
I was flying to Amelia Island, FL from Naples with SCM raconteur Donald Osborne when both our cell phones started firing. It was 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, March 9. The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance was scheduled to be held the following Sunday. Weather reports indicated that Saturday would be sunny and clear, but that…

The mantra of the car collector could well be “Buy, Spend, Learn, Spend, Repent, Spend, Move On.” It’s been over a year since we bought our 1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite. I was looking for something that my 9-year-old son Bradley could call his first car. After nearly a year, it’s nearly ready for us to…

If you like driving on the beach, Oregon’s the state for you. The Oregon Beach Bill, passed in 1967, established public ownership of land along the Oregon coast. This was to ensure that everyone has access to the beaches and ocean, which is not always the case in other states. While you can’t drive on…

Ever gone to tune up your classic car when it’s still semi-warm from being driven? Did you burn your hand on the exhaust manifold or header? Here’s a neat trick I’ve used for years to eliminate that problem: The first thing you’ll need is an old pushrod. The one I used is a 3/8-inch unit from…

For the past 18 months, I’ve blathered on about how I’d drive my 1965 Giulia Spider Veloce once the restoration was finished. It wasn’t going to be a garage queen. After all, it’s just a used car that’s been with my family for many years. The restoration simply marks a new chapter in its life.…

“Are you ready for your and my Super’s 50th on Monday?” Andrew Watry, keeper of the Alfa Romeo Berlina Register sent me that note last weekend. An aficionado of Alfas with four doors, Andrew helped me locate the SCM Super a few years ago. According to the Alfa Romeo Documentation Center, our Super was born…

From the new 5.0 Mustang GT to the new Camaro SS, there are plenty of options out there for a buyer looking to burn rubber in a modern muscle car. But what’s the best buy in today’s market? Let’s focus only on modern muscle craze. I’d suggest it started with the debut of the retro-styled…

Next year will mark the beginning of the fourth decade of SCM. From its humble beginnings as a two-page mimeographed Alfa Romeo Market Letter, it’s grown to a market-leading publication. It never occurred to me back then that I would be creating a job – actually a career – for myself. I must first give…

I read a recent article in Bloomberg about the rise in collectability of first generation Ford Broncos. Some are now selling for over six figures. I’ve owned first-gen Broncos (and even a Bronco II, but I don’t like to admit to it), and they are decent enough bare-bones utility vehicles. But no one has ever…