I must admit, I’ve always liked this style of aftermarket facia on the Porsche 996. This one we saw at First Class Fitment was nice and clean.
-Nick
Category Archives: Cars We’ve Seen
Cool and interesting cars that caught our eye either at shows or on the street.
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato at Amelia Island
The DB4 GT Zagato is one of the most beautiful Aston Martins of all time. Swooping Italian lines over a capable British GT racing-developed chassis, it is a sublime combination!
With its 314hp straight-6, the DB4 GT Zagato was one hell of a performer in the early 1960’s. It was capable of 0-60 in around 6 seconds, and could top 150 mph. It also had a lightweight design and a capable chassis, so it was very much an all-round performer. Even today, it would still roast many respectable cars.
The big draw, on top of this Aston’s styling and performance, is its rarity. Only 19 of these DB4 GT Zagatos were produced, and they are worth many millions of dollars today.
Amelia Island was actually the second time I’ve seen this one. I saw it a few years ago, where it was the star at a local cruise night in Hopewell, NJ, where it was being worked on.
The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is one of my favorite classic cars, period, let alone Aston Martins. I was so privileged to have some quality shooting time with the car after most of the show cleared out. It even had it’s own design plans on display in the trunk this time.
I hope you all enjoy the gallery!
Continue reading Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato at Amelia Island
Friendly’s Old Bridge Meet, March 5 2016
I don’t go to nighttime car meets that often, only because I’m not a big part of the scene in my local area. Luckily, it seems that the scene is more noticable south of my area than it is near where I live, and the Old Bridge car guys organized a great meet right by a good friend’s house. This meet had a little bit of everything, from a restored 1966 Chrysler Newport to a Buick Grand National, to a Hellcat, to a pair of very loud (and rather fun) old ex-police Crown Vics. Much fun was had, even though I couldn’t get dinner at Friendly’s due to the line and the fact that the Old Bridge PD shut it down after about 3 hours. I’ll definitely show up to the next event, and hopefully the Miata’s top will be replaced after the rear window exploded. Enjoy the short selection of photos from the event.
1953 Ferrari 340 MM Competition at Amelia Island
We’re gearing up for our trip down to Florida this week for the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. This beautiful two-tone 1953 Ferrari 340 MM Competition is a gem from the last time we were at the event.
The car was commissioned by Bill Spear and Phil Hill to compete in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as other races. It was painted blue and white to distinguish it as a car driven by Americans. They had a good showing at Le Mans that year, but was forced to retire due to issues with its drum brakes. This Ferrari 340 MM was then imported into the U.S. and raced extensively around the country.
A stunning and storied machine, indeed!
Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading 1953 Ferrari 340 MM Competition at Amelia Island
February 27, 2015 Cars and Coffee at the Morris Plains Dunkin’ Donuts
Cars and Coffee might be relatively new to New Jersey, but it’s not a new thing at all. Having gotten its start when I was in high school out in Irvine over on the West Coast, it took some time, but it eventually made its way to the East Coast. The one I went to is just ten minutes away from my childhood home in Randolph NJ–and it was genuinely amazing to see this parking lot, which I always associated with a cheap Chinese-Italian buffet joint, a sketchy (back then) Bottle King, and an abandoned (at the time) gas station, completely filled to capacity and then some with all sorts of enticing machinery. Continue reading February 27, 2015 Cars and Coffee at the Morris Plains Dunkin’ Donuts
Pagani Huayras at The Quail, A Carbon Fiber Extravaganza!
With Pagani dropping the new Huayra BC at the Geneva Auto Show, I thought it’d be a good time to share some the “normal” Pagani Huayras we saw at The Quail.
My favorite was definitely the blue carbon over tan Huayra you see above. It was absolutely stunning. Paganis have such rich detail in every aspect. They’re one of the few seven figure cars that actually seem like they should be worth that much. Their craftsmanship is about as close to perfection as can be, right down to the strands of carbon fiber lining up across panel gaps.
I also love The Quail because you get such access to everyone. Mr. Pagani himself was just walking around talking to people, and I had the distinct honor to speak with him myself for a few minutes. He’s as nice as everyone says, and really appreciates anyone who is enthusiastic about his cars.
Pagani is by far my favorite automotive brand, and I am captivated in my very soul whenever I see a Pagani up close. Even if I just glimpse one for a second, it will surely be the highlight of my day. These cars have a serious power to inspire.
Enjoy the gallery of these magnificent machines!
Continue reading Pagani Huayras at The Quail, A Carbon Fiber Extravaganza!
New Fiat 124 Spider at the L.A. Auto Show, 2015
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When Fiat launched the new 124 in Los Angeles last fall, I was excited. In fact, I can say I was more excited for this launch than the new Miata. Though I own an old NA, when I was a little kid, one of my good friends growing up had a little silver roadster under a tarp at the end of his driveway. Under the tarp was his dad’s little Fiat Spider. I never saw the car run and I never really knew a lot about the car but I always felt a bit of a connection to it. To this day I have a soft spot for old Italian roadsters, and I think it started with Mr. Gunnell’s old Spider sitting behind his old van. Continue reading New Fiat 124 Spider at the L.A. Auto Show, 2015
1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-396 at Lead East 2015
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When it comes to the second-generation Chevrolet Chevelle, I feel that the ’68 is overlooked. Despite being the launch year, it’s not known for any dealership-modified specials (such as the Yenko in 1969) or the Hemi-eating LS-6 engine (such as the 1970), or even being the last of the era (the ’71-72). These were handsome intermediates for the era, and certainly looked a bit more upscale than the offerings from Plymouth and Ford during the same era. The fastback roofline looks very crisp, even though it blunts rear 3/4 visibility somewhat. Continue reading 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-396 at Lead East 2015
Mercedes G63 AMG Monster Truck at First Class Fitment
The Mercedes G63 comes from the factory as a fast, off-road-capable SUV, but for this owner, it clearly wasn’t enough.
-Nick
Rice-ified Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible spotted in Hollywood Beach, FL
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My family, thanks to my tutelage and insistent urging, send me pictures of cars all the time. For some reason, all of them notice Camaros, both the good ones, the bad ones, and ones like this–uglies. Someone did a nice job painting this Camaro convertible candy apple red–then they messed up, and messed up big time. It’s got Lambo doors, which are only good on where they came from (and only can be excellent on a Countach). It’s got wheels on it that scream early-2000s rap video, and a roll bar that looks like it came out of a JC Whitney catalog. It’s a fantastic example of why parents need to keep their children in school and off the streets, because they might run into a car like this and flush their life down the crapper. Oy vey.
Spotted by: Susan Lazar
-Albert S. Davis
Lamborghini Countach at Hopewell Cruise Night
A car named after an expletive used when no other words can describe what you’re seeing. “Countach!” in Italian means something like “Holy Crap!” and that is the precise reaction people had to this car when it first came out.
The Lamborghini Countach’s design was so striking that the model endured for 17 years. It was updated with audacious wings and vents during the wild, cocaine-crazed 1980’s, because its scissor doors weren’t vulgar enough on their own after the first decade.
This Countach belongs to a local dealer, who always puts on a great show at the Hopewell Cruise Nights. It literally stopped everyone in their tracks when it rolled up.
The Countach also sounds incredible, check out this video for some sweet V12 fury:
Enjoy the photos!
Continue reading Lamborghini Countach at Hopewell Cruise Night
1947 Delahaye 135M Narval “Cover Girl” at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Only automobile aficionados know about Delahayes. But when anyone asks me who made the most beautiful cars of all time, I usually drop the Delahaye name. They are gorgeous, they are elegant, they are as French as French can be.
Any connoisseur of pre-war automobiles will know of all the stunning machines that came out of France in the early-mid 1900s. Many might argue that Bugatti or Talbot should hold the crown of beauty instead, but Delahayes have always dropped my jaw in a way that no other marque ever has. They are magical machines with the power to make everything around them disappear.
The 1947 Delahaye 135M you see here turned many heads at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. It is one of a few hundred 135Ms produced in the difficult post-war era. France was ruined and there wasn’t much room for ostentatious luxury cars as the country was being rebuilt. As a result, most post-war Delahayes were exported to wealthy buyers outside of France. Delahaye’s larger military contracting business kept them afloat until they lost a major contract with the French government, and went bust in 1954.
This beautiful black Delahaye 135M Narval was built for a wealthy industrialist in Ohio. It’s design was inspired by the elegant motion of aquatic mammals, specifically the Narwal. It was built for the President of The Prima Company Ohio, and was showcased in a magazine ad for “Covergirl Dress Flats by Prima,” hence the car’s nickname “Cover Girl.”
This Delahaye stands as a masterpiece of art on wheels. Enjoy the gallery.
Continue reading 1947 Delahaye 135M Narval “Cover Girl” at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Mind Over Motor 