Museum of Fine Cars

[John Fusco]

Just returned from the Museum in Boston - Some of Ralph Lauren's cars are there.
My favorite - the '62 Ferrari 250 GTO - MAMA MIA !
58 Testa Rossa also fine, and the 250TR61 Spyder
A '29 Bentley Blower , the beautiful beast.
A 959 P car and a sweet little Spyder ( should I tell Ralph I found a crack in the rear wheel well just above the spring plates ? Where those entered the body I noticed there were brushes on both sides, it's all in those details.

So much cool stuff - short films of 30's Grand Prix (Monaco) and Le Mans.
A Mercedes SL Gullwing.


Not alot of info on the cars though and the hoods were all down.

well worth the trip;

John

[BAPhotowerks]

I'd love to see that exibit. I saw a story about it on NYTimes.com and had to visit the BFA website. There I found what I was after, an accompanying book full of details and incredible photography. Available in softcover or hard cover, $40 and $80 respectively I think; my softcover arrived yesterday.

Nothing too groundbreaking on the info in the brief browsing I did last night, but good writing and nice coverage of Ralph's 550 Spyder and an RSK. Did I mention the incredible photography? He's a bit heavy on the 50-60's Ferraris for my taste, but his taste in Bugattis and Mercedes cannot be challenged!

I saw an Alfa Romeo exibit a few years back at the British Museum of Science and Industry, and purchased the accompanying book knowing I could not nearly appreciate what I was witnessing in my short visit. The coolest book ever. Huge fold-out prints of original drawings of the early grand prix cars, as well as things as mundane as steering wheels!

Go see Ralph's goodies if you can (or haven't seen them at Pebble), buy the book if you can't!

BA

[GreenT]

"When I was growing up, or at least when I got to the point of deciding what cars I wanted, there was always an image of Porsche as the intelligent car, as opposed to Ferrari, which was the racier car."

Quote from him in current issue of Octane, which has nice pictures of all 14cars featured and his comments on each. Also a separate interview with him on cars in general. There's a '70s picture of him (warning: gratuitous sideburns) in an early black 930 ("...my first legitimate speed car that had some real technology to it"...) and it's the car that started his serious collecting binge.

BTW, next month's Octane main feature is Hurley Haywood and his take on a 550 Spyder vs. Boxster.

Boston show features "hoods up" evenings on 3/31, 4/28, 5/26 and 6/30.

[John Fusco]

Too many Ferraris ?
Those cars were simply awsome, maybe it's my Italian blood. So much style, the details in the GTO , the blue seats and big silver shift knob and the lexan windows ; the rear deck hinge and the fenders of the Testa Rossa - nice ass too.
The Alfa Mille Miglia was also fine.

Maybe Ralph wasn't comfortable with all that power on so little rubber.

Too bad the RSK wasn't there.
That Spyder , I wanted to put it in my pocket and walk out with it. The exhaust was as thin as paper. Looked like it would float next to the 959.


Wish I'd had a camera;

John