Just how good a racecar was Porsche’s 356? Since the model’s introduction, Porsche 356s of all types (77,895 cars built)...
It was not my intention for this story to be all about motorhomes. Alas, I may have failed you in...
In almost all parts of the world street racing is illegal. It’s unsanctioned, unregulated, and often extremely dangerous for participants and bystanders. Although street racing in the United States may have been most widespread in the early post-war period, the activity dates back to the dawn of the automobile and...
The car collector world is full of automotive puzzles and owners and pundits with “theories”. Some theories arise out of...
The world is full of confusing racecar stories. This is one of them. I read with great interest, Jonathan Stein’s...
1953 Leson Simca Special Progress is not always a good thing. In the early 1950s, if you wanted to go racing in America you could build yourself a car or have one professionally constructed to your exact specifications. Sure, that meant some homebuilt, crude and dangerous machines were flying around...
One of the most intriguing post-war American automotive tales has largely been forgotten. It was a car story that began...
Recently the collector car world has shifted. Although interest remains for established sectors, a new generation of enthusiasts has arrived...
I want to be Rich Plavetich. Is he cool? Check. Does he have a wonderful and beautiful wife who also loves cars? Check. How about a fabulous career? Check (General Manager, Nissan Design America). But does he have a car collection? Check, and it’s awesome! (see Hidden Treasures, December, 2016)....
What is this thing they call Contessa? The term Contessa originates from the Italian language and translates as “countess.” In...
If you don’t know the Furlows of Dallas, Texas, you’ve definitely been hanging with the wrong vintage racing crowd. Father...
Is there no end to the list of racecar manufacturers of the 20th century? Let’s have a show of hands. How many know anything about German builder SWM? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone? Mark Brinker SWM was formed by brothers Stefan and Wenzel Mannl (SWM) of Munich, Germany, in the early 1960s. Starting...
There is a certain indescribable thrill associated with the resurrection of a long lost automobile. It’s often more than the...
Hot Rods are more than just auto-mobiles. They define a culture; a way of life. And at their best, they are an art form—muscular and powerful, yet at the same time stylish. Some rods were street cruisers, a way to have fun, grab attention and, of course, girls. Others were...
On July 12, 2009, thousands of onlookers witnessed as a 1925 Bugatti Type 22 Brescia Roadster was plucked from Lake...
If you’re reading this magazine, you’re probably passionate about vintage racecars. You love the sounds they make, the smells that...
Almost Famous is Cameron Crowe’s semi-auto-biographical film about a teenage journalist who lands a writing gig with Rolling Stone magazine and tours with an up-and-coming rock band and their fetching groupies. The boyish Crowe character travels alongside his musical heroes, falls in love with Penny Lane (played by Kate Hudson),...
How many vintage racing machines can you name that were originally powered by an ear-piercing DKW power plant? Not such...
There is a warehouse in Houston, Texas, that is the automotive equivalent of Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. There are no...
Would you consider equipping your sports car with an aftermarket supercharger then drive it across country from New York to race at Sebring? That’s precisely what John Bentley and Paul O’Shea did with Bentley’s 1950 Simca 8 Sport Cabriolet (#888673). The year was 1950 and the first-ever race at Sebring...
Imagine buying an exotic 1950s Italian sports car only to learn upon delivery that it isn’t the car you paid...
(Chassis #Z1058301) Vintage Racecar’s Siamese Twin, Vintage Roadcar, features a monthly column, “By Design,” inked by automotive and industrial designer...
1970 Phil Henny IMSA GT Chevrolet Camaro (Chassis#124870L515127) Phil Henny is one of those guys you’ve probably never heard of. That’s too bad, because in the second half of the 1960s he was at the center of it all. Born in Switzerland, Henny worked as a mechanic for Shelby American...
Oscar Wilde wrote, “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” This sounds a lot like the car hobby to...
Much like the animal it was named for, the precise origin of the Unicorn H-Modified sports racer remains a mystery....
Just how far will a fanatical collector go to capture the racecar of his obsessions? Would he carry a satchel stuffed with large sums of cash to meet a stranger in a dubious location? Or would he crawl across a filthy garage floor bare-chested over broken glass to get to...
What was Jud Phillips thinking? This has been the question that’s tormented Bill Fester for nearly a decade. Fester, from...
We all love to be gob-smacked. It’s part of what keeps the hobby fresh and exciting. You know what I’m...
There is no hidden racecar in this story, but there are four treasures, one mechanical and three human. I love this one. The mechanical treasure of this month’s installment is the 1953 Siata 208S (#BS520). Painted in a lovely shade of white, BS520 was the E-Production Class Winner at the...
