TRIPOLI TANGLES, 1933
GOOD STORIES often get better—or at least more convoluted—in retelling. Such is the case with the 1933 Gran Primio di Tripoli. The original plan was bizarre enough: I Lotteria di … Continue reading
AUTOMOBILES AND ROOFTOPS
A FORD publicity stunt planned 50 years ago and its imminent recreation remind me of Fiat’s Lingotto facility in Turin, Italy, and the action flick, The Italian Job (the original … Continue reading
THE DURAY MILLER—AND ETTORE’S DOHC
FORTUNES INTERTWINED for an Italian-born Alsatian, a Wisconsin-born Californian and a Cleveland kid who changed his name in tribute to a famous race driver. The personages, respectively, are Ettore Bugatti, … Continue reading
BUGATTI ART AT THE MULLIN
ARTISTIC GENIUS surfaced often in the Bugatti family. Ettore Bugatti built cars—with an artistic flair. His brother Rembrandt was a sculptor. Their father Carlo designed and fabricated Art Nouveau furniture. … Continue reading
JUDY AND THE SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR
FROM TIME to time, I have an image of a lovely Judy Garland hanging off a San Francisco cable car as she sings “The Trolley Song.” Ah, but the mind … Continue reading
MILLE MIGLIA STORICA, 1989
THE ORIGINAL Mille Miglia, 1927 – 1957, was one of the world’s most grand—and outrageous—motoring events. See “Jenk’s Box of Magic,” http://wp.me/p2ETap-184. The Mille Miglia Storica is its modern counterpart, … Continue reading
HUDSON HORNET—NASCAR CHAMP, MOVIE STAR, GOODING AUCTION OFFERING
HERE’S A car that ruled early NASCAR the way Ferrari dominated F1 during the Schumacher era. A car decades ahead of its time, to the extent that sales were hampered. … Continue reading
F-SERIES: FIRST TO ALUMINUM
LET’S CELEBRATE one of the most successful vehicles in the world, the Ford F-Series pickup. The timing seems right: At the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the … Continue reading
PANHARD DYNA X, DEUTSCH-BONNET AND MONOPOLE
FRENCH CARS have always been quirky fun, and Panhards are among the quirkiest. The Panhard Dyna X, introduced in post-World-War II, bristled with innovative features. It spawned a passel of … Continue reading