Sunday, May 26, 2013

Classic Car Club of America 61st Annual Meeting-Part 1 - Jay Leno's Garage

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible

$125,000 - $175,000

325 bhp, 365 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine, four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, coil spring independent front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel power hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 129.5 in.

The height of 1950s Cadillac elegance
Factory-equipped air conditioning
Beautifully restored

It was 1957. Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House. Sputnik was in the sky. Elvis Presley was on the Ed Sullivan Show for what would be the third and last time. He would also own a new Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, the car that marked the reachable pinnacle of automobile ownership for many Americans. At over $7,000, it was achievable for the man or woman of great personal success—someone who, like Presley, had climbed their way up and desired to reward themselves with the best that money could buy. It spoke to that success with vast quantities of chrome, impressive highway-devouring performance, and styling that only Harley Earl’s studio could have dreamt up.

The 1957 Cadillac sported a new X-framed chassis, which did away with side rails and provided added structural strength, contributing to an even quieter, smoother ride than before, as well as allowing a lower body placement for reduced overall height. The resulting car virtually hugged the road, and with its apparent acres of rounded sheet metal crowned with knife-edged tailfins, the vast Biarritz Convertible seemed to drift down the highway. Naturally, the upgraded interior came with all imaginable power accessories and creature comforts.

One of just 1,800 Eldorado Biarritz Convertibles produced in 1957, Don Davis’ example is beautifully restored in its original Starlight Silver Metallic over red leather upholstery, an unusual and striking livery. Desirably, it is equipped with factory air conditioning, which was rare enough on a 1957 Cadillac, but especially so on an open convertible, and most of all on the top-of-the-line Biarritz. The trunk opens remotely with the push of a button, and the same button pulls the trunk lid closed. Talk about conspicuous consumption! Other important accessories include the “Autronic Eye” automatic headlight dimmer, a Wonderbar radio, and a hard “parade” cover for the folded convertible top. Chromed “sabre” wheels are shod with wide whitewall tires, the classic look for a Cadillac of this era.

The Eldorado Biarritz remains, as it was in 1957, a four-wheeled symbol of success, completely appropriate to the collection of Mr. Don Davis, and especially so when equipped with factory air conditioning—all the better for open-top driving under Texas sunshine.

Please contact our exclusive automotive transportation partner, Reliable Carriers

, for a shipping quote or any other information on the transport of this vehicle.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

1955 Porsche 550 Spyde

Description

One of the original 550 Spyder Replicas built in the 1980s by Chuck Beck in Upland, California. Beautiful silver Blue with red leather interior. Very low miles. Comes with black soft top. Great power to weight ratio. Always a California car and titled as a 1969 VW. Priced to sell quickly

1934 Ford Roadster

1934 Ford Roadste

This Car was built in 2006 by Don Pilkenton (2012 Detroit Autorama builder of the year, has built 3 Ridler award cars). The car was displayed at the Autorama in Detroit last year along with 5 other Pilkenton built cars. The car was featured in Street Rodder Magazine in June of 2006, The car has less than 2000

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Wednesday Night Classic Car Cruise

I spotted this 1960's Fiat 1500 Cabriolet towards the back of the cruise, just outside the main area... These are quite rare in western Canada, I'd almost say it's probably the only one in Calgary... I never found the owner, wish I would have...

With its new 80 HP engine and its inspired aerodynamic body, the Fiat 1500 Spider sports roadster is a constant thrill to its owner, and never-failing lift to his pride.
Handling as gently as a kitten, it will do 100 miles an hour with safety, luxury and comfort. Its super-efficient, economical (1481 cc) engine takes it from zero to 60 in a few seconds.
Fiat's famed mechanical know-how and the best in racing experience has been concentrated in this engine to achieve the peak potential of internal combustion.
Polyspheric combustion chambers, provide better compression ratios and improved overall distribution of stresses; thus minimum wear and maximum life. Two-barrel Weber carburetor and inclined OHV system combine to assure full power output.

The body, available in several beautiful colors, is another triumph for Pininfarina mastery of design. Crisp, clean and clear of line -- not an inch wasted -- its electrifying to the eye at a standstill or in flight.

The interior has been planned with equal emphasis on convenience and comfort. Specially designed bucket seats covered with leatherette grain upholstery and padded with heavy foam are contoured to give effective support under all driving conditions and to relax driver and companion. Bucket seats can be adjusted to fit perfectly, with ample fore and aft range.

Dashboard is illuminated tastefully and clearly. Instruments are easy to read, controls are at your finger tips.
Ignition key also locks steering wheel. Clock, cigarette lighter, heater, defroster, electric fan, windshield wipers, other accessories that usually cost extra are all included.
Top raised and lowered easily by one person in either seat in seconds, providing full "all weather" protection. Roll-up windows. Trunk is extra large, with flat floor, all space usable. You can pack more luggage in the 1500 than in most comparable size sports cars. Spare tire underneath. A hardtop is optional.
THESE FEATURES AT NO ADDITIONAL COST !
Pirelli Cinturato tires, leatherette upholstery, padded dash, electric wipers, tachometer, cigarette lighter, heater, defroster, lockingsteering column, top cover, courtesy lights, (interior, engine compartment and luggage compartment), self cancelling turn signals, undercoating, safety belt anchors, bumper guards, ashtray, emergency tool kit and power brakes.

1966 Shelby 427 Cobra

$800,000 - $950,000

520 bhp, 427 cu. in. “side-oiler” V-8 engine with aluminum cylinder heads, four twin-choke Weber carburetors, Ford Toploader four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with unequal-length upper and lower wishbones, coil springs, and telescopic dampers, independent rear suspension with unequal-length upper and lower wishbones with additional lower trailing links, coil springs, and telescopic dampers, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 90 in.

Documented, well-known, “no stories” history
Recently and completely restored by Stewart Hall
520 horsepower, 427 “side-oiler” V-8 with four Weber carbs and aluminum heads
Outstanding fit and finish; beautifully detailed throughout

The odyssey of the Shelby Cobra is defined by the contributions of many people, marked by many important cars, and by even more important moments. They weave a rich fabric of creativity, determination, and persistence in the face of limited resources and epic challenges.

With Shelby’s leadership, the era’s top drivers, and a “dream team,” including Ken Miles, Phil Remington, Pete Brock, and many other racing luminaries in the background, the Ford-powered, AC Ace-derived Cobra was brutally quick and dead reliable, earning its stripes and winning virtually everywhere it appeared. The Cobra won the U.S. Manufacturer’s Championship three years running, in 1963, 1964, and 1965, and with sleek Pete Brock-designed Daytona coupe bodywork, Shelby American Inc. won the hotly contested 1965 FIA World Manufacturer’s Championship.

427 Cobra

Although the 289 Cobra was proven and immensely successful, more power was needed to stay competitive. Since Ford’s 289 V-8 reached its reliability limit at 385 horsepower, Shelby’s stalwart driver and engineer, Ken Miles, surmised that an even bigger engine might work within the trim confines of the Cobra. If there was any doubt about the need, it evaporated when the Shelby team went to Nassau for the 1963 Speed Week, where Chevrolet’s new Corvette Grand Sports were lapping more than nine seconds quicker than the small-block Cobras!

However, while Shelby was initially promised a new aluminum-block version of Ford’s 390 FE engine, internal resistance from the NASCAR faction within Ford forced a switch to the heavier cast-iron 427. Although powerful, proven, and reliable at 500 brake horsepower and beyond, it was heavier and therefore necessitated a complete redesign of the Cobra’s chassis to ensure proper handling. The new chassis measured five inches wider, with coil springs all around, and with development help from Ford’s engineering department, the 427 Cobra was born.

The cars were fiercely quick. Driving one continues to be a mind-bending experience. One of the most memorable stories about the 427 Cobra involves a test arranged for Sports Car Graphic magazine by Shelby’s Ken Miles. A few years earlier, Aston Martin claimed that their DB4 was capable of accelerating from zero to 100 mph and back down to zero in less than 30 seconds. Miles had the idea to restage the test using the new 427 Cobra. The result, according to SCG Editor Jerry Titus, was an astounding 13.2 seconds!

CSX 3259

The 427 Cobra presented here, chassis CSX 3259, is a stunning, genuine 427-powered street Cobra that enjoys both excellent history and outstanding preparation to the highest standards by Stewart Hall, of Hall Fabrication & Racing, Inc. According to the Shelby American World Registry, 3259 was originally billed by AC Cars to Shelby American on April 12, 1966, before being invoiced by Shelby American to Stark Hickey Ford, of Royal Oak, Michigan, near Detroit, for $6,275, on June 30. It was then sold to original owner Jim Rayl, of Kokomo, Indiana, in August 1966. The car remained in the United States throughout the 1970s, and it was known to have accumulated only 21,700 miles by 1979.

The car appeared at the First Annual Brown County Indiana SAAC meet in 1978, and it was then exported to England for Martin A. Colvill in 1979. Around 1982, Michael Burgel, of Germany, acquired it. Registered “BO-W8” at this time, the Cobra was fitted with S/C features, including a hood scoop, a chrome driver’s roll bar, quick-jacks, side pipes, and a large-capacity fuel tank. In addition, the 427 “side-oiler” was equipped with aluminum cylinder heads, a competition oil pan, Weber carburetors, and four-piston, aluminum-caliper disc brakes. While mostly street-driven, 3259 was also raced occasionally in European Cobra events. Next, Frank Sytner, the 1988 British Touring Car Champion, acquired 3259 before its eventual return to the U.S.

In 2003, the previous owner acquired the car, and the chassis was prepared for entry into the Monterey Historics, where it made contact with a guardrail in competition. Following the incident, the Cobra was completely restored to its present show-quality condition, with no expense spared, including a bare-metal refinish. Since completion, the Cobra has been shown numerous times, and it was a highlight of his collection. Photo-documentation of the accident damage and repair is available for review upon request.

As presented, the Cobra is well documented, with an old California pink slip and numerous state inspection receipts dating back to 1970. The documentation file also contains a copy of the original invoice from AC to Shelby American, photographs of the body stamp in various locations, including the trunk latch, hood latch, and both door hinges, as well as receipts from the car’s European ownership period in England and Germany during the 1980s and 1990s. The Cobra also comes with nearly $315,000 of invoices from Stewart Hall, outlining the comprehensive restoration work, careful race preparation, and fastidious ongoing maintenance lavished on this Cobra since 2003, with the bulk of the restoration work completed in 2008.

The restoration was completed to spectacular standards, in a no-expense-spared fashion, to not only look great but also to perform well under the rigors of competition driving. The comprehensive work covered the brakes, cooling, driveline, fuel delivery, electrical, and suspension systems, as well as the chrome, paintwork, interior, and a comprehensive detailing of the underside, engine compartment, and trunk areas. The Cobra was serviced in October 2009, with the work including an oil change, new spark plugs, and new tires, as well as extensive detailing. In 2011, CSX 3259 was acquired by the current owner, and it has remained under expert care and attention since, with negligible mileage added.

Today, the Cobra is simply breathtaking. The quality of the workmanship is outstanding, with superlative fit and finish, excellent chrome, and superb detailing throughout, from the polished oil cooler housing to the spectacular paintwork. The brightwork, wheels, glass, and lights are all excellent, as are the gaps and fit of the bodywork. The interior is extremely nice too, with superb fit and quality to the upholstery and carpeting. The instruments are the correct Smiths items and are like new. Other features include competition-type safety belts, a power cutoff switch, and new, spun aluminum side-view mirrors.

The engine compartment is detailed with cadmium-plated hardware and latches. The engine is fitted with four dual-choke Weber carburetors, as well as an aluminum radiator with an electric fan. The exhaust headers are highly polished, custom-fabricated items, and even the inner fenders and firewall are polished to a mirror-like finish. The trunk is equally nice and remains fully polished and virtually spotless.

This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire an outstanding 427 Cobra with excellent documented history, invoices dating back nearly 40 years, and a beautiful restoration to the highest standards. The car also comes with an extra set of wheels and tires, as well as dynamometer printouts indicating a max horsepower of 520 brake horsepower. A tremendous performer, it is ready for both historic racing and show exposure alike.

Please contact our exclusive automotive transportation partner, Reliable Carriers, for a shipping quote or any other information on the transport of this vehicle.

1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible

1933 Stutz DV32 Convertible Victoria by Rollston

$600,000 - $800,000

156 bhp, 322.1 cu. in. dual overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, solid front and live rear axles with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel vacuum-assisted hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 145 in.

A genuine DV32 with original engine, chassis, and custom coachwork
Owned by noted collectors since the 1950s
Spectacular Meadow Brook and Amelia Island class-winning restoration
The ultimate Classic Era Stutz
Ex-Harrah’s collection

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Charles Dickens wrote it about 18th century France, but it applied just as well to the mood within 1060 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, in 1930. Stutz was in trouble. The successes of competition in the Brass Era had not translated into successes in production in the 1920s, and the company was further weakened by financial shenanigans of top management and the onslaught of the Great Depression. In the end, it would not survive. Nonetheless, in early-1931, amidst all the gloom and doom, Stutz launched the DV32, as fine an epitaph as any automaker would ever write for itself.

The DV32 began with the original Stutz Vertical Eight that had debuted in 1926. Not having the funds on hand to design a completely new engine, the company had made do with this mill for five years, continuously fine-tuning and upgrading it. As the last iteration, the DV32 began with the 322-cubic inch former BB engine, redesigned by Charles “Pop” Greuter, dean of the Stutz engineering department, with double overhead camshafts and angled valves above hemispherical combustion chambers. It was this arrangement that gave the engine its lasting title—it boasted four valves per cylinder, 32 in total, or “Dual Valve-32.”

The upgraded engine produced some 125 horsepower, about the same horsepower-per-cubic-inch ratio of the Duesenberg Model J, taken to the rear axle through a Warner four-speed transmission. Even with heavy bodywork on the long chassis, a DV32 was swift and flexible, capable of 80 mph, and of outrunning just about everything but the inevitable.

Only about 200 examples of the DV32 were delivered during Stutz’s waning days, which finally came to an end in 1935 after a valiant attempt at survival through light truck production. The survivors have long been held among the most valuable and desirable of Stutzes, and they are among the most pleasurable automobiles of their era to drive. Particularly desirable are those sacred few chassis that received custom coachwork.

While its early history is not known, it is likely that this particular DV32 began its life in New York City. There it was delivered to the premises of the Rollston Company, the Big Apple’s most prestigious coachbuilder for three decades. While other American body makers were noted for their flamboyance or their conservatism, Rollston was perhaps the most versatile, capable of creations that spanned the spectrum of good taste. They produced fabulous town cars, roadsters, phaetons, and limousines alike, their designs united only by peerless build quality and bank account-exhausting cost.

The DV32 offered here was treated to a variation of Rollston’s Convertible Victoria, a five-passenger design utilized on several different chassis during the Classic Era. This design was ordinarily quite formal, with a high beltline, long doors, and rather squared-off proportions, befitting a two-door automobile that would on occasion be driven by a chauffeur. This particular car, body number 530, was given a more aggressively slanted windshield, which resulted in a car of an entirely different personality. Even in the subdued original colors of Sierra Sandstone and Antique Veridian Green over beige leather upholstery, the Stutz appears vaguely menacing, the angled glass serving to lower the roof and lengthen the proportions of the car.

The car’s history has been traced back to 1952, when it was acquired by Carl Pennrich, of Greenwood Lake, New York, further indicating that its original owner was likely one of Rollston’s many local customers. In 1960, Pennrich sold the Stutz to William Harrah, in whose vast Reno warehouses it would remain for over a quarter century. As a long-term exhibit at Harrah’s Automobile Collection, the Stutz became a very well-known example to enthusiasts and remained a large, complete, correct, and original car that was properly kept. A two-page color spread of the car, painted its then-current maroon, appeared in Volume Two, Number One, of Automobile Quarterly, illustrating an article on Stutz by D. Cameron Peck.

After the Harrah Collection was dispersed, the Stutz found its way into the hands of noted collector Richard Scott, who got it running and driving again and reports that it was a “bulletproof car.” After several years spent in Scott’s collection, it passed through the hands of noted collectors Joseph Cassini and David Kane, before coming into the ownership of the current enthusiast owner, a longtime aficionado of the Stutz and other fine Classic Era marques. Immensely knowledgeable of what he owns, he endeavored to have the car exquisitely restored, after which it achieved Second in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2006, Best in Show at the Glenmoor Gathering and Best in Class at Amelia Island in 2007, and Best in Class at the Meadow Brook Concours in 2009. The car remains in exquisite overall condition and is ready to continue its illustrious concours career with pride under new ownership.

The original Stutz may have been “the car that made good in a day,” but as memories of the Bearcat faded into the board track dust, it was the DV32 that made certain that the company would be remembered. The Rollston Convertible Victoria offered here is as fine an example of the ultimate Stutz as it exists today, demonstrating the meaning of high-speed American luxury as few cars have, before or since.

Please contact our exclusive automotive transportation partner, Reliable Carriers, for a shipping quote or any other information on the transport of this vehicle.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Daytona Nationwide crash: 28 fans injured; Daytona 500 will go on as scheduled

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — At least 28 people were injured when car parts flew into the grandstands during a frightening Nationwide Series crash Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.
At least 12 cars were swept into a melee on the final lap, with rookie Kyle Larson’s car lifting off the ground and slamming wheels-first into the frontstretch grandstands near the flag stand. The front wheels and engine from Larson’s car flew into the grandstands.

According to Speedway president Joie Chitwood, 14 fans were transported to local hospitals and 14 were treated at the infield medical center at the track.
Chitwood and NASCAR senior vice president Steve O’Donnell, who briefed the media on the accident Saturday evening, said they could not release information on the condition of the fans injured, referring the media to nearby Halifax Memorial Hospital.
PHOTOS: Saturday's horrific crash, and its aftermath
Halifax Health spokesman Byron Cogdell said 12 people were transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach and six others were taken to Halifax Health Medical Center of Port Orange. All were in stable condition, Cogdell said.
Lindsay Rew, a spokeswoman for Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, said its Daytona Beach hospital had one fan there who was in good condition. She said three others they had been expecting were diverted to another hospital.
No fatalities were reported at either hospital. Cogdell said two people taken to the Halifax in Daytona Beach arrived in critical condition, and one of those had life-threatening injuries, but both are considered stable.
Fans sitting near the crash described the accident as “surreal” and “shocking.”
PHOTOS: Sprint Cup paint schemes | NASCAR's new ride | Daytona 500 crashes
Ron Diehl Jr., who was sitting six rows up and about two sections from where Larson hit the fence, said debris from the accident was “raining down” but everyone near him was OK.
“It was surreal,” Diehl said. “I was kind of in shock.”
“As soon as he hit the catchfence, it kind of looked like the car exploded,” Larry Spencer, a fan from Pennsylvania, said after returning from the hospital. “There was pieces of debris flying everywhere.”
Chitwood and O’Donnell said that Sunday’s Daytona 500 will run as scheduled.
“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with our race fans,” Chitwood said. “We responded appropriately according to our safety protocols and had emergency medical personnel at the incident immediately.”
No drivers were injured in the accident and all 12 were treated and released from the infield medical center. Michael Annett was injured in an early accident and was transported to the Halifax hospital, where he was being held overnight.
MORE: Drivers recount what happened on the track
The crash occurred about 50 yards from the start-finish line, where a wide section near a crossover gate was damaged.
Track workers were working feverishly Saturday night to repair the fencing.
“We are in the process of repairing this facility and will be ready to go racing tomorrow,” Chitwood said.
MORE: Is Danica NASCAR'S new face? | Rain in the forecast | 2013 season predictions
Chitwood said the area of the grandstands where the accident occurred will be used Sunday during the Daytona 500.
“We don’t anticipate moving any of our fans,” Chitwood said. “We have our safety protocols in place, our security maintains a buffer that separates the fans from the fencing area. And with our fencing being repaired tonight to meet our safety protocols, we expect to go racing tomorrow with no changes.”
Chitwood and O’Donnell said that both the track and NASCAR will conduct an investigation into the incident to see what changes may need to be made to fencing around Daytona and other tracks.
“We will review where the debris flew and what we need to do with that,” Chitwood said.
“As with any of these incidents, we will conduct a thorough review and work closely with the tracks, learn what we can and see what we can apply in the future,” O’Donnell said. “... We’ll take the car and do that and we’ll evaluate the fencing and see if there is anything we can learn.”
Spencer tried to shield his 15-year-old brother from the debris. His brother suffered a gash to his left cheekbone, which needed three stitches.
Spencer was about four rows up in the Campbell grandstand right near where Larson hit the fence.
“As soon as I saw the pieces of debris go flying, I grabbed him and put my arms around him to shield him a little bit from any further injury.”
Spencer, who said he is attending his sixth Daytona 500, saw the tire and its assembly come up into the stands and land two or three rows above him. He said the person hit by the tire appeared seriously injured.
He said he believes his brother was hit by a piece of the car. He said he took his brother to the restroom to get him cleaned up initially because so many other people were seriously injured.
“There was a lot of people up in those stands that were in worse shape than he was,” Spencer said. “There were about two or three people that were laying and pretty much weren’t moving.
“There were some people that were in rough shape.”
Diehl, a fan from Maryland who has attended races at other tracks, was attending his first race at Daytona. He said his brother bought him the tickets as a Christmas gift and they were sitting together at the race.
“You saw the smoke and then we saw the impact and then parts started flying up in the air,” Diehl said. “We saw a lot of the foam (from the car or the wall), some of the sheet metal … and I kind of froze and ducked my head.”
The men have tickets in a different section for the Daytona 500. Diehl said he would sit in the same seats again.
“How often does this happen?” he said. “Hopefully everybody is all right.”
Spencer, however, said he would not sit that low again. His tickets for the Daytona 500 are about 50 rows up on the backstretch.
“After seeing what I saw today with people just horrified and worried about their loved ones and the uncertainty, I certainly wouldn’t sit there again,” Spencer said. “It’s as high as possible for me from now on.”
Nationwide Insurance, the title sponsor of the Nationwide Series issued a statement Saturday night.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the fans and their loved ones who were affected by today’s incident,” said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide. “We would like to commend NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway and the medical personnel involved for their quick response to the situation.”