mod@tech

A few weeks ago, we shared an invitation to a grassroots car show in the Pacific Northwest called the Malaise Invitational. It was an event centered around vehicles from 1972-95—a slice of automotive history that doesn’t usually garner much attention in mainstream collector car shows and events.

Event co-founder Laec Christensen caught us up on how things went at the September 13 program. Based on the turnout, a lot of people were on board with recognizing the “Malaise Era.” Like any immersive car show experience, there were other forms of entertainment. For those who wanted to test their hand-eye coordination, a game of “spark plug toss” was held.

Laec said that most of this year’s awards were handcrafted from some 1980s Tae Kwon Do trophies, with custom 3D-printed features added. The coveted Best in Show award was a “golden smog pump” retrieved from an abandoned Dodge Dakota.

Award winners were as follows:

• Best 70s: 1974 Plymouth Valiant owned by Mike Mastrangelo
• Best 80s: 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTi owned by Michael Elias
• Best 90s: 1991 Jeep Cherokee owned by John Koenig
• Best American: 1973 AMC Hornet owned by Jacob Demmin
• Best Asian: 1980 Mazda Capella GTVA owned by Laec Christensen
• Best European: 1995 Volkswagen Golf GTi VR6 owned by Shaelyn Christensen
• Best in Show: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 300E owned by Mark Edington
• Best Motorcycle: 1980 Honda Express II owned by Daniel Bones
• Best Truck: 1970 Ford F-250 Sport Custom Explorer owned by Clayton Christensen
• Cutest Car: 1993 Honda Today owned by Duncan Nodarse
• Most Malaise: 1985 Pontiac 6000 owned by Nathan Jensen-Smith
• Rustiest In Show: 1972 Plymouth Fury Suburban owned by Gabe Larson
• Weirdest In Show: 1990 Consulier GTP owned by Johnny Spiva

Laec’s personal favorite vehicle was a 1982 Chevrolet Chevette owned by Michael Hill. It was powered by a twin-cam Cosworth engine from a 1976 Cosworth Vega.

The giveaway car, a brown Pontiac Phoenix, was awarded via a massive game of black-out bingo. In an unexpected twist, six different people won the game simultaneously. Following an elimination round, the final winner was determined.

Laec explains: “His name was Desmond, and he came as a humble spectator. As our third giveaway car, this is our first car not to go to a club heavy-hitter … which I think is a good thing. We have to share the Malaise any way we can. I think he fell in love with it.”

Congrats, Desmond, and kudos to Laec and your team on a successful show! Stay connected on upcoming Malaise-centric events in Oregon via the Facebook group at this link.

At the Barrett-Jackson 2024 Scottsdale Fall Auction, ClassicCars TV got an up-close look at a distinctive 1956 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 Coupe, the result of VW working with the Italian designers at Carrozzeria Ghia and the German coachbuilding firm Karmann.

We make sure to point out what makes the early “Lowlight” models different from their successors and the cool stuff on this particular car. It was customized with the underpinnings from a 1967 Karmann Ghia, a larger 1,835cc flat-four engine, and a handsome luggage rack. We weren’t the only ones who loved it because someone placed the winning bid of $55,000 on this attractive build.

Subscribe to the ClassicCars TV YouTube channel for more Interesting Finds.

Currently on AutoHunter is this restored 1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 convertible. The 4-4-2 became a performance and handling package for 1972, so a 4-4-2 convertible could not be determined by the VIN (aside of those equipped with the W30 package, which was a 4-4-2 exclusive). As such, the VIN will only show this car as a Cutlass Supreme convertible. However, since the engine code “V” is in the VIN, we know this car was equipped with the 270-horsepower 455, which was only available with a four-speed manual. Glance at the assembly plant document posted below and you’ll notice the “W29” code that determines this vehicle as a 4-4-2. Painted Cameo White with White top over a Saddle interior, this classic Olds comes from the seller with the Protect-O-Plate, restoration photos, original and extra parts, and more.

The Cameo Ivory paint is 11 years old and is nicely complemented with White power convertible top and Saddle Tan stripes along the sides, trunk lid, and hood. Features include “W25” fiberglass hood, black 4-4-2 grille and badges, rear bumper with notches for the exhaust pipes and extensions, dual racing mirrors, and remote trunk release. A set of 14-inch Super Stock I wheels is wrapped in G70 Goodyear Polyglas white-letter tires.

The Saddle vinyl interior features front bucket seats with power adjustment on the driver’s side. A center console houses a four-speed Hurst shifter. Other interior features include air conditioning, power windows and door locks, power steering, four-spoke steering wheel with tilt column, AM/FM stereo, and faux woodgrain trim.

Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer, 7,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the oil pressure, temperature, and fuel. A clock is located in the center of the tachometer, and a seat belt light is mounted at the top center of the dashboard. Currently, the odometer reads 2,940, though the title reads “Exceeds Mechanical Limits.”

Per the “V” in the fifth character of the VIN, this Olds came from the factory with a 455 Rocket V8 paired with a four-speed transmission, one of 66 cars built this way according to Oldsmobile. Though originally rated at 270 net horsepower, this one has been rebuilt and dyno-rated at 400 horsepower. Atop the four-barrel carburetor sits a vacuum-operated ram air induction plenum, though this car was not originally equipped with this system.

The undercarriage features a “G80” Anti-Spin rear axle housing 3.23 gears. Other features include power front disc brakes and a dual exhaust system.

Not only did Oldsmobile switch the 4-4-2 from a model to a package, but it also downgraded the standard powerplant from a 455 to a 350 two-barrel. This convertible stands tall because it’s equipped with a “proper” engine for a 4-4-2—one of the few so equipped. Never again would Oldsmobile offer a convertible with the looks and performance of this vehicle, so don’t get caught distracted by online dramas—bid now on today’s AutoHunter Spotlight because it ends on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Certain colors are synonymous with particular brands or types of cars. Silver has been the color of Mercedes-Benz motorsports for decades. British Racing Green is a classic go-to for English sports cars. If you see a Lamborghini on the street, there’s a good chance it’s covered in a bright shade of yellow or orange. Perhaps the most well known association of a color with a car is red with any Ferrari. But our Pick of the Day shows that Prancing Horses can look great in other colors—even the exact opposite of red. You can find this 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC4 listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Huntington Station, New York; the original owner’s manual, tool kit, jack, service records, and history report from Ferrari expert Marcel Massini come with the purchase of the car.

At the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari introduced the 365 GTC4, which the brand says effectively served as a replacement for the 365 GTC and the 365 GT 2+2 that was axed once the GTC4 was announced. It featured tamer bodywork—which seems to be the halfway point between Ferrari’s earlier curves and its wedge-shaped future—than the 365 GTB4 “Daytona.”

The 4.4-liter DOHC V12 was fitted with different heads (from the Daytona’s) and six side-draft Weber carburetors, resulting in a slightly lower 340 horsepower. A decrease in max revs made it less high-strung and easier to drive at low speeds. Flat out, the GTC4 was capable of hitting 161 mph—nearly 10 mph faster than the 365 GT 2+2. By the fall of 1972, the GTC4 reached the end of its production run, which yielded approximately 500 cars according to Ferrari’s count.

This particular GTC4 was made in the second and final model year, and comes finished in a dark, almost black shade of blue that makes the curvy bodywork more mysterious and seductive. Ferrari sold the bulk of these cars in the U.S. market; given the rectangular front and rear side markers, this was one was shipped to the States. The cockpit is furnished with matching dark blue leather seats and contrasting lighter blue carpet. Amenities include power steering, air conditioning, and the ability to row your own gears—something you haven’t been able to do in a modern Ferrari for a long time—with the shifter for the five-speed manual gearbox.

Technically, this Ferrari is a 2+2, but the back seats are better suited for children or being folded down to create more cargo space. Imagine you and your significant other throwing your luggage in the back and heading to the coast for a weekend getaway. If you buy this 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC4, you don’t have to imagine that wonderful scenario—you can live it. Contact the selling dealer to learn just how much money it’ll take to do that.

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

It can get somewhat chilly in the twilight of Michigan summers, but the days are strong and sunny in a way that makes one appreciate the cusp of the seasons. If you’re a drag racer, this is the perfect time for good air and good rays for peak racing fun. It’s these conditions shaping the post-Labor Day weekend that make the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race (PSMCDR) a seminal car show for muscle enthusiasts.

Now in its 31^st year, PSMCDR continues to draw both drivers and spectators to the little hamlet of Stanton for tire-smoking fun. With participants this year from as far as Maine and Florida, PSMCDR has developed into a brother/sisterhood of sorts, with racers interested in learning how to maximize the performance of their cars while learning about the intricacies of Brand X driven by competitors. You could say that all concerned parties have been brought up right, learning about their favorite brands while learning about others; fail to learn and you will likely find yourself going slower.

Approximately 106 cars—all in car show condition—went racing during the September 13, 2025 event. Would you believe almost 20 percent of the racers drove Buicks? And there were two 1971 AMC Hornet SC/360s present! In fact, in an interesting twist, there were more Cougars than Mustangs—how does that happen? At the PSMCDR, you never know what’s going to show up, yet you have an idea because the event is so enjoyable that racers keep on coming back.

If you’ve read past coverage of the PSMCDR, you know I work the event, so photography opportunities are slim. Hopefully the above and below images will give you an idea of the good things that fall under the Michigan sun.

Visit www.psmcdr.com to keep abreast of the dates for 2026.

More than a decade ago, I went to an archery range with my buddy Jacob so he could shoot targets with his compound bow. When he started talking about all the upgrades he could make to it, I had an epiphany: any interest or hobby can be as expensive as you want it to be. For example, many people are fascinated by outer space. Some watch YouTube videos about it. Others buy fancy telescopes. One family commissioned the one-off Rolls-Royce Cullinan Cosmos.

Working with Rolls-Royce’s Private Office Dubai, the clients created a special Cullinan inspired by their love of the stars and solar system—a passion they share with their four-year-old son. The exterior is finished in Arabescato Pearl, a color which Rolls-Royce says recalls “the soft lustre of moonlight across a midnight sky.” Dual hand-painted Charles Blue pinstripes add subtle contrast while the illuminated Spirit of Ecstasy serves as a sort of North Star at night.

All Rolls-Royce interiors are quiet and serene, but the Cullinan Cosmos’s cabin was designed with the stillness of space in mind. The seats are covered in the soft colors of Charles Blue and Grace White leather, and accented with Grace White stitching and piping. The high-gloss Piano White trim does more than coordinate with the color scheme—it also resembles the finish applied to satellites. A custom-made Star Cluster design was painted by hand on the passenger side of the dashboard and embroidered onto the door panels and headrests.

Fittingly, the Cullinan Cosmos’s most impressive feature is up above. For several years, Rolls-Royce has been producing vehicles with its distinctive Starlight Headliner, which uses small embedded lights to mimic the nighttime sky. The Cullinan Cosmos takes that craftsmanship into the stratosphere because it’s the first one painted by hand.

One of the automaker’s in-house artisans spent over 160 hours and laid down 20-plus layers of acrylic paint with a variety of brushes to recreate the stars and cosmic mist of the Milky Way. Once the paint was dry and sealed, the perforations for the fiber-optic lighting were made—by hand, of course.

The price for this level of customization and artistry? Rolls-Royce hasn’t said, but we’re willing to guess that it’s out of this world.

Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight is a groundbreaking car: a 1973 Datsun 240Z offered by a private party in San Jose, California. This might sound like a weird way to start off an AutoHunter Spotlight, but for years I simply hated the Datsun 240Z. This had nothing to do with the way the car drove, the way the car looked, or anything else logical. I hated the 240Z because it represented the final nail in the coffin for both the British and small-bore Italian car markets.

Looking at it logically, if you were in the market for a sports car in 1970 and bought, say, an MGB, TR6, or Alfa GTV instead of the 240Z, you were quite honestly making a choice to pay more for a lesser car. Some people did this, but the 240Z was so far ahead of every single one of its competitors—including on the racetrack—making that choice was nothing short of crazy. That’s why I hated the 240Z: It made so many cars I loved not only seem arcane but also instantaneously irrelevant in the world of sports cars.

My feelings began to change in the late 1980s, when I got to drive my friend Kevin Jordan’s 240Z for the first time. At that point I grudgingly accepted that the 240Z was truly a revolutionary car for its era.

Fast-forward 20 years: while working for Classic Motorsports magazine, I had the opportunity to help manage the Classic Motorsports Mitty, where we were celebrating both Datsun and the BRE racing team. I spent the week with literally every living member of the BRE team from that era, including Pete Brock and John Morton. Listening to their stories of that time made me understand that the Datsun Z’s history was just as amazing—and in some ways more so—as that of all the cars I felt it had killed. Today I love the 240Z and not only think it is probably the best choice for a first-time classic sports car buyer, but also that every important sports car collection should include one.

The seller describes this 240Z as powered by a reportedly numbers-matching 2.4-liter inline-six mated to a four-speed manual transmission. The car is finished in its correct Lime Yellow (paint code 112) over an interior in the correct black vinyl pattern and material. It is being offered by the seller with an owner’s manual and a clear title.

The seller reports this 240Z underwent a frame-up restoration in 2007, and it shows. The paint and bodywork look excellent; the only flaw I saw was the lack of the 240Z emblem on the rear hatch of the car (something easily corrected, which I would personally see to). The car also features dual black side mirrors (technically not correct, but they look good) and era-correct dealer-offered rocker side stripes. This is a nice-looking example. Oh, and as an aside, Lime Yellow is my absolute favorite color for the 240Z.

The interior is just as nice. The dash, which is prone to crack, looks to be in excellent condition. The seats are also correct, with the right vinyl used and the 240Z seat vents in place. The only changes I could see were the aftermarket steering wheel (which I would replace with a stock wheel, as it looks cooler) and the addition of an Alpine stereo, which I would leave alone, as the stock Datsun radio is terrible.

Under the hood is a correct (and what the seller says is numbers-matching) Datsun L24 2.4-liter SOHC inline-six engine with two correct Hitachi carburetors. It is backed by the standard Datsun four-speed manual gearbox. Everything looks to be excellent and pretty much correct. According to the seller, this engine was rebuilt when the car was restored in 2007. I personally appreciate that while everything is super clean, details like the cam cover have not been polished to an incorrect mirror finish, something I see all the time.

The 240Z has bounced up and down in the market for the last 10 or so years, with some of the very best examples selling for more than $100,000. The market has settled down a bit in the last few years, so they are now more affordable. To me, that makes a 240Z as nice as this example something I would not hesitate to make some serious bids on, as I feel we have not seen the end of what this model will do in the classic car market.

The Datsun 240Z is a true iconic sports car of the 1970s, combining great performance and incredible reliability in a very fun-to-drive package, and examples this good are becoming harder and harder to find. If you are interested, though, I would either register on our site or log in if you are already registered, as the auction for this very nice 1973 Datsun 240Z ends Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT). If you need any more inspiration to bid, read the copy on the vintage 240Z magazine ad above—it says it all.

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery