Dave Brownell
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1932 Marmon Sixteen Victoria Coupe
Slowly examine one of these cars from every angle and the true genius of Walter Dorwin Teague Jr.’s design is apparent {vsig}2005-3_1823{/vsig} Howard Marmon was a brilliant engineer; he completed his first automobile in 1902 at the age of 23. It was remarkably advanced for its time, featuring an overhead-valve, air-cooled engine. This would be…
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1958 Morgan Plus 4 Drophead Coupe
Dropheads were a rare sight new and even scarcer today, with exceedingly handsome styling in the vintage English idiom {vsig}2004-5_1235{/vsig} The Morgan Motor Company, the oldest independent automobile company on the planet, crafts its unique sports cars in a turn of the century factory in Malvern Link, Worcestershire, England. To this day, Morgans are still…
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1930 Pierce-Arrow Model B Convertible Coupe
If you own one of these old chariots and you’ve been thinking about parting with it, this would be a good time to act Before entering the automotive business in 1901, the George N. Pierce Company of Buffalo, NY, had been engaged in making such diverse products as birdcages and bicycles. Pierce’s first cars were…
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1956 Jaguar XK 140 MC Drophead Coupe
The new owner paid the price times two for one of the finest XK 140 dropheads extant The XK 140 was introduced in October 1954, retaining the classic XK lines but with major changes in engineering and appearance. A chrome strip ran down the length of the hood and another on the trunk lid drew…
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1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe
Except for being repainted at some point in its life, this amazing one-off was totally untouched from new This Bertone-bodied Abarth 1500 Biposto coupe is one of the most important barn finds in recent motoring history. It is among the earliest, if not the first, of the Fiat-based Abarths. It is Franco Scaglione’s first design…
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1967 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk III Phase II
Its door gaps were as exact as a bespoke Tuxedo and the engine bay was spotless Austin-Healey’s highly successful six cylinder cars entered their final iteration in 1964 with the BJ8 series, or Mk III. This was the high point in driver and passenger comfort for the “big” Healeys, as they became more of a…
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1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK Roadster
A Rembrandt of iron and rubber The Mercedes-Benz SSK was developed from the S-type chassis and fitted with a 7-liter SS engine. About 33 SSKs rolled out of the factory from 1928 to 1932, and about half were competition cars like this one, which was sold with the word “Rennwagen” (racing car) written on…
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1926 Bentley 3-Liter Speed Model
In 12 short years, Bentley became one of Britain’s most revered marques through its cars’ technical sophistication and enviable record in long-distance racing events, including winning the Le Mans 24-hour race five times. Designed by Walter Owen Bentley and his colleagues, the 3-Litre was the progenitor of the 4.5-, 6.5- and 8-Litre Bentleys. The 3-Litre…
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1964 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupe
After the second World War and into the 1960s, as prosperity increased with the car-buying public, the demand rose for better, more elegant and entertaining vehicles. Up until this time, most manufacturers concentrated on rather bland and functional cars. Volkswagen, of course, produced the Beetle and a Microbus. Looking for a new “image” car, Volkswagen…
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1931 Chrysler CG Imperial Dual Cowl Phaeton
The remarkable styling of the CG series Imperials was the work of LeBaron, one of the greatest design firms of the classic era. Founded by Thomas L. Hibbard and Ray Dietrich, and later joined by Ralph Roberts, the company established itself as innovative, creative and responsive. Although Hibbard and Dietrich later left the firm to…