This is how it started...

This Lotus Europa, I think, was the first car to capture my attention. It belonged to a family friend and as I remember, he took me for a ride in it, and I liked it because it was "my size". My parents visited us this Christmas, and my mom gave me this photo taken in April, 1973.

Diesel Distraction

1962 180Dc Mercedes. Local auction find. A cream puff with only 249,000 original miles. Column shift 4-speed transmission. Really a nice machine for backroads country cruising. Top factory rated speed of 75mph is noted as "optimistic" by most contemporary reviewers. Of note, diesel 180ds won their class in the 1955 Mille Miglia.

Corvettes

I like Corvettes. All three of these have stories. The orange one was found on Craigslist and has an interesting history. The light blue coupe was bought as a totaled wreck. The convertible is an l-71 427 with just under 50k on the clock.

79 Spitfire - Mid Restoration

This 79 spitfire is in the middle of a stalled rebuild. I originally bought this car to part out, but found that the engine had been rebuilt by a fairly well known Triumph racer from Western Michigan. The car was quite rust free, except for the frame, which I ultimately replaced. These photos are from 2006. In the meantime, I have put the body back on the frame. A couple of weekends of work, and this one should be ready for the road. Sharp-eyed readers will note the chrome bumper and earlier grill on this car. I have never liked the rubber-bumper versions of 70's British roadsters and sought to remove that scourge from this car. It is actually a pretty easy change if you have the car as far apart as I have taken this one. The holes in the frame are all there - just search your favorite online auction spot for the right parts.

Parts Is Parts

Here is a car that taught me what I should have already known about buying cars online: Don't do it without personally inspecting the car first. I was told this one "just needed an engine". Turned out it "just needed a frame", too. I ended parting it over the course of several years to try and recover some of my investment, and this is what remains. The neighbors are oh-so glad to see it go, I am sure.

Jaguar Mark IX - 1959

I just found this car locally and it turned out to be too nice to pass up. Initially, I thought of parting it out, since most Jag sedans that have spent the last 30 or 40 years in Michigan are not much more than parts donors. This one surprised me with solid floors and an engine that promises to start and run. This majestic old cat will prowl again!