The Magazine

Hillclimb racer ends in back of family car

Not your usual Hillclimbing mount, but at least it's easy to load into a small people carrier to take home at the end of the day. Gerry Michelmore's diminutive 1921 Carden Sports 707cc cyclecar seen at the VSCC opening Hillclimb of 2013 at Wiscombe Park near Honiton in Devon.

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Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Today on PostWarClassic: Is the Dutch Mini, really 'Made in Holland'? (upd.: chass. A/A2S7-1083 assembled in Holland!)

Whether Fiat or FIAT*, it's definitely a supercar!

Wealth has its prerogatives. In 1904, when Kaiser Wilhelm II suggested that his friend August Anheuser Busch Sr. should order a Fiat 60HP car, the $13,500 price for the chassis alone wasn't likely an issue. Nor the $4,000 cost of the patented and state-of-the art aluminum-skinned Quinby & Co custom body. Busch agreed and his 1905 Fiat 60HP, serial 3003 - the third produced of twenty, arrived with a new steel chassis (wooden in 1904), a torquey and reliable 10.6 liter T-head four-cylinder motor, 100HP sprockets for its chain drive, and quickly-detachable wings. It also seems to have been equipped with a unique, possibly experimenal, but certainly troublesome clutch that helped to cause the car shortly to be laid up. In 1905 the land speed record was less than 110 MPH, and Busch's Fiat 60HP touring would exceed 80! Retained by Busch until his death in 1934, the Fiat passed through the hands of several noted collectors (James Melton, for example) over the next few decades, remaining in wonderful original condition. It has recently experienced a patina-retaining mechanical restoration and is now being offered at RM Auction's Villa Erba sale in Como, Italy on May 25. While the term "supercar" may not have been coined until the days of the 959, Enzo, and Veyron, deep pockets could indeed acquire a "supercar" for themselves 108 years ago. Here's the running, driving proof. (Photos courtesy of RM Auctions.)

* From Wikipedia: "Giovanni Agnelli, with several investors, founded the Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.) società per azioni (S.p.a.), Italian Automobile Factory of Turin, in 1899. Its acronymous name was changed to upper- and lower-case Fiat in 1906."

RM in their auction description uses correctly FIAT (see chassis plate) and that's what most historians do for the pre-1906 cars. But look at the hubcap!

UPDATE by editor: further information; the 1904 F.I.A.T. tipo 24-32 40HP owned by Jan Bruijn in Holland has a F.I.A.T. chassis plate, a radiator logo with 'Fabrica Italiano Automobile Torino' and hubcaps with 'Fiat' in script like the car pictured above.

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Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Today on PostWarClassic: About my Dodge trip from Korea to Holland!

Submerged car ID (upd. '29/'30 Dodge or Chrysler?)

David Coe sends this arty picture of a car eaten away by water and salt somewhere in the the drowned city Epecuen, Argentina. David writes: "Although I doubt it's of huge interest to your readers I wonder if anyone can venture an identification of this vehicle." How wrong David, we love this kind of unidentified cars! Although we're not really sure this is a pre-war, we wouldn't be surprised if it is. The chassis design, the positions of the engine, the remainders of a running board(?), the hub showing at the rear wheel, it could very well be a pre-war vehicle. Presunably of American making. The engine looks like a big six, or is it eight? We're sure that our connoisseur readers will bring light in this quickly.

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Monday, 13 May 2013

Today on PostWarClassic: Forgotten villager Austin

Half Hisso Sprint Special!

This typical American sprint car is presented this weekend by PreWarCar afficionado Jim Kruse at the AACA Spring Meet in Auburn, Indiana, USA. Believe it or not but his wife bought the car and it was up to Jim, family and friends to bring back the basket case to former glory. This was not only a restoration job but aside that also a labour of historical research. These sprint cars were custom-built around a cut in half Hispano Suiza V8 (aero) engine. See attached the full story (PDF will need a little time to load) Jim wrote in 'Secrets Magazine' about the car.

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Sunday, 12 May 2013

Today on PostWarClassic: