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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Greg Glassner

A French Charmer by Bertone

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By Greg Glassner

As a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Transportation Corps stationed at Ft. Eustis, Virginia, in 1967, I shared an apartment in Newport News with two other lieutenants. I regularly drove by a local Chevy dealer on the way to the base. A new or used Corvette usually sat on an elevated pedestal in the center of the used car lineup. Being a car nut, I’d scan this arrangement of automotive temptations as I drove by. One day I did a double-take when I spied a pretty little coupe decked out in a pale metallic version of French racing blue.

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And How! VeloceToday’s Most Valuable Assets

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In addition to our comments section below each article, VeloceToday often gets very nice compliments, sent via email or included in a note with a subscription check. These comments rarely get published, but are meant as recognition of the work done by our contributors, who create the content that makes VeloceToday what it is. Magazines are nothing without good content, and therefore contributors are our greatest and most valuable assets.

They are historians, authors, editors, photographers, columnists, journalists, judges, drivers, restorers, artisans, collectors and constructors. They hail from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Germany, France, Belgium and Italy. Here are the names of thirty-three whose contributions made the year 2024 one to remember.

Jeff Allison, Gary Axon, Giles Chapman, Bob Cullinan, Rodney Diggens, Joseph Duray, Brandes Elitch, Graham Gauld, Greg Glassner, Bob Harrington, Joe Hurwich, Stefan Ivanov, Vince Johnson, Jackie Jouret, Allen R. Kuhn, Dale LaFollette, James Lanoway, Frederic Levaux, Bernard Linck, Roberto Motta, Herb Miska, Chris Nugent, Willem Oosthoek, Paul Sable, Charley Seavey, Jonathan Sharp, Jim Sitz, Roy Smith, Sean Smith, Pete Vack, Hugues Vanhoolandt, Paul Wilson, Robert Young

The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari Part 2

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Fiction by Greg Glassner
Read Part 1

After Chub Olsen determined that the notorious Fon Portago 335 S Ferrari had found its way to a storage garage owned by his employer, Carlo Ludovico, he decided try to restore it.

One Friday night in May, Chub went all out and brought a jug of Jack Daniels Black and a bucket of KFC to the body shop. After they wolfed down fried chicken and biscuits and made a big dent in the bourbon, Chub brought out his research and told Carlo he knew the car under the tarp was the one involved in the Mille Miglia crash. “Is that why you say it’s cursed?” he asked. [Read more…] about The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari Part 2

The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari

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A fictional short story by Greg Glassner

Rodney “Chub” Olsen managed to get through four years at Slippery Rock State College with a BA in marketing followed by two years in the Army. He returned home to Milledgeton, Pennsylvania in 1975 to decide what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

Lacking direction and prospects, he latched onto a temporary position as a car salesman and “go-fer” at Carlo’s Used Cars, Towing and Body Shop, a modest multi-purpose enterprise loosely run along the lines of a fiefdom by Carlo Ludovico the hardworking, albeit mercurial proprietor.. Chub and his old high school buddies had hung around Carlo’s and Olson continued to do so through college.

Chub rented a room by the month at the rundown Lakeside Motel, which was at least a mile from the lake. His job as a car salesman included use of a “demonstrator” for transportation. This translated into whatever car no wary customer would touch with a ten-foot pole. “Beggars can’t be choosers,” Chub reasoned.

Carlo always had a few interesting imports and sports cars on his lot, which had originally attracted Chub and his pals to adopt the business as their hangout, but the bread and butter was quick turnover of cheap rides and “E-Z Financing.” These cars started out as wrecks that insurance companies had totaled. They were then resurrected by the boys in the body shop between customer jobs.

One day, in the deepest recesses of the out-building, he discovered a mangled wreck under a brown tarp with assorted fenders and bumpers piled on top.”

[Read more…] about The Curse of Fon’s Ferrari

Meet the Author

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By the Editor

One of the many joys that VT brings to its editor is experienced when a long-lost acquaintance sends an email, which is nice enough, but often it is accompanied by a photo or story idea. Some of these singular but digital reunions harken from long ago. For example, Jim Cohn and I were only 19 when we organized rallies for the local sports car club back in 1966. Because of VeloceToday, Jim emailed me from Hawaii in 2006, 40 years later, with rare OSCA photos. We are still in touch. Last year, Jackie Jouret, my old editor at Forza made contact with me after 20 years, which resulted in the Merritt Interview story we ran earlier this year.

Recently, we received an email (and a story idea) from one Greg Glassner. Now that was a name I recalled but couldn’t quite nail it. He wrote, “You may remember me from my days in Norfolk. I was editor of the newsletter for the short-lived Tidewater Drivers Club and I believe you contributed several stories before going on to bigger and better things. We shared an interest in Italian cars. I am retired after 40-some years in newspapers.” [Read more…] about Meet the Author

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