Chewsday Challenge

Drive Time

I’ll let Reader GT3Ted set the scene for this challenge:

Hypothetically speaking, if someone were to wake up tomorrow having somehow won the current Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot, there would suddenly be a very interesting problem to solve.
After taxes, there might still be something in the neighborhood of half a billion dollars sitting around, and leaving that much cash idle seems almost irresponsible. Naturally, the search would begin for additional places to park the money.
    • You already bought a 10,000 acre cattle ranch in Montana
    • 25 sections of Corn and Wheat land in Kansas and Nebraska
    • A Smaller 9,000 sq ft place in Telluride (Aspen is sooo last Year) 
But you are still missing a good car collection.
Not to worry,   Next month is Monterey Car week and Sotheby’s is selling some of the World’s best Car Collections  (including multiple Pebble Beach Best of Show Winners).

The challenge:  pick any three cars out of the offerings.  You can give as reasons any criteria you wish (longtime dream, a gift for a very good buddy / your heir, investment, whatever).

For the terminally picky and querulous, remember that your bank account can easily handle both the cost of purchase plus any maintenance charges — it’s a rounding error, in both cases — so go ahead and indulge yourself.  Still on that topic: assume that you’re already bought yourself your dream SUV / pickup / Toyota for an everyday driver;  these three would be pure indulgence.

That said (and Ted will agree with me here), the reason that I picked three cars and not one is that any any given time, at least one and quite possibly two of the cars will be in the shop for repairs, so three is a prudent number.

My three choices are below the fold, listed in no particular order because I drool over all of them equally:

1. 2001 Ferrari 575M

It’s not one of Ferrari’s gaudy colors, e.g. bright red or yellow (a.k.a. CMC — cop-magnet color), which makes it very attractive.  To me, 2001 (and this model) was “peak Ferrari” — before their cars were overwhelmed with electronic geegaws and unnecessary / costly options.

Also, no stupid sunroof.


(Note:  stick shift;  I think this was the last Ferrari to offer manual transmission, hence my interest.)

2. 1958 BMW 507

Still one of the most elegant and beautiful sports cars ever made (and certainly the most beautiful BMW ever made).  I’m even willing to forego my antipathy for cabriolets — Texas, remember? — and get this beauty.  It’s also the least likely of my three choices to break down irreparably, because German engineering.

I know, it’s stupid money.  But given that at the time, the 507 was way more expensive than its Mercedes and Ferrari counterparts anyway, one might as well stay with it.

3. 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB

…and the very first thing I’d do is take this little beauty off to a place that knows how to do such things, and have the fiberglass body replaced with carbon fiber — making it stronger and lighter.

And if that couldn’t be done, I’d just hold my nose and drive it around anyway.

There they are, then.  It may come as a surprise to some that I didn’t pick either of the two Dino 246 models, but I think the 308 has a better engine and probably drives better than its predecessor.

Also surprising is that I had quite a problem deciding on the third car, simply because I found very few of the cars that appealing.  I’m not interested in buying a car for its “investment value”, because at my age (and with that amount of money in the bank) I want to enjoy myself.

Don’t even ask me what guns I’d buy under the same circumstances…

20 comments

  1. The 328 was in every way better than the 308, just as the F50 was better than the F40, but one of each pair is an icon and the other’s not.

    The Vitroresina goes for a bit more than the steel-bodied 308s, but you can still get one for about $100k which isn’t much.

    1. Well, yes. Except that there isn’t a 328 on offer here. Read the rules…

      1. Ken Tyrrell has a fine video on restoring a Vitroresina. Underneath the skin the chassis was solid rust and actually flexed. But if you’re a powerball trillionaire, you’re earning $50k a day anyway, so what difference does a complete rebuild make.

        I would have thought that you being you, your first investment would be your own private shooting range! I haven’t shot competitively or in anger for over fifty years, but it might be nice to have a Barrett with all the trimmings.

        1. Well I did mention that there is already a 10,000 acre Montana Ranch. I’m assuming that counts as a “Private shooting Range” since it comes with its own Elk and Bear and Big Horn renewable moving Targets.

  2. Lots of Fine automobiles on offer. Personally I rather like the Alfa-Romeo 8C-2300, the Aston-Martin DB4-GT Zagato and then I would have to choose between the Allemano bodied Maserati A6G or the Vignale bodied Ferrari 212 Inter. Decisions, decisions.

  3. The bright red 1957 Benz 300SL (I’d take it over the Gullwings). Such a magnificent car (and a stickshift!)
    1977 Land Rover – need a way to get around all of that land I now own.
    Ferrari 360 – something a bit more practical for getting the groceries

    1. If you’re only going to use the Landy on the farm, you’ll be fine.

      You may have a couple of issues if you go and buy groceries in it, though…
      #RightHandDrive

  4. Daily driver: 1977 Land Rover Series III 109 Restomod by Kevin Kay Restorations
    Touring/Road trips: 2016 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
    Something for the wife, and a spare for when something is in the shop: Range Rover Matched Pair – 2027 Range Rover SV Ultra LWB & 1993 Range Rover Classic

  5. Here are my 3 choices.

    Lot 135 1937 Delage Areodynamic Coupe This car is from Sam & Emily Mann’s collection and was originally built for Louis Delage as a personal car. Best of show winner at Pebble Beach in 2005. The French built Cars may have been Mechanical disaster area but there is no denying they built the best looking swoopy looking cars of the 30’s.

    Lot 126 1927 6 1/2 liter short chassis Bentley Mostly because I’ve always wanted a Blower Bentley and this one is a driver that has and can compete in all sorts of vintage tours and as a 2 seater it’s better looking than the bigger 4 seater Blowers.

    Lot 341 1963 Corvette Gran Sport One of the 5 original Gran Sports. These cars almost never are available. Get one while you can despite the 13 Million $ projected cost. More if needed ( You have a very deep pocket, remember. )

    The Market for Vintage Machines is somewhat soft at the moment so I’m thinking that the Delage and the Bentley can be had cheaply. The Gran Sport is another matter all together. Depends on who else is playing but that’s the car that will set records at Monterey. Bid what whatever it takes for this one.

    Now I’m going outside the rules here because as long as I now have three cars in the truck, I might as well fill the truck with another 3 cars. since the cost will not be that much more.

    So ….. a few more

    Lot 321 the 2.7 911 RS

    Lot 318 the 93 3.8 911 RS …. you knew There had to be a couple of Porsches on my list, right

    And Lastly …..

    lot 131 the 12 cylinder Delahey the 2015 Best of Class winner at Pebble beach …… OK, yes another French car —- who can resist those lines.

    1. Kim,

      You don’t have to worry about which car might be in the shop at the moment. At this level of collector you have a mechanic and their apprentice on staff full time. ” The shop ” is also in you ” Car Barn ” fully equipped to handle anything that might happen Think Jay Leno and his staff.

      ……… and I’m going to need another truck. I just found 6 more Porsches

      Lot 256 ’55 Pre A Continental ( Ford made Porsche stop using that model name )

      Lot 304 .58 356 A Speedster

      Lot 249 Elva – Porsche Mark VII race car

      Lot 325 1989 959 Sport — Bill Gates has one of the other 49 cars

      Lot 355 1955 550 Spyder

      and Lot 356 1958 Carrera 1500 GT Speedster Those last two are both examples of the 4 cylinder 4 Cam Engine with the roller bearing Crank (

  6. I’m a heathen, I guess. I’d spend my car money elsewhere, thanks. Nothing there is all that appealing.

  7. In no particular order:

    The 1967 Meyers Manx. Just for shits and giggles and because I think it looks just funky enough to be cool.

    The 1999 Ferrari 550 Maranello. Similar reasons as you picked the 575. And yes, I know the 550 is a little less powerful, but I prefer the look of the front end over the 575 (happy smile vs. fish lips) and I love the NART Blue color.

    The 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider. ‘Cause I can feel it comin’ in the air tonight….oh Lord…

  8. I want something I can enjoy driving, not just look at, so I have to be able to fit my stiff, old fat belly, broad shoulders into the thing without having to need a physical therapist to fold me into it or a rescue squad to extract me after an hour or so in it..
    That said, in no particular order:
    2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello (Kim’s choice) – elegant, fast and looks comfy.
    2008 BMW M5 same – elegant, fast, very comfortable. I’ve driven one.
    1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer by Brewster. Gorgeous color on a gorgeous car. Just for leisurely cruising around the lovely vicinity of my estate in the right kind of weather or local small town holiday parades.
    And a nostalgic also-ran for uses like the 1928 Rolls – 1954 Buick Skylark

  9. Lot 266 the 250 cab. Manual v12 convertible. Welcome anywhere you go. Timeless perfection.
    Lot 325 the 959. I’m still kicking myself for passing on a 964 Turbo when they were affordable, but the people who know seem to rate these.
    Lot 125 the Voisin.

    I wonder if the dude flipping the toaster will get in trouble with Ferrari?

  10. First in line, the 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Cabriolet. I’ve loved the design of the Cord since I was a kid, and it has a unique style that seems both classic Art Deco and still timeless.

    For when I want to go out and put on airs, the 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman should be suitable. Long, elegant, and with an impeccable Hollywood pedigree.

    Finally, for something to gohellfast, the 1991 Jaguar XJR-15. Drop dead gorgeous, quick (0-60 in 3.9 seconds) top end just over 190. Oh, and did I mention, it’s a Jaaag!

  11. I’d choose the 1938 Talbot-Lago Teardrop Coupe for its sheer artistry (this was the car I had a poster of as a young man), the 1988 Ferrari Testarossa for its exotic flat 12 engine and flying wedge styling, and the 1965 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud because I’ve always wanted a Rolls and this one is not too new and not too old.

  12. Going to pick three street legal racecars:
    The Bentley 6 1/2 liter, just because I’d love to drive something like it
    The Jaguar XJR-15, genuinely different and both fast and comfortable (as long as you’re wearing hearing protection)
    The Ferrari 288 GTO, the sexiest post 1970’s Ferrari.

    I’ll get a Ferrari 550 as well, but it doesn’t have to be at the auction.

  13. This isn’t the auction for me. I enjoy looking at the antique pre 1940s cars but don’t really have a yen to own one. The only things there that I have respect for and wouldn’t mind having (but would not go out of my way to own) are the 1960-70s Mercedes.

    The Meyer’s Manx would be great for toodling around the ranch. A dune buggy (or a Karmann Ghia for my wife) is the ONLY way I would ever own a VW bug, nasty warty little stubbed toe things that they are.

    The MB 300SL

    And a tossup between the MB 600 Pullman and the MB 280SL. I’ve always loved big cars and the 600 is kind of their version of an American land yacht 😉

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