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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Jonathan Sharp

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu Part 1

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Come on in, we are going to show you the neatest Museum in all of the UK.

Come on in, we are going to show you the neatest Museum in all of the British Isles.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

It’s funny; I have driven, and flown hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to visit various car museums, shows and race meetings around the world, and yet I had not visited the National Motor Museum (also known as the Beaulieu) less than two hours west of my home on England South Coast, for nearly 20 years.

The National Motor Museum is located in Beaulieu Hampshire deep in heart of the New Forest. The museum was founded by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu in 1952; I will tell you a little bit more about Lord Montagu in part two. I have dim memories of visiting Beaulieu with my parents during the late 1960s before holidaying on the nearby Isle of Wight. Those memories are rather less about the cars then on display and more of the monorail built around the grounds and the replica veteran London bus that one could take a ride on, both of which are still part of the Museum today. [Read more…] about The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu Part 1

London to Brighton 2016

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R. Stephens in Clevedon, Somerset made bicycles and between 1898 and 1900 built a few motor cars with the drive being transmitted by belts to a countershaft with chains to the rear wheels.

R. Stephens in Clevedon, Somerset made bicycles and between 1898 and 1900 built a few motor cars with the drive being transmitted by belts to a countershaft with chains to the rear wheels. Driver is urging it on.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

November 6, 2016 – History dictates that the annual London to Brighton Veteran car run happens in November rather than a much warmer month, and this year it was very cold but sunny. [Read more…] about London to Brighton 2016

Firle Hillclimb Revival, U.K.

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Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

On the Sunday following the Goodwood Revival rather than taking a rest or perhaps cutting the lawn, my pals and I took a trip just down the road from our respective homes to the Firle Hill Climb Revival, being run for the second year by the Bo Peep Drivers Club.

The first Firle Hill climb took place in 1949, run by the Bentley Drivers Club. The climb was 600 yards in length and quite steep, running up Bo Peep Lane to the top of the Sussex Downs. [Read more…] about Firle Hillclimb Revival, U.K.

Salon Prive 2016

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Entered by Bruce Lavachek and David Cottingham, this Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa chassis 0614 MDTR played a major part in the Nassau and Cuban Sports Car races of the 1950s. The Ferrari won the Best of Show award.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

September 8th 2016
Just back from Woodstock; no not the pop festival Woodstock but Woodstock in Oxfordshire, the location for Blenheim Palace which has been the home of Salon Prive event for the past two years. John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, had led his troops to victory against the French in the battle of Blenheim, a major battle in the war of Spanish succession on the 13th August 1704. To celebrate his victory, Queen Ann and a grateful nation gifted the 1st Duke the ruined Woodstock Manor and surrounding parkland together with £240,000 (about £36 million today) to build a palace. Blenheim Palace was designed by Sir John Vanburgh with construction commencing in 1705 and completed in 1733. The most notable date in the history of Blenheim Palace was the 30th November 1874, the birth date of Sir Winston Churchill. The estate itself extends to over 2000 acres. [Read more…] about Salon Prive 2016

The Last Refuge of the Enthusiast

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Yep, this one has correct hose clamps on the radiator…

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

Let us make no mistake: the upper end of the classic car hobby has always been for the very wealthy. But at one time there was a discrete middle class who could afford to own the lower end of the upper end, perhaps a Dino 246 GT or a Maserati 3500 or a Lancia Aurelia in good shape. But eventually even the lower end sports cars became ultra-expensive, out of the reach of the normal enthusiast. Those days are gone and probably gone forever. So what is left for the real car enthusiast who has a family, a mortgage and a moderate income?

Between his coverage of Goodwood, Salon Prive and Windsor Castle, Jonathan Sharp took the time to attend a down- to-earth-event at a golf course near Silverstone. Ed. [Read more…] about The Last Refuge of the Enthusiast

Silver Flag Hillclimb, Vernasca, Italy

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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.

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Voyage to Wilton House

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Wilton House 2016: I liked the Maserati 4200; my wife was more interested in the ceanothus.

From: Jonathan Sharp

Dear Pete,

Jose and I managed to grab two days away over the weekend, May 21-22 and saw a recently restored world famous steam engine, the Flying Scotsman, in full steam; Stonehenge, the Salisbury Cathedral and a low-key event at Wilton House for Italian and French cars called “The Wilton Wake Up.” [Read more…] about Voyage to Wilton House

Jonathan Sharp at Goodwood

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Race drivers always get the attention from the ladies. Christian Carrozzo’s Ferrari 340MM enters the assembly area prior to the Lavant cup.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp
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Goodwood sights and sounds

Race meeting programs normally have a picture of a racing car on the front cover. No racing cars on the cover for this year’s Goodwood Revival Meeting program. This year’s cover? Frozen Fish Fingers. Frozen Fish Fingers! Why? I will explain in a sentence or two. [Read more…] about Jonathan Sharp at Goodwood

Ah, Vernasca, Saturday in the Paddock

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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.

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Vernasca, Abarth to Ferrari

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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.

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