Paul Wilson at the Larz Anderson Museum
For all of you who have followed the adventures of Paul Wilson as he designs and constructs his own coachwork on the Alfa 6C 2500 chassis, we’ve got some great news for you! On November 30, 7 p.m.- 8:30 p.m., Wilson will formally present his coupe at the prestigious Larz Anderson Automobile Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The Larz Automobile Museum in Brookline. Photo by Biruitorul – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4488803
As we all know and can readily see via the VeloceToday articles, Wilson is a master craftsman, who learned his art as he went along, thinking about each process while limiting his tools and materials to those available to coachbuilders of the 1930s. How he worked through the problems of doors, interiors, trunks, hood and fenders is a fascinating process and reveals his unique genius. Why he used steel instead of aluminum is also interesting as it altered the final form, as he was able to literally design the car as he created it.
The Paul Wilson Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Coupe. Photo by Paul Wilson.
In addition to formally presenting the coupe to the public, Wilson will give one of his celebrated lectures, and we are told that this time he’ll even show the audience how to hammer out and attach panels to a framework of steel rods. It should be a show to remember and a first for the famous Larz Anderson Automobile Museum!
Karl Ludvigsen’s Royal Automobile Club Lifetime Achievement Award
Chairman Ben Cussons, left, presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to Karl Ludvigsen.
World-renowned automotive historian and author Karl Ludvigsen received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contribution to the UK’s motoring book industry.
Ludvigsen has had an eminent career in the automotive industry with senior posts held at General Motors, Fiat Motors of North America, and Ford of Europe. He moved from the USA to Britain in 1980, and later founded his consultancy business, Ludvigsen Associates.
In a writing career spanning 65 years, Ludvigsen has penned more than 60 titles, and is a leading authority on the history of Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and the Chevrolet Corvette. Four of his books have received the Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot Award from the Society of Automotive Historians, which in 2002 gave him its highest accolade, Friend of Automotive History. He is a three-time winner of the Montagu Trophy of the Guild of Motoring Writers and received the Ken W. Purdy Award for his book on the Mercedes-Benz racing cars. In 2018 Karl won the Royal Automobile Club’s Specialist Motoring Book of the Year award for Reid Railton: Man of Speed. This two-volume work swept all major awards that year. In all he has received more than 60 awards for his writings.
Ludvigsen has contributed major works to VeloceToday, the most recent being the history of the Claveau automobiles.
The Royal Automobile Club awarded four category winners in addition to the overall winner, and best debut author. All category winners are listed below.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Karl Ludvigsen
The Motoring Book of the Year
Driven To Crime
By Crispian Besley
Evro Publishing, priced £40
Motoring Book of Year (Below £50)
Max Hoffman Million Dollar Middleman
By Myles Kornblatt
Veloce Publishing Ltd, priced £30
Motoring Book of the Year (No Price Limit)
Kim: A Biography of MG Founder Cecil Kimber
by Jon Pressnell
Dalton Watson Fine Books, priced £115
Read VeloceToday review
Motorsport Book of the Year (Below £50)
Speed Queens: A secret history of women in motorsport
By Rachel Harris-Gardiner
Pen & Sword Books Ltd, priced £22
Motorsport Book of the Year (No Price Limit)
Bentley Speed 8: The Comprehensive Story of Bentley’s Last Le Mans Winner
by Andrew Cotton
Sportfahrer Verlag, priced £225
Graham Robson Award for Best Debut Author
Andy Saunders, The Automotive Alchemist
Dalton Watson Fine Books, priced £90
Read VeloceToday review
* * *
Motoring Book of the Year Judging Committee
The award committee is led by non-voting chairman Simon Taylor and consists of six expert judges who are totally independent of the Royal Automobile Club. They are Gordon Cruickshank of Motor Sport, Mark Dixon of Octane, Mick Walsh from Classic & Sports Car, BRDC Bulletin editor Ian Titchmarsh, Ben Horton from specialist bookseller Horton’s Books, and Christian Whitehead from famous Oxford bookstore Blackwells.
About The Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club was founded in 1897 and its distinguished history mirrors that of motoring itself. In 1907, the Club was awarded its Royal title by King Edward VII, sealing the Club’s status as Britain’s oldest and most influential motoring organisation.
Our thanks to Rebecca Leppard at Eventageous PR Ltd rebecca@eventspr.co.uk