VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

A Car Life, By Larry Crane

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crane lambo
This week Crane recalls driving the 1980’s version of the Alfa 2.9, the Countach. Both were the ultimate in shock and awe of their eras.

COUNTACH!!
The story is often told that as the Lamborghini prototype was completed at Sant’Agata Bolognese, a workman stood back and exclaimed, “Countach!”— which, in Piedmontese means, “Geez, that’s neat!” only much more so. The design team looked at each other and immediately agreed that this one car wearing the famous badge would not be named after a fighting bull.
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Simon Moore: Motoring’s Sherlock Holmes

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simon moore
Simon Moore participating in the 1987 Mille Miglia with his 8C2900A Alfa Romeo.

Although consisting of only two books, the body of work achieved by Simon Moore is both enormous and highly significant. Moore is the author of “The Immortal 2.9” and the three volume set, “The Legendary 2.3.” Both books will stand for years as the last word on the subject. Last month, Parkside Publications released the second edition of the “Immortal 2.9” book. (read review).
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Riverside, the City of Speed’s Playground

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riverside
Riverside’s first feature event, September 22, 1957. Eventual winner Richie Ginther, in John Edgar’s Ferrari 410S leads Bob Drake in Frank Arciero’s Ferrari 375 Plus early in the race.
Credit: Ken Parker, MTL Archive.

By Michael T. Lynch

When road racing enjoyed a revival after World War II, Watkins Glen, New York held the first race in the fall of 1948. The next year, Bridgehampton, New York; Linden, New Jersey; Concord, California and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida joined Watkins Glen with races for the imported cars that were arriving on U.S. shores. [Read more…] about Riverside, the City of Speed’s Playground

A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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crane bugatti
Legend has it that Mrs. Bugatti would pass through the race shop periodically and hold her pack of Gaulois cigarettes next to the latest group of team cars to verify they had not drifted too far from the official racing color.

Bugatti Type 51 in Gaulois Bleue

Bugatti’s famous snarl grows quickly. The tiny clutch pedal snaps up and we are underway. Every metal component that is in motion makes noise and it is all in the cockpit with you. There is no firewall and the gearbox is pressed against my left leg. It doesn’t take long before there is heat everywhere. The rev counter has inexplicably failed and we are running on sound. [Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane

French History at Retro 2009

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retro
This turn of the century tiller Peugeot was typical of their 19th century products. Five cars were sold in 1891 and by 1899 the firm was selling over 300 cars per year. The history of Peugeot tracks the entire history of the automobile from three wheel steam cars of the 1870s to the energy efficient cars of the 21st century.

Photographs by Alessandro Gerelli
Text and captions by Pete Vack

Although an international event, Retro is nevertheless a French event first and foremost. The automotive history of France may have more length, depth, variety, and engineering excellence than any other country in the world. [Read more…] about French History at Retro 2009

“CD” and the Last Racing Panhard

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cd panhard
The Panhard-CD exhibited a Retromobile by Autodrome is chassis #LM64-01, race number 45, driven by Pierre Lelong and Guy Verrier. The car retired at 4.00 AM, after twelve hours, due to a failure in the transmission. Photo courtesy Autodrome Paris.

By Pete Vack

When you read the letters CD in terms of aerodynamics, it is usually assumed that they stand for “Coefficient of aerodynamics”, Cd, or Cx as some would have it. Others would have it differently, for the letters CD also stand for Charles Deutsch, whose lifelong ambition to create efficient race cars has been largely overlooked and yet is so important.
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New Motorcycle Event at the Quail in May

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As the Quail Lodge prepares for the Quail Motorcycle Gathering, this is the quality of entry they hope for. This Ducati 750 Imola is thought to be Paul Smart’s backup bike for the 1972 Imola 200, which Smart won, putting Ducati on the road to unmatched success in World Superbike racing. It is seen at a vintage race at Laguna Seca, just a few miles from Quail Lodge. Credit: Michael T. Lynch

By Michael T. Lynch

In 2003, a new event was added to the August Monterey Peninsula Automotive Festival Week, The Quail–“A Motorsports Gathering.” Since then, this brilliant combination of cars, cuisine, celebrities and cognoscenti, set on the verdant grass of the golf course that is part of the Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club, has become the hottest ticket during the week, with a sellout taking place each January in less than two hours. The Management of that event hopes to repeat their success with its premier all-motorcycle concours on Saturday, May 9th. [Read more…] about New Motorcycle Event at the Quail in May

South Australia’s Carnevale Festival

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fiat
This Topolino is an Italian-built 1948 A series side-valve engined car which was restored around 10 years ago by Ray Gallagher of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

By Vince Johnson

La Dolce Vita, South Oz style

South Australia’s Italian community enjoyed the centuries-old tradition of a final celebration before Ash Wednesday and the 40 days of Lent with the “Carnevale Festival” on February 7 and 8. Held this year at the Adelaide Showgrounds, locals shared in La Dolce Vita with regional food, drink, music, fashion and cultural festivities. [Read more…] about South Australia’s Carnevale Festival

A Car Life by Larry Crane

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ferrari 250tr
Crane enjoying the echo of that famous song at the exit of Laguna Seca’s famous Turn Eleven in 1978. Notice “vintage” Italian flag helmet with “disappearing” bottom half.

Ferrari’s “Song of the Twelve”
reverberated off the concrete wall at the exit of turn eleven and filled the little canyon that contains Laguna Seca Raceway near the California coast. The legendary Italian aria filled my helmet too as the 250 Testa Rossa sang a 6000-rev crescendo. I pushed in the clutch and slid the heavy steel gearlever through its gate to select the next chorus.
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Retro 2009: Significant Other Italians

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retro
Take a seat, fill up, and have a good read about Italians at Retro.

All Photos by Alessandro Gerelli
Captions by Pete Vack

There were few Ferraris at Retro this year, some well known cars of the Ferrari Historic Challenge prepared by Roelofs Engineering, a 250 LM, a 500 F2 and a brace of production cars, but perhaps more interesting was the concentration on the Significant Others.
[Read more…] about Retro 2009: Significant Other Italians

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