Keith Martin has been involved with the collector car hobby for more than 30 years. As a writer, publisher, television commentator and enthusiast, he is constantly on the go, meeting collectors and getting involved in their activities throughout the world. He is the founder and publisher of the monthly Sports Car Market, now in its 33rd year. Keith has written for the New York Times, Automobile, AutoWeek, Road & Track and other publications, is an emcee for numerous concours, and had his own show, “What’s My Car Worth,” shown on Velocity. He has received many honors, including the Lee Iacocca Award, the Edward Herrman Award, was inducted into the Concorso Italiano Hall of Fame and more. He is on the boards of directors of The LeMay Museum and Oregon Ballet Theater, and was formerly the chair of the board of the Meguiar's Award.
Would you sign up for the SCM Expedition?
I watched with admiration and envy as the Copperstate 1000 added an off-road component. The Copperstate Overland is a six-day, five-night romp through the wilds of Arizona.
A fully-supported luxury “glamping” moment, it is open to pre-1979 rigs, and limited to just a handful of participants — less than twenty.
Accommodations are a mixture of hotels and luxury campsites.
This is not inexpensive. The entry fee for their September event is $11,500.
I’ve gotten spoiled by Bring a Trailer.
One of the benefits of their bespoke listing format is that sellers have learned to be complete in their descriptions. If they are not, the BaT peanut gallery is sure to chime in.
A case in point. A friend of mine recently purchased a 14-year-old BMW from a private party.
When the car arrived, he discovered that it had only one key, and there were no owner’s manuals.
Getting another key and having Read More
In just a few days, Bradley and I will be heading out for a 1,600-mile road trip.
This journey is long overdue. It’s been almost two years since we threw our bags in the back of a car, put the top down and headed out from Portland.
Our travel and vacation options are limited in this COVID-19 era. Last December, Bradley and I went on a cruise in the Caribbean. I can’t imagine doing that now. We would be immersing Read More
Last week it was a 1975 Citroën DS23 that I backed off on. It sold for $37,800.
This week’s temptation was a 2003 Ferrari 456M GTA.
Matt Crandall at the Avant-Garde Collection is constantly getting in the way of my attempts be a thoughtful, patient collector.
I asked him to handle some of the title work on my SL 55 that arrived from California. He mentioned he has just listed a 456 on BaT and “you might want to come Read More
When SCMer Greg Long listed a 1975 DS23 Pallas on Bring a Trailer, it caught my attention. In addition to being a very-late model with a 2.3-liter engine, it had a Citromatic 4-speed automatic that you shifted manually.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Citroëns.
Whenever I see one, my collector car heart starts to race just a little bit.
I owned a 1959 ID19 when I lived in San Francisco during the ‘70s.
I chased a Mehari for Read More
Three strikes and you’re out. That’s been my philosophy with old cars for some time.
Recognizing that a car that comes into the SCM Collection may not have been used regularly, I anticipate a period of unreliability as they are put into service.
However, our 1965 Volvo is testing my patience.
When it first arrived, I had specialist Cameron Lovre at Swedish Relics check out the car. He remedied many issues with the worn-out front suspension, dried-out window gaskets Read More
I celebrated Father’s Day in car-guy style.
In one day, my 13-year-old son Bradley and I drove special cars from three different eras.
We started by taking the 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce out of storage. My good friend Neil D’Autremont has been managing the SCM cars. The car was on the button.
I’ve owned this car for more than 30 years, and I have pictures of my daughter Alex (now 28) and Bradley in the same car when Read More
When my daughter Alexandra and I go to Paris, our dinner the first night is always at Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. It’s a European chain that is known for its steak and fries (frites) — and its savory green-tinged steak sauce.
Your only choices are how you want your meat prepared, and which wine you wish to accompany your dinner. You know exactly what you are getting and how it will taste. The restaurant never lets you down.
It’s always Read More
Think of the world of collectible cars as a giant lending library.
While every book is different, most have just five chapters.
Aware. Acquire. Activate. Exult. Farewell.
These are the five chapters that mark the relationship with every collector car that comes into your life. When the last chapter is completed, it’s time to close the book and return it to the shelf.
When its next caretaker selects the same volume, it is new to him or her — and Read More
As we shuffle the SCM car collection, one thing has become evident.
With an old car, the most important thing you can do is make sure its suspension is in top shape.
By their nature, sports cars that are now a half-century old have not had easy lives. In addition to being driven hard, nearly every one of them has gone through owners with modest budgets and even more modest mechanical skills. So they have suffered minimalist repairs — often Read More
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