Columns
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1980-1981 Triumph TR8 Convertible
Like Earth shoes, pet rocks and other inexplicably dopey fads of the time, the TR8’s wedge styling was all the rage in the mid-1970s Good news from the other side… Just when we thought we’d never see another lusty, open-top British sports car, along comes the Triumph TR8.” That’s my recollection of how the buff…
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1956 Porsche 550A/1500 RS Spyder
$726,000 is a lot of money no matter how you slice it, but this car has it all-an important place in Porsche’s history, racing success, good documentation and a professional restoration {vsig}2005-2_1820{/vsig} The 1956 Porsche 550/1500RS prototype was first introduced at the Paris Salon in October of 1953. Although it was announced that this car…
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1969 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi
The Hemi brand is now potent enough that DaimlerChrysler is fashioning its entire North American automotive operation around it {vsig}2005-2_1816{/vsig} Plymouth added the Road Runner to its model lineup in 1968, a bare-bones performance car built to a price. At only $3,000, Road Runners came with standard Plymouth Belvedere equipment, plus heavy duty suspension and…
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1966 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra
In the late ’60s there just wasn’t anything badder than a 427 Cobra, and the fact that they were rumored to kill an abnormally high percentage of people who dared to drive them only increased the reputation Although the 289 Cobra was well proven in competition by the mid-1960s, it was becoming clear that something…
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1974 Alfa Romeo GTV
By any measure, $30k is a huge price, as these cars usually trade in the $10,000-$15,000 range {vsig}2005-2_1815{/vsig} As described by the seller on eBay Motors: This is a one of a kind 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000. It is in absolutely mint condition, with 12,776 documented miles. It was purchased new by my wife…
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1990 Ferrari F40
Playing with the F40 in our 70-mph society is like going deer hunting with a rocket launcher Introduced in 1988 to celebrate Enzo Ferrari’s 40 years as a carmaker, the F40 was the last car with a design personally approved by the great man himself. With a top speed of 201 mph and 0-60 mph…
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1973 Jaguar E-Type Series III V12 Coupe
While the SIII roadster, with its longer wheelbase and flared wheel wells, could be considered an attractive design by most admirers, the 2+2 coupe is another matter altogether {vsig}2005-2_1817{/vsig} Testing the new E-type Series III back in 1972, Road & Track reckoned the new V12 power unit, “a sheer delight, by itself almost worth…
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1981 DeLorean DMC-12
The DMC-12’s greatest and most enduring claim to fame was its starring role opposite Michael J. Fox in Robert Zemeckis’ “Back to the Future”, the box office hit of 1985 {vsig}2005-2_1818{/vsig} As described by the seller, who just happened to be me, on eBay Motors: Never before offered for public sale. I am the second…
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The SCM Superbird
We don’t do things halfway here at SCM. I’ll offer as proof my first muscle car purchase: A 1970 Plymouth Superbird, Vitamin C orange with a black vinyl interior.The year was 1989, and the following advertisement appeared on the front page of the local Autotrader: “1970 Superbird, 29,000 original miles, 4-speed, 440-4bbl, bench seat, window…
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1993-95 Mazda RX-7
The final iteration of the RX-7 was either the greatest track weapon the world has ever known or the harshest street machine to bottom out on the lip of a driveway The mid-priced sports car market of the early 1990s was one the meanest parties on the planet. Japanese supercars like Mitsubishi’s 3000GT, Toyota’s Supra…