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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

This Week, of Interest

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Roy Smith, right, with Lord Montagu.

On December 9th at the Royal Automobile Club (RAC Club) in Pall Mall, London, Roy Smith was awarded at the Guild of Motoring writers dinner the 2010 MERCEDES BENZ AWARD and THE MONTAGU TROPHY, presented personally by Lord Montagu for his two books Alpine & Renault- The Sports Prototypes. Roy also contributed to the R5 Turbo article published by VeloceToday last week.

Said the otherwise unflappable Smith, “Apparently it was a hotly contested award with nine nominations. I knew was nominated but I was up against much more experienced and eminent writers in the field of historic motoring.” The names on the Trophy read like a who’s who of British historic motoring writing for the last 30 odd years or so; the name of Roy Smith is now added the trophy held in perpetuity at the RAC Club.

https://velocetoday.com/products-page/french-books
“The runner up was Sir Stirling Moss who has done a book with Alan Henry, so we had a bit of banter, it being the only time I would ever take a ‘class win’ over Stirling Moss!!…”
Congratulations to Roy from VeloceToday!!

And, order at left!

Facel Vega Excellence Sedan

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The Doctor's fine four door carriage. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.


Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt and Steve Snyder

“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. This year, Dr. Rick Zeiger entered his 1958 FACEL Excellence sedan, a car that he has owned for 12 years and only recently finished. [Read more…] about Facel Vega Excellence Sedan

Alfas Tour Istria, November 5-7th 2010

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By Daniel Tomicic and staff

Dateline Istria

At Volosko, part of the tourist city of Opatija, the Stewart SS takes a break.


It’s hard to imagine a more exotic, multilayered, castellated and picturesque area than a small part of Croatia called Istria, which is actually a peninsula on the Adriatic Sea. Croatia itself is in southeast Europe and once part of the Roman Empire and later fought over by the Turks, Germans and Italians. In the early 20th century there was a large segment of Italians living in Istria, among them being the Andretti family, who lived in the mountain top town of Motovun (then Montona). Always sparsely populated, even today there are few cars but great roads.

All of which make the ingredients for an interesting car tour. On November 5-7th, the Scuderia Zagreb tossed up a small six car tour of the area. Significantly the entrants were all Alfas and three of them part of Scuderia Portello of Milan. [Read more…] about Alfas Tour Istria, November 5-7th 2010

Fiat 850: One Man’s Passion

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From the side, Mighty Mouse is recognizable as a Fiat 850 Spider by the long nose.

By Brian Winer

Photos by Mitch Schwartzburg

It sometimes happens that a man falls in love with a car. Not just “falls in love,” no that’s not a strong enough phrase; let’s say “passionately” in love. Because how else could you explain someone buying a $300 Fiat 850 and pouring over $32,000 into it?

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This Week, of Interest

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Captured in Ann Arbor, a new Alfa Giulietta. Photo by Larry Crane.

The rear is chunky but distinctive. Photo by Larry Crane.

Larry Crane was in his old stomping grounds of Ann Arbor, Michigan recently, and what should he see but a brand new spanking Alfa Romeo Giulietta four door sedan, sitting in a local bank’s parking lot. Being the sharp kinda guy he is, he grabbed his digital camera and got off these shots.

So, is Alfa really coming to the U.S.? Well maybe. The presence of a test car seems to bode well for the possibility. Maybe we are something like half way there. Nice looking car though and distinctive. The Giulietta has been awarded the prestigious Euro NCAP five-star rating and an overall score of 87/100: an extraordinary result that makes it the safest compact ever. In Europe, the Giulietta is offered with three turbo gas engines, 1.4 liter with 120 hp, 1.4 with Multi Air and 170 hp, and a 1750 cc with 235 hp.

Mrs. Hansberry’s Fiat

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Mazda Ute towing the Fiat 1100 Riviera in the Western Plains of Victoria, Australia.

Story and photos by Ean McDowell

“1965 Fiat Sedan, unable to get spare parts, is unroadworthy, so cannot be sold. I would give it to anyone who is interested in restoring old bodies. Has done approximately 40,000 miles. White in colour and quite dusty as it has been sitting in a carport for several years; Mrs Lorna Hansberry, Landt Hostel.”

The faded notice was in frail handwriting taken down from a noticeboard long ago. It was said the car was given away four times but no-one ever collected it and sadly Mrs Hansberry passed away in late 2009. [Read more…] about Mrs. Hansberry’s Fiat

The Winningest OSCA

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October 31st, 2007
Story by Pete Vack

Oh, what you will be missing. This is just one of hundreds of articles from our archives, which are available only if you subscribe to our premium service. This week, it’s updated and free. For a while.

Jim Kimberly at Watkins Glen in 1114. He placed second in class. Photo by Alix Lafontant.

From 1948 to 1955, OSCAs won hundreds of class victories in Europe and the United States. But one OSCA in particular was responsible for more than its share of wins. Built as a an early spider, OSCA number 1114 was completed just in time for the 1951 Mille Miglia. It was designated a factory team car, and was one of the first OSCA MT4s with the dual overhead cam head, but the displacement was still just under 1100 cc. In the 1000 mile race, 1114 placed second in class driven by Franco Bordoni.

Otto Linton's trophies--4 places out of 5 races, Harewood Acres, Canada. Otto Linton photo.

In June a young man from Verona by the name of Giulio Cabianca bought the car and registered it on tags VR 28745, and had it painted red over blue. Cabianca immediately embarked upon a six month campaign with his new race car. Almost every weekend Cabianca entered an event, and small as they were, the competition was fierce in the extremely popular 1100cc class, but the OSCA won almost every time out. From June to the end of October, Cabianca and 1114 achieved a remarkable 14 class victories along with nine 1st overalls.

For the 1952 season Cabianca had the old body modified by Coriasco to equip it with outboard headlights and additional lights in the oval grille. It’s looks were unique and the car can be instantly recognized as being the Cabianca OSCA. Otto Linton, who later owned 1114, told John Wright…”The work on my MT4 was done for Cabianca, the OSCA factory driver. Because it had run the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio and had been set up for LeMans, it had big headlights in the grille.”

OSCA, La Rivincita Dei Maserati, by Luigi Orsini and Franco Zagari was produced as the definitive OSCA book and remains so to this day. For a very good reason, OSCA 1114 was pictured on the cover.

By June, Cabianca had also purchased a 1350 cc OSCA engine, and during the ‘52 season swapped the engines to race in either the 1100 cc class or under 1500cc classes with the new 1350. Again, he was successful, totaling up another 8 wins. Before he sold it to a Philadelphia tire company executive by the name of Al Garthwaite in August of 1952, Cabianca had driven 1114 to a total of twenty two wins in less than two years.

Garthwaite lost no time in getting the OSCA back on the track. He entered it in the Watkins Glen Grand Prix to be held on September 21. Literally fresh off the dock and driven by Jim Kimberly, the OSCA placed second in class, beaten only by Bill Spear in the very latest OSCA 1350 MT4 (the build date on the Spear car was August 19th 1952). In October, Garthwaite, a good driver in anyone’s book, took the car to second place at Albany NY. The next summer, before selling 1114 to Otto Linton, Garthwaite, who would also head Algar (AL GARthwaite) Motors in Philadelphia, drove the aging OSCA to a first in class at the tough Bryfan Tyddyn course.

Linton at the unique Bryn Fan Tyddyn track garnering another first in class. Linton Collection.

Linton told VeloceToday correspondent John Wright that “.. In Pennsylvania, we had a good track called Bryn Fan Tyddyn. Now that course was just wonderful; it ran around a senator’s estate. It was a perfect track for my OSCA, and (if I remember correctly) I won there three years in a row until the last year it was in operation. That was when John Edgar came out from California with his great big trailer with Jack McAfee’s 550 Porsche and a Ferrari. So, the 2 liter Ferrari and the Porsche were slightly faster than my 1342cc OSCA.”

Linton also trailered 1114 to Sebring in 1954, where he took a third in class behind Stirling Moss, who won the event overall in another OSCA. For the next three years, Linton campaigned his OSCA up and down the east coast, entering the old warrior in ten more events. The last competitive appearance of 1114 was on July 25th 1956, when Linton took a second in class at Brynfan Tyddyn.

Cabianca’s Record
1951 1100 cc class
June 2 1951 Coppa Della Toscana Cabina Zanelli, 1c
June 26 1951 Coppa Del Pasubio 1c 1o
June 29 1951 Corsa Sulle Torricelle Cabianca 1c 1o
July 1 1951 Lecco-Ballabio Cabianca 1c 1o
July 8 1951 Bozano-Mendola Cabianca 1c 1o
July 15 1951 Coppa D oro Delle Domiti Cabianca 1c 1o
August 12th 1951 Circuito De Senegallia Cabianca 1c
September 2 1951 Vittorio-Veneto Cansiglio Cabianca 1c
September 9 1951 Bologna-Raticosa Cabianca 1c 1o
September 16 1951 G. P. Vetturette, Monza Cabianca 1o
September 23 1951 Tieste-Opicina Cabianca 1c 2o
September 29 1951 Coppa Gallenga Cabianca 1c
October 10 1951 Treponti-Castelnuovo Cabianca 1c 1o
October 28 1951 Messina-Colle Sand Rizzo Cabianca 1c

1952 1100 cc class
March 23 1952 Corsa Sulle Torricelle Cabianca 1c 1o
May 4 1952 Mille Miglia Cabianca-Roghi 1c
June 12 1952 Giro Dell’Umbria Cabianca-Roghi 1c 1o
June 22 1952 Circuito de Caserta Cabianca 1o
July 13 1952 Coppa D oro Delle Dolomiti Cabianco, 1c
August 10 1952 Circuito di Senegallia Cabianca 1c

1952 1350 class
June 29 1952 Targa Florio Cabianca retired
July 6 1952 Bolzano-Mendola Cabianca, 1c
August 3 1952 Giro Delle Calabrie Cabianco-Roghi 1c

OSCA 1114 in America
September 21 1952 Watkins Glen, John Kimberly, 2c #57
October 12 1952 Albany, NY, Garthwaite, 2c
July 24-25 1953 Brynfan Tyddyn Garthwaite, 1c
March 8 1954 Sebring, Linton/Beck 3c, #61
May 2 1954 Andrews AFB, Linton, 3c, #61
July 24 1954 Wilkes Barre, Linton, 1c, 1o, #23
August 8 1954 Lockbourne AFB, Linton, 2c, #23
September 18 1954 Watkins Glen Linton, 4c, #23
March 13 1955 Sebring Linton/Stetson, R #73
September 9 1955 Thompson, Linton R #13
June 24 1956, Road America Linton, 5c #196
July 7 1956 Beverly Linton R #196
July 25 1956 Brynfan Tyddyn Linton, 2c

Next from the Archives, a Talk with Otto Linton.

This Week, of Interest

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Gauging a classic–Alex Vazeos hopes VeloceToday readers can be of some help in finding a set of proper instruments for his Giaur similar to those at left. If you can help, please contact him at alexfreda@hol.gr or us at pete@velocetoday.com.

This week, four short shorts stories by a variety of authors; Tina Van Curen, Carl Goodwin, Montague Gammon III, and a frustrated model builder, whose name we’ll not mention.

Best of France and Italy, 2010

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1939 Citroen Light 15 owned by Chuck Forward.

Story by Bettina Van Curen, Photos by Don Hodgdon unless otherwise noted

November 7, 2010

On a chilly but sunny early Sunday morning in Van Nuys, CA a handful of volunteers distribute signs and set out cones as the first of the Alfa Romeos, Fiats and Citroens start to roll in. All is chaos as my husband Chuck has the maps and he is about ½ mile down the road doing something under the hood of his 1955 Citroen Traction Avant. [Read more…] about Best of France and Italy, 2010

Lonely Lancia

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Dr. Howard Moon in his Lancia B20, neither lost nor lonely. Pretty happy in fact. Photographer, time and place unknown. But a nice photo to illustrate Montague's story.

By Montague Gammon III

Hard on the brakes at well over the speed limit in the left lane of Route 13 on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, I spun the wheel of my slightly tatty Plymouth Horizon and screeched into the break in the median strip.
[Read more…] about Lonely Lancia

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