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Unknown Numbers

1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-X S/N KGC10042480. 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) shown. “2.0-liter L20 inline-6, 4-speed manual transmission, white paint, black upholstery, 15-inch Watanabe wheels, aftermarket front big-brake kit, triple Mikuni carburetors, Koyorad aluminum radiator, front and rear spoilers, black fender flares.” Condition: 2+. SOLD AT $73,500. Bring a Trailer, 1/18/24. […]

A Messenger from Germany

“Why don’t we get the great cars that the Europeans get?” has been a constant complaint of American enthusiasts, regularly falling on deaf ears at the car companies. Well, except for one pair of ears — those belonging to the legendary Bob Lutz. Before he had GM importing Opels to […]

Understanding Resto-Mods

Resto-mods have become prevalent, particularly at sales conducted by Barrett-Jackson and Mecum Auctions. At the annual giant Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas last November, every crate-engine variant or upgraded component possible for resto-mod conversions was on display, even drop-in electric powerplants. There are many websites and […]

Consignments Become Lawsuits

Let’s say you want to become a collector-car dealer. First, you need a building large enough to hold a sufficient number of cars for sale, in an appropriate location. That requires significant capital. Next, you need an inventory of marketable collector cars. That requires even more significant capital. Stephen Phelps […]

A Gem of an Auction

I have an upcoming event that requires a ring. So when a catalog arrived from a local fine-arts and antiques auction house — an analog version of a “notify me” email from an online collector-car auction — a 5.53-carat stone caught my eye. O’Gallerie, a family-run Portland institution, was founded in […]

1938 Packard Twelve Torpedo-Cabriolet

This one-of-a-kind 1938 Packard Twelve (Model 1608) Torpedo-Cabriolet by Kellner was custom built using the rear body section of a 1930 Renault Reinastella Torpedo Scaphandrier by the original owner, who is believed to be George “Geordie” Hormel II, heir to the meatpacking Hormel Foods Corp. and owner of the historic Wrigley Mansion […]

1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III

The 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mark III, commonly known as the BJ8 roadster, was the last iteration of the popular Austin-Healey 3000 Series. Produced from 1959 to 1967, the 3000 Series was a collaboration between the British Motor Corporation and the Donald Healey Motor Company. The BJ8 was the culmination of […]

1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante

The Type 57 presented here in its striking original color scheme is chassis no. 57432, which left the Bugatti coachbuilders on July 13, 1936. This is one of the four known surviving sunroof cars, described in factory records as “Coupé Atalante 57432, black and ivory, tan leather.” It was ordered […]

1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II

With its bodywork designed and built by Pininfarina, the 330 GT 2+2 Series I differed greatly from the preceding 250 GTE and the interim 330 America, as it was fitted with an unusual four-headlamp nose. The second-generation 330 GT 2+2, later dubbed the Series II, was introduced halfway through the […]

1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI

Reported to have initially been used as a dealer demonstration vehicle, [this car] was first sold to Peter Leonhard Sandl of Ingolstadt on March 7, 1975. The car’s original German Fahrzeugbrief shows Sandl’s continued international registration into 1990. Upon moving to Canada, Sandl shipped the car to Vancouver via the […]