VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

alfa t33

‘Dorino’ Zeccoli Remembered

By

Zeccoli in the ‘Periscopio’ Alfa T33 prototype at the Nurburgring, 1967. (Photo credit Centro Documentazione Alfa Romeo, Arese, Zeccoli Archives)

By Vladimir Pajevic

The below tribute is from the AutodeltaGoldenYears.com Rome Senior Corresponding Editor. Vladimir was there on the ground with Autodelta during its formative years and still gathers the few remaining Autodeltisti to reminisce about the Golden Years….he is one of the few who have a well-formed atmospheric view of Teo Zeccoli (Dorino) and the period in which he did his magic.- Bob Little

Another Maestro has left worldly racing circuits forever in search of heavenly paddocks. Sometimes, it is difficult to find the right words at one’s leave; too many memories, too many unanimous words and feelings to express. It is always some part of our lives that remains on that ship that is leaving the harbor. [Read more…] about ‘Dorino’ Zeccoli Remembered

Graham Gauld Interview with Teo Zeccoli

By

Zeccoli flat out at Spa in the Alfa Romeo GTA (Photo credit Centro Documentazione Alfa Romeo, Arese, Zeccoli Archives)

Teo Zeccoli passed away last week and it seemed fitting that we should republish Graham Gauld’s wonderful interview with Zeccoli in 2001, first published in VeloceToday.com on January 24 2013.

Story by Graham Gauld

In the alphabet of the world’s racing drivers, Teodoro Zeccoli comes somewhere near the end. He is a driver we have all heard about, due to his particular exploits with Alfa Romeo, but he is more than just a young Italian who grew up wanting to be a racing driver; Zeccoli was one of the favored test drivers of Carlo Chiti. Apart from being one of Chiti’s principals at Autodelta he was also the test driver for Chiti’s Formula 1 bad-egg, the ATS. [Read more…] about Graham Gauld Interview with Teo Zeccoli

Fioravanti’s Alfa

By

Roeberto Motta photo

Story by Roberto Motta

Alfa Romeo 33/2 Coupé special by Pininfarina

Looking at the 33/2 Coupé Special, take the time to savor the moment and let your eyes to explore the details of a very special car that has the flavor of an artistic creation, enhanced by the yellow color to the sensual lines of the body.

In the late sixties, Ferrari commissioned Pininfarina to do a study of new car with advanced aerodynamics. To design the car, Pininfarina chosen the young Ing. Leonardo Fioravanti, because he was young, had ideas, and even more had a mechanical engineering education at the Politecnico di Milano where his studies were focused on aerodynamics and car body design. [Read more…] about Fioravanti’s Alfa

And How! The Mystery of the T33 S/N

By

And How! features open and innovative formats for notices, articles and posts

Roberto Motta photo

Readers who are familiar with the history of the T33 Alfas (and VeloceToday seems to harbor most of them!) are even more fascinated with the series of T33 Stradales that were destined to have fantastic, special bodies built on the chassis. They are some of Alfa Romeo’s most treasured and beautiful showcars. Roberto Motta recent revealed the story of how chassis s/n 75033112 was designed by Fioravanti based on a previous effort called the Ferrari 250 P5. But, we all asked, wasn’t the Alfa s/n 75033115?

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Interview with Giovanna Scaglione Part 7

By

Franco Scaglione, “My Father” His Life in the Words of His Daughter Giovanna

As told to Robert Little, Renzo Carbonaro, Vladimir Pajevic and Ulrich Zensen
Copyright: 8 November 2017 All World Rights Reserved
Republished with permissions with changes to suit the format of VeloceToday.com

Part VII: Wool Threads and Scotch Tape…
“Aerodynamic Fluidity”

An internationally acclaimed graphic artist was once quoted as saying:
“I am going for a level of perfection that is only mine… Most of the pleasure is in getting the last little piece perfect.”

Such a quotation could easily have been applied to Franco Scaglione’s professional standards.
While not everyone will enjoy and appreciate all of his individual design accomplishments, his achievement in the reduction of coefficient of drag, the elimination of air friction or ‘slipperiness’ rates him in the pantheon of greatness…well beyond the achievements his contemporaries.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Silver Flag Hillclimb, Vernasca, Italy

By

sdfds

Louis Frey’s 1950 Ferrari 340 America departs for the 8.5 km climb to Vernasca.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The Silver Flag Hillclimb is a relatively new classic racing venue, held in the small and charming town of Vernasca, in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. So for the second year straight, on the weekend of June 17-19 we flew from London to Milan for this unusual event.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

From Sicily to Success: The Joe Nastasi Story Part 2

By

Testing the Countach at the Lamborghini factory in Sant A'gata for the 25th anniversary celebration. This is Joe's personal Countach and has traveled only 400 miles.

Testing the Countach at the Lamborghini factory for the 25th anniversary celebration. This is Joe’s personal Countach and has traveled only 400 miles.

In Part I, a young Joe Nastasi grows up in Sicily, addicted to cars and speed. After a two year stint in the Italian Navy, he is ready to move on. Ironically, he finds his true calling not in Italy, but in the United States. (Read Part I)

Fresh off the boat

The newly-married but seasick couple arrived in New York, on the Queen Ann Maria on Friday May 8th, 1971. (It’s one of those dates one just does not forget). By that Monday Joe hit the pavement looking for a job. Amazingly, two blocks down the street, he saw a Fiat agency, walked in and was hired immediately–the owner was from Calabria, Italy. [Read more…] about From Sicily to Success: The Joe Nastasi Story Part 2

Ah, Vernasca, Saturday in the Paddock

By

Lovely Vernasca

Lovely Vernasca

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

The Silver Flag Hillclimb is a relatively new classic racing venue, held in the small and charming town of Vernasca, in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. The affair sounded like our kind of event, so on the weekend of June 19-21, we flew from London to Milan, rented a car from Malpensa, a Skoda Yeti which of course quickly got the nickname “Spaghetti Yeti.”

We drove about 120km south down the Autostrada Del Sole and we stayed at an Agriturismo place called Casa Dell Abbondanza (the house of abundance) which was about a mile and a half from the main road. The farm was about 6kms from the event but there was no sound of humanity, just deafening bird songs and dozens of fireflies at night. Organic breakfast was served with products made on the farm each day.

In town we ate at the local Trattoria Da Liugi which served good hearty local fair at very reasonable prices. Lunch of freshly sliced salami, Gnocchi for dinner, and Gutturnio Classico Superiore red wine to wash it down – ah, Vernasca.

Saturday morning we walked the paddocks. Abarths, GTs, GTAMs, TZ1s and 2s, 8Vs, Oscas, Morettis, Gianni, Giaur, Griffo, Oselli plus of course Alfa, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati and a smattering of Ferrari for good measure. We spent the afternoon up on the hill enjoying the feeling that this could be the Targa Florio or the Mille Miglia.

This was just a warmup for the main events which took place on Sunday. In the next two segments, we’ve arranged the cars as photographed in action at the hillclimb by alphabetical order.

For more on this event:
Abarth to Ferrari
Lancia to Serenissima

Abarth Monomille GT

Abarth Monomille GT.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

Vernasca, Abarth to Ferrari

By

Rappi designed Fiat 8V.

Rappi-designed Fiat 8V running the hill at the Vernasca Silver Flag Hillclimb.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

Sunday morning we went back to the hill to view a different corner. Sunday lunch was a Pannini stuffed with freshly sliced prosciutto and a birra alla spina in the village square of Vernasca, surrounded by the competitor’s cars. While we ate, we contemplated the near perfectly circle front wheel arches on the Pininfarina-penned P4/5 in front of us.

One off PF Ferrari P 4/5.

One off PF Ferrari P 4/5.

The current event at Vernasca is based on a series of 17 hillclimbs sponsored by the Automobile Club of Piancenza, held between 1953 and 1972. This means the event is open to cars built up to 1972, so the turnout is more varied than that of the Mille Miglia. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to accept or deny an application, but here are the qualifiers for entry: 1) Racing history of the car in its heyday 2) Rarity 3) Race results in historic cars events 4) Arrival date of entry form.

In this segment we present the cars in alphabetical order from Alfa to Ferrari. Note that not all the cars entered were photographed and owner’s names are not always supplied or known.

For more on this event:
Vernasca overview
Lancia to Serenissima

Philip Van Looy's 1966 Abarth OT1330 Periscopio.

Philip Van Looy’s 1966 Abarth OT 1300 Periscopio.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

ALFA TO ZECCOLI Part 1

By

Alfa-GTA Zeccoli
Zeccoli flat out at Spa in the Alfa Romeo GTA . (Zeccoli Archives, Alfa.)

Graham Gauld talks to Teodoro Zeccoli, Alfa Romeo’s test driver and team member.

In the alphabet of the world’s racing drivers, Teodoro Zeccoli comes somewhere near the end. He is a driver we have all heard about, due to his particular exploits with Alfa Romeo, but he is more than just a young Italian who grew up wanting to be a racing driver; Zeccoli was one of the favored test drivers of Carlo Chiti. Apart from being one of Chiti’s principals at Autodelta he was also the test driver for Chiti’s Formula 1 bad-egg, the ATS.

Zeccoli was one of a group of young Italian hotshoes who came to light in the 1960s that included Spartaco Dini, Ignacio Giunti, Roberto Bussinello and Nanni Galli.

I met up with him about ten years ago at his svelte BMW dealership in Imola, within earshot of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit. Though in his seventies, the tall and elegant Zeccoli was at first perplexed that anyone should want to know about his racing, but it was clear his racing years were dear to him.

The back wall of his dealership had an array of trophies, photographs and certificates highlighting his racing career. There were diplomas from the Automobile Club of Milan naming him Italian 1600cc Sports Car Champion in 1966 (Abarth), Touring Car Champion in 1970 (Alfa Romeo) and Sports Car Champion in 1971 (Alfa Romeo) and photographs of him racing all over the world.

Born in 1929 in Lugo, near Imola, Zeccoli did not fancy joining his father in the family business – which was making saddles for motorcycles – but had a passion for racing. His first race car was a Zagato-bodied Ermini Fiat 1100TV that he ran successfully in hill climbs and races during 1957. Later he had a Fiat 8V Zagato which he bought second-hand from a local Fiat dealer, and such was his success in events that he was approached by Sig. Dei of Scuderia Centro Sud to drive an OSCA MT4 in the Grand Prix of Liberation in Havana, Cuba. This race was put on by
Castro to celebrate the overthrow of the Cuban government. Zeccoli finished 9th in the class driving a three-year-old Tipo S 1500 version of the OSCA MT4 (Chassis 1179).

Teodoro Zeccoli with his first race car, a Fiat 1100TV Ermini Zagato coupe. (Zeccoli Archives.)

[Read more…] about ALFA TO ZECCOLI Part 1

Sunshine and Great Cars at Paul Ricard

By

Ferrari 275GTB-Gregory-Noblet-

His dad Pierre took third place at Le Mans in the 60s with a Ferrari SWB; now Gregory Noblet races this 275GTB. Noblet is a VeloceToday reader, of course!

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Probably most people reading this have never heard of Patrick Peter, but he is one of those race organizers who always comes up with some good ideas. He tried out one of them last weekend at his huge Dix Mille Tours historic meeting in the sunshine of Paul Ricard in the South of France.
[Read more…] about Sunshine and Great Cars at Paul Ricard

MENU