The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Santo Spadaro, 1965 Lancia Fulvia GT 2C
Story and photos by Sean Smith
On September 3 through 7th, 2020, Lime Rock Park held their 38th edition of the Historic Festival. There were five days of beautiful Connecticut weather at a beautiful track, but no spectators to witness the racing, and a very small crowd allowed in for the Sunday in the Park Concours and gathering of the Marques.
Sean Smith, 1 1/2 years old, with his father’s Porsche 356.
Story and photos by J. Frederick Smith and Sean Smith
The Editor and I were going over ideas for stories to do; at the moment it’s not all that easy, with this COVID craziness going on. Pete floated the idea of digging into my archives and talk about a favorite car or event.
That gave me the idea of doing my automotive ancestry and what brought me to this point in my life.
I will start out with a disclaimer: there are no French or Italian cars in my past. That doesn’t mean there won’t be any in my future. So accept my apologies from the beginning and grant me your patience while I climb through the branches of my vehicular tree.
Story and photos by Sean Smith
Italian car collector Michael Schwartz has been named this year’ Honored Collector, a feature of the The Lime Rock Historics, which will be held Thursday, Aug. 29 – Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. Last year’s Honored Collector was Peter Mullin, who brought several rare Bugattis to Lime Rock. [Read more…] about Lime Rock Historic Festival Honored Collector
Poster Boy: A shot taken of Whit Smith and his father in 1996 and used for this poster the following year.
Story by Sean Smith
After 18 years gone missing, Whit Smith finds his father’s Alfa racecar
It’s all Whit Smith’s mother’s fault. She and Whit’s dad met in Galion, Ohio. Pat was a local, Mason a New York city guy stuck in Ohio for work and a bit bored. The future Mrs. Smith spun tales of a race track just down the road at Mid-Ohio; they went to check it out.
Story and photos by Sean Smith
Well before Nick Soprano climbed behind the wheels of some of the world’s greatest sports cars, he was drawing his version of the perfect high performance machine. Every young car lover does this, but Nick never grew out of it.
Story by Sean Smith
Photos by Sean Smith unless othewise noted
Fiat made a big splash when they returned to our shores with the new 500. It was small, it was fun it had the proper retro look and it had Italian flare. We then got smacked upside the head with the Abarth version. A modern take on Carlo Abarth’s legacy – make Fiats go faster!
Fiat then reintroduced the 124 in three versions Classica, Lusso, and Abarth. It was time to see if the new creation lived up to the name, but first I wanted to go back a ways and see what an early 124 Abarth was like. I found a true believer, Mark Everett and his 124 Abarth Rally. [Read more…] about Fiat Abarth 124
Story by Sean Smith
Photos by Smith unless otherwise noted
Read Part 1 All in the family
Read Part 2 The Big Ouch
March 1, 2018—two days before Walt Eisenstark’s SIATA goes on a truck to take its trip down to Amelia Island—work continues.
It’s not like the automotive reality shows where everyone is running in circles throwing parts around and some heavily tattooed owner is screaming “if it’s not done in the next 8 hours it won’t be on the truck and it won’t get to auction and we won’t make a huge profit and you’ll all be fired!” This is Automotive Restorations, Inc. Everything is moving along smoothly with a purpose—no histrionics, just pure, professional calm. Everything gets done, no show-boating. The SIATA goes out for a drive on the last day of February: no seat, but a very nice milk carton in its place. The car has never run better; it now idles beautifully and pulls strongly to 5000 RPM.
Story and photos by Sean Smith
On June 4th, 2017, Walter and the SIATA won the “Vintage Rallies” award at the 2017 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. But the car still was not running right—so off it went to Automotive Restorations in Stratford Connecticut.
They were chasing what they thought were some electrical gremlins. They got the SIATA running better, and technician Chip Webb took the car out for a road test.
On June 8th at 1:30 in the afternoon, Chip was waiting for a light at the corner of Stratford and Surf Avenues with his signal on, when a woman in a Toyota Camry came along doing something she shouldn’t have been doing… one hand on the wheel and the other on her ubiquitous cell phone… driving distracted.
BANG! [Read more…] about Eisenstark Siata Part 2: The Big Ouch
Story by Sean Smith
In Part 1, Sean Smith relates the fascinating life of a Siata that has been in the same family for almost 60 years, a story that begins back in 1952 with a most unlikely car….Ed.
Dr. Julius Eisenstark had an eye for unique cars. In 1952 when everybody else was buying Fords and Chevys, he bought a Hudson.
Not just any Hudson, but a Teaguemobile.
Story by Sean Smith
All photos copyright Sean Smith unless otherwise noted
Bradley Price became aware of automobiles at eye level. His father was an enthusiast, and when Bradley was young his dad had an Austin Healey 100-6. That went away and was replaced by an XK140 Jaguar that his father still owns. Being a young boy, these machines were looming entities. Bradley would examine them closely, looking at all the details. A piece of chrome, a tail-light, a shiny set of spokes. Cars resonated with him. He responded to their call where his older brother did not. Bradley was hooked.
Story by Sean Smith
When Santo Spadaro of Dominick European Cars tells you “I have a few cool Fiat-Abarths I think you would like to see,” the only sane answer is “Where, and when?” [Read more…] about Maurizio’s Abarths
In 1935 George Rand installed a Ford Model B engine into this Bugatti T37. 82 years later it is still there. Sean Smith photo.
Story by Sean Smith
Color images taken at Lime Rock by Sean Smith
Historic photos courtesy Sandy Leith
If anyone was born to the VSCCA it is the current President, Sandy Leith—his father Bill Leith was a founding member. At a very young age Sandy was in the paddock watching his father race his Type 35B Bugatti against others in the fledgling club. Formed in 1958, the Vintage Sports Car Club of America was seen as a kinder, gentler version of the growing Sports Car Club of America. It was a place where their pre-war cars could shine. Then as now it was a place for racing, rallying and good old fashion socializing, but the prime focus was racing. “Isn’t this what all parents do on the weekend… zoom around in old race cars?” Sandy thought so! Classic cars, especially Bugattis, were ingrained in Sandy’s soul. At 17, there would be no snarling muscle car or modern sports car for him. [Read more…] about Sandy Leith and the Scrambling Egg Bugatti