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November 29, 2020

Pick of the Day: 1959 Fiat Abarth 750 GT Zagato, a stylish giant killer

The Pick of the Day is one of those best things that comes in a small package, a 1959 Fiat Abarth 750 GT Zagato [RG1] , a piece of Italian artwork on wheels known for its racetrack prowess against much-bigger, more-powerful competition.

“This aluminum-bodied masterpiece by Zagato is a triumph in coachbuilding and features Zagato’s iconic ‘double bubble’ roofline and mirrored by the bubbles in the engine cover… so Italian!” according to the Newport Beach, California, dealer advertising the coupe on ClassicCars.com.

The double bubble was a signature styling feature of Carrozzeria Zagato, the legendary Milanese-based firm that bestowed its aerodynamic designs on so many great automobiles over the decades, including quite a few from Fiat. This Zagato is based on the pedestrian Fiat 600 rear-engine passenger car, but one that had been performance upgraded for the track by yet another automotive legend, Carlo Abarth.

Abarth, a naturalized Italian citizen born in Austria, was a mechanical wizard who worked his magic on any number of competition cars, creating his own iconic brand that used a stylized scorpion as its logo, readily visible on the nose of this Fiat.

The Fiat Abarth 750 coupe was built as a race car, making its presence known right out of the box by finishing second in class in Italy’s grueling Mille Miglia in 1956 and winning its class the following year. The car became a highly regarded “tiny racetrack giant killer,” the seller notes, that today would be accepted in most high-end vintage track and rally events.

The Zagato body is suitably aggressive-looking, with a smoothly rendered form typical of the designer. The styling has been widely admired, though with some pushback regarding the pronounced humps on the engine lid, required to clear the engine’s carburetor and air cleaner. The covered headlamps are an attractive feature, and the Abarth badge looks suitably bold.

This car was produced as a road-going version of the Fiat Abarth 750, and included some extra trim. It rides on correct Compagnolo wheels, with Jaeger gauges and a Nardi steering wheel. The red coupe looks to be holding up quite well after a sympathetic restoration some years back.

This Abarth has had a bump up in power, with its original 747cc inline-4 replaced by a tweaked 903cc engine, which should provide plenty of gusto for the lightweight minicar, which weighs less than 1,200 pounds. This would be an exciting craft for cutting through winding canyon roads with all the brio of a Mille Miglia racer.

The Abarth Zagato is a rare and highly desirable collector car for those who appreciate spicy Italian flavor, and the current values reflect that. This one has an asking price of $119,800.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day

Goodguys wraps up with a roar

News and Events

Matthew Ferguson

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November 28, 2020

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Although it has been a year in which many car shows were silenced, the recent 23rd annual Goodguys Southwest Nationals at WestWorld of Scottsdale, Arizona, ended on a high note. A high exhaust note, that is.

The show field was sold out with more than 2,000 hot rod and custom cars, coronavirus pandemic health restrictions were observed, and the weekend again featured the Duel in the Desert, an autocross tournament with 32 drivers and their classic vehicles vying for the Goodguys AutoCrosser of the Year title.

Leading the pack to Scottsdale was back-to-back champion Scott Fraser driving a real-deal 1966 Shelby AC Cobra owned by Bruce Cambern. Although not 100 percent original, the heavily modified Shelby has a custom race chassis and draws power from a Kinetics Racing 440cid V8.

After a qualifying run of 37.876 seconds, Fraser was off to the second round, Defeating James Eaton in his extremely clean 1985 Ford Mustang with a run of 37.95 seconds. The next round brought fierce competition with race car driver Robby Unser, driving the Team Speedway 1970 Chevrolet Camaro. Fraser won handily with a 37.763 time.

Frasier found his way to the finals after a 37.329 run against Eric Sheely piloting the Sheely Collection 1972 Chevrolet Corvette.

Like a destined wild-west shoot out, Frasier found himself against a long-time competitor, Brian Peters, behind the wheel of a Chevy LS-powered 1972 Datsun 240Z owned by David Carroll. Peters and Fraser have been racing each other for 14 years in SCCA and Goodguys AutoCross competitions.

Fraser again pulled out front to win his third consecutive AutoCrosser of the Year title with an outstanding 37.058 final run. Not only was this the fastest time for Fraser, it was also the fastest time the whole weekend.

Speeding into Sunday, Goodguys AutoCross welcomed late-model horsepower onto the track for the All American AutoCross. After a long day of hard racing, Scott Spiewak won the All American Sunday class title in his 2007 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 while Sheely returned, but with a 2017 Ford Focus RS, to take the All American Shootout class title.

Pick of the Day: MGB Limited Edition came only in black

Pick of the Day

Andy Reid

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November 28, 2020

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Pick of the Day: MGB Limited Edition came only in black

If you are making your first classic car purchase and have always wanted a British sports car, my answer as to what to buy is always the same. Start with an MGB.

The reason is that despite some people’s opinions to the contrary, the MGB was always an extremely well-built car for the era and they are the easiest classic British sports car to own. The parts are inexpensive, the mechanicals are simple, and they are easily able to cope with modern roads and traffic, having adequate performance and enough comfort to use as a daily driver.

They were so good that from 1962-1980 MG built 512,243 of them. This represents the world record for production of a British roadster.

The Pick of the Day is a car from the end of the fun of the MGB, a 1980 MGB Limited Edition.

The Limited Edition MGB was a marketing idea dreamed up by British Leyland and its American MG distributorship in Leonia, New Jersey, to boost slipping sales in the North American market. The advertising campaign, as well as such details as the side stripes on the car, were dreamed up by Marce Mayhew, the creative director of Reach McLinton, MG’s advertising agency.

The production period of the North American version “LE” was only 1979 and1980. And all of the cars were black in color.

But why black cars?

Apparently there was an agreement between Leonia and the MG dealers across North American that the “LE kit” would be only installed on black cars and to buy a black car of that time period, it could only be a Limited Edition.

The car was introduced at the 1979 New York auto show and was slated to have a production of only 5,000 units. However, 6,668 were produced during the two-year run.

The MGB Limited Edition were offered with Champagne, Beige, Autumn Leaf or black interior. In addition, they all featured a leather-covered steering wheel, silver side striping, a Limited Edition plaque, rear luggage rack, GKN alloy wheels, and a front spoiler.

The Pick of the Day is offered by a dealer in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The dealer says the car has been driven only 44,000 miles from new and has its original paint and interior. It adds that the paint is exceptional, the underside is rust free, and that the interior looks like a time capsule, as though the car was never used.

The only change to the car is the addition of a Weber 2-barrel side-draft carburetor replacing the anemic Stromberg it had when delivered. This should make up for some lost performance and if you want to go back to the original carb setup this would be an inexpensive thing to do. I would not, the Stromberg robs performance from a car that can use the performance boost.

This car also includes all of its original accessories, including a matching alloy spare wheel, original full tool kit, and original tonneau and boot covers. It also has a British Motor Heritage Trust certificate which certifies the specifications of the car as being correct.

As an added bonus, this is also an overdrive-equipped car which makes for a much nicer driving experience on the freeways.

The asking price for this 1980 MGB Limited Edition is $17,900, very reasonable for a car this original and well preserved. I would have a good detailer work on the car and then I would drive it to shows in 2021 and enjoy the last of the classic MG sports cars.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Bugatti’s luxury junior fashion line coming to market

Lifestyle

Racheal Colbert

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November 28, 2020

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Bugatti’s luxury junior fashion line coming to market

Bugatti has announced the addition of the Bugatti Junior collection to its lifestyle clothing and accessory shop. The clothing line is made in collaboration with Püttmann, a specialist in the children’s fashion industry.

“The new Bugatti Junior collection expresses the brand’s identity through key design and brand elements such as the Bugatti macaron emblem or the French tricolore branch,” according to a press release.

“The collection consists of 180 pieces and ranges from newborn and toddler for the ages 1 to 3 years as well as kids in the age group of 4 to 16 and accessories like base caps, both for boys and girls, with a small range of classic sporty girls styles.”

The Newborn collection items are made from Pima cotton and include matching accessories like baby blankets, nests, and diaper bags.

Throughout the collection, you’ll find Bugatti’s staple colors of red, black, white, and Bugatti blue. The silver foil and metallic colors on the clothing reference to Bugatti’s hyper sports cars.

“Overall the collection showcases three design orientations: a classic line in red, white and blue, a racing line with a focus on vehicle design and a high fashion line with a minimalist use of logos and colors,” Bugatti said.

The Bugatti Junior collection will be available from mid-December 2020 in Bugatti’s online shop, in Püttmann showrooms, and in select kid boutiques.

Goodguys cars of the year featured at Southwest Nationals

News and Events

Racheal Colbert

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November 27, 2020

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Goodguys cars of the year featured at Southwest Nationals

The Goodguys Rod and Custom Association opened the final leg of its 2020 national tour this past weekend at WestWorld of Scottsdale with a 3-day gathering.

The 23^rd Speedway Motors Southwest Nationals presented by Barrett-Jackson welcomed thousands of hot rod enthusiasts in masks to marvel at the top street rods, muscle cars, trucks, and customs from around the country.

With COVID guidelines in place, Goodguys hosted a fun yet safe event.

As the last show of the year, the event featured an impressive lineup of the Top 7 Cars of the Year. These stunning cars were put on show outside the gigantic WestWorld tent for spectators to enjoy:

Street Machine of the Year

1969 Chevy Camaro owned by Chris McPhie and built by Dutchboys Hot Rods of Akron, Ohio.

Street Rod of the Year

1932 Ford Tutor owned by Nathan Powell and built by Goolsby Customs of Columbiana, Alabama.

America’s Most Beautiful

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air owned by Bob and Elaine Matranga and built by Matranga Hot Rods of Newport Coast, California.

Street Rod D’Elegance

1935 Ford Coupe owned by Dave Gonzales and built by Lakeside Rods & Rides of Rockwell City, IA.

Hot Rod of the Year

1932 Ford 5-Window owned by Norman Bradley and built by Steadfast Hot Rods of Wellington, Ohio.

Custom of the Year

1956 Oldsmobile 98 owned by Jeff Hess and built by Pro Design Hot Rods of Woodland Hills, California.

AutoCrosser of the Year

1966 427 Cobra driven by Scott Fraser and owned by Bruce Cambern. This was Fraser’s third AutoCrosser of the Year title.

Just a few steps away from the Top 7 Cars of the Year, the Builder’s Choice award winners were parked:

1971 Mercury Cyclone

Owned by Charlie Lillard of Woodland, California.

1955 Ford Wagon

Owned by Bob Cummings of West Richland, Washington.

1959 Chevy Biscayne

Owned by Keith Hickman of Gonter, Texas.

1929 Ford Roadster

Owned by Heart Cumpton of West Des Moines, Iowa.

1955 Chevy

Owned by Jerry Kennedy of Phoenix, Arizona.

1967 Mercury Cougar

Owned by Phil Camp of Gold Canyon, Arizona.

1932 Ford Roadster

Owned by Mark Westrick of Castle Rock, Washington.

1972 Ford F-100

Owned by Fred Bishop of Grand Junction, Colorado.

1967 Camaro RS SS

Owned by Curtis Osgood of Las Vegas, Nevada.

1968 Mustang

Owned by Tony Arme of Glendale, Arizona.

Goodguys opens its 2021 schedule with the 11^th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals on March 12-14 in Fort Worth, Texas. To see the full 2021 Goodguys event schedule, visit the organization’s website.

Neon-colored Rolls-Royce specials are for those who don’t shy from conspicuous consumption

Lifestyle

Motor Authority

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November 27, 2020

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Neon-colored Rolls-Royce specials are for those who don’t shy from conspicuous consumption

Rolls-Royce will build a limited number of wildly colorful versions of its Cullinan, Dawn and Wraith.

The colors form a new collection known as Neon Nights and follow a similar collection known as Pastel that was unveiled during 2019’s Monterey Car Week. The earlier collection proved so popular that Rolls-Royce decided to do it again, but this time with bolder hues.

The colors making up the Neon Nights collection include Eagle Rock Red, Lime Rock Green and Mirabeau Blue. Each color was originally developed for a respective customer in the United States but Rolls-Royce has decided to offer them to more customers, albeit just three further customers for each.

And the Neon Nights treatment extends beyond just the body. You’ll notice the bright body color is also used for accents on the wheels and exterior. Inside the cabin, it’s used for contrast stitching and a dash accent

The colors are also being limited to cars with Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge grade, which is offered on the Cullinan, Dawn and Wraith. The Black Badge grade adds styling tweaks, and in some cases engine and chassis mods.

While the Cullinan is relatively new, having only arrived for 2019, the Wraith dates back to 2014 and the Dawn is only slightly newer, having arrived for 2016. Both two-door cars are related to the previous-generation Ghost. Rolls-Royce has just introduced a redesigned Ghost for 2021 but it might not spawn direct successors for the Wraith and Dawn. Instead, we might see a battery-electric vehicle replace both models.

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.

Bookshelf: Sharing the flavor of the Salt (Flats)

Car Culture

Larry Edsall

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November 27, 2020

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Bookshelf: Sharing the flavor of the Salt (Flats)

Though printed in black and white, the photograph shows a rainbow arching over a dark stripe that bisects the flat white landscape and extends on to the horizon.

“Welcome to the end of the rainbow, to the end of the speed run, but to the beginning of an armchair adventure with the fastest people on earth.”

So writes Louise Ann Noeth, better known to the land speed record-racing community as “Landspeed Louise,” as she begins to share the story and the tales of racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

The book, with a foreword by Alex Xydias, is part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. There is no one better suited to share the history of speed on the salt than Noeth, a photojournalist who was so fascinated by the place and the people that she has become a Bonneville historian, collecting and sharing its tales, and being outspoken on the need for this fragile piece of the planet to be preserved.

Noeth was supposed to make her first visit to the Salt Flats in the early 1980s, when she was invited to drive as part of a two-car effort, only to have the cars’ owner diagnosed with cancer and dead just weeks later.

She finally got there in the mid-1990s, when she was covering the 50th anniversary of the speed runs that resumed after World War II.

But the quest for speed on the salt dates to 1914 and to going so far out into the middle of nowhere that racers, their cars, and those who came along as spectators had to ride on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad 120 miles west from Salt Lake City to a siding some 10 miles east of the Nevada-Utah border.

The book spans nine chapters, each with a single page of introductory text followed by several pages of photographs, each picture with a caption that in five or six or eight lines tells a story, a real test of a writer’s skills. So, in 128 pages, we are exposed to around 200 such vignettes.

And yes, one of those vignettes is about Burt Munro and the World’s Fastest Indian.

As for the chapters themselves, they are presented chronologically, for the most part, though one is devoted to women who have raced, another to motorcyclists.

My favorite caption story says something about the lure of Bonneville. It’s on page 109 and shows a Subaru Outback, all of its body-panel gaps covered with tape for better aerodynamics and ready to make a run in 2011. Turns out that Jodi and John Griffin had dropped their children off that morning at school in Salt Lake City, drove to Bonneville, taped up their car and set a goal of gaining membership in the 130 MPH Club.

But John only could get the family car up to an officially timed 129 mph before the couple had to abandon the effort so they’d be back home in time to pick up the children after school.

Reviewed

Bonneville Salt Flats

By “Landspeed” Louise Ann Noeth

Arcadia Publishing, 2020

ISBN 978-1-4671-0595-8

Softcover, 128 pages

$21.90

Pick of the Day: The earliest-known Pontiac race car

Pick of the Day

Larry Edsall

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November 27, 2020

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Pick of the Day: The earliest-known Pontiac race car

As the story goes, a 1926 Pontiac 2-door sedan was destroyed in a fire but was sent by the Pontiac dealership in Utica, New York, to coachbuilder Willoughby, also located in Utica, for resurrection. Reborn as a 1926 Pontiac boattail speedster, the car is being offered for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Morgantown, Pennsylvania.

The result is reported to be the first Pontiac race car.

To this day, the dealer notes, evidence of the fire damage can be seen in charring of part of the car’s wood flooring. The reborn speedster was designed to compete in hill climb races promoting the McRorie-Sautter Pontiac dealership, the dealer adds.

“Willoughby was famous for high-end coachbuilding, however this was a quick and dirty conversion with simple steel over wood from the dashboard back,” the advertisement explains.

“This documented car is Pontiac’s earliest known race car. Our consigner and his wife have gone to great extents to not only bring the car back to its original racing form, but also document the history of Pontiac racing. Can you say provenance?”

The speedster weighs 1,750 pounds, some 600 less than the damaged donor sedan.

“It’s in true racing form, stripped to the basics,” the advertisement says. “Sporting a nickel-plated radiator surround topped with a beautiful ‘Chie’” radiator cap, (the likes of which you will not see another, on a race car!), fronting a cowled hood then to the open simple cockpit and for the back of the car of this era the boattail design proved popular although did not do much for actual aerodynamics which really were an afterthought, if thought of at all, at this time.

“Plenty of racing sponsorship is emblazoned on top of the white paint (its original racing color livery in the ‘20s) with signage hand painted from photos of the period, the name of our dealer/builder McRorie & Sautter, Pontiac letter badges and the rear ‘Pontiac Chief of the Sixes’ with the chief head profile.

“On the back, the ring for a spare is there, sans a rubber surrounding tire. Other notable modifications that have taken place of original equipment of the sedan are an open 3-inch exhaust, 21-inch Buffalo wire wheels which are included with the purchase.

“Presently the car sits on a set of correct 20-inch wood-spoke wheels. Noted the body is sheet metal over a wood subframe and the failed wood underneath the metal was rebuilt by the consignor, his wife and friends using period correct fasteners then the original metal was painstakingly refinished per the 1926 photos.”

The dealer notes the Pontiac’s utilitarian cockpit — black leather dual bomber-style seat, large wood steering wheel, water-temperature gauge, odometer, voltmeter, speedometer, chock and throttle knobs.

The shifter knob remains as it was when Warren Mandeville drove the car in hill climb competitions.

The car has a 186.5cid inline 6-cylinder engine that came out of the donor sedan, though the intake and exhaust manifolds were upgraded to 1928 specification.

True to the day, the car has only rear brakes.

“The car starts right up and is an easy drive,” the seller promises. “It handles well and is very sound mechanically being constantly maintained since the full restoration in 2001. A definite thrill ride open to the road and track where you interact with it much closer than you may want!”

The seller says the Pontiac speedster has won a succession of AACA honors as well as a trophy from the Amelia Island concours.

The car is being offered for $330,000. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Bentley-themed holiday gift ideas

Lifestyle

Racheal Colbert

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November 27, 2020

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The Bentley Collection has curated a range of gifts from its store that, according to Bentley, will satisfy everyone’s holiday wish list.

I mean, who doesn’t have a £470 ($630) pair of crystal-amber colored sunglasses that are hand-made in Italy on their holiday wish list?

All absurd pricing jokes aside, you’ll find a few unique and even relatively wallet-friendly gifts below.

Billfold Wallet

Bentley’s Billfold Wallet is crafted in black leather sourced from Spain and has 8 card slots and 2 cash pockets. It features the iconic Bentley wings on the outside and an embossed logo inside.

Price: £195 ($260)

Bentley-themed holiday gift idea: billfold wallet

Bentley ‘B’ Cufflinks

These solid brass Bentley B Cufflinks would be a nice gift for the best-dressed on your list. You’ll find the Bentley ‘B’ in the middle of each cufflink and laser-etched Bentley emblems on the reverse of the toggle.

Price: £100 ($133)

Bentley-themed holiday gift idea: Bentley 'B' Cufflinks

Beyond Perfumes

Bentley’s new floral-inspired perfumes are the first female range from Bentley Fragrances. In the trio is Mellow Heliotrope, Radiant Osmanthus, and Vibrant Hibiscus. The fragrance bottles are inspired by the signature cut-crystal headlights on the Continental GT.

Price: £165 a bottle ($220)

Bentley-themed holiday gift idea: beyond perfumes

Birkin Teddy Bear

The Birkin Teddy Bear, inspired by Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin, the most famous of the ‘Bentley Boys,’ is a soft and cuddly gift for the youngsters on your list. He’s wearing the signature ‘Birkin spot’ scarf and Bentley club jacket.

Price: £42 ($56)

Bentley-themed holiday gift idea: Birkin teddy bear

Bentley Ride On Car

To help keep the little ones entertained this holiday season, the Bentley Ride On Car, inspired by the Continental GT, “features a fully functional steering wheel, complete with tooting horn, and even a selection of different music from the stereo,” said Bentley.

Price: £95 ($127)

Golf Balls – Set of 9

This Set of 9 Golf Balls are made with low compression and a high energy core.

Price: £50 ($67)

Motorsport Water Bottle

The Motorsport Water Bottle is a handy accessory for a day on the racetrack. The insulated vacuum flask makes it the perfect bottle for both hot and cold drinks.

Price: £25 ($33)

Motorsport Rucksack

Practical and stylish, the Motorsport Rucksack “features a de-bossed Bentley Motorsport logo on the front and the #BringTheThunder hashtag underneath, and is finished in iconic Racing Green, with Living Green piping,” mentioned Bentley.

Price: £65 ($87)

South African auction features massive private car collection

Media

Larry Edsall

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November 26, 2020

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South African auction features massive private car collection

In what is being billed as South Africa’s biggest estate collection auction of collector cars, the eclectic Louis Coetzer Collection will be offered up for bidding in early December.

According to High Street Auctions, Coetzer collected hubcaps as a youngster, moved on to Dinky toy cars and then to real vehicles. He was a concours judge and chairman of the Mercedes-Benz Club in South Africa’s central region. Coetzer and his wife, Hermann, died in a mishap on a 4×4 trail in the mountains in Eastern Cape province in January.

While his collection featured Mercedes vehicles, it had a wide-reaching span of cars with left- and right-hand drive and many American classics.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon in South African auction private collection — 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon

“Everyone who is the next keeper of the car is clearly the custodian of a piece of motoring passion, foresight and history, made possible by a remarkable man,” Kevin Derrick of Creative Rides, is quoted on the auction website.

The docket includes around 140 vehicles. Of them, the first to cross the block, a 1973 Chevrolet Ranger 2-door coupe (see photo below), will be sold to benefit a charity selected by the Coetzers’ three children.

There are those in South Africa who wanted the collection to be preserved as a car museum, but Coetzer’s daughter, Lida van der Merwe, told News24 that would have been an injustice to her father’s memory.

1959 Chevrolet Impala in South African auction private collection — 1959 Chevrolet Impala

1973 Chevrolet Ranger in South African auction private collection — 1973 Chevrolet Ranger

“A lot of people have opinions about my dad’s cars,” she said. “Some suggested a museum as a memorial, but I don’t think they realized how many cars we’re talking about. It would be a full-time job; just too many cars and constant maintenance.

“The thing is my dad lived out his passion, and he died having a museum in Bloemfontein. But the best part about the museum was my dad’s vast knowledge of cars and him having all the history in his head.

“He could tell you anything and everything about a car on his floor, and unfortunately that is something we could never replicate. If cars were left to stand, they deteriorate. And if you knew my dad, you’d know that this would have saddened him.”

The auction is scheduled for December 4.