The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
By Pete Vack
A significant portion of the new book, Ballot, is comprised of chapters by Karl Ludvigsen. In “The Technology of the Ballot Grand Prix Engines,” and probably for the first time in text, he provides a history of the early development of the racing straight eight engines (while acknowledging the importance of William M. Gardner’s Encyclopedia of Eights). [Read more…] about Ballot Discussion Part 2
Review by Pete Vack
Photos from the book with permissions, and by Jonathan Sharp
Ballot: A Review, a Discussion, an Enigma
With the publication of Ballot by Daniel Cabart and Gautam Sen, this obscure French marque is now honored with a classic, beautifully luxurious, extraordinarily illustrated, well-documented two-volume set that casts a great deal of light on Ernest Ballot, his company, and his cars. [Read more…] about Ballot Book Review
By Karl Ludvigsen
This article was originally published in three parts at a length of 4,500 words in 2009. Links to the original articles are posted at the end of this article.
Louis Chevrolet, Louis Wagner and Walt Hansgen are among the best-known racing drivers the world has seen. What do they have in common with Don Parkinson, Pietro Bordino and Paul Richards? Just this: all of them were race winners in America driving Fiat-or Fiat-based racing cars. For over a century Americans and racing Fiats have been linked together in the world of auto competition. [Read more…] about Racing Fiats in the U.S.
Photo by Irv Dolin
What was it like to drive a Birdcage in 1961? Below, Karl Ludvigsen graphically describes the feel, the noise, and the technique of driving the Magnificent Front Engined Birdcage. This article, originally published in the April 1961 issue of “Car and Driver”, has been republished here with his express permission. Originally published in VeloceToday on November 4 2009.
By Karl Ludvigsen
When you click home the ignition key on the sketchy dash of a Birdcage, a strong red light burns deep within the broad, thumb-sized starter button. To me that light became a symbol of the vast power lurking with this apparently ramshackle piece of machinery, like glowing coals in the crater of a slumbering volcano.
If you’re not already familiar with the Maserati Tipo 61, better known as the Birdcage, be informed by a glance a the accompanying cutaway or at the Tech Report in SCI, April 1960. Its designer, Ing. Alfieri, broke with all the Italian traditions of chassis design and trimmed to a remarkable minimum, a step made possible bit the increasing significance of short, smooth course American races and the decreasing stature of great sports car classics like the Mille Miglia and Tourist Trophy. Only the Targa Florio remains to separate the Birdcages and Lotus Nineteens from real road going automobiles. [Read more…] about Ludvigsen Tests the Birdcage
A Tatra in VeloceToday? Of course!
By Pete Vack with help from Karl Ludvigsen
Why a Tatra in VeloceToday, you might ask. Probably because it is a carmaker lost in the mountains of Moravia, lost almost to history, lost to VW, lost to the ravages of the 20th century and revolution, lost to the incessant demands of a system that requires both profit and excellence. A survivor, Tatra still exists and produces trucks, but the famous and advanced Tatra automobile is no more, one of the homeless but technically interesting cars we often welcome to the friendly shores of VeloceToday. We bring you this to serve as an introduction to our next two articles, one about the Tatra T87, and the other on the post war T600. We also thank Karl Ludvigsen for his help with researching this article.
The OSCA 750 of Gordon/Bentley when owned by Oliver Collins. Credit Lucine Collins
In 1960, shortly after the team of John Bentley and Jack Gordon won the Index of Performance at Sebring, Karl Ludvigsen asked them if he could drive the car for an article in “Sports Cars Illustrated.” The report was published in the August 1960 issue. Karl has given VeloceToday express permission to republish that article. Also, read Jack Gordon’s account of the race.
By Karl Ludvigsen
One of the most consistently successful makes of cars in racing over the past decade has been one of the smallest machines from one of the smallest factories: the OSCA. [Read more…] about Tech and Track Report: OSCA 750
Below drawings by Steven Cavalieri.
A delightful introduction to Italian racing history
Review by Pete Vack
Italian Racing Red’s somewhat simplistic title implies another general potboiler. But a book written and researched by Karl Ludvigsen, author of Porsche, Excellence Was Expected and Mercedes-Benz Racing Cars as cannot be so easily written off.
[Read more…] about Book Review: Italian Racing Red
Fiat 1100 powered Formula Juniors were popular at Watkins Glen in 1959 with three entered in the Seneca Cup–an unrestricted Formula Libre race contested by many large engine sports cars and specials as well as pre-war Grand Prix Maseratis.Walt Hansgen, driving the Cunningham Stanguellini Formula Jr., is greeted by race organizer and director Cameron Argetsinger after winning the race. Photo courtesy of Argetsinger family collection.
By Karl Ludvigsen
Getting by with a little help from its friends
The Fiat-based Cisitalias that made their racing debut in September of 1946 hit the post-war motoring world like an earthquake. They were developed from the 500 cc Fiat chassis and 1100 cc engine and refined with such niceties as a tubular frame. Designer-builders such as Alfredo Vignale and Pinin Farina helped give Cisitalia its reputation of being the car of tomorrow.
[Read more…] about The Racing Fiats: Tiremarks on America PIII
This Friday, April 24th, will mark Karl Ludvigsen’s 75th birthday. For the occasion, we’ve gathered up a few happy birthday greetings from friends and enthusiasts, who were positively affected by his many and significant works.
Part II brings us to mid-century, when Fiat was offering very sporting small displacement cars such as this rare 1100 S driven here by Tony Pompeo at Waktins Glen. Photo by Frank Shaffer.
By Karl Ludvigsen
The Saga of David Bruce-Brown
David Bruce-Brown, an 18-year-old prep-school lad whose mother was listed in New York’s social register, came on the scene in time for the American Grand Prize races. Driving Fiats for most of his brief but meteoric career, Bruce-Brown broke Willie Vanderbilt’s mile record at Daytona Beach in 1908. [Read more…] about The Racing Fiats: Tiremarks on America PII