Via autoblog:

The world is replete with private auto collections that rival the best any museum has to offer. But no one person could have compiled the kind of spectacle that is the Milhous Collection – the embodiment of the life's work and collective wealth of brothers Bob and Paul Milhous of Boca Raton, Florida.

The Milhous brothers shared a love for everything mechanical, ranging from automobiles and petroliana to player pianos, clocks and even a full-size carousel, and collected them all. Having outgrown four previous locations, the Milhous brothers moved their collect to a 39,500 square-foot facility in Boca in the mid-'90s. And there it has remained, closed to the public, ever since. But now its contents are going under the hammer later this month by RM Auctions in association with Sotheby's.

Aside from the considerable musical and visual elements of the collection is more than a handful of noteworthy automobiles. A rare 1912 Oldsmobile Limited Five-Passenger Touring cabriolet (pictured above) is expected to go for around $1.5 million, joined by a 1933 Chrysler Custom Imperial Tourist by LeBaron, a 1939 Lagonda V1-2 Rapide Sports Roadster once owned by actor Robert Mongomery, a 1949 Rounds Rocket that was the first mid-engine/rear-drive Indy speedster and a 1934 Packard Super Eight Convertible Victoria by Dietrich that won Best in Show at Pebble Beach – just a few of the most noteworthy examples on the docket from the collection.

All-in-all, more than 30 classic automobiles, along with the rest of the collection, are to be auctioned on February 24 and 25 in conjunction with Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. Take a stroll past the jump to delve into the full press releases, browse through the high-resolution image gallery, and follow the link for a virtual tour of the collection.
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Only a tiny number of cars have been unquestioned status symbols for six straight decades. The Mercedes-Benz SL is one of them, and – just like another one, coincidentally – it's new for this year. Although "Magic Sky Control" doesn't have the same classic ring as "pagoda roof," the R231 2013 SL aims to keep the streak going.

For folks who might not know where the streak began, there's a short refresher video after the jump that will speed you from the 1952 300 SL up to the present day. Enjoy.

Via autoblog:

Jaguar's headquarters and production were located at Browns Lane in Conventry for more than fifty years. Part of the complex included the Jaguar Heritage Museum and its collection of 150 cars, so when the Browns Lane site was sold in 2007 to an Australian developer, the countdown began on the museum's remaining time.

Now comes the formal announcement that the collection will vacate its current spot in September, the tragedy being that it might not relocate to a publicly accessible location. Museum reps say that the collection will continue to be in circulation, either on the historical circuit like Goodwood or on loan to other museums. Even now the Jaguar Heritage Museum only has about 30 cars on-site.

Nevertheless, unless another location is secured you won't be able to just show up, buy a ticket and stroll among cars like the 1935 SS Airline AWR564, 1950 Jaguar XK 120 NUB120 or 1956 Jaguar D-type 'Long Nose' 393RW. You'll also miss Austin Powers' "Shaguar," if that's more your style.

Via autoblog:

Despite the popular saying, history cannot simply repeated. So, when faced with the possibility of losing the entire classic collection of cars that had made up the official Saab museum in Trollhättan after the officials in charge of the automaker's bankruptcy proceedings threatened to break it up, a few organizations stepped up to the plate to keep it together.

According to a report from Autocar, the city of Trollhattan, SAAB AB and The Wallenberg Foundation came up with the $4.05 million required to purchase the entire collection outright. A total of 120 cars are included, including the Ur-Saab, which is the first automobile built by the Swedish company.

News Source: Autocar

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Via autoblog:

There will be hundreds of collector cars going up for auction at Barrett-Jackson this month, but few will be as interesting as this custom creation nicknamed the "Lockheed Lakester". The car, registered for road use as a 1917 Crow Lakester Custom, was hand-built from the wing tip tank of a Lockheed Super Constellation and uses a mix of automotive and aircraft parts. Wedged inside the tank is a 1.8-liter turbocharged Hemi four-cylinder mated to a five-speed manual transmission, and the two-person cockpit features gunner seats and an air-speed indicator in lieu of a speedometer.

We'll be bringing you live coverage of Barrett-Jackson later this month, so be sure to check back for more photos of the "Lockheed Lakester" and more in just a few weeks.
News Source: Barrett-Jackson

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Via Autoblog:

They don't make 'em like they used to? Morgan would beg to differ. Because while 75 years may be a milestone many automakers would be glad to celebrate, this 75th anniversary doesn't commemorate a company's founding. Nor does it mark the years since a specific factory was inaugurated, the birth of the company's founder or anything like that. This milestone is marked by one specific model.

That's right, the Morgan 4/4 has been on the market – largely in the same form in which it debuted – for a whopping 75 years. And here you thought the Porsche 911 stuck to an old formula.

The first four-wheeled model from the British automaker that made its name (and recently returned to building) three-wheeled vehicles – and packing a four-cylinder engine where the trike uses a V-twin – the 4/4 proudly rejects the advanced alloys being developed elsewhere at Morgan headquarters in favor of the same old-world construction it has always employed.

So to celebrate three quarters of a century of proudly rejection progress and strict adherence to "the good old days", Morgan has released a special 75th anniversary edition. Buyers can choose from three colors (black, red or white), with a matte black stripe running up the hood out of which the numbers 4/4 and 75th are carved and under which sits a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.

Its 145 horsepower may not seem like much by today's standards, but remember: the 4/4 doesn't care for today's standards very much. So that's plenty to pull the tiny roadster to 62 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds and on to a 118 mph cruising speed. Like what you see? Scope out the high-res image gallery for a closer look.

News Source: Morgan

Via autoblog:

The Ford Model A doesn't get the historical respect of its 15-million-unit predecessor, the Model T, nor is it as beloved as the 1932 Ford V8 which followed. But when the Model A went on sale on December 2, 1927, it was an important transitional model for Ford.

Following the unparalleled success of the Model T, Ford had been reluctant to develop a new model, or even upgrade the T with features that were increasingly driving customers to other brands. The Model A was the first Ford to feature modern controls, with clutch, brake and throttle pedals, and a gearshift lever sprouting out of the center of the front floorboards.

Selling for as little as $365, the Model A was a huge success. Ford built almost five million units over five years. Had it not unveiled the A when it did, the Blue Oval might have met the same fate as many auto manufacturers of the 1920s that didn't see the other side of the Great Depression.

Surprisingly enough, this 84-year-old car can actually provide somewhat serviceable transportation today, although with limitations. While its four-cylinder engine provides fuel economy in the high 20's, Interstate travel is a bit beyond its meager 40 horsepower output. Mechanical drum brakes are the weakest point in the A's specifications, with a lack of climate control rating a distant second.

General Motors continues to celebrate Chevy's 100th anniversary with a new tribute video to the company's long truck lineage. Chevrolet started producing pickups in 1918 with the 490 Light Delivery and hasn't stopped since. We're a little disappointed to see that the video glosses over tasty hardware like the 1956 Chevrolet Apache and the ever-attractive 1967 Chevrolet Suburban, but beggars can't be choosers. The clip does spend some time with the Blazer, including some fantastic vintage footage of the utility bouncing along a dusty trail with its top off.