SoCal Villa | Summer is upon us here in the Midwest, though the cooler days with a foggy fret off the Lake would make you think otherwise. Here’s Steve McQueen maintaining a cool look, as always, in the courtyard of his Beverly Hills home on a Triumph Matisse runabout’. His ’57 Jaguar XKSS which he called The Green Rat is parked in the background. He makes that faded denim shirt and jeans ensemble with Turkish slippers look stylish.
Niki Lauder | He won the F1 world championship in 1975, 1977 & 1984 racing for both Ferrari and Maclaren. He had a horrific accident at the Nurburgring in ’76 where a fiery crash severely burned his head and toxic fumes damaged his lungs. His rivalry with James Hunt is legendary. He died earlier today aged 70.
Senna | A quarter of a century ago today we lost one of the greats: Ayrton Senna fatally crashed his Formula One car at the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy. Let’s enjoy this simple image of him getting the shopping in at Monaco on his moped. The distinctive helmet is an icon of the racing world, his racing record up to his untimely death unparalleled. A record six victories at the Monte Carlo circuit is still unbeaten. His native Brazil consider him a national hero.
Abarth | I was scootering between site visits today and when I was filling the Tigers tank up I spied this little pearl of a racer. Red Scorpion on its hood and a little extra oomph in its diminutive engine. Standing next to it I couldn’t imagine being able to get in it without my head poking through the sun roof and elbows sticking out of the windows.
No. 1 Corinthian Arch – this year is the 60th birthday of the classic small British car: the Mini. So the blog will periodically dip into the history of the coolest vehicle ever devised. It beats the Beetle, dashes the Deux Chevaux, sinks the Cinquecento. I like this photo for the black and white photojournalist look as well as the Arch at Stowe where my wife live IN for a summer back in the mid-nineties.
Mini Me – latest update from my cousin Keith Wallace and his Mini project. Engine in, wheels on, steering and suspension fitted. I’m recommending red body with white roof like a mid-sixties Monte Carlo rally in Cooper regalia.
White -The late thirties saw the creation of what is sometimes considered the most beautiful of American cars: The Cord 812. The visual brainchild of noted automobile designer Gordon Buehrig; its sleek lines, emphasized by flip-up headlights, hidden hinges, and the classic wraparound ‘coffin’ grill, had looks that heralded a bright future. Cutting his teeth as head bodywork designer for Duesenberg he stated that a large influence on his design ethos was architect Le Corbusier’s book “Towards a New Architecture”.
General Motors – Pontiac designer Bill Mitchell created a devilish muscle car for the ’74 Car Show circuit. The Firebird Banshee was the concept and the creative team behind the aerodynamic body accompanied it with an inspired custom 500cc Honda.
The Bandit – 70’s actor Burt Reynolds passed away today at the age of 82. His breakout role in ’72 was in the acclaimed John Boorman film Deliverance, pictured above. His other notable character was Bo “Bandit” Darville in Smokey & the Bandit, a goofy car chase film set across middle America involving truckers, police, bikers and a high power Pontiac Grand Am.
You only get an Ooh! Derby in the sixties; Foden PVD6 double decker, Austin Morris 1100, and a Triumph 3TA Twenty One give period traffic to this Midland town. Billboards with Carreras Buckingham cigarettes, possibly a Horlicks poster, and some dextrose item ‘For Energy’. And of course the Cuppa splashed along the bus.
Deux Chevaux – like some giant upturned orange wheelbarrow this Citröen 2CV was parked up near Morries Place last weekend. Developed in France after the 2nd World War as an economical family transport it was spare in detail but complete in purpose. Over 9 million of these cars and their variants were manufactured over 42 years. It’s up there in motoring history with the Ford Model T, VW’s Beetle, Fiat’s 500, and BMC’s Mini.
Auto Show – pleasant evening wandering the ginormous exhibition halls of McCormick Place for the annual car show. Plenty to ogle at, sit in, inspect, consider. Here’s a small selection of some very nice items: Porsche 911 Carrera T (370); Ford GT (647); Ford Bullitt edition Mustang (475); and Stingray (750-ish). Horse power in parentheses.
Winter is Here. As January draws to a close we’ve had a couple of unseasonably warmer days here in Chicago. Don’t let that fool you! It’s forecast to snow later this week and plunging temperatures are anticipated again. Here’s a classic image of an AA officer coming to the help of a broken-down Hillman Minx.
The Driver – today is primo stunt driver Bill Hickman’s Birthday. Born in 1921 he is most known as the assassins getaway driver in Bullitt. Driving a ’68 Dodge Charger 440 Magnum R/T through the streets of San Francisco whilst being chased by Steve McQueen in his Highland Green ’68 Ford Mustang 390 GT . Here is Bill keeping an eye in the rearview mirror for Frank Bullitt. Considered one of the greatest car chases in moviedom it could never be achieved in this day and age as modern action scenes are created with unreal CGI tomfoolery. The second greatest chase is in William Friedkin’s 1971 The French Connection which was also helmed by Hickman.
Hickman was friend and driving master to James Dean. Being was first on the scene to Deans fateful crash in his 550 Spyder, and sadly the one who was at his side when he died.
