VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Ferrari 375 Pinin Farina, S/N 0355 AL

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Story and photos by Alan Boe

Three seventy-five. In the world of Ferrari this number often alludes to the twelve cylinder engine used in some of the company’s most savage, brutally fast, all out competition machinery built in the early to mid-1950s. There were topless spyders and a few berlinettas with bodies by Pininfarina, Vignale, and Scaglietti and of course, Grand Prix machines and even a few Indy cars. But not all 375 Ferraris were designed or destined for racing. In addition to at least one 375 engine adapted for marine use, Ferrari also used its big 4.5 liter engine to drive a limited series of luxuriously leathered-line high powered grand touring coupes and berlinettas, several of which were first trotted out for in an important European show before being sold off to a wealthy industrialist, entertainer, or titled personage. Only a handful of these road-going 375s were built, but in the mid-1950s, they represented the ultimate in exclusive, high speed European touring cars. [Read more…] about Ferrari 375 Pinin Farina, S/N 0355 AL

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Driven

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Story and photos by Sean Smith

So if it’s too cold to take out your 8C 2300… or the snow is too deep for your GTV… and your two cases of Chianti just won’t fit in your TZ, but you have that deep-down urge to be looking at a steering wheel with a cross and serpent on it, just grab the proximity key to the Stelvio and be off!

The Stelvio is another of Alfa’s warriors in the battle for America’s hearts and minds. There were murmurs that a shooting brake/station wagon might be in the offering, but that was a bit too much of an outlier for a company such as Alfa trying to establish a beachhead in the USA. Better to stick with the more acceptable (in this day and age) crossover/SUV. [Read more…] about 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Driven

Italian Car Day, Brooklands, May 5, 2018

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Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The organizers of the annual Brooklands/Auto Italia Italian car day like to coral the marques and models together, So…. “Fiat 500 sir? Next to the Concorde please, Lancia! Top of the finishing straight next to the banking by the flight shed. Maserati, over there, next to the bottom of the test hill. Moretti 2500SS! Wow, in front of the club house please.”

However by the time I arrived, and I was earlier than usual, the place was nearly full so my Alfa had to go at the end of a line of Abarths. When it comes to numbers, the Alfa Romeos outnumbered the other marques by at least 3 to one. For a marque that is not that common on the roads of the UK there was an awful lot of them in their coral.

For me, the show is not about the 20 modern Lamborghinis on the finishing straight, or the Ferraris in front of the Jackson shed; it is the as-new, early model Fiat Panda parked on the banking, the group of Fiat 131s by the Shell petrol pagoda, the Bianchini below the members bar.

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1958 FACEL Excellence sedan

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Story by Brandes Elitch
(Brandes is the US representative for the FACEL Amicale, the owner’s club based in France.)
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt and Steve Snyder

From the VeloceToday Archives, December 15, 2010

“I like cars that nobody can maintain!”
Dr. Rick Zeiger, on the restoration of Excellence sedan EX12A

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is still the most famous in the world, and likes to feature recently restored cars that have never been shown since their restoration. In 2010, Dr. Rick Zeiger entered his 1958 FACEL Excellence sedan, a car that he has owned for 12 years.

FACEL is an acronym for Forges et Ateliers et Constructeurs Eure et Loire. The Excellence debuted at the Paris Auto Show in October, 1956, and 152 were produced from 1958 until 1964. My favorite quote about it comes from esteemed author Richard Langworth, who wrote in the November, 1985 number of Collectible Automobile that, “The Excellence is a large vehicle…better suited as a Car of State rather than a daily driver.”

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The Schlumpf Reserve and Restoration

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Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

The Cité de l’Automobile National Museum-Schlumpf Collection is a fascinating institution. But have you ever wondered if the Schlumpf is allowed to sell any of their cars? Do they purchase new additions for the collection? If so, what are their standards? What cars are chosen for restoration? What are the criteria for restoration? Do they restore cars for others? What cars are in the reserve collection? Now, Hugues Vanhoolandt interviews Richard Keller, chief curator of the collection, who answers those questions while giving Vanhoolandt an exclusive look into the 200-car reserve collection. Ed.

In 1977, the Schlumpf collection consisted of almost 500 cars stocked in a woolen mill (which is today the museum) and some 80 others that were garaged on the Schlumpf’s private property. After the death of Fritz Schlumpf, these 80 cars were in the ownership of his widow, Arlette, until her passing in 2008 when most were then purchased by U.S. collector Peter Mullin. [Read more…] about The Schlumpf Reserve and Restoration

Graham Gauld on the Tour Auto 2018

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Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Last Saturday, April 28t, the Tour Auto came to town. When I say town, I mean the small town of Fayence in the Var region of Provence in the South of France. Fayence is about 20 minutes from my home here and when I realized the cars were not only passing through the town but would have a rest stop before the last two Special Stages before the finish at Nice, then I had to pay a visit.

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CD and the Last Racing Panhard

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By Pete Vack
From the VeloceToday archives, February 2009

When you read the letters CD in terms of aerodynamics, it is usually assumed that they stand for “Coefficient of aerodynamics”, Cd, or Cx as some would have it. Others would have it differently, for the letters CD also stand for Charles Deutsch, whose lifelong ambition to create efficient race cars has been largely overlooked and yet is so important. [Read more…] about CD and the Last Racing Panhard

Alfa Romeo 4 C On the Road

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By Sean Smith and Pete Vack
Color photos by Sean Smith

Sean Smith has already written about one of Alfa’s latest offerings, the almighty Quadrifolio (Read road test). This month, Smith reviews the rest of Alfa’s current offerings, beginning with the 4C below. In the next two week’s he’ll try out the new Giulia and the Stelvio.

Alfa’s Sport Coupes – older than you think

It is, like many things Alfa, about tradition. As we all know, sport coupes are a tradition with the company. But how far back can that particular convention be traced? To the famous Le Mans coupes from the late 1930s? No, go back further. [Read more…] about Alfa Romeo 4 C On the Road

Phil Hill: Racing the Jag at Carrell

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By Pete Vack and Jim Sitz
Photos by Strother MacMinn, copyright Bob Ames

As we have seen in the past, link, Strother MacMinn was photographing the automotive scene in Southern California and took many images never before seen or published. Bob Ames now owns the MacMinn archives, and through Dale LaFollette has allowed us to present these rare photos from Carrell Speedway near Los Angeles.

As we reviewed the photos, we realized that the first few sets of negatives told us very little. We knew that some were taken at the dirt track called Carrell Speedway, and others taken at an airport event, probably Palm Springs. And for the most part, the negs were of Jags and MGs, hard to identify or place.

We knew Jim Sitz could piece this together. “I was friends back then with Phil, McAfee, and Roger Barlow, who operated the dealership where Phil was the mechanic. We were all pretty young; Phil was 23, Barlow 38, John Bond (of Road & Track) also 38, Jack McAfee was 28, MacMinn 32 and real man- about-town, driving his Rolls Phantom II down to black neighborhoods for their jazz clubs.” [Read more…] about Phil Hill: Racing the Jag at Carrell

1959 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Found

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If you subscribe now, before it’s too late, we will send you a copy of Barn Find Alfa, a 32 page booklet, free including shipping anywhere in the world. As they say on TV, supplies are limited. We sold most of the print run out at $20 each, but we’ll give out the remaining copies to those who want to become a Premium Susbcriber. When you subscribe, all those pesky black boxes that say “this content is for subscribers only” magically disappear and you’ll have full access to the thousands of archived articles. Plus there are three ways to joing up…PayPal, Credit Card, or by check.

Click here to join up and get your free copy!.

Ok it’s free, but what is it about?

We think you will enjoy Barn Find Alfa, (not only because it will be shipped to you free of charge when you subscribe), but because it speaks of what we all have in common: a search for a rare classic, sharing the find with knowledgeable and helpful friends, the risks and decision one makes when embarking upon vintage car racing, the manner in which a classic should be prepared for road use, to what degree should it be restored, and, a story of long term relationships and enthusiasm, bound by a shared experience of one remarkable Alfa Romeo. [Read more…] about 1959 Alfa Giulietta Sprint Veloce Found

Ferraris of Pasadena

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By Wallace Wyss
Photos by Richard Bartholomew

For those who haven’t been to “Old Town” Pasadena, it is your ideal shop-’til-you-drop then stop at Starbucks kind of area, with lots of half century or older buildings, palm trees, oozing ambiance form every pore.

So it makes a perfect place to have a Ferrari show, produced by the Southwest region of the Ferrari Club of America. Over 100 cars were accepted, and they ran the gamut from this very early 166 Mille Miglia Berlinetta (below) to the very latest offerings from Maranello. [Read more…] about Ferraris of Pasadena

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