Keith Martin

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 for $50,000, put $50,000 into…

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 Miata (Best First Sports Car),…

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 years. When it was introduced…

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, rear-wheel-drive design. The Porsche has…

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 Sprint Speciale. Installing studded snow…

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 competence. They require our skill…

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 phones with video cameras, nothing…

I’ve known Bob Lutz (“Maximum Bob”) for more than 20 years. I served on his long-range planning committee when he was at General Motors. I’ve also been on several new car launches and several classic car events with him. His motto: “Often wrong, but never in doubt.” That approach is evident in his article about…

This was my fourth year at the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance, at Hilton Head, SC.  Each year, it continues to develop and grow in size and quality. Hilton Head now resides comfortably in the top tier of vintage car events. It’s more than just a car show. The official name of the weeklong happening is…

It’s been a busy week at SCM World Headquarters. Oregon is having its annual days of fall sunshine, with temperatures in the mid-70s. The leaves are turning and it’s a perfect time to enjoy sports cars. It’s also great weather to run them back and forth to repair shops. The 1967 went to Nasko for…