Story by Ernst Luthi
From the Archives, June, 2019
One man’s passion for Renault’s R16 – 45 years on
Mike Neil’s love affair for the Renault 16 started in the late 1960s, when, as teenager, he visited the Sydney Motorshow.
The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
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By Pete Vack
Phil Friday is always full of ideas, many of which take years to be realized. But he’s got a lot of patience and imagination which often result in some startling projects. Like his version of an Auto Union Grand Prix car, perhaps inspired by the VW-Bugatti replicas of yore. “My Auto Union type C/D hillclimb replica is built on a 1963 Auto Union 1000S (DKW) chassis and running gear. I always thought it was demeaning to replicate a Bugatti Type 35 on a VW platform, so I thought I would replicate an Auto Union on an Auto Union platform.”
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And now for the real thing…
By Gijsbert-Paul Berk
In 1913 Ettore Bugatti (1881 -1947) began working on the design of an eight-cylinder engine at the suggestion of his friend, the pilot Roland Garros. Early in 1914 he sent his collaborator Ernest Friderich to the US with a four-cylinder car of 5.655 liters capacity to participate in the Indianapolis 500. When later that year WWI started, Ettore had to leave his factory in Molsheim, situated in the German occupied Alsace.
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Those who have ridden as co-pilot say that a desire to survive is their dominant emotion.
By Alexander Boswell, owner, driver
From the VeloceToday Archives, November 2013
It’s an amazing experience to drive any car built for Grand Prix racing. One knows that relentless effort, concentration of resources, and usually a huge budget have contributed to the creation of something technologically remarkable. Despite its 90th anniversary, the 2LCV Delage still encapsulates all these elements. In 1923 this was the only entry from the stable of the Delage company, and therefore it represents the pinnacle of the technology of the time. This car was driven in the French GP by René Thomas, the Sebastian Vettel of his day.
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Story and photos by John Waterhouse, National Coordinator, Renault 4CV Register of Australia
First Post-Covid (we hope) Australian 4CV Muster, Easter 2021
Every two years, the Renault 4CV Register of Australia meets over Easter in a country town in New South Wales at our “Muster”. They are delightful social events with no competitions! The Register welcomes all rear-engined Renault models that are derived from the post-war 4CV model and early R4s that used the same engine and transaxle. Naturally we are pleased to see other classic Renaults at our Musters and members often bring later front-drive cars from the 1970s and 1980s, and even younger cars.
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Story and Photos by Simon Wright
From the VeloceToday Archives, April, 2010
To celebrate Citroën’s 90 years of car production, Citroën UK arranged for several rare prototypes to be shown at the Classic Motor show held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England from the 13th to the 15th of November 2009.
Coming straight from the Citroën Conservatoire in Paris specifically for the show, three of the vehicles had never before been seen in the United Kingdom (UK), and needless to say, anywhere in the United States.
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Last week we brought you Farman, Part 1, the aeronautical side of the French Farman firm. This week, Gijsbert-Paul Berk tells us the brief but upper crust history of the Farman automobile.
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk
From the VeloceToday Archives, May, 2017
In October 1919 at the Salon de l’Automobile in Paris the Farman company presented its first motor cars; a landaulet bodied by Kellner and a bare chassis. Their objective was “to build an automobile “that was absolutely perfect in every detail”. The A6 prototypes on their exhibition stand were indeed magnificently finished.
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From the VeloceToday Archives, July 2017
In 1949 Strother MacMinn took these photos of the Bugatti Atlantic/Aérolithe (S/N 57374) when owned by Bob Oliver. The photos were supplied by Dale LaFollette at Vintage Motorphoto and published here with the permission of Bob Ames. Below, comments from Jim Sitz.
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From the Archives, April, 2010
Larry Crane takes us on an exclusive tour of the furniture of Carlo Bugatti.
Photos by author except as noted.
Peter Mullin is a gifted artist, at least equal to his talents as a businessman. In spite of his new museum’s name, he wants the public home of his collections to be seen as an art museum, celebrating the art of the first half of the Twentieth Century with a focus on the decorative arts movement universally known as “Art Deco.” [Read more…] about Bugatti Before the Cars
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By Roy Smith, historical images copyright Bob Dance
From the VeloceToday Archives, April, 2012
Our lead photo is of the Gordini Transporter Recreation, based on a Laffly chassis and it is actually a race car transporter, not a support truck. Sadly, the original vehicle, based on a Lancia 3RO 6.8 liter, no longer exists as we are given to understand, though many stories abound.
We thought it might be interesting to recall some of the highlights or maybe lowlights of one of the most recognisable racing car support vehicles to grace the paddocks of Europe’s racing circuits in the 1950s.
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Words by Roberto Motta
Photo: Citroën Media
In the 1970s, Citroën’s Competition Service was reduced to minimum and had few financial resources to ensure the presence of the double chevrons in competition. While the SM was consigned to the dealerships, a competition version made an appearance in motorsport with a shortened version, the SM Gr5 ‘Camionette.’