VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Musk, Madison Avenue and the Moon

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Chowder Society Breaks Bread with Tesla: Tradition and Revolution Had a Great First Date

© Philippe H. Defechereux 2018

All photos by P. H. Defechereux except where otherwise noted

From the Archives, February 2018

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, February 13, 2018, there took place a ‘”first date” in Manhattan, NY. between two seemingly improbable parties: the venerable but still vigorous and lively Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society (M.A.S.C.D.C.S.), turning 61 in March; and Tesla Motors Inc., still wet-behind-the-ears at only 15. Intriguingly, nothing was inappropriate about that pre-Valentine first meet luncheon. [Read more…] about Musk, Madison Avenue and the Moon

Vanhoolandt at the Abarth Works Museum

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Guy Moerenhout with the 1958 Abarth 750 Record Monza which was part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.’s team and which took part in the Florida International Grand Prix of Endurance at Sebring in 1962.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

It’s been a long time since I promised myself a visit to

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Abarth Works Museum Hosts Simca and Gordini

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Guy Moerenhout’s Abarth Works Museum is a must for any Italian car enthusiast. Get there before January 7 while the Italian French Affair is still on display.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

In addition to the remarkable collection of Abarths at

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Frank Lance, Lonestar Master Mechanic, Part 5

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Nassau, December 1963. Frank Lance [right] and Roger Penske next to the Traco Chevy-powered Cooper Monaco that Penske would race. Lining up next, the 2-liter MRT Special [the original Zerex-Duralite], the Scarab/Chevy and one of the Grand Sport Corvettes. [photo: Frank Lance Collection]

Story by Willem Oosthoek
All photos by Flip Schulke [Willem Oosthoek Collection], unless stated otherwise.

When Frank Lance joined the Mecom Racing Team in November 1963, John Mecom had already been involved in road racing for almost two years. Not as a driver, but as a team owner. John’s dad, who ran an oil exploration business out of Houston and, at one time, was among the six richest independent oilmen in the world, would not allow his son to race himself. In 1962 John was 21 years old and his first competition car was a Corvette, raced by Frank’s former colleague at CSSCI, Bob Schroeder. He and Mecom made a trip to Modena and visited the workshop of Alejandro de Tomaso [essentially a two-car garage according to Schroeder] to become the Argentinian’s best customer.

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Shannons Adelaide Rally, 17-19 November 2023

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Lachlan Cox & Sam Martin, 1970 Ford Escort Mk 1, Dean Cook & Sean Bennett, 1971 Ford Escort twin cam, Challenge, Gouger Street

Story and photos by Vince Johnson

Perfect South Australian spring weather greeted teams, officials and spectators for the 2023 Shannons Adelaide Rally. As last year, the capital was already in motorsport mode with preparations for the following weekend’s V8 Supercars races on the city’s street circuit. The rally cars had more room to move, heading out each day to closed road stages in the surrounding hills. [Read more…] about Shannons Adelaide Rally, 17-19 November 2023

Frank Lance, Lonestar Master Mechanic Part 4

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Daytona, February 1962. Two Chaparrals lining up for the start. Jim Hall would race the white #66, while Dick Rathmann of Indianapolis fame was assigned to run Harry Heuer’s blue #0. [photo by Art Huttinger]

Story by Willem Oosthoek
All photos by Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection], unless stated otherwise.

With both his successful Maseratis sold during 1961, Jim Hall would race the new season with three other cars: the Troutman-Barnes Chaparral and a pair of 2.5-liter Climax-engined Lotuses, formerly Formula One cars, now racing as InterContinental Formula entries [ICF] in several USAC events.

At Daytona in February, for the inaugural 3-hour Continental race, the first two Chapparals built lined up next to each other for the Le Mans start. Hall did well by finishing 3rd overall behind winner Dan Gurney [Arciero Lotus 19/Climax] and Phil Hill/Ricardo Rodriguez [NART Ferrari Dino 246S], but Rathmann’s ride was outstanding. In spite of a delayed start, losing almost two laps due to engine flooding, and a time penalty for a bungled fuel stop, Dick broke the track record a number of times to finish 6th overall. According to the Daytona program, their Chevy V8s measured 5,227 cc [around 329 cu in] but that would change.

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Epoqu’Auto at Lyon Part 1

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A 1950 Talbot T15 Baby coach by Pourtout powered by the 4 cylinder 2.7-litre of 127 bhp.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

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Organized for the 44th time, the Epoqu’Auto show in Lyon has experienced uninterrupted growth in recent years to reach a surface area of 80,000 m2 and 850 exhibitors. As every year, different themes are offered to the 95,000 visitors: Peugeot, Talbot, Cadillac but also the rally exhibition and the auction. What also gives this provincial show its charm are the numerous brand clubs presenting vehicles rarely seen elsewhere, in contrast to Retromobile in Paris where there are many more car dealers, which makes Paris a more commercial show.

Now let’s see what was shown in terms of Talbot and Peugeot.

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French and Italian at Epoqu’Auto, Lyon

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This is a Georges Irat cabriolet type MM with a 4-cylinder 954cc Ruby engine. Around 600 examples with Ruby engines were produced between 1935 and 1939 and 130 with Citroën engines in 1939.

Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

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We continue with more French and Italian makes at the Epoqu’Auto, Lyon.

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St. James Concours to Brighton

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Entrant 123, 1902 2 cylinder 10hp Georges Richard Tonneau.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

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To people of a certain age the London to Brighton Veteran Car run is still known as ‘the old croc’s race’ (that will be me then!) but for the one thing, it is definitely not a race but a run to celebrate the passing of the “Locomotives on the Highway Act” which came into force at midnight on the 14th November 1896, which raised the speed limit for light Locomotives (horseless carriages) from 4 mph to 14 mph (but lowered to 12 mph before the act came into force), and abolished the requirement for the Locomotive to be proceeded by a man on foot.

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London to Brighton Run: At the Finish

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Entry 364, 1904 4 cylinder 32hp Simplex Mercedes.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

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Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny and living in Brighton means I can cover the finish and do not need to get up before the birds to make the 7am start. This year I decided to photograph some of the entrants on the outskirts of Brighton so positioned myself initially by the major junction of the A23 London road and A27 Worthing road. I thought my timing was perfect as I had just parked the car when two entrants came passed but then nothing for the next half an hour! By about midday the stream of entrants was pretty steady so before moving onto the sea front I took some more shots between the roundabout and the Black Lion Pub (if you know the area then you will know where I mean).

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Fiat at the Auto e Moto d’Epoca

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You did not need to look far to see the very rare. This is a 1954 Fiat 1100 TV with coachwork designed by Giovanni Michelotti and constructed by Carrozzeria Canta. Carrozzeria Canta was formed in 1949 and mainly bodied Fiat 1100 and 1400 chassis. In 1954 the company introduced two models but soon the Studebaker lawyers came calling forcing the company to change their designs for 1955.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The following is probably best described as a Fiat fest. I imagine that these days should you choose to purchase a new Fiat, you probably have thousands of options with regards to colour/trim combinations, extra chrome, maybe carbon fibre, a sunroof perhaps. But how great it must have been in the 1950s and 60s to decide that I want to buy a new Fiat, but I want it to be truly different to the next door neighbors’.

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Frank Lance, Lonestar Master Mechanic, Part 3

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Mansfield, March 1961. Based on Jim Hall’s grimy face, a photo taken just after the race. From the left: Frank Lance, Jim, body man Foy Barrett and part-time mechanic Billy Billings, next to Jim’s feature winning Maserati 570S. Harry Heuer’s Meister Brauser Scarab is in the background.

As told by Frank Lance to Willem Oosthoek
All photos by Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection], unless stated otherwise.

The 1961 season started well for Jim Hall. During the Polar Prix at Green Valley in February he raced a Porsche RSK to a feature win, beating preliminary winner Delmo Johnson in his Jaguar XK-SS [chassis 701].

Frank: “That was the former Penske RSK. Jim had a new Porsche RS-60 that he raced at Green Valley in August 1960, beating Delmo’s XK-SS for first overall. Roger wanted an RS-60 because Bob Holbert was beating him with his own RS-60. So, Roger made a deal with Jim to swap cars, although not engines. I had to remove the engine from the RS-60 and reinstall it in the tired RSK that Penske sent us. We took it to Green Valley in the new year and again won overall in a race against my old friend, the XK-SS Jaguar, now with Chevy power.

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