Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
Columns
-
Stamp of Approval
Last month, we looked at various factory-supported programs that provide certifications of originality, condition and provenance of collector cars. But those are not the only “stamps of approval” out there. There are also third-party services that provide inspections and documentation to help establish authenticity, although these vary in scope even more wildly than factory programs.…
-
Online Scam Dealers Multiply
Publisher Martin called and said, “You’ve got to talk to our friend ‘Mark.’ You won’t believe what he’s gotten into now!” Martin had made a huge impression on Mark, telling him how his Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG was the best thing since sliced bread. So Mark started digging around on the internet and located a great-looking…
-
1952 Allard K2 Special Roadster
Allard built just 119 K2 sports tourers from 1950 to 1952 and — now as then — each K2 is appreciated for its impressive performance potential on both road and track, as well as its distinctive styling and exclusivity. This K2, chassis number 91K3019, is something more special yet. As Allard documentation on file confirms,…
-
2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
This ultra-rare and ultra-low-mileage U.S.-specification Porsche 911 GT3 RS is believed to be one of only 26 delivered to the U.S. in the dazzling combination of Aqua Blue Metallic with contrasting Guards Red graphics and wheels. Delivered new to Porsche of Spokane, WA, this GT3 RS has been cherished its entire life, showing only 374…
-
1955 Porsche 356 Continental
Purchased new on April 7, 1956, by a Canadian GI overseas (or at least shipped to Canada originally, as noted on the car’s Kardex from Porsche records), this car made its way to Houston and was owned by a submarine commander who broke down in Benson, AZ, while on his way from Houston to Los…
-
1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series II
Claiming significant in-period ownership provenance that has more recently given way to a stellar concours exhibition record, this striking 1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast is a typically ravishing example of Ferrari’s mid-1960s flagship touring machine. According to the research of marque authority Marcel Massini, chassis number 8565SF is the 34th of 36 total examples built, though…
-
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
The Spanish bull referred to as the Miura may have first entered the pop-culture lexicon with the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s enduring 1926 classic The Sun Also Rises. Hemingway’s disaffected expatriates travel to Spain to watch the bullfights, and there they are impressed by the brutal capabilities of the Miura, a creature that is muscular, powerful,…
-
1949 MG TC
By the 1950s, MG had come a long way from its roots as an offshoot of Morris Motors and had cemented a place as an innovative builder of sporting road and competition cars. Released in 1945, the TC provided a marginally wider body than its pre-war TB predecessor, and now featured a part-synchromesh gearbox. More…
-
1957 Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400
Proudly offered as one of the most important cars from the renowned Ramshead Collection thoughtfully curated by the late John White, this stunning and impressive one-off Ghia-styled concept car boasts not just uniqueness in its visual presence and auto-show history, but also impeccable originality and preservation, having been collected by discerning custodians as a truly…
-
1950 Aston Martin 2 Litre Sports Drophead Coupe (DB1)
This 2 Litre Sports is a fine example of the model that ushered in the David Brown era at Aston Martin. Successful industrialist Brown had bought the struggling Aston Martin concern in 1946, and the following year added Lagonda to his expanding motor-manufacturing empire. When Brown bought Aston Martin he acquired the Atom — a…