Month: October 2011
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Brynfan Tyddn on Film
I know, I know. Another Giant’s Despair/Brynfan Tyddn post… But when Cliff uncovered this glorious clip of the 1955 running, there was no way I couldn’t share it.
Results from the hillclimb at Etceterini.
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Laser-Cut Vinyl? No Thanks.
Break out the dagger brush and your mahl stick and pop open a can of 1-Shot.
The team at Restoration & Performance Motorcars has posted a how-to on making wool seals for 1934 Aston-Martin Lagonda M45 Rapide on their blog. Tools required: spoon, ball-peen hammer, scissors and a razor blade. I’ve replaced plenty of cork seals, but I’ve never seen a wool seal before.
I’m sure there’s a long tradition of wool seals that I don’t know about from tractors or something, but this use of natural materials in an application in which we’d never consider using them today fascinates me; and it makes complete sense. Wool is fire resistant, it maintains a lot of its shape and insulative properties when it’s wet—or soaked with bearing grease. It’s this kind of ingenuity that keeps reinvigorating my interest in these machines.
See the complete process on Ferrari Craft. And go put a spoon in your toolbox.
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Laguna Florio
I never noticed it before, but from some angles you could convince me that pictures from Laguna Seca were actually taken at the Targa Florio. Then again, maybe it’s just the subject matter—as in this Porsche 906 at the Rennsport Reunion.
Viking Craft ÂĽ Midget Race Car. Now available.
Sold in complete kit—ready for assembly. Absolutely no machining, welding or fitting necessary. Can be assembled and running in 6 hours. In kit form, plus tax F.O.B. Anaheim: $395.00
This car chromed and painted your color complete ready to run, plus tax, F.O.B. Anaheim: $495.00
Send 25ďż for literature and break down price list. Ph. KE 5-7138
Viking Craft
536 E. Juliana St., C-3-Anaheim, Calif.
Cobra pits at the '64 Targa Florio 
Cobra pits at the '64 Targa Florio 
Cobra pits at the '64 Targa Florio
Ok, so I’m going a bit Targa Florio crazy today everyday.
More photos of the ’64 effort at the Shelby American Forum.
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Targa Florio 1966
I can’t understand a word, but it is glorious. Who needs HD?
Jo Siffert’s Porsche dealership in Switzerland. Note the 917 in the showroom.
After seeing our post on the Fiat-Gilco 1100, Peter Zobian wrote in to share his journey to save this beautiful 1949 Motto 1100 Sport. The lovely little barchetta is built around a Fiat 1100 with Cisitalia performance mods on a Gilco frame with this shapely aluminum coachwork by Carrozzeria Rocca Motto of Turin. Peter says that Rocco Motto crafted a number of barchettas with this configuration, but this is the only example with this particular styling. The car was discovered by Chrysler engineer Paul Farago and designer Virgil Exner when they were in Italy working on the Chrysler-Ghia show cars. Naturally, they brought it back to Detroit. Wouldn’t you?
Peter found the car in 1973 after several years of modifications. In the time since, he has somehow tracked down the original engine (with the desirable Cisitalia head) and gearbox, and most of the original parts.
Fiat 1100 with Cisitalia performance 
1949 Motto 1100 Sport
After 38 years, it’s easy to imagine this beautiful machine becoming just another basket case, but Peter has gathered enough parts that he’s ready to restore and save this little marvel from the barn. Hopefully this post will serve to keep Peter motivated—not that he needs my help with that, he’s doing that just fine on his own. More importantly though, Peter’s project keep the rest of us hopeful that just because a car has been neglected in the past and hidden away, that doesn’t mean it’s fate is rust and scrap.
Thanks, Peter, for sharing this wonderful project (and keep us posted as she comes together!). Do you have a project that you’d like to share? Let me know.