Farbbild has shared some photos of the Oldtimers’ GP at the Ring and, to no one’s surprise, they’re fantastic. I’m particularly taken with his captures from the GT class. I love the photographic style Farbbild achieves here, looking a bit like vintage film, a bit like cross-processing, or maybe just some clever Photoshoppery. More at Farbbild.com and his Masters GT Facebook album. Great stuff as always.
This single image of Fangio at the wheel of his 250F says more about the soul and spirit of classic motorsport than I can hope to write in a lifetime.
Christopher’s most frequent subject matter seems to be bicycle racers, but he occasionally turns his brush to vintage racing cars. Having tried my hand at watercolor at various times in the past, I’m always impressed by the level of control that it takes to make them successfully. As Christopher’s gallery shows, he’s definitely mastered the techniques. His representations of light cascading across the bodywork is light years beyond my “Brown Puddles” series.
Click on over to Christopher’s DeviantArt gallery for more.
A New Devin Fiberglass body – $295
Slightly smaller than a Ferrari Monza… Will fit 80″ to 88″ wheelbase, treads from 45″ to 50″… Engine compartment may be varied to fit all but the largest engines… Integral headrest optional for left side only is included in price… $25.00 additional for removable headrest for either side… Integral instrument hood at no additional charge… Weight of body approx. 70 lbs, crated weight approx. 100 lbs… Body surface will require light sanding to remove high gloss prior to painting… Body makes ideal installation on TR3 and specials with Chevrolet V8 engines… Many of the longer wheelbase car frames can be shortened to take body at very reasonable costs… Suggestions for mounting included… Overall length approx. 150″, floor to top of instrument hood approx. 27″, floor to top of headrest approx. 32″… Width of body at front wheel opening 58″, at rear wheel opening 56″… Moulding for mounting windshield $10.00… Liner for rear of cockpit, includes bucket seats, drive shaft tunnel and part of floor boards, makes installation very strong, light and simple, $20.00… Frames for our body and Chevrolet V8 engine and all American components available very soon… Sorry we haven’t answered sooner but we are covered with correspondence and orders… Prices and specifications subject to change without notice… All prices f.o.b. Fontana, California… Dealer inquires invited.
Devin Enterprises, P.O.Box 357, Fontana California
See authorized dealer nearest you
Competition Cars
Class H and GAlso available: complete competition cars from $3000.00 to $4500.00.
Cars available with single or dual ignition.
Engines may be ordered with standard push rod valves or the new 4 cam engine, blown or unblown giving a power to weight ratio of approximately 6 pounds per horsepower.
Earnest inquiries invited.
Wow. Talk about a varied list of competitors.
I must admit that I’ve frequently lumped hillclimbs in with autocrosses in terms of holding my attention. On both counts, I do recognize it as “real” racing. I respect the effort required to race not only your competitors, but yourself. I appreciate the concentration and skill it takes to get through that course as quickly as possible.
Somehow, though, it always lacked the thrill of wheel-to-wheel racing for me.
I think I may have to seriously reconsider that. After all, when have you seen a more varied and interesting field than the one represented in just these few photos from the 1974 Carrera en el Cuesta al Montseny?
The Spanish hillclimb, part of the European Mountain Championship, has quite a history. Although I must admit it was this magnificent poster image that caught my eye initially, in looking around a bit for more information on this event in particular and the Montseny Hillclimb in general, I am enthralled by what an event it must have been. Today, relatively few hillclimbs garner any international attention (Hell, even local attention). That is a great shame. I have to think the spectating is no less thrilling than the WRC. And just look at the variety of machinery you’ll encounter. From just this event I see Homologation Specials, Touring Cars, Small-Bore Grand Tourers, and Open Wheel cars. ¡Magnifico!
In 1974, Jimmy Mieusset won the day in a March 742 with a time of 8’56″97, with Yves Martin’s McLaren F2 following with a time 13 seconds longer.
More photos and race results from the 1974 Montseny Hillclimb at what has to the authoritative source: Magic Montseny
Check the results of the three toughest races in the world. You’ll learn a lot about Porsche.
1. Sebring, 1966. In a race so rugged that only 30 of the 64 starters finished, Porsche’s Carrera 6 was 1st in its class in this 12-hour classic and 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th overall against far bigger cars.
2. Targa Florio, 1966. Porsche’s Carrera 6 took 1st, 3rd and 5th overall in “the world’s most punishing race.” Only 13 of 70 starters completed this race through winding Sicilian mountain roads.
3. Le Mans, 1966. Porsche’s Carrera 6 surpassed every car in its class; finished 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th overall, beating many cars with engines three times as large.
We enter races like these not for publicity but to prove out the advanced engineering that makes the Porsche you drive one of the best-handling cars ever built for everyday use. Porsche spent years developing a great competition car so you could have fun driving it to work.
Three versions for gran turismo connoisseurs; Porsche 912 with 4-cylinder, 102-hp engine, about $4790. Porsche 911 with new 6-cylinder, 148-hp engine, 4- or 5-speed gearbox, about $5990. Porsche 911S with 5-speed gearbox and Carrera 6-inspired 180-hp engine, about $6990. All prices East Coast POE. For name of dealer, brochure or overseas delivery data, write Porsche of America Corporation, 107 Tryon Avenue West, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666, Dept. 101.
So I’ve been reading this morning about Classic Automobile Investment funds and it bums me right out. The worst part is that I don’t think there’s anything that can be done about it. The story is that there are investment groups creating funds and using these pooled investments to buy classic cars. What’s worse, there is more than one of these groups—virtually ensuring that their competition will artificially inflate prices in the vintage racing and sportscar world and put these cars outside of the reach of drivers who would use these machines for their intended purpose.
Maybe some of you view your classic car as an investment and maybe I’m insulting half of my readers here… and maybe (probably) I’m just naive… But it bothers me that speculators and investors who may or may not have any purer interest in their chosen investment are becoming an ever increasing percentage of the market for historic sports and racing cars.
I’ve long since come to terms with the fact that I’ll likely never own a 250GTO or 917 or Tipo 33—so I like to think this isn’t all just coming from a place of jealousy—but as this trend increases, even once affordable classic sportscars values are skyrocketing at a pace that puts even much more modest road-going sportscars out of the budgets of vintage sportscar fans.
I suppose I should have seen this coming in the wake of the Barrett-Jacksonification of the muscle car market. I would sit stunned and watch what seemed to me like fairly ordinary muscle cars change hands for stratospheric sums. It all makes a bit of sense, I guess. I’m sure there have been many, many vintage sportscar owners that have been more than happy that when it came time to sell their pride and joy that they could turn a tidy profit on it. Perhaps that profit would fund a new automotive dream. These profits were bound to be noticed.
Maybe I’m wrong on all of this and these automotive funds are buying these cars to be used. Sure, they see them ultimately as an investment, but there’s no reason it can’t compete at Goodwood or the LeMans Classic while they’re in our care. Even respected collectors who DO use their cars are on board. I can’t help but think though, that they’ll just be stored in vaults; perhaps visited by an occasional mechanic or significant investor or banker, hidden from the public. Not driven. Not owned by loving caretakers that will use them as intended.
It’s like hanging a Vermeer in an empty, unlit storage locker.
Am I being foolish? Or is this a real threat to our passion and community? What do you think?
We saw a bit of film from the 1965 Sebring back in March, but I ran across a much larger piece on Nigel’s YouTube channel. This was the year that the late race deluge of rain saw open-top drivers working hard despite racing in a quickly-filling bathtub. The commentator says something about “water up to their elbows”, but that has to be exaggeration—doesn’t it? The footage of the rooster tails coming off of some of these GT cars must have been thrilling and terrifying in person.
Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5.
