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Larry Crane

Larry Crane, R.I.P

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We were recently informed of the death of Larry Crane, who passed away in August. Our condolences to his wife and family. Larry helped establish VeloceToday’s reputation in 2009, writing 22 fantastic columns entitled “A Car Life” for us. He was a pleasure to work with, a true enthusiast, and a great writer. Below is his last column, (though he would continue to write more feature articles for us over the years). Too read more of his work, use the ‘search this site’ function on the homepage and type in ‘Larry Crane.’

A Zagato in the closet
by Larry Crane

Bill Henry called me at Automech. We met a couple of weeks earlier during a Riverside SCCA weekend. He had stopped by the shop and admired my bright turquoise Mini, with the ivory stripe to match its wheels. Now he was proposing a trade. An even trade for pinks. [Read more…] about Larry Crane, R.I.P

Dale LaFollette: Heroes at Long Beach,1976

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At first, a small group of famous drivers gathered for the cameras; Moss, Fangio, Dreyfus, Hill and Gurney.

Here is Dale LaFollette’s version of Heroes at the Long Beach Grand Prix of 1976. Please also read Larry Crane’s version (click here). Note the two photographers did not know each other at the time and didn’t know one was shooting the same scene from a different angle.–Ed.

Story and photos by Dale LaFollette

My May issue of MotorSport magazine arrived some time ago and as I thumbed through it, memories came flooding back as there was a story about a historic race in 1976 that I was quite familiar with.

In 1976, my closest friend Frank Fitch and I decided we needed to be at the first Long Beach Grand Prix, scheduled for March 28th. Frank was a service engineer for Mazda and a Formula B racer whose financial obligations had halted his racing program. I was three years into a career as manager of Portland International Raceway and I wanted to see how the folks in Long Beach would transform city streets into a racetrack overnight. Frank just wanted to see the race.

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Larry Crane: Heroes at Long Beach, 1976

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Heroes: International champions spellbound by their hero, Rene Dreyfus (in blue sportscoat), at the 1976 Long Beach Vintage Grand Prix.

Here is Larry Crane’s version of the same meeting. Note that Larry and Dale were not acquainted with each other; this was all pure coincidence. Click here to see Dale’s version:https://velocetoday.com/larry-crane-heroes-at-long-beach-1976/

Also, Larry still has prints to sell. An 11 X 14 inch signed copy of “Heroes” as seen above is available for $200 from Larry Crane at mailto:CasaVetturaProductions@gmail.com.

Story by Larry Crane

Joel Finn had been my host for nearly a week. We were assembling the pieces for his soon to be produced history of Ferrari’s 250 Testa Rossa. As I prepared my luggage for a next-day departure, he suggested I leave a little earlier the next morning to have time to stop in Manhattan for lunch at Le Chanteclair Restaurant and Bar on 18 East 49th, the legend-filled necessary stop for every one in the world of motor sport.

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Bugatti Before the Cars

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The Mullin Automotive Museum entry includes a dramatic portico, made up of dozens of tinted windshields on an iron frame that would make Gustave Eiffel proud.

From the Archives, April, 2010

Larry Crane takes us on an exclusive tour of the furniture of Carlo Bugatti.
Photos by author except as noted.

Peter Mullin is a gifted artist, at least equal to his talents as a businessman. In spite of his new museum’s name, he wants the public home of his collections to be seen as an art museum, celebrating the art of the first half of the Twentieth Century with a focus on the decorative arts movement universally known as “Art Deco.” [Read more…] about Bugatti Before the Cars

Book Review: Delahaye Styling and Design

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Check Amazon.com for this book.

DELAHAYE STYLING AND DESIGN

By Richard S. Adatto and Diana E. Meredith
Dalton Watson Fine Books

With historic photography from multiple archival sources

Color portraits by Michael Furman

Review by Larry Crane

Émile Delahaye was a graduate mechanical engineer from Arts et Métier College of Angers, class of 1869. He soon owned his own foundry in his hometown of Tours at the age of 36 and was developing a line of internal combustion engines in 1879. He raced one of his own automobiles in the 1896 Paris-Marseilles-Paris contest, took in two partners, Georges Morane and Léon Desmarais, to capitalize the growing business in 1897, and retired from Société E. Delehaye et Cie in 1901, just as the automotive century began. Management of the works fell into the hands of Charles Weiffenbach (for ever known as Monsieur Charles) who must be given credit for the great Delahayes of the new century.
[Read more…] about Book Review: Delahaye Styling and Design

This Week, of Interest

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Captured in Ann Arbor, a new Alfa Giulietta. Photo by Larry Crane.

The rear is chunky but distinctive. Photo by Larry Crane.

Larry Crane was in his old stomping grounds of Ann Arbor, Michigan recently, and what should he see but a brand new spanking Alfa Romeo Giulietta four door sedan, sitting in a local bank’s parking lot. Being the sharp kinda guy he is, he grabbed his digital camera and got off these shots.

So, is Alfa really coming to the U.S.? Well maybe. The presence of a test car seems to bode well for the possibility. Maybe we are something like half way there. Nice looking car though and distinctive. The Giulietta has been awarded the prestigious Euro NCAP five-star rating and an overall score of 87/100: an extraordinary result that makes it the safest compact ever. In Europe, the Giulietta is offered with three turbo gas engines, 1.4 liter with 120 hp, 1.4 with Multi Air and 170 hp, and a 1750 cc with 235 hp.

Peter Mullin Automotive Museum: Bugatti Before the Cars

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The Mullin Automotive Museum entry includes a dramatic portico, made up of dozens of tinted windshields on an iron frame that would make Gustave Eiffel proud.

Larry Crane takes us on an exclusive tour of the furniture of Carlo Bugatti.
Photos by author except as noted.

Peter Mullin is a gifted artist, at least equal to his talents as a businessman. In spite of his new museum’s name, he wants the public home of his collections to be seen as an art museum, celebrating the art of the first half of the Twentieth Century with a focus on the decorative arts movement universally known as “Art Deco.” [Read more…] about Peter Mullin Automotive Museum: Bugatti Before the Cars

A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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Following Le Mans veteran Oliver Mathai, in the Aston Martin DBS, through the Ford chicanes in Aston’s 2009 V8 Vantage.

Aston Martin’s latest V8 Vantage benefits from 80 years of development for the 24 Hours of Le Man and we chase its history on the storied circuitton

Photos by Nick Dimbleby, Pete Robain and Ian Dawson

Cornering hard into the Ford Chicane–second gear–very tight. How do the LMP cars do this? We have entered from a back corner of the paddock and it is a curious place to begin a lap. Full power up the long hill past the pits, all the way to top gear; two quick clicks down to fourth at the top of the hill and into the new Dunlop curves surrounded by acres of gravel and quickly to the esses and the forest.
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A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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Tracy (the only blonde in the picture) finds a bleacher seat to share with the locals to watch the Mille Miglia.

Entry not required.

Bob Tullius and I were pushing the D-type slowly toward the starting ramp. Light, misty rain had been continuous since nightfall. The umbrella covered the driver’s seat but Mark Miller’s navigator perch was slowly becoming a leather-lined puddle. The C-type half of the Jaguar team was already off on its soggy adventure with the early cars.
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A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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Chasing the bikes, we had no idea our direction from Salisbury and did not note the names of the tiny villages en route. This was simply a picturesque shot with an audience of one.

Italophiles in the Emerald Isles Too.

“Like old bikes?” Spoken in a thick brogue by an old gentleman in a well-worn tweed jacket fitted snugly over a much-loved cardigan sweater, checked shirt and necktie. He was standing next to an ancient, equally well-seasoned, open trailer containing a Clyno motorcycle.
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A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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Rounding Creg-ny-Baa en route to famous Kate’s Cottage (in reverse direction from the TT) with the roar of 16 tiny Bugatti cylinders. During the Manx TT super bikes round the Cottage corner with knee-down and descend this hill at 160 mph+.

Italophiles in the Emerald Isles

This is the Cranes we’re talking about here. When we did a tour if England and Tracy’s ancestral home on the Isle of Man, we borrowed an Alfa Romeo 164 for the trip. We started with a run up to Liverpool and took the Steam Packet (four-hour, deep water ferry) to the Island.
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A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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DRIVING BUGS


The Veyron, above is a modern interpretation of a pur sang Bugatti. The EB 110 below, while a brilliant engineering exercise, is not; all that went into Artioli’s factory.

EB 110

An Italian Interpretation

It’s clean and comfortable in here. The engine idles so smoothly it’s hard to know if you need the clutch to get into first. The seats are more Bentley than Bugatti, in fact, the dash is burl walnut not razor-edged, retro racer. In an effort to make the world’s fastest and most expensive commuter the “exotic” element has simply been eliminated.
[Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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