For a different kind of retro racing: let’s just take a moment to appreciate this animation by designer and illustrator Fraser Davidson. This makes me want to go find an arcade at lunch today.
More work on Fraser’s Dribbble.
Thanks for pointing this one out, Tr4inspotter.
After yesterday’s Lola T260 illustration post, KABay was kind enough to point us to this treasure trove of Werner Bührer’s illustrations of racing cars for Powerslide Magazine (and republished by Road & Track) ed: Thanks, M Needforspeed. Once I saw it, I knew I wouldn’t be able to let it just sit there in the comments: This is front-page material!
Thanks again, KABay
Be careful trying to take in all the details of this glorious Werner Bührer illustration of the iconic L&M liveried Lola T260. You might just get lost in it. Pro tip: click that image to make it large enough to really take in.
What magnificent work on display here. I’m a fan of what Road & Track has been doing with their redesign and relaunch, but I hope that they don’t forget to also look to the past. It’s a shame we don’t have these kinds of gatefold spreads in car magazines today and I can only envy those that could spread this October ’71 issue out on the living room floor and lose themselves in it for an hour or so.
Spread out those trading cards on the bedroom floor and let’s make some trades!
From the card’s reverse:
The Twin Tanker is probably the first of its type to be built in the United States, and is patterned after an Italian design. The tanks, about three and one-half feet apart, are connected by a cross-piece through which all the controls run. The engine is in the right tank, and the controls in the left. Steel tubing and plates reinforce the interior of the tanks to make them strong and safe.
Strong and safe… riiiiiight.
More from the Topps World on Wheels trading card series in the archives.
It’s almost hard to believe that you can achieve these contours and this level of precision with humble Lego bricks. Bob Alexander’s classic racing car sculptures transcend the medium and become marvelous feats of tabletop engineering that reflect those of the subject matter.
They’re simply stunning.
Now Bob, where are the build instructions? I want need that Lotus 25 on my desk.
More on Bob’s Flickr via Looks Like Good Design. Thanks for the tip, Paul!
The card box is open. Grab your set of Topps World on Wheels cards and let’s trade.
Enzo Ferrari, once a racing driver himself, decided he wanted a car exactly to his own design. He hired an engineer to translate his ideas into facts, and the famous Ferrari racing car was the result. Ferraris have chalked up an amazing record of wins on almost every track in Europe. In addition to this car, Ferrari also makes the most advanced unsupercharged sports car in the world today.
From the card’s reverse:
More cards from the World on Wheels series in the archives.
Look back up at that ’59 Honda. Go on, Look.
Let that sink in for a second.
I find that I tend to be of two minds on automotive art. I tend to be most drawn to either those pieces of work that come from one of two very different points of view. I love work that evokes the motion of a machine: Blurred splashes of color that are barely recognizable silhouettes of specific racing machines but with an emphasis on the frenetic movement of a high speed machine caught in a barely focused instant. But with almost equal reverence I can appreciate a meticulously detailed piece of work like these. It’s hard not to appreciate the careful study of the minutia of a racing machine. Kenji Shibata’s work is breathtakingly precise. It wasn’t until I saw this photo of his work in process that I realized I wasn’t seeing a beautifully lit studio photograph.
In a lot of ways, it’s a lot like how we all appreciate the two essences of motorsport: The high paced courage and emotion on the track itself versus the slow, careful detail work of the long hours spent in the workshop in preparation for the track. I’m sure that’s why I am so drawn to these two apparently opposing aesthetics: because together they represent the full experience of motorsport.
More at Kenji Shibata’s site. Via 8Negro.
Ready to trade? Forget the baseball cards and grab your deck of Topps World on Wheels series. This time: Kurtis.
This new American sports car is sold either as in the picture, or in separate parts! Then the buyer can have the pleasure of putting it together, if he wishes. The Kurtis is powered by a Hudson motor, with a top speed from 120 to 165 mph, depending on the type of motor installed. Cadillac, Chrysler, DeSoto, Lincoln, and Mercury motors can be installed, at around $3,000.
More cards from the World on Wheels series in the archives.
Yesterday’s Siata card from the Topps World on Wheels series reminded me of this trading card that our pal Cliff picked up on eBay a while back. The card was shipped to him from Canada, but he has no other information about the card or whether it’s part of a larger set. The dual French-English text on the card’s back might suggest that it is indeed Canadian in origin… but then the imperial measurements in the card’s text throw me (I just realized that this card would obviously pre-date Canada’s conversion to metric in the 70’s). Does anyone know anything more about this card or the set it’s part of?
Pretty badass little car too. The Moretti is definitely one of those barchettas that it’s difficult to visually scale without something in the image for reference. In this illustration the Moretti looks like a decidedly Italian sport tourer, sharing much in common with Ferraris of the era. Take a look at one with a driver, though, and you realize what a tiny little machine it truly is. I love it.
This little sports car is made in Italy, and it is a lightweight model sports car weighing only 1120 lbs. It is made by Fabrica Automobili in Turin, Italy. The new model delivers 75 bhp and has a top speed of 111 mph. It gives an amazing 39 miles to the gallon.
Pull the card box from under the bed, it’s time to flip back through the Topps World on Wheels trading card series. This time a personal favorite: Siata.
Cylinders 8
Price $4,660
The Siata Company began life by manufacturing equipment for increasing the speed and power of cars already on the road… “hop-up” equipment. Now, however, the company has turned to making its own sports cars. They use many standard parts, get as much horsepower as possible from a stock engine, and have attractive bodies.
$4,660. Sigh.
More cards from the World on Wheels series in the archives.