Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
In this segment, Vanhoolandt gathers up eight more Etceterinis, and includes the Fiat Roselli Colli, seen above. Then we call in Dino Brunori to to us a bit about the Colli firm.
The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
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We asked Gijsbert-Paul Berk to tell us about his visits to Saoutchik and Franay in the early 1950s, as mentioned in Peter Larsen’s three volume book on Saoutchik. One question led to another and soon we had a very interesting article about a very special man.
From the Archives, November 2014
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk
Thank goodness for Sir Peter Ustinov. The versatile British actor was known to many car buffs of previous generations, even those with little theatrical interests, thanks to his hilarious Riverside recording of the Gibraltar Grand Prix and other records. However only intimates were aware that Ustinov himself was a lifelong car enthusiast with a penchant for classic automobiles and sports cars. [Read more…] about A Past Recalled: Gijsbert-Paul Berk
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By Alan Yankolonis
In addition to winning two French Sports Car Grand Prix and setting land speed records in 1936 which stood for 29 years, the Simeone Foundation’s Bugatti T57 G Tank was the first Bugatti to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Initially the car was built for the 1936 French Sports Car Grand Prix that was established and later to set speed records in 1936. Of three, perhaps four built, this is the only Bugatti Tank known to survive.*
In 2013, Audi was introducing the new limited-edition Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, and Audi USA approached Dr. Fredrick Simeone to obtain color samples from the 1936 Bugatti T57G, and to discuss the possibility of displaying that car at the Quail Lodge during the 2013 Pebble Beach Concourse in Monterey, California. The idea was to paint the show car in the same color scheme as the 1937 Le Mans winner. Their request to Dr. Simeone was to conduct color matching tests on the Le Mans winner and explore the opportunity to have the museum car displayed side by side with the new Vitesse at the Quail Lodge. After much discussion an agreement was made to copy the color of the Le Mans winner, and make arrangements to have the museum car transported to California for display alongside the Vitesse.
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Story by Graham Gauld
For companies like Ferrari and Maserati, the importance of the private customer could never be underestimated, and with Ferrari in particular, Enzo was always willing to do anything for certain clients. One such was Dr Enrico Wax from Genoa, who always demanded something special and different. As a result, he had the ear of Mr Ferrari. [Read more…] about The Ferraris and Maseratis of Dr Wax
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Story by John Waterhouse*
After the new Renault 4CV was exhibited at the October, 1947 Paris Motor show, the car went into series production. The new model was soon involved in competition, the first recorded example being the July 1948 “Rallye Internationale des Alpes” . After this, various private and factory (“usines”) entries followed in a range of events, initially using the 760 cc R1060 model, competing in the 751 to 1,100 cc class.
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The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles: Book Review by Pete Vack
From the Archives, December, 2012
Many may argue that this slender book is Fred Simeone’s manifesto, that it is one sided, opinionated and does not consider all aspects of the old car hobby. But The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles is a call to arms, a call for action, a call for responsibility of caretakers, a cry for reason and respect. This is not a rule book or a mandate, but it incorporates classification and preservation/restoration guidelines based on what other similar fields of endeavor, such as aircraft and antique furniture, have already established. These guidelines are also applied to the cars and activities associated with the Simeone Foundation.
At the same time it raises a number of highly controversial issues.
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By Pete Vack
On June 8th, Fred Simeone turned 84 years old, but his energy and enthusiasm for the Simeone Foundation has not abated. Perhaps that is another reason he topped The Classic Car Trust’s list of 100 car collectors. We explain the honor and also look at how Fred designed the fantastic dioramas that are so much a part of the magic of the museum.
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is the only organization to have been awarded “Museum of the Year” (2011), “Publication of the Year” (2012), and “Car of the Year” (2014) by the International Historic Motoring Group, and in 2017 the Foundation also won the Octane Award–Museum of the Year.
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Story by John Waterhouse
Author photos unless otherwise noted
Background
After being exhibited at the October, 1947 Paris Motor Show, production of the Renault 4CV gradually increased from 503 cars for sale that year to a peak of 138,000 in 1955. The grand total was 1,089,918 by the time production stopped in 1961.
The Renault 4CV was the first model in France to exceed a production total of one million, quite enough to put it in the automotive history books. The outcome was more noteworthy as it was a complete change for Renault, who pinned the very survival of the Regie to the success of a small, unorthodox car that was unlike anything they had built before.
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Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt unless otherwise noted
For our second edition of Etceterini Corner, we present another series of images by Hugues Vanhoolandt taken over a period of years. Although seven of the eight images are of different Erminis, we focus on the Ala d’Oro, a fascinating car meant more for the street than the track. How many were made is a good question.
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Story by Eric Davison
Photos courtesy Dale Powers
From the Archives, December 2016
Read Part 1
Read Part 2
Read Part 3
Over the course of his life Dale Powers searched out, owned, repaired, restored and driven too many cars to be either recorded or described. They have included, Jaguars, including an SS100, Porsches, Fiats, a Sprint car or two, MGs and just about anything else that is interesting.” What an automotive life!
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By Pete Vack
Photos courtesy Fred Simeone
Twelve years ago your Editor wrote an article for Automobile Quarterly about the Simeone Foundation Museum, which had just opened. Soon, the Museum will open once again after closing for the Covid-19 pandemic, and we decided to update that article for use in VeloceToday. Below is the our story about Dr. Simeone and his father Anthony, as published in V48 N3 of AQ; the first of several about the Simeone Foundation.
Fred Simeone inherited his father’s acute intelligence and penchant for medicine but also a passion for cars. “What Dad gave me was more important than money,“ said Simeone.
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Story by John Waterhouse*
The Renault 4CV was a child of World War II. The German army had occupied northern France, including the Renault works at Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris and production continued, under strong pressure to provide vehicles for Germany’s war efforts. [Read more…] about The Renault 4CV Part 1: First of a Million