The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
In the early fifties, the Ruggeri brothers from northern Italy, embarked on the construction of a Grand Prix car, due to Professor Speluzzi. The car had a transverse rear mounted engine, similar to the Bugatti 251. Because of the lack of funds, the project remained unfinished.
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Has it been that long…We first met Hugues Vanhoolandt four years ago in April of 2012 as he offered to help us indentify some cars at the 2008 Essen show.
1952 Ferrari Tipo 500 Rick Hall, Turn 6 Phillip Island.
Story and Photos by Vince Johnson
It has been sixty years since Alberto Ascari won not only his first Formula 1 World Championship, but Ferrari’s as well. It was fitting that the car which gave him nine straight victories during 1952-53 should fire up in Australia a week before the start of the 2012 F1 season. This was not the first time this car had run down under.
After earning Ascari his second championship, chassis number 5 (0480) was sold to Australia’s first F1 driver, ex-WW2 Spitfire Squadron Leader Tony Gaze. Gaze’s debut in the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on 22 June had also been the first outing for this very car. The factory fitted it with a new 3-liter 750 Monza engine for Gaze and it won races in South Africa and New Zealand. In 1956 Gaze sold it to Australian Lex Davison. The Ferrari continued its winning ways with six major victories, including consecutive Australian Grand Prix successes in 1957-58 before leaving Australia in the 60’s. Its return after five decades created a hive of interest in the pits and on the track at this year’s Phillip Island Classic held in March.
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
This year our European Photographer traveled to Florida for the Sebring 12 hours, and the officials at Sebring including Ken Breslauer made sure he had press credentials. Our thanks to the staff for making his journey from Belgium to Florida worthwhile.
[Read more…] about Vanhoolandt’s Sebring 2012
Story and Photos by Graham Earl
Early March in Europe means just one thing to the motor industry: the Geneva Salon. Historically, this is the show that the manufacturers bring their new products to, and over the years there have been more launches of concepts and new models at Geneva than any other show in the world.
[Read more…] about Geneva 2012
Clive Bennett and Andrew & Marlene Scadding's Alfetta.
Story and Photos by Vince Johnson
South Australians have been treated to a showcase of Italian culture, tradition and style at Carnevale time for the last 36 years. The food, fashion and music festival at the Adelaide Showgrounds in February brings out the best in Italian style, nowhere more so than in the car and motorcycle displays. Single-make clubs included Alfa Romeo, Ducati, Ferrari and Fiat 500. The Scuderia Italian Car Club presented a colourful selection of several makes and local distributor Prestige Formula had new examples of Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Maserati on show.
[Read more…] about Italians at Carnevale, South Australia
Retro at its best shows off the latest discoveries like this 1954 Ferrari 250 Monza spyder Pinin Farina.
Hugues Vanhoolandt on some of the Italian cars that appeared at Retromobile this year.
By Hugues Vanhoolandt
Despite the success of the 202 coupe, Cisitalia was still struggling. In 1953 the company decided to create a line of cars based on both the 1900 and 1100 Fiat chassis. The line was called the ‘DF’ for ‘Deriving from Fiat‘. Notably, the Cisitalia tubular frame was now gone and the chassis was Fiat. The 1100 cars were designated 33DF and the first was a spyder with cut down doors shown at the 1953 Turin Auto Show. But the production models were almost all coupes, as shown here and given the name ‘Voloradente’ or ’low flying’. The engine was modified to produce around 70 hp. Less than 20 were produced.
The Siata 208S, equipped with the Fiat 8V engine, was the perfect car for the West Coast. Ernie McAfee imported nearly all of them to California.
Ferrari Mexico 0224 AT Vignale.
Story and Photos by Alessandro Gerelli
Cavallino Classic celebrated its 21st birthday this year along with the 50th birthday of the Ferrari GTO, together with a Vignale celebration.
As usual the event was held in Palm Beach and after two days of track time at the Palm Beach International Raceway, Saturday was spent at the Breakers hotel with the judges at work to evaluate the many Ferraris attending the event.
[Read more…] about Cavallino by Gerelli
We sped through the darkness with the knowledge that things were going to get quite a bit warmer as soon as that sun finally rose.
By Andrew Coles
The 49th annual Fiat Nationals took place at Benalla, Victoria on 20-21 January. In what has become an annual pilgrimage for us, we made the 900km (560 mile) trek over in our 1987 Alfa Romeo Sprint and 1979 Fiat X1/9. Yes, that is correct. Every year we drive old Italian cars halfway across the country in the middle of an Aussie summer. Crazy.
That’s how I found myself behind the wheel of the Alfa the other Friday, chasing one of the most amazing dawn sunrises I’ve seen into the distance. It was forecast to be a hot day and the early morning air was refreshingly balmy as it kissed and caressed the skin. Lights on, windows down, we sped through the darkness with the knowledge that things were going to get quite a bit warmer as soon as that sun finally rose. We were right.
An immaculate turbocharged Fiat 125 finds its way to the Fiat Nationals.
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Graham Gauld brought you the commentary this year, and below, Hugues Vanhoolandt provides a look at the colors of red and blue at this year’s event. Here are the selections from the cars of France.
Cooperation between France and Italy resulted in this Ferrari-like 1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport with a barchetta body by Motto of Torino in 1952.
Back to the future with this Renault Dauphine with electric motor. Henney Motors and Bell Labs, both American companies, experimented with an electric powered car, fifty years ahead of their time …or perhaps fifty years after!
After Ralph Lauren last year, it was the turn of another US collector, Peter Mullin, to show his best pieces in Paris, among them the Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic s/n 57374 …
By Carl Goodwin
Photos by Chuck Hazle
The Annual Ray Boniface Picnic is more than a car show. It’s a way to make free breast cancer exams available to women in eastern Ohio who could not otherwise afford one. The Picnic raises money for and schedules two yearly programs providing free mammograms for women in the Warren and Youngstown area of Ohio.
[Read more…] about Boniface Picnic Benefits St. Elizabeth Health Center
One of our favorite shows is the “Best of France and Italy”, held every year on the grounds of Woodley Park in the L.A. area. It is low key, a true enthusiasts gathering, and brings out a great variety of unusual French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian and Czechoslovakian cars. Don Hodgdon was there for us.[Ed.]
Story and photos by Don Hodgdon
Rain was falling when I woke up Sunday morning, but it passed through quickly and I left Santa Barbara under sunny skies. I had thought twice about heading down to Woodley Park, having my doubts that anyone would show up. While the numbers were down from past years, considering the rain there was a good group of cars. Alfas and Fiats, along with a healthy group of Citroens made up the bulk of the show, and I think there were almost as many Tatras (3) as there were Ferraris.
[Read more…] about Best of France and Italy 2011
Best of Show went to the 1961 250 TR/61 entry of Scuderia N.E. as did the People’s Choice Award. Yes, car # 10 is well known to the Tifosi. It is the very same Ferrari factory prototype car which Phil Hill drove to a 1st place in the 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans race in the same year that Hill also became the first USA racer to win the Formula 1 World Driving Championship! Unlike today, in those days, racing drivers were well rounded and raced anything on two and four wheels.
Raging bulls, rampant horses, man eating snakes, poisonous scorpions and three pronged spears were very well represented at the 2nd annual Westchester Concorso d’Eleganza held on October 2nd. In keeping with the mission of the organizing committee of the Westchester Italian Cultural Center, attendees were educated and entertained with a comprehensive cross section of Italian cars, their exotic badges and other automobilia on display at this great event.
[Read more…] about Westchester County Concours 2011