It is not uncommon for car enthusiasts to collect books and most of them that I know are avid readers on a variety of subjects. Perhaps there is something about an appreciation for archaic automotive technology that also lends itself to a deep and abiding affection for the printed word. For as long as I…
A Michelotti MG? More than one. Really? Most of us never knew about the connection between the prolific Italian designer and MG from Abingdon. In a strange twist, Giovanni Michelotti – who would become famously associated with Triumph for his landmark work on the Herald, Vitesse, TR4, Spitfire, GT6, Dolomite, 2000 and Stag – found…
The question is asked of us quite often, “what’s my British sports car worth?” The easy answer, like most things in life, is it depends. British sports car values depend on many factors. What does it depend on? Largely, it hinges on condition, and then is followed by lesser contributing factors like color, timing, trim…
Sometimes, especially when we find ourselves far from home, we tend to forget about those things and places closest to us. We’re not immune from this tendency as we explore new places in our travels and become smitten by the previously unexplored. This past weekend, however, we had the opportunity to reconnect with an old…
“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.” – John Greenleaf Whittier The Swinging Sixties represented the high-water mark for the British automotive industry. The Jaguar E-Type – introduced in 1961 – was widely considered one of the best sports cars in the world and more affordable…
One of the most storied names in the British automotive industry, Kenneth Richardson was instrumental in the development of the Triumph Roadster and much of that car’s success can be attributed to his efforts. His career almost ended with ignominy before it had started when he crashed the Ferrari Tipo 125 Grand Prix owned by…
Born in Turin, Italy in the last year of World War I, Virgilio Conrero served as a mechanic in the Regia Aeronautica during the next global conflict. He established the Autotecnica Conrero in 1951 and was one of the most successful Alfa Romeo and Lancia tuners (though often overshadowed by the work of Abarth) and…
There is a Laura Branigan song here for those of a certain age and for others this may remind you of a Christmas carol. Following the success of the Super Seven and the Southern Cross, Triumph launched the Gloria range in 1933. Built using various proprietary parts and clothed in coachwork designed by its own…
More so than any other individual, Sir John Black had the greatest influence on Triumph in the postwar era. Born in 1895 in Surrey, his nascent legal career was derailed by World War I during which he first served in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve before transferring to the Royal Tank Regiment serving as a…
Let’s talk about period British sports car advertisements. Going through some images recently I came across these period advertisements for some of our favorite British sports cars. Taking a moment to look at them and admire the images, I was struck by something unusual. Namely, I was taken aback at how small the individuals depicted…
