Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
I have been going to the Festival of Speed for at least the past 15 years if not more, and the event still manages to surprise me with the cars they are able to entice out of the woodwork. Each year there will be cars and items I have seen before, many of them will be old favorites, some that maybe you have not have seen for a few years. But lurking in a pit garage or arriving in the assembly area will always be something you have not seen before.
The organizers also try harder. Take, for example, the selection of DFV powered cars chosen to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Double Four Valve. Not just a selection of Lotus, Williams, McLaren etc., but at least 5 Lotus 49s as well as the Eifelland Coswoth E21 and the unique 1972 Connew PC1, which was built by Peter Connew in his single car garage next to his house. The Maranello’s Masterpiece Class of Ferrari 250s in the Cartier Style et Luxe concours contained a GTO and a SWB, but also the Bertone-bodied 250 known as the Shark nose. In the Aston Martin class was the Bertone Jet and the Ogle Sotherby’s special. For the cheeky Cinquecento clas,s the Zagato Zanzara, a Ghia Jolly and a Necker Weinsberg Coupe. They just don’t quit. Below are these and many more.
The dawning of the 750 KG formula: Mercedes W25, two W125s and Hugh Taylor’s Alfa Romeo P3.
Noise on a Sunday morning.
Early morning warm up for the Classic Mercedes Team.
Ferrari 1512, 158 and 156.
Remembering John Surtees.
Alpine A110. From the Rallycross class, entered by John Wheeler, Piet Kruythof took several victories during the 1977/78 European Rallycross season.
In the Ultimate Rally cars class this Alpine A310 was driven to victory by Guy Frequelin in the 1977 French Rally Championship entered by Renault Classic. Next to it is a Jaguar XJR-16.
Aston Martin Bertone Jet.
The Sotherby special, conceived by David Ogle and based around an Aston Martin DBS V8. Constructed on behalf of WO Willis, a cigarette manufacturer, to launch its Sotherby brand of cigarettes.
The BRM Can-Am car. Designed by Tony Southgate the BRM-Chevrolet P154 was BRM’s attempt to take on the might of McLaren in Can Am racing.
Americana class, Porsche 917/30, McLaren M8F and Lotus Pratt & Whitney Type 56 Turbine car.
Cummings Diesel Special. Fred Agabashian took pole position at the 1952 Indy 500 in this Kurtis Kraft Cummings Diesel Special only to retire on lap 70.
Ferrari 125 recreation with Lord March.
GTO and SWB
250GT Sharknose Chassis 3269 was first shown at the 1962 Geneva Salon. A unique car designed by a 23 year old Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Ferrari 512BB LM engine
The classic 3.5 Liter V12 engineed Ferrari 641 from 1990.
Then the Ferrari mechanics enjoy a Red Bull…hmmm.
Fiat Gamine Vignale.
Honda RA300 V12
The Lambretta 125cc Siluro in which Romolo Ferri broke the Scooter speed record in 1951 makes a fine contrast to the Ferrari 158.
Lotus 56 Turbine
The Necker Weinsberg Coupe was designed by Antonio Fessia and built by NSU between 1959 and 1963. Weinsbergs were built from partly assembled Fiat 500s and used a different front end, finned rear wings and Fiat 1100 tail lights. Available as a Limousette saloon, and the sleeker coupe shown here.
From the best car in the world class of Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts, the 1912 London – Edinburgh Silver Ghost “The Silver Dawn”.
Steyr-Puch 500
From the Americana class, this Vollstedt Ford built by engineer Rola Vollstedt and driven by Jim Clark at the 1967 Riverside round of the USAC championship. Jim led the race, his last race in the USA, before missing a gear change damaging the engine.
Alfa P3. Yes, you can wonder about that paint job.
A Ballot in the assembly area.
Four Ferrari single seaters.
In the cheeky Cinquecento class Roberto Molin’s 1960 Fiat 500 Jolly by Ghia.
A slightly less cheeky Cinquecento, Tony Bests 1957 Nuova 500.
Another Cheeky Cinquecento. Designed by Ercole Spada the Zagato Zanzara (Mosquito) was first shown at the 1969 Turin Salon the Zanzara was to remain a one off.
Williams Cosworth FW088.
And a Williams line up.
WOW,
Great article! Fantastic cars. It all looks so casual and fun, Well stated in the article, I wish I had been there. The Mercedes collection is historic in so many ways.
Thanks,
Dick Ruzzin
great photoreportage
Caption should really read ‘Three Ferrari single seaters and a Lancia D50’. No idea why there is a Ferrari shield on a pre-1956 Lancia, recreation or not.
As to the Ferrari shield on the Lancia, Ferrari did race the Lancia in its original body configuration at least in early 1956 calling it a Lancia-Ferrari. The car is illustrated at the Argentine GP on pages 78-79 in Alan Henry’s book FERRARI THE GRAND PRIX CARS. As to the shield being present there the photo is indistinct in that area but it seems to be there. By Monaco both Fangio and Collins had the reconfigured Ferrari body on the Lancia-Ferraris but Collins tested and Castellotti raced a Lancia-Ferrari in the original body configuration with a Ferrari shield on the cowl.
Wonderful Alfa Romeo P-3 car, but not quite sure of comment on its paint job.?
Car has been owned postwar by Tommy Lee to run at the Indianapolis 500 race
Entered under name of his fathers organization Don Lee Mutual Broadcasting which later sold to CBS.
Tommy had an impressive stable of fine cars–ready to roll out any time of night to
prowl streets of Hollywood which included the 1st Ferrari in America, the original
166 barchetta from 1948 Turin show. Others included Talbot Lago Figoni coupe,
<Mercedes 540 K, Bugatti GP car, and several examples of Alfa 2.9. especially the
1938 Mille Miglia car of Pintacuda.
Jim Sitz