Briggs Cunningham: Tale Of An American Sportsman

A few years ago I had the honor of designing and producing the Briggs Cunningham biographical website. Cunningham was a fascinating man whose story I believe any muscle car fan or hot rodder will appreciate.

Here is a link to Tom Cotter's contribution, "Briggs Swift Cunningham, A Brief Biography".

 

An Impromtu Visit With The Ultimate Car Guy

Richmond Street Rodders welcomed Jay Leno at Vancouver Int'l Airport, Saturday May 8 on his way to a private speaking engagement. A great time was had by all.

I received this message last Thursday, May 5 from my friend Gord James, president of the Richmond Street Rodders in Richmond, BC, home of Vancouver International Airport:

Jay Leno is arriving in Vancouver this Saturday for a private function. Nigel Matthews mentioned that if we parked our cars along the grass beside the road by the Helijet terminal (Inglis Dr., across from McDonalds), he might stop and say hello. We should be there by 6:00.

 

Gord

Sure enough, Jay stopped by on his way into Vancouver, and we have a few photos of his visit from the good folks in the RSR.

Big kudos go to Nigel Matthews for making it happen.

Le Mans and Nurburgring Winner 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Tour de France At Mecum Monterey 2010

Mecum Auctions has consigned 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Tour de France s/n 1321 to headline its second annual Mecum at Monterey Auction, August 13-14.

Le Mans and Nurburgring Winner
The Ferrari finished 3rd overall and 1st in class at Le Mans in 1959, under the Equipe Nationale Belge banner, and piloted by Jean Blaton and Leon Dernier. Earlier in the year, s/n 1321 finished 1st in class at the Nürburgring 1000Km. The car comes to auction following a long period in private hands.

Watch this blog for more information on this historically significant collector Ferrari.

1962 Plymouth Savoy Max Wedge 413

Part of the 1962 Chrysler B-body’s universal appeal to period racers is that its somewhat stodgy styling hid a technologically advanced drivetrain that made it capable of trailering everything it met. In other words, the B-Body 413 Max Wedge was the perfect sleeper: even after everyone woke up to it, it was still unbeatable. In his 2004 book Tales from The Drag Strip, Don Garlits describes driving a 413 Max Wedge with his wife Pat on the highway to Texas in 1962: “With a 3.31 gear, [we’re] leaving rubber at 120 mph and we just drove away from that Ford! I bet that guy talks about that to this day to his grandchildren!”

This exemplary '62 Wedge is consigned to Dana Mecum's Original Spring Classic Auction for sale on Saturday May 22.