Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
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Datsun Sports Roadsters
(1500, 1600, & 2000) The first reaction of many sports car enthusiasts when they saw the Datsun 1600 roadster in 1965 was that the Japanese had created a rather crude imitation of the already-dated MGB. They were wrong on three counts. The Datsun 1600 and its later companion, the Datsun 2000, were not copies…
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1981 BMW M1
n the mid-1970s, a production-based formula (which would result in the dominant Porsche 935) was instituted by the FIA in Europe for Group 5 (Grand Touring) racing. BMW proposed to build a flagship car which would compete in this series and join the ranks of the World’s “supercars.” The M1 was the result. Contracted out…
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1957 Ford Thunderbird F-Series
In 1955, Ford responded to the Chevy Corvette with the introduction of the Thunderbird. Ford knew that its more luxurious two-seater V8 was going to attract a wider audience than Corvette’s spartan racing/performance-oriented approach to the market. The Thunderbird design incorporated Ford features found on other models to creat Ford cars as well. The universal…
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1965 Alfa Romeo 2600SZ
After years of four-cylinder power, Alfa Romeo switched to a six-cylinder engine late in 1962. This new model known as the 2600 had the familiar dual overhead camshaft configuration which put out 145 hp at 5,900 rpm. Top speed was 120 mph. Models included a four-door Berlina with factory bodywork, a Sprint coupe with bodywork…
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250 Ferrari GTE
Launched in 1954, the 250 T featured a lighter and more compact Colombo-designed 3-liter V12 in place of its Europa predecessor’s Lampredi unit. The 250GT chassis followed Ferrari’s established practice, being a multi-tubular frame tied together by oval main tubes, however, the independent front suspension now employed coil springs instead of the transverse-leaf type. A…
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1955 Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-Type
High-performance automobile manufacturers eager for reputation directed the attention of their most gifted engineers towards the Le Mans GP d’Endurance 24-hours races in the 1950s. Well- organized, often richly-endowed factory teams battled for supremacy in a series of epic battles. Jaguar’s magnificent legend was built and established at Le Mans where their initial C-type specialized…
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1972 Maserati Ghibli Coupe
By the time the Maserati Ghibli left the factory in Modena, the company had been successfully building luxury supercars for more than a decade. At the heart of their designs were two outstanding engines: the 3,500cc six and the 4,719cc V8, both of which had twin overhead camshafts and provided enough power to sweep the…
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A Collector Car Oasis
The American collector car auction year has just two seasons. One is the end-of-summer Monterey Historic extravaganza, with six months worth of activities crammed like a pkzipped computer file into 96 crazy hours. The trends we saw in Monterey boded well for the market, with high selling rates from all three companies there (Christie’s, Brooks…
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1970-73 Porsche 911S
The E-type and the 911 share the distinction as two of the most recognizable sports car shapes of all time. Both cars conceptually leapt ahead of the competition when introduced and both had teething troubles in their infancy. But after eight years of production, the E-type had lost its edge and had become somewhat dated,…
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1973 Porsche 914-4
A completely different Porsche emerged for the 1970 model year to replace the rather short-lived 912. This one carried either the 1679cc Volkswagen four-cylinder or the earlier 2.0-liter Porsche flat six with its 125-horsepower rating. The big difference was that the engines were mid-mounted. The 914 was born out of a joint venture between Porsche…