mod@tech

There are big changes happening at the sharp end of the collector car hobby. Collector cars that for decades were considered to be correction-proof, blue chip buys have been seeing a decline and an overall lack of interest in the past year, especially with younger buyers.

If you had asked me five years ago what cars in the hobby were the best ones to purchase (with the idea being that what you bought would likely be a very safe bet), I would have listed cars such as the Ferrari 250 GTO, Aston Martin DB5, most classic Bugattis, and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL — of all the cars on that list, only the 300 SL has proven to be a truly solid investment over the past five years. As of 18 months ago, most people would place the value of the Ferrari 250 GTO at somewhere around $50 million, but now it looks like those days may now be over. No, I am not saying that the purchase of the white 250 GTO (which sold at auction this past January for $38.5 million after actively being offered for years on the private market for $50 million without any takers) makes a market, but at this moment there are several more 250 GTOs for sale. This in itself speaks volumes as, five years ago, word-of-mouth was the way to find one for sale, yet now you have several to choose from on the open market.

Today’s younger buyers are, for the most part, looking to buy the cars that they grew up with — not only cars that they wanted but ones that they also can actually drive instead of trailering them to the next show. This has made modern limited-production supercars the hottest part of the hobby, and prices for the best models are increasing in value quickly. Among these cars, which one is the heir apparent for the Ferrari 250 GTO? I think the answer to that question is simple: McLaren F1.

If you have read this far, you do not need a history lesson on what just may be the ultimate supercar. The McLaren F1 was a cost-is-no-object effort to build the best sports car the world had ever seen. Gordon Murray and his team were so successful in their project plan that the F1 remains the measuring stick for excellence.

The elements that make a car so desirable were there from the beginning: a total production of 106 cars, 64 being road cars; a competition history that includes wins at both Le Mans and Sebring — with a car that was never conceived to be a race car. The F1’s story is so bonkers crazy that it is hard to believe, but its narrative is true. Not only has this made the F1 a very expensive car to buy, but it also has become one with a process that requires potential collectors to wait until the rumor of one for sale hitting their ears, then requiring many meetings with the current owner and exchanging hands for tens of millions of dollars. This is exactly the way 250 GTOs were sold for decades, and the F1 is the car that is replacing it. Yes, Ferrari only built 36 GTOs, but it is more difficult to buy a F1 today than probably any other collector car in the world since demand much outstrips supply.

Beneath the F1 are a slew of other iconic supercars, mostly from Maranello. These include the F40, F50, Enzo, and La Ferrari among them. They are easier to buy than a F1, as you are likely to find many of these at a high-end dealer or a collector car auction near you. My advice: if one of these is your dream car and you are in the position to afford one, you might as well do it soon as prices don’t seem to be decreasing, with many having almost doubled in price over the past 60 days.

On the other side of the coin, if you also love historic 1950-60s sports cars (especially Ferraris), this is the time to pay close attention to the market, as I have already seen some bargains and fully anticipate seeing more soon.

Like all things in the world, the popularity of certain collector cars changes over time. For 2026, we are in the throes of a modern supercar explosion like we have not seen before. How long it will last is anyone’s guess, but right now it is here and is something to be reckoned with. I honestly think that, within the next year or so, we will see prices of the McLaren F1 eclipse that of the 250 GTO. While I cannot day we will again witness a time when a GTO sells for $70 million, we someday may see an F1 achieve that price.

Started in 1967, the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show is the automotive aftermarket industry’s biggest event. SEMA’s Battle of the Builders competition is where some of the best creations at the show go head to head for bragging rights, so today we’re checking out one of the first scratch-built aftermarket Chevrolet K10s in the country, which wears custom red, white, and blue stripes inspired by Chevrolet’s 1976 Spirit of ’76 bicentennial look.

It was built by Rockford Smith of Rockford Custom Paint and Body in Athens, Georgia, and consists of a spot-welded frame, hand-fit AMD (Auto Metal Direct) body panels with tight gaps, a modified cargo box that gives this truck short-bed proportions, a BDS 4-inch lift, and Detroit Steel wheels. The fully tailored cabin features Dakota Digital gauges, Cato’s Custom Upholstery, and a Vintage Air HVAC system. Under the hood is a built LS 6.0-liter V8 equipped with FiTech parts and a mean-sounding Black Widow exhaust. Builds like this prove that you don’t need a rusty donor vehicle if you’re handy and talented.

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“Is that who I think it is?” I had seen the same white R129 Mercedes-Benz SL with chrome wheels a few days before when one of my coworkers was leaving the office in it. Could this be his car at the 2026 Concours in the Hills (read about the event here) or did somebody else in metro Phoenix have the exact same SL? I walked deeper into Fountain Park toward the massive tree that towered over the car to find out.

I had another reason to get close to the ingot-like roadster. I’ve always found the R129 generation of the SL attractive, but I’ve never gotten close to one. On the rare occasion I do see one out and about, I have to admire its crisp lines from afar. Introduced at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show as the successor to the long-running R107 SL, the R129 combined a sharp, angular exterior with updated luxury features and modern safety technology, such as a roll bar that automatically popped up in the case of a rollover. Over the course of its nearly decade-and-a-half lifespan, the SL was available with six-, eight-, and even 12-cylinder engines. There are three main phases — with their associated design, feature, and powertrain updates — in the R129’s timeline: 1990-1995 (the model letters and numbers swapped spots in June 1993), 1996-1998, and 1999-2002. Over the years, the R129 looked progressively more chiseled and leaner and sleeker, but I prefer the softer, more relaxed first-series models (especially with two-tone paint jobs) because they remind me of the cars successful LA attorneys or hit record producers in the ’90s would drive (and I mean that in the best way possible).

As I walked closer to the white SL at the concours, I got the answer to my question. Sitting next to it was Jared Houston, a videographer for Barrett-Jackson who works just down the hall from me. The R129 had been on his radar ever since he was a kid back in the 1990s, but several other cars preceded the purchase of his 1992 500SL, which is equipped with an M119 5.0-liter, 32-valve, DOHC V8 and a four-speed automatic. Jared told me he has eclectic tastes, which led him to buying everything from a Chevrolet C10 and a Lotus Elise to a Mazda Miata and a camo-wrapped Fiat 500 Abarth in the past. He found his SL in the nearby city of Gilbert at a price he couldn’t pass up. With 88,000 miles on the odometer, it’s not a mothballed time capsule of a car, but the condition of its monotone paint, blue leather interior, and shiny 16-inch wheels made the first 8 in that number seem more like a 4.

According to Jared, the previous owner handed over a lot of paperwork, documentation, and spare parts, including the original headlight wipers, which Jared reinstalled just in time for the Concours. He also made sure to add a set of lowering springs as well as an aftermarket head unit and a subwoofer, both of which he’ll use to bump a ’90s music playlist as he cruises in comfort. Jared even had a set of forged, staggered-width AMG monoblock-style wheels made for his SL, but a little more fine tuning is needed to get them to fit just right. It’s a good thing Jared’s SL also came with a body-color hardtop because the hydraulics for the power soft top went out. Fortunately, he can still lower and raise the roof (speaking of the 1990s!) manually.

Like me, Jared is a little nostalgic for the 1990s. When he’s out on the road in his SL, he enjoys passing people in other vehicles from the era, such as an Isuzu Trooper or a Lincoln Mark VIII. However, Jared’s SL firmly connects him to the present, too. Yes, it’s a car he describes as “beautiful” and “classic yet modern,” but to Jared, it’s also an expression of the ebb and flow of life. Most importantly, following Jared’s involuntary hiatus from cars, the SL is a necessary part of his journey as both an enthusiast and a person.

Can you use a 1987 Ferrari Testarossa as a daily driver? Sure you can, but it’s easier if you know how to work on it yourself. As Jay Leno recently learned in the video below, Victoria Bruno is up to the rewarding challenge.

Bruno is a graduate of McPherson College in Kansas, which offers four-year degrees in automotive restoration. There, she learned all about bodywork, engines, interior and trim, and more. Clearly, her education paid off because she used it to get a job as a Ferrari mechanic that specializes in the marque’s older, more technical models.

Bruno’s combination of training and experience prepared her to take on her first project car: a 1987 Ferrari Testarossa that had been sitting for several years after accruing only 12,000 miles.

Despite its dormancy, the Testarossa aged well. The black paint is mostly original and the matching black full-leather interior (including the headliner!) appears to be in fantastic shape.

The mechanically fuel-injected 4.9-liter flat-12 may be intimidating to many people, but Bruno saw it as just a set of nuts and bolts that could be fixed. Given her acquisition’s on-road hiatus, Bruno performed a major engine-out service, replacing things such as the cam seals, belts, and hoses. She even overhauled the brakes behind those cool center-lock wheels, plus she had the alternator rebuilt.

There are still more things that Bruno needs to do to refresh her Testarossa, but she enjoys the fact that it’s a work in progress. She plans on driving it until the odometer hits 112,000 miles, so she’ll have plenty more opportunities to work on it. When those opportunities arise, we’re confident that Bruno will be ready to get her hands dirty and start turning wrenches.

Of all the American collector cars, one of the most stunning is the C2 Corvette. Our AutoHunter Spotlight is one of these cars: a restored 1964 Chevrolet Corvette L75 Convertible. It is powered by a rebuilt, numbers-matching 300-horsepower 327ci V8 mated to an upgraded, rebuilt close-ratio four-speed transmission. Finished in Riverside Red with a new white convertible top over a black vinyl interior, this C2 is offered by the selling dealer with service records and clear title. 

The C2 Corvette was actually a combination of two different projects at GM: the Bill Mitchell-led Stingray race car and the Zora Duntov CERV 1 concept. To put it simply, the chassis came from Duntov and the styling from Mitchell. The combination of these two projects gave us what many people consider to be the greatest generation in the history of the Corvette.

The exterior of this Corvette looks to be in fine condition, with the Riverside Red paint looking excellent. In addition, the car has a factory-correct convertible top, the chrome has been replated, and the car rides on 15-inch turbine-style knock-off wheels clad with 215/75 whitewall radial tires.

The interior of this car looks as nice as the exterior. the black vinyl upholstery is both completely correct and in excellent condition. The car features power steering, a beautiful factory-style three-spoke wood steering wheel, and an aftermarket retro-look AM/FM cassette stereo. Like all C2 Corvettes, this car features full instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, 7,000-rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges for oil pressure, temperature, battery, and fuel level. All gauges have been restored.

Lift the hood and you find the numbers-matching L75 327ci V8 with 300 horsepower. It is backed by a four-speed close-ratio manual gearbox. Both the engine and gearbox have been rebuilt, and this Corvette has recently undergone a comprehensive service.

The condition of the underside of this Corvette is as good the rest of the car. It features a heavy-duty independent rear end with a Positraction differential set up with 3.55 gears. The car (like all 1964 Corvettes) has four-wheel drum brakes and a dual exhaust system.

I was wondering what it would cost to restore a decent C2 Corvette so I called my friend Kevin Mackay of Corvette Repair Inc., one of the best Corvette restoration shops on the planet. He figures it would cost well more than $100,000 to restore a C2 of any kind. Think about that if you are on the fence about making a bid on this car. This is an opportunity to buy a nice C2 Corvette convertible for less than the cost of the restoration. The fact that this is a numbers-matching example that was restored to the exact specifications from when it was built makes this car look like one to own. If you are interested though you should bid soon as the auction for this 1964 Chevrolet Corvette L79 convertible ends on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

In the animal kingdom, there is a concept called “mimicry.” This is where a species may mimic a harmful predator with markings or what-not to stem any aggressive attacks. In the automotive world, we also have a similar concept where a vehicle does a fine job of running with more prestigious vehicles. Our Pick of the Day, a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville convertible, arguably fits the bill better than any other. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Sandusky, Ohio.

In 1965, Ford introduced a premium sub-model in the Galaxie 500 series and called it LTD. Chevrolet followed suit near the beginning of the 1965 calendar year and called the specially trimmed four-door Impala the Caprice Custom Sedan. Both pretended to be more premium thanks to fancy interiors and tasteful exterior trim. For 1966, Plymouth responded with the VIP and AMC released the Ambassador DPL.

All of the above cars were designed as luxurious vehicles within brands that were decidedly not luxury-oriented — no one would shop for a Caprice and a Cadillac. The Pontiac Bonneville, on the other hand, was more of a masquerade, a Pontiac that thought it was a Buick. Though originally a 1957 special-edition convertible full of power features plus fuel injection, the Bonneville settled at the top of Pontiac’s lineup as a mainstream model starting in 1959. A longer wheelbase than the Catalina was one of its hallmarks, as was its extended trunk.

A funny thing started to happen at the time: the Wide-Track Bonneville became a car with cachet, a model that could confidently move with more prestigious machinery. Though the Bonneville was priced more like a Buick Wildcat, the class it exuded was closer to that of the Electra, which was much more expensive. That combination of sporty and classy was something that no other brand could match — Dodge’s Custom 880 didn’t fake a Chrysler, and the Mercury Park Lane simply didn’t have what it took to fake a Lincoln despite being “In the Lincoln Continental tradition.”

Full-size Pontiacs were completely redesigned for 1965, exploiting the “Coke Bottle” styling that had been introduced several years earlier. For 1965, the Bonneville looked lithe with exaggerated rear proportions thanks to that extended trunk lid and huge rear fenders. Plus, Pontiac was the hot manufacturer in the industry, having kicked Plymouth out of the traditional #3 spot several years earlier with strong styling, a sporty personality, performance engines galore and, eventually, the stylish Grand Prix and mid-size GTO.

Power plants were similar to what they were before, but the 421 gained horsepower in all three variants. The 421 four-barrel went up 18 horsepower to 338, while the 421 Tri-Power gained only six horses for 356. The top 421 HO with Tri-Power gained six horses for 376. The latter was the same engine that, in Bobcat form, was the ringer for powering the GTO in the famous Car and Driver “GTO vs. GTO” story the year before.

The 1965 Pontiac Bonneville is not the most desirable collectible for that year, but it’s not for lack of trying. It has all the elements to make a strong collectible, but the collectible market has never been accused of being logical. This Montero Red convertible is an awe-inspiring combination of all of Pontiac’s strengths of the 1960s, starting with the 421 HO (though this is a documented 421 four-barrel car), buckets and console, TH400 automatic, air conditioning, power steering and brakes, remote trunk release, Safe-T-Track, AM/FM stereo, and 8-lug wheels. “The original top … works well. Interior is in great condition with new carpet installed about 10 years ago,” says the seller. “Body is straight with no rust.”

There’s never been a rhyme or reason why some cars become more collectible than others — witness the Buick Riviera, which always has had among the strongest styling of the decade, according to critics, yet has languished compared to many other lesser cars. The Bonneville is similar, though its strength lies in being able to mimic more expensive and prestigious machinery. For $57,500, this is one masquerade that will fake the Buick thing like a charm.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com