Today in Collector Car History: Felix Wankel Dies and the Rotary Legacy (Oct. 9, 1988)
Eve Nowell Felix Wankel died on October 9, 1988. The rotary engine he conceived in 1924 produced two of the…
vehicle history
Today in Collector Car History: The First Vanderbilt Cup (Oct. 8, 1904)
On October 8, 1904, George Heath won the first Vanderbilt Cup on Long Island, launching American international road…
Today in Collector Car History: Honda Became a Company 78 Years Ago Today. The Market Now Pays for What It Left Out.
Honda Motor Co. was incorporated on September 24, 1948, with no ceremony. Its engineering-first start explains why NSX-R,…
Buick GNX #450 Has Traveled Four Miles in Two Years. That Is the Whole Story.
A 30-mile 1987 Buick GNX, #450 of 547, is back on Bring a Trailer two years after selling…
Today in Collector Car History: The First Jeep Reported for Duty 86 Years Ago Today
Shawn Henry On September 23, 1940, Bantam’s jeep prototype reached Camp Holabird with minutes to spare. The pilot car is…
This Shay Thunderbird Is Rarer Than the Car It Copies. The Market Still Says $12,000.
EL Puckett A 1981 Shay Thunderbird on eBay asks $24,500 with $60,000 invested. Only about 200 were built, far fewer…
Today in Collector Car History: The Aston Martin DB5 Becomes Bond’s Car
On the evening of September 17, 1964, a crowd so large it broke the glass doors of the…
Today in Collector Car History: The Bugatti EB110 Debuted 35 Years Ago Today, and Its Market Now Pays for Paperwork
John Lloyd The EB110 launched on 15 September 1991, Ettore Bugatti’s 110th birthday. Thirty-five years on, prototypes are approaching $3.8…
Today in Collector Car History: Grace Kelly’s Rover P6 3500 and the Real Price of Provenance
Most dates in collector car history belong to a debut or a record-breaking hammer price. September 14 belongs…
How to Read a Collector Car’s Documentation: VINs, Build Sheets, and History
Documentation can make or break a collector car deal. Learn to read VINs, build sheets, window stickers, and…