300 SLR, who is the driver?

1963 Ferrari 250 GT0 sells for record $52 million.

Citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the sale, Bloomberg reports that the rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO was owned by noted Connecticut based car collector Paul Pappalardo, and likely sold to a Spanish collector.

If accurate, it was the highest known price ever paid for an automobile, smashing the record set by another Ferrari 250 GTO last year, which went for a reported $35 million.

When contacted by Bloomberg, Pappalardo had no comment.

The 250 GTO was a street legal racing car that cost less than $20,000 when new. Pappalardo purchased the car in 1974 for an unknown price and has entered it in several historic racing events over the years.

A total of 39 250 GTOs were built from 1962 to 1964 and just 36 are known to exist. No two are exactly the same.

Porsche line up at the 2013 Pebble Beach concours.

GROUP 44 JAGUAR XJS Chassis # XJR-4
1981 TRANS-AM CHAMPIONSHIP
Portland 1st, Braynard 1st, Mosport 1st.
1982 DAYTONA 24 HR IMSA RACE
The first 12 Cylinder Jaguar to compete in 24 hour endurance race as prelude to Le Mans prototype development.
*TECHNICAL DATA
Engine: 6 Litre V-12/Torque: 471 Ft Lbs/Power: 589 HP/Carbs: 6 Dual Throat Webers/Max RPM: 7800/Transmission: Jerico 4 spd/Diff: Frankland Quick Change/Suspension: All Jaguar, Fully Independent

1930s Alfa Romeo racing car.

To celebrate 60 years since the first Australian Grand Prix was held at Albert Park, the organisers have tracked down some of the blokes who were on there and in the videos below they share their recollections of that historic day. Meet three wonderful characters: John Reaburn was a 17 year old spectator in 1953 and had dreams – that he turned to reality – to be a successful racing driver. More at http://www.motorsportretro.com/2013/03/australian-grand-prix-2/

This is a magnificent and shocking documentary about Grand Prix racing in the 60′s and 70s. Some of the footage I have never seen before, and it is horrific, however it’s captivating viewing.

Here is the blurb from BBC4

“In the 60s and early 70s it was common for Grand Prix drivers to be killed while racing, often televised for millions to see. Mechanical failure, lethal track design, fire and incompetence snuffed out dozens of young drivers. They had become almost expendable as eager young wannabes queued up at the top teams’ gates waiting to take their place.

This is the story of when Grand Prix was out of control.

Featuring many famous drivers including three times world champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, twice world champion Emerson Fittipaldi and John Surtees OBE, this exciting but shocking film explores how Grand Prix drivers grew sick of their closest friends being killed and finally took control of their destiny.

After much waste of life, the prestigious Belgian and German Grands Prix would be boycotted, with drivers insisting that safety be put first. But it would be a long and painful time before anything would change, and a lot of talented young men would be cut down in their prime.

This is their story.

‘Something was terribly wrong. I loved the sport, but it was wrong. I prayed to God whether or not to continue.’ – Emerson Fittipaldi

‘It made me angry. The sport was way wrong.’ – Sir Jackie Stewart OBE.”

Boston area businessman and racer Richard Valentine at the Daytona paddock 2009. Richard and four teammates went on to win the 24-hour endurance race in the No. 67 Porsche GT3.

Thompson Speedway, Thompson CT I thunk. A fantastic image from Harry Horenstein.

I'd guess a Maserati 250F but the setting is crazy! Imagine driving an F1 car in traffic?

Talented grid but were GPs more predictable back then with Lotus, BRM and Ferrari way out ahead. Or was 2012 more predictable with Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari way out ahead?

The 917/10 was used to win the Can-Am series in 1972, but the car was created for the prior season. So this could be as early as spring of '71 or possibly fall of '70. But the nose looks like the '72 car, so we're guessing spring of '72.

Early board track racing cars 1920s.

Driving The Worlds Most Valuable Car: The Mercedes-Benz 300SLR ‘Uhlenhaut’ Coupe
There was nothing to suggest anything unusual. “Please call back the director of the Mercedes-Benz Museum” said the note handed to me by one of my colleagues.

The team at Mercedes-Benz Classic have been friends since I organized auctions there many years ago and they are the perfect example of a manufacturer which really supports their older cars and the enthusiasts who cherish and collect them- and I don’t mean treating them as a profit centre. “Hello Simon” said the cheerful director Michael Bock when I called back. “Do you remember our last meeting, when you asked if one day you could have a closer look at your favourite 300SLR? We’ve talked about it here in the museum and wonder if you’d like to spend a day driving it around Italy?”

You’ve never seen a flight booked so quickly.


A high value delivery from Stuttgart emerges from its anonymous truck
Gearchange is worthy of The Da Vinci Code
The Mercedes-Benz Museum owns almost 1,000 cars including every great model produced by the German industrial titan. Many of them- especially the legendary works ‘Silver Arrow’ racing cars- have never been sold to the public. There are examples of the thunderous SSK racer, the supercharged, banshee-wailing Grand Prix cars of the 1930s, and post-war F1 icons driven to victory by greats like Fangio. But of all the cars preserved in the factory collection, the Holy Grail - insured for an even greater amount than the priceless 300SLR driven by Stirling Moss to a record breaking victory on the epic 1955 Mille Miglia - is the 300SLR coupe.


Just start-up requires careful preparation
The similarities with a Gullwing end with the doors
Inextricably linked with ‘50s M-B Rennabteilung (racing department) boss Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the closed version of the SLR was conceived for a race which never took place and remained instead as a tantalizing glimpse into what might have been. Legend has it that Uhlenhaut, late for a meeting in Munich (2 ½ hours from Stuttgart by car today), climbed aboard the 300SLR and arrived at his destination an hour later. Retired employees recall that when their boss occasionally drove the SLR home, they could hear him returning the next morning when still 5km away. It’s no wonder he needed a hearing aid in later life, but we think the price was worth it.


Poor passenger gets smaller seat, poor driver gets propshaft between his legs
Jochen Mass shares the SLRs secrets
This is the driving position? You can't be serious!
When this blasts past, other road users wobble in its wake
Did you know? The Mercedes-Benz 300SLR has only once been officially tested by an outsider, back in 1956, at 4am on a closed stretch of autobahn outside Munich. The Swiss motoring magazine Automobil Revue recorded a two way average top speed of 176.47mph (284km/h) and drily observed: “A touch on the starter sets the engine going with a stupefying noise…a general indescribable hammer and boom, magnified by the closed coachwork. Ear plugs are obligatory.” They concluded: “This is a motorcar which we will never be able to buy and which the average driver would never buy anyway."

UK dealer Simon Kidston drives The Worlds Most Valuable Car: Mercedes-Benz 300SLR ‘Uhlenhaut’ Coupe. See accompanying video of this fantastic machine!

From 1933, "Future Speed Demons" take over Indy with their 1-HP go karts. Where are these little rigs today?

A wall of 45 Shelby Cobras stormed the curves, straights, hills and drops at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion on Saturday, honoring the memory of Carroll Shelby in glorious, uninhibited style. 2012 marks the Cobra’s 50th anniversary, and the car was picked as the event’s featured marque before Carroll Shelby’s unfortunate death in May.

THE VIDEO SHOWS 7 DIFFERENT LIFES AT THE SAME TIME.
AMONG THEM A HONDA NSX DRIVING FROM FRANKFURT TO THE LEGENDARY GREEN HELL "NUERBURGRING".
EVERY INDIVIDUAL GET'S IN TOUCH WITH THE NSX. EACH WITH THEIR OWN PERCEPTION.

Atmospheric 1958 film by Louis Malle featuring Mercedes 300SL Gullwing as the backdrop for a desperate couple. "Elevator to the Gallows" also featured an original score by Miles Davis.

crazy racing crashes.

1964 Chevrolet Impala Route 66 Commercial

DeSoto ambulance.

Sometimes you never know what Sarasota Cafe Racers will show up with:Henry Hinman and son Hank came to lunch in restored show-quality Ford rollback carrying custom Chevy pickup with modern powertrain!

Carl, I think this is the Chevelle you referenced, owned by the Mason Brothers in CT. It was the only 427 Chevelle we built in 1967 and is featured in my book. It may have been a later one. Martyn Schorr.

The BEST Pebble Beach photo yet: Paul and Judy Andrews 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Torpedo is seen here being driven by Paul Russell on the Pebble Beach tour last Thursday on its way to Big Sur. Three days later as most of you know by now, this masterpiece went on to win Best of Show at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance. Story @ http://theoldmotor.com/?p=57189
Photo by Pawel Litwinski @ https://www.facebook.com/PawelLitwinskiPhotography