The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
A Cooper at Waktins Glen. F3 cars were always rare in the US. Frank Shaffer photo.
Story by Pete Vack
Formula III (F3) was born in Britain right after World War II. It died there as well, with the advent of the 1100cc Formula Jr. in 1958. But in the intervening years, the formula was exported, particularly to the United States where the 500cc class found enthusiastic proponents-although motorcycle-engined racers could not be relied on to bolster the gate receipts in the land of cubic inches.
Henri Julien in the garage behind his house in Gonfaron contemplates a rebuild of one of his first racing cars, the AGS Racer 500 ( Photo Gauld)
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
The village of Gonfaron in the Var section of Provence in the South of France is famous for two things: its Village des Tortues and the late owner of Automobiles Gonfaronnaises, Henri Julien. They are strange bedfellows because the Village des Tortues is a form of hospice and centre concerned with the care and breeding of tortoises.
Paule Marrot checking out different fabric for the Renault Floride.
By Giles Chapman, from his book, “Three Million Miles in a Volvo and Other Curious Car Stories“
When we received Giles Chapman’s latest book we thoroughly enjoyed the short bios and interesting stories that comprised “Three Million Miles in a Volvo and other Curious Car Stories.” These are just perfect for the VeloceToday format, and here is the fifth in a series.
Paintwork colour, at least for those not commissioning a bespoke car, seemed of little consequence to the car industry in the 1930s. Which was surprising, because General Motors established its Art & Color Section as long ago as 1928, with the forceful Harley Earl as its overlord. Engineer colleagues often derided its work – some called the staff there the ‘pretty picture boys’ working in ‘the beauty parlor’ – and in 1937 the name was changed to the Styling Section.
Carroll Shelby in John Edgar’s Ferrari 410S leads Dan Gurney in Frank Arciero’s Ferrari 375 Plus at Palm Springs on April 13, 1958. One of the many photos I shared with the Ferrari Archivist.
Story and Photos by Allen R. Kuhn
From the VeloceToday archives, March, 2022
I would like to start this series of short stories – they are not Galleries as before – by telling a true story about Graham Gauld, and how he saved our skin when we were in Italy/France in 2006 for our seven-week tour of the Continent. The story really began in Maranello, so bear with me….
The author next to the 1798cc Ford Escort RS 1600 MkI, which had just won the 1972 East Africa Safari Rally. BOAC 1000KM, Brands Hatch, England, April 16, 1972-dick-lees
Story and photos by Jeff Allison unless otherwise noted
Read Part 1
Part 2 continues “Head Shots” taken by Jeff Allison at races in the U. S., England and Monaco.
Starting them young, A Morris Marina ( 3dr 1.8 GT I have you know!) receives a little bit of light fettling.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Unlike normal shows, the Practical Classics Magazine Classic Car and Restoration Show does what it says on the tin, namely celebrate the art of restoration. Of the 160 clubs in attendance 110 of them had stands in which live restoration work took place. The show also promoted the joy of classic car ownership in ‘Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership spring final’ display, the winner being a 1985 Vauxhall Nova saloon belonging to Roy Claque. The magazine’s ‘Restorer of the Year award’ went to Bob Medrum for his restoration of his Vauxhall Viva HB Estate with a twist. The ‘Footman James Barn Find’ competition award went to Tom Wikes for his 1933 Jaguar SS2. The show also boasted an auction (of course) and a live stage with guest speakers including former Wheeler Dealer Ant Anstead, Dominic Chinea from the BBC’s Repair Shop, Simon Gregson from Coronation Street, and Salvage Hunters Classic Cars Paul Cowland.
Here are a few of the cars that were in need of a bit of work…
Owned by Dean Harley and featured as part of the ‘Restorer of the year’ display this once humble Fiat 128 CL now propelled by a Kawasaki Z12R Motorbike engine producing 178 bhp at 10,500 rpm.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
After the somewhat exotic excesses of Paris and Retromobile in February, in late March I caught the train to Birmingham (avoiding the shutdown of Heathrow), to the somewhat grey and soulless halls of the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for the Practical Classics Magazine Classic Car and Restoration Show.
Elitch pays tribute to Peter de Lorenzo
Column by Brandes Elitch
As an automobile enthusiast, even if you are living outside of the US, you are likely very concerned about the viability of the auto business today. Not just because you are interested in automobile design, but because this business is such a big part of our Gross Domestic Product, and that of our two neighbors, Canada and Mexico. It is likely that what is going on now in Washington will affect you personally at some point.
Fortunately, there is a clear voice in the wilderness of our news coverage, a writer named Peter de Lorenzo, aka PMD. He has had a 22-year career in automotive marketing and advertising, and he grew up in Detroit during what he calls the “glory days” of the American auto industry (the sixties). He says that the greatest days for Detroit were in the fifties, sixties, and early seventies. That is when, at least in my view, the most desirable and collectible American cars were made.
The author getting fancy with a self-portrait using the mirror of an open-wheel vintage racer at the Daily Express International Trophy at Silverstone, England on April 7, 1974.
Story and photos by Jeff Allison
I recently finished a project to put my “head shots” of drivers in one place and thought maybe the readers of VeloceToday might enjoy seeing some. I began photographing races in 1959 with my last “real” race, i.e., not vintage, in 1997. I didn’t take many “head shots” in my early years as I thought it was an affront to the drivers. However, as time went on, I loosened up (a telephoto lens helped) and began to photograph drivers as well as cars. Most were photos of opportunity while wandering the paddock and pits when I wasn’t out on the track.
Here are some of my favorites…
Story and images by Bob Cullinan
The car is massive: A seven-litre 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK. And the resume of the diminutive driver is nearly as impressive. We met up with vintage racer Katarina Kyvalova at The ICE (International Concours of Excellence) St. Moritz to talk about her career, her favorite events, and where she wants to go from here.
In the Paddock at Harewood Acres with the Canada Class Autosport Special taken in the spring of 1956, probably by Jack Wheeler. Harewood Acres opened in the spring of 1956. BEMC signed a leasing agreement with farmer Russell Hare (hence the name of the track: Harewood). In those days, you could give farmer Hare $5 and you could run all day on the track. Hanna Collection
Story by John R. Wright
JW: Let’s talk about your own career in racing, Bob. You started racing at almost the very beginning of the sport at the old air force track at Edenvale, just south of Georgian Bay.
Bob Hanna: That’s correct. I raced Jack Wheeler’s MGTD at Edenvale and here’s how lax crowd control was in those days. Carol, my wife, was there with our baby standing on the edge of the circuit while I was out there racing. Jack’s wife got a new Morris Minor and I bought her old Morris Minor with a sidevalve engine. I ported and polished the head, put two SU carburetors on it and balanced it. I raced it at the Carp racetrack in eastern Ontario, driving it to and from the track as was the fashion those days. It then became Carol’s daily driver.
Warren Brown’s 1925 Bean Fourteen fresh from its London to Melbourne adventure poses in front of the spectacular Sydney Harbour.
Story and photos by Chris Martin
Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbor, Australia, was the site of a convict prison in the 19th century and later a naval shipyard and repair facility which was decommissioned in 1992. Now in its seventh year, the Sydney Harbor Concours d’Elegance took place on the island for the second time from February 28 to March 2.
The Concours had a stunning display of classics old and new displayed in the giant historic sheds surrounded by some very heavy, now redundant, machinery that used to service the warships’ engines. There was a selection of new Bentleys, Lamborghinis and McLarens to tempt those rich enough, but a tastefully curated selection of classics were the real stars of the show.