The big difference between the wheel nuts on current race cars and on vintage Ferraris? The method of removal. The current race cars use a large diameter socket, while the vintage cars have 2 or 3 ears extending off the nut. The method of removal is repeated smashing of these tabs by the standard equipment lead hammer found in every Ferrari – it isn’t just for fending off would-be attackers. The lead hammer packs a punch, and the softness of the lead won’t mar the finish of the nuts, just watch out for your fenders on the back swing. At RPM wheels are removed frequenly enough to destroy these hammers, so we have a mold to recast the hammer head.

On to the nuts themselves. The word “smontare” seems to be on nearly every nut. It’s meaning? In Italian, smontare means to dismantle, or slang to “knock-off” which makes great sense, that is how the nuts became known as “knock-offs.

One pictured knock-off has the word “destro” cast into it. The meaning is “right” – it holds a wheel on the right-hand side of the car on. The opposite is “sinistro” of which we have none pictured. The reason for having right and left nuts is because they are self-tightening. You can literally spin a knock-off on gently, go for a drive, and it will be tight enough to require the lead hammer for removal when you return. Not bad.

Check out the gallery below, click to enlarge images.

1956 Ferrari 750 Monza paint detail

A customer asked about a harlequin bit of paintwork on the boot lid of the 1956 Ferrari 750 Monza. A section of paint was masked and carefully sanded to expose the layers of paint the car has worn. The result is a twelve square inch testament to the heritage of the car. It’s a trait more common to European restorations, and generally unseen in the United States.  Europeans prefer to celebrate history, while many Americans prefer to erase it with perfection being achieved through a sterile final product, and allowing the owner to forget that anyone was ever there -  an oh-so-human reclamation of virginity.

The Monza shows many colors including blue and yellow in addition to more than one shade of red, and a few layers of primer, and the foundation of bare metal clear coated for protection. This badge of visual history is especially rich as the car was born into racing, changing liveries often. We hope to see more cars like this, though few will exhibit as much character.

Ferrari 750 Monza paintwork

OSCA, 2 Ferraris and Lagonda

We had some cool cars at the shop on Labor day so we lined them up and shot them. I am so happy with my new Canon Camera that is designed to take abuse but I am not happy with the photos I took on this day because they are blurry for some reason. It seems like when the sun is out in full force the camera cannot handle the bright light. Of course, there was likely to be a grease smudge on the lens!

The cars photographed are a 1956 OSCA MT-4, 1956 Ferrari 750 Monza, the 1950 Ferrari 212, and a 1934 Lagonda Rapide that was leaving for the Colorado Grand later in the day. The OSCA is going to be worked on for the 2010 Mille Miglia and the Monza is getting the camshaft replaced due to severe wear to the lobes.