The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Talbot Maserati
Story and Photos by Brandes Elitch
This year the Pebble Beach Concours celebrated One Hundred Years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There were 29 cars on display of which fully 14 were outright winners! [Read more…] about Le Mans Class at Pebble Beach
Richie in the 4.1 Ferrari at Pomona on February 1, 1959.
Story by Jim Sitz
Photos by Jim Sitz unless otherwise noted
You have already read (we hope) Allen R. Kuhn’s photo essay on Richie Ginther, which looks at a few of his racing efforts from 1956 to 1965. In this article, we asked Jim Sitz to provide a few of his Ginther photos and even more importantly, recall his friendship with Ginther. These two articles constitute a small part of Richie’s life. For a much more complete look at Richie’s life, we highly recommend “Richie Ginther, Motor Racing’s Free Thinker” by Richard Jenkins. Both Kuhn and Sitz contributed to this effort. Here, Sitz provides his recollections of his times with Richie, and is by no means meant to be a biography. Some of Jim’s thoughts below can also be found in Jenkins’s book. Ed.
My own intro to Richie was after he and Phil Hill drove in the Mexican Road Race in 1954. I introduced myself, and told him he must be very brave to ride at such high speeds through Mexico. He replied, “Oh, no. I’ve known Phil for a long time, and we did a lot of cross-country trips together.” In July of 1950, Richie had left his day job at Douglas Aircraft to join Phil at Roger Barlow’s International Motors. Seems that the pair would deliver and or collect cars. For example, they would drive a new Rolls Silver Wraith to Memphis, go on to Texas and pick up a new Simca from Bob Evans and drive that back to Barlow’s. [Read more…] about Jim Sitz Remembers Richie
Eddie McGuire and the ex-Archie Butterworth Bentley.
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
Normally the BRDC Silverstone Classic is my special three-day event, but this year I could only spend one day there and so did not see half of the cars that turned up. However, I did meet up with two old pals who each had a story to tell.
Duesenberg Figoni:Best of Show
Story and photos by Brandes Elitch
The history of the “Contest of Elegance” dates back to 17th century France, when aristocrats paraded their horse-drawn carriages in Parisian parks during summer weekends and holidays. Today the oldest Concours is the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, first held in 1929. The first Concours in North America was in 1950 at Pebble Beach. [Read more…] about Pebble Beach and the Grand Sports
What car?
Photos by Brandes Elitch
Last week we brought you a report from Concorso Italiano, but only published half of the photos supplied by Brandes Elitch. This week we present photos of the Fiats through OSCA and beyond.
And like last week there are a few that are either not identified or incorrectly identified. As Elitch wrote last week, “Because of the informal nature of this show, the cars on display do not have placards that show who the owner is or where they live. This is why we are not able to show the owner’s name in the accompanying pictures.” And which is why we need your help. [Read more…] about Fiat through OSCA at Concorso
Sometimes size does matter, as at Santa Barbara on June 1, 1958, when Richie Ginther got behind the wheel of John von Neumann’s ungodly beautiful #211 Ferrari 250 TR capturing 3rd OA, but 1st in DM. Ginther was bested that day by Lance Reventlow in his Scarab Chevy in 1st, and Max Balchowsky in the Buick Ol’ Yeller in 2nd. Both were class BM, where size does matter.
This is the first of two articles about Richie Ginther, a great driver who never quite got the press he deserved. Below is Allen Kuhn’s portrait of the driver, and we’ll follow that up with personal recollections from Jim Sitz, who knew Ginther very well. These are fleeting bios; for a really good look at Richie, we urge you to get a copy of Richard Jenkins’ “Richie Ginther, Motor Racing’s Free Thinker”. Both Kuhn and Sitz also contributed to Jenkins’ book. Ed.
A Pictorial Essay By Allen R. Kuhn
My pictorial essay for this week actually began as I searched my negatives for a particular car. I found out that the auction house RM Sotheby’s is offering the John Edgar Ferrari 410S s/n 0598 at the Monterey Car Week this month. Was there a story for VeloceToday.com here? [Read more…] about Richie Ginther Tribute Part 1
Maserati T151
Story and photos by Brandes Elitch
Scroll down for Alfa to Ferrari photo gallery
The third week in August is known on the California Monterey Peninsula as “Car Week.” The population of the small town (1.06 square miles) of Carmel-by-the Sea has about 4000 residents, but during car week they will see an additional 85,000 visitors, according to the Monterey County Visitors Bureau. This is primarily a four-day event, but there is even a “Pre-Historics” the week before at the Laguna Seca racetrack. Car week now spans ten days and stretches from Seaside to Carmel Valley to Big Sur. Aside from the three major shows, there are another dozen or so smaller events, spread out all over the Monterey Peninsula. The pandemic put the brakes on some Car Week events for the last two years, but now, “It’s all right here!” [Read more…] about Concorso Italiano 2022
Wolfgang von Trips was the first German driver to have a shot at becoming the a world champion. He was not forgotten, and that is why a parade in his memory was organized, including an exact replica of the Ferrari 156 with which he knew glory and tragedy.
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
In Mid-August, the 49th Oldtimer Grand Prix took place, an event that has been held for nearly fifty years at the famous Nürburgring track. After two years of absence, the greatest classic car race meeting of Germany was back, with races for all tastes.
Races for F1 cars were of course eagerly awaited by the public as well as the new DTM Classic Cup; the DTM Touring cars were always very popular in Germany.
Here are a few selections from the event.
Story by Sean Smith
All photos copyright Sean Smith unless otherwise noted
From the VeloceToday Archives October 2017
Bradley Price became aware of automobiles at eye level. His father was an enthusiast, and when Bradley was young his dad had an Austin Healey 100-6. That went away and was replaced by an XK140 Jaguar that his father still owns. Being a young boy, these machines were looming entities. Bradley would examine them closely, looking at all the details. A piece of chrome, a tail-light, a shiny set of spokes. Cars resonated with him. He responded to their call where his older brother did not. Bradley was hooked.
What does the “R” stand for? Gauld investigates.
Story and Brands Hatch photos by Graham Gauld
You know what it’s like, eight weeks living out of a suitcase trying to find a house in the UK, you get mentally frazzled. I needed a jab of car reality. Luckily, nearby at the legendary Brands Hatch circuit there was the
The owner of the Countach (left) with Tom Nash (center) and Guy Anderson (right).
Story by Guy Anderson
Photos copyright Guy Anderson
In 1980 I received a call from my good friend Jeff Glasserow, who worked in the film industry. Jeff worked for Ted Turner at the ‘Super Station’ WTBS and the all-new CNN center here in Atlanta.
Jeff called to inform me there was a new Burt Reynolds movie that was going to begin shooting in Atlanta in a few weeks. The subject of the movie was racing a Lamborghini in a coast to coast race called the “Cannonball Run.” The race invented by Brock Yates was officially called: “The Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.” Brock Yates had written the script for the movie to be called The Cannonball Run and directed by famed stunt man and a participant in the original Cannonball run, Hal Needham.
[Readers: You do NOT want to miss this exclusive story! Editor]
Rodger Moore standing still for the camera shot with Adrienne Barbeau.
Story by Guy Anderson
Photos copyright Guy Anderson
In Part 1 of the Making of the Cannonball Run, Anderson left our readers with a description of a special lighting prop used in the night scenes:
The crane was positioned before the overhang outside of the double row of cars used in the movie. The hydraulic expanding arms were extended outward and lowered to plant the crane firmly on concrete while the boom was extended. However, the rear arm was extended and its pad was placed on the ground, which was still damp from rain the day before.
As the moonlight crane sat for hours, no one noticed that the soft ground had given way for the crane to tilt ever so slightly. Then someone yelled out that the crane was sinking – just moments before gravity took its toll. The loud crash was heard by all and the film set was filled with screaming that echoed from the walls of the English Inn. Smoke as thick as a London fog filled the area where the crane fell as the bulbs exploded and smoke covered the complete area.
The smoke started to clear around the fallen crane and it was obvious there was something wrong. Initially no one could see what happened, and then as the air cleared, the extent of the destruction was confirmed. An all original, white-with-black leather 1965 AC Cobra 289 roadster was sitting under the crane.