I drove the Targa Florio a few years ago (I'm not even sure if it is running these days, sort of typical Italian administrative complexities and warring factions) in a TOTAL piece of **** 50's Triumph. The car had a classically bad electrical system and broke down constantly. (At the time, I think I had the Diablo 6.0 in the garage at home). The car was completely squirrely on the web cobblestones climbing Mt.Pelligrino, and had no real speed. The lighting was like candles at night. But, i was about five inches off the ground, with the door cut-outs i could palm the pavement as i drove- and the route was all B- and C roads, through the mountains. With the largish steering wheel, a horrible shifter and no real power, you pretty much drove it flat out to keep up. It was a ball. I ran a 20's British car that I had restored for a while, and right hand drive, cable brakes and no real grip using huge wire wheels made it a challenge to drive at 50 mph. Maybe I'm just getting old. I'd still like to own a period Bentley red label 3 with a 4.5 litre motor. Those cars were the hot-rods of their day and are still run competitively, in their class, with amazing results.
the real targa died after the '73 race, those were the days "when racing was dangerous and sex was safe" but the amateur event lives on and i believe IRC is still held there.