Bruce K

@WDB - you are a humble man. You left us with the impression that you owned the Mercedes shooting brake, and after that the other cars were transportation specials. Instead, your other cars include a very nice silver Porsche Targa and an M series BMW - very sporting hardware! Have you altered either or both? And if you are renting a bay, to you own another sporter you are too ashamed of to mention??? My garage is like yours - 3 bays and 4 spaces. I am always thankful for that extra floor space, for unloading shipments, rolling around on my mechanic's stools, treating and painting parts and more wall space for storage. Your Champion lift is very much like my Trojan - so close, one may have been manufactured by the other and simply relabeled.

I forgot to mention - with hoists, you need 10.5 or more feet to the ceiling. Sometimes a center area can be cut from the joints, and more space created with artful carpentry, but that adds cost. At 41 inches in height, your Cat could fit on a hoist with a 10 foot ceiling, but that leaves the lift deck at about 6 feet - workable, but head-knocking low. I was fortunate that my home builder provided 11 foot ceilings in the design - leaves more room for storage up the walls, too.

That was a very nice post - heartwarming as well as interesting from car angles. Your parents must have lived long and fruitful lives if they were married for 71 years! Relationships like that are a blessing on society, meaning the rest of us, as well as a great blessing on the participants. Your home looks great, with three big garage doors. If you like our cars, go get a lift or two and buy another one or two more sportscars. I included a photo which shows bits of two lifts in my garage. The one on the left is a Triumph, which is a basic 4-poster. 4-posters are open underneath, and thus are useful for working on the bottomside of cars. The one on the right is a platform lift called Autostacker. Platform scissor lifts like the Autostacker are much more expensive - more than double the price of a decent 4-post - but are better with space utilization than 4-posters - they will fit into spaces the 4 post cannot, which is why my second lift is an Autostacker. I also favor wagons. I was the oldest of 8 children, and my Dad would squeeze the entire family plus one or two large dogs into those Ford Country Squires every summer for vacation. Four kids in the middle bench - belts be damned - and dogs spread everywhere including in your lap and around your head! I think a Country Squire was parked outside the writer's office when he invented the phrase "land yacht". We loved 'em, and they were classy with that vinyl woody look.

Tremendous advice - like a professional how-to column on creating track videos. I've printed it up - much appreciated.

Thanks, Xcarguy. @Croc - what is the best small camera for recording track events? Best hardware for sound and resolution? Best software for highest quality edits and ease of use?

@Croc - I remarked regarding your great-looking GT 350 in the turns: "she was shaking her derriere harder than a French can-can dancer." To which Croc replied: "mmmmm...okayyyyy. Thats a first for a car description for me. " Thank you! Accusing a writer of creating a new and innovative description is like accusing your pastor of being holy. I also wrote: "makes me wonder if (the GT350) alignment is a bit out. Is the problem asymmetric? That's usually a hint." To which @Croc replied: "Alignment is fine. Actually my alignment is excellent compared with your eyesight. Were you posting before your afternoon nap?" What a rude and scurrilous remark! I NEVER nap in the afternoon! My nap is always concluded by 11:30 AM. I remarked: "when you provoke a crocodile, be prepared for a dagger-toothed response." To which @Croc replied: "Nonsense, it was a gentle love bite and you have always enjoyed a bit of bloodsports despite your fake plastic fangs." Hey - these fangs are wax, not plastic! And what the hell is Croc short for anyway? Are you, or are you not, a crocodile?

Xcarguy - Whoever bought it recieved quality for their money. Regarding the camera, is that the one you recommend at this time? If you know of a camera that can produce a better video than your GT350 film, I would like to know about it. (PS - I don't want a Hollywood movies camera - just a small one for the rollbar on track days).

This is an EVO article from today, comparing the lowest powered new Caterham to one of the most powerful version. For anyone interested in purchasing a new Caterham, the information could be useful: https://www.evo.co.uk/caterham/7/205564/caterham-super-seven-600-v-super-seven-2000

Great looking, nostalgic car. Very authentic to my non-expert eye - reminds me of Watkins Glen and the old Trans-Am days. Perhaps you should post a video that includes those terrific motor sounds - I'll bet it thunders! I share your perspective - it is so much easier catching someone as opposed to staying in front. When you are behind, everything is in front of you. But when you are ahead, you have two vistas to monitor at all times, while still managing to drive. I could see from Xcarguy's excellent video how difficult the Mustang is to handle at 9/10's - out of those turns, she was shaking her derriere harder than a French can-can dancer. And, as you noted, even more when two Sevens are on your tail. I suppose some of this should be expected from a fairly heavy car riding on fairly skinny rubber. But you also mentioned overly-responsive turn-in - makes me wonder if your alignment is a bit out. Is the problem asymmetric? That's usually a hint. (For the uninitiated, my post has intimated that Croc's car was possibly a little under-prepared. Just watch - when you provoke a crocodile, be prepared for a dagger-toothed response.)

Enjoyed your video. Your Stalker is really well-finished - looks like a labor of love. Appears to handle well, too, with tons of grunt. And the sound your trans makes going into gear is the definition of "snick". The cockpit is laid out great, and those colors will wake you up quicker than a thermos of espresso. Please advise as to the type of camera you are using. Your images and sound were excellent. My GoPro, on the other hand, is ancient and low-res.

Plus, these cars, though designed with the assistance of an early wind tunnel, were still lacking in aero control elements, especially at the front. Without a splitter or dive planes, Lola front ends can go light at about 150 mph. 150 mph is more than enough at most tracks, but with 600 hp and the right final gear, T70's can exceed 200 mph, which can be hit on the Back Straight at Watkins Glen, several spots on the Circuit of the Americas and other tracks. If you examine the BAT auction car, there is NO front aero to help keep the front end planted. Plus, the BAT car has an aluminum rear spoiler, which exacerbates front end lift at high speeds. I knew a local construction company owner, who took an old open wheel car with an improperly maintained carbon fiber front splitter out to a track with a long straight. At high speed, the splitter cracked and bent upward, creating enormous lift. My acquaintance immediately flew about 4 stories up into the air. The car turned upside down, and it all came down on his head, killing him instantly. Front dive planes are being installed on my car as I type. I don't want that front end frolicking around at 150, which is a speed I might hit. We shouldn't need a pilot's license to drive sports cars!

Absolutely. I purchased my 935 Tribute from a very nice man who sold it to me because a) he believed his car's capabilities far exceeded his own, inviting accidents, and 2) as powerful as his car had become, it was non-competitive - folks were producing twice as much power with single-race motors. He believed that he could not restrain himself, and that an ultimate argument with the armco was inevitable. I am not in this to win - I just want to participate. At some future event, there will only be 3 cars in my class, and even if I have to push her across the finish line, I will podium. That is sufficient for me.

You do own a good sense of humor, though!

Thanks, Panamericano. I appreciate the avatar compliment. And you are right about the trade-offs. I am 72 years old, and no longer need to achieve escape velocity to experience thrills. This car will exceed my capabilities in nearly every regard, which is more than enough. The Lola in the BAT auction is a later engine build, which pulls increased power. In period, Can Am cars produced about the same power as my Lola. Plus, I saw these Lolas piloted by Bobby Rahal, Mark Donahue, Mario Andretti and other driving luminaries - Steve McQueen owned one - so it is beyond cool to sit in their seat and share their experiences. Lastly, I love the look of the car - a timeless design, equally at home on the Autobahn and the Nurburgring. I remember watching these cars circle Watkins Glen in the '60's, and thinking about how neat it would be to drive one on the street. And now I will know.

@DAS76 wrote: By coincided I just stumbled across this Lola auction which might interest you https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-lola-t70-mk2-spyder/ Dave - The above Lola featured in the BAT auction is a 100% original ex-Huntingdon Mk II. This gives the car more historical importance and more $$$ value than my Lola, which is factory-bodied only - the rest is replica or later production. Advantages to the original Lola include, when set up properly, the Hewland trans is a dog ring box, so once moving, no clutch is required and shifting is DCT-fast. The Hewland is also quite sturdy, but probably not more so than the more modern baulk-ring synchro Getrag in my car. Disadvantages include the fact that the Hewland has one fewer gear than my Getrag, and service is much more difficult and costly. Our motors with Weber carbs are similar, but his motor is tuned to a higher state. The advantages include another 140 hp. The disadvantages include racing fuel required and shorter service life. The original Lola also has inboard front AP brakes. The advantage is superior brake cooling, as the disc lies in the path of air travelling beneath the car. The disadvantage is weaker, cantilevered spindles that can break catastrophically (this happened to John Surtees at Mosport in 1965, and nearly killed him). My Lola has hubs, spindles, uprights and more from the C4 Corvette. The advantage is additional strength, and the disadvantage is added weight. The frame on my car more closely resembles an original Mk I Lola, with a central steel ladder for extra strength, making it more suitable for road use. The disadvantage to my frame compared to the Mk II in the BAT auction is added weight. The original Lola Mk II frame is a fully aluminum monocoque, which, given the adhesives and fastener technology available at time of construction, resulted in a frame that would loosen with some alacrity. The disadvantage was the frame then required replacement or rebuilding. The original Lola in the BAT auction is RHD, which is less appropriate for driving on roads in North America. My Lola is LHD. The original Lola in the BAT auction also has significantly smaller personal accommodations, with basically a baby's high chair for the passenger seat. My Lola was re-engineered to provide equal seating for both passenger and driver, more suitable for road use. The disadvantage is my car can carry less fuel in the side pods. Otherwise, the car in the BAT auction and my car are very similar - nearly indistinguishable in appearance, with original-style AP racing brakes, dash gauges, Mountney steering wheel, fire suppression system (Halon, not ABC), Willans 6-point belts, rack and pinion steering, identical rubber, alloy wheels and more. Overall, my car is heavier and less powerful. However, it is also far more suitable for road use, and still incredibly fast, as it has run competitively in several races and podiumed in a few. In the image below, the original Mk II T70 (left) is blue, and my car (right) is white.

@SENC - It's a little confusing because I reprinted only a portion of an article I am writing. The previous owner of my car is named Barry, I bought the car from him in 2018, and my name is Bruce. And thanks for the compliment! Also, what is an MV8? Is that a brand of track car? I could not find a description on the net, except possibly a BMW M series V8 powered car.

So the cat's out of the bag and I am 26 years Dan's senior! That's okay - one of my best friend lives across the street and can't be a lick over 45. In my signature, you will see that I, like Dan, have a Mini history. It was an earlier Cooper S with the 1,071 CC motor. Still fast for the time, but mostly known for incredible agility. I would right turn up the neighbor's driveway, then left turn onto the public walk, pick up my high-school sweetheart at the end of her private walk, and then pull away - and never touch any grass! I don't have that car any longer, but like Dan, I have three - and for now, that seems like a good number. I am still finishing two (the 935 and the Lola), so the Alfa 4C is my forget-about-it car - just hop in and go. My Alfa is a Stage III tune, good for 360 hp. I had nearly that much power in an earlier, lighter Lotus Exige, but the electronic assists and the slick-shifting DCT make the Alfa noticeably faster. The remaining two sports cars prove the gravitational theory of money: Like regular gravity, except when the pile of money grows sufficiently large, cash repels and flies out of the account. When those first two are done making demands on their sugar daddy, I will consider further cars. I have two hoists, so we can fit 4 cars and a big SUV into my garage, but I could also store a car or two at my business.

@das76 (Dave) from USA7s has requested that I post images and some background on my Porsche 935 Tribute. From an article I am writing, here we go: "Flakbau" is a tribute to the racing 935’s, and a labor of love for two owners over a span of 38 years. Her ski-slope hood, improbably wide stance, miniscule weight and monster power recall competition 935’s, with an added skosh of comfort for street use. Like the original 935’s, Flakbau is devoid of PASM, PSM, power steering, or power anything except windows. The shriek of her boxer six is a war cry for zero-assist, old-school race cars. FLAKBAU ORIGINS: In August of 1985, attorney Barry Thompson of Bristol, CT purchased a pristine 1982 911 SC with just 3,200 miles on the odometer. The car was garage-kept and unsullied by rain or snow, disciplines which Barry maintained for the next 32 years. During the initial years, his 911 SC transported groceries, ported Barry to court, and lapped Lime Rock with alacrity. In 1991, Barry determined that one Porsche was sufficient, and decided to sell an old 356 he had stowed away in Mom’s garage. That sale accrued a small and shocking fortune. Money, when accumulated in quantities, generates a force like gravity, but the opposite, prompting cash to fly out of the account. After assuaging his brilliant wife Therese with substantial retirement investments, Barry considered what Barry wanted – and Barry wanted to go faster around Lime Rock. That meant costly upgrades to the 911. The first, added in 1993, were 930 Turbo rear quarterpanels and a full set of three-piece BBS Gold alloy wheels with new race rubber. In 2001, Barry improved power with a 964 twin-plug dry-sump motor. A TPC supercharger followed in 2004. Brembo “Big Red” front brakes, 930 Turbo rear brakes, Wilwood pedal box and Rennspeed pedal covers were appended in 2005. Unibody triangulation, a brace across the shock towers, rear-seat delete and a Safety Devices super-touring roll cage were 2006 projects. By now, a new and unborn spirit began whispering in Barry’s ear: “Be my daddy. Call me Flakbau. Make me a 935!”. So, in 2008, Barry gave her a Tarrett 935 coilover front suspension and Smart Sway bars. A Billy Boat exhaust and front-mounted oil cooler followed in 2010. A Getrag G50 transmission and Lobro 930 Turbo half-shafts and running gear were added in 2011. Baby was about to drop: In 2012, Barry installed a 16 gallon Fuel Safe cell, quick-disconnect Momo steering wheel, Recaro Profi seats, a new fiberglass roof panel and a lightweight Lexan backlight. Then, in 2013, Barry got radical and CRISPRed his baby: He installed a carbon fiber Rennspeed 935 front clip, a 935-style double-element rear wing and decklid, and a wild new epidermis of Porsche Wine Red enamel blenderized with candied cherries and gold dust. Voila! From under stark fluorescent tubes, clouds of filler dust and billowing primer fumes emerged “Flakbau”. Beholding his lustrous newborn for the first time, Barry lost all won’t power. In 2014, he retained Automobile Associates of Canton CT to rebuild Flakbau’s entire drivetrain to strong street/track specs. By now, of the original car, only tub, rack, dash, doors, front/side glass, hubs and miscellaneous parts were retained. Automobile Associates rebuilt the motor with balanced Porsche and Pauter engine internals and competition valvetrain, and installed new G50 transaxle internals including Albins ring & pinion, Guard LSD, California Motorsports synchros and forks, Kennedy clutch pack, lightened Patrick flywheel, Hargett shifter and much more. So now it is 2016. After 31 years of cash, sweat and tears, Barry had transformed his stock 911 SC into a superhero 935. Though plated for the street, she hadn’t driven one in years. But the combination of Flakbau’s pro-level throttle, and Barry’s amateur skills, posed a serious risk for the car: Significant wheelbase reduction courtesy of the Armco. The prospect of Flakbau with wheels akimbo was horrifying, but Barry knew his limits. He would be unable to resist that final deep pass, that late dive into the corner. Flakbau would take Barry anywhere he asked, including into eternity. Her canvas was painted. Time for the artist to lay down his brush. Time for Barry to sell Flakbau. I bought her in 2018, and subsequent work can be the subject of another post. IMAGES:

IMO, Sevens are too custom, include too many variables, and possess too small of a total manufactured base for meaningful sales trends to emerge. Over the 4 decades during which I have bought and sold four Sevens, I have noticed that they are a unique combination: Destination sports cars that are both rare and affordable . Most destination sports cars are either too rare or too expensive, or (usually) both. Sevens are scarce, but not rare, and because of lack of content they remain affordable (pound for pound, that statement is untrue - based on the weight of a 911, my last used 2010 Seven went for about $160,000). And the Seven, because of classic appearance, enormous history, incredible performance (Supercar to 70), and world-beating fun-factor to drive, is a true destination sports car - a car that enthusiasts lust over, a car that never ages out or becomes outmoded, a car that owners buy and keep for years. Knowing these attributes, I have never considered time of year when selling or buying. There is a small Spring premium, but not big enough to change plans over. These cars sell at any time of the year, because their market is global, and it is always warm somewhere (or will be in a month or two). The destinations of cars I have sold include MI, CA, NC and Sweden. Also IMO, there is a general spread for any Seven of certain years, miles, equipment level and condition, but the biggest factor in determining the ultimate sales price is salesmanship - the ads, the images, the venues, and the person-to-person relationship that develops between buyer and seller. Obviously, you can't sell liver for the price of ribeye, but salesmanship determines the maximum value achieved. I have bought and sold Sevens during recessions, expansions and periods of inflation. All those epochs had small effect on the final price, but our little destination sporter will sell when others don't.

My Caterham sale went well. It did not meet reserve while offered on Pcarmarket (Croc warned me about this site), but I resumed my Hemmings ad immediately after the weeklong auction ended, and Hemmings produced several offers. Neither Hagerty nor Pcarmarket provided any serious bidders. The only bidders who offered cash were from Hemmings. My Caterham was advertised for $50,000 and ultimately sold for $53,500. If you would like to see my 2010 Caterham R400 ad in order to compare my ex-car to other Sevens in which you are interested, my ad is still posted (though marked "SOLD") under Cars for Sale" in this forum.

I just looked into the Ineos. Positively love the look and ethos. However, the company just started production in 2022, always a cautionary flag. Also, there are no dealers, so parts purchases and service will be a continuation of the saga I endured with my WCM S2K. The Ineos uses BMW motors, ZF trannies, Carrillo beam axles, plus parts from other manufacturers and tons of bespoke Ineos parts. I want my SUV to be easy, quick and affordable to repair, and the Ineos sounds like none of those. Interesting regarding the shared DNA between the X7 and the Cullinan. The Culllinans I've seen gorgeous, but pretty big - I need a smaller footprint due to the angle I must park in my garage. Another reason to consider a G Class or LR 110.

Croc - as always, your advice is not to be ignored. I will investigate the X7. But I am inclined toward semi-retro proto-military vehicles, like the Jeep truck if they were bigger inside. That's why I continue to gravitate toward the Merc Gelundewagen and the LR 110. I like the ethic. Newer models of these trucks improve the breed, but remain true to their DNA and heritage. And that keeps the older models fresh.

20 mpg is great - in town, my Explorer gives me on 16 on a good day. With the car hauler attached, I'm down to 9 or 10. I agree with your "boxy shape" assessment - never in style, so never out. Pure functionality. The Defender 110's will be down in price in a year or so, so I will look at them then.

Very nice SUV, Croc. You have great taste in vehicles. Potential 7,500 lb towing capacity, too, which is better than my Explorer. I, too, must move on soon, as my Explorer is nearing 200,000 in-service miles, which makes me nervous on long trips. It has been comfortable, dependable, and the livery is great (see photos). I had an excellent rust man (talk about a dying breed!) work on some creeping cancer, so the body should remain impeccable for another year or two, but by then I need to make a move. I have been thinking about the new Land Rover Defender 110, with 8,000 pounds towing capacity, or perhaps the Mercedes G-Class, also with 8,000 pounds. I like the retro looks - sort of proto-military - they won't go out of style soon, because they were never in style in the first place. I don't need a big blown motor - my cars provide enough go-fast - I want a durable, long-lasting body and drivetrain.

A few cars ago I owned a triple-black Lotus Exige, the year before the model S with the air intake that reached to the front of the windshield (mine reached halfway). I lowered it minimally, added large CF side intakes, a low-restriction air filter and intake box, low-restriction exhaust, water to air intercooling and a host of other upgrades. Then a tuner from Hell flew in from CA, and waved a magic wand over about a dozen cars in one weekend. That little 1.8 liter Toyota stock-block pulled 343 hp on the dyno, allowing 12% for losses. One time in that car I blew away a V6 NSX. The driver became so upset, I thought he might ram me. My wife was in the car as I took a sharp evasive maneuver around a giant truck. Her exhaust was louder than all three vehicles combined. Amazing, mighty little car.