0:00 / 0:00
Classic Auto Mall - #214 - Stewart Howden with Guest Keith Martin

Classic Auto Mall - #214 - Stewart Howden with Guest Keith Martin

Classic Auto Mall SHOW Oct 10, 2025 53 min
0:00
0:00

About this episode

Stewart Howden and co-host Steve discuss the latest happenings at Classic Auto Mall, including inventory updates and recent car sales. They share insights from the Audrain Concours event in Newport, Rhode Island, highlighting standout vehicles like the Corvette CX concept and a touching moment involving a young car restorer. Keith Martin from Sports Car Market joins the conversation, tackling the controversial topic of Resto-Modding classic cars, weighing the pros and cons of maintaining originality versus enhancing performance. The episode is filled with humor, anecdotes, and a deep appreciation for classic automobiles.

Filter:
|
Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Porsche 924

"...Oh, 924. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Only you would pick a 924."

The Porsche 924 is a car made by Porsche that was sold in the late 1970s and 1980s. It was designed to be a more affordable sports car compared to their other models.

Car

Porsche 918 Spyder

"No, there's a 918, Spyder. Both of us went over."

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a very fast sports car that uses both a gasoline engine and electric motors. This combination helps it go really fast while also being more efficient with fuel.

Car

Porsche 917

"There's a 917, 918. Yeah. 908, 910, 906, 911."

The Porsche 917 is a famous race car known for winning many races in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It's recognized for its unique design and powerful performance.

Car

Porsche 911

"908, 910, 906, 911. You're going backward through it."

The Porsche 911 is a well-known sports car that has been around since the 1960s. It's famous for its unique shape and powerful performance.

Car

Porsche 928

"928. I'm just going really nearly. I'm just going randomly."

The Porsche 928 is a sports car that was made from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. It is known for being comfortable and powerful, with a unique front-engine design.

Term

La Carrera Panamericana

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The La Carrera Panamericana. That's right."

La Carrera Panamericana is a famous car race in Mexico that used to happen in the 1950s. It's known for being very fast and difficult, and now it's a fun event for classic cars.

Car

Ford Gt40S

"$20 plus million, six or seven Ford GT40s."

The Ford GT40 is a famous racing car from the 1960s that won many races, including the Le Mans. It's known for its unique shape and speed, and it's very valuable today.

Term

automatic braking

"...I have automatic braking on some of my cars and it's a little scary. I mean, it did it to me. I'll never forget I bought a pickup truck one time and it had that, where it would brake if it caught something in front of you..."

Automatic braking helps stop the car if it sees something in front of it that could cause an accident. It's like having an extra set of eyes that can hit the brakes for you if needed.

Term

adaptive cruise control

"And my wife's has the adaptive cruise. But it lets you, if you have, I don't 100% trust it because sometimes if there's a car stopped at a light, it waits until it gets a little too close and then slams on the brakes."

Adaptive cruise control helps your car keep a safe distance from the car ahead by automatically speeding up or slowing down. It's like regular cruise control, but smarter because it watches the traffic around you.

Term

Distronic

"Well, Mercedes has what they call dystronic and that's what it is. And you can set it from 300, 200 or 100 yards feet or centimeters."

Distronic is a feature in some Mercedes cars that helps you keep a safe distance from the car ahead by automatically adjusting your speed. It can slow down or speed up without you having to do anything.

Car

Mercury Montereys

"Yeah it's pretty comparable. Monterey's got a lot more going on. But it almost feels like"

The Mercury Monterey is a big car that was made for families to drive around comfortably. It has a classic look and was popular for its roomy inside.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"...is the Corvette CX concept car. Oh my God."

The Corvette CX is a prototype car made by Chevrolet to show what future Corvettes might look like. These cars are not for sale and are used to explore new designs and features.

Car

Cadillac Escalade

"...Cadillac had a huge presence up there as well too and they've got the new Escalade..."

The Cadillac Escalade is a big, fancy SUV that many people like because it's comfortable and has a lot of cool features. It's often seen as a status symbol.

Car

GMC Typhoon

"...I take the typhoon. People don't realize..."

The GMC Typhoon is a sporty SUV made in the early 1990s. It has a powerful turbo engine, which makes it faster and more fun to drive compared to regular SUVs from that time.

Brand

Laforza

"You can look up Laforza. That's right."

Laforza is a brand that made luxury SUVs, but not many people know about it. It's not as common as brands like Ford or Toyota, which makes it interesting for car fans.

Concept

Corvette concept car

"...the Corvette concept car..."

A Corvette concept car is a special version of the Corvette that is made to show new ideas for future models. It's like a sneak peek of what the car might look like or what new technology it could have.

Car

Pontiac Bonneville

"...the 69 Pontiac Bonneville convertible doesn't do that. It might take a half a mile to slow down."

The 1969 Pontiac Bonneville is a large car that was made by Pontiac. It has a lot of space inside and is known for being comfortable to drive.

Car

Pontiac Catalina

"...was a 1967 Pontiac Catalina"

The Pontiac Catalina is a large car made by the Pontiac brand. The 1967 version is especially sought after for its vintage look and powerful engine options.

Term

four speed

"...four speed..."

A four-speed transmission is a system in a car that helps it change gears four times. This helps the car go faster or save fuel depending on how fast you're driving.

Term

428 HO

"...428 HO..."

The 428 HO is a powerful engine made by Ford that was used in some of their muscle cars. It helped these cars go really fast and perform well.

Car

Jeep Jeepster

"...they restored a 1967 Jeep Jeepster oh yeah and this car was probably..."

The Jeep Jeepster is an older model of Jeep that was made in 1967. It's known for being a fun and stylish vehicle that can be used for different purposes.

Packard
Car

Packard

"...he normally restores Packards and works on Packards and all that but he did this for his daughter..."

Packard is a brand of cars that was very popular in the early to mid-20th century. They are known for their luxury and classic style, and many people enjoy restoring them today.

Car

Alfa Romeo 8C

"a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C a 1961"

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is a fancy sports car from Italy that looks amazing and goes really fast. It's special because there are only a few of them made, and car lovers really want to own one.

Car

Aston Martin DB4

"a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GTZ Coupe"

The Aston Martin DB4 GTZ Coupe is a stylish car from the 1960s that is famous for being fast and beautiful. Many people admire it and want to collect it.

Car

Mercedes-Benz 540K

"...1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K special Roadster April..."

The Mercedes-Benz 540K is a famous car from the 1930s, known for being very luxurious and powerful. It's a collector's item today and can be worth a lot of money.

Car

Ferrari 250

"...and then a 1960 Ferrari 250 short wheelbase..."

The Ferrari 250 is a classic sports car made by Ferrari in the 1960s. The short wheelbase version is especially known for being fast and good at racing.

Car

Bugatti Chiron

"...they had a 2022 Bugatti Chiron 5.7 million Rolls Royce..."

The Bugatti Chiron is a very expensive and powerful car that can go really fast. It's made by Bugatti, a brand known for luxury sports cars, and costs millions of dollars.

Car

Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

"Rolls Royce Silver Ghost yeah"

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is a very luxurious car that was made a long time ago and is known for being one of the best cars ever. It's famous for its comfort and high-quality craftsmanship.

Car

Plymouth Barracuda

"the 1969 Plymouth Barracuda convertible Scorch"

The Plymouth Barracuda is a classic car that people loved for its sporty look and speed. The 1969 convertible version is especially special because it's rare and has a lot of fans.

Term

cubic inch

"got the 225 cubic inch"

Cubic inch is a way to measure how big an engine is. A bigger number usually means the engine can produce more power and go faster.

Term

slant 6

"[2057.6s] slant 6 [2058.6s] 8904"

The slant 6 is a special type of engine that has six cylinders arranged at an angle. This design helps save space in the car and makes it easier to handle.

Term

3-speed automatic transmission

"[2059.6s] 3-speed automatic [2060.6s] transmission"

A 3-speed automatic transmission is a part of the car that helps it change gears without the driver needing to do anything. It has three different settings for different speeds.

Term

Barrel carburetor

"[2061.6s] the Hollywood Barrel [2062.6s] Barrel carburetor"

A barrel carburetor is a part that helps mix air and fuel for the engine. It makes sure the engine gets the right amount of fuel to run well.

Car

Ford Gt

"is the 2007 Ford GT factory 5"

The Ford GT is a super-fast sports car that looks really cool and is built for racing. The 2007 version is especially impressive because it has a lot of high-tech features and a strong engine.

Car

Ford Mustang

"this was a beautiful color 1974 Mustang Mach 1 diamond blue over black"

The Ford Mustang is a famous sports car that many people love for its cool looks and speed. The 1974 model, especially in a shiny blue color, is special because it shows how Mustangs have changed over the years while still being fun to drive.

Car

Dodge Charger

"L48 V8 with a turbo charger yes"

The Dodge Charger is a strong and fast car that many people admire. When someone talks about a V8 engine with a turbocharger, they mean it has a really powerful engine that can go super fast.

Car

Porsche 356S

"...ve singer porches now, but think of the outlaw of 356s that were going on long ago, way before anybody e..."

The Porsche 356 is one of the first cars made by the famous car company Porsche. It's loved by many for its stylish design and sporty feel, and it has a special place in car history.

Car

Chevrolet Camaro

"...h with originality in 60s alphas versus a 69 Z 28 Camaro? Yes, in the sense that if this is a numbers matc..."

The Chevrolet Camaro is a well-known sports car that started being made in the late 1960s. The 1969 Z28 version is especially popular because it's fast and has a strong racing background.

Car

Ford Model T

"...n cars were getting in between them or they had a Model T trying to lead some later model stuff that can go..."

The Ford Model T is one of the first cars that many people could actually buy. Made a long time ago, it changed how cars were made and helped more people own a car.

25 cars featured

Request an Explanation

Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.

Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.

Want to learn more?

Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.

Explore Terms

Help improve this episode

See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.

Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars