Cars We Love & Who We Are
More than the polished parts and hard to find pieces, the special interest vehicles people collect embody the character of each owner. “Cars We Love & Who We Are” profiles individual special interest vehicles and the proud owner committed to its preservation.
Conversations with People We Value
Talking with skilled professionals who support our passion for collectible automobiles.
Roads We Remember
Some roads discovered far from home reward us with a once in a lifetime driving experience. Others are old friends revisited to elevate our spirits and celebrate the joy of life behind the wheel.
In Search of the 7th Royale Series – All the Episodes Here
Roads We Remember #13
From a young age old photos from Italy’s famed Mille Miglia taken in the 1950s had captured my imagination. My fascination clung to the classic black and white images showing spectacular period sports cars departing from the elevated stage area on the viale Venezia in Brescia. Dramatic in a film noir kind of way, they evoked an earlier time and place, both heroic and romantic. It always seemed that the face of an elegant Grace Kelly should be close-by overlooking a departing open sports car with a Moss or Fangio or some rakish European playboy at the wheel.
Now, I had signed on with Grandstand Motor Sports a British motorsport travel specialist. More about them later. My time had finally arrived to experience the Mille Miglia, called by many “The most beautiful race in the world.”
2025 Mille Miglia; Hot Town, Summer in the City
Blue skies and soaring temperatures welcomed me to Brescia, the traditional launch point for the Mille Miglia. Mille Miglia translates to “1000 miles” in Italian and commemorates the roughly one thousand mile length of a grueling round trip race on public roads from Brescia to Rome and back. Starting in 1927 and for the last time in 1957 the treacherous route had often been run by teams combining the greatest drivers accompanied by skilled navigators. Death of teams and spectators alike loomed as a constant possibility.
Teams faced treacherous back roads that twisted through the rugged narrow mountain passes of the Italian back country that challenged both driver and navigator. Each race witnessed head to head competition between some of the most dominant performance vehicles from companies such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Maserati, Aston Martin and Jaguar. In 1957 one of those vehicles, a Ferrari 335S driven by Alfonso de Portago had a front tire burst causing him to somersault through a crowd of spectators by the tiny village of Guidizollo. Eleven people including de Portago and co-driver Ed Nelson died. The dead included 5 children. This catastrophic accident outraged the Italian public to a such a degree that it ended the Mille Miglia as a competitive race and indeed pretty much ended all racing on public roads in Italy.
In a 2012 interview racing great Stirling Moss, who held […]
Cars We Love & Who We Are #68
The coldest winter in memory had clamped a frozen grip upon all life in Estonia. Mihkel while battling the bitter cold knew that the record cold would ironically be the key to his plan’s success. The following morning in pitch darkness he, accompanied by his son Jack, would depart the Royale’s hiding place. From there they would drive the it across the frozen edge of the nearby Gulf of Finland with his sights on reaching Finland and freedom. Through all of this Mihkel knew his journey would be haunted by a well connected Soviet army officer obsessed with having the Royale for his own.
FINAL EPISODE – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale Part 3 (Episode 20 – A Snowball’s Chance)
Soviet Icebreaker “The Lenin”
ESTONIA 1987
Petrov felt in his bones the Super Auto hiding somewhere near Neeme. He just had to get back to that desolate village. His intuition rewarded him. What he found set his Super Auto passion on fire. It also befuddled him. Right in front of him, fresh tracks in the snow. First tank tread tracks, then marks of tires with snow chains. Maddeningly he realized it had just been there. His mind raced with “how could this be?” themed thoughts. He also realized the “why” did not matter if he located the “what”. He followed the tire marks to the edge of the Gulf. He scream out loud and to no one in particular, “This is crazy.” Then, in the distance he saw it. A spot of light. He jumped in the car and together with the three soldiers attempted to chase the dot of light. Immediately the car just spun like a top.
Soviet MiG-23
Now, acting like a wild man, a frantic Petrov had the soldiers push the sedan back towards the shore. In a comic scene the soldiers slipped and fell and pushed as, all the while, Petrov screamed. Finally the car gained traction at the shore line. With frozen soldiers shivering in the car, Petrov raced back to the house of Peeter Oja. Banging on the door he demanded entry to use Peeter’s phone. Having lost control of his better judgment, he pulled every string he had. He called in every favor owed him and mentioned every story that someone did not want […]
Cars We Love & Who We Are #67
Mihkel refused to accept defeat. He committed himself to selling the Bugatti in the non-communist world of the West. His goal being to fund an Estonian technical school honoring his parent’s name. To succeed, he would resort to a new plan that called for revisiting an old solution. Confronted by an extraordinarily bitter Baltic winter, Mihkel recognized a rare opportunity. He would take advantage of the severe cold by driving the Bugatti to Finland and freedom across a frozen Gulf of Finland. With the mechanically revitalized Bugatti now stashed in an isolated fishing village by the edge of the frozen Gulf, Mihkel stood poised to face the greatest challenge of his life. Certainly he had no intention of allowing some corrupt Soviet military officer to stop him.
In Search of the Lost 7th Royale (Part 3, Episode 19 – Frozen Freeway to Freedom
ESTONIA 1987, JANUARY 9th
An hour after learning of a possible sighting of the mystery Bugatti, a frenzied Yuri Petrov hustled to a waiting military vehicle joined by three Soviet soldiers. “Go, go, go,” snapped Petrov. Leaving Tallin, they headed for the eastern part of Harju County to where the informant had reported seeing the big fancy car. Here deep in Estonian winter the sun would set at 15:45. Petrov hoped to get there before dark. His driver had his doubts.
FINLAND 1987, JANUARY 9th
Before departing for Helsinki Valentina had been thoroughly briefed by Mihkel. She knew he intended for the Bugatti to depart in darkness on the morning of the 10th. She felt greatly relieved that her husband John had equipped them with a Nokia Cityman 450 mobile phone. She did not understand much about these newly introduced portable phones, but she felt greatly relieved that Mihkel had one. The thought that there might be a way to communicate with them during the Great Escape comforted her.
Ed “Wonderfalk” Sikes had arrived well over a week ago. He immediately endeared himself as if a distant but beloved family member. She somehow wanted to call him Uncle Ed. She found great solace in his warmth, confidence and abilities. As a diplomat Valentina had experience with many powerful people. Somehow “Wonderfalk” seemed different. With her diplomatic experience, she marveled at how he managed his global connections like a chess master skillfully moving pieces; sometimes calmly, other times aggressively but always […]
Here’s this week’s question:
Most taxis found in American cities in the mid-20th century were made by one company. Name the company.
Answer to last week’s question:
In “Little Old Lady from Pasadena” what car did she drive and what was the car’s color? – Shiny red Super Stock Dodge
About the blogger
Burton Hall has written for an automotive client list that includes Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Peugeot and Volvo. He has also written for The Washington Post, AutoWeek, Corvette Monthly, Jaguar Magazine, BMW Magazine, Hemmings.com, Hagerty Magazine and numerous auto restoration buff books.
A member of the Society of Automotive Historians, he, in 2014, created and has since taught the adult school program “Collectible automobiles as a passion.” In 2020 he originated and has since produced the Drivin’ News blog.
As a classic car hobbyist, He owns a 1961 Corvette that he bought in 1967, a 1953 Jaguar XK120MC Drophead Coupe that he restored after finding it disassembled in a barn in 1980, a 2003 BMW 330i he bought new and a 1951 MG TD that presently serves as a planter and centerpiece in his garden. All are great drivers, except the MG which has a few bugs.
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07/01/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3. Episode 20 – A Snowball’s Chance)
06/14/25 – In search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 19 – Frozen Freeway to Freedom)
05/29/25 – In search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 18 – End Game)
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05/01/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 16 – Bugatti Royale Resurrection)
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01/23/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale (Part 2, Episode 9 – Priceless Bugatti Lost in the Fog of War)
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07/16/20 – The woman picks up where the girl left off
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05/14/20 – Collectible Car Culture in a Pandemic
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