Dan Crouch Blog » Italian

Joe’s De Tomaso Pantera to be Auctioned Tomorrow at Barrett-Jackson

Dan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:37:54 +0000

If you're watching the live coverage of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction tomorrow, make sure to keep an eye out for Joe's 1974 Pantera L, lot #944. It's scheduled early-mid afternoon.

Good luck Joe!

Update 1.22.10 - The Pantera is the current Haggerty Fantasy bid car!

On The Job: 1974 De Tomaso Pantera Lusso I'm going to start a new series of blog posts...
Tomorrow I Sample a Detomaso Pantera Here's a snapshot with the car in question caught earlier...
2nd Annual Brighton Classic Car Rally November 1st I just sent this out to a handful of car...

On The Job: 1974 De Tomaso Pantera Lusso

Dan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:50:30 +0000

I'm going to start a new series of blog posts featuring the wonderful cars I'm privileged to work with. Tonight the 1974 De Tomaso Pantera Lusso!

This car has been refurbished by Joseph Potter Restorations and is now available at Sports Car Shop in Eugene, Oregon. I was fortunate to be asked to take photographs of this car and rushed to find a break in the Pacific Northwest rain. Interested parties are advised to bid for this car Friday afternoon at the Barrett-Jackson auction this January, Lot #944.

In my brief time behind the wheel of this car, I can honestly report that this car is fantastic! Joe and his team have done a great job making this car one of the best of it's peers. The motor has gobs of torque and a long first gear that actually make in town driving a pretty easy affair. Tickling the gas in 2nd gear shoots the car forward with authority.

The high points of this short experience would be best summarized as follows:

Light, unassisted steering. Being mid-engined, there is very little weight over the front end. The steering is a real delight with so much feedback being communicated to the driver.
The exhaust note is pure sex. No shit. I'll make sure to get some video the next time I'm nearby.
That long first gear really makes this 70's supercar pretty easy to handle in town.
Those beautiful Chromodoara rims are really at home on this car. They really give this car fantastic presence.
And finally, Joe has secured a great spot in the Barrett-Jackson auction this January. I'm so excited to have even the smallest of connection to this great car in such a prestigeous auction!

Many thanks to Joe and Bob for the opportunity to get up close and personal with such a great example!

Tomorrow I Sample a Detomaso Pantera Here's a snapshot with the car in question caught earlier...

It’s Been Quiet Around Here, But It’s Been Going Off Over at RareSportBikesForSale.com

Dan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:09:49 +0000

I know my personal blog has really been neglected this summer, but I've been very busy consulting. And when I'm not helping out moto-clients with web services consulting, I'm working with a great team to really dial up the Rare Sportbikes For Sale site. Check out some of the sweet rides this week alone: MC28 NSR250 SE, CBR250R Hurricane, Huge Teaser for some OW01's, VF1000R, Bimota YB9, and well you get the idea.

If you're in a shopping mood, I'd subscribe as the best deals are always had in the fall and early winter.

Photoshop Fun with a Honda RS125 My buddy Alex who is a contributing author on Rare...

German Cars and Rare Sport Bikes Round Up: Better Late Than Never Edition!

Dan — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:12:54 +0000

Back from the dead, I'm wrapping up a little vacation to Georgia to see my buddy FastEddieGTi for his birthday. Having just ate an enormous steakhouse burger from the Vortex in Atlanta (kick ass burgers!), I have some downtime to catch up on some blogging chores while my food digests!

Without further ado, here are the catch up links to GermanCarsForSaleBlog and RareSportBikesForSale:

1993 Honda NSR250 MC21 SE For Sale - At only $5500, this would be a cool addition for the track or the weekend backroads!

Low Miles 1988 BMW M6 For Sale in Montana - $22.5k sounds like a pretty good deal with this kind of mileage, and documented maintenance and upgrades. And the blue on gray with the M5 rims… Yum!

1985 Yamaha RZ500 For Sale in San Diego - At $7900, this falls right in line with other RZ500’s listed previously.

2001 Porsche Carrera Cabrio - Too Cheap to be True? - So why the skeptism? 996’s of any variation start in the high teens, and those have at least twice the mileage of this car. But heaven forbid this is the real deal… well I just can’t believe it is, but it’s fun to imagine.

A Pair of Ducati 900SS Superlight’s For Sale - These are pretty rare bikes and I think it’s an interesting opportunity for a prospective buyer to consider a well worn example or the museum piece.

1993 Ducati 888 SPO: Yep Another One!! - With a $10888 asking (clever), this is one of the more expensive triple eights to be listed on this blog. While most Ducatisti will agree this where they should be, I think this seller may have a long wait before finding a buyer considering what other examples here in the states have been going for.

Two More Titled MC 21 NSR250 Honda’s For Sale in California - Judging from the pictures alone, I like the Rothmans replica better from the point of aesthetics alone. For around five grand, neither one seems like that bad a deal considering they both have titles!

Is This The Cheapest Alpina For Sale in the U.S.? 1984 BMW Alpina 2.8 B6 For Sale - Now I’m sure “Big Ron” is a reputable guy and all, but I don’t expect this car to be a real B6 considering it’s condition and thorough listing on Craigslist. But if it is a Euro car, and it looks like it could be, and it has Alpina pieces, it’s probably worth that much in parts anyway. Could actually be a really cool basis for a project car. And heaven forbid it’s a real Alpina… It’s probably the cheapest Alpina for sale in the country.

1994 Honda CB400 Super Four - Now granted that’s 47,845 miles and no title. But with all the 2 strokes that have been showing up with titles, surely it can’t be that hard to pull off. This would be such a cool in-town commuter bike!

1990 Ducati 851 Loaded With Expensive Upgrades - It’s sacrilege to even suggest it, but parting this bike could probably turn a tidy profit. Of course that would be a shame because this bike looks so well sorted, and for $5k it’d be a real pleasure to the ride balls off of it!

1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 For Sale in New Mexico - I’m having a tough time trying to decide between a Boxster and a 964. My thinking lately is that there are far more Boxsters than 964’s, and that 964 prices might be more stable over the next couple years as a result.

4 Special Edition Ducati Race Replicas For Sale Right Now - I’m really not knowledgable about the values of these bikes. But they are obviously collector examples that will command some premium in the market. Which one would you pick as best value?

1991 Honda NSR250 MC21 For Sale in Vegas Baby - These are getting cheap enough that it’s getting harder and harder to make excuses about why there isn’t one in my garage. Obviously with the sheer numbers of 2 strokes listed on this site, you know I’m a fan. Talk me out of a gray market 2 stroke… or can you at these prices?

2001 M Coupe For Sale in Virginia - 27k miles and an asking of $24k? What could possibly be wrong with this car? I like all the modifications, but they do tend to devalue a car in the eyes of enthusiast buyers. And it also has that terrible two tone interior, red and black leather. But at this price, I’d consider it a bargain purchase and have the leather dyed!

1991 Suzuki RGV 250 VJ22 For Sale in California - $6k doesn’t sound too bad, especially considering it’s plated. And are those Arrow pipes? Yum!

BMW 2002 with Dual Webers, 5 speed, LSD, and Genuine Alpina Wheels - For the asking price, and the pile of rare parts that come with it, this could be a great little driver, a potential fixer-upper, or maybe even a weekend racer project. In any case, it’ll be a load of fun!

1984 Volkswagen GTI For Sale: Clean, Original, and Affordable - As a long time MK1 and MK2 VW fan, I’d have to say it’s been since high school since I saw a Rabbit GTi this clean and original. While $4500 may seem like a lot to some, good luck finding one this nice for less.

It’s Been Quiet Around Here, But It’s Been Going Off Over at RareSportBikesForSale.com I know my personal blog has really been neglected this...

Late December Summary Post of German Cars and Rare Sportbikes For Sale

Dan — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:29:21 +0000

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, here are the entries for the end of December:

1990 Honda VFR750R RC30 For Sale in Rochester - The title and registration, combined with the the obvious care and thoughtful upgrades, make this bike a standout. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one listed for sale in recent memory. What do you guys think of the $16k asking?

An RVF400 and VFR400 For Sale in the Bay Area - Naturally the VFR400 with original looking bodywork would be my pick. Too bad it doesn’t have registration. The RVF400 is probably the cooler bike mechanically, but restored plastics would be at the top of my list. But with a title and registration, and an asking of only $3k, it’d be a great rider while you tried to determine if it was going to be a track bike or light restoration for the street.

Honda NSR250 MC18 For Sale - With no title, this great little bike will be attractive to collectors and track day enthusiasts. As a track day bike, do you pick something like this or a new Aprilia RS125? I sat on the latter this past weekend at the Seattle International Motorcycle Show, it’s amazing how beautiful it is in person…

1988 BMW M3 w/ 38k Miles Back on eBay - in my previous post, I guessed that the winning bid would be around $25k. Considering brand new M cars are apparently immune to the sales slump, do you think this legendary M car will find a buyer this time?

2001 Ducati MH900e Mike Hailwood Evoluzione - The seller has it listed with a $13.9k buy-it-now shown. Having covered only a few thousand miles, this looks like a great buy considering brand new Sport Classics go for about this much!

1995 Aprilia RS250 Chesterfied Replica - Oh man… I’m very tempted to get myself the best xmas present ever and buy this before the auction ends in a few hours. It’s even titled and street legal. It’s only a couple hours away and I’ve taken all of next week off… But I probably won’t though, so I’m posting it here in case someone else can snag it.

1998 Bimota SB6R For Sale on eBay - For a buyer with some skills or connections to a good technician, this could be a steal. Current bid is around $7k. What do you think it’s worth once it’s running properly?

Stunning 1991 Porsche 928 GT For Sale with 5 Speed - I’m a big fan of the 928 anyway, but in this color, trim, and with the 5 speed, I think this looks like a great example. Current bid is just under $14k (no reserve auction) and 8 days to go. I’ll update after auction for the final sale price.

1993 Ducati Superbike 888 SPO: Just In Time For Christmas - The only other Ducati’s of this vintage and price range that I would consider would be a 748, or a Superlight. And even in that company, I think the 888 is the bike of choice.

1998 Suzuki RGV 250 SP Lucky Strike Replica in Washington - This bike looks incredible, but the only problem is the asking price. It’s $16k! It does have very low miles and a title, but this is an outrageous premium considering the market and other examples of the Lucky Strike replica’s that we’ve posted on this blog.

1988 BMW e28 M5: Possible Project Car? - Obviously this one has a lot more miles than most cars I post on here. And I don’t know what showroom they’ve been hanging out in, but this car clearly isn’t that condition. Despite the fact that this car could’ve really benefited from a detail before shooting pics, the car looks complete and pretty good shape. If the motor was sound, this could be a pretty cool project car considering the asking. Which way would you go: fix it up as a nice driver or maybe enjoy as a weekend track toy?

No related posts.

German Cars and Rare Sportbikes, For Sale Round-up

Dan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:33:04 +0000

It's been a while since I've posted an update on other rides for sale that I post elsewhere. Here's a recap from the past couple weeks.

1985 Ruf BTR For Sale: The Ultimate Tuner Porsche 930? - The yellow 930 Ruf is the most infamous, but how cool would a Ruf tuned 930 be in black?
1991 BMW e30 325iT Wagon For Sale in Calgary - The dog car we've always wanted but will probably never be able to get.
1995 Honda RVF400 NC35 For Sale in San Diego - Such a sexy bike and comes with a title!
Well Maintained 1985 Yamaha RZ500 For Sale in Seattle - Another two stroke beauty right here in the PNW!
A Pair of Low Mileage Porsche 968’s For Sale - Don't see many low mileage 968 coupes at affordable prices too often.
Super Low Miles BMW e30 M3 For Sale - Not the e30 M3 bubble car, but close!
2 Laverda Formula’s For Sale Right Now - Interesting and rare finds that aren't really that expensive.
1991 Honda NSR 250 MC21 with 4k Miles - Great looking prospect with a title!
1991 BMW e34 M5 For Sale in Red with 47k Miles - Love the mileage and color on this e34 M5.
1978 BMW e21 320i with 3.2L Big Six Swap: Is This Really the Second Car Dinan Ever Built? - Perhaps one of the first cars Steve Dinan ever built.
Two Great Mercedes 500E cars For Sale: One for $26k and one for $9k - Two 500E Porsche assist engineered cars for sale; at either ends of the spectrum.
1990 Suzuki GSX-R 750 For Sale in Red, White, Black - Another great original survivor for sale!
1989 Suzuki Katana 750GSX: Oh the Memories! - Paul once had one that looked EXACTLY like this one. What a flashback!

I hope you enjoyed the summary and thanks for reading!

No related posts.

Weekend Wrap-Up: Posts from GermanCarsForSaleBlog and RareSportBikesForSale

Dan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:56:20 +0000

I must apologize for the delay, but I'm in Springfield, Missouri this week and the internet at the hotel isn't stellar. In fact it sucks. And on top of that, I've been swamped at work, so there are fewer posts than there have been in previous weeks. I will work harder to make sure I'm better connected on the road in the future.

But without further ado, a summary of posts from other sites I blog on that I hope dancrouchblog.com readers will enjoy:

{update: Image thumbnails removed due to technical issues. I hate working from the road!!}

1987 BMW 325IC b+b For Sale, as in Buchmann of Germany! - This car is loaded with hard to find (possibly impossible) period aftermarket pieces of Bachmann of Germany.
Euro Spec 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo For Sale - The car pushes some buttons for me: Great color, rare European specification, and great looking upgrade rims.
1985 BMW e24 M635CSi For Sale: aka RARE and Affordable! - This is my pick of the week without a doubt. This low miles, European spec example is a bargain at $16k if it checks out. Other M cars of the period are routinely listed at or over $20k.
1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S ‘Silver Rose’: One of the most Rare 951 Configurations - One of the most sought after configurations amongst Porsche 951 enthusiasts.
1991 Bimota YB8 For Sale with only 1 Mile on the Clock! - It's a crime this bike was never ridden. But if you need a museum piece for your living room, this would fit the bill nicely!
1994 Honda RVF400 For Sale in San Fran - As you know, I'm a sucker for 400cc gray market bikes!
1993 Ducati Superbike 888 SPO: So Are These Rare or Not? - I'm joking a bit in the title, but it sure seems like these are coming up for sale more often than I'd expect.

Thanks for reading at dancrouchblog.com and my other sites. Please let me know if there are vehicles or topics that you'd like to see addressed. Leave a comment!

It’s Been Quiet Around Here, But It’s Been Going Off Over at RareSportBikesForSale.com I know my personal blog has really been neglected this...

1993 Ducati 888 Superbike For Sale: Like New With Only 700 Miles!

Dan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:43:36 +0000

The title says it all. Aside from a handful that are probably hiding in private collections, this has to be one of the lowest mileage 888's for sale anywhere!

1993 Ducati 888 Superbike on eBayMotors:

quote from eBay listing:

Up for auction is this piece of treasure I've kept hidden away in my air conditioned garage. It's a 1993 Ducati 888 and it is in excellent showroom condition. Purchased new and used only occasionally but I made it a ritual to always keep it running and in tune. The mileage is correct and is at a super showroom low of 712 miles. If you see the bike you will understand.

3 days to go, and currently at $9300 no reserve. I'll update after the auction. (Update: Auction ended at nearly $10700!)

Check out previously listed Ducati 888's on dancrouchblog.com

Paul and I Visit the 2009 Seattle Ducati Club BBQ I've been meaning to attend the DesmoNorthwest BBQ for at...

1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Verde 3.0: Sharp Original Car For Sale

Dan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:26:00 +0000

If you're like me and grew up lusting after unusual European sports models, the Alfa Romeo Milano Verde is on your list - the list of cool cars of course. I love the odd angles, old world suspension, and the oh-so-80's gaudy molding running the entire hip-line of the Milano. But the Verde ups the ante not only with special fit Recaro interior with every whacky 80's feature they could install, it also has the larger and more sporting 3.0L engine. When new in 1987, specs like 180hp and 0-60 in 7.7 seconds were very respectable. And with Super Unleaded running around $4.50 right now, the 35mpg highway looks appealing today.

1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Verde 3.0 on eBayMotors:

quote from the eBay listing:

Here is a rare car with ALOT of upgrades. There has been tons of work and money put into this car. Its a ALFA ROMEO MILANO 3.0 Verde.
super nice recaro seats, they have been redone at some point with factory material.

I'm not really feeling the DVD player and carbon fiber accents that have been added, as I think period correct updates would be more fitting. I do really like the wheels shown on the car in most of the pictures. Unfortunately the listing states they are not included, but that the car will come with some old school Zender rims -- which if they're in good shape, would be a period correct wheel and probably pretty desirable themselves.

Finally, this auction is no reserve with a starting bid of $3k. There is a buy-it-now shown for $6500 and only 3 days remaining. If this car slips under the radar and someone can snag it for close to $3k, that would be a stellar buy. On the other hand, $6500 looks really fair too.

Read more about the Alfa Romeo 75 (as it's known everywhere else in the world but in the states) on Wikipedia and about the Verde specifically on Bruce Timberlake's Verde page. Or check out other Alfa's that have been previously featured on dancrouchblog.com

1984 Alfa Romeo GTV – Great Shape, Even Better Price! Paul sent me an IM tonight with this link and...
Good Looking Datsun 1200 Race Car For Sale on the Cheap Paul and I are going to prep the Rabbit for...

Low Miles 1988 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio in Black

Dan — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:08:04 +0000

I haven't posted an Alfa in a while and this one jumped off the .rss reader this morning:

1988 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio For Sale on Craigslist (Oregon) 38k miles, $11k:

quote from Craigslist listing:

1988 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Convertable, this is the top of the line model loaded...38k Org. miles, 5sp, 2L dual cam motor, leather, original hardtop w/glass windows. Comes w/car cover, cockpit cover, and manuals. Also gets good gas mil. I have the title. Must sell, separation sale... $12,000 obo

Anytime I start considering a Miata on perfect spring days, I find myself battling internally if an Alfa Spider would be a better buy. It's classier, it has a pedigree, it's got styling provided by Pininfarina, and it should have soul being Italian. $11k sounds a bit rich, but there can't be many 88's in this condition, with the hardtop, with such low miles left anywhere. And I have to say the Black is pretty fetching! What would you pay? Leave a comment!

1984 Alfa Romeo GTV – Great Shape, Even Better Price! Paul sent me an IM tonight with this link and...