Simanaitis Says

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Category Archives: Classic Bits

CHARLES WEYMANN, PART 2—EVENTFUL 1928, PUZZLING 2010

PIONEER AVIATOR and coachbuilder for the finest classic cars, Charles Weymann had other adventures too. In 1928, a brandy-related adventure earned him $25,000 at Indy and later not a little … Continue reading →

December 18, 2015 · Leave a comment

CHARLES WEYMANN, PART 1—AVIATOR, COACHBUILDER

IT’S AS THOUGH nature endowed the talents of Glenn Curtiss, Enzo Ferrari and Sergio Pininfarina in a single person. As a pioneer in aviation, Charles Terres Weymann set records for … Continue reading →

December 17, 2015 · Leave a comment

MARIA AVANZO—SIGNORA QUATTRO PISTONI

“CAR GAL” may not readily translate into Italian, but Baronessa Maria Antonietta Avanzo née Bellan certainly qualifies as one. Known as the Signora quattro pistoni (Lady of four pistons), Avanzo … Continue reading →

December 14, 2015 · 7 Comments

CARS AND MODS—CIRCA 1910

THIS WEBSITE’S recent celebration of Cadillac featured an ad from Floyd Clymer’s Historical Motor Scrapbook. The same scrapbook is filled with treasures available to early automobilists. This particular scrapbook focuses … Continue reading →

December 10, 2015 · 2 Comments

CADILLAC’S DEWAR TROPHY

CADILLAC SET the world’s standard for high quality in 1908 in earning the Dewar Trophy presented by England’s Royal Automobile Club. The automaker’s actions in accomplishing this would seem trivial … Continue reading →

December 9, 2015 · 3 Comments

MY FAVORITE NEW BUGATTI—THAT’S NEVER TO BE

ONE OF the first sports cars I rode in was a Bugatti Type 44, and I’ve been an enthusiast of Bugattis ever since. The marque has had two resurrections since … Continue reading →

December 6, 2015 · 3 Comments

“SERVICE” STATION TIPS—1938

YOUNGER AMERICANS may never have heard the term “service” associated with gasoline stations. Today, in many places we pump our own. Even in states where others do the refueling, attendants … Continue reading →

November 29, 2015 · 5 Comments

TRACK TESTING, POST-TAPLEY METER, PRE-WHIZBANG

I CAME upon some photos summarizing automotive testing as practiced when I arrived at R&T in the late 1970s. One photo brought back memories of the excitement, the technical expertise, … Continue reading →

November 26, 2015 · 5 Comments

SUZ’S LOVE NOTES

DAUGHTER SUZ sent me two e-mails, the first reading “Can I have one? Please?? xo.” The second one read simply, “Bwahahahaaa!!!!” followed by four red hearts. Each was accompanied by … Continue reading →

November 17, 2015 · 5 Comments

STUTZ AT LE MANS

LE MANS 24-hour races in the late 1920s were dominated by British Bentleys: They won 1927 – 1930. However, at the same time, the American carmaker Stutz set a Le … Continue reading →

November 13, 2015 · Leave a comment