The HWM Stovebolt Special started life as a 1950 HWM Formula 2 car but took on a world-famous and much-loved identity of its own with characterful bodywork modifications and a Chevrolet V8 engine, earning it the “Stovebolt” nickname (see below). In its first incarnation, this car was an HWM with a four-cylinder Alta engine made… Continue reading 1955 HWM Stovebolt Special
Tag: Velocity Invitational
1954 Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk1Rasputin
Jonathan and Paul Kitchen – #54 1954 Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk1 “Rasputin” Aston Martin made 463 DB2/4 Mk1 hatchbacks between 1953 and 1955. This one, chassis number LML841, was delivered on November 11, 1954. Five years later it went back to the factory and was fitted with an upgraded 3-liter (2,922cc) engine and a… Continue reading 1954 Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk1Rasputin
1954 Sutton Jaguar Special
Gary Cox, in conversation with Marcus Bicknell, 14 August 2025 at Laguna Seca Some classic race-car owners enjoy fettling and polishing their pride and joy to be able to display them at chamois-leather gold-cufflink concours. Others, like Los Angeles realtor Gary Cox, prefer to prepare the car to the technical standards necessary to get on… Continue reading 1954 Sutton Jaguar Special
1953 Denzel Series 3 Roadster – Steve Schmidt
RARE & RAPID… Denzel sports cars are highly regarded for their lightweight, hand-built bodies and VW-based powertrains. Steve Schmidt’s Denzel 1300 got a Porsche 1500S engine and raced at the 1954 and 1955 Sebring 12 Hours. We are honored that he and the Denzel are one of the treasures racing with the Del Monte Trophy… Continue reading 1953 Denzel Series 3 Roadster – Steve Schmidt
Parkinson Jaguar in the press
We are delighted to be able to reproduce here the article about the 1950 Parkinson Jaguar which the UK-based Jaguar XK Club magazine published last month. Marcus Bicknell wrote the article with input from and the editing skills of owner Terry Buffum, driver and the car’s engineer John Buddenbaum and the maestro Rob Manson. We… Continue reading Parkinson Jaguar in the press
Lee Osborne 1600cc Del Monte Trophy
The Del Monte Trophy Race Group for 1948-1955 sports racing cars makes an annual award to the best car and driver both for unlimited engine size and for the under-1600cc class. The 2024 under-1600cc trophy was presented to winner Leland Osbourne on March 30, 2025 at Laguna Seca during the HMSA Spring Event. The chairman… Continue reading Lee Osborne 1600cc Del Monte Trophy
Bill Pollack & Phil Hill talk
Bill Pollack (1925-2017) interviews Phil Hill (1927-2008) at his home on February 11, 2003 to discuss their early days in racing, often against each other. Phil Hill drove his Jaguar XK120 to victory in the first Pebble Beach Road Race, November 5, 1950, and provided the cornerstone of the 1948-1955 sports racing class which we… Continue reading Bill Pollack & Phil Hill talk
1952 Jaguar C-Type XKC018
Every Jaguar C-type is special, but few cars can claim to have had Formula 1 champions as both its first owner and its current one, from many decades apart. This particular C-type, chassis XKC018, is believed to have been originally supplied to Juan Manuel Fangio, and raced extensively across South America. Despite the arduous nature… Continue reading 1952 Jaguar C-Type XKC018
Walt Hansgen Jaguar XK120 Special
Walt Hansgen’s 1951 Jaguar XK120 Special, now raced by Bob Millstein. Unable to purchase a C-Type for the 1953 season, Hansgen decided to transfer his Jaguar XK120’s key components to a lightweight “special”. By replacing the XK120’s basically two-dimensional ladder frame with an elaborate three-dimensional structure of (mostly) round tubing, he hoped to meet or… Continue reading Walt Hansgen Jaguar XK120 Special
1949 Mercury Baldwin press
The May 1950 edition of Road and Track magazine carries a two-page article on Rob Manson’s superb 1949 Baldwin Mercury Special – a car very familiar to other drivers and spectators in the Del Monte Trophy Group races at Monterey and Sonoma. We make the article available here in pdf in case you would like… Continue reading 1949 Mercury Baldwin press