001

  Linkage 001  151

ONLINE MADNESS

1993 Mazda RX-7 R1

My retinas tell me all I need to know here. This is the

most gorgeous generation of the RX and, therefore, the

best.

I don’t know why this car didn’t fetch more money.

Let’s look at why it should have.

It’s hand-bitingly gorgeous. It’s Japanese, so it was built

right the first time. It’s got a weird engine,

Turbowhich adds to its car-guy credibility. It’s

twin-turbocharged, adding additional

Rotary Gempower and go-fast fun. It’s a special R1

model with extra performance bits. It

has a modern-ish interior with the sort

2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams of refinement we’re accustomed to these Sold price: $35,250
Ultimate Edition
days and without ancillary tech that
immediately dates it. And It’s a good color Lot 36807, #2 condition
9/23/2020
— red never gets old for sports cars.

How on earth is a six-year-old FJ Cruiser worth just Why didn’t it sell for more? I’d rather S/N: JM1FD3310P0206353
own this than any comparably priced SVT
shy of $70,000? Well, it’s not. But how on earth did at
Mustang Cobra from the ‘90s. Not only is
least a couple dudes think it was?
the RX far better looking, fewer people will sneer at you in
The Trail Teams Ultimate Edition was Toyota’s send
the Mazda than they would a Mustang.
off for the FJ Cruiser. Of all the special editions, this
The commenters all agree with me on the car’s selling
one was the most. It had uprated Bilstein suspension,
price. Many chimed in to say it was a steal. It was.
a special paint color (“Heritage Blue,” which was an
THE GOOD: Color, best gen, great spec, 48k miles.
homage to the FJ40), a white-accented grille, and thicker

aluminum skid plates. It was special, THE BAD: I didn’t buy it.

It Cost How but not terribly so. FINAL THOUGHT: In a couple years, people will kick
As the window sticker underscores, themselves for missing this gem.
Much?
this truck cost $38,000 just six short
years ago. Sure, it’s only done 3,000

Sold price: $68,000 miles since it rolled off the showroom
floor. In addition to low miles, it was

Lot 36190, #1- condition optioned with the rarely specified

9/9/2020 manual gearbox. It also has a nice set

S/N: JTEBU4BF2EK192499 of tires on it. From where I sit, these
are the only things it has going for it.

I would have placed a $38,000 price

tag, giving the owner a full return on their showroom

investment (and enviable position to be in). This money

though? No.

You can get a fine example of the FJ Cruiser for

anywhere between $15,000 to $30,000. Let’s say you

get one that’s $15,000. For, say, $3,000 in parts, you can

build a rig that bests the Ultimate in terms of capability

and toughness. That would save you around $40,000.

Don’t forget that the FJ Cruiser has awful outward

visibility, and the manual gearbox has a very long

throw and little feel. It doesn’t drive terribly well on the

road, and you’d have to be mental to go wheeling in a

collector’s car.

THE GOOD: It’s rare.

THE BAD: Does anyone really notice rare newer Toyotas?

FINAL THOUGHT: Absolute madness when you can build
something better for less.

152  Linkage 001

  Linkage 001  153

ONLINE MADNESS

1996 Ford Ranger XLT SuperCab 4x4

Who would have thought the fleet-truck du jour of the

1990s, piloted by the likes of the Orkin man, would have

ever been worth more than its scrap value? Not me!

A quick search of my local Craigslist resulted in more

than 100 4.0-liter V-6-powered extra-

cab Rangers in similar condition. Most From Best
Selling toof those were listed around the $5,000

mark.Why was this one almost triple
that price?
It has only 2,000 miles on the Best Sold

odometer. I get that. However, despite

its low mileage, it has a fair amount of Sold price: $13,950
undercarriage corrosion (compared to
trucks in the Pacific Northwest). It isn’t Lot 36751, #2 condition

a special edition. Yes, it has the Off-Road 9/22/2020

package. But the Ford-installed skids are S/N: 1FTCR15X4TTA15036
hardly worth an extra $9,000. Ford built

1995 Lotus Esprit S4 around a billion of these trucks, so it’s

not rare either. The 4.0-liter engine is a good one, but not

I know this thing would break my heart — and my $14,000 good.

wallet. Still, I love it. I must conclude this was a tremendous waste of

This is a car I respect very much, because unlike a money — first by the original seller, who spent $21,000 on

Mazda or Mustang, any Lotus needs a real car-loving a vehicle they drove only 2,000 miles. Then by the winner

weirdo to own it. The emotional and financial slings and of this auction, who spent $13,950 on a 24-year-old Ford

arrows an owner must suffer can only be tolerated if you Ranger.

have a deep, unbridled and irrational love of cars. THE GOOD: 2,000 miles — it’s a new Ranger!

When routinely handed $5,000 repair bills, only a THE BAD: No onlooker will ever walk by this truck and
admire it. Except for the Orkin man.
true oddball would still find solace in the taut driving

dynamics of this mid-engined English masterpiece. FINAL THOUGHT: Well sold every time it has sold.

Few people will weigh those two things

Adventure equally.
in Red $25,250 seems like a steal given

the tasteful mods and preventative
maintenance this car received.

Sold price: $25,250 Commenters pointed out that the last S4
went for $36,500. So, by comparison, this

Lot 36618, #2- condition one was stolen.
It’ll all come out in the wash, though,
9/18/2020
I’m afraid. The new owner will surely

S/N: SCCFD30C9SHF61426 need to pump five figures into it within
the first few years. That is, if he or she can

find a shop willing to work on it.

THE GOOD: Purebread performance from Lotus and an
entry-level price.

THE BAD: Purebread Lotus issues will leave you light in the
wallet.

FINAL THOUGHT: A great buy here for the truly devoted.

154  Linkage 001

30

  Linkage 001  155

ONLINE MADNESS

1990 Chevrolet Beretta GT Indy Pace Car Edition

This is my favorite car on this list. Not because it is fast

(it’s not). Not because it’s particularly good looking (it’s

not). Nor does it have a nameplate that strikes envy into

the hearts of other car collectors.

Only inNo, I love this car because it’s the

confluence of American style (or the lack
Americathereof). No other country could have

come up with such a machine. Their

sensibilities would have prohibited it.
Can you picture a German penning a Sold price: $12,000

pseudo-performance coupe that shared its Lot 36960
underpinnings with a dreary economy car,
fitting it with recliner-like seats, finishing it 9/25/2020

in turquoise, and then specifying it as an S/N: 1G1LW14T3LY222827

Indy Pace Car? I can’t. Ditto the Japanese.

1971 Marcos GT 2.5 Litre Because this car is absolutely peerless

(for both better and worse), it is incredibly fun. It’s stupid

for all the right reasons.

This looks like it was designed by someone trying You could wing this wedge of American steel into any

to draw an E-Type Jag from memory while high on Cars and Coffee event and be guaranteed no one would

psychedelic mushrooms. It’s the kind of car a child might have another like it.

conjure up in a fever dream. It looks like a TVR knocked- I’d so much rather show up to a car-enthusiast event

up an Aston Martin. I love it. in this than any Ferrari. Ferraris are dour and self-serious

This car is cool not just because it’s machines. This is anything but. You must have a great

It’s a What? incredible looking. It’s cool because sense of humor to drive this car. That’s what makes it
very few people will have ever heard of
special.

a Marcos GT, let alone seen one in the THE GOOD: Reportedly one of 3,140 coupes produced in
Turquoise Metallic over gray cloth.
Sold price: $54,000 flesh. Just four other Marcos have hit

Lot 36733, #3 condition Bring a Trailer — each with a different THE BAD: It’s a Chevy Beretta. In Teal.

engine under the hood. That alone tells

9/22/2020 you how few of these there are around. FINAL THOUGHT: $12k well spent to make every Cars and
Coffee a RADwood
S/N: 2T5908 The sound of the 2.5-liter inline six-
cylinder is sumptuous. The interior has

a weird blend of 1960s racecar and kit-

car charm. And it’s a great color.

Cheers to the buyer. I doubt very much you’ll ever pass

another one of these on the road. I hope he or she will

find extra joy when people crane their necks to figure out

what the hell it is they just saw.

THE GOOD: Unique styling, good sounds.

THE BAD: You’ll always be explaining it.

FINAL THOUGHT: A perfect buy for someone who likes to
stand out, regardless of why.

156  Linkage 001

  Linkage 001  157

ONLINE MADNESS

1989 BMW M3

A couple E30 M3s have cracked the three-figure

mark this year, including one that jumped up to an

unfathomable $250,000 on BaT in July. So imagine this

seller’s disappointment when this example failed to even

crack $70k. Still, though, I think this one

indicates a return to sanity — or at least Return to
normalcy. Reality

The E30 M3 is special, no doubt. Given
how many BMW built, more than 16,000,

they’re not exactly rare. And most, it Sold price: $67,000
seems, were well kept. So finding one in

good nick isn’t exactly difficult. What’s Lot 371044
more, despite their widebody stance and 9/29/2020
modest rear wing, they’re not especially S/N: WBSAK0301K2198405
exciting to look at. They’re pretty sharp

in Alpenweiss II color, though, like this

example.

That said, the E30 M3 is probably peak Bimmer —

not too many visual add-ons and just the right blend of

1974 Volkswagen Type 2 PaCoMobil Camper power, engineering prowess, and finesse. I am honestly

a bit relieved to see a fine example like this not skyrocket

Only a wacko would cut the middle out of a VW Bus into the stratosphere, as we saw earlier this year.

to install a camper and still leave the little 1.6-liter as the THE GOOD: It’s an E30 M3 in classic white.

powerplant. This Bus was slow from the factory, and now THE BAD: 113k miles and some spot weld repairs probably
held it back.
it has an additional 2,000 pounds of tilework inside.

Of course, looking at this thing, the first thing I picture FINAL THOUGHT: Simultaneously well bought and well
sold.
is camping in the mountains. That’s totally theoretical,

though, because this plucky little beast

Slow Clap could never pull itself up a mountain. I
hope the new owner lives in Nebraska.

But If you’re zen enough to put up with

Sold price: $25,500 this thing’s top speed, which I wager is

Lot 36908 around 45 mph with the hammer down,
you should be all smiles from ear to ear,

9/25/2020 24/7. People will wave at you like you’re

S/N: 2142086061 the Pope and laugh like you’re Steve

Martin. You won’t get anywhere fast, but

you’ll have a blast doing it.

It’s said to be just one of six surviving examples. That

makes sense. I’m glad someone was stupid enough to

build them, though. The world, and certainly the new

owner, is better for it.

THE GOOD: You’ll have the only one — everywhere you go.

THE BAD: It’s going to take you forever to get there.

FINAL THOUGHT: Rare and should be, but worth the price
paid.

158  Linkage 001

  Linkage 001  159

YOUNG TIME RS
by SARA RYAN A new wave of car collectors are celebrating 1980s and
1990s culture, automotive style and performance — with

fresh perspectives that drive the market

1986 Saab 900 SPG QuCi rokoyl

Sold price: $21,900

Bring a Trailer, 6/3/2020,
Lot 32246
S/N: YS3AD35L4G2021356

SAABS ARE UNDERRATED by the
general car community — but to the
right splinter group, they’re quirky gold.

The 900 model went through two
generations and many factory facelifts
throughout the decade and a half it
was produced. The ‘86 benefitted from
the ‘80s bodylines and flat nose ethos
but also newer tech, which makes for a
good driver.

This particular Saab has the Special
Performance Group upgrades,
which are treasured within the Saab
community. The package includes
a 16-valve factory turbocharged
engine paired with a sleek body kit.
The exterior appears to be in solid
condition besides some stone chips
and a faded bumper visible in the
photo gallery. Inside, some ultra-luxe
seats reflect use but not abuse.

This price may seem steep, but
it ultimately makes sense. The SPG
package married to low mileage and
decent condition equate to an elevated
Saab status, so this was a fair deal.
There’s a lot of life left in this 900.

160  Linkage 001

TRheatGeoing 1993 Mazda RX-7 Touring

1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur BCCuootuurroosfsfee Sold price: $37,750
Bring a Trailer, 9/10/2020
Sold price: $46,100 Lot 36305
S/N: JM1FD3317P0204972
Bring a Trailer, 7/3/2020 WEEKEND ENTHUSIASTS LOVE RX-7s
Lot 33563 for their cornering ability and featherweight
S/N: SCAZN19C3WCX66119 feel. Drifters love the car’s RWD platform.
Everyone loves a good Wankel engine buzz.
YOU DON’T HAVE to be a movie star
or a dictator to show up to RADwood in Unfortunately, this means a bunch of
a Rolls. This symbol of oppulance may these cars have been heavily modified or
have set its first owner back $200,000, abused, especially as prices fell over time.
but now you can score one for as low as
$6,000 — although the most worthwhile Most decent FDs are selling for between
examples tend to be in the $20k range. $20k and $30k, so it’s reasonable to question
the selling price here considering the car’s
With a hammer price of $46k plus 73k miles.
fees, this 9k-mile car sold for more than
double what most go for, but it’s unlikely Still, this ‘93 boasts its window sticker,
anyone was surprised. When lavishness factory literature, a tasteful (and reversible)
is the goal, scarcity is the method — set of HRE wheels, a unique BOSE acoustic-
Rolls-Royce produced just 59 left-hand- wave sound system in the rear cargo areas,
drive examples for the model year. and an almost entirely unblemished sporty
black leather interior and factory red
Besides a crack in one of the front exterior. The only visible downside here is a
speakers, this car is just about as perfect rashed right-front wheel.
as they get. So is it worth the price?
Only if you’re willing to pay more. Despite the mileage, this ‘93 has a great
That appealing price of entry doesn’t look, and while the price was a bit of an
translate to parts or service, and Silver outlier, the cost reflects the exceptional state
Spurs aren’t known to be reliable or of the car.
affordable to fix — especially if they’ve
spent most of their life sitting.   Linkage 001  161

UNDER THE SKIN

Feeling the Call of the Wild?

The Mercedes-Benz 500SL is a marvelous beast, and here’s how to find one for the road —
not the mechanic’s service bay

by PIERRE HEDARY FOR THOSE OF us that admire aluminum block and K-Jetronic between 70,000 and 135,000
the Mercedes R107, the 1980- fuel injection up to the end of miles. Tensioners can start to
ABOVE Style, power 89 500SL embodies the purity 1985, when Mercedes switched fail at any mileage.
and reliability—the of the original design and the to the KE-Jetronic system from
best Mercedes-Benz pinnacle of R107 performance. 1986-1989. While internal EMISSIONS: Emissions
R107 model While many R107 owners failures are rare, the M117 equipment can be another
gravitate towards the readily should have its timing chain area of concern. Unless the
available 560SL, the 500SL is the inspected as soon as possible. car is a European model
choice of those who demand the While timing chains on these imported under the one-time
absolute best from this chassis. cars can cost somewhere EPA exemption, these cars
The following guide will equip between $1,500-$2,000 to were federalized with catalytic
you with the basic knowledge replace (this includes the upper converters, oxygen sensors,
you must have to evaluate an guides, chain tensioner and air injection pumps and a
example of the 500SL — if you chain, with genuine Mercedes frequency valve that trimmed
are truly feeling the call of the parts, but not removal of the the fuel mixture. These cars
wild. timing cover to change the sometimes had their warm up
lower guides), a chain failure regulators (1981-85 models)
TIMING CHAIN: Mercedes M117 will cost you at least three times exchanged for leaner units
V-8 is a robust, long-lived that amount. Timing chains from BMWs, Mercedes 380SLs
engine. The 500SL used an start to show significant stretch or similar applications to get

162  Linkage 001

ABOVE A robust,
powerful engine—but
check that timing
chain...

LEFT Original leather
and carpets are a plus,
but cracks in the dash
are a huge minus

the cars to pass emissions. The for some 500SLs to run at 100 States. However, some cars Original leather and carpets
correct three digit warm up celsius no matter what. were optioned with imperial are a plus, as they add to the
regulator code is “101.” speedometers. The easiest way authenticity of the car. While
INSTRUMENTATION: Check for to determine what is true is there is a place in the market for
OTHER MECHANICAL CONCERNS: a working odometer. These to remove the speedometer cars with restored interiors, it is
Other underhood weak points require new gears when the and look for the month and not at the top.
include head gaskets, cam oiler old rubberized ones fail. Many date stamp on the rear. If this
kits (if a cam oiler tube pops of these cars had their metric matches the approximate CLIMATE CONTROL: 500SLs with
out, kiss your cam and rockers speedometers exchanged for production date of the car, then factory a/c from 1980-85 use
goodbye), tired fan clutches imperial units when the cars a Frigidaire A6 compressor.
and an inexplicable tendency were brought into the United all is well. These compressors can leak.
1986-89 models use a Nippon
DASHBOARDS AND SEATS: Denso compressor, which can
Dashboards and interiors are also seep oil and refrigerant.
another area of interest. If the
dashboard is cracked, the price It will always pay to check these
can be as high as $5,500.00 to potential trouble spots before
send the dash to Just Dashes buying one of these powerful,
in Van Nuys, CA, (www. fun cars. It also pays to keep
justdashes.com) to have it an eye on them while you
recovered and then reinstalled. own — and drive — this car.
Add some climate-control work Many worry-free trips on the
and wood refinishing, and wild side are your reward for
you’re writing a huge check. vigilance and regular care.

  Linkage 001  163

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Which 356 Would You Choose?

Hardcore Porsche 356 collectors — and drivers — Stephen Serio and Alex Finigan trade
opinions on what’s the very best one to own

STEPHEN SERIO AND Alex STEPHEN Alex, you and I share a hp engine, coupe seats, Rudges,
Finigan — buyers and sellers passion for Porsche 356s more 80-liter fuel tank and hardtop.
of high-end cars, close friends than any other particular car I run the 1957 with Rudges,
and Porsche addicts — talk model, and I really hyper- Speedster seats and a Willhoit
about their shared attraction focus on the first 10 years of 2.1-liter engine mated to a later
to the Porsche 356. Alex is the production. If I had to boil 741 gearbox. At 100mph on a
sales manager for Paul Russell down my modest car collection rally there is nothing like the ‘57
& Company in Essex, MA. to two cars, they would still be for me.
Stephen lives in MA and is one my two Speedsters. I now run
of world’s leading brokers of the 1956 which I’ve owned since ALEX Well, of all the cars I
high-end collector cars. They’re 1996 (with a three-year hiatus currently own, my ‘57 Speedster
both enthusiastic drivers and to another collector only to buy would be the last car I would
“drive their talk.” Let’s listen in… it back in 2013) with a S90 120- ever sell. I bought it in 1987 as a
California hot rod.

164  Linkage 001

It had a 356 SC engine, trans, starter giving up the ghost in Brooklyn at night, in the rain, Gray/Green 1960-61 T5B Super
discs, and a ZF steering box. I Pennsylvania. Fortunately, you in my ‘54 VW and a bag of cash. 90 GT.
did a rotisserie restoration in can bump start them very easily. I paid $900 for a Silver/Black
1999, keeping all of those bits. The other thing I remember was ‘59 356A Cabriolet. I vividly STEPHEN Ha! Pencil me in for a
This was way before the Outlaw my oil temp gauge going into remember the musty smell of the 1965 T6C SC/GT in Irish Green...
concept, and it is one of the the red in Death Valley. Having carpets when I opened the door. no wait, 1959 A Carrera Coupe
most enjoyable and reliable no way to do anything about My girlfriend drove the VW, in Black with a Green interior
cars I’ve ever owned. The other it, I put a piece of black tape and I drove the unregistered and every known option.
car I won’t part with is my over the gauge. When we got to 356 back home. I was so green
original, ‘59 356A, three-owner higher elevations, I took it off to 356s that I neglected to look  So what rally are we doing
coupe that I’ve owned since and completed the journey. under the car for rust. I learned next to keep the flame going
1999. It now has a 2.1-liter, that lesson very quickly! My here? 
150-hp Willhoit engine that STEPHEN And it’s no coincidence girlfriend was driving it later
has transformed the car. Those that Speedsters have that year, it was lightly hit on  And is it possible — or
two cars just about cover all the transcended generations the passenger door, and it folded just coincidence — that most
bases in the sports car category now — and are really taking in half. automotive trade people just
for me. a new generation of owner. have to have a 356? Technicians,
I suppose with the advent of STEPHEN My first real encounter sales guys and specialty restorers
STEPHEN We’ve had the better technology — and really with a 356 was oddly at an of many different marques all
opportunity to sell every marque- focused restorers like Aston Martin Owners Club seem to gravitate this way.  
example of 356 over the last John Willhoit and Rod Emory — event at Lime Rock.  There was
30 years, and if you could grab the cars keep getting faster, more a black on black, Rudge- ALEX I think our next rally should
something back what would reliable and more personalized. wheel Speedster, and that be a smaller group of close
it be? I know I’d go back after really knocked me over. Here friends, pick a destination hotel,
the 1953 Pre-A Fashion Grey ALEX Speedsters are like I am driving a Vantage DB4 and do daily trips from the hub,
Coupe with 19k original miles Gullwings in the sense that they and being smitten with the in a part of the country we’ve
that was that great barn find, are iconic. Maybe because they Speedster.  never seen before.
and I’d really steal the rat-rod were/are used so heavily in
356A Carrera Speedster that advertising, but many non- If you could order any 356 As far as people in the trade
lives locally — and a 356 C2 car people know exactly what today from your local Porsche loving them, well, they kind of
Cabriolet that drives like no they are. And, as you said, the dealer, what would you buy? tick all the boxes: beautiful, fun
other Cab I’ve had the pleasure existing technology transforms to drive, easy to repair, and they
of using. these cars into pocket rockets ALEX Well, only because I’ve bring a smile to everyone’s face. 
at a mere fraction of the cost of never had one, but very high
ALEX I agree, that ‘53 Fashion other ‘50s legends. up on the list would be a Slate STEPHEN Final word? 
Gray Coupe, with the
immaculate blue leather/ STEPHEN How many 356s have ALEX Well, now I want to hop in
corduroy interior, was a car you personally owned? I guess the Coupe, and head north for a
we NEVER should have sold my first one in 1985 was a weird foliage tour.
— what were we thinking? The choice, being a Notchback T5
other was one of the six pushrod 356B — a whole $6,000 at the
GT Speedsters that passed time. I then graduated to a 356B
through my hands. Roadster, a 1953 Pre-A Coupe
and then onto Speedsters. I
STEPHEN I guess driving across the miss my 356C2 Carrera Sunroof
country and doing 600 miles a Coupe though....
day was a real game changer
for me and my appreciation of If 356s weren’t in your blood,
what these cars were meant to what would your second choice
do. Our first road trip was in be for all time best car?
1998, and then to the Speedster
Reunion in Carmel, CA, in 2004 ALEX Omigod, I’ve had so many
really cemented the usefulness, that it’s hard to imagine,
comfort and reliability that has certainly over 75 personally,
let me to do seven 1,000-mile and I’ve sold hundreds. At one
rallies in my hot-rodded 1957 time in the not-too-distant past
Speedster. I had six at one time. I bought
my first one in 1969, right out
ALEX Yes, that was an of college —from a New York
unbelievable trip with no Times ad in the Sunday edition.
breakdowns, except for your
You could pick it up the night
before midnight. I drove to

  Linkage 001  165

SUPERSTARS

Love at
Second
Sight

The C8 has ushered in a
new era in performance,
but loving it is a slow-burn
affair

by ELANA SCHERR

THE VIEW OUT the windshield along the console, it’s the cargo hatch.
is nothing but road flanked by console itself, and the stubborn Put the ’Vette in Track mode,
the Sebring Orange curves of mode-select knob and various
the front fenders. The view out performance controls. Then stand on it a little more, now
the back is of the engine. there’s the steering wheel, with the wind is singing a harmony
its awkwardly placed radio over the V8’s drumbeat.
The view of the back controls. There’s also the big
now…well, the C8’s looks touchscreen mounted just to There is nothing else on the
are polarizing. Some say it’s the side of the gauge cluster. It’s market right now with this
a beauty, and some say it’s all so much information. level of performance available
beastly. I think it looks a bit like at this price. Even my heavily
a Ferrari made of Lego blocks. Thankfully, there’s an option optioned test car remained
to simplify the dashboard at well under the $90,000 mark,
Some cars are love at first least, stripping it down to just and if you could live without
sight. Some are slow burns, and speed and tach. If only the the 3LT package, you could
some, well, some you never fall same was available for the rest save $11,000 and still have
for. The C8 Corvette is a second- of the cabin. the incredible magnetic ride
dayer for me. Mostly because it control suspension and beefed-
took 24 hours to figure out the On the second day, I was up cooling system.
interior control layout. The prepared for the tight squeeze
last time I saw this many tiny into the seats — the sense of This car is good to drive: easy
buttons was on the back of a putting the car on like a wetsuit. and responsive, supportive,
wedding dress. I also thought to remove the encouraging. It may not have
roof panel, which sits perfectly been love at first sight, but the
It’s not just the much- behind the engine in the rear C8 Corvette is worth a second
discussed button overpass look.

166  Linkage 001

2020 Corvette Stingray Coupe FUEL ECONOMY: 15 city, 27 highway
PRICE AS TESTED: $86,865 PLUSES: Big go-kart, exotic shape,
EQUIPMENT: 6.2L direct-injected comfortable ride
495-hp V8, 8-speed dual-clutch MINUSES: Too quiet, cluttered
automatic, staggered 19-inch interior design, narrow seats
and 20-inch aluminum wheels, FUN FACTOR: 
removable roof panel, carbon LOOKS: 
exterior accents, 8-way adjustable THE EXPERIENCE: 
GT2 seats, color-matched
seatbelts, 8-inch touchscreen,
Bose 14-speaker audio system,
3LT package, heads-up display,
wireless charging, front-axle lift, Z51
performance package, electronic
limited-slip differential, 13-inch disc
brakes, Magnetic Selective Ride
Control dampers

Photography FRANCO GUTIERREZ

  Linkage 001  167

GIFTS and GADGETS

Amps with an Edge

Antigravity Batteries offer a lightweight solution to a
heavy problem

by JIM PICKERING

LOOKING TO LOSE some weight in your that shuts off the battery before it’s drawn
classic or modern performance car? Before down below what’s needed to start the car.
you start gutting your interior in a hunt for Left your lights on? The battery will put itself
pounds, look to your battery. to sleep prior to being drained, keeping
enough power in reserve to start the car
A modern car battery can weigh up to 60 via a wireless keyfob. On-board battery
pounds, but it doesn’t have to. Antigravity management also prevents over-charging
Batteries’ Lithium-Ion units weigh a fraction and features short-circuit protection,
of what a basic stock replacement lead-acid thermal protection, and cell balancing —
battery does — from eight to 16 lbs — and all of which leads to an eight- to 10-year life
they don’t sacrifice starting ability in the cycle.
process. That leads to a performance edge
on the track as well as better economy on Prices start at $659, with a range of sizes
the street. available, including Groups 47, 48, 94R and
35. Learn more at www.antigravitybatteries.
On top of that, these units have an com.
integrated “RE-START” jump-start feature

168  Linkage 001

  Linkage 001  169

BOOK REVIEW

Family Life at Speed “Life To The Limit”
Jenson Button,
A peek through the visors of two quite different — and yet similar — Blink Publishing, 2018
professional drivers in telling autobiographies. 304 pages, $22

by MARK WIGGINTON “John Andretti: Racer”
(as told to Jade Gurss)
JENSON BUTTON AND John Andretti were head to head with Lewis Hamilton. Octane Press, 2020
about as different out of the cockpit as two For Andretti racing was oxygen, his world. 256 pages, $35
can be, yet both built long racing careers
with a combination of natural talent, hard His father Aldo is Mario’s twin brother, and
work and sacrifice. Michael Andretti is his cousin.

One rose to the pinnacle of racing, As a driver he couldn’t say no to a challenge,
with a 17-year-long career in Formula 1, even pedaling a NHRA Top Fuel car at a few
while the other knocked around in mostly events. While he was fast in everything he
substandard rides in IndyCar and NASCAR. drove (all kinds of dirt cars, IMSA sports
cars, IndyCar and NASCAR) he never won a
One had a home and the obligatory yacht championship. His only IndyCar win came
in Monaco — a series of model girlfriends in 1991 at Surfer’s Paradise, Australia, and it
always close at hand. The other married his was a family affair, as he shared the podium
high school crush. with both Mario and Michael. He was the
first to race at the Indy 500 and Charlotte 600
For both, it was always about racing and races in the same day. He had a reputation
family. Their autobiographies are charming, for crashing, but he put it down to trying to
quite personal looks at their racing lives, get the most out of mid-level rides. He was
their approach to driving and their worlds — fierce behind the wheel, but by all accounts
in and out of a race car. a classy, honest guy who did a deal with a
handshake and never turned on you.
Button, the 2009 Formula 1 World
Champion, is pure Jack the Lad, wringing Sadly, his body turned on him, and
everything out of the globe-trotting lifestyle Andretti died earlier this year of colon
of a handsome, rich, cocksure playboy (until cancer.
retiring and settling down in Los Angeles
with a fiancée and baby). Two quite different drivers, yet both ruled
by family. John Andretti’s dedication to
In “Life At The Limit,” Button comes across both his own family, the extended Andretti
as THE guy you want to spend a night on clan and team owners like Richard Petty,
the town with, whether it’s clubbing with guided his choices. Jenson Button’s special
Monaco’s Prince Rainier or down at the relationship with his father, who was there
pub with his mates. His raw talent and early every step up the ladder, was central to his
karting experience on dry tires in the wet (his being, and his death lead to Button’s F1
dad couldn’t afford rains), nurtured a smooth retirement.
style, but his first season struggles at Williams
taught him talent wasn’t enough, so Button Bottom Line: Beautifully written
put in the work to hone his craft. Always in autobiographies, from both drivers, give
search of the next challenge, he left the Brawn you a look through their visors at their souls,
F1 team after winning the title, opting instead their joys and sorrows — and especially their
for a seat at McLaren — where he could race approach to life.

170  Linkage 001



AUTOMOBILIA

Sentinels the gas he was purchasing, as it flowed from the
from the Past cylinder, into the hose and into his tank, knowing he
was being treated fairly.
The giant, ornate gas pumps from the
1920s and 1930s mark a bygone age, when As design entered the automotive world, the gas
motorists watched their fuel burble into pump followed suit and they became more ornate
glass cylinders and stylized.

by CARL BOMSTEAD The Wayne Oil Tank and Pump Company
produced some of the more attractive pumps during
THE EVOLUTION OF the now-ubiquitous gasoline the 1930s, with the Wayne 50 display pump being
pump has closely followed that of the automobile. one of the most collectible. The Wayne 491 “Roman
Hundreds — if not thousands — of entrepreneurs Column,” first introduced in 1923, was one of the
produced automobiles that they hoped would most majestic, with ornate scrollwork and castings.
stand the test of time, and more than 1,500 different Standing almost 10 feet tall with a glass globe on
gas pumps were produced between 1895 and 1965. top, these pumps are highly prized these days.
This example recently sold at auction for $23,000
Today there are only a handful of manufacturers. — without the glass globe — although one sold for
Early motorists purchased fuel at the local general close to $40,000 at auction a few years back, making
store and poured it into their automobile — using this one a bit of a bargain.
a chamois cloth to strain out the impurities. The
more affluent, however, had carriage houses with Gas pumps, unlike most other collectibles, are
underground tanks and hand-operated pumps. often over-restored, with lots of bling, pin striping
Both methods were messy and dangerous. and bold paint that seems to add to their value.
As the number of motorists increased, roadside
pumps with underground storage tanks were On the other hand, as un-restored cars have a
installed to conveniently provide gas. However, following, un-restored pumps that are found in the
these roadside filling stops proved to be extremely “wild” are also collectible. They often have multiple
hazardous, as they were placed close to the road layers of paint, as the livery would be changed as the
and passing vehicles regularly struck the pumps. station changed brands.
One can only imagine the resulting fires and
explosions. Both have a place in the car barn and add an
During the mid-1920s, drive-in service stations impressive touch to a car collection.
were developed, and they were soon on almost
every street corner. They provided safe gasoline and The Wayne 491
offered mechanical repairs and other automotive “Roman Column”
products. Visible pumps with five- and 10-gallon
glass cylinders on top were in use at most stations.
The fuel was pumped up into the cylinders before
it was dispensed. The motorist could actually see

172  Linkage 001

  Linkage 001  173

FROM THE AUDRAIN ARCHIVES

Indy Cars vs.
Formula 1 at Monza

THIS PHOTO WAS taken at the field were three works Jaguar
the 1957 500 Miglia di Monza, D-types, fresh off their win at the
also known as the Race of Two 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Worlds. It shows Troy Ruttman,
in the John Zink Watson   In the end, the victors were
Offenhauser, leading Jimmy the Americans, who lapped
Bryan in the Dean Van Lines the Monza oval at speeds far
Kuzma Offenhauser on the in excess of those achieved at
banked oval at the Autodromo Indianapolis. A second “Race
di Monza on June 23, 1957. The of the Two Worlds” was held in
racers would, after three 63-lap 1958— and saw factory Ferraris
heat races, be classified, with join Maserati and Jaguar to battle
Bryan taking the victory over the Yanks. At the completion
Ruttman. of the heats, once again the
USAC cars led the standings.
The reconstruction of the oval The event never returned after
section of the Autodromo di the second race. After 1960, the
Monza in Italy after World War II Indy 500 was dropped from the
— and the establishment of the F1 Championship calendar. The
Formula 1 World Championship motorsport world would have to
in 1950, which included the wait until 1963 to see Formula I
Indianapolis 500 race at the cars at Indy, when the Lotus 29
Indianapolis Motor Speedway came and ran at the Indianapolis
— led the management of the 500.
Monza circuit to pursue a race
that would combine both United   Few might have imagined
States Auto Club racers with back at Monza in 1957 that in
traditional European Formula 1965 the Lotus 38 would become
1 cars.  Using only the oval of the first rear-engine car to win
the Monza track, the 1957 race the Indy 500 — a sign of things
would cover 500 miles over three to come. The two worlds had
63-lap heat races. The winner truly come together. — Donald
would be the driver who had the Osborne
highest average speed across all
three events. THE AUDRAIN AUTOMOBILE
MUSEUM is building an archive of
  Due to the very high speeds automotive-related publications,
possible on the track’s banking, images and ephemera dating
Firestone developed a special tire back to the turn of the 20th
for the race. Nevertheless, nearly Century to the present.
all the European manufacturers
elected to boycott the race for
what they stated to be reasons of
safety. In the end, only Maserati
made a factory entry, and a lone
privateer Ferrari entry joined
them. A surprising addition to

174  Linkage 001

AUDRAIN AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM ARCHIVES, gift of the Westport, CT, Public Library

  Linkage 001  175

TAILIGHTS

On Pike’s Peak,
it’s a fast climb
and on the edge
the whole way.

The End...
and the
Beginning

THANKS FOR TAKING a drive Photography WILL WESTON
through the first issue of Linkage.
We’re just getting started. Our
next issue, due out in February
2021, will include:

› Bold Thoughts from McLaren
Racing CEO Zak Brown

› No Rails: A photo journey
into the madness of Pike’s
Peak

› Italian Buffet: Modena Cento
Ore’s gritty racing days and
gourmet evenings

› Values: Lessons from the
2021 Arizona Auction Week

› On the Road Overseas:
Simon Kidston’s Note from
Europe

› Detouring COVID: A preview
of 2021’s car events

And more from Jay Leno, Carl
Bomstead, Stephen Serio, Elana
Scherr, Donald Osborne and
many other talented writers and
photographers.

To learn more, and to subscribe,
go to www.linkagemag.com.

176  Linkage 001

  Linkage 001  177

178  LINKAGE  Issue 001

  LINKAGE  Issue 001  179

  LINKAGE  Issue 001  180