After a couple of months of indecision, Al Blanchard at A&P Specialties here in Portland has decided on a path forward for our 1975 Porsche 911S Sportomatic. We’ve known from the start that its 2.7-liter engine had some broken studs. However, the compression was excellent and we were advised to […]
Month: November 2023
Keith’s Blog: Is There a Turkey in Your Garage?
I’ve sold two cars in the past few weeks. Should you be thinking about thinning your nest this holiday season? I didn’t dislike either car, but it was time for them to go. I had learned everything the 2004 Mercedes SL55 AMG had to teach me, so there was no […]
Keith’s Blog: Be Patient, Save $20k
We took our 1971 Mercedes 250C out for a drive yesterday. It was overcast with a little rain, but not terrible. Our destination was Backwoods Brewing Company, an independent brew pub in Carson, WA. It’s about 50 miles away in the Columbia Gorge, not far from the site of the […]
Rising Sun, Falling Prices
1998 Toyota Century S/N GZG50003437. 161,100 kilometers (100,100 miles). “5.0-liter V12 1GZ-FE, 4-speed automatic transmission, Dual Electro Multi-Vision Package, 16-inch wheels, soft-close trunk, leather upholstery, digital instrument panel, heated front and rear seats, front passenger’s seatback pass-through, massaging and reclining rear seats, automatic climate control, power-operated rear curtain, rear air […]
The Last Affordable Manual BMW
If you’ve recently been looking for a cheap modern BMW with a manual transmission, you may have noticed that they are no longer so easy to find. Just a few years ago, if you had $5k–$10k to spend, you could have your pick of numerous models, 3 and 5 Series […]
My Path to Pebble
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in love with the automobile. I find the sights, sounds, smells and sensations intoxicating. Long before I had the financial wherewithal to begin collecting cars, I was an enthusiast. I was born in 1960, and my earliest automotive “education” came from […]
Best Man for the Job
“Legal Files” has written twice about the legal battle involving Porsche Carrera RSR prototype chassis number 9113600686, commonly known as “R7” (September and November 2023). We last reported that the litigation was settled with the Kenny Schachter car being declared the real R7. The car was then on the docket […]
Gone in 60 Minutes
After five years and just 2,000 kilometers, our 1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato is gone. In a happy moment for all, it went back to SCMer and longtime Alfa enthusiast Gordy Hyde. I bought it from him five years ago for $60,000. I spent these years and over $20,000 attempting […]
Keith’s Blog: The German Mercedes is Staying in Germany
My son Bradley and I are looking for a classic four-door manual as a run-around car for him. I mentioned this to SCMer Brad Miller, and from his vacation home in Paris he started sending me links of possible choices. One that caught our immediate attention was a 1990 Mercedes […]