The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Frank Shaffer photographed the Jim Pauley Nardi at Watkins Glen in 1950. Below, the full article about this famous Nardi can be ordered from VeloceToday.
Getting by with a lot of help from our friends
This week VeloceToday is devoted to Enrico Nardi, triggered by the publication of an important new book about the man and his cars. Here is the backstory: [Read more…] about Just for Fun–Nardi for Free
Big wheels keep on turnin’
By Pete Vack
I have in my hands a Nardi steering wheel. It is 380 mm, or 14.9 inches in diameter. The material for the rim is mahogany and the wheel itself is 4mm aluminum. There is a black inlay on the front side of the brown mahogany wood rim. The hub is slightly dished, 40mm 1.6 inches in depth, and the spokes are embossed with a cross hatch pattern similar to the wheels made for the Ferrari GTO in 1961-2. [Read more…] about Nardi Today
By Philippe Defechereux
Photos courtesy Planet F1
Well, well, well. This may be the first inter-season in a long time to prove more thrilling, exciting and dramatic than the racing season itself. Last month in Part 1, we used the words “staccato of events” to describe the early post-season events. Now, we need to use something much stronger like “major news releases at maximum revs.” And that’s 19,000 rpms as befits F1. Let’s hear these latest loud sounds of fury; we suggest wearing earplugs.
In order of amplitude:
* Schumi is back. Great blasts of trumpets and fireworks! Anybody who would have predicted this in writing six months ago would have quickly been taken to the loony house (next to Max Mosley’s favorite club). [Read more…] about The Inter-Seasonal Sounds of Fury
This week, something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Bet you’ve heard that before but trite or not, it is so true. The old is the Talbot Darracq Grand Prix car of 1926, the new is our three layer in-depth coverage, the photos we borrowed from Stuart Anderson, LAT via Austin Harris the Ultimatecarpage and Vince Johnson. The blue is obvious.
Although our journey with the Talbot Darracq began long ago in April of last year, since that time, owner Stuart Anderson decided to put the magnificent beast up for sale. It will be at the Bonhams Auction on January 23rd, at Retromobile, Paris.
Not included in the triptych is our book review of “The Classic Twin Cam Engine” but a perfect tie-in anyway. Don’t miss it.
Stuart Anderson was absolutely wonderful and patient through the entire process of putting together the articles for this week. We are looking for other owners of both French and Italian cars who can take the time and provide the photos and information we need to bring you in depth articles such as these.
VeloceToday is now up on Facebook. Click here: VeloceToday. Your editor is also on Facebook. this will give us a way to present material such as backstories, anecdotes, previews or discussions which don’t really have a place in the VeloceToday today website. Facebook allows us an informal structure, while the WordPress VeloceToday.com is a formal, weekly presentation. Or at least that’s the thinking here. Your opinions are welcome. My facebook page is http://www.facebook.com and search Pete Vack, so check there for daily items of interest and log your comments.
Anderson out with the restored Talbot Darracq. Photo by Vince Johnson.
Story by Pete Vack
Stuart Anderson remembers the day in 1988 he finally laid eyes on the old blue single seater. “The car was in scruffy condition and was rescued from a shed locked up like Fort Knox. It was buried under junk and festooned with creepers, but amazingly, nothing was broken.” Anderson had persuaded Jack Day’s de-facto widow to part with the car, which had been interred for over twenty years. Day had bought it in 1949 and installed a Wilson pre selector gearbox and 16 inch wheels. It was then garaged and almost forgotten, one of the lost treasures of Australia. [Read more…] about GP Talbot Darracq: The Cars
By Pete Vack and Stuart Anderson
Photos courtesy Stuart Anderson
Despite the coming-out of one of the three Talbot Darracq 1500cc Grand Prix cars in the mid 1990s, (see “Classic and Sportscar”, March 1996) there has been very little information available about the powerful, DOHC high tech engine designed by two ex-Fiat employees for the 1926 Grand Prix 1500 cc supercharged formula. The Talbot Darracq featured the first use of an offset driveshaft to allow a lower driver position and a three piece chassis frame of great beauty. But the piece de resistance was the straight-eight roller bearing DOHC supercharged engine. [Read more…] about GP Talbot Darracq: The Engines
Louis Wagner in the 1.5 GP Talbot Darracq at the 1927 French Grand Prix, where he broke the lap record.
Photo courtesy of LAT via Austin Harris
By Pete Vack
An International Effort
Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq, or STD for short, was a strange combination of French, British, Italian concerns, money and talent. To put it briefly if not perfectly accurately, in 1919, the British firms of Sunbeam and Talbot merged and in 1920, the two further merged with the French firm of Darracq. At the time, a prime force behind the boardroom doors was a mechanical engineer by the name of Louis Coatalen. [Read more…] about GP Talbot Darracq: The Races
Wallace A. Wyss is a guy of many talents, from artist (left), to author (Ford GT40) to poster creator and fine art photographer (Ferrari 250LM). Not to mention the many articles he has written for VeloceToday, the most recent being “The Car That Saved Maserati” in last week’s edition. His new book, his artwork and photos are all on his VeloceToday webpage, and we urge you to take a look.
There will be no issue of VeloceToday on December 23rd or the 30th due to the Holidays, so we’ve doubled up this week’s VeloceToday. Below:
Santa in a Silver Spyder
Book Review, Racing Blue, Green and Silver
Cost of our Passion at Bonhams
Simeone’s Automotive Hippocratic Oath
Shell Historics for 2010
We wish you all a very happy Holiday Season and see you in January.
If Johnny ever thought counting the days to Christmas was tough, it was nothing compared to waiting for his ride in the Spyder. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt
The following true story is based on the recollections of John Wiech, who bent my ear for a few hours at a car meet last year. Our apologies for a story about Porsches but it’s the truth and it’s a sin to tell a lie, particularly at Christmas time. [Ed.]
The subject had started another family argument. Johnny had become enamored with a rare foreign car but no one knew exactly how to pronounce the name. It was German, or no, not really, “…it’s Austrian,” said his Dad. “But it’s made in Stuttgart,” said Johnny, being careful to put the “sch” in. He reasoned that the sch in the car’s name might sound the same and the vowel at the end be pronounced. His older sister said otherwise. “It’s Porch, as in front porch or back porch, without the e.”
She always thought she was so smart.
[Read more…] about Santa in a Silver Spyder
Preservation is preferable to restoration for Dr. Fred Simeone. Above, his Alfa 8C2900.
Doing no harm to historically accurate artifacts
By Brandes Elitch
In June of 2008, Dr. Frederick Simeone opened the doors of a unique car museum, dedicated to the spirit of competition, and featuring some of the most valuable and desirable sports and racing cars ever made. About 60 cars are arranged in dioramas, many with a common theme such as Le Mans or the Mille Miglia. [Read more…] about Simeone’s Automotive Hippocratic Oath
A half scale Ferrari 312T for children with a 2-stroke 50cc engine sold for 6900 pounds (11,238 USD).
Story and photos by Alessandro Gerelli
The Bonhams London auction on December 7th included about 80 cars and a great deal of memorabilia, with many books and magazines coming from the collection of George Horne. The cars were mostly English but there were a few Italian and three very rare French cars on the block.
[Read more…] about The Cost of our Passion at Bonhams
Peter Giddings, Drum Brake Champion 2009 in the 250F Maserati.
Photos by rprincephoto.com
The Shell Ferrari Historics will begin 2010 at the Cavallino Classic, at Palm Beach International Raceway, on January 21 and 22, 2010.
For 2010, the purpose of the Shell Ferrari Historic series will remain unchanged, to allow the drivers of historic Ferrari race cars (and selected others: Maserati race cars and pre-war Alfas) to enjoy their cars in a safe competitive environment on historic tracks in North America, with the maximum track time possible.
[Read more…] about Shell Ferrari Historics For 2010