19 replies to this topic

[etceterini.com]

Anyone know? And if so, where?

[raceannouncer2003]

On the following webpage, the ninth car down, a Ferrari, is owned by a "Richard W. Gent, Jr." Apparently he owns a few nice Ferraris. Would that be the son of Dick Gent in your photo? Have you contacted him?

http://www.ohioconco...p?txt_year=2007

And, er, I'm not up on my "inis"...I'll be the first to ask...what is it? (He drove Bandini and Cisitalia?)

Vince H.

[etceterini.com]

It is a Cisitalia, but I've never seen another like it. I'd like to know more
about it if anyone can help.
I bet that is his son, but I've no contact info for him....Anyone??

[Rupertlt1]

#44 Dick Gent is likely a match for Akron Ohio, 10 October 1954:

 

https://www.racingsp...954-10-10s.html

 

Note #110 J. R. Hawkins, Willoughby, Ohio, M.G. TC

 

Lake Erie Grand Prix, Akron Municipal Airport: Dick Gent was a class winner in his Cisitalia.

 

RGDS RLT

[Rupertlt1]

For Cisitalia see: https://forums.autos...-2#entry9572836

 

RGDS RLT

[Rupertlt1]

Adam, If there is an answer to the question it is likely to come from the wide audience on TNF — the question is still looking for an answer — if Cliff Reuter has given up here then so be it.

 

RGDS RLT

[Michael Ferner]

I disagree with Adam, there. TNF should continue to be a resource for research, which facebook can never be. Some posters may not check back in, but someone else might be interested, and so it's proper to post here even if the original poster doesn't come back - that's his problem. Information on facebook just disappears, and will be seen by a limited number of persons to begin with. Only TNF qualifies as a "journal of record".

[Nick Savage]

Dear Adam,

I sense your frustration, but please do not give up on TNF. I read your posts with great interest. This current wave of pointlessness is probably transient, and where else can I read your material ?

Yrs

Nick S.

[Michael Ferner]

I second that, Adam! TNF may have its failings, but it's still the best place for the likes of us to "hang out". I would love to discuss more interesting stuff, and I realize everyone has his reasons for not posting interesting things all the time, but it's on all of us to make this place more attractive. If more people like you give up on it, it will only make things worse!

[Rupertlt1]

TNF now seems to be the province of obsessives, with a fixation for posting random newspaper cuttings.

And of "The Usual Suspects", as Don Capps succinctly calls them in another thread.

A great pity.....

 

Sadly, it no longer seems worth my while bothering to be involved here on any regular basis.

 

Adam,

If you are calling me an obsessive I plead guilty.

The whole basis of historical research is documents - if you want the evidence — the facts — it is normal to produce the sources.

Three questions answered in recent months re first events held at these locations, with sources:

Wiscombe Park Hill Climb (24 August 1958) — Autosport

Loton Park Hill Climb (2 July 1960) — Shropshire Archives 

Oddicombe Hill Climb (19 March 1961) — Torquay Public Library

None of this information is freely available elsewhere on the internet — it has taken considerable effort to dig this stuff up.

Surely TNF exists to answer just this sort of question?

 

RGDS RLT

[Doug Nye]

Might I suggest that TNF always existed as a relatively broad church - or at least, as a latecomer - that's how it always appeared to me.  

 

Everything was here from lofty academic debate often expressed in the most abstruse (and honest to goodness, BORING) terms, to nutsy boltsy greasy-fingered technical advice, to the most adolescent of statistical gymnastics to prove what to grown-ups is impossible comparison, to just basic good humoured fellowship.  It was all taken in generally good part simply because we all share a basic innate enthusiasm for the subject, in its broadest sense.

 

I'm disappointed to read that tolerance now seems to be wearing so thin with some.

 

On balance TNF remains the most informative, most powerful and farthest-reaching research tool I have ever, and I mean ever, encountered.  

 

And that is thanks to the broad range of interests contributing here, of whatever age, and drawing from whatever specialist area of interest.

 

It will only be missed once it's gone.  Presently our interest is indulged by the site owners.  Why rock the boat?

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 27 September 2021 - 18:55.

[marksixman]

Hey People,

 

DCN knows his stuff (almost certainly more than the vast majority of us), and he likes this site, uses it, and respects it. It is a  FANTASTIC  arena of accumulated knowledge, for which we should all be very grateful.

 

Hang in, say your piece, don't take offence when none is probably intended, and when we post we should all think about avoiding the giving of any offence.

 

"Why rock the boat" ?

 

marksixman. 

[Bikr7549]

Unless membership and participation here requires certain standards to be met (or maybe be a clone of a lofty someone) this disparity is simply inevitable, and part of life. There is a wealth of learning and interesting topics here, I for one am generally very pleased with TNF, despite the ‘usual suspects’ scolding.

[malomay]

Crikey Doug, if you're a latecomer....what does that make me !.  Well, of course I've always been a latecomer to the wonderful era of motor racing that many on this forum do remember in person. Being born just as the classic GP era of the 60s came towards its an end, and too young to remember even the thundering spectacle of Can-Am & F5000 has me at a huge disadvantage when it come to participating on this forum.  However, what this place does do is provide me an incredible insight & knowledge of the many many years of motor racing that I missed out on.......my Dads era. It is an amazing resource for those like me who just drink up the stories & soak in the information that is shared freely.

 

I am of the Facebook generation.......and quite frankly, it is just appalling at the stuff that this forum does perfectly. Information comes & vanishes into oblivion within a day on Facebook groups, never to be seen again. Hopefully the Forum continues for a great many years to come, surviving even when the Facebook groups have all come & gone again.

 

regards

 

Mal.

[Lee Nicolle]

The question was asked and it still remains of interest to many on here. 

As for Bookface and Twatter I find Bookface very un user friendly. The other I am told is worse. 

Call me old and grumpy but I am not. Just dont tolerate the b/s on those sites.

My computer crashed recently and now I cannot even get into Bookface, I was researching something that sent me there this morning.

I got hounded for years to 'friend' this person or that person. A few I know but those I can call!

[sabrejet]

I'm sure we all get a bit cranky every so often (I do), so let's not cry over spilt milk. It was only a minor gripe after all.

 

For my part I'm glad the question was nudged because I learnt that there's an Etceterini website. That alone will keep me happily amused for many an hour.

 

Swings and roundabouts....        

[Rupertlt1]

Here is a related Cisitalia thread: https://forums.autos...t-mille-miglia/

 

Ed Godshalk acquired a Cisitalia in Suffolk, Virginia, described as an "open-air race car" for $16,300 in 2007. Formerly the property of Wayne Peters, for some 40 years. "Godshalk theorizes that it was imported to the United States and raced on the East Coast before Wayne Peters acquired it." Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia) Thursday 22 Feb 2007, Page C2

This was a single-seater D46.

 

We know that a Jim Forno was racing a Cisitalia in 1962 in New York State, said to be ex-Nuvolari Mille Miglia race car. Looks like he was a car dealer in Binghamton, N.Y. in the 1970s.

Could it have been this car?

 

https://library.revs...ion=p17257coll1

 

Richard W. Gent was from Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Oscar Koveleski said to have appeared at Giants Despair Hill Climb "in the mid-1950s in a Cisitalia roadster."

Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) Saturday 26 Jun 2004, Page 97

 

City Man May Try

For Race Laurels

A Scranton sports car enthusi-

ast is expected to compete in the

1955 Giant's Despair Hill Climb

at Wilkes-Barre and Brynfan Tyd-

dyn Road Races at Harveys Lake

on July 21, 22 and 23.

He is Oscar Koveleski, 736

Moosic St. He plans to compete

in the road race on July 23, driv-

ing an Italian Cisitalia, powered

by a British MG engine.

The Times-Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania) Thursday 7 Jul 1955, Page 8

 

Also entered at GD in the same car in 1957. Possibly 1958.

 

See also: https://www.fa-autom...alia&id=&v=3536

 

RGDS RLT 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 01 October 2021 - 09:03.

[Rupertlt1]

https://scontent.fbr...b4a&oe=6182BF15

 

Oscar Koveleski commented on the photo:

"I bought this Cisitalia Nuvolari Spyder from Jim Pauley in the mid 50's less gearbox and engine..for $750 and made a 'hot rod' out of it....put a special MG engine in it, Weber carbs, Bendix aircraft fuel pump, welded the rear end gears together (locked) ran some hillclimbs, races (including Marlboro) and sold it to Jim Forno (Vestal NY) for $1800. It was restored by my former mechanic Jack Deren, Carbondale Pa, for a wealthy collector who runs it in the vintage races in Italy....value today about $350,000."

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 05 October 2021 - 18:31.

[Rupertlt1]

Third Annual Lake Erie Invitational Race, May 30, 1959, Dunkirk, New York. 

#73 Cisitalia, FM, James Forne (sic) Johnson City, N.Y.

He is James Forno.

Source: entry list

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 07 October 2021 - 07:20.

[Rupertlt1]

It is a Cisitalia, but I've never seen another like it. I'd like to know more
about it if anyone can help.
I bet that is his son, but I've no contact info for him....Anyone??

 

See the book:

The Put-in-Bay Road Races, 1952-1963

Carl Goodwin, 2014

There is a photograph of the red Cisitalia on Page 65.

Photo caption ref 1953:

The great-looking #40 Cisitalia roadster of Richard Gent takes the turn out of town and heads

for the airport (Joe Brown)

Car described as having "a Motto roadster body." The same car as #44 above. 

His son says:

"The car was powered by a modified Fiat 1100 engine, but the casting was poor so he got a Simca block, which was similar but better."

 

Gent ran Race 2 at second-annual Put-in-Bay street races, Ohio, 11:30 a.m., Saturday 13 June 1953, in the #40 Cisitalia, 1090 cc, 8th (ran Race 2 in 1955 in #30 Siata). The event organised by the Cleveland Sports Car Club, on an island in Lake Erie.

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 08 October 2021 - 08:38.