HUGE STOCK CLEARANCE!

The following books have been reduced! Check out the Special Offer section of the Veloce website for more details!

Alfa Romeo Montreal – The dream car that came true by Bruce Taylor
The British at Indianapolis by Ian Wagstaff
Alpine & Renault – The Sports Prototypes – Vol 1: 1963-1969 by Roy Smith
Alpine & Renault – The Sports Prototypes – Vol 2: 1973-1978 by Roy Smith
Northeast American Sport Car Races 1950-1959 by Terry O'Neil
Runways & Racers – Sports Car Races held on Military Airfields in America 1952-1954 by Terry O'Neil
Secrets of Speed – Today's techniques for 4-stroke engine blueprinting & tuning by Nick Swager
Waggy Tails & Wheelchairs – The complete guide to harmonious living for you and you dog by Alexander Epp
Clever Dog! – life lessons from the world's most successful animal by Ryan O'Meara
Dog Games – Stimulating play to entertain your dog and you by Christiane Blenski
Dinner with Rover – Delicious, nutritious recipes for you and your dog to share by Helena Paton-Ayre

*p+p extra. For more information visit our website.
Orders by telephone during office hours only (9am-5:30pm GMT, Mon-Fri).

CARFEST VENUES CONFIRMED FOR 2013

The venue for CarFest North has finally been revealed by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans – this will take place at Oulton Park Race Circuit in Cheshire from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 August 2013.
A former stately home, and 60 years old this year, Oulton Park’s combination of stunning scenery and spectacular racing make it one of the most picturesque and best loved circuits in the country. This new venue brings even more excitement to the experience of watching some of the world’s greatest cars – this time charging around a track – whilst offering some fantastic spaces for dancing to live music, chilling out in front of the Arena and having a fun, family weekend.

“We are extremely excited to have been chosen as the venue for CarFest North,” said Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of Oulton Park owners MotorSport Vision (MSV). “The event allows us to show off our greatest features – a spectacular track and stunning scenery. We are certain that at Oulton Park, CarFest North will be even better than last year and help to raise even more money for BBC Children in Need.”

Conceived by Evans as his own perfect festival, CarFest was an amazing sell-out in 2012 – so amazing that a second event was invented to meet demand; and so CarFest South and North were born. The original two events raised a staggering £968,735 for BBC Children in Need.

As in 2012, CarFest South will take place at Laverstoke Park Farm – the home of former Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter – from Friday 23 August to Sunday 25 August. Visitors can expect to see some of the world's greatest cars performing on a longer and more exciting hill climb course plus three evenings of live music, fabulous festival food and an amazing range of fun and games for the whole family.

“We are absolutely delighted to be donating the farm as the venue again for CarFest South to support BBC Children in Need. We are hoping the event will raise even more in 2013. The whole weekend last year had a wonderful family atmosphere and was one of the great highlights of our year on the farm," said Scheckter.

With venues now confirmed, Evans is eager for the action to start. He said: “I can’t wait to spend the three days of CarFest North in the surroundings of one of the most respected race circuits in Europe, with such a depth of historical magic. Then two weeks later at Laverstoke Park Farm – what a summer!”

The first release of CarFest 2013 tickets for both venues will go on sale on Thursday 17 January at 8am via the BBC Children in Need website at www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey.

Source: Carfest

FIVE OF THE ORIGINAL 36 FERRARI 250 GTOS IN THE FERRARI CLASSICHE DEPARTMENT

Restoration and certification work has resumed in the recently renovated Ferrari Classiche department which now boasts a packed workshop of 24 cars with some of the most significant and valuable classic Ferraris ever seen under one roof.

The Classiche department is currently working on no fewer than five of the 36 250 GTOs built, along with two 250 Testa Rossas, including the 1957 car that Phil Hill drove to victory at the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as three of the 32 250 LMs produced. Other significant cars include three short wheelbase 250 GT Berlinettas, a 1956 500 TR, and the 512 M that came 4th overall at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans.

To date the Classiche department has completed over 60 full, ground-up restorations − several of which have gone on to considerable success in international Concours d’Elegance − and processed over 3800 authentication certification applications. In addition, thanks to the department’s exclusive access to the company’s original technical designs and moulds, Classiche has cast numerous new engine parts, including 25 new V12 cylinder blocks and a similar number of cylinder heads, to help restore cars to original specifications.

Thanks to the services offered by Ferrari Classiche, today Ferrari collectors have access to the most authoritative restoration expertise to return their cars to original factory condition.

Source: Ferrari

ME AND MY CAR/MOTORCYCLE #9

This month's entry comes courtesy of MG Enthusiast magazine, who very kindly sent us this entry from Bob Featherstone, with his impeccable-looking MGB roadster. Bob wins a copy of MG MGB & MGB GT - The Essential Buyer's Guide for his efforts. Please keep your entries coming in, and you never know, it could be YOU in this space next month!

Bob Featherstone, three years the Chairman of the Exeter Area MGOC, likes his MGB to be original, but that does not mean 'as it left the factory'...

"I am a bit of a romantic about my MGB Roadster. I am not a purist by any means, but I do enjoy my car being ‘original’ – not in the sense of ‘as-built’ but in the ‘unique’ meaning of the word. If you just look at a row of MGBs, you can tell that over the years each car has slightly changed. Each one will sit slightly differently and just look back at you in its own distinctive way. After all, they vary in age from just over 30 years old to 50 and their ownership histories vary enormously so, they have every right to appear different.
When I saw that Vic Birch was advertising a brand new replacement wing design, it reminded me of Jacques Coune’s design of the Berlinette. The Belgian designer offered MG the chance of a new look coupe version of the MGB roadster in 1964, but the designs were turned down for being too Italian – then MG went instead to the Italian design company, Pininfarina! Coune's car included beautiful, faired-in headlamps and that is exactly what the VeeBee wings have. It was that look which attracted me, although the VeeBeeWing design is certified separately by the Patent Office. I knew right away that I had to have them fitted; the car would still be a classic, yet definitely more individual.

So my first task was to gain approval from my wife Lorraine, followed by confirmation from my usual car mechanic/engineer, Jeremy Board of London Road Garage in Ottery St Mary, Devon, that he would do the job for me. (I'm nott very mechanical!) Those agreements having both been achieved, I then ordered the wings from Vic Birch of VeeBeeWing in Tiptree, Essex.
In almost no time at all the wings were with Jeremy, and I was thinking it would be great to take along my new-look car to Blenheim Palace and the 50th Anniversary of the MGB. Like anything to do with MGs, nothing is straightforward and the job is only for those with bags of experience. Fortunately Jeremy specialises in MGs and looks after many of the Exeter MGOC members’ cars.
My B is a ’77 roadster in shiny black with over 80k on the clock. It had a rebuild in 2007 just before Lorraine and I bought it, and we have tried to improve it slowly year by year. In other words it is a pretty average and normal situation, typical of many MGBs and their owners. But now look at their car. Is it a Sebring? No, the wings have been remodelled and the headlamps have been moved back for a more streamlined look and the cowls are made from PETG, which can withstand high impact, as used in car and motorbike racing. But this is not a competition car, just a handsome head turner.
If you fancy this look on your B or C, roadster or GT, rubber or chrome, you can have the car that MG almostmade – just call Vic Birch. I must say that I have no connection with Vic other than as a satisfied customer, but I do like the result. MGB50 at Blenheim Palace was a rather soggy September Sunday, but at least my ‘new’ MGB was there – and attracting admiring glances." (You can see more on these wings here).

Bob selected MG MGB & MGB GT – The Essential Buyer's Guide by Roger Williams as his prize!

A small investment in this book could save you a fortune ... With the aid of this book's step-by-step expert guidance, you'll discover all you need to know about the car you want to buy. Unique point system will help you to place the cars value in relation to condition. This is an important investment - don't buy a car without this book's help.

More info.





Do you have an interesting car/motorcycle with a story to tell?
We want to see it! Send photos & description to prize@veloce.co.uk
We will pick one a month, and any we feature will win an Essential Buyer's Guide (worth £9.99 / $19.95) of your choice.
Click below to browse the whole series.

SIMPLE FIXES FOR YOUR CAR REVIEW

New book Simple fixes for your car - How to do small jobs for yourself and save money by Carl Collins is reviewed in Auto Express magazine!

Click here for more info about the book!

RM AUCTIONS TO SELL ENTIRE INVENTORY OF BRUCE WEINER MICROCAR MUSEUM

Hundreds of microcars and memorabilia, to be offered without reserve, February 15-16, 2013. More info at handlewithfun.com.


Bruce Weiner amassed what is probably the world’s finest collection of miniature vehicles over many years of assiduous collecting. His museum in Madison, Georgia, USA, will be the venue for the sale.



The collection includes the world’s smallest car (a 1964 Peel P-50) several bubble cars by Messerschmitt, Isetta and Goggomobil, and two Voisin Biscooters, extraordinary microcars built by French aviation and automotive engineer Gabriel Voisin.

Source: RM Auctions

From Veloce!
the little book of microcars
By Adam Quellin.

During the middle of the twentieth century, a plethora of small economy cars – often quirky and bizarre – emerged to meet the needs of the cash-strapped motorist. This book charts the history and development of these microcars, from the lean period after the Second World War right up to the present day. More info.

SAM'S WEYMOUTH HARBOUR XMAS SWIM

Veloce's Sam (closest camera - fetching blue trunks) doing his 2012 Christmas day harbour swim in Weymouth. Brrrr ...