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California Mille 2013 – Report and Photos

1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider
Tom and Gwen Price in their 1960 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)

Report by Dennis Gray | Photos by author and Bob Ross

The 2013 California Mille was held April 28th to May 2nd on the challenging back roads of Northern California. The four-day, 1,000-mile rally continued its long tradition of spirited driving in historic sports cars on the twisty and picturesque roads for which they were intended. The rally celebrates Italy’s famous Mille Miglia (thousand mile) race that ran from Brescia to Rome to Brescia from 1927-1957. Cars that could have qualified for the original event are eligible for entry in the California Mille.

Heavy hearts were present at this year’s California Mille, as the 23rd annual event honored the legacy of its founder, Martin Swig, who passed away in 2012. The lifelong car enthusiast, who loved exploring the back roads in one of his Alfa Romeos, was remembered for his countless contributions to the classic car community. His two arch enthusiast sons, David and Howard Swig, organized this year’s Mille, with the capable assistance of longtime Mille Event Planner, Dan Radowicz.

The California Mille 2013 started with the customary free car show on Sunday, April 28th in front of San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel. During the opening day festivities, the Swig brothers walked around the show to highlight the many unusual and significant automobiles that ranged from a 1927 Rally ABC and 1928 Bugatti Type 35B to dozens of Alfa Romeos, Jaguars, Porsches and other vehicles from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s. Italian Consul General Mauro Battocchi welcomed fans on behalf of his nation, offering historic insight into the original Mille Miglia.

In addition to the Rally ABC and Bugatti T35B, other notable entrants at this year’s rally included a 1934 Lagonda M45 Tourer; a pair of Jaguar SS-100s; 1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica; 1952 Ferrari 212 Export; 1953 Siata 208S; 1953 Ferrari 166MM Vignale Spider; 1954 Kurtis 500KKS1; 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet; 1955 Austin-Healey 100S; 1960 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider; 1957 Porsche 356 Carrera GT; 1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S; 1955 Bristol 404; 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Zagato; 1957 BMW 507 and five Mercedes-Benz 300 SL; among many others.

The sixty Mille entrants headed north early on Monday morning. Once out of San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge, the rally ended day one with an overnight stop in Redding. Day two began with challenging and beautiful drive on the hallowed Highway 36, one of California’s finest driver’s road and reportedly Martin Swig’s favorite stomping ground. The 2013 California Mille returned to Mendocino for its second night on the road, followed by a variety of coastal and inland routes during days three and four with two overnight stays at Calistoga’s Solage Resort.

Photographers Dennis Gray and Bob Ross documented the 2013 California Mille, offering the following picture gallery that shows the strong field of entrants and wonderful views found in Northern California. We split up the 150 photos that Dennis and Bob captured into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite 40 images, all displayed in the full-width view of our website, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs.

California Mille 2013 – Top 40 Photo Gallery

 

In Memory of Martin Swig (Photographer Bob Ross)
In Memory of Martin Swig (Photographer Bob Ross)
1955 Austin-Healey 100S
1955 Austin-Healey 100S (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1953 Siata 208S
1953 Siata 208S (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1953 Ferrari 166MM Vignale Spider
1953 Ferrari 166MM Vignale Spider (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica
1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint
1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint driven by Chris Robins and Clifton Fink (Photographer Bob Ross)
1955 Austin-Healey 100M
1955 Austin-Healey 100M driven by Hans and Samantha Abrahams (Photographer Bob Ross)
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano driven by David MacNeil and Kim Ruzycki (Photographer Bob Ross)

California Mille 2013 – Top 40 Photo Gallery Page Two

 

1958 Porsche 356 Speedster
1958 Porsche 356 Speedster driven by Steve and Debbie Earle (Photographer Bob Ross)
1954 Kurtis 500KKS1
1954 Kurtis 500KKS1 driven by Fred Phillips (Photographer: Bob Ross)
1927 Rally ABC
1927 Rally ABC driven by Jonathan and Jack Spira. This car has a wonderful flat head Ford V8 with out Edelbrock heads. Went well and sounded better. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1959 Porsche 356A Carrera GT Coupe
1959 Porsche 356A GT Coupe driven by Bill Grimsley and Evan Shone (Photographer Bob Ross)
1957 AC Aceca Bristol
1957 AC Aceca Bristol driven by Jim Feldman and Terry Jondahl (Photographer Bob Ross)
1934 Lagonda M45 Tourer
1934 Lagonda M45 Tourer driven by Doug and Ellen Weitman (Photographer Bob Ross)
1960 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce
1960 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce driven by David Dossetter and Chris Tresse (Photographer Bob Ross)
California Mille mechanics
California Mille mechanics keep the cars on the road (Photographer Bob Ross)

California Mille 2013 – Top 40 Photo Gallery Page Three

 

1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS
1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS driven by Brian and Susan Currie (Photographer Bob Ross)
David Swig in the 1952 Lancia Ardea
David Swig in the 1952 Lancia Ardea as co-driver Howard Swig naps.(Photographer Dennis Gray)
1956 Ferrari 250GT Boano
1956 Ferrari 250GT Boano driven by David MacNeil and Kim Ruzycki. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1958 Aston Martin MkIII
1958 Aston Martin MkIII driven by John and Betty Fitzpatrick (Photographer Bob Ross)
1952 Lancia Ardea
Chuck Schoendorf and Judy Stropus in their 1952 Lancia Ardea. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1937 Jaguar SS-100
Matsuo and Kumiko Yoshida in the 1937 Jaguar SS-100.(Photographer Bob Ross)
1957 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet
1957 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet driven by Joe and Kate Hayes. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
Ford Hot Rod
Steve and Dannielle Schmidt in their Ford Hot Rod. Very quick and handled the curves well. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)

California Mille 2013 – Top 40 Photo Gallery Page Four

 

1957 AC Ace Bristol
Mike and Peggy Thurlow’s 1957 AC Ace Bristol. If you don’t think these cars are hustling through these turns check out the lean of the front wheels on Mike’s AC. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Zagato
Rare, amazing, and wonderful – have I missed any adjectives in describing this 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Zagato of Bruce and Cathy Milner? (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Moving right along – Jerry Rosenstock and Marv Kaye in their 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1955 Austin-Healey 100M
1955 Austin-Healey 100M driven by Hans and Samantha Abrahams. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano driven by David MacNeil and Kim Ruzycki. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1957 BMW 507 Roadster
1957 BMW 507 Roadster driven by Scott Morris and Rochelle Jensen.(Photographer:Dennis Gray)
1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Prototype
The ‘Prototipo’ 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider driven by Claus Menzel and Stewart Reed. This is the only Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder built with a column shift. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
Hard into on of the HWY 36 turns goes the 1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica 911513. Richard Mattei and Mark Ronfeldt pushed the big Alfa Romeo through the turns and down the straights. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
Hard into on of the HWY 36 turns goes the 1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica 911513. Richard Mattei and Mark Ronfeldt pushed the big Alfa Romeo through the turns and down the straights. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)

California Mille 2013 – Top 40 Photo Gallery Page Five

 

1956 Jaguar XK140 SE/MC
Larry and Carolyn Hursh hustling their 1956 Jaguar XK140 SE/MC through the turns on HWY 36 west of Redding. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1957 BMW 507
Scott Morris and Rochelle Jensen’s 1957 BMW 507. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC
Robert and Lynda Bodin’s 1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC south-west of Redding.(Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1960 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider
Tom and Gwen Price in their 1960 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S
1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S driven by Robert Mirvis and Armando Petretti.(Photographer:Dennis Gray)
1927 Rally ABC
1927 Rally ABC driven by Jonathan and Jack Spira (Photographer Bob Ross)
1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica
1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica (Photographer: Dennis Gray)
1952 Ferrari 212 Export
1952 Ferrari 212 Export driven by Craig and Bunny Davis. (Photographer: Dennis Gray)

California Mille 2013 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

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[Source: California Mille; photos: Dennis Gray and Bob Ross]