The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
When Pebble Beach announces a special display, the enthusiast community immediately comes to life. No one who saw the six Bugatti Royales at Pebble Beach in 1985 will ever forget the spectacle. A class for Bugatti Type 57s with coachbuilt bodies in 2003 was extremely impressive, with a large entry and car histories on placards mounted on standards. (This article originally was published in September 2011.) [Read more…] about Michael Lynch and the First GTO
Story and photos by Brandes Elitch
The last time VT published my column on Hershey, “The Eastern Division AACA National Fall Meet,” was in 2009. It’s time for an update. I was able to attend the event this year, held on October….and this is my report.
Background
In its 65- year existence, last year was the only year when the show did not occur. It’s indisputable that this is the largest automobile related event in the world. It started back in 1955. [Read more…] about Brandes Elitch at Hershey, 2021
We have two winners, and thanks to all who took a guess. The car is an Alfa RLSS. Details later.
*This car was seen and photographed at Road America Wisconsin on June 6, 1963.
*It looks to be a tulip wood boat tailed torpedo on a Hispano or Isotta chassis.
*It does not appear to be the famous tulip wood Hispano now owned by the Blackhawk.
*So, what is it? First correct and complete answer will win a year’s Premium subscription to VeloceToday.
*Trouble is, we have no idea what the correct answer is! Contact vack@cox.net
It’s Thanksgiving week here in the U.S., so allow us to take a break from our normal frenetic routine. It gives us a chance to think about all the things we have to be thankful for.
Greg Vack
Despite having a very demanding tax/accounting practice and being a dedicated and active Grandfather to two wonderful girls, Greg proofreads over 4000 words for VeloceToday every week. It is an absolutely essential and yet thankless task, and now we can’t get along without him. So Thank You, brother Greg!
Reader’s Comments
In this day and age of internet, Facebook and social rudeness, we are happy to say that in over 20 years we have never received an offensive comment. Our readers are knowledgeable, polite, well mannered, well educated. Note too that we publish every single non-spam comment; what you see is what we get. We are thankful to serve such a pleasant group of motoring enthusiasts.
Contributors
Here we must be short. Our list of contributors is long and grows monthly. From all over the world, our writers provide different voices, styles, interests and angles, from Paul Wilson’s creation of his unique 6C 2500 to the insightful reporting of Brandes Elitch and Vince Johnson to the wonderful photography of Jonathan Sharp and Hugues Vanhoolandt. Thank you ALL.
Health and Longevity
We are thankful for our health and longevity. Oldsters Graham Gauld is back from a trip to Scotland and will report next week; Eric Davison sold his house and is now settling into an apartment and still in touch with Dale Powers; Gijsbert Paul Berk is eager to read the new Lancia book by his friend Wim Oude Weernink; Jim Sitz remembers as much as he ever did or more about California racing; Dave Rex still buys old race cars, Don Toms is still selling books. These are only a few who have passed their 80th birthdays. The common thread seems to be a love of things automotive and a desire to keep doing what make themselve and others happy.
VeloceToday returns in full next week.
Sebring, March 1964. By now Phil was firmly in the Ford camp. Seen here in the Shelby Cobra/Ford he shared with Jo Schlesser and entered by Ford France, the combination finished sixth overall. (photo: Flip Schulke)
Captions by Willem Oosthoek
After winning the World Championship in 1961, Hill stayed with Ferrari for 1962 but the once dominant cars were now outclassed and Hill’s stints with ATS and Cooper were frustrating. Hill concentrated on sports car racing and found more success at Le Mans. Finding images by Jack Brady, Flip Schulke and Henri Beroul, Oosthoek puts together a series of photos that illustrated Hill’s drives with Ferrari, Ford, and finally, in 1967, with Chaparral.
Story and photos by Philippe Defechereux
This was no ordinary Greenwich Concours. In fact, it was a historic event. Bruce and Genia Wennerstrom had established the Concours in their ideal Connecticut town since June 1996. June 2020 should have marked its 25th anniversary Concours, now managed by two of their children, but had to be cancelled due to the Pandemic. During that interval, the Hagerty Group, specialized in providing insurance for vintage cars owners, bought the Concours outright from the Wennerstrom family and the event was scheduled for late October, 2021. Luckily the autumn weather was reasonably clement throughout. [Read more…] about Greenwich Concours, Lancia Style
Review by Pete Vack
All photos from the book
David Beare’s most recent volume of Fiat history, Fiat, Twenty More Years Vol 3, 1980-1999, poignantly reminds those residing in the U.S. of the Italian automotive joys we have been denied. In 1983, Fiat exited the US market. Until the purchase of Chrysler followed by the introduction of the Fiat 500 to the U.S. in 2011, no new Fiats landed on these shores (the last Fiats sold here were the 124 Spiders and the X1/9, both by then imported and badged by others).
Yet in America, two generations had been treated to the delights (and problems) of Fiat’s postwar cars including the 1900, 1100, 1200, 1500, 2300, 600, 500, 850, Dino,124, 131, 128 and ultimately, the fatal Ritmo/Strada. These lucky enthusiasts experienced a truly different, and Italian way of motoring. No other manufacturer offered such a cornucopia of nicely styled, interesting, innovative and economical cars. Many of us came to know these cars well, some inside and out. [Read more…] about Fiat, 1980-1999: What We Have Missed
First drive in the new Fiat 500 Sport, thanks to Bergstrom Fiat in Milwaukee.
From the VeloceToday Archives, February 2011
Hearing that the new Fiat 500 would be available soon, John and Lizzie Sexton high tailed it over to Bergstrom Fiat, where the exclusively Fiat dealership allowed VeloceToday to be the first enthusiast publication to road test the not-yet-available US Version Prima Edizione. They were lucky enough to test the aptly named “Sport” model.
Riverside, October 1958. During the inaugural Times Grand Prix Phil Hill was at the wheel of this Ferrari 412MI, equipped with the 4.1-liter V12 from the Ferrari used in the June 1958 500 Miglia di Monza, between Indianapolis and Formula One drivers. The factory claimed 450 BHP, but then Italian horses were always a bit smaller. Having qualified in the middle of the front row, Phil fought a close battle for the lead with Chuck Daigh in one of the Scarabs, until the Ferrari had to retire due to vapor lock. Note the crude windshield. (photo: Bob Tronolone)
Captions by Willem Oosthoek
It is still Phil Hill’s Championship year, albeit 60 years ago. We began with a look at Phil’s career in California, compliments of Jim Sitz, and then came Maserati historian Willem Oosthoek, who offered to allow us to use some of the photos from his collection. “After Jim Sitz’s wonderful columns on his personal interaction with Phil Hill, I recalled that I have a fair number of photos of Phil in sport racers as well.” In this case, Oosthoek did not take the photos but has the rights and or permissions to use them.
Photos and story by Hugues Vanhoolandt
From the VeloceToday Archives, November 2018
As you know, Pegasos are very rare sports cars that were manufactured in Spain between 1951 and 1956. The main goal of the company was to build trucks, vans and buses for which there was a need in the context of Spain’s economic recovery after the difficult times of the Spanish civil war and WWII.
By Joe Hurwich
Color images by a variety of photographers. Thank you all!
It started in the summer of 2020. I found a car online that I thought would be great for the Mille Miglia – a 1931 Aston Martin. There were a couple of problems though. The car was in England and Covid 19 was rampant. I negotiated a bit, and we struck a deal, subject to an inspection. [Read more…] about An Aston Martin on the Mille Miglia
1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT
Story and photos by Gianni Petta
About twenty days after the Coppa Floriopoli, more beautiful historic cars returned to Sicily to compete in the 104th Targa Florio, held on October 14-17, 2021. As has been the custom for years now, the event started from the streets and avenues of the University of Palermo.
There was a long list of entries with over 200 crews, plus 90 prancing horses for the Ferrari Tribute from all European nations and all around the world. This year the route unfolded on the roads of Western Sicily, between the provinces of Palermo and Trapani.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
It had been postponed twice, but one month after the superb Goodwood Revival meeting it was time to go again to the Goodwood Motor Circuit for the 78th Members Meeting. So how does the Members Meeting compare with the Revival? You could call it ‘Revival Light’; the racing is as great as at the Revival and the entry list is equally first class, but a bit more varied, as entry requirements do not restrict cars to the circuit’s original race period of 1948 to 1966. As the event is only open to members of the Goodwood clubs, crowds are not a problem and the politeness found at the Revival still prevailed. [Read more…] about Goodwood Members Meeting, 2021