Every year, on the Saturday before Mother’s Day, classic car owners all over the Portland area fire up their cars before the sun and head to the east side of town for an early morning gathering. This is where the Portland Transmission show kicks off the car show season, sprawling […]
There’s been a lot written about the demise of swap meets. We’ve all heard how the Internet is now the quick-and-easy way to find and or sell what you need. However, the human factor is overlooked in all this. Just as I believe land-based auctions are a way for like-minded […]
During the Cold War, a top-secret fallout shelter designed to house 1,100 people (every member of the U.S. Congress and one aide per politician) during a nuclear war was constructed under The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV. This past Sunday, for the first time, The Greenbrier’s bunker became the […]
There’s something pretty appealing about a classic car project. For me, there are a lot of possibilities that circle around a rusty remnant of a car — especially when its revival is in my hands. What color was the car and what color will it be when you’re done with […]
“Do you want the spare parts that go with it?” It’s a familiar phrase when you make a new acquisition. More often than not, the seller is anxious to get rid of the spare parts that accumulated during their ownership. Sellers waving goodbye to a car are often happy to […]
Just about 100 years ago, Bob McGill, one of the founders of the Alfa Romeo Owners of Oregon, was born. Just about 60 years ago, McGill bought a new 1958 Alfa from Rambo Motors in Portland. A Normale, its serial number was 1495.02609. McGill died at age 92 in 2011. […]
Everybody loves Tri-Five Chevrolets, Shoebox Fords, Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers and Challengers. But if your goal is to stand out from the classic car crowd, the best bet is to find something different. Owning an old car is a social thing. You can’t take a classic anywhere without striking up a […]
When I bought my first car in 1967 — a 1960 Bugeye — it was just 7 years old. I bought my first Alfa in 1968, a 1963 Giulia Spider Veloce. It was 5 years old. By 1975, when it was 15 years old, the Bugeye was hopelessly archaic. The […]
This past Sunday marked my 7th year as emcee of the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance. In the bright morning sunshine, I looked over the 135 cars on the lawn at Ellen Browning Scripps Park, which is right on beautiful La Jolla Cove. The setting, which overlooks the beautiful Pacific Ocean, […]
We’re wrapping up ACC #39 this week, but there’s still time to submit responses to our Readers’ Forum question. What car should you have kept? This builds off a blog I wrote a few weeks ago — I’d like to know what car or cars you’ve owned in the past […]
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