The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Paul Wilson will be formally introducing his Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline Massachusetts on November 30.
Larz and Isabelle Anderson
Diplomat and ambassador Larz Anderson and his wife, Isabelle Weld Perkins, were fascinating people. Both were wealthy, but Isabelle was by far the richer.* [Read more…] about Paul Wilson and the Larz Anderson Museum
Dallas, November 1960. Frank Lance welding the cracked tubes on Jim Hall’s Birdcage Maserati, chassis 2463. The tube structure between the shock absorbers needed reinforcing as well.
As told by Frank Lance to Willem Oosthoek.
All photos by Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection] unless otherwise stated
I met Frank at the Old Race Drivers Reunion, organized by R. David Jones, a former SCCA top official, at his Soldier Creek Ranch in Fort Worth a few years ago. In addition to Frank, I met Bill Janowski, Delmo Johnson, Bob Schroeder, Jim Hall, Willis Murphy, J.C. Kilburn, Enus Wilson, Toly Arutunoff, John Mecom and many other people associated with motor racing in The Golden Age. Frank stood out with his excellent memory at 90 years of age, and I decided he deserved to have his race history in writing. Frank and I put together his story via email and I used the many photos from my collections. Parts of this series appeared earlier in my book “Sports Car Racing in the South”(Dalton Watson). Most images of Frank’s early years were the work of Dallas Times Herald photographer Bob Jackson, a racing enthusiast. Jackson became a winner of the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for Photography for his image of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald in the Dallas Courthouse.
Race drivers are the ones who receive all the attention and glory in the press. Their mechanics seldom do. Yet, Frank Lance’s career should get our attention as well. Frank served as the racing mechanic for five of the most prominent Texas drivers and team owners of the fifties and sixties: Jim Hall, Ebb Rose, Carroll Shelby, John Mecom and A.J. Foyt. He saw it all, from amateur [SCCA] and professional [USAC] sports car racing in the U.S., international long-distance racing at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans, Formula One racing at Watkins Glen, Riverside and Mexico City, to the Indianapolis 500, where he was part of the winning team twice. And all that in only a ten-year timeframe.
A personal favorite, 1963 Osca 1600 SP (Sperimentale)
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
It was all very last minute as I had not intended to go, but as this year was the 40th running of the Auto e Moto d’Epoca classic car show, (October 26-29)and the first year for the event at its new location in Bologna, I decided grab a less-than-cheap flight out to Bologna, arriving on the afternoon of first day of the show. [Read more…] about Auto e Moto d’Epoca at Bologna 2023
Joe Duray, left and the author with Joe’s 3500GT Maserati.
Story and photos by Brandes Elitch
On October 28th, the Art Center in Pasadena hosted the ArtCenter Design Invitational for their alumni, famous designers, and guests, including a small display of show cars of the past, today, and the future. This has been an annual event, which began in 2002.
The Art Center itself is 75 years old. The Automotive Design Department was founded in 1948. The mission is to develop creative leaders and innovators in art and design. Their vision is to create a new model for art and design education in the 21st century, which they characterize as: “Learn to create and influence change.” I think it is fair to say that this is the most famous design college in the world. [Read more…] about ArtCenter Design Invitational 2023
Paul Wilson at the Larz Anderson Museum
For all of you who have followed the adventures of Paul Wilson as he designs and constructs his own coachwork on the Alfa 6C 2500 chassis, we’ve got some great news for you! On November 30, 7 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., Wilson will formally present his coupe at the prestigious Larz Anderson Automobile Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The Larz Automobile Museum in Brookline. Photo by Biruitorul – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4488803
As we all know and can readily see via the VeloceToday articles, Wilson is a master craftsman, who learned his art as he went along, thinking about each process while limiting his tools and materials to those available to coachbuilders of the 1930s. How he worked through the problems of doors, interiors, trunks, hood and fenders is a fascinating process and reveals his unique genius. Why he used steel instead of aluminum is also interesting as it altered the final form, as he was able to literally design the car as he created it. [Read more…] about Paul Wilson, Karl Ludvigsen, Dalton Watson
Part 2
By Harry Hurst
Photos courtesy John Mecom collection
Read Part 1
At one point you were the Lola distributor for North America. How did that come about and how did it end?
The beginning was when I bought what I thought was the first Lola GT – the one I saw at the London Racing Car. We became the distributor and went to the races with spare parts and support. We probably sold more than 20 T-70s. We spent a lot of money representing Lola. We were very sincere about it. And from time to time we made sure Eric could go on to the next day of production. But Carl came along with a better deal and Eric took it. I, unfortunately, did everything by handshake. Our friendship was over after that happened.
On the Targa Tasmania
Story by Mark Duder
My love of Renaults began years ago. I had participating in the West Australian Rally Championships in the 60s and early 70s in a modified Renault R8 with good results and even did the 1970 Repco round Australia in a Renault R16. Of course the ultimate was the A110 Alpine. When I restored one years later, I would find a new friend by the most unusual coincidence.
1937 Aero 750 Sport Coupe variant by artist Yuriy Shevchuk.
Prague artist Yuriy Shevchuk has won international acclaim on three fronts; painting architecture, jazz musicians and vintage cars. Born in Kiev in 1961, Shevchuk now works with his son Denis who manages his international and local Czech exhibitions and negotiations among the customers and the online e-commerce. Wallace Wyss recently interviewed Yuriy, while the Editor combed the vast number of paintings displayed on his website, focusing on the cars. [Read more…] about Yuriy Shevchuk, Artist
Story and photos by Richard Bartholomew
From the VeloceToday Archives, October 2018
Why should children have all the fun of dressing up and scaring people? Though we get no treats from these endeavors that won’t stop us from pulling a little trick this time of year – actually all year – but here we go…spooky chopped tops and scary suicide doors abound, extra headlights or none at all, be afraid be very afraid. A lot of people are.
The Mecom Racing Team logo was designed by fellow Texan Bill Neale. Neale was a well-known automotive artist, providing illustrations for Car and Driver and Road & Track. He also was good friends with Texans Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby, penning the Terlingua Racing Team logo.
By Harry Hurst
Photos courtesy John Mecom Collection
John Mecom is one of the few people who can say that Roger Penske worked for him. Penske drove for Mecom Racing in 1962-63, arguably, the preeminent racing team in the United States at the time. Operating out of Houston, the team ran multiple cars in events in North America and Europe, with the world’s top drivers and mechanics. But racing was secondary to the main business of the John W. Mecom Company: oil wells, hotels, plastics, natural gas pipelines, chemicals, and more. Although he was only in his twenties, John Jr. played a major role in the company his father founded while he ran the racing team. After winning the Indy 500 in 1966 with Graham Hill, Mecom’s attention turned to another interest, professional football. He brought the Saints to New Orleans and was the majority shareholder in the team until 1984. Harry Hurst recently connected with Mecom to ask him about his racing years.
Before you started Mecom Racing there were other wealthy people involved in racing, like Briggs Cunningham and Lance Reventlow. With your background, did you treat racing more like a business?
A remarkable experience that lasts to this day.
Story and photos by Mark Duder
In 1972 my new wife Margaret and I decided to have a year in Europe for our honeymoon. In those days a line voyage (A line voyage was a simple liner going from Australia to the UK as quick as it could, (21 days), as against a cruise.) from Perth in Western Australia around the bottom of Africa was the way to go.
As was normal in those days for Australians we bought a second hand van in London that had obviously been around Europe a few times and set off.
As a member of the Renault car club of West Australia, I had participated in the West Australian Rally Championships in the 60s and early 70s in a modified Renault R8. Hence, due to my interest in all things Renault and Alpine, I managed to get an invite to the Renault factory in Paris and the Alpine factory in Dieppe. However, upon arrival in Paris, we went to the Renault factory in Billancourt for a tour but when we got there, there were workers protesting at the gate, and we were told by police not to go further. [Read more…] about Alpine Factory Tour, circa 1972 Part 1
P-Hershey Squirts? B-We call this the “Hershey Highway.” Where else would you find something like this?
Wise-ass comments on this year’s Hershey from our favorite car guys, Quick and Quack (with apologies to the Magliozzi brothers). P comments first, then B. You guess who they are, we are too embarrassed to say. Be nice or we’ll call in Kuhn.
All photos by Brandes Elitch
P-Moveable Quonset hut. B-These cars are very rust prone (ask me how I know) but this one is very clean.