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CHRISTMAS MORNING. FIRST A COFFEE, THEN A TRIUMPH

Awakening early on Christmas morning I put off opening gifts until I've had that all-important first cup of coffee. As my eyes slowly begin to focus I see what appears to be a model car under the tree. From a distance the 1:43 scale car appears to be a Triumph Stag convertible, with a gift tag attached. I do like model cars but why, I wondered, would someone give me a Stag? Nice car, unique in many ways, yet I've never owned or even driven one.

Curious, I set the coffee mug aside to see who my benefactor might be, and why the Triumph Stag. But the real gift was not the model. It was an Open Road gift voucher giving me the use of a Stag for an entire week! I could choose to spend my days driving around the Cotswolds or travel further afield, even to the continent. And I needn't leave the family behind, for the Stag is a rarity among classics: a 4-seater convertible with a removable hardtop.

The person giving me this gift has chosen to remain anonymous but I wouldn't blame him or her for taking advantage of the Open Road's special Christmas offer: a saving of 10% on any classic car hire voucher bought before the end of December 2011. And that applies to every car in the fleet, which includes an MGB Roadster, the Triumph Stag and TR6, a Caterham 7, a Ford Mustang GT, a Jaguar MkII, an Austin Healey 3000 and a Jaguar E-Type Roadster.

I'm especially pleased to have a Stag at my disposal for it is the ride of actor Dennis Waterman, playing Gerry Standing in the TV detective series "New Tricks", a programme about a group of retired policemen working in a cold case squad. Having excellent taste, he drives a beautiful green Triumph Stag. Thanks to The Knowledge Network, a commercial-free channel in Vancouver, BC, I watch reruns of that show every Sunday evening. The Stag, by the way, features a V-8 engine producing 145 hp, more than enough for passing slower traffic on English motorways.

Gently cradling the little Stag in my hands I close my eyes and drift back to four years in the early 1970s when my family and I lived in London, where my job as a copywriter was to help promote Ford of Europe products for the JWT advertising agency. I may have been paid to write glorious copy about Ford but secretly I coveted a Triumph Stag with its sporty good looks, convertible Targa top, and powerful V-8.

The Christmas tale related above is, of course, just a fantasy. In reality I'm a semi-retired automobile journalist living near Vancouver and may never see London again, but for friends or relatives of anyone residing in the UK, or planning a holiday there, I've no hesitation in recommending an Open Road gift voucher. I'll keep the model, though.

CLASSIC CAR ART TOPS CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST

Beware, last minute Christmas gift buyers! Time travels faster than a speeding F1 car and before you know it, you'll be under pressure to make quick decisions. Assuming your plan is to buy presents for classic car fans (all the while wishing you could keep them for yourself) this blog will devote itself over the next few weeks to making recommendations (all the while wishing I could buy them for myself).

If you're purchasing what the hobby calls "automobilia" there's a good chance that will include original art or prints, model cars, books, subscriptions to car mags, collectible sales brochures, or maybe just a coffee mug with your friend's favorite car illustrated on the side. For me, with no room in my apartment for more books, my first choice would be a fine art print, and for that I would turn to one of my favorite online purveyors, CarArt.com. And because I'm interested in architecture I'd seek out the site's catalog of works that present the cars in an interesting architectural background. The association may be subtle but if you've a good eye you'll spot it.

The work I've chosen to highlight today is titled "San Francisco Sunday," by Sheridan Davies. The Victorian-era homes are certainly obvious to anyone who's visited that beautiful city and the contrast between ways to enjoy motoring for fun is equally clear, while making no judgements. Hot rod, or Jaguar XK150? It's all a matter of taste. But take note of the passing aircraft in the upper-right corner, descending with gear down. It's a Lockheed Super Constellation, arguably the most beautiful intercontinental passenger airliner of the pre-jet age. The artist shows a rare sensibility when combining these elements in one painting.

As I write, the 32" x 32" original is still for sale at $7900 and worth every penny. For those less fortunate souls among us, a giclée on paper can be purchased for a mere $295. Size is 24" x 24" but expand that with a nice mat and you've got a perfect size for your living room. Oh, wait... for his/her living room! We're supposed to be giving this as a Christmas gift! And my address is.....

[Artwork: Sheridan Davies]

AUCTIONS RACE TO SELL FERRARIS AT RECORD PRICES

Recently, while perusing the high-end auctions in America, I've come away with the impression that companies like RM, Gooding, and Bonhams are in a race to see who can sell the most Ferraris at the highest prices. From a marketing and business point-of-view that may seem logical but it ignores the fact that Ferraris, regardless of age and history, are just cars, albeit with a different purpose than your average family sedan. The more they get placed on the pedestal of greatness, the more inaccessible they become to those of us without fortunes to spend, and that's a shame.

Take the upcoming Scottsdale auctions, for example. Both RM and Gooding are highlighting Ferraris as a primary attraction. Each has a "star" car intended to draw the crowds with big pockets. For example, RM's 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica, seen in the photo at top. It was built for longtime Ferrari patron, Dottore Enrico Wax of the Genoa firm Wax & Vitale, best known as importers of Johnny Walker Scotch and Connolly leather. It features a brushed stainless steel roof and fins, polished and vented rocker panels and side grille, and open headlights. Of special significance is that it was the first new Ferrari road car to be bodied by Scaglietti, who passed away a few days ago.

RM has several other "special" Ferraris on offer, as has Gooding and Company. The "star car" in this instance is a 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa (above), raced by John von Nuemann, Bruce Kessler, and Richie Ginther. It was a 57 Lime Rock and Laguna Seca winner and like the Superamerica, features coachwork by Scaglietti. The brilliant Italian designer was Enzo Ferrari's favorite during that period. Gooding is also offering a 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast built for Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and Pierre Bardinon, with coachwork by Pininfarina, and a 1991 Ferrari F40 with less than 300 original miles and originally owned by Lee Iacocca.

You can take what you want from this comment and rest assured I admire (and covet) Italian sports and racing cars as much as anyone. But it bothers me when cars, even those as desirable as Ferraris, become commodities to be traded like shares on the financial markets. And we all know what the markets can do to the world economy, don't we?

COULD THIS BE THE GREATEST PEBBLE BEACH EVER?

It seems absurdly early to be writing about the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Roughly nine months as I write this. But there are two reasons why I'm willing to promote the event for the benefit of our viewers. First, because securing affordable accommodation is all but impossible if you wait until summer. One could even say that "securing affordable accommodation" can't be done at any time but perhaps, with advance planning, you might get lucky.

The second reason is that, having read the list of planned features and classes, I'd say that the 2012 concours is shaping up to be one of the most spectacular  in Pebble Beach history. The featured marques will include Maharaja Cars, plus the marques of Mercer and Fiat. Special classes will recognize Saoutchik Coachwork, AC and AC Cobra, Sport Customs, and German motorcycles.

I'm not sure how the organisers plan to find enough "Maharaja Cars" for the show, even allowing for the fact that more than a few Indian maharajas ordered customised luxury cars from the likes of Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta-Fraschini, and others. A few years ago I wrote a piece for another Web site about a maharaja who had a collection of some thirty rare classics, all of which were kept in perfect running order. He was in the habit of sipping his morning coffee from a balcony while a chauffeur would perform drive-pasts in whatever cars the master chose for his entertainment. One wonders if he still does this and if any of the cars will make it to California.

More realistically, it happens that over the years several maharajah cars have been sold or auctioned to private owners outside India (no longer allowed as the country takes steps to keep its treasures), and it is probably from that group that Pebble Beach expects to attract entrants.

But if the cars of India aren't enough to entice you, the class for Saoutchik Coachwork should do it. Saoutchik was one of the most creative and most flamboyant of prewar designer-builders, whose bodies were often stunningly beautiful. To see just one is an experience. To see multiple examples will have you shaking your head in amazement.

I'll be looking forward to the AC and AC Cobra class, for even though Cobras are frequently seen at concours, the AC cars from which they were derived are not and I think show goers will be surprised at the variety of sporting cars that came from this small UK company, which dates back to 1911. Along with some older examples we may see the sleek Greyhound sedan, the Aceca coupe version of the Ace roadster (the latter including three different inline 6-cylinder engines), perhaps a 1971 AC Frua and, who knows, maybe even one of the 3-wheeled "invalid" cars it produced so handicapped folks could keep mobile. Somehow I doubt that any of the twenty-eight streamlined Southend railway cars it produced in 1949 will make it to Pebble Beach.

Add to this the classes for Fiat and Mercer and you have the potential for an unforgettable Pebble Beach experience. If you own a car that fits the above you should get in touch with the organisers now. If you're intimidated by those Monterey room prices, now's the time to look for deals. If you find one, let me know.

PRE-WAR BEAUTY MARKS POSTWAR AUCTION

Although I gratefully wear a Russo and Steele media-gift cap on chilly days I'm always surprised when the action company offers a car that's exotic and rare and isn't from the muscle car era. Thus I'm pleased to note that it will be selling, in its 12th Annual Scottsdale Arizona Auction, Jan 18 - 20, a 1951 Jaguar MK V 3-Position Drop Head Coupe. A car so gorgeous it makes me wish I'd named our site Marque5.com.

For sure, the Mark V appeared to have its roots in the pre-war era. Fenders seperate from the body, running boards, stand-alone headlamps, a flat windshield, and a huge chrome upright grille, all spoke of a time gone by. Arriving in North America just as Americans and Canadians were looking to a future of streamlined bodies and advanced engineering, this Jaguar was anachronistic but so what? Such a powerful visual statement could not be ignored. And with only 977 left-hand-drive 3-litres built it was not going to be seen in many parking lots.

Making its first appearance in 1948 along with the sensational XK-120, it could make you wonder why Sir William Lyons bothered. But put yourself in his shoes. Wartime bombing had all but obliterated the Coventry factory. Money was tight, and what there was went into developing the XK-120 and its sensational new engine. Yet enough Mark IV tooling was available to build an improved version and Jaguar had a reputation for affordable luxury cars of a sporting bent. The Mark V would fill a gap until an all-new and modern Mark VII was ready.

This 1951 model comes with red and black leather, a tan cloth top, 4 speed transmission. A full restoration occured in 1993, major upgrades in '05 and '06. These included a custom AC/heating unit; upgraded charging system; improved brakes, water pump, radiator and hoses; a major tuneup, new radial tires, fuel-sending unit, new clutch, upper and lower ball joints and exhaust. The vendor claims a top speed of 90 mph with 18.2 mpg.

Not that you'd want to travel at that speed with the top down or in 3/4 position. This is a car to show, to parade, to drive in cruises. Or for trips down memory lane. I'd gladly trade a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue for a ride in the back seat.

[Photo Credits: Russo and Steele]

TEASED BY A PRETTY, AND PRETTY RARE, SPORTS HATCH

It was a late May morning back in 1958 when I took time off from my job as a radio announcer in Barrie, Ontario to attend the Hockley Valley Hillclimb, a 1/2 mile dash up a twisting dirt road in a scenic area near Orangeville, Ontario. There was magic in the air, caused by the intoxicating odour of Castrol R motor oil (an essential in those days), mixed with the sight and sound of fast sports and touring cars. Along with a few hundred other spectators I walked up the hill to find a viewing spot, kept out of danger by watchful club marshalls.

About a half-hour into the event, after several cars had made their ascent, I heard an approaching racer, a sound that reminded me of a tenor saxophone in full song: John Coltrane on wheels. Moments later one of the most beautiful sports cars I'd ever seen came drifting around the turn. It was an Ace-Bristol in Canadian racing colours, white with green stripes, driven by Peter Hayes. The few seconds in which Peter's Ace performed left a lasting impression. From that moment on, the Ace-Bristol would be among my all-time favorites.

Peter and his brother Fred came from a well-off Toronto family and both boys were handsome enough to become models, a useful source of revenue if you were into road racing. Fred Hayes went on to drive Cobras and Sadler Specials for Chuck Rathgeb's Comstock racing team but it was Peter's Ace-Bristol that earned a permanent place in my heart. Later I would learn that the Ace could be purchased with a choice of three 6-cylinder engines: the original AC, a Ford Zephyr version, and the exotic Bristol. The latter was, in fact, an update of the pre-WW2 BMW 328 sports car engine, which Bristol had acquired as war reparations and was using in its own cars.

In the early 60s, I became editor of Canada Track & Traffic magazine, then the country's only consumer car mag. The office manager was Diana Carter, a young woman who successfully raced touring cars when she wasn't keeping the books (and her co-workers, most of whom were racers) honest. Diana had somehow become the owner of an AC Aceca, similar to the one above, but was anxious to sell it. And who better, as prospective buyer, than the editor who'd earlier fallen in love with the Ace-Bristol?

I borrowed the pretty hatch for an hour, eager to experience the performance and handling, and though it was a delight to drive the AC Aceca lacked the refinement I'd come to expect from other sports cars I'd been testing. But then I came to my senses and realised I couldn't afford to keep such an exotic machine, certainly not on my income as a car mag editor. Nevertheless I still have a fondness for the Aceca which, as a collector car, sells for more than ten times what it was worth then.

[Story Lead: Daniel Strohl/Hemmings]

WHERE YOUR FERRARI MODELS ALWAYS BELONGED

Let's say that your model car collection includes racing Ferraris from the 1950s and early 1960s. You'd like to display them in a more interesting way than just sitting on a shelf gathering dust. Here's your ideal solution, being offered by Wilkinson's Automobilia of Vancouver, BC. It's a 1:18 scale Ferrari Race Car Transporter, officially known as Fiat Type 642 RN 2 Bartoletti, from 1957. As you can tell from the photo, the model is twice as long as typical 1:18 scale cars.

Our friends at Wilkinsons are ecstatic about the number of details, which include a mirror-like finish of the original two-tone red paintwork from the 1950s and the original Ferrari decals. Here's what Wilkinsons tell us: "The highly-detailed and functional auto hoist can be moved up and down manually. The rails are made of authentic checker-pattern metal plate. There's a removable spare wheel and spare-wheel bracket, with a functional spring clip-lock. The replication of the Trilex wheel system is authentic. Rear wheels, obviously, are dual twin-tires."

But wait. As they say, "there's more!" This Ferrari race car transporter replica is assembled from 3,115 single parts! All of them superbly detailed. It measures 19" in length (50 cm) so imagine this in your den or even your living room (yes, it's worthy of display anywhere) with two or three of your existing Ferrari models on the carrier, ready to race at the 'Ring or Monte Carlo. Like most good things in this world the Transporter is not cheap, and yet at $894.95 the limited number coming to the store will soon be gone. My advice? Reserve yours soon.

HILTON HEAD WINNER RECALLS A VERY FAST BARON

I began the serious part of my automobile writing career in 1960 as assistant public relations manager for Volkswagen Canada, a job that also included Porsche sales and racing. My boss, Dr. Hal Albrecht, was a true racing aficianado, having helped manage the Auto-Union team before the war. Because of his background, and because we were representing Porsche, we came into contact with many motorsport legends from Europe. In fact our offices sometimes looked like a "who's who" of racing.

Among those who visited us was Baron Hushcke von Hanstein, Porsche's director of motorsport, public relations manager, and international ambassador for the company. I was suitably impressed by this elegant man. He was handsome, with a broad mustache and an even broader smile, twinkling eyes, and spoke softly with only the hint of an accent. A true gentleman and a brilliant race driver with a magnificent record from the 1930s through to the 60s.

What led me to reminisce about Hushcke von Hanstein was learning about the car that won "Best of Show" at the 2011 Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance. The award went to a 1937 BMW 328 Roadster, now owned by Lothar Schuettler of Darnestown, MD... but what a history! Its first owner was none other than Huschke von Hanstein and with the baron at the wheel in 1938-39, the car saw many wins at the Nurburgring, Hockenheim, LeMans and the Gorssglockner Hill Climb. It disappeared during WW2 and miraculously resurfaced in 1953, repainted white. A German national sold the BMW to a US GI who brought it to the US and kept it for the next 40 years.

Nigel Matthews was a judge at Hilton Head, which he informs me is becoming one of America's most significant concours. The judges, who participate at events across the nation, are among the most knowledgable in the country and car owners are eager for an invitation to next year's event. What Nigel especially enjoyed, however, was that legendary southern hospitality. As he put it, "the people at the show are friendly and pleasant... there no airs or graces or noses in the air, and everyone is there to have a good time." Baron von Hanstein would have been right at home.

HAPPY MEMORIES OF AN ORDINARY AUSTIN

You may have to stretch your tolerance level a little to understand why I might be fond of the Austin A55 Cambridge which, by the standards of the time, was a mass market British sedan with no outstanding virtues aside from the fact that many thousands of families bought them. Including a goodly number here in Canada. I'll confess that my enthusiasm is the result of nostalgia coupled with fond memories of an initiation into the league of British car lovers.

Turn your clocks back to 1956. I was a young car enthusiast raised on American automobiles and other than brief glimpses of imported Jaguars and MGs, had little knowledge of, nor experience with, English cars. But happenstance brought me into contact with members of the British Empire Motor Club in Toronto and I soon became a member of Canada's largest car club. (The name dated back to an earlier era when the club was formed by motorcycle enthusiasts.) By the time I joined it had been taken over by car guys (and girls) though there was still a motorcycle component. Membership was split between Canadians and British ex-pats but it was the latter, with their experience organising motorsport affairs, who provided the ideas and energy for races, hillclimbs, rallies, and other events.

I became friends with some of those "New Canadians" (as they were called during the years of post-war immigration) and through them became familiar with the cars they were driving, like the Austin A55 Westminster and its Morris Oxford cousin. The engineering was conventional, with a 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed transmission, coil sprung independent front suspension and a live axle at the rear, and yet the A55 and Oxford handled well and, within limitations, could be fun to drive. More, in fact, than most Detroit sedans of the period.

I wasn't too fond of the fender fins on the Farina-designed bodies, primarily because I hated fender fins on everything. Looking back, however, I now see them differently, representing an era of nouveau jet travel and an optimistic view of the future. So blame it on nostalgia if you like, but to me those British sedans deserve more than a passing glance. Regretably, too few have been maintained or restored in North America; England, however, has a very active Austin Cambridge/Westminster car club.

PONTIAC GTO, A DELICIOUS DISH SERVED UP TWO WAYS

It's just a co-incidence but an interesting one, nevertheless. A few days after I purchased the December copy of Collectible Automobile magazine featuring Pontiac's outstanding intermediates from 1968 to 1972 – highlighting the GTO – Old Cars Weekly revealed its Car of the Week: a 1970 Pontiac GTO convertible. This beautifully restored black example could, arguably, only be equalled by the red 1970 Pontiac coupe on Collectible Automobile's cover.

Steve DeMars car is a "triple-black" convertible; paint, top, interior, all in black. It is recognised nationally as an award-winner and is one of the few 1970 GTO convertibles fitted with factory air-conditioning. Under the hood is a 400 c.i. Ram Air III engine delivering 366 hp through a Turbo HydraMatic 400 transmission. DeMars has owned the car for 17 years, having put only put 4,000 miles on the odometer, which totals a little over 67,000. According to Old Cars Weekly, he didn't purchase the GTO with the intention of driving it. DeMars is a GTO enthusiast who already owns a 71 Judge hardtop, but when he spotted this one he couldn't resist the opportunity to possess an extremely rare example.

His is a special GTO package called "The Judge." Now, if you're thinking that's a weird name for a car you'd be right, but if you were watching television at the time you'd say "right on!" for Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In was a top-rated comedy show with a weekly segment titled "Here Comes the Judge." The Pontiac GTO Judge included specific striping, a rear deck spoiler, mag-style Rally II wheels, and the Ram Air III engine with an available 370 horses. Only 108 Judge convertibles were ordered, one more reason why Steve DeMars car is so special.

Whereas Old Car Weekly focusses on how DeMars found the car and restored it (read the full story here) Collectible Automobile tells what it calls "Rites of Passage: Pontiac's Intermediates of 1968-72." While the GTO inevitably gets the most attention, this article looks at the broader picture, explaining how a decade of success was driven by the less dramatic Tempest and LeMans versions, the cars that most North American families actually bought. Looking through the pages of the magazine I'm reminded of how attractive those cars were, with their sweeping curves, easily identifiable split grille and Endura bumpers.

Although the V-8 versions get the most attention I was more intrigued by the earlier 6-cylinder Tempests and LeMans, as the base engine was a lightweight, European-style overhead-cam unit that first appeared in the Pontiac Firebird. A 4-barrel, dual exhaust option was good for 215 hp. With a 4-speed manual transmission the Pontiac six could match some competitive V-8s and in the corners it was no contest. Regardless, Collectible Automobile's informative article and Old Cars Weekly's "Car of the Week" have renewed my admiration for these cars and, I hope, yours too.

[Photo Credit: Brian Earnest]