London's September Concours are becoming very popular indeed!
Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp
Salon Privé is held at the Duke of Northumberland’s London home at Syon Park, a lovely spot by the Thames and this year the date was set for Thursday, September 4-6th. Now entering its 8th consecutive year, Salon Privé is the UK’s premier ’boutique’ motoring event and held just prior to the St. James Concours. Website for Prive Salon Concours
Corrado Lopresto's 1963 Lancia Flaminia 2.8 3C Speciale, displayed by his son. Designed by Tom Tjaarda and displayed at the Turin Motor of that year, this was the last Flaminia built by Lancia and the car became the personal transport of Battista Pininfarina.
1967 Iso Grifo, 350 HP ordered new by nine times Motorcycle World Champion and F1 racer Mike Hailwood. Entered by James Hull.
1947 Cisitalia 202 MM Nuvolari Spider of Ian Dalglish, coachwork by Stabilimenti Farina.The car retains its original engine and bodywork.
1963 Ferrari 250 GTL Lusso, entered by David Moores. First owner was Steve McQueen.
1959 Ferrari 250GT of Nigel Chilton Hunt (Pininfarina Class).
1949 Bristol 400 Farina of Adrian Berry, one of only three Bristols bodied by Pinin Farina.
Lamborghini line up: 1968 400 GT 2 plus 2 of Tom Hartley, 1972 Muira SV of Joe Macari, 1974 Espada Series 3 of Lynne Bull and the 1977 Countach LP400 of Padma and Jurgen Wilms (50 years of the legendary Lamborghini).
Best in show winner, Sarah Allen's 1959 Ferrari 250GT California Spyder LWB. The judges lined up behind the car include chief judge Derek Bell MBE, Marcel Massini, Adolfo Orsi, Fabio Filippini (director of Design Pininfarina) and Sandra Button chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
VeloceToday Select Number One:
Cuban Grand Prix, 1957
by David Seielstad
St. James Concours, September 5-7
Just back from London for the last day of the St James Concours and to view the grand departure.The Concourswas held in an area that encompasses the gardens of Marlborough House, Marlborough Road and St James’s Palace. Marlborough House is a Royal Palace with a history going back over 300 years. Last year the event was at Windsor Gardens and was relocated to the Marlboro House in central London for 2013. There were lots of people at the show today so I am glad I also went on Thursday to get some uncluttered shots. It’s a great atmosphere though, just like a garden party, and when the cars left to drive to Battersea, it was as if the Millie Miglia had come to London, with crowds cheering and clapping as the cars departed. To see a Ferrari 268 Dino drive between the crowds was superb. If I could only have been in two places at one time I would have liked to have been standing in Parliament Square when the parade passed by. To see a Richard Attwood’s Le Mans-winning Porsche 917 passing the Palace of Westminster would have been something to behold. This is the only event where my ticket has been checked at the door by a Gentleman in full morning dress complete with tail coat and top hat!
In addition to the main event the mall and Marlborough Road was lined with various examples of Classics from Aston Martins to a Zagato-bodied Lancia Aprillia. Outside the gates of the adjacent St James Palace was a Lamborghini timeline to celebrate the marque’s 50th birthday. Three Espadas and two Muiras lined up against the wall of St James palace was a unique sight. In fact there where Lamborghini’s parked all over the road, up on the kerbs, even in the Royal entrance. As for the cars on display on the concours field, 60 of the world’s greatest cars, all of them different from last year’s event, so 120 of the world’s best cars in just two years is a major achievement for the organizing team. I understand the event plans to return to Windsor Castle next year. London is moving towards having a car week to rival Monterey what with the Goodwood Revival next weekend.
Website for St. James Concours
Bugatti 50T Coach Profilee, entered by the Louwman Museum. One of only two examples believed to have survived. Designed by Jean Bugatti who was only 23 at the time and had a 5000cc Twin cam straight eight.
This is the example of the 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Erdmann & Rossi Streamlined Roadster created for King Hussein of Jordan. The original car, which had been built for King Ghazi bin Faisal of Iraq, had been sent to Saddam Hussein who in turn sent it to King Hussein to be restored. Whilst the car was in restoration King Hussein ordered that a copy of the body be created for himself which was then fitted to a 1936 Mercedes chassis. The original car was returned to Saddam just prior to Gulf War II. Its whereabouts are unknown.
First bought by Bugatti's German importer who took the chassis to Berlin Coachbuilder Voll and Ruhrbeck, this was the last chassis delivered to Germany prior to WW2. Hidden away for the duration of the conflict, it emerged unscathed only to be taken by the then Polish Minister of Transport Tadeusz Tabincki, who claimed the car had been stolen from a Polish citizen. The car became part of his large collection of cars before being discretely sold in 1960 to a new owner, who fitted it with a replica Atlantic body. The current owner acquired the car in 2002 and found the original body which had been dry-stored for 40 years. Restored, the car won Best in Class at Pebble Beach in 2006.
1928 Bugatti Type 35B winner of the 1929 Monaco Grand Prix, driven by William Grover Williams. Owner listed as a Private Collection.
1929 OM 665 SSMM, entered by Richard D Lisman. In 1930 this example, driven by Bassi and Gazzabini finished first in the 3.0 Liter class and 5th overall on that year's Millie Miglia. In the same year Ferdinando Minoia drove it to 10th overall on the Targa Florio. The car was then shipped to England and driven by Ramponi where it finished 9th in the Irish Grand Prix. Ramponi later flipped the car into a ditch during a race in Belfast.
1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Brianza, entered by Daniel Sielecki . Next to the Alfa is the 1934 Aston Martin Ulster of Alan Beardshaw. This Ulster has chalked up many race wins and is still driven with great gusto by its owner in many events each year.
First view, 1964 Ferrari 250LM, ex Scuderia Filipinetti. In 1965 the car came home 6th in the Le Mans 24 hour race, 1963 GTO/64C of Sir Antony Bamford.
Keith Taylor's 1923 Newton Brooklands 200 miles race car. Whilst the name sounds English the car was made in Milan by Olivo Pellagatti. Entered in both the 1923 and 1924 200 miles race, on both occasions the car failed to start. Manchester-based automotive manufacturer Noel Newton had discovered the Pellagatti factory converting wartime forklift trucks into civilian vehicles. Noel Newton commissioned them to build a 1085cc four-cylinder twin cam engine which would rev to 6000 rpm and gave a claimed 62bhp. The car had 5 oil pumps and a 4.5 gallon oil tank. The front drum brakes were hand operated and the rear by a foot pedal. The car was later sold to Miss Ivy Cummings but she had the good sense not to race it. The car behind the Newton is the 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck sport cabriolet.
Built for the 1958 Monza 500 mile race and sponsored by Zinetti, the owner of Eldorado Ice Cream, this special Maserati was driven by Stirling Moss. At over 170 mph the steering broke and the car hit the wall smashing both wheels and spinning the car into the infield. Maserati still felt that the car could be a winner at the Indy 500 so with Zinetti paying the bills the car was shipped States side. Alas driving by veteran Indy driver Ralph Liquori the car missed the cut in qualifying at 136 mph, 4 mph below the required speed. Entered by Matteo Panini.
1954 Ferrari 375MM Scaglietti Berlinetta, owned by Jon Shirley. Ordered new by film director Roberto Rosselini (and husband of Ingrid Bergman). When Roberto bought the car it had a red spider body. Roberto then crashed it into a tree. He then sent the car to Scaglietti to create this impressive Coupe body. Scaglietti designed the body to attract further orders from Ferrari.
HRH Prince Michael of Kent admires Bernard and Joan Carl's 1962 Ferrari 268SP. This was the only 268SP built. It was Entered in the 1962 Le Mans and driven by Giancarlo Baghetti and Ludovico Scarfiotti but suffered mechanical failure on lap 230.
1955 Maserati 300S, driven to 1st place by Fangio in that year’s Venezuelan Grand Prix. Stirling Moss then drove the car to 1st place in the 1956 Buenos Aires 1000km. Driven by Jean Behra, the car finished first in the 1955 Circuito de Porto and the Monza 1000km.
Bernard Worth's 1953 Ferrari 166MM Vignale Barchetta. This car changed hands a few times in Italy before becoming part of the Ecurie Francochamps stable. The car then passed into the hands of Vivian Stanbury, chief designer of Rolls-Royce before Bernard purchased the car in 1960.
Clive Beecham's 275 GT NART Spyder made our day complete. It is number 9 of 10 built, chassis s/n 10749
Re the copy of Saddam’s Merc.I thought the real car was found by US troops when they rolled in to Baghdad. What is the SN of the copy? Does anyone now which shop in Germany restored the original and created the copy?
It is ironic how the American liberating Iraq weren’t able to keep treasures they found. If I remember my WWII history, various 500K and 540K Mercedes were “liberated” by US troops and shipped back to the U.S. I guess now to be politically correct the original Saddam Mercedes belongs to the Iraq people.
Whatever happened to “fortunes of war.” PS One of the GIs who liberated a prewar classic Mercedes to drive around at war’s end was Johnny von Neumann. I don’t know if he shipped it back to the U.S.
GOT 699K
what is the make of this car?
any ideas?
GOT 699K is the 1964 Ferrari 250LM featured further down the page. One of my favourite cars since the sixties when I had the Corgi Toys model!