Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

Guarantees Unstinting Devotion

Excitement is standard equipment!

The small blue car lurking behind that ’61 Corvette is a 1927 Bugatti. It was as exciting as any car can be, but it was a little short on creature comfort and only the best coordinated and most sinewy could hope to drive it. The Corvette, on the other hand, guarantees unstinting devotion to all the details of driver-passenger comfort and accommodation with no sacrifice in flashing performance or impeccable handling. Anyone who can drive well can drive a Corvette; the only thing that really sets is apart from today’s automobiles is the absolutely ecstatic way it goes down the road. Build into every Corvette is a lifetime supply of pure sports car excitement such as you’ve never known before.
Corvette by Chevrolet
Chevrolet Division of General Motors. Detroit 2. Michigan

Can you imagine what people would say if you suggested that Chevrolet show another car company’s product in their ads today? I almost can’t believe this happened.

Categories
Porsche

This Tactic (Still) Doesn’t Work

The new Boxster is lovely. But sit one next to the old Porsche 718 and it looks like garbage. We’ve talked before about marketers doing this “let’s photograph the new one next to the old one and show our lineage and the power of our history” tactic before. It. Does. Not. Work.

Categories
Track Maps of the Past

Nürburgring 1936

Nurburgringmap 1936

A bit more standard a map than I usually showcase on our Track Maps of the Past series, but how can you not love the Südschleife?

Categories
Classic Sportscar Vintage Racing Advertising

Art Appreciation: Simca Deho Special

I’m having trouble finding verifiable information on this gorgeous little barchetta. Previous sellers have said she has LeMans and Mille Miglia provenance, but I’m not finding it immediately and we’ve all known sellers that were prone to exaggeration. Usually when I can’t dig up much information on a car, I don’t post about it. But one thing about this little machine is immediately certifiable—she’s gorgeous. So despite the lack of concrete information on it, I couldn’t help but share it with you.
Forgive me.

More photos in this Google Plus gallery.

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Video

A History of Scalextric

If you’re lucky enough to have a new slot car track under your tree this holiday season, why not throw this documentary about the early years of Scalextric on while your setting up Eau Rouge?
If on the other hand, you only have a lump of coal this year, this clip might motivate you to grab one of your own in the new year. We’re pretty tempted by the Team Mini Challenge Set.

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Video

Scenes from the 2015 CycleKart Tieton Grand Prix

In case you’re still looking for a project as the winter season sets in, consider this: There might not be a better way to scratch your vintage racing itch than preparing for the 2016 CycleKart season.
Edit: Ooh! And here’s an onboard.

Categories
Racing Ephemera

Ebay Spotting: Mille Miglia Ephemera

Mille Miglia Ephemera
I’d love to say I just stumbled upon this stuff, but the truth is I’m typing “Mille Miglia” or “Targa Florio” into eBay’s search fields more often than I’d like to admit. In that moment between hitting “search” and the results load, I say a silent wish that someone out there is just cleaning out grandpa’s attic and has some marvelous little trinket from one of the classic races. Ideally they don’t know what they have. This person, however, does know that he has something special—hence the $5,200 price tag. Still worth it if you ask me. The Press grille badges alone could be the centerpiece of a collection. More information at the eBay Lot Detail Page.

Categories
Historic Racing Photos

Milne Bros. – Pasadena

Categories
Video Vintage Racing Advertising

Why Walk When a Delahaye is Available?

Ordinarily I wouldn’t subject you to an 11 minute Johnny Walker ad, but maybe if advertising as short film as love letter to vintage racing is a success we’ll see more of these and fewer terrible ads. Will it join the Ferrari Shell spot and Castello Cavalcante in the pantheon of great classic racing ads? Only time will tell. But I’m sure I’ll want another look at that French Racing Blue beauty.

Cameos from Jenson Button and Mika Häkkinen are a fun bonus as well. But of course that gorgeous Delahaye 135 somehow manages to steal the spotlight from even Jude Law. Enjoy.

Categories
Video

Reader Film from the Drags ’56—’65

Rudi wrote in with his footage from a variety of drag races saying, “Don’t know if you are into drags, but I just posted what I shot way back then”. I have to admit that I never really ‘got’ drag racing. But after attending my first drags as a spectator last summer—and starting to learn some of the weird intricacies of the sport—I have a much greater respect for drag racers (who are some of the most colorful and compelling figures in American motorsport today). I’ve also started to realize that much of what I love about classic racing, the grassroots everyman spirit, never really went away in drag racing. You’re just as likely to see a hotted up Ford Focus or GTI as a top-fuel dragster on any given weekend at the drag strip. That alone makes drag racing fantastic.

For those that live their lives a quarter mile at a time, this is absolute gold. The 1959 Nationals at Detroit are particularly great here… Not to mention the Gullwing Mercedes and the Corvette vs. Corvette grudge match starting after the 4 minute mark.
Thanks Rudi!