Doing the Mille Miglia - the guide

[AdvocatusD]

Screw Gumball, my dream has always been the Mille Miglia - I remember my Dad's version of a bed time story was to recount tales of Jenkins and Moss in the 300 SLR.

Essentially, I'd be really keen to know as much as there is to know about the event whether as a spectator or more importantly, as a participant.

It would also be wonderful to be pointed to some articles or YouTube videos.

[Alapeno]

Wasn't there a documentary on James Martin attempting to do it once? He first had to buy an eligible car along with lots of other bits of planning... IIRC it ate up all his life savings and he didn't even finish.

[Corpulent Tosser]

The museum is worth a visit, it's not a vast museum by any means but top quality. We dropped in on the way from Garda to Milan airport.

http://www.museomillemiglia.it/en/museum.aspx

[Truckosaurus]

AdvocatusD said:

It would also be wonderful to be pointed to some articles

Motorsport's archive is all online at their site, you can easily find the original Jenks article from 1955.

[Lost soul]

Alapeno said:

Wasn't there a documentary on James Martin attempting to do it once? He first had to buy an eligible car along with lots of other bits of planning... IIRC it ate up all his life savings and he didn't even finish.

I doubt it did

[Alapeno]

Lost soul said:

I doubt it did

Maybe not then, it was a long time ago. I just remember him crying because he had to sink so much more money into.

What actually happened?

[braddo]

Alapeno said:

Lost soul said:

I doubt it did

Maybe not then, it was a long time ago. I just remember him crying because he had to sink so much more money into.

What actually happened?

He paid a fortune to buy an old Maserati, paid another fortune to have the car prepared and the engine rebuilt, and then bent a valve on the first day.

I think he got carried away and ignored the instructions about treating the engine gently after the rebuild. Including the running-in period in the Mille Miglia was possibly not a good idea.