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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…
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2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Coupe, 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster
By the mid 1990s, there was growing interest at Mercedes-Benz and Porsche in returning to an ultra-exclusive form of racing featuring homologated race cars in the tradition of the great Gran Turismo cars of yesteryear. The result was the FIA GT Championship, which commenced in 1997 to great fanfare. Mercedes-Benz and AMG entered the top-level…
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1989 Ferrari 328 GTS Targa
Representing the second generation of Ferrari’s V8-engined road cars, the entirely new 308 GTB debuted at the Paris Salon in 1975. This model line began in 1973 with the Dino-badged 308 GT4 2+2. The GT4’s wedge styling was not well received, but the performance of the midship-mounted, DOHC 3-liter V8 certainly was. Built on a…
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1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Drophead Coupe
This XK 120 drophead coupe is number 266 of just 294 right-hand-drive examples (out of 1,769 DHC cars) produced. The drophead model run was from April 1953 to August 1954. Equipped with the “SE” option package and C-type cylinder head, this example sports the 3/8-inch lift cams, lightened flywheel and damper, dual exhausts, and wire…
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1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport
Alfa Romeo introduced the 1,752-cc, 6-cylinder cars designed by Jano in 1929. Adept on both road and racing circuits, the engine proved reliable and powerful, offering impressive output from its relatively small displacement. Further benefiting from excellent handling, the car, in top factory racing engine trim, could comfortably exceed 100 mph. The 6C 1750 is…
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When the Government Takes Your Car
It’s pretty easy to conclude that the FBI should have hired a towing company. That the car was wrecked proves the agent was incapable of driving it We all know that federal, state and local governments have broad powers to seize assets from drug dealers and other persons suspected of crimes. Lately, there have been…
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Chasing the Market Down
These days, the state of the market is the focal point of almost every conversation, whether you are talking to a buyer, a seller, or another dealer. The good news is that prices of old Ferraris have started to recover, but those of newer cars haven’t and never will. They are just exotic, high-volume used…
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When MG Got an “A”
What most of us know about the immediate post-war history of MG is historical rather than experiential. The 1945-49 TC was the sports car of the WWII generation, now sadly passing to that great wrecking yard in the sky. The pre-war PAs, PBs, TAs, and TBs that GIs stationed in Britain saw were as glamorous…
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Five Steps to Smart Collecting
In the collector car world, January is Arizona time. Last year, in an economic atmosphere that seemed considerably more bleak, 1,726 cars went to new owners, and $133m changed hands. This year, I predict we’ll see a slight uptick in sales, perhaps 10%. If the surprising strength of the recent Sotheby’s New York art sale…
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1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C
Together with its predecessor the 500K, the magnificent Mercedes-Benz 540K was arguably the most noteworthy production model offered by the Stuttgart firm during the 1930s. A development of the 500K, whose independently suspended chassis it shared, the 540K was powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged straight-8 engine. The 540K featured the company’s famous Roots-type supercharger system,…