Shifting Gears
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Dodging the Bullet on a 356
Dear Keith: Now that I’ve purchased the SCM Volvo 1800ES and it’s on the way to my garage, I’d like to ask your opinion on a 356C sunroof coupe that’s been offered to me. I’ve taken a quick look at it, and it appears to be a really nice older restoration, holding up well. There…
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Becoming a Florida Car Guy
We’ve seen more gators than ducks or beavers recently, as we’ve spent 20 of the past 30 days in Florida, with our home state of Oregon becoming more of an imagined entity than a place. We had barely unpacked our bags from our February trip to Rétromobile when it was time for another early-morning taxi…
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Cacti and Campari
Just weeks ago I was toodling through the Arizona desert, sneaking away from the auctions for a quick drive to Sedona in a lovely dark blue Aston Martin V8 Vantage. I was seeking a brief respite from the ceaseless shattering of world records at the auctions being held, where one high sale after another was…
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Let’s Get On With the Next 25
I remember clearly when I decided to launch the Alfa Romeo Market Letter. It was 1988, and the market was beginning to heat up. I had recently left my day job as a manager of Ron Tonkin’s Gran Turismo in Portland, OR, where I sold Ferraris, Maseratis, Alfa Romeos and Lotuses. I devoured the various…
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It Was a Very Good Year
As this is our December issue, it’s the right time to reflect on the past 12 months, and to project forward into 2013. Sports Car Market is by design a reflective magazine; we report on sales and events that have happened, and analyze and comment on them. Our world is large and all-inclusive, as we…
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Riding the Wave
Our Executive Editor, Chester Allen, is a dedicated surfer. He tells me there is a moment when a paddling surfrider catches the pulse of energy traveling through the water, pops up on the board and starts the ride — accelerating effortlessly as he becomes part of a wave. This year, every auction house in Monterey…
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The Triumph of Time
Fifty years ago, Bob Russell was driving home from work when a flashy red sports car caught his eye. “I had been thinking that we needed a second car, and my wife needed to learn to drive a stick,” Russell, 84, said. “So I just bought it.” He brought the 1962 Triumph TR3B home…
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Martin Swig, 1934–2012
He lived on his own terms I only saw Martin Swig two or three times a year. So the fact that he is now gone, forever, doesn’t create an immediate void. Instead, there’s a small, dull ache that will become a little more apparent each August when I think about his traditional Sunday night party…
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GTOs and Cobras: Investments or Insanity?
Here at SCM, we like to maintain two simultaneous views of the collector world, with one seen through a long-range spotting scope, and the other viewed through close-range binoculars. For example, in the short-term viewfinder, the sale of a 250 GTO for $35m is a breathtaking escalation of the value of these most-watched Ferraris. Long…
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12 Years of SCM — Searchable Online
We expect instant gratification from our computers. Type in “How many times have Ferraris won at Le Mans?” “Nine,” Wikipedia answers instantly. How many Corvettes have been sold since 1953? More than 1.3m, you learn after a few keystrokes. What’s the current wheel-driven land speed record over one mile? You’re an instant expert as your…