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1963 Dual-Ghia L6.4 Coupe
If the Chrysler-powered Facel-Vega is a French Imperial, consider the L6.4 a Mopar Maserati {vsig}2008-7_2193{/vsig} The brainchild of Eugene Casaroll, the Italian-American hybrid known as the Dual-Ghia was largely based on the Ghia-designed Chrysler Firearrow, a concept car for which he acquired the production rights. Luxurious and extravagant, it had the longest production line in…
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1972 Ford Escort RS1600 Rally
A Kenyan safari guide tells of this car landing so nose down that everyone thought it was going to go end over end This 1972 Ford Escort RS1600 Mk I comes to auction directly from the finish line of the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic rally, where it was driven to victory by triple…
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Fangs for the Memories
The Shelby influence is very much evident on the Viper, and he is considered one of the car’s “four fathers” {vsig}2008-7_2194{/vsig} The discontinuation of several Chrysler models to help stop the corporation’s financial bleeding is no secret. Rumors abound about Dodge’s Viper being on this list, and numerous Dodge “insiders” claim the Viper will be…
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1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II
There was a time when 330 2+2s were the entry-level Ferrari. Now they are too expensive to be donor cars or parts cars {vsig}2008-7_2197{/vsig} Reporters anxiously awaited the unveiling of the new Formula One car at the annual Ferrari press conference in 1964, but Enzo had a surprise up his sleeve. It was here that…
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1959 Jaguar XK 150 S Roadster
Jaguar people may argue, but I believe the 150’s appeal lies in the “creature comforts” our traveling companions often demand {vsig}2008-7_2195{/vsig} Jaguar’s series of XK sports cars established the company’s reputation as a manufacturer of good-looking, fast automobiles sold at a reasonable price. The 1949 launch of the XK 120 caused a sensation and,…
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1958 Lancia Aurelia B20GT
The historic competition record of these cars cannot be overlooked; they are eligible and welcome just about everywhere Despite the fact the Lancia nameplate continues to exist over one hundred years after it was established in Italy, this builder of fast, refined automobiles is relatively unknown outside sporting circles. Lancia cars competing over the…
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In VIN Veritas
As he figures out the GT350 is rebodied, the shop owner is overheard by a CHP officer, who begins an inquiry {vsig}2008-7_2200{/vsig} What do you do with your authentic, vintage Shelby GT350 when it’s so rusty it’s beyond repair? Some Shelby owners think the answer is pretty simple-just rebody it. But that can easily lead…
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The (Ever Increasing) Sum of its Parts
Thanks to feedback from readers, virtually every column inspires a follow-up column. In “Opening Pandora’s Black Box” (December, p. 48), I wrote that “the older Ferraris, from the 512 BB backwards, can be restored by an experienced shop, and virtually any part is or will continue to be available or can be made.” What I…
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Putting a Price on Feelings
How anxious is the seller to sell? Is he emotional, ready to bail out? How anxious is the buyer? Has he just missed a similar car? Various Porsche talk boards are buzzing with complaints about the usefulness of price guides for early 911S cars (1967-73). About how the prices are too low, the guides are…
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Zoom-Zoom, Slurp-Slurp
Early RX-7s rarely see 20 mpg highway and can be driven down into single digits; owners laugh at later claims of 30 mpg By the late 1970s, the sports car world was looking bleak indeed. A 1975 Road & Track comparison test of the Maserati Merak, Lamborghini Urraco, and Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 showed none…