Mary Ann Dickinson (MAD) eyes Monterey
Check out this 1938 Lancia Aprilia Sport Aerodinamica, a modern reconstruction of a pre-war car. Andrea Zagato built this one in recognition of his father’s original design, following the images from old photographs as there is no other record of the car. It is a sleek beauty, with lines way ahead of its time.
Every August we all trek to the Monterey peninsula in California for the Holy Grail of vintage car events, which have grown beyond control over the years like an abandoned garden zucchini. It is now a plethora of car shows, auctions, races, exhibitions and collector markets, all occurring in the same frantic week. And this car fun is pricey; attending Monterey has become a compulsory – and expensive – pilgrimage.
The Aprile 6c 1750 Spider Corsa on its maiden showing on the streets of Carmel. The owner was closely guarding it. The grille was the only part of the car clear enough to be photographed at the time.
This 1931 Alfa Romeo 6c 1750 Gran Sport Aprile Spider Corso was in the middle of the pack in Carmel. The owner of the car hovered, and unlike the other car owners who disappeared for an elegant catered lunch, he stayed next to his car and was clearly worried. A classy well-dressed older Italian gentleman, he had discovered this one-off car in sorry condition and had it completely restored, finishing it only the week before in a fair state of panic. He indicated that the pre-war coachbuilder Aprile was a very small design studio, and likely this was the only Alfa body that they ever made. It looked gorgeous and unique. No wonder he wasn’t leaving it.
Rows and rows of the same production models at Concorso Italiano.
I exhibited my car at Concorso Italiano on Friday, which has morphed significantly from when it first began at the Quail. In those days it hosted a lot of specialty and pre-war cars. Now it is a modern car show, with rows upon rows of recent Italian production models and very few cars from the earlier vintage periods.
A number of vintage racers carried this tribute to Martin Swig on their race cars.
For example, the oldest Alfas this year were 1300’s and 2600’s; all the pre-war models and even the 1900’s must have been at The Quail. Concorso Italiano’s special features this year were a celebration of 100 years of Bertone styling, and a massive promotion of the new Fiat 500. Dr. Gary Kaberle was there with his BAT 11.
The B.A.T. 11 on display at Concorso Italiano. Dr. Gary Kaberle, the car's owner/designer, is in the black suit. The car was built as a tribute to his late wife Deb.
Tom McDowell does a wonderful job of organizing Concorso Italiano, but I could not help wondering whether there were any real spectators other than the car owners who were exhibiting. Perhaps most of the spectators were at the Quail, which was sold out at 3,000 tickets months in advance, or at Laguna Seca, where 550 vintage racers were practicing on Friday.
Peter Giddings won the qualifying race for the 1927-1951 Racing Cars with his 1931 Alfa Romeo Tipo P3, but ran into trouble in the full race when his car began running on one less cylinder. Yet he still placed third!
No matter, we all had a good time reconnecting with old friends at this combination tail gate party and car club reunion. The weather was beautiful, the music was great, the cars were beautiful, and we regularly are reminded why we own these cars in the first place.
I trek to Monterey because I cannot stay away. Even though every year I complain about the crowds, complain about the cost and SWEAR I will not go back again……I always do.
And what will they think of next?…
This unique item was rescued from the old Ferrari factory. In the 1970’s it was in the dyno testing room, placed there for customers who wanted to watch their engine being...bench tested.
The “well dressed” Italian next to the Aprile was not other than Corrado Lopresto, the owner of more than 75 unique and prototype, all Italian cars and the largest collection of Alfa Romeo prototypes and one-offs. A legendary collector in Europe, winner of Villa D’Este as well as Pebble Beach Class winner numerous times.
The Alfa Nose looks very familiar. I had a car like this in my workshop in the early 70s…..A 1750 GS with a steel body that was rumored at the time to be Belgian.The car was on 15 in wires.I wish you had some photos of the side .I could then identify it for sure.I later saw the car for sale in France in the last 10 years and then it disappeared.
maybe another photo will turn up .
Ciao From Italy
Stephen
Dear staff,
Thank you for quoting, at the top of the page, the Lancia Aprilia Sport.But I like to point out that this car is not a replica. That’s an official RECONSTRUCTION made by Zagato on a Lancia Aprilia chassis.
I agree with Stephen, bu he is referring to a different (though similar) 1750 5th Series which is now with friends, and is fitted with a superbly replicated Zagato body, whilst the (DeMatto from memory) body has been put to one side, destined, one day, to be fitted to another lesser chassis. Best. Peter