In 1901, the first Sunbeam motorcar was manufactured in the midst of a factory that made bicycles, and by 1905, Sunbeam Motor Car Company existed as a standalone business. Models proliferated, spurred by its chief designer’s fondness for racing…. more»
• For Sale • 18 Comments
Affordable Luxury: 1965 Jaguar S-Type
Jaguar’s Sir William Lyons pursued the saloon niche with a vengeance in the 1960s, introducing four models in quick succession. This constellation ranged from the limousine-like Mk X to the aristocratic luxury of the XJ6. The S-type sat between… more»
• For Sale • 19 Comments
Cheap Drop Top: 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Convertible
Did Ralph Nader kill the Corvair? Unsafe At Any Speed, the book by Nader published in 1965, haunts every conversation about the Corvair, but its subject was really safety in a larger sense, and how automakers resisted implementing measures… more»
• For Sale • 9 Comments
Package Deal: Austin-Healey 3000 Project Cars
Another prize in the “brevity” category goes to this ad on craigslist for a flock of Austin-Healeys. The listing promises one and a half Healey 3000s for $16,500 but then mentions two Bug Eyes and a few more Healeys,… more»
• For Sale • 35 Comments
Unique 1949 FIAT Topolino C ‘Francis Lombardi’ Lunotto Panoramico Special
In the 1940s, Ugo Zagato introduced the “panoramica” concept to his automotive designs. Influenced by the wide-ranging vision from the cockpit of bi-planes he built in WWI, he used a combination of glass and plexiglass to lighten the greenhouse… more»
• For Sale • 23 Comments
Fantastic Fiberglass: 1960 Tornado Typhoon Project
The fiberglass kit and production car boom of the ’50s and ’60s gave us everything from the Corvette to the Bond Microcar. This rich ecosystem of vehicles both normal and niche was fostered by a relative lack of safety… more»
• For Sale • 12 Comments
Special Equipment: 1955 Jaguar XK140 MC OTS
Reviewing derelict early XKs for Barn Finds reveals one consistency: you can find one of these projects in almost any configuration you want – complete/not complete; running/not running; rusty/not rusty; 120/140/150; matching numbers/or not. Maybe you can’t find one… more»
• For Sale • 7 Comments
Long Ownership: 1968 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe L79
The 1968 Corvette was the first year of the C3, introduced as “All Different, All Over”, which was an irony. The earlier C2 was very expensive to develop, and in light of higher gas prices and stiff insurance premiums… more»
• For Sale • 13 Comments
Spanish Belle: 1951 Pegaso Z-102 Berlinetta
This story is not about Ferrari. But the path to understanding many interesting cars is paved by his peers’ contrary reactions to Enzo Ferrari’s strong opinions and forceful personality. These actors were not shy violets, and rather than remain… more»
• For Sale • 23 Comments
Trade Wanted: 1970 Plymouth Superbird Hemi
Here is a rare bird indeed, the one-year-only 1970 Plymouth Superbird, for sale or trade on eBay. Located in Prior Lake, Minnesota, this Superbird is one of only 135 Hemi-powered examples. The Lemon Twist bodywork, paint, interior, motor, and… more»
• For Sale • 19 Comments
Some Assembly Required: 1958 Chevrolet Corvette
The first generation C1 Corvette series was introduced in 1953 and ran through 1962. Made of fiberglass to keep production costs down, early cars shared an in-line six-cylinder with every other Chevy model, but there the resemblance ended. With… more»
• For Sale • 14 Comments
Microcar Project: 1958 Berkeley SE328
Run by Charles Panter and located in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England, Berkeley Caravans was making glass-reinforced plastic (fiberglass) travel trailers in the 1950s. Having developed an alacrity with GRP but also suffering from the seasonality of trailer sales, Berkeley was… more»
• For Sale • 21 Comments
Big Horse Project: 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1
Mustangs, Camaros, Suburbans, and many other cars were produced in “generations”, with the shift from one to the next demarcated by styling, engine size, platform, rebadging, or any combination of these. The Mustang was introduced midway through 1964 as… more»
• For Sale • 20 Comments
Pocket-Sized Project: 1949 Crosley Hotshot Roadster
Somewhat unjustly, a 1949 Crosley Hotshot was drafted into eighth place on Time magazine’s 2007 list of the 50 Worst Cars of All Time, compiled by Dan Neil. The list (ranked by year, not degree of worst-ness) named the… more»
• For Sale • 13 Comments
Perpetual Project: 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
Here on craigslist is a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta spider project car that hasn’t found an owner willing to finish it up. The seller indicates that the car has been sold several times as a “basketcase”, shedding parts along… more»
• For Sale • 27 Comments
One of Two, By Chinetti: 1969 Ferrari 365 GT NART Spyder
As a young man in his first job with Alfa Romeo, Luigi Chinetti met another young mechanic named Enzo Ferrari. Over the years their fates would entwine until Chinetti became the first factory representative in the US for Ferrari…. more»
