As much as we venerate men like Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell, Virgil Exner, and Dick Teague as characters who shaped what an American car meant during America’s automobile-centric century, Raymond Loewy and Brooks Stevens—industrial designers who dabbled in automobiles—defined the midcentury American aesthetic. The French-born Loewy drew inspiration from transport, and, of course, his Studebaker Avanti resembled a late-1970s automobile, despite first reaching the world in 1962. But Loewy, born in 1893, was first romanced by trains. His younger peer Brooks Stevens grew up with the car, and this particular 1930 Cord can be seen as the industrial design titan’s first automotive project—albeit one he modified for himself.
Stevens acquired the car during his stint as a design student at Cornell and set about repurposing it as a proper sportsman’s automobile. The L29 features a golf-clubs compartment, no top, and no wipers. Stevens was apparently a fair-weather sportsman. The Cord’s small gauges were replaced with a custom gauge cluster featuring units with larger, easier-to-read faces. The at-a-glance legibility proved handy during the hill-climbs the young designer enjoyed competing in. The standard L29’s clamshell fenders gave way to skirted units, and Stevens deleted the running boards for a more wasp-waisted look. Woodlite headlamps, common on Ruxtons of the era, replaced the stock units, and Stevens swapped the basic Cord radiator cap for a winged ornament of his own design.
The rear dorsal fin is roughly contemporaneous with the similarly equipped Tatra 77, though its smooth profile is more reminiscent of the unit on the later, more organic T87. Though the body is fundamentally prewar American, Stevens’s special suggests both postwar hot rods and customs, and it offers little hints of what was to come from the American auto industry two decades later. Stevens owned the car until his death in 1995. Two years later, Ed and Judy Schoenthaler purchased the car from the designer’s estate, with the promise that it’d be restored just as Stevens had designed it.
Fresh off the resto, it bowed at Pebble Beach in 2000. This year, it took home Best of Show at the 20th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Cords are
utterly fascinating automobiles in their own right, but given the machine’s provenance and its place in the history of American industrial design, it could be argued that Stevens’s Cord was the most important car on the lawn yesterday. It’s fitting that it rolled off with the most important trophy. Not convinced? Think of it this way—this car ultimately led to the Willys Jeepster,
the Wienermobile, today’s full-dress Harley-Davidsons, and Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green’s
beloved Miller High Life guitar. If that’s not cultural relevance, what is?
http://blog.caranddriver.com/the-champagne-of-cords-brooks-stevens-speedster-wins-2015-amelia-island-concours/
Loprais: My heart says Tatra, but common sense advises a strong team, a MAN
January 20, 2015 17:52 – Prague
Tatra Queen or MAN, this dilemma will be in the coming days and weeks to deal with the fourth best rider between trucks on this year’s Dakar Rally Ales. His best result on the South American continent reached the Dutch team with leased trucks in the provenance of the German carmaker.
Ales his truck MAN During this year’s Dakar Rally.
Ales his truck MAN During this year’s Dakar Rally.
www.loprais.cz
“My heart says Tatra, but common sense advises a strong team, a MAN. Kamaz are put down, and I believe he can do it, but I have not only the same technique, but also go in a strong team. It is not just background, one needs to have behind their backs and high-quality drivers, who can help me. This is difficult to manage themselves, “suggested Ales Tuesday after his return to Prague, which direction about issues.
“This year I was able to just focus on the Dakar race, I did not solve anything. Additionally me goin Marcel van Vliet, who got me out of the dunes, in which we set. Before we waited from South America will bring our TATRA, as many times as několikatunovou pile of junk, which we put together and Reuse. Even before departure from Buenos Aires to me Arthur Klein, who is in charge of development, asked what would be done to improve. I told him sixteen points, including the ability to control the settings of the chassis cab. He assured me that is true, “offered another positive, favor maintaining or deepening connection teams and Veka InstaForex Loprais Team.
A decision issued should be taken in the coming weeks. “Everything we analyze, consider, discuss with partners and we deal with the Dutch team. Negotiations will begin in February, but I want to be clear in April, because time flies. Another advantage is that we can soon begin testing the car MAN, almost immediately, “said Ales.
The Queen would not end
“It will depend on the composition of the team to form high-quality drivers, if necessary, I expect tens of minutes, but just minutes. That’s exactly what showed Marcel van Vliet. Those drivers are there, we just need to unite in one powerful team that beat Kamaz, “said Ales.
For Tatra Queen is said to door workshop closed. “I could go this year. The decision scrutineer, but I had to respect. Even if I decided to MAN, there’s still a lot of races that tatra can pass and we can even rent, “said six-time winner of the Dakar nephew of Karel Loprais.
“Although I am Tatrovaks heart, but it depends on Alex, what he would decide. Definitely do the right step and I will not convince him that because of family tradition must go with Tatra, “said Karel Loprais, who reigned in the trucks African continent in 1988, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2001.
Loprais: My heart says Tatra, but common sense advises a strong team, a MAN
January 20, 2015 17:52 – Prague
Tatra Queen or MAN, this dilemma will be in the coming days and weeks to deal with the fourth best rider between trucks on this year’s Dakar Rally Ales. His best result on the South American continent reached the Dutch team with leased trucks in the provenance of the German carmaker.
www.loprais.cz
“My heart says Tatra, but common sense advises a strong team, a MAN. Kamaz are put down, and I believe he can do it, but I have not only the same technique, but also go in a strong team. It is not just background, one needs to have behind their backs and high-quality drivers, who can help me. This is difficult to manage themselves, “suggested Ales Tuesday after his return to Prague, which direction about issues.
“This year I was able to just focus on the Dakar race, I did not solve anything. Additionally me goin Marcel van Vliet, who got me out of the dunes, in which we set. Before we waited from South America will bring our TATRA, as many times as několikatunovou pile of junk, which we put together and Reuse. Even before departure from Buenos Aires to me Arthur Klein, who is in charge of development, asked what would be done to improve. I told him sixteen points, including the ability to control the settings of the chassis cab. He assured me that is true, “offered another positive, favor maintaining or deepening connection teams and Veka InstaForex Loprais Team.
A decision issued should be taken in the coming weeks. “Everything we analyze, consider, discuss with partners and we deal with the Dutch team. Negotiations will begin in February, but I want to be clear in April, because time flies. Another advantage is that we can soon begin testing the car MAN, almost immediately, “said Ales.
The Queen would not end
“It will depend on the composition of the team to form high-quality drivers, if necessary, I expect tens of minutes, but just minutes. That’s exactly what showed Marcel van Vliet. Those drivers are there, we just need to unite in one powerful team that beat Kamaz, “said Ales.
For Tatra Queen is said to door workshop closed. “I could go this year. The decision scrutineer, but I had to respect. Even if I decided to MAN, there’s still a lot of races that tatra can pass and we can even rent, “said six-time winner of the Dakar nephew of Karel Loprais.
“Although I am Tatrovaks heart, but it depends on Alex, what he would decide. Definitely do the right step and I will not convince him that because of family tradition must go with Tatra, “said Karel Loprais, who reigned in the trucks African continent in 1988, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2001.
Great success for a small team! The TATRA Buggyra Racing Team and the crew of Martin Kolomý ranks among the elite ten in the truck category in this year ´s Dakar Rally. Although the team looked higher before the competition euphoria prevails in Buenos Aires. The last stage of Dakar Rally 2015 from Rosario to Buenos Aires was originally designed with 174 measured kilometres. Due to heavy rain the measured test was shortened and Martin Kolomý rushed through the finish as the sixth quickest pilot.
“I and my boys are absolutely satisfied. We are a purely Czech crew in a Czech truck and we successfully competed with factory makes. I would like to thank the whole team for their work and also congratulate Aleš to his result. But next year we will b stronger and he should already be afraid of us,“ said the happy Martin Kolomý in the finish, continuing to evaluate this year ´s rally: “We had some technical problems and an accident in the course of this Dakar. Despite that we have managed to achieve one of the elite ranks among the top ten. Looking around we are the only small team with a single race truck in the front ranks and that is a fantastic success.“
The two-week struggling with Dakar traps was also experienced in the background of the TATRA Buggyra Racing team by the constructor of the racing special David Vršecký. “Of course I am glad we stayed in the competition till the finish but I personally expected a higher rank. However, Kamaz is very strong and we were fools to expect that already in the second year of our presence at Dakar we would be a keen opponent to them. We did all we could to rank among the best five. Unfortunately with the problems that came we did not manage but certainly we will try again next year,“ said Vršecký.
David ´s evaluation was countered by the technical director of the team Robin Dolejš. “We have already met for a small private evaluation of the technology and we already know what we will work on since February. We will also have to focus on testing in the sand and on dunes where probably our weakest point is.“
“As a small team we cannot risk as much as our opponents who have two or more trucks in the race. Martin must drive reasonably and be aware that there is nobody to help him. On the other hand we have factory support from Tatra, which is crucial for the truck construction and preparation. In my name I would like to thank to all members of the team, our fans and sponsors without whom e would not be able to attend. We are among the elite and now we will begin to think about what to improve for next year,“ said in Buenos Aires the manager of the TATRA Buggyra Racing Jan Kalivoda with satisfaction.
In the last but one stage the assistance vehicle of the team had problems. However, the mechanics first had to prepare the racing special of Martin Kolomý for the last stage. “We were repairing will early morning but we managed. I would like to use this opportunity to thank to Robert Kasák, who towed us to the bivouac yesterday. Dakar is not only the struggle on the track but also off the track“ described Dolejš yesterday ´s troubles of the team.
The members of the Czech team are now waiting for the prize-giving ceremony of this year ´s Dakar Rally and handover of the technology in the harbour. On Sunday the team will fly back to the Czech Republic where hey will arrive on Monday afternoon.
Martin Kolomy:
Great success for a small team! The TATRA Buggyra Racing Team and the crew of Martin Kolomý ranks among the elite ten in the truck category in this year ´s Dakar Rally. Although the team looked higher before the competition euphoria prevails in Buenos Aires. The last stage of Dakar Rally 2015 from Rosario to Buenos Aires was originally designed with 174 measured kilometres. Due to heavy rain the measured test was shortened and Martin Kolomý rushed through the finish as the sixth quickest pilot.
“I and my boys are absolutely satisfied. We are a purely Czech crew in a Czech truck and we successfully competed with factory makes. I would like to thank the whole team for their work and also congratulate Aleš to his result. But next year we will b stronger and he should already be afraid of us,“ said the happy Martin Kolomý in the finish, continuing to evaluate this year ´s rally: “We had some technical problems and an accident in the course of this Dakar. Despite that we have managed to achieve one of the elite ranks among the top ten. Looking around we are the only small team with a single race truck in the front ranks and that is a fantastic success.“
The two-week struggling with Dakar traps was also experienced in the background of the TATRA Buggyra Racing team by the constructor of the racing special David Vršecký. “Of course I am glad we stayed in the competition till the finish but I personally expected a higher rank. However, Kamaz is very strong and we were fools to expect that already in the second year of our presence at Dakar we would be a keen opponent to them. We did all we could to rank among the best five. Unfortunately with the problems that came we did not manage but certainly we will try again next year,“ said Vršecký.
David ´s evaluation was countered by the technical director of the team Robin Dolejš. “We have already met for a small private evaluation of the technology and we already know what we will work on since February. We will also have to focus on testing in the sand and on dunes where probably our weakest point is.“
“As a small team we cannot risk as much as our opponents who have two or more trucks in the race. Martin must drive reasonably and be aware that there is nobody to help him. On the other hand we have factory support from Tatra, which is crucial for the truck construction and preparation. In my name I would like to thank to all members of the team, our fans and sponsors without whom e would not be able to attend. We are among the elite and now we will begin to think about what to improve for next year,“ said in Buenos Aires the manager of the TATRA Buggyra Racing Jan Kalivoda with satisfaction.
In the last but one stage the assistance vehicle of the team had problems. However, the mechanics first had to prepare the racing special of Martin Kolomý for the last stage. “We were repairing will early morning but we managed. I would like to use this opportunity to thank to Robert Kasák, who towed us to the bivouac yesterday. Dakar is not only the struggle on the track but also off the track“ described Dolejš yesterday ´s troubles of the team.
The members of the Czech team are now waiting for the prize-giving ceremony of this year ´s Dakar Rally and handover of the technology in the harbour. On Sunday the team will fly back to the Czech Republic where hey will arrive on Monday afternoon.
Video Kolomy:
Bonver Dakar Project:
Gert Huzink:
Robert Kasak:
Ales Loprais:
We’re at the finish line! Today’s stage did not go as was planned due to the weather conditions, it was just 33 kilometers long and therefore we were arriving only in a constant line of cars and trucks. Due to the heavy rain we could not overtake because it was dangerous for all.
This´s year competition we finally finished on unpopular fourth place. We have sharpened teeth, looking forward to podium until the last stage of the race, but we stayed just below it. It satisfies us the fact that in front of us ended up only three top riders from factory team KAMAZ. The entire Kamaz showed during the competition that it is currently the best team, with the best technology and functional base. Also I cannot forget great driving skills all their drivers, and therefore I think our result as the first non-factory team is not so bad.
I want to say thank you to the whole team VEKA for perfect work and many thanks also belongs to my crew in our truck for endurance and professional approach.
Thanks to our sponsors and partners we could participate on this year´s competition, especially thanks to INSTAFOREX, AGEL, BUDWEISER, INTER CARS, GO4GAMES, ENERGY DINK 69 and others.
We also thank all our loyal fans for all responses toward our team. We really appreciate your support and we are grateful for that.
DAKAR 2015 becoming the past, let´s live for DAKAR 2016 !!!
the fore of the Kamaz armada, Ayrat Mardeev ended up winning his first Dakar in Buenos Aires with two stage wins under his belt and an impressive consistency. Eduard Nikolaev and Andrey Karginov round off a 100% Russian podium.
As the Dakar competitorsy faced extremely slippery conditions thanks to the heavy rain, and as the course began to reach dangerous levels grip the organisers opted to stop the race at CP2. It meant that those who had hoped to improve their psition in the final ranking, were discouraged. Dutchman Hans Stacey managed to win the last stage, already his third this Dakar. Ayrat Mardeev has won his first Dakar Rally and the 13th for the dominant KAMAZ team in the truck category following a third-place showing in Sunday’s rain-shortened final stage.
KAMAZ locked out the overall podium with Mardeev topping Eduard Nikolaev by 13 minutes, 52 seconds. Coming in third was 2014 Dakar winner Andrey Karginov at 51 minutes off the pace. Nikolaev may well be wondering if it would have been him on the top step in Buenos Aires if not for a turbo-charger failure on his truck in Stage 7 that cost him more than an hour. A win in Stage 8 and runner-up in Stage 9 brought him back up to second place overall behind Mardeev, and it appeared he had the momentum behind him again.
But even with another victory in Stage 10, it did next to nothing in bringing him closer because Mardeev finished second that day at a mere 49 seconds back. That proved critical for Mardeev, who would manage his lead with finishes of ninth, fifth, and third in the remaining stages to take the crown for himself. Nikolaev may have led all truck drivers with six stage wins, but Mardeev’s consistency won out.
As for Stage 13, Hans Stacey pulled off an impressive third consecutive stage win to end his Dakar the same way he started it. Stacey and his Iveco out-hustled the MAN of Marcel Van Vliet by 1 minute, 21 seconds.
Ales Loprais came home 4th. He was satisfied with his Dutch MAN truck and even considers to stay with MAN, so not returning to Tatra.
Best Tatra this Dakar was Martin Kolomy in 7th spot, followed by Tomas Vratny in 14 th spot, 10 hrs behind Mardeev. The Pole Robert Szustkowski managed 19th, 12 hr 452 sec adrift. Artur Ardavichus had a troublesome Dakar and finished 17 hr 44 min behind Mardeev. He beat Dutchman Gert Huzink (Tatra Phoenix) by 5 hrs and the Slovak Kasak by almost 9 hrs. The last Tatra finished more than 26 hrs behind Mardeeev.
| Pos. |
N° |
Name |
Hours |
Time |
variation |
|
504 |
|
10:33:31 |
00:20:31 |
- |
|
508 |
|
10:35:22 |
00:21:52 |
00:01:21 |
|
507 |
|
10:37:54 |
00:22:54 |
00:02:23 |
|
520 |
|
10:37:46 |
00:23:16 |
00:02:45 |
|
502 |
|
10:41:33 |
00:24:03 |
00:03:32 |
|
506 |
|
10:41:31 |
00:25:01 |
00:04:30 |
|
500 |
|
10:41:14 |
00:25:14 |
00:04:43 |
|
501 |
|
10:39:14 |
00:25:14 |
00:04:43 |
|
513 |
|
11:18:21 |
00:26:51 |
00:06:20 |
|
510 |
|
10:54:19 |
00:28:19 |
00:07:48 |
|
519 |
|
11:19:10 |
00:29:40 |
00:09:09 |
|
509 |
|
10:49:17 |
00:29:47 |
00:09:16 |
|
535 |
|
10:54:27 |
00:33:27 |
00:12:56 |
|
503 |
|
10:54:18 |
00:33:48 |
00:13:17 |
|
532 |
|
10:56:49 |
00:33:49 |
00:13:18 |
|
514 |
|
10:53:58 |
00:33:58 |
00:13:27 |
|
522 |
|
10:59:41 |
00:37:11 |
00:16:40 |
|
539 |
|
11:09:51 |
00:38:21 |
00:17:50 |
|
537 |
|
11:10:35 |
00:40:35 |
00:20:04 |
|
523 |
|
11:07:43 |
00:40:43 |
00:20:12 |
|
516 |
|
11:10:28 |
00:40:58 |
00:20:27 |
|
536 |
|
11:09:56 |
00:41:56 |
00:21:25 |
|
517 |
|
11:07:42 |
00:42:12 |
00:21:41 |
|
558 |
|
11:38:42 |
00:43:12 |
00:22:41 |
|
567 |
|
11:39:42 |
00:43:12 |
00:22:41 |
|
528 |
|
11:09:49 |
00:43:19 |
00:22:48 |
|
552 |
|
11:38:27 |
00:43:27 |
00:22:56 |
|
550 |
|
11:38:12 |
00:44:12 |
00:23:41 |
|
559 |
|
11:38:01 |
00:45:31 |
00:25:00 |
|
563 |
|
11:37:57 |
00:45:57 |
00:25:26 |
|
511 |
|
11:07:36 |
00:46:06 |
00:25:35 |
|
515 |
|
11:25:54 |
00:46:24 |
00:25:53 |
OVERALL:
| Pos. |
N° |
Name |
Mark |
Time |
variation |
Penalty |
|
507 |
|
KAMAZ
|
42:22:01 |
- |
- |
|
502 |
|
KAMAZ
|
42:35:53 |
00:13:52 |
- |
|
500 |
|
KAMAZ
|
43:13:01 |
00:51:00 |
00:01:00 |
|
503 |
|
MAN
|
44:18:38 |
01:56:37 |
- |
|
520 |
|
KAMAZ
|
44:46:33 |
02:24:32 |
00:02:00 |
|
504 |
|
IVECO
|
44:51:30 |
02:29:29 |
00:01:00 |
|
506 |
|
TATRA
|
46:29:30 |
04:07:29 |
00:00:30 |
|
508 |
|
MAN
|
46:41:42 |
04:19:41 |
- |
|
501 |
|
IVECO
|
49:30:42 |
07:08:41 |
00:40:30 |
|
535 |
|
MAZ
|
49:31:00 |
07:08:59 |
- |
|
532 |
|
DAF
|
50:46:28 |
08:24:27 |
- |
|
522 |
|
GINAF
|
50:51:22 |
08:29:21 |
- |
|
509 |
|
IVECO
|
50:57:05 |
08:35:04 |
00:40:00 |
|
517 |
|
TATRA
|
52:17:55 |
09:55:54 |
- |
|
523 |
|
MAN
|
52:47:54 |
10:25:53 |
- |
|
516 |
|
HINO
|
53:04:49 |
10:42:48 |
00:01:30 |
|
513 |
|
RENAULT TRUCKS
|
53:29:34 |
11:07:33 |
00:42:30 |
|
514 |
|
DAF
|
54:53:27 |
12:31:26 |
00:40:00 |
|
539 |
|
TATRA
|
55:04:06 |
12:42:05 |
- |
|
531 |
|
DAF
|
56:41:46 |
14:19:45 |
00:02:00 |
|
527 |
|
DAF
|
57:03:13 |
14:41:12 |
01:42:00 |
|
515 |
|
TATRA
|
60:06:06 |
17:44:05 |
00:12:00 |
|
529 |
|
DAF
|
60:58:56 |
18:36:55 |
01:23:00 |
|
518 |
|
IVECO
|
61:44:55 |
19:22:54 |
- |
|
536 |
|
TATRA
|
65:16:43 |
22:54:42 |
02:40:30 |
|
534 |
|
GINAF
|
67:31:24 |
25:09:23 |
01:00:00 |
|
537 |
|
DAF
|
68:24:49 |
26:02:48 |
00:01:00 |
|
526 |
|
MAN
|
68:35:42 |
26:13:41 |
02:40:00 |
|
563 |
|
TATRA
|
68:46:28 |
26:24:27 |
01:20:00 |
|
511 |
|
GINAF
|
71:23:02 |
29:01:01 |
02:00:00 |
|
519 |
|
RENAULT TRUCKS
|
71:27:10 |
29:05:09 |
02:01:00 |
|
524 |
|
HINO
|
72:01:59 |
29:39:58 |
03:00:00 |
|
528 |
|
GINAF
|
73:15:07 |
30:53:06 |
03:41:00 |
|
510 |
|
MAZ
|
73:43:08 |
31:21:07 |
02:00:00 |
|
533 |
|
DAF
|
75:03:15 |
32:41:14 |
- |
|
559 |
|
DAF
|
77:35:04 |
35:13:03 |
01:47:00 |
|
530 |
|
MAN
|
89:40:43 |
47:18:42 |
04:40:00 |
|
542 |
|
DAF
|
93:34:37 |
51:12:36 |
03:40:00 |
|
555 |
|
MERCEDES
|
97:11:47 |
54:49:46 |
06:40:00 |
|
545 |
|
MERCEDES
|
97:17:03 |
54:55:02 |
06:40:00 |
|
560 |
|
MAZ
|
97:47:49 |
55:25:48 |
04:00:00 |
|
544 |
|
MERCEDES
|
105:15:45 |
62:53:44 |
16:40:00 |
|
553 |
|
DAF
|
106:08:49 |
63:46:48 |
08:20:30 |
