35 Classic Cars You Must Drive

A world-class automobile is a combination of tangible and etherial attributes. From the sensuous fender-lines to the memories evoked by leather’s musky scent on a rainy day, these qualities work together to create one’s sense of the car. Wonderful automobiles don’t become revered based solely on their shapes or smells, however; the driving experience is the paramount feature, as it separates a car from a lesser, stationary piece of equipment. A great driving car is able to elevate itself above the sum of its parts, much as a jug-headed Fred Astaire became more handsome and sophisticated as soon as he started dancing.

Few dancers can claim even a speck of Astaire’s genius, though, and the same is true of automobiles. Out of the thousands upon thousands of makes, models and variants produced during the last hundred-plus years, only a fraction provide a truly transformative driving experience. We’re talking about cars that change the way you think about them once you get behind the wheel—and can even change the way you think about driving in general. In fact, we’d say there are 35 cars that every enthusiast must sample. We don’t care if you beg, borrow or steal your way behind the wheel, as each one is all worth the effort to take for even a brief spin.

These machines aren’t on our list due to their looks. It’s not about their values, either. It’s about only one thing: the experience from the most important seat in the house.

The Original Sports Car: Mercer 35R Raceabout, 1910-’15

We start our list with the car that arguably started the sports car craze. Long before MGs, Triumphs and Corvettes were cruising our streets and terrorizing our tracks, the Mercer Raceabout was the supercar of every boy’s dreams. Back in the days when a top speed of 30 or 40 mph was out of sight, the Mercer guaranteed 70 mph.

The Raceabout was small and low-slung in an age of huge, top-heavy, brass-era machines. It was also the first automobile to use handling, not bags of horsepower, to win races. While its 56 horsepower may not sound like much, the Mercer accelerates more like a ’50s-era MG or Triumph than something built before World War I. The transmission is also much better than one would reasonably expect, and the car handles quite well despite its vintage. The biggest letdown is probably the brakes, which unfortunately are next to nonexistent.

Closing comment: Driving the Mercer Raceabout is necessary to understand where the whole concept of the sports car was born.

A Big, Hairy Machine From a Bygone Era: Bentley, 1919-’32

According to Ettore Bugatti, W.O. Bentley built “the world’s fastest lorries.” That statement is as true today as it was then, since Bentleys are big, powerful sporting cars with engines ranging anywhere from 3 to 8 liters, some with superchargers.

The vintage Bentleys are certainly unlike the low-slung machines produced by Bugatti. The driver sits tall in the saddle. You don’t drive one of these big Bentleys; you make an attempt to tame it.

Going through the gears immediately reveals a fast car, one quite capable of cruising near the 100 mph mark. Unfortunately, a dawning realization comes at the first bend: This is a heavy car. Suddenly, there’s a great respect for those who raced it. It seems unbelievable that these cars won at Le Mans. The Bentley drivers, one realizes, must have been supermen.

Photograph Courtesy Bentley Motors

Closing comment: Driving a vintage Bentley is unlike any other sporting car experience, if for no other reason than it immediately commands respect for those who raced and won in them.

Pick Your Poison—Gentle or Rough: Alfa Romeo 6C and 8C, 1929-’38

The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 and its replacement, the 8C 2300, are two of the most famous and most coveted Alfas ever released. Both were developed by Vittorio Jano, but they’re very different cars.

The 6C 1750’s strength lies in the terrific balance of its engine and chassis. It handles extremely well and is capable of 100 mph. The controls are reasonably light, and the rev-happy, six-cylinder engine sounds glorious. The result is a very nice car that’s a joy to drive at the limit, something that feels quite modern for its time.

Driving the later 8C 2300 is an altogether different kind of experience. The straight-eight engine produces immense amounts of torque, making upshifts with the non-synchro gearbox a bit touchy. More disconcerting is the central throttle pedal: In a car as powerful and as valuable as an 8C, hitting the wrong pedal could be quite bad. Then there’s the total package: The car has much more engine than the chassis can handle, while the nose-heavy layout creates a beast that doesn’t always want to turn. By the late 1930s, displacement was up to 2.9 liters.

Why do we love it? Sometimes a little pain is good for the soul.

Photography Credit: DIrk de Jager

Closing comment: These two Alfas form perfect bookends. One flies like a butterfly, while the other stings like a bee—a bee toting a 5-pound sledgehammer, that is.

Know Your Roots: MG T-series, 1936-’55

Here’s the machine that afflicted Americans with the sports car bug. Most of us know the story: Servicemen stationed in Europe catch the fever and return home with their MGs in tow. Domestic hobby follows.

While it’s not fast by today’s standards, the MG was a revelation at the time because it handled well and had decent brakes. It was also light on its feet. All of this was a huge contrast to just about everything else available in America. Sure, the MG doesn’t sport acres of chrome or cool tail fins, but it follows its master’s every command. Ask it to change direction, and it does so without any hesitation.

The MG also didn’t cost a mint to buy or own. Suddenly, sports car ownership was expanded beyond just the people who could afford summer homes in the Hamptons.

Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

Closing comment: Sure, there are better driving cars out there, but if you really want to experience the genre’s starting point, take an MG T-series for a spin.

The Sports Car That’s Built Like a Vault: Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, 1954-’63

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is one of the tightest convertibles ever built. The build quality is simply stunning, draping the occupants in quality and luxury while cocooning them in comfort. Everything within reach feels and looks so right.

The driving experience follows that same path. This isn’t a light roadster like an MG or Triumph. Instead, the 300 SL feels big and powerful—because it is, thanks to its injected 3.0-liter inline six.

While these cars do handle well, they are more at home on the open road, where they can stretch their legs and gobble up the miles.

Photography Credit: Will Brewster

Closing comment: The rest of the automotive world took lessons from the good folks in Stuttgart. This one showed that a roadster could bridge the gap between sports car and luxury tourer.

A Sports Car for the Masses: Austin-Healey Sprite, 1958-’61

The Austin-Healey Sprite was another game changer. Where the MG T-series brought the sports car to America, this one expanded the scope. The Sprite’s pricing started near $1200 at a time when a contemporary Triumph or MG cost nearly a third more.

The Sprite was more than just a deal, however. It redefined the sports car scene. Here was a car that could be wound to 6000 rpm and swung into a corner while remaining uncomplicated and fun to own. The ’50s were over and the ’60s had arrived.

Photography Credit: Scott R. Lear

Closing comment: The Sprite was more than just a pretty face. It was a simple, accessible car. Just about any enthusiast had the means and skill required for admission.

Introducing the Pocket Rocket: Austin Mini, 1959-2000

The Mini introduced front-wheel drive to the masses. The hotted-up Mini Cooper introduced front-wheel drive to the sporting world.

The pocket rocket genre was created with the introduction of the Cooper, which proved that fast cars with room for four didn’t need to boast huge engines, a large footprint or an out-of-sight price tag. The Mini simply showed that less could be more.

Driving a Mini Cooper is an otherworldly experience. It swallows four large adults with ease, yet can hustle with the day’s best true sports cars. The available engines wind freely, while the brakes—especially the 7.5-inch front discs found on the Cooper S—are much better than they should be. The handling? The Mini can change directions in an instant.

Then there’s the charm. The Mini may not have an Ivy League background, but it can easily run with those who spent all day at finishing school.

Photograph Courtesy Mini USA

Closing comment: Minis are popular for a reason. They brought cool looks and small-car packaging to a then-unimagined level. Then there’s the panache of driving something that combines such impressive abilities with such a humble approach.

An American World-Beater: Shelby Cobra, 1962-’68

This story involves another sports car legend: Carroll Shelby, an ex-racer and former chicken farmer, creates a Corvette-beater by combining an old AC chassis and Ford’s then-new, small-block V8 engine. A rough-and-tumble BorgWarner four-speed transmission rounds out the package. Fame and wins soon follow.

The Cobra started winning races nearly instantly, whipping the formerly front-running Corvettes with apparent ease. Although the car was rather impractical and not a great seller when new, the legend began to build—and build and build. Today this is perhaps the most famous sports car of all time.

The heart of the Cobra’s driving experience is that engine. Had Shelby used a six-cylinder, the car would have been nothing but a quiet footnote in sports car history. However, the small-block Ford is arguably one of the sweetest-sounding, hardest-pulling V8s ever made. If the sound of a 289 Cobra at full song doesn’t whet your appetite, well, perhaps you should consider another hobby.

Then there’s the rest of the Cobra experience. The chassis is decent, although the fact that it won so many races may be a testament to the guys who drove them. The brakes are good. The gearbox is nearly flawless as long as you don’t shift like a sissy. The ergonomics are splendid, with a cutback door that makes the perfect arm rest. Together, it all comes alive like Astaire on one of his very best days.

Photograph Courtesy Ford

Closing comment: The Cobra came in both small- and big-block versions. While each has its fans, the wail of the 289 Ford is hard to beat.

Sexy, Secure and Speedy: Jaguar XKE, 1961-’75

The XKE wasn’t Jaguar’s first sporting machine, but it may well be their best driver’s car. While the 3.8-liter engine was a direct descendant of the powerplant found in XKs from the ’50s, pretty much everything else was all new and very, very different.

Let’s start with the looks, which are stunning in coupe or roadster form—so stunning that you could easily argue that this was the prettiest car ever made. Then there’s the mechanical features: four-wheel-disc brakes, independent front and rear suspension, 250-plus horsepower and a perfect interior layout.

The result is more supercar than sports car. The XKE is extremely long-legged and surprisingly quiet. It’s also very comfortable, even at not-quite-legal speeds. It’s equally adept when poking along through town, blasting up a mountain pass, or crisscrossing the continent.

Photography Credit: Will Brewster

Closing comment: The steering is rather light, the controls and gauges look extra cool, and the four-speed transmission works very well. In the bends the E-type is no slouch, either. Overall, this is probably one of the most satisfying cars of this era to drive.

Bond, James Bond: Aston Martin DB5, 1963-’65

The Aston Martin DB5 is not only one of the most famous GT machines in the world, it’s also one of the most famous cars in the world. Period.

That’s all thanks to secret agent 007. This car defined the character of James Bond even more than his shaken, not stirred, martinis. As a result, the DB5 has been permanently imprinted on the psyches of people around the world as Bond’s car. You could call it the greatest product placement ever done for a car company.

But is the DB5 still a great driver? Absolutely, although it’s best to think of it as a GT and not as a true sports car. This is a car that can be driven flat-out across the country without tiring its occupants one bit.

The engine is responsive. It’s also one of the best-sounding straight sixes ever produced. The fit and finish perfectly describe the heyday of handmade British automobiles—it’s closer to Rolls-Royce than Jaguar. The steering is light and very responsive for such a large car. The DB5 can corner decently as well, although there is a bit of body lean. It grips nicely and eventually delivers very controllable understeer.

Photograph Courtesy Aston Martin

Closing comment: Sorry, but we’ll admit it: The best part of driving the DB5 is feeling like you’re James Bond. No other car on the planet delivers that sensation to this degree.

Perhaps the Last True Ferrari Road Car: Ferrari 275 GTB4, 1964-’68

If there is one 1960s Ferrari road car that personifies the brand, it has to be the 275 GTB. This was the last car Mr. Ferrari built before the merging with Fiat, meaning its design wasn’t influenced by the Fiat marketing department. This one came from the heart.

While the car is beautiful and has an important place in Ferrari lore, the driving experience is what sets it apart. The 275 GTB4 can easily reach a cruising altitude of 150 mph. Devouring highway miles becomes a simple exercise: Choose a route and then head there.

The car has all of the signature Ferrari characteristics, including a heavy clutch, gated shifter and manual steering. Unlike the Daytona, which appeared later, the 275 GTB4 is much easier to drive. Credit goes to a better layout of the controls plus much lighter steering.

Sure, the car has plenty of blind spots, and the minimal ventilation doesn’t work so well in the city. That’s not the Ferrari’s forte. Remember, it was built to go fast, not endure the stop-and-go grind.

Photography Credit: Dirk de Jager

Closing comment: The Ferrari 275 GTB4 may be the perfect tool for an L.A.-to-Phoenix run, especially at right around 130 mph. It also represents the end of an era.

The World’s Greatest Endurance Racer: Porsche 911, 1965-’98

Sure, the early Porsche 911 makes a few demands. The shifter isn’t always the smoothest device on the planet, the ignition key isn’t where you’d first guess, and the cars have a tendency to swap ends when the throttle is lifted mid-corner. Oh, and the aerodynamic profile has a lot in common with an airplane wing, which invites some issues at higher speeds.

That’s all balanced, however, by the car’s unmatched competition record. Vic Elford turned the 911 into a rally legend. Name a famous racer, and odds are strong that a Porsche carried them around Daytona, Sebring or Le Mans. Obviously Porsche got something right.

The air-cooled, flat-six engine was a 911 staple for decades. It’s flexible and willing to play while emitting that incomparable sound. The seats are a bit upright, but the view over the fenders is amazing—perhaps only the Mini Cooper offers such great outward visibility. A bank of VDO gauges reminds the driver that this car is about the business of driving.

Then there’s the steering. It’s simply telepathic, perfectly weighted no matter what number is showing on the speedometer. The 911 may be a difficult car to master, but sometimes the rewards are worth the effort.

Photograph Courtesy Porsche

Closing comment: We dare you to drive a Porsche 911 and not imagine yourself at Spa, Le Mans or Daytona. It simply can’t be done.

A Supercar for the Street: Lamborghini Miura, 1966-’73

Looking to experience the machine that inspired the whole supercar genre? Then bum a ride in a Lamborghini Miura. While mid-engined cars existed before this time, they were pretty much limited to track-only machines. The Miura brought that experience to the public.

Sure, the Miura was a tad uncomfortable, but it was crazy fast as well. It also offered one of the lowest seat heights ever recorded in a closed-top car. The Miura offered one more treat: At full song, a fleet of four Webers sang their intoxicating tune.

Photograph Courtesy Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A.

Closing comment: The Miura changed everything. Without the Miura, there would be no 512 BB, no Testarossa, no 930, no McLaren F1 and no Veyron.

Japan Nails the Sports Car Formula: Datsun 240Z, 1970-’73

The Datsun 240Z almost single-handedly proved three important facts. One, Japanese cars could be awesome and sexy. Two, sports cars could be completely practical. Three, the English sports car builders were doomed to fail as they had too much baggage and not enough resources to keep up with the changing game.

Thanks to its smooth inline six and razor-sharp handling, the 240Z simply blew every other low-priced sports car into the weeds. That engine was coupled with a nice four-speed box, and the chassis featured decent if not exceptional brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, and four-wheel independent suspension.

The interior was also a totally modern step up from the British sports cars of the day. The features, ergonomics and gauge package didn’t ask for any excuses. In short, the Datsun Z was a dream to drive.

Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

Closing comment: The Z pulls like a Triumph, redlines like a Jag, and looks like a Ferrari. It has the total package.

10 Cylinders, No Waiting: Dodge Viper, 1992-2010

The Dodge Viper is the spiritual successor to the 427 Cobra. Loud, fast and crude, this car lived up to the Shelby ideal in every way. The Viper doesn’t pop like a firecracker; rather, it unleashes its fury in slow motion, like an arriving thunderstorm.

While you’d expect the Viper to be fast, the surprise is the car’s balance. Turn-in and steady-state cornering are world class. Despite a 3300-pound curb weight, this car can autocross like a Miata.

The Viper doesn’t bathe its occupants in Mercedes-Benz-like plushness, but ride comfort is acceptable and egress and ingress are not too bad. It’s that hulking V10, however, that makes this one so special.

Photograph Courtesy Dodge

Closing comment: Ever wish you could borrow Thor’s mighty hammer? That’s where the Viper comes in.

10 Cars You’ve Probably Overlooked

Although our experts’ picks represent a consensus view of the cars everyone should drive, there are plenty of enthusiasts looking to experience something that’s a bit farther out in left field. We can help there, too. Not only are these 10 cars definitely worth a drive, but they’re probably models you’ve never considered sampling from behind the wheel.

1908-’27 Ford Model T

Photography Credit: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.

It’s not a particularly lovely car to drive thanks to the heavy steering, cramped driver’s compartment and lack of power, but the Ford Model T does put things in perspective. This car put America on wheels. Not only that, but although it debuted more than a hundred years ago, you can still jump in a Model T today and cross the country. True, the trip would take a week, but you’d eventually make it to your destination. Try that with your average centenarian.

1938-’80 Volkswagen Beetle

Photograph Courtesy Volkswagen

Everyone overlooks the lowly Volkswagen Beetle, but if the Model T started the job of putting the world on wheels, the Beetle took the handoff nicely. Sure, the Beetle is also slow, but these cars ride and handle well. They’re also still quite an efficient design—so much so, that every automotive designer should be forced to restore a Beetle. That experience could teach a lot about build quality, simplicity and automotive excellence.

1956-’58 Berkeley Sports

You want something wacky? Think small. No, we mean really small. The Berkeley is so light that it’s possible to lift the back half and wheel the car around like a wheelbarrow. The rest of the car is equally unique, featuring a two- or three-cylinder engine and front-wheel, chain-driven propulsion. The Berkeley is also reasonably priced. Trust us, you’ll be the hit of any event you attend. We’d urge you to make room on your list for one of these, or for that matter for any microcar you fancy.

1958-’60 Edsel Villager

Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

Sports cars were invented to counteract the horror that was the ’50s American interstate cruiser, but have you ever driven a big—and we mean big—American battle wagon like an Edsel Villager? It’s not so bad. Sure, the handling is numb, but those huge bench seats and all that chrome and glass create the equivalent of a rolling living room—a really flashy, exuberant living room. While it’s not built for a winding mountain road, the Edsel is a great way to quickly and comfortably cross the country while thumbing your nose at things like padded dashboards and antilock brakes.

1960-’69 Chevy Corvair

Photograph Courtesy Chevrolet

The Corvair has gotten such a bad rap that many enthusiasts avoid it. Sadly, they’re missing a treat. While the steering is a bit slow, the low beltline and huge windows create an airy cockpit that’s married to a toe-tapping chassis. The Corvair is also an excellent way to sample the early days of turbocharging.

1961-’68 Amphicar

It’s neither a great car nor a great boat, but the Amphicar offers one very unique driving experience that every car enthusiast should experience at least once. That said, unless you actually take the plunge and drive it into the water, save your time for something that’s more memorable on dry land alone.

1964-’70 Honda S600 & S800

Photography Credit: Tim Suddard

Sure, other tiny sports cars exist, but few match the driving experience of the Honda S600 and S800. They rev like Formula 1 cars, with a note that calls to mind Monaco or The Glen. Then you realize that you’re only going 45 mph and are holding up traffic, at which point there’s not much you can do but smile.

1964-’71 Meyers Manx

Photography Credit: Tom Heath

Bruce Meyers had a simple idea: strip down a VW Beetle into something that could tackle Baja. The result was his Manx dune buggy, a timeless design that has been featured in both the Petersen and Henry Ford museums. Despite its humble drivetrain origins, the Manx can leap over dunes, ford streams and set the top time at a local autocross event.

1970-’75 Citroën SM

Thanks to its onboard hydraulic system, the Citroën SM offered a driving experience unlike any other car before or since. It featured variable assist, self-centering steering plus a suspension that provided both an extremely comfortable ride as well as world-class handling. More neat features? How about headlights that turn with the front wheels? Even the brakes were unconventional: Instead of the traditional hinged pedal, the driver steps on a rubber bulb. The harder you step, the harder the car brakes.

1990-2010 Mazda Miata

Photography Credit: David S. Wallens

If it was a little older, the Miata would have a spot on our main list. It’s arguably one of the best sports cars ever made: amazing chassis dynamics, near-perfect ergonomics, and a liquid-smooth drivetrain. Best of all, you don’t have to be a mechanic to own a Miata; a Honda Accord requires similar care and feeding. While it’s still a bit too common to generate mainstream respect as a true classic, we predict that one day a perfect, early Miata will be a keeper.

10 Cars You Must Race

Once you’ve stepped off the beaten path with your sports car appreciation, why not step all the way off—and onto the track? While the street cars we’ve listed all have their own charms and claims to history, don’t forget that many of the most important advances in automotive design have been pioneered at the track. And what could be more devoted to the driving experience than a race car?

Since that experience is, admittedly, a more rarified one, we wanted these recommendations to come from someone who’s spent time with a wide variety of racers. So we went right to a driver whose racing resumé is one of the broadest in the business: Tony “A2Z” Adamowicz.

From driving with the legendary Group 44 Inc. team to professional rides with both Porsche and Ferrari, Tony has driven them all. He also has open-wheel experience at Indy and in Formula 5000. He raced professionally right up through the IMSA days, when he piloted the mind-blowing twin-turbo Datsun 280ZX GTO cars.

Tony has driven them all, from Can-Am to Trans-Am, and today he is a regular vintage race competitor. He also runs club events like the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

When asked which 10 cars he’d tell people they absolutely must race if they could get the chance, Tony gave some answers that were awe-inspiring—no shocker, since he has driven Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans in some of the most famous race cars ever made. Some of his picks, however, may surprise those who don’t know just how humble and down-to-earth Tony really is—and how good some seemingly mundane cars are on the race track.

Porsche 917K

Photography Credit: Bob Hines

This one is at the top of nearly any driver’s and dreamer’s list, and Tony can lay claim to being the only American to have driven a 917K in the day’s FIA World Endurance series.

Why is this car first on his list? Well, it’s one of the most awesome race cars ever built. Plus, the torque and sound produced by that flat-12 engine are just unforgettable. Tony adds that while the car’s cab-forward seating position looks a bit disconcerting, the visibility from this vantage point is among the best in any race car he has driven.

AAR Eagle Mk 5

Photography Credit: Pete Lyons

Tony picked a humdinger for his first open-wheel experience. The Formula 5000 class was still new when Tony made his debut in 1969. The class featured 500-horsepower formula cars that tipped the scales at a scant 1500 pounds.

Tony calls his Eagle the ultimate point-and-shoot car. It’s a raw car with primitive aerodynamics, a very short wheelbase, a narrow track, and a twitchy nature. Tony likens driving the Eagle to piloting a go-kart on steroids, calling it a mind-blowing experience.

Ferrari 512

Photography Credit: Pete Lyons

This one came in both coupe and roadster form, and Tony drove them both at places like Daytona and Le Mans. In fact, he nearly teared up when recalling his part in the classic Porsche/Ferrari battles that dominated the endurance scene of the late ’60s and early ’70s.

While the Porsche 917K was a bit flexible at high speeds, he says that the Ferrari felt more like a real race car. The engine’s wail at 8500 rpm was like no sound he had ever heard, and the 12 cylinder allowed the 512 to leap off the turns like nothing else. Tony points out that while the gearboxes might have been weak, the brakes were among the best.

By the way, how’d Tony’s formula car debut go? He won the title. In fact, he’s still campaigning the very same car.

Datsun 280ZX Turbo

Photography Credit: Paul Ajari

The Electromotive IMSA Datsun 280ZX was a total beast, but Tony calls it perhaps the most fun car he has ever raced. He won the 1983 IMSA GTO title with this 700-horsepower missile. It may look somewhat like a street car, but Tony said this one is a monster in sheep’s clothing.

The team started the project with twin turbos, but IMSA eventually limited them to one. In fifth gear and at 140 mph, he could still lay into it and break loose the rear tires. That, folks, is a race car worth experiencing.

Triumph Spitfire

Photograph Courtesy Plain English Archives

Not all awesome race cars need awesome power. Tony has great memories of the Triumph Spitfire that he drove for Group 44 Inc. in 1967 and ’68, and the car made only about a hundred horsepower.

What he loves about Spitfires, and this one in particular, is that they are so easy to service. The whole front end simply flips up out of the way. Tony says the cars are easy to race, too; he drove the Spitfire early in his career and said that there is no better vintage car for learning racecraft. Of course, he adds, the era’s intense competition also helped.

McLaren M8B

Photography Credit: Pete Lyons

In 1971 Tony drove a McLaren M8B for Oscar Koveleski in the Can-Am series. This was the very car that Bruce McLaren had driven to the championship one year earlier. Tony’s best finish for Koveleski’s Polish Racing Drivers of America team came at Mid-Ohio, where he took third behind Jackie Stewart and Jo Siffert.

Since this was a special car, Tony had strict instructions to cause no problems. In reality, he says, it was an easy car to drive. Maintenance was also quite simple. In fact, they towed it on an open trailer! How pro racing has changed.

Porsche 911

Photography Credit: Pete Lyons

Most racing greats, Tony included, can boast of some seat time in the Porsche 911. He drove one to the SCCA’s Trans-Am title in 1968. The car actually started life as a four-cylinder 912. Tony and his partner, Mac Tilton, swapped in a flat-six engine to convert the car to 911 specs.

The 911 has received much praise thanks to its great brakes, unprecedented factory support and near-flawless reliability. For Tony, however, it was about the series and the tricks being discovered at this time. Racing was changing; gone were the days of campaigning a nearly stock car. Clever racers were busy finding ways to make their cars faster. Fortunately for Tony and Mac, they were quick learners.

BMW M3

Photograph Courtesy BMW

Tony laments the fact that he never drove BMWs back in the day, but he has run them in recent years—specifically the E36-chassis model built during the second half of the ’90s. He calls it perhaps the best sedan chassis ever built. It’s also one of those cars that makes even an average driver look like a hero.

Lotus Cortina

Photography Credit: Bill Dobbins, courtesy the Washington DC Region SCCA

Tony’s first pro ride came in a Lotus Cortina campaigned by Group 44 Inc. He ran the car in two venues during the 1966 and 1967 seasons: SCCA’s then-new Trans-Am series as well as the amateur B Sedan class.

Tony says that the best thing about the Cortina was the way he could literally lift the inside wheels right over the rub strips while apexing a corner. The fact that his car was right-hand drive proved challenging and intriguing, he admits, but Tony remembers it fondly.

These cars were popular then, as they are now, thanks to the exploits of Jim Clark. Tony says that he was honored to follow in his footsteps.

Dodge Dart

Photography Credit: Bill Dobbins, courtesy the Washington DC Region SCCA

In 1966 Tony got his first drive in a high-horsepower V8 car, the Trans-Am/A Sedan Dodge Dart that Group 44 Inc. team manager Bob Tullius had put together. Tony remembers these pony cars fondly; he could easily toss them around thanks to their 15x7-inch wheels and somewhat small tires.

It was fun to beat the more powerful and factory-supported Mustangs, he adds. Tony and Bob won the 12 Hours of Marlboro that year, and Tony claims that this Dart was the winningest Chrysler in Trans-Am history.

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