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Big in Japan
It was bound to happen someday. I have been interested in Japanese cars since I was 7 years old, but up until now, I have only owned models that were sold here in the U.S. I have driven right-hand-drive JDM cars, and friends have imported cars from Japan. I even had the opportunity to visit…
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The Triumphant Toyobaru
The affordable sports car has always been the foundation of the car-enthusiast hobby, and for decades such cars were plentiful. The Mazda Miata became the king of this segment in the 1990s, evoking everything drivers ever loved about their British and Italian sports cars while providing modern Japanese reliability. That’s the context for the arrival…
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1970 Plymouth ’Cuda 440 Rapid Transit Show Car
Being offered publicly for the very first time since the early 1970s, this special 1970 ’Cuda — built for Plymouth by legendary customizer Chuck Miller — is a mechanical jewel of many facets. Its history within the Rapid Transit System Caravan, the touring factory group of custom cars that were displayed at major auto shows…
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1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward “Flying Spur”
Chassis number LCSC98 was sold new in Palm Beach, FL, to first owner B.A. Whittemore, Esq. Originally finished in Shell Grey with blue coach lines over blue leather, Baroda Blue cloth headliner and Ambassador Blue carpets, optional equipment included Hirschmann electric aerial, Van Gerbig quarter lights and panel, power windows, Sundym glass, lambswool rugs in…
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1937 Citroën 11 BL Traction Avant Sedan
Nearly every list of the most important automotive designs must surely include André Citroën’s beloved Model 11 Traction Avant, which loosely translates to “front-wheel drive.” Citroën is said to be the individual who put France on wheels, and his compact and bullet-proof 2CVs were both affordable and functional, especially when it came to helping farmers…
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1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
The highly successful racing berlinetta that Ferrari introduced in late 1959, on its new 2,400-millimeter short-wheelbase chassis, was a triumph in terms of both aesthetics and performance, as brilliantly epitomized by this desirable example of the 250 GT SWB. Chassis number 2347GT is the 62nd built out of a total production run of 165 cars,…
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1964 Porsche 356 SC 1600 Cabriolet
The final iteration of the lightweight, rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive Porsche 356, the 356C, appeared in 1964, coinciding with Porsche’s purchase of the Reutter coachbuilding firm, which would handle all coupe and cabriolet construction in Stuttgart for the remainder of 356 production. New equipment included four-wheel disc brakes, a ZF steering gear and an optional 12-volt electrical…
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1999 Porsche 911 Classic Club Coupe “Sonderwunsch”
Built as a factory one-off, the 911 Classic Club Coupe marks the first one-off within the Sonderwunsch (special wish) program that is a classic vehicle. Upon arrival, the Carrera was completely stripped of its component parts and treated to a chemical bath, removing all layers of paint. The underbody, placed on a frame-straightening bench, was…
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1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider
By 1955, Mercedes-Benz’s 300SLR presented a challenge that could not be met by Ferrari’s V12 racers, nor the nimble 4-cylinder 750 Monza, prompting Il Commendatore to commission Aurelio Lampredi to create a more-powerful straight-6 powerplant. The advanced 3,747-cc engine found a home in the 118 LM — a sports car designed to take on the Three-Pointed Star…
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Drifting Away
1997 Toyota Mark ll Grande S/N GX1000032831. 82k km (51k miles). “2.0-liter inline-6, 133 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. Four-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive, 15-inch alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, power-adjustable driver’s seat, wood interior trim, power windows, side mirrors and locks, automatic climate control, AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo.” Condition: 2. SOLD AT $6,374. Cars & Bids,…