Such a pretty little MG

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During the late 1940’s, MG produced two models: the nifty little TC sports car and the larger, middle-class sports saloon Y. This 1.25-litre car was introduced as a four-door saloon in 1947, a year later the YT appeared, a two-door, four-seater open tourer.

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Only 877 of those open cars were produced, most of them were exported to the USA or to the colonies: Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Only three MG YT’s remained in the UK, although later a dozen or so were imported back.

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This white left-hand drive 1949 YT was exported to the USA. Around 5 years ago, the car came in a dismantled state back from the USA to the UK to be restored.

It is now in good running order, it still has the original engine with the twin carburettors. The car was finished in off-white cellulose paint and all upholstery was renewed.

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It is on sale on at Classic Car Auctions at their CCA September 2017 Classic Car Sale at The Warwickshire Exhibition Centre. CCA estimates this pretty little car at GBP 20,000 to 25,000.

It’s not often that you can buy a car like this.

The car finally sold for GBP 17,600.(UNDER VALUED IN OUR OPINION)

V8 Hot-Rodded Vintage Ferrari

We're not sure concourse judges would appreciate this Chevy V8-powered '60s Ferrari GTE.

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There's nothing that classic car collectors seem to hate more than unoriginal. And if you're into raining on people's parades, bringing this highly modified V8-swapped vintage Ferrari to Pebble Beach might be a genius idea.

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This car, a real, original 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE,  According to the seller, the body was donated from a GTE being converted to a GTO. So now that you've got lovely Ferrari body, what do you do with it? Purists would keep it around to sell to someone that has all the underpinnings of a 1963 GTE, but needs a new body for it. But if you aren't committed to keeping it in the Ferrari family, you might as well throw everything you have lying around at it and create something vastly different than what it started as, right? After all, there are no rules when it comes to hot rodding. In this case, you can take the body from one of the most elegant and dignified Ferraris and make it very, very naughty. 

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According to the owner, this car's original 250-series engine was used as a donor for a 250 GTO replica build, leaving the shell without an engine. After three years and $150,000 of restoration and customization, the car was brought back to life as a Chevy V8-powered hot rod, with a Tremec six-speed, a custom Art Morrison suspension, adjustable coil-overs, a Ford 9-inch rear end, and some seriously sweet velocity stacks.

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Considering the average market value for a normal 250 GTE is hovering just under $400,000, we think this is a pretty good deal. Plus, you get to see the look on all those collector's faces after you roll by with that V8 rumble.

Aside from the giant blower sticking out of the front, it doesn't look that bad. The build quality seems to be excellent, for one thing. Don't hate it just because it's not a real. 

 

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Monterey Results from our Porsche Preview 2017

By : Ian Kilburn

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A couple of weeks ago we previewed a number of Porsche’s that were going under the Hammer at Monterey. In this article we give you the results compared to the Estimates.  

Hagerty reported that while that $317 million figure is better than was expected by its marketplace experts, it falls 6 percent short of 2016 results for Monterey auctions.

“Upper-end cars had become tougher to sell and affordable cars were the ones seeing the most action”

Interestingly enough, grouped by decades, cars from the 1980s and ’90s performed very well on the auction blocks, 

1970 PORSCHE   917K  

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Estimate: R195million – R240million

Actual Result: R185million

1994 PORSCHE 964 CARRERA 3.8 RSR

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Estimate: R13, 5million – R16, 5million

Actual Result: R12, 5million

1961 PORSCHE JUNIOR L108 TRACTOR

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Estimate: R675000 – R900000

Actual Result: R1 million 

Porsche 993 GT2

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Estimate: R14million

Actual Results : No Sale car withdrawn.

Porsche 911 2012 GT3 Cup Brumos  4.0 

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Estimate: 1st   Time for Sale

Actual Result: R6million

Porsche 911R 2016

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Estimate: R5milliom

Final Result: Unavailable

“Ifs”, “ands” and “buts” aside, the 2017 Monterey auctions were a solid success. All segments of the market were healthy, if modestly down from prior years. The top of the market is a slaughterhouse of competing auctions looking for the pinnacle of collectability, performance, style and rarity.RM Sotheby’s were the top performing auction house the kept a number of consignments in the pipeline for their sales in London and Maranello in just a month, not to mention Auctions America’s upcoming Auburn Fall sale.

Evil Knievel Meseum / Collectible Wheels and Items on Exhibit.

Evel Kneivel is an American hero. While he wasn’t the first daredevil of his kind he is, arguably, the most famous. The prime of his career was at a time when the World needed him the most, whether it was the escalation of the Vietnam War, the Watergate and Nixon resignation or the oil crisis of the late 1970’s – Evel Knievel was there donning his famous red, white and blue leather jumpsuit showing us what’s possible and kicking ass while doing it. Now you can finally visit his historic museum in Topeka, KS.

Between 1960 and 1980, Evel Knievel attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps as well as the Skycycle jump over Snake River Canyon. Only once did he jump in the state of Kansas, but it was in Hutchinson which is about a 2.5-hour drive from Topeka.

 Evel’s more famous motorcycle jumps include 13 single-decker buses in London, 14 Greyhound buses at King’s Island and of course the failed attempt to jump the Fountains and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, NV. He even jumped 13 sharks which, ironically, was his final actual jump of his illustrious career crashing in practice breaking his collar bone and right arm. He scheduled two more jumps in Australia and Puerto Rico, but wasn’t able to jump either of them.

“Anybody can jump a motorcycle. The trouble begins when you try to land it.”

Evel Knievel

So why Topeka? It turns out that half of Knievel’s crew is from Kansas, but one of the most interesting connections Evel Knievel had with Topeka is one of his primary inspirations for his career was from there. George “Joie” Chitwood (of the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show) got his racing start at the Topeka Shawnee County Fairgrounds, less than 100 yards from the home of the Evel Knievel Museum. Following Chitwood’s racing career, which included seven Indianapolis 500 races, the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show made a chance visit to Butte, Montana in 1953. There 15-year-old Bobby Knievel was in the stands and he never forgot deciding then to pursue a career of risking his life as he thrilled millions and millions of adoring fans.

With a total investment of more than $5 million, the Evel Knievel Museum allows visitors to experience Evel Knievel’s journey to super-stardom and view hundreds of authentic items that belonged to Evel.

 

 

Exhibits:

Evel’s motorcycles – Harley’s, Triumphs, Norton’s

Kievel’s genuine leathers and helmets

“Big Red,” Knievel’s fully-restored Mack Truck

Evel’s personal and never-before-seen memorabilia

Virtual Reality 4-D Jump Experience

Broken Bones Interactive, including Evel’s actual X-rays

“Plan Your Jump” Interactive Challenge

Engine & Suspension Interactive

Snake River Experience Room featuring Knievel’s actual X2 Skycycle

The Japanese Game Changer 1970-1973 Datsun 240Z

What could a Japanese automaker possibly know about building a proper GT car? It was a fair question in the 1960s, when the British, Germans, and Italians controlled the sports-car market, and the Japanese, with a few notable exceptions, built economy compacts. But on October 22, 1969, Datsun unleashed the 240Z: a smooth straight-six with dual carbs and 150 hp, a four-speed manual, four-wheel independent suspension and seductive styling that would have made it attractive at any price. For $3526, about the same as a 92-hp MGB GT and some $2000 less than a Jaguar E-type, it was a revelation. Turns out, Japan knew a hell of a lot about building GT cars. No surprise, the Z is now leading the surge of rising values for Japanese collector cars. 

It’s like a British car, but with a much higher probability of everything working. It’s also indestructible. And for anybody accustomed to an old Moss gearbox in a British car, the Datsun transmission is fantastic—it works flawlessly and doesn’t sound like its ingesting parts. It was and is a giant killer, the everyman’s E-type. And, in its own right, one of the most entertaining sports cars of all time. Let’s not forget those looks, either.  (The later 260Z and 280Z cars draw another parallel to Series 2 and 3 E-types.)

Rust is the Achilles’ heel for these cars, but accident damage and negligent previous owners are also on that podium. Datsun sold 148,115 240Zs in the United States, but they were “cheap” sports cars for a long time, and many fell into uncaring or incapable hands. So, finding a good Z can be a challenge. But they are out there. Trim, interior, and service parts are all readily available and reasonably priced.

Given proper sorting and tuning, a 240Z offers what many collectible cars do not: near-modern driving dynamics, practicality, and reliability. In this sense, at least, it surely does not compare with an E-type.

 Inside the car, the driver and passenger are immediately impressed by a very modern layout, which would seem almost Corvette-like if it weren’t more tastefully done in black vinyl...

ALTERNATIVES

 

1974–1978 Datsun 260Z and 280Z

Obvious, yes, but worth keeping in mind. Later Zs got bigger and heavier and lost some of the looks and performance. But they still have most of the attributes of the early cars, and they cost half as much, if that. Plus with the option of four seats, they offer even more practicality.

1985–1987 Honda CRX si 

They are front-wheel drive, but think about it: two seats, lightweight, reliable, and more fun than you can imagine. Also saw success in racing. Produced in huge numbers, but immaculate stock examples are nearly extinct. Sound familiar? Now’s the time to buy.

1989–1997 Mazda Miata

The MX-5 is conceptually the evolution and spiritual successor of the British sports cars of the 1950s & '60s, such as the Triumph SpitfireAustin-Healey 100MG MGA, and particularly the Lotus Elan. The MX-5 has won awards including Wheels Magazine 's Car of the Year for 1989

Five Cars to Buy Right Now

The herd mentality has taken hold in the classic car market to some extent. A large number of people get the same idea at the same time and before you know it, values for a certain car have jumped 20 percent or more. It just happened with the Porsche 930 Turbo and the Ferrari 308. Here are some cars you would do well to consider sooner rather than later:

1.    Porsche 996 Turbo: As predicted three years ago, every flavour of air-cooled 911 Turbo is hot and getting hotter by the day. The 930s, 964 and 993 Turbos of the world are all six-figure cars for the right examples — it’s time to pivot and look at the air-cooled cars, we think. The 996 series has been tarred by the fear of intermediate shaft bearing failures that can take out an engine with no warning. But the Turbo used a different design and it’s bulletproof.

Porsche 996 Turbo

Porsche 996 Turbo

2.    Lamborghini Diablo: With the Countach soaring in value in 2014, how far behind can the Diablo be? A more fully sorted car than the Countach that still sports some outrageous styling (and the famous scissor doors) courtesy of the great Marcello Gandini.

3.    Third Generation Mazda RX-7: Japanese collectibles, particularly of the rare Japanese Domestic Market or “JDM” stripe, are rapidly appearing on the radar of collectors. With a lightweight chassis, twin-turbocharged rotary engine and drop-dead gorgeous looks, the few really nice survivors are quietly escalating in value.

Mazda RX7

Mazda RX7

4.    Jaguar XJS: The XJS had the unenviable task of following up the E-Type, and it was treated rudely by the press as a result. Almost 40 years after its debut, it’s now viewed as a handsome and impressive GT with the added cachet of a V-12 under the hood. Clean convertibles are starting to appreciate rapidly but the real sleepers here are the few 3.6-liter manual cars.

Jaguar XJS

Jaguar XJS

 

5.      1970-73 Datsun 240Z: It’s exciting that there are still good 240Zs to be found. With the Toyota 2000GT unaffordable and with the rare twin-cam JDM 240Z unobtainable look for a good, cheap 240s to finally dry up this year.

Datsun 240Z

Datsun 240Z

Lotus Cortina 1966

The Cortina Lotus got its start in 1962 after Ford executive Walter Hayes approached Colin Chapman of Lotus to produce a world-beating race engine for the two-door Cortina GT, made by Ford of England, which had proved successful in rallies and road racing.

As a result, the Lotus Cortina, also known as the Lotus Type 28, was fitted with a similar version of the twin-overhead-cam four-cylinder engine that powered the Lotus Elan. The Cortina also received some fine-tuning from Cosworth Engineering before it was mated to the Ford four-speed transmission that was also used in the Elan.

For homologation to compete in FIA Group 2 racing, 1,000 Ford Cortinas had to be fitted with the 105-horsepower Lotus engines and sold to customers.  Other modifications made to meet the racing class included a revised suspension and a lighter body, made possible with aluminium panels on the doors, hood and boot lid, as well as several lightened mechanical components.

Lotus Cortinas were driven in competition by such famed racers as Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Vic Elford, Jack Sears, Sir John Whitmore and Jacky Ickx.  Production of the Mk 1 version ended in 1966 with about 3,300 cars built, after which a Mk II was introduced and produced through 1970.

As the values of these car start to hit telephone numbers there have been a number of cloned examples that have been offered to the market in the past couple of years. There are a number of tell-tale signs that vary between the real car and a cloned example. So if you do stumble upon one do Your Homework First.    

 

Ron Dennis Agrees to sell Mclaren Stake & Exit Company

Six months after his ouster as CEO at McLaren Technology Group due to a spat with fellow shareholders, Ron Dennis is now set to leave the company he helped craft over the past four decades.

Dennis has agreed to sell his 25 percent stake back to the company, with the value estimated to be $358 million. As part of the transition, the McLaren Technology Group has been renamed the McLaren Group.

The other shareholders include Saudi businessman Mansour Ojjeh with another 25 percent through his TAG Group holding company, and the Bahraini government which has the remaining 50 percent. They both remain as majority shareholders in the private entity. Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, a representative of the Bahraini government, will serve as chairman.

The McLaren Group is the parent company of numerous businesses, including the McLaren Formula One team and McLaren Automotive road car business.

The falling out between Dennis and the other shareholders is thought to be centred on disagreement on the future strategy for McLaren. Dennis wanted to further expand the company by seeking new investors, potentially including Chinese interests. It may explain last September’s report of Apple being in talks to buy the company in a deal worth $1.94 billion.

Dennis was placed on gardening leave last November. The period lasted until his contact for the CEO position expired at the end of 2016. American marketing guru Zak Brown was hired to run the company following Dennis’ ouster.

“[The other shareholders] have forced through this decision to place me on gardening leave, despite the strong warnings from the rest of the management team about the potential consequences of their actions on the business,” Dennis said at the time. “Ultimately it has become clear to me through this process that neither TAG [Ojjeh ] nor Mumtalakat [Bahraini government] share my vision for McLaren and its true growth potential.”

It was in 1980 that Dennis joined the McLaren F1 team, which was struggling at the time. Dennis and his business partners ended up buying the team the following year and over the coming decades would turn it into a billion-dollar venture. During his tenure, McLaren enjoyed seven of its eight Constructors’ titles and 10 of its 12 Drivers’ titles, the most recent earned by Lewis Hamilton in 2008. The team been struggling in recent years and since teaming up with Honda in 2015 has been a backmarker.

Since Dennis’ ouster, we’ve seen two other senior staff leave. They include Jost Capito, who was CEO of the F1 team, and Frank Stephenson, who was design boss for the road car business.

Rumour has it that McLaren, or at least the road car division, is considering going public with a share market listing, just like Ferrari and perhaps eventually Aston Martin. It may explain the major changes taking place behind the scenes at the company.

Cost of Owning Collectible Cars

The costs involved with buying, owning, maintaining and possibly restoring a collectible car or motorcycle can go beyond what you purchased the vehicle for.

These may not be extraordinary expenses, but they can add up. In most cases these are costs you may be clearly aware of but there are some that may be considered “hidden costs” which are always good to consider. The added expenses may certainly not be deal breakers but they can add up and should be made a part of what your total costs of owning the vehicle are. If you decide to buy and sell, then these added expenses will make a difference.

As with any investment, buying a classic car or motorcycle can be fraught with pitfalls. Buy correctly, and owning a classic car can be a terrific experience that can also reap a profit when it comes time to sell. Make a mistake, and a classic car can become a money pit that returns little joy and no profit. Keep a record of all costs associated with your investment. When and if the time comes to sell your classic vehicle you’ll want to know how many money you have in it.

 

Buying a classic car is an investment.

Like any investment you want to know what you are in for. If you make the right choices up front then the entire experience can be  fun and rewarding. Make the wrong decisions and you can create a money pit. Don't catch auction excitement and bid too high for that car or motorcycle. If you take meticulous care of the car and are careful about the improvements you make you may be able to show a profit on the car or bike at the end of your time with it. That might feel better than buying a new car and having it depreciate as soon as you drive it off the lot.

Shipping Your Car

If you decide to buy a classic car outside of your local area you'll want to consider transportation costs. There are many companies that transport cars and some even specialize in shipping collectible vehicles.

You can ship your car in an enclosed carrier or an open one. Enclosed will cost more. If you're buying an old car to restore then an open trailer or truck may do fine and save you money. If you've purchased a finely restored collectible then the extra money for an enclosed trailer is the right thing to do.

 

Insurance

The insurance costs are pretty much determined on how you will use your collectible car  Most large insurers will offer collectible car insurance. Types of collectible vehicles that can be covered include antiques and classic cars, muscle cars, exotic and special interest vehicles, street rods, modern classics and high quality replicasCollectible vehicle insurance may be a bit cheaper than you would think. Many people have put their classic vehicle on their normal car insurance policy when they could perhaps get a lower price with a separate policy. Some have found rates discounted by 20% to 30% or more by just mentioning that the vehicle will only be driven on Weekends or to shows, parades and special events. Specialty automotive insurers generally charge much less than standard insurers. 

Storing Your Vehicle 

Already have a storage area for your collectible vehicle? If so you'll save a lot of money. If you need to rent space that's enclosed then you'll need to add this to the expense of owning your car.

Restoration and Repair Costs

This category of expense is somewhat voluntary.

Whether you want to put R10,000 or R200,000 into a vehicle’s restoration is a decision you will make. Repair costs are something to determine prior to buying.

The car you purchase may not need restoration work or it may need little work. This is something you want to calculate upfront. If you decide that that the car is worther of a complete restoration have an expert or a restoration shop take a look at the vehicle prior to buying. Go over in detail what the costs would be with a professional.

How’s the engine and transmission? Have the car inspected by a professional mechanic if you are not mechanically inclined or take the car for a test drive.

Before you purchase that classic car check out the availability of parts. Many parts for vintage cars are amazingly easy to find, especially with today’s internet. Some other parts may not be easy to locate and can cost much more than you thought.

 

The bottom line is that there are a lot of Sweet Looking deals out there that may seem like Good Deals. Buying from a Dealer or Specialist Broker may seem expensive but remember they are in the industry and will go through a vehicle before selling it or putting it on the market. They will also know who and where the best Insurance, Transportation and the Correct Expert to do general repairs or complete restorations on your purchase.  

Volkswagon is Bringing Back the Bus

Volkswagen first debuted their I.D. Buzz microbus concept to the world back in January at the North American International Auto Show. The all-electric concept was part of a major push by the VW brand toward an electric car future and heralded by the tagline, “we make the future real.” And while the I.D. Buzz does represent the future through it’s technological advances it is finding life in large part to its past, “Emotional cars are very important for the brand. We are selling loads of Beetles still, particularly in US markets. But we will also have the Microbus that we showed, which we have recently decided we will build,” VW exec Herbert Diess.

It is still early and details are scarce as to what elements of the I.D. Buzz the brand will keep in returning to their microbus heritage. However, in the meantime, all fans of the original Type 2 can rejoice in knowing that they will one day soon again be seeing the VW name on microbuses.

What Happened to Pick Up Cars ???

 

Find a Chevy El Camino or Ford Ranchero at a car show, and inevitably, you’ll hear someone ask why carmakers don’t offer such car/pickup combos anymore. Those two rivals emerged in the late 1950s, with the Ranchero lasting until 1979 and the El Camino surviving through 1987.

Along the way, other car/pickups came and went, but if you’re wondering why the idea died, look to SUVs and pickup trucks. Both became more civilized and passenger-focused through the 1980s, and today some pickups rival luxury cars for comfort and amenities – and pricing, too.

Ford revived the pickup/car idea with its ‘57 Ranchero, combining the low-line Custom model with a pickup bed based on the two-door Ranch Wagon. Ads promoted the Ranchero as “More than a car! More than a truck!” Ford sold just under 46,000 Rancheros in its first three years and also built the model in Canada as the Meteor Ranchero.

For 1960, Ford introduced its dramatically smaller and lighter second-generation Ranchero based on the Falcon compact. Design mirrored the Falcon’s, although the 1966 Ranchero was based on the longer Fairlane wagon platform and then for 1967 picked up the Fairlane’s front-end sheet metal. With the transition, Ford offered engines all the way up to the 390-cid V-8, along with upscale GT trim.

Across town, Chevy had attempted to infuse car styling and comfort into a pickup truck with the 1955 Cameo Carrier. The far greater success of Ford’s car-based Ranchero, however, spurred Chevy to field a direct competitor for 1959, also with a Spanish-derived name, El Camino

Alfa Romeo Montreal

In 1967 Montreal, Quebec, Canada would host Expo 67, a World’s Fair which would be one of the most successful of the century. As a result, Montreal would pay homage to the Expo the following year by naming their major league baseball team, the Expos (now the Nationals). However, another name would also arise from Expo 67 in Montreal, the Alfa Romeo Montreal.

That year at Expo 67 Alfa Romeo would debut a 2+2 coupe concept with no name, but before long attendees would dub it “The Montreal.” Three years later Alfa Romeo would bring the first production version of their Expo 67 concept to the Geneva Motor Show; it was called, Montreal. While its namesake would carryover from Canada the production Montreal would change significantly. It was now backed by a 2.6L V8 with a ZF five-speed transmission producing 197hp and redlining at 7,000 rpm, a vast upgrade from the 1.6L concept. The design was the work of Marcello Gandini who would also design the Lamborghini Countach and Diablo, among others, as well as numerous Maseratis and other makes. This would all come at a fairly significant price for the Italian sports car, nearly $60000 or R1,0 Million in today’s market.

The Montreal would remain in production until 1977, but during that run Alfa Romeo would struggle to move the small number they were producing. A number that was only averaging a little more than 500 per year, bringing the total run to about 3900. And somewhat ironically the Montreal would never officially return to Montreal, or anywhere in North America for that matter, as a version was never developed to meet emissions standards for the region. As a result of its low production numbers and rareness in the states (only 70 are believed to exist in the US) the Montreal is a rare and unique find for any collector, especially those who embrace Italian car heritage.

Alfa Spiders Should they be Worth More ?

By Ian Kilburn

In 1965, Alfa Romeo was faced with replacing the 10-year-old Giulietta models. The iconic 1954 Sprint coupe and 1955 Spider were modern, yet timeless, so there was much at stake. Pininfarina foreshadowed the Duetto with a bubble top concept at the 1961 Turin show, but the spider didn’t appear until Geneva in 1966.

At first, nobody thought the original design would endure, and by 1970 Alfa Romeo was trying update it. The result was the coda tronca (literally truncated tail, or Kamm-tail) of 1971, which disastrously compromised the concept, as today’s values confirm.

As the best 1966-69 boat-tail cars climb past R700000-00 their square-tailed successors are lagging behind in the early R300000-00 range for good examples. The advent of U.S. “rubber impact bumpers” and increased ride height in 1974 sealed the deal. The signature Alfa grille was overshadowed, and the “cross and snake” badge stuck on the rubber bumper.

Early carburetted cars were robust and quite durable, but the twin-cam engine was bumped from 1600-cc to 1779-cc in 1969, then to two-litres in 1972. Struggling to meet U.S. emissions, Alfa Romeo adopted the complex Spica mechanical fuel injection, designed for a diesel engine. Deeply divisive among Alfisti, if properly adjusted, Spica injection can be trouble-free but does not suffer fools gladly.

The Spider’s virtues do much to balance out its frustrations. Relatively soft coil springs and anti-roll bars produce neutral handling; worm-and-sector steering is precise, and power-assisted disc brakes are surprisingly good. The best element is the cockpit. Two Veglia instruments face the driver and secondary gauges are set in a central console. The wood steering wheel is stunning, but the gear lever disconcerting, as it projects almost horizontally.

Pre-1975 Kamm-back cars look better with small chrome bumpers, and European headlight cowls create an exotic appearance. The well-fitting top can be raised from inside the car. But sit in a spider before you buy one. The driving position in left hand examples is far more comfortable than the right hand versions.

Rust is all Spiders’ weak point. If the floors rust out, jacking points are compromised (or missing), while fenders rust at the bottom and the spare-tire well seldom collects water for long.

Engaging first gear can be tricky, and second gear synchromesh can be short-lived in the hands of clumsy drivers. Differential noise is common, but less noticeable with the top down. Cromodoro mags are a popular upgrade over original steel wheels in early ‘70s cars, but make sure the lug nuts are long enough for safety.

The Alfa Romeo Spider compares well against British Leyland’s failing efforts in the 1970s.Thanks partly to its five-speed gearbox, it’s much faster than the MGBs, with rubber bumpers has more structural integrity than the Triumph Spitfire, and more room than the appropriately named MG Midget.Finally, the Alfa’s exhaust note is unmatchable.

It soldiered on through the ‘80s, and the S3 got a new interior in 1986. Many Spiders were bought as weekend toys, and good examples can be found garaged.

Pininfarina undertook a major facelift with the long-tail S4 of 1989-93, replacing the black rubber bumpers and spoilers and restoring much of the original Duetto’s elegance. If you want an Alfa spider, the S2 is a sleeper – but probably not for long.

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Could Continuation Classic Herald the End of the Booming Market

Author: Greg MacLeman

 News broke this week that Aston Martin is set to build a limited production run of continuation Lightweight DB4GTs and, rather than get me excited, the announcement left me worried that history may be repeating. 

Of course, building replicas of once great cars is nothing new – kit car manufacturers and shed-bound amateur engineers have been doing it for decades – but when mainstream marques get in on the act, it all starts to make me a bit nervous. 

Aston Martin was one of the first firms to get in on the act back in the late 1980s. The booming market and sky-high values of the rarest classics, such as the DB4GT Zagato, resulted in a dilemma for those wanting to cash in on the unprecedented demand for a finite resource. The solution, it seemed, was simple: build more cars and differentiate them from other replicas by giving them the rubber stamp of approval from the factory. Enter the Sanction II Zagato, and later, Sanction III. 

Around the same time, Alfa Romeo also lent its backing to recreations of its more desirable post-war model, the 33 Stradale, which were expertly built by Giovanni Gioranengo. 

 

Both models immediately preceded the collapse of the market in the early 1990's, when rampant investment over inflated prices to a point that could no longer be supported. 

It all kicked off again in 2014, when Jaguar decided to build six new Lightweight E-types to finish its original 18-car intended production run. Each car cost £1m and quickly sold out, recently prompting the firm to turn its attention to the XKSS, which had its original production run curtailed by the fire at Browns Lane. Lister got in on the act, too, with its more affordable Knobbly recreations, and has recently announced its intention to revive the  1950's Costin. 

The latest firm to enter the fray (once again) is Aston Martin, which this week unveiled plans to build 25 new DB4GTs with a staggering asking price of £1.5m each. And it feels like a bridge too far. 

Jaguar’s Lightweight E-type and XKSS continuations number just 15 cars, each costing £1m. With both models impossibly rare and opportunities to buy an original so few and far between, getting the next best thing for one tenth of the price can just about be rationalized. 

But to pay £1.5m for an imitation DB4GT – one of a bloated 25-car production run – when the genuine article can be bought for around £3m just doesn’t make sense.

You won’t see any of these cars race at Goodwood thanks to a firm stance from Lord March, and they won’t be drivable on the road either – at least not in this country. That leaves the potential market limited to those who take part in the odd track day excursion or – more likely –  those who squirrel the cars away in the hope of turning a quick buck. Just like they did 25 years ago. 

Against a backdrop of faltering auction sales rates and a general cooling of the market, it’s left me wondering if we could be approaching another significant moment in the life cycle of the classic car economy.

Jaguar Simola Hill Climb 2017

By: Ian Kilburn

The Peaceful sounds of singing birds and pinging golf balls were once again interrupted by the roar of engines in Knysna for the 2017 Jaguar Simola Hill Climb. This event should be on every petrol heads agenda to attend at least one. This being the 8th running of the event has definitely grown in status to becoming one of the Premier Motor Sport Events in South in South Africa.

Pit Lane

Pit Lane

The 1, 9 km of road had one thing on the agenda to be number one up the Hill at the end of the weekend. We headed down a week before to attend the Knysna Classic Car Show which is also becoming the Premier Classic Car Show in the country with some series machinery on display. The Sun City Concourse can definitely take a cap out of the show for the pure quality, condition, class and variety of the cars on display.

Pit Lane

Pit Lane

The Hill Climb in May of each year sees teams from all over the country and sometimes from all over the world, come to claim bragging rights for the fastest time up the hill. It's a bit like the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, just scaled down. Around 15000 spectators were on hand to watch a full field of 148 cars and some of the biggest names in motorsport blast their way up the Simola resorts service road.

For the 2017 event the organisers mixed things up by separating the cars into three individual King of the Hill: Single Seaters and Sports Cars, Modified Saloon Cars and Road and Super Cars. Friday was still the original Classic Car Event who after spending the morning qualifying had the top 10 fastest shoot out in the afternoon. Please don’t detract from the value of the machinery racing on the Saturday or Sunday there were some extremely valuable, rare and very expensive machines going hammer and tongs on the Friday a proper sight to watch.  

Mercedes Benz AMG

Mercedes Benz AMG

The pit lane was a hive of activity and reminded one of a mini Monaco F1 pit lane with spectators, marshals, drivers, mechanics and media all mixing together. There was none of the normal shenanigans of you can’t go here there or anywhere without a pit ticket/pass. Everybody mixed and got close up on the action.

Rousch Mustang : Enzo Khun 

Rousch Mustang : Enzo Khun 

While majority of teams would celebrate the days' success, others would suffer from mechanical failure, so the evening’s leisure time would soon be a scramble to fix and prepare the car for the next day. As with all motorsport, if you do not fix it in time for the scrutineers, you miss out big time or worse, go home. If you think for one second that teams are not taking this seriously, then think again. Each team comes with an eighteen wheeler truck full of parts accessories to build an identical car should anything go wrong in a matter of hours. With each truck comes mechanics, tuners and all the other important people needed for a serious race weekend.

The Single seaters and Sports Cars were easily the fasted category with Andre Bezuidhout taking the overall win in his 1989 Dallara F1 Car and setting a new lap record in the process. He was closely followed by Franco Scribante in his Chevron and 3rd was Robert Volk in his Formula Renault. 

Willem Baard secured the Modified Saloon Class in his extremely fast Nissan GTR R35, he was followed by Dez Gudziet in his R32 GTR with 3rd place going to the very quick Subaru Impreza of Anton Cronje.

Nissan 350Z : Geoff Mortimer

Nissan 350Z : Geoff Mortimer

The standard saloon car class was won by debut Hill Climber and personal friend Reghard Roets in his road legal Nissan GTR R35 , he was followed over the line by USguest driver Randy Pobst in a Jaguar F-Type SVR WITH 3RD place going to Jaki Sheckter in yet another Nissan GTR R35.

The weekend was an absolute blast and a massive success for South African Motor Sport, there was in fact 5 cars competing over the weekend in the various classes which I had previously sold not to mention that I had about 15 clients competing in the event, it took me about an hour just to walk down the pit lane every day as there so many friends and people I knew who were either competing on just doing the same as us, being part of Motor Racing History in South Africa.

Modified Saloon Car Champion : Willem Baard Nissan GTR R35

Modified Saloon Car Champion : Willem Baard Nissan GTR R35

Nissan GTR R32 : Dez Gutziet 

Nissan GTR R32 : Dez Gutziet 

Chevron B26 : Franco Scribante

Chevron B26 : Franco Scribante

Start Line

Start Line

Nissan GTR R35 : Jaki Sheckter

Nissan GTR R35 : Jaki Sheckter

Formula One Dalara : Andre Bezuidenhout new lap record and Overall Winner

Formula One Dalara : Andre Bezuidenhout new lap record and Overall Winner

This is the Privateer Porsche 928 S that Raced at Le Mans 24 Hour : by Ian Kilburn

In 1983, this Porsche 928S lined up dead last for the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Running but unclassified, it finished some 238 laps behind the winner. At the race again in 1984, it finished again, in 22nd place. And no, it wasn’t as fast as the factory-supported or privateer Porsche 911s.

Frenchman Raymond Boutinaud was behind the idea, team, and entry that found the 928S classified as “Group B” car… In other words, it wasn’t going to be picking up a win, or even a class win.

So besides its great liveries, what’s so special about this car? For starters, it shows what might have been, had the 911 been replaced by the 928. As one of the few “modern” Porsches to not be extensively raced—or developed by the factory into a race car—it’s also a rare example of a privateer entry that was able to keep up with the world’s best machines by campaigning a largely “stock” car.

Sure, its outright pace couldn’t match the more developed 911s, but few other GTs in the early ’80s could have added a roll cage, stickers, and qualified for Le Mans. Would you have wanted to see more 928s hit the race track?

41 Year Barn Find: 1960 Chevrolet Corvette

By: Ian Kilburn thanks to Ryan for the pictures.

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After 41 years in a barn, this ’60 ‘Vette began its like as a Fuel Injected car, that was later converted to carburation. Although the owner planned for a full restoration, this Corvette is clean and straight, with only the bumpers and drivetrain removed and disassembled.

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In the image above you can see the “Fuel Injection” badges that once graced this fine machine. The block is not in view, but other valuable components like the 4 speed transmission are shown in the “parts” images. It does not appear that any of the Rochester fuel injection parts remained with the car though time.

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The seats and door panels have been reupholstered with velvet. The floor carpet is missing but aside from that the interior appears very complete and original. The steering wheel and dash are good with no cracking. The factory radio is missing, but is included with the car. This Corvette is a convertible and the optional hardtop is included in the sale of the car. The convertible top frame is present, but the cloth top is missing.

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The overall paint and body work on this Corvette looks good. The paint is still shiny, with no evidence of damage, or sun fade. Even though the exterior of this Corvette isn’t perfect, it is still very nice if it is truly original paint. One may consider rebuilding the drivetrain, and making this one a driver in its current condition. Replace the wheels and interior for original parts, and you would be left with a nice looking original paint Corvette. Although restoring the Rochester fuel injection could get expensive. What would you do with this Corvette? Full restoration, or maintain the paint and rebuild the drivetrain?

Coaches in Cuba

Cuba is exciting and full of contrasts, beautiful and dreary at the same time, but above all this country is one thing: colourful. Colours determine the cities, the clothes, the landscape – and the streets. And the cars on Cuban roads are legendary. And like in no other country, classic vehicles are a crucial and also a colourful part of the overall picture.