The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
For its 67th Concours d’Elegance, the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links was celebrating Isotta Fraschini and Carrozzeria Castagna.
Another interesting class was for the ‘California Specials that Raced at the Pebble Beach Road Races’ between 1950 and 1956, that led to the opening of the Laguna Seca Raceway in 1957. [Read more…] about Pebble Beach Portfolio by Vanhoolandt
The Right Stuff...Dana Point attracted the magnificent Ferrari Pinin Farina 212 Inter. It was the second Ferrari to be clothed by Pinin Farina.
The 31st Dana Point Concours d’Elegance, held on June 23rd, was a success. A good part of that success is due to the selection of the right cars.
What does “right” mean? Well, for instance, I was able to see Ken and Dayle Roath’s 1952 Ferrari Pinin Farina 212 Inter Cabriolet in person. The car is interesting to me because I figure it was one of the first “Gran Touring” Ferraris ever imported to the U.S. There’s a famous picture of it with the New York skyline in back of it. [Read more…] about Dana Point Concours d’Elegance
This car is the make and model that started it all. In 1982 Martin Swig and Road & Track photographer John Lamm took a similar Alfa 1900 SSZ, without a Zagato signature double bubble roof, to the first Mille Miglia retrospettiva. They were the only Americans entered. That experience led to the creation of the California Mille. This example was brought by Bruce and Cathy Milner.
A Bittersweet Gathering
Story and photos by Michael T. Lynch
The sky was clear on Nob Hill in San Francisco and the temperature was in the mid sixties. An exceptional group of collector cars from all over the world were backing into their spaces on the street between the Pacific Union Club and the Fairmont Hotel. It was the traditional kick-off luncheon for the California Mille. For many of us it was an emotional time because it was the first edition of the event run without its founder Martin Swig, who left us in 2012. Many joked about the weather, saying that where Martin was now gave him a more direct line to control that.
[Read more…] about California Mille Kickoff
Michael T. Lynch recalls the past while on the One Lap of Marin.
By Michael T. Lynch
Every now and then I do something with cars that takes me back to the joys I encountered when I first became involved with foreign cars. By the time I was in my very early teens, I had a pretty good exposure to American racing, including midgets, sprints and what were then called big cars – Indianapolis machinery. Like most youths of my era, I had a romance with hot rods. Before my high school years, I had some experiences that changed my perspective. I saw a Jaguar XK-120 on the street in Cleveland and was blown away.
[Read more…] about An Affair (by which) to Remember