Columns
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1961 Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Saloon
On paper, the Mercedes-Benz 220 was far from sporting. Its workaday 2.2-liter straight-6 was no fireball, and it had to be rowed hard to overcome a not-inconsiderable curb weight of 1,334 kilograms (2,941 pounds). But in that weight lay strength, and the model became an unexpected hit on the rally stage, particularly in top-spec fuel-injected…
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1963 Ferrari 330 America 2+2
After three years of tremendous success with the 250 GTE, Ferrari planned its interim replacement, which was powered by the new 4.0-liter Colombo V12, the 330 America. According to marque expert Marcel Massini, only 50 were built before production was ended to make way for the all-new 330 GT 2+2 in January 1964. Chassis 5113…
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Blasts From the Past
Soon you will have the entire contents of 35 years of SCM at your fingertips. We are about to unveil a project we’ve been working on since the very first issue was created. This magazine was born in the midst of a revolution in desktop publishing and database management for microcomputers. The database program dBase…
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How to Survive an Auction
The 2023 auction season kicked off with big January sales in Florida and Arizona. We counted a total of 5,394 collector cars sold by Barrett-Jackson, Bonhams, MAG Auctions, Mecum Auctions and RM Sotheby’s. (We’ll have full results and analysis in next month’s issue.) What struck me as we watched all those cars cross the block…
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Helplessly Hoping
The ZR-1 debuted after the C4 Corvette had already been on the market for six model years. Chevrolet’s new “King of the Hill” took its name from the race-spec 1970–72 Corvette ZR1 (a rarity, with only 53 built). It was both a nod to the past and an attempt to position the Corvette for the…
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Factory Blessings
Among the many qualities that confer value upon a collector car, none is as important — or open to dispute — as provenance. The term refers to evidence that a vehicle is what a seller claims it is, and that any notable history of the car can be proven to a reasonable standard. Provenance may…
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Sky-High Skylines
2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nür S/N BNR34403330. 27k miles (44k km). “2.6-liter RB26DETT inline-6, 6-speed manual transmission, limited-slip rear differential, one of 285 M-Spec Nür examples, Millennium Jade paint, black leather upholstery, ATTESA all-wheel-drive system, Super HICAS rear steering, Brembo disc brakes, 18-inch NISMO LMGT4 wheels, NISMO side skirts, carbon-fiber rear diffuser, NISMO titanium…
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XTra Affordable
1988 Subaru XT GL 4WD S/N JF1AX7329JD304854. 102k miles. “1.8-liter flat-4, 5-speed manual 4WD, pop-up headlights, cloth upholstery, automatic front shoulder belts, power windows and locks, air conditioning, single front wiper blade, pistol-grip shifter, tilt and telescoping steering column, pneumatic suspension system and AM/FM radio.” Condition: 2+. SOLD AT $5,434. Cars & Bids, 11/17/22. The…
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A Date to Remember
January 6 was the fourth anniversary of my stroke. That day in 2019 started like any other. I was up at 5 a.m., put on my Hoka running shoes and pounded out a relaxed 5k along the Willamette River. I had just turned 68 years old, and I was trim and healthy. Little did I…
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Escape Hatch
When the Volvo C30 arrived in America for the 2008 model year, it had been 36 years since production of the carmaker’s P1800 coupe ended. The new generation of sport coupe reflected the reality of its era, with an important nod to the past. The result was a 2-door hot hatch that never really caught…