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What If CARFAX Got It Wrong?
SCM Publisher Martin stoked a lot of interest with his May 2021 “Shifting Gears” column that explained how important CARFAX has become to the collector-car market. We printed excellent letters from Donald Davret and David Preston concerning CARFAX and potential errors in its reports in the July 2021 issue. Subsequently, Publisher Martin received another letter…
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Tragic Transmission
One of the more jaw-dropping automotive transactions to occur in 2021 has to be the sale of James Dean’s Porsche 550 transaxle for $387,000 (including buyer’s premium) on Bring a Trailer. While the James Dean Porsche 550 story is well known in automobile collecting circles, a bit of background may be helpful so that the…
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The Everyman’s Sports Car Becomes Collectible
Honda turned a generation of otherwise pragmatic buyers into driving fans when the Civic-based CRX hit showrooms in 1984. The 2-door, 2-seat hatchback was a smaller, livelier version of Honda’s compact commuter car while still maintaining a healthy dollop of practicality. Today, history most fondly remembers the second-generation CRX, which arrived for the 1988 model…
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2014 Chevrolet SS NASCAR
Jeff Gordon’s iconic No. 24 DuPont Rainbow livery is the winningest paint scheme in NASCAR history, with 52 wins at 17 tracks, three championship titles, and more than 10,000 laps led. After “Fire and Flames” became the norm for Gordon’s No. 24 in 2001, the Rainbow only made one more appearance until Gordon’s final season…
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1991 Lamborghini Diablo
Number 283 of just 401 examples built for that first year of production, this Diablo is an exceptionally well-preserved and highly original example. Delivered new to an owner in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, via Ultimate Motor Works of Longwood, FL, it was finished in red over a black leather interior and outfitted with red…
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1934 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Spezial Roadster
The sensation of the 1934 Berlin Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz’s legendary 500K supercar was the creation of the gifted engineer and former racing driver Dr. Hans Nibel. What set his supercharged Mercedes apart from the big, blown Mercedes of the previous decade was the model’s advanced chassis design, which combined swing axles at the rear with…
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1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Alloy
Unveiled at the Paris Salon in October 1966, the 275 GTB/4 was a groundbreaking Ferrari. As Maranello’s first 4-cam road car, the GTB/4 paid homage to the dominant sports prototypes of the era and pointed to the future of Ferrari design. The most noteworthy roadgoing 275s are the aluminum-bodied GTB/4 berlinettas, of which just 16…
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1959 Abarth 750 GT Zagato “Double Bubble”
Based on the chassis of the humble Fiat 600, the Abarth 750 GT Zagato is one of the most interesting and highly regarded examples of Italian etceterini. A joy to drive and to own, it allows access to multiple racing events all over the world. This 1959 example is eminently presentable and benefits from a…
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1960 Jaguar XK 150 S 3.8
Launched in 1957, the Jaguar XK 150 was the third and final iteration of the XK series, following on from the XK 120 and XK 140. Available as both a fixed-head coupe or a drophead coupe, the XK 150 featured updated styling and various mechanical improvements, including four-wheel disc brakes. The car was originally launched…
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1929 Duesenberg Model J “Disappearing Top” Torpedo
The most famous design from Pasadena, CA, coachbuilder Walter M. Murphy, the Duesenberg Model J “Disappearing Top” convertible coupe saw production of about 25 examples, all with the distinctive convertible top that hid neatly within the smooth rear deck when lowered. Yet there is a much rarer machine, the “Disappearing Top” Torpedo convertible coupe, which…