Reply With QuoteWhere even the great Targa exponent, Ferrari driver Nino Vaccarella came to grief in 1967 (despite his local knowledge).Originally Posted by Foxy100
I took a flight to Palermo on Sicily at the start of April, rented a Fiat Panda and spent two days driving the Targa Florio route, one of the oldest races in the world. Just the shorter course (45 miles, 800ish corners and a straight no one knows about that was longer than the Mulsanne) but the one in use for most of the race's history, on which my favourite era of racing cars - from the Porsche 904 of 1964 to the Porsche 908/3, Ferrari 312PB and Alfa Romeo T33 of the early 1970s - competed. I have some original Targa posters on my wall at home and had wanted to go for ages. It was my 50th earlier this month and May sees the 50th anniversary of the last running of the Targa Florio as a world championship sportscar event, so what better time.
If you've not driven in Italy, they're all crackers. They tailgate you, inches from your rear bumper, until they can overtake into (or through) the first blind corner. Indicators are for tourists, pedestrians step out onto the road without looking and cars pull out of junctions right in front of you. The coast/tourist roads are ok but once you're heading into the hills, they're awful. You think the potholes here are bad, it seems there's no money for road repairs once you're in the sticks, just 'frana' (landslide) and other warning signs. The roads were in rubbish condition when the race was on too, but now for most of the course (basically anywhere outside the four main towns/villages on the route) you can't do more than about 30-40mph because you just can't see where the road is going to destroy the car. And that's not taking into account all the corners. The cars racing here were the same as at Le Mans, albeit in later years the prototypes had smaller lightweight bodies (the 908/3 was the same underneath as the 917, for example). In the early 1970s the fastest average lap speed at Le Mans was 150mph, at the Targa it was 75, although having driven it the drivers must have been insane.
Three hours from Stanstead to Palermo, a Panda is about £30 per day (you absolutely have to pay for the excess cover) and you're on the Targa course about an hour after leaving the airport. On top of which, Sicily is a lovely place. Here are some pictures. Have a look at some period race images on Motorsport Images (https://www.motorsportimages.com/pho...h=targa+florio).
This was probably the most photographed part of the track, the corner going into Collesano:
This is pretty average:
The pits are there still and almost not falling down:
The main road through Cerda. Vic Elford was seeing 175mph or so by the end of the 800-metre straight bit here, and it's uphill.
Up in the mountains was just silent apart from cow and sheep bells.
Virtually every car away from the main tourist coast area was a Fiat. Pandas of all ages and lots of old 500s, but no new 500s.
"A man of little significance"
Where even the great Targa exponent, Ferrari driver Nino Vaccarella came to grief in 1967 (despite his local knowledge).
Last edited by Seiko7A38; 26th April 2023 at 10:29.
Nino was born in Collesano and was a school teacher in Palermo. He'd finish for the day and do two or three laps of the Targa before going home, just to keep familiarised with the changing circuit.
Le Mans used to have two tricky surface changes, where the closed track joins the Mulsanne Straight at Tertre Rouge and at Arnage, the slowest point of the circuit. 800ish corners at the Targa, and surface changes everywhere, with the added joys of very tall kerbs in the towns, broken surface and repairs on the tarmac everywhere, crowds like you saw in Group B and all organised by Italians. Imagine what 800ish corners did to your brakes and clutch. There were 80ish cars starting each race in the early 1970s, you'd have a huge amount of trouble overtaking anything on those roads, let alone a car capable of doing the same speed as you. I'm not surprised Nino didn't always finish.
Where even the great Targa exponent, Ferrari driver Nino Vaccarella came to grief in 1967 (despite his local knowledge).
"A man of little significance"
Wonderful post Foxy must have been a fun experience. Do you have future plans to drive any of the Millie Miglia route?
Thanks for sharing and I loved your photos.
I'd love to drive the Mille Miglia, again in a rented Panda, but I have other plans this year. I'll be going to Le Mans, Zandvoort and Spa in the next few months, plus a few other UK tracks. A few years back I flew to Frankfurt, rented a 911 from Avis and drove round the Nurburgring. Which was slightly terrifying as the 911 was brand-new and the insurance didn't cover the 'Ring.
"A man of little significance"
That is a wonderful idea: driving old long-distance rally courses! The Mille Miglia being next is a good call for the next trip. Is there a collection of old routes somewhere? Like Liège-Sofia-Liège or parts of the London - Sidney Marathon Rally.
I like the report you posted, especially with the nice Panda on the foreground or background as well. James May would be so proud!
During a 2 week holiday I've seen more road-accidents than in 2 years at home. All have their driver's window open, elbow out, two fingers on the wheel and a phone in their other hand, calling La Mamma...If you've not driven in Italy, they're all crackers. They tailgate you, inches from your rear bumper, until they can overtake into (or through) the first blind corner. Indicators are for tourists, pedestrians step out onto the road without looking and cars pull out of junctions right in front of you. The coast/tourist roads are ok but once you're heading into the hills, they're awful.
You can read the full story in Autovisie soon!
I like the iea of the Liège-Sofia-Liège and had an idea to do the Monte Carlo rally too.
"A man of little significance"
I know at least two men who are equally interested in driving this sort of routes. One guy used to own a bakery and when he retired, he bought an old Subaru, changed the radiator and he and his son took off: driving the first (1978/79) Paris - Dakar route in the Subaru. And then there's this Dutch guy in the Saab scene who drives the old WC Rally stages from the 70s. He and three friends (2 in the Saab and 2 in a Volvo 144). Together they did the old Swedish Rally last January in their period correct cars.
From their instagram:
Last edited by thieuster; 26th April 2023 at 21:15.
Great post Foxy!!
Thanks for sharing & big thank you to additional posters.
Love this stuff.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Any idea when? I’m more than happy to buy that magazine and send it to you!
An excellent, very interesting post! Thank you.
F.T.F.A.
I would say the end of May or middle of June. They'll send me a copy of the magazine as a matter of course but thank you!
"A man of little significance"
Nice post!
Some great footage still exists of , for me, the golden era before electronics and carbon fibre
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