The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
By Alain Raymond
Photos courtesy Alain Raymond
Vintage car racing: for some, it’s all about winning. For most, it’s the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the joy of driving old – very old – machinery on a race track. Here’s the story of one such delightful adventure.
We are all packed and ready to travel the 12-hour road taking us from Quebec to the “Steel City.”
By Frédéric Levaux, Moretti Registry Curator
For more than 10 years now, I’ve been managing the Moretti registry. Having lived through the crazy adventure of restoring one of these diminutive Italian spyders from the 50s, I fell in love with this little brand, so innovative and so unloved. So much so, that over the years I’ve continued to add to the register of discoveries I’ve made through discussions, conversations, phone calls and e-mails with owners and lovers of these little cars all over the world. And indeed, as the register has grown in size, a certain reputation and visibility has now been attached to the site I manage (www.moretti-registry.com).
That is why I wasn’t all that surprised to receive a somewhat unreal message from Forest (Jay) Nichols, an American cattle farmer, in October 2023. Jay wrote that a Moretti, which looked very much like a Cadillac, had been seen by his son’s girlfriend deep in Nicaragua, and that he wanted to know what the vehicle was worth. [Read more…] about The Moretti Cadillac and the Man Who Almost Saved Beria
Not what I expected to see parked on a street in London in November, but it is not quite what it seems, Courtesy of Mercedes Benz W196 show car.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
There once was a time that I could hop down to the waterfront in Brighton and photograph the end of the London to Brighton Veteran Run. But for the past few years the event has become just part of a motoring extravaganza. It is now a key part of the five-day London car week, which kicks off on the Wednesday with the opening of the Royal Automobile Club’s Art of Motoring Exhibition at the Iconic Images Gallery just off of Pall Mall. The week also includes motoring lectures, two major car auctions, the St James’s Motoring Spectacular, the run itself, and the Veteran Car Club’s annual dinner at the Grand Hotel Brighton! [Read more…] about St James’s Motoring Spectacular
Probably the most famous car on the run, the 1904 Darracq two seater, 2 cylinder 10 HP ‘Genevieve’ entered by the Evert & Quirina Louwman, driven by Quirina Louwman.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
The 2024 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run included a celebration of the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Ladies Automobile Club. A special prize was awarded to Andrea Holden who was driving a 1902 Thomas specially imported from Australia for her to drive. This was indeed something special and we found a good deal of information about the Ladies Automobile Club in the event booklet, which we impart in part below.
Our favorite car not only at St. James but here finishing the London to Brighton Run, the Fiat 130 hp Grand Prix car.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest running motoring event, and probably the happiest judging from the smiles on the entrants faces when reaching the finishing line on Brighton’s Maderia Drive, and from the warmth and enthusiasm of the thousands of spectators who line the route all the way from London’s Hyde Park. We present the following images in hopes that you might click to enlarge them and catch the smiles on the faces of the participants.
Marazzato display AGIP
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Following last year’s sort of dry run visit to the Auto e Moto d’Epoca show at its new location in Bologna I think I have pretty much got it down pat now. [Read more…] about Auto e Moto d’Epoca Part 1
1952 Fiat 1100E with coachwork by Monviso.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
You may not know or have forgotten that 2024 is the 125th anniversary of Fiat, so the following selection is just the Fiats on display at the show, from the main display in the atrium featuring some highlights from the forthcoming anniversary exhibition at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile Museum Turin, to the examples on display at the various club/event stands, to the many many examples for sale from the dealers and private individuals.
By Jackie Jouret
Photo courtesy The BMW Archive
Among the most fascinating races of the pre-war era is one that never took place: the Berlin-Rome race. Announced in June 1937 for the following year, the race had been conceived by Adolf Hühnlein, an early follower of Adolf Hitler, who in 1931 became head of Germany’s National Socialist Driver Corps (or NSKK, to use its German acronym). The NSKK was in charge of all motoring and motorsport activities for the Nazi government, and Hühnlein ensured that German racing was well-supported in service of its propaganda value. A high-speed race on the newly-built freeways connecting the two Axis capitals would be ideally suited to that purpose, and it would allow German and Italian automakers to highlight their technical superiority where aerodynamics were concerned.
This is a perfect fit for an “And How.” Coming on the heels of my story on Dan Gurney, which was read by Dan’s widow Evi, you will see by her attached email that his story touched her very deeply, and the photos stirred many memories of Dan for her. I am so happy that she graciously allowed her feelings to be shared with us. Evi also included many new activities going on at All American Racers that will be of interest to all your readers. Thank you, Peter and Evi for letting me share her feelings with your readers.–Allen R. Kuhn
Dear Allen,
So good to hear from you and to know that you are well and active .
Just when I thought I had no more tears left your Dan tribute and your splendid photographs show up on my screen and well …. Here he is , my beloved Dan, young, handsome, talented and determined, so long ago when life was still ahead.
Story and photos by Allen R. Kuhn
This photographer thinks Daniel Sexton Gurney to be one of the greatest of all drivers and constructors who ever turned a steering wheel or flew with the Eagles. There are so many fine books and articles about Dan I will leave his full background for others to chronicle. I will stick to my personal interaction with him and include photos of his career between 1956 and 1965.
Here is a reconstruction of the record-breaking Voisin which, in 1927, ran for 28 hours at an average speed of 113 mph.
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Inaugurated exactly one hundred years ago, in October 1924, the Linas-Montlhéry autodrome was recently the scene of the Centenary Festival. Built in just six months, it was immediately the scene of numerous attempts at speed and endurance records of all kinds.
A Citroën DS 23 prepared for the rally in a chicane at Montlhéry where its hydropneumatic suspension works wonders!
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
We continue with post war racing at Montlhéry.
After the war, competitions gradually resumed with the main races being the 1000 Kilometers of Paris and the Coupes du Salon, organized in parallel with the Paris Motor Show and the entrants in the Centennial Festival reflected those events. In addition, there were concours shows which attracted more entrants and spectators.