The 911 S/T is one of those cars you could spend your life trying to find and never come across a real one. Produced in very limited numbers from 1970 to 1971, we might think of the S/T as a track-oriented 911S or as a precursor to the much heralded Carrera RS. Either way these were lightened and more powerful versions of the 911 intended for endurance and rally racing. I’ve come across various figures for total production numbers, but it seems like that number is fewer than 40. How many survive today? I’m not sure. As a track car we can assume it is very, very few. That means they are a popular car to try and recreate and we find them in a wide variety of performance and aesthetic combinations. The one constant: once complete they are fantastic cars to look at and I can only assume even better to drive. The recreation we see here began life as a Sepia Brown 1972 911E and then at some point it was converted into what we see here. The seller makes clear that this is a barn find, so specific details on the build are not available and he has not put a ton of work into getting the car into pristine shape. He tuned it and got it running, but all in all it really doesn’t look in bad shape.
Month: March 2015
There were a few things missing from the earlier Alpina E21 post; notably, some of the details of the car were missing like the all important unique engine, suspension, and documentation that would help support the story of its existence. The same cannot be said for this car. Let’s go down the list of what makes this car really and truly special. First, it’s one of the last of the classic 560SECs made. Already these cars are appreciating in value, but this car also has quite low miles at only 37,500 covered since new. That low total is matched by near perfect condition inside and out. But the real value lies in the modifications; super tuner AMG, on its way into the Mercedes-Benz fold, went out with a roar with the M117/9 6.0 32 valve V8 pushing nearly 400 horsepower. While that may seem trite today, the numbers produced by the AMGs in the 1980s were enough to get your into the halls of true supercar royalty. Additionally, this car features with wild widebody kit, massive 3-piece BBS/AMG wheels and some wicked interior alterations. On top of that, there’s documentation to support it – does it get more collectable in the AMG world?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC AMG 6.0 Widebody on eBay
11 CommentsIt’s been a while since I’ve written up a 928 and I always enjoy revisiting these wonderful Porsche GTs. While the 928 finally is starting to show its age, it’s remarkable to consider how long the basic design had survived even by the time the model was discontinued and thus a bit of age at this point remains a testament to the seemingly timeless nature of that original design. The example here comes from the final model variant, the GTS, which continued the 928’s gradual evolution, smoothing some of the lines while showcasing a wider rear. Power came through a 5.4 liter V8 that directed 350 hp to the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. Sadly, this one has the auto. The 928 was always a high tech and pricey vehicle for its time and as such finding one that has been well maintained is important for avoiding some unpleasant surprises. This one appears in very nice shape all around.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1994 Porsche 928GTS on Excellence Magazine
Comments closedProvenance is something very important to many consumer goods; slap a brand name on any good and it increases the value of an otherwise ordinary product exponentially even if it’s the same formula as the budget no-name product. People are attracted to names that they recognize, and of course therefore more likely to buy those products even if they are more expensive. And in the BMW world, if 1980s BMWs were increasing in value that takes a backseat to the microscope on Alpina models. Yet, as with many tuners of the 1980s, not only is it possible to buy replica parts today, but even in period you could buy all of the pieces and slap them on just about any car. In those cases, though outwardly they look identical at times to the “real” cars that were assembled at the factories, they don’t tend to hold the same value. That’s why today’s European-spec 1982 320i is an interesting case – is it an Alpina?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 BMW 320i Alpina on eBay
4 CommentsYesterday, Carter featured one of Mercedes-Benz’s pre-war greats, the 540K Cabriolet A. Offered in coupe, sedan and cabriolet forms, this was the ultimate status symbol of 1930s Germany. It was fairly amazing, given the devastation of World War II, that German industry was able to get back on its feet so quickly and produce a vehicle like we see here, the 300Sc. While a lot of the technology that was put into this car drew on pre war technology, this was truly a successor to the magnificent and ornate 540Ks of two decades earlier. A bit baroque in appearance for the 1950s, this model would lend its fuel-injected engine into that Mercedes-Benz icon, the 300SL Gullwing. This example for sale in California is one of less than 100 produced, restored to concours condition.