VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Mystery Bandini: It’s the Readers, not the Car!

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Is this Jim Pauley’s car at Watkins Glen in 1953? Or is this Wayne Chapman, at his home in Fayetteville N.C. in 1957? Photo submitted by Dale LaFollette

In the end it is all about our fantastic readers, not the Bandini. First, we heard from José Ramón Arce, who lives in Spain. José seemed to know his stuff, and wrote in very good English. In a well reasoned and well reseached opinion, José believes that the mystery car is the one entered at Watkins Glen in 1953 by Jim Pauley. As can be read in last week’s VeloceToday, research on our part backed that assertion up, although we could not find other photos which would have verified this. Then we heard from Walt Carroll, who had a completely different take on our mystery Bandini. So we engaged both to tell us more about themselves. [Read more…] about Mystery Bandini: It’s the Readers, not the Car!

Bill Pollack, Remembered

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Pebble Beach, 1956. Bill Pollack in the Stovebolt Chevy HWM leads Phil Hill in a Ferrari 860, Ernie McAfee in a Ferrari 121LM, then the Jag D-Type of Pierce Woods, Bill Murphy’s Kurtis 500X, and the Aston of Jack Graham. Photo by Jim Sitz.

West Coast racer Bill Pollack passed away at the age of 92 on July 16, 2017. We originally published this appreciation on August 25, 2017, and a week later published a second article with material sent by our readers. We have combined the two articles for our Archives feature this week.

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It’s Showtime! Sharp at the London Concours

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This was my second favourite car at the show. In the Kustom Class was this 1953 Austin A40 Somerset.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

At last! A car show to go to, my first since Salon Prive last September. So it’s up to the City of London, to the 5 acre green oasis that is the Honorable Artillery Company and the venue for the fifth edition of the London Concours held June 8-10, 2021. [Read more…] about It’s Showtime! Sharp at the London Concours

Can’t Get Enough of the London Concours

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E Types on parade, starting with 77RW, the first production two seater, as famously driven by Norman Dewis overnight to Geneva to serve as one of the press demonstrators.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Due largely to download time, we’ve split the report of the London Concours into two posts. Part 2 begins with the celebration of the E Type Jaguar.

These are the winners of this year’s event: [Read more…] about Can’t Get Enough of the London Concours

More on the Mystery Car

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Last week we challenged our readers to be the first to tell us what kind of Etceterini this is, who is driving, when and where, and offered a free year’s subscription to VeloceToday.com. What were the results? Photo submitted by Dale LaFollette

By Pete Vack

It is heartening to realize, that despite the deep pockets of knowledge and facts offered by Internet sources as well as a cornucopia of books and magazines, period and otherwise, there are still a few mysteries out there that remain unsolved.

In reference to that mystery car from last week; first, Dale LaFollette had purchased the photo from eBay, with no identification or photographer’s name. Dale wanted to know what kind of car it was so sent it to us here at VeloceToday. We didn’t know for sure either. Many of the little ones look alike, so we didn’t want to make any assumptions. We decided to ask you, our readers.

Responses were many and varied, and we thank all who sent in a guess. But the first responder was JR, who wrote:

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Jim Sitz Remembers Phil Hill

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Phil Hill, World Champion. 60 years ago this week Phil won the Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari. We celebrate his championship year. Photo of Phil Hill at the LA Times Grand Prix by Jim Sitz courtesy IMRRC.

Recently, working with Jim Sitz, we recalled that it was 60 years ago that Phil Hill won the Formula One World Championship. So why not put together something on Phil Hill, divide the photos up into four segments, each of which to be published close to the date of Phil’s remaining 1961 F1 races, culminating in the Grand Prix of Monza. And, in addition to Jim’s photos, we sneak in a couple from other photographers. But throughout we’ll get Jim to provide first hand recollections of his talks with Hill over the many years they knew each other. [Read more…] about Jim Sitz Remembers Phil Hill

Mystery Car Contest

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Be the first to tell us what kind of Etceterini this is, who is driving, when and where, and you’ll get a free year’s subscription to VeloceToday.com. Email answers to vack@cox.net. Photo submitted by Dale LaFollette

Prototypes at the British Motor Museum

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Great displays, missed opportunities.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Read Part 1

I suppose it is not that unusual that when two or more people attended an event or a museum together, the conversation on the way home often turns to “What was your favourite car/display?” Returning recently from the British Motor Museum, it was no different for my pal and me.

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Bandini 750 Crosley and Offy/Alfa

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Photo by Dave DeBrul

Below is an article first published in the August 5, 1985 edition of AutoWeek as a Escape Road feature, written by the Editor and featuring the Bandini 750 Sports, then owned by Dave DeBrul. Having gotten the reader suitabley reved up, we follow that with a description of the famous Offy-Bandini. It was known to many of us as “The Offy That Ran”, and seen in the June, 1957 edition of Sports Cars Illustrated written by Karl Ludvigsen. This Bandini has been restored and is now for sale.

By Pete Vack

Ilario Bandini’s main source of income was derived from owning and operating a thriving Lancia dealership in Forli, a small town whose main claim to fame was 1) being the birthplace of Mussolini or 2) the site of Nuvolari’s first victory with a Ferrari, or 3) a town through which the Mille Miglia was routed, depending on what history one chooses to read. [Read more…] about Bandini 750 Crosley and Offy/Alfa

Race Cars at the British Motor Museum

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Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The British Motor Museum, located in the rolling Warwickshire countryside (not to be confused with the National Motor Museum in Hampshire), opened in 1993 and tells the story of the British Motor Industry. The museum was established by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust to house its collection of almost 300 vehicles and its vast motoring archive, which had outgrown the two original locations in Studley in Warwickshire, and Syon Park in London. The Trust’s mission is to keep the memory of the British Motor Industry alive, and to tell its story to all. [Read more…] about Race Cars at the British Motor Museum

Gaston Andrey, Part 3

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Described as having curly and unruly hair, quick bright blue eyes and a movie star smile, Gaston Andrey (circa 1957) was also a very serious, capable and versatile racing driver. Credit Fred Vytal www.gastonandreymotorsports.com

Story by Jeff Allison
Read Part 1
Read Part 2

Gus Andrey, The Team Manager

After his accident, Andrey turned his attention to managing Gaston Andrey Motorsports. The team prepared Tiga and Alba chassis, including engine prep or supplying the engines, for customers in the Camel Lights category. In 1986, Gaston Andrey Motorsports combined resources with Martino Finotto’s CARMA team racing a Ferrari-Alba. The Ferrari part was the two-valve, fuel-injected V8 engine from the Ferrari 308 that made around 460hp. Ferrari provided no support or assistance, so Andrey’s Oskar Feldman and CARMA’s Carlo Facetti developed a new cylinder head for the Ferrari V8, made a number of changes to the Alba chassis and won the Camel Lights category at West Palm Beach and Road America in 1986.

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Driving the Delage Bequet

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The Delage Bequet at Kop Hill, 2013. This car was originally built as a 2 liter V12. The car was rebuilt for Maurice Bequet and was fitted with a 12 Liter Hispano Suiza V8 aero engine in 1926. The runs are not timed but this did not seem to deter Boswell’s spirited run. Jonathan Sharp photo.

Those who have ridden as co-pilot say that a desire to survive is their dominant emotion.

By Alexander Boswell, owner, driver
From the VeloceToday Archives, November 2013

It’s an amazing experience to drive any car built for Grand Prix racing. One knows that relentless effort, concentration of resources, and usually a huge budget have contributed to the creation of something technologically remarkable. Despite its 90th anniversary, the 2LCV Delage still encapsulates all these elements. In 1923 this was the only entry from the stable of the Delage company, and therefore it represents the pinnacle of the technology of the time. This car was driven in the French GP by René Thomas, the Sebastian Vettel of his day.

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