Alfa’s 1934 6C model was conceived as a natural development of the successful 6C 1500 and 6C 1750 series, and set the pattern for post-war Alfas. With dual overhead camshafts and a 70 x 100-mm bore and stroke, Jano’s final design of a production Alfa Romeo was robust: an engine […]
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1951 Ferrari 340 America Berlinetta
Ferrari S/N 0148A is part of a very aristocratic lineage of Ferraris, as it is equipped with the famous Lampredi V12, which would go on to contribute to Ferrari’s first victories in F1 in its 375 F1 version. In the 340 version, the 4101-cc engine develops 260 hp at 6500 […]
1935 Squire Vanden Plas Roadster
The “Missing Squire,” S/N X-103, was the second of seven cars built by the fledgling Squire Car Manufacturing Company in 1935 and was purchased by one of the company founders, G.F.A. “Jock” Manby-Colegrave. While the other six of the original Squires were known, the whereabouts of X-103 haven’t been so […]
1956 Lancia Appia Series II Vanette
Fresh thinking in road-car design and success in both racing and rallying are the hallmarks of Lancia, which has always been known for innovative and advanced designs. By the 1950s the company was fully involved in motorsport, with Lancia winning the great Targa Florio, the Carrera Panamericana, the Liege-Rome-Liege and […]
Shuffling the Deck
It’s a good thing we thrive on change. During the past two months, the Martin-Banzer garage has seen a lot of comings and goings.It all started back in June when our 39,000-mile 240Z went off to a subscriber in Lorton, Virginia. With a slot in the garage to fill, we […]
1973-74 Volkswagen Type 181 Thing
After the success of the Volkswagen Beetle in the 1960s, VW resurrected the idea of an on- and off-road car, and called it the Type 181 “Thing.” Inspired by the WWII Type 82 Kübelwagen, the Thing was updated with the Beetle baseline engine and running gear, but with the beefier […]
Where Do We Go From Here?
“As hobbies go, buying, restoring and driving old cars is a harmless-though often expensive-indulgence, far removed from the worlds of global politics and terrorist plots.”That was the lead sentence for an article I wrote last month for New York Times, exploring the reactions of the collector car community to the […]
1964-67 Jaguar XKE Series I 4.2 Coupe
At the Monterey auctions this year, roadster-bodied Series I Jaguar E-types that were brilliantly restored were selling for $75,000 to $100,000. Yet at the same auction, a Series I E-type coupe in similar condition sold for less than $30,000. For the motoring enthusiast, as opposed to the investor, this anomaly […]
A Done Car
For the past month, I’ve been enjoying the company of an old friend. It came into our life in 1988, just after I had left my position as artistic director of Ballet Oregon and become a sales manager for Ron Tonkin Gran Turismo, hawking Ferraris, Alfas, Maseratis and Lotuses. Cindy […]
1967-72 Fiat Dino Spider
In theory, the marriage of a Ferrari drive-train with an inexpensive Fiat body should have resulted in an affordable sports car with sparkling performance. Over the years, though, the initial promise of the Fiat Dino has simply not been kept. The Ferrari engine has proven expensive to maintain and the […]