Chenard et Walcker - Le Mans 1923

Adobe Illustrator sketch © Paul Chenard 2000

As I accumulated books in my racing history library, I decided to create a bookplate to label them.

For me, it was obvious that it would be based on the first Le Mans winner in 1923, a 3-litre Chenard et Walcker Sport racer, driven by André Lagache and René Léonard. In fact, a Chenard et Walcker Sport also took second place. In the following year, Chenard et Walcker took 4th and 5th place.

Chenard et Walcker was a French automobile manufacturer that began in 1900, building some sports cars, but later focusing on mostly passenger cars and commercial vans. In 1946, they were taken over by Peugeot, at which point they built only light commercial vans.

Though we are of no relation, I love that we share our name. As I get a new (to me) book, I label it with this little piece of history.

Phil Hill - Ferrari 246 F1 - Reims 1960

Pen & ink on white archival stock, digitally coloured, 9"x 6" © Paul Chenard 2006

Phil Hill started with Ferrari in 1956, he was driving sports cars, and quite successfully at that.

In 1959, he got his break in F1. In 1960, he won his first Formula 1 race, driving the 246 F1 at Monza. It happened to be the last front-engined F1 Ferrari win, too.

Of course, in 1961, he became Formula 1 World Driver Champion in a Ferrari 156 F1 "Sharknose".

A brilliant man, and brilliant racer.

Collector Cards - World on Wheels

Recently, I picked up an interesting set of vehicle cards.


World on Wheels Card No.2

They were published in 1953-54 by the American company Topps in a 160-card set under the title "World on Wheels". They later added 20 more cards, and featured it as a 180-card set; I guest these have blue+black printing on the back and are rarer and more valuable.

The sets included a fairly eclectic mix of vehicles, including passenger cars, sports cars, race cars, buses, commercial vehicles, and military vehicles.

I acquired 17 sports car/race car cards. I haven't finished scanning them, but I thought I'd show off a few of them.

World on Wheels Card No.23














World on Wheels Card No.110

World on Wheels Card No.38

World on Wheels Card No.43

World on Wheels Card No.35

World on Wheels Card No.30

Racing History - My Automobilia Collection

Chime tin wind-up racer (Canada) 1930's

I've been slowly collecting my vintage racing automobilia since the late 1990's. Because I lack the funds to support it, I've picked up most of my large collection with a very small investment.



Spanish-language Lobby Card for "Road Racers" (Mexico) 1959

Though most of my collection comprises of vintage (and newer) toys, over the years I've tried to add some variety to it.

The collection includes toys, games, posters, advertisements, items, models, artwork, cards, limited editions, publications, and books.

Here is a small sampling of my collection. You can see more by going to my collection website at www.piczo.com/racecartoys

Enjoy!

Dinky #23C Mercedes Benz Racing Car (England) 1940-50's

Solido Catalogue (France) 1974


Le superchocolat Jacques "Le Monde des Autos" collector cards (Belgium) 1966

Technofix Rallye 66 Wind-up Racetrack (Germany) 1966

Gilles Villeneuve vs René Arnoux – Dijon 1979

Pen & ink with Prismacolor pencils 22"x 12"
© Paul Chenard 2008

This illustration is for sale; please contact me if you are interested.

The 1979 French Grand Prix had all the ingredients for public relations gold the Renault team.

Previous to the race, Renault had 5 weeks to fine tune and improve their French-designed turbo-charged cars. The cars were raced by 2 French drivers, Jean Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux, fueled by French fuel (elf) and shod in French tires (Michelin).

The race was started and though Jabouille had to get by a very determined Villeneuve in Ferrari, he advanced easily into a lead that he would not relinquish.

Arnoux had only to do the same, and near the end of the race, he did. But because of a fuel pick-up problem, it was not as easy. The powers that be started popping corks for what was supposed to be a Renault sweep.

Of course, Villeneuve saw things differently. He noticed that Arnoux did not readily pull away, so saw that he had a slim but possible chance to fight for 2nd place, which is exactly what he did.

With worn out tires and a slight power deficit, Villeneuve proceed to regain the lead with a wreckless control that has become legend. He and Arnoux swapped leads a few times, bumping tires and moving on and off the track, with Villeneuve finally taking the flag for 2nd.

The media jumped on the story, almost forgetting who actually won. But Villeneuve exemplified the winning spirit.

Martini Racing Porsche Carrera RSR - Watkins Glen 1974

Prismacolor pencils on black stock 9"x 6" © Paul Chenard 
Private Collection

Victory Lane magazine is featuring my illustration in their "Holiday Gift Ideas" section of their October issue.

Limited edition of 50 (11.5" x 9"),
numbered and signed premium archival Giclee prints
$65 plus shipping/handling.

The original of this sketch is sold; please contact me if you are interested in other pieces of my original art.

Old Racing Car Art

Pencil on paper © Paul Chenard 1978

As I poked around a trunk of old papers, I found the working drawing and the finished sketch of a piece I submitted to the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD) for acceptance in the art & design program there in the late 1970's.



Pencil on paper © Paul Chenard 1978

Needless to say, I got in. But as I review what I drew, it was way before I started studying the history of racing, so I understand it is a not-so-accurate interpretation of a vintage racer.

But it did the job it had to do.
It's funny that it took 28 years before I got it right.

Porsche 934: The Street-legal Racer

Porsche 911-based race cars have always been very successful and in the early part of the 1970’s, that was certainly the case. For the 1976 season, FIA-sanctioned sports car racing was divided into 6 classes and Porsche had been very dominant in the Group 4 Class, which were strictly based on production road cars.




















With the launch of the 930 Turbo in 1975, Porsche saw an ideal platform on which to build it’s new Group 4 candidate. With relatively minor (in race car terms) modification, Porsche created the 934 Turbo RSR. This efficient racer was still road legal, even retaining it’s power windows! The 934 was built through 1976 and 1977, with about 400 being built.

In competition, the 934 continued the company’s success by winning the European GT Championship, driven by Toine Hezermans (Netherlands), and the Trans Am Championship in the hands of American George Follmer. At Le Mans, the racers had class wins in 1977, 1978 and 1979.

A few years ago, I built the Tamiya 1/12 kit No.12020 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR No.24 Jägermeister racer, in it’s classic 1976 orange livery. I put in approximately 350 hours in the build, adding considerable more detail to already detailed kit; I also added the Tamiya kit No. RM2202 Motor Racing Team Mechanic. I had to mix the custom paint for him, and create the custom patches and stitching for his suit.

I then built the base to display it, using oak-flooring scraps and a ceramic tile; the acrylic cover was made to my specifications. I finished it off with a pewter plaque, which I engraved.

It won every top award in the local model competitions in 2006, and is now retired from the show circuit.

Vanwall: The Seeds of an Industry

1/18 diecast Mettoy Vanwall made for Marks & Spencer (missing windshield, and possibly driver), England, circa 1959

The Vanwall was a British race car that got it's name from the combination of the team-owner Anthony (Tony) Vandervell’s name and that of his company's patented “Thinwall” bearings.

The first cars raced in 1954 with Peter Collins at the wheel, but without much success. By the end of 1955, Vandervell hired young Colin Chapman to redesign the chassis, with Frank Costin redesigning the body. The racer showed more potential through 1956, with a win at Silverstone in the hands of Sir Stirling Moss.

Frank Cooper Ltd. marmalade pot, England, 1959

Moss decided to join the team for 1957, along with Tony Brooks and Stewart Lewis-Evans, and as the season unfolded, the Vanwalls became faster and more reliable with wins at the British, Italian and Pescara Grand Prix.

In 1958, Vanwall won Grand Prix's in Holland, Portugal and Morocco (Moss) and in Belgium, Germany and Italy (Brooks), thus winning the Constructor's Championship.

After the death of Lewis-Evans in Morocco in 1958, the team continued half-heartedly until 1961 when it closed all together.


Corgi #150 Vanwall Formula 1 Grand Prix, England, 1957

The international motorsport industry developed from the seeds sown by companies like Vanwall, BRM, Lotus, Cosworth and many others in Britain is such that there are now as many as 4000 companies involved in motorsport manufacturing in the U.K.

In Formula 1, 7 teams competing in the 2008 season are based there: McLaren, Williams, Renault, Super Aguri, Red Bull Racing, Force India and Honda.

Pencil and Prismacolor pencil on coloured archival paper 12"x 9" © Paul Chenard 2008

Available as limited edition premium archival Giclee prints (part of a series), 14.5''x 11'' (image size 12''x 9''), signed and numbered to a limit of 125 of each. The suggested retail price is $100 CDN each plus shipping/handling, or all 4 from the series for $325 CDN plus shipping/handling.

Phil Hill and Fuller Brush

In 1959, after Phil Hill's first Le Mans win (1958), Fuller Brush decided that it would be interesting to combine his story with Ferrari and their newest catalogue.

The result is an wonderful piece, full of amazing photos, and the text of well-known motorsports writer and racer Denise McCluggage.

On an interesting note, Mr. Fuller was a Nova Scotian!

Phil Hill 1927-2008: An American Hero

Working drawing for future serigraph limited edition, pencil on board © Paul Chenard 2007


Hand-drawn birthday card, pen and ink on card
© Paul Chenard 2007
Phil Hill Collection

I’m very sad to hear that Phil Hill, one of my great heroes, has passed away.

Here is a quote from the Race Legends website:
Hill had a varied racing career beginning in 1947 and stretching over 20 years. He was remarkable in winning both his first and last race outings. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times for the team of Enzo Ferrari, Sebring 12 Hours three times and a host of sports car, endurance and Formula One races. He was also the fastest man in an MG, setting a land-speed record for the British firm. Hill was a long-time contributing editor to Road & Track Magazine.

I actually never heard of him until I started reading his Salon features in Road & Track magazine. His articulate and retrospective analysis’s actually nurtured my curiosity in the history of motor sports, and pushed me to find out more, to read as much as I could on the subject.

That’s when I really learned of his amazing accomplishments in a great variety of racers, and his artistry in Ferraris. My research also showed me that no one had encapsulated his success for the Ferrari Team in art. This led me to create a series of illustrations on his wins with them.

Mr Hill not only chose to feature them on his website, but also agreed to sign 100 prints of the series. Keep in mind that this happened just over a year ago, so it was an incredibly difficult task for him. His signature was obviously effected by the Parkinsons, but he none-the-less pushed on and did the series.

His son Derek was kind enough to take some snapshots of his dad signing, and sent them out to me, and they are now my treasured keepsakes.

Godspeed, Phil Hill 1927-2008...

1 Ferrari 750 Monza Pebble Beach 1955

2 Ferrari 250 TR Le Mans 1958

3 Ferrari 246 F1 Monza 1960

4 Ferrari 156 F1 Monza 1961

Pen & ink on vellum, digitally painted © Paul Chenard 2006

This series highlights Phil Hill's great success in Ferraris, culminating with his 1961 World Championship win.

* Note: At a request of Phil Hill's Family, all Phil Hill artworks are removed from his website until sometime in November, 2008.

The Vanderbilt Cup Races

Prismacolor pencil on Neenah Classic Laid stock
© Paul Chenard 2008
Gary Faules Collection

The Vanderbilt Cup races were the brainchild of millionaire sportsman William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. in an effort to bring European style road racing to America.

Modeled in the Gordon Bennett races, the first race took place on Long Island, New York in 1904. Though it was a bit disorganized, it was a huge success. This led to a series of successful, well attended races every year until 1916. They were also run in Savannah (Georgia), Milwaukee (Wisconsin), and Santa Monica and San Francisco (California).

The Vanderbilt Cup races returned off and on, in various forms, in 1936 and 1937, in 1960, and from 1996 to 2007 but these were nothing like those early pioneer days.

My friend Gary Faules of California's Best, Inc. has written extensively on the Vanderbilt Cup races; check out his great stories:
http://thegarageblog.com/garage/?s=Vanderbilt

Enjoy!

Fire and Ice: the 1933 Monaco Grand Prix

Pen & ink and Prismacolor pencils on archival white stock
© Paul Chenard 2008

The 1933 Monaco Grand Prix was fought with passion and coolness. The fiery Tazio Nuvolari squared off against the cool, reserved Achille Varzi in a race-long battle to win.

Nuvolari raced a Scuderia Ferrari team Alfa Romeo 8C Monza, swapping first place with Varzi's Bugatti Type 51 during 97 of the 100 laps of the race.

On the last lap, Nuvolari's over-heating racer finally broke down just ahead of the finish line and Varzi took the checkered flag. Nuvolari pushed his car across the line, but was disqualified because he was helped by a mechanic.

Maserati 250F - A Masterpiece of Speed & Beauty

Polistil-Tonka 1/16 1980's (Italy), Matchbox Models of Yesteryear #Y10-4 1/36 1980's (England), Mercury #52 1/43 1950's (Italy), Solido Ré-edition 1990's (France)

If you ask knowledgeable Grand Prix (or general racing) historians what is the greatest race car of all time, 9 out of 10 would say the Maserati 250F.

Conceived with little funding, but much enthusiasm, dedication and know-how, the 250F was built along fairly conventional lines, but with an incredible visual aesthetic. The car looks fast just siting there, and with it's balanced light chassis and powerful inline 6-cylinder engine, it was!

It's first victory came in 1954 at Aintree in the capable hands of Sir Stirling Moss, and it's last major win came in the legendary 1957 German Grand Prix at Nürburgring in the hands of the Argentinean master Juan Manuel Fangio, giving him his last of five World Championship titles.

The image above includes the Maserati 250F diecasts in my collection. Below, I've included a few of sketches I did of Fangio driving the rolling masterpiece, the heart of the masterpiece, and a paper model I created.





Fangio at Nürburgring 1957, pencil on paper
© Paul Chenard 2006
Charles McCabe Collection


Fangio at Monaco 1957, pen & ink on paper © Paul Chenard 2006


Prismacolor and pencils on red archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2008

Paper model that I created using Adobe Illustrator on a Mac
© Paul Chenard 2001

K8 Racer from New Zealand

Prismacolor pencils on gray archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2008
Peter Leversedge Collection

Peter Leversedge is a friend from Christchurch, New Zealand, who I met on the Atlas F1 Forum. Pete told me of his vintage “K8” racer No.77, and sent me a photo; I decided to do a sketch of him racing it.

Pete's vintage racer was built in New Zealand in 1949 by John Jacobson & Neil Stuart based on “K8” plans, originally US short dirt track cars that later evolved as sprint cars.

Here are some of it's technical details:
Power: Ford Flathead V8, 286 cubic inch
Transmission: 3-speed Ford
Front and rear end: '39 Ford
Springs: Front '39 Ford; Rear Model T
Brakes: '39 Ford
Frame: cut-down Essex
Steering box: Chrysler 70
Top speed (recorded): 115 MPH

Between 1949 and 1965, it was raced by John Jacobson & Neil Stuart at the Aranui Speedway and several road-type circuit races; Bill Harris Jr. used it in beach racing and Peter & Alec Rattray in road-races.

Pete has owned No.77 since 1965, racing it in road-type circuits, hill climbs, beach racing and later vintage racing events; he won the New Zealand Beach Racing Championship Race 3 times. While he owned the car, it was also raced by Bob (RW) Stewart, Neil Stuart, Brian Hepburn and John Armstrong on occasions. The car was well known as a ''Ford V8 Special'' in the South Island of New Zealand.

While looking into the “K8” racer, I actually found copies of some original plans.

Herbert Müller - 1973 Targa Florio

Pen & ink and Prismacolor pencils on grey archival stock © Paul Chenard 2008

Swiss race driver Herbert Müller found some successes in long distance racing in the Ford GT40, the Ferrari 512 M, and a variety of Porsches.

In 1966, teamed up with Willy Mairesse in a Porsche 906 Carrera 6, he won the Targa Florio. He came in 2nd at Le Mans in both 1971 and 1974, and in 1973, teamed up with Gijs van Lennep, he again won the Targa Florio driving a Porsche 911 Carrera RSR.

Sadly, this popular racer lost his life in a fiery crash on the 24th of May, 1981 of Porsche 908 Spyder he was piloting at the 1000 km of the Nürburgring.

Limited edition of 25 (11.5" x 22"),
numbered and signed premium archival Giclee prints
$150 plus shipping/handling.