April 2025
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Keith’s Blog: Cadillacs and 4Cs in Camas
Social media has its plusses and minuses, but a definitive positive is the ability to find out about events you would never hear of otherwise. Late Friday night I was forwarded a notice of the “Discovery Vintage Car Show – Vintage Wheels and Timeless Appeal.” It was being held at Discovery High School in Camas,…
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Keith’s Blog: Just Chasing a Maserati
Through happenstance, SCMer Chris Bright and I ended up living a floor apart in the same condo. As you wind down through our building’s four levels of underground parking, you see some unusual cars. The most mysterious is covered, but a discerning eye can spot the sensuous lines of a 1956 Maserati 350S. Chris has…
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G Whiz
The Infiniti G35 and G37 Coupes were grand tourers known for being as easy on the eyes as they were on their owners’ wallets. Based on Nissan’s FM platform, which underpins its more famous Z cars, the coupes also shared mechanicals with sedan counterparts that borrowed their name, if not their beauty. Athletic and powerful,…
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Tariffs Really Taxing the Auto Industry
As I write this, President Trump’s executive order that imposes 25% tariffs on imported cars has just gone into effect, and the stock market has tumbled. There is no doubt that, by the time you read this, something more will have happened. The tariffs may be changed, or even abandoned, or the automotive industry may…
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Wheel of Misfortune
This whole thing started like many of my adventures, behind the wheel of an Alfa. As my stroke-weakened left leg responds to physical therapy, I have begun to be able to drive a manual-shift car again, though in a limited fashion. I took our 1965 Giulia Spider Veloce around the block a couple of times.…
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Keith’s Blog: Wouldn’t You Rather Drive a New Porsche 911?
The 2025 NW Passage — Spring, an annual tour put on by the Porsche Club of America Oregon Region, is fast approaching. From June 11-16, some 40 sports cars, mostly late-model Porsches, will set off on a 1,500-mile romp through the Pacific Northwest. Stops include Leavenworth, WA, Sandpoint, ID, and Walla Walla, WA. SCM has…
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Keith’s Blog: How the Internet Changed Swap Meets
I’ve been attending the Portland Swap Meet for more than 30 years. It is billed as the largest auto swap meet on the West Coast. In the early, pre-internet days, walking though the swap meet gates was like dropping into an Alice in Wonderland hole with no idea what magical things you would find inside.…