Columns
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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 Transporter/Microbus suspension. Also along the…
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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 terrorist attacks on America.As our…
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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 is one of the great…
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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 was in elected office as…
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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 Fiat bodies have disintegrated.By now,…
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1986 Porsche 928S Coupe
When introduced in 1978, marque enthusiasts didn’t know what to think of the 928. Like the four-cylinder 924 offered the prior year, the new car was front-engined with a water-cooled power plant. This, then, was the future for Porsche, as the company appeared to have plans to phase out the 911, which even then had…
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1952 Muntz Road Jet
Earl “Madman” Muntz is the type of all-American character that we would have to create had he not already existed. In a career that lasted more than six decades, Madman Muntz made and lost many fortunes, in a bewildering variety of businesses. A few highlights of Muntz’s entrepreneurial endeavors include numerous used car operations, both…
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1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Cabriolet
Vittorio Jano’s 1927 6C 1500 provided the foundation for a series of engines that form the basis of Alfa Romeo’s great prewar reputation. Expanded to 1752 cc, it became the 6C 1750. With two added cylinders, the 6C 1750 design became the 8C 2300. The Tipo B 2.9-liter Grand Prix expanded upon these principles and…
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1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe
From the stable of arch enthusiast and consummate perfectionist, the late Aldo Cudone, this fearsome Daytona was prepared to competition specification in 1981 for Signor Cudone in the workshops of Giuliano Michelotto, the factory-appointed tuner responsible for the 308 Group 4, F40 LM, 333SP and many other Ferrari racing cars. This work was carried out…
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1993 Jaguar XJ220
It didn’t matter that it boasted 542 hp or had a top speed of 217 mph. For $625,000, many buyers felt doubled-crossed {vsig}2005-12_1899{/vsig} This magnificent-looking and supremely well-specified Jaguar XJ 220 coupe is offered here in pristine condition and at a level offering a considerable savings over the list price at launch. The words “supercar”…