Keith Martin
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Keith’s Blog: La Jolla Takes it Up a Notch
Every car event has its own flavor, from the industrial magic of Pebble, where the world’s greatest cars emerge to be ogled by some of the world’s most influential collectors, to Concorso Italiano, where the smiling-face chaos begins when the first Fiat arrives and ends as the last Ferrari exits the field. The most successful…
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Keith’s Blog: Duetto Ashtray Needed and the BMW Goes to Bonneville Dam
The weather in Oregon has turned, so it’s time to get the old cars out and give them some exercise. But before we talk about the driving experience, let me give you an update on the fleet. According to Alfa Romeo, our 1958 Sprint was born on April 3, 1958. Last Friday we celebrated the…
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Cranking Up the Collector World
I love the way the collector-car year launches. Arizona in January is like Mardi Gras, with cars to be auctioned replacing floats. The procession of delectable automobiles is non-stop, with the six big auctions pulling out all the stops. For me, the action started earlier this year than usual. It included a quick trip…
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Keith’s Blog: Desert Concorso is a Hit
It’s a good time to be a gearhead. This is the second opportunity I’ve had in the past three months to be involved in a new car event, and both have been spectacular. In January, I was the emcee for the inaugural Arizona Concours d’Elegance. (See my previous blog post and column.) Despite naysayers who said the organizers…
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Keith’s Blog: There’s a Duetto in the Garage
It’s only taken me two years to find the right car, and it was right here under my nose. To recap, I decided last year that I would create a focus to my mini-collection. Instead of it looking like a sampling of “The Greatest Hits From Bring A Trailer,” with vehicles ranging from a Saab…
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Keith’s Blog: The Red Car That Almost Got Me In Fort Lauderdale
After finishing up our Amelia Island shoot for “What’s My Car Worth,” we traveled south to Fort Lauderdale to record more episodes. We evaluated nearly 50 cars, and the new shows will begin airing in July. I’ve always liked the Auctions America sale in Fort Lauderdale. Donnie Gould leads the gang there, and they are…
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Keith’s Blog: Cars Hold Me Prisoner All Week Long
The 19th annual Amelia Island Concours has come and gone. Our second shooting session for “What’s My Car Worth” is over. Now all that is left is to gather everything up, throw it in the van and drive south to Fort Lauderdale, where on Wednesday we set up the cameras and start things all over…
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Keith’s Blog: See You in Florida!
It’s roadtrip time for me again. It’s a good thing I like cars, as my next two weeks are going to be full of them. Put Amelia Island weekend, Auctions America in Ft. Lauderdale and What’s My Car Worth into a mixing bowl, and you end up with a ticket on Delta that leaves Portland…
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A Collector-Car Catechism
At times, the SCM offices resemble an automotive confessional. Emails, texts, Facebook postings, faxes and sometimes even old-school, hand-written letters flood in — each missive asking for collector-car absolution or permission. “Dear SCM, please forgive me as I have sinned and bought a car over the Internet without seeing it in person… again.” “Keith, I…
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Keith’s Blog: Does Having a Correct Engine Matter in an Affordable Classic?
First of all, this whole discussion is really the fault of Miles Collier, columnist for SCM and provocateur extraordinaire when it comes to making collectors actually think about what they are doing when they buy and sell old cars. Prior to meeting Miles, my criteria were simple: I can afford it, and I’ve never had…