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1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe
This is an incredible drop from early 2008 prices but not terribly surprising. For Ferraris, 1,301 is a huge production number {vsig}2009-6_2332{/vsig} The ultimate expression of Ferrari’s fabulous line of V12 front-engined sports cars, the 365 GTB/4 gained the unofficial name “Daytona” in honor of the 1-2-3 finish by the Ferrari 330 P4 at that…
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1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide
This car had come straight out of a $55,000 restoration and the restorer was on hand on sale day to answer questions, which always helps Stanley Harold “Wacky” Arnolt made a fortune selling engines and other equipment to the armed forces during WWII. A lifelong motorhead, he set up SH Arnolt, Inc. in Chicago during…
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1940 Tatra T87
“Matching numbers” cars are rarely seen, as most were behind the Iron Curtain and kept running by any means possible {vsig}2009-6_2331{/vsig} Tatra manufactured some of the most technically sophisticated cars of the 1930s, with a decidedly unusual approach to automotive design. That can be attributed to Austrian engineer Hans Ledwinka, who spent his early years…
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When Shipping Your Car Overseas Goes Bad
We were surprised to see that the Ferrari’s title had Rick’s signature forged on it, and the Italian shipping company was listed as the new owner. Dear “Legal Files”: My husband Rick and I, along with our friends, have encountered a bizarre set of circumstances with Shakespearean elements of trust and betrayal, possible fraud and…
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The Lambo Dealer, the $12m Swindle, the Slammer
In early November 2008, I received multiple early morning phone calls and emails telling me that Lamborghini of Orange County had just closed its doors. My first thought was how could the largest Lamborghini dealership in the world possibly go broke? My second thought was, why had it taken so long? We begin with a…
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Worth the Weight
The Lotus Elan will forever be remembered as the ride of latex catsuit-wearing Diana Rigg as Emma Peel in the BBC spy show “The Avengers” Colin Chapman’s fanaticism about keeping weight off makes the average supermodel’s interest in the same subject seem merely casual. The results he achieved without materials like carbon fiber and the…
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Far From the Madding Crowd
I propose we take a break from the constant bric-a-brac of the market. At least for a few days, let’s transport ourselves back to a simpler era, when the fundamental question wasn’t how much your motorcar was worth, but whether it could actually travel 60 miles without breaking down. In conjunction with Steve Austin, we…
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2001 BMW Z8 Roadster
One of the most incredible modern sports cars to ever be built, the Z8 was destined to become a future classic after its debut in the James Bond film “The World is Not Enough.” The concept project was given to Henrik Fisker, who in 1997 was the head of BMW’s U.S. design studio in Newbury…
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1964 Ford Thunderbolt – Galaxie Lightweight
Thunderbolts were designed for high-profile Factory Experimental and Super Stock classes; Galaxie Lightweights targeted regional Stock-class competition {vsig}2009-5_2319{/vsig} In March 1963, General Motors dropped a bombshell by banning factory support of auto racing. Ironically, just one month later, Ford Vice President Lee Iacocca issued a press release that read, in part: “Our attitude is based…
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1969 Matra MS650 Barquette
It was a glorious combination of beauty, speed, sound, and comfort, a proper object of Gallic pride, and almost (but not quite) the equal of Porsche’s 908 {vsig}2009-5_2325{/vsig} Only three Matra 650s were built. After a successful racing career, one is kept in the Matra museum at Romorantin, while the second belongs to a racing…