This classic Mercedes 300SL was parked next to a newer SL of similar spec in the car corral at Radnor Hunt. I definitely prefer the old one.
-Nick
Tag Archives: Classic Cars
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster at Radnor Hunt
This hornet colored Bugatti Type 55 was tucked off in a corner of the show at Radnor Hunt, but it still caught everyone’s eye. With a magnificent paint job and a fine wood interior this is French roadster is as classic as they come. Just imagine cruising the Riviera in this thing…
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Pur Sang Bugatti spotted in Greenwich, CT
This is the first Pur Sang Bugatti I’ve ever seen out in the world. It’s crazy because it looks pre-war correct in every way, except all the materials are brand new. It doesn’t have the patina of a car nearly a century old, and that’s what gives it away.
For those unfamiliar with Pur Sangs, they aren’t kit cars at all, but rather perfect recreations of the original pre-war cars. Honestly, they’re more like production continuations of the original cars than anything. I mean Pur Sang even uses the original pre-war production techniques, the cars are made exactly as they originally were.
What’s crazy is that many owners of actual pre-war Bugattis are commissioning Pur Sang replicas of their priceless originals so they can enjoy driving them without risking a fortune. Imagine the thrill of driving one of these pre-war racing cars on the street, there’s gotta be nothing like it.
Enjoy the photos!
The Cannonball Run! (sort of) at the Greenwich Concours
No matter what your fancy is, some of the best cars from the famous Cannonball Run were on display at the Greenwich Concours this year. Whether it’s the homage #144 Polezei BMW M5 driven by Alex Roy some years ago across America (a world record winner), the Chevy Malibu police car (my personal favorite), or the Dodge Tradesman ambulance, there was a smorgasbord in attendance. They even had Dan Gurney and Brock Yates’ Ferrari Daytona in attendance–the winner of the second race, and one of the more infamous cross-country cars still around. These cars were true crowd-pleasers, and even Nick, who normally laughs at Malaise-Era stuff, found the Dodge to be amusing (especially when the open exhaust announced the sound of a completely un-muffled small block Dodge). Enjoy the photos of these offbeat rides. Continue reading The Cannonball Run! (sort of) at the Greenwich Concours
This 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Model took Best in Show at Misselwood
I knew this unbelievable 1914 Rolls Royce Alpine Model would win Best in Show the moment it pulled up to the preview for the Misselwood Concours. There were tons of stunning cars there, but this thing had that “pop” that separates the royalty from the mere aristocracy.
This Rolls is pre-war, but we’re talking pre-World War 1. That’s right, this magnificent automobile existed when men were still riding into battle on horseback. It’s one of just 4 Rolls Royces assembled in the US before the onset of The Great War, and it remains as grand a Rolls as any since.
This car’s body and chassis, separated in 1983, were just reunited in 2015, and a lot of work was put in to bring it to the beautiful condition you see here. It totally took my breath away, and I shot literally hundreds of photos of it. What’s even better is the owner told me he drives the car around 5,000 miles per year on various rallies. He said concours events are a secondary concern to actually using and enjoying the car. You gotta love that, it’s a concours winner and it’s not a trailer queen.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is how it’s supposed to be done. Enjoy the gallery of this immaculate Rolls Royce, and you can find a little more info on it at the bottom.
Continue reading This 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Model took Best in Show at Misselwood
Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina spotted in Greenwich, CT
Even as you leave Greenwich, you’re bound to see some nice cars on the way home. This time, I only had to walk a few feet from the car to glimpse one of the finest looking sedans of the 1960s. This little Alfa 1750 was taking up space, and time, in the parking deck, and showing off its best lines while I took a few pictures. It’s a shame that they don’t make cars like this anymore. Enjoy the photos.
This BMW Isetta 300 gave my day some hot pink style at the Lane Motor Museum
Hot pink and yellow, now there’s some style for your Monday. This BMW Isetta 300 immediately caught my eye when I walked into the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. Who wouldn’t want to take this thing for a ride?
Enjoy!
Continue reading This BMW Isetta 300 gave my day some hot pink style at the Lane Motor Museum
1967 Pontiac GTO at the Misselwood Concours
Pontiac, before General Motors decided to kill the brand, made some of my favorite mid-priced cars. While some scorn and say that they were just Chevrolets with some extra body cladding, there was a time where that just wasn’t true. Back in the 1960s, John Z. Delorean wanted to put some pep in the General’s step–and he decided to use a time honored formula of taking a big engine and cramming it into a car smaller than normal. The new Tempest was a great candidate, being Pontiac’s newest intermediate in 1964, so it was chosen. Then, a 389 cubic inch V8 was bolted in, and the car was sent off to showrooms.
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1957 Porsche 356A Cabriolet at the Misselwood Concours
Check out the color combo on this 1957 Porsche 356A Cabriolet. Forest green over tan leather with a magnificent white steering wheel.
I see a lot of Porsche 356s at these events, and I often don’t pay them much mind unless they are a unique color combo. This one was a fine example.
Enjoy the photos.
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1934 Packard 1104 Convertible at the Misselwood Concours
This incredible Packard is one of those cars that fits exactly the style we imagine when we think of pre-war cars. It looks like it’s straight out of The Great Gatsby.
Enjoy the gallery of this classic machine!
Continue reading 1934 Packard 1104 Convertible at the Misselwood Concours
Motor Trend Compares the 2017 Nissan GTR to its heritage
This Ferrari 275 N.A.R.T. Spider showed Greenwich some serious class
Of the ten Ferrari 275 N.A.R.T. Spyders on Earth, this is the third one I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in person. It was by far the single most valuable car on the show field at Greenwich this year (we saw the red one in Monterey, which sold for over $27 million at auction a few years back). Yes, the 275 N.A.R.T. Spider is one of the Ferrari holy grails, right up there with the 250 GTO, but even rarer with less than half the production run.
I think this subdued silver example with its rich red leather interior is supremely classy in the highest regard. It’s a very beautiful and inoffensive looking car, something that evokes admiration from people. Despite being worth a genuine fortune today, it doesn’t come off all that ostentatious as a car in person. Maybe my perception was skewed by the carbon-bodied Lamborghini Centenario right across the row, but this 275 might actually require a second look to be noticed in town.
I’ve said before, this is my favorite classic Ferrari, more than a 250 GTO or a 365 Daytona, I love the 275 GTB, and the N.A.R.T. Spider is the ultimate one to have. I fantasize about taking one of these on a journey up the Pacific Coast highway in California, wind in my hair, V12 signing along up front, it would be perfection.
One can only dream, but it sure has been nice to get to see a few of these N.A.R.T. Spiders in person. I’ve it a point to enjoy every moment I have with them, pouring over their every detail, and this was no exception.
I’ll let the photos take it from here. Enjoy.
Continue reading This Ferrari 275 N.A.R.T. Spider showed Greenwich some serious class
Mind Over Motor 