VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Fairfield County Concours

By

At the Fairfield County Concours, I spotted a fantastic ‘Barn Find’ 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux Coupe. The pre-auction estimate was $150,000-200,000. I knew that these were very desirable models even in such sad shape and I was not surprised to find out the next day that it sold for significantly over this estimate at $337,000!

Story and Photos by Werner Pfister

Fabulous weather, fantastic cars and a good cause underscored the Fairfield County Concours in Westport, Connecticut this past weekend. Since its humble beginning eight years ago in Westport’s Veterans Green on Main Street, this event has grown into a world class event at the expansive Fairfield County Hunt Club.
[Read more…] about Fairfield County Concours

This Week, of Interest

By

Today:
*Brandes Elitch on the Alfa 1900SS Ghia
*Alessandro Gerelli takes us to the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti
*Newcomer Al Axelrod highlights WWII planes and classic cars at Morgan Adams, Colorado
*Roberto Motta’s full report with images of the surprising Rally Australia
*Erik Nielsen is back with the Grand Prix of Italy

Coming up:
*Larry Crane reviews a Delahaye history
*Ed McDonough drives a very special Delahaye
*Karl Ludvigsen on his Talbot
*Michael T. Lynch on the GTO
*Roberto Motta and the Editor on the Abarth SP 1000
*Eric Davison’s Watkins Glen Memoirs

Brandes Elitch on the Alfa 1900 SS Ghia

By

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

“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

While not as famous as Pininfarina or Giugiaro, Ghia has an illustrious history, employing designers such as Michelotti, Frua, Savonuzzi, Boano, Exner, Tjaarda, Giugiaro, Sapino, and others. Most American collectors would be surprised to learn that the contract for the Lancia B20 was personally given to Ghia by Gianni Lancia, although it is one of the best known of Pinin Farina’s products. Likewise, they would be surprised to learn that Alfa Romeo gave Ghia stylists Boano and Scaglione the brief for the Giulietta, which was then produced by Bertone. There are a lot of surprises in the Ghia Catalog Raisonne. On page 148 is a picture of a 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 C, a straight side view. In this view, there are a few seemingly contradictory design elements, but there is no question that it is a compelling design. And then it was my turn to be surprised, when I saw this same car, now a show quality restoration, likely better than new, on the field at the Concorso Italiano during the Monterey Historics.

Elitch ponders the Ghia's influence on the 1964 Mustang and wonders what would Bob Cumberford think? Photo by Petya Elitch.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Morgan-Adams Concours 2011

By

1963 330 America 2+2, Chuck and Janice Kirkpatrick at Morgan Adams.

CENTENNIAL COLORADO AIRPORT, August 27th

Text and Photos by Al Axelrod

A concours event at an airport? Didn’t we all complain when Concorso Italiano was held at the airport a few years ago? But when the planes are vintage WWII like the P51 and a B25 combined with a select group of excellent vintage cars and bikes, the airport setting becomes a plus rather than a liability. And that was the ambiance of the Morgan Adams Concours, held on August 27, 2011
[Read more…] about Morgan-Adams Concours 2011

Rally Australia 2011 in English and Italian

By

Ford’s Hirvonen wins, Latvala 2nd, Loeb and Ogier commit hara-kiri.

By Roberto Motta

Photos courtesy of Citroën Communication, Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Ford Motor Company, BMW Press, Rally Australia – Media

The tenth round of the World Rally Championship 2011  held in Australia proved to be an exceptional event, a rally full of twists and turns. The suprising results reawakened interest in what looked to be season dominated by Citroen.
[Read more…] about Rally Australia 2011 in English and Italian

Italian Grand Prix 2011

By

Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso

By Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media

Sebastian Vettel has solidified his title effort with a remarkable weekend at Monza where he made the effort of dominating an event look easy. The young German has proved without a doubt that the title of Meister has been passed from the previous generation and the Red Bull driver is not some lucky rookie, but the real deal. It didn’t look like that claim could be made when he was out dragged on the straight by Fernando Alonso, much to the joy of the thousands of tifosi who crowded the circuit, but just a little bit further down the track and Vettel walked away from the Ferrari and wasn’t challenged again.

[Read more…] about Italian Grand Prix 2011

This Week, of Interest

By

Monterey’s Magazines and our Contributors

Every year, each of the events at Monterey produce their own high quality, ultra slick event magazines. The feature articles are of course the gems, surrounded by luxurious advertisements. Although VeloceToday correspondents have written for these publications in the past, 2011 seems to a banner year. Here are the articles written by VeloceToday contributors (in alphabetical order) that appeared at Monterey this year:

Karl E. Ludvigsen
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Program:
Moss, 722 and the 1955 Mille Miglia.

Michael T. Lynch
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Program:
The Last of the Grand Touring Race Cars: The Ferrari GTO

The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering Program:
A Playground for the City of Speed (History of Riverside International Raceway)
Reunion to Quail Run (Reprise of 2010 Event)

Pete Vack
Concorso Italiano Events Magazine:
Ferrari F50: The Essential Thinly Disguised Grand Prix Car

Wallace Wyss
Concorso Italiano Events Magazine:
Confessions of a (former) Barn Finder

There are six new in articles VeloceToday this week so scroll down…

___________________________________________________________


The Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for Sunday, September 18, Westport, CT. with a full day of programs on Saturday, Sept. 17. Three Cunningham C-3s will be on view at the show: a recently discovered Barn Find, a fully restored example owned by VeloceToday Contributor Chuck Schoendorf, and Briggs Cunningham’s car that is still in the collection of his family.

Monterey with Wyss

By

By Wallace Wyss
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Note: There are three sidebars (short features) to the main article so be sure to click on the banners to read them all.

I cannot resist Holy Week even though it costs a lot of Money. The challenge is seeing how long you can last without spending it. I have some advantages, being a member of the media which allows us a few crumbs off the table of “The Automakers”. Increasingly the Detroit and foreign automakers have looked at the demographics of the visitors to Monterey that week and discovered, oh-my-God they have found the last people in America with change jingling in their jeans.
[Read more…] about Monterey with Wyss

Sidebar: Vallelunga and Promises Unfulfilled…

By

One of two DeTomaso Vallelungas to appear at Concorso this year. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.

By Wallace Wyss
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

At the 2011 Concorso Italiano, there were no less than two, count ‘em, two DeTomaso Vallelungas. Few of the show-goers realized what they were, because for most Americans the only DeTomaso car they know is the mid-engined Ford powered Pantera.
[Read more…] about Sidebar: Vallelunga and Promises Unfulfilled…

Sidebar: The Italian American Cobra

By

Made In Italy--under the nose of Enzo Ferrari. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.

By Wallace Wyss
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Yes, five out of six of the Cobra Daytona coupes, first commissioned in 1964, were bodied in Italy. Which makes them as much Italian-American as, say, the Dual Ghias which were Chryslers bodied in Italy.
[Read more…] about Sidebar: The Italian American Cobra

MENU