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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

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Jim Sitz: Faces ’57

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Behold the art of Jim Sitz, an 18-year-old Californian who was already steeped in racing knowledge and an expert photographer when arrived in Europe in the summer of that magical, epochal, dangerous year of 1957. Sitz was not wealthy, but worked and saved for two years in order to afford the trip that would change his life forever. And after 67 years his photographs and memories are still enriching our lives.

We have assembled a portrait gallery of fourteen of the greatest race drivers of the era, adding Jim’s personal recollections including his first-hand report of Fangio’s German Grand Prix. Also herein are Jean Behra, Mike Hawthorn, Luigi Musso, Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Oliver Gendebien, Ron Flockhart, Archie Scott Brown, Masten Gregory, Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill, Harry Schell and Ken Miles.

Story and photos by Jim Sitz

Lead Photo: Masten Gregory (29 February 1932 – 8 November 1985) sitting in the Testa Rossa prototype before the 1957 Swedish 6 Hour on August 11 where the car was retired with gearbox failure. A week earlier at the Nurburgring I joked with him, saying he’d should be very careful and that I’d seen him spin his C type Jag at March Field in 1953. “Oh God, you mean you were there?” he replied. [Read more…] about Jim Sitz: Faces ’57

American Etceterini: The PBX Goes Racing

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One of the first pictures taken of Candy and the unpainted PBX before it went racing. Credit Poole collection.

By Sean Smith

The PBX was also punching above its class. Some of its victories were against cars with twice the displacement. Candy was an excellent driver, but he was also a great tactician. He didn’t just arrive and drive. When he went to a track, he came with multiple differentials with ratios from 6.0 to 4.875. He would match them with multiple sets of wheels 12”, 13”, 14” right up to 15”, depending on the length and grade of the course. Candy also added a jack to the front springs, allowing him to dial more spring tension and dial it out as needed. The same went for the rear. The differential acted as an anti-roll bar, and depending on how he adjusted the radius arms and upper control arms, he could get more stiffness in the rear. That way, he could totally control the front and rear handling dynamic and make the car completely neutral.

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Frank Lance, Lonestar Mechanic, Part 8

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Galveston, Summer of 1966. Frank Lance next to one of John Mecom’s Lola T70s. Although Galveston was not an important race, the car was entered for George Follmer since Mecom liked to support his hometown events. Afterward the crew would have a party at John’s apartment at the Galveston Yacht Club. No, your eyes are not going bad, the face is a bit blurred int the original photograph. [Photo: Frank Lance Collection]

Story by Willem Oosthoek

After a year with Shelby American, the lack of insight in the future with the Ford program after the Le Mans disaster made Frank Lance return to his previous employer, John Mecom in Houston. Little did he know what a success story the Fords would become at Le Mans in 1966 and 1967. He rejoined the Mecom Racing Team in July 1965.

Frank: “When I got back to Mecom’s I never saw the Hussein. I didn’t know where it was. It was not in the shop. The Lola Mk 6 Coupe wasn’t there either. John didn’t keep his old race cars for long. All that was present at the time were two Lolas T70.”

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2023 Freddie March Spirit of Aviation

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Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The 2023 Freddie March Spirit of Aviation (as differentiated from the Freddie March Memorial Race for automobiles) was again held as part of the Goodwood Revival on September 13th. For VeloceToday, this is not a time sensitive event, and allows us to publish this unusual article at any time. And time just flies by…

Whilst it would be very easy for a UK-based aviation event to fill a whole airfield with warbirds of the fighter and bomber variety, it is the mix of aircraft found at Goodwood that makes the Freddie March event so special. [Read more…] about 2023 Freddie March Spirit of Aviation

American Etceterini: Genesis of a Champion

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The PBX racing at Brynfan Tyddyn courtesy of The Old York Road Club Collection.

Story by Sean Smith

Shelby, Balchowsky, Poole. We all know about Carroll Shelby modifying a diminutive English roadster, sticking an American V8 under the bonnet, and taking on the racing world. Many might have heard the legend of Max Balchowsky, who took a plethora of parts sourced from the junkyard, dropped in Buick V8 nailhead engine and beat the best of Europe with some of the most significant racing drivers of the time behind the wheel.

But how many can say they know of Candy Poole and the PBX? [Read more…] about American Etceterini: Genesis of a Champion

Frank Lance, Lonestar Mechanic Part 7

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Le Mans, June 1965. Saturday 4 PM and in front of a full house, the always spectacular Le Mans-type start. The white Maserati Tipo 65 of Jo Siffert makes the fastest getaway, but up front the Fords manage good starts as well, with Chris Amon [#2], Bob Bondurant [#7] and Bruce McLaren [#1] on the move. [Photo by Flip Schulke, Willem Oosthoek Collection]

By Willem Oosthoek All photos by Henri Beroul [Willem Oosthoek Collection], unless stated otherwise.

After the GT40 successes at Daytona and Sebring in early 1965, it was time to concentrate on the June Le Mans 24 Hours, for which a test weekend was scheduled in April.

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Gauld Visits Aladdin’s Motor Sport Cave

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Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Most of the finest motor sport collections and museums are well known, but this is one I first heard about a few years ago now thanks to the late Adrian Hamilton who, with his father Duncan Hamilton, ran a successful garage business which specialized in buying and selling racing and sports cars in Hampshire, England.

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Clyde Berryman (1954-2023)

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Clyde Berryman, age 69, passed away of a heart attack on December 31st, 2023, surrounded by his loving wife Gulay and his daughter Ajda. Clyde was a man of many talents; an artist, author, anaylist, opera lover, art gallery mamager, and much more. The below article about his Grand Prix dioramas was published in April, 2019, followed by links to a few of his articles that appeared in VeloceToday. We will miss him greatly.

By Pete Vack
Photos by Clyde Berryman

Clyde Berryman began collecting die-cast model racing cars as a young boy in the early 1960s in Tripoli, Libya, where his father was working for a major oil company. His passion for motor racing dates back to this era, and hearing stories from longtime Italian residents of Libya talk about the glory days of the pre-WW II Tripoli Grand Prix held at the Mellaha circuit. [Read more…] about Clyde Berryman (1954-2023)

VeloceToday Readers Review “Ferrari”

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Well, we asked! Here are some vey astute reviews by people who know the subject very well. We present them in order of arrival.

By Burt Levy

Got to see Ferrari a few days ago and have, quite frankly, been gobsmacked by some of the fawning & enthusiastic early reviews I’ve seen online. Did we really see the same movie? To be honest, I really wanted to like it, and was hopeful it would present and perhaps even illuminate the career path, challenges and accomplishments of the enigmatic title character as well as the magnificence of the machines he built and the multi-layered and oft-Machiavellian motorsports juggernaut he both created and commanded. I was also hoping they would show a little respect and accuracy regarding the history. [Read more…] about VeloceToday Readers Review “Ferrari”

Year in Review: BAT Building

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Story by Paul Wilson
From the Archives, April, 2023

I’ve decided to build an Alfa BAT. Yes, I know it’s a crazy idea. The Men in White Coats, always worried about my sanity, will come for me if they find out. I hope they don’t read VeloceToday.

We’re all familiar with BAT 5, BAT 7, and BAT 9, experimental cars built on Alfa 1900 chassis in the ‘50s. Of course they were presented as studies in aerodynamics; the air flow theme dominates the designs. But this was just an excuse for making the wildest, most extravagant sculpture ever put on four wheels. It’s their function as expressive forms, not their drag reduction features, that gives them their status today.

Everybody agrees that they’re exciting, original, and eye-catching. But are they beautiful?

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The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari Part 2

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Fiction by Greg Glassner
Read Part 1

After Chub Olsen determined that the notorious Fon Portago 335 S Ferrari had found its way to a storage garage owned by his employer, Carlo Ludovico, he decided try to restore it.

One Friday night in May, Chub went all out and brought a jug of Jack Daniels Black and a bucket of KFC to the body shop. After they wolfed down fried chicken and biscuits and made a big dent in the bourbon, Chub brought out his research and told Carlo he knew the car under the tarp was the one involved in the Mille Miglia crash. “Is that why you say it’s cursed?” he asked. [Read more…] about The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari Part 2

The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari

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A fictional short story by Greg Glassner

Rodney “Chub” Olsen managed to get through four years at Slippery Rock State College with a BA in marketing followed by two years in the Army. He returned home to Milledgeton, Pennsylvania in 1975 to decide what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

Lacking direction and prospects, he latched onto a temporary position as a car salesman and “go-fer” at Carlo’s Used Cars, Towing and Body Shop, a modest multi-purpose enterprise loosely run along the lines of a fiefdom by Carlo Ludovico the hardworking, albeit mercurial proprietor.. Chub and his old high school buddies had hung around Carlo’s and Olson continued to do so through college.

Chub rented a room by the month at the rundown Lakeside Motel, which was at least a mile from the lake. His job as a car salesman included use of a “demonstrator” for transportation. This translated into whatever car no wary customer would touch with a ten-foot pole. “Beggars can’t be choosers,” Chub reasoned.

Carlo always had a few interesting imports and sports cars on his lot, which had originally attracted Chub and his pals to adopt the business as their hangout, but the bread and butter was quick turnover of cheap rides and “E-Z Financing.” These cars started out as wrecks that insurance companies had totaled. They were then resurrected by the boys in the body shop between customer jobs.

One day, in the deepest recesses of the out-building, he discovered a mangled wreck under a brown tarp with assorted fenders and bumpers piled on top.”

[Read more…] about The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari

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