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Pistons, Passions, and Sicily

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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Just watched the full length movie "Pistons, Passions, Pleasures - A Sicilian Dream".

https://siciliandreammovie.com/

Preview at the bottom of that page.

Story of the beginning (and end) of the great Targa Florio races. Wonderful Brass-era cars, interviews, vintage films, and the gradual realization that racing a dozen cars around dirt roads with 100s of hairpin turns in the mountains, with a few hundred locals to watch, can become unmanageable when 600 hp cars participate, and 100s of thousands of spectators line the roads.

Alessandro Cagno (1883-1971), winner of first Targa Florio in 1906:

View attachment 47429

Quite a story.
TM
 
Neat! Interesting story. I'll be heading to Sicily in late April (for 2 weeks).
Thanks.
 
Is this an Avis or Hertz car?

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DavidApp said:
Is this an Avis or Hertz car?

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Click to expand...
Looks like a Hertz Rent a Racer! :highly_amused:. Like the safety features on that thing! Those guys had guts, some of the speeds obtained were unbelievable on dirt tracks with no protection at all. :driving:
 
I believe that the passenger had an almost full time job pumping the oil in some of the early cars.

A book that I read a long time ago by Leo Villa the mechanic for Sir Malcolm Campbell describes going round Brooklands race track. Not been able to find that book again. It had some great photos and Leo Villa's life story with the Campbell racing and speed record days.

David
 
Dave - another thing I learned from that Sicily movie - how some early engines were started by air pressure. You pump up a pressure chamber, turn on ignition, then release the air pressure and the pneumatic "starter" cranks the engine.
 
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