The top-10 Hemmings Daily stories of 2015

Mitch Medford's Zombie Mustang. Photo courtesy of Mitch Medford, Bloodshed Motors.

A battery-powered Mustang, a pair of movie cars, some hot rods and a few muscle cars rounded out the year's top stories in the Hemmings Daily, with a fire-ravaged Beetle and the last Tucker built from original parts thrown in for good measure. It was an eclectic 12 months, news-wise, with perhaps less of an emphasis on cars sold at auction than in years past and no headline-grabbing sinkholes to repeatedly rack up page views. Grab a cup of coffee (or tea, or hot chocolate – we don't judge) and take a read through the year that was.

Photo by Thomas A. DeMauro.

#10 – The rarest GTO you may never have wanted. It's a lesser-known fact that 1968 Pontiac GTOs were available with an Endura bumper delete option, giving them a chrome front end very similar to the mainstream Le Mans. Pink Mist was a special-order color option for the GTO during the 1968 model year as well, though (as one would guess) it didn't prove to be a popular one. Would a car originally finished in Pink Mist, ordered without the Endura bumper, be more desirable because of its rarity, or less desirable because of its unusual appearance? Tom DeMauro tackled this question in an April story that spurred plenty of reader discussion.

 

Photo courtesy Mark Melvin.

#9 – Playmate of the Year AMX returns to its original pink. In 1968, Playboy Playmate of the Year Angela Dorian (real name, Victoria Vetri) received a pink AMC AMX as part of her prize package, but the car didn't remain in this hue for long. Looking to divert attention instead of attract it, Victoria quickly had the AMX finished in a more subdued brown, followed by gray and then black. In 2010, Victoria sold the car, which current owner Mark Melvin found on a used car lot. Mark, a fan of both AMC and Angela Dorian, immediately understood the significance of the car, kicking off a restoration that would return the AMX to its as-delivered state.

 

Photo courtesy Prototyp Museum.

#8 – After devastating fire, restoration begins on one of world's oldest Beetles. Built before Volkswagen's first factory began production, a VW39 carrying chassis tag 1-00003 somehow survived the Second World War, but nearly didn't survive the January 2011 fire that consumed an industrial park in Hamburg, Germany, where the car was kept as part of the Raffay family's collection. Now little more than a rusted shell, 1-00003 was acquired by the Prototyp Museum in Hamburg in early 2015, and a full restoration (using a period-correct prewar demonstrator engine) is in the works.

 

Photo by Steve Tremulis.

#7 – The last Tucker assembled from original parts to make its public debut. The Tucker factory may have shut its doors 65-plus years ago, but interest in Tucker automobiles is again trending upward. Just 37 cars were built before the factory closed, with another 13 completed in-period from leftover parts. Another example was crafted decades later from remaining spares, but in 2015 the 52nd Tucker, the last to be assembled from remaining original parts (excluding rear doors, roof and floor, which required custom fabrication), made its public debut at the Concours d'Elegance of America.

 

Photo courtesy Pirelli.

#6 – Chip Foose-designed 1965 Chevy Impala takes 2015 Ridler Award. On the outside, it looks like a shortened wheelbase 1965 Impala, lowered (but not slammed) and riding on contemporary oversize chrome wheels. Look closer, and The Imposter appears to be the offspring of a liaison between said Impala and a 2009 Corvette, which is exactly what builder Chip Foose had in mind. In his words, "What if, in 1965, GM's Corvette studio decided to build a muscle car?" Designed as a daily driver for owner Elma Voth, the car captured the 2015 Ridler award by having the "best worst area," in Foose's words, and it certainly generated discussion here.

 

1958 Chevrolet Impala Photo courtesy Profiles in History.

#5 – Better than Darryl Starbird's Superfleck Moonbird – 1958 Impala from American Graffiti could sell for $1 million. Auction houses that specialize in the sale of collector cars tend to have a fairly good feel for a car's value before it hits the stage. On the other hand, auction firms that specialize in Hollywood memorabilia have a more difficult time estimating accurate values for screen-used vehicles, as demonstrated by the 1958 Impala seen in American Graffiti and offered last summer by Profiles in History. Since filming wrapped, the car has seen three replacement drivetrains and 25-plus years of storage, though no real cosmetic restoration to speak of. The published pre-auction estimate put the car's value between $800,000 and $1,000,000, though bidding failed to reach this plateau and the car was not sold.

 

Photo courtesy Profiles in History.

#4 – So where are all the remaining Back to the Future De Loreans? Had it not been for the Back to the Future movie franchise, the De Lorean DMC12 may well have faded into the sunset, just another lost car of the 1980s. Instead, the De Lorean graced the bedroom walls of an entirely new generation, one that's now got the disposable income to purchase remanufactured DMC12s built from new old stock parts. Write a story about the fate of the seven examples (four of which remain) used in the filming of the three BTTF movies, and it's guaranteed to draw eyes on page.

 

Photo courtesy VanDerBrink Auctions.

#3 – A lifetime's collection of hot rods and parts heads to auction in Florida. Bob Koepke was a lifelong hot-rodder, and his job with NASA on Florida's Space Coast afforded him the income and the space to build an impressive collection of cars and parts. As the years went by, however, Bob grew more reclusive, keeping the exact size of his stash a closely guarded secret until his death. Son David was left with the task of reclaiming cars and parts from the tropical overgrowth, and the selection offered by VanDerBrink Auctions offered everything from Deuce Coupes through a Ferrari 308.

 

Photo by Myles Kornblatt.

#2 – There's only one original Mad Max Interceptor and it's not in Australia. The cult classic 1979 Australian film Mad Max, and its 1981 sequel, The Road Warrior, may have featured Mel Gibson, but the real star of the show was a blacked-out 1973 Ford Falcon GT, modified as a blower-equipped Pursuit Special to bring law and order to the post-apocalyptic wastelands. With hype building about the 2015 Mad Max release, Fury Road, contributor Myles Kornblatt brought us the story of the sole surviving Pursuit Special used in the first two films, now housed at the Miami Auto Museum at the Dezer Collection.

 

Photo courtesy Mitch Medford, Bloodshed Motors.

#1 – Electric Mustang records 1.94-second 0-60 time, builder sets 200 MPH goal. While electric cars and Hemmings Motor News generally aren't things that appear in the same sentence, news of a vintage Mustang retrofitted with an electric drivetrain and running low 10s in the quarter-mile does catch our eye. Zombie Mustang builder Mitch Medford likes the idea of blending old with new, and since the article first appeared, further modifications have dropped the Mustang's time below the 10-second mark. Some readers praised Mitch for raising the battery-powered bar, while others refused to accept that a real Mustang could be powered by anything other than internal combustion.

Thanks to each and every one who paid us a virtual visit in 2015, and please keep coming back for more in 2016. If you don't already subscribe to the Hemmings Daily (now published six days per week), you can sign up for free delivery to your email inbox here.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1TrS9Wb

Hemmings Find of the Day – 1956 Lotus 11 Series 1 Le Mans

Paint? Who needs paint? Few cars look better in bare aluminum than the Lotus 11, particularly this 1956 Lotus 11 Series 1 Le Mans for sale on Hemmings.com, a car originally built for privateer racers who were serious about winning. Though we don’t know its competition history, we can see – thanks to the lack of paint – that it’s been treated to a thorough restoration and appears almost as fresh and new as when Lotus originally sold it. From the seller’s description:

The engine is a Coventry climax 1098 with twin SU carburetors.The engine is freshly rebuilt with all new parts, i.e., forged pistons, Carrillo rods, new crankshaft and all fully balanced. It is one of the earliest Lotus 11,s since it has the Lotus 10 L-shaped differential. I purchased the car in 1978 in London from a dealer who had just imported the car to the U.K. from the U.S. We have restored the car over the past many years, with the finishing touches in the last two years. The car was re-bodied by Williams and Pritchard in 1982.

Price

$225,000

Location

Sacramento, California

Availability

Available

See more Lotuses/Lotii for sale on Hemmings.com.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1TrSacv

The top-10 Hemmings Daily stories of 2015

Mitch Medford’s Zombie Mustang. Photo courtesy of Mitch Medford, Bloodshed Motors.

A battery-powered Mustang, a pair of movie cars, some hot rods and a few muscle cars rounded out the year’s top stories in the Hemmings Daily, with a fire-ravaged Beetle and the last Tucker built from original parts thrown in for good measure. It was an eclectic 12 months, news-wise, with perhaps less of an emphasis on cars sold at auction than in years past and no headline-grabbing sinkholes to repeatedly rack up page views. Grab a cup of coffee (or tea, or hot chocolate – we don’t judge) and take a read through the year that was.

Photo by Thomas A. DeMauro.

#10 – The rarest GTO you may never have wanted. It’s a lesser-known fact that 1968 Pontiac GTOs were available with an Endura bumper delete option, giving them a chrome front end very similar to the mainstream Le Mans. Pink Mist was a special-order color option for the GTO during the 1968 model year as well, though (as one would guess) it didn’t prove to be a popular one. Would a car originally finished in Pink Mist, ordered without the Endura bumper, be more desirable because of its rarity, or less desirable because of its unusual appearance? Tom DeMauro tackled this question in an April story that spurred plenty of reader discussion.

 

Photo courtesy Mark Melvin.

#9 – Playmate of the Year AMX returns to its original pink. In 1968, Playboy Playmate of the Year Angela Dorian (real name, Victoria Vetri) received a pink AMC AMX as part of her prize package, but the car didn’t remain in this hue for long. Looking to divert attention instead of attract it, Victoria quickly had the AMX finished in a more subdued brown, followed by gray and then black. In 2010, Victoria sold the car, which current owner Mark Melvin found on a used car lot. Mark, a fan of both AMC and Angela Dorian, immediately understood the significance of the car, kicking off a restoration that would return the AMX to its as-delivered state.

 

Photo courtesy Prototyp Museum.

#8 – After devastating fire, restoration begins on one of world’s oldest Beetles. Built before Volkswagen’s first factory began production, a VW39 carrying chassis tag 1-00003 somehow survived the Second World War, but nearly didn’t survive the January 2011 fire that consumed an industrial park in Hamburg, Germany, where the car was kept as part of the Raffay family’s collection. Now little more than a rusted shell, 1-00003 was acquired by the Prototyp Museum in Hamburg in early 2015, and a full restoration (using a period-correct prewar demonstrator engine) is in the works.

 

Photo by Steve Tremulis.

#7 – The last Tucker assembled from original parts to make its public debut. The Tucker factory may have shut its doors 65-plus years ago, but interest in Tucker automobiles is again trending upward. Just 37 cars were built before the factory closed, with another 13 completed in-period from leftover parts. Another example was crafted decades later from remaining spares, but in 2015 the 52nd Tucker, the last to be assembled from remaining original parts (excluding rear doors, roof and floor, which required custom fabrication), made its public debut at the Concours d’Elegance of America.

 

Photo courtesy Pirelli.

#6 – Chip Foose-designed 1965 Chevy Impala takes 2015 Ridler Award. On the outside, it looks like a shortened wheelbase 1965 Impala, lowered (but not slammed) and riding on contemporary oversize chrome wheels. Look closer, and The Imposter appears to be the offspring of a liaison between said Impala and a 2009 Corvette, which is exactly what builder Chip Foose had in mind. In his words, “What if, in 1965, GM’s Corvette studio decided to build a muscle car?” Designed as a daily driver for owner Elma Voth, the car captured the 2015 Ridler award by having the “best worst area,” in Foose’s words, and it certainly generated discussion here.

 

1958 Chevrolet Impala Photo courtesy Profiles in History.

#5 – Better than Darryl Starbird’s Superfleck Moonbird – 1958 Impala from American Graffiti could sell for $1 million. Auction houses that specialize in the sale of collector cars tend to have a fairly good feel for a car’s value before it hits the stage. On the other hand, auction firms that specialize in Hollywood memorabilia have a more difficult time estimating accurate values for screen-used vehicles, as demonstrated by the 1958 Impala seen in American Graffiti and offered last summer by Profiles in History. Since filming wrapped, the car has seen three replacement drivetrains and 25-plus years of storage, though no real cosmetic restoration to speak of. The published pre-auction estimate put the car’s value between $800,000 and $1,000,000, though bidding failed to reach this plateau and the car was not sold.

 

Photo courtesy Profiles in History.

#4 – So where are all the remaining Back to the Future De Loreans? Had it not been for the Back to the Future movie franchise, the De Lorean DMC12 may well have faded into the sunset, just another lost car of the 1980s. Instead, the De Lorean graced the bedroom walls of an entirely new generation, one that’s now got the disposable income to purchase remanufactured DMC12s built from new old stock parts. Write a story about the fate of the seven examples (four of which remain) used in the filming of the three BTTF movies, and it’s guaranteed to draw eyes on page.

 

Photo courtesy VanDerBrink Auctions.

#3 – A lifetime’s collection of hot rods and parts heads to auction in Florida. Bob Koepke was a lifelong hot-rodder, and his job with NASA on Florida’s Space Coast afforded him the income and the space to build an impressive collection of cars and parts. As the years went by, however, Bob grew more reclusive, keeping the exact size of his stash a closely guarded secret until his death. Son David was left with the task of reclaiming cars and parts from the tropical overgrowth, and the selection offered by VanDerBrink Auctions offered everything from Deuce Coupes through a Ferrari 308.

 

Photo by Myles Kornblatt.

#2 – There’s only one original Mad Max Interceptor and it’s not in Australia. The cult classic 1979 Australian film Mad Max, and its 1981 sequel, The Road Warrior, may have featured Mel Gibson, but the real star of the show was a blacked-out 1973 Ford Falcon GT, modified as a blower-equipped Pursuit Special to bring law and order to the post-apocalyptic wastelands. With hype building about the 2015 Mad Max release, Fury Road, contributor Myles Kornblatt brought us the story of the sole surviving Pursuit Special used in the first two films, now housed at the Miami Auto Museum at the Dezer Collection.

 

Photo courtesy Mitch Medford, Bloodshed Motors.

#1 – Electric Mustang records 1.94-second 0-60 time, builder sets 200 MPH goal. While electric cars and Hemmings Motor News generally aren’t things that appear in the same sentence, news of a vintage Mustang retrofitted with an electric drivetrain and running low 10s in the quarter-mile does catch our eye. Zombie Mustang builder Mitch Medford likes the idea of blending old with new, and since the article first appeared, further modifications have dropped the Mustang’s time below the 10-second mark. Some readers praised Mitch for raising the battery-powered bar, while others refused to accept that a real Mustang could be powered by anything other than internal combustion.

Thanks to each and every one who paid us a virtual visit in 2015, and please keep coming back for more in 2016. If you don’t already subscribe to the Hemmings Daily (now published six days per week), you can sign up for free delivery to your email inbox here.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1TrS9Wb

The Drive Home, Day 4: Across

Photos by the author and Derek Klein.

Every morning the crews light a votive candle to the Old Car Holy Trinity: Spark, Fuel and Compression. These are the three spirits we need to appease in order to continue to move this fragile expedition forward. It is a tenuous relationship, but so far the gods have smiled upon us.

The Mustang being the slight exception. The car has become a "two-footer" in city traffic. It repeatedly kills at stoplights and requires one foot on the brake while the other feathers the throttle. On the open road, when engaging the secondaries on the Holley, it wants to run forever. It's the primary circuit on the carburetor that seems to be ill suited to low speed city driving. This is no surprise; the car is originally a "C" code 289 and certainly the heads and cam have not been matched to meet the aftermarket Edelbrock intake and larger carb. But as previously mentioned it has not dampened our enthusiasm for the car but only requires extra attention when driving.

Our ride-along ACM Technician Specialist Dale Wickell insists there is a fourth spirit to satisfy: traction. But truth be told, despite snowy roads from the start, road adhesion has been a non-factor. That's mainly due to the fitting of modern radial winter weather tires from the Michelin family. The Chrysler has been fitted with 235/75R15 B.F. Goodrich Winter Slaloms, The Nomad with 215/70R15 Michelin Ice-X, and the Mustang with 195/70R14 Uniroyal Tiger Paw Ice & Snow. All have exhibited excellent road handling in wet and dry, with minimal road noise.

Also interesting are the MPG numbers we have been putting up. Throughout the trip we have been exclusively burning the good stuff…91 octane Shell V-Power. It's ethanol free so no worries about adverse reactions to rubber fuel system components. Averaged out, the Mustang posted 21.5 mpg, the Nomad scored 15.3 mpg, and the Chrysler was at 13.0 mpg over our 1,150 miles thus traveled.

Today we woke up in beautiful Salt Lake City. Snow flurries greet the crews but it's bright and sunny; a perfect Chamber of Commerce weather forecast. It's a welcome relief from the overcast weather we've been having, and we hope to enjoy as much of it as we can before continuing east through Colorado and beyond.

Conditions permitting, we try to run the cars at about 60 MPH. That is in stark contrast to the rest of the world driving at 80 MPH plus. What has become somewhat disconcerting is not the attention the cars are getting, but rather the lack of it. Painted bright red and wearing sponsor livery, the cars look like they have escaped from a 1960's era newsreel of the Monte Carlo Rally, yet there is a noted lack of rubberneckers. No, it seems that most of our fellow road warriors are either unaware or indifferent to our moving car show, wrapped up and insulated in their transport pods, screaming down the road, all manner of distraction available to them in their electronic induced daze, seemingly removed from the world.

I, on the other hand, have reached total awareness. I am connected to the moment. The Chrysler demands it of me, for it requires constant engagement. A breeze blows; the car reacts, and in turn awaits my reaction. It dares you to reach for that cell phone. It will put you into the shoulder of the road. Or worse.

But the traction is good, the compression strong, the fuel is potent, and the spark is hot as we make good time to the Colorado border and our nightly stop in Grand Junction, looking forward to our Rocky Mountain crossing tomorrow morning.

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year's Eve from the The Drive Home crew.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1IG3RMo

The Drive Home, Day 4: Across

Photos by the author and Derek Klein.

Every morning the crews light a votive candle to the Old Car Holy Trinity: Spark, Fuel and Compression. These are the three spirits we need to appease in order to continue to move this fragile expedition forward. It is a tenuous relationship, but so far the gods have smiled upon us.

The Mustang being the slight exception. The car has become a “two-footer” in city traffic. It repeatedly kills at stoplights and requires one foot on the brake while the other feathers the throttle. On the open road, when engaging the secondaries on the Holley, it wants to run forever. It’s the primary circuit on the carburetor that seems to be ill suited to low speed city driving. This is no surprise; the car is originally a “C” code 289 and certainly the heads and cam have not been matched to meet the aftermarket Edelbrock intake and larger carb. But as previously mentioned it has not dampened our enthusiasm for the car but only requires extra attention when driving.

Our ride-along ACM Technician Specialist Dale Wickell insists there is a fourth spirit to satisfy: traction. But truth be told, despite snowy roads from the start, road adhesion has been a non-factor. That’s mainly due to the fitting of modern radial winter weather tires from the Michelin family. The Chrysler has been fitted with 235/75R15 B.F. Goodrich Winter Slaloms, The Nomad with 215/70R15 Michelin Ice-X, and the Mustang with 195/70R14 Uniroyal Tiger Paw Ice & Snow. All have exhibited excellent road handling in wet and dry, with minimal road noise.

Also interesting are the MPG numbers we have been putting up. Throughout the trip we have been exclusively burning the good stuff…91 octane Shell V-Power. It’s ethanol free so no worries about adverse reactions to rubber fuel system components. Averaged out, the Mustang posted 21.5 mpg, the Nomad scored 15.3 mpg, and the Chrysler was at 13.0 mpg over our 1,150 miles thus traveled.

Today we woke up in beautiful Salt Lake City. Snow flurries greet the crews but it’s bright and sunny; a perfect Chamber of Commerce weather forecast. It’s a welcome relief from the overcast weather we’ve been having, and we hope to enjoy as much of it as we can before continuing east through Colorado and beyond.

Conditions permitting, we try to run the cars at about 60 MPH. That is in stark contrast to the rest of the world driving at 80 MPH plus. What has become somewhat disconcerting is not the attention the cars are getting, but rather the lack of it. Painted bright red and wearing sponsor livery, the cars look like they have escaped from a 1960’s era newsreel of the Monte Carlo Rally, yet there is a noted lack of rubberneckers. No, it seems that most of our fellow road warriors are either unaware or indifferent to our moving car show, wrapped up and insulated in their transport pods, screaming down the road, all manner of distraction available to them in their electronic induced daze, seemingly removed from the world.

I, on the other hand, have reached total awareness. I am connected to the moment. The Chrysler demands it of me, for it requires constant engagement. A breeze blows; the car reacts, and in turn awaits my reaction. It dares you to reach for that cell phone. It will put you into the shoulder of the road. Or worse.

But the traction is good, the compression strong, the fuel is potent, and the spark is hot as we make good time to the Colorado border and our nightly stop in Grand Junction, looking forward to our Rocky Mountain crossing tomorrow morning.

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve from the The Drive Home crew.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1IG3RMo

Five car hobby predictions for 2016

Photo by Matthew Ragan.

With another year in the record books, it’s time once again to dust off the crystal ball with an oil-stained shop rag and peer into the future to divine five predictions for the coming year. Like any good medium, I can’t give you specifics, like which year, make and model will deliver the highest return on investment, but I can give you seat-of-the-pants guesses on what 2016 may have in store for us.

First, though, let’s take a look back at my predictions for 2015.

1. Prices for air-cooled Porsches (with the possible exception of the 914) will rise significantly over the next 12 months. It’s safe to say I called this one, as prices for these cars reached lofty levels in 2015. Whether it was a 356, a 911 or a 912, buyers seemed willing to pay whatever prices necessary to add these cars to their collection.

2. Japanese cars will continue to gain respect, and interest, at auction. Scroll through the results of almost any major collector-car auction in 2015, and you you’re bound to see an ample selection of Japanese sports cars. While the Toyota 2000GT, the Mazda Cosmo and the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser really haven’t climbed in value, they’ve become an almost expected part of any international sale.

3. The automotive industry will continue to be plagued by recalls. Check.

4. Look for postwar cars to capture more wins on the concours d’elegance circuit. Not at Pebble Beach, where Best of Show went to a 1924 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A (in my defense, a 1953 Abarth 1100 Sport Ghia Coupe was in the running, though). Not at Amelia Island, either, where both top awards went to prewar cars. Even our own concours d’elegance awarded best in show to a prewar Chrysler, so I completely missed the mark on this one.

5. Don’t expect a big growth or a big decline in the auction market. Looks like this one was a miss as well, with many auction companies posting already reporting growth over 2014. Not all companies have released results, but it’s safe to assume that the majority of auction firms sold more in 2015 than in 2014.

Now, without further ado, my predictions for 2015.

1. Eighties cars will continue to grow in demand – and price. Have you looked at prices for Ferrari 308 models recently? After being the “affordable” Ferrari (along with the Modial) for years, clean examples are now climbing close to the six-figure mark. Even common cars from domestic manufacturers and imported brands are jumping in value as demand climbs and supply dwindles. The reason why is simple – these cars resonate with buyers who now have the disposable income to afford them.

This 1981 Datsun 210 sold for $12k in September. Photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson.

2. Look for Japanese family cars from the 1960s-’80s to climb in value. Call it supply and demand. The cars that a new generation of collectors grew up with are in demand, but few first, second or third owners thought to preserve inexpensive vehicles like the Datsun B210, the Toyota Corolla or the Honda Accord. As demand for original or restored examples grows, so will pricing.

Don’t expect the same result for common Japanese sports cars of the period, though. Datsun Z cars haven’t really climbed in value in recent years, and neither have Mazda RX-7s. Perhaps enough were preserved to meet demand, or perhaps the generation that feels the strongest connection to these models already owns an example.

3. Demand for vintage hot rods will increase. Events like The Race of Gentlemen have put bangers and flatheads in the spotlight among an entirely new generation, and that’s a good thing for the hobby. As more people decide Model As are cool, however, look for prices on project cars and completed builds to rise.

4. Expect an upswing in vintage motorcycle prices. Brands like Brough, Vincent and Excelsior-Henderson have been climbing in value in recent years, but bikes have never quite reached the stratospheric levels of certain collector cars. Look for rare bikes to take a significant jump in value in the coming year, followed by now-collectible bikes from the 1980s and early 1990s. If you want an affordable Kawasaki GPz 900A3, Honda CB900F, or BMW R100RS, now is the time to be shopping.

An exploded view of the supercharged, 707-horsepower Chrysler Hellcat HEMI V-8. Photo courtesy FCA.

5. The glory days of the American V-8 are winding down. The first muscle car era may have died out around 1972, but the current availability of high-performance V-8 powered American cars means we’re in the midst of a new (though less affordable) muscle car era. As was the case the first time around, it can’t last forever, and increasing fuel-economy regulations will soon bring an end to V-8 performance cars. This won’t happen all at once, and it won’t happen in 2016, but I do expect that fewer and fewer models will have optional V-8 engines with each passing year. It’s no coincidence that Ford’s new GT comes powered by an EcoBoost six, or that both the new Mustang and the new Camaro offer turbocharged four-cylinder engines as a high-performance option. Chevy even displayed a Chevy II Nova street rod at SEMA with a modern turbocharged four, a nod to the future of performance builds.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1JhtrY3

Five car hobby predictions for 2016

Photo by Matthew Ragan.

With another year in the record books, it's time once again to dust off the crystal ball with an oil-stained shop rag and peer into the future to divine five predictions for the coming year. Like any good medium, I can't give you specifics, like which year, make and model will deliver the highest return on investment, but I can give you seat-of-the-pants guesses on what 2016 may have in store for us.

First, though, let's take a look back at my predictions for 2015.

1. Prices for air-cooled Porsches (with the possible exception of the 914) will rise significantly over the next 12 months. It's safe to say I called this one, as prices for these cars reached lofty levels in 2015. Whether it was a 356, a 911 or a 912, buyers seemed willing to pay whatever prices necessary to add these cars to their collection.

2. Japanese cars will continue to gain respect, and interest, at auction. Scroll through the results of almost any major collector-car auction in 2015, and you you're bound to see an ample selection of Japanese sports cars. While the Toyota 2000GT, the Mazda Cosmo and the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser really haven't climbed in value, they've become an almost expected part of any international sale.

3. The automotive industry will continue to be plagued by recalls. Check.

4. Look for postwar cars to capture more wins on the concours d'elegance circuit. Not at Pebble Beach, where Best of Show went to a 1924 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A (in my defense, a 1953 Abarth 1100 Sport Ghia Coupe was in the running, though). Not at Amelia Island, either, where both top awards went to prewar cars. Even our own concours d'elegance awarded best in show to a prewar Chrysler, so I completely missed the mark on this one.

5. Don't expect a big growth or a big decline in the auction market. Looks like this one was a miss as well, with many auction companies posting already reporting growth over 2014. Not all companies have released results, but it's safe to assume that the majority of auction firms sold more in 2015 than in 2014.

Now, without further ado, my predictions for 2015.

1. Eighties cars will continue to grow in demand – and price. Have you looked at prices for Ferrari 308 models recently? After being the "affordable" Ferrari (along with the Modial) for years, clean examples are now climbing close to the six-figure mark. Even common cars from domestic manufacturers and imported brands are jumping in value as demand climbs and supply dwindles. The reason why is simple – these cars resonate with buyers who now have the disposable income to afford them.

This 1981 Datsun 210 sold for $12k in September. Photo courtesy Barrett-Jackson.

2. Look for Japanese family cars from the 1960s-'80s to climb in value. Call it supply and demand. The cars that a new generation of collectors grew up with are in demand, but few first, second or third owners thought to preserve inexpensive vehicles like the Datsun B210, the Toyota Corolla or the Honda Accord. As demand for original or restored examples grows, so will pricing.

Don't expect the same result for common Japanese sports cars of the period, though. Datsun Z cars haven't really climbed in value in recent years, and neither have Mazda RX-7s. Perhaps enough were preserved to meet demand, or perhaps the generation that feels the strongest connection to these models already owns an example.

3. Demand for vintage hot rods will increase. Events like The Race of Gentlemen have put bangers and flatheads in the spotlight among an entirely new generation, and that's a good thing for the hobby. As more people decide Model As are cool, however, look for prices on project cars and completed builds to rise.

4. Expect an upswing in vintage motorcycle prices. Brands like Brough, Vincent and Excelsior-Henderson have been climbing in value in recent years, but bikes have never quite reached the stratospheric levels of certain collector cars. Look for rare bikes to take a significant jump in value in the coming year, followed by now-collectible bikes from the 1980s and early 1990s. If you want an affordable Kawasaki GPz 900A3, Honda CB900F, or BMW R100RS, now is the time to be shopping.

An exploded view of the supercharged, 707-horsepower Chrysler Hellcat HEMI V-8. Photo courtesy FCA.

5. The glory days of the American V-8 are winding down. The first muscle car era may have died out around 1972, but the current availability of high-performance V-8 powered American cars means we're in the midst of a new (though less affordable) muscle car era. As was the case the first time around, it can't last forever, and increasing fuel-economy regulations will soon bring an end to V-8 performance cars. This won't happen all at once, and it won't happen in 2016, but I do expect that fewer and fewer models will have optional V-8 engines with each passing year. It's no coincidence that Ford's new GT comes powered by an EcoBoost six, or that both the new Mustang and the new Camaro offer turbocharged four-cylinder engines as a high-performance option. Chevy even displayed a Chevy II Nova street rod at SEMA with a modern turbocharged four, a nod to the future of performance builds.

from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/1JhtrY3