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Meet Cisitalia: Marque defied post-war style and earned itself a place in automotive history

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Editor’s note: Leslie Kendall is curator and historian at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.


Cisitalia is likely one of the most important and influential automobile manufacturers of which most people have never heard.

Founded by wealthy Italian industrialist Piero Dusio, the name (pronounced chee-see-TAH-lee-uh) was a partial acronym that stood for Consorzio Industriale Sportiva Italia. It was one of dozens of small Italian firms established after World War II that built small specialty sports cars using inexpensive Fiat components.

Yet while much of the Cisitalia’s mechanical specifications were shared with the products from the other boutique Italian manufacturers, it was the unmistakable beauty of the coachwork that would set it apart from everything that had come before and secure its place in automotive history.

Pinin Farina’s well proportioned, carefully molded coachwork endowed Cisitalia coupes with a sculptural quality that was acclaimed even by fine art critics. | Petersen Automotive Museum photo
Pinin Farina’s well proportioned, carefully molded coachwork endowed Cisitalia coupes with a sculptural quality that was acclaimed even by fine art critics. | Petersen Automotive Museum photo

Having never manufactured automobiles prior to World War II, upstart Cisitalia was not bound by tradition or compelled to produce a warmed-over version of a prewar model. This gave it the freedom to engineer cars that could be entirely new and modern, both inside and out.

One of the firm’s most obvious departures from prevailing practice was the lightweight, hand-welded tube frame structure it supplied to coachbuilders. It was expensive to produce, yet low slung and strong — characteristics that made it ideally suited to the emerging Italian style of coachwork. Both well-known and obscure firms created bodies for the new marque, but it was Pinin Farina that drew the definitive design that would come to be so widely acclaimed.

Considered revolutionary because of its taut lines and low silhouette, the Pinin Farina-bodied Cisitalia was the first series-produced automobile with the hood lower than the fenders. The fastback design was aerodynamically efficient and the grille opening was only as large as it needed to be to admit the required amount of air to cool the engine.

A Cisitalia 202 on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. | Petersen Automotive Museum photo
A Cisitalia 202 on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. | Petersen Automotive Museum photo

The sleek, virtually unadorned shape was seen as a counterpoint to the fussy styles then favored by many prominent French, British, and German coachbuilders, most of which were not in keeping with the spirit of austerity in postwar Europe. The motoring world needed elegant simplicity and that is what a Cisitalia by Pinin Farina offered.

The Cisitalia 202 Coupe was so widely admired that it gained the attention of a class of connoisseurs not normally associated with a fondness for automobiles: fine art experts. A Cisitalia 202 was even featured (along with seven other cars) in the 1951 New York Museum of Modern Art show entitled “8 Automobiles,” an exhibition that studied excellence in automobile body design and which identified the Pinin Farina Cisitalia as the new standard.

Fittingly, Pininfarina (a one-word name beginning in 1961) donated a Cisitalia 202 to MoMA’s permanent collection in 1972, where it still serves as one of the world’s most highly regarded examples of machine art.

Acquired by the Petersens in 2002 then expertly restored, the 1947 Cisitalia was awarded Best in Class honors at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. | Petersen Automotive Museum photo
Acquired by the Petersens in 2002 then expertly restored, the 1947 Cisitalia was awarded Best in Class honors at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. | Petersen Automotive Museum photo

The Cisitalia 202 Coupe in the Petersen Automotive Museum was owned by only a small number of enthusiasts before being acquired by the Petersens in 2002. Having purchased a Cisitalia when they were new, the couple immediately recognized the car’s importance and commissioned a restoration that returned it to its original brilliance.

The car made its post-restoration debut at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it was awarded the top prize in its class, the first of many accolades it would ultimately receive and a testament to its enduring grace and beauty.

Silverstone sets 80-vehicle docket for Race Retro auction

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Silverstone Auctions has an 80-vehicle docket of classics, competition and supercars for its annual sale at the Race Retro show this weekend. The auction is scheduled for February 23 at Stareton Haill in Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, England.

One of only 34 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 models with right-hand drive is on the docket

Also on the docket for Silverstone’s eighth annual sale at Race Retro are three vintage motorbikes and more than 120 lots of automobilia and watches.

1996 Ford Escort Cosworth

Headline vehicles include a 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7, one of only 34 produced with right-hand drive; a 1988 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera “Club Sport,” one of only 53 with right-hand drive; and a restored 1958 Porsche 365 A Speedster.

Competition cars include one of 12 1956 BMW 502 V8 racers, a 1972 Ford Escort Mk 1 RS1600 that competed in several marathon rallies, and a 1970 March 307 F3.

A 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT and a 2018 Audi R8 Sport Performance Parts edition lead the supercar listings.

Also on the docket are several “modern classics,” including a 1996 Ford Escort Cosworth Lux said to be in “time-capsule condition” and driven only 838 miles since new, and a trio of Lotus Carltons.

Affordable-muscle 1964 Nova updated for performance

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If you get most of your classic car market information from watching Barrett-Jackson on TV, you probably think all muscle cars are extremely expensive and well beyond the average car collector. This is simply not the case.

The muscle cars at Barrett-Jackson, Mecum and other collector car auctions tend to represent either the top tier of the breed, or are merely bought for scads of money just so the winning bidder can be seen on TV spending scads of money on a muscle car.

But get outside the auction ring, and you’ll find the best place for more-affordable muscle cars are on the open market.

Nova
All chrome body parts have been replaced, the seller says

A great example is the Pick of the Day, a 1964 Chevrolet Nova located in Kingston, Indiana, that has been customized for high performance, and would make a perfect first-time muscle car.

According to the dealer advertising this Nova on ClassicCars.com, the two-door hardtop is a solid car fitted with a GM 350 cid V8 bored out to 355 cid with a 4-barrel Edelbrock carburetor and aluminum intake, a mild aftermarket camshaft and 2.5-inch dual exhaust with performance mufflers.

Nova
A 350 cid V8 replaced the car’s original inline-6

The car also has 3.23 differential gearing, which makes this little Nova perfect for cruising on the highway, and the wheels have been converted to the more desirable five-lug style, with new tires.

The solid body has had only a few minor rust spots repaired, the seller says, and the Nova has been painted in Aztec Bronze, which was completed last summer. The photos with the ad show a well-restored car with nice paintwork and no signs of the bodywork.

The bumpers, trunk trim, fender emblems, Rallye hubcaps, wheel-well and rocker trim, and door handles have all been replaced. The interior was redone at the same time, making this an excellent car for date nights and cruise ins.

Nova
The interior has been extensively redone

The best part is that you can buy this nice Nova for only $19,900. When you compare that to the Novas that sold at Barrett-Jackson this year, including one for more than $200,000, this looks like a great deal.

Maybe it’s not as perfect as the ones shown at Barrett-Jackson during prime-time bidding. but it is a nice muscle car for a very fair price.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Ford GT formerly owned by John Cena to be sold for fourth time

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It seems no one wants to keep this Liquid Blue 2017 Ford GT.

First bought by pro wrestler-turned-actor John Cena, the GT first changed hands in August of 2017. Ford immediately sued Cena for breaking the legal agreement each GT buyer signs stating they won’t sell (i.e. flip) their car for two years after purchase. The two parties reached an agreement in July 2018. The car has had two more owners since then.

Now on the hunt for its fifth owner, the low-slung supercar is headed to the block at Mecum’s Indy 2019 auction on May 18.

In January, Mecum came to an agreement with Ford to not accept the consignment of any GT from the original owners within the two-year sale ban. The auction house also agreed to contact and consult Ford regarding any GT consigned from a “downstream purchaser” (i.e. not the original owner) within two years of the car’s initial delivery, and Mecum agreed not to sell any GT without the Blue Oval’s consent.

“We are confident we will be able to enforce our ownership agreements but cannot discussion individual customer matters,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood replied when asked if Mecum received consent to sell the GT this time around.

The second owner was an elderly farmer who ended up selling the GT after about a year as he found it too hard to get in and out of the car with his bad back Jalopnik learned from New Autos Inc. chief Bernie Knaus.

The third owner bought the car at a Russo and Steele auction during Monterey Car Week in August 2018 for $1,540,000, but took a massive bath on it when he sold it at a Mecum auction in Dallas in October for a mere $1,320,000.

When the GT rolled across the Dallas auction block, it had only 626 miles on the odometer. The current Mecum listing states the GT has 635 miles on it. That means the fourth owner has driven a mere 9 miles, which was most likely during transport.

Aging 2019 Lexus RC-F lacks appeal to all but die-hard Lexus devotees

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Without a doubt, the 2019 Lexus RC-F was designed to target those who are so brand loyal that they’re willing to ignore rival models that can offer more performance at a lower price tag.

It’s a heritage car, meant to be accommodating to those who have long-favored the Japanese marque but no longer want the four-door IS or GS because of their less-sporty designs. The RC-F, in a way, is like the former SC: Lexus filled its own market gap by offering a performance coupe that is not as expensive as the LC and isn’t a four-door, like the LS.

However, also like the SC, the RC-F is doomed to be eliminated unless it receives some updates.

Featuring a 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8 capable of making 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission — Lexus does not offer a manual option — the RC-F struggles to pace itself against competitors such as the twin-turbo BMW M4 and Mercedes AMG C63.

I drove an RC-F equipped with the performance package which adds torque vectoring rear control differential that distributes power between the wheels for more effective corning. It also adds a carbon fiber roof and spoiler and $5,500 to the price tag.

It’s still a Lexus, so luxury and comfort are required. You can select your driving mode — Eco, Sport and Sport S — using a dial near the shifter. When in Sport or Sport S modes, the change in handling is palpable. The F-Adaptive Variable Suspension has 30 different levels of stiffness that vary with the selected mode. The suspension paired with large Brembo brakes give a sense of confidence in using all 467 horsepower. It’s worth noting that Lexus uses the same chassis in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Rotate the dial to Eco and the ride is more comfortable, throttle response gradual and fuel efficiency improves; perfect for when you’re not feeling like driving a performance car (if that ever happens). My primary complaint regarding Eco mode is the delayed throttle response. If you need to make a quick maneuver, you better have one of the other modes at the ready or prepare for a noticeable delay.

It’s a wonder that Lexus didn’t drop its twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 into the RC-F. The engine used in the LS 500 is capable of making 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque along with the 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s less powerful on paper, but the lighter, torque-ier engine would likely improve the driving experience.

Let’s talk about the overall exterior design, which is quite good but betrayed by its lackluster interior (more on that later). The headlights and taillights caught my eye first. The RC-F, with its sharply designed, triple-beam headlights and a unique three-projector design, gives off a futuristic feel. The “checkmark” look is continued in the taillights and accentuates the body lines.

The RC-F has just enough design imbued in it to prevent it looking like a concept car.  The large “spindle” grill is distractingly oversized — distractingly so — but the sleek lines that run from it up into the hood pull the eye away quickly enough. The side profile is much easier on the eyes. Subtle cooling ducts behind the front wheel wells flow into the side skirts and a slight indentation in the rear bumper that moves the eye up to those flashy taillights or down to the quad-exhaust.

Interior design is very similar to its four-door counterparts, save for seats that supposedly are more bolstering in high-G situations. The overall feel of interior materials doesn’t match the $60,000-plus price tag. Lexus used a material called “NuLuxe” in place of natural or synthetic leather that doesn’t live up to the definition of luxury.  The material isn’t as soft as leather and doesn’t have the same visual depth.

Other marques offer higher-quality materials and modern conveniences such as in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots or wireless chargers for cellphones. Lexus hasn’t caught up to that yet.

The gauge cluster and multi-functional display is sportier and visually appealing with a full-color LCD that has added performance data, including a visual representation of the torque distribution. The cluster changes appearance depending on the drive mode.

On the plus side, RC-F is a user-friendly sport coupe that can be used as a weekend warrior or daily driver with the rotation of a dial. It likely won’t have any significant issues until well past 100,000 miles, much like other Lexus vehicles. It also costs less than the LC 500.

On the negative, it lacks in performance and true luxury touches that other marques offer for a lower sticker price. Unless you’re a true Lexus enthusiast, I imagine you’ll be spending your money on a different car.

2019 Lexus RC-F

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, two-door coupe, rear-wheel drive
Base price: $64,650 Price as tested: $81,495
Engine: 5.0-liter V8, 467 horsepower at 7,100 rpm, 389 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 107.5 inches Overall length/width: 185.2 inches / 72.6 inches
Curb weight: 3,948 pounds
EPA mileage estimates: 16 city / 25 highway / 19 combined
Final assembly in: Tahara, Aichi, Japan

Amelia Island concours features ‘Heads of State’ limo class

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Editor’s note: The ClassicCars.com Journal is your source for Amelia Island news – from collector car auctions and shows to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Read more of our coverage on our dedicated page.


Popes, royalty and presidents, and the dignified one-off limousines that transported them, are the subject of the special Heads of State class at the 24th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida.

Among them is the elaborate one-of-a-kind 1941 Cadillac created by General Motors’ styling chief Harley Earl for Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne of England to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. The car is nicknamed The Duchess in her honor.

Another majestic pre-war limo is the 1938 Cadillac V16 town car commissioned to the Vatican Motor Pool, a Bill Mitchell-designed gargantuan with a Papal throne installed in the back and used as a parade car by Pope Pius XII. The car is part of Nicola Bulgari’s extensive collection of American classics.

Amelia Island
The 1941 Cadillac Custom Limousine built for abdicated British king Edward VIII | Steven Plunkett.

Pope John Paul II also had a Cadillac designed especially for him, a 1998 De Ville parade car, which will be at the concours.

Packard provided many VIP transports between the world wars; Franklin Roosevelt rode in a 1932 Packard to the first of his four inaugurations. The Packard Museum in Dayton, Ohio, is sending a 1934 Packard 1104 Touring with a history of use by admirals and generals. It was the VIP limo for Admirals Halsey and Nimitz, and was a favorite of General Dwight Eisenhower, who used it for formal appearances even after WWII ended.

But at the end of his first term as president, Eisenhower switched to a 1956 Cadillac Series 75 that was specially built for presidential duty. That long limo convertible was subsequently used by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.

Amelia Island
Eisenhower’s Cadillac was designed as a parade car | Harry Yeaggy

An unusual 1960 Cadillac Series 75 was presented to Marshall Tito, the “president for life” of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, by the U.S. State Department for his efforts as a foe of murderous Soviet tyrant Josef Stalin. The Cadillac convertible limousine with custom coachwork by GM’s Fleetwood is equipped with a 345-horsepower V8 with automatic transmission, power windows and center divider, a refrigerator and an electric shaver, all part of what was called the “Tito Décor Group.”

“The Amelia’s Heads of State class is an eclectic group all built for an exotic demographic,” concours founder and chairman Bill Warner said in a news release. “Two ‘Pope-mobiles,’ Cadillac’s no-limits, over-the-top one-off custom for a self-defrocked king, Ike’s 1956 parade Caddy and a four-wheel bribe for a rebellious communist dictator who, like the tyrant he defied, had a strong taste for big, powerful American cars.

“The Heads of State class is at the other end of the celebrity spectrum from this year’s ‘Cars of the Rock Stars’ class.”

The Amelia Island Concours takes place March 10 on the fairways of The Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Florida.

For more information, visit the concours website.

Barn find? 1927 Packard pulled from historic Philadelphia factory

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Everyone has dreams of unearthing an incredible barn find, but this may have people looking in old factories instead: A 1927 Packard was pulled out of a historic Philadelphia manufacturing plant after being parked for more than 60 years.

The Packard was purchased by Walter Golaski sometime during the 1940s and was only used on short trips between Philadelphia and Connecticut, where his mother lived. His son, John Paul, said he believed his father stopped driving the car in the late 1950s after Walter Golaski’s mother moved to Philadelphia.

Walter Golaski then stored the car at his mother’s until she died in the 1970s. After, it was parked and left in one of Walter Golaski’s factories, which John Paul now owns. His father died in 1996.

“As far as I know, it’s never run in my lifetime,” John Paul Golaski said. “I’ve never heard it turn over.”

When it came time to remove the Packard, John Paul Golaski contacted Matt Murray at Iron Trap Garage, which specializes in vintage vehicles. In a video posted on YouTube, Murray said the car looked to be in pretty good shape, considering it hasn’t been driven since Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office.

Murray said the seats look to be well-preserved — they were protected by  aftermarket seat covers — and some interior features survived, including the ashtrays, courtesy blinds and swinging foot rest. The woodgrain dash appeared to have withstood the test of time and the steering wheel, though cracked, did as well.

Murray found the original hand crank in the car, but the engine was locked up.

John Paul Golaski said his father always wanted to work on the car.

“It was that, ‘When we have time, we’re going to fix it up,” he said in the video. “My dad was like, ‘You, your brother and sister are going to work on it’.”

Now, the family has a decision to make: The Packard can be left as-is, under go a mechanical restoration or be given a complete restoration. Murray said he thinks the mechanical restoration is the way to go, as it would preserve the car’s history while letting the family use it.

As for the factory where the Packard was found — really, it’s an amalgamation of buildings that date back to the mid-1800s — the Golaskis are selling. But instead of being demolished, the factory will continue as a mixed-use building, but it needs far more work than the Packard.

Epoxy offers DIY solution to dingy garage floors, spill cleanup

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The evidence of caring for and repairing cars is often displayed by garage floors that wind up stained with oil and other chemicals that can be nearly impossible to remove.

Even the most expert mechanics have a spill now and again that can leave concrete floors looking dingy. Enter epoxy, a potential do-it-yourself solution that can be a big upgrade to protecting your car workspace.

Let’s start at the beginning: Epoxy is basically a type of plastic, a liquid that hardens into a durable surface. It’s especially good for flooring uses because it bonds well to base layers -– aka concrete -– and can stand up to the hardships of automotive repair and modification work.

Epoxy also has the benefit of giving a more professional or polished look to a garage space.

“Since I consider the space a mini showroom in a sense, I wanted something with a premium look & feel to it,” ClassicCars.com Journal contributor Tyson Hugie said in explaining why he had epoxied flooring.

Both Hugie and editor Bob Golfen said the epoxied floors make clean up easier when a classic car leaks or something gets spilled.

“All it takes is a paper towel to wipe up oils and chemicals,” Hugie said.

Hugie said he opted to leave his flooring smooth, which looks nice, but can be slippery in the event of a spill or parking cars that have been out in the rain or snow. Golfen said his was applied with a fine grit additive that increases traction.

Both praised the epoxy’s durability, though Hugie said he’s noticed a couple of minor marks he plans to repair.

Hugie and Golfen had their floors professionally installed, but it’s not beyond the skills of a handy DIYer looking to save some money.

A quick Google search yielded thousands of results for a step-by-step process, but a video from home improvement show This Old House took a no-nonsense approach in its tutorial.

Essentially, the process is:

  • • Degrease and acid wash the floor.
  • • Rinse and vacuum up any excess water.
  • • Allow floor to dry.
  • • Apply first layer of epoxy.
  • • Allow floor to dry.
  • • Apply second layer of epoxy.
  • • Add decoration or grit as desired.

Drying times will obviously vary, but given the right conditions, the job could be done in a long weekend.

Civilian-life 1948 Willys Jeep restored and ready for fun

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Rugged simplicity on wheels, the World War II military Jeep was a beloved artifact of that terrible conflict, and more than one GI wanted to take it home for his civilian life.

For several years after the war, Willys produced a civilian version essentially identical to those used by the military, and the Pick of the Day is a nicely restored example of a 1948 Willys Jeep CJ-2A.

Jeep
The rudimentary 4-wheeler is equipped for off-road adventure

Other than its stout roll bar and a few suspension tweaks, the Jeep has been rebuilt, refurbished and repainted to what it was when sold for use on the farm or worksite, according to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, dealer advertising the Jeep on ClassicCars.com, who adds that it also runs great and is a hoot to drive off-road.

“This is a blast to drive,” the ad says. “It fires up every time, runs excellent and needs nothing to enjoy… If you are looking for an early production turnkey 2A look no further.  It is painted universal beige, and wait till you look underneath, every nut and bolt has been addressed.

Jeep
Red wheels and trim set off the industrial-beige paint

“When you crawl underneath this Willis, you will see that the frame has been coated and all the bolts have been replaced, the tires have 99% tread on them. All of the lights work as they should, and all of the bumpers look great.”

Power is provided by the correct Go Devil side-valve inline-4, which generates 60 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque fed through a manual transmission and sturdy four-wheel drive.  The transmission, transfer case and axles work flawlessly, the dealer adds, and new steering and suspension components have been installed.

“It literally crawls over anything (we tested it a lot!),” the dealer notes.

Jeep
The interior is a purposefully simple, hose-clean affair

Photos of the Jeep in the ad are striking, showing a vehicle that has been lovingly and competently restored.  The beige color serves to underscore the Jeep’s utilitarian character, underscored by the bright contrast of the red wheels, which are shod with no-nonsense off-road tires.

The price tag seems reasonable for this trail-ready workhorse at $16,550.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

ClassicCars.com offers free auction tour at Amelia Island

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Editor’s note: The ClassicCars.com Journal is your source for Amelia Island news – from collector car auctions and shows to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Read more of our coverage on our dedicated page.


Once again, ClassicCars.com will offer a free guided auction tour of the upcoming RM Sotheby’s sale at Amelia Island on March 8. The tour will begin at 2 p.m.

Leading the tours is Andy Reid, our East Coast editor and our auction expert. He bought his first car — a 1968 Fiat 124 — when he was 15 years old, and his second, on which he squandered his college savings, was a 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2. Since then he’s owned more than 150 collector vehicles, including motorcycles.

He not only knows the vehicles, but has wonderful stories about his experiences behind the wheel — and under the hood. He also knows the ins and outs of buying and selling at auction.

The tours are presented by Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The tour is offered free of charge, though registration is required. Spots are limited and registration will be closed once the tour is full.

To register, please see this form.