Author: Keith Martin

Keith Martin has been involved with the collector car hobby for more than 40 years. As a writer, publisher, television commentator and enthusiast, he is constantly on the go, meeting collectors and getting involved in their activities throughout the world. He is the founder and publisher of the monthly Sports Car Market, now in its 37th year. Keith has written for the New York Times, Automobile, AutoWeek, Road & Track and other publications, has been an emcee for numerous concours, and had his own show, “What’s My Car Worth,” shown on Velocity. He has received many honors, including the Lee Iacocca Award, the Edward Herrmann Award, was inducted into the Concorso Italiano Hall of Fame, and more. He has served on the board of directors of The LeMay Museum and Oregon Ballet Theater, and was formerly the chair of the board of the Meguiar's Award.

Keith’s Blog: We Don’t Have Headlights!

The fettling of the Sprint begins We were just outside Corbett, Oregon, driving SCM’s 1958 Giulietta Sprint at 70 mph. It was pitch black and 30 degrees outside. I reached over to twist the dash-mounted heater fan rheostat, heard a pop from the fuse block and suddenly everything was dark. Gone […]

Keith’s Blog: Boar’s Head or Rovers in the Snow?

Boar’s Head or Rovers in the Snow? Every year I’m faced with the same difficult decision. The first weekend in December is when the Pacific Coast Rover Club has its annual Christmas run in the Tillamook State Forest, followed by a tasty dinner at hosts Paul and Pamela Petroff’s home. […]

Keith’s Blog: Let the Fettling Begin!

It was just over 14 months ago that I bought our 1958 Giulietta Sprint Veloce at Concorso Italiano. I was attracted to it because it was a true numbers-matching Veloce. The freshly restored car had been driven to Concorso from Los Angeles and appeared to have minimal needs. It looked […]

36 Hours in Modena

The invitation came on a Monday, from Luigi Orlandini of Canossa Events Srl. “Would you like to spend two days in Modena, learning about the restoration program Modena Classic Works, tour both Ferrari museums and drive some classic Ferraris on the Modena Circuit? The event starts this Friday, so you […]

Keith’s Blog: Picking the Right Collector Car

I was strolling through the Saturday Market in downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks last weekend, trying to chose between Fuji and Braeburn apples, when a gentleman walked up to me. “I’m a long-time subscriber to SCM,” he said. “I’ve never owned a collector car, I can do some work myself and […]

Keith’s Blog: The Essence of Old

Without question, cars today are extraordinary. The Audi A6 I drove this weekend is surprisingly quiet inside, accelerates nicely, handles superbly and has copious interior room. It is also safer, by an exponential amount, than any of the cars in our fleet from the ’50s and ’60s. (Here at SCM, […]

Keith’s Blog: SCM Alfa Tour!

2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the Giulietta. We at SCM are considering organizing a three- to five-day tour through the remote areas of Oregon and Washington to celebrate this milestone. I’ve driven my Alfas thousands of miles over the scenic two-lane backroads of the Pacific Northwest. I think these roads […]

Keith’s Blog: Winter and the SCM Fleet

Only one member of the SCM Fleet is truly excited about the onset of Oregon winter, with its cold days, rain and occasional snowfall. Yes, it’s the 1984 Land Rover D90 200 Tdi. It has started to act like an automotive bully in the garage, accusing the Alfas of being […]