Not Too Late...1959 Piaggio Vespa 400

This 1959 Piaggio Vespa 400 went unsold at RM Southeby's Labor Day auction in Auburn. Not sure what the reserve was, or how close bidding came to it -- but the owner chose not to accept the high bid this past weekend.

That's not good news for the consigner...they went to the trouble of getting the car to Auburn and preparing it for the auction...but it could be good news if you're looking for a clean looking Vespa.

Mini Turns 60

The Mini, introduced in 1959, came to be a truly iconic vehicle -- with sales of about 5.3 million of the original two-door Minis.

The Mini introduced a new design that was copied by multiple other manufacturers -- transverse engine, front-wheel drive -- freeing up space for passengers and luggage.

OSCA -- The Other Italian Car Company

This Tipo S OSCA was delivered to Briggs Cunningham and raced by the Cunningham team in 1959 and 1960. With a 750cc OSCA engine it was a very competitive car in the H-Modified class. (Similar cars won the H-Modified National Championships in 1959 and 1960.)

O.S.C.A. was founded in 1947 by three brothers, Ernesto, Ettore, and Bindo Maserati -- who all left Maserati to start their own company. Not a very catchy name...OSCA stands for Specialized Auto Construction Workshops -- in Italian.

The car was displayed at Pebble Beach in 2018.

Devin Crosley

A popular body -- to turn a sedan or sports car into a unique fiberglass special -- was the Devin. Based in California, Devin made bodies from 1955 to 1964, in 27 sizes to fit most cars.

There is a Devin Crosley on eBay (September 3, 2019). The Devin body is mounted on a 1950 Crosley frame, with a modified 750cc Crosley engine. (Twin Tillotson carburetors and exhaust headers.)

Not as Easy as it Looks

We all have stories about push starting a car. And every time we tell the story, it sounds easier and easier. Turns out it's not always all that easy -- particularly if you've got a high-compression car.

This Effyh f3 car seems like it would be no problem to push start. It's only about 500 lbs., manual transmission, and the engine is only 500ccs. But coordinating everything can be a challenge. (By the way -- they did get it started...eventually.)

Another one that got away

A 1964 Peel P50 was listed for sale last year.

But it looks like it might need a little work -- well...a lot of work. And it had an asking price of $75,000. (But that's OK -- it's only $75k Canadian.)

It was listed on Barn Finds. And from the looks of it, it was in the barn for quite some time. But, wouldn't it be worth it to have one of the smallest production cars ever made? And a car made famous by none other than Jeremy Clarkson?

Allard Atom - Sold at Auction

Darn! I think we missed it. The Allard Atom, the "world's smallest race car" was sold at auction this past June. (It was sold in the UK by Coys, so I probably couldn't have made it anyway.)

Sixty-four inch wheelbase, and a single-cylinder, 500cc, J.A.P. engine -- put this car firmly in the microcar category. The auction estimate was £10,000 to £15,000 -- but I can't seem to find the final hammer price. Anyone?
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Austin Ulster

How about a 1930 Austin Ulster Replica? The factory racers, or "works" models acquired the Ulster name due to their success in the Tourist Trophy races on the Ards circuit in Ulster -- although Austin described the cars in their advertising as the Austin Seven Sports Model.

The Ulsters were so popular (and easy to replicate), that there are certainly more Ulsters on the road now than Austin ever made -- and new replicas continue to be made from other Austin Seven models.

The photo above is from the 2008 VSCC Lakeland Trials.

Mini Scaling Mighty Mount Equinox

This Mini made quick work of Mt. Equinox (Arlington, VT) the weekend of August 10th.

At 5.2 miles, Mt. Equinox is the longest paved hill climb in the world -- and the Vintage Sports Car Club of America runs an annual event every August, to see which vintage car can reach the top fastest. (While some seriously race to the top -- just getting there is reward enough for others.)

This Mini made it to the top in just over five and a half minutes -- while the best time of the event was turned in by a 1968 Saab Sonnet, with a time of just over 4:51.

The Lane Motor Museum

Took a quick trip to the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville this summer. The facilities are pretty basic, but they have a great collection of mini- and microcars. We only had an hour in the museum before closing time...it's definitely worth a longer stay.

Sima Violet Cyclecar

Sima Violet was a French manufacturer of cyclecars from 1924 to 1929. Their only car was a two-cylinder model. It was manufactured as a two-seat cyclecar and as a single-seat racer.