Brand New Classic: Acura NSX

Brand New Classic is exactly what it sounds like; a feature about vehicles that have just crossed the magical 20-year mark, and are now considered classics (at least according to some definitions). Of course, 20 years a classic does not make. After all, who’s going to argue that a 1991 Pontiac Sunbird deserves the title of classic? With that being said, feel free to chime in on whether our current car deserves to be a classic, along with any personal experiences you may have with it.

The Acura NSX came on the scene for the 1991 model year as a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive car powered by a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter VTec V-6. When equipped with the five-speed manual transmission, it boasted an 8000-rpm redline, and produced 270 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque.

During its development, famed Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna was able to test the NSX at Honda’s Suzuka Circuit, and give feedback to the engineers. It comes as no wonder, then, that drivers saw the NSX as a great performance car for both public roads and the racetrack. We would argue that it had the looks to back up its performance chops, with obvious cues taken from design elements of exotic cars of the day. The 1991 NSX was offered in three colors: Formula Red, Berlina Black, and Sebring Silver.

Searching eBay Motors, we find that the marketplace is sparsely populated by the 1991 NSX, with only four examples available at the time of this writing. The best bargain we found for a car with fewer than 100K miles on the odometer is a red, 84,000-mile NSX selling for a “Buy It Now” price of $28,900 in Chicago, Illinois. The car is completely stock, and the seller claims it has never been raced—good selling points for this brand new classic.

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Bugatti Type 13 8 Valves Torpedo

Price: 235 000 EUR
Year: 1913
Location: Europe
Mileage: 50 km (31 ml)
Chassis N.: 506
Engine N.: 155
Colour: Blue
Interior: Black leather
One of the very first Bugatti manufactured in Molsheim, Germany! (As in 1913 Molsheim factory and all Alsace region was a part of Germany).

From Wikipedia:

"Upon starting operations at his new factory in Molsheim, Bugatti refined his light shaft-driven car into the Type 13 racer. This included boring the engine out to 65 mm for a total of 1.4 L (1368 cc/83 in3). A major advance was the 4-valve head Bugatti designed — one of the first of its type ever conceived. Power output with dual Zenith Carburetters reached 30 hp (22 kW) at 4500 rpm, more than adequate for the 660 lb (300 kg) car. Leaf springs were now fitted all around, and the car rode on a roughly 2 m (79 in) wheelbase.

The new company produced five examples in 1910, and entered the French Grand Prix at Le Mans in 1911. The tiny Bugatti looked out of place at the race, but calmly took second place after seven hours of racing."

The present car is in excellent working order, a full service was completed early 2010. It runs very well up to 70 Km/h and can climb any ramp with its 4 speed transmission.

History:

1st registered on 01/01/1913, former owners: Hans Eduard Theissen (München-D-06-03-1913) 1913, Raffaëlli (F) 1961, Jean de Dobbeleer (B) 1961, Georges Marquet (B) 1961-, John R. Comey (USA) 1979, John F. Comey (USA) 1988, Marc Nicolosi (F) 2005, Frank Levotre 2005, Atelier Renaissance Automobile (F), Type 13 R Torpedo new body by Didier Pacic, Alan Wragg frame number 017 B SR, just softly modified at the rear to recieve the current original Bugatti suspension (instead of semi-cantilever suspensions).

Previously belonging to Marc NICOLOSI, and to Jurgen ERNST.

Bugatti Register: Engine n°: 155 (8-valve) ex 506

Meetings:
* Musée de la Chartreuse, Molsheim,
* Epoq'Auto, Lyon, 7-9th November 2008
References: - "the Bugatti Register The Netherlands Belgium" 2008-2009 p. 3 Chassis 506, Motor 155.

It has to be pointed ou that after the restoration of the car commissioned by Marc Nicolosi and performed by Didier Pacic, the engine and gearbox have been fully rebuilt with all new internals in 2009 by a reknown Bugatti spécialist.

This car is immediately available in France on French plates, still registered in the name of one of the Bugatti gurus: Marc Niccolosi (who also created the largest French car show: Rétromobile).

The seats are currently beeing restored and will be delivered with the car.

post by http://carmax.blogspot.com/2012/03/bugatti-type-13-8-valves-torpedo.html

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1970 Olds 442

At the very beginning of General Motors, the divisions competed against each other, launching rival products in each other's markets, stealing sales and confusing customers. Under the iron rule of President Alfred P. Sloan, inter-divisional rivalry was all but eliminated. Each marquee was assigned a place on the GM hierarchy and each was given an image. Cadillac was positioned at the high end of the luxury market and Buick took lower end. Pontiac became synonymous with performance while Oldsmobile developed the reputation of being GM's experimental division. If one wanted to drive tomorrow's technology today, it would be found first on an Oldsmobile. But lines blurred in the 1960s and competition between sister divisions was fostered and rivalry, once forbidden, grew suddenly intense. One of the very hottest GM cars to hit the street in 1970 was Oldsmobile's 4-4-2 series. drafted from Cutlass and F-85 variants, the beefy 4-4-2 was welcomed into dealers' showrooms for its third season as a five-passenger coupe, a five-passenger hardtop and a drop-top. Sizzle is what 4-4-2 did best standing still. The swoopy two-door had been downsized in 1968, wheelbase shortened to the 112" wheelbase it had when originally conceived as a Rambler-beating compact, back in 1961. Now fully evolved as a muscle car, engineers gave the Olds heavy-duty springs, stabilizer bar, special shock absorbers and wheels, special emblems, hood louvers, unique paint stripe, special tires and a high output engine. In 1968 the 390-hp version could go from 0-60 mph in just six seconds and did the quarter mile in 12.97 seconds. Oldsmobile was sizzle and steak. Pleased with their results, for '69 engineers turned up the heat on their performance Olds. The special "W-30" package was offered to the speed needy, a throaty "Force-Air" inducted 360 hp version of the 400 CID V-8. Tricked out with special grille, stripes and unique identification cues these unforgettable motion machines were benighted with heavy-duty drive shafts, special handling packages, heavy-duty wheels and a wicked straight-through exhaust system. Just to be extra safe, Oldsmobile's also added side-impact bars which were welded into the doors and head rests became mandatory equipment on all vehicles. A 455 CID V-8 churning out 365 horsepower was introduced. It would be the largest ever offered. The bore was now 4.057 while the stroke was shortened up to 3.385 inches. A special honor was bestowed in 1970, for the third time in the division's history an Oldsmobile would pace the Indianapolis 500. An Olds 88 had done the job in 1948, a much larger Olds 98 had served in 1960. Now a Cutlass 4-4-2 convertible would do brickyard duty at the most prestigious automobile race in the world. Production tumbled by nearly a third in 1970 despite even beefier performance packages. Insurance companies sounded the death knell for the entire muscle car genre as accidents climbed. "Four-barrel, "four-on-the-floor" and even "bucket seats" became dirty words that automatically shot insurance policies into the stratosphere. In 1971 just over 7,000 of the hot Oldsmobile's would be produced and for the last two years of its life, 4-4-2 was reduced to an option on Cutlass 'S' models. Jim and Audrey Frey of Coleville, Saskatchewan own this 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 convertible. Jim swapped a restored '57 Chevy for the ragtop nearly twenty years ago while ice fishing with a buddy, who--good guy that he was threw in a rebuilt motor and a paint job. This Olds has the 455 CID V-8 with 400 Turbo-Hydramatic transmission and 327 Posi-Trac rear axle. The couple has been busy restoring their pride and joy ever since they acquired it in 1980. Over the years the Oldsmobile has received a new top, front seat upholstery, carpeting and numerous interior bits and pieces. This GM offering is just not another pretty automotive face, either. The Frey's Olds hauled two kids and a big dog around all summer for years and even today the 4-4-2 easily zips pasts transport trucks while hauling a 17-foot trailer on family holidays. post by http://carmax.blogspot.com

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1970 Ford Torino

This is Lonnie Plank's 1970 1/2 Ford Falcon. When he bought this car just over 2 years ago, it was sold to him as a 1970 Torino. It was almost a year later, with the help of the Ford company, that the cars true identity was revealed. Lonnie started researching the 1970 1/2 Falcon and found it to built on the Torino/Fairlane body with Falcon markings. The biggest difference between the two models is that the Falcons were a 2 door sedans (post sedan). Ford produced just over 26,000 of this model Falcon, which included the 2-dr, 4-dr, and station wagon variants. Most Falcons came with the standard 6 cylinder engine in keeping with the Falcon image. In addition to the meager 6 cylinder, Ford also offered all of the Torino's power options like the 429cj package. Lonnie's Falcon is fitted the 351C 4V-V8, a real performer. Beefing up the stock power plant are some aftermarket performance parts like a larger cam, roller rockers, aluminum intake manifold, aluminum pulleys, performance water pump, and other trick components. Lonnie's favorite part of owning this car, is its rarity. It never fails that someone will come up to him at a car show and say "Why have you put Falcon emblems on a Torino?". Now you know better than to ask!

post by http://carmax.blogspot.com

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Pre-ignition

Pre-ignition means that the mixture is set on fire before the spark occurs, being ignited by a red hot spot in the combustion chamber such as an incandescent particle of carbon; a thin piece of protruding metal; an overheated spark plug, or a bight red hot exhaust valve. The result is reduction of power and overheating accompanied by pinging. The bight red hot exhaust valve may be due to a leak, to lack of tappet clearance, to valve sticking, or a weak or broken spring. Pre-ignition may not be noticed if not severe. Severe pre-ignition results in severe pinging. The commonest cause of pre-ignition is a badly overheated engine. When the engine won't stop when the ignition is shut off, the cause is often due to red hot carbon particles resting on heavy carbon deposit in a very hot engine. post by http://carmax.blogspot.com

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AC Cobra Daytona Coupe continuation by McCluskey - Photo and info

Price:  303 537 EUR (399 000 USD)

Year: 1964 Location: North America

Mileage: 0 km (0 ml)

Chassis N.: Upon request

Colour: Dark blue

Interior: Black

In 1963, Carroll Shelby realises that he cannot beat Ferrari in the World Championship with the Cobra roadster. He needs a faster car and thus ask Pete Brock, former General Motors engineer who worked on the Chevrolet Stingray, to work on a coupe version of the Cobra.
During the first race of the car in Daytona (where it takes its name from), the Cobra coupe dominates half of the race before a fire starts in the pits and forces the team to retire. During the 12 hours of Sebring, the Cobra Daytona grabs its first win in GT class and finishes 3rd OA. Two others Daytona coupe are built to enter the 1964 24 hours of Le Mans. Dan Gurney and bob Bondurant bring another win to the Daytona with a first place in GT class ahead of the Ferrari GTO, and 4th OA. Despite these excellent results, Carroll Shelby misses the world championship title. But the next year in 1965, Shelby is world champion with 7 wins of the Cobra Daytona out of 13 races. Ferrari is beaten !

Only 6 units of the Cobra Daytona have been built by Shelby. The rarity of the car combined with the myth the car became winning the world championship ahead of the non less famous Ferrari 250 GTO, explains the price of the car today. The last car offered in an auction in August 2009 changed hands for USD 7.25 Millions

For those who dream to own a Cobra Daytona and race it in the historic events, Shelby has allowed the building of 21 Cobra Daytona built by McCluskey. McCluskey is well known for his restoration work on 3 of the 6 original Cobra Daytona. Caroll Shelby himself naturally approached McCluskey when he decided to have a new team racing in vintage events with 5 Cobra Daytona continuation (the original ones having reached incredible prices). 
McCluskey has first built continuation Cobra Daytonas on original 289 Roadster chassis. He then built entire cars from scratch. These cars are fully compliants with the original specifications, the Shelby Registry confirming that "the continuation coupes are exact in their construction, right down to the number of rivets used". Only 21 continuation cobra Daytona have been built by McCluskey, the unit we are offering beeing the last built. The aluminium body and the chassis are already finished. The car is waiting for an engine and the interior. 
Unlike the replicas or continuation models built by Superformance which are high quality cars but only modern vision of the original car (they are larger, have modern accessories, ...), the car we offer is strictly identical to the original one, and will be delivered in FIA specifications, with HTP FIA papers, allowing the car to enter any major historic events.

Besides the aluminium body fully compliant with the original one, the car will be delivered with a racing vintage 289ci HiPo engine rated at 420 HP (500 HP on request) and a Borg Warner super T10 4 speed gearbox as the original. The chassis is of course an exact rebuilt of the original as the suspension layout, the magnesium wheels, the Girling brakes ...All the parts are new (NOS) or new ones custom rebuilt .The car will be inspected by the FIA in the USA prior shipping to Europe so as to validate the specification of the car. We are thus sure to get the FIA HTP papers once the car is in Europe.

This is the last McCluskey Cobra Daytona (VIN CSX26xx and delivered with a MSO from Carroll Shelby) and a trully unique opportunity to drive a Cobra Daytona that 100% matches the original, with FIA papers, and elligible for any major historic event. And for a price 20 times lower than an original !

This superb car is available in the US. The price includes shipping for any european country, all european or swiss taxes, HTP FIA papers, and a european road registration (for our french customer the car will come a regular french carte grise).

post by http://carmax.blogpot.com

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