Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

The Twists and Turns of English Roads

The winding, twisting, narrow roads of England make the TR6 solid, tough and beautiful to drive.
In England, we’re not enthusiastic about driving in a straight line. Here cars must be built with an uncanny ability to handle and perform, safely and accurately.
As epitomized in the classic Triumph TR6.
At its heart, a beautiful high-performance 6-cylinder engine developing 106 horsepower and 133 ft. lbs. of torque. Two powerful reasons for its quick response.
To that, add precise rack & pinion steering, plus 4-wheel independent suspension, and the twists and curves of English roads become more than just negotiable. Triumph engineering keeps the TR6 four-square in the groove on the hairiest hairpin turn.
In addition, because you don’t know what’s around the next bend, it’s good to know the TR6 has big 10.9 inch disc brakes up front to stop you even more quickly than it goes.
If you share our passion about driving, test drive a TR6.
On the winding, twisting, narrow roads of America.
The Classically British Triumph TR6.
British Leyland.
We maks sports cars for everybody.
For name of your nearest Triumph dealer call 800-487-1700. In Illinois call 800-322-4410. British Leyland and Motors Inc, Leonia NJ 07605

Categories
Lost Track Video

Unseen Footage: El Salvador’s San Benito Road Races, August 1958

Pretty amazing to see Beetles sharing a field with ’57 Chevys. I’m not turning up much information on the race featured in this latest clip from the George Kehler archives but seeing these big American sedans running a road circuit is something that we don’t see enough of. We’ve all seen clips of the big Jaguar Mark 2s working around Goodwood, but in the States the big cars are largely associated with NASCAR’s ovals. So seeing these big Chevys and Buicks and Fords hang the rear end out or spin in a corner is a real treat.

Categories
Grand Prix Video

Stirling’s Cooper

I started out looking for a photograph of the Cooper team in 1958 & 59. Not just the drivers, mind you, but the entire team.

It seems like the kind of thing that must exist but I haven’t managed to dig one up. You see, I was playing in my mind the notion of Ferrari’s dreaded garagistas that were making his life difficult and I had this mental image of a dozen or so chaps in a garage piecing the Championship winning Cooper together. I wanted some visual representation of that; of this handful of hot-rodders coming together to compete on the international stage; and figured that there must be a group photo of the team. I still haven’t found one.

But you know how Googling goes… One link leads to another which leads to another and I ended up on this video of Sir Stirling Moss taking us through the paces in a ’59 Cooper Climax at Donnington. That’s worth passing along, right?

Categories
Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Let's Just Knock it Back Together Quick

Here’s something you aren’t likely to see again: A team owner and his pit crew rebuilding a gearbox in pit lane.

Just because Colin Chapman was in a shirt and tie doesn’t mean he couldn’t get his hands dirty in a Hewland from time to time.

Categories
Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Roy Salvadori. 1922—2012

Man, it’s been a rough few months for vintage motoring enthusiasts.

Salvadori is perhaps best known for his 1959 LeMans victory sharing an Aston with Caroll Shelby but his long career included races in all manner of cars. From Formula cars to Touring, to Sports Racing, to… Hell… anything with wheels, “Salvo” was an intimidating competitor and well liked racer.

The BRDC’s notice summarizes his career in concise terms, which might seem incongruous with the enormous variety of successes that he achieved: “He established outright or Class records for every circuit he raced on in England and won 98 races during his career, including the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hour race in an Aston Martin DBR1, co-driving with Carroll Shelby.”

Not many drivers from those days make it to 90, and Roy was nearly one of those statistics. He had two serious crashes at Silverstone 4 years apart. After a roll at Stowe Corner in 1951, Salvo suffered a severe head injury which resulted in lifelong hearing loss in one ear and tinnitus in the other. Again at Stowe, this time behind the wheel of a Maserati 250F in 1955, Roy’s crash was so gruesome and his prognosis so poor he was administered last rites.

In today’s racing environment when drivers are so specialized, it’s difficult to comprehend Roy Salvadori’s variety. Again from the BRDC notice: “At the Goodwood International Easter Meeting in 1955 he won the F1 Glover Trophy race in a Maserati 250F, the Chichester Cup for F2 cars in a Connaught and the Sports Car race in an Aston Martin. Furthermore, he was second in the other two races that he entered that day.”

Truly a great racing driver, and a truly great loss.

Here’s an interview Roy did with Cars for the Connoisseur in 2003.

Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

When High Performance Counts

The Greatest International events have proved it.
When high performance counts you can rely on Mintext
Mintext brake and clutch lines are manufactured by British Belting & Asbestos Limited. Cleckheaton, Yorkshire and are available from leading garages throughout the country.

Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

It’s a Gas!

I’d like to nominate whoever designed these Sunoco ads (posters?) for a Lifetime Achievement Award in typesetting. Gorgeous.

Via Just A Car Guy.