[Admiral Goodwrench]

Dear Rik,

Thanks for the congratulations, yesterday morning I awoke to "You are my valentine!" as a declarative statement and not a question so you see I know I am very lucky.

What was your dad's name and what years was he in Locator? The picket duty on Locator was deadly, as in boring. At least at NAS Oakland I had shore duty and all that that entails.

Best regards,

[Granucci]

Originally Posted by Admiral Goodwrench

Dear Rik,

Thanks for the congratulations, yesterday morning I awoke to "You are my valentine!" as a declarative statement and not a question so you see I know I am very lucky.

What was your dad's name and what years was he in Locator? The picket duty on Locator was deadly, as in boring. At least at NAS Oakland I had shore duty and all that that entails.

Best regards,

Dear Adm.

- Father's Name was Richard/Rick/Dick Granucci, He retired as a Cmdr./O-5, the highest his LDO allowed at the time.
- Besides the Locator [about 60-62, as we were off to Taiwan MAAG from 62-66], he was also, asst. Supply Officer USS Hancock during the Vietnam conflict/war. When they 'offered' him a second tour to VN, he retired with about 25+ years. He quit Tam HS in Marin just after Pearl Harbor as many did, lied about his age, and joined the US Navy as a E1. They did away with the warrant program so off to OCS and therefore he is an LDO/Brown Shoe.
- WWII, Korea, VN etc. one of his last assignments in 60's was Oakland supply dept. and those tote box logistics etc. Then he managed several O-Clubs [Ala., Oakland, Mare Island] just before the 'offer' to a ship forcing his retirement. Of course many overseas assignments and other ships in the mix.
Something tells me the both of you may have run into each other over the years. It were a small group.

Congrats again to you and your lovely wife, who looks so young and, as you, vibrant: That shot of both you looking very happy in the Mondial testifies such.

[Admiral Goodwrench]

Dear Rik,

Your Dad's name sounds familiar but I can not place him. When I was the S.O. of the USS Dehaven (DD-727) in the summer of 58 after seeing dozens of the nuclear bomb tests at Enewetok and Bikini we completed our WESTPAC deployment by spending months in the Formosa Straits with occasional liberty in Kaohsiung and a later stop at White Beach to pick up some provisions. Next I was stationed at the Naval Air Station Oakland (not Alameda) from 11/59 to 4/61. That is where my life with the Ferrari in this thread began. (This mention of my Mondial keeps the thread on topic!) Also was in DaNang from 6/65 to 7/66 where one of our biggest jobs was unloading all those cargo ships loaded out of Oakland. Interesting to reflect back on those times.

Thanks for the congrats, I am a very happy man.

Best regards,

[BillP00]

Hi Admiral,

Eduardo Munoz posted this video on the "Other site". It briefly shows the little blue car at the GP of Venezuela in 1955. It also shows Juan Manuel Fangio. Very nice footage...unfortunately no sound.

GP VZLA 6-Nov-55.avi - YouTube

Bill P.

(sorry...I don't know how to drop the You Tube Window in the message). Hopefully Ed or someone can edit it for me? Or perhaps tell me how to do it for the future.

[bryanp]

Hey Bill - I think we have a longer version of that film at home. The little blue car appears at 2:55, 3:17 and 3:46.

[wetpet]

there you go. pretty cool footage. love the race suit, slacks and a polo.

[Admiral Goodwrench]

Hi guys,

To help with figuring out what cars you might recognize in the video, the attached is a listing of the finishing position, driver(s) and car race number.

1 Juan M. Fangio 18
2 Alfonso de Portago 10
3 De Graffenried 16
4 Piero Carini 12
5 Schell - Castellotti 8 (my car)
6 Villereal - Mieres 24
7 Manzon - Lucas 32
8 Von Hanstein 48
9 Ernano Da Silva 34
10 Ramon Lopez 44
– Luigi Musso 20
– Chiron 36
– Dos Santos 26
- William Bell 38
- Cabalan 30
- Cornacchia - Chimera 50
- Landi 14
- Mieres 22
- Julio Pola 42
- Phil Hill 6
- Croquer 40
- Maglioli 4
- Boris "Bob" Said 46
- Eugenio Castellotti 2
- Maria Teresa Di Filippis 28

Best regards,

[360 Modena]

Still my all time favorite car Admiral.

Ed, good find on the video clip! Amazing footage.

[tazandjan]

Admiral- The little blue car is pretty well traveled. Has she ever been across the Pacific?

[wetpet]

Thanks!

Originally Posted by 360 Modena

Ed, good find on the video clip! Amazing footage.

[Admiral Goodwrench]

Dear Terry,

No Pacific crossings. Many contests in Italy, then Venezuela for the 1st GP and then to Nassau for three, Florida (Sebring) for one and then a batch in the midwest then trailered to California, then driven to New York, raced on the East Coast, stored in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia. After the major conservation effort it went back to California - Pebble Beach, Florida - Cavallino/Mar-a-Lago, Pennsylvania - Reading, Elkhart Lake etc etc ...

Intend to try and calculate how many miles it has rolled on its own one of these days.

Best regards,

[Admiral Goodwrench]

Dear blue car followers,

Just a few thought about weight, frankly sparked by Mark's thoughts about the weight of his dream modern 275.

The weight of my car is 720 kilos or about 1,584 pounds. The following photos show the heavy oval steel chassis members, the 385 pound motor, the transaxle unit, and the aluminum body. Yes it is very basic but quite light considering the time it was built.

Best regards,

[wetpet]

great pics. haven't seen most of those.

[il Capolino]

720kg! It must be a very special feeling to push it on a tight track.

[Admiral Goodwrench]

Apropos of nothing particular but came across this neat shot of the motor taken by Ned Lawler at Pebble Beach in 2008 and thought I would share it.

Best regards,

[wetpet]

great pic!

[tazandjan]

Admiral- Lampredi sure knew how to design a piece of industrial art. Your engine is beautiful.