Willment-Cobra. Next week we'll have a personal story on this Savonuzzi-designed car that has been through so much. Here it appears at the Warren Classic event.
Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp
A golf course on a Saturday morning is somewhere I do not as a rule frequent. If the golf course, however, is the location for a display of classic cars then I will make an exception. The golf course in question was the Warren Golf and Country Club in the English county of Essex; the event, the second Warren Classic and Concours. Saturday had dawned wet and windy but by mid-morning the weather had cleared. Unfortunately a few of the cars listed did not show, probably due to the weather, but those owners who did make the effo rt brought along some real gems. I have picked a few of my personal favorites which I hope you will enjoy.
OSCA GT owned by Corrado Lopresto. This is one of two Touring-bodied OSCA 1600GTs built out of run of about 128 OSCA 1600s.
An interesting rear window treatment on this car was originally part of a less successful design on an Alfa chassis. The rear end is busy but overall, this is one of the most well-proportioned OSCA 1600GTs.
Rolls-Royce. I know you are probably shouting at the computer, 'why are there two photographs of a Rolls-Royce on VeloceToday?' but this one is unique.
It is a Silver Dawn with coachwork by Pinin Farina. First displayed at the 1951 Turin Motor show the car has only just resurfaced having spent the last 40 plus years somewhere in France.
365 Ferrari California. Forming part of a small but very select line up of classic Italian grand tourers was Robert Beecham's Ferrari 365 California Spyder. One of 14 built, chassis 9615 was supplied new in 1967 to Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Martinez, the son of the ex-dictator of the Dominican Republic. Later in the year Rafael had an accident in which the car suffered side impact damage. Rafael died from complications following another accident in 1969 in which he was a passenger in the Duchess of Albuquerque's Jaguar.
This Ferrari has been in Robert Beecham's care for the past 25 years.
290 MM Ferrari. This is Fangio's Millie Miglia car so lots of history. But I got a nice story from speaking with Terry Hoyle who looks after the car for its current owner.
Terry and the owner were in Maranello in 2007 as part of the Millie Miglia and along with all the other Ferrari's entered they were invited to lunch with Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and Piero Ferrari at the factory. During lunch it was decided that the car would look much better if Fangio’s MM race numbers were reinstated. A period photograph was produced and the Classiche department laser cut the stencil and hand painted the numbers on as would have been the case in period. What a nice gesture; Terry and the owner decided how nice it looked, said many thanks and departed. Three months later Terry got a bill for 700 Euro's. They still look good though.
Bernard Holmes’ 1907 Delage Race car. This Delage placed 5th in the hands of Rene Thomas in the 1908 Dieppe race, powered by a 14hp De Dion Bouton twin cylinder engine. Sounds good, but it initiated a scandal…
…because the race was won by another Delage, with a single cylinder engine designed by Causan and driven by Guyot, which caused a scandal as De Dion was not happy with the results which Delage had to downplay. Causan, a brilliant young engineer, soon left Delage in disgust.
Jaguar before WWII was known as the SS and the most popular model was the 100. Needless to say the name SS was not very popular after the war so the company changed its name. This is a very rare SS100 imported to Romania in early 1938.
The special coachwork was by Leonida & Co. in Bucharest for Prince Nicolas but then it disappeared until a few years ago when it was purchased and underwent an 11 year restoration.
Karl Ludvigsen’s Talbot-Lago T120 Baby Coach is a sister to the T150 Gran Sport. It features a 3.0 liter overhead valve six and the Wilson pre-selector gearbox (also made by Lago at Surenses). This is a 1935 model, but the cars were built until 1939.
Omnia magazine described the Baby Talbot as car for clients who desire a lively, joyful and vigorous car which however gives a special note of elegance.
You cannot get more British than a showman's engine. In this case it is a William Foster & Co of Lincoln example named the Pride of Essex. These types of steam engines were used to drive fairground rides at the start of the 20th Century. This example was built by William Foster and Company of Lincoln in 1913. Engine number 13036. it is listed as having a weight of about 5 tons and a power output of about 4 horse power. William Foster & Company was founded in 1846 when Foster purchased a flour mill in Lincoln in East England. The mill was converted to an iron works in 1856 and was then known as the Wellington Foundry. The products were considered one of the best available. During World War I the Wellington Foundry built the first tanks for the British Army.
Fangio's Ferrari, 1956 Mille Miglia.
1. Would be good to know the chassis number of Corrado’s OSCA – lovely machine.
2. Hi to Karl Ludvigsen if he’s watching -we last met in London about 1990; like the Talbot Karl.
3. Announcing a new classic car show in Wales this year. To be held at the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre on 3 August. Entry enquiries initially to me please.