SEPARATED AT (COACHWORK) BIRTH?? AT LEAST IN SPIRIT
WHAT DID MY 1958 English Ford Consul Mk II convertible have in common with the 1933 Barker-bodied Rolls-Royce 20/25 Three-Position Drophead Coupe? “Utterly nothing,” one is tempted to respond. However, … Continue reading
CONAN DOYLE (LITERARY AGENT)—MOTORING ENTHUSIAST PART 2
YESTERDAY IN PART 1, we learned details of the 1911 Prince Henry Tour, a German-sponsored automobile competition honoring the coronation of Britain’s George V. Today in Part 2, we identify … Continue reading
CONAN DOYLE (LITERARY AGENT)—MOTORING ENTHUSIAST PART 1
LITERARY AGENT COMMISSIONS paid by Brigadier Etienne Gerard and Dr. John H. Watson got put to good use: Literary agent Sir Arthur Conan Doyle participated in motor sports by taking … Continue reading
GP TEAM MANAGEMENT IN DAYS OF YORE
THE CONTROLLED FURY of Grand Prix racing has always been laced with team shenanigans. Here’s an example that occurred in the 1953 Swiss Grand Prix, with striking contrasts as well … Continue reading
1947 ARSENAL CTA GRAND PRIX CAR PART 2
YESTERDAY, WE LEARNED of an optimistic post-World War II plan of returning France to the forefront of Grand Prix motor racing. Chosen to lead this effort was Albert Lory, whose … Continue reading
1947 ARSENAL CTA GRAND PRIX CAR PART 1
WHAT DOES THE post-war French Arsenal CTA grand prix car have in common with a locomotive? At first thought, it isn’t the robustness of its construction nor the success of … Continue reading
1954 MORRIS MINOR—A TRIM TIDY SEDAN
THE MID FIFTIES were an exuberant time in American automotive design. Bigger was better. Fins were appearing, albeit not yet as expansively as in the late Fifties. In the MOBILGAS … Continue reading
TIDBITS GLEANED FROM THE CLASSIC AUCTION MARKET
MY ENTHUSIASM FOR classic cars is enhanced each month with the arrival of Keith Martin’s Sports Car Market, aptly subtitled “The Insider’s Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values, and Trends.” The … Continue reading
MOBILGAS ECONOMY RUN—1954
A MOBILGAS AD back in 1954 read, “In the greatest road test of performance and mileage characteristics of American stock cars, 20 automobiles vied for Sweepstakes and price class honors … Continue reading
A CARRIAGE FOR THE KING
HERE’S A TALE of transportation fit for a king; indeed, named for one. Yet, in the last decade, this 1911 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII Double Berline twice went begging at auction, … Continue reading
