Inside the Solarist

Bello Gatto

So, I just wrapped up reading this New York Times article on one man’s dream of what an ideal car should be. It seems this man was particularly taken with Italian cars of the late 1950s and early 1960s (really, who isn’t?). After purchasing a few, he was left wanting; the driving fantasy was better than the driving reality. He wanted the Dolce Vita style with modern performance.

His desire (and a fair bit of paper) turned into the Gatto, an entirely custom, handmade car constructed by Moal Coachbuilders of Oakland, California. In it, you’ll see echoes of the 1950s and ’60s Mercedes, Zagatos, Ferraris, and Maseratis. At its core is a vintage Ferrari V-12, tuned to 300-hp GTO standard. The chassis: custom. The body: custom. The interior: custom. All fabricated by hand—I’ll repeat.

Read the article for yourself. And be sure to check out the slideshow when you’re finished.

Sylph

Yes, I cry. “Yes!” I cry.

Hey, Ho, Disposable Autos

Vintage Japanese Autos Gather in So-Cal

It’s a rather unusual event to find enthusiastic appreciation and devotion to a subset of autos that were considered a cheap, disposable transport with little prospect of lasting 12 years, let alone 35. The New York Times gives us a look at a culture of such stricken people who have gone the proverbial head over heels for their vintage Japanese econocars. No, not the 1990s models, which have found a great following in the street tuner sets. No, these folks love those cars from the 1970s and early ’80s. That first influx upon U.S. soil of the now ubiquitous Japanese automobile.

I guess you could parallel this—to a certain extent—with the monomaniacal focus surrounding vintage Volkswagens. For me, though, this smacks much more of a child’s enthusiasm for the cars that they grew up in. Much as the Chevy Nomad and its like have caught on in a big way with the baby boomers, these folks have revisited the family cars of their youth. Extrapolating on that, they have also gone for those cars’ familial brothers and sisters, their sporty relatives. Click the link above and read the article. It’s a decent diversion.

Serendipiti Cocktail

Serendipiti Cocktail (as innovated by Colin Field of the Bar Hemingway)

2/10 Calvados

1 teaspoon Sugar

2 sprigs mint

3/10 clarified apple juice

5/10 Champagne

Add Calvados, apple juice, sugar, and mint to glass and stir. Add Champagne.