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1938 Alvis 4.3-Litre Short-Chassis Drophead Coupe
Pre-war development of the 6-cylinder Alvis culminated in the announcement in August 1936 of the 4.3-Litre, designed by the company’s distinguished Chief Engineer, Captain George Smith-Clarke. The 4.3-Litre was based on the 3½-liter Speed 25 introduced the previous year, powered by an enlarged version of Alvis’ new seven-bearing, overhead-valve engine producing 137 horsepower on triple…
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1968 Chevrolet Yenko Super Camaro 427/450
Finished in Grotto Blue over blue vinyl, this 1968 Chevrolet Yenko Supercar is one of 70 Yenko Camaros built in 1968, according to Camaro authority Jerry MacNeish. It has undergone a professional rotisserie restoration and is powered by the 427/450-horsepower engine backed by an M21 4-speed manual transmission with 49,108 miles (title reads “not actual…
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The Sweet Spot
BMW is well known for building performance cars, but it was the E30-generation 3 Series of the 1980s that really put the German automaker on the map for affordable performance. When the succeeding E36-generation 3 Series was unveiled, BMW fans expected something spectacular. What they got was not the lightweight, edgy sports sedan of the…
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Another Sort of Taxonomy
You have certainly heard the adage, “Come for the cars, but stay for the people.” Our hobby is full of personalities, which often make it enjoyable. But the transactional nature of car collecting means it is unique compared to other pastimes. Nothing is so revealing of a person’s traits — for better or worse —…
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Title Trouble
“Legal Files” recently received a call from a distressed longtime friend and client. “Mark” had moved to Arizona and tried to register his 1972 Ferrari Daytona. Mark had owned the car for many years, and presented his clear title issued by his former state. To his surprise, the Arizona DMV clerk would not register the…
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Show It Your Way
In the era before Cars & Coffee-style events, it was rare to see gatherings of collectible cars outside a highly organized setting. These were generally semi-formal concours-style events. They started with the early arrival of the entrants’ cars, sometimes before dawn. Cars were most often shown with the hoods shut, so that the overall design…
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Packaged Goods
1998 Nissan 240SX SE # 71190. S/N JN1AS44D0WW105293. 133k miles. “2.4-liter inline-4, 5-speed manual transmission, Silver Moss Metallic exterior, gray cloth with patterned inserts, factory 16-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, sport-tuned suspension, air conditioning.” Condition: 1.SOLD AT $21,262. Bring a Trailer, 4/21/22. The Nissan 240SX market is interesting to follow. On one hand, you have…
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1930 Cadillac V16 Roadster by Fleetwood
Established in 1902, Cadillac was bought in 1909 by the newly formed General Motors Company, which had begun to bring together several makes and wanted Cadillac as its luxury-car division. Cadillac had made a name for itself through innovation, the equipment fitted to its cars and the number of cylinders they had: V8, then V12…
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1991 Ford RS200
As the copy of a letter from Ford Motorsport, signed by Bob Howe [Ford’s RS200 program sales chief] and dated October 15, 1991, indicates, this RS200 was sold new to a Swedish enthusiast for £57,498. It was one of the few RS200s to have been finished in dark red when it came off the production…
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1964 Facel Vega Facel II Coupe
In its relatively short life, the French firm of Facel produced approximately 2,900 cars, all of which were stylish, luxurious and fast. Hand built, they were necessarily expensive — the Facel II was priced in Rolls-Royce territory — and bought by the rich and famous seeking something exclusive and distinctive. Launched in 1961, the Facel…