Keith Martin
-
Trading Air for Water
It was July 16, 1975. Ronald Andrews arrived at Holbert Porsche Audi in Warrington, PA, to take delivery of his new 911 S. He knew exactly what he wanted. The 1975 S, with its 2.7-L magnesium-case engine, weighed in at 2,370 pounds, about the same as the fabled Carrera RS 2.7. It was an unusual…
-
Keith’s Blog: Oh Lord, Won’t You Buy Me a Mercedes-Benz
My good friend and stalwart SCM 1000 supporter, Allen Stephens, has owned his 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250C since 2013. He has been a fastidious and thoughtful caretaker of the car, and it is now listed on Bring a Trailer here. I’ve had my own experience with a 250C and managed to learn slowly and painfully just…
-
Keith’s Blog: Have I Been Scammed?
This story is a little complicated, so buckle your seatbelt and get ready for a ride. It’s now easier than ever to look up the history of your car. While the wealth of knowledge makes your life simpler, there are still fraudsters out there. Before I bought my 1991 Alfa S4 Spider, I never did…
-
Keith’s Blog: Let’s Get Engaged
As the days begin to lengthen, our thoughts of how to use our classic cars become more inviting. As SCM Contributor Miles Collier as puts it so succinctly, “It’s all about engagement.” We all have cars of varying ages and degrees of performance. What endears them to us is the degree of competence each requires…
-
Keith’s Blog: Brother, Can You Spare a Wheel?
It’s now been a month since we purchased our 2005 Porsche 911 C4S. This blog should be a summing up of a month’s worth of Oregon Club Porsche tours, with praise pointed at how easy the car is to use, how much I appreciate the climate controls, and even an explanation of why I decided…
-
The Dance of Perfection
I was just settling into my favorite of the 3,000 seats in Portland’s Keller Auditorium. I prefer row N, seat 8, as I am close enough to see the facial expressions of the performers yet far enough back to take in overall staging of the ballet. It was Oregon Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Sleeping Beauty”…
-
Keith’s Blog: Down to Three
I have been struggling with how to downsize my collection. There are a couple of factors involved. Parking spaces at my condo are limited. At one point I had seven, but not anymore. Further, the Morlocks who run our HOA have decided that trickle chargers are not “safe” (compared to the exploding lithium-ion battery-powered electric…
-
Keith’s Blog: Revenge of the Classic Cars
SCM’s lovely, low-miles original 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe has gone to a new home. On BaT, it sold for $52,763. I thought this was a good value, especially considering the recent decline in the classic British sports car market. Speaking of… if you ever wanted a Big Healey, now is your chance. I’ve seen…
-
Keith’s Blog: Goodbye, V12 Jag
On Friday, March 6, a digital hammer will drop. Our 32k-mile 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe, listed here on Bring a Trailer, will be going to a new home. It’s with mixed feelings that I will watch the clock count down to the final second. While I’ve owned several six-cylinder Series I and II E-types,…
-
Keith’s Blog: The $3k Volvo
Last week we talked about our 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4. It needs a new top, which will cost around $2,000. Well, that was just the tip of the used-car repair iceberg. About a year ago, my teenage son Bradley acquired a Volvo V70. I had started him out with a 1982 Corvette Collector Edition…