Categories
Event

Thanks, Eric.

VSCDA and Monoposto Group driver and very, very dear friend Eric Dean was kind enough to let me take his ’72 Merlyn 20 Formula Ford for a spin at Road America this weekend during the Sunday touring session. Eric has been trying for ages to get me to buy a formula car to run alongside him in the FF or Formula Vee race groups. After this weekend’s run, I’m more tempted than ever to take his advice. Also, as this photo he took shows, It looks like it suits me—don’t you think?

I’ll have more photos and tales from last weekend’s Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival in the next few days. There were some outstanding cars, some excellent drives, and many, many Spotted Cows enjoyed at the Siebkens bar.

Categories
Event Video

Goodwood Revival is Nearly Upon Us

Sadly, I won’t be attending this year’s Goodwood Revival this weekend. But I’m resolved that I absolutely must drag myself across the pond eventually. Part of me is trepidatious about actually going to the event, because I’ve built it up in my head so much. On paper, I love everything about this event; every bit of footage I’ve seen of it shows spectators getting very close to the action, at an intimate venue, in period attire, amidst an almost Disney-esque recreation of postwar buildings. Could anything be more marvelous?
See how much fun these things can be when we all decide to put some effort into it. Not just the cars—which are immaculately prepared. Not just the drivers—which are often pulled from the rosters of the greatest drivers in history. Not just the venue—Lord March is a consummate host. Not even just the spectators—who take cosplay to the best possible conclusion. But the entire package seems absolutely magical. I hope this attention to detail spreads to the States.

Quickly.

To whet your appetite, here’s a lovely video from last year’s event.


Speaking of video, there’s a lovely introduction video on the official Goodwood site. If you make it out to the event, drop tips@thechicane.com a line with any photos or links to video you might shoot.

Categories
Gear

Lovely Race Team-inspired bags.

These leather satchels from Caracalla Bagaglio stir the soul. Big enough to carry your helmet and race suit and boots.. or as carry-on luggage for a weekend away, the Commemorative Motorsport collection are handsome and look purposeful. I’ve been seeing these advertised in Octane and elsewhere for quite some time now, but I haven’t been able to put my finger on why I like them so much until recently. Taken as a single piece, they are quite attractive. But in comparison to other racing attire and accessories, they really shine. The vast bulk of racewear is a gaudy mess of logos, bright colors, and other nonsense, with a checkered flag thrown in for good measure. The restraint practiced by Caracalla in designing these bags makes them all the more sophisticated and classic. And desirable. Well done.

It was a difficult task to pick a favorite to show today. The porschefile in me wants to showcase the 550 Spyder inspired #37 commemorating Porsche’s first class win at the 24 Hour of LeMans, but the sheer beauty of this Birdcage Maserati inspired #5 bag won me over. Reliability plagued the team that year at LeMans and the Argentina 1000, but Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney piloted the #5 Birdcage to a win at the Nürburgring 1000km in 1960, despite a broken oil line early in the race. The Maserati repeated the feat the following year. A truly marvelous car, truly marvelous drivers, and a lovely bag.
Take a look at the complete collection. Even better, Caracalla will custom build a bag for you in your race colors with your racing number. Now that’ll look sharp in the pits.

Categories
Classic Sportscar

Breaks your heart, doesn’t it?

$4,200.

Don’t call and yell at poor Sid. It’s not his fault.

Categories
Automotive Art

The Automotive Art of Paul Chenard

Paul Chenard dropped me a message the other day pointing me to his wonderful sites. Paul’s illustrations and paintings are marvelous; and I love the variety in his work. Some are remarkably photographic and realistic, but what really struck me are the charming pencil sketches and lively suggestive drawings. The limited edition quartet of Phil Hill in race winning Ferrari’s are absolutely fantastic (one of which is pictured here). All four, and much more, are available at his online shop.

Paul also maintains a blog at automobiliart.blogspot.com where he posts about racing news and showcases his latest work. Check it out.

At the very least, download and build his papercraft Maserati 250F.

Categories
Video

Vic's Targa

Let’s take a spin around the Targa Florio with “Quick” Vic Elford, shall we?

Categories
Historic Racing Photos Racing Ephemera

Take Me to the Track: the Joy of Transporters

Thanks to the photos that have popped up of the complete RAI team and transporter at this years’ Pebble Beach, there’s been quite a lot of interest in transporters lately. The Scarab transporter is exceedingly lovely, and re-sparked my interest in the cars that carry our racing cars to the track. Here’s a handful of the better that I’ve seen lately..
First, the Fiat-made Scarab team transporter.

Next, the iconic Porsche Team transporter, a converted Mercedes city bus used by the team from 1968-1969.

I don’t know the team, but this photo is just magic.

And I absolutely LOVE the idea of these brave souls and their VW Transporter Transporters. It’s a brave heart that trusts their Lotus 49 to the homemade brackets welded onto the back of the bed of this one; Peter Lovely, my hat is off to you, sir.

Here’s another in the VW vein. excellent canvas hoop-topper for the bed here.

    for more Transporters on the web:

  • the mighty Bring a Trailer caught a few shots of the Scarab transporter pulling into the Monterey Historics.
  • Ultimate Car Pages has a couple of shots of the Scarab team as well.
  • There’s a HUGE discussion of historic transporters and hundreds of photos in a thread at the Atlast F1 Forums.
Categories
Audio Classic Sportscar Ferrari

Thanks to the Rescuers

I must admit to giving up a week of my life to Tom Yang’s Ferrari restoration journal. A wonderful story of a sound engineer who undertook the daunting task of restoring a Ferrari 330 America purchased in boxes. We often throw the term “basket case” around when discussing cars that require a huge amount of effort — but when the project literally comes in baskets; well, that’s something else.
Something that should be applauded.
Having brought myself up to date on Tom’s site — and the remarkably victorious restoration of his beautiful, driven, Ferrari 330 — i dug a bit deeper into his site and came upon Tom’s collection of audio conversations with other vintage Ferrari owners telling their own rescue stories. I love stories like this, and even if these were videos, they wouldn’t capture the twinkle in the eyes of these proud rescuers any better than hearing them tell their stories does.
Admiral Phillips\' Ferrari 500 Mondial II
One story stood out in particular, of a very early rescue. Admiral Robert Phillips was a humble Lieutenant in 1960 when a series of happy circumstances brought him in contact with a broken down and neglected Ferrari 500 Mondial racer. In an era when people paid cash for their cars, he took out a loan of most of a years’ salary to purchase the wreck, and slowly brought it back to life on his own. No workshop manual, no reliable parts supplies, no local aluminum body shop.
Give the story a listen: here.
Thanks, Tom, for collecting these stories. And thanks to Admiral Phillips for sharing his with us.
Update: Admiral Phillips showed his restored Mondial at Pebble Beach this year. read more at Tom Yang’s site.

Categories
Video

Road America '56

I’m all sorts of delinquent in putting up some photos from my trip to Elkhart Lake last weekend for the SVRA Vintage GT Challenge weekend. When you have several hundred photos to sift through, it takes a bit of time.. also, i’m lazy.
In the meantime, Paul found this outstanding early 16mm footage of Road America from 1956. Looks like a lot of Turn 5, some Carousel… good stuff all around.

Categories
Classic Sportscar

Absolutely Stunning Ferrari Featured on Hemmings

This month, the Hemmings Motor News blog is featuring Ferrari in their annual Days of Ferrari theme. Today they ran a post about this absolutely magical 1962 250 GT/L.
There is a beauty to purpose built racing machines that is absolutely unparalleled in functional design. Yet somehow, this magnificently gorgeous machine was not conceived as a dual purpose road/race car. How is it possible that Ferrari’s incredible run of beautiful racing machines can get one-upped by its own luxury model, never intended for the track?

Thanks Hemmings, keep them coming.

Update:

the mighty Bring a Trailer just featured this car as part of their coverage of this year’s Monterey Historics. While I agree it’s a stunner, I’m not convinced that it takes the 250 SWB’s crown..