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1937 Talbot-Lago T150C SS Teardrop Coupe
The Talbot-Lago T150C SS presented here, chassis 90107, is widely regarded as the most beautiful and unique of the Figoni-bodied Teardrops. Of the precious few Figoni et Falaschi Teardrops built, 90107 is the only original-bodied example of the definitive Modéle New York design with fully enveloping front fenders. A prizewinner at the 1938 Concours d’Elegance…
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1954 Jaguar XK 120 SE Coupé
Arguably the most famous of all the rebodied Jaguar XK 120s, this solitary example by Carrozzeria Pinin Farina was dispatched new as a standard SE roadster to Max Hoffman (Jaguar’s U.S. East Coast distributor) in New York in May 1954. The accompanying Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate reveals that the car left the Browns Lane factory…
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1951 “Hirohata” Mercury Custom Coupe
Uniquely American in many ways, the custom-car craze truly found its calling in the late 1940s, blossoming throughout popular culture in the following decade. For many owners, the restyled early post-war Mercury coupes have been the way to go for these changes, and the 1949–51 cars quickly became an open canvas for custom “lead sled”…
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A Tale of Two Acuras
2000 Acura Integra Type R Lot 64507, s/n JH4DC2316YS005100. 7k miles. “1.8-liter B18C5 inline 4, 5-speed manual transaxle, limited-slip differential, Phoenix Yellow paint, black cloth & suede upholstery, 15-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, rear wiper, air conditioning, CD stereo.” Condition: 1. SOLD AT $117,112. Bring a Trailer, 1/29/22. If you were to tell me 10…
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The Market Ate My Sporto
“Dad, it’s like a U-shape. ‘Start’ is to the far left, then you move the wand across the steering column to get to the other gears.” That’s how my 14-year-old son Bradley explained the arcane and obtuse shifting pattern of the Citromatic transmission in our 1971 Citroën DS21 Pallas. When I told this story to…
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Sticky Goldfingers
The Aston Martin DB5 driven by Sean Connery in “Goldfinger” — modified with weaponry suitable for use by James Bond — is thought by many to be the most famous car in the world. It has also been one of the most amazing automotive mysteries of all time. The Bond DB5 was last owned by…
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What Makes an Automobile Collectible?
“That’s a really valuable collector automobile.” Or, “This car will be a very important addition to a collection.” What do we really mean when we make such judgments? Whenever we go to shows, auctions, tours, and races, we hear these remarks. But have you ever wondered what goes into making a car important or valuable,…
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Depreciation, Italian Style
When Maserati returned to America in 2002, the company ended an 11-year absence from our market. A lot happened in those years, most notably an ownership transfer from Fiat to Ferrari. That change has been crucial to Maserati ever since. For one thing, it gave Maserati a ready-made dealership and service network. The Trident brand…
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1959 Austin-Healey “Bugeye” Sprite Mk I Racer
Having forged strong links with BMC in the process of developing the successful Austin-Healey 100, Donald Healey turned his attention to designing a smaller version intended to make sports-car motoring affordable to a wider sector of the market. Although its powertrain and running gear were entirely conventional and were thoroughly tried and tested, Healey’s new…
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2004 Porsche Carrera GT
This 2004 Porsche Carrera GT with 1,547 actual miles is one of 1,270 examples built, powered by a liquid-cooled mid-mounted 5.7-liter quad-cam V10 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with a limited-slip differential. The carbon-fiber body panels on this example are finished in GT Silver Metallic with matching removable roof panels. Aerodynamic elements include…