The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
The McArthur Bandini in the paddock area. He won his class.
From the Archives, August 2007
This is collection of photos from the Clair Reuter Collection, which provide a window into the H modified classes in the Midwest during the early and mid-fifties.
Many of the images were taken at a SCCA race at the Atterbury Airforce Base near Columbus, Indiana, on May 30th 1954. [Read more…] about Etceterini at Atterbury
Review by Pete Vack
In a colorful, imaginative and creative manner, author and historian Graeme Cocks brings to life the story of Renault’s Type A – the first car to feature a direct drive with the engine, clutch, transmission and differential in line. (read Two Old Renaults). It all began in that perhaps not so humble woodshed in the Renault family’s back yard, as you probably ‘heard tell about’ many times. (Renault’s family owned a button-making factory and were well-off.) [Read more…] about Louis Renault’s Amazing Type A – Reviewed
The 1973 Chevron B24/28 of Tom Tweedie.
Story and photos by Vince Johnson
Now into its fourth decade, the southern hemisphere’s largest historic race meeting was spread over four days in March, just before the cessation of sporting events.
Motor racing on Phillip Island, south of Melbourne, goes back further than a mere forty years though, to the first Australian Grand Prix, held on public roads here in 1928. While no cars from the 20’s were competing this year, if there were drivers, officials or spectators of this vintage present, they weren’t admitting it!
The Australian Renault Type A on a pilgrimage to the Renault factory. Credit Graeme Cocks.
By John Waterhouse
Perth, the capital city of the state of Western Australia, seems an unlikely location for two very early examples of Renault production cars. Nonetheless, it is the home for a 1899-1900 production version of Louis Renault’s first car, the single-cylinder, De Dion-Bouton-powered Type A, and a 1903 Type N, a car that used Renault’s first four-cylinder engine. 1 [Read more…] about Two Early Renaults in Western Australia
Taking one back to 1992, here is the Minardi-Lamborghini M191 driven by Christian Fittipaldi and Gianni Morbidelli. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.
By Clyde Berryman
Photos by Gulay Berryman unless otherwise noted
No photos please
Massimo squires us out a back door and we take a few steps in the green grass and dew outside before approaching another building. He puts an upraised finger to his lips, implying we need to be extra quiet in here. No photographs either, please. My antennae go up. At last, I assume this is where the real “secrets” to Minardi’s performances must be kept! And as it turns out, this guess is probably not entirely off the mark.
From the Archives July 22, 2014
With our friends in Italy in mind…
Time: The Italian Opera season of 1927-28. Place: You are settling in at the world’s most famous opera house to see a performance of Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment, and you have great seats, E 15 and 16 on the Destra side of the main floor. On your arm is a dazzling beauty with bobbed hair and a daringly short shimmering dress. The world is yours. [Read more…] about A Night at La Scala with Alfas and Lancias
Pierluigi Martini’s Minardi M189 model which raced in 1989-90, seen at the Goodwood Festival. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.
By Clyde Berryman
Photos by Gulay Berryman unless otherwise noted
The first stop on our factory tour, I quickly come to realize, is not the earliest stage in the actual car assembly process: we find ourselves in the carbon-fiber composite shop. But the revolution in composite materials has become the focus of modern Formula One chassis construction so it is appropriate that we start our tour here.
Make your Alfa 1600 vintage race ready…Photo by Vince Johnson.
By Carl Goodwin
From the Archives March 2015
In the heyday of U.S. importer Alfa Romeo Inc. – that would be the late ‘60s to the late ‘90s – a bright, enthusiastic engineer named Don Black managed Alfa’s racing activities during his evenings and weekends.
With the help and support of the president of the organization, Arturo Reitz, he organized contingency programs for Alfa racers. For those drivers who finished 1st, 2nd or 3rd in class, they got $300, $200 or $100. It doesn’t sound like much now, but in 1971 it was a nice payoff. During the first year of this program, the five leading drivers were given a brand new Alfa 2600 roadster for their accomplishments! [Read more…] about Don Black’s Alfa Competition Reference Book
What is this? Brandes has the answer below.
Story by Brandes Elitch
A series of unfortunate events transpired to seal the fate of Citroën’s SM.
The Minardi Facotory in Faenza, Italy
By Clyde P. Berryman
Photos by Gulay Berryman
In 2000, we visited the factory of the smallest racing team in Formula One in search of clues to its rugged survivability at the pinnacle of motor sport.
Having fought for an hour to escape from the traffic snarl surrounding Milan that morning, it had been pedal to the metal for the last couple hours to try and stay on pace for an 11 o’clock appointment. [Read more…] about Made in Faenza: A Visit to Minardi Part 1
Today the Old Grey Mare is still in good hands with Ben Bragg. But what is the Old Grey Mare? Read on…
Story and photos by Sean Smith
Where does it start, this love of cars? For Ben Bragg there always seemed to be an attraction, but there was one very strong memory. [Read more…] about Ben Bragg and the Old Grey Mare
This year at Retromobile, Hugues Vanhoolandt photographed a rare example of the SM on display. Heuliez, a coachbuilder, produced two examples of the SM “Espace,” which is a pillarless targa top convertible. The rear quarter windows do retract into the bodywork, unlike the SM.
By Brandes Elitch
All photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt unless otherwise marked.
“That the car was a moonshot didn’t concern our judges. Rather it invigorated them. Viewed in the perspective of the last 21 years, the SM fits more precisely in the spirit of the COTY, maybe better, than anything else being made in the world today.”