Journal Classic Cars

Mercedes-Benz has been building some of the finest cars in the world for more than 100 years. The company literally invented the automobile and, over the years, has created some truly landmark models including the prewar 500 and 540K, the 300SL and, more recently, the AMG Black Series. Beyond its sports offerings, it also builds the S-Class sedans—arguably the measuring stick for quality. Within the S-Class, there are a few true standouts; the first of these was the 300 SEL 6.3 sedan.

The 6.3, as Mercedes fans call it, was the first true high-power sports sedan. If you think that’s a crazy statement, then consider the 1970 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan can cover 0-60 in 6.9 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15 seconds, with a top speed of 136 mph. By comparison, the 1970 911S, Porsche’s highest-spec pure sports car at the time, took 7.3 seconds to get to 60 and had a quarter-mile time only one-tenth of a second faster than the 300 SEL. If that’s not enough for you, Road & Track called the car “the greatest sedan in the world,” Motor Trend stated it was “the safest, fastest, and most comfortable 4-door sedan made today,” and racing legend Dan Gurney said the 300 SEL 6.3 “was the best car he had ever driven. Bar none.”

Our AutoHunter Spotlight for today is one of these cars, a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 offered by a dealer located in Gladstone, Oregon. The auction ends Tuesday, August 12, at 12:15 p.m. (PST).

This Mercedes is described as being powered by its reportedly original 6.3-liter SOHC M100 V8, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The car is painted in Beige Gray and brown two-tone over a Dark Tobacco Brown leather interior, and is now offered by the selling dealer with a clear title. It is one of a total of 6,526 300 SEL 6.3s produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1968-72.

The exterior of this car looks to be in exceptional condition, with few (if any) paint flaws to be seen in the provided photos. The seller does state there are minor imperfections, but the key word is minor. The car is equipped with factory 14-inch “bundt pan” wheels, which are period-correct in both size and style for this car. This really appears to be an extremely well-cared-for Mercedes.

The interior, with its aforementioned Dark Tobacco Brown leather, also looks to be in excellent original condition. The seats and door panels seem to be in fine shape with no noticeable flaws. The car is fully loaded with power windows, air conditioning, and a sunroof, and it still has the factory Becker radio.

The dash instrumentation includes a 150-mph speedometer and tachometer, gauges for oil pressure, temperature and fuel level, and a clock. I see no dash cracks and, like the rest of the car, everything looks to be in excellent condition.

Under the hood is more of the same, with the Mercedes 6.3-liter SOHC M100 V8 appearing to be both clean and completely unmodified. The entire engine compartment looks to be correct in every way and is in fantastic condition.

The underside of this Mercedes looks just as good. There appears to be no surface rust, it is very dry of oil, and is amazingly clean.

These Mercedes 6.3s are truly amazing cars, and collectors have caught on to this. I have driven a number of them over the years, and they never fail to impress. Quite a few of my friends own 6.3s; they tend to be the cars they would never consider selling. If you are in the market for one, this looks to be an example that, due to its quality, will demonstrate just what an excellent 4-door sports car the 300 SEL 6.3 is. That being said, you had better act fast and make a bid, as the auction for this 1970 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 ends Tuesday, August 12, at 12:15 p.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

With so many Chevrolets on the streets, it’s often difficult to find one that’s unusual. That’s typically the fault of conformist owners because, statistically speaking, so many Chevys produced should mean that interesting ones pop up on the radar more often. For those of you bored by Hugger Orange Camaros, allow us to introduce to you our Pick of the Day, a 1969 Chevrolet Malibu Sport Coupe. It is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Canton, Ohio.

Chevrolets are like the Homecoming King who’s also the QB of the football team and the student council president: they tend to be attractive and have broad appeal, the respect of the people around them, and the hatred of also-rans. It’s difficult having allegiance to Brand X when you have Chevrolet folks who only know Chevys and will put small-blocks in anything, almost like a parasitic insect. Utter disrespect! Yet, once in a while, along comes a Chevrolet that sticks out. This is that car.

The 1969 Chevelle was facelifted for 1969, the second year for this generation. New was the elimination of vent windows for two-door hardtops and convertibles, as was the discontinuation of the Chevelle 300, leaving the 300 Deluxe at the bottom of the hierarchy. Interestingly, the SS 396 lost its model status and became a performance package, with Chevrolet making it available on the 300 Deluxe Coupe (with B-pillar) and Sport Coupe (without), the Malibu Sport Coupe, and the Malibu Convertible.

Also new was the mid-year addition of the 427 through Chevrolet’s Central Office Production Order (COPO) system, a channel for fleet orders that allowed Chevrolet to break the rules and produce an engine larger than the 396 in the Chevelle. Like the COPO Camaro, the COPO Malibu was not a Super Sport but featured some SS regalia (such as the hood). Another similarity was that Yenko Chevrolet in western Pennsylvania converted some into Yenko Super Cars.

The Malibu continued to sit at the top of the Chevelle lineup. All Malibu body styles except the Coupe were trimmed with Cortez Silver on the lower body and decklid panel—a nice touch.

These days, you don’t often see cars flaunting this trim because countless Chevelles have been modified by everybody and his mom, but this 1969 Chevrolet Malibu Sport Coupe shows us how it should appear. Additionally, this is a two-tone car—note the Glacier Blue body with Dover White top. Only 4,590 Chevelles of all trim levels and body styles were painted in this combination, so breaking it down would suggest there were few built like this. “Sporting an older cosmetic restoration, this car still looks fresh. The Glacier blue paint is near perfect and the car is laser straight,” says the seller. “The blue interior has been freshened up with seat covers and door panels. The rest of the interior appears to be original with only a ‘70s sport steering wheel and a newer Custom Auto Sound stereo system.” An SS hood and 15 x 8-inch Rally wheels have been added.

Aside from COPOs and SS 396 cars, the biggest engine available in the Malibu was the 350 small-block, which this has, though it’s been warmed up “with a little over-stock camshaft, aluminum intake, and four-barrel carb” plus headers and dual exhaust outlets that end in SS-style tips. If you wear a Bow Tie yet march to a different Chevy beat, we can think of three colorful reasons why this $39,995 Malibu is the right one for you.

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

Even though it’s hot right now, technically it’s “convertible weather.” Once fall hits, driving a convertible will be even more pleasant. There will be more of them out on the road, but you won’t see many four-door drop-tops. The likelihood of seeing one like our Pick of the Day, a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 Cabriolet D “Adenauer”, is even lower. You can find it listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in St. Louis.

At the first Frankfurt International Motor Show in April 1951, Mercedes introduced the 300 model, which the automaker today calls “the biggest and fastest serial car of German production of its time” and “the true successor of the ‘Grand Mercedes’ of the pre-war era.” It made a strong and lasting impression on the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer, who would only be chauffeured in a Mercedes-Benz 300, even when he was in another country. More than 70 years later, the 300 is colloquially known as the “Adenauer.”

Mercedes only built 455 Cabriolet Ds between March 1952 and April 1954; subsequent versions were identified as the 300 b, 300 c, and 300 d Cabriolet D. This particular first-series Cabriolet D received “a complete nut-and-bolt restoration some years back.” As part of the overhaul, the stately body was finished in Pearl Green, which is all the more noticeable thanks to a generous amount of bright trim. The wheels are fitted with body-color covers and wide-whitewall bias-ply tires. A Dark Green Haartz cloth top with external hinges covers both rows of passengers.

Just like the exterior, the cabin features colors that complement each other well—the seats have been reupholstered in tan leather with dark green piping. Glossy burl wood trim covers the top of the dashboard and extends up the A-pillars and across the top of the door panels.

Despite the substantial updates surrounding it, the original Becker-Nürburg radio has been retained; the same goes for the Karl Baisch luggage between the two spare tires in the trunk. Other artifacts include the original owner’s and service manuals.

This W186’s restoration extended underneath the hood to the dual-carbureted SOHC 3.0-liter straight-six. Factory-rated at 115 horsepower and 144 lb-ft of torque, it transfers its output through a column-mounted four-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels.

If you want to enjoy the pleasures of top-down driving along with other convertible drivers but not blend in with them, check out this 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 Cabriolet D. The selling dealer’s listing instructs you to contact them for the price, though the website shows a price of $295,000.

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

Last week, we delved into several Consumer Guide books that surveyed the used car market. American Motors was the object of its affection (or lack thereof), so now it’s time to leave Kenosha and head towards Highland Park, home of the Chrysler Corporation.

The 1970s were a tumultuous time for the Chrysler Corporation. Even in 1970, with several fresh models and interest from the youth market, things were not fine behind the scenes. Chrysler’s surplus of sales bank cars was costing the company A LOT of money, plus there were rising material and labor costs, and high interest rates along with high debt, all leading to compromised profit margins.

Let’s look at it from a kid’s perspective. While at Arden Montessori, I could not help but notice Chrysler Corporation vehicles were the ones with reliability issues. One kid named Paul (who always dressed up as a cowboy) had parents who picked him up in a 1966-67 Charger or a Valiant. Both constantly had stalling issues, if not failing to start (and, yes, I scored an education on Chrysler’s famous starter with no tuition). It could be suggested that Paul’s dad was a motorhead and owned cars that were not street-friendly, but how else does six-year-old me develop a perception that Chrysler products are unreliable?

Cue the Consumer Guide book, which noticeably complained about most of Chrysler’s products . . . except one. That one we will revisit when we discuss Plymouth and Dodge, but for now, we will discuss Chrysler and Imperial. Please note the CG rating scale of 5 being Excellent and 1 being Poor.

Chrysler and Imperial
“Chrysler management decisions during the past decade [the 1970s] have been a comedy of errors … This series of mistakes came from a company that is far ahead of most of its competition in engineering excellence.”

• Cordoba: “While the repair record is no longer good enough to rate … as a best used-car buy, it isn’t a bad car either, if you can do your own engine work.”  CG rating: 4
• Imperial: “Higher-than-average owner complaint history for body rattles and rust tendencies.” CG rating: 1-2
• Chrysler LeBaron: “The engineers have done an excellent job of insulating LeBaron from unwanted road noise and surface irregularities without making it too soft for stability and control in emergency maneuvers.”  CG rating: 4
• Newport/300/New Yorker: “Chrysler’s large cars seem to have a detonator timed to go off around 50,000 miles … Before that magic point, the cars maintain average or even better-than-average records.” CG rating: 1-2
• Newport/New Yorker (1980): “All these Chrysler R-body models rate a notch below GM and Ford competitors.” CG rating: n/a

Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight shines on the first year of the Chevrolet SS 396: 1966, two years after the debut of the Pontiac GTO. Someone in readerland is going to say that 201 were built in 1965, but those were Malibu SSs with the Z16 package, so forgive us for making the distinction. Of course, this 1966 Chevelle SS 396 Sport Coupe is powered by a “porcupine-head” 396, the first of the “Mark IV” big-blocks. The 396 was available in three states of tune, with this restored example having 325 horsepower that is backed by an M20 four-speed. Other features include five-spoke SS mags, the gauge package, a center console, a factory AM/FM radio, and more. Painted Ermine White with a black vinyl top over a black interior, this Bow Tie comes from the selling dealer with a clear title.

The Ermine White is complemented by a black vinyl top. Other exterior features include a louvered hood, dual chrome side mirrors, rocker and wheel arch trim, a blacked-out grille, and SS 396-specific badges on all four sides of the car. A set of 14-inch SS wheels are wrapped in 225/70 Goodyear Eagle ST raised-white-letter radials.

The black interior features vinyl bucket seats up front. Other interior features include a two-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel, center console with the shifter and a clock, an AM/FM radio, and more.

Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for the oil pressure, coolant temperature, battery, and fuel level. Additionally, an aftermarket 6,000-rpm tachometer is mounted on the dashboard to the right of the steering column. The odometer shows 62,756 miles, though the title reads mileage-exempt.

The L35 396 was rated at 325 horsepower when new. It is topped by a four-barrel carburetor and flanked by chrome valve covers. This engine sends its output through an M20 wide-ratio four-speed manual transmission.

Out back, you’ll find a dual exhaust system running around the rear axle that houses 3.31 gears. Braking is handled by four drums.

It’s undeniable that 1966 Chevelles are good-looking. It’s also undeniable that the 396 is one of the top engines of the muscle car era. Combine the two and you have this very cool, restored 1966 Chevelle SS 396 Sport Coupe for sale on AutoHunter. To bring it to your garage, you must make the top bid before the auction ends on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT)—if you’re reading this before that date, it’s very soon!

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Every person who enjoys automobiles also loves talking about them, especially their own. By submitting your My Classic Car story, you can tell the ClassicCars.com Journal‘s thousands of readers about your vehicle all at once.

That’s how proud owners have spread the word about their 1-of-1 1974 Cadillac Mozelle, 1959 Chevrolet El Camino that went Down Under, James Bond-inspired 1970 Mercury Cougar XR-7 convertible, and dozens of other beloved machines. Sharing your My Classic Car story also gives you the chance to let us know your favorite things about it, how it’s been a part of significant moments in your life, and its importance to your family.

We know it’s impossible to love cars and not talk about them. We want to hear all about yours, so we’ve made the process of submitting your very own My Classic Car story easy. Do that right now by using the form below!

Carolyn and Craig Jackson, known for their commitment to the collector car industry and community, will showcase their most recent restoration, a 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Chassis No. 57406, during this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, August 17 in Carmel, California. The freshly restored Bugatti, which will be exhibited in the European Classic class, reflects the Jacksons’ efforts to make the Stelvio closer to a sound vintage rally car and honor the car’s previous owner and their friend, Don Williams. The Pebble Beach Concours will be the first public appearance of the car since its restoration. Additionally, the Jacksons will display “Little Red,” one of the most historically significant Shelby Mustangs ever built, at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on Friday, August 15, 2025.

“We were deeply honored to assume stewardship of the Bugatti Type 57 previously owned by my close friend, Don Williams,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “When working with my team, we not only wanted to ensure the Bugatti was mechanically sound but honor Don’s legacy and his love for the craftsmanship and design of this beautiful car. It’s especially rewarding to showcase this Bugatti during this year’s Monterey Car Week, where fellow auto aficionados and collectors from around the world can share our passion for this newly restored Bugatti.”

Examined by Bugatti Heritage and Certification Specialist Luigi Galli, the Bugatti retains its original No. 286 engine, No. 98C transmission (typically seen in a supercharged Stelvio), No. 427 rear axle and its No. 80 internal frame. Under Jackson’s leadership, the engine was completely rebuilt, the chassis was stripped and sandblasted and the body was fully repainted a deep, rich PPG black. Jackson selected a striking silver for the “sweep panels” that matches his 2023 Bugatti Chiron, creating a visual bridge between the marque’s prewar elegance and modern hypercar performance.

“Carolyn and I are very proud of the work that our talented team poured into the restoration of the Bugatti, and to have this historic vehicle as part of our collection,” said Jackson. “We’re honored to now be a part of this car’s rich provenance, which includes its original owner, Mr. R. Petit, as well as French actor Jacques Dufilho, 12 Hours of Sebring founder Alec Ulmann, the Blackhawk Museum and Don Williams. We’re committed to preserving it for the next generation of collectors.”

Further highlighting the Jacksons’ dedication to preserving automotive history, they will also showcase “Little Red” at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. One of the most historically significant Shelby Mustangs ever built, the 1967 Shelby GT500 EXP prototype nicknamed “Little Red” is the only twin supercharged Shelby ever built and is equipped with a 428ci engine and dual four-barrel carburetors. “Little Red” was lost for decades, Jackson led the five-year effort to locate, recover and restore the coupe to its original factory specifications.

“I’ve had the privilege of learning how to work on and restore cars with my late brother Brian, as well as my father Russ, Don Williams and Tom Barrett,” said Jackson. “The opportunity to present our restored Bugatti connects all of us to its legacy of craftsmanship and innovation that has shaped the automotive industry for over a century. Carolyn and I will continue to be part of world-class events that preserve and elevate timeless vehicles – whether it’s a rare European classic or a one-of-one American icon.”

Do you enjoy cartoons? I’m a big fan of Bugs Bunny, having spent my youth watching many Warner Brothers shorts among others that were in syndication. Another Warner Brothers character joined forces with Plymouth for 1968 and started a cartoonish trend in Detroit, four examples of which you can find below. All are cars for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com.

Can you identify each? Please tell us in the Comments section below. If you need a hint, just click on the respective image that’s giving you fits.

Click on a photo to reveal each car

Every Tuesday you can solve a new automotive puzzle at The Classic Cars.com Journal. You can also play previous games for even more car fun!

The term “car enthusiast” is a little misleading. Every one of them that I know doesn’t just have their car(s)—they have a collection of Hot Wheels or 1:18-scale model cars or automotive memorabilia. Some enthusiasts out there even enjoy putting together Lego kits that look like their favorite cars. If you’re one of those people, get your credit card out because Lego has made the Bugatti Centodieci the newest addition to its Speed Champions line, and it’s available now.

Consider the Bugatti Centodieci (Italian for 110) the company’s homage to one of its modern classics. From the late 1980s until the mid 1990s, Bugatti was owned by Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli. In that short time, Bugatti built the EB110 GT, a quad-turbo V12-powered hypercar with a six-speed manual, and the lighter and more powerful EB110 Supersport at a factory in Italy.

In 2022, Bugatti produced a run of 10 Centodieci models powered by an 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 and styled after the EB110 Supersport, complete with a small horseshoe-shaped front grille, a red Bugatti badge on the nose, five cooling holes on each side, and a black rear wing.

Lego’s 291-piece version of the Centodieci not only recreates its signature design elements, but the literal “kit car” also has the same color basic scheme as the final Centodieci that Bugatti made: white over a blue interior—minus the leather, of course. The included minifigure can either be put behind the wheel or used to draw more attention to the latest addition to your shelf full of car-related collectibles.

Over the last 25 years or so, I have owned 34 different 911 models, with the oldest being a 1969 911S and the newest an RS America. Within that group of cars, I have also owned a 1973 Carrera RS, a 1977 Turbo Carrera, and other higher-end air-cooled 911 cars. Of all those, there is only a single sub-model 911 that I chose to own not just once, but twice: the 1978-83 911SC.

The reason? I feel the 911SC was not only the best built, but also perfectly sums up the entire 911 experience. It is as if everything came together in that model, combining all the lessons learned with a strong engine and what is probably the ultimate development of the classic 911 chassis. The secret few people will tell you is that the SC drives just like every other 911, including the 1973 Carrera RS. I know some will disagree, but I have thousands of miles behind the wheel of both models, and that was my takeaway.

Our AutoHunter Spotlight is one of these cars, a 1978 Porsche 911SC offered by a private seller in North Haven, Connecticut.

This Porsche 911 would not be considered a show car; it looks like it has been well-loved and used for years. According to the seller’s listing, they have owned this 1978 911SC for the last 32 years, since 1993 or thereabouts. This is exactly the kind of owner I want to buy a vehicle from, as they know its history.

The exterior of this SC is finished in black over a tan interior. Looking at the photos makes me think this car might still have a lot of the original paint, as it has numerous chips and other flaws. Personally, I would leave the paint alone – simply detail it as well as possible and drive it. Some modifications include a very period-type modification of a Turbo Carrera-style rear tail. Other spot-on period changes include a set of 16-inch BBS RA wheels. This wheel swap was very common in the 1980s and they look great. The seller does note there is some curb rash on the wheels, which is something worth fixing.

The interior is a mix of correct and incorrect. The door cards, rear seats, and dash all look correct and in decent shape. The front seats, while in good condition, have definitely been recovered in cloth. I am not sure if I would just leave them alone or recover them with the correct leather. The seller states the dash has a few cracks, but I can’t see them in the photos.

The engine compartment is simply that of an old 911SC. It looks like it would clean up nicely, though, and would be worth the time to make it as nice as possible. I think that the way it would look after a detail would be quite surprising.

The seller states both the engine and the transmission of this 911SC received comprehensive rebuilds and that the engine rebuild cost $22,000, which is on par with costs these days. I would want to know who did the work. Connecticut has some great air-cooled 911 shops, and if it was done by one of them you just got extra-lucky.

So what we have here, in my opinion, is the perfect air-cooled 911 to simply drive and enjoy. You can even take it to a Porsche show or two. If some know-it-all comments that it’s too bad it is so worn, ask them what their 911 looks like. Chances are they don’t have one. At that point you can just bask in the feeling of owning a legendary air-cooled 911 you can drive everywhere and every day.

These cars are truly something special, and the driving experience is unlike any other sports car in the world. Sure, you can pay six figures for a mint in-the-box super-low-mile Porsche you are afraid to drive – or you can instead buy this car, one that is likely affordable and perfectly demonstrates just what driving and owning a classic 911 is all about.

The auction for this 1978 Porsche 911SC Coupe ends Friday, August 8, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery