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Don Black’s Alfa Romeo Competition Reference Handbook

March 24, 2015 By pete

Sold out! Many thanks to all who ordered!
The editor…

By Carl Goodwin

Would you like a 220 HP Alfa?

In the heyday of U.S. importer Alfa Romeo Inc. – that would be the late ‘60s to the late ‘90s – a bright, enthusiastic engineer named Don Black managed Alfa’s racing activities during his evenings and weekends.

With the help and support of the president of the organization, Arturo Reitz, he organized contingency programs for Alfa racers. For those drivers who finished 1st, 2nd or 3rd in class, they got $300, $200 or $100. It doesn’t sound like much now, but in 1971 it was a nice payoff. During the first year of this program, the five leading drivers were given a brand new Alfa 2600 roadster for their accomplishments!

Make your 1600 vintage race ready...Photo by Vince Johnson.

To keep Alfas ahead of the competition, with a name that often began with the letter P and was built in Bavaria, Don Black’s racer support program also provided technical advice. “We were just reporting things,” Don commented. “Some of the teams were ahead of us.” Other information came from Autodelta and some came from Don Black’s engineering activities. Production was handled by Kathy Ruccio, who did the typing, printing, assembling and mailing of the information. New pages were issued weekly. [Read more…] about Don Black’s Alfa Romeo Competition Reference Handbook

The Three Musketeers, Part 1

March 24, 2015 By pete

Combination of the three: Emile Darl'mat asked Marcel Pourtout to clothe this Peugeot 601 with a design by Georges Paulin. At the 1935 Concours d’Elegance in Monte Carlo, the actress Josette Day presented this dramatic, ultra-modern, full-width pontoon with Paulin's disappearing hardtop.

By Gijsbert-Paul Berk

This is the story of three men who, in the prewar years and especially during the 1930 ties, combined their ambition, enthusiasm and skills to create a number of unforgettable and trendsetting automobiles. The names of these ‘three musketeers’: Emile Darl’mat (1892 – 1970), a successful Paris car dealer, Marcel Pourtout (1894 -1979), a master craftsman and coachbuilder and Georges Paulin (1902 – 1942), a dentist and a very talented ‘amateur’ body designer.

Read Part 2
Read Part 3

In 2002 I was lucky enough to interview Claude Pourtout in his office at the Fédération Française de la Carrosserie. Claude was at the time a Vice-President and the historian of this organization. He was also the son of Marcel Pourtout, whose coachbuilding company had built a number of these magic Darl’mat sports cars. He told me quite a lot about the endeavors of his father, his friends Emile Darl’mat, Georges Paulin and the history of the company Carrosserie Pourtout. He also lent me a number of unique drawings and photos, which I was allowed to copy. The originals I returned to him with a draft of my article. We met again at the next Rétromobile show and made an appointment to continue our conversation soon. Unfortunately his health deteriorated and that never happened. When in 2004 he died, I filed my notes because they were incomplete and I more or less forgot about them.

But now I have retrieved them and – with some additional information – here is what he told me.

Emile Darl’mat

The name Darl’mat literally means ‘a very good person’ in Breton, the language of the French province of Brittany. Although born in the north of France, Emile Darl’mat was indeed a very good person. After he had completed his training as a mechanic and worked in a Renault garage, a wealthy businessman offered him a job as chauffeur/mécanicien. He had to accompany the man to San Francisco and remained there for a year. When in 1921 he returned to France, Darl’mat wanted to become a car dealer. During his stay in the US he had managed to save some money and with a loan from his former employer he could sign a lease contract for a garage at 35 Rue Malar in Paris (a stone’s throw from the Esplanade des Invalides). Darl’mat was a man of action with a clear vision about what he wanted to achieve and from 1923 onward his dealership represented Panhard, Peugeot and La Buire automobiles. [Read more…] about The Three Musketeers, Part 1

Adventures at Amelia, 2015

March 24, 2015 By pete

The Eichenbaum’s1955 Lancia B24S Spider America.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Wednesday March 11: Arrival

Just a quick E mail to let you know we have arrived at Amelia Island. Do you know, I have already seen my first classic of the trip without having even left Heathrow Airport. Whilst looking out of the window of our somewhat tired Boeing 767 and trying to psyche myself up for an eight hour flight to New York, I spotted the most beautiful airliner ever built, greatly missed Concorde. Got me thinking; with the Concorde, it would be only three hours and a couple of glasses of champagne and we would be in New York. She was parked just outside the British Airways maintenance hangar and still looking like she is ready to fly at a moment’s notice. I think that maybe the world of aviation took a step back the day she ceased to fly. At any rate, should be an easy day tomorrow with just my pass to pick up at Amelia.

Thursday: Auctions

Got my pass, no problems. Took a quick peak at the RM auction preview. My wife fell for a cute Italian, the 1952 Fiat Topolino they had on offer; well she is half Italian herself. She also decided that the red Muira with gold wheels and a blue interior was far too gaudy and still would not want to own it even when I told her that the colors were probably period correct. The Topolino made over $52k, and the Muira? – over $2 million. For my fantasy garage? Oh probably the 1931 Alfa 6C, or possibly the 1953 Siata 300C but at $2.4 million and $258k respectively all I can do is dream, and perhaps buy a lottery ticket.

Friday: 8 Flags Tour

James Sprague's 1937 Alvis Speed 25 awaits the start of the 8 Flags Rally early on the Friday morning.

The first major event of the weekend was held today. The Tour is a more recent addition to the main Concours Event. A varied mix of 35 cars from Hot Rods to Ferraris departed the Ritz Carlton Hotel at around 8:30 am and toured down to Huguenot Memorial Park which is on Fort George Island, and then drove back to downtown Fernandino Beach via the Fort Clinch State Park. I caught the start and then followed the cars down to Talbot Island where I managed to snap the cars on their return leg. Shot back to our Hotel to pick up my wife and we arrived at Fort Clinch just as the heavens opened. However the rain did not stop tour and my wife became my glamorous umbrella holding assistant. But the rain stopped and my wife was able to meet the great Sir Stirling Moss, something she had wanted to do for years. He really is a proper Gent of the old school. Now Stirling had started the tour as a passenger in Simon Taylor’s HWM Stovebolt Special, a car which Sir Stirling had driven back in the early 1950s. However, as the weather had turned inclement, it was thought best that Sir Stirling complete the tour in a car with a roof on it. Well he is 85 years old! This left Simon with an empty passenger seat. That is until he offered it to my wife, who, much to my surprise, jumped at the chance. Was I jealous? What do you think? Still somebody had to drive our rental car back. My last view of my wife was of her head being flung backwards as Simon unleashed 600 BHP per ton on a wet road. Simon has had the car for over 17 years and drives it on average 3000 miles a year, on the road and on the track. My wife and I were reunited at the end of the tour when the cars were displayed in and around the center of Fernandino Beach. My wife is not really a car gal but she was bubbling and full of Stovebolt facts and figures. The green Fiat Topolino of the day before being quickly forgotten. She had previously decided at Fort Clinch that the Grey Lancia B24 was her new favorite. The Lancia is now number two on her list. Thanks Simon, you made her holiday. Later in the afternoon we took a trip to the Omni resort to pick up another pass and whilst there took a look at another auction preview. Luckily nothing took her fancy.

BMW 328... Alas I can not be sure who owns this.

John and Betty Murphy's 1934 Alfa Romeo Pescara Prototype.

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Phillip Island Classic 2015

March 24, 2015 By pete

Neil Choi Alfetta Peter Richards Marcos 3L turn 10.

Story and Photos by Vince Johnson

With over five hundred entries track time during the Classic is always at a premium, so the Victorian Historic Racing Register held the briefing for all drivers on Thursday afternoon. Scrutineering was underway before breakfast on Friday and with qualifying done by lunchtime, racing commenced soon after. The celebration this year was for 50 years of the Mustang and it wasn’t hard to guess what would be on the grid in the over 3500cc Historic Touring Car races.

Dino 196 recreation.

Prior to the event, there was an interesting entry online, but the Dutton Garage’s 1959 Dino 196 unfortunately didn’t venture onto the circuit. Tucked away in its pit garage, it turned out to be one of Vincenzo Marciano’s recreations, built in Tuscany around twenty years ago. Fantuzzi would have certainly approved of its lines. Its chassis carried # MV005 and it was fitted with 2 litre Dino V6 #135B-0000001096.

Andrew Cannon Maserati 250S Aubrey Paverd MGTC, turn 9.

Andrew Cannon was back. Last year he drove the late Sir Jack Brabham on demonstration runs around the track in Maserati 250S chassis #1655, engine #2431 and this year it was Sir Jack’s widow, Lady Margaret’s turn. The car also ran in the Group Lb sports category during the weekend.

Paddins Dowling ERA R10B Nick McDonald Elva Courier, turn 10.

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VeloceToday for March 17, 2015

March 17, 2015 By pete

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FOR SALE! Style Auto duplicates: Numbers available are:
1,2,4,5,8,9,10,12,13,14,17,21,22,24,25,26,27,30,31,32,33,36,37. Most have English text, (4,14,27,33 are in Italian.) 1, 2 printed in (IT/EN). 1,2,27 are hard cover. Nice condition, #1 has a few loose pages but is complete; dust jacket on 2 70% complete. £495 GBP/$750 plus shipping Contact:willgrant@yahoo.co.uk

Rent a Race Car to drive in the 2015 Mille Miglia, Bassano, and other Italian Vintage events! Drive this rare Siata Daina Coupe, an A.C. Ace, or a Colli barchetta or others. This is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Don’t wait, these cars are rented out quickly for 2015!
Contact vack@cox.net for further details.

*$25 Ads for anyone who has something to sell, to giveaway, or to holler about. Ad will be placed above the fold and run for one month. Contact vack@cox.net .

_________________

Top Acrobatics: The Saga of the Disappearing Hardtop

March 17, 2015 By pete

The French make Peugeot pioneered the retractable hardtop in the early 1930 ties by selling Éclipse bodies, made by coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout, on their 301 and 601 chassis. The concept of the Peugeot 402 Éclipse was also based on Georges Paulin’s patent. But this model, introduced in October 1935, was built in Peugeot’s own factory. Between 1936 and 1940 some 580 units were produced.

In the next three weeks, Gijsbert Paul Berk will detail the lives of three important Frenchman who had a tremendous influence on automobile design: Georges Paulin, Marcel Pourtout and Emile Darl’mat, the three Musketeers. Much of their combined work evolved around the development of the disappearing hardtop as conceived by Georges Paulin. To give us a further insight into how clever kinematics conquered the auto industry, Gijsbert-Paul sent us this history.

By Gijsbert-Paul Berk

In the previous decades nearly all the major car manufacturers have introduced retractable hardtops in their popular or premium convertible models.

Opel had them on the Tigra TwinTop, Ford on their Fiesta and Focus models, Renault provided a glass paneled ‘see through’ hard top on the Megane CC, Volvo on the C 70 and BMW on the type 4 cabriolet. There even exist Ferrari California and Ferrari 458 Italia Spider versions with a retractable top. [Read more…] about Top Acrobatics: The Saga of the Disappearing Hardtop

Bowtie Ferraris: S/N 0168

March 17, 2015 By pete

This week we present another chapter from Randy Cook’s new book Bowtie Ferraris, the only book ever published about Chevy engined Ferraris.

By Randy Cook

This was one of six 225S competition berlinettas, a Vignale-bodied, triple porthole car, delivered in 1952 to Luigi Chinetti for Peter and Robert Yung of New York City. The Yungs raced the car in the 1953 Sebring 12 Hour race finishing eighth overall and second in class.

In 1955 it was sold to Santiago Gonzalez of Havana, Cuba who co-drove it with Gilberto Hernandez to first in class and second overall in the Sagua-Havana Rallye. On October 10, 1955, the pair won the Cuban Sports Car Grand Prix in the car.

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Geneva 2015

March 17, 2015 By pete

Bugatti Veyron La Finale: end of the production of this model. There will soon be a new car by Bugatti.

Story and photos by Alessandro Gerelli

Alessandro Gerelli has been attending the Geneva shows since 2004 and reporting on the Italian and French cars since then. This year he again traveled from his home in Milan to Europe’s most prestigious car show to bring us the latest from Geneva.

Also read our report on the state of the Italian car styling industry, also with Alessandro’s photos.

The new Alfa 4C spider.

The Alfa's interior.

Pagani Huayra.

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Italian Car Design: Stasis or Change?

March 17, 2015 By pete

From 2015: The Ferrari Touring Superleggera Berlinetta Lusso combines beautiful proportions and timeless classic lines with state-of-the-art mechanical technology from the Ferrari F12. Scroll down to see cars from 2009 to the present from the Geneva Auto Show. Photo credit Gijsbert-Paul Berk

Photos and captions by Alessandro Gerelli unless otherwise noted
Commentary by Gijsbert-Paul Berk

We thought it might be fun to look at the reports from the Geneva show since 2009; what has changed in the past seven years? (In fact, VeloceToday can go back to 2004, but that is beating a dead horse; see a report from the 2004 Geneva show). Why do things appear the same? Are Italian designer in stasis, or are we just seeing the end of design cycles (such as the Bugatti Veyron)?

Armed with photos from photographer Alessandro Gerelli, we asked Gijsbert-Paul Berk his opinion; after all, he has been attending European Motor shows since the early 1950s, so has literally seen it all. He winds up with some interesting comments on what he considers the star of this year’s show.

The Economy

I believe that part of the answer to why designs seem unchanging is that from 2008 onward the economy of the western world has been in a pretty bad shape. That means that the market for extravagant fast cars has declined, and this of course has its effect, not only on the specialist coachbuilders, but on the entire auto industry. It is sad to see how many once famous names have disappeared.

Overdesign

I am also convinced that people are fed up with designers who have lost contact with reality and forget that cars, even sports cars, are made to transport people in safety and comfort. Of course aerodynamic laws have to be respected and in some cases spoilers are necessary. Personally I also detest ‘overdesign’ and in this respect like to quote the French pilot and writer Saint Exupéry: “Perfection has been achieved not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”. I realize that he meant this for writing books but in my mind it is also true in the applied arts, such as architecture and body design.

A new era is ahead

Are we at the end of a design era? To quote Winston Churchill: “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” The auto industry (that now has a history of nearly 120 years) is by nature and necessity rather conservative, because there is a lot of money invested in their existing factories and revolutionary changes in product lines are costly. But there is change on the horizon.

During the last decades computer and biosciences have evolved at a much faster rate than the technical innovation of our automobiles. I am convinced that in the coming years many new technologies will be incorporated in our cars to make them more ecological friendly, easier to use and improve traffic safety. In a few decades we will certainly have electric cars charged by induction panels in the roads while one is driving. They will also be equipped with autonomous driving controls that make it possible to use you smartphone or tablet and work when going somewhere. I have only one wish: that these vehicles will not all have a similar shape, and look alike, such as our fridges do today.

And your opinion: here’s a look at the Italians at Geneva from 2009 to 2015.

2009

A Bugatti Veyron Bleu Centenaire, one of the most expensive cars in the exhibition. The Fiat 500C (Cabriolet) has been one of the most interesting stars in the whole exhibition.

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VeloceToday for March 10, 2015

March 10, 2015 By pete

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*$25 Ads for anyone who has something to sell, to giveaway, or to holler about. Ad will be placed above the fold and run for one month. Contact vack@cox.net .

_________________

The Abarth-Ferrari-Chevy: From Bowtie Ferraris

March 10, 2015 By pete

Rear view of the Abarth Ferrari. The body was totally reconstructed from photographs of the Abarth body. Courtesy Bill Warner

This week we present a chapter from Randy Cook’s new book Bowtie Ferraris. Meet Randy at Amelia Island this weekend and get a signed copy of the only book ever published about Chevy engined Ferraris. Or, if in continental U.S., order below from VeloceToday.

By Randy Cook

This unusual Abarth-Ferrari has had more rebodies than any of its contemporaries. It was delivered as a Vignale spyder in March 1953 by the factory to Franco Cornacchia’s Scuderia Guastalla of Milan, Italy for Giulio Mussitelli. It was soon re-bodied by Abarth with a unique aluminum body consisting of multiple removable panels, held together with Dzus fasteners, with a very distinctive nose featuring a center headlight.

Musitelli with the Abarth-bodied Ferrari on the Targa Florio. Photographer unknown

This is the only Ferrari ever bodied – or modified –by Abarth. In 1953, Mussitelli drove it in many Italian races and hill climbs. In 1954, it was rebodied by Scaglietti and received a three-liter engine to 250MM specification. Mussitelli continued to race it in Italy until it was sold to Luigi Chinetti who resold it to Gary Laughlin of Ft. Worth, Texas in January 1956.

Paul Hill with the Scaglietti-bodied Chev-powered 0262 at Midland, Texas, 1959. Courtesy Willem Oosthoek

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Fiat X1/9 Prototipos Today

March 10, 2015 By pete

The best-known Fiat Abarth X1/9 prototipo, the chassis 128 AS 0023003 and the article's author.

Story and photos by Roberto Motta

Last week Roberto Motta described the rally successes of the X1/9 prototipo: This week he photographs two of these rare Fiats and wonders where the rest are…perhaps you can help!

The Fiat X1/9 provided a good basis for a new rally car: mid- engine, good weight distribution, excellent handling, a strong 16 valve engine and top speed of 200 km/h were the makings of a winner.

However, the Protoipo’s history is still shrouded by some mysteries. For example, we are not sure how many chassis were really built.

The first car was the chassis #128 AS 0000133. This car is still in Italy.

Then in the summer of 1974, Abarth prepared five new chassis with a numerical sequence from #128 AS 0023001 to #128 AS 0023005. The first three chassis numbers were definitely registered on September 4th, 1974.

Some years ago, the author endeavored to photograph three of these cars. All these car were found in Italy, near Torino;

#23001 Deila’s car which can be seen below.
#23002 Seen in a Volta, Italy, work shop.
#23003 Macaluso’s car and the first subject car here.
#23004 Legend says that in the chassis series, there was the ‘stradale’ and another spare chassis that was never used in race events. Some think #23004 would have been the stradale chassis, but I never seen the car. Reportedly, this car was in the Al Cosentino workshop, and some years ago the car was sold. Cosentino claims to have bought at least one, but never provided the chassis number.

Periscopes were all the craze at Cosentino's new Faza headquarters..apparently at least one of the prototipos found its way into his hands.Is it 23004?

There are many images of this car, but no one has confirmed the chassis number.

The second mystery is about #23005; was really built? If so, where is the chassis today?
Any reader that has some information or documentation that can help to solve the mystery can send a comment to VeloceToday.