Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
Columns
-
REALLY Basic British Fords
The Ford Popular was happy only on the crown of the road, and steering one was likened to stirring jam with a rubber spoon {vsig}2007-8_2041{/vsig} The British must truly love their Fords, since the models produced after the end of World War II appear so frequently in popular media. One definition of “icon” is a…
-
Hands-on Happiness
There are three basic ways to invest in an older Porsche, each with pluses and minuses (Part III: Defining the Collectible Porsche) In the June issue, I examined some individual Porsche models and outlined what factors set them apart as either collectible or rather ordinary. Last month, I discussed those factors in-depth, with respect to…
-
Hi-Tech English Electronics? Oh, Please
The first Lagondas used red LEDs that failed with alarming regularity, but the CRTs that replaced them cost a fortune to repair {vsig}2007-8_2026{/vsig} Every so often, British industry has an epiphany and produces something truly groundbreaking. While perhaps not as significant as the introduction of radar or disc brakes, the Aston Martin Lagonda-along with the…
-
1960 Porsche 356B Super Roadster
When Porsche introduced the improved 356B in 1960, the Speedster was succeeded by the Roadster. This was a change in name, even though both cars, and the interim Convertible D in between, remained at the bottom of the Porsche price schedule. In addition to the new name, the 356B delivered meaningful changes to the chassis,…
-
1953 Muntz Jet
In the annals of automotive history, there have been few hucksters, snake oil salesmen, and promoters as bizarre as Earl “Mad Man” Muntz. Muntz made and lost a fortune in the automobile business, first selling used cars to service men returning from WWII and later as a Kaiser-Frazer dealer in Chicago. After WWII you could…
-
1962 Lotus 25 F1
It is no overstatement to say that the Lotus 25 revolutionized Formula 1 car design. It was a complete break from conventional thinking, advanced even for Colin Chapman, and its significance must be one of the best-kept secrets in motor racing. Colin Chapman said the inspiration came from the steel backbone frame of the new…
-
1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT
At the 1965 Paris Auto show, Ferrari introduced the 275 GTB, its first car with independent rear suspension. But however significant the 275 GTB was, most spectators were drawn to the dramatic Dino 206S Speciale show car, a mid-engined concept featuring a mock 2-liter V6 engine. The show car was created as a tribute to…
-
1964 Mini Cooper 1275S Works Rally
In 1956, the Suez Crisis caused the folks at Austin to invite Alec Issigonis (later Sir Alec) to design a new car to combat what they saw as looming fuel rationing. When he had finished, the engine was the only part of the car that was not completely new. The compact four-seater famously mounted the…
-
1926 Bugatti Type 39A Grand Prix
Without doubt, Ettore Bugatti found his feet as an internationally recognized manufacturer of high-performance motor cars in 1926. The Type 39A was his first supercharged racer that really worked and gave little if any teething trouble. The 1926-27 Grand Prix Formula demanded cars of no more than 1,500 cc, with a minimum weight of 1,320…
-
Here Comes the Judge
Last month, “Legal Files” analyzed the six shots fired by Barrett-Jackson in its lawsuit against Judge David Clabuesch, the unhappy seller of the Ramchargers Hemi ‘Cuda that brought $300,000 at the Scottsdale auction in January. Judge Clabuesch has responded by emptying his own legal pistol, filing a five-count counterclaim against Barrett-Jackson and an accompanying Third…