Great Cars Available…Get It Before It's Gone. Check the date of the post. If it is a few weeks old, it is probably too late.
Home / 2013 / July

Jul
22

By

Black Tie: ’65 JEEP CJ5A Tuxedo Park IV

Category: Submitted Tags: , Leave a Comment

65 Kaiser Jeep CJ5A

We are a sucker for a good old workhorse of a JEEP. When we came across this little known version with the lofty edition title of Tuxedo Park IV, we dug a little deeper. First, let’s explain why there is a disconnect between a JEEP CJ5A and Tuxedo Park. Tuxedo Park was/is home to some of the wealthiest folks in the country. It was founded in 1885 by Pierre Lorillard IV of tobacco fortunes. In 1886, New York millionaire James Brown Potter was invited to the Prince of Wales Norfolk hunting estate. When Potter asked for guidance on appropriate dinner dress, the Prince sent him to Poole & Co. to obtain the new style of jacket. Potter took the dinner suit home with him to Tuxedo Park. The dinner suit proved so popular that men copied him, making it their informal dining uniform. Boom! The Tuxedo was born.

Read More

Jul
21

By

Solid: ’79 Porsche 911 Coupe

Category: Submitted Tags: , , 1 Comment

79 Porsche 911SC Coupe

We like our cars simple and uncomplicated. Perhaps that is why we prefer older cars to new. We think almost every new car must have at least a dozen computers in it just so it can do the same thing a Model T did back in the day. Okay, so a Model T isn’t the best comparison. Yes, cars are cleaner, safer, more fuel-efficient and faster but not necessarily more engaging. My god, Ferrari doesn’t even make a fully manual transmission anymore. Read More

Jul
20

By

The Making of a Volvo 1800ES – A YouTube Video

Category: Uncategorized Tags: , Leave a Comment

An old friend from our Volvo days sent us this neat video about the building of a 1800ES. It is a documentary-style film in Swedish dubbed in English. Since the Volvo P1800S, 1800E & ES have caught on fire, we thought you might want to see the old world handwork that was required to bring that beautiful design to life. The video is 14 minutes long but we assume it took quite a bit longer to build one from start to finish.

Jul
20

By

The Dead Guy Car

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Seinfeld

We didn’t find any great cars that spoke to us today. Partly because we were at Lime Rock Park part of the day while the Ferrari Challenge races scheduled for Saturday came together. But we’ve been pondering a throw-away line from Jerry Seinfeld. In Jerry’s 2nd season of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, available online, Jerry describes the ’73 Porsche Carrera RS he picked Meyers up in, as a dead guy car. Seinfeld says about the RS, “this car doesn’t change hands without somebody dying.” Jerry bought it from a dead guy and he’ll be dead before he let’s it go to the next owner. Funny, yet spot on.

There are some cars that are just perfect for you. It cannot be improved. You never want to be without it. Unfortunately for us mortals without syndication money (Jerry earned that), life gets in the way. Some cars become College Tuition cars. Others, New Kitchen cars. Life sucks when that happens. Seeing your ’65 Mustang 289 Hi-Po Fastback’s tail lights go over the curb is a sobering sight. If you haven’t seen any episode of Comedians yada, yada, yada, see this one. But there are others that are worthwhile too. The Letterman episode happened a few miles from Mint Headquarters at one of our favorite lunchtime eateries. Our favorite is the Mel Brooks episode. Not because of the car, a Rolls, but because of the unexpected visit to Carl Reiner’s home. Touching and funny. If you need a convenient link to Jerry’s website, this is it.

 

Jul
19

By

Candidate: ’59 Porsche 356A Coupe

Category: Submitted Tags: , , Leave a Comment

59 Porsche 356 A Coupe

The big question here is what do you do with this A Coupe? We know what we would do. We would get it running and handling perfectly, make sure everything works great, update the lighting as per Daniel Stern Lighting Consultant and then drive the heck out of it. Then, when A Coupes are totally off the valuation charts, we would do the cosmetics inside and out. The Certificate of Authenticity states this is a Silver Metallic car with Red Vinyl interior. That readers, is very cool. Read More

Jul
19

By

Call Us Crazy: ’85 Mercedes-Benz 300CD Turbo Diesel Coupe

Category: Submitted Tags: , 4 Comments

85 Mercedes Benz 300TD

This featured car we are presenting raises a couple of strategic questions of car ownership. It is somewhat polarizing but we need not go to war over it. The car we present is from 1985 and it is a Mercedes-Benz Coupe powered by their venerable Turbo Diesel powerplant. Although these Coupes were built in smaller quantities and have incredible build quality, they certainly aren’t collectible – yet. They are just gorgeous and very useable as a daily driver. Read More

Jul
19

By

Leno-like: ’63 Ford Falcon Sprint V-8

Category: Submitted Tags: , 1 Comment

'63 Ford Falcon Sprint

If you have ever been on Jay Leno’s Garage website, we encourage you to do so. Jay is one of the most well known car collectors and all-around nice guy. Jay, a true enthusiast, drives his cars, allegedly a different one every day. I can’t say that we have exactly the same taste in cars but we do intersect in a few areas. Jay purchased a car featured by our friends at Bring-A-Trailer a few years ago. It was a ’63 Ford Falcon Sprint Rally Car Clone – sort of. Read More

Jul
18

By

Win a Ferrari

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

We received this notice from one of our loyal readers and friend, Judy Stropus. We think it is a good cause and you might win this almost new 308GTSi. We are sure the Magnum baseball cap is somehwere in the trunk.

Ferrari

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1982 FERRARI 308 GTSi IS CENTER’s 2013 RAFFLE CAR

A 1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi, from the family of the most recognized of all Ferrari models, is being offered by the Racing Research Center as its 2013 raffle car.

Ferrari-red, this icon of the 1970s and ’80s was generously donated to the Center by Governing Council member Greg Galdi. The car has been driven fewer than 1,500 miles. The mid-engined, targa-topped 308 GTS was introduced in 1977 and was well-known to most Americans as the car driven by Tom Selleck in the popular ’80s TV series, Magnum PI. The GTS was produced through 1985, with only 1,749 produced in 1981 and 1982. The steel-bodied, Pininfarina-styled two-seater has a 2.9-liter Bosch Jetronic fuel-injected V8 engine and five-speed transmission. It has tan leather interior. In 2004, Sports Car International named the 308 series number five on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s.

Raffle tickets are $60 for one or two for $100. Only 2,308 tickets will be sold. The drawing will be on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Center. Ticket holders do not need to be present to win.

Tickets can be purchased at the Center; by calling us at (607) 535-9044; or by emailing research@racingarchives.org.

 

 

Jul
18

By

C-Type Head: ’56 Jaguar XK140 MC

Category: Preferred Currently Available Tags: , , 2 Comments

Jaguar XK140 MC

No, the headline isn’t some perverse trick to get you to read the story of today’s featured Jaguar. The XK140 is the second iteration of road going post-war Jaguar sports cars. The first being the fabulous XK120, the darling of the Hollywood set and yes, the rest of the world too. XKs came in 3 body configurations: a Fixed Head Coupe (FHC), a Roadster or Open Two Seat (OTS) and the Drophead Coupe (DHC). That continued in 1955 when the XK140 was introduced. The XK140 made things a little more livable for driver and passenger by moving the firewall and engine forward 3 inches. The bumpers were redesigned to afford more protection for those gorgeous flanks. Read More

Jul
18

By

Armageddon Machine: ’67 Land Rover Defender 109

Category: Preferred Currently Available Tags: , 2 Comments

67 Land Rover Defender

What can you say about the trend to build a car/truck that will pretty much go anywhere. Is it based in the popularity of Expedition Explorers who want to drive around the world, people who just like off-roading in the country, or are they people who are concerned the grid will eventually collapse and everyman for themselves? We have friends who own a similar vehicle lovingly named Irene. It was not named Irene after a favorite Aunt but an epic storm that decimated the northeast. So all of these are good reasons to buy this truck, a wonderfully spectacular, fully rebuilt, Landie Series IIA. Read More

Jul
17

By

Only 647 Made: ’91 Porsche 911 Turbo

Category: Preferred Currently Available Tags: , Leave a Comment

91 Porsche Turbo Coupe

Have you ever been to DisneyWorld and taken a ride on The Rockin’ Roller Coaster? That’s the ride where you sit in a super long ’58 Caddy (don’t recall how many people in each Caddy) and listen to Aerosmith on the headrest headphones. When they decide it is time to launch the Caddy into the dark tunnel of twists, turns and drops, it feels like nothing you’ve ever felt before – unless you’ve driven a Porsche 911 Turbo. There is a furious launch forward, your head snaps back and then there’s the roar of the music. In the Porsche’s case, it is a race-bred flat six with all the trimmings. In the coaster, it’s Disney magic. Read More

Jul
17

By

Not Every Day: ’64 Alfa-Romeo 2600 Sprint

Category: Submitted Tags: , Leave a Comment

64 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint

You Alfisti out there are in for a real treat. A nice 2600 Sprint has finally come to market. Okay, so this model isn’t everyone’s favorite but it sure is nice and rare. Rare at least, in this condition. A little background. Alfa’s attempt at a facelift for the aging 2000 Series was not well received. Read More

Jul
17

By

We Do: ’86 Porsche 944

Category: Submitted Tags: , Leave a Comment

86 PORSCHE 944

We really like Porsche 944s. Some people don’t but that’s their problem. First, we think they are beautifully designed. The proportions are just right. Second, they are enormously practical with a large carrying capacity for a real sports car. And last, they are very well-balanced and that makes them a good handling car with little to surprise you when the twisties get twisty. Oh, and there should be a fourth. They are relatively inexpensive to buy. Don’t mistake this car for some poser. It is a real Porsche, just not everyone’s favorite. Today’s featured 944 has a remarkable 22,000 miles. Read More

Jul
16

By

Updated: ’72 Volvo 1800E

Category: Preferred Currently Available Tags: , , Leave a Comment

72 Volvo 1800E

This Volvo 1800E is very hot. But not inside where it is very cold should you elect to turn on the A/C. Not just any A/C but a super modern, built for Florida A/C. Volvo P1800s are on fire lately. After decades in the shadows, enthusiasts have recognized the charm of these Swedish GT cars. Perhaps you’ve seen Volvo’s most recent summer sales campaign featuring Irv Gordon and his ’66 P1800. Irv is scheduled to cement his Guinness Book of Records position by ticking over 3 million miles sometime in September in Alaska. Don’t ask him why they picked Alaska other than it is the only state he hasn’t visited in the Volvo. Read More

Jul
16

By

Dotology: ’69 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

Category: Preferred Currently Available Tags: , Leave a Comment

69 Mercedes Bnez 280SL

We don’t know where Brian finds these amazing SLs and I am sure if we asked he wouldn’t tell us. OMG is this car stunning. Some folks say brown cars are unsellable. Oh really? Look at this car and tell me if it isn’t stunning. You can see from the few pictures we post that this car is the real deal. It has everything a good Pagoda should have including those curious headlight “notches” that almost always go away when a car is refinished by someone who does not know or care. Read More

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »