The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Left is Jacky Ickx, here with Uwe Meissner, head of Modena
Motorsport.
Interview and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Jacques-Bernard Ickx was born into motor racing. His father was a famous Belgian motoring journalist and his brother was a successful motorcycle racer. Fathers, take heart; despite, or because of, being surrounded by cars and racing, young Ickx found it boring. [Read more…] about A Word or Two with Jacky Ickx
166 MM barchetta Touring # 0052 M had been stored for the last 45 years in Arizona and is still unrestored.
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Every two years, two days of free practice are organized at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany by Modena Motorsport, which specializes in the restoration and maintenance of classic and
racing Ferraris. Modena Motosports works with Ferrari Corse Clienti for the assistance of Ferrari F1 owners.
[Read more…] about Modena Track Days, Nurburgring
1959 Ferrari Testa Rossa, John Mozart, Mozart Automobile Foundation, 650.493.9000 for appointment.
Story and photos by Brandes Elitch
Palo Alto is a legendary community, the epicenter of technology. In 1939, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, recently graduated from nearby Stanford University, created what is today the largest technology firm in the world, while messing around in their garage. [Read more…] about The 43rd Annual Palo Alto Concours
An almost perfect example of a fourth series Lancia B20.
Part II
Read Part I
By Pete Vack
Very special thanks to Geoff Goldberg and Nigel Trow
An article or three, about the Lancia Aurelia, one of the most significant and important cars of the twentieth century. This week, Lancia’s famous independent suspension systems.
There is no doubt that the Lancia Aurelia B20 was technically advanced when it was introduced in 1951. As we will see, the B20 Aurelias–production-based Grand Turismos– won the Targa Florio outright and nearly won the Mille Miglia, largely due to the successful implementation of its four wheel suspension and transaxle.
As successful as it was, however, when reviewing the Lancia B20 suspension, two questions arise. Why did the Series 4-6 B20s series use de Dion type rear suspension, why with leaf springs, and secondly, why did Jano continue to use the somewhat antiquated sliding pillar front suspension?
The Monte Carlo not seen on SpeedTV
Photos copyright Mario Marchesini
Captions by Lorenzo Marchesini
“Me pay? No, give him the bill..” submitted by Michael Gordon.
The OSCA factory mechanic makes some last minute adjustments on the Gordon-Bentley rent-a-ride. Note the NART shield on the OSCA.
By Jack Gordon with Pete Vack
Photos courtesy of Jack Gordon
Forty-nine years ago, John Bentley and John “Jack” Gordon bought OSCA 750, chassis 769, and entered it at Sebring, where they placed 12th overall and won the Index of Performance. On a roll, they decided to go to Le Mans and try to duplicate their amazing success at Sebring. Jack Gordon picks up the narrative here in this exclusive for VeloceToday.
With Sebring packed away it was time to plan the next move.
It was now late March and we were informed that all the entries for Le Mans were closed and they wouldn’t give us a late entry. It would have been nice to repeat the dual Index wins of de Tomaso.
[In 1958 Alejandro de Tomaso won the Index at Sebring with his wife and Elizabeth Haskell, driving OSCA chassis number 760. Then he won the Index at Le Mans a couple months later, driving OSCA 750 chassis 762 with Colin Davis]. But in any case there was too little time to tear down and recondition our car for a 24-hour event.
Gordon’s OSCA number 54 waiting for the start. Next to the OSCA, number 53 is a streamliner-bodied OSCA 750, chassis 761, driven by Laroche/Simon. I was under the impression the front body section was an after-market modification done in France, as i had never heard of any original Morelli bodies having this configuration.
Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel of his own 1956 Osca FS 372
Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Colorful legends at Le Mans this year featured 79-year-old Sir Stirling Moss and his OSCA FS 372. Moss is no stranger to OSCAs; he won at Sebring with an OSCA MT4 in 1954.
[Read more…] about Legends at Le Mans
Peugeot broke Audi’s grip at Le Mans this year with the 908 HDI FAP driven by Marc Gene/Alexander Wurz/David Brabham. Both Peugeot and Audi were running diesel-engined cars.
Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt
French cars win the iconic French event; our man at Le Mans, Hugues Vanhoolandt, focuses on the winning Peugeot team.
[Read more…] about Peugeot at Le Mans 2009
Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonnen
by Erik C. Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
Red Bull’s second
Sebastian Vettel made the most of his pole position and dominated this week’s British Grand Prix. The young German blew away the competition and brought his Red Bull Racing car home to finish 1-2, setting Brawn GP on notice that the performance gap has been closed.
[Read more…] about British Grand Prix
Following Le Mans veteran Oliver Mathai, in the Aston Martin DBS, through the Ford chicanes in Aston’s 2009 V8 Vantage.
Aston Martin’s latest V8 Vantage benefits from 80 years of development for the 24 Hours of Le Man and we chase its history on the storied circuitton
Photos by Nick Dimbleby, Pete Robain and Ian Dawson
Cornering hard into the Ford Chicane–second gear–very tight. How do the LMP cars do this? We have entered from a back corner of the paddock and it is a curious place to begin a lap. Full power up the long hill past the pits, all the way to top gear; two quick clicks down to fourth at the top of the hill and into the new Dunlop curves surrounded by acres of gravel and quickly to the esses and the forest.
[Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane
Photo by Mary Decker Vack.
Pete Vack on the Immortal Deux Chevaux
Deux Chevaux, Deux, meaning two, and Chevaux, (Cheval Vapeur, or steam horse) a terms which means horsepower and was the the basis for a sliding scale of ratings for taxation purposes.
The Citroën 2CV was one of France’s most popular cars and was in continuous production from 1948 to 199. It was iconic, but not the result of Andre Citroën’s vision–he died in 1935 just as the planning for the 2CV was started.
[Read more…] about Improbable, Impertinent, Imponderable
Tracy (the only blonde in the picture) finds a bleacher seat to share with the locals to watch the Mille Miglia.
Entry not required.
Bob Tullius and I were pushing the D-type slowly toward the starting ramp. Light, misty rain had been continuous since nightfall. The umbrella covered the driver’s seat but Mark Miller’s navigator perch was slowly becoming a leather-lined puddle. The C-type half of the Jaguar team was already off on its soggy adventure with the early cars.
[Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane