What kind of engine is pictured below? In the last edition of VeloceToday, we told readers that it was removed from a damaged car in a U.S. junkyard about 25 years ago. Many readers gave their opinion, but the answer was both surprising and yet so obvious. What was it and who got it right?
Lifestyle
My Favorite Zagato
This feature is a first for the triad of VeloceToday.com, Coachbuild.com and SportsCarDigest.com.We all had input to this article and feature this article in our respective websites at the same time.
The recent and regrettable passing of Elio Zagato caused us to query a variety of noted car enthusiasts to tell us what is their favorite Zagato bodied car. Sounds easy, right?
Very few of the respondents could claim just one favorite. “Well, it might be the 6C1500 Alfa, but then again maybe the DB4GT, or wait, I forgot about those lovely Maserati Zagatos.” And so it went. It seems that there are so many interesting, unique, and/or beautiful Zagato designs that it is very hard to chose just one.
At the same time, although we tried to avoid it, several enthusiasts chose the same car–the Ferrari Zagatos. And with good reason, as it they be the most clearly stated Zagato effort of all –aggressive, beautiful, sculpted with great art, and of course light and very, very fast.
Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato
Ercole Spada, Zagato designer
“My favorite Zagato model is the Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato. That car might have been too modern for its days, and even in the late eighties the concept was copied by other manufacturers, take the Honda CRX for example.”
Karl Ludvigsen, historian, librarian, author
“I am completely and utterly nuts, nuts, nuts and just comprehensively nuts about the Alfa Junior Zagato. It was first shown at Turin in November of 1969 in 1300 cc form and then upgraded to 1600 cc a couple of year later. Zagato did a wonderful job on this car with its body pared to the minimum and chock full of fascinating details. It’s magnificent. I borrowed one from Alfa on a trip to Italy and found it an absolute hoot. Light, lively and a dream to handle, it is the quintessential sports car.”
Credit Ludvigsen Library
Ferrari 250GT Zagato
Simon Moore, author of “The Immortal Alfa Romeo 2.9”
“The Ferrari 250GT “double bubble” chassis number 0515.”
David Sydorick, collector
“From personal experience, I can certainly second Simon Moore’s choice of the Zagato Ferrari 250GT Zagato, s/n 0515.”
Ferrari 250GT Zagato
Michiel van den Brink, designer, editor for Coachbuild.com
“I go for the Ferrari 250 GT with chassis number 0537GT. Sydorick’s example #0515GT proves that Zagatos are very suitable for both Concours d’Élegance and racing and while #0537GT is practically identical to #0515GT, she’s more purpose built for racing and has some more refined details like the radiator. The fact that this car raced her first race in nothing but primer adds to the story.”
1952 OSCA V12 Coupe Zagato .
Brandes Elitch, contributor, VeloceToday
“I went back to my 2 volume set on Zagato, published by Giorgio Nada in 1989. Volume I, by Michele Marchiano, and while it is a fool’s errand to choose the most desirable car, one did stand out, one I never noticed before. On page 102, there are 2 photos of a 1952 Osca V-12 coupe. The car has an Osca V12 engine of 4500 cc displacement. This car is breathtaking, period.”
Ferrari Tipo 166 Zagato
Michael T. Lynch, author, historian
“A Zagato coupe on a Ferrari 166 chassis that was later rebodied. This is obviously a more sophisticated version of Zagato’s aerodynamica or panoramica coupes on Fiat chassis. Front 3/4 is a little ungainly, but that rear shot just makes you want to pat it on the ass, like that Radcliffe College girlfriend in the 50s. Posed with car is Stagnoli, the owner who enjoyed so much success with Ferrari Gran Turismo coupes in the 50s, before there was a GT class.”
Bandini Zagato GTV
Pete Vack, VeloceToday editor, author
“It may be the most perfectly proportioned and beatiful small car in the world.”
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Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
Raffi Minasian, designer
“Small cars are extremely difficult to design well. Add to that a very round, full surface theme combined with manufacturing limits to the day-light openings and you can imagine the challenges the SZ package presented Zagato. Yet the execution, proportions, and final form is simply perfection. There has never been a better closed bodied short wheelbase design than the Zagato bodied Alfa Romeo SZ.” Credit Michael T. Lynch
Restoring Perspective
The owner of this 3500 is happy to drive it around as is. Reverse snobbery or a truer perspective of the hobby?
By Brandes Elitch
Photos by Petya Elitch
Many years ago, there was a publication called “Special Interest Autos”. It was one of the best examples of automotive journalism anywhere on the planet. For the August, 1987 number (the hundredth issue of SIA), Editor Dave Brownell asked the Founding Editor, Michael Lamm, to write an editorial about the state of the collector car hobby. Recently I reread this column, and it resonates for those of us who have just finished the Monterey weekend. [Read more…] about Restoring Perspective
Monterey on a Dollar a Day: Sat, Sunday
At Pebble Beach, Arnold explains the fine points of the MT4 to an eager audience. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Motoring journalist and artist Wallace Wyss, has worked for Car Life, was an associate editor at Motor Trend, and is the author of ten automotive books. Below, he continues his humorous look at the Monterey Car Week on a motoring scribe’s budget. (Read Part I)
By Wallace A. Wyss
Saturday August 15th
Saturday morning Sylvia’s still back at her ranch messing with horses so I roll to Mecum’s auction at 9:30 kick-off time. They have a table of delectable fruit, and coffee and rolls and I ask first who’s it for and they say “bidders”. I look at my badge, I’m a seller but figure, hey, we’re all here to have fun so I dip in with both hands and nobody shoots me.
[Read more…] about Monterey on a Dollar a Day: Sat, Sunday
Monterey Car Week On a Dollar a Day
Citroens were featured at La Dolce Vita, while our correspondent sold paintings there to get him through the night. Credit: Petya Elitch.
The Internet abounds with blogs about Monterey Car Week impressions, or ‘what I did this summer.’ Some are very good indeed. But none are written by a motoring journalist and artist who has worked for Car Life, was an associate editor at Motor Trend, and is the author of ten automotive books. Below, Wallace Wyss of the above description gives us a unique and humorous look at the Monterey Car Week on a motoring scribe’s budget.
By Wallace A. Wyss
Wednesday, August 12th
Leaving a smog-shrouded Los Angeles at Wednesday morning of Monterey Car Week, I toodled northward in a wheezing Geo Metro loaded to the gills with art and memorabilia. My goal was to immerse myself in that heaven-on-earth for exotic car enthusiasts known as Monterey for as many days as I could on as few dollars as I could spend. [Read more…] about Monterey Car Week On a Dollar a Day
Monte Carlo Confidential
The Monte Carlo not seen on SpeedTV
Photos copyright Mario Marchesini
Captions by Lorenzo Marchesini
“Me pay? No, give him the bill..” submitted by Michael Gordon.
Academy of Art and their Automobile Museum
Hispano Suiza with a stunning dual cowl phaeton, bodied by D’Iteren Freres is one of the prize cars of the San Francisco Academy of Art.
Story by Brandes Elitch, Photos by Petya Elitch..
Riddle me this. One of the greatest car collections in the world is private, not open to the public, and yet you can see it whenever you want, any time of day. There are over eighty fully restored cars, primarily big prewar Classics: Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, Packard, Cadillac, Pierce Arrow, Rolls, Delage, Hispano, Lincoln, and more. Moreover, thousands of people see these cars every day. Can you answer this riddle?
[Read more…] about Academy of Art and their Automobile Museum
Secrets of Driving in Italy
By Brandes Elitch with Excerpts by Joe Pelanconi
Photos by John Sexton
Owning an Italian car in America almost inevitably gives rise to an inexplicable longing to visit Italy, and that means, of course, driving there. I have done this a few times, the last one being a visit for the Lancia Centenary. Yes, it is different over there, as I found out when I tried to follow someone else for a two hour drive without having written directions or a European cell phone. This is not advisable in Italy.
[Read more…] about Secrets of Driving in Italy
The Hidden Faces of Venice
All photos copyright by Mario Marchesini
A semi-professional photographer, Mario Marchesini studied under the great Italian racing photographers, learning his craft at Monza in the 1970s. Today, very busy as a full time orthodontist, Marchesini still contributes images to a number of automobile magazines.
Years ago, we asked Mario to send us some images of Italy for a feature we called “Eye on Italy”. Some subjects had to do with cars, others just Mario’s Italy in general, including the Carnevale di Venezia, certainly the farthest thing from the automobile scene but nonetheless striking. For those who would like to share Mario’s Venice 2009 with him, we publish some of his best, a break from our normal four-wheel subjects.
[Read more…] about The Hidden Faces of Venice
A Ferrari 430 at CAT
David Alstadter with his F430 Spider at Spa Francorchamps, home of the Belgian GP.
Combining art and science in high performance driver training–in a Ferrari 430 Spider
By David Alstadter
David Alstadter has been there and done that. Not long ago he raced and restored cars. Not just any cars, but Porsches, Ferraris and BMWs. No slouch, Alstadter won both the Los Angeles and San Diego regional SCCA class championships. So it was with some surprise that we found Alstadter so impressed with a recent driving training course in Great Britain. The fact that his normal mode of transportation is a Ferrari 430 Spider added to the interest quotient. Alstadter wanted to drive his Ferrari to the great circuits of Europe and participate in track events, hence the need to update his skills. There are no disclaimers here, just sheer enthusiasm. (Ed.)
Think you can drive really well? So do I… or I did… or I do now. With my experience, what could I learn or gain from driver training? A lot!
[Read more…] about A Ferrari 430 at CAT
Design Critique: Pininfarina Hyperion
By Wallace A. Wyss
As an admirer of both Rolls Royces and Italian coachbuilders, I would have thought that an Italian coachbuilder taking a Rolls chassis and redoing it end to end would be a good thing.
Wrong.
[Read more…] about Design Critique: Pininfarina Hyperion
Riverside, the City of Speed’s Playground
Riverside’s first feature event, September 22, 1957. Eventual winner Richie Ginther, in John Edgar’s Ferrari 410S leads Bob Drake in Frank Arciero’s Ferrari 375 Plus early in the race.
Credit: Ken Parker, MTL Archive.
By Michael T. Lynch
When road racing enjoyed a revival after World War II, Watkins Glen, New York held the first race in the fall of 1948. The next year, Bridgehampton, New York; Linden, New Jersey; Concord, California and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida joined Watkins Glen with races for the imported cars that were arriving on U.S. shores. [Read more…] about Riverside, the City of Speed’s Playground