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1924 Bentley 3 Liter Red Label
Any slowdown in Vintage Bentley values due to the current economic climate is likely to push owners toward a cup of tea rather than Valium {vsig}2009-10_2371{/vsig} Chassis 356 was the first “Red Label” Bentley produced, and it was this model that was to lay the foundations of Bentley’s financial success. The final specification of the…
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1970 Lamborghini Miura P400S
The price may have looked high for the U.K., but it equates to about 400k euros. It would be hard to find a nicer LHD car in Europe for the same money {vsig}2009-10_2372{/vsig} “But step back for a minute and work out what makes the Miura so special. In 1966 there was nothing like it.…
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How to Buy a Car in Europe
There’s no uniform code of ownership within the EEC, but each country has documents that will protect you in your transaction After John Draneas’s learned article (April, p. 34) on the title pitfalls of buying a collector car in the U.S., here’s a European perspective. Or, as the exam question might have read: “How is…
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Pre-Purchase Ferrari Inspection Becomes $182k Lawsuit
In November 2005, I wrote a column entitled “The Punch of Deferred C/4 Maintenance… And How I Leaned Into It,” regarding a 365 GTC/4, s/n 14965, that we had sold to Hawaii and bought back 21 years later. This C/4 was a poster child for deferred maintenance, and we paid the price when the repair…
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Plus 4 Plusses (and Minuses)
Factory support of older Morgans is incredible. With simply a serial number, the gang in Malvern Link can supply or make just about anything for a Plus 4 There has always been an enthusiastic market (albeit a limited one) for anachronisms. Vinyl records and mechanical watches are in most respects inferior to CDs and quartz…
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1961 “Big John” Mazmanian Drag Car
While drag racing gained popularity nationwide through the 1950s, its epicenter was Southern California. There, speed and engineering prowess often went hand in hand with beauty and mechanical excellence. Spurred on by fellow car club members, parts availability, and a growing performance-oriented group of periodicals, racers began to gravitate toward a more serious trend in…
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1965 327/300 Convertible
Corvette collectors will find this 1965 327 convertible almost irresistible. Forty-five years after it was ordered new with the popular 327/300 L75 engine and Powerglide transmission, it remains unrestored, except for a single repaint in its original Milano Maroon. The car arrived from the factory nicely outfitted with power steering and power disc brakes—the first…
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1969 427/400 Coupe
The 1968 C3 Corvette was derived from Larry Shinoda’s Mako Shark show car. For 1969, there were small visual differences—principally the word Stingray added to the front fenders, and the door release mechanism was designed around what was a finger hold in 1968, eliminating the separate release button. Troublesome teething issues were more or less…
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1992 ZR-1 Coupe
The 1992 model year represented the third year of the ZR-1, with its Lotus-designed, 375-horsepower, 32-valve, 4-cam engine. ZR-1 emblems were added to the front fenders above the vents, instrument face plates and buttons were changed to black from gray-black, and the digital speedometer was relocated above the fuel gauge. Three new colors were introduced…
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2003 Avelate Fifty Three Convertible
This rare 2003 Avelate Corvette convertible pays homage to the 1953 Corvette. It is the first of only two built by the Avelate Automotive Co. in 2003 to pay tribute to 50 years of Corvette styling. Avelate masterfully crafted some subtle but distinctive ’53 cues into a new 2003 Anniversary Corvette chassis and drivetrain. The…