Categories
Ferrari For Sale

Beep-Beep, Beep-Beep. Yeah!

John Lennon didn’t pass his driving test until 1965, by which time The Beatles were already an international sensation. Reportedly, luxury and sporting dealers were literally lining up in front of Lennon’s house with examples of their models for his inspection. Maserati’s, Astons and Jags littered the road outside his Kenwood estate hoping to earn his business. After a stroll outside the gate, he chose this Ferrari 330GT 2+2 in an arresting shade of blue. That very car, the example pictured above, is coming available as part of Bonham’s Collectors’ Motor Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia auction on February 5 in Paris.

Bonhams says, “The 330 GT had been completed at the factory to right hand drive specification and finished in Azzuro (light metallic blue) paint, with blue interior, as noted on the Factory records. Its specification is noted as having included matched blue carpets, light grey headlining, a Webasto sunroof and overdrive. The finished car was delivered to British Ferrari agents Maranello Concessionaires Ltd. of Egham on order number 192.”

Lennon only owned the car for a few months, before adopting his well-known Rolls Royce limousine with the psychedelic paint scheme.

Estimated to sell for €120,000 – 170,000, but only time will tell. More info on Bonham’s lot detail page.
via

Categories
Porsche Vintage Racing Advertising

$2995 Delivered

Porsche Speedster
New wrap-around windshield
New racing type bucket seats
new transmission mounting
new body styling
100 M.P.H • $2995 Delivered New York • 27 M.P.G.
Years ahead in engineering means miles ahead on the road
The Hoffman Motor Car Company, Inc.
487 Park Avenue, New York City, Tel. PLaza 9-7034
Competition Motors, 1219 Vine St., Hollywood 38, Distributor for California
On request we would be happy to supply descriptive literature on all models, and the name and address of your nearest dealer.
Dealers from coast to coast.

Let me just point out that “new transmission mounting” is listed above “new body styling” in the list of features. That simple fact could practically be a dissertation worth of analysis on the shifting desires of automobile buyers.

Categories
Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Reims 1954 – Mercedes Returns to GP Racing

1954 Reims Grid

There are dozens of reasons why this image of the grid of the Grand Prix at Reims in 1954 is astounding. I love how simple, almost bucolic, the facilities appear. In this crop, you can’t see the grandstands or pits crowding the grid; making it almost look like the track is in an otherwise empty field. The grid itself is amazing. That’s Fangio (#18) on pole with Kling in the other Mercedes (#20), with Ascari’s Maser (#10) on the front row.
The thing I like most about it, however, is that this single image captures something fundamental about Formula 1 racing that has been spectacularly lost and is unlikely to return: a unique voice from each manufacturer in the design of their racing car. The variety of the design of the machinery on this grid is obvious. The enclosed wheels of the streamliner Mercedes machines is the most immediate example of that, but the rest of the field shows the personalities of each maker shining through as well. This era when the lines between a Formula car and a sportscar were blurred is sorely missed.

54 Reims Start
Fangio and Kling out in front
The Streamliner Benz
The Streamliner Benz

The Mercedes machines ran away with it from the start, marking their spectacular return to Grand Prix racing.

Details on the race at eMercedesBenz.

Categories
Porsche

There’s Something Familiar About the Porsche 918 RSR’s Fan

Porsche 918 fan
917 Engine Fan

Nicely done, Stuttgart.

Categories
Automotive Art

Loving Stefan Marjoram’s Land Speed Record-Holders Print

Land Speed Record Holders

I love the loose gestural style Stefan used in this comparison of Land Speed Record holders in this limited print he’s made available. The relative sizes of the machines is something that often gets overlooked in comparison to the stylistic and aerodynamic changes that have marked the evolution of speed. The focus on the body shape is great; minimizing the wheel details to their simple placement in relationship to the body.

Detail

Really fantastic stuff. Naturally, I’m more drawn to the pre-war machines in the series, but seeing them all together is really a treat. Stefan is donating £10 from each poster to the Bloodhound Educational Project for future engineers and scientists; truly a perfect philanthropy pairing.

The A2 (16.5″ × 23.5″) prints are limited to 1000 copies and are available for £40 (+shipping) from Stefan directly, more info on his sketch blog.

Earlier: Stefan’s sketches from the 2010 Goodwood Revival.

Categories
Classic Cycle Historic Racing Photos

Fernihough

Eric Fernihough on a 996 Brough Superiour JAP in 1927. Brooklands.

Once Was England via Deus.

Categories
Chicane News Event

Racing on the Big Screen in Minnesota This Month

Hey Minnesotans!

This month the celluloid mavens and cinema revivalists at Take Up Productions are hosting Color Me Gone, a series of racing movies at the Trylon Microcinema in Minneapolis. What a marvelous coincidence that MPLS also happens to be The Chicane’s home base. It looks like I’ve already missed the first weekend’s movie, Viva Las Vegas, which is a shame because it is my easily favorite Elvis flick. This weekend the series continues with Smokey and the Bandit and Two-Lane Blacktop. The weekend of January 14th hosts Fast Company. With Vanishing Point starting on Jan. 21.

But then… On January 28, 29, and 30, the Trylon will host Grand Prix. I’ve never had the opportunity to see it on the big(ish) screen and I’m not going to miss the chance now. In fact, if there’s sufficient interest I’ll put together a pre-screening happy hour at a nearby bar before one of the showings. Any Minnesotans (Wisconsinites and Dakotans too!) out there want to join up with other Chicane readers for a pint before Pete Aron, Nino Barlini, Scott Stoddard and Jean-Pierre Sartí take to the streets of Monaco?

I’m sure I’ll be taking in others in the series as well, drop me a line if you’re heading to one.

Categories
Classic Sportscar

Art Appreciation: Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 LeMans Coupe

Too bad they didn’t give points for beauty in the 1938 24 Hours of LeMans. If they did, this Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Coupe would have been undefeated until the mid-sixties. As it was, Raymond Sommer and Clemente Biondetti weren’t able to capitalize on Sommer’s fastest lap when the car lost oil pressure. Even so, stunning.

Categories
Ferrari Historic Racing Photos Lost Track Track Maps of the Past

Track Map of the Past: Hansen Dam

Naturally, it’s a golf course today. Damnit.

In 1955, however, the Hansen Dam park hosted the 1st Los Angeles Sports Car Races. Ernie McAfee won the day in the #76 Ferrari 750 Monza; completing 67 laps at an average speed of 93mph.

I wonder what you had to do to gain access to the Guild Area VIP parking.

More of the racing program at FScheff’s.

Categories
Classic Sportscar Ferrari

Vanity Fair Visits Ralph Lauren’s Garage

Ever the designer, it looks like Ralph Lauren organizes his collection by color. Awesome.
More at Vanity Fair.