Michael came home from the maternity ward in a custom, Candy Apple Red ’55 Chevy, and it’s been cars, cars, cars, ever since. Eclectic fare, from full classics to current exotics, always filled the family garage.
After a stint as the commercial director of an auto racing team, Leven became a professional winemaker, a craft he practices to this day. He regularly drives his MB 280SL, and recently recommissioned a W123 Mercedes for his teenage sons, saying, “It’s perfect: slow, safe and indestructible.” His mission is to find a Gypsy Red ’55 Nomad like the one his grandfather bought new.
Articles in Sports Car Market
Here are the latest articles from Michael:
1980 Porsche 924 Turbo “Holbert Racing” Widebody – The 924 offered here completed production on January 1, 1980, slated for sale in the United States. It left the factory finished in Alpine White with a black partial leather interior and the highly sought-after Sport Group Package (option code 471) which included ventilated brake discs, larger anti-roll bars and Koni shock absorbers. Other factory… Read more
1998 Ferrari 333 SP – Despite Ferrari’s incredible Grand Prix record, arguably its most legendary accomplishments have arrived in the arena of sports-car racing. Through to 1974, the marque amassed 15 World Sportscar Championship titles, eight victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, seven Mille Miglia wins and seven more triumphs in the Targa Florio. Not to mention the… Read more
1990 AAR-Toyota Eagle HF89 – This 1990 Toyota Eagle HF89 was designed and built by Dan Gurney’s All American Racers in partnership with Toyota to contest the 1990 IMSA GTP series, during which it secured Toyota’s first GTP victory at Heartland Park in Topeka, KS, with Juan Manuel Fangio II at the wheel. Chassis 89T004 was then piloted by Fangio… Read more
1982 March-Chevrolet 82G – This 82G race car is the first of four examples produced by March Engineering in 1982 for use in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class of the IMSA GT Championship. Chassis 1, referred to as the 82G prototype, secured pole position in its debut at the Daytona 24 Hours, and in its subsequent running at… Read more
1967 Ford GT40 – The early history of this roadgoing GT40 is particularly fascinating, outlined in extensive detail by marque specialist Ronnie Spain, whose report remains on file for this car and is available for review by interested potential bidders. It begins on February 16, 1967, one week before its scheduled delivery date, and its assignment by Ford to… Read more 1927 Bentley 6½ Litre Le Mans Sports – As with all great W.O. Bentley-era cars, the legendary 6½ Litre owes its existence to the original 3-liter design. Racing success, including the 1924 and 1927 Le Mans wins, quickly drove sales, with buyers soon demanding ever-more luxurious and heavy custom coachwork, resulting in the more powerful 4½ Litre, which in modified form earned Bentley’s… Read more