Etceterinis have truly arrived. Alex Vazeo’s Giaur pulls up next to the Alfa 6C2500SS of Oliver Collins and a Maserati Spyder entered by Mr. Ferretti, owner of the famous Ferretti yachts. Below, Alex tells VeloceToday about his experience in Cernobbio.
The organizers simply loved this car! Not only did they accept it immediately, but they also thanked me many times for bringing it there after having spent more than a half century in the U.S, where it was owned by my friend and VeloceToday contributor Raffi Manasian.
Roland D'Ieteren, the famous European collector entered a Moretti Grand Sport in 2004, but it was not a pure race car like the Giaur. In that respect my Giaur was the first of its kind presented at Villa d’Este. It was included in Class G, post war competition cars along with the Phil Hill C-type, D-type prototypes. Even the entrants of my class thought that I would win in the end!
There was a mistake made in all descriptions that we should correct. The body of this car was NOT made by Motto. The son and grandson of Berardo Taraschi confirmed that to me only two days before the Concorso so it was impossible to change the description. We previously believed that it was a Motto body but this is wrong, the body was designed and made by Taraschi, in their own factory.
The judges at Villa D'Este stay practically the same for long periods. This year, the President of FIVA Mr. Bruning was included in the judging panel since one of the regular judges could not make it due to the volcanic ash. My car was judged by him, (at right). Lord March (the owner of Goodwood, center) and Hideo Kodama, the Japanese designer. They are extremely knowledgeable. Of course, in such high profile (and VERY expensive events), politics do apply so perhaps Sydorick (who won the class with the fabulous Alfa 1900 Zagato) had a bit of an edge.
The President of FIVA, Mr. Bruning, gets very technical during the judging.
The power bulge was installed on the car back in about 1959 in order to accommodate the double side draught Weber. The current engine is a Crosley based unit that produces 77 hp and the car really flies. Originally, this particular car had a less prominent bulge since it was fitted with a smaller Weber on the Giannini G1 engine. Photo courtesy Raffi Minasian.
My wife Freda, my sons Stathis and Dimitris, my parents and some good friends came with me to the event. We stayed at the Villa d'Este and my parents stayed in a nearby Villa. Stathis and Dimitris would have rather stayed in the Giaur.
Alex,
What a great story! The Giaur looks totally at home with the other great classics in attendance and your boys look very comfortable in “their” red racer. It’s great to see these cars getting the recognition they deserve.
Congrats Alex! Fantastic to see an etceterini at this great event! I’m sad
the Giaur left the states for Europe, but it could not have gone to a
better home!
I knew this car when Chal Hall (of little Digger and the Hall-Scott H-mod fame) had it. The original Giannini was blown up on a rallye in Mexico circa 1959. Raffi was nice enough to have given me first refusal on buying it some 30 years ago, but unfortunately when he decided to sell it, it was way beyond my budget.
I’m happy that it was shown at Villa d’Este and the people appreciated the car.
Best,
Stu Schaller