The storied Italian car maker Alfa Romeo was heavily featured at this year’s New Hope Auto Show, held on the grounds of this Pennsylvania town’s high school. The Alfas, assigned their own class, were all parked next to each other, although there was no particular order to their arrangement. The casual observer would be forgiven if s/he thought that Alfa only made convertibles. Of the 15 cars present, 10 were soft tops (“spiders” in Alfa-speak). Of those 10, 9 were of the same basic body style, a design which debuted as the Duetto in 1966 and concluded its run as the Spider Veloce in 1994. That is a very long time in car-years.
Alfas in a row The only Giulia coupe at this year’s show, and a step-nose to boot
Your author’s car, a 1967 GT 1300 Junior, was proudly on display, and was one of the few tin-tops in attendance. The field was rounded out with an early ‘60s 2000 Spider (the so-called Large Alfa), an Alfetta GT, a GTV-6, and a 164 sedan (the only front-wheel-drive Alfa present among all the rear-wheel-drive vehicles).
A 1979 Alfetta GT
An early ’60s 2000 Spider
A 1985 GTV-6 Callaway Twin-Turbo
It was a rare treat for me to see so many Alfa Romeos in one place at the same time. But the real treat was provided by the gang which brought in these beautiful cars. Alfa owners are a passionate lot; they like to drive their cars; they like to show off and talk about their cars; and they like to meet and chat with fellow Alfa owners and wanna-be owners. Most of the day was consumed by conversation about our Milanese machines.
Front end of the Duetto
The Duetto’s “round tail”
The first couple I met had arrived in their 1979 Alfetta GT 2-door coupe. “Quinn” and I happily traded stories about each other’s cars. One story I shared occurred last week. While driving to work, I spotted a car just like theirs on the road with me. It had been ages since I had seen an Alfetta moving under its own power. This particular one was mostly in grey primer, with its passenger door still red (and still wearing a large “ALFA ROMEO” decal). It was bumperless, and obviously a work-in-progress. But by the sounds it was making, I knew the driver was having a blast.
An Alfetta GT reflected in the mirror of a Bentley Continental GT
What made our roadway rendezvous rather unique that morning is that I was piloting my boss’ 2012 Bentley Continental GT Coupe, all W-12 twin-turbo 500+ horsepower of it. I’m always a bit self-conscious driving that car, and tend to stay to the right, moving at the speed limit, in order to avoid undue attention. As the Alfetta drew closer, I wanted to drop my window and give the driver a big thumbs-up. Dismissing any concern about what he might think of me, I did just that. His ear-to-ear grin told me all I needed to know.
1989 Alfa Spider
The Spider hardtop
The owner of the ’79 Alfetta GT told me that he has owned his car in excess of 20 years, and although he has done scores of maintenance and repair work on it, he considers it a mostly original car. Looking the car over, I agreed with him, as much of the black lacquer as well as the beige cloth upholstery remained as it was in 1979. These early Alfettas had a controversial dash design: the tachometer was centered in front of the driver, with all the other gauges in the center. I’ve driven these cars, and it takes some time to get used to the arrangement.
Not all Alfas are red; just most of them
Immediately to one side of me was a Spider owner who is also a very active member of his Alfa Romeo Owners Club local chapter. He, among many other owners, encouraged me to join the club in order to become more involved in their driving events. “Bill” is a marque expert who delighted in telling me about the nuances among the display cars, including which cars were factory-correct and which were not. The truth is that he was a tremendous knowledge source about all things Alfa.
1982 Alfa Spider
On the other side of me was another spider. “Jim” had bought this car just a few months ago (sight unseen off eBay!). It was a Texas car, in very nice shape. This was his 4th Alfa, and he told me that the drive to the show that morning was the longest he had driven the car since obtaining it earlier this year.
1976 Alfa Spider
An hour or so after arriving, the couple with the ’79 Alfetta returned to my car to make an announcement: they had shared my story about “The Alfetta and the Bentley” with the folks in the car next to theirs, and he was the driver of that primered Alfa! “Tom” and I met and screamed over and over at each other “I can’t believe it!” After I told him that I had arrived at work and shared my photo with several fellow enthusiasts, he told me that he got to work and called his wife to tell her “hey honey, some guy in a BENTLEY gave me a thumbs-up”. (His wife chimed in that he never called her from work, and she had at first assumed that something was wrong). Of course, I clarified for him that my daily-driver Jetta was home while I put some miles on the boss’ car. He told me that I had made his day, which made me feel wonderful about the entire encounter.
The number of spiders at the show gave me the chance to document something which I knew about, but for which I was lacking empirical data: the evolutionary design changes of the spider’s back end through 4 generations, known among the faithful as S1, S2, S3, and S4. (The front end also evolved, but to a lesser degree.) Photographing each version and displaying them side-to-side clarifies the differences. It also makes it plain to this set of eyes which of these wins the beauty contest. Your opinion may vary.
S1 (Duetto)
S2 Kamm-back (chrome)
S2 Kamm-back (black)
S3 (Duck tail)
S4 (aero tail)
L to R: S4, S1, S3
Kudos to the organizers of the New Hope show. With close to 250 cars on display, the difficult logistics of successfully running such an event become clear once you spend most of the day observing it. As the cars paraded off the field, my Alfa eventually became the sole representative of the marque. Lovely cars were seen, photographed, dissected, and discussed. Most importantly, new friendships were begun, with the promise of future automotive adventures to come.
Entrance queue at the start of Sunday’s New Hope Auto Show
The New Hope (PA) Automobile Show was held on the grounds of the New Hope-Solebury High School on Saturday August 8 and Sunday August 9, 2015. This event, which held its first show in 1957, celebrated its 58th anniversary this year. Vehicles are displayed according to predetermined classes, which are different on each day. In general, domestic vehicles are shown on Saturday, while European imports are featured on Sunday. These divisions are not completely strict, as we shall see. Your faithful scribe registered and showed his 1967 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior on Sunday, so this report will focus only on that day’s cars.
Arriving at 8:15 a.m. and assigned to park with several Alfas already in attendance, I was pleasantly surprised to see our row quickly fill up. In all, 15 Alfas eventually arrived and parked together. While spiders (convertibles in Alfa-speak) were the dominant body style, there was enough variety to keep the Alfisti happy. And Alfas were far from the only well-represented marque. Car classes included Austin-Healey, BMW, Jaguar, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Porsche, Rolls-Royce/Bentley, and Triumph. Some of these classes had total entries in the dozens. All the usual suspects were present, yet the Sunday show distinguished itself by drawing out some truly unusual and rarely-seen exotics.
The Alfa segment of our program will be covered in a separate blog entry. For now, let’s take a tour of some of the other beautiful, sporty, exotic, and downright eye-opening cars on the field. (Photos can be enlarged for viewing by simply clicking on them.)
BRITISH
The MG menagerie
Any classic car show which bills itself as featuring “MGs and Triumphs” will cause you to expect to find MGBs and TR6s. We had MGBs and TR6s in New Hope. We also had Triumph Italias. The Italia had Triumph TR3 mechanicals under a Michelotti-designed body, built by Vignale in Italy. According to Wikipedia, only 329 were made. To say that they are rare is an understatement. To see one at a car show is completely unexpected. There were two on display today (the earlier use of the plural “Italias” was not a typo).
The red Triumph Italia
The silver Triumph Italia
Not as rare as an Italia, but still infrequently spotted, were several MGCs. To those unaware of its existence, the “C” externally appears no different than an MGB. Careful scrutiny will reveal a hood bulge, necessary to accommodate the inline-six cylinder engine shoe-horned into the front. While contemporaneous road tests derided the extra weight over the front wheels and the accompanying poor handling, a kinder and gentler revisiting of the model has critics responding favorably to the extra oomph brought on by two extra cylinders.
This MGC roadster was pristine in British Racing Green
Its inline 6 was chromed out
This yellow MGC was parked next to an even rarer Messerschmitt and DeLorean
The Jaguar E-Type (more commonly known as the XKE on this side of the pond) is arguably one of the most beautiful cars ever designed, and among the Series I, II, and III cars, the Series I is considered the purest version of the form. It was our luck to have four Series I E-Types at the show. With three of them parked adjacent to each other, the photo ops were aplenty.
Jaguar E-Types bow their hoods in unison
Series I OTS (open two seaters) have gorgeous behinds
1st place awarded for widest whitewalls
The Rolls-Royce and Bentley contingent was huge, no doubt sparked into action through the nudging of the local RR-Bentley club to get its members out and onto the field. We know from past experience that said owners are not afraid to drive these British beauties, so seeing 25-30 of them was not a surprise. The distinctive front-end styling is a photographer’s delight.
1962 Bentley Continental
1936 Rolls Royce
The Bentley “B” is displayed twice
The Spirit of Ecstacy
Rounding out our review of British iron were these more commonly seen models, still enjoyable to admire.
An Austin-Healey Bug-Eye Sprite’s front end opens wide for easy access
TR-9
This 1957 A-H 100/6 was in the car corral; ask was $44,500 OBO
Next to the Healey was this ’62 TR-3, for sale at $21,500 OBO
PORSCHE
What’s a car show without Porsches? In this case, it would be a car show with many fewer vehicles on the show field. While no count was taken, it’s safe to presume that Porsche was the single best-represented marque at the event. Whether this was due to club participation or a wide and adoring audience for these sports cars, it was fun to see the variety extending from the 356, through the air-cooled 911s, to the water-cooled 924/944/928 series. If you were so inclined, new Panameras and Cayennes were also on display courtesy of a local Porsche dealer.
Throughout the generations, a Porsche front end is instantly recognizable
This 911 Targa stood out as much for its Safety Yellow color as it did for its condition
914s, long considered uninteresting to collectors, are gaining momentum
928s are a personal favorite. This is an early car with the original front end treatment
A “2nd gen” 928 has a reshaped nose (and a hideous rear spoiler)
The rarest Porsche spotted today was this 959. According to my sources, a total of 200 were made. Originally not legal for sale in the U.S., these cars from the late 1980s are now old enough that they can legally be imported and driven. At the time of its release, it was considered the most far-flung supercar of its day. Its specifications may seem the stuff of normalcy now, however, it did lay the foundation for what would be expected among the world’s highest-performing machines.
A Porsche 959
DOMESITC
The New Hope Auto Show’s website states that Sunday’s car show includes classes for production GM, FoMoCo, and Chrysler Corp cars through 1990. The American cars on site were not a large group, but several MoPar models were standouts, and are worth highlighting for their styling and engineering features.
The sign on this ’65 Plymouth Belvedere claimed it was an all-original 65,000 mile car
The once-ubiquitous Slant-6 engine in the Plymouth is still known for its durability
More than other Detroit cars, Chrysler went out of its way with unique styling cues, like these free-standing head lamps
So-called “gun sight” taillamps on this Imperial
This ’56 Imperial is long. Really, really, long
When I was 7 years old, I wanted nothing more than an in-car record player (this is in the Imperial)
ITALIAN
Two different model Fiats were in attendance, sharing a unique attribute: neither car was badged “Fiat”.
After Fiat left the U.S. market in 1982, production of two of its popular sports cars, the X1/9 and the Spider 2000, was continued by Bertone and Pininfarina respectively, and these firms imported and sold the cars in the States under their own brands. (Malcolm Bricklin was somehow involved, but that’s too dark a story to include here.)
This 1987 Bertone X1/9 was an all-original car in pristine condition. Its current owner stated to me that he has owned the car for over 20 years, and drives it year-round (making sure that his winter driving is on dry roads).
1987 Bertone X1/9. Note the ‘b’ badge on nose. Umbrella was dealer-supplied accessory
1987 Fiat X1/9. Rear spoiler aids aerodynamics at speeds above 130mph
This 1985 Pininfarina Spider looked brand new. While the owner was not available to answer questions, the condition of the car (flawless) spoke for him.
1985 Pininfarina Spider 2000.
Batista Farina’s nickname was Pinin. He legally changed his company’s name to “Pininfarina” (one word), but the ‘f’ for Farina is still the logo
“A roller coaster”: Those three words, direct from my friend Larry, summed up his experience as a first-time seller of a vehicle at a public auction. But this was no ordinary car, and certainly was an extraordinary auction. The car was his 1963 Mercury Marauder, a one-family car previously owned by his late aunt. (Regular readers of this blog have likely seen the coverage of this gem of an automobile. For those who may have missed it, you can find the story here.) It was Larry’s decision to liquidate it via his chosen venue, the Mecum auction in Harrisburg PA.
We’ve known for months that the vehicle would cross the block on Thursday July 30, the first of three selling days. We’ve also known that the lot number, T75, ostensibly meant that his would be the “75th car” to sell that day. Initial concerns about the car going up too early in the day evaporated when The Selling Day arrived. More about that in a few moments.
Larry had previously arranged for the car to be transported to the auction site via truck. Our plan was to arrive on Wednesday, do a final prep of the car, and check out the other cars for sale. We would be back early Thursday to stay with the car during its final roll under Larry’s ownership, and Friday would be our day to return to the auction in a more relaxed mode. Most of that went according to schedule.
After the requisite stop for a road-trip breakfast of Dunkin’ Donuts bagels and coffee, we were at the Farm Show Complex by 11 a.m. Wednesday morning. Credentials were quickly issued (registering ahead of time has its perks), and our lanyard-mounted badges allowed us access to the entire building. Your author attended this auction last year, but never left the main auction room. Much to my surprise, we found that there are many additional rooms throughout the complex. This is where all the cars and trucks (and tractors) sit waiting their turn. Finding the Mercury meant wandering among these rooms, although we were helped by the “Thursday”, “Friday”, and “Saturday” signs providing direction. As the Complex is used primary for animals, these back rooms are not air-conditioned (the main hall is), and have a musty, dingy feel to them. It’s not the most appealing arrangement for classic cars and trucks.
The Merc as found in Thursday’s holding pen
The Merc was in the Thursday room, and looked pretty good after its journey. In fact, we decided based on the conditions in the holding pen that any final detailing would best wait until early Thursday morning. This was our excuse to spend the rest of Wednesday checking out the merchandise! By late afternoon we learned that drivers would be restaging Thursday’s cars from the pen to the tent immediately outside the main hall’s entrance. At around 5 p.m., “our” driver arrived, and suggested that we hop in for the ride, which of course we did. This was my first time in the Marauder with it moving under its own power, and it was Larry’s last time. As we coasted into our parking spot, I saw that we had a good location: the fourth row, near the front of the tent, very close to the main room’s entrance ramp.
Under the big tent
The Big Day arrived soon enough. We were on site by 8 a.m. in order to secure a close parking spot for the daily driver, detail the ‘63, and chat up any potential prospects. Fears that we would not have an audience due to our rather early time slot were allayed when we saw A) the mob lined up at this hour to get into the building, and B) all the attention the Mercury was getting under the tent. Of course, there were about 150 other cars sharing the tent with us, many of them real beauties. But surreptitious listening to observers’ comments reinforced what we already knew: this was a nice car. Most onlookers told each other (or us) that it was great to see such a rare car; that the car’s condition was “fantastic” for an unrestored vehicle; and that it was one of the more striking cars in the tent that morning. We were feeling good! One gentleman in particular lingered long enough that he asked for the car to be started, and he was the only one to peer into the trunk. He told Larry that he would be bidding.
Detail bucket deployed for final time
Mecum’s schedule said that automobilia would be sold starting at 9:30, with the first automobile crossing the block at 10 a.m. We do not know why cars did not start rolling out of the tent until about 10:45. However, once they started to roll, they moved quickly. Official drivers, distinguished by their neon green Mecum caps, were staged at the top of each row, and dispatched to the cars in plenty of time to start them, warm them up a bit, and begin the parade.
In case his green hat isn’t obvious enough, his badge says DRIVER
A few digressions: perhaps it’s me, but wouldn’t you think that if YOU had a classic car that you planned to sell at auction, YOU would make sure that the car would start at its appointed time? When I say “start”, I’m referring to “crank”, as in “have a charged battery in the car”! To my utter amazement, I saw not one, not two, but THREE cars ahead of us in the tent require the services of the jump-start cart in order to become motorvated (Chuck Berry’s word). In at least one of those cases, the jump attempt failed, and the good ol’ golf-cart-with-a-tow-rope was deployed. Once inside and on the smooth level ground, the white-gloved pushers move the car along with the engine off, and most of the bidding audience is never the wiser.
Golf cart doubles as tow truck
One of the volunteer drivers, a middle-aged woman assigned to move the ’67 Dodge next to us, chatted me up about the Merc, saying that while she liked it, she and her husband collected Pontiacs. I used the opportunity to inquire how she landed this prestigious job, and she told me that their club, the Susquehanna Valley GTO Club, volunteered their services to the auction company. So these drivers knew each other, and were on site primarily for the fun of it. She then confided to me that she did not drive a manual transmission, and she was quite nervous hopping into these “strangers’ cars and figuring out the controls”! Having worked for years at car dealerships, I told her that driving many different new and used cars every day becomes second nature.
It was time. Even with the late start, we had predicted that Larry’s car would cross the block between 12 and 12:30, and here it was just a few minutes before noon. The driver assigned to the Marauder asked Larry if there was anything special to the starting procedure. “Hop in and she should start right up” was the reply. He did and she did.
In the building at last
The Mercury cruised effortlessly up the ramp and into the queue. Once in the main building, the excitement level for both of us jumped up several notches. First, the car looked even more incredible under the neon lights. Second, the inside crowd mobbed this car (in truth, they mobbed every car in line). We got the sense that these folks were the more serious potential bidders, rather than the tire-kickers outside. The car got a more thorough going-over during these brief moments than it had at any point prior. Third, this line was moving fast! It felt like less than a minute before the Marauder was about to make the 90° right turn toward the block.
The Merc looked really sharp here
We had a crowd; would they bid?
Making the final turn
Ready to cross the block
Then…everything stopped. A charity appeal began, in order to raise money for childhood cancer. This was a truly noble cause; and while $10,000 was raised, it gave us a chance to catch our breaths.
Mecum Man talks to the owner
Like a light switch on at full brightness, then turned off, it was switched on again. I couldn’t tell you a thing about any of the cars that crossed the block ahead of us, whether they sold or not, and if they did, for what amount. My eyes were glued to that Merc, headed to a new destiny. The auctioneer’s voice was suddenly clear enough for me to understand every word: “Lot T75, 1963 Mercury Marauder, 45,000 original miles, unrestored barn find, one family since new, do I have 20,000, 20, 20, who will bid 20? Can I have 15, 15,000, anyone? 10,000, 10,000 for this Mercury? Do I have 5?” Finally, a bite. While I knew he would start high, there was a slight sinking feeling when I heard the opening bid drop all the way to 5,000. The auctioneer continued: “6,000, I have 6, 7,000, who will bid 7? 7, now 8,000?” And so on, as it quickly jumped to $10,000. “Eleven thousand dollars, who will bid 11? 11? 11?” Nothing. It stalled at 10,000. Larry, in the “batter’s box” as they call it, directly below the auctioneer’s podium, was getting pressure from the Mecum man to lower his reserve from $12,000. Larry would not. It was over. The car did not sell. It was 12:15 p.m.
We had 10; asking for the 11 which never came
Shock. Disappointment. Dismay. We could only repeat “I can’t believe it!” to each other over and over. The car missed Larry’s reserve by $2,000. It got a “The Bid Goes On” sticker stuck to its windshield, and was relegated to one of the back rooms normally used by horses and cows. Our cell phones went into overdrive, but instead of broadcasting success, our emails and texts informed our friends that Larry still owned the Mercury. Which brought up this realization: it would be Larry’s responsibility to move the car back home, on his dime. Time to stop thinking about it so much. Time to take a break and not worry about it for a while. We decided to have lunch.
After eating, we convinced ourselves that watching and enjoying the auction proceedings was a good thing to do, so we did. A calmness settled in, combined with an acceptance of the outcome. Larry would do what needed to be done, and I would do my best to support him through this.
Close to 5pm, almost 4 hours after the car failed to sell, Larry’s cell phone rang. It was a brief conversation. The Mecum rep who called told Larry that they had just gotten a bid from an absentee bidder (phone or internet) for the reserve price of $12,000. The car was sold. There was nothing he needed to do. Relief, not joy, was the emotion of the moment. We could talk all day and all night about how the car was worth more; about the lack of real interest among the in-person bidders; and about the sale going to someone who presumably didn’t even see the car in the metal. Finally, the goal was achieved, and a real sense of “done” settled over us. The beers with dinner that night tasted especially good.
We returned bright and early on Friday morning to watch more of the auction without the pressure of the Mercury hanging over us, but we were tired. We hung around until right after lunch, when it seemed our best course of action would be to get on the road and ahead of the upcoming weekend’s traffic. The trip home gave us a chance to review everything that went down over the preceding several days.
There were some lessons learned about the entire auction process. Much of what occurs on the block is not predictable. While some nice cars sold for strong money and a few poor cars sold for cheap prices, good cars were not always bid up to a fair value, and some junk sold for what seemed like crazy high dollars. With all the effort we put into representing the car on Wednesday and Thursday, it ended up selling to someone offsite. Mecum’s cars and trucks tend to be all about the sizzle, whether they are bondo-filled quickie repaints, 100-point restorations, or dolled-up restomods. The Mercury was none of these. Did that affect its outcome? Who knows, because we don’t. Would the car have found a more receptive audience on Friday or Saturday? Again, perhaps, but perhaps not. Finally, would it have done better somewhere else? If so, where? One attraction about Harrisburg is its closeness. Taking it to another locale would have raised the costs of doing business for shipping and accommodations.
The collector car hobby is immensely fulfilling in so many ways. Auctions are only one part of it. At times, they’re a necessary element to help us continue with our passion. In this case, after the ups and downs of the roller coaster, the ride ended, and the players got what they needed to get out of it.
Mecum Auctions returned for its sophomore performance at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA on July 30-August 2, 2015. This is the only Mecum event held in the Northeast. (Their next closest auction is in Indianapolis.) Given the TV exposure they garner, combined with the number of shows held in all 4 corners of the contiguous 48, the name “Mecum” has risen above collector car stalwarts like Barrett-Jackson to become synonymous with “collector car auction company”. The crowds in attendance in Harrisburg bore that out. (Your author was on site for Wednesday’s preview, plus Thursday’s and Friday’s auction action.)
There’s no doubt whose auction house this is
A well-attended event
After last July’s inaugural run proved they had a market here, everyone came back for more. And could they have chosen a better locale than Harrisburg, centered between Carlisle and Hershey? Those of us in the hobby have been attending events in Carlisle since the mid-1970s. Hershey has hosted an AACA Eastern Fall Meet since the early 1950s, and that show has grown to become the single largest hobby car extravaganza in the country. The Farm Show Complex building, while not ideal because of limited on-site parking and air conditioning limited to the main hall, does allow lots of spread-out room.
The Farm Show Complex has numerous back rooms
Cars were arranged by day and lot in these back rooms
The staging room can double as the fix-it room
Attending on Wednesday gave me the chance to see first-hand the huge logistical effort that is involved. Vehicles must be checked in, and more importantly, staged in lot number by day. We’re talking over 1,000 cars and trucks. There are also the motorcycles and the memorabilia, such as neon signs. Since this is a televised event, the stage and all its electronic accoutrements must be assembled. As we departed around 7pm on Wednesday, the Mecum staff was far from finished. Arriving at 8am the next morning caused me to conclude that they worked through the night, because everything was ready for show time.
The set-up is complete when the margarita room opens
Motorcycles in line for their turn on Sunday
My friend Larry (who was there to sell his 1963 Mercury Marauder) was with me. He has watched enough Mecum TV to know the auctioneers, TV commentators, and ringside “ushers” by name. Frankly, I was impressed. Of course, all the lights, music, and personalities in the world don’t mean a thing if bidders aren’t bidding. But people were there to buy cars. Like clockwork, the cars crossed the block in correct order; the auctioneers cattle-called in their unintelligible babble (thank goodness for the super-large display screen always showing the current bid); the “ushers” cajoled the last dollars out of anyone who dared to scratch their nose, ear, or elbow, signaling intent; and cars were either declared ‘SOLD SOLD SOLD’, or, as Mecum likes to say ‘the bid goes on’ for cars not meeting reserve.
This man just bought a car!
Thursday’s offerings were a bit different than Friday’s. Because Larry was only offered a Thursday slot, we learned that Mecum holds Thursday’s lots to vehicles below a certain estimated value, likely around $25,000, based on observed results. While a good number of Friday’s cars sold below that too, the average price was higher, with more than a few sales approaching $50,000. Saturday is reserved for the crème de la crème. We missed it. I’m sure you can find it on reruns.
Not all cars left the tent under their own power
The sell-through rate was certainly better on Thursday. Counting only the 81 vehicles we personally watched cross the block, 53 cars sold, for a 65% success rate. Friday’s on-site observations totaled 51 lots, with 25 of those (49%) finding new owners. One would hope for everyone’s sake that the results got better as the weekend went on.
The tent is the final staging area before cars cross the block
Another one sells; and you’ll know your price in Euros, Canadian, or Australian dollars
Presented below in lot number order is a small sample of the Harrisburg offerings, weighed heavily in favor of “cars I like”, mostly European stuff (which make up a very small percentage of the offerings). The “CPI Range” is the good-to-excellent values from the July-August 2015 edition. Note that the prices listed below (as well as those at http://www.mecum.com) do NOT include buyer’s commission.
Your comments, critiques, and questions are welcomed! CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.
1. Lot #T55, 1999 Porsche Boxster, non-S (S did not come out until 2000), silver, black top and interior. 5-speed stick. 36k original miles. Original paint shows scrapes in front bumper, blemishes on hood, gouge in driver’s door. Wheels and tires look small (compared to all the 22”s at the show), but are factory correct. Black interior shows normal wear for age and miles. Rear spoiler stuck in erect position. Overall, a used car that looks OK but for lack of a detailing. CPI RANGE $10,000-15,000, SOLD FOR $11,000. Good used Boxsters are an inexpensive entry ticket to the Porsche ownership experience. This one needed someone to love it. Make sure the IMS (intermediate shaft) bearing has been done.
The silver Boxster needed a cleaning
It looked better from the back
Boxster interior was OK
2. Lot #T68, 1967 Sunbeam Alpine convertible. Red with aftermarket Minilite-style wheels. Black interior. Odometer reads 43,000. Red paint is just average with lots of orange peel, uneven spray, ripples in front fenders. Talbot-style outside mirror. Outside chrome is good. Interior is fine except for missing dash pad. Top is down, so cannot inspect. Exhaust tip extends too far past rear bumper. While the wheels help with overall appearance, the car is a true 20-footer. CPI RANGE $9,000-20,000, SOLD FOR $7500. What, no V8? Most folks would look at this and mistake it for a Tiger. This is one way to get the look but not the performance at a steep discount. A fun and affordable way for someone to enter the hobby, while driving something a little different than what everyone else has.
From this distance, Alpine paint looks fine
Not bad from this angle once you cut the tailpipe
Driver is optional at extra cost
3. Lot #T113, 2001 Mercedes Benz CL600 coupe. 12 cylinders, automatic. Silver paint with grey interior. 20” factory wheels. Very clean for a car with 102,000 miles showing. Nice overall condition for what is nothing more than a 14-year-old used car. CPI RANGE $13,000-17,000, SOLD FOR $11,000. Window sticker claims an original MSRP of $117,000. If you need 12 cylinders, might be worth waiting for the depreciation. Bring a gas card.
2001 Mercedes CL600
Interior looks good for age and mileage
The Mercedes is about to change owners
4. Lot #T126, 2000 Jaguar XK8 convertible. Silver paint with taupe interior. Odometer reads 126,000. Aftermarket oversize wheels and tires detract from overall presentation. Car is otherwise stock. Interior is decent for this mileage, but e-brake boot is torn, driver’s seat bolster is worn, as is steering wheel. Scratch on outside mirror cover. Probably original paint, car looks good considering the miles. Biggest improvement would be return to factory wheels. CPI RANGE $10,000-14,500, SOLD FOR $6,500. We’ve seen innumerable XK8 convertibles at recent auctions, and they all seem to sell in the $6,500-8,000 range. With supply outpacing demand, hold out and be picky if you want one. This might not be that one.
Jag XK8 convertible
Wood, leather, automatic all standard
Sell the wheels, use the proceeds to buy factory ones
The Jag crosses the block
5. Lot #T153, 1979 MGB convertible with V8 conversion. Black paint, stripes, black top, tan interior with black piping. Odometer is 78,000. FMVSS label in driver’s door jamb gives it away as U.S. spec car, so was born with a 4-cylinder. Rover V8 engine swapped in. Black paint is OK, top is decent, interior is nice if obviously reupholstered. MG-branded alloys look good. Both front and rear bumpers fit poorly with large gaps. Engine install looks clean, but underhood wiring is sloppy. And why use blue electrical tape? Ran out of black? Would be fun to drive, as that V8 doesn’t weigh any more than the factory 4-pot. CPI RANGE $7,000-16,000, SOLD FOR $16,000. We watched this bid to $15,000 where it was declared “not sold”, and the house was told it would take $20,000. But the website shows it sold for $16,000. Your choice: a very clean and correct MGB, or this rough-around-the-edges one, for the same money. Sometimes you gotta date the wild ones, even if the maintenance is high.
MGB Rubber baby buggy bumper hides V8
Good interior colors
The heart transplant, complete with blue tape
6. Lot #T181, 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi 2-door hardtop, black paint and interior. Six cylinder with stick shift. BMW alloy wheels. Odometer is 85,000. Let’s start with the good: the interior is decent. The original design is stunning, and except for an aftermarket wheel, it appears to have held up. On the outside, the black paint is shot, especially on all the horizontal surfaces. Rust bubbles threaten to bust out of the paint and choke you. The car by design has no B pillar, but door and quarter windows on both sides fit so poorly that door windows overlap quarter windows by ½”. A true fright pig that needs a full restoration. CPI RANGE $31,000-59,000, SOLD FOR $24,000. The CPI values are for a car in good to excellent condition, which this car was not. I was floored by the final bid. If someone dares to undertake it, the restoration will cost more than today’s top value. It will be a long time before the restorer recoups his/her money. Or just drive it until the rusty front fenders fall off.
BMW 3.0 CSi was an attractive car
2-door coupe looks great from afar
Interior good except for wrong wheel
This is not cheap or easy to fix
Side window fit hints at deeper issues
Someone wanted to get rid of it
7. Lot #T274, 1978 Datsun 280Z, silver paint with black interior. Odometer reads 78,000. Inline 6 with 5-speed. Aftermarket alloy wheels nicely set off the car. Repaint looks good and glossy but paint is thick in places. Sign on the car claims original interior, and that is believable. Aftermarket racing pedals so out of place on otherwise decent interior. Dash pad cracked in several places. Rear hatch won’t open past half way. The 1978 was the last of the original Z cars, as the 1979 model was the ZX. CPI RANGE $8,000-18,000, SOLD FOR $15,000. While the hammer price is in the upper end of the book value range, the earlier 240Z’s are well above this, having accelerated beyond what many hobbyists can afford. This 280Z gives you the same look, with Japanese reliability and maintenance ease, in a package that can be enjoyed for years. You likely will not lose money down the road.
Datsun 280Z, last of original body design
Datsun looked good from rear as well as front
Pedals are an easy fix to otherwise good interior
8. Lot #T301, 1999 Porsche Boxster, 5-speed, black paint, top, and interior. Shows 34,000 original miles. Wheels are 19” factory. Same year as lot #T55, the silver Boxster, but this one looks so much sharper, as paint is better, and Porsche wheels set off entire stance of car. Minor wear on driver’s seat, some hard plastics worn in interior. Otherwise hard to fault. Hot (in both senses of the word) in triple black. CPI RANGE $10,000-15,000, SOLD FOR $11,000. Sold for the exact same price as T55, but of the two, this was the one to have, provided you’re OK with driving a black convertible in the summer sun. Like the silver one, this is an inexpensive and reliable opportunity to enjoy a Porsche.
1999 Porsche Boxster
Paint and wheels elevate this over similar silver car
Boxster interior
9. Lot #F77, 1969 Fiat 500L, blue with tan interior. Air-cooled, rear-engined 2-cylinder motor, stick shift. Done up as some kind of Abarth replica, with 13” Abarth wheels, decals, requisite open engine lid. Fabric sunroof. Lots of “cute”, likely the cutest thing at the auction. Looks good, but not without some faults: steering wheel center button hanging by its wire, passenger seat upholstery torn, aftermarket gauges in dash look tacky, window moldings rough. What is replica and how authentic are these changes? THIS MODEL NOT IN CPI; EARLIER GENERATION CAR IS $12,500-29,000. SOLD FOR $17,500. Fiat 500s are hot in the marketplace right now. Jerry Seinfeld collects these (he also rolled one). If the Abarth mods added any useful horsepower, would be a blast to drive. Yes, I adored it, even with the (fixable) flaws.
Fiat 500L in the staging room
Italian license plate included
Lots of room in this tossable toy
Try to avoid front-end collisions
10. Lot #F82, 1932 Essex Super 6. 3-speed. 2 door coupe with rumble seat. Dark blue-green with dark tan leather interior. White wall tires, painted wire wheels. Striking looking pre-war car. Sign claims former AACA award winner, but does not state which decade award was given. Looks like a slightly older restoration which has held up very well. Suicide doors, tight entry into tight passenger compartment, the governor of NJ need not apply for entrance. Paint, pinstriping, chrome look great. Hood not open, so no opportunity to view engine compartment. Lots of neat styling details like V-radiator and headlights. NOT IN CPI. SOLD FOR $24,500. This car drew me in because of its style and overall condition. Looked good enough to show, but not so perfect that you’d be afraid to drive it, which is what I’d do if it were mine. Price seemed fair just for the uniqueness (when did you last see an Essex at a car show?).
Essex has lots of style
Yes, you can bring your friends
Interior is tight even for two
Essex grille detail
11. Lot #F110, 1984 Jaguar XJ6 1984 sedan, black with grey leather interior. Jag’s inline 6, automatic, sunroof, 56,000 miles. Black wall tires on chrome wire wheels. Not a single flaw in the entire black surface, not a single swirl mark. Interior presents well with minimal wear on driver’s seat. Side moldings detract from classic XJ lines, but may have saved it from door dings. It’s striking to see any 1984 Jaguar that sparkles like this. Cannot open hood. Trunk full of documentation going back to original sales order. Car from dealer in Kansas, alleged to be two owner car. CPI RANGE $4,300-8,500, SOLD FOR $10,000. I expected this car to sell in the $6,000-8,000 range like most ‘80s era XJs, but it exceeded book value, and was worth the premium. One of my favorite cars of the hundreds I looked at over three days.
1984 Jaguar XJ6 in tent
From rear, black paint sparkles
Jag interior is clean
12. Lot #F261, 1962 Triumph TR-4 (first year for this model, still on solid rear axle; TR-4a indicates IRS). Red paint, black top, black interior with white piping. Odometer reads 60,000. Chrome wires. Red paint is spotless, entire car looks great from a few feet away, but car is let down by some details, such as pitted door handles. Underhood looks good except for blue tape on harness (restorer borrowed roll of tape from owner of the MGB V8). Interior looks good, metal dash is painted white, as per factory arrangement. CPI RANGE $18,500-36,000, NO SALE AT HIGH BID OF $34,000. Like so many cars we saw at the auction, the restoration work takes it to 90% or 95%, and the final details get missed. Or the restorer burns out, or runs out of money, who knows. This TR was very nice, and should have sold at the top bid. Now owner gets to take it home and do what with it? Take it to Monterey?
The town of Somerville (NJ, not MA) has been hosting a Friday-night cruise night for many years. Several websites maintain that 2015 is the 26th consecutive year of this event. Having lived in this area since 2001, my recollection is that the town at first was aghast at the idea of “hot rodders” invading their space. (This cruise night uses Main St., not a parking lot, as its gathering place.)
Quite the variety of cars line up in front of storefronts
Then a funny thing happened: the local restaurants, antique stores, and other small businesses began to notice a significant uptick in their business on Fridays, as “spectators” swarmed into downtown to partake of the cars AND the food…. The next thing you know, the township is so in favor of the cruise night that they take over hosting duties from the local car club which had been performing that function.
Three different generation Corvettes line up on Main St.
We took advantage of a warm and dry summer evening this past Friday to enjoy the always-eclectic car collection, as well as Alfonso’s Italian food (some of the best in the area). Photos are below, in no particular order. If you’re ever in the mood for a great Friday night cruise night which includes a hometown atmosphere, cruise on over!
This Fiat Abarth wanna-be got a lot of attention all evening
You coulda put two in a single parking spot….
This ’69 Buick Skylark convertible stood out…
…. in period colors, it looked just right
A 1952 Buick “Eight”, the grille proclaims
It’s rare to see 4-doors restored to this level
Front vent windows? How about functional REAR vent windows?
A modern-day supercar you can drive to work: the Ford GT
The 1958 Edsel wasn’t a badcar; it was no better and no worse than most any other full-size American car of its time. Its timing was bad, introduced during a recession, and priced to compete in an already-crowded mid-priced field. Its styling only added to the sale challenge. It barely made it into its 3rd model year before the plug was pulled. To this day, “Edsel” is synonymous with major corporate marketing blunders. Meanwhile, the car’s looks have mellowed, and it’s become a collectible.
The 1958 Edsel front
The 1958 Edsel rear
Edsel hood detail
Dig the stylized “E” as part of the reverse light
1964 Pontiac Grand Prix
The Grand Prix’ interior was, well, grand
A trio of tremendous Pontiacs: two Firebirds and a GTO:
1967 Firebird
1969 Firebird
1967 GTO
The man responsible for much of Pontiac’s success, John Z. DeLorean, went on to start his own ill-fated car company. The DeLorean DMC-12 was produced for only two model years, 1981 & 1982 (the 1983 models were cobbled together from leftover parts by court order). This particular example was cosmetically perfect, and a stick-shift car to boot:
The DeLorean DMC-12
The Somerville Cruise Night began almost exclusively with hot rods
Note the gas tank location; beware of being rear-ended!
“Stan” proudly shows off his 1962 Studebaker Hawk GT. He claims he pulled it from a field about 10 years ago, after cutting down the tree which had grown up through the floor next to the steering wheel. A father-son project, Stan was rightfully proud of his car’s condition, and his trunk is full of memorabilia obtained from the Studebaker museum.
Stan and his HawkA C1 Corvette in front of a pizzeria of the same vintage
The morning of Sunday, July 12, 2015, dawned sunny and temperate. The promised heat was still a few hours away as 10 cars and 13 participants gathered at our usual meeting spot, the Sheraton Crossroads Hotel in Mahwah NJ, for our planned breakfast drive.
The first arrivals were on site by 8am. We were “all in” by 8:30am and caravanning by 8:35, headed to Cold Spring NY. Cars built by General Motors were again predominantly represented by Bill’s C6 Corvette, Larry’s Z28 Camaro, Ted’s boat, er, Eldorado, and Ralphie’s Buick Skylark.
Ted’s ’66 Caddy Eldorado convertible
Ralphie’s Buick Skylark convertible
Larry’s ’94 Camaro Z28
Bill’s C6 Corvette
We had two Mustangs this time, both driven by Nick! Nick D piloted the white convertible while Nick S drove the grey coupe. The only MoPar again wasn’t a car, it was a Viper. It was also a last-minute substitution as Rich S intended to drive his V8-equipped Alfa spider, but “something” was causing a rear tire to rub. And your author’s Alfa had European company from Peter’s 911 and Jeff’s BMW Z3. Enzo, Rich L, and Bob P hitched rides with willing drivers. (Jeff, in a most humanitarian gesture, allowed Enzo to drive his Z3.)
Nick D’s Mustang
Nick S’s Mustang
Rich S’s Viper
Peter’s Porsche 911
Jeff’s 2000 BMW Z3
Your author’s 1967 Alfa Romeo
Fish tales before breakfast again!
Lined up and (almost) ready to roll
EC drives Jeff’s BMW, decides it’s not Italian enough
Larry led the charge through Seven Lakes Drive, across the Bear Mountain Bridge, then north into Cold Spring. We were at our spot, the Silver Spoon Café, ten minutes early. Nevertheless, our table was ready and waiting for us. Terry met us there, having ridden his bike from home nearby, so 14 hungry men sat down for a good breakfast. It was our first time to this restaurant, and high marks all around for the food, the coffee, and the service. Thanks, ladies!
On our way
Rich drives AND takes photos from the Viper
No one was in a rush to leave the table, and the staff was in no rush to show us the door. In fact, they kept coming ‘round and filling mugs long after the bill was paid. When we finally made it back outside, the temperature had kicked up considerably. The group still continued to mingle on the sidewalk in front of the café for a few more minutes, and several of us also took advantage of a tour through the charming town of Cold Spring, either on foot or by car.
All 13 of us (with me hiding behind the lens)
For several participants, it was their first time out with us, and they’re threatening to return. Given that it’s the middle of the summer vacation season, we still had a great turnout from the regulars. We always say the same thing: “It’s about time we did this again!” And so we will. We’re already perusing the calendar for an August repeat.
It is my good fortune to have recently completed a 10-day visit to Sweden, Germany, and Denmark. The trip was originally planned for me to research my father’s ancestors (he was born in Hamburg and immigrated to the States in 1926, when he was 7) and to attend the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. My dear friend Lenny, who works for the Volvo Car Corporation in Gothenburg, hosted me and traveled to Germany with me, which explains how Sweden got on the agenda. While in all three countries, I didn’t miss an opportunity to photograph the many interesting cars, old and new, which are found on the streets of Europe.
The photos below are presented in roughly chronological order. The captions will give year, make and model of each vehicle (to my closest estimate). If I have any pithy remarks about the car and/or the locale, I’ll throw that in. Enjoy the cars!
The weekend I was in Gothenburg, a celebration was held for the conclusion of the Volvo Ocean Race. An auction company had this VW bus and 1960 Cadillac convertible on display to advertise their site.
’60s VW bus.
1960 Cadillac convertible
This 1966 Buick Electra “deuce & a quarter” was in that same parking lot.
1966 Buick Electra 225 front
1966 Buick Electra 225 rear
This 1966 Pontiac convertible was spotted the next day. That’s Lenny and his wife Marie admiring the chrome rims.
1966 Pontiac LeMans convertible
Driving from Sweden to Germany entailed a ferry ride. There was quite the queue in both directions. Across from us, waiting for a ferry in the opposite direction, were these old American ‘50s icons. What’s more, the occupants had their folding chairs out as if this was a regular place to park and relax. Looks like the Imperial was getting its carb adjusted.
1954(?) Cadillac convertible
1955(?) Chrysler Imperial
In Germany now. The Germans still love their air-cooled Beetles.
Black Beetle
Red Beetle
Grey Beetle
One of the funniest scenes of the entire visit was the commotion around this Lamborghini. At the same time I spotted it, it was also spotted by a group of 13-year-old boys and girls, who made a beeline dash toward it, cell phone cameras at the ready. They were on a school trip, and I know that because their teacher yelled out to them (in English). Chatting with her, I found out that they were Brits, and the kids were German language students. Nice to know that they were also into cars.
Across the street from my Hamburg hotel were this very clean VW Cabrio in a most unusual color, and a late ‘70s Chevy Malibu wagon.
1st generation VW Cabrio
Late ’70s Chevy Malibu wagon
More Hamburg sightings: a BMW 3.0, a Lancia Fulvia sedan, and two clean Minis.
BMW 3.0 CSi front
BMW 3.0 CSi rear
Lancia Fulvia sedan front
Lancia Fulvia sedan rear
Monotone Mini
Two-tone mini
“Honey, don’t trade the old van in, just weld its greenhouse to the roof of the new one!” (Enlarge the photo to see that A) it has a For Sale sign in the side window, and B), it has a parking ticket under the wiper.)
If you meet a German who tells you he drives a Caddy, he more than likely means this VW.
A VW Caddy (van)
A customized Porsche 914.
Alfa spider on the highway.
Alfa Romeo spider S4 (final generation)
In a beach parking lot in northern Germany: a Porsche 356. Has this person been watching the auction results? This car might be worth more than their house.
Porsche 356 front
Porsche 356 rear
In Copenhagen now, I spotted this Rambler not once but several times around town. It’s someone’s daily driver, and I have not seen this vintage Rambler used as a daily driver since all my hair was brown.
’60s Rambler American station wagon
Mercedes-Benz has this upper-class, elegant, prestigious reputation in the States. In Europe it’s a different story, with cars as small as this A-class, and E-class sedans regularly used as taxis.
Mercedes Benz A-class hatchback
Mercedes taxi
A ‘60s Jaguar sedan, which appears to have been parked for a while.
This very nice Volvo 1800S was parked on the same Copenhagen side street for several days.
The first annual Ramapo Concours d’Elegance was held on the grounds of Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ, on Saturday June 6, 2015. The Concours was an outgrowth of a regular Cars & Coffee event held at the campus (and locally referred to as a “Caffeine & Carburetors” gathering).
Show cars were arrayed on the grass (thankfully not asphalt) in front of the band shell.
Our Driving Club regulars started the day extra-early by meeting at Mary Ann’s deli for breakfast. As my Alfa was entered in the show (alas, the only car in our group so selected), I needed to leave breakfast early, not only to arrive on the show field on time, but also to detail my car after driving an hour in the rain that morning! Once there, detailing was not helped by an intermittent sprinkle which lingered until after 9 a.m., by which time the first of the spectators had arrived. By 9:30, the sun was out, and it turned into a beautiful, warm spring day.
The view of the show field from the folding chair.
The college enlisted co-sponsorship from the Prestige Dealership Group of northern New Jersey, and Hackensack Medical University Hospital. While all who worked the event made their best efforts to be helpful and accommodating, it was obvious that this was the first time any of them had put on a car show. It is not worth dwelling on “things gone wrong” that day, as frankly, most of them were minor and easily fixed with an increased focus on logistics, which should be expected from them now that they’ve done it once.
We will however, review the show cars (and the vast majority of these automobiles were outstanding) by “class”. If there was an overriding point of discussion during the day, it concerned the vehicle classes. While some classes were well-defined and well-populated, other classes were very small and/or left us wondering how they were decided upon.
Microcars on display included this rare Messerschmitt cabrio.
At the end of the show, I heard one of the dealer principals comment that he was amazed at the large turnout of microcars. He need not have been. These puppy-dog cars have been steadily gaining in popularity, especially in the last decade. We had the “usual” Isettas and Messerschmitts, plus some less-frequently seen tiny cars.
This Isetta bubble-window cabrio is ultra-rare. It is estimated that between 15-99 (out of 161,000) of this body style were made.This restoration was close to 100% original. As a former Isetta owner, I know.A 1955 Messerschmitt with its canopy top open.The Isetta’s big brother, the BMW 600. It had TWO cylinders, for 26 horsepower!
At noon, A Zimmer (of all things) invited itself in, and proceeded to park next to this Mini Clubman.This 1967 Mini looked large next to its microcar brethren.
Two extremes of air-cooled VWs: a ’70s bus next to a WW2 military VW.
Another well-populated class, these cars were not even considered collectible until rather recently. Now, Beetles, Karmann-Ghias, and especially buses have soared in popularity (AND price). Get yours while they’re affordable.
Possibly the oldest bug I’ve ever seen: a 1950 model.
The rear of the ’50. Note complete lack of chrome.
This ’51 is almost as old, yet wears a modicum of chrome.
Gorgeous Karmann-Ghia interior.
Not a 23-window, but gaining in popularity nonetheless.
Air-cooled AND rear-engined.
The class definition excluded 924s, 944s, 928s, and any 911 built after 1998. Nevertheless, old-school 911s and 356s turned out in force. Everyone loves these cars, as they are so recognizable, even if many of us have been priced out of the market.
A 356 Speedster, much coveted today.
A nice comparison of a 356 convertible (left) and 356 Speedster (right). Note side curtains on Speedster.
An attractive white 356 coupe.
Speedsters in German silver line up.
Gotta love period colors like orange…
… bright blue….
… and yellow.
MERCEDES SL PRE-71
While no 300SLs graced us with their presence, this 3rd class of German cars still impressed us with a nice selection of 190SLs, and various “Pagoda” cars (230/250/280 SL).
It’s June, so Pagoda tops are home in favor of soft tops.
A Continental Mark II (don’t call it a Lincoln!) on display.
One of only 3 domestic classes, this was also the class with the fewest number of vehicles in it. In fact, there were a total of 3 cars, and since 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies were being awarded, everyone in this class took something home!
A not-often seen ’53 Lincoln Capri was impressive in its sleekness.
The Lincoln Capri tail light.
You can have your show T-Bird any way you like (as long as it’s a 2-seater).
The above is the total class description. Ford made T-Birds every year from 1955 through 1997, then the Retro-Bird from 2002-2006. Yet of the 10 or so cars on the show field, every one of them was either a ’56 or ’57 (all 2-seaters, obviously, or perhaps not obviously if you are unaware). However that happened, it was nice to see the colorful collection on display. The original T-Bird still has a charm all its own.
’57 in black…
… white ….
… and gunmetal grey.
T-Bird fronts.
T-Bird tails.
An XK-120 in the correct class.
The class definition assured us that we would see only “classic Jags”, the newest of which would Series 1 E-types. We were rewarded with some of the nicest machinery on the entire field. Several of the XKs were truly #1 cars, with gorgeous cosmetics, and paint better than ever applied at the factory.
An XK-120 stunning us all in its blue perfection.An XK-120 MC. Note the “wind visors” in place of a proper windscreen.A Series 1 E-type OTS (open two seater).
Post-war cars with cycle fenders and stand-alone headlights? Must be British.
Jaguars had their own class, so this class grouped some common and not-so-common British machines. This likely was the most eclectic grouping on the grounds that day, with a pre-war Triumph, a pre-war Aston Martin, and a Sunbeam Harrington battling it out for “most unique British car”.
A Sunbeam Harrington from the rear, showing its unique roofline.
A 1930 Aston Martin. Looked like a Bentley from afar, looked better than that up close.
Grille detail on the Aston Martin.
A 1935 Triumph Southern Cross. Bet you never heard of it.
The interior of the Triumph.
Yes, there were cars other than Ferraris in the Italian class.
Of course, this was the class into which my Alfa was entered. By definition, we might have seen everything from a Fiat 850 spyder, to a Lancia Fulvia, Maserati Mistral, Lamborghini Miura, and Ferrari 275 GTB. None of them showed. The class turned out to be one of the lesser-populated: 4 Ferraris and 3 Alfas were the total turnout. All the Ferraris were ‘70s era and newer, and all 3 Alfas were Giulia coupes!
This was the only class for which I recorded the class winners (noted in below photos).
A highly-modified ’67 Alfa GTV.
A race-prepped ’71 GTV.
The author’s ’67 GT 1300 Jr.
A 2007 Ferrari F430.
A mid-90s Ferrari 355.
Italian rear ends.
Third place: a former barn find ’79 Ferrari 308 GTB.Second place: ’67 Alfa GT 1300 Jr (that hat looks familiar).First place: 1973 Ferrari Dino.
A discussion that I became part of at the end of the show assured me that the wheels are already in motion to make next year’s event better. One of the show principals and one of the judges were engaged in dialogue to improve the class definitions. The important point is, whatever they decide, the 2016 Ramapo Concours should be that much more well-organized and well-run.
A while back, my good friend Larry mentioned to me, almost in passing, that his uncle owned a 1963 Mercury. Larry went on to say that the car actually had belonged to his aunt who passed away a few years ago, and with his uncle getting on in years, the uncle wanted to give the car to Larry.
Larry, in his understated way, made it sound like the Mercury was “nothing special” even if it was purportedly a one-family, low-mileage car. The implication was that the car was a true barn-find: left in a garage for years, unkempt, uncared-for, and likely in need of some deferred maintenance.
1963 Marauder front view.
1963 Marauder rear view.
1963 Marauder ID tag.
His uncle wanted Larry to keep the car. The problem is that Larry is like many of us in the hobby: there were already more cars than available garage spaces at his house. Over a period of time, Larry and his uncle came to an agreement that Larry would sell the car on the family’s behalf. He decided to list the car with Mecum Auctions, scheduled to cross the block at their Harrisburg PA event in late July.
Straight-on front.
Straight-on rear.
This is where your scribe enters the picture: Larry wanted to dedicate an upcoming Saturday to get the car primped and primed, and requested that I be the official photographer for the submissions needed by Mecum. I also offered to assist in the primping/priming. On a sunny and warm Saturday in early May, we did just that.
The Merc’s VIN.
Upon first seeing the car, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was no ordinary 1963 Merc: in fact it is the 2-door fastback “Marauder” model, with a 390 cubic inch V8 and automatic transmission. The car is metallic beige with a black vinyl roof and black vinyl interior. It started right up, and Larry backed it out of the driveway so we could give it a bath. That is when I saw just how preserved an original car this is.
Instrument cluster & steering wheel.
Front seat, not showing a mark.
Likewise in the rear.
Both door panels look this good.
From a time when car clocks were jewel-like.
AM radio spells out Mercury.
Everything on the car appears as it did from the factory. There are no signs of any paint work anywhere; sighting down each side of the car shows not a ripple. The vinyl roof and interior are in similarly unblemished condition. The carpet on the driver’s side shows some entry/exit wear, only because the full-size floor mats did not extend to the door sill. All 4 full-size wheel covers are in place. Underhood, with the exception of some service items like hoses and clamps, the engine compartment is likewise original. All of the factory decals and labels are there (as is the trunk label). A really neat discovery was the “390 W” crayon marking on the firewall.
Left front.
Left rear.
Right front.
Right rear.
Left side engine compartment.
Right side engine compartment.
“390 W” crayon mark on firewall.
The glove box was a treasure’s trove of discoveries. A brown-paper bag with various small bits of hardware threw me for a loop until Larry identified it as the unused license plate hardware! We also found an almost-unbroken string of insurance cards going back to the 1980s to help support the one-family-ownership claim.
Unused license plate hardware, still in its original bag.
Spare tire appears never used.
Tire label where it should be, under the trunk lid.
With an odometer reading just over 45,000 miles, we scoured the car in search of supporting evidence.
Original miles.
This is some of what we found:
• Owner’s manual shows 12k service done on 10/1/65 at 9,993 miles
• Hand-written note: on 9/7/66, car had 13,199 miles
• 11/25/79: lube sticker shows mileage of 40,055.0
Entry in owner’s manual.
Mileage and date noted by original owner.
Door jamb lube sticker still legible.
After a wash and wipe, with a really thorough cleaning given to all the glass, vinyl and chrome, we were both surprisingly shocked how great the Marauder looked. The photos do bring out that the car has survived, and survived well. For Larry, if I can make this statement on his behalf, this is bittersweet: on one hand, he would love to keep the car as it was his aunt’s; on the other hand, he knows that he does not have the space or time needed to keep the vehicle, and moving it to the next owner is in many respects the best thing to do. His uncle reluctantly agrees.
The 1963 Mercury Marauder basking in May’s afternoon sunshine.In 1963, before mid-sized cars took over the muscle-car spotlight, this flag helped identify the Marauder as a “performance” car.
The car will cross the block in Harrisburg on Thursday July 30. A link to the car’s listing on the Mecum website is here:
Oh, for the love of querty! While creating the daily blog entries during the rally last week, I was forced to peck at a tablet “keyboard” which severely limited my prose. By the end of the week, I omitted all text and had resorted to posting only pictures. So now, with five days of reflection since the rally ended, allow me to sum up the experience.
My rally co-driver, co-navigator, and all-around great car guy Steve Hansen was with me all week, which is always a treat. Steve and I drove our first NE1000 together in his Sunbeam Tiger in 1998. Since then, we have co-driven this event SEVEN times. (We have also cheated on each other by twice driving the rally with others.) In addition to three times with Tiger, we’ve been twice in a ’68 Mustang, and now our second time in my ’67 Alfa. It is especially heart-warming to me that Steve, as a resident of the state of California, is willing to fly east to participate. He does admit to secretly harboring a desire to visit New England if only to see green foliage, a sight sorely lacking in his part of the country.
Steve during the ceremonial mounting of the rally plate.
Steve Hansen enjoying his time behind the wheel of the Alfa.
Steve with the Alfa somewhere in the Catskills.
We meet up with many of the same faces each time, and it never feels like a year since we’ve last been with our fellow rallyists. They keep it interesting for us by bringing different vehicles. Among the cars, American iron counted for a slightly higher percentage of the vehicle count, and as had been the case in recent times, modern exotics also were aplenty (more about that shortly).
C2 Corvette.
1965 Pontiac GTO
1966 Ford Mustang GT 350H
1960 Corvette.
This year, “RPM”, a service and restoration shop in VT, provided mechanical assistance (as they have for the past 20 years), but also brought along several of their classics as back-up transportation should a rally car break and become unrepairable. Their Alfa spider was driven by at least three couples who needed something else while their cars underwent surgery. There was an ulterior motive: all the cars they brought are for sale, and I’m certain they had some interested parties by the end of the week.
1968 Porsche 912 owned by RPM.
Austin Healey owned by RPM.
Alfa Romeo Montreal owned by RPM.
Our organizers and hosts, Rich and Jean Taylor, pride themselves on planning a unique route each time out. This year was no different, with the Mohohk Mountain House in New Paltz NY serving as the host hotel for the start and finish, and the Cranwell Resort in Lenox MA also providing overnight accommodations. Our four days of driving took us through much of the eastern part of upstate NY, as well as portions of southern VT and NH. While we had more than our usual share of daytime traffic and road construction, we also had glorious sweepers through undulating hills, with little or no traffic to impede our forward progress. Most of the roads were actually paved.
Wayne Brooks, Rich Taylor, and your scribe, who sometimes still can’t believe he knows this guy.
Regular followers of this blog know that the Alfa got a completely rebuilt front suspension over this past winter, and with barely 100 shakedown miles on it before departure, I am pleased to report that the front end remained attached to the vehicle. Actually, the car drove quite well, with all previous front-end knocks and squeaks banished. Steering feel was excellent, especially through the twisties.
The Alfa at a lunch stop.
The Alfa in front of Scheffler’s garage.
The Alfa in the foreground of some mightily impressive cars.
Steve gives our steed a bath.
A most reliable Italian rally car.
Flanked by German and American muscle.
One issue which arose late on Sunday was an intermittent miss or hesitation, which at first only revealed itself on steep inclines. By Monday afternoon, it felt like it was getting worse. I had a concern regarding the percentage of ethanol used in the fuel in New York State, and had pre-emptively begun using Sta-Bil brand fuel additive for ethanol. After dosing (probably over-dosing) the tank 3 or 4 times, Steve and I decided to eliminate the Sta-Bil, as it was the only “new” variable that we had changed. By the second fill-up without the additive, it was as if someone had thrown a switch. The car ran better than ever, and we banished the additive to the trunk (my remaining supply is now on eBay). The car ran absolutely flawlessly the remainder of the week.
Eighteen years ago, while driving home after our first rally, we both marveled at the concept that “car people” would take their precious old Jaguars, Porsches, Ferraris, and the like, and actually drive these valuable old automobiles, rain or shine. We have never felt the same about a static car show since. Each year, there is something about driving your old car down the road, and having a Ferrari Daytona in front of you, and an AC Bristol behind you. While photo opportunities seem to become more infrequent as the week wears on, we did manage to squeeze off a few shots of cars on the road with us.
Ferrari Daytona spyder in back.
Ferrari Daytona in front.
AC Bristol coming up fast.
Ferrari 250 Speciale after it passed us.
One morning at breakfast, a couple who were driving this rally for the first time (in their modern 911) asked us what has changed over the years. This started a lengthy and at times quite humorous recollection of “the way it was”. At one time, cars had to be 1973 or older, so no modern metal. A large part of your week was spent tending to matters underhood to ensure you’d make the full 1,000 miles. The TSD (Time/Speed/Distance) part of the week was fiercely competitive. One driver at our table freely admitted that back in the day, he would approach an intersection intending to turn right, but would signal left to purposely confuse the fellow rallyist behind him. We covered broader swaths of territory, because we changed hotels each and every night. Each week, there were optional off-road driving challenges including hill climbs, autocrosses, gymkhanas, and drag races. Drivers drove their cars in anger (helmets were required, and were always carried by us the first few years). Cars sometimes broke during these “races”.
Among the “new” cars this year were about a half dozen Porsche 911s and a Mercedes-McLaren SLR. We overheard one couple in a 911 complain that their biggest issue this week was lack of “sufficient USB ports” in the center console. Sorry, that’s not “rallying”, that’s “driving your new car on the same roads as rally cars”. End of rant.
Silly Little Roadster
Banquet night on Thursday is always a highlight, as scores are announced, awards are presented, and we all shake hands with the promise to see each other at the next rally. Steve and I have been teased for years about looking like brothers, so we played into their hands and dressed in matching outfits. For such creativity, we got an extra piece of glass crystal to cart home, providing me with one more object in my home office to dust. The drive home on Friday in the Alfa was super smooth, and was spent plotting our next rally adventure.
“Best Car of the Rally” award winner, 1954 French Ford Comete“Spirit of the Rally” winner 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa
We visited Hemmings in Bennington VT.
The General Store in Peru VT.
A few spare XK engines at Donovan’s Jaguar Service.
We visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY
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