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Jean-Luc Outreille is a simple man with a simple passion: Classic Alfa Romeos.
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Films:
Dominick's European Car Repair Is A Living Legacy
Can anyone identify this car?
This is the tiny red coupe on the scissors lift in frame 0:58. The car is bright red, with a black roof & pillars, black wheels that may be pressed steel, and quite narrow tires. There is no front bumper, and the front grill has lateral bars. The body may be a one-off. Give the placement of the cabin towards the rear of the car, it is almost certainly front engined. A windshield wiper is visible, indicating that this was a fully featured build, and not a car stripped of every spare kilogram for racing. Any thoughts out there? For just about everything in the film I think that I understand at least the make of the car I am viewing. This is coupe is different. My guess is that it is a very rare car, built in single digits. Does anyone have any idea as to who built this tiny coupe? Just prior to this image we get a glimpse of a Fiat-Abarth 750 Zagato in frame 0:43. It took me a while to see it, but the car is there on the left. You can see the roof profile sufficiently to spot the double-bubble profile.
It’s a Moretti 750 Gran Sport. Produced in small numbers (to match its very small size…), but far from a one-off.
http://avtomobile.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Moretti-750-GS-2.jpg
Thanks for spotting that Ed. The car is new to me. Here is more information for anyone following along . .
Moretti Grand Sport.
71 bhp, 748 cc dual overhead-cam four-cylinder engine, four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with transverse semi-elliptical leaf springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 78 in. Approximately 10 examples delivered to the United States. Nice examples sell for well over 100,000 USD.
More details following up on Edward Levin’s correct identification of this car: This specific car is from the Skip Barber collection. It is a 1953 Moretti 750 Gran Sport Berlinetta, chassis no. 1290S and engine no. 1294S. The Spadaros were preparing the car for sale at Monterey last August 2016. Moretti was primarily an engine builder, and the carrosserie for this series of chassis was done by others, notably Michelotti or Zagato. This body is a Michelotti design & build. This ‘Berlinetta’ coupe shares design elements with the Ferrari 212 coupe that Michelotti designed a year or two before this Morretti.
What a great (and different) short-film- the garage looks just like one you would find if you travelled through deep Portugal –
I really can relate to this garage – no clean floor, grease and oil everywhere, lots of parts from European /Italian cars piled up! I wonder if there’s a calendar on the wall with a naked girl on it …
Nice going Petrolicious!
More films like this, please! Sure I want to hear from Rod Emory on his latest creation. And, yes.. I do dream of a Singer – still awaiting my lottery win. And, fotos of post-war Ferraris are always welcome. But, keep films like this in the mix. These are real people with a real love of sports cars and they are keeping a family tradition alive by keeping cars running for normal people like us.
Great Film! I can say as a visitor and future client of Dominick’s that the film scratches the surface on the passion that both Santo & Frank have for the shop, the cars and their customers.
Everyone is treated like family and you feel the comradery from the minute you walk in. Visiting the shop is a step back in time. The shop is a true time capsule, of cars, photos, memorabilia and a real tribute to Dominick.
Kudos to Petrolicious for capturing the magic of this shop.
Yes! This is why I come here every Tuesday. Great story, great car! There was a video a while back called “The Pumpkin” where a guy (CKK) interned for Dominick’s an built a wonderful 2002 BMW. One of my favorite videos that I go back and watch over and over. Was always left wondering what a magical shop Dominick’s must be. Now I know! Thank you! More of this!!!! Please!
Petrolicious seemed to have lost its way of late: too many videos about rich (it appears) car collectors and one particular car from their collection. The cars were interesting up to a point, but the story was absent. And then this video comes comes along – simply magical. Great story with an absolutely stunning and well engineered car. More of this please (and less car collectors).
Great job, nothing wrong with the hyperbole, the legacy left by the father that started this garage is immensely important in this context and the appreciation of that history by the next generation. The emotions and sensations portrayed in the video don’t need to be placed in context of “Post truth dumification of America”. I appreciate the video, the story and photography. The photography is great and the brothers coming back from their ride and backing the car into the bay shows an appreciation for the practical art of the old Lancia. “The car makes me sit up straighter…” love that line. Another great video, starts my Tuesday as a vehicle appraiser refocused!
Ahem .. having come from the area myself .. being a hard core dyed in the wool Joisey boy .. and still having extensive family/familia there .. though there’s no doubting Dominick’s legendary status the fact is there’s a whole host of ‘ legendary ‘ classic car garages in and thru out the greater North East area . Some of lesser status .. some much greater [ Hint ; the best Bugatti garage in North America or South America … is in southern VT ]
So suffice it to say Dominick’s garage … isn’t on everyones radar .. and doesn’t need to be !!!!!
FYI .. ever since Ben and Jerry sold their souls [ and the company ] Ben & Jerry’s .. much like Green Mountain Coffee [ since selling to McDonalds ] has lost their cache almost entirely .. my having lived in VT as well . Yeah B&J’s is still a tourist hot spot in the Disneyland scheme of things .. but their product has long gone the route of quantity over quality
So .. though this is a good video and a decent interview .. about a reasonably important man and garage .. unfortunately it is riddled with hyperbole , exaggerated facts and mis-information .. Something we definitely do not need in this Post Truth dumbification of America !!! Here or anywhere else !
