Now I’m headed over the pond to Europe to acquire some classics from Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and yes even… eh, france. That’s right even a… french car makes it into the first 30 cars into my garage. Keep in mind though that the company was founded by an Italian immigrant, went under due to WWII and is today owned by Germans. So one could say it is truly french.
RECAP: So here I am. Wealthy. Invested. In business. Sitting on $160,000,000 to blow on cars. For the sake of the fantasy I’ll be buying these cars at MSRP , for the new cars, or at original price with inflation calculated and a 5% increase per year prior to 2010 for the classics. No taxes!
When we left off I had picked up 10 influential and just cool cars from a by-gone age in American industry. I’d spent about $1.5mil and expect to put a significant dent in that today.
Dream Garage Acct. Balance: $158,421,848.16
[note: finding the original MSRPs for these cars has proven quite an annoyance. Hence the delay on the post…will add the prices and DG balance as I find the info.]
Pt. 2: European Classics
1. 1956 Porsche 550 Spyder
What better way to kick off the Euros than with the car that killed James Dean? The Porsche 550 Spyder was inspired by the Porsche 356 and was designed to race. It’s low slung demeanor was perfect for racing. It sat so low that during the 1954 Mille Miglia, one of the Porsche drivers drove under the closed railroad crossing gates at speed. With it’s small over complicated 4-cycle engine cranking out around 100hp and a dry weight of only 1,300 lbs the little Porsche was definitely fast. She competed in races all over the world, including the US, UK, Germany, Itlay, etc. She’s is one of the most replicated classic cars in the world. You know how when you go to a classic car show you always see at least 3 or 4 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C replicas? Well when you go to international classic shows you’ll see at least 3 or 4 replicas of these. Fittingly enough the Car that took the life of James Dean also lived by his creed of “live fast and die young”. The 550 Spyder was short lived With only 90 documented Type 550 Spyders being built between 10/27/1952 and 6/29/1956. Nicknamed the “Giant Killer” and “Little Bastard” the 550’s were all hand built and thus unique. She has a history as brief and rich as the infamous rebel himself.
MSRP:$6,800
w/Inflation: $48,180.04
+ 270% ($130,086.11)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $178,266.15
DG Acct. Balance: $158,243,582.01
2. 1965 Aston Martin DB5: The REAL Bond girl!
I absolutely adore (Is that gay?) these cars. With only a 4.0L straight six spitting out 282BHP, she may not outrun (0-60 in 7.1 sec and a top speed of 145MPH) some of the other cars on this list or even the American cars from the last installment. What she would do is get you where you were going fast and comfortably. Aston Martin, in my opinion, has always been the standard in grand touring cars. It may not out run your Ferrari, and it may not have the flash of your Lambo, but it will make you look and feel sophisticated whilst being fast and flashy nonetheless. Besides James Bond loves them, and he’s manly as shit! Only Sean Connery (7x if you count Never Say Never Again) and Roger Moore (7x) have been in more Bond movies than the DB5 (6 x if you count the deleted scene from The World is Not Enough). If there is one lady that James Bond seems to always find his way inside it’s the DB5. The original DB5 prototype used in Goldfinger was stolen in 1997 in Florida and hasn’t been found.
MSRP: $6,237.54
w/ Inflation: $37,082.80
+ 225% ($83,436.30)
DG Total: $120,519.10
DG Acct. Balance: $158,123,062.91
3. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
The Gullwing is a legitimate classic car icon the world over. It emits an aura of sophistication and sportiness. The car held high by the German company for bringing the Mercedes-Benz name credibility and worth in the US market. Near 80% of the cars built were ultimately sold in the United States, making this the company’s first big hit in the US market. This is understandable when you look at the numbers and facts on this classic sports car. With it being the very first direct injection engine, the 300SL made twice as much power as the same engine with a standard fuel injection system and was able to achieve the rank of fastest production car (161 mph). Tipping the scales by today’s standards the Gullwing weighed in with a wet weight of 3,430 lbs. Its in-line 6 produced 212 hp @ 5800 rpm and 202 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm. It was, however, pricy!
MSRP:$11,000
w/Inflation: $77,938.30
+ 270% ($210,433.41)
DG Total: $288,371.71
DG Acct. Balance: $157,834,691.2
[So far so good. I’ve bought 13 amazing cars and spent just over 2 million dollars. In all fairness some of these very cars have sold for over 2 million by themselves at auctions.]
4. 1960 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
The very definition of “Big Pimpin'”. Nothing says, “Hey yo bitch!”, like a Bentley except DMX and I bet he drives a Bentley! The Flying Spur Continental needs no introduction. Bentleys have been an understood way of saying, “Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “I’M RICH, BEEEEEITCH!!!”, for for the better part of a century. Just the name Bentley itself emanates luxury and status. No Bentley to date has better captured that quality than the Early 60’s model Continental Flying Spur. Owned by Rolls-Royce the Bentley got a beefy 6.2L Rolls-Royce V-8 stuffed under the bonnet. The Flying Spur was essentially just a stretch version of the standard S2 model.
MSRP:$
w/Inflation: $
+ % ($)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $
DG Acct. Balance: $
5. 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC
The french one. The one you see above you belongs to a man who’s name you definitely know, but you may not know his passion for cars, Ralph Lauren. Bugatti Type 57 is one of the few french cars I like, along with the Veyron and the Peugeot 206 ( both likely to be discussed later). The Type 57 was probably the most famous car Bugatti had built until recently. Sporting a 3.3L engine making 135hp and reaching speeds of up to 95mph the standard Type 57 was good in its own rite. The need for more power and lighter body materials in order to win races brought about the T 57C. The 57C had the same 3.3L engine with a roots type supercharger installed pushing peak power to around 160hp. Still wanting and needing more Bugatti turned to a 4.7L engine in the Type 57 C Tank (a race born car) which won the ’36 french Grand Prix and the ’37 24 Hours of Le Mans. The defacto street version of this car is the Bugatti Type 57S. Many think the “S” stands for “Sport” but actually stands for “Surbaissé” (lowered). The 57S was usually sent back to the factory to get the SC model’s optional blower installed. With the installation of the supercharger the 4.7L made 200hp and pushed the big Bugatti to speeds of 120mph. The type S won the ’39 24 Hours of Le Mans, and during post race testing took the life of Jean Bugatti, the eldest of Ettore Bugatti’s sons at 30 years. So it’s a car with a rich history and a rich set of owners with a recently discovered (in a private garage in Newcastle) original 1937 Type 57S Atlante going for , and that’s the one thats going to sit in my Dream Garage. I mean just that…SIT in my garage cause the damn thing doesn’t even run.
MSRP: N/A
Auction price paid: €3,417,500.00
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $5,018,082.00 (direct conversion of GBP to USD)
DG Acct. Balance: $
6. 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo (930)
One of my favorite cars of all time! That blue color, above, is just wonderful. The 930 model 911 ran from 1975 until 1989 and went through several changes and variations throughout the 14 year period. The 930 was the first production turbo 911, and by 1978 Porsche saw fit to add an intercooler and a bigger engine. I personally have always been deeply in love with this body style 911. It just defines Porsche to me. The wide low body (hips and legs). The prominent headlamps (eyes). The big rear spoiler that was, quite appropriately for this analogy, called “The Whale Tale”. The 3.3L 300BHP It all comes together to create a magnificent vehicle, to be loved by all except Ralph Nadar. In case you didn’t know Nadar is a cunt.
MSRP:$
w/Inflation: $
+ % ($)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $
DG Acct. Balance: $
7. 1965 Ferrari 250 California Spyder
The lone Ferrari on the initial Euro list. The short wheelbase (SWB) version above was the successor of the original LWB 250 California Spyder. With reduced weight, disc breaks and more power the newer model California was better in almost every way, in my opinion. There were only 55 of the cars built during it’s run. It’s 250 V-12 produced 276 hp. the car was, is, and shall forever be a head turner. If you’ve never heard of the Ferrari California, or thought it was a new model from Ferrari with the
new model
you might remember the original car (actually a replica) from Ferris Beuller’s Day Off. A single owner 1961 250 sold at auction for £5,500,000/$8,075,919. Don’t worry this new iteration of the California, which clearly steals some styling cues from its grandfather, will make an appearance later on.
MSRP:$
w/Inflation: $
+ % ($)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $
DG Acct. Balance: $
8. 1938 Jaguar SS100 Roadster “I’ve always wanted an older jag.” “Really?What kind?” “A green one.”
Something about an old classic Green Jaguar Roadster just seems to define British classic sports cars to me. Jag-U-are as it’s pronounced in the UK, has a storied history and the SS100 roadster is a big part of it. The SS100 was the first car to bear the Jaguar name, in 1936. The SS100 was made by the Swallow Sidecar Company, but the name Jaguar was formally adopted after WWII, cause the SS title just seemed to have an irremovable stain after that. The 3.5L powerplant made a whopping 25 RAC horsepower and would get you to 60MPH in only 10.4 seconds. It managed to break that magical 100MPH mark, hitting 101MPH.
MSRP:$
w/Inflation: $
+ % ($)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $
DG Acct. Balance: $
9. 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom
Just simply CLASSIC. You might have noticed that I have a thing for cars from the 30’s. They just seem to embody the elegance and the mechanical aptitude of the time. It’s hard to argue that the car you see above isn’t a work of art. 30’s passenger cars like the Jaguar above, the Cadillac from the American Classics post, and this Phantom are prime examples of the combination of form and function.
MSRP:$
w/Inflation: $
+ % ($)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $
DG Acct. Balance: $
10. 1968 BMC Mini Cooper S
MSRP:$
w/Inflation: $
+ % ($)
Dream Garage (DG) Total: $
DG Acct. Balance: $
American Manliness 