Amelia Island, Greenwich, Pebble Beach, Goodwood – during the year that has now almost concluded, many of the vehicles from the Miles Collier Collections at Revs Institute traveled to some of the most hallowed places in the car-collector world. Revs Institute is committed to sending significant vehicles from the collection to participate in important events across the country and around the world in order to fulfill its mission of enlightening the world on the transformative impact that the automobile has had on our culture. As we look back on a busy and productive 2018, here is a sampling of what we were up to:
Brian Redman’s TARGA 66:
We kick off with six cars from Revs that attended Brian Redman’s Targa 66 track-day event in February. The roster consisted of the Fiat-Abarth TC-R 1000, Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, Scarab Sports-Racer, Lotus 23, Porsche 908/02 “Flunder”, and the Porsche 907. All of which spent some exercise time out on the 2.0 mile road course. Photo: David Santiago
Gunnar Jeannette behind the wheel of the Fiat-Abarth TC-R 1000. This car originally belonged to Alfred S. Cosentino who founded FAZA (Fiat Abarth Zagato Allemano), which operated as an importing company and racing team. The Abarths were so successful in the SCCA D Sedan class that by 1970 the FAZA team cars had racked up 51 wins from 53 starts. Photo: David Santiago
Chevrolet’s answer to the Shelby Cobra was the ultralight hand-built Corvette Grand Sport. Originally intended to be a production run of 125 units, only five cars were finished before the program was shut down by GM as they refused to lift their ban on racing. Photo: David Santiago
The most successful car in the SCCA B-Modified class in 1958 was the Scarab Sports-Racer. Lance Reventlow realized the only way to compete against factory teams was to create his own car. The result was a Chevrolet-powered sports car that remained competitive well into the 1960s. Photo: Johnny Miles
McPherson College Visit:
McPherson College—Students and faculty from the McPherson College Auto Restoration Program got an inside look at significant vehicles of the past during a visit to Revs Institute. Training the next generation of automobile restorers is critical to maintaining the heritage of the automobile. Photo: Johnny Miles
Amelia Island Concours:
“Leonidis” takes the main stage during Amelia’s fashion show. It began as a 1935 MG PA and raced at Le Mans in 1935 as part of the factory backed, “Dancing Daughters” all ladies team, but was re-bodied after an accident in NYC, supercharged, and updated to PB engine specs. Successful in U.S. events, it also raced at Le Mans in 1939 driven by C. Miles Collier and Lewis Welch. Photo: John Lamm
A two-time winner at Amelia Island, the 1971 Porsche 917 in its Martini & Rossi livery is a beauty for having never been restored. It looks just as it did with its racing war wounds, scratches and all after last coming off the track at Spa in 1971. Photo: John Lamm
One of the most beautiful profiles in automotive history: Jaguar’s E-Type. Driven by Briggs Cunningham and Roy Salvadori at Le Mans in 1962, the entry finished fourth overall behind three Ferraris. Photo: John Lamm
Arguably the most famous Jaguar E-Type racecar in the U.S., the coupe was campaigned by the Briggs Cunningham team in the traditional American racing colors, white with blue stripes. Photo: John Lamm
Porsche 907 at Sebring:
The fabled airport course at Sebring got a return visit from an old warrior – the freshly preserved Porsche 907 024. This lightweight prototype was one of four factory 907s entered in the 1968 12 Hours of Sebring. Photo: Richard Prince
There is good reason the Porsche 907 seems right at home at Sebring. Piloted by Jo Siffert and Hans Herrmann, it won the 12-hour race in 1968, helping to launch Porsche’s long run of success in American endurance racing. Photo: Richard Prince
Corvette Exhibit:
Revs Duntov’s Stealth Fighter exhibit featured two of Zora Arkus-Duntov’s iconic creations displayed together for several months. The magnesium-bodied Corvette SS, on loan from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, was built to compete directly against the best manufacturers from Europe. Photo: David Santiago
While the Grand Sport and Corvette SS programs did not receive the full corporate backing from GM that they deserved, they did prove the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Zora’s engineering team. The exhibit served as a showcase of his work and the foundation it laid for future Corvette models. Photo: David Santiago
Porsche 917K on the streets:
When Derek Bell asked if Revs would display our 917K at the local Porsche dealer’s grand opening; we obliged and decided the best way to deliver the car was to drive it (with police escort of course!). Photo: David Santiago
The 917K was displayed alongside a Porsche 919 Hybrid in the dealer’s new service center. The two cars are separated by almost a 50-year gap and represent the cutting edge of technology, both being successful designs in their respective eras. Photo: David Santiago
Greenwich Concours:
With the Greenwich Concours honoring Cunningham automobiles, Revs and Miles Collier Collections was represented in force, as pictured here with the C-6R in foreground and the C5-R behind it as part of a semi-circle of the many Cunningham cars present. Photo: John Lamm
Concours chairman Mary Wennerstrom, presents a trophy to Revs own Dave Klym, who is driving the Cunningham C4-R. Photo: John Lamm
Another trophy winner at Greenwich was the collection’s Cunningham C-5R. Photo: John Lamm
Possibly the most handsome of all Briggs Cunningham’s racecars, the C-6R was first raced at Le Mans with an Offenhauser four-cylinder, which was later replaced by a Jaguar D Type engine. Photo: John Lamm
Thirty-three of the existing Cunningham built cars were present at the Greenwich Concours, including our 1951 C-1 prototype. Behind the C-1 is the lineup of cars on hand to celebrated the life and legacy of Briggs Swift Cunningham. Photo: John Lamm
