I'm fortunate in that the desire to have children never overcame my wife or me, so there's more money to burn on silly cars. That said, there's still retirement to think about. As I get older, I've seen my aged relatives lose quality of life and life itself, sometimes long before they thought they would. I watch the events in the world unfold around me and wonder how much longer until the next global catastrophe and what impacts will be felt. It all makes me wonder how much sense there is in saving for an uncertain future that no one is guaranteed. Especially when you have able mind, body and finances today -- right this very moment. There seems to be sound reasoning in living more in the present and not in some imagined time decades from now. ... View more

Reminds me of my grandfather who loved to argue that the Beatles ruined modern music and the world would be a better place if everyone listed to Sinatra. Sadly, he passed at 100 years old a few years ago. ... View more

What about getting started in karts instead of cars? They're quick, servicing costs less than most cars and they're easily transported in the back of a truck or van so a trailer isn't even required. ... View more

Do Singers next. ... View more

My parents have owned a Toyota Prius for the last 12 years and over 170k miles. The only issue they've had with the car (and it's a big one) is with the internal-combustion engine which now needs to be replaced. Batteries are still going strong and would only cost a few grand to replace when needed years from now. Quotes on the ICE are double that. ... View more

The ever-rising cost of labor has made projects like this non-starters to me. There's not a lot of room between this car at $5k plus $165/hr body work/mechanic bills and the $15k car that's structurally sound, pretty and ready to drive. If you can do all the work yourself and have nothing else to do nights and weekends, it's a different story, but I'd still rather buy the finished car these days. Perhaps you could fix the rusty suspension mount and be content to drive the car as-is, knowing that even restoring the dashboard at a place like Just Dashes is a $3k job. And no, you're not likely to find a good replacement 124 Coupe dash these days -- all of the soft trim on these cars disintegrated in the same way years ago. Sad but true, it's time to start letting some of these cars return to the earth (salvaging the good bits first). ... View more

Not Fiero, but first-gen MR2 was rumored to have been helped along by Lotus. ... View more

You are correct, a friend has a Tuned by Lotus Impulse. ... View more

Sad that this was a necessity but what a clever guy you are, Douglas. And what a great, well-written article. ... View more

Weber. One 'b.' And coil springs aren't generally replacement items -- they don't tend to wear out. If you don't fit at 5' 11" then you're too heavy. I'm the same height and fit perfectly well. I know an owner who is 6'3" and fits, even with the roof in place (barely). ... View more

Very cool car. Grew up with an '82 FB in the family, purchased new, glad to see these cars finally getting the attention they deserve. ... View more

I really enjoyed my 850 Coupe except that I didn't feel safe using the car in a metropolitan environment. I was always one inattentive driver away from a one-way trip to the ER. Something as small as an 850 is best used on deserted backroads these days. Gorgeous to look at, though -- the proportions are so perfect for a small car. ... View more

Why did you guys delete my comment wherein I pointed out the original misspelling of Bill Warner's name? ... View more

One of the things I like about having a two-car garage is that it limits me to two "toy" cars. I know enough about myself that I just don't have the time, money or energy for more than two without at least one car getting neglected. Been there, done that. And I'm too stingy to rent space. ... View more

Bill "Werner" is almost as famous as Bill Warner! ... View more

I love a good Lotus Elan +2 and agree that they are uniquely beautiful little cars. Unfortunately, that is not a good Elan +2 and it only makes financial sense to buy a good one. ... View more

I went to this event when it was still held in Sonoma and thought it was great. This year, I watched the live stream from Laguna Seca which was broadcast on Goodwood's YouTube channel. I think having two high-profile vintage races at LS just a few months apart is probably not a great idea and indeed, attendance seemed to be less than when the even was in Sonoma. I'm told by a friend who attended with an expensive VIP hospitality pass that the $600/plate charity dinner had to be canceled for lack of ticket sales and he said there were very few spectators compared with the August race weekend. Of course, that is to be somewhat expected... Still, maybe a move back to Sonoma should be considered for 2022? ... View more

It's so much fun to read about politics on an automotive website. Not. ... View more

Most of the time, when you buy a project car you don't know the half of what it needs. I'd always heard when you're restoring a car to double the amount you think it will cost. With my most recent "project car," that ended up being 100% true. The only reason to rescue a needy classic today is if the money doesn't matter or you truly enjoy doing the required work yourself. Otherwise, wait for the right car that's ready to go and in your budget. It's taken me 20 years to learn but for the same price, I'd now rather have a less valuable classic that's dialed in than a more valuable aspirational car that requires a ton of work. Also, if you're buying a non-running project, drive a running example before you take the plunge. Nothing worse than spending too much money getting a car back on the road only to learn that you don't really enjoy driving it. ... View more

Going through this same scenario right now. Have a car which was resprayed cheaply 20 years ago and is now full of spider cracks and is even peeling in some places. Most places around here are insurance work only, or they specialize in show-car quality work. What makes sense for a low-grade collector car worth maybe $15k on a good day? I saw that my local Maaco does have some good reviews from classic car owners who spent a few thousand dollars instead of a few hundred, so I may give them a try after all. No other solutions are apparent. ... View more

Talented guy and a great article about finding personally satisfying work. ... View more

Good luck with it! I've spent several years and far more money than I care to recall (multiples of the car's actual value) putting a black 1977 Lancia Scorpion back on the road that had also been sitting in a garage for years. The upside to your project is that it will actually be a desirable car when it's finished! And it appears you don't have to farm out as much work as I had to. As of yet, anyway. Take a good look at the cooling system while it's all apart. My Lancia ended up needing new cooling tubes (that run under the car, back to the engine) due to internal corrosion after sitting for years. Plus a fresh radiator and heater core. You don't want to get the car running, only to block up coolant passages with flakes of rust and other junk. I also have a set of factory 308 air horns for the quad DCNFs if yours are missing (they are probably just not photographed). I was going to fit them on the Lancia's twin DCNFs, but if a 308 owner is in need, these are the original items and different from aftermarket reproductions. ... View more

I'm guessing Jack's not a fan. Jack threatened to beat the crap out of whatever Motortrend journalist showed up at an automotive press launch years ago. Why? Who knows. ... View more

"The selection is verified and well-presented, and in this age of rampant fakes and “tribute” cars, the buyers have some security provided by the auction house that they are actually getting what is being advertised." Well, yes and no. The auction house will typically verify to its satisfaction prior to the sale, but if something is found to be not as-represented post-sale, you're on your own as the buyer. The auction house will not assist or be held liable and that's right in the fine print of the bidder's contract that 99% of bidders don't read. Just ask the guy who bought Seinfeld's bitsa Speedster Carrera at Gooding. ... View more

With all due respect, Ferraris don't seem to be Swamibob's forte. The Fiat Dino was a whole 'nother Fiat-badged vehicle. There was a coupe and convertible version made with 2-liter and 2.4-liter engines. The convertibles are worth, on average, around $100k these days... some Fiat, eh? Even the coupes are worth about half that. You could call this early car a Dino 308 GT4, sans Ferrari moniker, and you'd be correct. Ferrari ultimately brought the Dino line into the Ferrari fold by the end of the GT4's run. People used to tell my father the Dino 246 GTS he bought for $30k in the '80s wasn't a real Ferrari. He didn't mind, we'd always refer to it as a Dino anyway. Of course, today he could trade his Dino straight across for multiple "real" Ferraris. ... View more

The next time you buy a car, please make sure you pay full-blown retail for it, even if the asking price is less. Thank you. ... View more

Surely we don't need this much hand-holding? If you don't like the price, don't buy the car. Want a deal? Scour Craigslist all day like the people who find cheap cars to flip do. In the end, buyers set prices, not sellers. ... View more

My dad bought a used '74 XJ12 L in the mid-'80s when I was young and it unfortunately lived up to the common perception of horrid reliability. The car liked to overheat on warm days, oil leaks caused it to smoke, the transmission went out, there were starting issues... the troubles went on and on. When it worked, it was superb... mostly it didn't and was a nightmare. Ultimately, it was left to rot for a decade or so before selling for parts to another owner. ... View more

I always look forward to Ethan's articles, this is some of the most entertaining writing on the website. ... View more

The author says, "The car would not be shown to the public, though. The 037 that was shown to the press, chassis 005, looked very much like a Lancia, down to its white-with-Martini-stripes livery." That's not exactly accurate. This car, chassis 001, was shown to the press (and official press photos were released) as the prototype Stradale (road version). Chassis 005 was also shown and is the prototype competition variant. ... View more

To me, the Blackwing is the essence of "me-too-iguana thinking." Shove a hairy 600-hp engine in a so-so two-ton sedan, hype the hell out of it as a limited run and sell it for three times the price of the base model. ... View more

Only old white dudes are "real Americans?" Interesting take. ... View more

A very sad thing. Sabine was an amazing driver and a sparkling, bright personality. She gave joy to millions who watched her race and heard her speak. Thanks for featuring this prominently on the website. ... View more

Porsche 965 was a development car, you know... not a production model. There's your pedantic comment for the day. ... View more