"Perfectly Imperfect" | 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ
"Perfectly Imperfect" | 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ
Welcome to the second episode of Active Matter, our YouTube series profiling the cars on display at Revs Institute and the people who keep them alive in the world! This in-depth series will give viewers unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes work at our museum, workshop, and library. With 120 historically significant vehicles to keep in working order, we want to share how our diverse team draws on many different disciplines to preserve the automobile and automotive culture for future generations.
Episode two, “Perfectly Imperfect,” focuses on the 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ that won its class in the 12 Hours of Sebring sixty years ago. Although a works entry, the leadership at Alfa Romeo decided to recruit American drivers alongside Italian teammates. Jim Kaser and Chuck Stoddard, two SCCA legends, were tapped to drive this car. This episode features a new interview with Scott George, the Curator of Collections at Revs Institute, and a never-before-seen archival interview with Jim Kaser. The term “Active Matter,” introduced in the first episode, comes to life on at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, as Gunnar Jeannette puts the GTZ through its paces Brian Redman’s Targa 66.
Hungry for more insights on the Miles Collier Collections’ GTZ? Read more from Miles Collier himself on the painstaking efforts required to preserve this ‘perfectly imperfect’ winner: https://automedia.revsinstitute.org/archaeological-restoration-1964-alfa-romeo-gtz
Revs Institute acquires collection of world-renowned photographer Jesse Alexander
Revs Institute acquires collection of world-renowned photographer Jesse Alexander
Revs Institute, one of the world’s leading resources for the historical and meaningful car community, has acquired the images of the late Jesse Alexander (1929-2021).
Alexander was one of the preeminent motorsport photographers of the 20th century. He covered the international racing scene from the 1950s through the 1970s as a photojournalist. His images defined motorsports in that era, and they remain in demand with editors and publishers to this day. Moreover, Alexander’s artistry was appreciated by critics and the public alike. Alexander exhibited at fine galleries around the world and published several popular books of his photography.
The acquisition, which includes over 1,700 original signed prints and tens of thousands of negatives, now joins over 120 other archival collections at Revs Institute, all related to automotive history and culture.
The Jesse Alexander Photograph Collection is currently being processed by staff archivists and its negatives are being prepared for digitization and long-term preservation. When complete, the digital files will become a resource for scholarship on Revs Digital Library, a publicly available initiative by Revs Institute. The original negatives will be housed first at Revs Institute’s Library in Naples before moving to its new Archive and Research Center (presently under construction in neighboring Ft. Myers). This state-of-the-art facility will ensure the Jesse Alexander Photograph Collection is maintained for future generations.
If you would like to be notified when the Jesse Alexander Photograph Collection becomes available on Revs Digital Library click here.
Alexander’s signed prints also represent an important part of the acquisition. Once processed, select pieces will be used to create a special exhibition of Alexander’s work. Dates for the exhibition, as well as for the availability of Alexander’s images for licensing through Revs Digital Library, will be announced at a later time.
“We are deeply honored that the Alexander family has chosen us to preserve Jesse’s legacy. His era-defining images elevated motorsports photography into fine art, and his body of work has a reach that extends beyond the racing world,” said Miles C. Collier, founder of Revs Institute. “Jesse’s lens was witness to some of the greatest moments in the history of the automobile, and we look forward to sharing his work in museums and online.”
This significant acquisition would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of his wife of fifty-six years, Nancy Alexander. Revs Institute wishes to thank Nancy for the preservation of the collection while under her care.
Revs Institute at Monterey Car Week 2024
Revs Institute at Monterey Car Week 2024
Historic Abarth Simca took pole on the track, restored Bentley Super Sport took 2nd in class on the show field
“Monterey Car Week” is perhaps a misnomer: it is more like a two-week circus of events, gatherings, and premieres on the California coast. The two tentpole events, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, are some of the most famous (and exclusive) in the world of historic automobiles. Revs Institute was privileged to take part yet again, bringing a selection of cars from the Miles Collier Collection normally on display in the Institute’s museum.
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is all about historic racing. Held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the popular event spans two weekends. The first weekend, the Pre-Reunion, gives historic cars an extra opportunity for exercise. The organizers also put on a wonderful show with a recently established hill climb up Laguna’s legendary corkscrew.
Revs Institute brought two cars for track exercise: the 1964 Abarth Simca 2 Mila Corsa and the 1967 Porsche 910/6. Both were running strong during the Pre-Reunion. Racing driver Gunnar Jeannette found the 910 to be “perfectly balanced” out on track. The rear-engine Abarth Simca takes more work at the wheel to get the most out of it, and Gunnar put on a show by taking it sideways through the corners. When the Reunion weekend arrived, Gunnar put the Abarth Simca on pole during qualifying and finished second in Race 1 on Friday.
But he could sense, as is sometimes the case with historic race cars, that something was amiss. Our team took a careful look and found that one of the control arms was showing signs of stress that could lead to failure. Out of an abundance of caution, the car was withdrawn from Saturday’s Race 2. Although control arm failure is not a known issue on Abarth Simcas generally, it is entirely possible that a previous repair from its racing days has returned to haunt us. Such is the nature of historic racing cars: they were often repaired “in the field” outside the workshop and without detailed records. In a time before Google image search and eBay Motors, mechanics and drivers alike relied on elbow grease and quick solutions to get damaged cars back on track as quickly as possible. Further investigation will be done back at our workshop, and our expert technicians will then decide how to proceed.
The 910 continued to run beautifully. Unfortunately, during its first race on Friday, there was still oil on the track from an earlier run group. The driver is a crucial consultant for the preservation and maintenance of our race cars: Gunnar is one of the foremost drivers in historic racing today, and he provides invaluable feedback on the cars as well as making sound judgment calls. The track conditions presented an unnecessary risk, so Gunnar brought the car back to the paddock after the out lap.
Gunnar, who is also Team Principal of AO Racing, then had to depart for testing at VIR. For Saturday’s Race 2, Tazio Ottis (who drove our 906 at Rennsport last year) hopped into the driver’s seat to give the Porsche some exercise. Rules meant that Tazio had to start at the back of the field of 29 cars. Despite never having had a practice session in the 910, Tazio wove through the back markers to finish at P15 after 10 laps! Tazio reported that the 910 ran on rails, a testament to in-period Porsche engineering and modern workshop know-how! Mike Ellis, Bill Blume, along with Pedro Vela and Tim Bair from our workshop prepared these historic performance machines beautifully and tended to them carefully during competition.
Of course, racing is not the only thing to see at Laguna Seca during the Reunion. To celebrate 50 years of historic racing, a huge display at the paddock entrance featured some of the rarest cars from the greatest marques to have run down the corkscrew. Revs Institute brought the 1935 MG PA/PB (aka, “Leonidis”), the 1952 Cunningham C4-R, and the 1963 Corvette Grand Sport. Both the Cunningham and the MG drove the track for exhibition laps. The MG, which began its life as part of the all-woman “Dancing Daughters” driving team at the 1935 Le Mans, was featured in a special photo shoot with Lyn St. James and her group, WIMNA (Women In Motorsports North America).
The Cunningham, meanwhile, enjoyed its moment in the spotlight during the event’s live broadcast: Miles Collier was interviewed about Briggs Cunningham and his importance to American motorsport.
Lyn would not be the only special guest to join Revs Institute for Monterey Car Week. While the race cars roared at Laguna Seca, the entrants of the Pebble Beach Concours gathered for a Thursday morning drive down the Pacific coast. The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance is one of the highlights of the week. Revs Institute brought not one, but two Bentleys to Pebble this year. The first, a 1926 3-Litre Super Sport, made its first public appearance after a multi-year restoration in the UK, by noted Bentley experts R.C.Moss. The roadster’s rare Surbico coachwork (complete with custom wood decking on its boattail) caught the eye of every passer-by. In addition to the Super Sport, we brought the 1930 6 ½-Litre Speed Six Sports Tourer with Vanden Plas coachwork. The car was built originally for Jill Scott, the first woman and eleventh driver to earn the 120 mph badge at Brooklands. Fitting, then, that we were joined for the Tour by Amanda Stretton. Before she was tapped to be the MC of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Amanda had an incredible career as a motorsports journalist and racing driver. Her father was himself an avid historic racer, so Amanda was more than game to take the wheel of the Speed Six for part of the Tour on Thursday.
Sunday begins early for Concours entrants: dawn finds a line of cars arriving at the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, turning the golf green into a show field for some of the most beautiful cars on earth. As the sun burned off the foggy marine layer, the scenic view of the ocean provided the perfect backdrop for this year’s Concours. Both people and cars were perfectly turned out. Flocks of judges in blue sport coats and straw hats poked and prodded; the beep-beep of horn testing sounded up and down the show field. Pedro Vela and Tim Bair from our shop represented our Bentleys during judging (Founder Miles Collier and Curator Scott George were themselves busy serving as judges elsewhere on the grounds). The Super Sport was awarded 2nd in the European Classic Sport class, a great honor! The car looked stunning while rolling across the platform, and we look forward to seeing it on display again in our museum when we reopen this Fall. The entire event is only possible because of the hard work of its staff, volunteers, judges, and entrants. This collective passion not only keeps cars alive in the world, it raises money for area charities.
If you missed the livestream of the Concours, you can catch up here: https://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/events/2024-pebble-beach-concours-live/
In the coming weeks, we will be sharing on board video and behind the scenes footage on our social media channels. Be sure to follow us here:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/revsinstitute/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/RevsInstitute/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRevsInstitute
Rev up your gift giving this Father's Day
Rev up your gift giving this Father's Day
Explore unique automotive gifts at our online Museum Store
Race-Ready Safety: Designer Fire Extinguishers: $129
Discover ideally designed car-themed fire extinguishers—sleek, fully operational, and perfect for any garage, office, kitchen or car condo. Ready at a moment's notice and offered in three styles, they seamlessly blend utility with aesthetics, elevating your space. This essential item is no longer mundane: now it makes for a captivating conversation starter, a thoughtful housewarming gift, and a chic statement in any home.
Porsche Carrera Racing Engine Model Kit 1:3: $259
Experience the legend of the Carrera engine! To this day, the Type 547 Porsche Carrera engine is considered to be a technical masterpiece. It powered early racing Porsches to the podium, including the 550-01 on display at the museum.
With this 300-piece kit, you can build a working model of the Type 547 and watch the movement of the iconic four cylinder, horizontally opposed engine through specially designed transparent parts. Even the firing order is just like the real thing!
Revs Institute GT40 T-shirt: $25
Sport the newest Revs Institute T-shirt, featuring the sleek design of the legendary Ford GT40.
Give Dad an Automotive Experience He Will Never Forget
From enrolling in Automotive Classes at RevsEd, taking a docent-led Le Mans Tour, or watching a car come to life in the Active Matter lab, a visit to Revs Institute is the perfect Father's Day gift.
Trendy Automotive-Themed Men's Socks: $11+
Knock the socks off any car lover with the wide variety of our automobile-themed socks from Heel Tread. Show your love of Ferraris, Jaguar, Lotus, Porsches, and racing with every step you take. Revs Institute offers a unique 4-pack celebrating the Porsche 917 and the Ford GT40. Each pair fits any men’s size large (US 8-12).
Movable Race Car Gear Shift Desk Clock: $45
Dad will love our collectible clock in the shape of a sporty 5-speed gearbox! The knob can be shifted through the gears and left in any gear you desire. Includes a quality quartz movement timepiece, perfect on any desk at home or the office.
Revs Engraved Glass Sets: $16+
Gear up for fine wine and libations. Our barware is the perfect way to combine your love for automobiles with your preferred drink. Toast to the history of your favorite cars and the memories of a lifetime of driving with family and friends.
Gear Shift Bottle Stoppers: $40
Gear up for fine wine! Our gear shift bottle stopper, which seals wine bottles with an airtight rubber base designed to prevent oxidation, makes a classic gift or décor piece.
