Colin is the founder of Colin’s Classic Automobiles in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as SCM’s resident American car expert.
His fascination with cars began at an early age, and according to him, he never grew out of it—nor does he wish to. Colin regularly appears on television, and he is the author of 11 books, including Million-Dollar Muscle Cars and the Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles.
Colin has written for Road & Track, Old Cars Weekly, and Hagerty.
A hands-on guy, Comer maintains an impressive collection of his own and is an avid vintage racer.
Books
Colin has written many books on automotive topics:
Articles in Sports Car Market
Here are the latest articles from Colin:
Planning is Overrated – Sometimes I don’t always plan as far ahead as I should. Some may call it procrastinating, but I’m not ready to cop to that. Rather, I see planning for things at the 11th hour as a sign of extreme flexibility and a way to make every day a new adventure. My wife, however, vehemently disagrees.… Read more Living the Half Life – Half-life” (denoted in scientific equations as t½) is the principle typically used to measure how long radioactive decay takes to reduce something to half of its initial value. Scientists, of which I am certainly not one, seem to think t½ is constant. I, perhaps due to the previously mentioned lack of education in this realm,… Read more Beater Days – Ijust bought a 1966 Chrysler New Yorker. Why? Pure, blind nostalgia. I purchased my first “winter beater” when I was in high school. Yep, it was a 1966 New Yorker. Mine was a Town Sedan — the bottom-of-the-line 6-window, 4-door post car. It was your typical Midwestern Mopar, its white exterior under siege by rust,… Read more
1979 Aston Martin V8 Vantage “Oscar India” Coupe – The true Vantage “supercar” version of Aston Martin’s standard-bearer V8 was never sold new in the United States due to emissions regulations; the fire-breathing “4×2” Weber carburetors and low-restriction exhaust were simply not compliant. So this first-generation V8 Vantage was rare then, and this now-federal-emissions-exempt example is one of only a few existing today in… Read more History Calling – A few months ago, I wrote about my decision to sell one of the two 1965 Shelby GT350s I owned, also known as my Noah’s Ark problem, and tried to explain it as being more than a coin flip. In the end, I kept the one I had a lot more history with: 5S249. As… Read more Garage is Where the Heart is – I’ve never had a decent garage. That isn’t to say I haven’t had good shop space to keep cars in over the years, because I certainly have, but that is different. Of course I’m thankful for that ability, but I’ve always wanted a garage to keep cars in at home. Not just to easily grab… Read more Letting Go – I returned from Car Week in Monterey with a bad case of seller’s remorse. Why? Because I sold two cars I had never planned to sell. First, a little background. I’ll admit I’ve always been a lot better at finding stuff I “have to have” then I’ve been at realizing I have stuff I should… Read more 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX2000 – This very first Cobra, CSX2000, arrived in the United States in February 1962. It was personally picked up at the Los Angeles airport by Carroll Shelby and Dean Moon before being brought back to Moon’s shop, where they installed the 260-ci V8 Ford engine with a Ford gearbox in a matter of hours. And with… Read more Requiem for the Car Club? – I like to think I’m not getting old, but unless I stop looking in mirrors (and change my diet to 100% Ibuprofen), I can’t help but face the fact that I am. Along with that, I suppose, comes the responsibility to bitch about how much better it was in “the old days.” Now, let me clarify,… Read more Pay Less, Get More? – All of us are guilty of it. We buy an old car or truck but secretly wish it didn’t perform like one. It is like adopting a stray pit bull and hoping it won’t bite your toddler, or drinking a case of beer and thinking you won’t have a hangover. But the truth is that… Read more A Tale of Two Cobras – Recently we witnessed the sale of two unique 289 Cobras — at two different auctions, within two months of each other. One was a modified street-specification car that has lived a quiet life in the United States. The other was a factory-prepared Competition car that has lived a much more public life in France, including… Read more 1971 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda Convertible – This 1971 Hemi ’Cuda convertible, one of just two 4-speed versions delivered in the U.S., has been hailed as the Holy Grail of muscle cars. Documented as the only matching-numbers 4-speed convertible in existence, its factory broadcast sheet confirms that it was equipped at the Hamtramck, MI, assembly plant with the New Process 4-speed, Dana… Read more 1966 Shelby GT350 H Fastback – This Shelby GT350 H underwent a complete frame-on restoration and has the original body paint. Over $150,000 was invested in this car. Shelby produced 1,003 of these cars. Today, the GT350 H has taken its place among the most sought-after Shelbys of all time, and with only 1,001 being built, they’re considerably rarer than the… Read more 1967 Iso Grifo GL 300 – This 1967 Iso Grifo GL, chassis GL660107, features Chevrolet’s 327-cubic inch V8, with 300 horsepower. The car’s silver finish accentuates its distinctive Bertone lines, and the black leather interior presents nicely, showing wear commensurate with the car’s age. The elegant wood-trimmed instrument panel remains in good condition, as does the sporty three-spoke, wood-rimmed steering wheel.… Read more 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster – Delivered new to Mannheim, Germany, this 300SL Roadster was first sold to a Swiss customer. It has had no more than two registered owners since; it also features a factory hard top. Many aficionados consider the configuration of this example as the most desirable variant, with disc brakes in combination with the more reliable cast-iron… Read more 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 – This car was originally billed to Shelby American on February 10, 1964, and it was shipped to Los Angeles aboard the SS Amsteldyk. It was later invoiced to Bill Doenges Ford of Tulsa, OK, on September 10, 1964, and it was originally painted bright blue with a red interior. The first owner of 2332 was… Read more 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster – Every Shelby 427 Cobra is rare simply by nature, but some reach the level of “exceptional” — a fact Carroll Shelby acknowledged when he signed the glovebox door of CSX3301 with the inscription: “One of the rarest CSX3301 Carroll Shelby.” This Cobra was completed at AC Cars for delivery directly to Ford Advanced vehicles in… Read more 2008 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 – • 1,001 hp, 7,993-cc quad-turbocharged W16 engine • 7-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox • Haldex four-wheel drive • Electrically adjustable independent suspension • 4-wheel carbon-ceramic disc brakes • Top speed of 253 mph • Number 100 of 300 built • One owner from new and less than 700 km from new • Offered from the Zegwaard… Read more 1968 Ford GT40 Gulf/Mirage Lightweight – The GT40 offered here, chassis P1074, began life as Mirage M10003, and in its debut May 1967 at Spa, with Jacky Ickx and the “Flying Dentist,” Dr. Dick Thompson, finished First Overall. Following the FIA’s regulation change for the 1968 season, which reduced prototype engine size to three liters, and five liters for production (Group… Read more 2005 Ford GT – At the 2002 introduction of the modern-day GT40 concept car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI, Ford’s vice president of design, J. Mays, declared the GT40 “the ultimate living legend.” Further, he added, “It’s a true supercar with appeal equal to that of the greatest sports cars in the world, but… Read more 1963 Shelby Cobra Dragonsnake – CSX2093 is one of only eight cars modified with the Shelby-developed Dragonsnake package. Owned by Jim Costilow and piloted by drag racer Bruce Larson, later of USA-1 Funny Car fame, the Dragonsnake dominated the NHRA’s A/SP, AA/SP, B/SP and C/SP classes in 1964. It set records in the 1965 season and won the NHRA Springnationals,… Read more 1964 Ford Thunderbolt 2-dr sedan – The buyer has a significant piece of Ford’s Total Performance Era sitting in the garage — and is ready to hunt Super Stock Mopars Chassis number: 4F4K167198 Ford’s Total Performance program was well under way when Lee Iacocca hired Dearborn Steel Tubing Company to build a batch of special lightweight Ford Fairlanes for its… Read more 1968 Dodge Hemi Charger R/T – Highlights from Mecum Auctions catalog: • Total professional restoration • Original factory Hemi and 4-speed console car • One of 489 1968 Hemi Chargers built • Factory dark blue metallic with factory Pearl White interior • Engine is not original, but it is from another 1968 Hemi Charger – 465 hp • Engine is balanced… Read more 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV Convertible – Milt Robson’s triple-black 1969 GTO Judge is a triple-threat of collectability. It has the powerful Ram Air IV V8 engine. It has a 4-speed. And it’s a convertible. It is one of the rarest 1969 Judges in the world. For 1969, the real beast GTO engine option came in the form of a Ram Air… Read more 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible – Seemingly every salvageable one was dragged out of fields, barns, and garages and restored, which made supply exceed demandThis example is one of the best 1955 Bel Airs extant. This 1955 factory convertible just saw completion of a body-off, no-expense-spared three-year restoration of a 100% numbers-matching car with one mile since. Every part on the… Read more 1970 Ford Mustang Boss – These are one of the few cars where the car is the cheap partFewer than 900 Boss 429 Mustangs were created for 1969, followed by a smaller run of just 500 copies for 1970, prior to the cancellation of Ford’s corporate racing program. Although the Boss 429 was conservatively rated at 375 horsepower in street… Read more 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi Convertible – Finding a Hemi Challenger convertible today is no ordinary thing, especially when one considers that Dodge produced only nine such cars in 1970. Our subject car, the second one produced, and the first to hit the street, did so under unusual circumstances: it was sold by the dealer principle at cost to a friend while… Read more 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 “Le Mans” Roadster – In April 1963, Shelby prepared two cars for Le Mans that summer. Features included Dunlop magnesium wheels with larger fender flares, FIA hood scoops and a 37-gallon fuel tank. The engines, stated to be “moderate tune,” had four Weber downdraught carburetors. One team car entered by AC Cars, managed by Stirling Moss and driven by… Read more 1999 Shelby Series 1 Roadster Prototype – The Shelby Series 1 was a high-performance roadster manufactured by Shelby American from 1996 to 2002. Only 249 Shelby Series 1s were built, and this was the first running car, as well as the “pre-production” #1 Series 1, which was featured on the cover of Motor Trend. With a carbon fiber body, sophisticated chassis, and… Read more 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Trans Am Race Car – This Camaro is the car that Vince Gimondo drove to a 2nd in class at the 12 Hours of Sebring, 9th overall at Watkins Glen, and 2nd at the American Road Race of Champions (ARRC) at Daytona in the 1969 season. For 1970, Gimondo drove this car to a 1st in class and 14th overall… Read more 1955 265/195 Roadster – Though almost identical to its immediate predecessors in outward appearance, the 1955 Corvette was a significant milestone in the evolution of America’s sports car. This was the first year that Chevrolet’s vaunted 265-ci V8 engine was available. This year also marked the transition to a 12-volt electrical system, firmly transitioning the model into the modern… Read more 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV Convertible – Pontiac’s 1970 Ram Air IV GTO Judge convertibles are so rare that, for any genuine Pontiac enthusiast, seeing one today is an event in itself. Only 17 were built, twelve are known to exist today, and only six were optioned with a 400 Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. The L76 Ram Air IV engine, which became available… Read more 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Convertible – Big changes at GM for 1970 included the end of the corporate edict forbidding engines larger than 400 cubic inches in its intermediate models. Chevrolet’s “big-block” V8 was enlarged to 454 ci and formed the basis of the LS6 option, intended to help Chevrolet wrest control of Super Stock drag racing from Chrysler. The redesigned… Read more1969 Dodge Charger Daytona vs. 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird – In 2007, these cars would have cost nearly twice as much, but they are still priced above five years ago. Hemi magic still outweighs Daytona’s rarityIt’s a long time since any Dodge Daytona or Plymouth Superbird raced on the high banks in NASCAR competition, but they routinely fly across auction blocks these days. There’s no… Read more
1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Street Roadster – 3187 was a well-restored, correct car. Most 427 Cobras have been heavily modified or re-skinned after drivers ran out of talent{vsig}2009-6_2329{/vsig}Only 291 Shelby 427 Cobras were ever sold in America for street use, of which 31 were S/C (“Semi Competition”) cars. About one-fourth of all street cars were later converted for competition duty, and most… Read more
1967 Chevrolet Stage III Nickey Camaro – To those not familiar with the documented, dealer-converted supercar market, $446,250 would appear to be a staggering amount for a lowly Camaro{vsig}2009-2_2279{/vsig}Nickey Chevrolet of Chicago was one of the largest Chevy dealers in America and had big plans for Chevrolet’s new pony car in 1967. Working with legendary Chevrolet engine builder Bill Thomas in California,… Read more
Restoration 101 – I’ve seen $2,500 air filters, a $35,000 exhaust, $5,000 plug wires, $10,000 batteries, and $50,000 original tires {vsig}2008-12_2257{/vsig} It’s a common misconception that domestic cars are cheap and easy to restore. Unfortunately, many people have found out too late that this is not true. Let’s face facts: Most restorations are financial suicide. Unless you have… Read more
Back to the Future-and Step on It – The Challenger is a surprisingly solid car, far better than the class-leading Mustang. And yes, it will do a smokey burnout {vsig}2008-11_2244{/vsig} Chrysler’s latest entrant into the “retro-muscle” wars, the new Dodge Challenger, has been burning up Internet car chat forums and magazine covers since its introduction. It’s a car I’ve wanted to beat the… Read more
America’s Difference-Makers – If somebody out there has a GT40 and a Daytona Coupe in the same garage, please, let me live there. I promise to take good care of your cars {vsig}2008-9_2219{/vsig} To celebrate SCM’s 20th birthday, I hereby offer my take on a Top 20 list. The criteria were simple: I didn’t focus on a particular… Read more
The Dandy Griffith – Unlike the environmentally conscious, fuel-sipping, ultra-low emissions, and utterly boring “hybrid” cars of today, a whole different group deserved that name in the 1960s. They consisted of European sports cars that fell into the hands of cottage industry “manufacturers,” which took Italian and British sports car sophistication (or lack thereof) and shoehorned in American V8… Read more
Fangs for the Memories – The Shelby influence is very much evident on the Viper, and he is considered one of the car’s “four fathers”{vsig}2008-7_2194{/vsig}The discontinuation of several Chrysler models to help stop the corporation’s financial bleeding is no secret. Rumors abound about Dodge’s Viper being on this list, and numerous Dodge “insiders” claim the Viper will be discontinued after… Read more
Trans Am: The Beat Goes On – These homologation specials are among the most enjoyable muscle cars- they can actually dance, rather than just run fast{vsig}2008-6_2181{/vsig}From humble beginnings, by the late 1960s, the Trans-American Sedan Championship Series grew into one of the most popular events in SCCA history. Conceived as a sedan racing class for production-based cars with a minimum of four… Read more
The Lost Generation – Pontiac Firebird SD, Buick Grand National GNX, Mustang 5.0-highlights of the muscle flexed in ’70s and ’80s Detroit{vsig}2008-5_2168{/vsig}The American collectible car contingent has long argued over when the “real” cars stopped rolling out of Detroit. Collectible prices indicate Detroit’s muscle atrophied with astonishing speed after 1971. What followed was a period of wheezy darkness that… Read more
Scottsdale Muscle Still Buffed – I fully expected Scottsdale to result in a dismal showing for muscle car prices. I couldn’t have been more wrongLast year’s Arizona auctions proved that we were indeed due for a well deserved and most predictable “adjustment” in many segments of the muscle car market. As such, 2007 brought us more headlines about the muscle… Read more
Is Your Snake a Replicant? – Unless you are building an S/C or Comp car replica, just say “no” to scoops, roll bars, sidepipes, stripes, and other incorrect itemsOkay, I’ll freely admit I am a Cobra snob. I’m not as bad as one I witnessed at a Cobra gathering, running toward a replica yelling “I’m going to kick the lid off… Read more
Shelby Sacks SAAC – After 32 years, Carroll Shelby no longer officially recognizes SAACIn my May 2007 column (p. 60), I wrote about the 32-year relationship between automotive icon Carroll Shelby and the Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC). I said then that SAAC is the best friend that Shelby ever had; it has steadfastly preserved the legacy of Shelby… Read more
Got the Hemi Pneumonia and the Big Block Flu – Figure a slide of 10%-20% from late 2006 prices across the board and you’re not far off; the better the car, the less the correctionThe drag chutes are out for the Mopar Hemi muscle car market. Unquestionably the most visible and talked-about phenomenon in the last five years of stratospheric price increases, the Hemi ‘Cuda… Read more
Winging It – Around noon, the thunder heading my way was the Detroit kind, as 20 Superbirds and Daytonas filled my parking lot {vsig}2007-12_2100{/vsig} To quote John Lennon: Imagine. if there was a club for valuable cars, whose long-term owners didn’t care about what the cars are worth. Cars worth perhaps 5,000% more than they paid for them,… Read more
Muscle in Monterey – The consensus among buyers is that they want the best, and “almost” cars are having a tough time finding homes{vsig}2007-11_2085{/vsig}Gloom and doom predictions can end up as self-fulfilling prophecies if the panic spreads. A case in point is the highly publicized muscle car market “crash” going on now. As this is the Monterey auctions recap… Read more
When The Fire System Fails – I could see the paint bubbling on the hood, the Lexan windshield melting, and the paint burning off the transmission tunnelAlthough SCM isn’t a racing publication, a large number of SCMers are vintage racers, including yours truly. A recent racing “close call” has made me rethink a few things in my racing endeavors. I want… Read more
Fuelies-The Story Behind the Story – So is it worth paying a 15%-20% premium for a car with a notoriously troublesome FI system? The market seems to say it is{vsig}2007-9_2065{/vsig}In the early years of the horsepower wars, in the mid-1950s, Detroit was looking for ways to get a jump on the competition. The new frontier was fuel injection, with Mercedes-Benz introducing… Read more
When Size Does Matter – How to decode the evolution of Ford’s 427, 428, and 429 big block muscle{vsig}2007-8_2040{/vsig}Ford 427, 428, 429. What do these similar numbers tell us about very different engines?To the uninitiated, Ford’s big inch performance motors all seem basically the same, with slightly different displacements. Nothing could be further from the truth. That last digit can… Read more
Everyday Muscle – Forgo modern conveniences (such as a jack for your iPod and seat heaters), and you can find an old car that will be daily fun {vsig}2007-6_2011{/vsig} So your Cobra Daytona Coupe is too hot and loud inside, and your Hemi ‘Cuda convertible’s top leaks when it rains. You’d like something old yet practical as a… Read more
Russian Roulette with a Full Clip – Recent record auction results show collectors still buying what they want, when they want. The market is strong, and in spite of “gloom and doom” predictions from many experts, we are still seeing unprecedented disposable income on the table. But along with new money comes new buyers. I see a lot of new buyers playing… Read more1969 Chevrolet Z/28 Camaro Cross Ram Sport Coupe – This is a $175,000 car all day long. Throw in the $25,000 the Cross Ram in the trunk will net on eBay, and I call it a bargain by at least $50,000Nineteen sixty nine was the final year for the first generation Camaro and for many collectors, the Z/28 is the ultimate derivation. It was… Read more
1969 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air III – If missing the original Ram Air hood and Ram Air air cleaner parts, you are looking at spending $10,000-$15,000 if you can find the right originalsIn March of 1969, Pontiac released a little publicized option package, the Trans Am Performance and Appearance Package. Only two ads were published, one in Road and Track and another… Read more
1965 Shelby GT 350 – This is a very rare and original ’65 Shelby, one of the few remaining two-digit cars in existence as car #18. Celebrity status is also bestowed on this car as it was previously owned by Reggie Jackson. The car has recently undergone a complete and professional restoration and a professional rebuild of the original engine.… Read more1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda 2-Door Hard Top – What kept production numbers low was the staggering cost of the Hemi option, at just under $900-or nearly a third of the base price of the car {vsig}2005-10_1884{/vsig} In a day when clones and replicas are so commonly seen, it is a pleasure to see an authentic, factory-built 1970 Hemi ‘Cuda coupe. Presented in… Read more