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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 by Gaston Descollas, the Bugatti…
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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 1965 model year. Its most…
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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 Panama Canal aboard the ship…
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1999 Shelby Series 1
Inarguably one of the best-known Shelby Series 1s, the example offered here continued a rich tradition in American publishing, that of awarding a new automobile to the winner of one of the men’s magazine world’s most prestigious annual competitions. It was delivered new to the famed swimsuit model Karen McDougal as part of her prize…
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1969 Shelby GT350 “B Production” Racer
This fascinating 1969 Shelby GT350 race car, serial number 480033, began life as a Silver Jade GT500 sold new in Hayward, CA, on August 28, 1969. Shortly after its initial purchase, the car was stolen and damaged. The insurance company, unwilling to repair what it considered an “exotic” car, cashed out the owner. It was…
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Well Bought and Sold
1993 Nissan 240SX S/N JN1MS36P6PW309175. 236,800 miles. “2.4-liter, 4-cylinder KA24DE, rated at 155 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque, 5-speed manual transmission, 18-inch NISMO RAYS 57CR wheels, a JDM Kouki 180SX Type X body kit, APEXi N1 coil-overs, NISMO front and rear lower control arms, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Brembo front brake calipers, 300ZX Twin…
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Dakar or Bust?
I’ve been writing about off-road Porsches since 2003. That’s when my review of the new Cayenne models appeared in The New York Times. My first reaction to an SUV from Stuttgart was that it was like watching someone hiking the Yosemite Falls Trail in an Armani suit and Gucci loafers. However, Porsche management was more…
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Drummer Gets Snared
My favorite rock group of all time is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. You can imagine my excitement, then, when drummer Max Weinberg called my office and told me he was a longtime SCMer and “a huge fan of ‘Legal Files.’” Flattering indeed, but unfortunate that we made our acquaintance because he had…
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Grab Your Popcorn
I love movies about cars, racing, real events, real people and lots of drama. I’m also old enough to remember Dad taking me and my brothers to see “On Any Sunday” at the theater when we were children living in Southern California. That movie, directed and produced by Bruce Brown, was an instant classic, with…
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A Rose By Any Other Name
On the surface, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis) had a great idea for a new lightweight 2-seat sports car. The 2012 co-development agreement with Mazda that led to the 2017–20 Fiat 124 Spider was originally intended to produce a new Alfa Romeo model. However, its CEO, the late Sergio Marchionne, nixed that plan, saying that…