

Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter featuring the very latest from Petrolicious. Don’t be left out—join the ranks of those who Drive Tastefully.
Already a member? Log in
We're glad you're back.
Not a member yet? Sign up
We'll get you back on track.
[…] few years back, Petrolicious shot a video featuring the admiral’s 500 Mondial roaring through the hills of Monterey County. In it, […]
[…] few years back, Petrolicious shot a video featuring the admiral’s 500 Mondial roaring through the hills of Monterey County. In it, […]
[…] few years back, Petrolicious shot a video featuring the admiral’s 500 Mondial roaring through the hills of Monterey County. In it, Phillips […]
[…] few years back, Petrolicious shot a video featuring the admiral’s 500 Mondial roaring through the hills of Monterey County. In it, […]
[…] few years back, Petrolicious shot a video featuring the admiral’s 500 Mondial roaring through the hills of Monterey County. In it, Phillips […]
[…] few years back, Petrolicious shot a video featuring the admiral’s 500 Mondial roaring through the hills of Monterey County. In it, Phillips […]
I just saw this car is up for auction in Pebble Beach in August. Hopefully the new custodian enjoys it in the same way as the admiral
Good evening, I’m watching right now the show and a little correction: President Trujillo and Porfirio Rubirosa were from the Dominican Republic, not Venezuela, even if the race was held there.
Really interesting, since I don’t believe this fact of the 500 Mondial is known.
Hope the Admiral enjoys his beautiful car for eternity!
Wishing you fair winds and a following sea, Admiral. What a great film and a beautiful reflection of your hobby (and your family for embracing it). Hope to see it one day around Santa Fe. The only down side was wondering how you found it in yourself to put two screws into the stern, err, rear panel for that silly license plate.
I love the car and the owner’s automotive philosophy that these cars must be driven, not collecting dust in a museum somewhere. Didn’t know they raced with four cylinders, that was neat to hear! Drive on, Admiral!
What a magnificent car–with a magnificent caretaker to match. Thanks to the Admiral for preserving and restoring and, not least, continuing to drive this beautiful machine. Your evident love for and pleasure in it is utterly infectious. And thanks to Petrolicious for sharing all of that with all of us. Bravo!
Awesome !
Fabulous car! Great story and owner.
What a car, what an inspiration this chap really is….simply defines petrolicious. Keep up the fantastic work guys, beautiful short film. An absolutely pleasure viewing….
Amazing story, car and character. Excellent production value. One of the best on the forum.
Thanks to all involved
El Almirante Phillips! Your amazing car won its class at the ’55 Venezuelan GP and I remember my father telling me all about the three GP (’55-’56-”57) held in our native Caracas, Venezuela. It was certainly the golden age for motor racing and car enthusiasts in the country. I want to thank your family for supporting your love and passion for such beautiful car. Ohhh the twinkle in your eye for #8 is evident from the moment you unhook the straps inside the trailer to later tightening the wheel spindle to finally sitting behind the wheel and carefully checking the… Read more »
Juan – Thank [b]you[/b][i][/i] from Petrolicious for helping us trace the origins of the archival images featured in this video. Suffice it to say, without your help I never would have found my way to an 85 year-old man living in Spain! I hope you enjoy this video all the more knowing that you had a hand in making it possible.
Looking forward to seeing your own “El Hemi” atop this page soon!
Wonderful story, loved the Senior Citizen comment. Keep on enjoying it sir.
The fact that this specific vehicle has been owned by Porfirio Rubirosa!!
The man who lived every mans dream and still lives on in Paris in the fact that the big dark pepper mills in restaurants are called Rubirosas…
A Ferrari driven and owned by the man who bedded women such as Jane Mansfield, Ava Gardner, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Barbara Hutton and who died by crashing his Ferrari in Bois de Bologne, Paris.
If you’re curious of an interesting life story, please do read (oh, beautiful car by the way..;)):
https://www.thrillist.com/vice/porfirio-rubirosa-the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world
What a hero. Thanks for the links.
I don’t think a car could be any more perfect. Just beautifuly.
Apologies for being the sole voice of descent but in all honesty this one left me a little … flat . Both the car .. the owner .. the video .. and especially the ( cough ) background music all coming together into what I’d call a fairly reasonable albeit mediocre effort . Not that any of it is bad mind you . Its just not what I’d consider good either . Especially in comparison to the standard by which all should be compared to here . I’m speaking of course of the Novo Garage video . Hmmn ………..
For me, personally, the remarkable thing is that someone is able to find the time and the funding to make these videos at all, documenting the rich engineering, social and architectural history of these kinds of cars. Before this video, I didn’t know a thing about a four cylinder Ferrari. Yet, in someways, this car, the Mondial, is kind of a lodestone, pointing towards so much that will follow. And the primary reason that the car exists, in this form, is that this man made the radical decision to spend 2/3’s of a years salary on a car with a… Read more »
Fantastic story and owner – once again proving that great cars deserve to be kinetic sculpture. Not static.
“It was born to be driven”. Amen to that. Another classic story
Fabulous film and an even better story.
To answer the question: I would absolutely buy and fix a racing car myself. In my opinion, this is the only way to fly.
I will look forward to watching this film later this evening with my father and my son. It surely promises to be a magnificent story.
Can hardly wait… Thanks for sharing. 🙂
As stated by you guys already, great story, great car. I just wondered, in the part where he talks about the next owner, I wonder why his son wouldn’t inherit it if it was such a part of the family? Perhaps it would but they way he was saying what he was saying, it sounded like it wouldn’t.
Saw it in person at Santa Fe concourso and met the admiral. Beautiful car and lovely color at that. Great story.
Amazing car, even better story.
What a great car! Amazing!
A great story, tastefully presented by Sean and Jeremy. Well done!