Tag: 1961

Categories
Video

Triumph at the 24

Let’s ride along with team Triumph at the 1961 LeMans 24 Hours race, shall we? I don’t know why every TR4 owner doesn’t have their car painted in this livery. That huge gumball on the rear decklid is such a bold graphic statement that it makes other early-60s racing graphics immediately look so stodgy by comparison.

You know that I love seeing this track action, but the first segment of the film in the pits almost does more to place me in the era. After all, we’ll be able to attend events and see many of these very cars race again, but will be ever be able to wander the pits like this? Just another reason why I hope Goodwood’s ethos of embracing the entire era catches on with more vintage racing events.

Thanks for sending this one in, Mandy!

Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

The Joys of Lotus Motoring

Lotus Ad in BARC Gazette, 1961

Begone Dull Care!
Let the spirited Elite introduce you to the joys of Lotus motoring, derived from unique specification: glass-reinforced plastic unitary construction all independent suspension, four wheel disc brakes, Coventry Climax 1214 cc power unite. Lotus Elite – LeMans 1960— 1300 cc class First, Index of Thermal Efficiency First. Manufactured and distributed by: LOTUS Cars Ltd. Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. Telephone Waltham Cross 26181.

Wow. Now there’s an unformatted pile of text that is very difficult to make any sense of. I can only imagine that this was dictated over the phone to the advertising editor at the BARC Gazette and just transcribed and keylined in. It looks almost like a telegram of the ad’s copy.

Let’s just concentrate on those lovely lines of the Elite’s bodywork instead. There, that’s better.

Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

A New ’61 Corvette For the Keen Type

I’m a little disappointed that even in ’61 the ad copy led with luggage space and seat adjustability. Get to the performance info, people!

’61 Corvette
New form and fineness for America’s only sports car.
There’s a winging new shape for the ’61 Corvette, and beneath these crisp contours, you’ll discover new refinements that reach right down to Corvette’s powerful heart.
Settle yourself in the cockpit and feel the no-nonsense comfort of those new bucket seats. They’re individually adjustable and the seat tracks themselves can be moved farther back for more driving space. Notice the increased foot and leg room made possible by a driveshaft tunnel that’s 19% narrower. There’s more trunk space, too; the luggage compartment is 20% larger for even greater touring convenience.
For muscle, the ’61 Corvette retains five versions of America’s most famous high-performance engine, the Corvette V8. Quick and sharp as a whiplash, this engine is available with up to 315 horsepower in a Fuel Injection version. There are three transmissions to choose from: a brand-new three-speed Syncro-Mesh with new quick accelerating ratios, the close-ratio four-speed Syncro-Mesh for the keen type, and Powerglide for the boulevardier.
There’s a feeling of pure confidence about the ’61 Corvette, a feeling born of the knowledge that this is the genuine article! See this new one at your Chevy dealer’s and you’ll know…
If you wanted a Corvette before, there’ll be no holding you now!
Chevrolet division of General Motors, Detroit 2, Mich.
Corvette by Chevrolet.

via Chromjuwelen.

Categories
Automotive Art Grand Prix

1961 Monaco Grid on the Living Room Wall

Paul Chenard's 1961 Monaco grid mural
Paul Chenard's 1961 Monaco grid muralFriend of the blog and accomplished automotive artist Paul Chenard sent along a photo of his latest personal project: A mural of the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix grid. It’s a marvelous way to unite his well-known motoring collection and I hope that by sharing it here it will inspire graffiti writers and street artists to drop their sharpies and take inspiration from this particular piece. Every day on my walk to work I pass poorly executed throw ups.
I think we’d all rather see more walls adorned with Moss’ #20 Lotus, Richie Ginther’s #36 Ferrari, and Jim Clark’s #28 Lotus on our walks through downtown.
Looks fantastic, Paul. Thanks for sending it in.

Categories
Ferrari Grand Prix Video

Return of the Sharknose

I’m not one to quibble about replica vs. re-creation vs. continuation but I know that these kinds of builds get some people’s dander up. With no surviving example, I can’t imagine that there are many who would argue the merits of this project. After all, it’s about as legit a Ferrari 156 as we’re ever likely to see.

The car itself has been making quite a splash on the European vintage circuit but even if it is a few years old, the video is well worth a watch. I’d like to see more of these kinds of builds and hope that the skills to do so don’t become so scarce that it gets even more difficult to make them happen.