Le Mans Classic 2014
Page 2

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Opening Page

Story and Images by Joachim Gruchot

Story and Images by Patrick Wheeler

Story and Images Page 2 by Patrick Wheeler

Story and Images Page 3 by Patrick Wheeler

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Those Lovely Italians!

One of the things about traveling to Le Mans Classic with a buddy who has spent his entire professional life in the auto business, well, when he stops in his tracks and lets out a gasp, you know something is happening ....

May I introduce you to Zagato, a coachbuilding firm out of Milano (yes, I do read) www.zagato.it

Oh, these dedicated design firms, they can with simplicity, make such elegant music, a push button to get a door handle out (not allowed today as in a rollover the button can be pressed and the door fly open exposing the passenger) and for some reason it takes artfully applied raindrops to accentuate the lines, not swooping, but still, pure loveliness .... only the Italians can make a straight line sexy ...

The tiniest of bulges on the engine compartment allows a wash of hot air from the engine bay over the windshield wipers and windscreen ... ever so subtle and organic ....

And no, the incredibly rare as hens-teeth Zagato bodied Lancia that had my motoring friend breathless was not on a dedicated stage, she had been driven to the local Super-U marche to pick up some groceries before returning to the track ... compare her to my little red german coupe, which one would_you_take to the corner store? Steamed up headlamps and all ... please to note the dedicated 'humps' in the roofline above driver and passenger ... a signature element of the house Zagato ..

But oh, my, back to house Zagato, this one enjoying a place directly up front, pride of place in a dedicated paddock, this time the 'body for Ferrari' and this California plated hot'cha! also shows the signature bumps over pilot and passenger and swooping nascent fins along with a bump in the hood to let the hot gas out ... the tiny popout door handle ... yes, I know Ferrari is worth a fortune, and this is the _big_ brother of our tiny Lancia. Can I share a non-secret? Which one would I drive to the corner store? The Lancia cutie, she is still my favorite ...

But, may I please draw your attention to the, umm, errr ... posterior? The lines again, the tiniest of gaps over pilot & passenger to allow air circulation, but it is the rear window, see the jag? No thought to ease of manufacture (rollover safety? why??), or cost in asking the glass people to do something bespoke, all is dedicated to seeing the vision of the designer ... oh, God loves the Italians, and so do I!

Maserati has a storied history here ... and at the Classics she returns in strength ... and word has it they are doing very nicely with their modern vehicles as well!

Oh yeah, BMW, Porsche, and the rest, watch out for the trident coming up fast from out of no-where! (love the narrow wheels, narrower than the prius of today, on a race prepped period piece no less ...)

But, oh, I bet the new Ghibli engine is nothing like this beauty ... love the tiny tridents on the cam covers ... and when she fires up .. harmony ...

Oops, may I draw your attention to the master mechanic giving the young turks a lesson in craftsmanship? As you walk around the paddocks and watch the people, you see the masters here ... if one could only soak in their knowledge ... the centuries of knowledge buried in the heads of these people ...

Sigh ... if we ever invent force-fields and inter-dimensional worm-hole faster-than-light-travel, and we can go exploring distant galaxies and planets, I want to go in this car, like Spaceman Spiff ... this is the most lovely flying saucer ... _ever_ ... as they say about artists, it is knowing what not to paint, with this coachbuilding, it is knowing what not to curve ... I give you the aptly named Alfa Romeo Jiulietta Sprint Speciale

OK, hyurk, what can I say, leaving the paddock for his heat on the track, rain is miserable, but (Mister MOTU, to you!) has someone hold the umbrella, when he gets up to speed on the track though ... :-)

Oh, these Italians, look good running, walking or standing still ... and the presence of a Fiat Abarth Multipla as a night running pilot delivery vehicle just adds to the atmosphere

Back to the multipla ... I do love the carpark at the classics ... this odd bulbous thing, a true people mover, just sitting out here, with the porsche 356 (see through windows?), Healey's and etc and etc ... you can see the picnic hamper in back, throw your friends and a picnic in it and head out!

And shopping list yellow-sticky attached to the dash provides a modern anachronism ... but the white plastic steering wheel ...

Fiat is really doing well right now ... especially in my household, had a surprise urgent need for a car this week (new company car delayed by 6 months), stopped by the dealer and purchased, literally, the first car in the showroom floor... little Fiat 500 joins the family next Tuesday (if the dealer is to be believed) ... will not be as cute as this, but, well, it will allow barnstorming around France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany with great modern facility!

OK, not every house has the discipline of Zagato, and some of the manufactures have gone overboard with the swoops, scoops, cutouts and cutaways... but in this signature Italian red ...Scoops, swoops and cutaways ... oh my!

Anyway, if I have not bored you to sleep, may I share a last night-shot of a sleeping beastie ... ready to turn into a fire-breathing dragon on the track ... but now Smaug's dreaded nostrils are not flairing as she sleeps peaceably in her paddock ...

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