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ARTIST RECALLS DAZZLING GM MOTORAMA

When the first General Motors Motorama came to the Automotive Building in Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition I was just into my 20s and still very impressionable. So to say that I was absolutely dazzled by the combination of futuristic concepts and new models would be an understatement. But Motorama, really a traveling car show, was more than just automobiles. It was the manner in which they were presented, with dramatic and colorful settings, entertainment, and even fashion, that made this such an exciting event.

The GM Motorama also appeared in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Kansas City, among others. Artist Dave Snyder has created a compilation of all six in his "Motorama 1953," a painting that came to my attention through the latest Hagerty online magazine. It reveals three concept cars (they called them "dream cars" then): the Oldsmobile Starfire, Pontiac Parisienne and the Buick Wildcat. Production cars included a novel Corvette sports car along with the Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Fiesta and Cadillac Eldorado. And yes, that's the great Harley Earl, GM's head of styling, in the background being readied for a television interview.

Snyder spends anywhere from 300 to 450 hours on a painting, including intensive research through books and old photos. Little wonder, then, that he limits himself to six paintings a year. I especially like Motorama 1953, for it takes me back to a moment in time that only an artist can capture by bringing it to life again. You can purchase it from Dave's Web site: Image is size 17.5" x 34" on 22" x 36" heavy paper. Limited Edition costs $100.00, Artist Proofs $125.00. If you like his style but Motorama's not your thing you'll find many other nostalgic moments for sale there. I heartily recommend a visit.

[Photo copyright: Dave Snyder]

ARTIST SHOWS US WHY FERRARIS ARE RED

Back when the demands of commerce had yet to mar the beauty of Grand Prix racing, it was a tradition that team cars must appear in their national colours. Thus the Ferraris would be red, which we've come to permanently associate with the Italian marque. It was this that inspired Canadian artist Paul Chenard, in a new painting for a Colorado collector, to portray the Ferrari team as it appeared prior to the 1956 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Interestingly, these cars were not "pure" Ferraris, for the Lancia racing team, lacking the finance to continue, had been absorbed by its Italian competitor at the end of the 1955 season. Its promising D50 then became the basis for the 1956 Ferrari, initially rebadged as the Lancia-Ferrari D50, and then simply the Ferrari D50. Several of designer Vittorio Jano’s innovations were removed, but not the lightweight four-overhead-cam V-8 engine, which was shorter than the straight six or eight engines used by Maserati and Mercedes-Benz.

The twin panniers located between the front and rear wheels were another distinctive feature. They contained the fuel and oil tanks. Normally located in a large tank at the rear, the fuel load could affect a car's handling as it decreased, whereas the central location helped maintain balance through the corners. The panniers also had aerodynamic benefits.

The 1956 Monza GP was a race of good luck, generosity, and plenty of drama. The great Juan Manuel Fangio, driving a Ferrari and with an eight-point lead in the world championship, was forced to pit with a broken steering arm. When team-mate Luigi Musso refused to turn over his car to Fangio (they did that in those days) Peter Collins relinquished his Ferrari seat, giving up his own chances of becoming champion. Meanwhile a young Stirling Moss, in a Maserati, ran out of fuel while in the lead with just five laps to go.

Stirling recalls “I spotted (Luigi) Piotti, the Italian Maserati privateer, coming up behind and gestured frantically for him to use his car to push me to the pits”. Luckily for Stirling he understood and the Maserati’s proceeded to the pits nose to tail, with Stirling’s 250F receiving what would be in modern terms, a splash and dash. Moss won the race and Fangio, in his red Ferrari, won the championship.

Artwork © Paul Chenard

ART DECO MEETS MG PA, LEAVES US DAYDREAMING

A few weeks from now I hope to be moving into a rental apartment in Vancouver, though the exact date is dependent on selling my condo during what is undeniably a slow market. Though my future home won't be large I intend to indulge a long-held wish to decorate the living room walls with transportation art; mostly cars but with trains and boats as part of the composition. So, sometimes when I'm sitting around doing a little daydreaming, I go to Peter Aylett's carart.us, which has possibly the world's largest stable of automotive fine artists in its online catalog.

Today I found an artist that I hadn't noticed on previous visits and immediately fell in love with his work. Brian James and I also have something in common. He became an art director in advertising, eventually joining a top London illustration agency, where he worked on some of the biggest national and international ad campaigns. And I had a long career as an ad writer and creative director, including a stint with the J. Walter Thompson agency in London.

What we also share is an appreciation of art deco design. Brian’s love for art deco began as a boy, with many British cinemas, buildings and homes created in that style. His interest has since grown into all things from the 1920s and 30s period, including his love of cars. Brian likes "the art deco flat color image, influenced by posters of the inter-war period" and says "I also think it’s important to use a setting that’s appropriate to its era and style.” He has certainly done that here with his painting of an MG PA, "the archetypical small sports car of the 1930s that introduced motorsports to so many. Incredibly, the engine was just 847cc with an output of 36bhp, but enough to give it a top speed of 72mph -- quite fast back then."

Printed as a giclée on paper, sized 11" x 17," and simply titled MG PA, it is available from carart.us for a reasonable $250.00. It's on my list of potential candidates for that living room gallery, for this combination of classic sports car, very English background, and art deco's flat colour poster style, is almost irresistable.

THE CAR COLLECTING HOBBY, BIGGER THAN YOU THOUGHT

The next time someone wags an accusing finger at you and suggests that enthusiasm for old cars is merely a niche hobby, try firing back with some convincing new figures from the Vintage Racing League. For example, VRL tells us there are an estimated 10 million people who own vintage, historic, classic and antique cars. That alone is quite remarkable. So is the way those numbers are spread around the globe:

* 4 million in the Americas
* 5 million in the UK & Europe
* 1 million in the rest of the world

Ever wonder how many car clubs exist worldwide? A few thousand, maybe? How about an estimated 100,000? The number of cars owned by the members must be staggering and should awaken any automotive marketer to the possibilities of reaching this vast group of enthusiasts. According to the VRL there are an estimated 100,000 merchants who sell the collector car community $50+ billion in products and services annually. That makes said community an economic force to be reckoned with.

Yet these numbers are, in one sense, misleading. That's because for every vintage car owner there are countless folk who don't own, and may never own, an automobile old enough to qualify and who probably can't afford the cost of buying and maintenance. Count me among them. Much as I love old cars and write passionately about automotive history I do not possess a collector car and even if I did, keeping it running is beyond my means. (I'm not a Mr. Fixit: my reaction when something goes wrong is "call the guy.")

Nevertheless I love the hobby and participate by collecting automotive fine art prints, models, books and other literature, and by attending concours and vintage races. I'm one of multi-millions around the world who support a category known as "automobilia." Some belong to car clubs, many don't, which makes it impossible to attach a number and to be honest, the word itself is meaningless to non-enthusiasts. Tell someone you collect automobilia and they haven't a clue what you're talking about. We need a new way of expressing that segment of the vintage car hobby. Any suggestions?

I'm uncertain about where the VRL got those numbers but even if they're not quite accurate it should be obvious that car collecting and its associated interests, such as concours d'elegance, vintage racing, and automobilia, is far more than a niche. It's huge, bigger by far than most collecting hobbies. So next time you're accused of dallying in a small-time affair, show them the numbers. You may not turn the accuser into an enthusiast but at least you'll get some well-earned respect.

[Photo: Philip Powell]

DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS WITH AUTOMOTIVE ART

I'd intended to end the Christmas gift suggestion blogs on Monday, prior to my cruise ship article. However a newsletter from CarArt.com, revealing some extraordinary works in a series entitled Dreaming of a White Christmas, by renowned artist Ken Eberts, changed my mind. True, I started the Christmas series two weeks ago with a painting from CarArt, but I'm a huge fan of automobile and transportation art.

The work shown above is a superb example of how snowy backgrounds can add romance and nostalgia to a painting. Ken calls it "Grandma's Christmas Visit." His combination of a 1952 Mercury Monterey station wagon with an aluminum-clad streamlined train in the background can bring tears to your eyes if you were a kid in those years. At least you won't have to cry over the price. It is available as an 18" X 24" giclée on watercolor paper, for a most reasonable $300.

You'd have to be very, very old to relate to this scene, which Eberts calls "Buster's Trip to the Mountain," but it's a reminder of what driving was like back in 1911, when the Model T struggled to get through the snow. No all-weather tires in those days although early automobiles did at least have ample ground clearance and were less likely to get hung up on a ridge. You'll note that Buster's car is topless and even bundled up in his special winter driving outfit he'll be happy to be met with a warm glass of grog. The 12" X 16" giclée on watercolor paper will cost you a mere $200.

Finally, I must admit to loving Ken's "In the Air There's a Feeling of Christmas." Featuring a 1947 Hudson Commodore Eight, it's a scene that I can relate to, especially with the nearby streetcar and the Woolworth's "five and dime" in the background. Not much different than what, as a teenager, I might have observed during a Toronto winter's day. Again as a giclée on watercolor paper, size 18" X 24," it's available for a most reasonable $300.

Perhaps, this time next year, CarArt's Peter Aylett might persuade Ken to release these, and others in the series that I haven't included here, as Christmas cards. They'd be hugely popular, guaranteed.

GREETING CARDS FOR RACE FANS, ADMIRED FROM AFAR

Anyone who thinks Canada isn't a big country (pay attention, Yankee friends) should get out their maps and check how far it is from Vancouver Island on the west coast, where I currently reside, and artist Paul Chenard's home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Yes, Russia's number one but we're number two and, as Avis used to say in their award-winning ads, "we try harder." Paul and I have been in touch by e-mail over the past couple of years and I'm blessed to have some of his racing illustrations hanging on my walls.

Anyone who works as an artist and knows how difficult it can be to make money from their talents, might now consider following in Paul Chenard's footsteps, for he has decided to offer a series of his works as greeting cards, thus making them affordable to all of us and enriching his pockets, at least a little. He is currently offering cards in five different themes:

Sports/GT Cars of the Early 60's
Ferrari 156 F1 "Sharknose"
1934 Grand Prix Season
Grand Prix Engines of the 1950's
Hawthorn's Race Cars

There are four different illustrations per set with three of each, descriptions on the back, twelve in all; envelopes included. Each set sells for $30 CDN plus shipping and applicable taxes. My personal favorites are the "Sports/GT Cars of the Early 60's" (because I was there) and the "Grand Prix Engines of the 1950's," an unusual phantom treatment that reveals racing engines as works of art.

Much as I admire his work, I can't be certain that Paul Chenard and I will ever meet face-to-face. It would probably take 4-1/2 days to make the trip from the west coast by train, which doesn't quite equal Russia's famous Trans-Siberian Express, although the trip is just as dramatic visually and a lot more comfortable for the traveler. Unfortunately it is also very expensive, the train being aimed at railfans and well-heeled tourists. Of course we could fly but what fun is that?

There's still time to order your cards for Christmas if you act now. Just send an e-mail to Paul Chenard at paul.chenard@hotmail.com.

STILL TIME TO ORDER CLASSIC CAR CHRISTMAS CARDS

It's not too late to order specialty Christmas cards and if you fancy sending one with a classic car theme, the good people at Automania Specialties have a vast selection (90 in all) from which to choose. They're printed in full color on high quality 5 by 7 inch card stock. These classic auto Christmas cards are produced from full color acrylic paintings done by professional artists. A holiday greeting is printed inside.

The cards are priced in sets of 20 (all one design) with envelopes. At $19.95 for a single set, the price is very reasonable, indeed. Buy two or more and the price drops to $18.00 per set. All prices include postage. If you want an assortment of cards in a single set, there is an additional $5.00 charge for special handling.

The selection includes Ford cards, GM cards, VW cards, Mopar cards, Classic cards, and British cards, and more; something for everyone. I chose the three shown in this blog simply because I like the cars and the artwork. In fact I'm so impressed with these cards that I may order a set for my own use. For someone who normally gets around to mailing Christmas cards sometime in January, that's a huge step forward.

Click on this link to order your Christmas cards from Automania Specialties. They normally deliver in 48 hours but you'd be advised to buy now, bearing in mind how long it will take the post office to deliver cards to the folks on your list.

CLASSIC CAR ART TOPS CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST

Beware, last minute Christmas gift buyers! Time travels faster than a speeding F1 car and before you know it, you'll be under pressure to make quick decisions. Assuming your plan is to buy presents for classic car fans (all the while wishing you could keep them for yourself) this blog will devote itself over the next few weeks to making recommendations (all the while wishing I could buy them for myself).

If you're purchasing what the hobby calls "automobilia" there's a good chance that will include original art or prints, model cars, books, subscriptions to car mags, collectible sales brochures, or maybe just a coffee mug with your friend's favorite car illustrated on the side. For me, with no room in my apartment for more books, my first choice would be a fine art print, and for that I would turn to one of my favorite online purveyors, CarArt.com. And because I'm interested in architecture I'd seek out the site's catalog of works that present the cars in an interesting architectural background. The association may be subtle but if you've a good eye you'll spot it.

The work I've chosen to highlight today is titled "San Francisco Sunday," by Sheridan Davies. The Victorian-era homes are certainly obvious to anyone who's visited that beautiful city and the contrast between ways to enjoy motoring for fun is equally clear, while making no judgements. Hot rod, or Jaguar XK150? It's all a matter of taste. But take note of the passing aircraft in the upper-right corner, descending with gear down. It's a Lockheed Super Constellation, arguably the most beautiful intercontinental passenger airliner of the pre-jet age. The artist shows a rare sensibility when combining these elements in one painting.

As I write, the 32" x 32" original is still for sale at $7900 and worth every penny. For those less fortunate souls among us, a giclée on paper can be purchased for a mere $295. Size is 24" x 24" but expand that with a nice mat and you've got a perfect size for your living room. Oh, wait... for his/her living room! We're supposed to be giving this as a Christmas gift! And my address is.....

[Artwork: Sheridan Davies]

PALOS VERDES CARS AND SCENERY CAPTURED BY RENOWNED ARTIST

What you are seeing here is a delightful painting by artist Guy Buffet, which will grace the cover of the 2011 Palos Verdes Concours program. Buffet was born in Paris in 1943, in the same neighborhood where Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, and Modigliani had once lived, and must surely have been influenced by that magic environment and by his art-loving restauranteur parents. His distinctive style has certainly captured the look of the Palos Verdes peninsula in a playful way.

The concours organisers tell us that "the abundant foliage creates a symphony of different shades of green dotted by Palos Verdes homes with their typical red tile roofs. Elements include luxurious resorts and first class golf courses, surfers and sun bathers and the blue Pacific extending to the shores of Catalina. The artist also superimposes impressionistic snapshots of vintage cars that are part of the celebration and includes happy chefs and waiters taking part in a 'gourmet tour' of Palos Verdes."

Ah, yes, the cars and the concours. If you're one who is drawn to automobiles once owned by celebrities you'll feast your eyes with these entries: A 1926 Lincoln Model 149, owned by movie mogul Jack Warner, founder of Warner Bros; a 1930 Cord L-29 Town Car, owned by silent film star Dolores Del Rio; a 1957 Dual Ghia, owned by actress Ava Gardner, whose husbands included Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra; a 1962 Shelby Cobra, owned since new by jazz musician Herbie Hancock; and a 1966 right-hand-drive Ferrari 275 GTS, whose owners included rock star Eric Clapton and movie star Jayne Mansfield. Her daughter is Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mariska Hargitay, star of Law and Order, Special Victims Unit.

This year's concours theme is "California Design and Style," and the featured marques are the cars of Howard “Dutch” Darrin, plus Woodies and Muscle Cars. The 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be celebrated by a display of six historic racers driven at the Brickyard by Parnelli Jones, Dan Gurney and others. Artist Guy Buffet, also the Grand Marshall, will be honored at a Bistro d’Elegance dinner following the Tour d'Epicure Road Rallye on Saturday, September 17, which starts at the Banning Museum in Wilmington and ends at the Palos Verdes Golf Club.

I've never attended the Palos Verdes Concours but if I were choosing to witness an event that combines a fabulous California location with elegant classics and special interest cars, this would surely be it. Guy Buffet's art, many examples of which will be on display, is the icing on an already delicious cake. Hang on to those programs, folks. They'll be collectors items before long.

THE LAST TRAIN TO CALAIS

You may, if you wish, complain that this classic cars site has too many blogs about railway trains. Get used to it, folks. I'm not deserting my enthusiasm for vintage automobiles but I'm also a train/plane/ship enthusiast with a fascination for historic transportation. The mere sound of a distant train whistle or diesel engine horn can bring me to tears. Not that I get to hear any, for Vancouver Island has all but deserted its railway heritage. One train a day, north and south, each way. Idiots.

Nevertheless I'm eager to help promote the sale of a magnificent railway painting by Terence Cuneo in the Modern Paintings auction on 20th September, 2011, at Bonhams Knightsbridge. The Golden Arrow was a luxury boat train that ran between London’s Victoria station and Dover.  Passengers would then take the ferry across the Channel to Calais and complete their journey to Paris by another train, the Fleche d’Or. Between September 1939 and April 1946 the Golden Arrow ceased to run because of the war, but in 1951 it had a new set of Pullman cars built as part of the celebrations of the Festival of Britain. The train made its final journey in September 1972.

Famed for his paintings of trains, horses and military action, Cuneo (1907-1996) was also distinguished for being the official artist of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. A statue of him stands at Waterloo Station.

I'm in awe of this painting, estimated to sell for £40,000-60,000, for it expresses a past that contemporary travelers will never enjoy, although the high-speed "Chunnel" train is an experience in itself. I've been a passenger on that one and, with my family, one of the last to travel on a 70's ferry train from Victoria Station to Basle, Switzerland, en route to an alpine ski holiday.