September 2024
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Keith’s Blog: The Six-Car Collection, Part III
I just put a note in the mailroom of my condo: “Parking space wanted.” I’m having trouble getting down to just six cars. To recap, we are keeping the 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe, the 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4 and the 1965 Alfa Giulia Spider Veloce. The C3 Corvette will be moving on for…
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Keith’s Blog: The Six-Car Collection, Part II
Last we discussed finding the perfect mix of garage space, event participation, affinity groups and classic cars. We note that our current “keepers” are the 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 2+2, the 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4 and the 1965 Alfa Giulia Spider Veloce. Here are two more contestants. While the 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250C is now…
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A Meditation on Preservation
Some winners are easier to pick than others. At the Kentucky Derby, it’s the nose of the horse that crosses the finish line first. At the Super Bowl, the team with the most points when the clock expires is the champion. The first team to take four games in the World Series is the victor.…
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The Case of the Runaway Rolls
Memory Lane Motors has been a collector car fixture in Portland, OR, for over 40 years, dealing largely in mid-range American and European classic cars. Manager Elan Davis says that in all that time, it has never sold a car at auction. To his regret, he made his first attempt early this year. The dealership…
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Highlights From Monterey Car Week
Back again we went, for the fourth post-pandemic-cancellation Monterey Car Week. It was, as they say, “bigger and better than ever.” Crowds were thicker, traffic was a nightmare, and hotels engaged in their expected price gouging. The cars, however, never disappoint. This year they again made up for all the deficiencies of the humanity crowded…
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Lexus IS as Lexus Does
The first generation of the Lexus IS was never much to look at. Apart from more-stylish wheels and a slightly more pugnacious stance, Lexus’ new compact sport sedan didn’t seem to differentiate itself much from some lesser Toyota models. You had to get closer and pay attention to see that Lexus had delivered a car…
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Keith’s Blog: Today’s Six-Car Collection
We call it “Car Knitting” or “Car Solitaire.” It’s the never-ending and always entertaining process where we mentally and physically reshuffle the cars in our garage. At SCM, we’re getting closer to the desired combination of cars and garage spaces. At the same time, as our patterns of use evolve, it’s okay to say goodbye…
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Keith’s Blog: Jurassic Oregon
Over Labor Day Weekend, we attended the 47th annual All British Field Meet. Held at Portland International Raceway, it bills itself as the longest-running and biggest three-day all-British car event in the country. It averages nearly 700 cars a year. Now that Bradley is driving, this has become a family affair. I brought the Jaguar…
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Keith’s Blog: Speedo Calibration Will Be Up To You
After spending three weeks talking to gurus and posting on social media about this issue, I’ve come to the following conclusion: I am going to put our two-owner 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250C onto Bring a Trailer with a speedometer that reads slow. We bought this car specifically to prepare for the SCM 1000 and similar long-distance…