This week And How gives us a glimpse of Ol’ Yeller II at Goodwood on parade while E.T. Nagamatsu, ever the ambassador, meets the women who did such a wonderful job singing the classic tunes of the war years. Then Hugues Vanhoolandt captures some of the ambiance that surrounds the Goodwood Revival, and Jonathan Sharp focuses on a special OSCA shown at the Hampton Concours.
OSCA
Retromobile by Jonathan Sharp
Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp
Some may say that Retromobile 2022 was not a vintage year. Yes, it was a bit smaller, many of the big dealers were absent, there was less participation from the manufacturers, but it was still Retromobile ! You just had to dig a little bit deeper to find the gems.
Fiat 1100 Part 6
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk
The Formula Junior was the brain child of Giovanni “Johnny’ Lurani, an Italian nobleman, engineer, racing driver, speed record holder, author, publisher and the Italian representative in the CSI (International Sporting Commission) of the FIA, the governing body for automobile sports. Like Piero Dusio before him, he saw the need for a new formula for affordable single-seater racing cars, allowing a new generation of drivers to gain experience. True or not, at the time some thought and even wrote that Lurani promoted his Formula Junior idea to compensate for the lack of success of Italian cars and drivers in the British dominated 500 cc. Formula 3. However, in October 1958 the FIA officially recognized the International Formula Junior.
3D Printed OSCA Distributor Parts
Story and photos by Sean Smith
Steven Dibdin had been working flat out for a startup company in Brooklyn and was rather burned out; he wasn’t sure if he wanted to work for someone else, and anyway he had an idea for a new company. He went over to White Plains, NY, and asked Santo Spadaro of Dominick’s European car repair https://dominick-european-car-repair.business.site/ if he thought the idea was viable. Santo thought for a minute and came back with “Do you think you can make one of these?” It was a twin spark rotor arm for an OSCA. The honest reply was “I think so.” And behold, a 3D printed OSCA distributor rotor became the first project for Steven’s new company,
Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance 2018
Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Let me start by saying right out that the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was so utterly surprising and overwhelming that I suspect I cannot convey in mere words the totality of the experience. I doubt if so many fabulous automobiles have ever been assembled in one spot, anywhere, at one time, and with logical and consistent themes as well.
Now I realize that these are strong words, so let me provide a bit of perspective. I started attending the events at Monterey back in 1979, and I have never missed a year since, although the events have changed from year to year. I attended the Pebble Beach show for about 25 years, and I have some great memories, such as helping John Bond push his Railton to the field when it would not start. But eventually, I got tired of the traffic and the crowds and the impossibility of finding parking, and finally I just decided to go home Saturday night after the AFAS reception. [Read more…] about Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance 2018
A Touch of Dante’s Genius: The Junior Racers
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk
The Formula Junior was the brain child of Giovanni “Johnny’ Lurani, an Italian nobleman, engineer, racing driver, speed record holder, author, publisher and the Italian representative in the CSI (International Sporting Commission) of the FIA, the governing body for automobile sports. Like Piero Dusio before him, he saw the need for a new formula for affordable single-seater racing cars, allowing a new generation of drivers to gain experience. True or not, at the time some thought and even wrote that Lurani promoted his Formula Junior idea to compensate for the lack of success of Italian cars and drivers in the British dominated 500 cc. Formula 3. However, in October 1958 the FIA officially recognized the International Formula Junior.
Driving the OSCA Formula Junior
By Ed McDonough
Photos by Peter Collins
Formula Junior-A Training Ground
In my youth, during the period in which I first encountered motor racing, the 500cc Formula 3 had been the ‘entry’ route to serious single seat racing for some years in Europe but was by that time on its last legs. In the USA, there was less emphasis on single-seaters but by the early ‘60s, Formula Junior had caught on, and I have always seen it as an essential part of my history. I particularly was smitten by the front engine cars from Italy.
The Best GT OSCA Ever Made
By Pete Vack, Jack Thomas and Paul Schouwenburg
Of all the great cars owned by Paul Schouwenburg which found a place in his new book Ferrari Fever, (read review) this one is not as famous as the Alfas and Ferraris that dominated Schouwenburg’s collections, but it is perhaps one of the most interesting and beautiful cars ever built. The OSCA, the Vignale 1500 SN 1153 MT4 2AD Berlinetta is also arguably OSCA’s greatest Grand Touring car, and most certainly the most original.
One of only four road going OSCA MT4s built at the factory and designated to receive Berlinetta coachwork, OSCA 1153 was purchased from the factory by a Frenchman, Monsieur J.L. Abreu, at the Turin Show in 1955. In the late 1960s, the car was sold to the famous collector, Walter Grell of Switzerland, who kept the car for over 30 years and drove it sparingly. In 2000, it was purchased by Dr. Paul Schouwenburg who relates the following:
O.S.C.A. FS372 Chassis 1189
A Ride in Buenos Aires with a FS OSCA
Story and photos by Cris Bertschi
This article from our archives is so old we even forgot about it. From April 2002, twelve years ago; how time does fly. However, it is still a good article even if the photos are low res and can’t be enlarged without getting out of focus. Squint and enjoy.
It was a normal, boring afternoon when I received an e-mail from my friend Manuel Eliçabe saying that work on his O.S.C.A. was finished, and asking if I wanted to go on a test drive before shipping it to Italy for the 2002 Mille Miglia Retro. I instantly replied, “Tell me the day and time and I’ll be there.” [Read more…] about O.S.C.A. FS372 Chassis 1189
Oldtimer Grand Prix, 2012
Photos and Captions by Alessandro Gerelli
Since we are celebrating our tenth anniversary this year, we thought it might be nice to list all the articles about the Nurburgring Oldtimer event filed by Alessandro Gerelli in the past decade. It’s an interesting walk through the famous paddock and one can get a sense of how much or how little vintage racing, European style, has changed over the years. Above and below, Gerelli’s photos from this year’s Oldtimer Grand Prix. [Read more…] about Oldtimer Grand Prix, 2012
Carroll Shelby and the OSCA
By Carl Goodwin
Photos by Alix Lafontant copyright Carl Goodwin.
1956 was a great year for Carroll Shelby driving the Italian cars he loved. Up until a late-season off-course excursion in the sand at Thompson Raceway, he had notched 19 wins at road courses from coast to coast, driving a Ferrari 4.4, Ferrari Monza, Maserati 300S, and a Maserati 450S.
We were accustomed to seeing Shelby toss around the big Ferraris and Maseratis owned by John Edgar and Tony Parravano, but he was also a great driver in under two liter Italian cars such as the OSCA. One such race was at Road America.
The Ten Best Years of Le Mans
Le Mans The Official History of the World’s Greatest Motor Race 1949-1959
Haynes Publishing, U.K. 2011 ISBN 978 1 84425 537 5
352 pages $69.95
Illustrations: 50+ color & 300 b/w ill
Size: 9.0 x 11.0 x 1.0
Weight: 4.063 lb.
Licensed by the Automobile Club de l’Quest (ACO)
By Quentin Spurring
Order from Qbookshop
Review by Pete Vack
All photos courtesy Haynes Publishing
Author Quentin Spurring believes that the first post war decade at L e Mans was significant because the race survived after not one but two tragedies, the first being World War II; the second ten years later after the 1955 accident which killed over 80 spectators. The tragedy shut down racing temporarily and forever in some countries (if you have even wondered why there in no F1 race in Switzerland, the Le Mans disaster is the reason). [Read more…] about The Ten Best Years of Le Mans