January

BMW 2002 taking part in the January 2015 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique.

This month we have the Rallye Monte-Carlo and the 24 Hours of Daytona to look forward to.

Recently, the Rallye Monte-Carlo has become the kingdom of the two Sébastiens, Ogier and Loeb.

Hurley Haywood and Scott Pruett have both won the 24 Hours of Daytona five times each.

From 1965 to 1968, the South African GP kicked off the F1 World Championship in early January.  Jim Clark won twice in this era.

From 1964 to 1975, the Tasman Series also started in January.   Jim Clark and Graham McRae, both won the series three times each.

In 1968 Vic Elford scored a unique double, winning the Rallye Monte-Carlo and the 24 Hours of Daytona in the same year.

For parts of the fifties and seventies, the Argentine GP was the first F1 race of the season.  In 1958 Stirling Moss took victory in this race run in January.  It was the first World Championship win for Rob Walker's team and the first win for a non-front engined car and the first win for Cooper.

In the sixties, the first NASCAR race of the season was a road course race at Riverside in January.  Famously, Dan Gurney won this race five times between 1963 and 1968.

The 1,000 Kms of Buenos Aires was held most years between 1954 and 1960 and again for a few years in the early seventies.  This was another race normally held in January.  Phil Hill was the only driver to win this race twice.  Ferrari won six times.

2018 Traversée de Paris Hivernale

A fabulous big yellow Chrysler New Yorker driving through Saint Germain des Prés during the Traversée de Paris in  January 2018.

Watching the Traversée de Paris is always a great way to brighten up a wintery Sunday morning during January.  I love the variety of vehicles in this event - definitely something for everybody. Organized bv Vincennes en Anciennes it starts and ends at the Chateau de Vincennes in South East Paris.  In between it visits many of Paris's most famous landmarks.   This year I caught up with many of the classic cars and other vehicles by the Sacré Coeur, in Montmartre, at Les Invalides and in Saint Germain des Pres. A few of the 700 plus vehicles taking part are shown below.    Thanks to all the owners for sharing their passion with us.

Citroen SM and Porsche in Montmartre.

BRITISH CLASSICS

Jaguar XK120 in the Place des Invalides

Triumph TR3

Jensen C V8

For more about the Jensen C-V8, click here.

ITALIAN EXOTICA

De Tomaso Pantera heading up towards Montmartre.

Ferrari 330 parked by Les Invalides.

BICYCLES

Bicycles on their way up to Montmartre.

Bumpy ride over the cobblestones by Le Sacré Coeur!

FRENCH FANCIES

A Citroen 2CV at Le Sacré Coeur with the metropolis of Paris providing the backdrop.

Peugeot 504

Renault 8

Peugeot 202 in Saint Germain des Prés.

De Dion Bouton

AMERICANA

Chevrolet Corvette at Les Invalides.

Ford

Cadillac.

Pontiac Firebird with Le Sacré Coeur in the background.

Ford

VARIETY

The Solex brigade.

A rather smoky tractor struggling up the hill.

Jeep

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

A Renault 8 Gordini passes four De Loreans in Montmartre.

French Motor Sport and Classic Car Calendar Winter 2016 / 2017

Early morning photo of the 2015 Rallye du Medoc.

Not much to do at this time of year but here are a few French events to consider going to in the coming months.  Please check with the organiser's web site before travelling long distances.

2016, December 10th & 11th, Saturday & Sunday - Rallye du Medoc.   Pauillac. http://asacso.free.fr/crbst_8.html

2017, January 8th, Sunday.  Traversée de Paris Hivernale. Paris. http://vincennesenanciennes.com/blog/category/sorties/traversee-de-paris/

2017. January 27th, Friday, Monte Carlo Rallye Historique, Départ Reims. https://acm.mc/en/rallye-monte-carlo-historique/2017-edition-rmch/presentation-rmch/

2017, February 8th to 12th, Wednesday to Sunday, Salon Rétromobile, Paris.https://www.retromobile.com/

2017, February 25th, Saturday, VdeV Official test at Magny-Cours.http://www.vdev.fr/#

2017, February 25th & 26th, Saturday & Sunday, Rallye de la Cote Fleurie, Normandy.http://www.ecurie-cote-fleurie.fr/Accueil-CF-2017.191.html

2017, March 4th & 5th, Saturday & Sunday, Rallye du Pays Avallonnais, Burgundy.
2017, March 25th & 26th, Saturday & Sunday, Course de Cote de Lugny, Burgundy.
2017, March 26th, Sunday, Slalom de la Ferté Bernard, Near Le Mans.

A Simca finishes the Traversée de Paris in 2016 giving colour to a winter's day.

Click here to get the flavour of the 2015 Traversée de Paris.

Famous French rally driver Bob Neyret about to set of from Reims in his Citroen on the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique.

Click here to see coverage of the 2015 Monte Carlo Rallye Historique and what you might expect to see.

Exhibitors at last year's Retromobile.

Click here to get a flavour of the 2016 Retromobile exhibition.

2016 Ralle de la Cote Fleurie.

For picture from the 2016 Rallye de la Cote Fleurie, click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Petersen Auto Museum Breakfast Club Cruise-In

Jasnuary 24th 2016, The Breakfast Club Cruise-In at the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles.

The Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles has recently been refurbished and was only recently reopened in December 2015.  One of their regular events is a Breakfast Club Cruise-In and one of the first since since the reopening in December was held on January 24^th 2016.  As I was in the area I decided to attend but I wasn’t prepared for the awesome number of cars that attended.  Vintage cars, Classic cars, Sports cars, Custom cars, Hot Rods and Super cars turned up in force and over 200 cars were spread over two floors of the multi-storey car park.   Here are some of the more interesting cars I spotted:

VINTAGE

Only a few vintage cars turned up but they were rather interesting and included a rare LaSalle Roadster and A Pebble Beach winning Bentley.

1928 LaSalle 303 Roadster.   La Salle was one of the Brands used by GM for cars just below the luxury quality of Cadillac.  However, this car would still have cost over $3,000 when new.

1925 Bentley Speed 4 cyl.   This car has been a Pebble Beach winner and is in absolutely immaculate condition.

CLASSIC

As well as the inevitable Chevrolets and Fords they was quite a variety in this group.

Beautiful, big 1967 Pontiac GTO convertible.

The Hell's Belles were there with their girly cars.  Great to see them and this this pink Ford Rambler.

1948 Nash arriving at the Cruise-In.

Stunning Maserati Sebring.

Chevrolet Impala Convertible.

Nash Metropolitan.

Fiat 500.

Chevrolet Camaro SS

A Ford Capri.

Circa 1980 Ferrari Mondial Convertible.  Rather nice condition.

Cadillac

SPORTS CARS          

For us Europeans there were a few cars that we don’t often see amongst the sports cars.

Dodge Viper SRT

Saturn Sky Roadsters

"Honda" Acura NSX

Lange Concepts LCIIISPider - a one-off.

Morgan

CUSTOM CARS & HOT RODS

Given that Robert Petersen originally started his publishing company with Hot Rod Magazine, it was appropriate that a number of them turned up.

Chevrolet Alternomad custom car.

Very low slung custom Mercedes-Benz.

Custom Ford truck.

SUPER CARS

I was particularly impressed by the number of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins that turned up.

Ferrari

Lamborghini

Aston Martin

Jaguar F Type Project 7

Jaguar F Type project 7

It was great speaking to some of the owners of these fantastic vehicles.  If you get a chance, do attend to one of these cruise-ins either as an owner or enthusiast.  Sometimes they are open events like this and sometimes specialist events for a particular marque.  

Cosworth engined single seater road car - The BAC Mono.  A 2.3L 280BHP engined F3 chassis made street legal.

Vector Avtech prototype.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

For my review of the Petersen Auto Museum, click here.

For a daily posing of a fast car, visit my new blog Auto Vitesse by clicking here.

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Tailpiece - A tool room replica Ford GT40.