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Blogs
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Jim’s Blog: The Best Modern Modification?
Old cars are great just as they are. But if you hope to use one regularly these days, a few updates can make the experience better. For example, say you’ve got a 1968 Mustang with a 390 and you live in L.A. That traffic is notorious, and the cooling system in the Mustang, while decent…
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Keith’s Blog: Half a Century with Alfas
Last weekend, the Alfa Romeo Owners of Oregon celebrated its 50th anniversary. The four days were chock full of activities, mostly thanks to Lisa McNabb, the energizer bunny of the club. I first joined the club in 1969, when I came to Reed College. Over the years, it has been my support group as I…
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Keith’s Blog: 6,000 Miles in Six Alfas
Covering 1,000 miles in a 50-year-old car can be a daunting challenge. For SCM30, coming up in early July, SCM will have all six of its Alfas entered. In all, they will be covering 6,000 miles. What could possibly go wrong? SCM30 (our 30th anniversary tour) is in part a fundraiser for the Portland Art…
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Jim’s Blog: What Makes a Car Collectible?
We’re working on the next issue of ACC this week, and there’s still time to participate in our Readers’ Forum. This month’s question: What is it that makes a car collectible? This issue will feature everything from a vintage AMC Pacer through a modern Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. That’s a wide range of cars, and…
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Keith’s Blog: The Bugeye or the 911 — Which Car for a Road Trip?
SCM’s 30th Anniversary Tour is fast approaching, so it’s time to test and finalize the route. The route master is Neil d’Autremont of Sidedraught City. He’s given me the instructions for the last section of the final day. By freeway, it’s about a 100-mile stretch. I’ve been planning to take the 1960 Bugeye on the…
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Keith’s Blog: The Sprint Speciale – Preserve or Restore?
Now that our 1961 Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale is coming back to life, we’ve got some questions to address. The car is an unusual mix of a well-aged mediocre paint job, excellent original chrome and a completely incorrect interior. From 20 feet away, the car looks terrific. This is why I was attracted to it…
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Jim’s Blog: Sights From the Portland Transmission Spring Classic
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 across a big chunk of…
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Keith’s Blog: Going to a Swap Meet
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 enthusiasts to come together, so…
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Keith’s Blog: A Concours in A Bunker Dodges the Rain
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 home for a variety of…
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Jim’s Blog: The Promise of a Project
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 it? What engine was in…