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Graham Gauld

Juan Fangio and Suixtil

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At Modena in 1957, Juan Manuel Fangio, shows Maserati chief engineer Giulio Alfieri, in jacket shirt and tie, and Swiss journalist Hans Tanner, back to camera, his bandaged wrist. Fangio would bring attention to a line of racing suits from an Argentinean-based company named Suixtil.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld unless otherwise noted

From the VeloceToday Archives May 2017

European motor racing in the years immediately following World War II tended to be a strictly European affair; that is until the arrival of the great Juan Manuel Fangio in 1948. Unlike Europe, where there was a war to contend with, young Fangio learned his motor racing craft in the wild and dangerous racing in Argentina in the 1930s and 1940s.

He proved to be not only a tough competitor but also a winner. Who better to be an ambassador for the Salomon Rudman’s Argentinean-based Suixtil company’s entry into the area of motor racing? Rudman’s enthusiasm for motor racing saw him produce clothing, which would not only be stylish but also comfortable. He took advice from his motor racing friends like Fangio as to design and functionality.

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Sliding into the Archives

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The below image of Paul Wilson’s Alfa 6C 2500 is the first in a slideshow; the directions are to look at the photo, and do one of two things: either click on the arrow at the center of the photo to go to the article itself, or, click on the arrow that appears on the right and left side of the photo. This will bring you to the next story, if right, or previous story, if left arrow is selected. Hence, a slide show, scrolling left and right instead of up and down.

This slide show of fourteen stories clearly demonstrates the excellence, depth and range of stories that appear every week in VeloceToday, authored by top writers and photographers from the U.S., UK, Belgium, Australia, France and Italy. [Read more…] about Sliding into the Archives

Louise Collins, Remembered

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Louise and Peter (Graham Gauld archive, photographer unknown)

By Graham Gauld, comments by Jim Sitz and Collin’s photos courtesy of Chris Price

I was truly saddened to hear of the death of Louise Collins, age 87, on August 18. She was a true character that greatly impressed this 22-year-old when I first met her with her new husband, racing driver Peter Collins, in September 1957.

By a strange coincidence I had actually seen a photograph of “ …actress Louise King” that had been published in Sports Illustrated magazine earlier that year where, in their report of the Sebring race, they had snapped a photo of this fair-haired actress sitting beside one of the cars. I was impressed!

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Resurrection at Cockfosters

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Are you going to Cockfosters?

Story by Graham Gauld

I was locked into an interesting discussion recently on motor sport and racing at the end of WWII in Europe and how soon motor sport had restarted in England. It is easy to forget that motor sport in Europe literally stopped dead in 1939 for the next six years save for a few events in Italy in 1940 whilst World War II was going on. Finally, on May 8, 1945 war in Europe came to an end but continued in the Far East.

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An Unusual Look at the Porsche Museum

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Some lesser known items from the Porsche Museum

By Graham Gauld

We live in an age where we have created almost an obsession about electric powered cars, but the concept is not new. Over one hundred and twenty one years ago at the 1900 Paris Expo the German coachbuilding company Lohner exhibited the Lohner-Porsche Mixed Hybrid. It was a car developed by their 24-year-old engineer Ferdinand Porsche who had joined the company with no particular qualifications as an engineer but who, from an early age, had been fascinated by electricity and electric power.

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Monaco Historics amid the Pandemic

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American David Graus arrived with this Frazer-Nash Targa Florio an ex-factory car.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

The fact the Automobile Club of Monaco actually ran their Grand Prix Historique last weekend was a brave and expensive effort. The Covid 19 precautions meant that they only allowed a limited number of Monaco residents to fill up some of the places in the otherwise empty stands.

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Gary Laughlin by Graham Gauld

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Gary Laughlin and the famous Maserati test driver Guerino Bertocchi look over the Maserati 3500GT at Modena Autodrome. (Photo Graham Gauld/GPL)

By Graham Gauld

An old friend came to mind just recently when I stumbled upon a photo of someone I met in the old Scuderia Ferrari premises in the Vialle Tento e Trieste in Modena, where Scuderia Ferrari began in the Alfa Romeo days of the 1930s.

Despite the fact the actual manufacturing of Ferrari’s had long since moved to Maranello, Enzo Ferrari still maintained the old premises in the center of town, but not for much longer.

That day was over sixty years ago, in September of 1957, and the man I met was tall, smartly dressed in the “preppy” style of the 1950s, dark blue blazer and flannels. He was open and friendly and introduced himself as Gary Laughlin from Fort Worth, Texas “…..and I’m in oil.”

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The 77 Year Old Drone

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The Drone after the fatal accident. (Wilkins Archive)

Story by Graham Gauld

Drones are popular these days, my eldest daughter just recently qualified as a drone pilot and the newspapers tell us that every time we step on a commercial airplane there is a possibility we may crash because we have hit one of those things, so I prefer to talk about another drone, The Healey Drone.

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Gordon Wilkins Tests the New Ferrari

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Robert Braunschweig, nearest the camera, and cigarette-smoking Gordon Wilkins about to set off on their road test of 0090E 212 Export. ( Wilkins)

By Graham Gauld

A few years ago, one of England’s most authoritative motoring journalists died after a long and eventful career. He was one of the last surviving journalists that had been taken to Germany in 1938 and shown the original prototype Volkswagen.

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Romolo Tavoni Remembered

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Romolo Tavoni has passed away at the age of 94. During his years with Ferrari, there were times when Tavoni appeared to be something of a father confessor to the drivers. Here he calms down Phil Hill who obviously has been having a problem. (Photo Graham Gauld)

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

On December 21, we heard the news that Enzo Ferrari’s former private secretary and team manager, Romolo Tavoni died at the age of 94 at his home in Casinalbo near Modena.

For me it was a deeply personal loss as I have known Romolo for over 63 years since my first visit to Maranello to visit Ferrari. He came striding out from under the archway in his formal grey suit and tie, and made me and my old Scottish friend Sandy Forrest very welcome.

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Francois Chevalier and His Art

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Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Above: Somewhat ironic that the iconic statue of Williams in the Bugatti by Francois Chevalier is removed from St. Devote during the race! From the VeloceToday archives, October 2013.

If you should ever be in Monte Carlo, keep a look-out for an almost life-sized bronze statue to “Williams”, or William Grover-Williams to give him his correct name, the winner of the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929.

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Facetti Ferrari Carma

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Photographed around 1996, the Carma FF is in almost concours condition.

From the Archives, August 2014

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Has anyone seen the Carma FF lately?

On August 5th, 2014, Martino Finotto died of cancer at the age of 80. He was a Milanese gentleman driver, his family fortune stemming from their pharmaceutical company. Finotto was the man behind various racing ventures with his business partner and racing driver Carlo Facetti. Together they ran Achille Motors in Milan where Facetti was in charge. [Read more…] about Facetti Ferrari Carma

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