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Category Archives: Classic Bits

ALFA ROMEO VERSUS FERRARI—THE 1951 GRAND PRIX SEASON PART 1

NINETEEN-FIFTY-ONE WAS only the second year of F.I.A.’s sanctioned World Drivers’ Championship. Grand Prix regulations were essentially the same as those in 1938: Supercharged engines were limited to 1 1/2 … Continue reading

January 23, 2022 · Leave a comment

FRENCH STREAMLINING OF THE EARLY 1920S PART 2

STREAMLINING TOOK AWHILE to beat automotive perpendicularity, though its innovations were certainly entertaining, if not entirely successful. Today in Part 2 we admire the Voisin Type 6 Laboratoire and Chenard-Walcker … Continue reading

January 17, 2022 · 5 Comments

FRENCH STREAMLINING OF THE EARLY 1920S PART 1

IN THE EARLY 1920s, the French were well into racecar streamlining when perpendicularity still ruled on the British side of La Manche. Here, in Parts 1 and 2 today and … Continue reading

January 16, 2022 · Leave a comment

SCHOOLING AT BONDURANT’S

I’M IN GOOD COMPANY having been schooled in high-performance driving by Bob Bondurant. Bob, who died last November at the age of 88, had taught Jim Garner and Yves Montand … Continue reading

January 15, 2022 · 3 Comments

1962 TRIUMPH TR-4—DOES A SPIFFY ITALIAN SUIT SUFFICE?

“FOR NEARLY A DECADE,” R&T noted in February 1962, the Standard-Triumph Company has been manufacturing its TR-series sports cars and, of course, has sold them in substantial numbers.” Good performance … Continue reading

January 5, 2022 · 2 Comments

“S. A. E.  RETURNS TO PEACE PURSUITS” PART 2

YESTERDAY WE WATCHED postWWI engineers, their spouses, and guests having fun and games at the summer 1919 meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Today in Part 2, the engineers … Continue reading

January 3, 2022 · 1 Comment

“S. A. E. RETURNS TO PEACE PURSUITS” PART 1

IT WAS A LITTLE MORE than a century ago that a newly named Society of Automotive Engineers emerged from supporting U.S. efforts in World War I. Founded in 1905 as … Continue reading

January 2, 2022 · Leave a comment

LA MARQUISE MOTORS ON

THE 1884 DE DION, BOUTON ET TRÉPARDOUX is “the oldest running car in the world,” as described by Gooding & Company at its Pebble Beach Auction, August 19, 2007. The … Continue reading

December 19, 2021 · 1 Comment

ZORA, M. BUGATTI (AND, TRIVIALLY, ME) PART 2

I SUSPECT ZORA ARKUS-DUNTOV’S R&T article in January 1992 evolved from conversations I had with this famed engineer at the 1990 Monterey Historics.  Zora had wonderful tales to relate, and … Continue reading

December 7, 2021 · Leave a comment

ZORA, M. BUGATTI, AND (TRIVIALLY) ME PART 1

THE SUBHEAD READS “The Spiritual Father of the Corvette Meets le Patron du Pur Sang.” In composing this subhead, I knew that everyone would recognize the two people: Zora Arkus-Duntov … Continue reading

December 6, 2021 · 2 Comments