Nice pictures! And 1957 was apparently a nice year for tracks - the year Laguna Seca opened, too.

When used general aviation aircraft were pretty cheap you could buy a 20 year old Aero Commander for $20-$30,000. But then most people thinking of this forgot that you would still be paying upkeep and repair costs for a plane that was close to mid 6 figures new. The plane doesn’t care what it’s market value is - it…

Sounds like a loser from the dealer’s perspective - given the very few cars that will be made and sold. Reminds me of the Mercedes-McLaren. where it had to be trailored to a special facility for anything above the most miner service/repair. Know of an owner who had some kind of brake issue and it was $14,000.

I had heard on the W220 that on the S430 there were constant electronic problems in the instrument panel that weren’t trouble on the S500. True?

Are all the new cars being supersized?

Some of those race cars are surprising. Saw a 917 at the Monterey Historics; was surprised at how small that was too.

Most of those things, other than the motor mounts and oil drain plug threads - are easy to fix. The gasket on the gas cap is not holding vacuum. Get a new factory gas cap. No big deal.

I am with you, Maggie. And FWIW Ferry and Enzo were, too. Enzo I’ve read was rather distainful towards those Ferrari owners who didn’t have some chips from rocks. Ferry, towards the story goes, was at a PCA concourse beinkg shown this better-than-new early 911.

A few things not said. The absolute smoothness and long curves tend to bring the speed up. Years ago I rented a little 1200cc Opel Corsa and felt that the front end was feeling a little light - I didn’t equate 160 kph to 100 mph.

You learn quickly what most North American drivers don’t know.

David Brown is giving you the “thumbs up”

Building them was more of an art than a science. My uncle’s construction company many years ago had a couple of scouts and the mechanic there said you never knew what kind of part might be required.

He’s lucky he didn’t break his wrist or ankle

I was in Manhattan 10 years ago and a friend took me to a used car place it only had six cars.

Not sure you would want to do this with full load

What a spoiled brat. I suspect that if Alfred Neubauer, legendary racing manager for Daimler-Benz from 1926-1955, he would have been eased out.

The funniest thing I heard of was finding that a piston from some Soviet tractor fit into an old car - an early 50s Chevy?

Still. for those who think Cuban Cars are the mother lode of collectors I think finding your dream car mcGyvered beyond redemption would be a dampener...

I am really not familiar with Evans. Maybe he is is an obnoxious prima donna.

I do know that they are under tremendous pressure to duplicate the success brought by Clarke, May and Hammond.

It can’t be done, not because they had more “talent” but they all had their own synergy that gradually over time came together…

Wonderful piece, Robb. On pros riding passenger to amateurs, reminds me of a piece Peter Egan of R & T wrote years ago about Phil Hill. He was to pick up Phil at the Rome airport to go somewhere for an article.

sounds like the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Put some crap in the oil sump, seize the engines and paint them pink.

BTW there is someone running around town with this Hatchback - same color although AFAIK not an Alpina. I don’t remember them importing this to the US officially