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1984-89 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe
The 1984-89 Carrera, as the final iteration of the original “widebody” normally-aspirated 911, is a good choice for someone looking for an affordable sports car coupled with a high degree of refinement, reliability and sparkling performance.Comparisons to the 1978-83 911SC are natural, as they share nearly identical bodies and interiors. But the Carrera has many…
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1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster
Although it tended to be overshadowed by the larger 300SL, the 190SL was a high- quality sports tourer noted for its refinement and elegance. When introduced in February 1954, it was thought to be a little slow, but by 1958 the engine output had been raised to 105 bhp, commendable for a 2-liter power unit…
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1959 Kellison J-4R Coupe
Jim Kellison was a fighter pilot during the Korean War who went on to study aircraft engineering at UCLA. In 1954, he founded his own company, Kellison Engineering, and began building professionally-engineered sports cars with fiberglass bodies. A Kellison J-4 Grand Turismo coupe cost $6,700 in 1959. To put that into perspective, you could buy…
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1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta Sport Sedan
While the post-war Alfa 1900 Berlina was advertised as “the family car that wins races,” the slogan for the late ’70s automatic-equipped Alfetta Sport Sedan could have been “a truly sale-proof car.”The Alfetta was Alfa’s attempt to regain its technical edge with a sophisticated drive-train and suspension. Its previous models were powered by an engine…
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1979 Ferrari 512 BB Berlinetta Boxer
Faced with having to pitch its Daytona front-engined model against the mid-engined Miura and Bora, Ferrari responded with the 365 GTB/4 Berlinetta Boxer in 1973. An entirely new car and the first road-going Ferrari not to have a “V” configuration engine, the Boxer used a 4.4-liter, four-cam, flat-12 derived from the 3-liter Formula 1. The…
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1955 Morgan Plus Four DHC
H.F.S. Morgan’s first four-wheeled Morgan, the Standard 10-engined 4/4, appeared in 1936 and formed the mainstay of production until 1950, when it was superseded by the larger and more powerful Standard-Vanguard-engined Plus Four. We are advised that the Morgan Motor Company has confirmed that this example left the factory in December 1954 and retains it…
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1959 Facel Vega HK500 Coupe
Some of the most exciting and flamboyant sports cars in history were produced in Paris and its surrounding areas through the first half of the 20th century. Delahaye, Delage, Talbot Lago and Panhard were some of the great marques that called this area home. However, performance and the French government’s extreme postwar taxation of higher…
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It’s All About the Hunt
I venture to hypothesize that SCM readers are always searching for the flimsiest posibble excuse to justify buying another car. “I don’t have one in that color.” “It’s cheaper to buy this one than restore the one I have.” “I always wanted one when I was in high school.” And the perennial favorite, “At that…
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1955-62 Triumph TR3
The Triumph TR3 may be the last real bargain among English sports cars. For reasons Triumph lovers can’t understand but don’t complain much about, these cars never caught the tide that swelled prices of Austin-Healeys and Jaguars. Nevertheless, the TR3 offers all the quirky touches so dear to an Anglophile’s heart, is capable of hearty…
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1960 Porsche 356B Roadster
The Roadster pictured here is a Drauz-built 50,000-mile California car. It was meticulously and comprehensively restored by a Porsche specialist. Presented in Fjord Green with a brown interior, a tan cloth top and chrome wheels, it has seen little use since restoration. Part of a 50-car collection, this 356 has been consistently and professionally maintained…