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Fellini’s Fantuzzi Ferrari and the 540 Aperta

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The 540 Aperta is it appeared at Villa d ‘Este. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.

By Wallace Wyss

From the VeloceToday Archives, 2010

Let’s say you have more money than God and way back you saw an old Italian movie that had a sexy car in it. The movie was by Fellini and the car, as near as anyone can tell, was a special by Fantuzzi, and/or originally installed on a racing chassis.

According to our friends at Coachbuild.com, “Fantuzzi’s golden Spider body was first installed on the chassis of 330 TR-LM #0808TR in 1963. After its racing career, this 330 TR-LM also received a new Coupe body by Fantuzzi and the car was once offered for sale with both the Coupe and the Spider body. In 1964 the Spider body was constructed onto #4381SA – originally the first of four 1963 330 LM Berlinettas.” All this before appearing in its first and only movie.

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Yuriy Shevchuk, Artist

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1937 Aero 750 Sport Coupe variant by artist Yuriy Shevchuk.

Prague artist Yuriy Shevchuk has won international acclaim on three fronts; painting architecture, jazz musicians and vintage cars. Born in Kiev in 1961, Shevchuk now works with his son Denis who manages his international and local Czech exhibitions and negotiations among the customers and the online e-commerce. Wallace Wyss recently interviewed Yuriy, while the Editor combed the vast number of paintings displayed on his website, focusing on the cars. [Read more…] about Yuriy Shevchuk, Artist

A Tribute to Giotto Bizzarrini

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Giotto Bizzarrini passed away on May 13 2023 at the age of 96. This article originally appeared in VeloceToday on December 17, 2008

By Wallace A. Wyss

Bizzarrini Strada and America photos courtesy Funktionauto
Lead photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt

If ever I had a defining moment it was when I was a young lad. Not a defining moment of the caliber of those little girls in Mexico who saw the Virgin Mary, but it was defining enough that it changed my focus in life.

I was college-age, and in a library looking for books on poetry when I opened a magazine called Autosport and lo and behold there was a story on an odd Italian car called an Iso Grifo A3C. That car later became the basis for what was the Bizzarrini Strada.

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New Ferrari Roma Spider

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Text by Wallace Wyss
Ferrari Photos courtesy Ferrari SpA

When Ferrari brought out the Roma coupe awhile back it was a refreshing new direction–for it was not festooned with race-like accoutrements like hood scoops, side vents, spoilers on stilts, and other “boy racer” stuff that would be almost embarrassing on a car meant 100% for the street. The car is almost Jaguar-like, but of course much more lithe than Jaguar’s F-type sports car. [Read more…] about New Ferrari Roma Spider

The Laughlin-Shelby Scaglietti Corvette

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From the Archives, December 2011

By Wallace Wyss

In 1959 Carroll Shelby won the biggest race there was in sports car racing, and that was the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He quit driving shortly after that, and just in time, because a heart condition he had managed to hide from the SCCA medical techs was threatening to take him out if he didn’t quit. He wasn’t worried about what he would do next; he was already was working on a plan to build his own sports car.

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Thoughts on a Coupe That Never Was

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Scene in Malibu. Photo by Wallace Wyss

A recent sighting of the Porsche Zagato coupe described by Wallace Wyss
Graham Gauld recounts the re construction of the Porsche Zagato Spyder

Strange Apparitions in Malibu–Wallace Wyss

Call it what you want, but the Storez Zagato coupe I saw in Malibu at Cars ‘n Coffee was more than a replica. It was a re-creation; a continuation or tool-room copy of a configuration that Zagato purportedly planned to build but never did.

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Automobile Art and the Detroit Industry Murals

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By Wallace Wyss

One of the greatest car paintings ever made is not, as one would expect, a single portrait of a single car. No, it’s a mural. And it isn’t just one mural on one wall, it goes on and on in room after room. And as you will see, it is powerful, evocative and controversial.

Commissioned in 1932 by Museum Director William Valentiner, the murals, collectively known as Detroit Industry, cover all four walls of the Garden Court in the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, and number 27 in all. Bankrolling it was Henry Ford’s son, Edsel B. Ford, then president of the Ford Motor Company, who was trying in every way to escape the grinding pressure imposed by being the son of the most famous industrial leader in the world. [Read more…] about Automobile Art and the Detroit Industry Murals

Rita’s Ghia Cadillac

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From the Archives, September 2013

By Wallace Wyss

This is a story of unrequited love all the way around. It occurred in the early ‘50s. Think film noir, mood lighting, moonlight on the Riviera, that sort of thing.

First, (and good casting for this story I might add) as the female lead was Rita Hayworth, born Margarita Carmen Cansino, to a Spanish Flamenco dancer father and Ziegfeld girl mother. She was reportedly an under-age dancer at a Tijuana club when she was discovered by Fox Studios.

She became one of the hottest actresses in Hollywood. Her one-glove strip tease in the movie Gilda put her on the map. Rita was a top movie star and a popular pinup girl during the forties. Her second husband was famed director Orson Wells, who she married in 1943. Her career bloomed during that time, but she lived on the edge, by having a fling around 1948. Not with some ordinary Joe, mind you, but with an Ismaili prince, Aly Kahn.

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Ferrari Roma Design Critique

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Ferrari’s new hatchback is here. Top speed is estimated to be 199 mph.

Story and art by Wallace Wyss

Ferrari’s hit and miss marketing formula is to introduce model after model, then see what’s a hit, and then make more of that one. Witness the new Ferrari Roma. I enjoy analyzing new models so here’s a preliminary design critique, based on the current round of PR pictures, though subject to change when it is actually introduced and on the showroom floors.

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Recent Comments from our Readers

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Ford v Ferrari

(Photo copyright Merrick Morton, 20th Century Fox)

Ford v Ferrari is a fantastic old fashion movie movie, well written, well directed and cut, wonderful cast, nice relationships and just enough “truth” to suggest the major themes. You want great entertainment in a movie, do not miss FvF. It’s no documentary, but it’s a great ride – for anyone. You want history, the real rather than reel story? Read a book. I could make a suggestion? (Twice Around the Clock, Yanks at Le Mans https://www.yanksatlemans.com/about.html, per the Editor)
Tim Considine

That was an excellent review for which, thanks. I think I agree in large or small part with each of the comments too. Overall, I enjoyed it as a movie (it’s arrived here in Australia), but wearied of so many clank/bang downshifts and malevolent Bandini portrayal. Pity the Shelby character wasn’t half a foot taller but he did the job well. An era of great style and bravery, wasn’t it!
John Waterhouse [Read more…] about Recent Comments from our Readers

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