Autoblog

Jay Leno's garage grows by one thanks to BaT

Zach Bowman — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Ford, Celebrities

It turns out Jay Leno shops for classic cars just like the rest of us do: by ~~wasting untold hours drooling over~~ occasionally perusing BringaTrailer.com. The comedian and host of The Tonight Show recently took a shine to a memorable 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint shown on the site, and it wasn't long before a few phone calls were made. Now the previous owner can say he sold a car to one of the world's most well-known collectors, and Leno will have a very-cool Falcon in his Big Dog Garage.

So, what made this particular coupe worthy of such admiration? The '63 had undergone significant revision at the hands of the previous owner and builder, including a substantial weight reduction, suspension tweaks with input from the gurus at Koni, along with a fully blueprinted 302 V8. With an aluminum intake and heads as well as a lightweight T5 transmission, the seller claims to have plucked around 200 pounds from the vehicle's nose.

The idea was to build the car in the image of the Holman Moody Falcons that once competed in the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. Head over to BaT for both the initial sale listing story and the tale of Leno's buying.

Jay Leno's garage grows by one thanks to BaT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vintage VW Bug buyer already had key to the car

Jeff Sabatini — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Volkswagen

At this time of year there are no shortages of holiday miracles. Most of them seem to involve animals, the cuter and furrier the better. Just today we read about a baby seal who sought shelter in a New Zealand woman's house and curled up on the couch. Earlier in the week, it was the four deer who were saved from drowning by boaters in Alaska. Well, here's a car story in the same vein.

It's about a Beetle. A red, 1963 Volkswagen convertible to be specific. Earlier in the month, the car was listed on eBay and the seller, Eric, contacted website Bring A Trailer hoping to get a little wider publicity for his strikingly original car. Eric was offering the car with a treasure trove of documentation, including the original registration for its California "black plate."

So who should happen to see the pictures of the car? None other than the son of the original owner, Jim, who was with his dad when they drove it home from the dealership almost 50 years ago. When he saw the license plate, those six randomly assigned alphanumerics lit up his memory and, well, then he saw his dad's signature on a photo of the registration...

Let's cut to the chase: Jim is the proud new owner of the Bug.

But that's not all. It seems that Jim had saved one of the keys to his dad's old VW, and sure enough, when he showed up at Eric's house to look at the car, it unlocked the driver's door. As if that's not enough to make you believe in karma, destiny, and Fahrvergnügen, Jim bought the car on his son's 15th birthday. So dad will teach son to drive in the same car that grandpa taught him in.

Take that, cute and furry.

Vintage VW Bug buyer already had key to the car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Online Find of the Day: BaT bags a pair of Lancia Delta Integrale specials

Aaron Richardson — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:21:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Auctions, Europe, Hatchback, Lancia

Lancia Delta Integrale special editions - Click above for a high-res image gallery

It's rare enough to find one Lancia Delta Integrale for sale in North America. It's rarer still to find an example of one of the special edition cars Lancia made over the last two years of the Delta Integrale's life cycle. This week, though, Bring a Trailer is featuring two such cars from one Canadian seller.

The first car is one of 400 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale Martini 5 Special Editions, built to commemorate Lancia's fifth World Rally Championship. The Martini 5 also marked the first run of special edition Integrales. According to the seller, this one has been upgraded with Martini 6 decals, 17-inch Speedline wheels and a catalytic converter-less Group B exhaust system.

Inside, there's an aftermarket OMP steering wheel, Alcantara trim and a pair of delicious Recaro buckets. The seller says he still has the original wheels if the 17s are a bit much. Though the car is apparently street legal in Canada, it will need a catalytic converter if it's going to pass a smog test in Vancouver. Those of us in the States will have to make do with a show and display exception, or wait until the car is 25 years old before it can be registered.

The second car is one of 250 1994 Lancia Delta Integrale Edizione Finale cars made specifically for the Japanese market. Like all Edizione Finales, this example wears Rosso Amarento paint, and carries a laundry list of the Delta's most desirable options. That means a set of anthracite gray 16-inch Speedline wheels, push-button start, carbon fiber trim, aluminum pedals, a passenger footrest and the same Recaro furniture that graces the Martini Delta. On top of all that, the Edizione Finale received a bump to 250 horsepower, thanks to revised engine management.

Both cars are available exclusively through BaT, though we doubt they'll be sticking around too long given their rarity and desirability. Unfortunately for us, they're priced accordingly. The 1992 Martini 5 car is listed at a heady $80,000, while the 1994 Edizione Finale is "just" $65,000. Head over to Bring A Trailer for more.

Gallery: 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale Martini 5

Gallery: 1994 Lancia Delta Integrale Edizione Finale

[Source: BringATrailer]

Online Find of the Day: BaT bags a pair of Lancia Delta Integrale specials originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #219: Geneva, Diesel Cruze and Backup Camera talk with Randy Nonnenberg of BringATrailer.com

Dan Roth — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Geneva Motor Show, Etc., Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Dodge, Subaru

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Autoblog Podcast #219 is here, and the two Chrises and Dan are joined by Bring A Trailer's Randy Nonnenberg to talk oddball cars, all things Geneva Motor Show, the impending Chevrolet Cruze Diesel and the government's delay making backup cameras mandatory. Questions and feedback wrap it up, and it's an hour and thirty-six minutes of fun this week. Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #219: Geneva, Diesel Cruze and Backup Camera talk with Randy Nonnenberg of BringATrailer.com

In the Autoblog Garage:

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert

Guests: Randy Nonnenberg

Runtime: 01:36:48

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Autoblog Podcast #219: Geneva, Diesel Cruze and Backup Camera talk with Randy Nonnenberg of BringATrailer.com originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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