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Experiencing the Lamborghini Miura S

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By Pete Vack

From the Archives, November 2016

The way to gain entrance into the realm of the Dallara/Gandini masterpiece that is the Miura is to gently push the door latch button from the Fiat 850 and pull a bit on the chrome fin at the bottom of the row of black fins to the rear of the door window.

“Be careful getting in. Here’s how you have to do it. Get your butt over the seat and gently lower it straight down. Don’t wiggle. Don’t squirm. The reason is because the seats are original cloth inserts and any heavy lateral movement stresses out the material,” said Paul Wilson.

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Back by Popular Demand

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My first and almost forgotten Maserati shot is of Jimmy Bryan in the Henry Maag entered 300S at Willow Springs on March 4, 1956. Bryan also was a pilot in the Indy 500. To keep everyone happy, it’ s/n 3058.

Story and photos by Allen R. Kuhn

As I start my one-digit waltz once more upon my keyboard, the letters begin to flow. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes not. We’ll do the best we can.
“Back by popular demand” might be a bit of a stretch. There were three guys from Sheboygan who said they wanted to see more Maserati pictures. I started thinking that this would be a most salient time to cull the archives once again, with purpose. The archives didn’t let me down.

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In the Paddock at Goodwood

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Vintage Goodwood!

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The Goodwood Revival is renowned for its attention to detail, and the ability to get up close and personal to the cars and drivers across the site. However, between the track fence and race track, obviously, and the tow road and assembly area are places which are considered to be less safe for the general public and are only accessible to the teams and accredited members of the press.

I hope the following photos give you a small taste of what goes on in those two areas and if, in some of the shots, it looks like chaos, let me tell you that it is all beautifully choreographed thanks to the skill and dedication of the hard-working marshalls. Oh and just a thought with regards to attention to detail, each year the Driver’s Club is built around a theme. Last year it was the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, this year it was a jungle theme even down to the weather which was tropical to say the least. [Read more…] about In the Paddock at Goodwood

The Cars of Émile Claveau Part 4

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A magnificent brochure heralded the arrival of the Claveau Descartes ‘for 1947’. Seen as a complete car in 1948, the Descartes was awesomely ambitious for a private entrepreneur.

By Karl Ludvigsen

Read Part 1
Read Part 2
Read Part 3

When war intervened Émile Claveau had almost completed the first prototype of a stunningly advanced envelope-bodied six-passenger saloon with a V-8 engine and aluminium alloy body/frame—the Audi A8 of its day. Claveau named it after the philosopher who had been his consistent inspiration: ‘Descartes’. At the 1947 Paris Salon this was present only in scale model form plus its impressive completed engine. This sufficed as a stage from which Claveau could and did discuss the shortcomings of the existing French makers with visiting President Vincent Auriol.

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Miles of Smiles at Goodwood

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Bentley Belles

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Old faces and some new faces and everybody is smiling. But whilst every driver wants to win and drives accordingly, there are no points at stake or championships to be won, so the pressure is off and any rivalries are forgot. But you do get a nice cigar and a bottle of champagne when you win!

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Peter Mullin’s Legacy

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A moment to remember: Best of Show award, Pebble Beach, 2011, goes to the Art Deco 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne of Peter and Merle Mullin. Hugues Vanhoolandt photo.

Peter Mullin passed away on September 20th at the age of 82.

VeloceToday has reported many times on the Mullin Automotive Museum he created, beginning with the opening in April of 2010. It was a commemoration of the art deco design era when exquisite art and magnificent automobiles were elements of an artful, futurist culture.*

Over the years, we have been fortunate to have four of the most seasoned, respected and knowledgeable automotive writers visit the Mullin and report back to us in detail. Larry Crane explained the museum’s display of Bugatti furniture; the late Eric Davison searched for something really different; Hugues Vanhoolandt was given a special tour and did his magic with his camera; finally, another museum traveler, Brandes Elitch, opined on the opulent Citroen celebration.

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And How! Ernie, Hugues and Jonathan

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Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.

This week And How gives us a glimpse of Ol’ Yeller II at Goodwood on parade while E.T. Nagamatsu, ever the ambassador, meets the women who did such a wonderful job singing the classic tunes of the war years. Then Hugues Vanhoolandt captures some of the ambiance that surrounds the Goodwood Revival, and Jonathan Sharp focuses on a special OSCA shown at the Hampton Concours.

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The Cars of Émile Claveau Part 3

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Artist Brian Hatton followed a colour photo of the 1928 9 CV for its hue.

By Karl Ludvigsen

Read Part 1
Read Part 2

The potential of the Claveau 7 CV Sport design was recognized by the magazine Omnia: ‘Sponsored by a big industry, this could well be a people’s car,’ it opined. Although lacking big-industry backing, Automobiles Claveau now at 22 Place de la Madeleine offered an attractive range of mid-engined cars in its handsome catalogue for the 1928 season. This was forecast by its showing at the 1927 Paris Salon, where a strikingly advanced closed version was displayed.

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Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court: French and others

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Entered by the Musee des 24 Heures du Mans, 1925 Lorraine-Dietrich B3/6 Sport Torpedo.

Photos by Jonathan Sharp

We continue with a selection of French and others that appeared this year at Hampton Court on September 1-3. Hampton Court is another British movable feast, and the proper name is the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. As Graham Gauld pointed out back in 2014, note the British use of the word ‘of’ rather than the French ‘de.’ Of course the event is not always held at Hampton Court, located on the side of the river Thames just under 12 miles southwest of the center of London. According to the official website, “The Concours of Elegance began at Windsor Castle in 2012, before moving to St James’s Palace in 2013, Hampton Court Palace in 2014, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (Her Majesty The Queen’s official residence in Scotland) in 2015 before returning to Windsor Castle in 2016 and Hampton Court Palace in 2017.”

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2023 Goodwood Revival September 8-10

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Side by side in the pits straight the 1938 Alfa Romeo 158 ‘Alfetta’ of Peter Greenfield and the 1948 Talbot-Lago Type 26C of Luc Brandts, respectively 8th and 17th in this race won by the 1937 Alta of Ian Baxter.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Although the Goodwood Revival celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, it still attracts many spectators and the show still lives up to expectations. The summer weather on the first two days added to the pleasure of taking part in this celebration of motorsport from the 1920s to the 1960s. The rain on Sunday afternoon made the RAC TT Celebration Race even more epic than usual, also unfortunately with some damaged cars. The slightest deviation in trajectory does not forgive at Goodwood, a circuit that remains in the old style, with few clearances or fences, and that is what makes the charm of this event. Alongside the races, the numerous parades and activities of all kinds satisfied visitors, even those who had little interest in motorsport. We will focus on a few major races, all still hotly contested at Goodwood.

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Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court: The Italians

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Best of Show Award

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

September seems to have become Stately Home month, Blenheim Palace for Salon Prive, Hampton Court Palace for the Concours of Elegance,* and then the Goodwood for the Revival, though you could argue that the Revival is held on the estate rather than at the house.

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The Cars of Émile Claveau Part 2

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The first Émile Claveau prototype, the 7 CV Sport, contrasts dramatically with its neighbors in the 1926 Paris Salon.

By Karl Ludvigsen

Read Part 1

From 1924 Claveau began thinking through the design of an auto from first principles, guided as he was by the Discours of Descartes. On 5 September 1925 he lodged a patent on a suspension system that he pictured as applying to two vehicles, both open models and both teardrop-shaped in plan view. At that time French makers Cottin & Desgouttes and Sizaire-Naudin were leaders in deploying transverse leaf springs as a means of giving independent suspension.

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