All posts by Francis Mitterrand

1967 Porsche 911S is up for auction

March 16, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

It has been 59 years since the Porsche 911 hit the market. Many versions of this model were produced, from the first two-door 2+2 high performance rear-engined sports 911 to the current 992 Series. It was always attracting attention. In 1966, a powerful version of this model, the 911 S, was revealed, and a year later the Targa version was introduced. One of 483 soft-window Targa examples, a 1967 Porsche 911S is up for auction.

The Porsche 911S is powered by a replacement 2.0-liter flat-six engine installed in 1969. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. It is mounted on forged 15×4.5” Fuchs alloy wheels wrapped in Vredestein Sprint Classic tires.

This car was refurbished in 2007 when it was finished in Irish Green. It is in excellent condition, and is equipped with fog lamps, horn grille-mounted driving lights, a brushed stainless-steel targa bar, a black roof panel, a zip-down rear window, a black boot cover and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. .

Inside, the seats are upholstered in brown leather, which also covers the door panels. In front of the driver is a wood-rimmed steering wheel behind which is a five-digit odometer showing 80,258 miles. Additional equipment includes a Blaupunkt AM/FM radio, a wood shift knob, and Coco Mats floor mats.

The car comes with a window sticker, a warranty booklet, a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, registration records, refurbishment photos, and a clean Pennsylvania title.

The auction ends on March 23rd and the current highest bid is $95,237 USD.

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Source: Bring a Trailer

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Mercedes SL celebrates its 60th birthday

March 14, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

In 1963, Mercedes unveiled its new sports car, the 230 SL, with a chassis based on the W 111 sedan platform but with a 30 cm (11.8 in) shorter wheelbase. It was produced until 1971, in several series, and less than 50k cars left the production lines. Now this significant car in Mercedes history is celebrating its 60th birthday.

Ever since it appeared on the market, the Mercedes 230 SL has been considered one of the most important models in the history of the German manufacturer. In addition, it represented a turning point for Mercedes when it comes to safety. The bonnet, boot lid, door skins and tonneau cover were made of aluminum to reduce weight.

The 230 SL was designed by Friedrich Geiger and was characterized by the clean lines of the classic SL look and the large central star in the radiator grille. An option was a hardtop designed by Paul Barq, which gave it the nickname “Pagoda”. Thanks to the outstanding suspension, powerful brakes and radial tires, the 230 SL had superb handling for its time.

Over time, it was produced in several versions (230 SL, 250 SL, 280 SL), of which the most successful version of the W113 series was the 280 SL, which premiered in 1968. It was powered by a 2.8L 6-cylinder M130 engine with 168 hp (125 kW) and 180 lb-ft (244 Nm) of torque. It reached 62 mph (100 km/h) in 9 seconds with a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h).

This sports car also achieved notable results in races, one of which is the victory at the 5,000+ km Spa-Sofia-Liege in 1963. A year later they were third.

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Mercedes SL celebrates its 60th birthday

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Acura NSX spent 15 years in the river

March 13, 2023 Francis Mitterrand

Recently, an incredible story was published on Facebook about a car that spent many years under water, and now it will get a second chance. It is an Acura NSX that looks like it came from an apocalyptic movie, and it was bought for $8,500. It could be an exciting project for a new owner.

The story goes that the car was allegedly stolen and under unknown circumstances ended up in the Yadkin River in North Carolina in the early 2000s. No one knew about it until 2019, when a search for missing persons was launched, and the car was accidentally spotted. It was pulled out of the river, and now awaits a better life.

The restoration of the car will be done by Helix Auto Works, Maryland, which has a very demanding task ahead of it. 15 years under water is not a short period of time, so the damage to the car is quite large. Still, Helix Auto Works hopes to bring the NSX back to life.

The company has set two goals, the first is to make the car road legal, but if they fail to do so, the only option left is to prepare it for use on the track.

What will happen in the end doesn’t even matter, because every car deserves a second chance.

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