Our Brazilian correspondent, my cousin and good friend, Sérgio Devens Florentino, visited a very traditional classic car gathering in Brazil, Opalapa.
St. Anthony Parish Church. – Lapa, PR. The construction of the church began in 1769 and was completed in 1784.
The Opalapa is dedicated to the most beloved car produced in the country, the Chevrolet Opala. The 2025 event, the 12th edition, occurred on November 22-23, drawing hundreds of these iconic Brazilian classic cars for a weekend of “Opala Therapy.” The event takes place in the city of Lapa, in my home state of Paraná.
The monument celebrates the 100th anniversary of the railway connecting Lapa to the state’s capital, Curitiba.
The cars were beautifully displayed on the church’s grounds and in the surrounding streets.
The event’s name, Opalapa, is a mash-up of the names Opala and Lapa.
Representatives of neighboring countries were also there.
The 1980 Comodoro version features the stylish half-roof vinyl top.
The “black” license plate, intended for collectible classic cars. To apply for one, the car must be at least 30years old and retain a minimum of 80% of its original equipments.
A SS Opala, equipped with the 4100cc (250 CID) in-line 6 engine.
The Chevy Opala was produced from 1969 to 1992, in three versions: 4-door sedan.
The two-door station wagon, called Caravan.
And the coupe fastback.
The SS version is the most desired among collectors.
All the beautiful colors from the 1970s.
In the 1980s, the dull colors dominated the scene.
Chevy never built the UTE version of the Opala, but someone did.
The official livery of taxi cabs in the City of Curitiba – PR
If I am not mistaken, this is the Paraguay’s flag.
The Opala was based on the Opel Rekord. The original German car was equipped with some not very inspiring engines, 1.5L, 1.9L four cylinder and 2.2 in line-six.
A spiced-up Chevy 250 CID
Brazilian Chevy followed the mantra: “There is no replacement for displacement” by the letter. The German engines were dumped, and the Opala received the much more powerful American engines: the 2.5L Iron Duck 4 cylinder and the 4.1L inline-six.
Those engines gave the Opala a zesty performance. The car had (and still has) a brilliant racing career in Brazil, prompting aftermarket companies to produce a wide variety of high-performance parts, like this beautiful stainless steel header.
The top of the line -Gran Luxo–
The organizers displayed one example of each year of the Opala’s production, side by side. You can check it out in the video below.
Every time Sergio sends me pictures of the classic car events in Brazil, it helps me to easy how much I miss my home country. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did.
On July 20, 2008, the German Grand Prix, the 10th race of the Formula One season, was held at the legendary Hockenheim circuit. The exciting race showcased the mastery of the young Lewis Hamilton, who won the race, and also highlighted the promising rookie Nelson Piquet Jr., son of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, who finished the race in second.
From left to right: Nelson Piquet Jr, Lewis Hamilton, and Felipe Massa.
Piquet Jr.’s first and only podium of his F-One career was more like an act of sheer luck than talent. He started the race in 17th place, and given the poor performance of the Renault cars that year, he had little prospect of scoring points in that race. At lap 35, he was brought to the pits for refuelling and fresh tires, which later on proved to be an incredibly well-timed decision.
Minutes later, Timo Glock crashed his Toyota (pictured above), forcing the safety car out. According to the 2003 rules, drivers were not allowed to proceed to the pits while the safety car was active. After the marshals cleared the debris and the safety car was called in, all the drivers pulled to the pits, leaving Piquet Jr. free to jump to P1. Hamilton, driving a much superior McLaren-Mercedes-Benz, overtook him with eight laps to go, but still, second place was a considerable achievement for a rookie, driving a shabby car.
The 2008 German GP was a welcome relief for a team starving for points. So far, the season had been a rough one for Renault.
Renault
For the 2008 season, Renault unveiled the R28, a promising new car that ultimately fell short of its promises. It just couldn’t keep up with Ferrari and McLaren.
Fernando Alonso, the star driver who clinched two world titles for Renault in a row in 2005 and 2006, was struggling to stay in the midfield. For Nelson Piquet Jr., the situation was even more complicated; he was having a below-average season, plagued by too many mistakes. Besides all the pressure a rookie can face during his debut season, he also had the extra weight of carrying on the family legacy.
A Formula One team works like any other business. It must generate results to keep the sponsors happy. Renault’s principal manager, Flavio Briatore, was in a difficult position: he had to squeeze at least one victory in this season to keep Renault alive.
Briatore was a huge name in Formula One at the time. He was the guy who “discovered” Michael Schumacher and brought him to Benetton, during the time he managed the team from 1991 to 1997.
Briatore was a ruthless businessman with limited knowledge of F-One technology. He was known for his shady methods to get the job done and had been convicted multiple times of cheating during his career. In 2008, besides overseeing Renault, he also managed five drivers, including Piquet Jr.
Singapore Grand Prix – 2008
The 2008 Singapore GP was the 15th race of the season. It marked the first Formula One race to be held at night. City officials put on a spectacular show, with the Marina Bay Street Circuit beautifully illuminated. The race was intended to be one of the season’s highlights.
Massa, during qualifying. Singapore, 2008
Felipe Massa (Ferrari) qualified in pole position, and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) started the race in second. The two drivers were fighting tooth and nail for the championship. Fernando Alonso qualified in 15th, and Piquet Jr. in 16th.
Massa was on fire that night. After 10 laps, he had built up a solid 3-second lead over Hamilton. On lap 12, Alonso was the first driver to pull into the pits for refueling and a set of soft tires. But on lap 14, Piquet Jr. lost control of his car on turn 17 and crashed into the concrete wall.
Piquet Jr. grinded half of his Renault against the wall.
The race that was supposed to be smooth sailing for Massa turned into a nightmare.
Turn 17 is a complicated spot. At the time, it didn’t have any access road nearby, and Piquet’s car had to be removed by a big crane.
Massa: “This has got to be the only godamn Mercedes I will see in front of me tonight.”
The safety car was deployed, nullifying the comfortable lead Massa had over Hamilton. According to the rules (the same rules that helped Renault during the 2008 German GP), drivers were not allowed to pull into the pits while the safety car was on the track.
The time the track crew took to clear the debris delayed the other driver’s scheduled pit stops. When the pit lane was finally reopened, chaos broke out as all the drivers rushed in to refuel their cars.
Massa’s pit stop was a complete disaster. The Ferrari crew, in a panic, gave him the green light while the fuel hose was still attached to the car. He ripped it off its frame, spilling fuel everywhere, and knocked a crew member to the ground.
He had to wait at the end of the pit lane to have the hose removed. When he rejoined the race, he was dead last. To add insult to injury, he was penalized for the incident.
Alonso, who had pitted before the safety car was deployed, took the lead, and went on to win the race. Nico Rosberg managed to finish second despite incurring a stop-and-go penalty, and Hamilton completed the podium in third.
The result saw Hamilton extend his lead in the Driver’s standings to 7 points over Massa, who failed to score. McLaren also took over the lead in the Constructors’ Championship by one point from Ferrari.
Mr. Briatore, your reputation precedes you.
The fact that the safety car had saved Renault once again, in the same season, immediately raised a few eyebrows at the paddock. Rob Smedley, the experienced Massa’s race engineer, watched the video of Piquet’s crash a couple of times and noticed that the car spun because the rear wheels lost grip due to aggressive acceleration. It looked like Piquet Jr had dropped the hammer in the middle of the turn. The crash wasn’t an accident; it was deliberate. But for the time being, the result stood. The first Renault victory in almost 2 years.
Massa and Hamilton took their fight for the championship to the last race of the season in Brazil. Massa did what he could, winning the race, but he lost the title to Hamilton. It was the most heartbreaking moment of his career, missing the world championship by one single point. At the podium, he could not hold back the tears, and many fellow Brazilian fans in the stands also broke down and cried.
The crashgate
The Mercedes-Benz powered Brawn BGP 001
Right off the bat, the 2009 season seemed to have all the ingredients to make it a memorable one. More teams had the equipment and the talent to fight for the title making the season much more exciting. To everybody’s surprise, the debutant team that year, Brawn GP, started as a serious contender for the championship.
Another surprise was Briatore renewing Piquet Jr.’s contract after an abysmal 2008 season. However, things didn’t improve for the Brazilian driver. After 10 races without scoring points, Piquet Jr. was fired following the Hungarian GP, replaced by the team’s reserve driver, Romain Grosjean. But the biggest surprise of the year was yet to come.
With all the rumors circulating in the paddock and now, following his dismissal from Renault, Piquet Jr. knew his future in F-One looked pretty grim. With nothing left to lose, he went to his father and told him everything that happened during the infamous 2008 Singapore GP.
The Cheating
Track marshals, removing what was left of Piquet Jr’s car – Singapore 2008.
Until the 2008 Singapore GP, Flavio Briatore never gave Piquet Jr. a hint whether he would have a chance to stay in the Renault team for the following year. The Brazilian driver figured that, thanks to his poor performance, Briatore would let him go.
If Briatore were a gentleman, we would have said something to Piquet about his intentions, allowing the Brazilian to plan ahead; however, it never happened until just before the 2008 Singapore race.
Piquet Jr. was called for a secret meeting with Briatore and the race engineer Pat Symonds, in an inconspicuous room at the back of the pits. There, Briatore asked if Piquet Jr. was willing to sacrifice his race to help Alonso achieve a better result. Then, it was time for Symonds to present the plan, which was pretty simple: “We will pull Alonso for refueling sooner than planned, on lap 12th. Then all you have to do is crash your car on turn 17, forcing the deployment of the safety car.”
The message at the end of the meeting was that if Piquet Jr. decided not to participate in the cheating, his contract would not be renewed; however, if he chose to be a “team player,” he would continue to drive for Renault in 2009.
With his back against the wall, Piquet decided to play along.
In the eyes of Piquet Senior, Briatore took advantage of an inexperienced driver, willing to keep his job, to bring his evil plan to fruition. Not only is psychology forcing his participation, but it is also deliberately risking his life.
Piquet Jr. and his father.
In a desperate attempt to save whatever was left of his son’s dignity, Piquet Sr. convinced him to make the whole episode public. On July 29, 2009, the Piquet family sent a 1,400-word statement addressed to the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile), revealing all the details about the Briatore/Symonds manipulation of the Singapore GP.
A couple of days later, the most prominent TV media organization in Brazil, Rede Globo, gained access to the content of the statement and made it public. The most reasonable explanation is that the Piquet family secretly gave the document to Rede Globo and allowed them to publish it. The statement sparked an investigation, and on September 04, 2009, the mighty Renault F-One team was charged with conspiracy and was to answer the charge on September 21, 2009.
The big dogs push back
Pat Symonds
On 11 September, the day after Piquet Jr.’s statement to the FIA was leaked, Renault F1 stated that it intended to take legal action against Piquet Jr. and his father in both French and British courts, stating that “…today the ING Renault F1 Team and its managing director Flavio Briatore personally wish to state they have commenced criminal proceedings against Nelson Piquet Jr and Nelson Piquet Sr in France concerning the making of false allegations and a related attempt to blackmail the team into allowing Mr Piquet Jr to drive for the remainder of the 2009 season”.
Piquet Jr.
In response to the legal action, Piquet Jr. stated “Because I am telling the truth I have nothing to fear, whether from the Renault team or Mr Briatore – and while I am well aware of the power and influence of those being investigated, and the vast resources at their disposal, I will not be bullied again into making a decision I regret”.
On 14 September 2009, Symonds was also reported to have been offered immunity from action if he provided the FIA with details of the alleged conspiracy. Symonds was reported to have told FIA investigators that the initial idea of a crash had come from Piquet Jr.
On 15 September, The Times published extracts of Renault F1 radio conversations transmitted before and after the Singapore Grand Prix between Renault F1 personnel, including Piquet Jr., Alonso, Symonds and Briatore.
The investigation has just confirmed what everyone in the paddock already knew: that the 2008 Singapore GP was rigged. Recognizing the situation was quite complex, Renault shifted its position, and on September 16, the company announced it would not fight the charges, stating that the team’s managing director, Flavio Briatore, and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, had been dismissed.
The Sentences
On September 21, 2009, the WMSC (World Motor Sport Council) held an extraordinary meeting in Paris for the 2008 crashgate hearing. After a 90-minute session, the Renault team was sentenced to a two-year ban from Formula One. Briatore received an indefinite ban from FIA events, while Symonds was ousted for five years. Briatore was also barred from managing drivers, with the FIA stating that super licenses would not be issued or renewed to any driver associated with him.
Alonso was cleared of any wrongdoing; the FIA found no evidence that he or his mechanics were aware of the scheme.
The WMSC came down hard on Briatore because he denied his involvement despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Symonds, in contrast, had confessed, expressing his “eternal regret and shame” for his role in the scheme. In announcing the sanctions, the council stated that Renault F1’s actions were serious enough to merit expulsion from Formula One altogether. However, it opted to impose a suspended sentence because Renault F1 took swift action in forcing Briatore and Symonds to resign. The Daily Mirror described the de facto lifetime ban on Briatore as the harshest sanction ever imposed on an individual in the history of motorsport.
Their bans were subsequently overturned by a French court. However, they both agreed not to work in Formula One or FIA-sanctioned events for a specified time as part of a later settlement reached with the governing body.
Justice was served, or was it?
“There is something fundamentally rotten and wrong at the heart of Formula One. Never in my experience has Formula One been in such a mood of self-destruction.” – Jackie Stewart, former 3 times F-One champion.
After the hearings concluded, it seemed the perpetrators had received their fair punishment, but the scandal was far from over.
Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley
In 2023, the FIA’s big boss Bernie Ecclestone, confessed during an interview to F1 Insider that he knew everything about the 2008 crashgate. This is an excerpt of what he said:
“Max Mosley [then FIA president] and I was informed during the 2008 season about what had happened in the race in Singapore. Piquet Jr. had told his father Nelson that he had been asked by the team to deliberately drive into the wall at one point in order to trigger a safety car period and thus help his team-mate Alonso.”
“Piquet Jr was afraid of his contract extension, so he was under a lot of pressure and agreed.“
“We decided not to do anything for the time being. We wanted to protect the sport and protect it from a huge scandal.”
“That’s why I persuaded my former pilot Nelson Piquet to keep calm for the time being.”
“We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the statutes, however, we would probably have had to cancel the race in Singapore under these conditions. That is, for the championship standings, it would never have happened.“
“Then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.‘
“At that time there was the rule that a World Championship classification after the FIA award ceremony at the end of the year is untouchable. So Hamilton was presented with the championship trophy and everything was fine.”
Ecclestone felt comfortable coming forward in front of a reporter, 15 years after the scandal, but for one guy, the wound has not yet healed.
Based on this interview, Felipe Massa initiated formal procedures for his lawsuit against the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone in August 2023. He sought damages and recognition as champion after new evidence surfaced. Court proceedings began in late October 2025 in a London court.
According to the golden rules of FIA, a world title cannot be overturned after the award ceremony, so Massa’s quest to become the 2008 world champion was doomed from the start. However, on November 20, 2025, Judge Robert Ray ruled that Massa’s claims for inducement of breach of contract could continue, saying in a summary of his ruling that Massa arguably did not know he could sue until a 2023 interview with Ecclestone was published. But the judge rejected his case that the FIA breached its duty to him to investigate and dismissed his claim for a declaration, saying the court could not “rewrite the outcome of the 2008 Drivers’ World Championship”.
Massa is also seeking damages compensation of around 64 million pounds ($83.63 million).
But as life goes on, all those involved in the scandal kept, in one way or another, the foot on the floor. Some became legends, while others did not.
Flavio Briatore
The 2008 crashgate was not the first time Briatore was caught cheating. In the 1980s, he was even sentenced to prison in two cases of fraud, but he always found a way to evade punishment. After being banned from Formula One in 2009 by the FIA, a French court overturned the penalties and even granted him €15.000,00 in compensation. Briatore remained under the radar for many years but was not far away from F-One, thanks to his friendship with Fernando Alonso.
In May 2024, Briatore returned to Renault (now competing as the Alpine F1 Team). He was given the title of Executive Advisor for the Formula One Division, with full authority for hiring and firing within the team. The mafia boss is back.
Pat Symonds
The French court also overturned the charges against Symonds, and he came back to Formula One in 2011 as a consultant for Virgin Racing.
Symonds served as Formula One’s Chief Technical Officer from March 2017 until May 2024, playing a key role in the 2022 regulations that led to the return of ground-effect racing cars, aiming to make making racing more exciting. In 2024, Symonds was hired as Executive Engineering Director for the newly formed Cadillac F1 Team.
Lewis Hamilton
There isn’t much to say about Hamilton’s case, at least in the 2008 crashgate controversy; in this instance, he was the lucky guy of the season.
With seven world titles under his belt, Hamilton is widely seen as one of the greatest drivers in Formula One history. At the moment, he’s having a hard time finding his pace at Ferrari, and every so often, people catch him talking about retirement.
Fernando Alonso
The Spanish driver always claimed he didn’t know about the cheating in the 2008 Singapore GP, which I find hard to believe. Nonetheless, he was cleared of any involvement. The scandal didn’t tarnish his brilliant career. Besides being the F-One world champion in 2005 and 2006, he also won the World Endurance Championship in 2018 and 2019. He is also a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Currently, he is driving for Aston Martin. Alonso is also considering retiring soon.
Nelson Piquet Jr.
The crashgate made Piquet Jr. “unemployable” in Formula One. In 2010, he began competing in the NASCAR Truck Series and various minor stock car leagues, continuing until 2016. At the same time, he began competing in Formula E, where he won the 2014 and 2015 world championships. Currently, he drives full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car.
Some die-hard fans might argue that Piquet Jr. was an easy target for an unscrupulous manager, and he should also be considered a victim. However, the situation is more complex. He faced a choice; he could have said no and left Renault with dignity, but unfortunately, he chose a different path, and the burden he bears is not a light one.
Felipe Massa
Massa left Formula One in 2017, and the following year, he was hired by the Ventury Formula E team. He had a frustrating experience adapting to Formula E, and he left before his contract ended. In 2022, Massa began competing full-time in Stock Car Brasil. He also occasionally drives in IMSA.
Some people say it was a foolish decision to pursue legal action against FIA and Ecclestone, but the guy had the right to fight against the monumental injustice he faced.
To defend Formula One’s reputation, FIA took the 2008 championship away from Massa, but their effort ultimately failed. Corruption was exposed, yet the culprits managed to return to the sport. Despite this, Massa received no recognition or compensation.
The most shameful episode in Formula One’s history is not finished yet. Felipe Massa will not become the world champion, but he might end up with a substantial amount of money in his pocket. All he has to do is wait.
This is a very special picture that brings me some good memories. I took it during our trip when we moved from Markham, ON, to Edmonton, AB, in July 2024.
I spotted the car as we stopped to refuel at Terrace Bay, ON, known for its lighthouse, by the side of the road.
The Esso gas station is a stone’s throw away from the lighthouse. The wooden building is open to visitors, and at the top, you can enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Superior.
The Coronet
The moniker Coronet had been around for quite some time. The car underwent seven generations, spanning from 1949 to 1976.
Honestly, I didn’t realize the Coronet had such a long history. I thought it was only made in the 1960s. Oh well, all the things we learn while blogging.
Trailer Queen, who? Me?
The 1969 Coronet 500 we see here belongs to the fifth generation, which spanned from 1965 to 1970, and was built on the legendary Chrysler B-Body platform. The Coronet offered a complete lineup of models, including 2- and 4-door sedans, station wagon, convertible, and the one pictured, a 2-door hardtop. Customers could choose from a variety of engines, from the grocery getter 225 CID Slant 6 to the wild 426 HEMI and 440 Magnum. Muscle car oriented versions like the R/T and Super Bee were also interesting options.
As we can see, this car spent a good portion of its life thundering down the quarter mile. The body is somewhat rough, with some noticeable rust spots, but otherwise, it appears to be straight and totally salvageable.
I didn’t have the chance to talk to its owner and find more details about this drag strip warrior survivor, but I really hope it was going to receive a well-deserved complete restoration.
And who knows, maybe the owner will keep it as a race car.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of “The Catch of the Day,” and I will see you next time.
It is no easy task trying to understand the importance of rally in the European motorsport universe. For us, North and South Americans, we are more used to enjoy speed over a smooth pavement, with guard rails and tire cushions on the corners.
While we do appreciate rally racing, we don’t have the same level of passion for it as our fellow European gearheads do. It’s easy to see why; even at the highest level of the sport —the World Rally Championship —the action feels raw, and the atmosphere still carries elements of the sport’s grassroots origins. After all, racing on unpaved, narrow roads from one city to another, competing against the clock, is how motorsport was born.
It took some time for rallying to become a professional sport and to be recognized by automakers as an important venue to showcase their products. It was only in the early 1950s that it became big enough to catch the attention of the auto industry, and one small Italian brand became the pioneer as the first works team in rally.
Lancia
A Lancia Aurelia, from the factory race team, during the 1952 Mille Miglia. Helmets were optional at the time.
Lancia & C. Fabbrica Automobili was founded on 27 November 1906 in Turin by FIAT racing drivers, Vincenzo Lancia and his friend Claudio Fogolin. The brand became renowned in the automotive world for introducing numerous technological innovations, such as the first 5-speed manual transmission fitted to a production car in 1948 and the first full-production V6 engine, which debuted in the 1950 Lancia Aurelia.
Lancia as sports, luxury-oriented brand that attempted to establish itself in various classes of motorsport, including Formula One; however, it was in rally that the brand shone the brightest.
A V6 Lancia Aurelia in the 1953 Mille Miglia.
Inspired by the exceptional performance of the V6 Aurelia, Lancia became the first automaker to establish a works rally team in 1952. The Scuderia Lancia, later known as the Squadra Corse HF Lancia, led by Gianni Lancia, the son of the founder, Vincenzo.
In 1969, the company, under some serious financial troubles, was acquired by FIAT, and it didn’t just save Lancia from bankruptcy but also allowed a more substantial amount of money to flow into the company’s competition department.
In 1972, Lancia won the World Rally Manufacturer Championship with Fulvia. (Pictured above). At this point, the championship was becoming increasingly relaxed, opening up opportunities for automakers to come up with some wild machines.
Lancia Stratos
By the late 1960s, it was well known within the Italian auto industry that Lancia wanted to create a specialized rally car. Following FIAT’s acquisition of the company and an influx of cash, the dream of building this rally machine became much more achievable. It was in this scenario that a future partner joined the project, even before being invited.
Bertone
Giulietta Sprint bodies are being shipped from the Bertone factory to Alfa Romeo to receive the mechanical components.
Italians take great pride in their passionate pursuit of beauty across various design fields, including fashion, architecture, furniture, and, of course, automobiles. It’s no wonder that some of the most prestigious coachbuilders in the world, such as Ghia, Pininfarina, Bertone, and Zagato, are all Italian.
In 1966, Lamborghini had the honor of having its iconic Miura designed by Carrozzeria Bertone. However, the limited production of the car was not generating enough revenue to keep either company financially stable. It was time for Bertone to collaborate with another automaker and pursue a new project.
Bertone’s best opportunity was to find a way to sign a contract with Lancia to design and build their new, high-performance flagship before its rival, Pininfarina, could do so.
One might think that all Nuccio Bertone needed to do was ask his team for ideas, arrange a meeting with the Lancia executives, present the drawings, and hope for the best. However, keep in mind that this was Italy in the late 1960s, where business was conducted in far more unconventional ways.
Signore Bertone came up with a crazy plan. He purchased a used Fulvia and handed it over to Marcello Gandini, a talented designer who had managed the team that created the Lamborghini Miura. Bertone instructed Gandini to transform the car into something that would catch Lancia’s attention.
When Gandini and his team were done, very little of the original Fulvia remained. They created a whole new car, a futuristic, compact, mid-engine design that could accommodate two passengers. They slapped some Lancia badges on it and presented the car at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. Initially referred to as Project Zero, the car was later renamed Stratos after someone noticed an eye-catching label on a model airplane kit in the studio and suggested, “How about we call it Stratos?”
Yes, Nuccio Bertone had created a totally new Lancia and presented it at the most prestigious car show in the country, all without any prior arrangement between the two companies. Welcome to Italy.
The car was the star of the show; its futuristic, sci-fi design was decades ahead of its time. The profile of the Stratos Zero is so low that the car has no doors. To access the interior of the vehicle, the windshield tilts upwards.
The Stratos Zero certainly captured the public’s attention, but it somehow failed in its primary mission. No one from Lancia, except motorsport boss Cesare Fiorio, came across and had a proper look at the space machine. The show closed by mid-November, the concept car went back to Bertone, the year ended, but there was no call or reaction from Lancia.
It was only after two months that Nuccio Bertone received a call from Lancia’s boss, Pier Ugo Gobbato: “What is this car that you guys are displaying around with our badges on it? Bring it here and let’s talk.” The meeting between the two houses, Bertone and Lancia, finally took place on February 17, 1971. Since the prototype was a fully operational car, Bertone himself drove it to Lancia’s headquarters. The top Lancia CEOs were impressed with the Zero, but they knew the car was infeasible for production. Cesare Fiorio, the ex-racer who was heading Lancia’s motorsport division, HF Squadra Corse, asked Bertone how to transform that spaceship into a rally car.
Bertone, who had never produced a rally car, asked: “What would be the requirements for this car?” The answer to this question is simple and complicated at the same time.
Alpine A110
While the Fulvia Coupé Rallye HF continued to win numerous rallies, it was evident that it was being outperformed by the Alpine Renault A110 and the Porsche 911. Cesare Fiorio recognized that the era of front-wheel-drive rally cars, such as the Mini and the Fulvia, was coming to an end.
The idea of converting production cars into rally machines may seem like a quick and easy solution. Still, it has significant limitations, even for purebred sports cars like the Porsche and Alpine.
He understood that it was time to develop a vehicle specifically designed for rallying.
In 1970, Ford officially opened the doors to the purpose-built rally car, with the GT70 (pictured above). In this new car, the Americans adopted the successful mid-engine platform. If a better weight distribution works wonders on paved roads (as seen in the Ford GT40), it will certainly do the same on gravel. Although the GT70 had limited success in the few rally races it participated in, and the entire program was terminated three years later, it marked the beginning of a new era in the World Rally Championship.
Right there, Signore Bertone had all the important elements to start working in this new Lancia. First, it must be a small car, able to zip through narrow roads and tight corners. They settle with 2.16 meters wheelbase, somewhere in between the Alpine (2.1m) and the Porsche (2.21m).
Second, it must be a mid-engine platform, a clear advantage over the rear-engine French and German cars.
Third, the car must be iconic; it must be beautiful. It must be a Bertone.
The project was assigned to the geniale Gandini, who worked feverishly to complete the prototype as soon as possible. However, things in the Italian auto industry don’t always work as they should. Lancia was pretty vague about the engine to be used in this car. The first option was the Lancia 1.6 liter V4, increased to 2.0 liter, but the leading contenders were the L4, 2.0 liter, 16 valve engine, developed by Abarth, (FIAT’s performance division) and the Ferrari 2.4 liter V6, the same engine that powers the soon-to-be-discontinued Ferrari Dino.
Ferrari 2.4 liter V6.
In practical terms, the Abarth 4-cylinder should be the chosen one; it is smaller, lighter, and easier to work on during races. However, the marketing advantage of having a car powered by a Ferrari engine can’t be ignored. Either way, Gandini built an engine cradle big enough to accommodate both options.
Eventually, they chose the Dino V6 mill. The Commendatore Enzo wasn’t so happy to see one of his engines powering a “non-Ferrari” car, but since Lancia was now part of the family, he didn’t have much choice. In its street version, the 2.4 V6 Ferrari can produce around 190 HP, but in a full racing configuration, it can crank out 250 ponies.
Gandini created a masterpiece, a true GT car. Its all aluminum body is muscular, aggressive, and gorgeous.
Lamborghini MiuraLancia Stratos
It is impossible not to notice the Bertone DNA in both cars.
The first prototype was painted white, and the following was bright red. The Lancia Stratos HF (High Fidelity) was officially presented to the public during the 1972 Turin World Cars.
The HF – High Fidelity was originally the name of an exclusive club for loyal Lancia customers that was later adopted by the brand’s racing team, Squadra Corse. The “HF” designation has since become a symbol for Lancia’s high-performance vehicles.
The Stratos was again the star of the show, receiving approval not only from the visitors but, more importantly, from the auto media. This approval was needed since Lancia had to build and sell 500 units of the street version, Straddale, to homologate the car for WRC.
The official Squadra Corse Stratos, painted with the iconic Alitalia livery.
The prototype still needed some wrenching before being considered competitive in the world arena. Its first race was the Tour de Corse in November 1972, where it dropped out. The Stratos’ first victory was in the Firestone rally in Spain in April 1973. On May 15, a Stratos finished second at the Targa Florio, and on September 23, won the Tour de France Auto, its first significant victory. After that, the Stratos was ready to take on the World Rally Championship.
1974
In 1974, the Stratos dominated the season, with 10 victories, two third-place finishes, and two seconds, securing the car’s first World Championship. FIAT finished in second and Ford in third.
Sandro Munari, during the 1974 Safari Rally. The missing rear portion of the body exposes the Ferrari V6 engine.
1975
In 1975, Lancia maintained its winning streak by securing a second consecutive manufacturers’ championship, although the competition was tougher than in 1974. The Stratos won four rallies, which included Sandro Munari’s third victory at the Monte Carlo rally. However, mechanical issues challenged the team’s resilience throughout the season. Fiat narrowly surpassed Alpine-Renault for second place, finishing with a score of 61 to 60.
The Safari was the most challenging of all races of the season.
Strato’s success in rally didn’t attract customers to buy the road-legal Stradale, and production ended in 1975 after 492 units. Customers complained about the car being uncomfortable and noisy, with a primary concern being the poor finish of the interior. Although development for competition continued, including the introduction of more powerful 4-valve engine variants.
1976
Sandro Munari
Lancia sealed a third consecutive title with the car that seemed to be unbeatable. Sandro Munari extended his Monte Carlo mastery with a third win in a row, supported by consistent performances from Björn Waldegård across the season. Group 4 homologation rules were relaxed to require 400 units within 24 months – though Lancia’s existing production already met the threshold.
Pit stop during the 1976 season. Unknown location.
The season also marked a shift in FIAT’s policy towards the WRC. They decided that Lancia had had its fair share of fun, winning 3 championships, and now it was time to divert funds to the new FIAT 131 Abarth.
That was the end of the official Lancia Stratos HF rally campaign.
Privateer teams kept the Stratos legacy alive for a few more years. The car also saw some serious road course action, from the roads of Targa Florio to the American racing league, where teams converted the Stradale into a race car. The picture above shows the Stratos that belonged to the Oklahoma-based entrepreneur and oil heir Anatoly ‘Toly’ Arutunoff. This Stradale was converted into a Group IV road-racing car and went on to establish a nine-year racing career.
‘The Duck’, as it quickly became known, received a smaller engine and competed in the below-two-liter GTU category right across the United States, encompassing all the great American endurance racing classics, from the Daytona 24 Hours and the 12 Hours of Sebring to the Watkins Glen Six Hours and the Road America 500 Miles.
Despite more powerful and modern competition, the Stratos remained a force to be reckoned with until 1981, when it won the Tour de Corse for the last time.
Conclusion
Targa Florio, 1974.
Is the Lancia Stratos the most iconic rally car of all time? It’s hard to say since it depends on each gearhead’s perspective. The purpose of this post isn’t to create a contest but to celebrate the car.
Many factors have contributed to the car’s legendary status, including the peculiar details of its creation, its exceptional performance, and the striking design by Gandini.
The Stratos, as the first successful purpose-built rally car, paved the way for the incredible machines of Group B in the 1980s. Lancia kept its racing team at full throttle during those magical years and beyond. Ultimately, the Squadra Corse collected 10 world titles, a record that remains unbroken to this day.
Lancia today
For many of us, Lancia is just an obscure European brand that we aren’t even sure still exists; well, it does, or at least barely.
The only car in its lineup is the Nuova Ypsilon, offered as a full EV or hybrid. The car shares its platform with the FIAT 500.
Lancia is still deeply involved with rally. The company has introduced two new, race-focused Ypsilon models: the Rally 4 HF and the upcoming Rally 2 HF Integrale. The Rally4 HF is a front-wheel-drive, 1.2-liter turbo car designed as an affordable option for entry-level rallying.
The more advanced Rally2 is built for top-tier series like WRC2 and shares many components with the Citroën C3 Rally2, featuring a 1.6-liter turbo engine and all-wheel drive. (pictured above)
When Ford launched the Mustang in 1965 (or 1964 1/2, if you prefer), the company anticipated selling around 100,000 cars in its first year. However, after 12 months, Ford had sold over 400,000 units. The Mustang was exactly what young customers were looking for at the time: a compact car that offered personality, decent performance, and affordability.
Suddenly, Ford had created the Pony Car, a new niche in the auto market, leaving the competition desperately scrambling to come up with something similar.
In 1967, Chevrolet released the car that would become Mustang’s greatest rival, the Camaro. In the same year, sister company Pontiac re-badged the Camaro, creating their own Pony Car, the Firebird.
Today’s catch is a gorgeous 1968 Firebird that I found parked in front of a medical clinic that I visited, in August 2025.
The “pro-touring” style of the car immediately caught my attention. Upon approaching this bird, I noticed how low to the ground it sits, without looking exaggerated. I am not a fan of big rims in classic cars, but in this “Poncho” the wheels look just right.
Also, the body work is worth mentioning; have you heard the saying, “Black will show everything?” Well, the only thing this Pontiac shows is dust. Not a ding on the panels, and the paint job is flawless.
I waited for a little while for the owner to show up, I wanted to see the machinery under hood, but I was in a hurry.
Although the Firebird is nothing more than a Camaro in disguise, the Pontiac engine line-up at the time was quite peculiar.
The 1968 model featured two options for in-line 6 engines, producing 175 and 215 HP each. Both had a displacement of 250 CID and were equipped with overhead camshafts, which was an uncommon technology for American automakers at the time.
If the customer wanted something spicier, the 68 Firebird could be ordered with two different options of the 350 CID V8, one producing 265 HP and the other 320 HP.
At the top of the line, you have the 400 CID with 330 HP and the 400 Ram Air with 340 HP.
The most unique characteristic of the Pontiac V8s is the fact they don’t fall under the customary “small-block” and “big-block” engine families common to other GM divisions, Ford, and Chrysler. Effectively, production Pontiac V8 blocks were externally the same size, but with variations in the internal components like the main journals, bore, and stroke to achieve different displacements. In other words, Pontiac never had big or small blocks, they had big and small displacement V8s. In 1981 Pontiac stopped the production of their own engines, adopting the “corporate” Chevy engines in all their cars.
Pontiac kept the Firebird in production for 35 years. When Chevy pulled the Camaro’s plug in 2002, it was obvious that the Firebird had to die was well. At that point the fate of the brand was already sealed; GM finished the Pontiac’s operations in 2010.
I hope you have enjoyed this catch of the day. I will see you next time.
Rock and Roll has been around for quite some time now. Over the years, an enormous number of musicians attempted to make a living playing the most thrilling musical genre ever, often lured by tales of glory and fortune.
In rock’n roll history, some bands struggle to take off, while others achieve stardom at lightning speed. Among those fortunate enough to fall into the latter category is the American band Eagles.
The band was formed in 1971 in Los Angeles, CA. Their debut album, Eagles, was released in 1972, and the singles “Take It Easy” and “Witchy Woman” went straight to the top 20 in the US and Canada.
The albums that followed also achieved a fair share of popularity, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 became the best-selling album in the USA, with 38 million copies sold, propelling them to become one of the most successful rock’n roll bands of the 1970s.
Hotel California
If we could encapsulate the band’s talent and creativity in one song, that would be ‘Hotel California’. The song was created as the opening single for the band’s 1976 album of the same name, which became the third best-selling record in the USA.
Glenn Frey
If you ask ten different fans about the meaning of ‘Hotel California,’ you will receive ten different answers. People will say the song is about a haunted hotel, or dreams during an acid trip, and even about a satanic experience. However, the creators of the song, Don Felder (music), Glenn Frey, and Don Henley (lyrics), had a different story.
– “Hotel California is about materialism and the feeling that no matter how much you possess, it will never be enough”.– California is used as the song’s setting, but it could be anywhere in America and beyond. In 2007, Don Henley said, “I know, it’s so boring. It’s a song about the dark underbelly of the American Dream and about excess in America, which was something we were already aware of. It’s a song about a journey from innocence to experience.“
However, the song wasn’t meant to point fingers at others; instead, it zeroed in on the band members themselves.
We often hear that some celebrities struggle to cope with fame and fortune, and this is a universal truth. It is a tale that members of many rock’n roll bands have gone through; one day you have nothing, and then, in the next chapter of your life, you are a millionaire, adored by thousands of fans, and living a life with no limits. Henley chose the theme of the song, pointing out how The Beverly Hills Hotel had become a literal and symbolic focus of their lives at the time.
He said of their personal and professional experience in LA: “We were getting an extensive education, in life, in love, in business. Beverly Hills was still a mythical place to us. In that sense, it became something of a symbol, and the ‘Hotel’ the locus of all that LA had come to mean for us. In a sentence, I’d sum it up as the end of innocence, round one.”
Frey also came up with a story of a person who, fed up with driving long distances in the desert, saw a place to rest and pulled in for the night. However, he entered “a weird world peopled by freaky characters”, and became “quickly spooked by the claustrophobic feeling of being caught in a disturbing web from which he may never escape.”
Frey described the song as a cinematic montage, “just one shot to the next … a picture of a guy on the highway, a picture of the hotel, the guy walks in, the door opens, strange people.”
Frey said he and Henley wanted the song “to open like an episode of the Twilight Zone”, saying: “We take this guy and make him like a character in The Magus, where every time he walks through a door, there’s a new version of reality. We wanted to write a song just like it was a movie.”
Henley wrote most of the lyrics based on Frey’s ideas and also drew inspiration from driving out into the desert, as well as from films and theatre.
Meanwhile, some of the lyrics, such as ‘Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes-Benz / She got a lot of pretty pretty boys she calls friends’, were based on Henley’s break-up with girlfriend Loree Rodkin.
Wild Theories
In those chaotic years before the internet, people could freely write about anything and express their opinions, and responses would take a long time to arrive. It was just natural that different people would come with their perspectives about the lyrics of Hotel California and write about it as if it were the undisputed truth.
In the Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 1, Steve Sullivan theorized that the “spirit” that the Hotel California hasn’t had since 1969, refers to the spirit of social activism of the 1960s.
In the 1980s, the Reverand Paul Risley of Cornerstone Church in Wisconsin claimed that ‘Hotel California’ referred to a San Francisco hotel bought by Anton LaVey and converted into his Church of Satan.
The word ‘colitas’ in the song has been interpreted as sexual slang or a nod to marijuana. ‘Colitas’ means ‘little tails’ in Spanish, while in Mexican slang it refers to buds of the cannabis plant.
Other claims suggested that the Hotel California was the Camarillo State Mental Hospital.
Other interpretations of the song include heroin addiction and cannibalism.
It is clear that the writers left the door open for some wild theories about the song’s meaning, but at some point, it just got out of hand.
Henley once said: “Some of the wilder interpretations of that song have been amazing. It was really about the excesses of American culture and certain girls we knew. But it was also about the uneasy balance between art and commerce.”
The jorney to get it right
It took a great deal of dedication to perfect the song. Hotel California was a work of love from every member of the band.
A demo of the song’s instrumental was created by Don Felder in a rented house on Malibu Beach.
Felder’s demo for ‘Hotel California’ had influences from Latin and reggae music, and it intrigued Henley, who said he liked the song that “sounds like a Mexican reggae or Bolero”, giving its first working title, ‘Mexican Reggae’.
Don Henley
They first recorded the song’s riff, but for the vocals, the key was too high for Henley’s voice, so Felder lowered the key from E minor, to B minor.
The second recording had the tempo set too fast, and the song sounded odd. They came back to the studio with a different tune for the instruments and lyrics, and recorded several takes. Five or six of the best ones were selected, and the best parts were mixed together.
Producer Bill Szymczyk said there were 33 edits on the two‑inch master. The final version had a guitar battle between Joe Walsh and Felder.
Henley decided that the song should be a single, but Felder had doubts, and the record company wasn’t sure about releasing a six minute single, which far exceeded that of the songs generally played by radio stations. However, the band took a stand and refused the label’s request to shorten the song.
‘Hotel California’ topped the US charts for a week in May 1977, their fourth song to achieve the feat.
In 2009, the song was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of one million digital downloads, and has since sold over 3 million downloads.
In the UK, it reached a peak of number eight.
The hotel on the album cover is the Beverly Hills Hotel, known as the Pink Palace. The photo was taken by photographers David Alexander and John Kosh, who sat in a cherry-picker about 60 feet above Sunset Boulevard to get the shot. However, the rush-hour traffic at the time made the experience rather difficult!
According to Rolling Stone, Julia Phillips, the producer of films Taxi Driver and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, wanted to make a movie based on the song’s story. The band members and Phillips met up to discuss the idea. In her book, You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again, she stated that the band members were difficult to deal with and arrogant.
Rolling Stone reported that the band was not upset at the film being scrapped, as they were not particularly in love with the idea of a movie version.
The most beautiful guitar solo ever.
When I fell in love with ‘Hotel California’ I didn’t know to speak English, so it was, in the first place, the song’s guitar solos that sunk deep into my heart. I always dreamed to become a guitar player but the lack of talent and discipline, prevented me to make this dream come true. But one thing I have learned during the time I spent with my guitar, to admire those who can actually play it.
The iconic closing guitar solo in “Hotel California” was performed by both Don Felder and Joe Walsh (pictured above). Felder wrote the initial chord progression and solo parts, and the famous dual-guitar solo features both guitarists performing what sounds like a ‘duel’, trading lead lines before harmonizing together.
Later in life I understood the song’s lyrics and also fell in love with the ‘Twilight Zone’ feeling of it, making the journey complete. For me, ‘Hotel California’ will always be one of the greatest classic rock ever.
Last August, as part of my 56th birthday celebration (it does sound like I am an important person), my wife and I visited the Alberta Aviation Museum.
It was a cloudy day.
This museum is one of Edmonton’s prides and joys; it is housed in the historic Hangar 14, one of the last two remaining examples of a ‘double-double’ WWII British Commonwealth Air Training Plan—BCATP—hangar. These facilities, built across Canada, were made of pre-cut wooden timbers from British Columbia foresters.
The second remaining hangar is probably located in Manitoba, the one that houses the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum. I posted a photo article about my visit there; you can check it here.
The first thing we noticed upon entering the building is how organized and clean the museum is. It looks like the volunteers dust off the planes on a daily basis.
The first display is the most remarkable one. It recreates the horrors of the Nazi Bombardment against London, using the V1 flying bombs.
Above, a V1 Flying Bomb, just about to hit its target.
A destroyed car, a victim of the Bombardment. I could not identify year and model.
The display includes the iconic De Havilland Mosquito. The airplane is a British twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. It was unusual because its airframe was primarily constructed of wood, nicknamed the “Wooden Wonder”, or “Mossie”.
In 1941, it was one of the fastest operational aircraft in the world. Due to its high performance and heavy firepower, the Mosquito became one of the RAF’s favourite machines for pursuing and destroying the V1S.
The number of swastikas painted on the airplane shows that this Mosquito had a very successful career as a flying bomb hunter.
I took a few pictures of the museum’s collection. I hope you will enjoy the trip.
A pristine North American B-25 Mitchell. It would be nice to see this iconic warbird flying again.
A Canadair Sabre
And its engine.
The Canadair CF-104, also know as “The Widow Maker”. I wrote a post about this fighter, you can check it here
This is a beautiful replica of the 1922 flying boat Vickers Viking Mk IV.
My lovely wife Estela, in front of the replica.
The building is pretty much full and some of the airplanes are displayed outside. This one here is a Canadair CT-133 Silver Star.
This is a Avro Canada CF-100 “Canuck”
Another “Silver Star”
Unfortunately, the future of the Alberta Aviation Museum is uncertain at this point. The building has the “historic resource” status, which granted a 25-year lease renewal in 2018, but the maintenance of historic buildings is complicated and expensive.
A recent motion put forward by City administration has revealed that the hangar requires structural upgrades and requires a minimum of forty-one million dollars for repairs by 2027. It was initially motioned by administration that the building be de-accessioned from the city’s heritage properties, which could result in the museum moving to another building, just like what happened to the Royal Aviation Museum in Winnipeg.
The Alberta Aviation Museum is working with the city to determine a plan for moving forward. In July 2022, the city began a two-year effort to sell the hangar and use the funds to build a new facility.
When the Royal Aviation Museum in Winnipeg closed its doors, I thought it would never open again. To my surprise, the hard work of the museum administration and city officials resulted in a brand new and beautiful facility, a building worthy of the honor of housing so many historical aviation artifacts. I truly hope the same will happen to the Alberta Aviation Museum.
The Dodge Charger is one of those cars that has transcended into immortality. Considering some hiatus periods, the car has been around since 1966 and is now in its 8th generation.
The Charger has seen some ups and downs during its career, but so have the Mustang and the Camaro, so we are kinda even here.
The second generation (1968 – 1970) is the most popular, becoming one of history’s most desirable muscle cars. This is thanks in part to being the car of choice for many bad guys and outlaws on the big and small screen. The Charger plays an important role in movies like Bullitt (picture above), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry , Fast and Furious, and, of course, The Dukes of Hazard.
The today’s catch is a more elusive first-generation Charger. I caught this gorgeous one while delivering parts for Alta Nissan Richmond Hill in Ontario, CA, in 2024.
This body style was produced in 1966 and 1967 and it was regarded as a personal, luxury coupe. The car was a direct competitor to the AMC Marlin, as the American auto industry was trying to once again lure customers into the fastback body style.
The first gen was a sales flop, and Dodge almost terminated the Charger moniker then. Thankfully, they decided to give the car a second chance.
With the much less pretentious Mustang, Ford finally won the customers over to the fastback design.
I hope you enjoyed today’s catch, and see you next time.
On June 3, 1969, fans of Star Trek watched the final episode of the classic TV series, marking the end of an iconic show after just three seasons. It took ten years to reunite the original cast for another bold adventure, this time on the big screen.
In 1979, StarTrek—The Motion Picture was released. In this movie, the crew of the USS Enterprise faces a new menace: a cloud of energy that threatens planet Earth.
At the center of this cloud, known as “V-ger,” lies an ancient NASA probe called Voyager VI. This probe was launched hundreds of years ago as part of the Voyager program, intended to collect data throughout space. At some point, an alien entity discovered the probe and chose to assist it in fulfilling its mission: gathering all available information in the universe and returning it to its creator.
The plot of this movie is one of the most creative and thought-provoking in the history of science fiction. The concept of blending reality with fiction is genuinely fascinating. After watching the film, I became obsessed with the Voyager program and the history of the two probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, which were launched in 1977, and are still travelling through space and sending data back to their creators.
Two lonely spacecraft, each no bigger than a full-size SUV, became the only human-made machines to reach interstellar space and keep moving into the infinite vastness of deep space. As of May 25, 2025, Voyager 1 was 24.2 billion km from our planet, travelling at 61,198 km/h. The farthest human-made machine from Earth.
The Voyager probes became our real sci-fi tale, fulfilling our desire to “Explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before!“
Or, perhaps one day they will fulfill our desire not to find new life, but to be found by it.
In my quest for knowledge about the Voyager probes, I found a fantastic article that provides more than crucial information. It gives a new perspective on the subject. It gives the little machines a necessary soul, crossing the boundaries of artifacts, making them entities.
If you like sci-fi and space exploration, please check it out.
Our Brazilian correspondent, my cousin and good friend Sérgio D. Florentino, visited one of the most traditional classic car shows in southern Brazil, the “Encontro de Veiculos Antigos de São Bento do Sul,” which celebrates its 20th edition this year.
July means winter time in the Southern Hemisphere and the fact this event holds most of the cars indoors, is a plus.
Once again, Sérgio has done a fantastic job with extensive photo coverage of the show.
We hope you will enjoy the trip.
Here they are, the whole gang. Sérgio is the guy in the middle.
The show’s security officer welcomes all visitors.
A spiced up in-line 6, 250 CID Chevy engine.
Brazil is a vast country, and since our government never cared much about railroads, trucks have always played a pivotal part in the country’s development. That is why we love them so much.
A 1985 Escort XR3 convertible
The beloved MOPAR 318 small block.
A 1980 Ford Corcel
This is a 1971 Ford Itamaraty. This model, only built in Brazil, was an evolution of the American Willys “Aero”. When Ford acquired Willys in South America in the late 1960s, the company kept the car in production until 1971.
This is how motorsport was born in South America, with cars like this one, called “Carretera.” The preferred models were the two-door coupe versions of Fords and Chevys from the 1930s and 1940s, stripped of all unnecessary stuff. Amazingly, some of them survived after all these years.
This is a very welcome improvement, aluminum radiator for classic CJ.
1993 VW Gol GTI
1975 “Brazilian” Charger R/T
1968 Willys Aero.
VW Saveiro in a beautiful shade of green.
Probably a Brazilian immigrant who came from Canada with enough money to buy an SRT Chally.
Chevy “500”. A Brazilian UTE based on the Chevy/Opel Chevette
This event is getting better year after year, and so is the Sérgio’s dedication to cover it.
Now that the summer is approaching, the number of classic car events will increase dramatically, and I am already excited to see what my cousin will bring next.
The 2025 WEC season is in full swing, and the fifth race of the calendar took place in Brazil on July 13, 2025. The race track could not be any other than the iconic Interlagos, in the city of São Paulo, the place which we Brazilians call “our sacred temple of speed.”
The race will be weeks in the books as I write these lines. I am not writing to spread the news, but mainly as a historic record. No, historic record sounds too fancy; maybe I am writing this for a personal record.
The WEC (World Endurance Championship) has never been so coveted. I believe we are witnessing the peak of its popularity. But its path wasn’t always easy. From the glory days of the 1960s to the incredible lows of the 1980s, when it was hard to find a major brand willing to enroll a couple of cars in the class, the sports-prototype universe has seen its fair share of ups and downs.
The year started with 9 major brands competing in the top prototype class Hipercar, Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche, and Toyota. There are rumors that Ford will be joining the party in 2027, so it will be “Ford vs. Ferrari” all over again. Yes, I am excited.
The 6 Hours of Sao Paulo coincided with the Formula E race in Berlin, and a few drivers who do double shifts, racing for both classes, decided to go to Germany instead, opening positions for drivers who were waiting for this opportunity.
Celebrating Brazil
The Bend Team WRT honoured the host country and their Brazilian driver, Augusto Farfus, with a striking yellow, green, and blue livery for its LMGT3 BMW.
Qualifying
Eduardo Barrichello
But the star of the weekend, at least in the eyes of the 84,741 fans that packed the stands, was Eduardo Barrichello, the son of national hero Rubens Barrichello.
Rubens Barrichello and his son, Eduardo.
He has been hired for the 2025 season by the Racing Spirit of Le Mans to drive the team’s #10 Aston Martin Vantage LMGT3. Eduardo started the race leading the LMGT3 pack as he scored the best time during qualifying.
In the top-tier WEC Hypercar class, Toyota Gazoo still is the team to beat. The Japanese clinched seven manufacturers’ world titles—2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024—but as the grid becomes flooded with more factory-backed teams, Toyota no longer holds the absolute dominance of the years past.
As the Toyota Gazoo seems to be losing traction, other teams are consistently improving their performance. Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA qualified their two cars in P1 and P2, repeating the same achievement in Le Mans.
Team Cadillac pit crew watch in disbelief the car #38 being penalized.
But the team’s happiness didn’t last long. The #38 Cadillac, driven by Sébastien Bourdais, received a one-position grid penalty for impeding the #93 Peugeot during qualifying. This penalty demoted the #38 Cadillac from second to third place on the starting grid, while the #5 Penske Porsche moved up to the front row. The incident occurred at Turn 12 when the #38 Cadillac was deemed to have impeded the #93 Peugeot during a fast lap.
The race.
According to the WEC standards, every 6-hour race is classified as a “short race,” allowing the Hipercar teams to designate only 2 drivers per car if they wish to do so. But their job this year wouldn’t be so easy. Interlagos recently received a new coat of asphalt. The resurfaced track led to significant tire wear, forcing the teams to replace tires more often.
Since the first lap, it was clear the race would be a battle between Porsche vs. Cadillac.
The #38 Cadillac passes by the houses in the Interlagos neighbourhood. The city of São Paulo grew too close to the race track.
The Porsche Penske #5 (Andlauer/ Christensen) jumped in P1 on the first lap and bravely kept the position for the first 2 hours of the race, when they gave up the lead position to the #38 Cadillac JOTA (Bamber / Bourdais / Button). Meanwhile, Ferrari and Toyota were struggling even to stay among the top 10.
In the GT3 class, the fight was among the #10 Aston Martin (Macintosh / Barrichello / Hasse), the #85 Iron Dames Porsche (Martin / Frey / Gatting) (pictured above), and the two Lexus Akkodis ASP.
Results Hipercar
In the end, the #12 Cadillac (Lynn / Nato / Stevens) received the checkered flag, followed by the sister #38 car, scoring a historic 1-2 victory, the first for the American brand at WEC.
#93 TotalEnergies Peugeot at the pits, Interlagos.
The two Porsche Penske cars finished in third and fourth place, followed by the #20 BMW. The #94 and #93 Peugeot secured sixth and seventh positions, respectively, highlighting the strong performance of the French Lion team.
The only Ferrari in the top 10 was the privateer #83 AF Corse, which finished the race in 8th place.
For the first time in their history in the WEC, the Toyota Gazoo team failed to score a single point.
Results LMGT3
The WEC fans witnessed another breakthrough that day. Like Cadillac, Lexus has been poised to make a significant impact all year. At Interlagos, the Japanese brand did just that, as José María López, Clemens Schmid, and Petru Umbrărescu secured the first victory in Akkodis ASP Team’s #87 Lexus LMGT3.
The #81 TF Sport Corvette scored second place.
Perhaps one of the most thrilling moments of the race was when, at the final lap, the home hero Eduardo Barrichello battled his way past the Iron Dames Porsche almost within sight of the chequered flag (picture above). Clintching a hugely popular podium finish in third place for Racing Spirit of Léman.
No doubt it was heartbreaking for the all-female team Iron Dames to miss a podium finish in the final minutes of the race, but their fourth-place result at the 6 Hours of São Paulo marked their most competitive performance of the season. This near-podium result at Interlagos might be a turning point in their campaign.
The Rolex – 6 Hours of São Paulo is the second most important race in Brazil, only behind the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix. This year’s race will forever be remembered for the surprise results and for bringing the Barrichello name once again to the podium in an international race.
Following the traditional summer break, the 2025 FIA WEC campaign will continue with round six – the Lone Star Le Mans at Texas’ Circuit of The Americas – on 5-7 September.
Wow, this picture was taken on February 2015, in Brazil. Time really flies, even when you’re not having fun.
The car is a 1990s Mazda MX3; I can’t tell the exact year. Even if it is not a common sight in Brazil, it is not the kind of car I would take time to photograph. One reason made me pull out my cell and register it.
The owner removed all the original nameplates and logos and replaced them with Ferrari ones. It is funny that the trunk lock cylinder prevents the horse from going full prancing.
I didn’t take a picture of the front of this Mazda, but I do remember seeing the yellow prancing horse Ferrari logo on the hood.
I noticed the Mazda parked at a Shell gas station on my way to and from work every day. I assumed it belonged to the station’s manager. As a regular customer there, I regret never taking the time to find out who owned the car to strike up a conversation about this interesting “Ferrari.”
The car.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese automakers offered some interesting sports compact options for enthusiasts with not-so-deep pockets. It was a time of Honda CRX, Toyota Passeo, Nissan Pulsar, and so on. Mazda was committed to standing out from the competition, and in 1991, the company released the MX3. Besides the bold design, the MX3 offered a 1.8-litre V6 engine. The smallest V6 to ever power a production car.
Despite being a pretty good option then, the MX3 was overshadowed by the Miata, and in 1998, it quietly went into retirement.
The gas station
Writing about this interesting Japanese Ferrari brought me some sweet memories—memories of something as ordinary as fuelling up my car. After so many years away from home, I can help but smile when I remember something like this.
Look at this truck. Such a clean machine.
These are a few pictures of the gas station where I found that MX3. Since it was close to my home and on my way to work, I was a regular customer there.
Shell has been changing the image of its stations worldwide for the last decades, but in Brazil, they brought it one notch above the average “gas and convenience” we are used to. There, you can find state-of-the-art pumps, a competent deli inside with delicious sandwiches and snacks baked in-store, clean washrooms, and even a decent selection of wine and beer.
They also fully take advantage of Shell and Ferrari’s partnership. Customers can have a loyalty card, collect points, and redeem them for Ferrari merchandise, such as hats, T-shirts, and die-cast miniatures. Perhaps this link inspired the owner of the MX3.
Another thing I miss about Brazilian gas stations is the digital tire pressure machines; they are easy to operate and free of charge.
“Lives who boldly live.”
This phrase was written on the wall of the men’s washroom at that Shell gas station, and I hope it’s still there. I had to take a picture of it because it’s such an unusual place to display a powerful statement like this.
Sometimes, I wonder if I have truly followed it. When I reflect on the many different places my wife and I have called home, it becomes clear that we have, in some way, been living boldly.
Even if you are not interested in military history, chances are that you have heard something about a soldier or a civilian who, miraculously, escaped from the chains of a communist regime and started a much better life in the Western hemisphere. History records numerous accounts like this, especially during the Cold War. Although every single defector had many reasons which led to such a perilous decision to escape, one reason is undoubtedly at the top of any list: life in a communist country during those days was terrible, and one could easily be lured by the prospect of an abundant life in Western Europe or in the USA. Every story has its fair share of disillusionment and courage, but some stand out for the bold actions of the defectors.
The Latvian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov became one of the most celebrated Soviet defectors in History. In 1974, while on a world tour with the Bolshoi Ballet, he requested political asylum in Canada, which was promptly granted.
Free countries on the other side of the Iron Curtain were more than happy to receive deserters and help them start a new life. In exchange, the governments used them as propaganda, showcasing the world how our system was significantly better than theirs.
Although all “traitors,” soldiers, civilians, and diplomats were received with open arms, military personnel were the favorite of the bunch. They could provide valuable information about operations, technologies, equipment, and other relevant details about the enemy. But every now and then, a defector would bring something much more interesting than just information.
The defector
Viktor Ivanovich Belenko could have been a poster child for the perfect Soviet youth. He was born in Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, USSR, on February 15, 1947. Born into proletarian poverty, he had worked himself up through the Air Force and party ranks. At the age of 29, Lieutenant Belenko was already a respected pilot in the Air Defence Forces, a branch separate from the Soviet Air Force and arguably more prestigious. He was stationed at Chuguyevka Air Base in the Soviet Far East, close to Vladivostok.
Chuguyevka Air Base. – Satellite picture by NASA.
A fighter pilot in any Western country would likely have enjoyed a decent and fulfilling life; however, that was not the case behind the Iron Curtain. At that time, conditions at the airbase were grim, characterized by inadequate facilities and low morale. Belenko tried to address these issues with his superiors, but he was essentially ignored and ridiculed. To make matters worse, his wife had grown weary of life as a military spouse and filed for divorce. Disillusioned with his circumstances, Belenko decided it was time to leave.
The machine
Fueled more by fear than common sense, allied countries usually grossly overestimated the Soviet Union’s capabilities. From the number of soldiers ready to invade Europe to access to aerospace technologies, everything behind the curtain looked scarier than reality.
When the Soviets put the new Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 supersonic interceptor into service in 1969, Western analysts went crazy. The plane quickly established world records in speed and altitude and was immediately considered the most dangerous threat to NATO aircraft. The Secretary of the Air Force, Robert Seamans, had said the MiG-25 was “probably the best interceptor in production in the world today.”
The MiG-25 was code-named “Foxbat” by NATO. It is equipped with two Soyuz TumanskyR-15BD turbojet engines, capable of producing 8,790 kg of dry thrust and 11,190 kg of thrust in afterburner. The only armament was four R-40 air-to-air missiles. The Foxbat was capable of reaching a maximum speed of Mach 3.2, and a ceiling of 27 km (89,000 ft). Although the maximum speed was exceptional, the plane was unable to sustain it during combat. A limit of Mach 2.83 had to be imposed as the engines tended to overspeed and overheat at higher airspeeds, possibly damaging them beyond repair.
The scape
Lieutenant Belenko was learning to fly the new Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 at the time. He knew the jet fighter was a mystery to NATO, and he could use one of them as a bargaining chip in exchange for asylum. The opportunity to put his plan into action came on Sept. 6, 1976. The weather was clear, and his squadron was ready to take off on a training sortie.
The Foxbat was a voracious fuel consumer, and Belenko wouldn’t be able to fly to an American or Canadian air base. Still, he could try reaching a much closer allied country, Japan.
But it would not be an easy escape. The squadron that day would fire rockets; so, too, would a group of MiG-23s from other bases. They could easily shoot him down if his intention were evident. Another factor to consider was that clouds were starting to move in around Japan. During the pre-flight medical examination, Belenko was visibly nervous, and his blood pressure was slightly elevated. He lied to the doctor, claiming he was doing physical exercises, and the doctor believed him.
He took off on a perfect, cloudless day and joined his squadron in formation. He followed the mission instructions perfectly; however, at the far edge of the route, he didn’t circle back as per the flight plan. Instead, he continued onward, allowing the plane to gradually descend to 19,000 feet. Suddenly, the Lieutenant threw the Foxbat into a steep dive, plummeting down to just 100 feet, and kept the jet at low altitude, staying beneath radar detection.
The other pilots in his squadron chased after him, but Belenko had a good lead. He flew low and fast, at one point pulling up to avoid being hit by waves, as he invaded the Japanese airspace.
A perfect shot of Belenko approaching the runaway at Hakodate airport.
He hoped to reach Chitose Air Base, but his plane was dangerously low in fuel. At 1:10PM, Japanese radar detected Belenko’s plane, and at around 1:20PM, two F-4EJ fighters from Chitose Air Base took off to intercept the intruder.
As Belenko would admit, years later, that day was his lucky day. It was very cloudy in Hakodate, making it difficult for the F4 pilots (picture above) to spot the MiG.
Miraculously, he found the Hakodate airport, and as he started to approach, a civilian Boeing 727 was taking off, straight towards the Foxbat. Here is an excerpt from the book “MiG Pilot” by John Baron:
“He jerked the MiG into the tightest turn of which it was capable, allowed the 727 to clear, dived at a dangerously sharp angle, and touched the runway at 220 knots. As he deployed the drag chute and repeatedly slammed down the brake pedal, the MiG bucked, bridled, and vibrated, as if it were going to come apart. Tires burning, it screeched and skidded down the runway, slowing but not stopping. It ran off the north end of the field, knocked down a pole, plowed over a second and finally stopped a few feet from a large antenna 800 feet off the runway. The front tire had blown, but that was all.“
This picture clearly shows how far off the tarmac the MiG ran before it stopped.
When the MiG finally stopped, over the grass, Lieutenant Belenko jumped out of the cockpit, fired his pistol into the air and shouted to the emergency crew that had just arrived: “I want to defect”. Even if the Japanese personnel didn’t understand what he was saying, they understood what was happening.
In the end, Belenko’s plan worked, with a few hiccups here and there. He outmaneuvered his fellow pilots, evaded the Japanese air defences, avoided crashing into the 727, and managed not to destroy his precious MiG during landing. Mission Accomplished.
The aftermath
Lieutenant Belenko, in disguise, is being escorted by Japanese officials to an undisclosed location.
The Soviet government created a fictitious story, saying Belenko got lost and had to land in Japan. There, the Japanese officials drugged the pilot and kept him incarcerated.
The Soviets demanded the return of the jet fighter and the rebel pilot immediately. The Japanese government wanted to comply, avoiding unnecessary attrition with such dangerous neighbours. Still, the Americans pressured them to keep both for the time being, and the request was ignored.
The Japanese government was afraid the Soviets would forcefully attempt to retrieve the MiG. In the days following the landing, 200 troops were deployed to guard the airport. Tanks and anti-aircraft artillery were placed around the perimeter, and the maritime defences were also strengthened.
The Americans were allowed to inspect the jet at the airport, and on September 25, it was partially dismantled, loaded into a USAF C5 Galaxy cargo plane, and brought to Hyakuri Air Base, north of Tokyo. A banner on the plane read: “Goodbye people of Hakodate, sorry for the trouble.”
After a thorough inspection, the Americans realized the Foxbat was “too much barking for too little biting.” It was fast but fuel-guzzling, and the engines were prone to overheating. Its radar was powerful, Belenko said it could kill rabbits in the fields if turned on during taxing, but it was outdated.
Due to a lack of funds and expertise, the Soviets didn’t utilize advanced materials like carbon fiber or titanium, and the plane was primarily constructed from steel, resulting in excessive weight and poor maneuverability.
Belenko’s Foxbat was eventually packed into 40 boxes, and on November 15, it was shipped to the Soviet Union. The Soviets complained that around 20 pieces were missing.
After the incident, the relationship between Japan and the Soviet Union went sour. The Soviets sent a $10 million bill for the missing/damaged parts, and Japan charged the Soviets $40,000 for the damage to Hakodate Airport and shipping costs. Neither bill was ever paid.
Lieutenant Belenko was sent to prison for breaking into the Japanese airspace, but his request for asylum in the USA was granted by President Gerald Ford. Later on, President Jimmy Carter signed his American citizenship.
Balenko poses in front of an unknown aircraft, wearing a USAF flight suit.
Viktor Belenko moved to the US, was debriefed extensively by the CIA and US military, learned English, and gradually adapted to life in the US. For a while, he was afraid that the KGB would send agents to kill him. For a few years, he kept himself quiet, living under the radar. The story of his life in the Soviet Union, his defection, and his early time in the US was written by John Barron in the book MiG Pilot: The Final Escape of Lieutenant Belenko, published in 1980. Belenko later became a consultant to the US military and aerospace industry, a public speaker, and a businessman. He also married an American woman and had two children.
All the data collected by the American military, including the MiG-25 pilot’s manual that Belenko brought with him, helped the development of the McDonnell Douglas F-15, which became the best fighter interceptor of the Cold War. (Pictured above).
The MiG-25 had a short career. The Soviets retired the plane in 1984. It still holds the absolute world record for altitude achieved by a production jet aircraft. In 1977, a MiG-25 reached an altitude of 37,650 meters (123,523 feet).
A Soviet committee later visited Chuguyevka Air Base and was shocked by what they found there. They immediately decided to improve conditions and built a five-story government building, a school, a kindergarten, and other facilities. Treatment of pilots in the Russian Far East region improved significantly. Were the commies concerned with the well-being of their personnel or just afraid that Belenko’s daring escape could inspire other pilots? Perhaps both, who knows?
Belenko’s military ID.
The luckiest man alive.
Part of the info I wrote here came from a write-up by the investigative journalist Susan Katz Keating, published on the Soldier of Fortune website. There, she describes an encounter with Belenko at the Reno Air Races. Here is how she finished the article:
– That day when Belenko and I met at the Reno Air Races, he was jovial, happy, and full of jokes. I asked him if he was glad he defected.
“Of course!” he grinned. “I have a good life here in our country, the United States of America.”
We sat watching the race planes whiz through the sky. The pilots pulled tight corners, rounding far pylons as they flew the course, battling to outrun one another. Even from the ground, it was thrilling.
I asked Belenko if he planned to do any gambling while he was in Reno.
“I should,” he laughed. He waved at the lead plane, urging him onward. “I am the luckiest man alive!” –
Viktor Belenko quietly passed away on September 24, 2023, following a brief illness. His sons Tom and Paul were at his side.
On Father’s Day 2025, my wife and I attended our first classic car meeting in Edmonton, our new Canadian hometown.
It was a wonderful sunny Sunday, and the place was packed.
Go Infiniti South Edmonton, the dealership where I work, was one of the show’s main sponsors, which was another good reason for me to attend the event.
As usual, the meeting starts before we arrive at the location, with some interesting cars parked around the streets. Like this 1968 Big Block Chevy Nova.
And this 1966 Mustang hard top.
The first car we saw inside the gates was this Ford Falcon. If you compare it with the picture above, it is easy to see that the first-generation Mustang was essentially a Falcon in trendy clothing.
1940 Ford Coupe.
A beautiful 1958 Jaguar.
And its interior.
A brief video to give you an overview of the meeting.
1948 Ford F-1. The very first Ford “F” truck.
Powered by the legendary Ford Flathead V8.
A cool 1973 Plymouth Road Runner
Such a sexy derrière.
A blown Chevy Nova. I’m not sure if I like the scoop.
That is a wicked Nissan Silvia S14 with a Rocket Bunny body kit.
Under the hood, a Nissan V8 engine is installed.
A modern classic, the Chevy SSR.
1970 AMC Rebel
The German sector
This Porsche 911 Targa belongs to Daniel Varty, the general manager of Infiniti South Edmonton.
This is a VW SP2, a sports car developed by the Brazilian Volkswagen. You can learn more about it here.
Say what you will, but the Chevette is a true classic nowadays.
Not enough torque on a 426 HEMI? Turbocharge it.
Have you ever heard about Diamond trucks? Neither have I. After a quick Google search, I concluded that this one might be a 1939 model.
The legendary “Stovebolt” in-line six.
It took us 2 hours to walk around and take all these pictures. We left the place tired, with a light sunburn, but happy because it was a super cool event.
In my first post of this series, I praised the pictures that we, car enthusiasts, take of classic cars we discover on the streets and in parking lots—essentially, in the wild. Yet, here I am, breaking my own rule in this second post. However, I believe this car truly deserves the exception.
Today’s catch is a Brazilian-built VW SP2, which I saw during the Father’s Day Classic Car Meeting 2025 in Edmonton, Canada. It is a rare car to spot, even in its native country, let alone in North America.
A little Introduction
From its foundation in 1959 to 2010, the Brazilian VW was the undisputed market leader in the country and all of South America. Being such a powerhouse (and the first VW factory outside Germany) granted the company relative independence from the German headquarters. Brazilian engineers developed some interesting cars that became sales champions throughout the years, like the Brasilia and Gol.
In the late 1960s, they developed an interesting sports car, the VW SP1, based on a stretched Beetle platform. Production started in July 1972, in very small numbers. The German technology magazine Hobby, in its issue of June, 1973, called the SP the “most beautiful Volkswagen in the world.”
The SP had a brief production run, ending in December 1975. Its demise was due to a common issue faced by many sports cars before and after it: a high price tag. Ultimately, the SP was viewed as little more than an expensive toy.
The model we see here is the improved SP2, an evolution of the original car. It is equipped with front disc brakes, a revised gearbox, and a 1.7-liter VW boxer engine, the largest of its kind produced in Brazil.
As a nice touch, the owner kept the Brazilian “black plate,” showing that the car was acquired in the state of Santa Catarina.
Black plates are intended for collectible/classic vehicles, and there are some requirements for getting them: The car must be at least 30 years old and receive a certificate from a classic car institution attesting that it retains a minimum of 80% of its original characteristics.
I hope you enjoyed this Catch of the Day, and I will see you next time.
The history of racism in the United States is full of unimaginable pain and suffering. The journey that minorities had to endure to achieve fundamental human rights was long and fraught with deception.
Now that 77,302,580 Americans have voted for a certified white supremacist, all those hard-fought rights are at risk. I do not intend to write a political post or vent my frustration. Still, this situation reminded me of a fascinating account in Rock ‘n’ Roll history that is deeply related to the American civil rights movement of the 1960s.
Neil Young
“That keep me searching For a heart of gold And I’m getting old Keep me searching For a heart of gold”
Neil Young’sHeart of Gold.–1972.
Neil Young, in the 1970s. He is also known as “The Father of Grunge.”
If there is a good cause to be fought in this world, chances are Neil Young is involved in it at some level.
Neil Percival Young was born in Toronto, Canada, on November 12, 1945. He started his musical career in Winnipeg, and in the early 1960s, he moved to Los Angeles, where he joined Buffalo Springfield (1966-1968).
Neil Young quickly established himself as a prominent figure in the folk-rock scene of the 1960s and 1970s. He performed with various bands, including Crazy Horse and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but primarily toured North America as a solo artist.
Young in concert, USA 1969.
Neil became popular not only because of his music but also for his activism. Throughout his career, he got deeply involved in social, political, and environmental causes. As no surprise, many of his songs are filled with social themes.
Southern Man
Neil Young’s work with Crosby, Still and Nash helped to catapult his popularity in the USA. During this time he became American citizen and bought a ranch in California. In September 1970, Young released the album After the Gold Rush, which was his first commercial success.
Among the songs of the album, there is Southern Man, a tune that would soon become one of the most controversial songs in Young’s career.
The lyrics of Southern Man describe, in a poetic way, the racism towards black people in the southern United States and how the prosperity of the region was built on the suffering of the slaves. The song also mention the practice of cross burning, in a clear reference to the Ku Klux Klan.
Southern Man – Lyrics
Southern man, better keep your head Don’t forget what your good book said Southern change’s gonna come at last Now your crosses are burning fast
Southern man
I saw cotton and I saw black Tall white mansions and little shacks Southern man, when will you pay them back? I heard screamin’ and bullwhips crackin’ How long? How long?
Southern man, better keep your head Don’t forget what your good book said Southern change’s gonna come at last Now your crosses are burning fast
Southern man
Lily Belle, your hair is golden brown I’ve seen your black man comin’ round Swear by God, I’m gonna cut him down I heard screamin’ and bullwhips crackin’ How long? How long?
Southern Man was not the only time Young poked the wounds of racial discrimination in the Southern United States; in February 1972, he released the song Alabama as part of the album Harvest. In this song, he tells us about the same issues found in Southern Man. Bothsongs became anthems of the civil rights movement during the 1970s, and Young often played them in his concerts.
But not everybody was happy about it.
Southern Rock
Lynyrd Skynyrd
During the magical years of the 1960s and 1970s, rock’n roll exploded into a myriad of subgenres. Bands started to experiment with new sounds and adapt elements from different cultures into their music.
One of the most interesting new genres of that time was Southern Rock, which peaked in the mid-1970s. This genre represented a refreshing departure from the psychedelic influences of the 1960s, returning to the foundational elements of original rock ‘n’ roll. Southern Rock drew heavily from the musical traditions of the Southern United States, including blues, country, and gospel. It blended these influences with a strong, rhythmic pulse, often characterized by a prominent bassline and dynamic drumming.
The Allman Brothers Band
However, Southern Rock’s most peculiar characteristic is its passionate regional pride. The musicians often wrote lyrics telling stories of deep South America. Tales about their love for the land and its traditions, praising the rebel spirit of its people.
It was only natural that Neil Young’s songs about racism would not be well received by some of those musicians and audiences.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Key bands associated with this genre include The Allman Brothers Band, Charlie Daniel’s Band, and perhaps the most popular of them all, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
In one way or another, the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were on the road, pursuing fame and glory since 1964. The band was comprised initially by Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom (bass), and Bob Burns (drums).
The origin of the name
I might be drifting away from the theme of this post, but if you like rock history as much as I do, you will enjoy it.
After four years of playing in small venues, under many different names, they settled for the name that would make them legendary.
Lynyrd Skynyrd is a playful tribute to Leonard Skinner, a physical education teacher at Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida, who was known for enforcing the school’s strict rules regarding long hair for male students. The band members, who were also students at the school and had long hair, frequently clashed with Skinner over this policy.
The band members, notably Bob Burns, came up with the name “Leonard Skinnerd” as a way to poke fun at the teacher and his strict rules. The spelling was later modified to “Lynyrd Skynyrd” to avoid potential legal issues.
Over time, the band and Skinner became acquainted, and Skinner even appeared to embrace his connection to the band’s fame. The band also used a photo of a sign from Skinner’s real estate business on the inside of their “Nuthin’ Fancy” album cover, further solidifying their unique bond.
The band released their first studio album, “Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd,” in 1973. The album featured most of the songs they used to play in concerts. It was well received by fans and critics, which led to their second album, “Second Helping,” released on April 15, 1974. According to critics, this album shows consistency, keeping all the strengths of their first album, but SecondHelping will be forever known for one song in particular.
Sweet Home Alabama
Van Zant
The late Ronnie Van Zant, the frontman of Lynyrd Skynyrd, was a big fan of Neil Young. He was not shy in expressing his admiration for the Canadian and often wore a Neil Young T-shirt during concerts. However, this affection was somewhat shaken after Young publicly shared his negative views about the Southern United States.
After the success of their first album, the band felt comfortable writing a song that would answer Young’s views. They felt this answer was necessary for themselves and mainly for their fans in the South.
“Sweet Home Alabama” was born with a broad mission. The song should be more than just an answer; it should be an ode of love to Alabama, even if none of the three writers were from the state. Van Zant and Gary Rossington were born in Jacksonville, Florida, and Ed King was from Glendale, California.
The Lyrics
“They got loose to you Here it comes Oh, whoa-whoa
Big wheels keep on turnin’ Carry me home to see my kin Singin’ songs about the Southland I miss Alabamy once again, and I think it’s a sin, I said
Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her Well, I heard old Neil put her down Well, I hope Neil Young will remember A Southern man don’t need him around, anyhow
Sweet home Alabama Where the skies are so blue Sweet home Alabama Lord, I’m comin’ home to you
One thing I wanna tell you
In Birmingham, they love the governor (boo, boo, boo!) Now we all did what we could do Now Watergate does not bother me, uh-uh Does your conscience bother you? Tell the truth
Sweet home Alabama Where the skies are so blue Sweet home Alabama (oh, my baby) Lord, I’m comin’ home to you (here I come, Alabama) Speak your mind
Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers And they’ve been known to pick a song or two (yes, they do) Lord, they get me off so much They pick me up when I’m feelin’ blue, now how ’bout you?
Sweet home Alabama (oh) Where the skies are so blue Sweet home Alabama Lord, I’m comin’ home to you
Sweet home Alabama (home, sweet home, baby) Where the skies are so blue (and the governor’s, too) Sweet home Alabama (Lord, yeah) Lord, I’m comin’ home to you (whoo, whoa, yeah, oh) Alright, brother, now
Wait one minute Oh-oh, sweet Alabama Thank you“
The cover of the single, released in Spain.
The feud
The song was an instant success, it reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974, becoming the band’s highest-charting single. Since his name was clearly stated in the song, Neil Young had to defend his creations. He said he never meant to specifically target the state of Alabama, and the name was used metaphorically, meaning the the Civil Rights Movement as a whole.
Although Young’s words in both songs, Alabama and Southern Man, are far from being fictional, they can be easily interpreted as a gross generalization, and a cheap stereotyping of the Southern “red neck”.
In a interview to the Rolling Stones magazine, Van Zan said: – “We thought Neil was shooting all the ducks in order to kill one or two. We are Southern rebels, but more than that, we know the difference between right and wrong.”
In conclusion, “Sweet Home Alabama”, had a profound impact in the way Young perceived the people from the Southern USA. He publicly accept the blame for not creating with a wiser way to spread his message. He and the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd reconciled soon after the release of the song and they remained good friends to the end. Young once said: “They play like they mean it. I am proud to have my name in a song like theirs.”
In Young’s 2012 autobiography Waging Heavy Peace – A Hippie Dream, he was preety hard on himself: “My own song ‘Alabama’ richly deserved the shot Lynyrd Skynyrd gave me with their great record. I don’t like my words when I listen to it. They are accusatory and condescending, not fully thought out, and too easy to misconstrue.”
The Canadian even included Sweet Home Alabama in some of his concerts, and Van Zan kept wearing Neil Young T-shirts.
The accident
A rescue crew member at the crash site.
It is impossible to write about Lynyrd Skynyrd and not talk about the tragic airplane accident that abruptly ended the original band.
Following a concert in Greenville, South Carolina, on October 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd boarded a chartered flight bound for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where they were scheduled to play on the following night. After running out of fuel, the pilots attempted an emergency landing before crashing in a heavily forested area five miles northeast of Gillsburg , Mississippi. Killed on impact were Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines, along with backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steve’s older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot John Gray. Other band members (Collins, Rossington, Wilkeson, Powell, Pyle, and Hawkins), tour manager Ron Eckerman, and several road crew members suffered serious injuries.
The accident came just three days after the release of the group’s fifth studio album Street Survivors. It became the band’s second platinum album and reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The single “What’s Your Name” reached No. 13 on the single charts in 1978. The original cover sleeve for Street Survivors had featured a photograph of the band amid flames, with Steve Gaines nearly obscured by fire. Out of respect for the deceased (and at the request of Teresa Gaines, Steve’s widow), MCA Records withdrew the original cover and replaced it with the album’s back photo, a similar image of the band against a simple black background.
The surviving member disbanded after the tragedy, but the name Lynyrd Skynyrd never died. Throughout the following decades, the band got together several times, with different members every time.
After so many years on the road, Lynyrd Skynyrd decided it was time to retire. The band embarked on their “Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour,” which began in 2018 and continued through 2022. (picture above).
And, what about Neil Young?
At 79 years old, the good old Neil remains unstoppable. He can still be found on the streets, fighting bad guys wherever they are.
As I write these lines, in late June 2025, Neil Young and his band Chrome Heart are traveling Europe, in his world tour LoveEarth. Then they will cross the pond to finish the adventure in September, playing in the US and Canada.
Capturing photos of interesting cars is irresistible for any automotive enthusiast. I have hundreds of pictures taken at numerous car shows and races. After all, the vehicles at these events are well-presented, in most cases perfectly parked, and ready to be photographed, much to the delight of their owners. The only challenge is to wait for the other gearheads to get out of the way.
But taking pictures of cool cars in the wild is a different story. For the trained eyes of a car guy, it is not hard to spot interesting machinery on the streets, but taking pics of them requires more effort. Sometimes, you have to ask permission from the owner, and sometimes, you have to take the shot while driving, which is not recommended at all (but we do it anyway).
This is my first “photo” post, showing some pictures that I have been taking over the years in three different countries.
I hope you will enjoy it.
1973 Dodge Dart Sport
We found this car sitting in an apartment building parking lot on the south side of Edmonton, Canada, in June 2025. It looks pretty good, with no rust spots, at least not visible.
With those Center Line rims and the hood scoop, this Dart looks like it came straight from the pages of a 1980 Hot Rod magazine.
A quick Google search reveals that the 1973 Dart Sport inherited its body from the 1972 Dodge Demon. Other options were 2-door hardtop and 4-door sedan.
The Dart 340 Sport, kept its 340 four-barrel V8 from the Demon, which was still a hot option for a mid 1970s car, with 240 net horsepower and light weight. The 198 slant six was still available (except in California), along with the 225 slant six. The omnipresent 318 V8 was optional to all models except on Dart 340 Sport, for obvious reasons.
The Classic Machines 