Simanaitis Says

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Category Archives: Classic Bits

MORGAN ON THE COPPERSTATE

THE COPPERSTATE 1000 Rally is one of the premier vintage car events in the U.S. Run each spring to benefit the Phoenix Art Museum (www.phxart.org), the Copperstate is a four-day … Continue reading →

March 21, 2013 · 3 Comments

BILL DEVIN’S SUPER SPORTS

CALLED “THE Enzo Ferrari of Okie Flats” (by no less than Henry N. Manney III), Bill Devin brought a lot of automotive fun to lots of people. Bill offered a … Continue reading →

March 18, 2013 · 2 Comments

A MONACO VISIT

THE MONACO Grand Prix exemplifies everything that’s glamorous about Formula 1 racing. It’s the last of the grand venues, a genuine street circuit. And through what streets! One of my … Continue reading →

March 12, 2013 · Leave a comment

JAPAN’S OTHER RACE CIRCUIT

PAUL WILLIAMSEN, Lexus International Training guru and Facebook Friend, recently mentioned the Okayama International Circuit, née TI Circuit Aida. The TI stood for Tanaka International, after its founder Hajime Tanaka; … Continue reading →

March 8, 2013 · 1 Comment

BARBARA HUTTON’S GTC

GOODING & COMPANY’S Amelia Island Auction, March 8, 2013, has cars ranging from a 1954 Fiat 500C Belvedere (a mini station wagon con brio, $25,000-$35,000) to several cars beyond a … Continue reading →

March 4, 2013 · Leave a comment

GEORGES PAULIN: STYLIST, SPY

GEORGES PAULIN was a talented inventor, car designer and dentist—and during World War II, an operative for the French Resistance. One of his automotive inventions earned him a French patent. … Continue reading →

February 19, 2013 · 2 Comments

FREEWHEELING 3-WHEELERS

WITH THE obvious exceptions of H.F.S Morgan’s trikes and the Messerschmitt KR200 Kabinenroller, many 3-wheel cars have been promoted by whackadoodles, not to say outright con artists. I offer two … Continue reading →

February 16, 2013 · Leave a comment

POLITICS AND MOTORSPORTS

VLADIMIR PUTIN has been courting Bernie Ecclestone. The reason: The Russian president hopes to “encourage” the boss of Formula 1 to bring a Grand Prix to Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, next year. … Continue reading →

February 12, 2013 · 3 Comments

AMÉDÉE GORDINI

THEY CALLED him le Sorcier—the Wizard—because Amédée Gordini performed sorcery in engine tuning. He worked magic as well in contesting Grands Prix and endurance racing in the 1950s against the … Continue reading →

February 9, 2013 · Leave a comment

CARS OF THE SCHLUMPFS

COLLECTIONS OF cars often have interesting stories, but there’s no more intriguing one than the tale of the Schlumpf Collection. Originating as an obsession of brothers Fritz and Hans Schlumpf, … Continue reading →

February 4, 2013 · Leave a comment