A few months ago, I was invited to Goleta to serve on a panel assembled to judge a number of British enthusiast club publications. It was to prove a gratifying experience, one that left me optimistic regarding the future of the sports car fraternity (sorority, too). I was reminded of my tenure decades ago as…
Once again we raid the archives of the excellent publication Triumph Over Triumph, published by Paul Richardson in England. Let’s take you back 50 years to 1947! It was decided as part of the celebrations for the introduction of the Standard Vanguard in 1947 to organize a demonstration of Standard Motor Company products for distributors, suppliers, and…
From 1954 until the early 1980s, the title of Automobile Aerodynamicist was personified by one man—Frank Costin. His ability to make racing cars slice through the air better than their competitors became almost legendary, and efforts to copy his techniques took on, sometimes, humorous results. For instance, at one particular race meeting, one of Costin’s designs,…
Your Editor asked me to pen some words on the practicalities of classic car motoring in Britain, so that these might be compared with how things are done in the USA. Although the cars themselves may be the same, save for the position of the steering wheel, the rules and customs that govern their use…
It’s been quite a time for nostalgia lately, with contact from old friends and new enthusiasts. Firstly, Ken Richardson’s CO, Paul, paid me a visit here on Molokai and we spent a great day “talking story,” as the locals here would say. His dad was one of the most successful competition managers of the ’50s,…
As promised at the end of my last article in Moss Motoring, I thought an essay on the intricacies of the British car license plate system might be of interest. I know most of our Transatlantic cousins frequently find this baffling, and those who read British classic car magazines may be particularly keen on learning the…
As I view it, the four-year-old Petersen Automotive Museum Los Angeles is already a national treasure. General Manager Ken Gross and his knowledgeable cadre have made this an increasingly dynamic institution, not just another musty, static warehouse. An example of the way the Petersen Museum packages its history lessons was “Postwar Sports Car Performance and…
On our recent trip to MG ’99 in Vancouver, we were privileged to visit with Peter Welch who has assembled a private collection of MGs—the condition of which has to be seen to be believed! I have seen many collections of automobiles, including other MG museums, but I have seldom seen a selection of cars which have…
We are delighted to welcome Paul as a regular contributor to MossMotoring. The son of Ken Richardson, renowned Triumph competition driver, Paul has visited these shores on several occasions and we hope to welcome him back soon from his home base in England. In the meantime, enjoy his unique stories told in his inimitable style,…
The term “four-seat sports car” comes dangerously close to being in oxymoron. Nevertheless, the reality is that some enthusiasts can participate in motorsports, even as spectators, only if they possess a means to transport a family comprised of Dad, Mum, and the oft-quoted, but statistically improbable, one-point-five offspring. In the years just before and just…
