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, […]
Blogs
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 […]
Jim’s Blog: Happy Holidays from ACC!
This past issue of ACC — our 37th — marks six years of the magazine. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long already. But we’re here and better than ever, and 2018 should be even more interesting both for the market and for us, especially considering the top-level consignments […]
Jim’s Blog: The Future of Car Collecting?
Yesterday, while hunting Craigslist for first-gen Ford Mustangs for ACC, I tripped over this twin-turbo 1964 Plymouth Valiant for sale. Yep, that’s right — someone took a slant-six powered Plymouth Valiant and swapped in a Japanese straight six, specifically the 24-valve 6-cylinder Toyota 1JZ engine along with other toyota spare […]
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 […]
Jim’s Blog: Hunting a Mustang
It’s time for ACC to get a new car for our garage. I’d like to find an early Ford Mustang. The Mustang is a great collector car, as it’s iconic, simple, and parts are easy to find. In fact, there are a bunch for sale in ACC’s local area at […]
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 […]