The SCM 1961 Alfa Sprint Speciale is in transition. When we bought it at Auctions America in Fort Lauderdale in March of 2015, it had been stored for at least 30 years in the Cayman Motor Museum. Its engine was frozen — upon disassembly, it appeared the head gasket blew, […]
Author: Keith Martin
Keith’s Blog: New Year’s Resolutions for Car Collectors
It’s a new year and a time for a fresh start. For some of us, car collecting is like being stuck in a pounding surf, where each wave that hits sucks $5,000 out of your pocket. For others, it’s a daily lesson in collector car math — buy a car […]
Keith’s Blog: The 12 Cars of Christmas — Part Two
Last week I picked the first six cars I’d like to find under the Christmas tree. There’s no linear order to these selections. These are just cars I like — and that represent a specific point of view in the world of collector cars. Last week’s six were the Mazda […]
Keith’s Blog: The 12 Cars of Christmas — Part One
It’s every gearhead’s fantasy to wake up on December 25 and find the garage stuffed with a dozen new toys. Here are my first six picks for your 2017 Yuletide surprises. Best First Sports Car: The Mazda Miata has to be the iconic affordable sports car of the past 30 […]
When Will It Be Time to Sell?
There’s been a lot of talk recently about Baby-Boomer collectors “thinning their collections” and “right-sizing them.” Whether you have six cars, 60 or 600 — the dilemma is the same. Over the decades you’ve been collecting, as you’ve found the specific model you’ve been looking for, you acquire it — […]
Keith’s Blog: The GTV, the 911 and the Oregon Coast
I’ve had a glorious weekend with what are fast becoming my two favorite cars. While the 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV and the 2003 Porsche 996 911 are are decades apart in construction, they offer many of the same driving rewards to an old-car enthusiast. The Alfa is a tried-and-true front-engine, […]
Keith’s Blog: Kids, Dogs, Mud and Diesels
Early Saturday morning in the pouring rain, I was chugging up the Cedar Tree trail in Oregon Tillamook National Forest. I wasn’t wondering why a manual-transmission-equipped late-model Ferrari brings such a premium at auction. I wasn’t figuring out how to source the FISPA fuel regulator I need for my Giulietta […]
Keith’s Blog: The D90 Heads to Timberline Lodge
It’s horses for courses when it comes to old cars. A modern SUV could travel easily on Interstate highways at 75 mph — and plow through snow and scramble up dirt roads. But where’s the fun in that? Part of what makes old cars so appealing is their lack of […]
Keith’s Blog: Bradley’s First Drive
It’s a rite of passage that we’ve all experienced. The first time we were behind the wheel of a car, started the engine and actually drove the machine. For most of us, that moment is lost to time and captured only by our memories. However, it today’s world of smart […]
Raising the SCM Family
I’ve raised a family of three over the past 30 years. They include my daughter, Alexandra, 26, my son Bradley, 10, and Sports Car Market, which is nearly full-grown at 30. Just as I’ve watched Alex and Bradley mature and develop, I’ve seen SCM go from a little black-and-white newsletter […]