Columns
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Learn and Yearn
When I first started hunting cars in the ’70s, my routine was simple: I would scan the daily classifieds in my hometown paper, the San Francisco Chronicle. That’s where I found my 1959 ID 19 for $400. It was listed under the “Citroën” heading. Yes, such a category in the classifieds actually existed back then.…
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Lawsuit Bankrupts Restoration Shop
My father was normally calm and laid back. It seemed nothing rattled him. But if my siblings and I pushed him too far, watch out! Apparently, Bill Oesterle has a similar temperament. Oesterle, one of the co-founders of Angie’s List, is a longtime car collector. At his apex, he had over 250 cars in his…
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Unconsciously Bought
I bought a new addition for my automobile collection from RM Sotheby’s at its recent Amelia Island sale. Parked in a corner of the viewing tents was a dark blue 1934 Tatra 77 that, through some combination of pheromones and kismet, I knew was going home with me. I have written about the process of making…
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Secret Weapon
There’s a certain kind of person who’s drawn to Volvo station wagons. Typically, that person is a driving enthusiast who loves the practical applications of a wagon, affording all the cargo capacity of an SUV along with the performance and handling of a passenger car. The “long roof” cognoscenti smile and nod knowingly, hoping that…
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1932 Chrysler Imperial Series CG Custom Eight Roadster
Seldom is an automobile more closely linked with its original owner than this 1931 Chrysler and Dr. William F. Whelan. A respected Philadelphia ears, nose, and throat doctor, he served for years both in private practice and as an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School before his retirement in 1963. His success…
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1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500
The original Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was the first Ford to wear the Cosworth badge and was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985. Launched for sale in July 1986, and based on the 3-door Sierra body shell, it was designed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) and was powered…
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1973 DeTomaso Pantera
This 1973 DeTomaso Pantera was initially sold by Peyton Lincoln-Mercury of Harbor City, CA, and was acquired by the seller in 1983 before undergoing a multi-decade refurbishment. It was completed in the late 2000s and consisted of repainting the body red, building and installing an aluminum 427-ci V8, and replacing the ZF 5-speed manual transaxle.…
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2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
This 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista was sold new through Ferrari & Maserati of Newport Beach, CA. It has 7k miles following ownership history in that state and Oregon. The car was specified in Blu Elettrico with dual racing stripes over black Alcantara and yellow stitching. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 paired with…
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1966 Porsche 911
According to a copy of the Porsche Kardex, this early-production, short-wheelbase 911 was completed on March 24, 1966. It was delivered to Carl Steffens of Mountain View, CA, through Porsche Cars Northeast Inc. of Bedford, MA, one of seven U.S. Porsche distributors during the period. Believed to have been retained by a second California owner…
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1980 Jeep J-10 Honcho
This 1980 Jeep J-10 Honcho Edition stepside pickup is one of 1,264 examples built between 1980 and 1983. It has undergone a professional frame-off restoration, and everything was rebuilt or replaced. This Jeep is powered by an AMC 360-ci big-block V8 engine producing 195 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 3-speed automatic…