It’s an odd time to be talking about classic cars. Our whole world has been turned upside down in a matter of weeks. We are holding our collective breath, waiting to find out what is going to happen next. But, in fact, many service and restoration shops are open. People […]
Author: Keith Martin
Keith’s Blog: A Quick Road Trip in the Lockdown Era
I question the wisdom of my own decision to leave quarantine, even if briefly. Last weekend, Bradley and I piled into the SCM Volvo 122S and drove to the Oregon coast and back. Our destination was the fabled Bowpicker Fish and Chips in Astoria. The establishment is housed in a […]
Keith’s Blog: Write Your Car Diary
Our world is changing daily. Five years from now, we will look back on this as an extraordinary time in our lives. But for the moment, we don’t know from one moment to the next how much — or how little — freedom we will have. I suggest that you […]
Keith’s Blog: Stay Home and Plan
We are in uncharted waters. No one can predict what the next weeks or month will bring. It’s a time of uncertainty for all of us. I suggest we all use this quiet time to chart out the next decade with our cars. Look at all the activities you are […]
Keith’s Blog: Why I Didn’t Buy an RX-7
There was a first-gen Mazda RX-7 on Bring A Trailer recently. It had only 16,000 miles, a rare automatic transmission — and was located fewer than 15 miles from SCM World Headquarters in Portland, OR. I’ve always been attracted to these cars. Their lines are period-interesting, and the rotary engine […]
Keith’s Blog: Drive and Save
Every mile I drive the SCM Volvo 122S, I save myself money. There are two rules after you acquire a car that never change: First, do what it takes to make the car safe to drive. Second, put 500 miles on it before you do anything else. When you get […]
Keith’s Blog: Jaguar or Mercedes?
My adventures with the 1965 Volvo 122S continue. I am thoroughly enjoying being back behind the wheel of a vintage vehicle. The joy of driving a classic sports car reminds me of why I started SCM 32 years ago. It also reminds me of how many stories you readers have […]
Two-Pedal Mettle
I broke “The Draneas Rules.” Again. Our “Legal Files” columnist, John Draneas, constantly says that you should never buy a car without an inspection — and you should never send money to someone you don’t know (for a refresher, see this month’s column on p. 48). After willfully and intentionally […]
Keith’s Blog: Old Car or New for My Spring Break Road Trip?
I’ve written many times that old cars are not safe in modern traffic. It’s one thing to type that out. It’s another to experience it. Sunday I took the SCM Volvo out for a drive, through Portland, onto the freeway and back. As old cars go, the Volvo is relatively […]
Keith’s Blog: Upgrading Your Cars
When the SCM 1965 Volvo 122S automatic arrived last week, SCMer Dean Koehler arrived to inspect the car. Dean is the founder and the self-appointed Volvocrat of the PDX Round Fender Volvo Club. He’s also the iron-fisted content arbiter of the PDX Volvos FB page. As he walked around “ELF” […]