Columns


  • Rock the Nismo

    Rock the Nismo

    Mark Bahna is a big fan of JDM cars and currently owns a Nissan Skyline R34 GTR Spec II Nür and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV. But his pride and joy has been his 1994 Nissan Nismo 270R. It is one of only 30 made, numbers matching, and has its original paint and decals. It…

  • 1911 Oldsmobile Limited Series 277-Passenger Touring

    1911 Oldsmobile Limited Series 277-Passenger Touring

    Oldsmobile, like its corporate cousin Cadillac, got its start in the automobile business building light, economical 1-cylinder cars. The famous Curved-Dash Olds proved rugged and robust, quickly becoming America’s best-selling model. Company founder Ransom E. Olds believed long-term success lay in small, low-priced cars, but boardroom disagreements led him to leave and start REO. Meanwhile,…

  • 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet

    1937 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet

    A beautiful early example of Jean Bugatti’s masterfully engineered touring model, this unique Type 57 is numerically just the 56th example built and among the first 30 cars invoiced. The chassis was clothed with Bugatti’s 4-door pillarless saloon Galibier coachwork and was delivered through Parisian agents Bucar to the Belgian rally driver Ginet Trasenster on behalf…

  • 1973 Datsun 240Z

    1973 Datsun 240Z

    Shaped by Nissan executive Yutaka Katayama’s deep understanding of what Americans desired in a sports car, the Datsun 240Z was an overnight sensation on its arrival in the United States in January 1970. Its combination of good looks, 6-cylinder power and capable handling, coupled with an affordable price, put it miles ahead of its British,…

  • 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC

    1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC

    This 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC is finished in black over Creme Beige leather and is powered by a 5.5-liter M117 V8 paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. It has a sunroof, headlight wipers, fog lights, power-adjustable side mirrors, self-leveling rear suspension, and 15-inch Gullideckel alloy wheels along with cruise control, a cassette stereo, automatic climate control,…

  • 1959 “Super Shaker” Bonneville Streamliner

    1959 “Super Shaker” Bonneville Streamliner

    This legendary Harley-engined, streamliner top-speed machine was the brainchild of veteran hot-rodder, Bill Burke of San Gabriel, CA. It competed in the 1959 Bonneville Nationals, where Burke eclipsed a speed of 151.7 mph, a very respectable time for the era and considering the engine size. The car competed in the F/Streamliner class, where it achieved…

  • Good Heavens!

    Good Heavens!

    If there is a heaven for car enthusiasts, it will look very much like the Goodwood Revival. It’s a perfect alchemy of history, performance, variety and good beer. Plus, you might bump into Sir Jackie Stewart, and who doesn’t dream about that? The truth is, if you’ve been a gearhead for any length of time,…

  • Gen Z Sports Car

    Gen Z Sports Car

    When the Nissan 350Z arrived in 2003, it was more than just a new sports car — it marked the revival of the Z nameplate after a seven-year absence in the U.S. More importantly, it marked a philosophical change from the complex and expensive 300ZX. That car had priced itself out of the market by…

  • Long-Distance Transactions Remain Risky

    Long-Distance Transactions Remain Risky

    When eBay Motors started online car auctions, I was sure it would never last. There was just too much potential for crooks to cheat people, and the venue would collapse once people figured that out. I guess in retrospect, I was half right. There’s a lot of fraud, but online car-sales activity just continues to…

  • From Sporto to Tippy

    From Sporto to Tippy

    Over the past six years, I’ve been on a journey through the land of collector cars with two pedals. I can no longer comfortably operate a manual transmission but didn’t want to give up driving classic sports cars. I have discovered that while an automatic may not be as engaging as a manual, in the…