Media | New England Auto Museum | An exciting new attraction for Connecticut and New England!

25 Jan

Vintage race trophies to appear with cars that won them at Amelia Island March 13th

The Borg-Warner Trophy and Al Unser in the Johnny Lightning Special, twice winner Indy 500. Photos: Sarah Stierch and courtesy Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Amelia Island, Fla. – Of course, race cars get all the attention: They’re fast, loud, oftentimes flashy, and driven by men of legend. But those men of legend don’t just race for the thrill of it. They race for the money, the recognition and, not least of all, the trophies. For the first time ever this year, some of the most prestigious and historic motorsports trophies will gather in one place as the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance pairs them with some of the most noteworthy cars that won them.

The idea for the pairings came, according to Amelia Island founder and chairman Bill Warner, over a couple of beers. “A bottle of Guinness with Donald Osborne at the Mille Miglia,” he said. “Seriously, Donald showed me a Mille Miglia trophy while I was over there, and I thought, why not get a collection of them and match them with the cars.”

So Warner went to work putting together a list of the most famous trophies in motorsports. Some seemed like no-brainers, like the Borg-Warner Trophy, which has gone to the winner of every Indianapolis 500 since 1936 and remains with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Warner decided to pair it with the Ford V-8-powered Johnny Lightning Special that Al Unser drove to victory in both 1970 and 1971 and that nowadays resides in the Unser Racing Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Jamie McMurray, Chip Ganassi, Dario Franchitti with Harley J. Earl and Borg-Warner Trophies. Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Frank Wheeler and three other local men opened the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909. Prior to the inauguration of the Indianapolis 500 in 1911, the Wheeler-Schebler company sponsored the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race at the track. The $10,000 trophy was sterling silver and designed by Tiffany. Descriptions of this masterpiece of silversmithing put its height at anywhere from seven to eight and a half feet. It was the traveling trophy for winning the premiere events of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s race meets in 1909 and 1910. The Trophy was retired briefly with the introduction of the Indianapolis 500 in 1911, but reinstated in 1913 as the prize for the team leading at the 400-mile mark. As the deed stipulated that the trophy would be permanently awarded to the team winning it for three consecutive years, it was presented to driver turned entrant Harry Hartz when his Miller-Hartz cars won the award in 1930, 31 and 32. It was returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1950’s and stands proudly today at the Speedway’s Hall of Fame Museum. At Amelia Island, the trophy will be paired with the Old Number 10 Buick, winner of the 1909 race.

Harry Hartz with the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy in 1932

Other trophies that will go on display include the Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy, awarded to winners of the Daytona 500, which will be paired with the Richard Petty No. 43 Plymouth Road Runner that won the 1971 Daytona 500; the Stevens Challenge Trophy, awarded from 1927 to 1954 to any manufacturer capable of sustaining 60 miles per hour over a 24-hour period at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which will be paired with a Cord 812 speed record car; the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy, which will be paired with the Ferrari 250LM that Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt drove; the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy, which will be paired with the Ferrari 166MM that Luigi Chinetti and Peter Mitchell-Thomson drove; the 1914 French Grand Prix trophy, which will be paired with the Mercedes that Christian Lautenschlager drove; the Maurice G. Bauer Trophy, “awarded” to winners of the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, paired with the Ferrari Dino that Jack May and Rick Cline drove in 1975; and the trophy awarded to the winner of the Race of Two Worlds (500 Miglia di Monza), paired with the 1958 John Zink Leader Card Monza Special Watson-Offenhauser roadster that Jim Rathmann drove.

1909 Alco “Black Beast” two-time winner of the Vanderbilt Cup Photo: Hemmings

In addition, the display will pair a replica of the Challenge Cup presented by W.K. Vanderbilt Jr. (the original sits in storage at the Smithsonian) paired with the 1909 ALCO Black Beast; and the Alec Ulmann Trophy from the Sebring 12 Hour, which will be paired with an OSCA MT4, built by the Maserati brothers and overall winner of the 1954 race.

Warner said the trophies will go on display in the Ritz-Carlton hotel from Thursday through Saturday and then take their positions on the field with each car on Sunday, March 13th.

Article by Daniel Strohl, Hemmings Daily

About The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

Now in its third decade, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is among the top automotive events in the world. Always on the second full weekend in March, ‘The Amelia’ draws over 250 rare vehicles from collections around the world to The Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. It is a celebration of the automobile like no other. Since 1996, the show’s Foundation has donated over $2.75 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc., Spina Bifida of Jacksonville, The Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, and other deserving charities. The 21st annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for March 11-13, 2016. For more information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org

Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt’s Ferrari 250 LM lead an all-Ferrari podium in the last win for Ferrari at Le Mans to date in 1965 Photo: Le Mans (Sarthe France)

22 Jan

Change of Speaker for New England Auto Museum Winter Speakers Series Event in Westport January 30th

Dragone Classics Gallery & Showroom, 176 Post Road West, Westport, Connecticut

Westport, Conn. – The New England Auto Museum announced that because of an unforeseen scheduling conflict, writer and car expert Eric Evarts will be replacing Jim Motavalli as the scheduled speaker on Saturday, January 30th at Dragone Classic Gallery & Showroom in Westport; first of a series featuring well-known automotive writers and experts. Each event will be held on Saturday morning commencing at 11AM and a light luncheon will be provided. Specifically the events have been scheduled as follows:

Writer & Car Expert Eric Evarts

January 30 – “CARS OF THE FUTURE: SMART, SAFE & SUSTAINABLE”
Freelance writer Eric Evarts has been writing about energy, the environment, technology, transportation, business, and consumer affairs for 25 years. He spent 15 years covering business, advanced technology, and the auto industry for The Christian Science Monitor spending the past 10 years at Consumer Reports writing about cars, fuel economy, pollution, and alternative fuels, and the latest developments in transportation and technology. He can tell readers how to get the best deal and avoid buying a lemon, whether it’s a used car or a bad mortgage. He currently works as a freelance writer for AAA, Nature, and a new consumer website, thewirecutter.com

Other scheduled Winter Speakers Series events are as follows:

February 27 – “CARS OF THE PAST: STORIED INDEPENDENT AUTOMAKERS”
Author Patrick Foster has written numerous books on almost all the independent U.S. automakers that have disappeared from the scene including Packard, Studebaker, and AMC.

April 2 – “THE EARLY DAYS OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN CONNECTICUT”
Klingberg Vintage Motor Festival Director Mark Johnson will talk about plans for this year’s event including participation again this year by Wayne Carini, as Grand Marshal.

Each Speakers Series event will include a technical session hosted by restoration expert and historian George Dragone focusing on one aspect of classic car preservation and maintenance. The January 30th seminar will feature representatives from New England Dry Stripping of Trumbull, Conn. providing tips and insight on their area of expertise. Tickets for each event will be $15 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the museum’s web site www.neautomuseum.org. The Dragone Showroom is at 176 Post Road West in Westport, Conn.

18 Jan

“Rain Man” Buick coming to Amelia Island Concours on March 13th

Restored 1949 convertible is considered a “styling landmark”

Amelia Island, Fla. – A late entry is coming to the 21st Annual Amelia Island Concours’ Post War American Production class March 16, 2016: The 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible, one of two used to make the film “Rain Man,” makes its international concours debut. Wayne Carini of Portland, Conn., star of Velocity TV’s “Chasing Classic Cars,” restored the car for the film’s director Barry Levinson.

You’ll recall Levinson’s 1988 film — it tells the story of Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise), a car dealer in financial straits. When his estranged father dies, Babbitt learns the old man bequeathed his fortune to Charlie’s older autistic brother, Raymond (brilliantly played by Dustin Hoffman). All Cruise’s character gets is his father’s prized rosebushes and the Buick. Raymond and Charlie go on a cross-country road trip starring the Buick because Raymond refuses to fly.

Hoffman won an Oscar for his portrayal of Raymond, and Levinson for his direction of the Best Picture classic.

Dustin Hoffman & Tom Cruise in a scene from “Rain Man” with 1949 Buick Roadmaster

According to the movie’s production notes, Levinson chose the Roadmaster, with its “pipe organ” grille and art deco styling, because “there’s just something very classic about it,” he said.

With only 8,000 1949 Roadmasters produced, the filmmakers scoured the country before finding three that were in good enough condition to film. The car eventually restored by Levinson had its rear suspension modified to accommodate the extra weight of a camera rig and cameraman, who filmed Hoffman and Cruise from the trunk.

Amelia Island Concours founder and Chairman Bill Warner called the Buick a “styling landmark.” He points out the VentiPort — those holes in the fenders – debuted with the 1949s and is still part of Buick design. “We’re very pleased to have one of Wayne Carini’s restorations on the field once again,” Warner said.

This year’s Amelia Island Concours runs March 11-13, 2016 on the 10th and 18th fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. The show’s Foundation has donated more than $2.75 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida Inc. and other Florida charities since 1996.

For more concours information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org or call (904) 636-0027.
Article by Wes Raynal, Autoweek/Photos: MGM Studios

1949 Buick Convertible seen in “Rain Man” recently restored by Wayne Carini of Portland, Conn.

13 Jan

Classic Ferrari 335 S Spider could fetch over $34 million at Retromobile auction in Paris next month

The 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti, estimated sale price: $30-34 million
Photo: Christian Martin/Artcurial

Paris, France – A classic Ferrari to be featured at an auction to be held in Paris next month may challenge the record for the highest price ever paid for an automobile. The 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti, once driven to victory by British World Champion Stirling Moss at the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix, is expected by the French auction house Artcurial Motors to fetch between $30 and $34 million. The current record, held by another classic Ferrari sold last year, stands at a whopping $34.6 million.

A former Le Mans lap record holder, this 335 S served the Ferrari factory team in a championship-winning 1957 season during the golden age of road racing, when events were often held on public roads with little concern for the safety of drivers or the spectators that lined the courses. That year, the car made an indelible mark on racing history after another 335 S Spider racing at the infamous Mille Miglia in Italy crashed into a crowd of fans, killing both drivers and nine spectators. The crash marked the beginning of the end for racing on public roads: the 1,000 mile event considered the greatest of the era would soon be canceled.

The Ferrari 335 S, chassis 0674, left the workshops at the start of 1957, fitted with a Scaglietti body, a design born of the requirements of a powerful racing car. It was fitted at that time with a 3.8-litre V12 Tipo 140 engine (315 S) that had twin-cams per bank of cylinders producing around 360 bhp.

In March of that year it was entered by Scuderia Ferrari for the Sebring 12 Hours, driven by Peter Collins and Maurice Trintignant, and finished sixth. At the Mille Miglia in May, chassis 0674 was driven by Wolfgang von Trips to second overall behind the Piero Tariff’s similar Ferrari. On being returned to the factory, its engine size was increased to 4.1-litres, therefore becoming a 335 S. With close to 400 bhp under its belt, the car could reach 300 km/h.

1957 Mille Milia with Wolfgang von Trips at the wheel Photo: Sports Car Digest

For the 24 Heures du Mans, the car was given to Mike Hawthorn and Luigi Musso. Hawthorn took the lead in front of the Maserati and Jaguars and set the first lap record in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours of over 200 km/h (203.015 km/h average speed) but unfortunately the car retired in the fifth hour with mechanical problems. The Ferrari then finished fourth in the Swedish Grand Prix and second in the Venezuela Grand Prix on 3 November with team of Hawthorn and Musso, helping Ferrari to win the World Constructors’ Title in 1957.

In January 1958 it was sold to Luigi Chinetti, the Ferrari importer based in New York. On 24 February of that year, with Masten Gregory and Stirling Moss at the wheel, the car won the Cuba Grand Prix. During the 1958 season, it participated successfully in various American races driven by Gaston Andrey and Lance Reventlow, before being sold to Robert N. Dusek in 1960, an architect living in Pennsylvania.

Mike Hawthorne driving the 335 S at Le Mans in 1957 Photo: Sports Car Digest

Following this American adventure, the car was brought to France in 1970. The American architect sold it to Pierre Bardinon, the collector who over the years assembled some fifty factory Ferraris comprising the most successful and iconic models in the history of the marque. Kept as part Pierre Bardinon’s private collection for over 40 years, the car has been used and maintained regularly and is presented in excellent condition. Chassis 0674 is estimated to sell for €28,000,000 – €32,000,000 ($30,000,000 – $34,000,000).

Prices soaring well into the eight figures are no longer unusual for cars of this era, which are highly sought after by collectors willing to pay for their own piece of automotive history. Values for very rare cars have skyrocketed in the past decade, and largely defied the 2008 recession in following other luxury items, such as fine art. Though the auction house anticipates the 335 S to fall just short of the record price, it’s common for expectations to be exceeded – especially if more than one bidder wants the car badly enough.

1986 Ferrari Testrossa Spider looks like the 1980s on wheels, estimated sale price $1 million . Photo: Artcurial

The Artcurial auction will feature an eye-watering list of ultra-rare classic cars, headlined by a handful other great Ferraris, including a 1962 250 GT Berlinetta once owned by the king of Morocco, a 1963 250 GT short wheel base Berlinetta, and the only convertible Ferrari Testrossa ever built.

This last car, a gift to Fiat chief Gianni Agnelli in 1986, features a silver paint scheme and a solid silver Ferrari badge on the front hood — and the periodic symbol for the element that also marked the first two letters of the Italian auto executive’s surname.

It’s good to be the king. Artcurial’s stunning 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, is estimated to fetch $10-13 million. The 2016 Artcurial Retromobile auction, scheduled for 5-6 February at the Retromobile Show in Paris, will present approximately 130 automobiles over two days. More information can be found at www.artcurial.com and www.retromobile.com

Courtesy: Sports Car Digest/Artcurial

1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti Photo: Sports Car Digest

05 Jan

New England Auto Museum Announces Winter Speakers Series in Westport Beginning January 30

Dragone Classics Gallery & Showroom, 176 Post Road West, Westport, Connecticut

Westport, Conn. – The New England Auto Museum announced the formation of a Winter Speakers Series to take place at Dragone Classic Gallery & Showroom in Westport featuring well-known automotive writers and experts. Each event will be held on Saturday morning commencing at 11AM and a light luncheon will be provided. Specifically the events have been scheduled as follows:

Writer & Car Expert Eric Evarts

February 27 – “CARS OF THE PAST – STORIED INDEPENDENT AUTOMAKERS”
One of America’s best-known automotive writers is historian/author Patrick Foster – a dedicated researcher who has spent more than 30 years studying various aspects of the automotive industry, has also been writing for automotive magazines for well over a decade. He has appeared on several radio and television talk shows and also the documentary “Women and the Automobile”, produced for television, in which Foster explained the significance of the Nash Metropolitan, a car designed primarily for women.

Pat has written numerous books on almost all the independent U.S. automakers that have disappeared from the scene including Packard, Studebaker, American Motors and many others. Pat is a feature writer and columnist for Hemmings Classic Car magazine, writes for Automobile Quarterly and Collectible Automobile, and has a column in Old Cars Weekly.

Author Patrick Foster with his restored 1967 Rambler Rogue

April 2 – “THE EARLY DAYS OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN CONNECTICUT”
Hartford does not claim to have made the first automobile but does claim to have started the automotive industry,” This statement was made by pioneer auto designer and engineer, Henry Cave, who worked with Daimler Motor Company, Locomobile and with George B. Seldon to design, develop and demonstrate the first Seldon patent car. The 24th Annual Klingberg Vintage Motorcar Festival in New Britain, CT on June 18th, 2016, will feature many automobiles manufactured in Connecticut including examples from Pope Hartford, Columbia, Corbin and Locomobile and is in fact the largest gathering of these early “brass era” cars in the country. Klingberg Festival Director Mark Johnson will talk about plans for this year’s event including participation again this year by Wayne Carini, host of “Chasing Classic Cars” on VelocityTV, as Grand Marshal with his dad Bob and daughter Lindsay.

Mark Johnson at the opening of the Klingberg History Museum in New Britain, 2014

Each Speakers Series event will include a technical session hosted by restoration expert and historian George Dragone focusing a one aspect of classic car preservation and maintenance. The January 30th seminar will feature representatives from New England Dry Stripping of Trumbull, CT providing tips and insight on their area of expertise. Tickets for each event will be $15 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the museum’s web site www.neautomuseum.org. The Dragone Showroom is at 176 Post Road West in Westport, CT.

Source: New England Auto Museum

Pope Hartford back in the day

30 Dec

Sam Posey Collection takes home Motor Press Guild Award

Los Angeles, CA– As renowned a career as Sam Posey made for himself as a race car driver, he’s spent far more time as a motorsports observer, albeit a highly qualified one, either as a commentator or writer, and it’s for that latter role that the Motor Press Guild recently honored him with its annual Best Book of the Year award for 2015.

Posey, who raced from 1965 through 1982, began his professional writing career with an article for Road & Track in 1968 and has gone on not only to write for Sports Illustrated and to pen his autobiography, but also to serve as a racing analyst and commentator for ABC Sports throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, covering everything from the Indianapolis 500 to the Olympics to the Iditarod.

Earlier this year, he assembled the best of his varied writings and television scripts for Where the Writer Meets the Road: A Collection of Articles, Broadcast Intros, and Profiles. As the publisher, David Bull, describes the book, “The result is a remarkably varied mix of short and long pieces on subjects ranging from racing in the rain at Le Mans to test-driving the propeller-driven Wind Wagon created by his uncle Teddy in the 1920s.”

The Motor Press Guild presented Posey with the award at its annual awards ceremony earlier this month at the recently reopened Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Sam Posey receiving award from Eric Dahlquist, Sr. (Head Judge – Books, Motor Press Guild)

For more than 40 years, racing fans all over the world have followed Sam Posey’s unique career as a driver, writer, and broadcaster. Posey wrote his first article for Road & Track in 1968, the same year he drove a Chevrolet Camaro for Roger Penske’s team in the Trans-Am series. In the 1970s he not only won at Sebring and finished on the podium at Le Mans, but also published a highly regarded autobiography.

Sam Posey and Tony Adamowicz finished 3rd overall at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans driving the N.A.R.T. Ferrari 512M (photo: Speed Merchants Collection)

Posey retired from driving in 1982, but in the years since then his public profile has grown through his articles for Road & Track, Sports Illustrated, and other publications, as well as his work as a television commentator. In Where the Writer Meets the Road, Posey has selected the best of his work in both fields. The result is a varied mix of short and long pieces as well as examples of the shorter broadcast introductions (he called “teases”) produced for Formula One Grand Prix races at Spa and Monaco, and even non-automotive events like the Iditarod sled race.

Sam Posey in a helmet of his own design, the stripes representing the American flag (photo: David Bull Publishing)

Sam Posey has had a long association with Connecticut, racing at Lime Rock since he was a teenager under the tutelage of John Fitch which he talks about in the book. In March 2013, the front straightaway at Lime Rock was renamed Sam Posey Straight to honor the driver that enjoyed much success and notoriety at the track. Lime Rock Park track owner Skip Barber commented, “I know – we all know – that Sam deeply loves Lime Rock Park – he grew up five miles from the track. Sam was the first driver to lap the track in less than 60 seconds – that was a big, big deal when Sam did that, in 1967. He was driving a McLaren Can-Am car. And that was just two years after his very first race at Lime Rock, in a Formula Vee, a car that has less than a fifth of the power of that McLaren. Sam was able to use Lime Rock as a launching pad for what turned out to be an astoundingly steep early career path. And of course,” continued Barber, “We’ve been blessed that no less than three of the track’s beautiful buildings, including the now-iconic paddock tower, were designed by Sam”

No matter what the venue or circumstances, Posey’s writing captures the excitement of racing as well as an insider’s understanding of how the sport really works, both on and off the track. It also reflects his innate curiosity and enthusiasm for a wide range of non-automotive interests such as painting, art, design and architecture. The book can be purchased on line at David Bull Publishing www.bullpublishing.com or other on-line book shopping sites.

Article courtesy Hemmings Daily and David Bull Publishing

Sam Posey drove the lime green Dodge Challenger Trans-Am for the Trans-Am series in 1970 (photo: Speed Merchants Collection)

22 Dec

Barrett-Jackson to Auction Rare Vintage Race Cars during 45th Anniversary Auction in Scottsdale Jan. 23 – 31

Legendary 1959 Corvette “Purple People Eater”

Scottsdale, Ariz. – Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, will auction several rare vintage American race cars during the company’s nine-day 45th Anniversary Auction, from Jan. 23-31, 2016, at WestWorld of Scottsdale. Three iconic American race cars heading over the block include the 1959 Corvette “Purple People Eater, the famous 1957 Chevrolet 150 #47 “Black Widow” and the 1963 Pontiac Catalina Super Duty “Swiss Cheese”.

“We’re excited to have several famous American race cars from the golden era of motorsports cross our block in Scottsdale,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “Each of these pieces of history played an important part in our country’s racing heritage and will be an enviable part of any collection.”

Jim Jeffords on track to win 1959 B/Production Championship (photo courtesy Hemmings)

The 1959 Chevrolet Corvette, also known as the “Purple People Eater”, won the 1959 SCCA National Championship in the B/Production class. It started life as a white body/black interior car with a 290 horsepower, fuel-injected 283ci engine and a 4-speed manual transmission. Destined for glory, it was named for its non-factory color, which the Nickey Chevrolet body shop applied to make it stand out during races. The “Purple People Eater” is a part of the Chip Miller Collection, and its auction represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of vintage racing history.

1957 Chevy 150 “Black Widow”

The 1957 Chevy 150 “Black Widow” is one of six original factory-backed NASCAR vehicles. It was awarded the win at the Virginia 500 at Martinsville in 1957 after another race car crashed and injured several spectators. Featuring a frame-off, state-of-the-art, correct restoration, the Chevy features a 283 fuel-injected engine and period correct components, including 6-lug wheels, Fenton headers and exhaust, high-performance Hydrovac brake system, 20-gallon gas tank and a special HD 3.90 rear end.

1963 Pontiac Catalina “Swiss Cheese”

The 1963 Pontiac Catalina Super Duty “Swiss Cheese,” earned its nickname when approximately 130 holes were drilled in it to eliminate the boxed rails in an effort to lighten the frame. This particular race car was ordered and designated as a Pontiac company car for engineering purposes and became the final car built under the Pontiac Super Duty program in 1963. It is outfitted with a 421 Super Duty engine and top-of-the-line parts. Only 14 “Swiss Cheese” 421 Catalinas were built before the AMA ban in January 1963.

1948 Kurtis-Kraft KK200

Also on the docket is a 1948 Kurtis Kraft KK2000 race car first raced in the 1949 Indianapolis 500 by Sam Hanks; never wrecked, this car appeared at five Indy 500 races, qualifying for two. The engine is the original Horning GMC 270ci with 12-port iron head and the front end of the motor and ancillary drives are the original roller cam developed by Chet Herbert. The fuel injection was developed by Hilborn and the chassis and body is by Kurtis.

For more information on becoming a bidder, follow the link to www.barrett-jackson.com/bid. Enjoy the 45th Anniversary Scottsdale Auction in style with a Barrett-Jackson VIP Experience Package. Information on available packages and how to be a part of this world-class event is available here.

About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, is the leader in collector car auctions and automotive lifestyle events. The company produces auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona; Palm Beach, Florida; at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, and Las Vegas, Nevada. With broadcast partners, Velocity and Discovery Channel, Barrett-Jackson will feature live television coverage in 2016, including broadcasts in over 100 countries internationally. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit http://www.barrett-jackson.com, or call 480-421-6694.

Article & photos courtesy Barrett-Jackson Auctions

Chevy “Black Widow” at Daytona Beach in 1957 (archived photo)

15 Dec

Holiday Gift for Truck Lovers: New Book on the Complete History of International Harvester Trucks

Just released book on the history of International Harvester Trucks

Milford, CT – Get the entire history of the best trucks on the road just in time for holiday giving. The International Truck and Engine Corporation have built the trucks that have been a staple of both agricultural and industrial trucking for over 100 years. International Harvester Trucks: The Complete History tells the complete story of the light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks, vans, and station wagons built by International Harvester during over a century of history, starting from the company’s early days, through its first truck model in 1907, and right up to the present. The focus is firmly on the trucks themselves including collectible machines such as the Travelall and Scout. Author Patrick Foster, of Milford is one of the world’s premier transportation historians. His accessible writing style, illustrated with hundreds of never-before-seen archival photographs, makes this book the best examination of one of the world’s most prolific truck manufacturers. The book is widely available at book shopping sites including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and copies signed and numbered by the author can be purchased at www.oldemilfordpress.com

Patrick Foster is one of America’s best-known automotive journalists. He has been writing for more than 25 years and is a dedicated historian and author with a broad experience in the automotive industry. His work has appeared in numerous automotive magazines and he has regular columns in Hemmings Classic Car and Old Cars Weekly. Patrick has written 17 books about the American automobile and has two new books coming out this year including The History of International Harvester Trucks and George Romney-An American Life. He’s won numerous awards and was honored with the Lee Iacocca Award for excellence in automotive writing.

Author Patrick Foster with his restored 1967 Rambler Rogue

Patrick Foster is a popular banquet speaker and also conducts seminars on automotive history. Recently Pat appeared at the Studebaker International Meet in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and at “Meet the Authors” at the National Automotive History Collection in Detroit. Pat is scheduled to speak as part of the New England Auto Museum Speakers Series in late-February 2016. Actual date and location of this event will be announced early in the New Year.

Courtesy Olde Milford Press

Patrick Foster with his book on American Motors in Milford, CT

08 Dec

1st Experimental Safety Vehicle Built in Branford, Connecticut in 1957

Aurora prototype unveiled in Manhattan, November 11, 1957

Branford, Conn. – Dubbed by quite a few writers as one of the ugliest cars ever built, the 1957 Aurora prototype was designed by Father Alfred Juliano, a Catholic priest, in Branford. Not necessarily the product of divine intervention, Juliano’s purpose was to create the world’s safest automobile. With money contributed by his Connecticut congregation, Fr. Juliano wanted to build the car and make it available to American automakers to put into production. As it turns out, the gods were not with him and the project went bankrupt after creating just a single prototype.

Father Alfred Juliano with the Aurora Safety Car he designed and built

The Aurora prototype was built on a 1953 Buick frame from a wrecked car using fiberglass over a plywood superstructure with plastic windows. The body would therefore be corrosion and dent proof. On the safety side, the car had a built-in roll cage, seat belts, a padded instrument panel, a collapsible steering wheel, and side-impact bars. Even the spare tire was housed under the front end of the vehicle to help absorb impacts. The front end had a “cow catcher” sort of design, filled with foam, to scoop up pedestrians instead of running them over. Perhaps most innovative was that the seats were designed to swivel 180 degrees and face backwards should a collision be imminent.

Styling buck used to form the Aurora’s fiberglass body

Apparently, when Fr. Juliano brought the car to New York City in 1957 for its reveal, he didn’t consider that the Buick engine hadn’t been started for more than four years and the car broke down multiple ties during the journey. The company’s finances were called into question but in fact Fr. Juliano had gone deeply into personal debt financing the company, and eventually declaring bankruptcy, forfeiting the prototype to a repair shop as collateral for unpaid repair bills. It passed through several hands before finally being abandoned behind a Cheshire auto body shop in 1967. Juliano died of a brain hemorrhage in 1989 in Philadelphia.

The Aurora today as restored by Andy Saunders in the UK

In 1993, the car was discovered by British car enthusiast Andy Saunders of Poole, Dorset, in a sketch in a book about dream cars; “It was so ugly it was unreal. I said straightaway, ‘I’ve got to own that.'” After several years of searching, he eventually tracked the car down by the name of the garage in the background of a photograph of the car, purchased it sight unseen for $1,500, and had it shipped to Britain for another $2,000. The fiberglass and wood structure of the car proved to have deteriorated terribly from exposure, as well as the interior and plastic windshield. Restoration was further complicated by a lack of adequate documentation or even photographs of the car, the absence of the late Father Juliano to assist as a consultant, and the lack of replacement parts for a prototype vehicle. However, restoration was completed in early 2005, and the car was unveiled to a newly re-astounded public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and is now on display in the Beaulieu Motor Museum, Hampshire, England. The Aurora is arguably the first Experimental Safety Vehicle ever made, even before the coinage of the ESV acronym.

Article and photos courtesy Kenny Hoeschen 95octane.com

Magazine featuring the Aurora in April 1958

01 Dec

Lime Rock Park Announces 2016 Schedule, Discounted Holiday Ticket Pricing

LAKEVILLE, Conn. – Lime Rock Park has announced their 2016 Event Schedule, providing links to the Christmas and holiday discounted general admission ticket pages, and this link to the online Lime Rock Merchandise Store.

2016 Schedule: Four major spectator events (up from three in 2014 and 2015)

• May 27-29, Pirelli World Challenge on traditional Memorial Day Weekend
Pirelli World Challenge (GT, GTA, GTS, GT Cup), world debut of SCCA Pro Racing United States F4 Championship series, and the Seventh Annual Royals Garage Sunday Car Show.

• July 22-23, Northeast Grand Prix IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar & Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
WeatherTech championship: Prototype Challenge, GTLM & GTD; Continental championship: Grand Sport & Street Tuner. New for 2016 is the return of the GTLM class (good news for the Corvette fans in the Northeast, and they are legion). New factory efforts by Ford (the new GT), Lamborghini, Lexus and Dodge have joined the fray. NEW for IMSA 2016: Teens 16 and under admitted FREE with accompanying adult.

• September 2-5, Historic Festival 34 & Sunday in the Park Concours
250 vintage and historic race cars, 1,200 concours and collector cars, iconic Honored Guests and special collections. Each year’s Festival is always highly anticipated. The theme, honored guests and special collections will be announced closer to the event.

• September 24, Ferrari Challenge North America Trofeo Pirelli presented by Singha Beer.
The Ferrari 458C Evo is a terrific racing machine. A squadron of them at full chat at Lime Rock is not to be missed.

General Admission Tickets: One example of how big the Christmas and holiday discounts are: Would one rather pay $54 for a Pirelli World Challenge Weekend ticket now or $75 in May? Yep, that’s what we thought…

With much of Lime Rock’s major renovation project (“Road to 60”) complete, Lime Rock Park is expecting an exceptional season in 2016.

More information at www.limerock.com

Article & Photos courtesy Lime Rock Park