The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
Above: Somewhat ironic that the iconic statue of Williams in the Bugatti by Francois Chevalier is removed from St. Devote during the race! From the VeloceToday archives, October 2013.
If you should ever be in Monte Carlo, keep a look-out for an almost life-sized bronze statue to “Williams”, or William Grover-Williams to give him his correct name, the winner of the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929.
Story and photos by Dale LaFollette
It was a typical spring day sometime in the mid-1990s, with a light mist in the air as I was on my way to work. We were going to have an Indy Lites test session and I already knew there would be complaints about the weather. As manager of Portland International Raceway (PIR) weather was one thing that I did not manage nor did I make excuses for. It just was.
When I got to the office, one of the Lites drivers, Ray Richter, was on the phone asking about the weather and then asked if he could land his RV4 airplane on the main straight. This was something I had allowed before as the FAA seemed to have no problem with it as long as he stayed below 800 feet. I asked what time he would arrive, after he told me I said I would have everyone on the property alerted to his arrival so there would be no issues.
By Pete Vack
It was just the other day, as I was sitting here minding my own business when the doorbell rang. I turned to see the postman run away as fast as possible, leaving a mysterious, unexpected package on the porch. [Read more…] about The James Bond Pegaso & More
And How! features open and innovative formats for notices, articles and posts
Story and model photos by Pete Vack
From the Archives, January 2018
Following our Alan Boe feature on the 166 MM Ferrari 0010 M in the past two editions of VeloceToday, I thought it might be fun to show a very early model Ferrari. It dates from about 1953. And like most old Ferraris, it has an interesting history.
Le Mans, June 1963. Aston Martin’s project cars during practice, headed by the DP 215 of Phil Hill/Lucien Bianchi. Bill Kimberly is seen next to his #7 DB4GT, internally known as DP 214. (Ed Matsuishi)
By Willem Oosthoek
After a disappointing finish with the Cunningham Jaguar E-type at Sebring in March 1963, Bill Kimberly picked up his corporate job in London again and did not expect to do much racing for the rest of the season, with -perhaps- Le Mans and the Cunningham team being the exception. An unexpected call changed things completely, thanks to one of Bill’s occasional boarders in the London apartment. [Read more…] about The Racing Career of Bill Kimberly Part 6
A rare trio for Perth: Panhard PL17, 1959 Facel Vega HK500 and rear-engined Simca 1000.
By John Waterhouse
French cars appeared in the state of Western Australia within a few years of the 1901 federation process that formed modern Australia. Readers may recall last year’s article, “A Tale of Two Renaults”, concerning two rarities in WA, a 1900 Type A car and a 1903 Type N that was imported as early as 1904. Both cars were restored in Perth in recent years.
Le Mans, June 1962. The Kimberly/Thompson Tipo 151, chassis 006, being pushed to its start position. On the left Maserati suspension designer Gianpaolo Dallara and chief mechanic Guerrino Bertocchi, on the right Cunningham team manager John Baus. (Flip Schulke)
By Willem Oosthoek
The 1962 season would turn out to be a low point in term of the number of race appearances for Bill Kimberly. Occupied with his corporate job at Kimberly-Clark in London, and with his Ferrari 500TR sold, he appeared trackside only twice. But they were memorable rides, both again with the Briggs Cunningham team.
Although Briggs showed up in force at Sebring in March, Bill was unable to make it. But in Europe competition would be easier to arrange based on his vacation days. Across the English Channel, Le Mans was only a short distance away. [Read more…] about The Racing Career of Bill Kimberly Part 5
Scene in Malibu. Photo by Wallace Wyss
A recent sighting of the Porsche Zagato coupe described by Wallace Wyss
Graham Gauld recounts the re construction of the Porsche Zagato Spyder
Strange Apparitions in Malibu–Wallace Wyss
Call it what you want, but the Storez Zagato coupe I saw in Malibu at Cars ‘n Coffee was more than a replica. It was a re-creation; a continuation or tool-room copy of a configuration that Zagato purportedly planned to build but never did.
1972 Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato at the Floriopoli,the location of the old pits. Photo by L. Ariosto.
Photos by Gianni Petta and friends as noted
VeloceToday covers the Mille Miglia every year, but rarely have we seen photos from the similar Targa Florio event in Sicily. The following are from several recent editions of the Classic Targa Florio, when both spectators and entrants were abundant. In fact before the Pandemic, there were so many spectators that the traditional paddock location by the old pits was no longer sufficient. [Read more…] about A Taste of Targas Past
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Museo Nicolis, Dell’Auto – Della Tecnica – Della Meccanica
From the Archives, October 2017
Luciano Nicolis was born on the 19th of January 1933, the second of six children. At the age of 14, after school had finished for the day, he would cycle to Mantova to find and collect empty cement sacks discarded by the local stone masons. He would then resell them to the local cement company, sometimes carrying 300 empty sacks on the back of his bicycle.
It is no surprise then to learn Signor Nicolis went on to become a very successful industrialist in the field of paper recycling. Lamacart, the company he founded in 1963, is still a leading player in the recycling field today and remains family owned.
From an early age Luciano was fascinated by all things mechanical and technical, and he had a dream to one day open a museum dedicated to his fascinations. Luciano’s dream came true with opening of the Museo Nicolis in the year 2000. Located just a few minutes’ drive from Verona Airport in Villafranca, the Museo is a modern steel and glass structure housing Luciano’s private collection of 200 cars, 500 cameras, 100 motor bikes, 110 bicycles,100 musical instruments, 100 typewriters , 100 Formula 1 steering wheels, and on the roof of the building, three aircraft. Other than the aircraft most mechanical items still work. The cars are regularly maintained and are driven in many classic rallies and events. [Read more…] about Italy’s Nicolis Museum
Road America 500, Wisconsin, September 1961. Bill Kimberly in the brand-new, but badly running chassis 63.002. Note the redundant full width FIA windshield and the air hoses for cockpit cooling. (Willem Oosthoek Collection)
By Willem Oosthoek
With a busy corporate schedule at Kimberly-Clark in Connecticut, Bill Kimberly had fewer opportunities to race during the 1961 season. As a regular “working stiff” his number of vacation days were limited, so invitations by Briggs Cunningham for Sebring, Le Mans and Road America were welcome. Briggs’ mechanics would do the preparations on the cars that Bill would race, another time and money saver for the amateur race driver.
1973 Fiat Abarth 124 Rally
By Gianni Petta and Pete Vack
Photos by Gianni Petta
We’ve never covered the Classic Targa Florio, but historian and Sicilian resident Gianni Petta has photographed the event for years. Petta is known to our readers as the creator of the stunning Targa Florio dioramas, which we featured a year ago in VeloceToday (The 1970 Targa Florio). [Read more…] about Classic Targa Florio, October 15-18, 2020