All posts by Francis Mitterrand

1965 Porsche 356 SC is up for auction

April 16, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

Recently, we have witnessed the discovery of more and more unique examples, as well as entire collections of old cars that are still in good condition. One of them is this 1965 Porsche 356 SC coupe that is being offered at auction.

Since its premiere in 1948, the Porsche 356 has been considered one of the most desirable collector cars. The production was started by the Austrian company Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH and two years later the production was taken over by the German Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH making it Porsche’s first production car until the appearance of the legendary 911.

This Porsche 356 SC is finished in Light Ivory (6404), is in good condition and underwent a refurbishment in 2016. The bodywork was repaired and rust was repaired, the floor panels, longitudinal members, and rocker panels were replaced. It is equipped with bumpers with chrome guards, dual side mirrors, twin engine-cover grilles, exhaust outlets integrated into the rear overriders, Sachs shock absorbers, and brake discs on all four wheels.

The Porsche 356 SC is powered by a rebuilt air-cooled 1.6L 616/16 flat-four engine. In 2015, the engine received JE forged pistons and 86mm Durabar cylinders for a displacement of 1720cc, the generator, carburetor, fuel pumps, distributor and electronic ignition were rebuilt, along with the installation of a wiring harness. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. It is mounted on 15″ chrome wheels wrapped in Vredestein Sprint Classic tires.

Inside, the seats are upholstered in blue leather that also covers the door panels and dashboard. There is also a three-spoke steering wheel behind which there is a five-digit odometer showing 8,877 miles (total mileage is unknown).

The car comes with a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, a driver’s manual, engine rebuild records, a spare set of wheels, and a clean South Carolina title in the current owner’s name.

The auction ends on April 20 and the current highest bid is $110,000 USD.

Gallery:

Source: Bring a Trailer

News, Tuning

Honda Brio with 400 hp

April 15, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

Honda Brio is one of the cars that the Japanese company only produced for the Southeast Asia market. It is a small car that is not intended for high speeds. However, the owner of one example of this model decided to turn it into a powerful car with 400 hp.

This Honda Brio is powered by turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 400 hp. As a reminder, the standard model is powered by a 1,2L engine with 87 hp (64 kW) and 80 lb-ft (109 Nm) torque. Power is transferred to front wheels via 5-speed dual clutch transmission and limited slip differential.

The car is finished in Boston green, which is used for BMW E36. It is equipped with a body kit that includes wide front and rear fenders and sports bumper. The door is retained, but the rear seats were removed to find room for a security cage. The car weighs only 950 kg.

Honda Brio was owned by Malaysian Jonathan Jameson, who can boast that he has the strongest copy of this model, but also one of the most powerful cars of this category.

Gallery:

Source: Larry Chen Via YouTube

News

The collection of 230 cars was hidden for 40 years

April 15, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

A large collection of classic cars from a professional dealer of rare and special cars from the 1960s was recently discovered. It contains 230 cars that the owner has been collecting for four decades.

It all started in the 80s of the last century when Palmen bought a yellow Lancia B20. After that, the collection was expanded with Italian models from Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Maserati and Ferrari, as well as German brands BMW, Mercedes and NSU. Of course, there are also British representatives: Jaguar, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce, as well as American Chevrolet, Cadillac and Ford. The French Facel Vega is also part of the collection. The collection also includes the brands Tatra, Monica, Moretti, Matra, Alvis, Imperia and Villard.

Cars were stored in one church and two warehouses. All are well preserved and are proof of Palmen’s refined taste and impressive knowledge of rare and special cars.

The owner rarely showed his collection so it became one of the best kept “secret collections” in Europe. He kept the cars in original condition, and maintained them himself and started them regularly. Unfortunately, due to the owner’s age and other circumstances, the collection will be sold.

The auction will take place in May and the cars are currently stored in a facility in Dordrecht.

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