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Jack Deren, from Hot Rods to Can Am P1

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Jack Deren with Penske in the center.

By John R. Wright
Photos from the Jack Deren collection

Jack Deren has packed more restorations, race prepared cars and time at race tracks all over the country than anyone I can think of off the top of my head. Over the years I have been going to the vintage weekend at the Glen I have talked with Jack off and on but he’s always been too busy to sit down for long. However, on a Glen vintage weekend in September of 2022, I sat down with Jack at breakfast. Our breakfast turned into lunch, and while he talked I took notes. What an interesting racing career he’s had with ups and downs but mostly interesting times. [Read more…] about Jack Deren, from Hot Rods to Can Am P1

1:12 Model: 1927 Fiat Type 806

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Story, color photos and model by Aldo Zana

From the VeloceToday Archives, August, 2019

It is quite unusual that a particular model car exhibits so many unique values: the only three-dimensional image of a racing car 1) built in a single unit, 2) raced only once, and 3) then destroyed for good.

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Who was D.M. Bartley?

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D.M. Bartley with Jean Behra, probably in 1959 at Sebring. We think 1959 as he is wearing a Ferrari lapel pin and placed second at the Sebring 12 hours driving a Ferrari 250 TR 59 with Cliff Allison. Others think that it might be 1957, the year Behra won with Fangio in a Maserati. But wearing a Ferrari lapel pin?

Like many of our readers, I often read articles by a ‘D.M. Bartley’ in a variety of automobile magazines in the 1950s and 1960s. And then, as now, I was fascinated by automotive journalists, be they Ken Purdy or Henry Manney, but there was scant information about Bartley, who remained a mystery for a number of years. Years ago, I decided to ask a few writers to tell us what they knew about D.M. Bartley. Jim Sitz, Karl Ludvigsen, and the late Denise McCluggage all pitched in with their impressions. Doing more research, through Clark University, we found Abigail Kimball, Bartley’s friend and neighbor, who was glad to provide even more information about Diana Bartley as well as a few photos from the Bartley collection. We begin with Abigail’s story.

Abigail Kimball:

Diana Bartley was born on June 18, 1926 in Toledo, Ohio. She died on July 31, 2011 at age 85 in New York City.

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Street/Race Ferraris at Retro

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1962 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodinamico

Photo Story by Jonathan Sharp

When you have finished looking at these delectable Street/race Ferraris displayed at this year’s Retro, which would you choose?

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Race Ferraris at Retro

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Ferrari 512S

Photo story by Jonathan Sharp

What a lineup of Ferrari race cars! Does it make me feel nostalgic? Unfortunately I did not get to see any of them race live in period, but I have seen the pictures in books, I have watched some of them being raced on the TV, or in the case of the 512S in the Steve McQueen film, I have read about their history’s and about the lives of the drivers, and of course I have now seen them some of them race in the historics. So which one gave me the greatest buzz?

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Four brave, beautiful girls, two R4s cross the continents

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Four beautiful girls, two R4s, and an expedition the length of the Western Hemisphere leave a trail of broken hearts…

By Roberto Motta
From the VeloceToday Archives, April 2011

Photos Courtesy of Renault Communications

Renault R4 has allowed generations of drivers the opportunity to take up the challenge of motorsports and to see the world at the same time. This tough little car competed in the 1962 East African Safari Rally (finishing fifth in class), the Monte Carlo Rally, the Expedition Michèle Ray, and the tough 1980 Paris-Dakar, all with success, proving that despite its ungainly looks, it was both reliable and versatile.

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Italians at Retromobile

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A stunning way to display this 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Berlinetta (#412035) by Touring.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Retromobile, February 3, 2023: If I had a £1 for every time I said WOW! (or words to that effect!) I would have had enough money to pay for the trip. Yes, Retromobile was back to its usual self. The big hitting dealers were back, the Artcurial Auction was jammed with lots on offer, there were tons of spare parts to buy and art to hang on your walls, and lots of visitors, though Friday was not so bad.

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Le Mans Cars at Retromobile

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Where the legend began. It is with a Chenard & Walcker Sport 3 Litre of this type that André Lagache and René Léonard won the first edition of the French classic in 1923. Its four cylinder 3 Litre engine developed 95 bhp and allowed to reach 145 km per hour.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

For the first time since 2020, the Parisian show is back at full strength, again spread over three halls. With more than 1,700 vehicles on display, Retromobile continues the tradition that began in 1976. No less than 125,000 people visited the show making it the second highest attendance since its inception. As this year the 24 Hours of Le Mans celebrates its centenary, many exhibitors brought classic racing cars that took part in the famous race.

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Exceptional French Cars at Retro

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Again, where the legend began… in 1873, Amédée Bollée built the first vehicle with mechanical and steam traction capable of carrying twelve passengers. In October 1875, Bollée completed the Le Mans-Paris journey in 18 hours but received 75 fines from the police!

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

We continue with our Retro coverage and highlight some of the many interesting and significant French classics.

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Graham Gauld’s Retro (2018)

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Story by Graham Gauld
From the VeloceToday archives, February 2018

There was a lot to talk about at Retromobile two weeks ago, particularly if you took a good look round some of the nooks and crannies, particularly in the upper floor of the exhibition hall.

For instance, Retromobile wanted to honor the great French racing driver Jean-Pierre Wimille who would have been celebrating his 110th birthday next week. Wimille was never truly appreciated outside his native France. Born in February 1908 he was immersed in motor sport from an early age as his father was one of France’s pioneering motoring journalists. Wimille took part in his first Grand Prix at the age of 22 in the French Grand Prix of 1930 held on the street circuit at Pau. He drove a Bugatti T37A and was immediately 5th fastest in practice but retired on the second lap when his supercharger broke.

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Paolo Martin: Visions in Design

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Review by Pete Vack

“In my opinion, in recent times, Italian design has faded a little, and has been diluted by other influences, so much so that it is losing its identity, both as a school and as a reference. Many believe that Italian Design does not exist any longer.”

So writes one of the most influential, if not the most well-known Italian designer in the world, who bridged the gap between the artisan culture of the mid-twentieth century coachbuilders to the AI, battery powered showcars of the present day. Paolo Martin, born in 1944 near Turin, has seen it all, apprenticing at the studio of Giovanni Michelotti in 1961 before moving on to Bertone, then a fantastic stint with Pininfarina, and again moving on to De Tomaso before going freelance in 1976. Martin’s epic life in many ways parallels that of Ercole Spada, Tom Tjaarda, Georgetto Guigiaro and Marcel Gandini. [Read more…] about Paolo Martin: Visions in Design

Paolo Martin’s Sigma Revisited

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The revolutionary Sigma Grand Prix car by Pininfarina and powered by Ferrari. Note the Ferrari mag wheels

Graham Gauld wrote this article a year ago, but in the meantime Roberto Motto came up with image of the Sigma from Pininfarina, while new information about Sigma came from Paolo Martin’s new book, Visions in Design, also reviewed this week. We put it all in a blender an came up with the story below. Ed.

Photos courtesy Pininfarina, Paolo Martin and Graham Gauld

“Some might feel inclined to remark, perhaps in a chiding tone, that this work has seduced us away from what has been our traditional path. We would certainly rebut such a charge.” Those words were uttered by Sergio Pininfarina when his company surprised everyone at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show by showing a startling one-off Grand Prix car, the Sigma.

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