The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Enzo Ferrari once reportedly called the reenactment of the Mille Miglia “the travelling museum that is unique in the world.” And it is remarkable that since the event was reconstituted in 1977, it is still going strong after 35 editions. This year, some 450 cars of 73 different manufacturers were due to cross 7 regions of Italy and over 200 locations of art and culture, from Brescia to Rome and back.
By Wallace Wyss
This article originally appeared in VeloceToday August 6, 2009
The King is dead…long live the King. Wasn’t that what they always said in the old movies? Anyhow, the sneak shots of the Ferrari 458 Italia are out a couple of months before its official roll-out, at least enough photos to enable this design critic to form an opinion and submit it ever so humbly to the cognoscenti, i.e., you.
The Ferrari 458 Italia is a robust-looking car; to sum it up in one sentence: “it takes the bizarre out of the Enzo” yet saves enough of the old car to make an all-new shape that is reminiscent of the late Enzo but still its own design. Although it may replace the 430, the 458 might be considered an “Enzo light”.
By Dale LaFollette
On my way to the 1979 U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen and I had been invited to stay for a couple of days with the 86-year-old artist Peter Helck and his wife Priscilla. Peter and I had been “pen pals” for several years but this was the first time we had actually met. I had traded one of my sculptures with Peter for one of his paintings and our mail discussions hinged on Art and turn of the century auto racing. Helck is seen in the lead photo above, walking toward Old Number 16.
It is June 5th, the day before D-Day, and we note the significant event by relating the story of the restoration of a Royal Enfield Flying Flea, a motorcycle designed to be parachuted out of an aircraft and used by British troops after the landing in France. In Part 1, Eric Davison recounted the joys of rebuilding the motorcycle his grandfather once wrote about. In Part 2, Davison has achieved the impossible; he’s gotten his Flying Flea running.
But will he ever be able to ride it?
Story by Eric Davison
The magneto came back from England and was installed. It generated spark but the bike would only cough.
About this time my brother and his wife came down for a visit. We tried to start the bike. Only coughs. We even tried bump starting it by pulling it behind my truck with brother Mark holding a rope. This was not only stupid but dangerous and ineffective. [Read more…] about Royal Enfield Flying Flea for D-Day
Humor by Richard Bartholomew
May 31, 2018, Shanghai
An obscure Chinese company has captured the worldwide rights to all parts and spares for XKE Jaguars. Having achieved that, the company will produce new models using the original tooling and jigs, according to a press release from the Jusomgai Motors of Shanghai last Tuesday. Calls were made to current Jaguar owner TATA Motors for confirmation, but this reporter was unable to verify the authenticity of the press release. [Read more…] about News Flash! The Return of the XKE
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Organized the first time in 1997, this year the Monaco Historic Grand Prix celebrated its 11th edition on May 12-13. Five Series (classes) covered the first 30 years of the Formula One World Championship, from 1950 to 1980. The two remaining Series were for the Pre-war Grand Prix cars and for front engine sports racing cars, in memory of the 1952 Monaco Grand Prix run for sports cars. [Read more…] about Monaco Historic Grand Prix by Vanhoolandt
This story does not involve anything Italian or French, and is about a motorcycle instead of a car. Long-time contributor Eric Davison (Memoirs of Watkins Glen) has written this timely, delightful article about restoring a WWII era motorcycle designed for D-Day, and after all, it is Memorial Day weekend; next week on June 6 we celebrate D-Day. What could be more appropriate? We know you will enjoy reading of Eric’s hilarious trials and tribulations bringing his “Flying Flea” back to life. As there were only two wheels, a tiny single-cylinder engine and a basic frame, how hard could this restoration be?
By Eric Davison
I am not quite certain of why and when I became infatuated with the motorcycle with the improbable name ‘The Flying Flea!’
In thinking hard about it I have come to the conclusion that it was a seed planted in my head by my paternal grandfather Augustus ‘Gus’ Davison, an Englishman. [Read more…] about The Royal Enfield Flying Flea Motorcycle
By Pete Vack
From the VeloceToday Archives, April 18, 2012
According to Bill Milliken, the acquisition of his first sports car was simply elementary. While visiting New York City in 1946, he happened upon a shiny black MGTB, asked the owner if he’d like to sell, wired home for the $1500 necessary to title it in his name and drove it up to Albany. [Read more…] about Milliken’s Bugatti T35A
And How! features open and innovative formats for notices, short articles and posts
Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt
It is Brandes Elitch’s best loved motorcycle. “This is my absolute favorite bike and my vote for the most desirable bike ever made.” It captivated Graham Gauld at this year’s Monaco Historics. It even lit a fire under the Editorial bum. Find out why. Ed.
Story by Graham Gauld
For a reason I never completely understood, the Monaco Club invited a bunch of people with vintage racing bikes to drive round the circuit and wave to the crowd. But one bike, a Moto Guzzi of 1957, caught my eye. [Read more…] about And How! Moto Guzzi’s Remarkable V8
Story and color photos by Graham Gauld
The Monaco Historic Grand Prix meeting (May 11-13) has come and gone and, my, how time flies when you are having fun. As readers will know, I go to those events, never do reportage on the races, but keep looking for oddities and interesting sidelights that the others may not have noticed. Monaco this year was a rich source of items so let’s start off with an oddity, the Assegai Formula 1 car. [Read more…] about Monaco Historic Grand Prix 2018
Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Steve Snyder
In last year’s column about this show, I wrote, “The program says that ‘what began as a small gathering of enthusiasts has grown into one of the premier celebrations of motorcycling in the country’, and this is an understatement. There may be other events, such as Daytona Bike Week, but there is no other motorcycle show like this or anything close, anywhere else in the country.” [Read more…] about The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, May 5, 2018
In the past few weeks and months, Sean Smith has given us a look at the new line of Alfa Romeos, from the 4C to the latest Stelvio. We’ve edited the articles and put them together in one short peice which gives the reader an overall view of all four cars. Ed.
Story and photos by Sean Smith [Read more…] about Alfa Giulia, 4C, Stelvio and Quadrifoglio