Monaco Historics with Hugues Vanhoolandt
Bugattis T35 and 37 were in majority in the Prewar field.
Story and Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
First run in 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix for Grand Prix cars has been accompanied by the Historic Grand Prix since 1997. The Historics are held every two years, and two weeks before the F1 event.
This year was the 10th edition, held on May 14-15 and some 250 cars were entered in the various classes, ranging from the Prewar Grand Prix cars from 1929 to 1939 to the F1 cars of the 1973-1976 period.
It must be noted that for the first time, the Prewar cars were only demonstrated, not raced, certainly due to the rarity of these cars and the difficulty to repair them. Needless to say that there are not many run off areas in Monaco; even a slight error can have costly consequences, and it is worse when rain occurs, making the track extremely slippery as on Saturday afternoon. But the rain was limited and the races on Sunday were held under a sunny sky.
Now let’s see the on-track action:
Graham Gauld: Bosley versus Michelotti
The Bosley GT, a superb, stylish design that predated cars like the Berlinetta Lusso by a number of years, yet designed in America. Gauld photo.
Richard Bosley and Giovanni Michelotti: A styling dichotomy.
The 1957 Vignale-bodied Triumph TR3 parked in a Modena street, built as a styling exercise by Michelotti to help persuade Triumph to hire him as a consultant: it worked. Gauld photo.
By Graham Gauld
A couple of stories this month which bring up the matter of style and coachbuilding. (see last week’s Michelotti Corvette article) If you read the two stories you could be forgiven for thinking the photos showing the first car described was designed in Italy and the second in the United States.
But it was the other way around.
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, 2016
Lancia Astura series II berlinetta Castagna 1933 prize winner as best in show.
Story and photos by Alessandro Gerelli
The Concorso Villa d’Este was held on May 20-22. Saturday’s competitive event is held at the Villa d’Este, and on Sunday, all the cars are shown in the nearby Villa Erba; this day is open to the public.
While often confusing, the official definition is Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, while Villa Erba is a location within the show.
The Concorso Villa d’Este has a very long history since 1929, but only recently a new class “Concept Cars and Prototypes” was included in the show.
This year I looked at the new creations of a make or of a coachbuilder, and compared them with their original or older cars in the same show.
Of course there are the pictures of the many other jewels shown in the crowded court of Villa Erba, where I took the following images on Sunday. [Read more…] about Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, 2016
Alfa Romeo 1900 Ghia and Company
Eltich found this rare one off Ghia Alfa at Concorso. But does it have a twin? Photo by Petya Elitch.
By Brandes Elitch
Color photos by Petya Elitch
From the Archives, September 2011
“The early fifties were a magical time for all Italian coachbuilding, one of those magical moments when, for no particular reason…a series of favorable conjunctures determine the success…of an entire category. These were the years in which the Italian bodywork line was born…Mario Boano participated in Italian coachbuilding’s moment of grace with the Lancia Aurelia B20 and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. A third model worth remembering is the 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 C coupe. This is a model which is understandably influenced by Ghia’s contemporary work with the Chrysler stylists.”
From “Ghia, Catalog Raisonne, by Valerio Moretti, Automobilia, 1991, Milan
VeloceToday for May 24, 2016
EBay Michelotti Corvette
Not the Rondine but we bet a Michelotti Corvette is still worth a lot of money. Credit McLaren Philadelphia
By Wallace Wyss
On eBay, you gotta figure that everything comes up one time or another. Even Corvettes bodied in Italy by famous carrozzeria. We found it on eBay, but the car is still available at McLaren of Philadelphia, who kindly allowed us to use these photos.
You take a name like Giovanni Michelotti and you think, whatever chassis he designs coachwork for, it’s gonna be wonderful, right? Especially when the actual coachbuilder is Ghia.
Uh, no.
Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2016
1964 MV Agusta Triple, Virgil Elings
By Brandes Elitch
Photos by Dave Fetherston unless otherwise noted
In my previous article, I interviewed Gordon McCall, the organizer of the motorcycle show held every May since 2009 at the Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel Valley, California. It is generally regarded as the premier motorcycle concours in the country.
One of the emcees at the show is Paul d’Orleans, a well-known motorcycle writer (www.the vintagent@blogspot.com). Paul describes the ambiance of the show better than anyone. “The world of motorcycles has all the ingredients of a good, enriching drama: heroic deeds, political intrigue, design brilliance, cut-throat business practices, quirky characters, national tensions, cultural biases, Eros and Thanatos. When diving into the muck of motorcycle history, we find unexpected riches.” [Read more…] about Quail Motorcycle Gathering 2016
Voyage to Wilton House
Wilton House 2016: I liked the Maserati 4200; my wife was more interested in the ceanothus.
From: Jonathan Sharp
Dear Pete,
Jose and I managed to grab two days away over the weekend, May 21-22 and saw a recently restored world famous steam engine, the Flying Scotsman, in full steam; Stonehenge, the Salisbury Cathedral and a low-key event at Wilton House for Italian and French cars called “The Wilton Wake Up.” [Read more…] about Voyage to Wilton House
Gauld at Maranello and Monaco
Howden Ganley welcomes Piero Ferrari as an honorary member of the Grand Prix Drivers Club in the Cavallino Restaurant opposite the original factory gates. John Surtees is in the foreground.
By Graham Gauld
In some ways I always dread the month of May as I usually have something going on, not only every weekend but in four different countries! As a result this is written in haste before heading off for Scotland and the Ecurie Ecosse Tour.
Ten days ago it all started with the Annual General Meeting of the Grand Prix Drivers Club which this year was held in Maranello on the invitation of Ferrari, and resulted in a good turnout of members including not only what we would call normal Ferrari drivers but including one World Champion, John Surtees. Piero Ferrari, vice-President of Ferrari was made an Honorary Member of the Club by Club President Howden Ganley and was seated beside John Surtees. [Read more…] about Gauld at Maranello and Monaco
VeloceToday for May 17, 2016
Italian Car Day at Brooklands, Part 2
In a coral full of newer and rather too noisy modern Lamborghinis it was great to see this rather elegant Islero taking pride of place in front of the new 4D Theatre.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
VeloceToday is about Italian and French cars. Italian cars, we got. Jonathan Sharp went to Brooklands to find a huge variety of Italians, some as rare as honest politicians. The editor has not seen an Alfetta sedan since he sold his in 1983. And how about that Moretti, or the Quattroporte 3? Part 2 continues Sharp’s venture into the world of “haven’t seen one like that for years!”