New-driver Bradley has nearly 1,000 miles under his belt now. The last 250 came behind the wheel of his mother’s manual Boxster S. He prefers the manual but appreciates the time he has had just “driving” with automatics. He has spent a little time driving friend Chris Bright’s 1300-cc Alfa […]

As our launch date of August 14 draws closer, some of the puzzle pieces of our trip are coming together. Please join us for some or all of it. At the moment, it appears the SCM contingent will include our 1972 Mercedes 250C, along with my son Bradley’s recently acquired […]

This was all my fault. I was scrolling through Facebook and came across a listing for “The Malaise Car Show.” It was for cars from 1972 to 1995. As Bradley’s C3 Corvette is a 1982, it fit squarely within the parameters. He signed up, entered my credit card, and $25 […]

My son Bradley and I have just returned from the successful SCM 1000 Tour. On it, he co-drove with SCM contributor Philip Richter, who joined us from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They shared the 1971 Jaguar V12 E-type S3 coupe and the 1972 Mercedes 250C. Including the traverse from Portland to […]

I took Bradley and his friends to a local MAG auction in Salem, OR, a few weeks ago. For reasons I will never understand, all three 16-year-old young men were smitten by the C3 Chevrolet Corvettes on offer. I have never paid attention to these “Mako Shark” derived cars. They […]

At 9 am on Monday, August 14 we’re leaving Portland and heading towards Monterey. There may be two cars or 10, we don’t know. Our plan is to take it easy and smell the flowers. We will take I5 South, then cut over to the coast near Eugene and have […]

It was time-travel time for the SCM gang this weekend. There was a collector car auction at the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center in Salem. That’s about 45 miles from Portland. It was being conducted by MAG Auctions. New to the area, it is filling the spot once held […]

Car Season in Portland has officially launched. For the past 28 years, the Portland Transmission Spring Classic has been held the Saturday before Mother’s Day. In some ways it is the antithesis of a high-end concours. It is loosely organized. It is held on the city streets of inner Southeast […]

Bradley and I just completed the Alfa Romeo Owners of Oregon 45th Annual Old Spider Tour. For me, it was a two-day, 400-mile tour. While it celebrates Giulietta and Giulia Spiders specifically, all Alfas are welcome. It was hosted this year by Alfa restoration guru Bill Gillham and his wife […]

By the time you read this, I should have test-driven my 1975 Porsche 911 S for the first time. It’s been seven months since I bought it. Bringing old cars back to life takes time. The cars determine the rhythm of restoration, not you. I first learned about this car, […]