Classic Cars

VENTS: Japanese Classic Car Show 2010, Part 04

2010-09-20T20:18:00.000+08:00

We have so much coverage from JCCS that we’ve skipped the Friday Video this week and spilling the final installment into the weekend. So like a fleet of ported rotaries roaring down the 710, let’s tear right in!

As we mentioned before, this year’s JCCS drew record attendance, and a Datsun 510 with an S15 SR20DET swap is always a crowd pleaser.

It’s hard to believe there were only four years separating Leo del Cid‘s 1964 Bluebird with the iconic 510, but the pace of Japan’s industrialization was steaming forth at record pace. This is actually a PL312 from the Bluebird 310 series.

But don’t confuse it with the Datsun 310, an early Nissan Pulsar with the N10 chassis code. This front-wheel-drive car is actually ancestor to the modern-day Nissan Versa.

The 510 is one of the few cars in which the wagon body style is as stylish and popular among enthusiasts as coupe and sedan versions. Hey, Snoop Dogg owned one.

We spotted this amazingly clean Datsun 521 in the parking lot. Though the two are unrelated, one can see the styling resemblance to the 510 in the front end. Companies would kill for this kind of cross-platform branding nowadays.

Vic Laury‘s Datsun 2000 Roadster looks fantastic wearing SSR MkIIIs and a solid vintage pale yellow.

Though this Datsun 280ZX appears plain in appliance white from afar, a second glance reveals details like smoked scoop covers, purple wheels and rainbow Frankenstein stitches in the air dam.

Some may call it sacrilege, but this Mazda RX-4 had a 2JZ swap and its stock leaf springs swapped for a full Lexus IS300 independent rear.

The Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE differentiated itself from other first-gen Sevens with special wheels, different interior trim and a fuel injected 13B. Despite their popularity, it’s still fairly uncommon to see an example this clean nowadays.

Some Civic owners are downright quirky, and three of them with matching trailers drove in like ducks in a row.

The crew from Norm Reeves Honda had this rare second-gen JDM Honda City on display at their booth. Though kitted out with questionable aero bits, it’s a rare sight in the US, a predecessor to the modern-day Honda Fit.

Long before deep dish SSRs and hippari stretched tires migrated across the Pacific, the “proper” way to modify a Datsun 240Z was with polished slot mags so this is period correct, right down to the root beer metallic hue.

Nowadays, one can guess the age of a Z owner with fairly decent accuracy based on wheel choice. In descending order, it would go slot mags, Panasports, then SSR MkIIIs.

Like SSRs, black Watanabes and flares suggest a Nintendo-era owner as well.

Gotta love the 1970s, the era of metallic brown and dealer-installed vinyl roofs on your Mazda RX-2.

Remember when these were everywhere? Most of these solid-front-axle pickups have probably been driven into the ground by now, so this Toyota Hilux in classic light brown with period-correct stripe decals was a rare treat indeed.

Will the 1967 Toyota 2000GT ever be dethroned as king of Japanese classics? Perhaps a Fairlady Z432 or genuine GT-R could take the crown as they gain more traction in the US.

If you’re looking for JDM decals, T-shirts and accessories like fender mirrors for your Toyota Crown, the crew at Mooneyes are the ones you need to talk to.

Last time we saw this Celica liftback, it was on stock steelies. Now it’s set off by a set of rare Hoshino Impuls.

JNC super reader Toyotageek is a JCCS regular with his bone stock Celica liftback. Believe it or not, it he got it because someone walked into Cabe Toyota one day and traded it in!

2TC/3TC inline fours can be modified to create insane power, a favorite among drag racers. If it wasn’t for the roll cage and fat slicks on the rear, this TE71 Corolla would be a total sleeper.

The Japanese call them ninanas. Filipinos call them mangos. We simply call a TE27 on TOM’S Igetas classic.

Even a two or three years ago, MX73 Cressidas were still a common sight on the west coast. Sadly, Toyota’s pre-Lexus flagship is slowly going becoming an endangered species. They exhibit a subtle beauty from every angle easily emphasized with a modest drop and SSR meshies.

The Honda CR-X was too popular for its own good. Just like drifters have made a good AE86 nearly impossible to find, 90s tuners have pushed bone-stock CR-Xs to the brink of extinction. Many already consider them to be the next big classic.

But if there’s anything rarer than an all-original CR-X it’s a clean, complete Mugen CR-X Pro kit. Mega JDM points for this one.

Along with this silver hot hatch from Aichi, it was like being in the middle of bubble economy Tokyo. As 80s cars continue their march into history, we’re sure to see more cars like this stunningly mint Toyota Corolla FT-S FX-16 at JCCS.

Japanese rally legend Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima can usually be found screaming up Pikes Peak behind the wheel of his 900hp Suzuki, but his very first rally car was a Mazda R360. It’s hard to believe he could have fit inside! And with that we bid JCCS 201o sayonara.

Ur-Turn: On The Death Of The Classic Car

2010-09-20T20:11:00.000+08:00

Ur-Turn is your weekly opportunity to contribute to TTAC. Every Saturday we select a different piece submitted to our contact form, and publish it as a showcase for the diverse perspectives of TTAC’s readers. Today’s contribution is a a meditation on the coming classic car crisis, from reader Matthew Betts.
Classic cars have been part of American car culture since the 1950s, when rat rods roamed the evening streets and gas contained heavy metal. As years have passed, those classics have given way to the over-restored muscle car and the garage queen time capsule. Those cars have held the spotlight for quite some time, probably because the kids of the 80s lusted after the cars of the 60s, much like their parents. The next step in the progression of the classic car will be Japanese and turbocharged group from the early 90s. This new wave can already be found creeping into auctions with prices on the rise.
After this wave passes, what will be next, if anything at all? While this may seem like a crazy question at first glance, there are several drastic differences between the cars of the last 10 years and the cars of yore that will make long-term car of them a nearly impossible goal. Some of these differences strike at the very core of classic car culture.

Complexity
Mechanical complexity is not that big a deal to a classic car lover. Some relish in the clockwork symphony of multiple carbs, or the sublime cacophony coming from a multi-cam, high-revving engine. Modern engines, while only moderately more complex mechanically, are vastly more difficult to maintain in the long term due to the control systems used. Can you imagine trying to resolve a software fault in a modern car in 10 years by yourself, without the required 10k dealer-only computer or any software documentation?
Serviceability
Previously, virtually all cars were able to be maintained using a fairly fixed spectrum of tools. Sure, there were specialty tools to make life easier, but they were shortcuts, not requirements. The biggest change here is with the aforementioned dealer computers. In the early-to-late 90s, the specialty computer was used primarily as a diagnostic device, rather than a vital tool. Modern cars cannot be serviced without these computers, as the computers are used to fix software problems directly that cannot be remedied any other way.
Integration
One of the core concepts in classic car ownership is customization, making it your car. This used to be relatively easy to do, as each system was independent. Changing the drivetrain just changed the drivetrain. In a modern car, however, every system is interconnected. As an example, a BMW 335i owner recently found out the hard way that changing the radio prevented him from having his transmission serviced. How are these systems related? They aren’t, except the chassis computer wouldn’t let the transmission software be updated unless all systems were validated first. Lacking the original radio, that system couldn’t be validated, so the car couldn’t be fixed. Eventually, the owner found the original radio in a closet, but otherwise, he would have had to buy a new OEM radio to the tune of 700$. He couldn’t use another used OEM radio because the OEM radio had to be uniquely paired to the car first, an operation that could only be performed once. When changing something as basic as the radio prevents major systems from functioning, that makes the car a single unit, rather than a collection of modular systems.
So how will the kid of today get their dream Jaguar XF in 20+ years? Some of the more technologically-advanced classic cars are showing the way: specialization. As the dealers move on to the next generation computer and tool set, they liquidate the old stock, which is required to fix the old cars. Some of these units will be picked up by independent shops. Even fewer of these shops eventually become known as the “gurus” of that particular car in a particular geographic area. They remain the sole people actually able to fix the car as it was originally meant to be fixed, as they alone will have the skills and tools to do so. Current examples of this include the BMW E9 coupes, the Volvo P1800, vintage Mercedes, and vintage Porsches. These cars often have one or two shops in the entire US dedicated to just that car type. They have all the original tools, original documentation, and the contacts to find all the NLA parts nobody else seems to find, or they make them in-house.
While specialization will ensure the cars will live on, there is a dark side: cost. Being the only gig in town (or the country) gives the shop the ability to call the shots in a way most indys could only dream of. This drives up the cost of restoration to the point of being well outside the capabilities of most Americans. Gone will be the stories of a kid and their dad bringing a car back to life, as dad won’t be able to buy a good used engine control computer without cutting into the kid’s college fund. A classic car will no longer be the result of blood, sweat, and copious swearing, but of shipping it to the other side of the country to the only shop that still has a working diagnostic/interface computer. Classic cars will no longer be testaments to the owner’s mechanical acumen, but of the size of their pocketbooks. This key change is the killing blow against the very core of the original car culture, who customized what they could afford with their own two hands, making the best of what they had.

Classics Racecars on Display at the Simeone Foundation

2010-08-17T20:29:00.004+08:00

The Classic Car Cruise In Has Been Canceled

2010-08-17T20:24:00.000+08:00

UPDATE: The Classic Car Cruise In scheduled for Saturday, August 14, 2010 has been canceled due to the probability of strong or severe storms.

The Rome Downtown Development Authority will be hosting a Classic Car Cruise In on Saturday, August 14. It will be held on 1st St. between 2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave.

Any vehicle that is 25 years old or older qualifies as a Classic Car. Any cars participating in the event should enter from 2nd Ave.

There will be prizes, vendors, and live entertainment featuring The Rome Antics and The Back Street Boogie Band.

World’s oldest Mercedes treks 1,600 miles from Seattle to Pebble Beach

2010-08-17T20:21:00.000+08:00

The world’s oldest surviving Mercedes has finished a 1,600-mile drive from Seattle to California to compete in Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, one of the world’s premier classic car shows.

The 28-horsepower 1902 Mercedes Simplex was among two-dozen classic cars winding their way around mountains and through valleys for the eight-day trip. The Mercedes will vie for a trophy Sunday in the show’s “antique through 1915” category along with seven other rare vehicles in that class.

What’s it like to drive a 108-year-old car with no windshield and no heater around Mount St. Helens, along the Columbia River and down the Pacific Coast? “It’s exciting, it’s exhilarating,” said the British restorer and driver, John Bentley. “Its top speed is only 45 to 48 (miles per hour), you’re quite high up and it’s quite an exciting drive. When it gets to 35 or 40, it really has some power and is able to maintain that speed. It’s a remarkable experience to be behind the wheel of a car this age that is still so spritely.” He said he hopes the next long trip for the Mercedes will be the UK’s famous London-to-Brighton classic car run.

Bentley said the Mercedes – considered a technological marvel in its day -- performed flawlessly, requiring only the daily draining of an oil sump and other minor maintenance. He found the car for California collectors Arturo and Deborah Keller, who bought it in 1993 and also took turns at the wheel on the long drive. With much research, as well as help from the manufacturer, Bentley then did a painstaking restoration so it could be shown at the 1994 Pebble Beach Concours.

Not always so flawless were the mountain weather conditions during the recent trip, as driver and passengers wore goggles and bundled up with layers of warm clothing. Said Bentley, “There were a couple of mornings that were really cold and we had brain freeze.”

Classic car 32 Ford Hotrod

2010-07-01T21:15:00.001+08:00

Classic car Custom Impala

2010-07-01T21:11:00.001+08:00

Classic car Custom Caddy

2010-07-01T21:07:00.001+08:00

Classic car Caddy Eldo

2010-07-01T21:05:00.002+08:00

RM Sells Over 35,000 Horsepower at San Diego Auction

2010-07-01T20:58:00.001+08:00

102 cars were sold recently at the RM Auctions Classic Muscle and Modern Performance event, including a $231,000 1969 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Convertible and a $401,500 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88. The full release from RM Auctions can be found below:

SAN DIEGO, CA (June 21, 2010) - A total of 102 automobiles, including many high-horsepower Detroit muscle cars combined with a selection of AMG Mercedes-Benz and M-Powered BMWs, crossed the auction podium today at RM Auctions' Classic Muscle & Modern Performance event, resulting in $6.9 million in sales and a 100 percent sell through rate.

"Overall, we saw some very strong prices for both select, rare and outstanding muscle cars as well as on the like-showroom-new, late model cars, and it was very encouraging," Ian Kelleher, President and COO, RM Auctions.

Detroit Muscle entries were led by the Corvette marque's overall solid showing at today's auction, including achieving the top-seller of the day with a super-rare, tire-shredding 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 selling for $401,500. Other Corvette highlights include a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Convertible out-performing its high pre-sale estimate by fetching $231,000, and a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Roadster realizing $214,500. The late-model BMWs and Mercedes-Benz also enjoyed a strong performance.

RM's San Diego event continues the company's strong presence in California which has included a string of highly successful private collection sales in recent years.

RM's busy summer season continues with two of its annual events: the Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook held in conjunction with the Concours d'Elegance of America at Meadow Brook in Rochester, Michigan on July 24; and, the Sports & Classics of Monterey event in California, August 12 - 14, 2010.

Complete results of the Classic Muscle & Modern Performance event are posted online at www.rmauctions.com

About RM Auctions RM Auctions is the world's largest auction house for quality automobiles. With over three decades of experience in the collector car industry, RM's vertically integrated range of services, from restoration to private treaty sales, auctions, estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of car specialists and international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM proudly holds five of the top 10 - and more significantly, four of the top five - all time records for the most expensive motor cars sold at auction. RM's restoration division has achieved unprecedented accolades earning "Best of Show" honors at the world's top concours events. For further information, visit www.rmauctions.com.

World's Largest Collector Car Auction House To Offer Iconic Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa In Monterey

2010-07-01T20:51:00.000+08:00

One of the headliners of RM Auctions' 25th anniversay Sports & Classics of Monterey Event will be a rare 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. For more on the car, check out the complete release from RM Auctions:
BLENHEIM, Ontario (June 10, 2010) - A rare 1958 Ferrari 250 'Pontoon Fender' Testa Rossa, serial number 0738 TR, will be presented at RM Auctions' 25th anniversary Sports & Classics of Monterey event in August, making it the most significant and valuable motor car ever offered during Monterey's famed collector car auction week.

Considered one of the most highly-sought-after and iconic of all Ferrari racing cars, the beautiful and unmistakable Scaglietti-designed 'Pontoon Fender' 250 Testa Rossa was produced from 1957 to 1958 during which only 21 were constructed, including 0738 TR. Delivered new to Brazilian Jean-Louis Lacerda Soares, 0738 TR was raced for several seasons in South America under the Esquardari Largatixa banner where it recorded a number of successful finishes. For the past 14 years its current owner, a gentleman racer, has extensively campaigned 0738 TR in its yellow and green Brazilian racing colors, recording numerous wins and podium finishes at the world's most prestigious historic racing events. (Estimate Available Upon Request).
"RM's recent record-breaking Monaco sale coupled with the steadily improving economic climate demonstrates the ideal time for the debut of this rare and coveted Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa at auction in Monterey this August," says Rob Myers, Chairman and CEO, RM Auctions. "In May 2009, during a period many considered the depths of the global recession, RM set the current world record price for a car sold at auction with another pontoon-fender TR selling for $12.4 million. That result was a true testament to the demand for these iconic Ferraris and is indicative of the strong potential for this example to set yet another auction record."
Continuing RM's global leadership in the presentation of historic Ferraris at auction - holding seven of the top 10 all-time auction records for the marque - 0738 TR is joined by no less than 22 other exceptional vintage Ferraris in Monterey. Notable entries include: a highly-desirable, covered headlamp 1959 Ferrari LWB California Spyder, s/n 1489 GT, (Est. $2,750,000 - $3,250,000) delivered new to Prince Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia; a rare 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica, s/n 1323 SA, (Est. $1,600,000 - $2,200,000) one of only 12 Series III Superamericas built; a fully-restored 1957 Ferrari 250 Pininfarina Spyder Series I, s/n 0979 GT, (Est. $1,600,000 - $1,900,000); and a stunning, multi-award-winning 1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast, s/n 8565 (Est. $800,000 - $1,000,000).

1936 4.3 Litre Alvis Headed to Goodwood Festival of Speed

2010-07-01T20:48:00.000+08:00

Long before Sir Alec Issigonis served up the Austin Seven, later known as the Mini, he was a member of the Alvis Company, a British automaker whose history traces back to 1919. Alvis' tenure in the U.K. auto industry lasted through 1967 and, more than 40 years later, the company's remains will re-introduce its famous, pre-war 4.3 Litre model at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed. The 4.3 Litre Alvis will draw upon the original blueprints from 1936 but utilize modern components including emissions-control equipment and fuel injection for the inline-six engine. The 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed is open to the public starting July 2.

The press release may be found below:

21st Century future for legendary Alvis model

The Alvis Car Company will be using the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month to announce details of a unique project to re-introduce a renowned 1930's Alvis model using the original technical drawings, allied to the latest CAD/CAM technology.

Red Triangle, the well-established Alvis service company, which owns the Alvis cars brand and trademarks, has evidence from the original Alvis company board minutes that 77 of the chassis that were officially sanctioned for production were never fulfilled because car production had to be suspended in 1940. The newly formed Alvis Car Company will announce details of a continuation series of these cars at Goodwood and will be displaying on their stand a brand new 4.3 Litre chassis and engine. These are the first steps towards the reintroduction of the famous Alvis 4.3 Litre model, 71 years after the last 4.3 Litre Alvis was produced.

The 4.3 Litre Alvis was the fastest non-supercharged production car of its day, and the continuation series will live up to that heritage. Manufactured from the original drawings, the 4.3 Litre Alvis in-line six cylinder engine will be faithful to the 1936 design, in maintaining all its period character and quality, yet by utilising modern technology it will be emission compliant. Moreover, by using modern materials, fuel injection and engine management, this powerplant will deliver even more horsepower.

"This is part of our overall business plan," said Alan Stote, Red Triangle and Alvis Car Company proprietor: "to maintain service to existing Alvis owners but also to reintroduce selected authentic Alvis models in line with the vision of the Alvis Board all those years ago. Visitors to Goodwood will be able to see the first stages of that plan."

Annual Petersfield rally welcomes 300 classic cars

2010-06-22T20:26:00.000+08:00

About 300 vintage cars were on display as part of a popular annual rally in Petersfield on Saturday (June 5th).

Motoring enthusiasts flocked in their thousands to catch a glimpse of some of the classic Bentleys, Lagondas and Austins at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, the Petersfield Post reports.

The event, which is organised by the South Hants Vehicle Preservation Society, proved to be a huge success, with attendees also purchasing spare parts for their own vehicles at the autojumble.

"One of the earliest cars there was a Citroen from 1911-12," Stuart Cleaver, chairman of the autojumble committee and unofficial chaplain of the society, told the news provider.

"We had quite a few vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s, and rather more from the 1950s and 1960s."

Mr Cleaver also revealed that his car, a 1928 Austin 16/6 Tourer, generated interest as its chassis was built in Birmingham and sent to Australia, where the body was then fitted.

The Austin 16/6 was capable of reaching 60mph and returned 21 miles per imperial gallon, depending on its body.

Vintage 007 Aston Martin to return to the UK

2010-06-22T20:23:00.000+08:00

A British classic car which was once described as the most famous in the world is set to appear at an event in Buckinghamshire this month.

The sole-remaining silver 1964 Aston Martin DB5 ''FMP 7B'' achieved iconic status for its appearances in the James Bond films ''Goldfinger'' and ''Thunderball''.

Having spent more than 40 years in the US with its original owner, the vehicle is now coming back to the UK to be sold at the annual ''Automobiles of London'' auction in October.

However, vintage car fans will be able to catch a glimpse of it in the very near future as it is scheduled to appear at the Stoke Park Midsummer Classic on June 26th.

"This DB5 is more than a car, it''s a film star and it''s an absolute privilege to be able to present it to the British public again, having been away in America for so many years," said Max Girardo, the managing director of RM Auctions Europe.

The DB5, which has been owned by US radio personality Jerry Lee since he paid Aston Martin $12,000 for it in 1969, is expected to fetch $5 million when it goes under the hammer.

Silverstone relay race ''ideal'' for classic car owners

2010-06-22T20:20:00.002+08:00

Classic car drivers have been alerted to a special but relatively unknown event on the British motor sport calendar.

The Birkett Six Hours, organised by the 750 Motor Club, is a relay race involving 55 teams of four to six cars, with no restrictions imposed upon entries.

Handicappers assess each squad before the race - which was held at Silverstone last year - meaning any type of vintage car could be in with a chance of emerging victorious.

Writing for the Daily Telegraph, Simon Arron hailed the event, praising it for removing some of the "homogeneity [which] has stifled diversity" at race meetings.

"The entry is limited to sports and saloon cars, but that can mean anything from a 1962 Ford Anglia, a contemporary replica of Jaguar''s Le Mans-winning D-Type or a Proton Coupe," he wrote.

"It''s a wonderful anachronism - a throwback to the days when camaraderie mattered more than spending power."

The Jaguar D-Type was produced purely for competition and was heralded upon its release in 1954 for its ground-breaking use of a monocoque chassis.

1963 Aston Martin DB4 4-Seater Convertible sold for a way over top estimate £297,000

2010-06-22T20:16:00.000+08:00

A 1963 Aston Martin DB4 4-Seater Convertible - one of just seventy made which had been restored some thirty years ago and had all its numbers still matching - sold for a way over top estimate £297,000 including buyers premium during the latest H&H sale at Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens, reports Richard Hudson-Evans.
Another thumping big price was the £175,000 invested in a Bristol 100D2-engined and nicely patinated 1959 AC Ace Roadster which had also been consigned by the same ex-professional goalkeeper as the Aston. The footballer turned steel stock holder’s five-car collection - which included a £37,400 Ferrari 328GTS with 12,800 mileage displayed since 1989 and a £7700 1980 MGB LE Roadster with just 2500 miles on the clock - all sold out at the popular Peak District venue.
The northern auction house certainly has a good track record for achieving progressively stronger prices for the Ace with a Ford Zephyr 2.6-powered car fetching a record £209,000 with premium at a previous sale.
During what amounted to a £1.32m afternoon once £125,000 worth of motorcycles including a £46,750 1951 Vincent Black Shadow and £35,000 spent on automobilia had been taken into account, 48 cars or 80% of the entry changed hands, the average spend per car being £24,245.
Among the most notable movers for market watchers were a concours standard 1958 Aston Martin DB MkIII Fixed Head sold for £93,500 and a restored and early 1958 Jaguar XK150S 3.4 Roadster made £56,100. A 1962 E Type 3.8 former Coupe and now Roadster realised £43,450 and a left to right-hand drive converted 1954 Austin-Healey 100 with louvered 100M-style bonnet £30,800.
And although a re-shelled 1969 Mk1 Ford Escort rally car with non-original Twin Cam motor, but historic FEV 5H registration failed to find the £80,000 or so sought, a works-supported Reliant Sabre 6 Coupe, which did do the 1963 and 1964 Monte Carlo Rallies in period, found £26,400. There was also much competition between bidders to take on a 1966 Lotus Elan restoration project. Dormant in a garage for 10years and with realistic pre-sale estimate of £1000-2000 reflecting cosmetically distressed condition, the Series Convertible with hardtop eventually cost some brave contestant £16,050 with premium!

100% Sale Rate At Duke's - The Robert Ball Collection Auction

2010-05-28T17:00:00.000+08:00

The Robert Ball Collection which had been exhibited in a ‘World of Wheels’ display at the Brading Experience on the Isle of Wight completely sold out in the Duke’s auction tent at Athelhampton House in Dorset, reports Richard Hudson-Evans.

The rarest item was a believed to be unique survivor of the French Mass marque, an ex-Patrick Collection 1905 Mass 8hp 2-Seater sold for a close to double top estimate £24,380.

A Tyneside-built Armstrong-Whitworth 18/22hp with Three-Quarter Landaulette by Maythorn of Biggleswade of 1910 vintage attracted a mid-estimate £34,500 from an Austrian buyer.

A very nicely presented 1911 Buick Model 39 4/5-Seater Tourer attracted a just over guide price £31,050 and an above estimate £26,250 was paid for a 1906 Delage Type F3 6 1/2hp 2-Seater Voiturette without mudguards.

A 1913 Mitchell Tourer for five, which had been owned by a Royal Flying Officer during WW1, also attracted the forecast £24,725 and a Swift 7hp Twin Cylinder Cyclecar from the same year made a better than expected £20,700.

The best performing postwar lot was a repainted 1952 Bristol 401 6-Cylinder Sports-Saloon with original leather and current MOT, which raised a £7138 more than top estimate £22,138.

A nicely restored 1964 Hillman Husky - first owned by Sir Winston Churchill, a lifesize waxwork figure of whom was included with the Estate car - did well here, too, selling for £11,500.

Apart from the Bristol, all 23 of the 4-wheeled vehicles, which fetched £387,492, had been museum-displayed for some time and required full mechanical re-commissioning before use.

Among the 2-wheelers, an older restored 1918 BSA Model K 557cc Motorcycle with Sidecar found £9200 and a very sharp 1968 Lambretta L1 150 Scooter £2415. A brace of Sinclair C5s made £249 apiece.

While a Baylis Thomas Duplex Excelsior Roadster Ordinary Penny Farthing raised £2530, a late Victorian Velocipede Tricycle £1265 and a late Victorian Bone Shaker £978.

Among some really bullish Automobilia valuations, a 1949 A7 Pathfinder pedal car flew to £2760 and a large three-part Shell enamel sign to £2070.

A Raleigh Bicycles enamel sign made £1955 and the same money was paid for a large enamel British Dominions sign.

A CAV vintage ‘Car Electrical Indicator’ found £1610, a set of Bentley cocktail sticks in Sterling Silver £529 and a Duckhams Adcoids engine oil thermometer/sign £506.

New Worcestershire classic car event inviting entries

2010-05-28T16:57:00.000+08:00

Classic car fans have been encouraged to participate in a unique rally in Worcestershire next month.

The new event is open to a wide range of historic vehicles, such as tractors, motorbikes, bicycles and cars, while customised modern cars are also being welcomed.

Entrants will convene at Offenham''s recreation ground in Evesham Vale before 11:00 BST on June 12th before embarking on the rally, the Tewkesbury Admag reports.

Organiser Phil Gillman, who is a committee member at Offenham British Legion, explained that the day will help to promote the activities of the club.

"As with a lot of these clubs, Offenham''s is very much under used and we just want to show people what great facilities we have to offer," he told the news provider.

"This is the first one we have run and hopefully it will go on to become an annual event."

Meanwhile, this weekend''s Vintage Sports Car Festival at Oulton Park will feature a number of classic cars competing against each other, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Classic car rally generates £40,000 for charity

2010-05-28T16:55:00.000+08:00

A group of classic cars embarked on a rally through Wiltshire last weekend in order to raise money for two good causes.

About 20 vintage vehicles set off from Wilton House on Saturday (May 15th), following a "meandering route" towards the Gurston Down hill climb, the Salisbury Journal reports.

The cars were then parked at Lainston House near Winchester to allow the drivers to refuel with a picnic lunch, before moving on to take part in a static display in Newbury.

Highclere Castle was the next port of call for the rally, where participants - including the Earl of Pembroke in a Datsun 240Z - enjoyed a hog roast to round off the day.

The event generated about £40,000, which is being donated to Naomi House Children''s Hospice and the Newbury Spring Festival.

"It was a great event," Naomi House spokesman Sam Scott told the news provider.

"I think it was great to be doing something that combines people''s hobbies and passions with raising money for a really good cause."

A unique new toy car version of the Datsun 240Z, made entirely from platinum, was showcased at a jewellery store in Japan earlier this week.

Classic Mustang car stolen in Gillingham

2010-05-19T21:21:00.000+08:00

The vehicle vanished from a car park in Gillingham

Police in Medway are searching for a classic car that was stolen while its owner was walking his dog.

The brown Ford Mustang was taken from the car park at Motney Hill, in Gillingham, between 1530 and 1600 BST on 11 May.
A Kent Police spokesman said the car was "extremely rare".
He added "The owner is obviously very keen to get it back as it was in pristine condition and of great sentimental value to him."

1940 BMW 328 Kamm Coupe with pictures and wallpapers

2010-05-04T21:47:00.001+08:00

Its the latest news and picture from BMW 328 Kamm Coupe. The BMW 328 Kamm Coupé was finally handed over to BMW Classic in a brief ceremony in March 2010.The BMW 328 Kamm Coupé, named after the German aerodynamics pioneer Wunibald Kamm, disappeared without trace back in 1953. But now – 70 years after BMW’s famous Mille Miglia victory – BMW Classic has recreated this legendary racing car, once again illuminating an important milestone in both motor sport history and the development of vehicle aerodynamics. “We are very proud to be able to bring this car back into the public spotlight,” said Karl Baumer, Director of BMW Group Classic. “We’ve come up against some major technical challenges, had many discussions and racked up countless hours of research, but when you see the car for the first time you can sense the passion and expertise invested in the project by everyone involved – all those years ago and today.”

BMW was quick to appreciate the unique status of its Mille Miglia cars following the victory in 1940, and they were soon moved out of Munich into a rural hideaway to save them from potential destruction during the Second World War. The evacuation was successful, with all five surviving the hostilities essentially unscathed. However, in the upheaval of the immediate post-war period BMW lost track of the cars. With Allied soldiers scouring Germany for rare racing cars, it was hardly surprising that the three Mille Miglia Roadsters resurfaced in Russia, England and America. The winning Touring Coupé from 1940 was initially seized by the Americans before being whisked away by a senior BMW employee. However, it also found its way across the Atlantic when the employee decided to emigrate.

Only the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé remained in Germany, former BMW Director of Racing Ernst Loof having acquired the car for his personal use. By this time he had become a manufacturer in his own right, supplying speedy Veritas racing sports cars to customers in a resurgent post-war Germany.

However, he also laboured consistently under financial woes and a few years later he was forced to part company with the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé. Sadly, this automotive gem was not blessed with a long life under its new owner, succumbing to the scrap heap after an accident in the early 1950s.

There was certainly no denying the historical value of this very special car and, after BMW founded BMW Mobile Tradition in the mid-1990s to oversee an extended reappraisal of the company’s history, plans were put together to build a reproduction. But the resurrection project proved to be a tricky undertaking. All design drawings for the car seemed to have disappeared into thin air and there was hardly a rich supply of historical photos around either. It was only with the hands-on assistance of a private collector in Munich that the project team were able to gather together a much larger selection of photos showing the car from a wide variety of angles. Indeed, these even included a good number of shots detailing the car’s tubular frame construction.

Now it was time to tackle the exacting task of piecing together a likeness of the complete car from the available information. Computer specialists in the design department embraced the challenge. They started by scanning in the most detailed photos to use as a basis for a 3D geometry program. Then the few reliable constants, such as the wheel rim diameters, wheel offset, headlight size, door handles, wing nuts, indicators and BMW logos, were added until they appeared in the same position in every projection. Every image provided a fresh series of reference points for wheel arches, windows and other parts linked to the fixed constants. Gradually, the well of information deepened until the experts were able to produce a virtual solid model, in which every detail looked right in every view of the car. This was used to generate a program for a five-axis milling machine, which would cut an original-size model from a massive block of highly compacted foam.

A restorer was then commissioned to stretch an original BMW chassis by 20 cm and build a steel space frame according to the templates provided by the photos. However, not long afterwards the project was put on ice. As part of the concept design process for the new BMW Museum an idea was floated of rebuilding the intricate Elektron space frame of the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé as a showpiece for the “Lightweight design” area of the museum. An exact copy of the original space frame was duly produced with the help of a specialist based near Munich. Aluminium was chosen as the material in place of the original Elektron, and the frame’s weight duly came very close to that of the original. Although this display frame was never intended to be used in an actual car, the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé idea remained on the table. In the end, it was a project initiated by the Meisterschule für Karosserie- und Fahrzeugbau Leipzig-Leisnig-Erlbach (master craftsmen’’s college for body and vehicle construction serving Leipzig, Leisnig and Erlbach) in partnership with the BMW plant in Leipzig that got the ball rolling.

The original plan was to cover the existing steel space frame with aluminium body panels to replicate the external appearance of the car at least. The Meisterschule produced moulds of the foam model in which the panels of the outer skin could be shaped. The finished body has since been on display at the Leipzig plant.

With the 70th anniversary of the Mille Miglia victory fast approaching, BMW Classic was determined to bring its plan to recreate the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé to fruition. However, highly skilled specialists were required to turn the collection of individual parts into a car that could actually be driven. With his excellent BMW 328 Touring Coupé and Mille Miglia Roadster restorations for the new BMW Museum still fresh in the mind, it was clear that René Große – based in Wusterwitz in the state of Brandenburg – would be the right man for the job.

Große used the foam model as the basis for a glass fibre-reinforced plastic mould. This was then shaped (with the help of additional wooden elements) into a strong casing which was split down the middle into two parts. The 25 mm-diameter tubes for the space frame – made from an aluminium alloy that allowed work-hardening – were then fitted into these two half-shells. Extreme precision was the order of the day here, as no corrections could subsequently be made to the outer skin. All this endeavour was aimed at ensuring that the frame would get close to the 30 kg weight of the original. For the outer skin, the team used pure aluminium body panels from a second set supplied by the Meisterschule. The newly made panels for the inside – for the inner front wings, bulkhead, double floor section of the body, dashboard and fuel tank, for example – then had to be integrated into the mould.

The body experts in René Große’s team called on all their skill and experience to fit the body to the space frame. An interesting detail of the construction were the 40-mm-wide aluminium strips which were welded to the frame at the outer edges of the metal skin. The outer skin was then edged inwards around these strips to a width of a few millimetres to achieve the visually intricate edges on the bonnet, windows, doors and wheel arches. This detail, like the design of the bonnet hinge and door hinges, had been patented by BMW. And that meant there were sketches available which enabled the team to render the new parts as close as possible to their original templates.

Other challenges included the technical tweaks which set the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé apart from its series-produced siblings, such as the set-back radiator, engine and transmission, modified rear axle and a host of other alterations requiring meticulous detailing.

Design Luxury Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car

2010-05-03T21:17:00.000+08:00

Greats Luxury Modern Classic Design Holden Efijy Concept Car

With the flurry of new product introductions and concept vehicles being unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this year, standing out from the crowd can take something special. I came across that something special in my first 30 minutes of walking the show floor: the Holden Efijy concept. Developed by a team of engineers and designers at Holden (a GM subsidiary in Australia), the Efijy rides on a Corvette chassis and is powered by a supercharged 6.0 liter V8. The design screams old school, but I don’t care — this beauty is a sight to behold.

Design Luxury Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car Auto Show

GM and Holden have already said that the Efijy would never see the light of day as a production vehicle, and that the effort was a “passionate side project” by Holden engineers who worked on the vehicle in their spare time. Despite the long list of concept vehicles unveiled in COBO Hall — from the Toyota FT-HS to the Chrysler Nassau and Ford Interceptor — I have to admit that the Efijy was my favorite concept of the show. Funny thing about having a passion for something: it tends to produce breathtaking vehicles like this one. Here’s hoping that the obvious talent of these Holden designers and engineers is put to good use with the new 2009 Chevy Camaro, which is being developed on a Holden-engineered RWD platform

Beautiful Design Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car

Australian International Motor Show, 13 October 2005 : A wild 21st Century hot rod reincarnating Australia ’s most famous car, the FJ Holden, was unveiled today at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

Design Machine Power Holden Efijy Concept Car

EFIJY is a radical pillarless custom coupe boasting V8 Supercar power under the bonnet, Chevrolet Corvette underbody and state-of-the-art automotive technology throughout.

Beautiful Design Holden Efijy Concept Car in Beside

The ‘Soprano Purple’ paintwork highlights its curvaceous 5.2-metre body, reinterpreting the classic design cues of the iconic 1953 FJ Holden. It delivers retro, mumbo and gizmos in one glorious package.

Cute Design Holden Efijy Concept Car in Front

Obviously not intended for production, EFIJY has been a passionate side project for some Holden Design team members otherwise dedicated to creating the all-new 2006 Commodore.

Beautiful Modern Headlamps Holden Efijy Concept Car

Automotive excess pounds through a 480-kilowatt, supercharged six-litre V8 engine and air-adjustable shock absorbers through to a touch control LCD screen and fan-cooled LED headlamps.

Amazing Design Fantastic Headlamps Holden Efijy Concept Car

GM Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney, today said the EFIJY project was a bold statement on the creative talent available within Holden’s design ranks. Mr Mooney said the project was developed as a collaboration with suppliers which reduced impact on the company’s heavy work schedule and ensured the highest possible quality result for the showcar. “EFIJY is all about fun, emotion and imagination. It shows what a bunch of clever and talented design people can do when they are let loose to create something really wild,” Mr Mooney said. “This year was a fantastic opportunity for us to create something which highlights our designers’ ability and versatility. “EFIJY is sure to evoke different memories for everyone who sees it. People might focus on the FJ links, the glorious custom coupes of the 1930s or the great design flair of the 1950s.” Design philosophies Holden Chief Designer and EFIJY project leader Richard Ferlazzo, who sketched the first EFIJY designs in 1989 and is a long-time custom car fanatic, said the car existed purely for automotive entertainment. “Invariably, people smile when they see it for the first time. EFIJY is our accolade to the talented designers who cut loose with some fantastically flamboyant styling in the post-war 1940s and 1950s,” Ferlazzo said. “Ask the question, ‘what would these people have created using all the skill sets and technology we have now’, and EFIJY might be the all-Australian answer to that question. “EFIJY is also aimed at the legions of custom car and hot rod enthusiasts out there whose appetites aren’t generally met in the concept car arena. “Most importantly, itsends the message that the same people who have sensible day jobs designing entirely practical cars have the passion and inspiration to create something as outrageous as EFIJY. “We’re all car nuts together and the fact that EFIJY stands on our Sydney motorshow stand goes some way to legitimising this form of automotive design in the mainstream.” Exterior and interior highlights

Cute and Cool Modern Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car

The design team has cleverly incorporated FJ design cues into EFIJY’s radicalcustom coupe body, acknowledging the most important aspects of the iconic 1953 release. The famously familiar FJ grille looms larger than life, fronting a low, wide and handsome body extravagantly elongated and brimming with retro chic style

Design Modern Classic Holden Efijy Concept Car

The Corvette rolling chassis was lengthened to accommodate the EFIJY body, which is more than 700 millimetres longer than the FJ by which it was inspired. The Soprano Purple paint has multiple layers of translucent pigmented topcoats which creates the rich, deep effect. All brightwork on the vehicle is hand-made billet aluminium to maximise its authentic look, nowhere more evident than the stunning grill salute to FJ’s distinctive front.

Elegant Design interior Holden Efijy Concept Car

A proximity sensor opens the door automatically as the driver approaches, revealing deep cream leather twin tombstone-shaped seats equipped with integral belts.

Beautiful Design interior Holden Efijy Concept Car

The drop-down, touch control LCD screen and an instrument cluster glowing with the number ‘53’– another FJ gesture – are set in the body-coloured metal dash and pulsate with a radiogram retro orange glow.

Automotic Transmission Design Holden Efijy Concept Car

There are pearlescent, Bakelite-look push button controls for the electronic automatic transmission and the hard curved floor is finished in figured maple timber veneer with aluminium inserts.

Modern Design Suspension Holden Efijy Concept Car

EFIJY’s prowling appearance can be accentuated by the air-adjustable suspension. At the touch an LCD screen, At a touch of the LCD screen, EFIJY can hunker down to just 27 millimetres from the ground or rise to a more practical drive height.

Modern System Featuring Hard Drive Audio and Video Holden Efijy Concept Car

Like any great showcar, EFIJY is stocked with a cutting edge entertainment system featuring hard drive audio and video storage driven through a major amplifier and speaker setup.

Modern System Featuring Hard Drive Audio Holden Efijy Concept Car

The 6.0-litre LS2 V8 engine has been supercharged and modified by Ron Harrop, well known throughout the Australian automotive and motorsport industry and an ex-FJ Holden racer.

Increadible Machine Power Holden Efijy Concept Car

Driven by a Roots-type supercharger, the engine delivers peak power of 480kW (645 horsepower) at 6400rpm and peak torque of 775Nm (560 foot-pound) at 4200rpm. Such performance figures are equal to the stated output from 2005 Series V8 Supercars, and almost 11 times greater than the 45kW (60 horsepower) offered in the 1953 FJ Holden.

Design speed automatic transmission Machine Power Holden Efijy Concept Car

EFIJY’s engine is mated to a rear-mounted four-speed automatic transmission featuring push button electronic control. Limited slip differential has been fitted for obvious reasons.

Curbside Classic Outtake: Mack B77

2010-05-03T21:12:00.000+08:00

Did this old Mack ever bring a smile to my face when it pulled up next to me in traffic at a light. Macks of this vintage were my favorite trucks during my east coast years, as they predominated the truckscape back in the day. This B77 has the bigger radiator. The more common and classic B61 had the more delicate curved radiator that would have looked right at home on a classic car (see below). But my smile got even bigger when the light changed to green and he took of in his utterly un-muffled, un-sanitized hard working Mack, belching the kind of black cloud that used to be ubiquitous in the good old days. Did you know Mack trucks could shoot flames too?

As a teen, I had a brief stint as a gardener’s helper for a former truck driver, who was a little worse for wear having abused his body for decades with bennies and and rough-riding noisy Macks like this one. He told me that under the right conditions, at night you could see flames coming out of a hard working Mack exhaust. Right.

A few years later, hitchhiking through mountainous western Pennsylvania at night on the Turnpike, I saw it: one or more old Macks laboring up the steep winding freeway at maybe twenty five or thirty, and a beautiful orange flame about a foot or two long sitting at the top of their exhaust stack, burning off the excess hydrocarbons that otherwise would have been seen as an extra-black smoke cloud. A catalytic converter without a catalyst.

Selling in the Motor City: RM Auctions hawks muscle cars, classic sheetmetal--and even a boat at Detroit event

2010-05-03T21:04:00.001+08:00

Cash-and-Carry Caddy: This 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible sold for a hammer price of $75,000 Saturday at the RM auction in

The steering wheel in a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible is surprisingly thin. It's oversized and humongously circular--but still startlingly narrow considering it directs a very barge-like Caddy. Oh, and the seats are fairly comfortable. And the odometer has rolled over precisely 34,844 miles.
Not that the Internet bidder who paid the hammer price of $75,000 for the classic would know all of this. But we did. Because we got an up-close look at the Caddy and sat in it, minutes after it sold at RM Auctions' classic car sale Saturday in Novi, Mich. And we weren't the only ones to check out this piece of iconic sheetmetal. Resplendent in white paint and chrome with the imposing bullet grille and monster fins in rear, the car sat on the show floor before and after crossing the block at the cavernous convention hall.
That kind of democratic setting is to be expected at an event in the blue-collar Motor City, where the crowd of car fans was mostly clad in jeans, sweatshirts and Detroit Tigers caps. Like a baseball game, many of the car enthusiasts munched hot dogs and sipped draft beer while the machine-gun-mouthed auctioneers barked out the bidding in rapid-fire staccato.
The Biarritz was one of the spotlight cars at the sale, but plenty of other classics sold for more attainable prices. A 1970 Chevrolet Camaro SS dressed in bright orange paint with white stripes sold for about $24,000 (the hammer price, not including other fees). With a 396 underhood paired with a four-speed, it seemed like a good buy. A 1962 Cadillac Eldorado convertible coupe--a bit like Don Draper's car on Mad Men only with white paint, had less than 50,000 miles on the clock and all of the service records; it went for $37,000. That was also the price of a Boss 302 Mustang that thundered to the stage in black and yellow livery.
It wasn't all Detroit iron: a bright red 1991 Ferrari Testarossa sold for $68,000, gaveling just before another bidder could slip in a last-second try for $69,000. Earlier, a 1969 Porsche 911 T coupe went for $29,000 wearing caramel-colored paint. The sale wasn't even limited to cars: a 1947 Garwood wooden pleasure boat that looked straight out of a Ralph Lauren ad sold for $7,300 and came with a trailer to tow it to your favorite body of water.
Vintage cars from the gangster era were also represented, and a 1937 Chevrolet Coupe Street Rod painted a gorgeous shade of maroon with a five-window configuration and 350 motor, went for $28,500.

Greg Migliore

This 1970 Chevelle SS waits in the wings before it failed to sell on the auction block.

Still, plenty didn't sell during our time at the auction, and the bidding was closed before the reserve was reached on a number of impressive cars. A 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS with a 454 LS6 saw bidding stall at about $70,000 while the muscle car idled off to the side of the stage—ironically, the driver couldn't seem to get the car in gear. A menacing 1969 Dodge Charger R/T, orange and black with a 440 big-block engine and a product of Chrysler's Hamtramck, Mich., plant on the other side of town, had it's bidding closed at $43,000. Just restored in 2008, it was still in the for-sale lot when we departed Saturday afternoon--even though it was so powerful the hood quaked when it was started. Another of the highlight cars, a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427 coupe had bidding closed at $75,000, despite the auctioneer imploring “the restoration of this is spectacular,” to the crowd. Cars that didn't sell during bidding were available later to anyone who wanted to submit a bid.
Perhaps that's to be expected in economically depressed Michigan, but the failed sales didn't dampen the spirit of the crowd on the wet spring day. One lady approached us unsolicited and recounted the tale of her husband's 1958 Impala--it was his car when they started dating--and she was particularly enthralled with a black convertible model like his Chevy that sat nearby, still for sale after not hitting the asking price on the block. The big, Bow-Tie-badged car must have wielded some magic; the couple has been married more than 50 years.

Greg Migliore

This 1969 Dodge Charger R/T waits its turn to head to the block. The car quaked under the power of the 440 V8 when it was started.

RM drew a sizable crowd for its annual spring auction in Michigan. The seats near the stage were almost all full, and plenty more people lingered around the cars throughout the building. More than 300 cars were expected to be offered. We worked our way to the front, and felt up much of the sheetmetal as it headed toward the stage (the checkered flag on the side of that '58 Impala is one of the best insignias on on any car, ever). We were able to feel the fabrics of the interior on several models and grab the chrome, push-button doorhandles from another era that feel more satisfying than any keyless entry option on the market today.
It's also a bit of a circus. Auctions are loud and semi-organized--no one stops you no matter how curious your behavior. We were right in front of the stage at one point, on the red carpet with one of the bid-spotters spastically pointing, gesturing and yelling for more bids right next to us. Wearing two ginormous gold rings, he awarded one bid to a guy causally noshing on a vanilla ice cream cone standing to our left (ultimately, he didn't get the car).
The auction continues through until 4 p.m. Sunday, and one of the highlights is expected to be a 1964 AMC Rambler once owned by former AMC chairman and Michigan Gov. George Romney. Come back to autoweek.com for complete results next week.

Greenspan's Classic Car Show

2010-05-03T20:56:00.000+08:00