M1 Momentum Issue 6 Spring / Summer 2025

VIPER THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF M1 CONCOURSE

ISSUE 6

DODGE

BOB LUTZ AND THE TEAM EXPLAIN HOW THEY CREATED AN ICON

©2024 SUNMARKS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

SUDDENLY IT’S 2025, AND HERE WE are with issue six of your exclusive M1 Momentum magazine. I hope you enjoy it.

As ever, there’s a huge amount going on at M1 Concourse. One of the most exciting for us is the two-day celebration of the Viper during August’s ever-growing Woodward Dream Festival here. We are expecting hundreds of examples of the Viper, including prototypes, and we’ll be taking owners on a special tour of locations with historical Viper connections.

The cover feature in this issue of M1 Momentum should more than whet your appetite for the Viper extravaganza to come: we spoke with several members of the original development team, as well as none other than Bob Lutz, then vice-chairman of Chrysler and often referred to as ‘the father of the Viper’.

We’re also building up to the 60th birthday party of the Shelby GT350, which will take place at American Speed Festival in October.

There will be plenty more to read on the classic GT350 in the next issue of the magazine, but we start you off this time with my good friend Aaron Shelby, grandson of Carroll, helping to explain the company’s latest version of the model, said to be the most track-oriented GT350 ever. How long before we see the first

Welcome

M1 MOMENTUM

example with one of the M1 Concourse garage owners I wonder? I don’t think it will be long.

On that subject, we think you’ll be inspired by the cool subtlety of this issue’s Dream Garage, and blown away by the GT1 supercar developed in another of the garages here at M1.

We also look at the KTO electric karts that will be run on the forthcoming X Center track.

They’re not like any other karts, as you’ll see.

This will be my last issue of M1 Momentum.

For the past four years it has been my privilege to serve as the CEO of M1 Concourse, to work with a wonderful team on the transition of M1 and to make it one of the US’s premiere motor sport facilities and entertainment venues.

Last fall our 2023 American Speed Festival was recognized as a Finalist at the International Historic Motoring Awards for the Motoring Event of the Year category. And by the time this issue goes to print, it will have been announced that Al Unser Jr, winner of two Indy 500s, two IndyCar Championships, two IROC Championships and two Daytona 24 Hours, will be the Master of Motorsports at this year’s American Speed Festival.

An exciting year ahead at M1 Concourse, and I wish the team every success.

Tim McGrane, CEO, M1 Concourse 5

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MOMENTUM ISSUE 06 SPRING/SU MMER 2025

CONTENTS UPFRONT

14

All about M1 Concourse – the ideal automotive destination

16

M1 Concourse events diary – what’s in store for 2025?

18

Captured on Camera Shots from the packed M1 schedule

22

News KTO electric karts

24

News Vintage Indy to headline at American Speed Festival

26

News Long Beach GP at 50

28

News Miranda Rumfelt at M1

30

News Pontiac’s Balloon Glow

32

News Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

74

34

Report American Speed Festival ’24 – were you there?

38

Preview Planned highlights of Woodward Dream Festival ’25

F E AT U R E S

82

40

Cover Story How Dodge’s legendary Viper got its fangs

52

Dream Garage Unit 158

62

Reeves Callaway’s race cars

74

Designer Ian Callum interview

82

Story of the 1000bhp GT1

94

We ride along in century-old pioneering electric cars

102

New look for Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

108

Shelby’s latest GT350

118

Local History GMC trucks 7

144 CONTENTS MOMENTUM ISSUE 06 SPRING/SU MMER 2025

USEFUL

122

Local Knowledge Ford-Wyoming Drive-In

126

Desirables Products

132

Desirables Books

134

Desirables Watches

126

136

Buying Guide Ferrari 308/328

142

Automobilia Vintage ad art

144

Track Tips Giving feedback

146

Parting Shot 1975 Detroit Show

142

134

136

BENTLEY TROY 1755 MAPLELAWN DR, TROY, MI 48084 (947) 447-3070

W H O T O C O N TA C T

The official magazine of the M1 Concourse www.m1concourse.com 1 Concourse Drive, Pontiac, MI 48341-2216

248-326-9999

Timothy P McGrane Chief Executive Officer tmcgrane@m1concourse.com

Brian Baker Director of Festivals & Events bbaker@m1concourse.com

Bill Lee Director of Sponsor Partnerships blee@m1concourse.com

Bruce Rothschild Director of Event Sales brothschild@m1concourse.com

Keith Bonn Director of Track Operations & Facilities keith@m1concourse.com

Anne Sloney Executive Administrator asloney@m1concourse.com

Jennifer Ruks Experiential Festivals & Events Manager jruks@m1concourse.com

Joe Pope Operations Manager joe@m1concourse.com

John Hoover Manager of Special Projects jhoover@m1concourse.com

Austin Fietsam Car Selection & Event Specialist afietsam@m1concourse.com

Meghan Lenard Event Center Sales mlenard@m1concourse.com

Sabrina VanVyve Events Administrator svanvyve@m1concourse.com

Lisa Molzon Motorsports Club Administrator lmolzon@m1concourse.com

Ken Burch Events Coordinator kburch@m1concourse.com

Dan Fuoco Digital Marketing Coordinator dfuoco@m1concourse.com

Jonathan Petrous Marketing Project Coordinator jpetrous@m1concourse.com

Richard Powell Graphic Designer rpowell@m1concourse.com

Marc Molzon Lead Driving Instructor marcmolzon@m1concourse.com

Robert Simmons Beverage Manager rsimmons@m1concourse.com

William Kneal Sr Facilities Technician bkneal@m1concourse.com

FA C I L I T I ES Alex Curry

10

Cory Gardner

Aiden Haverty

Aiden Lusk

Eriq Tallmadge

Michael Thomas

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(248) 651-7327 | 1625 Star Batt Drive, Rochester Hills, MI 48309

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PUBLISHER M 1 M O M E N T U M I S T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F M 1 C O N C O U R S E , P R O D U C E D B Y H O T H O U S E M E D I A

Business inquiries Geoff Love geoff@hothousemedia.co.uk

Editorial David Lillywhite david@hothousemedia.co.uk

Advertising Sue Farrow sue@flyingspace.co.uk Lifestyle advertising Sophie Kochan sophie.kochan2010@gmail.com Managing Editor Sarah Bradley

Rob Schulp rob@flyingspace.co.uk Accounts Jonathan Ellis accounts@hothousemedia.co.uk

Art Director Peter Allen

Design Debbie Nolan

Magazine Operations Coordinator Elaine Briggs elaine@hothousemedia.co.uk

Printing Buxton Press

© Hothouse Publishing Ltd. M1 Momentum and associated logos are registered trademarks of M1 Concourse. All rights reserved. All material in this magazine, whether in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any form without the written permission of M1 Concourse and Hothouse Publishing Ltd. Hothouse Publishing Ltd uses a layered privacy notice giving you brief details about how we would like to use your personal information. For full details, please visit www.magnetomagazine.com/privacy.

M1 Momentum is published biannually by Hothouse Publishing Ltd on behalf of M1 Concourse. Great care has been taken throughout the magazine to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions that might occur. The editors and publishers of this magazine give no warranties, guarantees or assurances, and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised in this edition.

12

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ABOUT M1 CONCOURSE The perfect Michigan destination for events, conferences, track days, driving tuition and much more

M1 CONCOURSE IS AN 87-ACRE PREMIER destination for car enthusiasts and spectators.

Nestled in the heart of Pontiac, Michigan, this unique facility draws visitors nationwide to experience the adrenaline of its high-octane offerings and community-centric events.

At its forefront, the state-of-the-art, 1.5-mile M1 Circuit has been professionally engineered to ignite the passion of both seasoned and novice drivers. With 11 challenging turns, a 30foot width and a 30-feet elevation change, it is a testament not only to track design but also to safety. The extensive run-off areas, Armco and advanced barrier systems provide peace of mind for those pushing limits on the asphalt.

Yet M1 Concourse is more than just a track; it

is a cultural hive for automotive pursuits. Its signature events include the American Speed Festival, Woodward Dream Show and Cars Under the Stars, each celebrating automotive heritage in a unique way. From car shows and coffee meets to grand festivals and balls, M1 Concourse is the hub for anyone whose heart races at the sound of a revving engine.

Beyond the track, the multifaceted Event Center and Pavilion are architectural gems providing an elegant backdrop for social and corporate gatherings. They are complemented by the top-flight Prefix Performance Center, where cars are meticulously tuned, ensuring they perform at their best on and off the track.

For those who wish to marry their livelihood

with their lifestyle, M1 Concourse offers private garages, allowing members to safeguard their automotive treasures. The M1 Motorsports Club nurtures a community of enthusiasts, creating a shared space to revel in the joys of car ownership and camaraderie.

M1 Concourse’s dynamic blend of luxury, performance and community has cemented its place as a distinguished automotive enclave. It pays homage to Michigan’s rich automotive history by providing an unparalleled venue, where the legacy of motor-driven excitement continues to thrive. Here, the spirit of the automobile is not merely observed; it is lived.

More details at www.m1concourse.com.

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EVENTS DIARY

JUNE 29

MOMENTUM NEWS

Dates for the diary 2025 From on-track excitement and historic car displays to cruising and charity fundraisers, M1 Concourse has something for everyone

APRIL 2025

05

Everest’s 33rd Annual Gala

M1 Cars & Coffee

JDM Asian Brands.

23-24

18

Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

Global motorbike event raising funds for charity.

VTM (Vehicle and Transportation Technology) Michigan Conference

M AY 2 0 2 5

03

M1 Cars & Coffee

25

M1 Triple C Members’ Day

29

Kidneys on Track for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan

Customs and hot rods.

JUNE 2025

08

06

SAE Foundation Industry Leader Award Celebration 16

09

M1 MOMENTUM

U CAN-CER VIVE/Evening for a Cure

Raising vital funds for cancer research.

EVENTS DIARY

07

M1 Cars & Coffee

Supercars and Exotics.

19-22

Xtreme Xperience 2025 Supercar driving event.

24-25

Teen Street Skills

29

Cars Under the Stars

Fireworks spectacular.

J U LY 2 0 2 5

05

M1 Cars & Coffee

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury.

26

Great Lakes Cigar Festival

AUGUST 2025

02

M1 Cars & Coffee

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Plymouth.

WOODWARD DREAM FESTIVAL

SEPTEMBER 2025

06

M1 Cars & Coffee General Motors.

12

14-15

OCTOBER 2025

Corvettes on Woodward

Viper Celebration and Hall of Fame Induction

15

19

16-17

United Way SE Michigan Annual Automotive Experience Evening

AMERICAN SPEED FESTIVAL Celebrating Indy Cars – in association with the Vintage Indy Register.

Woodward Dream Festival celebrating the Dodge Viper

11-12

Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Tri-Region Grand Classic

Great Lakes Throw Down 4th Annual Truck Show

13

16

Hot Air Balloon Glow and Laser Show

30

03

Drive and Dine Tour / Motor Grille / M1 Private Garage Reveal

Woodward Dream Parade

Woodward Drift presented

by Drift Indy (DISL and DIGP)

04

Checkered Flag Ball – Master of Motorsports

04-05

Speed Ring Track Performances

11

M1 Cars & Coffee

European marques.

18

10th Annual Uncork For a Cure

30

14th Annual Angel’s Night Truck-or-Treat

DECEMBER 2025

AUGUST 13

05

Easterseals MORC Holiday Gala M1 MOMENTUM

17

EVENT REPORT

THIS PAGE Enjoying M1 Momentum, while the Bandit Run saw M1 Concourse transformed into a cinematic playground when more than 60 Pontiac Trans Ams and Firebirds converged to celebrate the iconic Smokey and the Bandit films.

Captured on camera M1 Concourse plays host to a vibrant kaleidescope of automotive delights – here are some of our favorite sights from the past few events

THIS PAGE The American Speed Festival is among M1 Concourse’s key events, showcasing everything from track might with the winners of the ASF Challenge Cup and the Stiletto Shootout, to engineering ingenuity and one of our most popular attractions, the smokin’ hot drift arena.

M1 MOMENTUM

19

THIS PAGE The American Speed Festival’s Garage Reveal gives enthusiasts a rare chance to peek behind the closed doors of M1’s garages. It’s a great way to see the diversity of the community’s car selection, from US muscle to European exotics.

20

M1 MOMENTUM

MOMENTUM NEWS IF THERE’S EVER BEEN MORE PROOF that M1 Concourse never does things by half, it’s in the KTO project. The what? The KTOs are electric karts designed and built specifically for the forthcoming kart track at M1, adjacent to the new X Center, but they’re on a whole other level from the karts we’re familiar with.

These were the brainchild of M1 Concourse owner Paul Zlotoff, who envisioned more than the typical karts you’d find anywhere else, and wanted something more like a mini race car, with performance to match. He commissioned renowned Michigan automotive engineering company Prefix, which also has a base at M1 Concourse, to design, develop and build these all-new karts, christened KTOs. The result is spectacular, in looks and performance. The full-power run time is 40 minutes – and there’s a quick-change batterypack system to ensure it can get straight out again when the charge starts to run down.

“We’ve got a lot of experience with motor sports and electric vehicle prototypes,” says Jhan Dolphin, vice-president of business development at Prefix. “So we can definitely provide the skills, enthusiasm and expertise needed for this type of project. It’s turned out to be something very exciting. It will do more than 60mph and 0-30mph in two and a half 22

Karting, but not as you know it The first KTO electric karts are being built by Prefix for M1 Concourse – and they’re spectacular!

W O R D S D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E PHOTOGRAPHY PREFIX

M1 MOMENTUM

seconds. That’s the torque of an electric car.

And you’re sitting an inch off the ground, so it’s definitely not a vehicle to be taken lightly.”

The KTOs are bigger than typical karts, with larger-diameter wheels than you’d usually see on a typical kart – something that the team decided early on was crucial to the project.

However, it was equally important that the wheels chosen were off-the-shelf items, with readily available tires. After a lot of research, the right rims were found, and these have been fitted with suitable rubber from Hoosier.

Another significant difference from a typical kart is the braking system. The KTOs have a single disc on the rear axle, as is the norm for karts, but also discs at both front corners, which is certainly not usually seen. Thanks to this, braking performance is outstanding.

The chassis is conventional tubular steel, carefully engineered for the optimum balance between weight and strength, and there’s no suspension. The glassfiber bodywork is quickly removable, and it is being crash-tested to ensure full safety without the need for unsightly impact bars or rings around the karts, which were ruled out from the start.

Because they’re electric powered, it will be possible to control the power level of each KTO according to the driver’s experience

THIS SPREAD State-of-the-art electric KTOs will give karting fans the opportunity to understand the balance of the vehicles as well as how to effectively go around a circuit.

– and operators will even be able to compensate for weight differences between drivers by adjusting power levels to provide identical power-to-weight ratios between karts.

“That was a big part of what Paul requested,” confirms Jhan. “As you know, you take an 18-year-old kid who’s barely breaking 100 pounds versus someone who’s closer to 200 pounds, and it makes a tremendous difference.

Paul really wanted to make sure that we could provide a level playing field with the drivers.

And that’s what we have done. We can adjust the motor-control unit in the kart according to a person’s weight, or control it for their skill by tapering things down.”

Jhan continues: “Paul wanted something that was not a toy. Not something that a little kid would take for a ride around. It would be for someone who wants to understand and start to learn about what the line of a track means and how to effectively go around a circuit, to use the turns and apexes, and to understand the balance of the karts. And its acceleration and deceleration would be fantastic. And that is what we’ve come up with.”

Prefix finished the first prototype in the fall of 2024, and it was exhibited at the PRI (Performance Racing Industry) show in Indianapolis last December. It attracted a great

‘We’re excited for the next step, and can’t wait to get out and drive it again in the summer to really see what it will do’

M1 MOMENTUM

reaction, and there’s now talk of the KTOs being sold to other tracks around the country.

First, though, at least 30 of them – probably more – will be built for M1, once testing of the prototype has been completed.

“Our team has had a blast working with Paul on this,” says Jhan. “We’re excited for the next step, and can’t wait to get out and drive it again in the summer to really see what it will do.”

Meanwhile, work is underway on M1 Concourse’s new X Center, at which the KTOs will be based. Along with E-gaming areas, race and golf simulators, slot-car track, restaurant, conference rooms and more, the three-story (including basement) X Center will feature a drive-through storage and staging area for the KTOs, as well as an observation deck overlooking the adjacent new kart track.

There will also be a number of garages around the kart track – built in the same style as the existing M1 Concourse garages but smaller, at 12ft x 24ft. These will be available to buy for the most dedicated kart racers.

At the time of writing, the official groundbreaking ceremony for the X Center is expected to take place in April this year.

Construction should be complete by spring 2026 – but you should get your first glimpse of the KTOs in action well before that.

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A M E R I C A N S P E E D F E S T I VA L

them fascinating and evocative to see in action on the track and up close in the paddock. The American Speed Festival will be the fifth and final outing of the year for the Vintage Indy Register, so it will be a privilege to see the cars.

There will also be a celebration of 60 years of the Shelby Mustang GT350, with some very special examples already confirmed. Expect to see early race-spec GT350Rs on track, plus prototypes and later models, all representing the model that cemented the Shelby legend from the car’s introduction in 1965, and through various ever more powerful versions.

The GT350 name still lives on, with a new model just released – as you’ll read about in the pages of this issue of M1 Momentum.

The American Speed Festival always features seminars and interviews with well known faces from the racing world, and this year will be no different. And at the end of the weekend there will be the Sunday M1 Challenge Cup and awards presentation.

The report on the 2024 American Speed Festival further on in this issue will give a good idea of what to expect – but 2025 promises to be even bigger and better than ever.

You will find more details and ticket sales at www.m1concourse.com/american-speed-festival.

MOMENTUM NEWS

Vintage Indy to head American Speed Festival With a new format and IndyCars heading the bill, expect more to see than ever at the 2025 running of M1’s premier event W O R D S D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E PHOTOGRAPHY M1 CONCOURSE / RM SOTHEBY’S

24

THERE’S A NEW FORMAT FOR THE three-day American Speed Festival on October 3-5 this year at M1 Concourse. The Saturday and Sunday are now the on-track action days, with performance and demonstration laps throughout each day. The Friday is set aside for a special Dine & Drive tour, along with the popular M1 Garage Reveal in the evening.

IndyCars will be celebrated as the main feature class at the Festival, along with the other traditional classes including Stock Car, Classic Sports Car, Exotic Car and the return of the Winged Sprint Cars and Drift Cars.

This year will also once again see the M1 Challenge Cup and the Stiletto Shootout that were introduced for 2024 with great success.

On the Saturday evening, the Master of Motorsports will be honored at the Checkered Flag Ball in the M1 Event Center, tickets for which are available on the website. These are highly sought after, so get in quickly – and remember that all proceeds go to charity.

Once again, the Vintage Indy Register will be in attendance at the Festival. It will bring a wide range of IndyCars of all eras – some racewinning and famous, others obscure, but all of M1 MOMENTUM

TOP The Vintage Indy Register will be back again for demo laps of all eras of IndyCar. ABOVE Open paddocks allow for close-up viewing; celebrating 60 years of GT350.

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R R D C C E L E B R AT I O N

MOMENTUM NEWS

WHEN THE ROAD RACING DRIVERS Club does something special, all of us at M1 Concourse sit up and take notice. The RRDC is one of the most influential groups in motor racing, made up as it is of many of the Americas’ and Europe’s most successful racing drivers.

Members are elected by their peers, and include Formula 1 World Champions, Indy 500 winners, champion sports car drivers and top American amateur road racers. The elite membership also incorporates leading industry professionals, race officials and influential motor sports journalists.

On April 10, the RRDC celebrated 50 years of the Grand Prix of Long Beach at a special dinner presented by Firestone and hosted by RRDC president Bobby Rahal, which took place at the Westin Long Beach hotel, CA. Legends Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr and Brian Redman were honored there. It was quite a night, with a reception, dinner and special presentation plus silent auction and afterglow.

Donations and proceeds from the silent and live auction items benefited the Mark Donohue

26

RRDC marks 50 years of Long Beach The Road Racing Drivers Club honors Long Beach legends Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr and Brian Redman W O R D S D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E PHOTOGRAPHY ALAMY

BELOW Eventual winner Clay Regazzoni leads Depailler and Hunt in the 1976 US GP.

M1 MOMENTUM

Foundation, which supports the RRDC’s SAFEisFAST initiative, and the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach scholarship fund and community support.

Most of all, this was a chance to celebrate a race that was created against the odds in the Californian city of Long Beach, initially as a Formula 5000 event – but with a plan for Formula 1 the following year. That first race, which was won by Brian Redman in a Haas Racing Lola T332-Chevrolet, was a great success. The next year, 1976, the Formula 1 circus came to town and revisited annually up until 1983. After that, Long Beach hosted CART/Champ Car races from 1984 to 2008, and then IndyCar from 2009.

The Grand Prix of Long Beach – which is now owned by Penske Entertainment – remains one of the great street-racing circuits, although its layout has changed several times since 1975.

Celebrating its golden anniversary with the RRDC brought out many stories, old and new, and it was a night to remember for sure.

Find out more information at www.rrdc.org.

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“I’m just a big car nerd!”

With a passion for cars, a background in auto design and a major social media following, Miranda Rumfelt is the perfect M1 content ambassador

W O R D S N AT H A N C H A D W I C K PHOTOGRAPHY M I R A N D A R U M F E LT

28

MIRANDA RUMFELT IS M1 CONCOURSE’S content ambassador, but she’s also a clay modeler in GM’s Design Studio – and a selfconfessed car nerd. We sat down with her to find out what makes her tick.

“I was just surrounded by classic hot rods and muscle cars – they really connected with me,” Miranda says. “I loved the feeling that they evoked from people, no matter what type of car it was.”

Miranda comes from a long line of wrenchers, with her father being a particular fan of AMC machinery. However, developing that passion for cars into a career took one spark of clarity.

“I always knew I wanted to do something with cars, and I really like painting them – but as soon as I found out people got paid to draw concepts before the world ever saw them, I thought that was the coolest thing ever.”

Through a STEAM program, Miranda was able to join an automotive-centric program at the age of 13. “The team there took me under their wing, and it really opened a lot of doors

THIS SPREAD Miranda’s passion for cars such as her Chevrolet Camaro and AMC Spirit project led her to a career in the GM Design Studio.

She is also a content ambassador for M1.

for me. It’s through this program that I got exposed to automotive design.”

Now ensconced in the GM Design Studio, Miranda works mainly on exteriors for Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet: “I’ve been with GM since June 2019, and I’m only just now starting to see stuff I’ve worked on come out on the road. It’s very satisfying.”

There is a big debate about clay versus

computer modeling in design studios – but Miranda is firmly in the clay camp: “With clay, there’s no argument that it’s right in front of you and real – you can’t get a more natural look than when something’s in front of you. Then if a designer wants to see a change in a fender, a math modeler will take a day to make that change, whereas I can do it in five minutes.”

Although she loves her day job, the urge to customize classic cars means that Miranda has set up MRDesign (www.mirandarumfeltdesign. com). “I noticed that there’s a huge interest in customizing cars with people my age,” she says. “Classic hot rods and customizing street machines aren’t quite as popular now as 20 years ago, but customization is just different these days. It may be different with people of my age, but they’re still doing it.”

Miranda takes on the role of project coordinator, guiding the design and execution of the work rather than doing everything herself.

She actively works on the cars, but relies on a skilled fabricator and mechanic to round out

the team. The last full build was a 1969 LeMans partnered with Brandon T Fabrication.

She is also working on her own cars; in addition to her beloved third-gen Chevrolet Camaro, her high school car that she says she’ll never sell, she’s working on an AMC Spirit, creating her ideal Pro Touring design. “We’re planning on doing indoor and outdoor shows – and we want to do some content with M1 on track,” she says. “I want people to see that if you can dream something, you can make it happen.”

Miranda will be at M1 Concourse shows this year, and she’ll be hosting a garage tour video series for M1’s YouTube channel: “I really enjoy learning the history of design, brands and the memorabilia you can get – because I’m a car nerd, I want to know what’s in those garages.”

She is hopeful that the AMC will be ready for the coming show season. “If not, the Camaro will be there for the Woodward Dream Festival and all the fun stuff throughout the year.”

You can follow Miranda on both Instagram and YouTube (both @mirandarumfelt).

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P O N T I A C B A L L O O N F E S T I VA L

MOMENTUM NEWS A NEW EVENT AT M1 CONCOURSE THIS year, on Friday July 11 and Saturday July 12, will be the Pontiac Balloon Glow, Laser Show and Kite Festival – something completely different from the car, motorcycle and truck shows that we’re more used to.

These types of shows have grown in popularity over recent years, with the largest in the world being the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. In Michigan, though, they’re few and far between, so there’s already excitement around the new M1 event.

As the name suggests, the Pontiac Balloon Glow, Laser Show and Kite Festival will feature colorful hot-air balloons and massive show kites displayed across the M1 track infield.

Tethered balloon rides will be available for purchase during the event – a true bucket-list experience for many visitors.

For the grand finale each night after dusk, there will be a fantastic Balloon Glow and Laser Show, for which all the balloons are lit 30

Get ready for Pontiac’s Balloon Glow!

This new July event at M1 Concourse promises something very different from our usual automotive shows

W O R D S D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E PHOTOGRAPHY ALAMY

M1 MOMENTUM

up in unison to music, accompanied by lasers and crowd-participatory countdowns.

Throughout the event there will also be live music, craft and retail booths, as well as food vendors. Plenty of family-friendly attractions will keep everyone happy, including a kids’ zone, with games, rides and much more.

On both days, the Festival opens at 5:00pm and runs until 11:00pm, with tickets priced from $20 for adults, $15 for military and $10 for children. You can go VIP for $45 each for adults, which also includes free beverages.

The tethered balloon rides will be available for purchase during the event for $35 per person, subject to availability – or for $75 you can order a fast-track event ticket that includes a tethered balloon ride. So, bring your blankets and chairs for a very different kind of evening at M1 Concourse.

More details at www.m1concourse.com, or go direct to the ticket agent at www.freshtix.com and search for ‘Pontiac balloons’. See you there!

DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE

MOMENTUM NEWS

Dapper gentlefolk coming to Pontiac The charity phenomenon that is the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride will start at M1 for 2025 WORDS D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E PHOTOGRAPHY DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE

THE WORLD-FAMOUS DISTINGUISHED Gentleman’s Ride will once again be heading to M1 Concourse in May, for a grand welcome before participants head off on the run itself.

If you have not already heard of the annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, then you are really missing out. It’s an international annual charity event that celebrates classic and vintage-styled motorcycles and the “dapper gentlefolk” (as the organization itself puts it) who ride these kind of machines.

It was originally founded in Sydney, Australia

by Mark Hawwa, who had been inspired by a photograph of TV show Mad Men’s Don Draper character sitting astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit. From that, Mark decided a themed ride would be a great way of connecting niche motorcycle enthusiasts and communities around the world, while also raising funds and awareness

for prostate cancer research and men’s mentalhealth programs. Since 2016, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has done so in conjunction with the charity organization Movember.

Registered riders must take part on classic motorcycles – or at least bikes that are vintageinspired – dress in-theme, raise funds and ride on the same day around the world in a global display of community and awareness for men’s health. On Sunday, May 18 tens of thousands of people in hundreds of cities will don their cravats, tweak their mustaches, press their tweeds and climb astride their stylish machinery...

For the Detroit ride, participants – or should we say the dapper gentlefolk – will start at M1 Concourse before riding along Woodward Avenue to Birmingham, where they’ll take part in street festivities, and wind up in Auburn Hills.

You can register to take part in the ride at www.gentlemansride.com.

THIS PAGE Classic or vintage-styled bikes, stylish outfits, a keenness to help raise funds for charity and a sense of fun are pre-requisites for DGR participation.

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M1 MOMENTUM

EVENT REPORT

American Speed Festival Most recent running of our flagship event celebrated Richard Petty with a unique and dynamic stock car display – and much more THIS SPREAD Who doesn’t love Vintage IndyCars, stock cars from through the years, fabulous vehicle displays – and Richard ‘the King’ Petty?

W O R D S N AT H A N C H A D W I C K PHOTOGRAPHY M 1 C O N C O U R S E / J A S O N LO U D E R M I L K

34

THE AMERICAN SPEED FESTIVAL returned to M1 Concourse in October 2024 with a celebration of one of America’s greatestever racing heroes – Richard ‘the King’ Petty.

A wide selection of his rides across his many years in NASCAR took to the M1 track, with the crowd listening to the shock and awe of V8 might. Petty’s distinctive liveries were a delight to behold, and to top it all off, the man himself was honored as the 2024 Master of Motorsports at the Checkered Flag Ball.

However, there was so much more to take in over the four-day Festival, from homegrown heroes to European exotics, and everything in between. The fourth annual edition of the American Speed Festival incorporated the M1 MOMENTUM

traditional classes of Vintage IndyCars, Sports and Endurance Cars, Supercars and Drift Cars, but in addition this year featured special classes that included Ferrari Challenge, Sprint Cars and Classic Stock Cars.

Presented in association with the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Classic Stock Cars selection included a line-up of pre-NASCAR and beach racers through the evolution of stock car racing from the 1950s to the 2000s. The class included the only original-surviving Hudson Hornet race car along with one of the Chevrolet Black Widow beach racers. Also on display were a Daytona 500 winner, an All-Star Race victor and a NASCAR Championship-winning car from the Penske Collection. Joining a

A M E R I C A N S P E E D F E S T I VA L

THIS PAGE From classic American muscle to the Stiletto Shootout, the sound of all-out performance summed up the American Speed Festival.

American Speed Festival 2024 award winners

showcase of historic stock cars on track were models from the Skillman Collection of Indianapolis, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Mecum Family Collection and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Daytona.

This year’s Checkered Flag Ball, themed as a Bootleggers Bash, was sold out, with special guests including two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr, US Senator Gary Peters, US Representative Haley Stevens and City of Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel in attendance.

The charity event is held during the American Speed Festival to raise funds for M1 Mobility, which provides Pontiac residents with access to community programs and services.

Saylor Fraise earned first place in the ASF 36

Challenge Cup in a 2018 Praga R1T Evo, setting a startling 1.065-minute lap, while the inaugural Stiletto Shootout was won by Melissa Kozyra in a 2024 Ferrari 296 Challenge, setting a lap time of 1.079min.

There was plenty more, too, with the Dine & Drive Starting Line breakfast at the Event Center, a driving tour around rural Detroit that took in private collections, Friday night’s Garage Reveal tour behind M1 Concourse’s usually closed doors, and the Speed & Style Show on the Sunday, which saw a host of automotive glitterati line up on the infield. Add in a feast of live music, slot cars and fine food, and American Speed Festival was a triumphant celebration of the American motoring scene.

M1 MOMENTUM

Classic Stock Cars: 1952 Hudson Hornet #92 Herb Thomas (Al Shultz) Richard Petty Tribute: 1972 Richard Petty Dodge (John Kyle II) Ferrari Challenge: 2024 Ferrari 296 Challenge (Melissa Kozyra) Vintage Indy Race Cars group A: 1925 Buick Shafer 8 (Greg and Robin Ornazian) Vintage Indy Race Cars group B: 1991 Lola Pennzoil Z-7 T91/00 (John Sweeney) Endurance and Sports Race Cars: 1966 Porsche 906 (Henry Payne) Supercars: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary (Bill Kozyra) M1 Performance: 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (William McIntyre) Production Cars Influenced by Race Cars: 1978 Dodge Aspen (Jerry Hammond) Porsche 911 60th Anniversary: 1976 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo Carrera (Ele Bardha) European Early: 1973 Porsche 911S (Jared Rundell) European Modern: 2022 Lamborghini Huracán STO (Mark Tumbull) American Early: 1927 Nash Speedster (Allan Ruckley) American Modern: 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (Michael Smiddy) Asian: 2018 Subaru WRX (Brad Staniszewski) Muscle Cars: 1971 Plymouth GTX (Frank Vaughn) Pony Cars: 1968 Ford Mustang GT (Ed Shoobridge) Hot Rod: 1934 Ford Highboy Roadster (Daniel Lettshek) Trucks/SUV/Wagon: 1974 Mazda RX-4 Rotary Wagon (Phil Hughes)

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EVENT PREVIEW FOR 2025, MID-AUGUST WILL SEE AN expanded line-up of events at M1 Concourse as part of our Woodward Dream Festival presented by Comerica – the biggest one yet.

It takes place ahead of the world-famous Woodward Dream Cruise, taking full advantage of M1 Concourse’s location at the end of Woodward Avenue.

CORVET TES ON WOODWARD The Festival starts on Wednesday August 13 with the Corvettes on Woodward event – Michigan’s largest Corvette gathering, with more than 500 examples expected to be on display. This annual charity event raises thousands of dollars each year for worthy causes including Open Hands Food Pantry and M1 Mobility.

This year will highlight people who build and race Corvettes, with ten drivers displaying their cars and sharing their stories. There will also be seminars about Auto Crossing, plus food trucks, a DJ and live entertainment.

VIPER CELEBRATION On Thursday August 14 and Friday August 15, 38

Woodward Dream Festival A U G U S T 1 3 -1 7, 2 0 2 5

Major displays of Vipers and Corvettes are just some of the attractions at this year’s huge show.

Come along for the ride

there will be a celebration of the legendary Viper. Owners from around the US will head to M1 Concourse to be a part of this very special gathering, participating in visits to historic venues, track laps and an exclusive dinner.

It will include a tour of Prefix, a company with significant Viper history, at its HQ in Rochester Hills. Participants will stop for lunch at the Conner Center, the mecca of Chrysler history and the very place where Vipers were built, for a tour of the Historic Collection followed by a Fireside Chat with Viper designer Tom Gale and Ralph Gilles, chief design officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

The displays will include historic concept Vipers, production models and competition machinery. There will be in-depth panel discussions about the development of the production Viper, and also about the motor sport cars and racing days.

WOODWARD DREAM FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHY M1 CONCOURSE / STELLANTIS

M1 MOMENTUM

Friday August 15 is the date of the annual Woodward Dream Festival; a day-long show of over 800 classics, customs, hot rods, cruisers,

W O O D W A R D D R E A M F E S T I VA L

THIS SPREAD There’s so much for everyone to see and do at the Woodward Dream Festival that the event has been expanded over even more days for August 2025.

muscle cars, exotics, imports and specialinterest cars. Different Viper classes will be included, and there’ll be a new Spirit of Viper Hall of Fame induction event. The event will conclude with an award presentation.

PARADE AND DRIFT INDY On Saturday August 16, the day of the Cruise, the Woodward Dream Parade will see participating vehicle owners driving from M1 Concourse to downtown Pontiac. A paradecar display will fill Saginaw Street through downtown for spectators to enjoy.

M1 Concourse will also host the exciting Drift Indy competition on Saturday August 16 and Sunday August 17. Don’t miss it!

You can find additional details by going to www.woodwarddreamshow.com.

M1 MOMENTUM

39

R E P I V

HOW

THE

E T I B S T I OT

ll how a c e r s armer d it to strike h c e k al sna epare r n i p g i d r n o a s rysler’ ar its fangs – h C , n o rts c ades o c p e s d e e g an thre gendary Dod h t e r o M the le e v a g they

DWICK

OAD OF BR TESY CS COUR AR PI O C C C S I I N AG IS / M Y TOM T H N P A A L L OGR / STE PHOT TIONS W AUC ARRO

S WORD

N AT H A

N CHA

DODGE VIPER

ABOVE The original development team really went the extra mile at a time when the Viper wasn’t welcomed in all quarters.

OPPOSITE The ultimate ‘halo’ car? It certainly helped pull Dodge out of the doldrums.

“ALL CHRYSLER HAD WERE K-CARS – the only world-class award was for our cupholders,” remembers Dodge Viper chief engineer and product manager Roy Sjoberg.

“That really pissed off Lee Iacocca.”

After coming to the brink of death in 1979, under Iacocca and Bob Lutz Chrysler had steadied the ship – but at the time, the public perception of Dodge was a long way from the 1960s glory days. That ship was rather more barge than speedboat… “The general view was that Chrysler was weak,” recalls Bob. “It had laid off so many engineers, the only thing it knew how to do was variations of the K-car.”

Iacocca’s response was to inject dynamism into the brand, initially manifesting as giving Tom C Gale and his design team the budget to develop concept cars such as the Navajo and Mojave. “That was the precursor for the spirit of trying to awaken Chrysler,” remembers Tom. All this was playing on Bob’s mind when he was out driving his Shelby Cobra – with its Ford badges carefully removed, of course. “It occurred to me that we had the basics needed to do a super-performance car,” he recalls.

“We had a ten-cylinder engine that was a 42

low-cost derivative of the 360ci LA V8 powerplant – the big thing in motor development is the single cylinder work. The rest is simple, so I said use all the work we had done on the V8 and add two cylinders. We also had front suspension arms for the Dakota that would handle a large sports car.”

Lutz discussed it with his colleagues, and then headed to design, led by Gale, to create a concept for the 1989 Detroit Auto Show. “Bob always dreamed of doing a Cobra-type car,” Tom smiles, thinking back to early 1988. “I started working on packaging the V10 in a roadster-type car, and some surfacing.”

Gale and his team were given free rein to let their imaginations go. “The goal was to show we weren’t brain-dead from a design point of view,” he laughs. “We had to show off as much as we could, frankly – we did everything we could to make it outrageous.”

Tom worked hard to retain the Viper’s back-to-basics ethos. “All due credit to the engineers, but sometimes they will come up with requirements to make the job easier for themselves,” he says. “So from the early clay model, we made glassfiber skins from M1 MOMENTUM

the cast and gave it to the engineering team – the assignment was, let’s make it like that.”

Because it was a concept, it didn’t have to pass a lot of internal-management hurdles – although not everyone was keen, not least Iacocca. “He saw the Viper as my competitor to his beloved TC by Maserati, but after the first 15 or 20 TCs were sold to his Hollywood friends, the sales dried up,” Lutz recalls.

Such was the Viper’s reception at the Detroit Auto Show, the car had to be made. However, with the TC by Maserati project turning into a $400 million black hole, funds were tight.

At the time, Lutz was leading one of two teams touring the world’s banks looking for a renewal of Chrysler’s revolving credit line.

“Deutsche Bank’s CEO asked me how he could buy a Viper,” he grins. “Some New York bankers said we’d convinced them to renew the credit line, but one asked which projects would be canceled if our plans went sideways and we didn’t have the money.

“I put my ‘financial guy’ hat on and said the Viper. He said: ‘Wrong answer! That is the first one you should do – it generates excitement, it transforms Chrysler’s image. It’s

‘We had to show off as much as we could, frankly – we did everything we could to make it outrageous’

DODGE VIPER

OPPOSITE Cabin design’s classic simplicity has stood the test of time just as well as the iconic exterior lines.

the last one you wanna cancel.’ We got our approval to move the program ahead.”

Bob turned to Roy Sjoberg, who’d been development manager/advisor to Zora ArkusDuntov on the Corvette, to be executive engineer. “He said I had the weekend to think about it – I said no time required, I wanted it,” Roy laughs; but he had a problem – he needed to find people who understood performance cars. Thanks to redundancies, however, there was no way of knowing which staffers would be up to the task. As Sjoberg muses: “All we had in personnel was a retired psychologist.”

He set up a volunteer meeting, to which 200 turned up. Around 50 left their names – which was brave. “Some said they couldn’t take a chance – at the time, if you volunteered for a special project and it didn’t make it, you were out on the street,” Roy says. “A lot of the guys were concerned, but I knew a group within Chrysler racing L-bodies, headed up by Pete Gladysz and called Team Shelby, and I got their interest. The volunteers were the original 21 willing to take a chance.”

Thanks to François Castaing, then executive vice-president for engineering, the cost of the volunteers was swallowed. The next challenge was to establish a base. “I found an old warehouse in the back of Jeep Truck that had been leased to food-fair markets.

The large coolers provided security for our high-performance parts, so they wouldn’t ‘walk away’,” Roy explains. “There were no offices, just one large room.”

The enthusiasm among those volunteers was clear: “When they first came in, the desks

‘The Viper was a type of corporate advertising the finance guys never understood’ M1 MOMENTUM

faced the walls – and after six weeks they were all facing each other, with me in the middle.”

The enthusiasm also reached Iacocca. “When he came to Chrysler, he got the board to give him $100m to be allocated at his will, without having to go through management,” Roy says.

“He’d spent $50m on the Town & Country minivan, and he gave the Viper $50m. I knew we were funded; that gave me an advantage.”

Sjoberg has got nothing but praise for Iacocca.

“If you were on his shit list, you were gone in three days,” he says. “If you were on his good list, he’d support you unless the whole bridge was on fire. He’d let you light little fires, but wouldn’t let you burn the whole place down.”

Roy’s main contact was company treasurer Steve Miller. “I told him the project would cost $65m, and he said no – I had $50m. Then he said: ‘Actually, you have $49.9m – you are under the radar at $49.9m.’ So I asked him what happens when I go over, and he gave me his home phone number and said to call him any time of the day to figure out what to do.”

Although the $75m or so the car eventually cost is hardly chump change, Bob sees it another way. “The Viper was a type of corporate advertising the finance guys never understood,” he says. “Spending the $70$80m the Viper cost would barely pay for a modest corporate advertising campaign that would soon be forgotten.”

There was also hostility from Dodge’s marketing department, Lutz says. “They ‘kinda liked’ the idea, but they wanted a V6 for those who didn’t care about performance, then the 360ci V8 and then the V10, and it would need to have automatic transmission, power windows, ABS and a hydraulic convertible top.

I asked François about it. He said: ‘Let them dream on. When they’re done dreaming, we’ll add it all up and prove it makes no sense.’

“So we did – it came to $480m. We told Dodge it’s going to be one V10, one six-speed manual ’box, no ABS, no power windows, no convertible – and it’s going to have clip-in side windows. Do you want it or not?”

The next challenge was convincing dealers, and Bob recalls one tense dealer council 45

DODGE VIPER

meeting in Troy, Michigan: “The Dodge guys said: ‘We don’t want that thing. We don’t know how to sell a $52k two-seat sports car. It’s going to do us no good whatsoever.’”

Those dealers wanted a full-size pick-up truck, and the Viper money to be allocated to bringing that forward. Despite Bob pointing out that the truck delay wasn’t due to finances, the rancor continued. “At that point, the Jeep/Eagle dealers said: ‘We’ll take it.’ So for 15 minutes, it became a Jeep/Eagle Viper,” he says. “Then, during the recess, the Dodge dealers disappeared. They came back and said: ‘We thought about it some more: we’ll take it.’”

Roy wasn’t in any doubt, thanks to Iacocca’s support. “We didn’t need to worry about going over budget,” he says. “I told the guys Lee was our atomic weapon – if we use it, it will destroy the place, but the potential to use it will keep most of the bad guys away.”

Sjoberg had several engineering problems – mainly the weight of the iron-block V10.

“There was no way that was going to be a performance engine,” he says. He brought the father of the Hemi, Willem Weertman, out of retirement, and ‘borrowed’ Dick Winkles from the powertrain department to develop an aluminum V10 with the help of Lamborghini, which was then owned by Chrysler.

Dick was no stranger to Lamborghini, having spent six months in Modena and Sant’Agata developing and testing a costsaving Chrysler dual V6 engine-control system for the V10 intended for the Jalpa replacement.

“I returned from Italy in April 1989, and I’d never heard of the Viper,” he says.

There was no doubt in Dick’s mind that the Viper’s engine needed to be aluminum, so blueprints were sent over to Italy along with Winkles, who acted as Chrysler’s liaison with Lamborghini. He found himself working in that marque’s engineering department in Modena rather than at the production site in Sant’Agata – which meant he worked alongside, and contributed to, the Formula 1 engine-development program as well. “The Lamborghini production guys felt they couldn’t handle the Viper project, but the F1 team was 46

spread thin, too – they had only six or seven designers,” Dick says. “It was led by Mauro Forghieri – the former head of Ferrari F1 racing. He was a brilliant and determined guy; you just weren’t gonna fail working for him.”

Certain engineering issues to overcome illustrated different philosophies between Lamborghini and Chrysler. “The first thing that caught my eye was the very short water jackets – in Chrysler, our design philosophy was always 90 percent of the stroke on the water jacket,” explains Dick. “Lamborghini did about 30 percent, because Forghieri found the upper third of the bore was where they got most, if not all, of the heat transfer. I thought it was going to fail – but it worked very well.”

There were also problems with failed main bearings and cracked aluminum oil pans, highlighting the differences between the F1 approach with dry-sump lubrication, and wetsump road cars that needed to go through thermal cycles no F1 car would have to. This was resolved by a discussion on oil-pan and windage-management design Dick had with François while on a ride-and-drive trip. As a thank-you to Castaing, his initials were cast into the bottom inside of the pan – FJC. Getting management to stump up for key parts was also a challenge. “It seemed like because the V10 was originally a truck project, they were trying to low-cost everything; for example, a single engine controller was fine for the truck because it didn’t run beyond 4500rpm,” Dick recalls. “But the Viper was a different animal – I had to fight to get dual O2 sensors, sequential injection, dual catalysts and stuff that added cost to the car, but was needed to make emissions and power.”

The extra engine development added $8m to the program, although further changes needed to be made back in the US – particularly to the side-exit exhausts. “They were buried in the rocker panels, and these panels got unbelievably hot,” Bob recalls. “I told François that we had to do something – people were gonna burn their legs getting out. He just said they would have to be careful.

“So he and I got in a car at the Chelsea M1 MOMENTUM

ABOVE From the side, the Dodge Viper’s striking proportions and innate simplicity really set it apart.

OPPOSITE The very first allaluminum V10 being worked on – and then tested – at Lamborghini’s F1 department in Modena, Italy.

M1 MOMENTUM

47

Proving Ground, and did a few hot laps. We came back, and François’ polyester pants were resting against the rocker panel – and the next thing we knew they were engulfed in flames.

He rolled around on the floor and tore them off – once we knew he was okay, we nearly died laughing. Then he said: ‘Alright, we are gonna have to figure out a way to get some of that heat contained.’”

This was achieved with thermal wrapping derived from NASA. However, finding a transmission that could stomach near-500lb ft of torque was another challenge. Getrag had run out of money, and the only other supplier developing a six-speed that would be strong enough was Borg-Warner. Unfortunately, that unit was being developed for General Motors, and Borg-Warner turned Roy down when asked if the Viper could use it, too.

“The Borg-Warner president suddenly passed away, and they dragged a new chairman out of retirement,” he remembers. “He was at the Indy 500, and we got to know each other because I had a Canadian background, too, and we both knew British drinking songs. After we had a few too many drinks, he asked me what I needed.

“I said we needed the transmission they were developing with GM; he said his people told him GM said no. So I said, if I call John Froning – a long-time friend in GM’s transmission department – and if he agrees, can we do a deal? The chairman said yes, so I woke John up, he came down, and he said he didn’t have a problem as long as each gearbox had their own ID and transmission case.”

Roy also began to investigate further possibilities. “We’d brought Willem Weertman out of retirement, and I’d wondered what it would be like to have a Hemi in the Viper – so we started developing an all-aluminum V8,” he recalls. “Bob found out, and he said if I continued I’d be on Oakland Avenue in five minutes. So I called up Bill Hancock at Arrow Racing Engines, and told him to yank that sucker off the line. In Bob’s Marine tradition, he got the word to me directly and clearly.”

As the first prototypes and pre-production models trickled onto the streets in 1990, it was clear that the car was having the desired effect.

“I drove VIN 010 almost all of the time while sorting through software and calibration issues or changes,” Dick recalls. “People were going crazy around the car trying to get a better look at it – they’d chase us down. My wife and I 48

TOP Early images of the prototype Viper inspired enthusiasm from the automotive media, public and money men alike.

ABOVE Team reunited, including Winkles, Sjoberg and designer Ralph Gillies.

‘People were going crazy around the car trying to get a better look at it – they’d chase us down’ M1 MOMENTUM

would drive to the local ice cream parlor, and I remember there was this woman with two young boys. They were just gaga over the car.

When we finally finished our dessert, there were ice cream smears all the way around it.”

This attention helped Bob during a media ride-and-drive trip in and around Sedona, Arizona. “I passed a Ford Thunderbird that was doing 80mph in a 55mph limit – I was going 125mph, blew right past him,” he remembers. “I saw flashing lights in the mirror, pulled over and it turned out to be the sheriff.”

Cue Lutz trying to explain that because it was a pre-production car, it had no speedo – only a tacho with a piece of paper to work out the rpm and mph. The car did actually have a working speedometer, but the sheriff

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LEFT Viper Owners Invitational parade at Indianapolis ’96 left no one in any doubt of the love for the model.

‘A high point not only in Chrysler engineering, but in American sports car development, too’ 50

didn’t know that, and Dick – who was riding shotgun, tweaking the calibrations – could turn it on and off if needed.

“People started showing up, asking what it was. The sheriff told them to go away, but nobody did. The crowd got so hostile towards the sheriff that he gave me a warning.”

Bob continued on to the hotel to meet the journalists. “We were joined by a load of deputies who’d heard about the car. We said: ‘Do you M1 MOMENTUM

wanna drive it?’ They all piled in and had a go.”

Production started in 1991, and when the car was released in ’92 it was to a flurry of media coverage. It even spawned a TV show. It remains a highlight of each of the team members’ careers.

Says Tom: “One of the most striking things is the proportion – that’s what gets you when you see the car coming at you. You’re not going to miss it, because the proportions are so dramatic.

As far as the surface elements go, the side view really sets the car apart. What made it remarkable was that it didn’t have to accommodate outside door handles, roll-up side glass, a power top.

That was a great enabler – just to have a free hand to make it as outrageous as we could is amazing. There’s not much I would change.”

“When the car came out, it felt like we were at the top of our game – it went on for five years,” Dick adds. “We seemed to be the gifted child – whatever we designed seemed to be popular and good with the press. When we ‘merged’ with the Germans, things started going downhill…”

Even with Roy’s storied career, for him the Viper experience was a standout experience.

“Being part of the Corvette program was fun, but I’d always had bureaucracy and limitations,” he says. “With the Viper I was left alone to do what I wanted – and that was a lot of fun.”

Even though the Dodge barely made any profit at $54,000 – if at all, as Bob believes – Tom views it as a ‘halo’ car. “Every magazine in the world had a Viper on the cover – and every wax bottle and alarm system wanted to use the word ‘Viper’,” he says.

Its bite really is for life – all the guys own at least one Viper even now. “Every time I take it out, I think ‘what a fantastic car’,” Bob smiles.

“When you think of the suspension, comfort, steering accuracy, shift ability, torque development and overall feeling, there’s little to tell you it is more than 30 years old. The Viper was a high point not only in Chrysler engineering, but in American sports car development, too.”

And the best bit? Not a cupholder in sight.

Flatrock Motorclub

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WORDS N AT H A N C H A D W I C K PHOTOGRAPHY RMD PHOTO

158 DREAM GARAGE

When four friends took on a unit at M1 Concourse, little did they know what dreams it would unleash – for their families as well as for themselves 53

DREAM GARAGE

THIS SPREAD Matt, Dan and Mark (above – Bob is not pictured) came together as co-owners of M1 Concourse garage 158, which is located in a prime position in Building 14, known as Spa. They regularly exercise their diverse collections, which include a couple of ‘track rockets’.

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RIGHT Clever lift set-up allows a clearer floor space for versatility and maneuverability.

There are six vehicle positions, with four on the ground and two in the air at the rear.

DREAM GARAGE

“IT’S REALLY THE ENTREPRENEUR Organization’s (EO) fault – if it wasn’t for its member track day at M1 in 2015, this wouldn’t have been on our radar,” laughs Matt Farrell, the co-owner of garage 158. “I don’t think any of the four of us were involved in anything race-related with cars ever prior to that.”

Matt, owner and CEO of Team CORE LLC (www.team-core.com); Bob Lenz, president of Peak Management (www.peak-management. com); Mark Winter, president and founding partner of Identity (www.identitypr.com); and Dan Izydorek of Intelligent Technical Solutions (www.itsasap.com) became friends through a mutual connection in the Detroit Chapter (www.eonetwork.org).

“EO brings business owners together to help, support, educate and celebrate the journey of entrepreneurs worldwide,” Matt explains. “The organization has over 20,000 members in more than 220 chapters, with a shared belief in the organization’s core values: Together We Grow, Trust and Respect, Thirst for Learning and Think Big… Be Bold. This pushed our chapter to bring more than 80 Detroit-based business owners out to M1 in the early stages of the development, to drive supercars with experienced pro drivers sitting shotgun. It’s safe to say that some of us were immediately sold after that.”

When the subject of investing in a garage at M1 came up, none of the four had a suitable car. “Mark and Bob decided to do it first – they called me and asked if I’d be the third owner,” Matt remembers. “I told them that between family, three children and business demands, I didn’t have the time, and I encouraged them to call Dan. Then a month later, all three of them called me and said they wanted me to be the fourth.” Matt was still reluctant about the idea, but he agreed to swing by and tour the development with the group.

“As we were looking at the blueprints for Building 14, I spotted a ‘potential’ window on the north end cap of the structure,” he explains.

No other garage in the entire project had one at that time. This window, coupled with being

OPPOSITE The garage, which houses an eclectic selection of vehicles, provides a comfortable spot to entertain family, friends and clients. The floors were specially constructed to optimize mezzanine viewing of the track on two sides.

‘We had a vision, and we executed. A little rustic, a little modern, tons of metal and a whole lot of fun’ M1 MOMENTUM

the only building in the development that had trackside patios, caught the team’s attention.

“I’m a real-estate guy and it’s all about location, location, location,” Matt says. “I told the others that if we get the end cap and extra window, then I am in and I can justify it as a sound investment. Otherwise it’s a pass.” The M1 developer told the group that the end unit was already spoken for, and that was that.

Everyone went on their way.

A few days later, Bob called Matt and shared that he had convinced the developer to move the other person’s interest to another building – and that he had gone ahead and made the commitment for garage 158 for the group.

The rest is history. “We joke about it now, because if we hadn’t had that conversation, and if it had not played out in the way it did, we wouldn’t have the uniqueness of the garage that we have today,” Matt says.

Building 14 is known as Spa, named after the famous race track in Stavelot, Belgium. It is unique, with trackside rear patios and rear windows on two levels. Unit 158 has a special perch-like corner view of the track’s short and long straights as well. The design of the garage’s interior was centered around the vehicle lifts, the height of the floors for ideal second-floor viewing out the front, the side and rear windows, and a comfortable spot to entertain family, friends and clients.

“Most units have their staircase facing you as you walk through the single entrance door,” Matt says. “We opted to spin the staircase 180º, to gain additional car space and to accommodate easy access to the rare backyard trackside entertainment area.”

Then the mezzanine heights became a big consideration: “Two of our garage owners are tall, and we witnessed in many other units that they struggled and had to duck to look out of the garage-door windows while standing on other mezzanines. Mark and Dan’s heights helped to dictate the floor-level heights.”

The group decided on a simple, warm and clean garage aesthetic, blending metal, wood and unique custom-designed fixtures and 59

DREAM GARAGE

furniture pieces. “We had a vision, and we executed,” says Mark. “A little rustic, a little modern, tons of metal and a whole lot of fun.

It’s not uncommon to find one or more of us working from there multiple times a week.”

The vehicle lifts also played a major role in the design. There are six (sometimes seven) car positions, with four on the ground and two in the air at the rear. The garage’s massive 27inch beams support both the weight of the upstairs and two hanging vehicles. Built directly into the mezzanine deck, the twoplace lift eliminates the need for vertical support posts. “It’s an engineering gem and a one-of-a-kind at M1,” says Mark.

Between all four partners, the car choices are varied: “We all enjoy investing as collectors and also exercising them periodically. We have both ‘garage candy’ and a couple of ‘track rockets’.”

The list includes: a 1964 Ford F100 Summit Magazine cover truck; 1964 Lincoln Continental convertible custom; 1988 Porsche 911 Targa; 2005 Shelby Series 1; 2005 Noble M12 GTO 3R; 2006 Ford GT post-production prototype; 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider; 2015 Porsche 911 GT3; 2016 Ford Focus RS widebody; 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4; 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio; 2018 Rossion Q1R (one of three built and one of one in carbon); 2021 Porsche Cayman GT4; 2021 Toyota GR Supra; 2022 Shelby GT500 Heritage chassis no. 1; 2023 Lotus Emira; 2023 Corvette Z06 with Z07 package; and 2025 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS. The garage is a playground for the partners, but it’s also proven to be a productive businessrelationship and -development tool. “This is our ‘country club’,” says Mark. “Would you rather play another round of golf, or haul ass around 60

ABOVE The owners have specced their garage to suit their requirements, including an extra complement of windows and bespoke interior appointments.

‘A uniquely special thing for our families; our children are growing up together and forming lifelong friendships around it’ M1 MOMENTUM

the track at more than 120mph in a supercar, tour several other garages and then sip a cocktail as you watch others rip around the hairpin?”

Matt says the most memorable thing of all is being able to learn and share the experience and the environment with his kids and family.

Notably his son Quinn, whom after a 24-hour impromptu road trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Michigan in a newly purchased Porsche GT4, at the age of 12, developed a passion for and insatiable knowledge of vehicles. He has his eyes set on working in the industry; now 19, he is studying mechanical engineering at Michigan State University.

“He knows and researches everything about cars, he has more knowledge than I’ll ever have, and he’s faster than me on track already,” Matt beams. “He’s also had the opportunity to work at M1 and in performance garages in the area over the past few years.”

Unit 158 families helped originate the M1 Garage community’s annual Trunk or Treat around Halloween, and the little ones can always count on them having 500-plus Hot Wheels models to pass out each year.

M1’s private garages are often places of great fun and even important business decisions, but Matt, Bob, Mark and Dan’s is a prime example of where getting into the automotive culture can have a transformative effect.

“It’s been a uniquely special thing for our families. Not only are the four of us great friends as a result, but our children are growing up together and forming lifelong friendships around it,” says Dan. “Quinn and my son Max have become great friends and are often found running up and down Woodward Avenue, hitting all the car scenes with their friends.”

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REMEMBERING REEVES WORDS D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E

PHOTOGRAPHY M AT T H O W E L L

As a tribute to the late, great Reeves Callaway, M1 Concourse brought together seven important race cars and the characters responsible for their creation

GETTY IMAGES

C A L L A W AY C O R V E T T E S

CALLAWAY. THE NAME CONJURES UP the sound of thunder, a deep V8 rumble that resonates through the dead of a Le Mans night.

And it reminds us of Reeves Callaway, the visionary engineer who passed prematurely following a fall at his home in July 2023.

At M1 Concourse, veterans of Callaway race programs have gathered with seven of the team’s most important cars in a tribute to Reeves. There is Pete Callaway, son of Reeves; there is Paul Deutschman, designer of all Callaway’s cars; there is Ernst Wöhr, cofounder of the Callaway Competition team; there are mechanics, owners and supporters.

All this. An unprecedented gathering. But the biggest star is Frieda, the most beloved Callaway race car of all. Frieda is the Callaway LM Corvette #001 that in 1994 became the first Corvette to race at Le Mans since 1976 – a gap of 18 years. And in 1995, 30 years ago, Frieda became the highest-finishing Corvette at Le Mans (ninth overall) in 35 years, since the 1960 Cunningham Corvette finished eighth.

Frieda has barely turned a wheel until this gathering at M1 Concourse, remaining one of the most original-condition Le Mans Corvettes of the 20th century. Remarkable?

Yes, but it’s nothing on the story of how Frieda and friends came to exist. It all started with 64

‘Reeves was a great guy.

I knew him for decades.

The proof of his legacy is that we’re still designing, doing these epic projects’

THIS SPREAD The first Callaway Le Mans car, Frieda, en route to eighth place overall in the 1995 24 Hours (above); inside Frieda, showing the extent of the Callaway rework to the C4.

M1 MOMENTUM

one Ely Reeves Callaway III, a Formula Vee racer and self-taught engineer who founded his eponymous company in 1977 from a garage in Old Lyme, Connecticut – and it was thanks to success with his first product, an aftermarket turbo kit for BMW applications.

You probably know his name best for Corvettes now, but from those early BMW enhancements Reeves went on to carry out performance work with Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Land Rover, Mazda and General Motors.

In 1987, he began his association with Corvette.

The result of that was two industry firsts: GM approved the Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette to be sold and distributed via the Chevrolet dealer network, earning Callaway Cars the rare honor of becoming designated a Specialty Vehicle Manufacturer. And then a 1989 Twin Turbo Corvette dubbed The Sledgehammer blew away the competition by setting a production-car top-speed record of 254.76mph. It wasn’t until 2010, 21 years later, that Bugatti broke Callaway’s record.

The Sledgehammer was the point at which Paul Deutschman first worked with Reeves, and he has designed every Callaway car since.

He’d finished college in the UK, headed back to his native Canada and designed a kit car and a concept Porsche, when Reeves called him

RIGHT Frieda and the Callaway gang, including: designer Paul Deutschman (far left); owner John Kyle II (white T-shirt); Callaway Owners Group founder Chris Chessnoe (shades, center); Reeve’s son Pete Callaway (race overalls); Ernst Wöhr (shorts and shades); and owner Charles Wicht (far right).

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M1 MOMENTUM

67

‘From the first sketches to testing took just three months. We’re like a little skunkworks, we make decisions fast’ 68

THIS SPREAD The second of the two 1996 C7Rs built, proud in its stars and stripes livery; and the silver 2001 C12R, featuring widened bodywork for GT2 racing.

up, having seen his designs in a magazine.

As Paul recalls: “He said: ‘Can you design a car that will do 250mph?’ I was straight out of college. I said: ‘Yeah, sure!’ And I did.”

So power and speed were never lacking, but it was when Reeves teamed up with Ernst Wöhr and Giovanni Ciccone, who ran a carrepair business in Leingarten, Germany, to represent Callaway in Europe that things really took off. The pair had already restored Ciccone’s personal Corvette Historic car, and they decided in 1990 to form a race outfit.

After some success, and more Corvette race cars, in 1994 Reeves suggested that the team should enter a Callaway into Le Mans... resulting in Frieda, based on a C4 ’Vette.

Unfortunately, after capturing pole in the GT class at the 1994 Le Mans and holding the lead of the class for nine hours, French driver Michel Maisonneuve ignored pit signals and ran out of fuel, finishing their race.

The team also competed with Frieda in that year’s BPR series, taking class victories in Vallelunga and Spa, and second in Suzuka. But at Le Mans in 1995, Frieda spectacularly finished second in class and ninth overall, with customer Team Agusta third in class.

A month later Reeves, Ciccone and Wöhr decided to form Callaway Competition, which was soon authorized by GM to construct and homologate C6 and C7 GT3 race cars for international competition.

Then came an even more ambitious project, the red, white and blue 1996 Callaway C7R #002 here – a purpose-built car designed specially to compete for an overall win at Le Mans. It was built in-house at the German HQ,

C A L L A W AY C O R V E T T E S

and powered by a 6.3-liter 16-valve push-rod V8 powerplant based on GM’s small-block.

Callaway Competition co-founder Ernst has traveled from Germany for this gathering at M1 Concourse. “The C7R was our first carbonfiber monocoque,” he points out. “It’s not ‘just’ a Corvette underneath.”

Two Callaway C7Rs (#001 and 002) took part in the Le Mans pre-qualifying test sessions in May 1996, but the decision was made to pull these entries that season to allow for further top-speed development.

In January of the following year, Callaway C7R #002 raced at the Daytona 24 Hours, leading the GT1S class past the midway point before an engine issue ended its day. The stage looked set for Le Mans, but new FIA/ACO rules for GT1 cars at the event effectively ended the Callaway C7R’s hopes.

“The rules changed so that 25 road cars had to be built. That wasn’t possible,” remembers Ernst, the disappointment still clear.

From that point, the Callaway Competition crew mostly concentrated on customer cars, continually developing their offerings. One of the most important automobiles of this period was the silver 2001 Callaway C12R #001 featured on the previous pages.

It was designed to compete in the GT2 70

category at Le Mans, with an entirely new body widened to two meters – the maximum allowable for GT2 – on a C5 chassis. C12R #001 was raced in the 2001 American Le Mans Series at the Sebring 12 Hours, the Grand Prix of Texas and the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

At the 2001 Le Mans it took the GT2 pole position over a field of ten Porsche 996 GT3s, four seconds ahead of the second-position GT2 car. In the race it led its class at Le Mans until its engine overheated while trying to drive out of a gravel pit, and it had to be retired.

Callaway Competition successes away from Le Mans continued, though, and in 2005 it moved onto development of the new C6 Z06 Corvette for GT3 racing, creating not only the longest-serving but also the most successful vehicle in the Super Sports Car League in both FIA GT3 and ADAC GT Masters.

The three cars on these pages – the white 2008 Callaway C6 Corvette Z06.R GT3 EVO, the yellow 2009 Callaway C6 GT4 and the 2016 Callaway C7 Corvette GT3-R – demonstrate how the team continually developed and moved on from the initial C6 ZO6 GT3 race car.

The 2008 Z06.R GT3 was the result of GM approving GT3 race homologation exclusively with Callaway Competition. Twenty-two Callaway C6 GT3 Corvettes were built at the M1 MOMENTUM

THIS SPREAD The next generation, which concentrated on GT3 and GT4 racing: white C6 GT3 EVO, yellow 2009 C6 GT4 19EX and 2016 C7 GT3-R. Note how much more complicated the 2016 car’s interior (right) has become.

C A L L A W AY C O R V E T T E S

German shop, of which the example here (#393) had the most wins in FIA GT3 as well as ADAC GT Masters for many years. It’s one of eight that were upgraded to EVO specification in 2012 with a 7.0-liter LS7 mated to a six-speed Hewland sequential paddle-shift transmission.

In 2009, GM upped the game by exclusively authorizing Callaway Competition to race in the FIA GT4 series in Europe. The factory also approved the construction of five special Experimental VIN (EX) cars to be built on the Bowling Green assembly line, which Callaway Competition in Germany converted into FIA GT4-homologated race cars. These were the first Experimental VIN race cars authorized

by GM since the famous five 1963 Grand Sport Corvettes were produced.

The yellow Callaway C6 GT4 (19EX) here was the last of the five GT4 Corvettes built, and the final three-pedal manual Corvette made by GM specifically for racing. In 2010 it was converted to endurance-racing specs, which included GT3 bodywork and paddleshift transmission among other upgrades, taking it to GT4+ spec. It became one of the most 72

ABOVE Reeves’ son Pete Callaway drives Frieda for the first time, followed by the car’s successors, the C7 GT3-R and C6 GT3 EVO, on track at M1 Concourse.

‘Callaways are the best-engineered cars in the world – genius – and Ernst and his team are incredible’ M1 MOMENTUM

successful endurance-racing Corvettes ever made, with eight endurance class wins and 14 podiums over four years (2010-2013).

When the C7 replaced the C6, Callaway Competition created the C7 GT3-R under exclusive authorization by GM. The example featured (#002) was the Callaway Competition, USA team car, and ran in the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge. It immediately proved its worth with a second-place finish at its first race weekend.

While all this was going on, Reeves – a keen helicopter pilot – became a founding adviser to a hydrogen-powered and composite-intensive, blended-wing aircraft start-up, with funding from NASA and the Air Force. He continued to oversee supercharged Callaway road cars, pick-ups and SUVs, embodying the company motto of Powerfully Engineered Automobiles.

Although his passing came as a terrible shock, Callaway Cars continues with long-time MD Mike Zoner and Pete Callaway at the helm.

The Callaways are due on track, and Pete is about to take another drive in Frieda. “The car had not been driven since it crossed the line in 1995 at Le Mans,” he says. “I’ve got some laps in here already.” While he’s preparing, having never driven it before this M1 Concourse gathering, the rest of us continue to talk.

Designer Paul reminisces: “We did the first sketches in early ’94. Reeves said: ‘OK, let’s build it.’ So I went to Germany and started sculpting the shape in foam. From the first sketches to testing took just three months. It’s still like that – we make decisions fast.”

John Kyle II, who owns all but the C7 here, recalls reading about Reeves in car magazines during the 1980s and thinking: “I want this guy to build the first [tuned] Corvette ZR1.” In 1994, he went to Le Mans and saw Frieda – now he owns it, along with one of the last twin-turbo road cars, the first Callaway ZR1 and more.

Engineer Charles Wicht, owner of the C7 GT3-R, says simply. “They are the bestengineered cars in the world – genius – and Ernst and his team are incredible.”

“Reeves was a great guy,” concludes Paul. “I knew him for decades, we never had a row. The proof of his legacy is that we’re still designing, doing these epic projects.” And with that, we all turn to watch Pete head onto the track with Frieda, hearing that V8 rumble once again.

Thanks to owners John Kyle II and Charles Wicht.

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IAN CALLUM INTERVIEW

AMERICAN DREAMS Ian Callum is the latest designer to be honored with the EyesOn Design Lifetime Achievement award, celebrated this year at Michigan Central Station. We talk to him about his long-held love of American styling – and what the future could hold

WORDS N AT H A N C H A D W I C K PHOTOGRAPHY C A L LU M / J A G U A R / MART YN GODDARD / STELLANTIS

IAN CALLUM INTERVIEW

‘Bill Mitchell’s elegant cars had lines that were allowed to go on forever, because in America they had the space to do so’ How did your car design taste develop?

I was very aware there were realms of ‘British’ design. There were the BMC cars, which I later learned were designed by Pininfarina, and very British cars such as Rover, Bentley and Jaguar.

Then there were Fords and Vauxhalls. The latter in particular were influenced by what was going on in Detroit, just shrunk down. I got to understand there was something called American style – if you grew up in the 1950s and 1960s watching Hollywood movies, other than the Westerns, you got the impression America was all about Beverly Hills, Malibu and all that glamorous stuff, with enormous great ‘Yank tanks’ as we Brits called them. But I admired them – they were very stylish.

It was the American style that always influenced me more, rather than the Italian – Ferraris, Maseratis and so on. I like those cars, but I’ve always loved the notion of attainability.

That’s why I like Jaguar so much, and prefer rallying and saloon racing to Formula 1, because they were something you could identify with.

What American designers and cars are your favorites from the era?

I knew Harley Earl was doing the big-fin stuff in the 1950s, and that was fascinating, but when the 1960s came along Bill Mitchell and his team were designing some very elegant things.

Their cars had lines that were allowed to go on forever, because in America they had the space to do so. Geography is very important when it comes to car design – and a great influencer.

I adore the C2 Corvette. If you look really closely at it, there’s a reference to the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante; there was a horizontalline style that was used on the first Corvair, too. Then there’s the Buick Riviera, which was meant to be a Cadillac originally – it was just such an elegant car, one of the most beautiful automobiles America has ever created. The ’65 76

variant is the one I like best, because of all the hidden-lamp detail. US manufacturers couldn’t use anything other than five- or seven-inch rounds, and to hide them completely was a bit of a statement. Then there’s the sheer confidence of the C-post – it’s just brilliant stuff.

You have been known to modify classic cars yourself – most notably a Jaguar Mk2.

How would you improve a Buick Riviera?

Well, I’d lower it and fit 18in or 19in wheels – not because it’s a trendy thing to do, but because it needs it. It’s a big bit of metal. I’ve always been obsessed with changing things; my classic car world colleagues despair when I buy an old motor and change everything. I reason that it is the way the designer or engineer would do it now, but they couldn’t back then because the option wasn’t available.

I remember doing a speech at a Jaguar club meeting in the UK, and a guy asked me about the gearbox on his Mk2 – the synchromesh had gone, and he asked for advice on what to do. I told him it really wasn’t my expertise, but I said I’d fit a Toyota Hilux ’box. He looked at me absolutely horrified and asked why. I told him that it changes gear better, and it’s stronger so it handles the torque – it’s just a dream to drive. If William Lyons had that gearbox available in 1962, Jaguar would have used it.

What’s the ultimate American-influenced British car of your formative years?

The first ‘Coke-bottle’ Vauxhall Victor, the FD, looked like somebody had gotten hold of what America had to offer, but contained it in a European size. I would love to have one – they’re just beautifully simple cars.

At the age of 14 I designed a vehicle for the Vauxhall Craftsmanship Guild competition. I got the runner-up prize, which was a walk around the Vauxhall design studio. I saw a car M1 MOMENTUM

buried under a sheet – I couldn’t help but be a nosy teenager. It was the new FE Victor, which had a dropped waistline and a Camaroinfluenced square front grille. I could see where the future was going. At the time, American designers would come to the UK for two to three years, and bring that Detroit influence with them – so I had a great love for Vauxhalls because they were very American.

Your first job took you to Ford, and eventually to its design studio in Michigan.

What are your memories of the era?

I had been doing interiors in the UK, but I pushed myself into exterior design, and I was in Detroit for a short while. I loved the experience – I started work on what eventually became the 1983 Thunderbird.

At the time US firms were trying to force big bodies onto short wheelbases in the name of economy. Some of the Chrysler K-cars were so dumb – I felt all the brands were losing their way through that period. When I came in, Ford was working on replacing all the big American models: the Town Car, the Grand Marquis... It was an era of soul-searching in the US, because European design was coming into its own.

Then we discovered this car called the Taurus…

I take it you’re not a fan?

Jack Telnack was Ford’s chief designer, and we became good friends while working at Ghia – he prompted me to go to Jaguar while I was at TWR. He and Ford were genuinely searching for a new look – it was a very passionate attempt to do something others weren’t doing.

The idea of ‘round’ shapes was instigated rather crudely by the Sierra – better known as the Merkur XR4Ti in the US – which wasn’t round at all, it was very geometric. However, compared with other cars of the time, it was very soft. We thought we’d take that further

ABOVE Ian with his Lounge Chair designs, one of the latest CALLUM projects.

BELOW A glimpse of an FE Victor during a walk around the Vauxhall design studio as a teenager reinforced his love of American styling influences.

THIS PAGE 1956 Chevy, ’32 Ford hot rod and ’69 Chevy C10 pick-up truck are among the rides Americana fan Ian has had in the UK.

– but the Taurus was all just a little bit ‘melted’.

It needed a bit of tension put into it.

How do you feel about US car design today?

I don’t think there’s a distinctive American design style, apart from some of the enormous SUVs. A Range Rover is a big car in the UK, but in the US it’s not – the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator are monsters.

The problem with design these days is that it travels so quickly. When I grew up, we only knew what America was doing when we saw it in the movies, and then the influence would roll out. Nowadays, information is transferred from one design studio to another around the globe in milliseconds, so it’s very much a world aesthetic today.

Every brand and studio is looking for their own aesthetic, rather than a specific nationalistic one. I look at German cars now and they seem very un-German. The French manufacturers seem to be the only people making ‘French’ cars – they are trying to recapture their culture and history, and do 78

funky things. They don’t always get it right, but they try to be different and I appreciate that.

The Stellantis guys did a good job with the Jeeps. But are they specifically Americanlooking? The Mustang and the Camaro still have a sense of Americana about them, but the rest of the offerings have a more international flavor.

Your own fleet has a distinctively American influence. How did that come about?

My brother, Moray, bought some hot rod publications for me when I was only 13 years old, and they just amazed me. One was Car Craft and another was Hot Rod Magazine – I kept looking at them, and I fell in love with the proportions of the 1932 Ford in particular. I went through the various styles of how these cars evolved – the rawness of the 1950s and ’60s, to the glamor period. I love the fact that they were pared back to the bare minimum but could still get you from A to B. It was still a freedom machine, but it wouldn’t be tied down to convention, which always appealed.

Hot rods were rebellious, and I knew it M1 MOMENTUM

would upset the middle-aged people of my home town – that also really appealed to me.

How did you acquire your ’32 Ford?

Unfortunately there’s not a lot of ’32 Fords in my home town. It was only when I was working for Jaguar at the turn of the millennium that I could afford one. The good news was that because Jaguar was owned by Ford at the time, I got a 25 percent discount on a Windsor 351 V8. However, the norm is to put a Chevrolet small-block in ’32 Fords, which I obviously couldn’t do...

It turned out to be a major problem because my builder was used to fitting Chevy engines and he had never fitted a Ford before, so packaging it all in was quite challenging. It got in, however, and it’s got GT40 heads on it, so the car develops 400bhp and weighs no more than a ton. You’ve got to drive it with a lot of respect – it’s got two solid axles.

What other American cars have you owned in the past, and continue to own today?

I wanted a ’55 Chevy, but they’re pretty rare

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IAN CALLUM INTERVIEW

ABOVE Ian at the unveiling of the CALLUM Skye multi-terrain electric vehicle at the UK’s Concours on Savile Row in 2024.

– and costly as a result. The ’56 Chevy was less expensive, and it reminded me of the Vauxhall Victor my dad had. I did lots of stuff to it to get it to drive better, having bought it sight unseen from Ohio. It was a solid car – the steel was about half an inch thick. It had a small-block V8, which sounded quite throaty, and I put rack-and-pinion steering in, bigger brakes, new tires... I tried to make it work better, but it was still a lumbering ’50s American car.

Driving it around the UK didn’t work too well; parking at a supermarket took up two spaces. I got fed up with it in the end because it wasn’t too practical. I regret selling it – even as a beautiful paperweight, it’s something I look at as a piece of automotive art. I’d have another ’56, or a ’55 if I could find one – of course, the ultimate is a ’55 Nomad wagon…

I’ve also got a ’69 Chevy C10 pick-up truck.

GM trucks of that era were so wonderfully designed. Mine was basic rails and big panels – when I got it, I pulled it apart and discovered the chassis was put together with rivets.

There’s no welding in it. Mine is now fully welded up, but I love that – you take the body off, fix the chassis, fix the body and put it all back together again. There’s little in the way of a wiring loom, just a few bits of wire – perfect.

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What are you currently working on?

When I co-founded the CALLUM design and engineering house, I always had the notion of building an affordable sports car in the manner of traditional British sports cars. My cofounder Adam Donfrancesco, our engineering director, was a bit more supercar-focused than that. Then David Fairbairn, another co-founder and our managing director, suggested we do something nobody’s ever done before: an offroad sports car that’s electric – the Skye.

How is the project going?

I’m looking forward to getting it on the road soon and driving it – we now have a registered prototype. I’m excited because it’s got a vehicle

‘I’m excited to see how people react to the Skye off-road sports car. It is a dramatic vehicle, so it will get a dramatic response’ M1 MOMENTUM

ID number. I’m a firm believer that a car is only ‘real’ when you see it on the road. I’m excited to see how people will react – it is a dramatic vehicle, so it will get a dramatic response. It’s got a sports car top and an off-road bottom half, a real mixture of both cultures. We’ll be touching 200kWh and it weighs around 2200lb.

How do you feel about the future of design?

Since the demise of cars such as the Chevy Caprice Wagon of the 1990s, American design studios have had a very European basis. The reality is that most studios are full of multinational people who don’t see themselves as a ‘nation’, more a fraternity of designers.

However, I think there’s an opportunity for the US to get back to something specifically American. The notion of a car being a commodity is something that’s instilled in most nations now, but there’s always room for flamboyance, eccentricity and a bit of exaggeration.

Frankly, Americans should pick up on that because they have the geography to do it. Not just SUVs, but in the old-fashioned sense with a cabin, a hood and a trunk, a bit of elegance about them. I think it’s an opportunity for cars to become more American again.

Find out more at https://callumdesigns.com.

WORDS N AT H A N C H A D W I C K PHOTOGRAPHY GRAHAM RAHAL PERFORMANCE

Web forum chat led to the development of a business building 1000bhp track cars.

M1 resident Fred Calero tells us how the GT1 roared into life

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“ONE OF THE GUYS SAID: ‘WHY DON’T you see how many chassis are left, and buy them? That’d turn a hobby into a major business endeavor,’” smiles GT1 founder Fred Calero. “I was crazy enough to listen to him – and I did it.”

The GT1 project continues the fine tradition of automobile building on the land that lies under M1 Concourse, dating back to the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company in the early 1900s.

That pioneering firm certainly lived up to its billing by building the first truck to conquer Pikes Peak, in 1909 – but the car you see on these pages is a whole new definition of the word ‘rapid’. Say hello to the wild GT1, complete with 1000bhp-plus. Ever since the prototype made its public debut at M1’s American Speed Festival in September 2022, interest in the car has spread out of enthusiast circles and into the mainstream.

It all started back in 2019, when Fred was discussing his allocation for the 2020 Ford GT on a forum dedicated to the 02/05 GT, one of which he owns. “There was a bit of chatter about some ’05 Ford GT chassis that were left over. I found that intriguing – what are you going to do with a Ford chassis when the other parts are almost impossible to find?

Hang it on a wall?” Fred explains.

Instead, he talked to engineering and racing friends, and came up with an idea – what if they pooled their resources and skills, and built racing cars? Each of the group ended up buying a chassis, and the discussion soon

‘Fred Calero talked to engineering and racing friends, and came up with an idea’ 84

ABOVE The GT1 team wanted to stay true to the original form of the car built in 1966 to beat Ferrari.

M1 MOMENTUM

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85

GT1

turned to creating a custom suspension set-up while sourcing the engine from Ford. Then came a fortuitous surprise…

“I found out that the Matech body molds for the GT1 that campaigned at Le Mans were located in southeast Michigan,” Fred says.

Lance Miller had bought all the Matech Ford GT1 endurance racing cars and imported them to the US, along with those molds. “I thought, wait a minute – that’s a piece of the puzzle,” Fred continues. “All the panels were in good condition because Matech didn’t build many GT1s – just a small handful. They had been sitting in storage for some time, so they had to be reconditioned, cleaned up and waxed, but they were definitely usable.”

This last piece of the puzzle brings us back to where we began: with the knowledge base, body molds and an engine supply, the idea of making a limited-run hyper-track car based on a GT chassis started to take shape. Fred ended up buying 30 chassis directly from Ford.

He also turned to Lance to borrow some

‘The idea of making a limited-run hypertrack car based on a Ford GT chassis started to take shape’

THIS SPREAD A 427ci Roush Yates RY45 V8 sits at the heart of the GT1’s mid-engined layout. Complete with twin turbochargers, it is restricted to sub-9000rpm to ensure optimum performance.

M1 MOMENTUM

parts so he could use them as a reference or to do some reverse engineering for the new car.

As Fred recalls: “Lance said yes, so I drove to Pennsylvania with a truck. He said I could take anything and everything I needed.”

The kit contained suspension parts, swaybar parts and genuine Matech doors to make molds from. “On top of that, Matech put out a book about the homologation process, which allowed our team to recreate the Matech for our needs. It laid out all the hard points and suspension-geometry pieces,” Fred says.

At the heart of the GT1 is the motor. “We wanted to make it the most raucous, visceral and committed execution of this mid-engine platform to date,” Fred explains. “That’s where the Roush Yates unit became the one. The RY45 is a 427ci, which is definitely significant to the era of old-school engines yet modernized so that it has the highest horsepower available.”

Early development efforts focused on supercharging, but the powerplant is now turbocharged. The unit has twin turbos, and 87

GT1

THIS SPREAD Unlike the Le Mans endurance racing machines the GT1 apes, its intended road use calls for durability beyond 24 hours. This has called for redevelopment of key aspects.

while it can rev to 10,000rpm, it has been restricted to under 9000rpm. “With low compression, we don’t need to rev that high to get the horsepower out of it.”

The chassis was largely left as-is, although some parts were upgraded for durability.

“When you build a true Le Mans car you only need it to last 24 hours, and you don’t really care that afterwards every part is done and broken,” Fred says. “But we wanted to build something that someone can drive for thousands of miles, so we had to make changes in the heim joint selection. The control arms 88

and uprights had to be made more robust.”

Two roll cage options were investigated.

“We first went with an FIA-style cage, but we found that it was difficult for egress and ingress. That meant we had to arrive at a compromise that would make it easy for the owners to get in and out of the car,” he explains.

There were also some notable changes to the Matech cars in terms of aesthetics and aerodynamics. “On the fenders, we added top and side venting, and we have much larger front and rear diffusers because we’re not limited to any motor sport rules,” Fred says. “We also M1 MOMENTUM

have dive planes on each corner at the front – we studied the aerodynamics and improved them, just because we could. However, we wanted to stay true to the original form of the car built in 1966 to beat Ferrari.”

One of the challenges of the build was managing the heat from that brace of turbochargers, while retaining the original silhouette of not only the 05-06 car, but also its original inspiration. “We didn’t want it to look like a McLaren,” Fred explains. “The original Matech car had a lot of scoops in the back of the car, whereas on our model

GT1

the rear glass features a lot of openings.”

Despite this, a little further ingenious thinking allowed for a more natural solution: “We have a lot more scoops coming in the side, opening up the natural NACA duct that was part of the original design, and then we installed massive coolers. PWR engineered all our cooling,” he says.

The development team was also intent on having a sequential gearbox, and eventually it turned to French manufacturer Sadev.

On the subject of the development crew, the guys working with Fred are steeped in performance-car history. Jim Dunham, for example, took a leading role in engineering the GT1 – after all, it’s familiar territory. In his 32 years with the Blue Oval, he was the development engineer for the Ford GT that forms the basis of its spiritual successor.

Another engineer is Jeremy Sutton, who worked under John Coletti and Ford’s Special Vehicle Team, playing a key role in the development of the SVT Focus and Terminator Mustang Cobra in the early 2000s. He also spent some time with British manufacturer TVR, helping to bring the 800bhp Cerbera Speed 12 to life – he is very well versed in

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ABOVE A distinguished development team whose members share some serious collective technical history is working hard to bring hyper-horsepower motoring to the road with the wild new GT1.

‘People wanted this wide-body race car but they also wanted to take it to Cars and Coffee events to show it off’ M1 MOMENTUM

carbonfibre speed machines. It’s a small team, but the depth of knowledge is huge.

With three cars already completed in 2023, Fred and the gang headed to Amelia Island, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the wider Monterey Car Week, to which they brought along a show machine. “People kept asking us whether they could drive it on the street – the larger percentage of those we talked to wanted this wide-body race car but they also wanted to take it to Cars and Coffee events to show it off,” Fred says. “They asked whether we could put in windows, airconditioning, suspension lift... I said we could do anything, but it would take some time.”

That mind-set is now informing the future direction of the GT1 project – bringing hyper-horsepower motoring to the road. There will now be the option of a Ford GT six-speed manual transmission courtesy of Ricardo. “We are still able to source the original 2005 gearbox, and it’s a lot friendlier as a street ’box – the sequential version is like a horse trying to kick you off,” Fred laughs.

He is currently working on putting together a package with Ford Performance for the engine. “When we consulted with the guys

GT1

there, they steered us towards something much more aligned with what they will be offering, so it will be a modern 5.2-liter supercharged engine with well over 1000bhp.”

Fred asserts that options for air-conditioning and suspension lift are fairly simple to include although, perhaps surprisingly, engineering the windows isn’t a quick task: “That’s a large development effort,” he muses.

The overall GT1 project is now being run out of Graham Rahal Performance in Indianapolis.

The road-car development is currently in its early stages, with supplier choices still a matter of debate – for example, Fred is keen on upgrading the car to carbon-ceramic brakes.

“Graham is saying we need to look at KW Suspension for the shocks, because he does a lot of work with the Porsche Carrera GT with regards to recommissioning the suspension.

It’s all up for discussion,” Fred says.

The track cars have so far worked out at around $1.3 million apiece, but you can expect the street cars to be a fair bit more due to the extra development that is required. “Every 92

‘The track cars have so far worked out at around $1.3 million apiece, but you can expect the street cars to be a fair bit more’

ABOVE M1 Concourse’s own Johnny O’Connell puts the GT1 through its paces; his input has been invaluable for the car’s development.

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one of these GT1s is going to be unique, a piece of art where the customer can select the chassis color, the cage color, the color of the billet parts and so on.”

At the time of writing this feature, Fred is working on chassis number four. It’s coming on pretty well: “The suspension and the engine are both in it already, but we are not at the running stage yet,” he explains.

So far, Fred says he has really enjoyed learning about the race-car business: “I have been fortunate enough to work with people such as Johnny O’Connell, who is also the driving coach at M1 Concourse. He’s been an integral part of our development team, riding along with us and giving us feedback. Working with people such as that, and then going to car events and being able to accomplish all we have done with such a small team, is something that I am very proud of.”

And what about the future? Fred’s got a glint in his eye. “There is always something in the works,” he smiles. “There are always ideas.”

Find out more at https://gt1cf.com.

WOMEN IN CHARGE Michigan was at the heart of some of the very first electric cars, more than 100 years ago. What’s more, these were often aimed at the female motorist...

W O R D S A X E L E C AT T O N P H O T O G R A P H Y G R EG J A R E M

GRANDMA DUCK HAD THE RIGHT IDEA. In the Donald Duck comics of our youth, the Duckburg matriarch drove a car very much resembling a Ford Model T – sometimes red, sometimes blue. However, as with many women of her time, Grandma didn’t bother herself with crank starters, three different types of pedals, drive belts, oil hoses and fuel tanks: she drove an electric car from more than 100 years ago. Why are we focusing on women here? We traveled to Connecticut to meet a noted collector of vintage electric cars, who explained the reasons and the story to us.

Many people assume that electric cars only really came into popularity with the arrival of the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Roadster in the 21st century – but that’s simply not true. Up until the early 1900s, there were as many electric cars on US streets as there were gas-powered

ones. With the arrival of electric energy in most households, the inventive Americans came up with ever more uses for it, from lights to washing machines, electric irons – and EVs. Early pioneers in the field were household names, and included Detroit Electric, Baker and Milburn.

Bill Lillie owns not only three electric cars from the early years of motoring, but also a number of other pre-war models. He explains: “I’m an engineer, and I am fascinated by the solutions some came up with that long ago.”

He has not one but two examples from former market leader the Detroit Car Co (the brand Grandma Duck preferred): an unrestored black 1922 Model 90B and a ‘facelifted’ blackand-blue 1919/1931 Model 98A Brougham.

“Not only are these cars representatives of an important era from the development of the

‘Up until the early 1900s, there were as many electric cars on US streets as there were gas-powered ones’ THIS SPREAD With its clean and easy all-electric operation, along with a plush, home-from-home interior, this 1921 Milburn Light Electric Model 27L is a beautiful example of the kind of car that was aimed specifically at women back in the day.

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automobile, they’re also witnesses of 100 years of American history,” the collector explains.

He also has a 1921 Milburn Light Electric Model 27L. It is estimated that between 1914 and 1923, the Milburn Wagon Company of Toledo, Ohio produced around 4000 cars – yet only 56 are known to have survived until today.

Bill’s Model 27L has a surprisingly well documented history back to its presumed first owner. And yes, much like the Duckburg senior, that original driver was a lady.

“Gas-powered cars were targeted squarely at male drivers,” says Bill. “These models smelled, lost oil, had to be started using difficult-to-operate cranks and were unreliable to boot. In contrast, EVs didn’t need to be cranked, they were easy to operate and – given that they were charged – they were always ready to go, didn’t need to be warmed up and were 97

very reliable. They were also quiet, so it was a no-brainer to advertise to women, who were less inclined to put up with oil, fuel and smells.”

You only have to take one look at the beautiful Milburn to see why these cars appealed to women drivers. Instead of a Model T’s austere all-black leather interior with virtually indestructible rubber flooring, the Milburn welcomes you with the atmosphere of a woman’s boudoir. There’s red brocade as far as the eye can see, even on what in modern cars would be the dashboard. Here there are two jump seats, allowing for a pair of additional passengers to ride backwards.

The floor is covered with high-quality red carpet, and the windows are framed with curtains and blinds with tassels. At each side are vases holding artificial flowers. There are wide expanses of glass all around you, too.

“Different to your regular cars of that era, electric cars were almost always fully enclosed coupés,” says Bill. “Occupants were protected 98

THIS SPREAD 1922 Detroit Electric Model 90B would have been built not too far from today’s M1 Concourse site. Period photo shows Mrs Cora Steely with her Milburn; this is presumed to be Bill’s own example.

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from inclement weather, and were warm, the seats were comfortable and the atmosphere was distinguished.” The Milburn comes over less like a car and more like a salon – helped by the fact there is no steering wheel or drive pedal.

But we are attracted not only by this EV granddaddy’s superb condition, but also its extensive history. As Bill recollects: “When we bought this one it was painted some kind of metallic rose: go figure! The interior was clad in red velvet, too – and neither of these would have been original. So we started right away with a restoration, during which we found a letter underneath the rear seat addressed to one Mrs Stella Hanna, whom we now know to have been the second owner of the Milburn.”

Stella had been a wealthy land owner in Waterloo, Iowa – located in America’s Dust Bowl, which is flat as a pancake.

Bill quickly produces a newspaper article from 1942 reporting that “local owner” Stella Hanna was still happily operating her then

‘It was a no-brainer to advertise to women, who were less inclined to put up with oil, fuel and smells’ 21-year-old electric vehicle that she had purchased 16 years before as a used car. Bill presumes that the first owner was also a lady. He shows us a black-and-white photograph with a car identical to his – also in Waterloo – showing Mrs Cora Steely and her father, and stating her as the proud owner. Shows you how important such things were considered in the 1920s.

It appears ladies preferred charging an electric car over handling smelly ‘petroleum’ at a pump by the side of the road in wind and rain. Instead, the woman of the world simply returned home with her electric car and plugged it into her own charger. Bill has just one of those units in his collection, which of course is not currently working. “I will get it to run, though,” he assures us. Inside the Tungar Rectifier, which is the size of a crate of beer, is a large lightbulb filled with tungsten and argon, which transforms AC into DC. Today, the 2645lb Milburn feeds its 2.6kW motor via 12 6V batteries – six in the front and six in the back. Top speed is around 25mph with a range, then as now, of up to 80 miles, Bill reckons. He has equipped all of his cars with modern chargers, allowing him to simply plug them into the mains.

We quickly realize that 72V isn’t going to move any mountains when, after a good hour of shooting photos, we decide to take Stella’s salon on a short tour of the neighborhood. The little Milburn no longer manages to clear the slight hill in front of Bill’s house – and me getting out isn’t lightening the load sufficiently for that to change. So, he does what every EV driver would love to do in his situation: he chooses a different, fully charged car from his collection – the aforementioned and unrestored 1922 Detroit Electric Model 90B. In addition to the all-original 90B Bill also has the 1919 Model 98A Brougham, which the

E A R LY E L E C T R I C C A R S

ABOVE Bill Lillie’s engineering mind is fascinated by early electric cars – as is exemplified by his cherished trio.

factory itself ‘facelifted’ in 1931 to make it more appealing for more modern times. Smallerdiameter balloon tires and a chopped roof were supposed to make it look contemporary and – more importantly – fit into a regular garage. “The older cars were just too high and had to live outside,” explains Bill.

Back in the unrestored 1922 Detroit, it’s a pretty amazing place to be. Everything outside or in is original, save the seat-bench cushion.

Steering and controlling the speed are both done via tillers coming out of the left side of the vehicle. There is a long one for steering – push forward to go left, pull towards you to go right. A smaller tiller controls the speed – push forward to drive and pull backward... well, that’s where the trouble starts. To reverse, the Detroit requires you to step your heel on a pedal and push the lever forward, whereas the Milburn also has such a pedal, where you then need to pull the lever back.

While I am busy watching Bill orchestrating the leverage, he asks: “Do you want to have a go?” And, just like that, I find myself sitting on the left side of a 103-year-old electric vehicle in traffic somewhere in Connecticut. Bill doesn’t seem fussed; he’s enjoying my delight with his 100

car. Of course, there are no seatbelts, as those had not been invented for another 40 years. So, tillers in hand, off we go.

It’s silent, we knew as much, but I am still impressed it was like that 100 years ago.

There’s no whine from the electric motor, which is still the original one, no excessive noise from the suspension and no rattles in the interior. I quickly realize that we’re basically running around on incredibly skinny bicycle tires, and that even the tiniest movement on the tillers can upset the balance.

“Let’s take a left further down,” Bill tells me, sounding much like my driving instructor in his day. I start braking, so I pull the lever all the

‘There’s no whine from the electric motor, no excessive noise from the suspension and no rattles in the interior’ M1 MOMENTUM

way towards me – but it’s the wrong one. The cart isn’t slowing down at all, but veering straight to the right towards the trees. “The other one!” Bill shouts, so I pull the smaller drive tiller back and get the thing stopped just in time. After that, the rest is like a walk in the park – as though I’ve never done anything else.

Driving the Detroit is quiet, reasonably quick (we still manage up to 25mph) and indeed quite comfortable. At the end there is this damn hill again, this time going down. Bill takes no risks; he makes me come to a full stop and then nurse the 1.5-ton Detroit down the hill. Good call, because the end of that road goes straight into the river. “It’s easy to expect too much of the brakes,” he explains with the authoritative voice of someone who’s been there before.

Back at the ranch, Stella’s Milburn is already charging. Bill plugs in the Detroit alongside it before we head inside. I imagine this is what Stella did 100 years ago when she returned in her salon from a shopping trip to Waterloo. I begin to wonder what she would have made of people so many years later in such a different world being interested in her and her car. Of course, I don’t know – but I feel that being in her Milburn today brought me a little closer to her.

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WILL THIS BE THE WORLD’S BEST MOTOR SPORT MUSEUM?

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is about to reopen, after some serious fundraising and almost a year closed to the public.

Here’s how it will look

WORDS D AV I D L I L LY W H I T E ARCHIT ECTS’ RENDERS IMS MUSEUM

THIS SPREAD Basement has always been out of bounds for all but a lucky few; it will now be open for extra displays. The first will be on the four-time Indy winners.

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‘You’re really going to get an immersive experience. When the engines start, you will feel them start’

HERE’S A MUSEUM THAT CELEBRATES one of the greatest motor sport venues of all time, has the pick of more than 115 years of automotive history, and features some of the fastest and most innovative race cars ever made. It needs to be good, right?

And, to be fair, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum was good when it opened nearly 50 years ago. But, as even museum president Joe Hale and chairman of the board Chuck Jones admit, in recent years the IMS Museum had begun to look dated in contrast with comparable establishments.

“The museum will be 50 in 2026,” Joe reiterates. “And, to be honest with you, it hadn’t changed too much from when it was originally built. We have the largest collection, obviously, of Indy-winning cars. When you walked in, you basically saw the whole museum. There wasn’t really a lot of mystery or a path to follow, or any kind of a learning experience.

“For the car guys, it was fine, because they got to be around cars that they just loved. But we thought it needed to be brought into the 21st century, and be what a museum should be today – which is not only educational, but also 104

entertaining, immersive and participatory.”

Chuck Jones adds to this: “What we are building today will stand the museum in good stead for the next 50 years. We are trying to pivot this attraction from one of static displays to a much more immersive and interactive experience. We’ve always appealed to the diehard race fans, and we still want to appeal to them – but we also want to find channels and ways to engage younger audiences.”

So that is what’s happening. The museum was closed to the public in May 2024 to allow a complete rework, and it is due to open in April 2025. It will be virtually unrecognizable inside, and it will concentrate on Indy cars rather than including machinery from other disciplines.

What happens to the museum’s non-Indy machinery? Well, you probably know that already, because late in 2024 it was announced that 11 cars were to be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s. The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Streamliner was sold on February 1 for €51,155,000 at a closed sale at the MercedesBenz Museum, and the 1964 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 250 LM went on February 3 in Paris for €34,880,000. The rest were sold at ModaMiami M1 MOMENTUM

in late February, resulting in a total of around $125 million for all 11 of the cars.

We’ll come back to all that shortly, because it’s important to understand first what’s going to change at the IMS Museum. Again, Joe is our guide: “There will be much more of a focus on storytelling,” he says. “You’ll come in and you’ll go down Gasoline Alley, where you will see seven garages that represent seven different eras of the race here, from 1909 to the present day. You’ll see the evolution of technology, the evolution of design. These garages will be exact replicas from each particular era of the 500, so you’ll get a sense of history walking down Gasoline Alley.

“Then you’ll turn the corner, and all of a sudden there’s a 20-foot-wide by 80-foot-long LED screen in front and above you. And it will give you the experience of what it’s like to be on the track on race morning, from 6:00am when the cannon goes off, until ‘drivers start your engines’ at 11:45am, so you’re really going to get an immersive experience. When the engines start, you will feel them start. You’ll hear them, but you also feel them.”

Joe continues: “So it’s going to give you

THIS SPREAD Revamped museum will focus more on storytelling than before, including the evocative Gasoline Alley with its seven historic garages.

that experience to then emerge from. And in front of you will be a grand staircase taking you up to a new mezzanine, which will have information about the other races that have been staged at the track, and the safety innovations that have happened. There will be an exhibition on the most recent Indy 500-winning driver and car as well.

“You’ll come from the starting-line experience, and then you will have our Winners’ Gallery under this new mezzanine, and about 24 of our Indianapolis 500-winning cars will be displayed there. We are also having a qualifying zone, which gives both adults and kids an idea of what it’s like to prep for the 500. You can try to qualify on our simulators. You can pick up a fuel hose. You can pick up a tire. You can test your reflexes there. That will feed right into a new STEAM [science, technology, engineering, arts, maths] classroom we have, and that’s going to be a place of learning. We’re going to bring in a lot more field trips than we have in the past.

“Then, at the end of the first floor, there’s going to be the Penske gallery. Roger [Penske] is going to have six cars from his collection in there. It’s going to give a lot of information

about the history of the team, which has won the Indy 500 a record 20 times.”

Joe goes on: “Then you walk down to the basement, where there will be yet more winning cars. In the past, the basement was really off limits to most visitors. You had to know somebody to get in, yet some of the coolest cars we had were down there. We’ve now made the basement part of the museum, so we have doubled the size.

“What’s cool down there is that we’re going to have two rotating galleries, which can be combined into one large one. The first exhibit that we’re going to be doing is the four-time winners of the Indy 500. You’ll also see a projection map that will show you how the track has changed from 1909, when it was a farm, until today, decade by decade.

“There are food and beverage facilities down there, too, and then you’ll go out and take your tour around the track – and, if the track is available that day, which it usually is, take a lap around it. You’ll get off at the finish line, kiss the bricks and all of that.”

Joe continues: “In the past, when people wanted to take that tour, they would come into

the museum, they’d buy a ticket, and they’d leave and then take their tour around the track.

Many never went through the museum, so we wanted to make sure they had a sense of the history and had context for that trip they’re going to take around the track.

“After that, you exit down the hallway, and cars are going by at 230mph [on the screen] – it’s the race experience, the sights and sounds of what it’s like to be on the track when the race is going on – and then you exit the retail. We’ve got a second phase that we’re going to be announcing later that we hope is going to involve a restoration shop, which could be an added-on tour at some point in the future. But for now, we are focused on reopening in April 2025.”

Sounds good doesn’t it? But as with most of the best museums, there’s an equally important side to it behind the displays, as Joe explains…

“I think what bothered me the most [about the old museum] was when a young person, a child, would come into our museum, what they heard more than anything else was ‘don’t touch that, don’t touch that, don’t touch that’, rather than ‘let me get you engaged, let me get 105

you excited about the sport of motor racing’.

Chuck Jones adds to this: “One of the things that will be an integral part of the new museum is exposing young people to the technology that lies behind IndyCar racing; the science, the physics, everything that is involved. And just as I was captivated when I went to the old museum with my dad when I was seven or eight, hopefully we will captivate the imaginations of some young people who will be the next Adrian Newey, Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi or even one of the drivers.”

This is a huge transformation for a museum with so much history. It was officially opened in 1956 on a non-profit basis, eventually operating under the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation, but its origins can be traced back to 1945, when Anton Hulman Jr bought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hulman worked with the museum’s first curator Karl Kizer and three-time Indy 500 winner Wilbur Shaw to save the speedway and revive the Indianapolis 500. After Shaw’s death in 1954, Hulman formally opened the museum to showcase historic race cars and memorabilia.

Initially, there were a mere 12 cars on display.

By the time it was closed for refurbishment in 2024, it housed more than 55,000 artifacts and over 300 vehicles – and was attracting 140,000plus visitors a year. Change was needed, though.

The museum building is owned by Roger Penske, but it is kept independent from the actual Indy 500 as a separate 501(c)(3) organization.

Joe joined the museum back in January 2021. However, the facility’s board had been planning changes since at least 2017, and it had already decided that the focus should be on cars that have raced at Indianapolis, 106

‘A huge LED screen in front and above you will give you the experience of what it’s like to be on the track on race morning’ rather than trying to cover all disciplines.

“We had a lot of cars, and many of them were valuable, as you know,” Joe says. “What the board decided to do in 2017 was to de-assess the machinery that doesn’t have anything to do with the Indy 500, and focus on that which does so.”

The recently sold W196R was presented to the museum by Mercedes-Benz in 1965. “It was gifted to Mr Hulman, and it’s been in our collection ever since,” says Joe. “So we have the latitude to de-assess it. The board voted on that years ago, and we’re finishing up that process.”

There’s always a danger when any institution sells some of its artifacts that the public reacts badly, but Joe says the museum is on top of that, and most people understand why it’s selling the cars that don’t relate specifically to the Indy 500.

“We have not had a bad reaction by any means,” he explained ahead of the auctions.

“But it’s taken a lot of time to explain to people that, yes, we’re receiving a substantial amount of money from this sale, and that we are going to put most of it into an endowment, and that is going to ensure the future of this museum for generations to come.”

The museum can’t spend the money from M1 MOMENTUM

the cars sales on capital investment, but if it took, say, five percent of the (roughly) $100 million, that’s $5 million it can spend to buy more Indy-winning race cars and exhibits.

So why can’t the money be used towards the museum building itself? Especially since the target to cover the cost of the work that’s going on at the moment is a daunting $89 million.

Again, Joe explains the situation: “It’s all about museum best practice. We really are interested in becoming accredited at some time with the American Alliance of Museums. There’s a process that you need to go through, but we’re trying to abide by its rules now: the association says that when you do de-assess items from your collection, you have got to reinvest the proceeds back into your collection base rather than capital improvements.

“So we’re still fundraising. We continue to get people who want to support this project.

They realize how important it is. I mean, I don’t care where you go in the world, when you mention Indianapolis, typically it’s related to the Indianapolis 500: it’s iconic, and that’s what brings people here to our museum.”

“Fundraising for a not-for-profit is like a race without a finish line,” adds Chuck, wryly. “It never stops, because once we have the funding to build the museum, then we have to operate the museum. But for the construction of the museum, we’ve largely achieved our goals.”

“It’s a bucket-list destination,” concludes Joe. “Eighty percent of our visitors come from outside Indiana; 20 percent from outside the US. It is those people who want to see Wimbledon, they want to see the Colosseum, and they want to see the Indy 500 track, too.”

See https://imsmuseum.org for more details.

THE RENDERS ARE CONCEPTUAL ONLY. WHEN THE MUSEUM REOPENS, THE EXHIBITS AND OBJECTS ON DISPLAY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN REPRESENTED IN THE CONCEPT RENDERS

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Here’s to our Next 40 Years!

WE’VE COME A LONG WAY, forty years of experience spreading the

world’s original and most loved vehicle mover to all corners of the earth.

With nearly every automotive manufacturing brand and a dozen other personas using Stringos, we’re proud of providing safe, single operator vehicle moving to automotive professionals around the world.

We can’t wait to see what the next 40 years of innovation brings.

1988 2025

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WORDS E L L I O T T H U G H ES PHOTOGRAPHY SHELBY AMERICAN

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THE

STORY As M1 Concourse prepares to celebrate 60 years of the GT350, Shelby releases its latest version – including a high-performance R variant

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SHELBY GT350

SIXTY YEARS AGO, CARROLL SHELBY created a now-legendary dynasty of American performance cars with the release of the Shelby Mustang GT350. In January 2025 the model’s legacy continued, with the headline-grabbing unveiling of an all-new GT350 and GT350 R during Barrett-Jackson’s annual Scottsdale sale in Arizona.

Shelby American believes that these latest GT350s – which are touted as the most trackfocused production Mustangs ever created – are the perfect way to mark the 60th anniversary of its performance icon. And, after even a cursory glance at the specifications, it’s difficult to argue otherwise.

Based on the latest, seventh-generation Ford Mustang, the 2025 GT350 and its even more hardcore sibling, the GT350 R, represent the pinnacle of Shelby American’s road-legal offerings. On both models, the styling is replete with motor sport DNA, and features aggressive vents and aerodynamic enhancements.

Lurking beneath the hood is a choice of Ford’s 5.0-liter Coyote V8 in either normally aspirated 480bhp form, or in full-fat 810bhp spec thanks to a massive 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger. The GT350 R is only available with an even more potent 830bhp lump.

Crucially, however, all models come with a sixspeed manual transmission as standard – a novelty in today’s era of engine downsizing and electrification – although an automatic gearbox is available as an option.

“It was important for us to celebrate the

‘The styling is replete with motor sport DNA, and features aggressive vents and aerodynamic enhancements’ 110

60th anniversary of the GT350, so we thought coming out with a new limited-production version was a great way to mark the occasion,” explains Aaron Shelby to us. The grandson of Carroll Shelby, he is a Shelby American board member and a true enthusiast. Also joining us are Shelby American president Gary Patterson, as well as vice-president of operations and senior designer, Vince LaViolette.

“The kicker is obviously the GT350 R model, and that is something Gary has been heavily involved in creating,” Aaron continues, hinting at the deeper engineering story behind the muscle car that bears his family name. But before diving into the nuts and bolts of what makes these machines so special, it’s crucial to understand how they bridge Shelby’s motor sport heritage with today’s cutting-edge performance engineering Carroll Shelby founded his eponymous company in 1962, two years after being forced to retire from his successful career as a racing driver on medical grounds. The decision was a bitter one – he had won the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours outright in an Aston Martin DBR1, and he remained at the peak of his powers.

Yet history would prove that his legacy as a car builder would surpass even his greatest triumphs on the track.

Shelby’s first creation – the AC Ace-based Cobra – made an immediate impact in racing circles. This success led to Ford approaching Shelby in 1964 to squeeze more performance from its already popular Mustang. The Blue Oval’s request culminated in the first truly high-performance version of the pony car, the original Shelby GT350, in 1965 – a track-oriented performance machine that combined a lightened coupé bodystyle with a 4.7-liter V8 that produced 306bhp. This was a 13 percent improvement over the 271bhp developed by the standard Mustang.

This bump in power was facilitated by a large four-barrel Holley 715 CFM carburetor, and was complemented by lowered front suspension arms along with larger sway bars, M1 MOMENTUM

ABOVE Seventh-gen ’Stang -based GT350 represents pinnacle of Shelby American’s road-legal offerings.

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SHELBY GT350

THIS SPREAD V8 power – be it either naturally aspirated or supercharged – gives the GT350 newcomer plenty of bite on the road and on the track.

adjustable Koni shock absorbers and bigger brakes. Shelby’s modifications meant the motor sport-focused GT350 R dominated the Sports Car Club of America series, winning the B-Production class outright from 1965 to 1967.

Following this success was an even more powerful GT500 model in 1967, before Shelby and Ford parted ways in 1970. This meant the Shelby Mustang nameplate was temporarily retired until 2007, with the launch of a specialedition Shelby GT version of the fifthgeneration Mustang. This was followed by the revival of the GT350 model in 2010 directly from Shelby American, which was later built and sold under license by Ford from 2015 through 2020. The 2025 model, made by Shelby American, continues Carroll’s muscle car legacy well into the 21st century.

As with the original example, the new GT350 was developed with motor sport in mind, and the car will contest the highly competitive Trans-Am series in 2026. Tellingly, Michigan-based engineering firm and racecar preparer Turn Key Automotive worked hand in glove with Shelby American on the GT350 R’s development.

“Our collaboration with Turn Key Automotive has been great,” Gary asserts. “What we aimed to do was set a new bar for the company, and create a big difference between the GT350 and the GT350 R. There was a fair amount of difference between the two models in the 1960s, although both cars were track-oriented.”

The specifications of the thunderous Coyote V8 represents another nod to the past.

Interestingly, Ford has reverted to a more traditional crossplane crankshaft for its

‘We’re a small company with a big name, which means that we can push ahead and get things done’ M1 MOMENTUM

latest Mustang V8, in contrast to the more highly strung flatplane crank that appeared in the now-discontinued 5.2-liter Voodoo V8 powerplant of the 2020 GT350.

“We really love the flatplane, but it just didn’t make sense for this application,” Gary explains. “Especially when we looked at TransAm and what the series would allow, the 5.0-liter crossplane is the spec engine.”

“Another problem with the earlier 5.2-liter engine was that we couldn’t add any power to it because the crank wouldn’t be able to handle it,” Vince interjects. “So, that’s the reason why we never gave the last GT350 R any extra power. The 5.0-liter allows us to give the customers what they want.”

A further correlation between the original GT350 and GT350 R is evident in the extensive list of modifications Shelby has made to the chassis, bodywork, suspension and brakes – particularly the R model.

The GT350 R boasts a laundry list of enhancements, including a non-structural carbonfiber interior tub, optional carbonfiber seats with racing harnesses, integrated roll cage, adjustable suspension, larger brakes and more aggressive aerodynamic package.

Notably, many of these upgrades will carry over to the Trans-Am race car.

“We’re a small company with a big name, which means that we can push ahead and get things done,” Aaron says. “We always pick the best solutions, try them out – and if they work, we continue with them. A lot of testing goes into what we do, and we never throw parts on the car just because they look cool.”

“Both Vince and I did a lot of the development driving for Carroll Shelby when he was still around,” Gary adds. “We still do it to this day, so we certainly have car people running a car company. It’s just like Carroll used to say: ‘Shelby is a band of hot rodders, and we can take on the world.’ And we did.”

“I’ve been in racing and car design for my entire life, so I know what works,” Vince stresses. “One of the most exciting things we discovered during testing was when we fitted the supercharger to a car with a stock front end, and we found that our underhood 113

temperatures were around 190-200ºF. With the new front end, the fenders and the hood in place, the underhood temperatures were only eight degrees above ambient temperature when traveling at 130mph.”

Shelby took the same approach with the car’s suspension, as Aaron explains: “Not only have we tuned the engine, but we have also tuned the suspension. We have upgraded the ECUs for the set-up and changed the algorithms. Track Mode, for example, is far different from the original settings Ford used, which means that the car works completely differently from the way a factory Mustang does when driven on a circuit.”

“So there are a lot of different things we’ve done – or Easter eggs, as we call them – that we’ve hidden within the car,” Vince adds.

There’s so much more to creating a bona fide Shelby Mustang than engineering prowess alone, however. The modern car must be infused with the company’s DNA – and that is as true today as it was in the mid-1960s. The only way this can be imbued in the new model 114

is from the very people who designed it – and, in this respect, plenty of parallels can be drawn between the modern cars and the originals.

“The Turn Key Automotive connection was such an important part of the car’s development process,” Gary explains. “The company is owned by Richard Rinke – and his son, Jack, is an engineer and a test driver. If you’ve seen the movie Ford v Ferrari, then you’ll definitely notice the correlation with the relationship between Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. All the guys involved are car enthusiasts

‘The modern car must be infused with Shelby’s DNA – and that is as true today as it was in the mid-1960s’ M1 MOMENTUM

and racers, and we prefer a suit with a zip at the front over one with a tie.”

A final echo of the past can be found in Shelby American’s production plans. The company will build 562 GT350s for 2025 – including the 36 R models, just as in 1965. Cars will be available in select Ford dealerships around the globe. Prices for the GT350 start at $109,999, while the GT350 R’s list price remains undisclosed at time of writing.

“The value of vintage Shelby GT350s is astronomical, but we are seeing very strong resale values for both classic and modern Shelbys at auction,” Aaron states. “The Shelby Code Red, for example, is a model that we announced a couple of years ago. And, while we don’t recommend this, one of our customers auctioned that car and got more than what he paid for it in nearly new condition.”

Proof, if proof were needed, that classic American muscle cars never go out of favor – and that the legendary Shelby GT350 will always sit right at the top of the tree.

For more information, please see www.shelby.com.

THIS SPREAD Decades of muscle car and motor sport DNA inform the new model inside and out, continuing Carroll Shelby’s legacy well into the 21st century.

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‘Whether the GT350 R can recreate the ontrack dominance of its legendary predecessor remains to be seen – but it has the tools for the job’ GT350 R: A true thoroughbred

One of Carroll Shelby’s most famous maxims was: “There’s never enough horsepower – just not enough traction.” By that logic, the Shelby GT350 R must have plenty of grip to match its colossal output. Thanks to the combined expertise of Shelby American and Turn Key Automotive, it promises to be as sure-footed as an 830bhp muscle car can be.

Its motor sport-derived tech is evident. A fully integrated roll cage reinforces the body structure, preventing flex under acceleration, braking and cornering while maintaining consistent tire contact for maximum grip. This is paired with a lightweight, non-structural carbonfiber tub, further enhancing rigidity and reducing 116

weight. The competition-grade suspension is track-optimized, with electronically adjustable dampers, while larger, fade-resistant brakes ensure immense stopping power.

Aerodynamically, the GT350 R’s aggressive package includes a reprofiled front splitter, wider fenders and a massive rear wing – each element working to generate downforce and improve high-speed stability. Airflow management has also been refined to keep the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 fed with cool air.

Many of these cutting-edge features will carry over to the upcoming Trans-Am race car. Whether the GT350 R can recreate the on-track dominance of its legendary predecessor remains to be seen – but it certainly has the tools for the job.

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THIS PAGE GT350 R is a street-legal sports car built to also dominate the track. With highly developed but still traditional tech, the latest Shelby machinery could represent the zenith of the V8 muscle car formula.

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THIS PAGE “There’s a GMC truck to fit every business” boasted this early advert. Note that vehicles were available with either gasoline or electric power.

LOCAL HISTORY

THE RIGHT TRUCK FROM THE RIGHT MANUFACTURER BY 1908, THE LAND THAT WAS TO eventually become the M1 Concourse ‘Triangle’ contained the showcase of horseless-vehicle manufacturing in Pontiac, the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company’s factory. In 1909 Rapid was advertising delivery wagons, trucks, buses, sight-seeing cars, ambulances and “every type of vehicle in the commercial line”.

That same year, however, William Durant gained control of the company, and it became a subsidiary of General Motors Co. The Reliance Motor Company, which also manufactured trucks, had experienced the same fate one year earlier. The Rapid and Reliance brands maintained their own distinctive vehicles, but only for a couple of years. By the end of 1912, a GMC (General Motors Company) logo replaced those of both companies, effectively bringing about the end of an era.

Advertisements from 1912 claimed that a GMC truck was the “right truck from the right manufacturer”. The company’s engineering and mechanical resources were said to be so

Chapter six in our history of The Triangle – now home of M1 Concourse – tells how GMC truck production geared up for war WORDS C A R O L EG B O

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great “as to meet the most exacting demands of the time”. Few people seemed to remember that Max and Morris Grabowsky had laid the foundation for the company beginning in 1904. Max’s inventive genius and the business prowess of Morris had led to the highly successful line of Rapid commercial vehicles.

But now this was a General Motors story.

The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company had originally begun operations in a factory that was about 75ft long, which was described at the time as a “large, modern, perfectly appointed plant”. The General Motors Truck Company expanded the site into a complex that included two rows of modern buildings made from cement and steel, each of which was 725ft long. Its payroll had increased from 20 men to between 1800 and 2000 when the factory was running at full capacity. To quote the company, it was manufacturing everything from “gospel wagons to fire apparatus” in those buildings. Change was coming, however – and that began in 1916.

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LOCAL HISTORY

THE SWITCH TO MILITARY PRODUCTION Between 1916 and 1917, the British military used a number of GMC Model 15 trucks for service in World War One. The United States did the same following its entrance into the conflict in 1917. GMC trucks contributed significantly to the war effort, and the factory was enhanced by two additions to keep up with wartime production.

During WW1 the Army adopted the Model 16 as the standard for all quarter-to-one-ton military duties. These trucks managed to plow through the mud and ruts of the battlefields of Europe. The GMC factory also produced more than 4000 war ambulances, and it was capable of building up to 50 of the model 16AA variety per day. In 1918 over 90 percent of GMC truck production was for war use.

Truck Company as the sales unit. No doubt the general public must have found the various names connected to GM to be rather confusing.

In April 1937, Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing bought several buildings located along South Saginaw Street in The Triangle, from the Wilson Foundry and Machine Company. These premises became Plant 4 of the GM complex, and were used for building light truck engines and material storage. In 1940, Yellow Truck and Coach purchased yet more of the Wilson Foundry buildings, which became Plant 3. These were used primarily for sheet-metal work and material storage. The GM complex had now taken over most of The Triangle.

POST-WAR PRODUCTION Following the war, GMC attempted to capitalize on the US Army’s use of the Model 16 to promote sales, advertising it as a history-making vehicle. To help this effort it reduced the price of the truck, offering a pre-war price of $1495. There was also a move toward increased production efficiency. This resulted in the addition of a floor-conveyor assembly line in the Rapid Street plant, as well as in the construction of a brand-new warehouse. The boom years of the 1920s saw GMC truck sales increase steadily.

AN EVEN BIGGER COMPLEX TO THE EAST

YELLOW TRUCK AND COACH MANUFACTURING In 1925 General Motors purchased a majority stake in the Yellow Cab Manufacturing Company of Chicago. This company had been organized in 1920 from the old Walden W Shaw Livery Company to produce taxis and later buses. General Motors changed the company name to Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company, and this became a subsidiary of GM. Under the merger the company operated as the parent company, the General Motors Truck Corporation as the manufacturing unit and the General Motors 120

THIS PAGE The General Motors Truck Company’s premises were already impressive in 1917.

Ambulances were among its earlier vehicles, and by 1939 the range had expanded substantially.

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As GM operations continued to grow in The Triangle, an even bigger expansion project had been initiated just to the east. In 1927, the company had purchased 160 acres of former farmland, and had begun to build a massive new plant east of The Triangle on South Boulevard. The $8 million plant was nearly a half-mile from end to end, and was one of the largest factories in the world at the time.

An article in the Detroit Free Press described the project: “Acres of ground are dotted with concrete forms and lined with surveyors’ stakes.

Supplies are piling as high as houses; trucks are chugging over the uneven meadowland,

and scores of workmen are hurrying to and fro.

Seven gigantic steam shovels are laboriously biting holes in the ground.”

Truck manufacturing was transferred to this larger plant, and vehicle production in the Rapid Street factory in The Triangle was phased out. It was converted to engine production, and by 1930 all GM powerplant manufacturing was centralized in this facility.

A RETURN TO MILITARY PRODUCTION Ads and sales brochures for GMC trucks in 1939 claimed they “stood alone as the leader in power”. The company was said to offer seven all-new valve-in-head engines, new bodies and synchromesh shifting. But as World War Two began in Europe that year, things were about to change. By December, GM already had orders for more than 4400 all-wheel-drive military vehicles. In 1940, nearly 14,000 of some 60,000 trucks built by the company that year were of the multi-wheel-drive military type. By 1942, all civilian vehicle production had been suspended by a US Government directive, and military production by GM was in full force.

During the war GM built more than a dozen different types of military vehicles. The CCKW-353 6x6 personnel carrier – nicknamed the ‘Deuce and a Half’ – was the most common, with in excess of 560,000 produced over the course of the war. This truck was sturdy like a Jeep, but its larger size allowed it to transport more troops and supplies. It also carried tons of gasoline to the front lines, enabling Allied forces to continue to advance without fear of running out of fuel.

Another vehicle of great importance was the DUKW-353 amphibious 2.5-ton 6x6 truck, nicknamed the ‘Duck’. These were used to transport troops and supplies between ships and beaches. They could also easily cross rivers and travel long distances on roads.

Although neither of these two vehicles were manufactured in The Triangle itself, the engines that powered them were.

Overall, during WW2 GM built nearly 600,000 multi-drive military vehicles, including

THIS PAGE Production during World War Two saw hundreds of thousands of heavy-duty vehicles roll off the GM line. These were then transported to Europe to undertake front-line duties.

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528,829 6x6 trucks, 21,147 Ducks and 32 armored cars. For its contributions to the war effort the company received the Army-Navy ‘E’ Award for Excellence in Production. In 1945, Government restrictions on civilian truck production were lifted and GM moved into its next phase of vehicle making. This was to include venturing into the production of vans and recreational vehicles, as we’ll find out...

The story of this historic site continues in issue 7.

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THIS SPREAD A nostalgic window into the past, the Ford-Wyoming nevertheless has a relevant place in the 21st century, with film fans as enthusiastic about this legendary venue as they ever were.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE FORD-WYOMING DRIVE-IN For 75 delightful years this captivating drive-in theater has brought Hollywood glamour to Michigan.

Despite everything, it still perseveres WORDS N AT H A N C H A D W I C K PHOTOGRAPHY LIT TLET889, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / R YA N K E B E R LY / D A N A M C C A R T N E Y

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IT’S A STORY THAT’S JUST AS DRAMATIC as the celluloid tales shown on its screens every night – and just as enduring as any golden-era Hollywood classic. The Ford-Wyoming DriveIn Theater, once proclaimed to be the biggest in the world, has survived VHS, DVD and now internet streaming to still provide cinematic highs, seven days a week, and almost 24 hours.

The Ford-Wyoming is, however, a standalone reminder of a lost era – it’s the only drive-in left in the Metro Detroit area, and one of nine in Michigan. It represents a battle being fought by dedicated staff who have been with the theater for decades, and whose personal lives are often entwined in the grand history of the

place itself. The land the Ford-Wyoming stands on had a long history before the likes of John Wayne and Clark Gable beamed down upon it; it was a family farm for generations before it was part of the Haggerty Brick Company that enabled much of Dearborn and Detroit’s expansion. Once it had produced its last brick, it served as an airfield, with World War One fighter pilot and racing driver Fast Eddie Rickenbacker a regular patron.

The Clark family owned the Dearborn Tool & Die company, and had been eying what had become an empty stretch of land for some time. Sons James, Clyde and Harold held roles at the family firm, but they were all singers and

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

musicians. This taste for showbiz opened their eyes to the possibilities of a booming postwar economy, a rapid growth in car ownership – and of course, a booming Motor City.

Detroit’s first drive-in, in Harper Woods, was launched in 1938, four years after the concept’s invention. By 1949 the number of drive-ins in the US had doubled to more than 1000 in 15 states. The money was rolling in, too – from $126m in ’49 to $271m in ’59, while concessions went from $15m to $108m in the same period.

Having acquired the land in 1948, the Clarks’ route to opening day was a winding one. The Harper Woods drive-in had been controversial from the start, and almost immediately upon submitting plans for their own facility, the Clarks faced petitions, parents’ groups and the controversial Mayor Orville Hubbard.

The problems largely came due to location – most drive-ins existed in rural areas, whereas the Ford-Wyoming was in the city limits on the border between Dearborn and Detroit.

However, the Clarks fought back, taking out a full-page ad in the Dearborn Independent proclaiming the wider benefits for the community. “Any development that helps increase the use of the automobile helps the Motor City region and its citizens,” it said.

“More autos used means more autos sold; more autos sold means more prosperity for the people of the world’s auto capital.”

The matter went to the state Supreme Court, and the drive-in was approved – but Hubbard would veto the plan, saying it would become a “physical and moral liability to the community” and “a hotbed of immoral behavior”, and citing that more than 2000 residents opposed it.

However, the council eventually approved it overwhelmingly, much to the delight of the 9500 signatories in favor of the Ford-Wyoming.

A date was set for opening night – May 19, 1950. Despite a late challenge from the fire department, and Hubbard trying to put a ribbon across the venue’s entrance, it went on as planned. Despite dismal weather, it was a sell-out crowd for all 750 slots. The first film was The Man from Colorado, starring Glenn Ford and William Holden – that crowd obviously drawn by a promise of “Lawless Violence!” on the billboard.

However, many of the movies were family affairs, and the Clarks soon opened up the facility to non-profit groups and charities in the area. There were also plenty of special events: on one occasion, you could order your 123

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

LEFT Ford-Wyoming Drive-In Theater’s distinctive midcentury architecture has welcomed film fans for 75 years.

Long may it continue.

popcorn next to a US Army-supplied Sherman tank. The theater would also play host to stars on promotional tours, such as the band Herman’s Hermits, actor Dwayne Hickman and, notoriously, musician Jerry Lee Lewis, who ended up standing on the projection booth, much to the Clark family’s bemusement.

To combat the often chilly Michigan weather, the Ford-Wyoming would supply incar heaters – although these could be costly to use and were often stolen by the patrons.

There was also a large playground in front of the screen, boasting a toy train, merry-goround and swing. Most popular were the red motorized boats suspended above a pool.

The Clarks would end up running the FordWyoming for three decades, right through a boom in drive-in theaters. It wasn’t all good times, however – aside from constantly battling people trying to sneak in, there were a few attempts at robberies, and in January 1979, a fire. A furnace couldn’t be switched off on a day the theater was, mercifully, closed, and the blaze became so hot it warped the steel beams; the wider damage was severe.

However, by spring of that year the FordWyoming was open again, just as the first body blows to the world of drive-in theaters began to take effect. The teenagers who had populated the theaters of the 1960s now preferred to hang out in malls, and film directors had started to complain that their creations didn’t look as good as intended on drive-in screens. It was also around this time that video cassettes 124

and satellite TV started to come into play.

Against this backdrop it’s easy to understand why the Clarks chose to sell the theater to Charles Shafer, a long-time business associate, friend and big name in drive-in theaters in Wayne County. Shafer had been after the FordWyoming for some time – its in-city location, proximity to the Chrysler plant and closeness to Detroit’s one million inhabitants would make it the jewel in his crown.

The Clarks agreed to sell for $1m, and Shafer soon set about upgrading the theater to nine screens and a 3000-plus capacity, making it the largest drive-in theater in the world at that time. In the ’80s, films starring Eddie Murphy, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone packed out the parking area, and Prince’s Purple Rain saw hundreds of cars turned away.

By 1985, 75 percent of Saturday nights were sold out – it looked like those turn-of-thedecade challenges were being seen off.

However, the good times couldn’t last – the neighboring Chrysler Wyoming plant was demolished in 1992, and the McGraw facility closed a little over a decade later. The hundreds of people working odd shift patterns that kept the screens going all night disappeared, just as Detroit’s population dwindled. From a high of 1.85m people in the 1950s, the area has lost two-thirds of that number.

The Ford-Wyoming was forced to react by cutting the screens down to five and selling the land they stood on. Worse was to come in 200812, the leanest years the drive-in has known. In M1 MOMENTUM

2013 a Hollywood mandate that all screens go digital, at a cost of $400,000 to the theater, nearly put Ford-Wyoming’s very existence in jeopardy. It’s a challenge that the team has taken on, understanding the necessity of the upgrade and praising its improvement in picture quality.

Even as Shafer sold off all of his other driveins, he would hold on to the Ford-Wyoming, and well into his 90s he was still playing an active role in the theater’s day-to-day running.

The venue has seen all sorts of strange sights over the years, as revealed by Karen Dybis in The Ford-Wyoming Drive-In: Cars, Candy & Canoodling in the Motor City. The sole shooting the theater has ever seen was when someone brought a raccoon along; Animal Control failed to subdue the animal, so the cops had to shoot it. Then there was the time somebody accidentally let loose a boa constrictor… The only real crime, other than people sneaking in, has been thieves stealing the speaker stands.

With the Ford-Wyoming now celebrating 75 years, it remains a vibrant Detroit landmark and is still pulling in the punters. As the sun sets on another day under its beautiful midcentury main building, it’s a little hard to comprehend the impact this parcel of land has had. Those teenage necking sessions that led to marriages and families. The inspirational on-screen tales. The connections between staff and theatergoers. And still the show goes on, with nearly year-round sunset-sunrise opening enabling numerous late screenings.

The fact the drive-in remains is a tribute to Michigan fortitude, just like those film fans who turn up in six feet of snow.

The drive-in theater is almost uniquely American in concept, an embodiment of the democratizing nature of the automobile. Both the drive-in and the motor are seen in some quarters as antiquated, yet both speak of escapism. The go-anywhere nature of the car is obvious, but for many the drive-in was a rebellious place to get away from prying adults, and to see the world through Hollywood’s eyes – an escape from reality, many feet high.

This romance, and the nostalgia for it, is the reason why the Ford-Wyoming is so cherished by so many. Forget Netflix and chill – here’s to the next 75 years of the Ford-Wyoming.

To find out more about The Ford-Wyoming Drive-In: Cars, Candy & Canoodling in the Motor City, head to www.karendybis.com. To visit the Ford-Wyoming, head to www.forddrivein.com.

Celebrating the very best of the classic and collector car world

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126 M1 Concourse products 128 New products 132 Books 134 Watches

The latest temptations, from automobilia to the greatest reads, exquisite watches and clothing, plus exclusive M1 Concourse gear

W O R D S N AT H A N C H A D W I C K / SARAH BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY M1 CONCOURSE

126

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M1 Concourse Woodward Ave Crewneck Sweatshirt

Featuring exclusive ‘M1 Concourse Woodward Ave’ embroidery, this $70.00 sweatshirt is available in three great colors: Kelly Green, Carolina Blue and Heather Gray, all meticulously selected to complement the crewneck’s cozy fabric.

It offers both comfort and style, elevating your casual look and making it ideal for bonfires, car shows or cruising down Woodward Avenue in your cherished classic automobile.

DESIRABLES

M1 CONCOURSE PRODUCTS

Amalgam Ford GT40 1969 Le Mans Winner 1:18-Scale Model

Relive Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver’s historic Le Mans victory with this meticulously crafted $995.00 model .

Developed, hand-built and assembled over 800 hours, it measures 8.8 inches long and showcases superb precision engineering and the finest-quality materials.

Finn Ryan Woodward Yoga Stretch Hooded Jersey Pullover

With its Woodward wagon graphic, this embodies the spirit of the Woodward Dream Show. Made from a 60/40 cotton/poly blend in men’s sizes XS to XXXL, it costs $90.00.

Lapel Pins

These high-quality metal lapel pins are a subtle and stylish nod to both the M1 Concourse venue and the legendary Woodward Avenue. Two of the pins feature simple logos, while the third depicts the iconic M1 Concourse track in a striking black outline.

At only $6.00 each, you can afford to buy just one or collect the whole set.

M1 Caps

We’ve got all your headgear needs covered with this stylish selection of caps. From the top there’s the Richard Petty ‘43’ Cap at $45.00, the Women’s Trackside Classic Cap available in four colors at $30.00 and the American Speed Festival cap, also priced at $30.00.

See shop.m1concourse.com to buy all products

M1 MOMENTUM

127

NEW PRODUCTS Amalgam Porsche 550 RS Spyder

Bell Charles Leclerc Las Vegas Helmet

Created in collaboration with Bell Racing Helmets, this is a life-size replica of the HP77 model worn

by Charles Leclerc during the 2024 Las Vegas GP. It’s hand-painted and built using similar materials to the racing helmets, and comes with a custom-designed box.

It costs $15,850. store.ferrari.com

This 1:18-scale model beautifully pays tribute to Porsche’s influential and infamous lightweight sports cars. The mixture of lightweight construction, slippery bodywork and the Fuhrmann four-cam engine made it a Ferrariquashing machine. The model costs $1181. amalgamcollection.com

Shinola Pocket Zip Wallet

Crafted from pebbled natural-grain leather, this wallet features a zip pull, a card pocket on the exterior and plenty of storage for everyday life: 12 interior card pockets, a coin compartment, two bill pockets and two open compartments. It’s $295. shinola.com

Ford Performance Raptor T1+ Mens Hoodie Ford pulled out all the stops for the famous Dakar Rally this year, and 128

M1 MOMENTUM

this hoodie displays the wild Raptor in all its glory. It’s available in sizes S to 3XL, and costs $69.99. store.ferrari.com

DESIRABLES

Mopar Hemi Youth T-Shirt

Detroit Soul Throw Pillow

This T-shirt for youngsters will help them embrace the power of the heroic Hemi 426. Made from 52 percent cotton and 48 per cent polyester, it’s available in S to XL and costs $24.95. wearmopar.com

Inject some 1970s style into your living room with this 14in x 14in pillow from Pure Detroit. Made from polyester inside and out, the pillows cost $29.95. puredetroit.com

Revell 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

This 1:8-scale plastic kit comes with 154 individual parts to provide a stern

M1 MOMENTUM

test for keen model makers. It features a detailed multi-part V8 engine, a movable hood and a multi-part body, alongside various ‘chrome’

parts such as the wheel rims, exhaust pipes and carbs. It comes with all the decals required for three different liveries. It’s $143. revell.de

129

DESIRABLES

NEW PRODUCTS

Alfa Romeo 33 Coupé Stradale

One of the most beautiful supercar shapes of the 1960s, represented beautifully in 1:18-scale

form. This particular model is finished in Blue Reale, but other colors and variants are available.

It is priced at $105. laudoracing-models.com

GM Denali Shed Rain UnbelievaBrella

MiSOM Crewneck Made from a 55 percent cotton, 45 percent polyester blend, these unisex crewnecks represent the Michigan State of Mind (MiSOM) to the fullest, keeping you warm throughout all the seasons. It’s available in XS to XXL, and costs $44. mistateofmind.com

BMW E30 Print MW T-Shirt

Produced in association with artist Michael Wiethaus, this 100 percent organic cotton T-shirt pays tribute to the iconic BMW M3 E30. It’s available in sizes XS to XXL, and costs $58. lifestyle.bmw.com 130

M1 MOMENTUM

Celebrate GM’s highest trim line with this eight-panel umbrella, made with a metal shaft and an FRP glassfiber rib construction for durability.

It has a wooden curved handle along with an auto-open feature, and it creates a cone when closed – keeping water contained while it stands by itself. It costs $46. gmcompanystore.com

AUTOart Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

This 1:18-scale model pays tribute to the Countach in the car’s most exuberant form – the 25th Anniversary.

The engine compartment, frunk and doors open, and even the headlights pop-up. It costs $615. model-universe.com

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BOOKS

Classic Car Auction Yearbook 2023-2024

FERRARI IN AMERICA

Luigi Chinetti played a key role for Enzo in the US, but his story is about so much more

After Enzo himself, it could be argued that the most important man in Ferrari history was Luigi Chinetti. After all, it is he who steered the company across the waters in the American market – the most important one. In fact, Chinetti’s story goes back beyond the marque; he worked alongside Enzo at Alfa, and was a keen and successful driver in his own right. It is the Ferrari years and the North American Racing Team that are, understandably, the stars of Michael T Lynch’s $185, 300-page book, but it’s refreshing to read more about Luigi’s earlier career.

What’s really absorbing are the extended life stories of those who folded in and out of Ferrari’s tale in America, including the likes of James Kimberly, whose rampant success on track, as well as with the ladies, did much to elevate the manufacturer’s profile.

Chinetti is, of course, the star, and the book is filled with the kind of insights that might have been lost to time. There’s plenty of history on the family, too, such as the background to Chinetti Jr’s brief marriage to Mamie, but also on the customers; Miles Davis might be most famous in car circles for his Miura misfortune, yet he was a serial Chinetti customer.

Not only was he known for forcefully insisting that the sound of his V12 be tuned just right, but also some mechanics remembered seeing bullet holes in the bodywork in one car he dropped off for servicing.

The Chinetti story is a wide-ranging one, yet motor sport was the key driver; the addition of Al Garthwaite Jr allowed Luigi to do just that. As such, the book deals with the ecstasies and the agonies of the NART era at its most competitive in an exceptionally detailed way, but with a pacy narrative that stops it becoming a dry going-over of results.

It’s also amusing to read of the issues Chinetti had dealing with Maranello – even getting cars out of the factory for one, and then ensuring they worked properly for an increasingly discerning clientele, who had far more choice from the mid-1960s onwards.

The tale of NART’s decline makes for fascinating, if sober, reading.

Despite all the victories, it would eventually come to an end amidst lawsuits and lingering rancor. Nevertheless, the passion for racing continued long into the 1980s, although with little success and some unfortunate associations. Ultimately, Ferrari in America is a wonderful book for all, not only Ferrari fans. bullpublishing.com 132

M1 MOMENTUM

Adolfo Orsi’s global overview of the past 12 months in auction land packs in the customary car-by-car, auction-byauction guide. There’s also granular analysis of trends regarding certain cars over time, going back to 1993, but the real value of this 432page, $109.95 book is in tracking estimates vs results – something several auction houses conveniently forget in the aftermath of a sale.

Recommended for frequent buyers and sellers, and fascinating for those with a passion for graphs and data. autobooksaerobooks.com

Marcello Gandini: Maestro of Design Revisited Gautam Sen’s close connection to Gandini made the original Maestro of Design

a must-have for fans.

However, there was much that could not be printed about Marcello’s later work, which – following his passing – is now profiled in Revisited.

There is plenty more to take in, with reflections on the great man’s career. Presented in an easier-to-digest format (a single volume, rather than two as before), the 624-page treasure trove of rarely seen images, sketches and insights is well worth $165. daltonwatson.com

Mascots In Motion

Mascots and hood ornaments are among the true delights of 20th century motoring, lost at the altar of pedestrian safety and aerodynamics. Steve Purdy spent more than 40 years photographing such miniature pieces of art at concours events, and this 290-page, $90 book brings them to life via not only his images, but also the stories behind their creation and their ongoing reflection of contemporary society. A true art book, yet there’s depth here, too – especially for those with a love for American automobiles. shunpiker productions.com

DESIRABLES

SPY OCTANE: THE VEHICLES OF JAMES BOND While 007 takes a break, this new book fuels the fascination for Ian Fleming’s superspy icon

Victory Driven: Cadillac V-Series

Bond might currently be on warhead-induced R&R, but the unbridled passion for Britain’s foremost secret agent continues. Both Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce marked 2024’s 60th anniversary of Goldfinger with special-edition cars, while Matthew Field and Ajay Chowdhury’s first installment of a three-part series dedicated to 007 vehicles is well timed.

It’s beautifully produced, too – the design and imagery are top notch.

This 415-page, $169.95 book takes a pleasingly granular look not only at the vehicles but also at the people who turned them into film stars in their own right. A good example of the level of detail comes early, with the tale of how the over-bouncy suspension of Bond’s Sunbeam in Dr No nearly left Sean Connery sans head during one stunt.

The book, which spans from Dr No to Diamonds Are Forever, begins with a profile of Ian Fleming, investigating his deep love of cars. It turns out that although his most famous character rather looked down on American automobiles, the author was a noted fan of them.

However, the most fascinating stories concern how the films were made – the decisions behind certain cars, and the perils of getting iconic sequences to work (and japes that ensued while waiting for the shoot).

There’s a wealth of interviews with production managers, set designers, stunt co-ordinators, producers and more – as well as the starring actors and actresses – that elevate this Bond book above others. Key people, such as production designer Ken Adam, receive special attention.

Each movie is discussed from its conceptual stage to its release; the story of marketing Goldfinger all around the world is most entertaining.

Equally fascinating are the fates of the vehicles depicted. While those of the cars are better known, the Thunderball Vulcan bomber was left in the sea in the Bahamas, to be used as a diving location and a Flipper bit part.

The James Bond Aston Martin DB5 is, of course, the star of the show.

The story of its conversion, and the fates of the various cars involved, is highly detailed. But there’s a lot more to behold too, including the story behind the gorgeous Toyota 2000GT’s inclusion in You Only Live Twice.

The superb Spy Octane book is intensively researched, engagingly written and beautifully illustrated. It’s a must for Bond aficionados – and even for those whose 007 appreciation might have withered over the years, it’s a great read. porterpress.co.uk M1 MOMENTUM

The tale of Cadillac over the past 20 years has been nothing less than transformational. In a bid to shake off its Floridaretiree image, it built a range of performance muscle that the rest of the world has seemingly forgotten how to produce. Think big-cube engines, manual ’boxes and huge fun. Andrew Nussbaum’s 392-page, $110 book charts the ups and downs, incorporating Cadillac’s valiant racing efforts alongside the road car. You’ll soon be querying the wisdom of a prospective BMW M5 purchase… daltonwatson.com

AJ Foyt: Survivor, Champion, Legend AJ Foyt is one of American racing’s most successful drivers – and Art Garner’s $39.95,

606-page first volume dedicated to him makes the case for Foyt being the greatest driver of them all. After all, he’s won the Indy 500 four times, the Daytona 24 Hours, the Le Mans 24 Hours and many more – and survived plenty of near-death experiences along the way. Although clearly in awe of its subject, the book doesn’t shy away from Foyt’s occasionally prickly personality. An engrossing read. octanepress.com

Pete Lyons: My Travels on Racer Road

Pete Lyons has traveled the world in pursuit of stories in Formula 1, Can-Am, endurance racing, IndyCar and many more. He’s also published 15 books, including two revered marque histories on Lamborghini and Ferrari.

This time, the focus is on himself and his father Ozzie, also a renowned photojournalist. Filled with magnificent imagery and evocative descriptions, this is an excellent, 560-page, $90 read. A life well and truly lived – with plenty of the wit Lyons’ readers will be accustomed to. evropublishing.com 133

DESIRABLES

PS Horology Tsuba Blue

WATCHES

Inspired by Japan, the Tsuba Blue uses a 316L case that requires a five-stage finishing process for its complex shape. The case measures 38.3mm by 8.91mm. It features a sapphire dial center with an anodized metal frame above the dial, and is powered by the Vaucher 5401 ultra-thin micro-rotor movement, with 48 hours of power reserve. Limited to 100 pieces, it costs in the region of $21,375. ps-horology.com

Patek Philippe Cubitus 5822P

Not only does the Cubitus represent the first new collection from Patek in 25 years, but the 5822P could well be the next Nautilusstyle hype watch. The 5822P features a new complication with a grand date at 12 o’clock, date, day and moon phase, based on the 240 caliber but with six new patents.

The case measures 45mm

wide and 9.5mm thick, and it is constructed from platinum. It costs $88,378. patek.com

Autodromo Racing Team Chronograph

Limited to just 165 pieces, this minimalist chronograph is inspired by the de-branded tobacco advertising motor-racing liveries of the 1990s. The 40mm stainlesssteel case contains a Seiko VK63 Chronograph Hybrid Meca-Quartz movement.

It costs $625. autodromo.com

134

Longines Ultra-Chron Carbon

Although the Ultra-Chron is the first Longines case crafted from carbon, its design cues date back to 1968. This new take on the design retains its 43mm diameter and 14mm thickness, and weighs 80g compared with the steel version’s M1 MOMENTUM

172g. The screw-down crown and caseback are made from matte titanium, and the hands are treated in gray PVD coating. The anthracite dial, meanwhile, is sandblasted to give it a matte texture. It has 300m of water resistance, and uses the Longines L.836.6 movement. It costs $4900. longines.com

Photo courtesy of John D’Angelo

Building what drives you forward

AUCH Construction

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308 FERRARI

It shook the cognoscenti to the core when it arrived, but this mid-engined V8 Ferrari has since claimed its place in the sun – helped by a starring TV role

WORDS J O H N TA L LO D I PHOTOGRAPHY MAGIC CAR PICS

8328 BUYING GUIDE

TODAY, THE IDEA OF A MID-ENGINED V8 Ferrari is well established, following decades of both influential and celebrated cars from Maranello. However, there was a time when the thought of a Ferrari sporting anything less than 12 cylinders was highly controversial. In fact, the model that began the Prancing Horse’s V8 lineage wasn’t originally called a Ferrari at all.

The 308 GT4 was introduced back in 1973 as the Dino GT4, and it remained in production until 1980. It is one of the few largely forgotten Ferraris, no doubt hindered by the fact that it was initially deemed unworthy of wearing the Cavallino Rampante emblem on its flanks.

Its styling was also a point of contention.

The GT4 was one of the few Ferraris designed

by Bertone, and its wedge-shaped profile wasn’t as well received as the curvaceous Dino 246. The differences didn’t stop there, either – the GT4 was Ferrari’s first-ever 2+2 mid-engined sports car, as well as the only 2+2 to be factory-backed in racing.

Despite its mixed reception, the GT4 was an excellent machine underneath. Thanks to its low curbweight, the 2.9-liter V8’s 252bhp (240bhp for US models) delivered impressive performance – even in later US versions, which were restricted to 203bhp due to emissions regulations. A special 208 GT4 was also available for the Italian-only market, 138

ABOVE Bertone -designed 308 GT4 was Ferrari’s first 2+2 mid-engined sports car. OPPOSITE 308 GTB sat on the same underpinnings as GT4, but its styling proved far less polarizing.

‘There was a time when the thought of a Ferrari sporting anything less than 12 cylinders was highly controversial’ M1 MOMENTUM

producing an even lower 168bhp from its taxfriendly 2.0-liter engine – one of the smallestdisplacement production V8s ever built. The flatplane-crank unit emitted an unmistakable, high-pitched wail that has since become a signature sound of mid-engined V8 Ferraris.

Unfortunately, the 308 GT4’s departure from Ferrari tradition led to the model being somewhat under-appreciated in period, and it was soon overshadowed by its stablemates that also bore the 308 name: the 308 GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) and 308 GTS (Gran Turismo Spider). The 308 GTB debuted in 1975, two years into the GT4’s production run. The ‘308’ designation indicated that the same transversely mounted 2.9-liter V8 engine was sitting under the hood.

The 308 GTB/GTS and the GT4 shared the same tubular chassis, although the GTB/GTS version boasted a shorter wheelbase. However, the 308 GTB/GTS proved far less polarizing than the GT4. By then, the latter had already set the precedent for mid-engined V8 Ferraris, and the GTB’s Pininfarina-designed bodywork was much better received than the angular Bertone styling worn by the GT4.

Arguably, it was the introduction of the targa-top 308 GTS, along with its starring role in the hit TV show Magnum, P.I. that cemented the 308’s place in automotive history.

As the model approached the end of its

BUYING GUIDE

Specifications Engine Power Top speed 0-60mph Economy

308 (2.9-liter V8) 240bhp 154mph 6.0 seconds 14mpg (est)

Engine Power Top speed 0-60mph Economy

GTBi/GTSi injection (2.9-liter V8) 214bhp 149mph 7.0 seconds 26.8mpg (est)

Engine Power Top speed 0-60mph Economy

328 (3.2-liter V8) 270bhp 166mph 5.5 seconds 20mpg (est)

production cycle, Ferrari introduced fuelinjected versions – the GTBi and GTSi – due to stricter emissions regulations. These models featured lower power outputs than their carbureted predecessors: 202bhp in the US and 212bhp in Europe. Once again, a 2.0-liter 208 GTB/GTS was offered for the Italian market, starting in 1980 and followed by a turbocharged version in 1982.

In 1985, the 308 was finally phased out and replaced by the 328. While the newcomer retained a similar design to the 308 GTB/GTS, the body was further refined for improved aerodynamics. Mechanically, the car was an evolution of the original 308’s 1970s design, with the V8’s displacement increasing to 3.2 liters, producing 270bhp. The 328 also featured a more modern interior along with an early form of onboard diagnostics, and ABS became standard starting in 1988.

As with its predecessor, the 328 was available as both a hard-top coupé (GTB) and a targa-top convertible (GTS). The GTS was significantly more popular, outselling the GTB by a five-to-one ratio. In 1986, Ferrari once again introduced a 2.0-liter turbocharged car specifically for the Italian market to bypass the country’s steep tax penalties on larger engines.

Production of the 328 ended in 1989, closing the chapter on one of Ferrari’s most iconic and beloved mid-engined V8 models.

Model history 1973

1981

Bertone-designed Dino 308 GT4 launched, as first mid-engined V8 and 2+2 bodystyle in Ferrari’s history. All equipped with 252bhp 2.9liter V8, five-speed manual and rear-wheeldrive layout; referred to as Series 1 cars.

Ferrari 308 GTBi/GTSi injection released, replacing carburetor-fed GTS/GTB with lower power figures for emissions purposes (202bhp in US, 212bhp in Europe). 208 GTB/GTS production ends.

1975

1982

Dino 208 GT4 introduced for Italian market with 168bhp 2.0-liter V8. US gets 308 GT4 with 240bhp. Ferrari 308 GTB launched with glassfiber body and same mechanical underpinnings as 308 GT4. Lower-powered 2.0 V8 208 GT4 arrives.

Ferrari introduces 308 GTB Group B rally car. 308 Quattrovalvole replaces GTBi/GTSi, upgrading engine to four valves per cylinder (producing 233bhp in US, 240bhp in Europe). 208 Turbo launched with 217bhp. 208 GTS/GTB Turbo has 217bhp.

1976

1985

Name changed to Ferrari for all variants.

These Series 2 cars are slightly heavier than Series 1 models. US versions equipped with catalytic converters but still rated at 240bhp.

All 308 production comes to an end.

Comprehensively redesigned Ferrari 328 replaces 308. Changes include new styling inside and out, 270bhp 3.2-liter V8 and a fully galvanized chassis.

1977 Ferrari 308 GTS targa-top introduced; all 308s now have steel panels.

1980 Ferrari 308 GT4 and GTB/GTS end production.

208 GTB/GTS 2.0-liter released for Italian market, putting out 153bhp.

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1988 Anti-lock braking system available as option for 328. Wheels changed to convex design to accommodate new set-up.

1989 328 production comes to end.

BUYING GUIDE

ENGINE In all 308s and the 328, timing-belt changes should be carried out every two years regardless of mileage. If the belt snaps you’re in for an engine rebuild, so it’s best to be cautious. When replacing this component, it’s recommended that owners also service the clutch, water pump and valve adjustments.

Early 308s had sodium-filled valves, which tend to break. Unless you find an untouched car with delivery mileage, these should have been replaced by now. The 328 received upgraded multi-valve heads and electronic fuel injection as standard, while in the 308 this was limited to the GTBi/GTSi and Quattrovalvole models.

Oil pressure should be at 85psi on a cold start and 40-45psi at idle when the engine is warm, rising back to 85psi under load. Oil leaks from the valve cover are common and can be addressed at the same time as the valve and tappet adjustments (every 15,000 miles).

Cam seals are prone to leaking in cars that haven’t been driven regularly.

Front-mounted radiators can clog, so check the cooling system and ensure the fans turn on when needed. All 308s had a multi-carb setup, and tuning them properly is a specialist job.

Updated ignition packs from 1978 onward are an improvement, and you can install a more modern system if originality isn’t a big concern.

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Values

GEARBOX

Dino 308 GT4 Fair Good Excellent Concours

$41,000 $58,000 $85,000 $109,000

308 GTB/GTS Fair Good Excellent Concours

$48,500 $66,500 $108,000 $150,000

308 GTBi/GTSi Fair Good Excellent Concours

$54,500 $71,900 $100,000 $124,000

328 GTB/GTS Fair Good Excellent Concours

$82,100 $107,000 $165,000 $257,000

Averaged over a spread of years/miles.

More on www.hagerty.com. Also see www.ferrarimarketletter.com

M1 MOMENTUM

As with most Ferraris built in the 1970s and 1980s, it is best to avoid using second gear when the transmission is cold. Synchros can wear out over time, but the ’box is generally robust and doesn’t usually cause issues. The clutch typically lasts around 20,000 miles, so if it disengages high in the pedal travel, it’s probably due for replacement.

Meanwhile, if the car jumps out of gear, it means the transmission is worn and will need significant attention soon. If shifting quality is obstructive when warm, or ratios are difficult to engage, the clutch may be failing, or the slave cylinder could be leaking.

SUSPENSION The suspension set-up on all variants is relatively simple, and aside from leaking shocks and cracked rubber bushings, there shouldn’t be much cause for concern.

Suspension bushings should be inspected and replaced every 30,000 miles – sooner if the Ferrari has been sitting in storage for long periods. The car should feel well planted and solid in corners; if there’s excessive pitching or body roll, it means the shocks may need replacement. If the steering rack feels loose, inspect the rack and joints for wear.

Brakes are four-wheel discs, and common

‘Body panels are generally available, but a severely rusted car can quickly become a money pit’ Which to buy

THIS SPREAD Available in various hard-top and targa-top guises, the 308 GTS (opposite ) and 308 GTB, along with the 328 GTB (above) and 328 GTS, wore Pininfarina panels.

Various trim materials were available; most restored cars now boast leather.

issues such as seized calipers and rusted rotors are typically found on cars that have been sitting. A brake-system overhaul can be costly, so ensure the car stops straight and that the parking brake works as it should. Magnesiumalloy wheels can warp and corrode. From 1988 the 328 could be equipped with ABS; this is identifiable by the convex alloys, which are similar but not identical to those on the Mondial.

BODYWORK AND INTERIOR For 308 models, rust is the primary concern – unless you find an early glassfiber (Vetroresina) model, but these are rare and more expensive.

Common rust-prone areas include the rocker panels, door bottoms, footwells and trunk floor, as well as the areas around the sunroof and windshield. Blocked drainage holes are a frequent cause of rust in 308s, so be sure to check these when inspecting a potential buy.

Thanks to the 328’s galvanized construction, rust is much less of an issue. However, it’s still

worth checking the front fenders, lower doors and where the bumpers attach to the body.

Body panels are generally available, but a severely rusted car can quickly become a money pit due to the high cost of replacement parts. Repaints are not uncommon, so check for misaligned pop-up headlights and doors, as well as excessive panel gaps around the hood.

A variety of interior materials were available for 308 and 328 models, and many cars that have been reupholstered are now finished in leather. The interior is durable, but GTS models may show more wear on the seats due to the removable roof section.

Check all switches and electrical components – issues are common, and the 308’s wiring under the dash was notoriously disorganized, even from the factory. That said, if electrical problems arise, the fuse box should be your first stop. Lastly, ensure the power windows don’t operate too slowly – lubricating the mechanism can often improve performance.

M1 MOMENTUM

The Ferrari badge and stunning design of all models can easily distract you from the buying process, so before handing over any money ensure the car has a solid service history and no major maintenance expenses looming.

The 308 GT4 has been an underrated gem on the used market for years, and despite rising prices it remains relatively affordable. Low-production 308 models and early glassfiber-bodied versions remain rare and expensive. The 308 GTBi and GTSi were very popular when new, but today they are less desirable than earlier models. Older 308s are more sought after due to their four dual carburetors, higher performance and superior engine sound.

While the 308 is often considered an ‘entry-level Ferrari’, buyers should be aware that even minor repairs can be costly. Replacement parts and servicing come with typical Ferrari price tags, which should be factored into the overall purchase cost. In addition, engine maintenance should always be performed by specialists.

Avoid modified cars, even if they seem like a good deal at first.

The 328 offers a good balance of modernity and value while still retaining the classic lines of the earlier 308. These models are also less prone to rust, and are more reliable than one might expect from a classic Ferrari.

Regardless of which model you choose, it’s best to have an expert inspect the car before purchase – mistakes when buying these Ferraris can be extremely costly to correct.

AUTOMOBILIA LUCK OF THE DRAW FOR AD ARTWORK These evocative renders from the golden age of the American automobile are true survivors that found their way home against all the odds

WORDS AND PHOTOGR APHY G EO R G E E L L I S

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AUTOMOBILIA

AS COLLECTORS, WE ARE ALWAYS anticipating our next big ‘find’. But sometimes, we don’t find something so much as it finds us.

Such was the case for these five pieces of General Motors advertising artwork from the 1950s.

Right up until the very early 1970s, handpainted artwork was the choice of much of the advertising industry, and especially so for the automakers. Cars could be made to look longer and lower, and men and women could be rendered in fashionable clothes and idealized settings. Today, digital cameras and computers make it easy for ad agencies to rev up the visuals, but back in the ’50s it was up to artists working with airbrushes and gouache paints to draw the public into the showrooms with depictions of glamor and style.

These particular pieces appear to be from an ad agency’s proposals to GM management in advance of the 1957 model year. They were produced by associates working at a company located in Amster Yard in Manhattan, which was a popular location for commercial illustrators back in the day. When the artwork was found, it came in protective, clear-front sleeves that bore a partial name (‘…ft Associates’ – perhaps Swift?) and an address.

The names ‘Art Sussman’ and the last name ‘Peterson’, possibly the artists, were found rubber-stamped on a couple of the sleeves.

Admirers of Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman, the famous illustrator duo, know

ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, Buick drop-top and Oldsmobile: these unique airbrush-and-gouache pieces would have been lost to time had it not been for their fortuitous discovery by someone who cared enough to rescue them.

that Fitz did the cars while Van took care of the people and the backgrounds. We can see that same division of labor here, where the people were done on a separate sheet of paper, and the two were spliced together. As with Fitz and Van, cars and people could be seen as separate artistic disciplines.

These old airbrush-and-gouache pieces were likely done as a proposal to GM management well in advance of annual model introductions, showing how the renderings would look in dealer brochures, and perhaps in advertising, too. Here we have two Buicks, an Oldsmobile and a Pontiac from the ’57 GM line-up, plus a 1956 Cadillac Eldorado.

Why a ’56 Eldo? All these years later no one can know for sure, but I suspect that the radical design of the new-for-’57 rear end was considered so ‘hot’ that even the agency artists were not allowed to see it. If you are old enough, you will recall the fierce competition among the magazine industry to ‘scoop’ the look of the new cars before they were officially released to the public in the fall.

It is something of a miracle that these pieces survived at all. A teacher who worked

at the same school where my brother taught art used these in his own industrial arts class.

He had acquired them many years before, when he was working at an ad agency that moved to new office space – and the files were being emptied of things that were no longer needed. These were rescued, with the agency’s permission, from a dumpster, along with some other advertising art. When this teacher was retiring, he gave them to my brother. He, in turn, gave them to me.

I believe one set of artists produced the Buicks and Oldsmobile you see here, and others did the Pontiac and Cadillac, which show stylistic and perspective differences.

Few pieces such as these seem to exist today – or at least, they don’t hit the market often.

It’s hard therefore to put a value to them. I found a 1956 Chevrolet piece that may have been done back then, because it’s similar in style; it was from the collection of the late automotive artist Jack Juratovic and sold for $1600 at a recent auction (date unknown) held

by Toys Trains and Other Old Stuff.

I find it amazing that these pieces survived, and even more amazing that they landed in my lap after their long journey. I’ve always been a big fan of General Motors styling, and to me, 1957 was a high point. I was just waiting, unsuspecting, when these pieces found me.

Thanks to Automobilia Resource – more details at www.automobiliaresource.com.

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Track tips You can help to get the set-up right Giving accurate feedback to your mechanic might make all the difference. Here’s how to start, with a few simple tips

WORDS SAM HANCOCK PHOTOGRAPHY M1 CONCOURSE

144

IT’S SURPRISING HOW MUCH LAP TIME CAN BE lost to an inadequate chassis set-up – yet the subject doesn’t always receive the attention it deserves, or the constructive feedback needed.

Start by thinking of corners as one of two types: fast or slow. Then, of those two corner types, consider each in three parts: entry, midcorner and exit. Next, while driving, try to make a mental note of what you’re feeling through each kind of corner for each of the three sections.

Don’t panic – you needn’t draft War and Peace while trying to keep your car pointing in the right direction. You simply need to ask yourself: “Am I feeling oversteer or understeer?” And if so: “Is it on entry, through the mid-corner or on the exit?” Finally: “Is it mild, moderate or severe?”

A quick side note: if you feel neither oversteer nor understeer, it’s probable that the car is either well balanced in that phase of the corner and no further attention is required, or that you’re simply not carrying enough speed to challenge the available grip, and need to pick up the pace.

Upon your return to the paddock, instead of a breathless barrage of four-letter adjectives (“fine”, “sh*t!”) you can calmly impress your mechanics with far more helpful commentary. For example: “In slow corners I have moderate, mid-corner understeer followed by mild exit oversteer; in fast corners I feel severe understeer throughout.”

In time you might be able to add context by explaining what inputs you’re making while experiencing these characteristics. For the most part, however, an engineer who understands vehicle dynamics will be able to translate your observations into appropriate set-up adjustments.

For example, that mid-corner understeer in

M1 MOMENTUM

slow – and therefore tight – corners? Perhaps the front of the car is too stiff and lacks compliance.

Softening springs, dampers or the anti-roll bar would all be worthy considerations – and might address that fast-corner understeer issue, too.

As you start experimenting, don’t be afraid of stiffer set-ups. Cars with a lack of roll support can feel snappy or unpredictable... and occasionally undrivable. Usually, this is the result of a noble attempt to provide an inexperienced owner with a ‘soft’ and ‘friendly’ balance. But just as a very stiff set-up can be unfriendly, so too can one that is too soft. The scale is broad, and the sweet spot is rarely at one end or the other.

A comfortable car tends toward a balance that understeers. This is usually achieved by making the front end comparatively stiffer than the rear, and running the car fairly ‘flat’.

Understeer, however, rarely begets sympathy from the stopwatch, because you’re forever waiting for it to pass before being able to get back on the throttle. So for a quick car, aim to dial out some of the understeer by making the rear a little harder or increasing the rake angle. This will help the car rotate and change direction sooner.

All adjustments, however, are usually accompanied by a trade-off I’m afraid. What works at one corner might feel worse at another.

It is a constant, confusing game of compromise.

Fortunately the stopwatch never lies. If in doubt, trust its findings over your feelings, and progress should come quickly – and for substantially less than that engine upgrade.

Sam is a professional racing driver, coach and dealer in significant competition cars.

See www.samhancock.com.

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M1 92x234.indd 1

15/02/25 18:14

PA R T I N G S H O T Fifty years ago, in June 1975, this was day four of the nine-day 59th Detroit Auto Show in what was then called Cobo Arena – now Huntington Place.

It wasn’t a stellar show, with the AMC Pacer one of the few new models, but one surprise was the 1902 Ford ‘999’ race car, as driven by Barney Oldfield.

PHOTOGRAPHY ALAMY

WWW.M1CONCOURSE.COM