Keith Martin

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 […]

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” […]

Keith’s Blog: Caravan to Concorso Is Back!

Mark your calendars. The third annual Caravan to Concorso will leave Portland on Saturday, August 8. With the addition of the Volvo 122 Automatic to the SCM fleet, I’ve got a ride even if my clutch leg isn’t completely up to snuff. Any pre-1975 car is welcome. Aside from providing […]

Keith’s Blog: Should I Sell the SS?

The 1961 Alfa Sprint Speciale is finally coming back to life. Nasko has built an all-new gearbox for it, using the original small-bushing tailpiece but with updated synchros inside. It’s been road-tested and is ready to go. The gray and red leather upholstery and gray carpets that Matt Jones had […]

Keith’s Blog: Heading South

I’m looking forward to seeing you in Scottsdale. Last year, I missed the desert action for the first time in three decades. But not this year. I’ll see you first at the SCM Insider’s Seminar on Thursday morning, at 9:30 am in the Gooding & Company Auction Tent. “Priced to […]