JAGUAR: MK II 4.2 RESTO-MOD

Posted on February 2, 2020February 2, 2020 by MartynL

Vintage Mark II Jaguars have attracted an almost cult-like following. David Porter’s silver metallic Mark II delivers outstanding performance, bridging the gap between vintage sedan and modern Road Warrior. When it comes to Carguy cred, David Porter checks off all the boxes: car collector, racer, concours competitor and exotic and sports car owner. However, David is really passionate about racing and especially so about his Peugeot V-12 908 HDi Le Mans veteran. On the road however, his new favor...

STEELE DOSSIER: CONFESSIONS OF A CARGUY!

Posted on February 1, 2020February 1, 2020 by MartynL

Steven Steele blogs about his fascination with everything automotive, starting with a ’36 LaSalle coupe when he was 15 years old and hitting a high point in 2007 searching for and finding a rare Copper Metallic Corvette. More than a half-century later, he’s still hooked. It is almost impossible to explain to the novice exactly what a Carguy is, but among peers, it is clear. This person wouldn’t think of taking his or her car out in the rain; can only be brought to tears by a stone chip or scrat...

LT2 454: LIGHTWEIGHT CORVETTE

Posted on January 26, 2020January 27, 2020 by MartynL

We take a ‘deep dive’ into the original ZL1 & LT2 and recreated Long Lead Corvettes, Long Lead Press Previews, and reveal why proposed ZL1, LT2, LS6 and tri-power LJ2 super-high-performance big-block options for the ’70 Corvette never happened! Back in the day – the pre-historic, pre-Internet 1960s and 1970s – there were no bloggers, video influencers or e-zines. Enthusiasts relied on magazine editors and automotive journalists writing for print publications for the latest news from Motown. ...

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: ’32 FORD

Posted on January 25, 2020January 25, 2020 by MartynL

In 1965 Larry Jaworske was building car models, mowing lawns and learning about building drag cars from neighbors and his older brother, Gary. And, he couldn’t get enough of the Mamas and Papas Grammy-winning rendition of California Dreamin’. Unlike the narrative of the hit song that deals with escaping the cold to head to warmer climes, Larry’s interest had little to do with weather. It had everything to do with hot rods and muscle cars. More than anything he wanted to cruise around Southern ...

SCAT PACK WIDEBODY: DODGE CHALLENGER R/T

Posted on January 16, 2020January 16, 2020 by MartynL

Dodge’s 485-horsepower Challenger Widebody looks like a Redeye, is about 160 pounds lighter, and is $20,000-ish less. And, it’s almost as fast, blogs CGC’s Dan Scanlan. We may want a 797 horsepower ’20 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, but what if our budget doesn’t stretch that far for a monster musclecar - $72,000! No problem. Dodge has an answer: A Challenger Hellcat Redeye that can sprint to 60 mph in under 3.5 seconds, run the quarter-mile (when equipped right) in 10.8 seconds, and top o...

‘57 CHEVY: BLACK WIDOW REDUX

Posted on January 14, 2020January 14, 2020 by MartynL

Ronnie Staples channeled Chevrolet’s Vince Piggins and SEDCO to come up with a modern, resto-modded version of the legendary Black Widow ’57 Chevy. It’s a true Road Warrior! The SEDCO vanity license plate on Ronnie Staples’ ultra-slick ’57 Chevy 150 two-door could easily go unnoticed unless you’re a student of 1950s Chevrolet factory racing programs. SEDCO, Southern Engineering and Development Company, was home to Chevrolet’s backdoor NASCAR racing efforts in 1957. It was hidden in plain sight, ...

BUICK POWER: APOLLO GT.

Posted on January 12, 2020January 12, 2020 by MartynL

Rare and inventive, the Buick-powered, Italian-bodied Apollo GT is far from forgotten. The sports car history books are chock full of ambitious young folks dreaming big, pooling their cash, and setting up shop to take on the world. Then they often run out of money and close their doors after just a few years. Making cars is a business, after all, and as it turns out, building sports cars, like the stunning BUICK POWER: APOLLO GT and turning a profit is not at all easy. A perfect example of one ...

FORD GT40: SPIRIT OF LE MANS

Posted on January 9, 2020January 9, 2020 by MartynL

For a tiny fraction of the cost of a Superformance GT40, Le Mans Coupes makes it possible to bring a race-stained, Gulf-liveried GT40 into your garage or home! As will be fresh in the mind of anybody who’s enjoyed the recent Ford v Ferrari film, Ford GT40s were built to race, and never look more alive than when stained in the grime of battle. Therefore, what better adornment for an enthusiast’s lounge or garage can there be than a FORD GT40: SPIRIT OF LE MANS nose panel apparently streaked with ...

SOLE SURVIVOR: JAGUAR XJ13

Posted on December 22, 2019December 22, 2019 by MartynL

Obsolete since created, Jaguar’s XJ13 Supercar is now the most valuable Jaguar in the world. And, it’s not for sale! After a massive domination in the 1950s with 5 victories, Jaguar decided to return to Le Mans and compete against Ferrari and the rising Fords with a new car called XJ13. Malcolm Sayer, the aerodynamicist responsible for airflow work on the successful C-Type, D-Type racecars and the road E-Type, designed its body. Sayer used his Bristol Aeroplane Company background to build the SO...

1970s ICON: MERCEDES-BENZ C111

Posted on December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 by MartynL

At the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Stuttgart manufacturer surpassed all expectations revealing a super sports car well ahead of its time. With gullwing doors and a Wankel rotary engine, the C111 was a research vehicle that quickly became the absolute dream car of the 1970s. A dream that would never come true to consumers except as die-cast model toys. Although prior rumors were that MB was creating the new Gullwing 300SL from the 1950s, from the very start, the C 111 was conceived purely as a...