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Barn Find of the Century, Part 3

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Chassis #110109 as found in the Baillon Collection. (Artcurial Motorcars)

By Peter M. Larsen
Click on photos to enlarge

This is the third amazing Saoutchik-bodied barnfind in the Baillon collection. The chassis was delivered on November 5, 1949 to the Carrosserie Saoutchik at no. 46 rue Jacques Dulud in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Only 32 short wheelbase (265 cm) race-derived Grand Sport chassis were constructed by Talbot between 1948 and 1952. T26GS #110109 is one of these very rare and extremely desirable chassis.

1949 TALBOT-LAGO T26 GRAND SPORT SAOUTCHIK #110109

On the Talbot production card, which is reproduced in the book Talbot-Lago Grand Sport – The Car from Paris by Peter M. Larsen and Ben Erickson, “Saoutchik” is written into both the carrosserie and the client fields. This indicates that Saoutchik ordered chassis #110109 directly from the Talbot-Lago factory to be bodied at his own expense for show purposes. Saoutchik fitted chassis #110109 with an exquisite fastback coupé design which had first been shown at the 1948 Paris Salon.

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Allen R. Kuhn: Of Gauld and Ferrari

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Carroll Shelby in John Edgar’s Ferrari 410S leads Dan Gurney in Frank Arciero’s Ferrari 375 Plus at Palm Springs on April 13, 1958. One of the many photos I shared with the Ferrari Archivist.

Story and Photos by Allen R. Kuhn

I would like to start this series of short stories – they are not Galleries as before – by telling a true story about Graham Gauld, and how he saved our skin when we were in Italy/France in 2006 for our seven-week tour of the Continent. The story really began in Maranello, so bear with me…. [Read more…] about Allen R. Kuhn: Of Gauld and Ferrari

Tim Considine

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Photo of Tim Considine by Bruce Benedict

On Thursday March 3, Tim Considine, 81, passed away. Actor, author, photographer and historian, Considine dedicated many years to making sure that American drivers were recognized for their achievements on the international racing scene. First, with American Grand Prix Racing Considine devoted a chapter to each one of the Americans who tried their hand at Formula One racing. Second was his masterpiece, Twice Around the Clock, Yanks at Le Mans the book that won him international acclaim. He was working on his second set of Yanks at Le Mans when he passed away at home. Our condolances to his wife Willie and his family.

Many of our readers were close friends of Considine. We begin with Jodi Ellis, who worked with him on his last book and became a good friend: [Read more…] about Tim Considine

Spitfire: Symbol of the Defense of a Nation

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Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

It is by chance that I am composing this on Saturday the 5th March 2022, 86 years to the day of the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire. More importantly it is also incredibly sad that I am writing about the Symbol of a Nation that in 1940 was standing alone and fighting an evil regime whilst at this very moment, Ukraine also fights for its freedom.

The Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire, a place I used to know well, announced late in 2021 that it was opening an exhibition, on the 27th December, titled the “evolution of an icon”, and in Britain, other than our beloved Queen, there is no greater icon than a Spitfire.

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Barn Find of the Century, Part 2

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Chassis #100272 as found. Even in a state of decay, it has lost none of its intensity or beauty. (Artcurial Motorcars)

By Peter M. Larsen

From the VeloceToday Archives, 2015

Read Part 1

TALBOT-LAGO T26 RECORD SAOUTCHIK #100272

Talbot-Lago T26 Record chassis #100272 is the second of the three momentous Saoutchik barnfinds in the collection of the late Jacques Baillon. The emergence of this extremely rare car is all the more remarkable, as it was believed lost.

It shares the chassis as well as its powerful engine and mechanicals with Talbot-Lago T26 #100239 which was featured last week and is one of 208 T26 Records manufactured in 1948. The vast majority of these cars were given one of a number of factory body styles manufactured in-house by Talbot. #100272 is one of the rare instances where a Record chassis was sent to a prominent Carrosserie to receive a one-off body. The price of the Record chassis alone was an astronomical 1,165,000 francs in 1948. Saoutchik charged 2,500,000 to 3,000,000 francs for a full-size convertible body. When delivered, the price of admission for #100272 would have approached 4,000,000 francs, more than enough to buy ten complete Citroën Traction Avants!

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Photo Gallery 6: Allen R. Kuhn, 1965

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A vision of two warriors, each with his own method of preparation for battle.

Story and Photos by Allen R. Kuhn

Since I only covered the single race at Riverside in 1965, all references for the pictures will be for the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix on October 31, 1965, at Riverside.

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Lancia Owners Requesting Loramo Book

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This afternoon, I’m likely the only person you know, delivering charity bake sale boxes out of the back of my car in 11F degree Wisconsin winter to benefit the local farm animal rescue sanctuary! Who is he and what is the car?

Almost hidden in the text of our article about Brandes Elitch and Cars Yea was an unusual offer: Send Brandes a photo of a Lancia you owned or still own and he’ll send you a copy of his book “Lancia Loraymo.”

It’s a good thing we didn’t do more to bring attention to the offer, as Brandes immediately began to receive emails and photos, and though he has a few copies left, they are going fast.

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Barn Find of the Century, Part 1

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By Peter M. Larsen

From the VeloceToday Archives, January, 2015

There are barnfinds. And then there are barnfinds. Imagine the reaction when the corrugated siding of the lean-to next to the secluded château in the west of France came down and a long-lost Talbot-Lago T26 Record chassis came to light. And more: this T26 chassis # 100239 was not just fitted with a factory body, but with a unique and rakish fastback coupé design built by the Carrosserie Jacques Saoutchik in the rue Jacques Dulud in Neuilly-sur-Seine!

This incredibly rare and outstanding automobile was one of three such Saoutchik barnfinds in the 60 cars of the collection of the late Jacques Baillon. All three are superb examples of the swoopy and extravagant styles designed by Pierre Saoutchik after the Second World War. In truth, one can call the Baillon collection the barnfind of the century. As Pierre Novikoff of the Artcurial auction house remarked: “Never again, anywhere in the world, will such a treasure be unearthed.”

Here is the first of three articles about the three extraordinary Saoutchik cars found in the Baillon collection.

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Photo Gallery 5: Allen R. Kuhn, 1964

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Let’s start 1964 off with one of my favorite drivers, Ken Miles, at Riverside on April 26, 1964, driving a Shelby Cobra 289. This was a the USRRC Manufacturers Championship Race. Ken sits waiting for the cute Trophy Girl, Marilyn Fox, to do her duty presenting him with a checked flag for his victory lap after winning the USRRC GT race. More important was a victory kiss. Just ask Lothar Motschenbacher about that. This picture and others of mine were used by Mike Martin in his tome “USRRC” to illustrate this race.

Story and photos by Allen R. Kuhn

This is gallery number five, covering my shooting during 1964. I was not interested in going to races as a spectator while, at the same time, it became more difficult to get photographer passes through the small magazine for which I worked. Plus, I was more interested in cars of the ‘50s and early ‘60s. I liked the cars that were designed by artists, rather than engineers. Sure, the new ones went faster, but their looks lacked something for me. And the Can-Am series which started in 1966 already had two great photographers covering these events, Pete Lyons and Dave Friedman.

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Brandes Elitch, Cars Yeah, and Lancia Loraymo

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Story by Pete Vack

Last week Brandes Elitch, our longtime contributor/columnist, had his say on Mark Greene’s Cars Yeah. And what a good performance it was! Despite knowing him digitally for fifteen years, (meaning we have never met in person) hearing him on Mark’s excellent series added much depth and humanity to the subject of one Brandes Elitch. [Read more…] about Brandes Elitch, Cars Yeah, and Lancia Loraymo

Forty Years of Monterey Car Week

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The Alfa 6C 1750 was produced in six series from 1929-33. In 1929 it won every major racing event, including the GP’s of Belgium, Spain, Tunis, Monza, as well as the Mille Miglia, the Brooklands Double Twelve, and the Ulster TT.

From our Archvies, September, 2020. Although this article is only a couple of years old, Brandes Elitch and the Editor thought that it reflects so much of what Monterey was about and what Elitch has seen and experienced over a forty year period of attending the fabled August car events in Monterey. Be sure to read the articles on Brandes and Cars Yeah, in this issue.

Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

I first time I attended what has become known as “The Monterey Historics” was back in 1979, when I moved to California from New York City. I have not missed a year since – 40 years is a long time for anything.

In the early years, my focus was primarily the Laguna Seca racetrack. These were the beginnings of historic racing, the genius of Steve Earle creating the blueprint for what was to come worldwide. I was amazed that I could walk anywhere in the pits, and go right up to the owner and talk about his car, exotic racecars I had never seen in person before, just read about in Road & Track. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. [Read more…] about Forty Years of Monterey Car Week

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