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Over the last few years in the collector car market the most popular, and the biggest price increases. have been in the Porsche market; more specifically with air-cooled models such as the 911 and the 912. Many of these car prices have more than doubled in the last 2 or so years and cars that were once affordable are now starting at around $50,000.

There is an alternative and that is the Porsche 914. It is true that prices for the 914 have also skyrocketed but only on certain models. You can still but a 1.8 liter 914 for what still seems a fair price. Yes, the 1.8-liter cars are the slowest 914 cars that Porsche built, but let’s get real here. No 914 powered by its stock air-cooled 4-cylinder engine is fast, and if you do want more power getting it is as easy as buying a larger displacement engine. In many ways that misses the point, as no matter what engine a 914 is powered by, it is possibly the most fun to drive classic Porsche you can buy. They handle amazingly well, have great steering and brakes, and always feel much faster than they are. The old adage that it is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow may well have been used while talking about the 914 driving experience.

The Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 1975 Porsche 914 1.8-liter car finished in Silver paint with a black with tartan inserts interior.

According to the Ft. Worth, Texas dealer offering this car, “the paint is an older respray that still shines up decently and is more than presentable. The other details such as the front and rear bumpers and the Targa roof show little evidence of UV damage or fading. In addition, all indicator lenses, stainless trim, and the original alloys all attest to the fact that someone has really cared for this Porsche.”

The interior is a great retro look with black vinyl seats with red tartan inserts. This was an option for these later edition 914 cars, and it looks great on this silver car.

Happily, this 914 is still equipped with its original Bosch L-Jetronic fuel-injection and not carbs. As a result, the car starts easily and idles smoothly. In addition, being a 1975 914 this car is equipped with the greatly improved ‘side-shifter’ 5-speed manual gearbox which makes shifting that much more smoot and easy.

The overall stock condition of this car is what makes it attractive to me. Over the years people have tried to make the 914 faster and was often done using various cheap bolt-on parts, which is less than ideal. Nice stock 914s are hard to find, so that makes this car a nice example.

The single biggest issue with the 914 is rust. Looking at the photos in this ad show a car with remarkably clean floorpans and no hint of any rust. I also like the aftermarket rocker trim and that this car is equipped with, and the optional center console with auxiliary gauges.

The asking price for this 914 is a very fair $18,995 and offers a lot of Porsche air-cooled goodness for a fair price.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Old Cars features a reader’s 1967 Ford Thunderbird Tudor.

Neil Flavin is the proud owner of this pretty bird. This ’67 Thunderbird Tudor is one of the finest around.

This is what Neil had to add on his prized Ford…

“I purchased this from the original family and continued to make it roadworthy. Not one you see every day. It has a unique, artistic design with a lot of history behind the look, especially with the front end. The “Glamour Birds” may not be the most popular ones out there, but they are beautiful classics.”

If you would like your car featured in Reader Wheels click on the link below and tell us a little bit about your ride.

CLICK HERE

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In the annals of automotive videos, few people have carved a niche as great as Ken Block. Starting in 2010, Ken produced three Gymkhana 3 videos with his Ford Fiesta, which brought him world-wide fame beyond his Subaru exploits on “Top Gear.” Ken’s prowess became a “thing” on social media, a trademark of sorts and a demonstration of what could be done with driver skill and monster horsepower.

But for those of you not in-the-know, Ken has been a professional rally driver since 2005 and is currently a member/co-owner of the Hoonigan Racing Division. While not one of the official Hoonigan competition cars, this 1965 Mustang “Hoonicorn” V2 was on display at SEMA 2022 showing off the updates to its 845-horsepower Roush Yates 410ci, such as a pair of Garrett GTX3584RS turbochargers and a nifty Borla Exhaust system. Power output is now an astounding 1400 horses and 1,250 lb-ft of torque, which is directed through a Sadev SC90-24 6-speed rally transmission.

Discover more of Hoonicorn V2’s charms as AutoHunter Cinema host Jalopy Jeff gives you the skinny on this off-the-hook pony car.

Ford’s Bronco II isn’t a darling of internet listicles just yet—it’s not one of the “10 4x4s You Should Buy Right Now!”—but its popularity and its value seems to be growing. Prices for Bronco IIs haven’t skyrocketed, however there has been steady, significant appreciation over the last decade. Five years ago, for instance, the average value of a Bronco II was estimated at approximately $7,000, while today that estimate is nearly $14,000. The earliest examples of these compact SUVs are now well over 35 years old, but due to the sheer numbers produced, nice examples can still be found at affordable prices.

At Mecum’s Chicago auction in October, a good-looking ’86 Bronco II Eddie Bauer edition changed hands for $9,800—a solid deal for the buyer and slightly below the $13,383 market average estimated by classic.com as of this writing. Aside from some signs of wear on the cloth upholstery covering the driver’s seat, and some typical aging, the truck’s interior was very presentable and livable. Outside, it wore tan accent stripes over Dark Walnut paint and rolled on the cast aluminum wheels that were included in the Eddie Bauer package.

Standard across the board that year in the Bronco II was the North American-version of the 2.9-liter “Cologne” V-6. These engines (and the earlier 2.8) had a reputation for cracked cylinder heads, but an update rectifying that came in 1989. This can affect the value of earlier Bronco IIs, but there are aftermarket replacement heads available— valvetrain noise is common in these engines as well.

At Mecum’s Harrisburg sale in July, a 1990 Bronco II that looked to be in very good condition inside and out, fetched $15,000— just above the average estimated going rate. Perhaps the higher price paid was due to the later model year and the more desirable updated engine.

Several examples have crossed Hemmings’ auction block recently: a clean-looking 1990 in October 2021 that bid up to $11,800 and didn’t sell; a modified 1988 that is currently listed on HMN.com with the owner accepting offers against on asking price of $23,500; and another modified Bronco II with a four-inch suspension lift and big tires is listed with an asking price of $21,450.

Ford pulled the wraps off its Bronco II in March of 1983 for the 1984 model year. The scaled-down, two-door SUV was greeted with positive reviews and strong sales. By the end of the decade, however, reports of rollover accidents led to dozens of lawsuits. By 1992—two years after the Bronco II was discontinued—Ford was facing nearly $750 million in claims filed by accident victims or their surviving families.

Color bar graph depicting the value of a 1984-'90 Ford Bronco II from 2018 to 2022.

The Bronco II rode on a 94- inch wheelbase and shared its chassis with the Ranger pickup — though the shortest Ranger wheelbase measured 108 inches. For perspective, the Bronco II measured just 1/2-inch longer than the Jeep CJ-7 and it was six inches shorter than the S-10 Blazer.

The four-wheel-drive Bronco II and the new-for-’86 two-wheel-drive version rode on independent front ends with coil springs. The two-wheel-drive used a version of Ford’s Twin I-Beam front end while the 4x4s had Ford’s Twin Traction-Beam. Out back, under all Bronco IIs, was Ford’s 7.5-inch rear axle with leaf springs. Braking was handled by 10.9-inch discs with single-piston calipers in the front and 9-inch drums in the rear.

For 1986, the Bronco II was offered with the new, fuel-injected 2.9-liter 60-degree V-6 that replaced the carbureted 2.8 powering the ’84-’85 trucks. A Mitsubishi four-cylinder diesel was also offered in the Bronco II early on, but proved unpopular.

A five-speed manual transmission was the base offering (a four-speed in 1984) or buyers could opt for an automatic. The three-speed C5 was the first automatic used, but it was replaced by a four-speed box by 1986. New for ’86 was an optional shift-on-the-fly transfer case called Touch Drive that was paired with automatic locking hubs. A manual shift case with lock-in hubs was still standard issue.

The Bronco II received only minor changes for 1987 and ’88, but the front end got a makeover for 1989. In February 1990, Ford pulled the plug on Bronco II production altogether and it was replaced by the Explorer.

The Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (“MCACN” to those in-the-know) just wrapped up its annual event in Chicago, and the folks who put it on killed it once again … what? You don’t know about this event and the inherent goodness of efforts involved? Read on!

MCACN was one of those events that you could have caught in magazines the same way I did. I told myself, “This looks cool — I’m gonna go next year.” And then, once you go through the doors and see that neon sign and the cars on the floor, you soil yourself. It’s simply flabbergasting the number of cars that wow you, and then you think, “How are they going to top it next year?” And then when you visit the next year, you are overcome with the same feeling of wonderment and glee because the folks that work behind the scenes have put on another show that rates an 11 on a scale of 1-10 (a la “Spinal Tap”). It’s simply unbelievable, time and time again, a spectacular one-two punch along with Thanksgiving.

If you caught the ClassicCars.com Journal preview of MCACN, you can see what was planned. In the ensuing days, we will publish a serial of the different displays but, for now, consider this an introduction that shows the variety of cars that were in attendance, such as this 1967 Pontiac GTO that was one of the giveaway vehicles in a Thom McAn contest.

This 1960 Corvette is known as the Cunningham Corvette. Briggs Cunningham wanted to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in an American car with American drivers, so be brought a team of three Corvettes to do just that. All three featured the same options, all curated by Zora Arkus-Duntov, Chevrolet engineer and Corvette godfather. The #3 car was driven by John Fitch and Bob Grossman, and it crossed the finish line first in its class and eighth overall. This marked the first time a Corvette achieved that distinction.

Believe it or not, when you ordered the Stage 1 engine for the 1970 Buick GS 455, the standard transmission was a three-speed manual. Sixteen hardtops and two convertibles were built in this configuration, and two of them were at MCACN.

You think that’s nifty? Then check out this 1966 Pontiac GTO, which was originally built in its standard configuration — that means it’s a three-on-the-tree. Betcha never seen one of those!

Here are two 1970 Mustang SportsRoofs, Fordspeak for “fastback.” Notice neither are Mach Is. Both were built with the R-code 428 Cobra Jet with ram air, so here you have two of 496 built. Both also have the Drag Pack, so 170 of the 496 were like these.

Garner Customs & Restorations had a display showing their wares, including this 1970 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W30 convertible that was originally painted in Chrysler’s Plum Crazy. Special-order colors are rare, but when it’s another brand’s, it’s a new twist. Dig the 1970 Rallye 350 too.

In a similar vein is this 1970 Plymouth Road Runner — it was produced in a special-order color. Often known as Corporate Blue, it’s fondly referred to as “Petty Blue.” A handful of these have been found over the years, but they all have been special-order vehicles.

Remember that Superbird that was tossed around by Hurricane Ian in Florida? Well, it was at MCACN. Seems a collector bought it and its Daytona sister, then the new owner called Magnum Auto Restoration to see if they could bring the bird up to spec. As luck would have it, an associate had just dropped off a vehicle and had an empty trailer, so the Superbird was taken to its new home in one fell swoop.

Here are two 1971 Hemi Dodges: Challenger R/T and Charger R/T. That year, the Challenger received a mild facelift with new striping, while the Charger was all-new. Mopar expert Scott Smith told me this Charger is one of the best originals he has ever seen. Note the rubber bumpers, a rare option that was only available in a limited number of colors.

“Supercars” is the name often referred to dealer-prepped vehicles. The 1969 Camaro on the left is a Dick Harrell Camaro, which doesn’t have as high visibility as, say, a Yenko, but Dick Harrell was helping Yenko and others so he could be seen as the Big Kahuna of Supercars. Next to it is a 1969 Yenko Nova, one of 37 built.

This 1969 Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t look special compared to a lot of other cars at MCACN, but it features a 300-horsepower 350 backed by a four-speed manual, making it a nice performance car incognito. Note the silver trim, which was a part of the Malibu series.

Mike Mancini’s American Muscle Car Restoration always has a lift in their display to tout its talents, especially when being judged (an option for MCACN participants). Here he and his team had a 1968 Plymouth GTX 440 four-speed convertible, 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona and 1970 Challenger R/T 440 Six Pack, but don’t think they just do Mopars — several years ago, they featured an award-winning Olds 4-4-2 W30.

The holy grail among muscle cars are Hemi E-body convertibles. This 1970 Hemi’Cuda convertible hasn’t been seen in years, but a new owner dusted it up and brought it to MCACN. Note that it’s a triple black car with great options like Elastomeric front bumper.

Speaking of black Hemi’Cudas, there was one in Ryan Brutt’s Barn Finds & Hidden Gems display. You can count on complete coverage of all these rough diamonds in a future story.

Even Auto World was on hand to help enthusiasts feed another part of their hobby.

These are but a selection of cars at MCACN. Stay tuned for features on each of the displays but, for now, check out a few more vehicles in the below gallery.

The Porsche 912 is being revived and upgraded by a new automotive company from Budapest. That was an odd sentence to write, but KAMM Manufaktur is taking original Porsche 912s and giving them the restomod treatment, and the results are legit. KAMM’s 912c maintains the lines and grace of the 912 but modernizes most aspects of the car. Founded by Miklós Kázmér, KAMM focuses solely on the 912, with the first details of the 912c released on September 8th of this year.

“I have worked on my vision of the perfect 912 for many years, creating a world-class team of engineers and experts to help make my dream a reality,” says Kázmér.

Porsche developed the 912 as an entry-level version to the 911 and produced it from 1965 to 1969. The 912 was lighter than its 911 sibling, 2,127 lbs. vs. 2,376 lbs., and with KAMM’s 912c, that weight is reduced to 1,653 lbs. with a steady diet of new components including carbon fiber.

KAMM 912c

“Steel is replaced with carbon, seamlessly blended without trace, ensuring flawless fit and finish,” per the company’s website. “KAMM engineers enhance the chassis, brakes suspension, wheels and tyres and replace all original elements with brand new, factory parts including lights, fixings and rubbers.”

KAMM 912c

The 912 was originally powered by a 1.6-liter flat-four engine that produced 90 hp at 5,800 rpm. For the 912c, KAMM partnered with JPS to develop a 2.0-liter flat-four JPS air-cooled 616 engine that produces a factory-rated 170 hp.

Now the bad news: the 912c is priced at $384,000, though you can provide a 912 donor if you’re so inclined. Full production starts in 2023, and the first 912c sold is now in production for 2023 delivery in the United States.

Specifications:

Body:

  • Carbon fibre
  • Fully restored and reinforced
  • Lexan windows
  • Total weight: 750 kg

Suspension:

  • KAMM Front custom coilovers
  • Rear adjustable arms
  • Adjustable front and rear sway bars
  • Adjustable front and rear dampers

Interior:

  • KAMM carbon fiber seats
  • Electric Air-Conditioning
  • Lightweight carpeting
  • Carbon fibre interior trim
  • Tilton pedalbox

Engine:

  • 912 2.0 litre, JPS Aircooled 616 engine
  • 170 HP
  • Fast road tune
  • High-compression 10.5
  • Rev limit 7200RPM
  • KAMM carbon Carrera cooling
  • Weber 44IDF carburetor
  • 123ignition
  • KAMM stainless steel exhaust system

Gearbox:

  • 901/2 5-speed (dogleg)
  • ZF LSD Differential  
  • Porsche aluminium, hydraulic, racing clutch
  • KAMM gearshift lever, linkage

Brakes:

  • Front – Porsche 964
  • Rear – Brembo aluminum
  • Ventilated front and rear discs
  • Hydraulic handbrake

Wheels:

  • Centre-lock 3-piece wheels
  • Yokohama AD08RS tyres

Welcome to IROC REHAB, the new series from Hemmings where we take an ailing 1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z into our Sibley Garage in Bennington, Vermont, and, with the help of some very special partners, give it a new lease on life.

Thirty-five years ago, the Camaro IROC-Z was one of the most sought-after muscle cars on the road. They combined high style, power, and performance in a package that was difficult to match. However, as time and technology marched on, they became overshadowed by the latest and greatest. Now, in 2022, with new parts and technology available, Hemmings has decided to rehab one of the most iconic muscle cars in history to make it perform better in the twenty-first century.

Rumors of a new “Bullitt” movie in the works are picking up steam with a report claiming Bradley Cooper has been picked for the titular role of Frank Bullitt.

Citing anonymous sources, Deadline reported last week that Cooper has signed a deal to play the role made famous by Steve McQueen in the original 1968 movie. Cooper was picked by Steven Spielberg, mooted as the movie’s producer.

Cooper is famous for the “Hangover” series of comedies, as well as 2018’s “A Star Is Born,” a movie that he produced, wrote, directed, and also starred in alongside Lady Gaga. He will reportedly also serve as a producer of the new “Bullitt” movie. Deadline said Cooper and Spielberg talked about the project for years.

Scene from “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen in a Ford Mustang GT

The movie isn’t expected to be a remake but a new story based on the character of Frank Bullitt, a tough San Francisco cop who in the original chased a mob kingpin that killed a key witness. Josh Singer, who previously worked with Spielberg on 2017’s “The Post,” was previously reported to be penning the script.

There’s no word on whether the movie will have a new dramatic car chase like the original through the streets of San Francisco between a bad guy in a Dodge Charger R/T and McQueen in a Ford Mustang GT painted the now famous Highland Green. That original car was sold in 2020 for $3.4 million at auction.

Spielberg definitely knows how to film a tense chase. His first major movie, 1971’s “Duel,” was basically one giant chase, and hopefully he can recreate some of the tension of that movie for a chase in the new “Bullitt” movie.

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com

The Saratoga Museum’s popular “Saturday after Thanksgiving” Lost Speedways program will take place on Saturday, November 26th.

Saratoga Springs, NY – With the end of another racing season on the horizon, attention is turning to off-season activities, and at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, nothing is more popular than the “Saturday after Thanksgiving” Lost Speedways program.

“We came back strong last November after losing a year to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said event organizer Ron Hedger. “But this year will rank among our best programs ever as we look at a wide swath of the past as well as peer into the future.”

Opening the program will be the always popular “Motorcycle Guy,” Mark Supley. But for 2022 his focus will change, as he has also begun restoring Soap Box Derby cars and researching past activities in the region, followed by Mike Zagata, who will take listeners back to the glory days of the old Fonda Speedway Drag Strip with assistance from photographer Frank Simek, who pulled a treasure trove of old photos from his archives to illustrate Zagata’s presentation. This and more!

110 AVE OF THE PINES
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866
518-587-1935 
www.saratogaautomuseum.org

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Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this 1966 Ford Thunderbird.

“This Thunderbird was reportedly owned long-term by the prior owner and is coated in metallic silver with a white landau roof,” the listing states. “The body is accented with chrome brightwork and features quad headlights, rear fender skirts, sequential rear turn signals, and dual exhaust outlets.”

1966 Ford Thunderbird

It rides on a set of wire wheels with knock-off-style center caps and whitewall tires.

This 1966 Ford Thunderbird has gray front bucket seats and rear dual seats. It features power windows, a power driver’s seat, and a newer radio with a trunk-mounted 12-disc CD changer. The five-digit mechanical odometer reads 54K miles, which the selling dealer believes to be this Thunderbird’s actual mileage, but the true mileage on the chassis is unknown.

Under the hood is a 390ci V8 engine paired with a column-shifted three-speed automatic transmission. This Thunderbird is rear-wheel drive.

390ci V8 engine

The sale includes a clear Arkansas title, and shop manuals.

This 1966 Ford Thunderbird’s auction ends on Monday, November 28, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. (MST)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery