Keith Martin
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Keith’s Blog: Route Book vs. Mobile App
I have a simple question. I see an increasing number of rallies and tours offering the option of having the route available as an app on a smart phone. On the SCM 1000, we used both the Rallista app and had a printed route book. Do you have a preference? Does using an app detract…
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Keith’s Blog: A Clutter of Spiders
Two weekends ago, there were 10 vintage Alfa Romeo convertibles lined up at a rest stop near the Santiam Pass in Oregon. Cumulatively, they represented over 400 years of driving. Each year in April, the Alfa Romeo Club of Oregon puts on the “Old Spider Tour” to celebrate Alfa convertibles built prior to 1966. This…
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Keith’s Blog: How I Bid Online, Part Two: Pulling the Trigger
Last week I noted that I always have a few cars on my watch list. At any given time, there will be a few marques I am following for no particular reason. Right now, it is Volvo 240s and Avantis. Let’s add to that Chevy Corvairs and Porsche Macans. Part of my desire to purchase…
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People, Places and Things
Museums were on my mind recently. The same week the Mullin Collection was dispersed through a sale by Gooding & Company, I was visiting Washington, D.C., immersing myself in the capital. You are truly swimming in the sea of our country’s history no matter where you go in the city. My first stop was the…
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Keith’s Blog: How I Bid Online, Part One
Last week I asked about your approach to online bidding. Thank you for your thoughtful answers. I promised in return to share my way with you. First, we have to differentiate between “in the hunt” or “just looking.” Of course, everything tends to start with “just looking.” At any given time, there will be a…
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Keith’s Blog: What’s Your Bidding Secret?
What is your approach to bidding online? Some people like to bid early and stay involved clear through the process. Others figure it’s a waste of time to place a bid until the last two minutes. Do you listen to the trolls or disregard them? Tell me what your approach is, and next week I’ll…
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Keith’s Blog: Should the Mullin Collection Have Been Broken Up?
Last Friday, Gooding & Company had a very successful auction of the majority of the Mullin Collection. (Click here for the results.) I didn’t know Peter well, but he was on a panel I once hosted at Hilton Head. He also allowed me to drive one of his Bugattis down Highway 1 from Monterey to…
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Keith’s Blog: It’s All About the Rotation
It’s an unintended miracle. At the exact same time that the weather is turning towards sunshine, nearly all our cars are in tip-top condition and ready to go. After I reported on the errant speedometer in the 1972 250C during last week’s shakedown cruise, our technician reminded me that I actually already purchased the instrument…
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Love the One You Have
Erratic. Nonsensical. Devoid of any appearance of logic. That’s how my friends have described my approach to collecting over the past few years. But thanks to a recent temptation, my unfocused and somewhat frantic searching may be nearing an end. An adequately powered sports car that handles well on skinny tires and weighs around 2,500…
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Keith’s Blog: Does Improving A Car Make it Less Vintage?
Our 1972 Mercedes 250C is done. After tucking another $2,000 bill for repairs and upgrades in the bulging RO (repair orders) folder, I took the car for a 200-mile shakedown cruise. Like so many cars from the 1970s, the Mercedes had only an outside mirror on the driver’s side door, and none on the passenger…