March 2024
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Nothing Vanilla About It
1976 Datsun 280Z “Alpha 1 GTO” S/N HLS30303255. 82k miles. “Used in 2001 film ‘Vanilla Sky,’ 350-ci Chevrolet V8, Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, MSD Atomic EFI, 3-speed automatic transmission, Alpha 1 GTO fiberglass body, dark blue paint, black vinyl upholstery, wood-rimmed steering wheel, sliding side windows, rear hatch, 15-inch wire wheels, BC coil-overs.” Condition: 2-.…
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Tuning Out the Crowd
Back in the late 1990s, before the Fast became Furious, Honda Motor Co. found itself the fortunate beneficiary of a momentous shift in car culture. Almost overnight, Honda Civics and Acura Integras became icons among a group of enthusiasts known as much for their ill-fitting pants as for their slammed hatchbacks. That these cars offered…
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Drive It Like You Stole It!
In 2005, I bought a Ford GT in what I consider the heritage colors — Midnight Blue with white stripes. These echo the Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes livery of the 1964 GT40 that won the Daytona 2000 km Continental. Even after more than 18 years and 20,776 miles, my car is a thrill…
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Dealer Dinged by Dash Cam
John Parrish of Burlington, NC, is proud of his 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Factory stock with 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, it eats up pavement pretty quickly. In his words, the combination of the white exterior and red interior “just does it for me.” However, the Corvette developed a minor running problem. Parrish…
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Hope Springs Eternal
I’ve got a new favorite Porsche. This isn’t my first Stuttgart rodeo. Over the years, I have owned a 1968 911L, a 1978 911 SC, a 1991 928 S4, a 2000 911 Turbo, a 2000 911 Carrera and a 2000 Boxster S. They each spoke their Porsche dialect with a distinct accent. The 911L presented…
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Keith’s Blog: Bring a Trailer Bingeing
A resto-mod 1972 Datsun 240Z that sold this past weekend for $82,500 ($86,625 with buyer’s premium) caught my attention. Nine 240Zs have sold for over $100,000 on BaT. However, most of these were either perfectly restored or low-miles originals. This one, while stock in appearance, had a bored-out 3.2 liter “Rebello” engine and triple Webers.…
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Keith’s Blog: Shelbys Are Where You Find Them
Did you know a 1965 Shelby GT350 was first overall in the 1965 Mexican 24 Hour Road Rally? At least it was for the first 14 hours, until it was sidelined by a fire in its trunk. I learned this at the 68th Annual Portland Roadster Show. It’s billed as the largest volunteer only indoor…
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Keith’s Blog: Studebaker Avanti or Jensen Interceptor?
It’s a weird addiction. Each time I declare that I’m done buying cars, like a “Whack-A-Mole” game something new pops up and catches my attention. In a previous blog, I commented on how a lucky missed phone call saved me from buying a Jensen Interceptor. (It also kept Editor-In-Chief Jeff Sabatini around, as he vowed…
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Keith’s Blog: My “First Italian Sports Car” Recommendation: Ferrari 308
“Will you sell me your Duetto?” It was really a two-part question. It started with, “I’m looking to buy my first Italian sports car,” and ended with, “and I wondered if you would sell me your Duetto?” There was more, of course. My friend has always owned Porsches, and recently sold his air-cooled Carrera 4S.…