Returning 1961 Vignale spyder 1341 to the road

Tragedy strikes again.

Last year the painter that was working on the car died in a motorcycle accident. I found another shop to do the work but he started from scratch as painters do not like to continue someone else's work.

A month ago I took the car to a well recommended upholstery shop to have the convertible top and boot cover made and fitted. Materials were ordered and work had started on the top, as shown in the photo below. Making a soft top from scratch is a skill most upholsterer do not have and this person had that skill. Unfortunately he had a heart attach and passed away two days later. Yesterday I took the car to another upholstery shop that will again start from scratch.

Is this car trying to tell me something ?

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That's terrible, RIP.

Hopefully you will have no more such setbacks.

 

Ivan that is really odd. It is giving me serious 'El Chapo Mclaren F1' vibes, that Mclaren is cursed and things always happen to people associated with that car. I'm not superstitious but gracious that is an oddity. Hoping that's the last of these issues.

 

Top and boot cover are now done. The car is getting new tires on Monday and then to the detailer to have it ceramic coated.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Painfully pretty!!

 

Attended its first Cars and Coffee this morning. Drove an hour each way. Everything on the car seems to be checking out okay. Fingers crossed.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Tomorrow is the start of the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic. Nine days and 1,600 miles. Fingers crossed.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Best of luck on the drive...hope it goes well.

Photos please!

Thanks!!!

 

Today we drove 166 miles to Yakima, Washington. This is the furthest the Vignale spyder has been driven in at least 30 years! The good news is the car has been trouble free.

Photo was taken at the top of the Chinook Pass.

Took this video minutes before the cars left Kirkland. It is a very mixed bag, from a 1911 RR Silver Ghost, a Ferrari 250GT TdF to a V12 Packard. You will notice there is a second Vignale spyder in the group.

https://youtu.be/lcgQt-3p48M

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Today drove 170 miles, most of it in the rain. The 20 years this event has been in existence this is only the second time it has rained.
Drove with the top down all the way as we were moving and rarely had to stop. The hardest part was the 6 mile steep climb up to Timberline Lodge (elevation - 6,000 ft). Of course, that is when it was raining the heaviest and I was afraid to use the wipers as I feared they could hit the hood and cause damage.

Car continues to perform well! I am getting about 17 miles per gallon, which is not bad.

Image Unavailable, Please Login
Cars at Timberline Lodge in Mt Hood, Oregon. The Vignale spyder is between the Delahaye and the red Bentley.

Image Unavailable, Please Login
The two Vignale spyders after crossing the Columbia River gorge

 

Drove 220 miles to Sisters, Oregon through the McKenzie pass. This pass (elevation 5,350 feet) was used in the 1960's to train the Apollo astronauts as the surface, created by lava flows, is similar to hat of the moon. Car is running well.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

These pics keep making my day, ty Ivan!

 

I also enjoy these pictures very much and would not be sad if there were a few more pictures

 

Today drove another 250 miles to Crater Lake. As the name implies, this is a lake crated by melting snow on the crater of an extinct volcano. It was a beautiful day!
We started very chilly at 39 degrees departing Sisters, OR at 7:30am. Went up to Crater Lake and ended in Grants Pass where it was 95 degrees. We were lucky as temperatures at Grants Pass normally are 105 to 110 degrees this time of the year. The Vignale handled the heat with no problem as long as the car was moving. I saw the temp gauge go up to 90 degrees C as there was a line getting into Crater Lake but went down quickly when the car started moving again. Temperature gauge has been around 70 C.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Have you ever stayed at the lodge there? I think we were there in September, no snow. We had a terrific room on the top floor, far end with lake view. Lucked out. Getting a seat on the long patio on the backside of the hotel is competitive but just sitting there for hours in the evening talking with folks is wonderful. They come from all over the world. It's a bucket list item. I gather your group was just passing through which is understandable.

 

How's that 14 Louver TdF doing on the drive?

 

Did not stay at the lounge. Last year it was very smoky due to the fires but this year it was crystal clear. That deep blue water is beautiful.

 

Other than an oil leak it is doing fine. The suspension is not the best for this type of driving.

 

Made it to the California coast!
Drove through a redwood forest and now having lunch at Crescent City. Car continues to run well Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

Ivan

 

Ivan,
great photos. Many thanks for posting! What VIN has the other Vignale-Spyder???

 

Today was an easier day with only 168 miles. Spending the night in Eureka, CA which is known for Victorian homes.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Will the Munsters be joining the tour in the koach Ivan??? Image Unavailable, Please Login

happy travels!

 

Two superb cars in front of an early McMansion;-)

 

It is 2769. According to the list Cozza created many years ago, this is the second to last Vignale spyder built.
The car was at the Pebble Beach Concours last year.
Good to see it is not a trailer queen.

Ivan
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Today we drove another 175 miles, many were winding roads. The route took us though the Avenue of Giants. It is the largest old growth of giant redwood trees, some being over 1,500 years old. Lunch was under the redwood trees. Temperature got up to 97 degrees until we crossed the mountains to the sea where it immediately dropped to around 60 degrees and foggy.

Ivan

Image Unavailable, Please Login


Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login