|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The February Rendezvous February 8th in Kernersville was well attended by Beth and Bob Snow of Graham, Dan and Teri Ermi of Bethania, Jim Clarkson of Bethania, Tim and Susan Simmons, Blake Frazier, Don Ferree, Steve Jones, Dan and Scott King of Greensboro, Thor Mirchandani, John Hauser, Bob King, Jack O’Brien of Winston Salem. Although most attendees left thair cars in the garage to avoid exposure to leftover salt from January's snowdays, we had a Ferrari and an Alfa Romeo in the car park.
We discussed the Virginia International Raceway grand reopening Gold Cup historic races June 8-9.
We told some good stories and passed vintage Alfa Romeo Books and Videos and Sales Brochures. We had a drawing for a Corsa Rossa T Shirt which Jack O’Brien won and a Phil Hill Book which Susan Simmons won. We sold several of the T shirts and Sweat Shirts.
We have a large group going to the tech session at Peter Krause’s including Bob and Beth Snow, Dan and Teri Emi, Jim Clarkson, John Hauser, Blake Frazier, Jason Fedler and Steve Jones. We will leave Lucky 32’s at 7am on Stratford Road in Winston Salem. We will stop at the Wendover Exit at Foreign Cars Italia in Greensboro at 7:30am and then at the Snows in Graham at 8am and then finish at Peter Krauses. Plan to drive your trusty mount. Salt should be off the roads by then.
Wine Tour in April has the following who have made or are making
reservations:
Tim and Susan Simmons - Alfa Romeo
Thor Mirchandani and Amy Kudla - Ferrari 365
John Hauser and Carol Wooley - MGA
Bob and Sandra King - Porsche 912
Steve Jones and Blake Frazier - Ferrari 328 GTS
Jim and Dorothy Clarkson - Ferrari 328 GTS
Dan and Teri Emi - Ferrari / Alfa Romeo
Bob and Beth Snow - Ferrari 348
Bill Craig - Alfa Romeo
Steve karapetian and Miriam Bonds - Ferrari 308 GT/4
Ciao!
John Hauser
On Wednesday 26th of January7Pm we met for our monthly Formula One Evening. We enjoyed the Ringmasters at Nurburgring , the mightiest grand prix circuit in Europe. He who masters the “Ring” is truly a great driver. This film covers the 16 miles of excellent racing per lap through the Eifel mountains and the 17 men including Jack Brabaham, John Surtees, Jackie Iykx, Graham Hill, Jim Clark , Denny Hulme, Dan Gurney, Mike Parks, Mike Spence, Jo Siffert, Bruce McLaren, Rindt, Hanna,Jo Bonnier racing for teams such as Ferrari, Lotus, Cooper, Cooper-Maserati, Honda, Eagle-Weslake, Honda, Brabham, Liege, and BMW.
Jim Clark in the Lotus takes the lead and his car fails with Denny Hulme in the Brabham taking the lead and then Dan Gurney with several fast laps and breaking Clark’s record lap from the year before takes the lead in the Eagle Weslake with its distinctive talon like beak. After some stunning driving Gurney is out and Denny Hulme and Jack Brabham finish first and second in the Brabhams.
Hulme and Brabham both racing for Brabham battle it out the rest of the season and Jack allows Denny his teammate and fellow Australian an equal chance at the title even though Jack owns and runs the team. Hulme ends up winning the drivers’ championship and Brabham wins the Constructors championship.
Italian Pizza from Bella Capri along with wine, beer and coffee made the evening. We had White Pizza with Ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, tomato, broccoli and fresh garlic. We enjoyed a vegetarian Pizza with tomato, onion,green pepper, mushroom, broccoli, black olives, garlic oil and extra cheese. We also enjoyed the Capri Special with mushrooms, green peppers, onion, Italian sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese.
We then watched film clips from the Castrol Classic Film library of two and four wheeled motor sport. Highlights included scenes from the 1951 Grand Prix d’Europe at Reims; the sports car race at Monaco in 1952; the 500cc Formula 3 race at Brands Hatch; the Monaco Grand Prix of 1957; the 1959 East African Safari Rally; the 1954 Isle of Man TT side car event; the 1956 French Motor cross Grand Prix, Ice racing on motorcycles in Sweden and even a scoot across and trials competition on motor scooters.
Then we watched the splendid drive of Michael Schumacher at the Grand Prix of Spain in the rain in 1996. There were ten of us including Dan and Teri Emmi, Jim Clarkson, Thor Mirchandani, Amy Kudla, Jack O’Brien, Steve Karapetian, John Hauser, Carol Wooley, and Gene Grimaldi. We headed home given the threat of another snow storm and given the fact that we just had one heck of a busy the night before which Dumped 20-24 inches on Raleigh, 18 inches on Asheboro and 12 inches on Greensboro and Lexington. Fortunately, Winston Salem only had between 4-6 inches and given it was the 4th snow storm in a week we were glad to share the snow with our brethren in Raleigh. As I write this the sleet and ice is building up this early Sunday morning.
With all the snow we've had january didn't offer many opportunities for sportscar driving. But what can be better for catching up with one's reading? Here are some highly recommended books:
"Juan Manuel Fangio-Motor Racing’s Grand Master"
By Karl Ludvigsen, foreword by Karl Kling
The book is well written and is work the $50 price tag for the illustrations alone. Juan Manuel Fangio began racing in the 1930s in his native Argentina and was immediately successful. He first raced seriously in Europe in 1949, planning on one season only, but stunning victories led to a change of plan and the creation of a legend.
Fangio won a record five Formula 1 World Championship titles before retiring in 1958. His brilliant achievements remain a yardstick against which motor sport is measured.
Juan Manuel Fangio was among the most powerful, sympathetic and engaging of any sportsman of the post war era. But his radiant charisma stemmed from far more than his record as a racing driver. In formula one he won 78 of his 200 races and placed in 69 more. Driving for Alfa Romeo, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Maserati in Formula One and racing at Sebring, Mille Miglia, LeCarrea Pan Americana, LeMans and many more sports car races he became the Grandmaster.
"The Last Open Road" continues in "Montezuma’s Ferrari"
By BS Levy
Montezuma’s Ferrari is the long awaited sequel to BS Levy’s cult classic The Last Open Road. The new story picks up barely a week after that first book ends, and takes readers on yet another hilarious, high octane roller coaster ride through the pleasures, pangs, and perils of growing up in the fifties , set against the backdrop of the glamorous, exciting, and often dangerous early days of American road racing.
The likeable young narrator/mechanic Buddy Palumbo takes off from Old Man Finzio’s gas station in New Jersey on a whole new series of adventures, starting off with a trip to a makeshift Ferrari race shop in the steamy jungles of Southern Mexico for the 1952 Carrera Panamericana. Buddy also drops in on a beatnik/pinko New Year’s Eve bash in Greenwich Village, survives the famous 12 hour enduarance grind across the cracked concrete runways of Sebring, Florida, and all while struggling through those thrilling, trying, troubling, and occasionally terrifying few months every young man experiences between popping the question and his wedding day.
As in the first book, The Last Open Road Levy’s vivid and entertaining cast of characters are skillfully interwoven with the actual people, places, and events of the era, giving the story a historical accuracy and sense of realism not normally associated with works of fiction. Montezuma’s Ferrari offers far more than a simple glimpse into motorsports history, as Buddy (whom several critics have likened to Holden Caulfield in J.D.Salinger’s classic Catcher in the Rye) makes new friends, meets new challenges, and learns new lessons about everything from life to love, racecraft to religion, and carburetors to capitalism. Sit back, gab a drink and hang on this is one ride you do not want to miss.
Burt Levy started racing in 1970 with a $600 Triumph TR3 and later switched to Alfa Romeos. In 1984 he began Vintage Racing and you can read his columns in several magazines.
Enjoy! Ezekiel Thunderbolt
On February 19th FCA will conduct a tech session February 19th at Krause & England in Raleigh. The Emmi’s will lead the way from Winston Salem to the Snow’s in Graham for breakfast and then on to Krause & England for the Tech Session and Tour. Call Dan & Teri Emmi (336) 760 2603
On your way from Clemmons, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and points west of Graham to the Krause & England Tech Day on 19 February, you are all invited to the Snow's home for a colazione to start the day right. From here we can caravan to the Krause & England shops, normally about a 45-minute drive. Beth & Bob Snow will have plenty of good food prepared to fuel your trip. Arrive anytime (as early as you want but 8:00 - 8:30 would be great) knowing we should leave here around 9:30AM.
I talked to Peter Krause this week and the plans are for him to hold a 2 to 2-1/2 hour tech session starting around 10:30. After the tech session, he has a drive planned, culminating in lunch somewhere in the Chapel Hill area.
Here are the directions to the Snow's house:
March 4 & 5th MAARC will continue the tradition with its Drivers Education program at Roebling Road Savannah. There are four classes:
Our group will once again attend the Hampton Roads Branch of the Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo Club’s annual wine tour in and around Charlottesville this April 14th-16th. Call 1-800-786-5400 for reservations at the English Inn of Charlottesville. Our Group number is 041400 for the group discount of $68.50-74.50 for double occupancy.
In 1999 Thor and Amy drove a Ferrari and Bill and John drove an Alfa Romeo from Winston Salem. In 2000 we hope to have a larger turnout from Corsa Rossa.
Corsa Rossa will attend the annual hill climb in May. We will stay at the little Switzerland Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. For more information call Jack O’Brien.
Click here for more info and pictures from the 1999 European Car Festival!
Ciao! John HauserWe've got a few more pieces to the puzzle: Engine number is 43000326 0A. The lights are Carello and the gauges are Veglia Borletti.
As you may recall, Corsa Rossa has received several e-mails from Rick Howard regarding an Italian sportscar he purchased. The information provided by the seller was very sparse. It is registered as a "1969 Fiat Prototype". The serial number is 124AS0017087, which looks like it could be a Fiat VIN, possibly on a 2.4 liter Dino. As can be seen in the pictures, the car has many features that suggests it is a Fiat Dino of some kind. However, there are a lot of things that cloud the picture. (One is of course the fact that the car is a targa top!) Does anybody know what the car in the picture is? Send an email to corsarossa@geocities.com or leave a message in our online mailbox.
 The general lines are reminescent of the Pininfarina designed Fiat Dino Spider. |  The outline of a Ferrari horse, which in all likelihood was applied by an owner. No Dinos (Fiat or Ferrari) displayed the prancing horse, until the Dino 308 GT/4 was "re-branded" Ferrari late in its production run. |
 The all-alloy engine has the Dino logo. At the time the engine capacity is not known. |  Steering wheel looks like it comes from a Ferrari Dino, as Fiat Dino units sport the Fiat emblem. The instrument layout is different from the traditional Fiat Dino layout with tach and speedo mounted centrally, surrounded by four smaller instruments. |
 Dual headlight and grille are reminsecent of Fiat Dino... |  as is this side view. |
 "Design by Giugiaro" emblem. In 1969 Giugiaro was still with Bertone, where he actually designed the Fiat Dino coupe in 1967. The Dino coupe does not sport such an emblem. Ferrai Dino and Fiat Dino Spider were of course designed by Pininfarina. |  Another view of the "mystery Fiat". |
 A good view of the targa setup. The wheels are consistent with Fiat Dino of the era. |
So what is the car in the pictures? Many speculations have been voiced, ranging from a rare Giugiaro prototype of some kind (what?) to a Fiat Dino "chop job" with added Ferrari elements (by whom?). Maybe you have the answer to this mystery!
Contact Steve Karapetian at (336) 766-1785 or leave a message in our online mailbox.