. I read one Road & Track magazine after another, learning and becoming excited about Ferraris, Formula One and the incredible collection of personalities that populated those worlds. It was family friend and mentor Paul Stanley, the director who issued a standing invitation to visit the sets he worked on, who told me I should see A Man and a Woman. (1966) It had impressed him and he figured I would like it, too. That was an understatement. [Read more…] about Renedezvous Redux? Reflections on Claude Lelouch

French and Italian Cars at Goodwood Festival

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Renault has come a long way since the post-war days of the Shooting Star and the Dauphine. The 1977 Renault RS01 was Renault’s first attempt in Formula 1, using turbo technology. Nicknamed ‘the yellow teapot’, Renault became a winner only two years after their difficult debut in F1.

Hugues Vanhoolandt brings us the best of France and Italy, Goodwood Style.

Every year since 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Southern England attracts the best of the cars and drivers from past and present and even provides a look at the future of the automobile.

One of the themes of this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was “Giant steps in motor racing history”, and to illustrate the theme, some French cars in attendance were really appropriate. To mention a few, a 1930 Bugatti Type 53 four-wheel drive, the 1964 CD-Panhard with its aerodynamic shape to suit the straights of Le Mans, the four-wheel steering Peugeot 405 T 16 ‘Pikes Peak’, the 1977 Renault Turbo that revolutionized F1 and the 2010 electric powered Citroën Survolt. French cars have been on the leading edge of technological changes since the invention of the automobile.
Only the Festival of Speed can bring together so many different cars to give an instant view of more than a century of automotive history and this year Ferrari and Fiat were in showing cars that covered the span of that century. Chris Evans’ collection alone was worth the trip!

Peugeot won three times Indy 500, in 1913, 1916 (this car) and 1919.

Bugatti was a pioneer of four-wheel drive and tried it in the Bugatti T53.

Bugatti T54 of 1931 won on the Avus circuit, near Berlin, with Achille Varzi at the wheel.

The CD-Panhard (1964), propelled by a little .85 litre 2 cylinder engine, was build to win the Index of Performance at Le Mans. With its drag coefficient of 0.12, it topped out at 140 mph in the Hunaudières.

With the V12 MS670 of 1972, Matra became the first French marque to win at Le Mans since 1950. Here is the MS670B model of 1973.

The Peugeot 905, with carbon fibre monocoque and F1-style engine, succeeded Matra on the Le Mans winner’s list in 1992 and 1993.

Peugeot not only won Indy on American soil, but also Pikes Peak with the four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering 405 Turbo 16 in 1988 with Ari Vatanen driving.

After retiring from F1 in 1985, Renault became engine supplier for Williams with whom they won nine F1 world championships between 1989 and 1997. Renault recently announced that they will again provide engines to the Williams team next year.

Is the future electric ? Citroën seems to think so but electric is not necessarily dull and boring as demonstrate the Survolt.

Italians

A hundred years ago, engines with huge capacity were common on the racing scene as this Fiat S74 Grand Prix of 1911 using a 14.2 Litre 4-cylinder engine.

Originally a Grand Prix racer, this Fiat was rebuilt as a record-breaker in 1923 by Ernest Eldridge, using a 21.7 Litre aero engine. Called the ‘Mefistofele’, it reached 146 mph top speed in 1924.

Ferrari 340 America Touring coupé s/n 0122 A of David Cottingham of DK Engineering took Best of Show in the Cartier Style and Luxe Concours d’Elégance.

This Ferrari 375 MM spyder Pinin Farina s/n 0382 AM has been raced extensively in the US by Bill Spear and Duncan Black between 1954 an 1958.

250 GTL, 275 GTB, 365 GTC, 288 GTO, F40, all part of the collection of BBC Radio & TV presenter Chris Evans ...

as is this 250 GTO s/n 4675 GT that Evans acquired last year from the Matsuda Collection.

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason brought his 365 GTB/4 Daytona Group 4 with 1972 Le Mans Ecurie Francorchamps livery.

In 1952, Ferrari sent some 375 Grand Prix cars to Indianapolis in order to conquer the brickyard, but without success. This car is now part of the Louwman Collection, in the Netherlands.

Lancia D50 had fuel tanks placed in the pontoons for a better weight distribution. This example is an exact replica of the 1954 model.

The Ferrari 312 B3, due to Mauro Forghieri, brought three wins to the Cavallino Rampante in 1974.

Every year, most of the F1 teams are present at Goodwood and Ferrari is no exception, with the F10 model of last year, driven by test driver Marc Gene.

This Week, of Interest: Win the Best Nardi Book Ever

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To win a copy of Dino Brunori's Nardi book, (click on photo to read book review) tell us the year and make of the car in this photo. Send your answer to pete@velocetoday.com before 12 noon EDT, Friday, July 15th 2011.

Our winner last week was Paul Jewell, who, along with many others, correctly answered that the mascherina was the Giulietta grille and of course in front of the car. Paul told us his father owns a Giulietta and he would give Evan’s book to him as a present. Now that’s neat. Many thanks to all who entered!

This week, an even bigger book is our prize as we celebrate another successful Le Mitichie a Bassano. Last week’s contest process worked well, so it will continue; there will probably always be mulitple correct answers, so we’ll put them in a hat and make a drawing the old analog way. In addition, our friends from Australia said, please, add another day before closing the contest as they are a day behind us. Identify the car and year made in the photo above and send your answer to pete@velocetoday.com before 12 noon EDT July 15th 2011.

Not only has Dino Brunori authored the best Nardi book ever (and our best selling book), but is instrumental in organizing the beautiful barchettas at Bassano event. Again this year Charles Schoendorf writes the story from behind the wheel of his Arnolt Bristol.

To keep with the theme of small Italian cars this week, we offer up a bit about Abarth Days in Italy, thanks to Roberto Motta. More to come on Abarths soon.

We welcome a new advertizer, and an important one. Borrani Americas wants to make sure you know all about Borrani’s current line of wheels and services. We want you to know all about the fascinating history of Borrani and the wire wheel, and kick it off with an introduction in this edition of VeloceToday. We’ll start with the basics…like did you know you could get Borranis for your Cadillac? And be sure to check out the new line of Borrani wheels from X to S.

The we have the sleeper GP–which came alive in a big way on the very last lap. See Erik’s report on the British Grand Prix.

Scroll away!

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