Keith Martin
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Keith’s Blog: Car Restoration and Human Restoration
I’m learning that just as car restorations have their own progressions, so does physical rehabilitation. This week I made some decisions about the restorations on my cars, and I made some steps forward with my own rehab. I’ve decided not to proceed with the full-bore, glass-and-headliner- out interior restoration of our 1961 Giulietta Sprint Speciale.…
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Keith’s Blog: Does Every Car Require a Pebble Beach Nut-and-Bolt Restoration?
In preparation for the Revs Institute Symposium on Collecting, founder Miles Collier sent out a list of questions for participants to consider. Since not all of us can make it to Naples, FL, I will share some of the questions and my responses in the next few newsletters. I also invite you to submit your…
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Keith’s Blog: I’m Getting Better!
Dear SCM Friends, It’s been a month since my stroke, and I wanted to touch base. I continue to make progress by visiting my therapist. A full recovery seems likely, but there are still months of hard work ahead. Doctors have found no underlying cause for my stroke. My blood pressure was 120/80 and I…
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Keith’s Blog: Rally Rd. for Bragging Rights
Editor’s note: Mark Wigginton is taking over this space for a few weeks while Publisher Martin grinds away at his stroke rehabilitation. A bunch of us from SCM World Headquarters visited him a few days ago, and he’s making amazing progress at regaining mobility on his left side. The man is even playing the piano!…
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The Times, They Are Unchanging
Exactly 20 years ago, I wrote this lead to the “Shifting Gears” column for the March 1999 issue of Sports Car Market: Would you have bought it anyway? That’s what we seem to be asked most frequently about our 1964 Ferrari 330 America, pulled from a barn in Butte, MT, last October. As the bills…
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Keith’s Blog: Looking for a Porsche 911S PDK
I have a little bit of news to share with all of you. Last week, I was in my Portland condo and suddenly found my legs getting weaker and weaker. I was in the shower at the time, so I got out, shaved and brushed my teeth. Why I did this, I don’t know. A…
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Keith’s Blog: Looking Back and Looking Forward
SCM’s 30th Anniversary year is now complete. And we are well on our way to celebrate our 31st year. At the end of the year, I like to reflect on how fortunate we are to be able to have old cars in our lives. More important than the cars and the tours and the events…
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Keith’s Blog: SCM Executive Editor Chester Allen Remembers Christmas in 1967
SCM Executive Editor is taking over my blog for the Christmas holiday. He’s sharing a memory of his mother — and a sensational Matchbox garbage truck — from Christmas 1967: I carry 57 years of Christmas memories around in my head — including the first time I ever kissed a girl — but the one…
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Uncorking Two Top-Shelf Supercars
Irecently had a chance to drive two state-of-the-art supercars — a McLaren 720S and a Ferrari GTC4Lusso T. The press kits that accompanied each car were full of cutting-edge technobabble. Lightweight turbines capable of 160,000 rpm. Twin injectors improving fuel nebulization. Magnetorheological dampers. They carry price tags worthy of their prowess. The 720S that I…
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Keith’s Blog: What’s Going on in the SCM Garage?
As the year comes to a close, this is a good time to survey the SCM fleet. Compared to years past, there is very little heavy lifting going on. The only car sidelined with engine issues is our 1996 Autozam AZ-1. We blew the head gasket on the Autozam on the way to Monterey. It…