Even rain couldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits at the 2024 Arizona Concours d’Elegance in January. ClassicCars TV encountered an impressive collection of classics, ranging from a 1930s Bugatti to a sleek 1990s Ferrari, with each packing rich automotive heritage. Standouts included a unique 1936 Packard Mulholland Speedster and the gilded flanks of a 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk. The overcast skies offered some benefits as the legendary 1967 Shelby King Cobra sparkled with the rain droplets.
A menacing black paint job is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to upgrades and enhancements for today’s featured Mustang. The longer you look at it, the more impressive it becomes. One thing is for sure, this build gave attention to even the smallest details. The results are jaw-dropping.
“The full blackout style of this 1967 Ford Mustang restomod gets you ready for a mean power pony, and the fuel-injected Boss crate motor doesn’t disappoint. But more than just muscle, you also get a ton of upgrades like a sports suspension, overdrive transmission, four-wheel disc brakes, and a loaded custom A/C interior. So this is exactly how to get the best of everything in one iconic package,” the listing says.
The car looks good from every angle, but my favorite perspective is the rear end which showcases the integrated spoiler. The subtle charcoal metallic ghost stripes are an attractive feature.
Power under the hood comes from a Ford Performance crate-sourced 363cid V8. Upgrades include aluminum heads, an Edelbrock intake, cast Ford Racing valve covers, Holley Terminator electronic fuel injection, MSD ignition components, and an aluminum radiator with an electric fan. Torque is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission and a Currie nine-inch rear end with 4.10:1 gearing. What speeds up must slow down, and a set of Wilwood disc brakes does the duty there.
The listing has 74 photos showing detailed aspects of the car including the exterior, interior, engine bay, and the underside. I’m tempted to use the word “flawless” to describe it, but that’s really how it looks.
“This Ford carries a proper Blue Oval muscle-machine vibe. The dual exhaust even has cutouts in case you want people to hear you coming well before you get to the show. Then again, you may choose to skip all events entirely just because you’re having too much fun on the road,” the listing says.
The asking price is $72,000 or best offer. The car was ceramic-coated within the past year, so that brilliant exterior finish will present well at shows for many years to come.
The 300th Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer – Classic Study has been completed in California.
The 1990 Porsche 911 was restored in collaboration with its owner who has named their car the ‘Sotto’ commission. This car is an example of Singer’s personalization services and love affair with the 911. Its specification represents requests made by its owner.
1990 Porsche 911 Targa (Type 964)
Presented with carbon fiber bodywork in Resistance Blue with ghosted side stripes
Bespoke interior trimmed in Orange leather with black stitching
Lightweight carbon fiber track seats with woven leather centers and nickel grommets
4.0L, naturally aspirated, air-cooled flat six, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels
Carbon ceramic brakes
Titanium sports exhaust
The milestone represents Singer’s careful but steady growth since its founding in 2009. Singer now employs over 600 people across world-class teams in California and the UK. On behalf of its global clientele, Singer brings together beauty, craftsmanship and innovation.
Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1970 Dodge Coronet 500 that has undergone $115,000 in upgrades to become quite an impressive Coronet R/T clone. It is powered by an upgraded 440cid V8 backed by a four-speed manual transmission. Features include Ramcharger hood, bucket seats, center console, Hurst “Pistol Grip” shifter, and upgraded stereo. Finished in Hemi Orange with a Black vinyl top over a Black vinyl interior, this Dodge comes with original broadcast sheet, fender tag, restoration receipts, owner’s manual, and clear title.
This Coronet 500 was originally finished in Dark Green Metallic (code EF8) with a Green vinyl top (code V1F). During the restoration process, this reportedly rust-free Coronet was repainted Hemi Orange (code EV2). Features include non-functional R/T side intakes, fender-mounted turn signal indicators, Ramcharger air induction system with 440 emblems, chrome mirrors with manual driver-side remote, wheel opening moldings, black Bumblebee stripe, and black taillight panel. A walk around-video can be seen below.
A set of 15-inch polished aluminum American Racing Torq Thrust wheels is wrapped in 215/70 (front) and 295/50 (rear) BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.
Originally equipped with Green vinyl bucket seats (code D6F8), the cabin is now finished with Black vinyl front bucket seats. Features include power steering, console with Hurst “Pistol Grip” shifter, upgraded AM/FM radio, and woodgrain accents.
The Rallye instrument cluster includes a 150-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer with clock, and gauges for the fuel level, temperature, oil pressure, and alternator. Aftermarket gauges for the oil pressure and coolant temperature are mounted under the ashtray.
This Coronet 500 was originally equipped with a 230-horsepower 318cid V8 backed by a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. However, power is now provided by a more appropriate 440 Magnum (the standard engine for the Coronet R/T) backed by a four-speed manual transmission. Engine bay features include chrome valve covers, four-barrel carburetor with aluminum intake manifold, plenum for the Ramcharger air induction system, tube exhaust headers with high-temperature coating, MSD electronic ignition system, and electric fan.
This Dodge is equipped with an independent front suspension and a solid rear-drive axle with 3.55 gears. Braking is provided by manual front discs and rear drums. A dual exhaust system exits at the rear.
Original broadcast sheet, fender tag, restoration receipts, and owner’s manual will come with the purchase of the car.
The auction for this 1970 Dodge Coronet 500 upgraded to R/T status ends Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (MST)
Actor Jason Momoa, a car lover and the villain in the most recent “Fast and Furious” movie, recently had his 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom converted to run on batteries.
He didn’t do the modification work himself, though. Instead he turned to the U.K.’s Electrogenic, which developed a custom solution for his Phantom.
The company, based on Oxford, also offers so-called EV conversion drop-in kits that can be had for early Land Rovers, including the original Defender, plus the Jaguar E-Type, original Mini, and the 964-generation Porsche 911.
The Phantom’s original engine, a 7.7-liter inline-6 developing 40-50 hp, and the original 4-speed manual transmission were replaced with an electric motor with a custom single-speed direct-drive transmission. The electric motor generates 201 hp and draws its energy from a 93-kwh battery positioned within the existing structure of the car.
The range is around 150 miles, according to Electrogenic.
The work done on the Rolls-Royce was documented by Momoa for his series “On The Roam,” which is available on HBO Max and Discovery+. According to Electrogenic, this was its most complex build yet.
Part of the reason was a desire to preserve other elements of the car that were linked to its original inline engine, like a lubrication system designed to send oil to the bushings for brake and suspension linkages, as well as other mechanical control systems.
The brakes were also a challenge. One issue was the original brake servo sat in the housing of the original transmission that was removed as part of the conversion. The company also had to calibrate the brakes to work with a new energy recovery system.
Jason Momoa with 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom EV conversion by Electrogenic
Like all of Electrogenic’s conversions, the company also wanted the modifications to be reversible.
Electrogenic found solutions to these challenges while still keeping as many of the original parts as possible, including the original brake cable actuators—something that was important to Momoa.
“I needed a team that would appreciate the storied history of this car while updating its technology,” he said in a statement.
This is not Electrogenic’s first Rolls-Royce conversion. The company has also converted a Silver Shadow. Electrogenic didn’t say how much a similar conversion would cost, but the price likely varies depending on the condition of the car and the upgrades specified.
Every American dreams about a Corvette, right? Alas, many vintage Corvettes are priced out of reach from the average enthusiast … or are they? Our Pick of the Day is a 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe that features big-block power that won’t break your bank account. It’s listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Peapack, New Jersey. (Click the link to view the listing)
When Chevrolet redesigned the Corvette for 1968, folks didn’t know what to think. Sure, the engines were familiar to those keeping up with Corvettes, but the driving position was not, plus there was a quality control issue that hurt its reputation to this day compared to subsequent years. Then came a facelift for 1970, which included an egg-crate grille pattern with matching side gills, triangular parking lights, and subtle fender flares.
Under the hood, the changes that began in 1969 were complete by 1970: in 1969, the 350 replaced the 327, and in 1970, the 454 replaced the 427. Big news on the small-block front was a delightful solid-lifter 350 with the UPC code of LT1. With 370 horsepower, the LT1 was the most expensive engine in the lineup – even more than the 454. How did that happen? Because Chevrolet planned to introduce a LS7 454 that simply never materialized, leaving the LS5 454 as the only big-block for 1970. It was rated at 390 horsepower, 30 more than when installed in the Chevelle.
For 1971, General Motors lowered the compression to all its engines, so horsepower was down yet drivability (especially with unleaded gasoline) was up. The mid-level 350 (which offered 350 horsepower) from 1970 was discontinued, so the only small-blocks were the standard 350/270 and the LT1. That engine now featured 330 horsepower (or 275 net), while the LS5 454 was now rated at 365 horsepower (or 285 net). New was an LS6 454 rated at 425 horsepower (325 net). It cost over $900 more than the LS5 but it also ran like a high-compression big-block, capable of running high-13s.
The charms of the 1971 Corvette are not lost on many for the very reason mentioned above: low-compression engines mean they’re easier to drive with today’s fuel. Combine that with big-block power and you have a very fast Corvette that’s actually more affordable than you think. This particular 1971 Corvette has no description from its seller, but we can see it’s painted Mulsanne Blue, though the data plate shows code 988 Steel Cities Gray with the optional black leather interior. As it’s a Coupe, it features the T-tops that first appeared in 1968 and became a staple of C3s. Other features we can deduce include AM/FM radio, air conditioning, Rally wheels, M21 four-speed, and the LS5 454, which can be verified by the plate on the console.
All that power and fun with classic Corvette looks doesn’t seem like it would be within reach, but suspend disbelieve and believe you me that, at $36,500, this Corvette is much more car for the money than those other fancy cars you whine about as being too expensive. Have at it and tell us how much you love your new Vette!
The aftermarket industry’s support for pickup trucks is massive. Anyone with a big enough imagination (and a big enough checkbook) can go sky-high with upgrades including lifted suspensions, all-terrain tires, underbody skid plates, brush guards, auxiliary lighting, side steps, exhaust systems, and dozens of other components. In fact, it can be overwhelming for some people to weed through the wide variety of parts available for modern-day full-size trucks.
That’s where Rocky Ridge Trucks of Franklin Springs, Georgia comes into play. Rocky Ridge takes stock trucks, usually direct from the manufacturer’s assembly line when new, and outfits them with high-quality upgrades to take the guesswork and decision-making out of the equation for the end user. Ten years ago, when this Blue Topaz Metallic half-ton Z71 was new, it received the full treatment from Rocky Ridge. It is now being sold by a dealer in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The auction will end on AutoHunter’s “All-American Tuesday.”
By way of a quick history lesson, the Silverado became the successor to Chevrolet’s popular C/K Series of pickups beginning in 1999, and it could be ordered in a wide range of full-sized truck body styles. Of course, the Silverado name itself went back much further than that, dating all the way back to 1975 when it denoted a trim level. In 2014, Chevrolet rolled out the third generation of the Silverado. One of the enhancements made to this generation was the implementation of a fully boxed high-strength steel frame.
Today’s featured truck received a long list of enhancements courtesy of Rocky Ridge when it was new. Among the upgrades were mesh grille inserts, color-keyed fender flares, chrome side steps, a spray-in bedliner, a lifted suspension, and a custom exhaust system. Power is sent to the pavement through a meaty set of 35-inch RBP Repulsor M/T off-road tires wrapped around 20-inch Dick Cepek wheels. The wheel and tire setup caters to both form and function.
Under the hood, we find an EcoTec3 5.3-liter V8 which is mated to a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission and an AutoTrac dual-range transfer case. The selling dealer has performed an oil change, so the truck is ready for the lucky new owner to get in and drive to the nearest off-road destination.
If you are on the hunt for a lifted 4×4 that already has all the right equipment to take you just about anywhere, you have just met your match.
To someone who grew up in the period of the 1970s and 80s (me) that era Trans Am of my era has been a cool car since it was new. Think about it, and you will know I’m right. The Trans Am starred in its own series of movies, had flashy 1970s style looks, and, on top of it all, was one of the best performing American cars both in straight line performance as well as handling in an era where performance had been all but forgotten. The Trans Am became the lone holdout of the high performance pony car era and offered performance and engine options that even the Camaros from the era had lost. All this helped make the Trans Am basically the last man standing in the world of the pony cars and as result the car was a legend both then and now. These are the reasons that the mid 1970s to early 80s Trans Am cars have become so popular in the collector car world today.
The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am featured here is powered by a 6.6-liter V8 backed by a three-speed automatic transmission. Features include air conditioning, power steering, a tilt steering column, an AM/FM/CD stereo, and power front disc brakes. The cars exterior is finished just like the Smokey and the Bandit car wearing black paint with a black cloth interior.
The body of this car is said to be rust-free. Exterior features include color-keyed bumpers, a front lower spoiler, correct gold accent pinstriping, a gold Trans Am hood decal, a shaker hood scoop, color-keyed mirror housings with a manual driver-side remote, and a rear spoiler. I love the gothic font used on the exterior Trans Am stickers on this era. They add a kind of heavy metal look and you can almost hear the Black Sabbath blaring out of the stereo when just looking at the car. The car rides on its correct 15-inch gold snowflake-style aluminum wheels is wrapped in Mastercraft Avenger G/T radial tires.
The interior is furnished with black cloth front bucket seats and a matching rear seat surrounded by black vinyl door panels and trim. I personally love the engine turned look of the Trans Ams of this era, especially since these cars feature 100-mph speedometers, a 6,000-rpm tachometer with an integrated clock, and gauges for the fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and voltage gauges. The full instrumentation mixed with the dash it add an extra bit of cool and a serious sporting look to the interior of the car.
Under the hood this Trans Am has its stock 6.6-liter V8. The engine compartment of this car looks to be both clean and in stock condition. All finishes look to be correct, and it looks like an honest unmodified example of a Trans Am, something harder to find that you might think. The engine is backed by a three-speed automatic transmission.
This is a nicely turned out example of the classic Trans Am, and my advice is if you have always loved these cars then you should buy one sooner than later. This one would be the perfect car to drive and show. Yours could be the winning bid, so why not take a show at buying this icon of the 1970s. If you are the winning bidder make sure you don’t forget to bring your Dio and Ozzy CDs on your first drive.
Virgil Exner released an onslaught of style upon the Detroit establishment in the fall of 1956. Every Chrysler Corporation brand was distinct in style and purpose, which has made them quite loved in the collector car market today. However, these Chrysler Corporation creations can be rather pricey today, which is why our Pick of the Day, a 1957 Dodge Coronet four-door sedan, is so refreshing. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in High Point, North Carolina. (Click the link to view the listing)
When the new Forward Look Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Chrysler, and Imperial were introduced, which was your favorite? Dodge may have come off as the sleekest of the bunch, but it arguably was also the most polarizing, as the front end was all chrome bumpers without any lattice style within (Dodge described it as a “massive mono grille”). This gave the face of the Dodge a tough look lacking the gentle features of its sister brands.
“Step into the wonderful world of Autodynamics,” said Dodge when extoling its virtues in 1957. From the hurricane of power from the Red Ram V8 to the Super D-500, the tornado of torque was tamed by the available TorqueFlite transmission. And, thanks to the Torsion-Aire Ride suspension, the Swept-Wing Dodges drove, rode, and handled like no other car you have ever driven.
Nineteen fifty-seven was the year that the industry was creeping up into the world of quad headlights. As laws on illumination were determined on a state-by-state basis, it was just a matter of time before all 48 states had approved quad headlights. Dodges looked like they had quads but, thanks to Exner and his design team, Dodges (and Plymouths) featured “twin-set” driving and parking lights to give the illusion of such. Other styling features included the “broad horizon” windshield and recessed door handles and, of course, those gorgeous swept-wing fins that gave the opportunity for clever two-toning.
But one wasn’t obliged to get swept up in the flash of the 1950s, as this 1957 Dodge Coronet four-door sedan demonstrates. This one is painted monotone black, a look that gives this Dodge a most formal appearance considering the Coronet was the lowest-priced series in the Dodge line. And before you start rolling your eyes at the idea you’ll have to pay an arm and a leg for a Forward Look Mopar, glance at what’s underneath the hood: the Get-Away Six. A flathead design measuring 231cid, this six featured 8.0 compression and put out put out 138 horsepower. It’s also backed by Chrysler Corporation’s magnificent push-button automatic. According to the seller, the six has been maintained with new master cylinder and brake line hoses, fuel and water pumps, and spark plugs.
Beyond the engine compartment, this Coronet features “new upholstery and headliner [with the] beige and black double-stitched as originally done, nearly and professionally, including the trunk carpet with vinyl rim,” adds the seller, who also says that the transmission seals will be replaced, as will the right-side rear door glass. And the best part? The price has been reduced to $12,995. Exner goodness for the price of an old Hyundai? You better sign up for this before I do!
During Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction earlier this year, nearly 2,000 vehicles crossed the block at no reserve. More than 190 of them set world records, and transactions totaled about $207 million.
One of the many eye-catching cars there was a 2003 Acura NSX-T in stunning Silverstone Metallic. This car had a few special things going for it – most notably its rare configuration. Let’s dive into the deets:
The NSX enthusiast community has consolidated production statistics for all vehicles from the first generation, which ranged between the 1991 and 2005 model years. According to the data on the NSX Prime forums, there were just 171 Silverstone NSXs from 2003. Taking the analysis a step further, there were 32 produced with black interior and 25 produced with gray interior. And lastly, when factoring in the transmission offerings for that year, only 3 four-speed automatics came out in Silverstone for 2003, and 2 of them had black interiors. Barrett-Jackson’s docket featured one of those special cars.
Adding to the mystique was the fact that the car had only 10,046 miles on the odometer. Even though its exterior design stayed attractive and relevant even in recent years, the car is now over 20 years old, so finding a particularly low mileage example such as this has become a challenge to say the least.
Here is a little bit of trivia worth noting: Automatic-equipped cars had a distinct engine. Specifically, they came with a 3.0-liter V6 that produced 252 horsepower. On the flipside, manual-equipped cars came with a 3.2-liter V6 with 290 horsepower. Whether that delta translates into a vast difference in the driving experience, I haven’t personally evaluated, but either power rating is more than ample for an all-aluminum two-seater that weighs only about 3,100 pounds. Besides, the NSX was engineered more for its optimal canyon-carving balance as opposed to its go-fast, straight-line abilities.
The strong enthusiast community for NSX cars is centered around its annual event called “NSXPO,” which is put on by the NSX Club of America (NSXCA). We have shared the NSXPO experience on The Journal before, and perhaps some of our readers will recall this story about the 2022 program in Arizona which attracted over 100 cars. NSXPO 2024 will take place October 23 through 27 in Grapevine, Texas, and registration will open up in the coming months to members of the club. Hopefully the lucky new owner of the Barrett-Jackson-sold NSX will make an appearance.
The selling price for this NSX-T was $95,700, which slotted only a little bit above its $89,000 original retail price. It is no mystery that the NSX marketplace has seen strong momentum in recent years. Some of it may have been driven by heightened awareness and attention for the nameplate when it made a comeback on a second-generation model in 2017 (it has since been discontinued). Do you think NSX values are on the rise, staying put, or making a decline? Let’s hear it in the comment section.
