Author: Harlo

Categories
Ferrari For Sale

Available in the UK: Fiat 682 Ferrari Factory Transporter

I bet you thought your toter-home tow rig was as good as it could get. You’ve got the tools, the clean floor, a lcd tv and comfortable bed. Compared to this open-air spartan antique, it’s a palace. Just look at this thing. No covered protection of your racing car. No kitchenette. No queen-sized bed. No Playstation. None of it.

But it’s not even worth comparing which is cooler. Not only is this transporter a living piece of history. It’ll attract more attention than 90% of the Ferraris that will park next to you at the next race weekend. Now that is saying something for a repurposed delivery truck.

Of course, when Carrozzeria Bartoletti rebodied the Fiat sometime between 1957 and 1959, it’s status as an auto racing icon and object of desire saved it from the fate of the other Fiat trucks on the line that day. This transporter hauled a whole lot of Ferrari racing machines during it’s tenure as both Ferrari Factory transporter from 1959 to 1965, and later for the SEFAC Ferrari team from 1965 to 1970. 11 years of Ferrari’s gliding gingerly up and down those ramps. 11 years of schoolboys and their fathers pressing their noses against their car windows as they passed it on the highway; a GTO or Sharknose perched precariously on her roof. 11 years of dreams. 11 years of amazing.
More info—including complete ownership history from new—on Talacrest Ltd.’s Lot Detail Page.

Categories
Classic Sportscar

Peter Egan’s Journey from LA to Elkhart in an Eleven

When I posted the Lotus XI sales brochure last week, a commenter reminded me about Peter Egan’s Road & Track article about building a Westfield kit of a Lotus XI and embarking (the next morning!) on a cross country trip to Road America. Reminiscent of the types of stunts that Top Gear would later build an empire on, the article is equal parts dry journal and audacious journey. Thankfully, there’s almost none of the rubes-in-the-country-respond-to-a-racecar-with-dumfounded-confusion, and much more enthusiasm and joy from everyone Peter and his wife encounter.

The article is available online in its entirety at this link. I dare you to get to the end and not want to ring up Westfield to secure one of the (last?) Eleven kits for yourself.

Categories
Classic Cycle

Alfredo Panella, Champion

Southsiders MC has published a wonderful collection of photos of 5-times Italian Motorcycle Champion (250cc/175cc) and 1928 European Champion (175cc), Alfredo Panella. The photos were scanned from a reader’s grandfather’s collection. My quick search for Alfredo turns up little information—surprising for a rider of his profile with a long career: 1924-1939. It makes me wonder what other racing drivers have slipped through the cracks of history. It’s an amazing pity to consider the number of drivers and motorcyclists that were once well-known heroes and are largely forgotten only a few decades later. This is just one of the reasons why I believe so passionately in the idea of getting films and photos out of the shoeboxes in grandpa’s closet and onto the web.
Head on over to Southsiders for the complete gallery.

Categories
Video

GT Racer Has Reached its Funding Goal

It wasn’t looking good for the first few weeks of fundraising, but the production team behind GT Racer has achieved its $6,000 goal to complete post-production on the footage they’ve filmed of last month’s Algarve Historics in Portimão, Portugal. Congratulations to the team! While the funding goal is complete, for the next 3 days you can still contribute $15 towards the project on kickstarter.com and receive a DVD of the completed film. That’s 25% off retail.

There was some discussion in our last post about GT Racer about the apparent irony of donating money to continue production of a show about millionaires and their very expensive toys, and while the point is well made, I for one am very pleased that the auto racing community has decided that GT Racer is worthwhile.

Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

The Most Exacting Requirements of the Motoring Enthusiast


From the Lotus Eleven Sales Brochure:

Lotus Eleven Le Mans. Lotus Eleven Club. Lotus Eleven Sports.
THE LOTUS ELEVEN is a sports-racing car designed to meet the most exacting requirements of the motoring enthusiast. It combines a maximum speed well over 130 m.p.h. (209 k.p.h.) with a rate of acceleration not equaled by any production sports car, yet it can compete favourably with the smallest cars for economy, achieving 65 m.p.g. (4.4 litres per 100 km.) at moderate speeds. The Lotus Eleven is designed entirely for an unrivalled standard of all round performance; its road holding qualities and braking abilities have been proved time after time under racing conditions.
LOW WEIGHT and low drag, mechanical and structural refinement contribute to this paradox of performance. A programme of race development has been pursued over the years following the principles of simplicity and efficiency. The result is a roomy sports two-seater with a performance unequalled anywhere else in the world.
PARTICIPATION with success in such strenous events at the Le Mans 24 hours, the TT, the Sebring 12 hours and literally hundreds of minor events has produced the stamina essential for any successful high performance car. The Lotus offers the essence of motoring sport in all its aspects. Service and spares are readily available throughout a world-wide network of distributors and dealers.
THE LOTUS ELEVEN is available in three versions: the Le Mans model attains the highest standards of performance and is recommended for international competition; it is powered by the Coventry Climax engine has has disc brakes and a de Dion final drive. The Club model is basically similar, having the same engine driving a live axle; it has drum brakes. It is recognized by the S.C.C.A. as a productions sports car. The Sports model has a similar specification to the Club model but it is powered by a Ford 100E 1172 cc. engine. It is eligible as a series production sports car for the Autosport Championship.
In accordance with the company’s progressive policy, the right to alter specifications without notice is reserved.
Hard Top available on all models.
Lotus Engineering Co. Ltd.
Tottenham Lane, London, N.8
Telephone: Mountview 8363 and 4044

via

Categories
Classic Sportscar

That Doesn’t Look So Hard

E-Type V12

When you leave the electrics out of the picture, this Jaguar E-Type V12 looks like a very enjoyable project.
via

Categories
Ferrari

1956 Visit to the Ferrari Factory

Ferrari Factory 1956

I think this probably isn’t the main assembly area. The windows look different from other period photos I’ve seen of the workshop. Anyone recognize this location? Is it indeed the main factory?

Via Google’s Life Magazine Archive.

Categories
Lost Track Video

Meadowdale’s First Race

It’s short. It’s hard to make out. But it’s precious.

The first race at Meadowdale was both a triumph and a disaster. The track was completed within only a few short months. So there was much to celebrate for this inaugural running in September of 1958. It was a difficult day for the participants (and the viewers of this video), however, because the earth moving to construct the track left huge swaths of open land; open land that was left as bare dirt. The resulting dust storm was an unhappy occurrence for opening day.

An inauspicious start to a much loved playground.

EDIT: I hate when videos go offline.

Categories
Lost Track Racing Ephemera

How to Still Race Meadowdale

Meadowdale may be gone (well, for motorized vehicles anyway), but thanks to this early 60’s slot car article, it’s still possible to sort of race it. It even looks like fun at 1:32 scale. Just add a paper towel tube as the iconic silo in the Greg’s Corkscrew complex and you’re ready to race!

Categories
Racing Ephemera

Fishing for Chaparrals

Targa Florio Comic

“Believe me, my friends, nowhere else in the world you can find a crowd more informed, enthusiastic, and sporting than we have today here in sunny Sicily.”