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Driven Radio Show #347: Greg Stanley of the Collector Car Podcast

Driven Radio Show #347: Greg Stanley of the Collector Car Podcast

Driven Radio Show Apr 02, 2026 76 min
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About this episode

Greg Stanley, returning from the Collector Car Podcast, joins Driven Radio for a wide-ranging chat on buying smart, what makes cars collectible, and where the market may be headed. He shares his biggest first-car mistake (not learning the details first), explains how provenance/rarity/performance separate collectibles from “just old,” and discusses undervalued eras like 2000–2015 “last of the analog” cars. They also debate restomods vs concours cars, touch Kissimmee auction fireworks, and highlight specific models (Ferrari 550/575, early NSX, 7.3 Excursion, and more).

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Term

three in the tree

"My first car was a three in the tree fun to drive, blah, blah, blah. [230.7s] I thought this would be really cool. I'm five years in going."

“Three in the tree” means the car had a manual transmission with three gears, and the shifter was on the steering column instead of the floor. It’s a very old-school driving setup.

Concept

cannonball records

"And that's why all the guys we know that have done cannonball records did [277.8s] them during the whole year when it was in a stank and traffic out."

“Cannonball” is slang for those legendary, very fast cross-country drives where people try to set records. It’s not just about horsepower—traffic and timing matter a lot.

Term

four by four

"So somebody wants to buy a four by four five speed 2,000 Nissan with 110,000 miles on it. It needs and a working stereo and working stereo stereo, the air conditioner."

“Four by four” means the car sends power to all four wheels. That usually helps it drive better on bad or slippery roads.

Concept

110,000 miles

"So somebody wants to buy a four by four five speed 2,000 Nissan with 110,000 miles on it. It needs and a working stereo and working stereo stereo, the air conditioner."

They mention the car has about 110,000 miles. That’s a lot of driving, so you’d want to know how well it was maintained.

Company

Harley

"[385.1s] and I got it from Harley and I bit the bullet [387.4s] and I got it from the real stuff. [389.4s] Yeah, to make sure it would work."

“Harley” likely means Harley-Davidson parts. Getting the right OEM hardware helps the accessory fit correctly instead of forcing an aftermarket solution.

Part

washers

"[393.0s] Oh, we forgot to send you all the washers. [395.9s] So anyway, I put that on there and then the back rest [400.1s] that came with the bike, I tried to put on there"

Washers are small flat rings that go under bolts or screws. If they’re missing, the bolt may not tighten properly or the parts may not sit straight.

Term

back rest

"[395.9s] So anyway, I put that on there and then the back rest [400.1s] that came with the bike, I tried to put on there [402.1s] and was like, this doesn't work and it doesn't fit"

A backrest is the padded support behind you for the passenger. It has to match the bike’s mounting points, or it won’t fit right.

Car

Ford Mustang

"...ecializes in Enzo era, Ferrari's first generation Mustangs and Shelby's. He is an IAC PFA Ferrari judge at ..."

The Ford Mustang is a popular American car that’s designed to look sporty and drive with more power than a regular sedan. There are many versions over the years, including special performance editions. People often talk about Mustangs when discussing which years and models are most collectible.

Company

RM Sotheby's

"Greg joined RM Sotheby's in 2020 with a background in trade management, sales, customer relations and analysis."

RM Sotheby's is an auction company for collector cars. If you’re trying to understand what a car is worth, auctions like this are a big reference point.

Brand

Pebble Beach

"the big shows like at Pebble Beach and in Millie Island and everywhere else, that's because of heritage, rarity, performance, scarcity, provenance,"

Pebble Beach is a world-famous concours d’elegance event in California that heavily influences collector-car attention and pricing. When cars are featured there, their perceived heritage and desirability often rise.

Car

Pontiac Gto

"... cars out there that are one of one. I have a 66 Pontiac GTO that's unrestored, and that's a pretty special c..."

The Pontiac GTO is a classic performance car, often called a muscle car. The podcast is talking about a 1966 GTO that hasn’t been restored, meaning it’s still in its original condition. Cars like that can be especially valuable to collectors.

Car

Studebaker Avanti

"His Studebaker Avanti R3, one of nine built, and I think the first one constructed. And number one was accepted for this year's Pebble Beach Concorde Delegance."

The Studebaker Avanti R3 is a very rare version of the Avanti. Because only a handful were built, it’s especially exciting for collectors.

Concept

collector car podcast

"All right. You started the collector car podcast. Now you've written the enthusiast guide to collector cars."

A collector car podcast is a show about the hobby of collecting and caring for classic cars. People share stories, restoration tips, and how they choose cars to buy or fix up.

Concept

collector cars

"So I call it the enthusiast guide to collector cars. It's really kind of exploded because it's 200 and almost 280 pages, 100 photos from RM Sotheby's."

A “collector car” is a car people keep because it’s special—maybe it’s rare, old, or has a cool history. People often care a lot about whether it’s in great condition and whether it’s the real original version.

Concept

rest-o-moded

"That's really confusing to me because you can have a rest-o-moded Jeff Hayes... split window that sells for $600,000 and the best in the world... will sell for $250,000."

A “rest-o-mod” is an older car that’s been updated—usually to drive better—while still trying to look like the original. Collectors debate whether that makes it more valuable or less valuable than an unmodified car.

Brand

Singer

"...it's kind of like Singer. The resale is going to maintain pretty high."

Singer Vehicle Design is a well-known Porsche restomod specialist, famous for high-end 911 restomods. The comparison implies that, like Singer, a respected builder can help maintain resale value because buyers associate the name with quality.

Company

CarMax

"I just got a note from CarMax has gone up in value... and now I could sell it figure retail is probably 26,000..."

CarMax is a used-car company that can buy your car and give you an offer. When they send an updated note, it usually means the market value has changed.

Term

ignition key

"It's an ignition key. Because if you think about it, cars without ignition keys, the thief is like stick shift."

An ignition key is the key you put in to start the car. The speaker is saying that if a thief doesn’t know what to do with a key, they may not be able to drive off.

Term

JDM

"You know, I think, you know, JDM is from the the video games. You know, they had no idea what Godzilla was a skyline."

JDM means “Japanese cars made for Japan.” People use it to talk about specific versions of Japanese models that weren’t necessarily sold the same way in other countries.

Term

pop-up headlights

"And, you know, I do have another fun sticker that's a pop-up party because of the pop-up headlights. Everybody likes the pop-up headlights. So, you know, get the earlier NSXs for that, obviously."

Pop-up headlights are headlights that slide up from the front when you turn them on. They’re a cool, classic design detail, and the speakers say people love them.

Term

pop-up lights

"[1874.8s] obviously, doesn't have the pop-up lights anymore, but it looks good. [1878.3s] I mean, it looks really good."

Pop-up lights are headlights that come up from the car’s front when you turn them on. The speaker is saying later versions don’t have that feature anymore.

Car

1963 Corvette project

"[2069.7s] And I have also the other reason you need to pick up that May issue of sports car market is so you [2075.6s] can see my profile on the 1963 Corvette project that went through bring a trailer. [2083.3s] That was insane."

This is a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette that’s being worked on—like a restoration or build. In collector circles, “project” usually means it’s not fully done yet.

Concept

no frame, no drivetrain

"It sold for 70 grand. There was no frame, no drivetrain. The back window kind of fiberglassy part of it was there."

They’re saying the car didn’t have the main structure or the powertrain parts. Without those, you can’t really drive it—you’d have to rebuild a lot of it.

Concept

budget

"So I think budget's a big part of it. So in the book, I have every lot of different sections."

Before you fall in love with a specific car, you have to decide what you can actually afford. That budget will steer you toward certain models and conditions, not just the “cool” ones.

Concept

collector's ladder

"But I also have the collector's ladder. And so it's like, what's an entry level car? What's the mid level? What's a blue chip?"

Think of a “collector’s ladder” like levels in the collector-car world. Entry cars are easier to buy, mid-level cars are next, and “blue chip” cars are the expensive, highly sought-after ones.

Term

pre-purchase inspection

"I would definitely do a pre-purchase inspection, get an expert pay. [2266.4s] I would highly recommend that."

Before you buy a used car, a mechanic can inspect it and tell you what’s wrong or risky. It helps you avoid buying a car with hidden problems.

Term

horsepower

"[2359.3s] It's the ass. [2360.0s] So it's got a little bit more horsepower. [2361.3s] I think it's, I don't know what it is, 300 horsepower or something like that."

Horsepower is basically how much power the engine makes. More horsepower usually means the car feels quicker or pulls harder.

Concept

money pit

"[2445.5s] Embrace the suck. [2446.8s] How about a money pit? [2448.2s] Oh, gee, I know one."

A “money pit” is a car that keeps draining your wallet. You think you’re done paying, but something else needs fixing or replacing.

Concept

aftermarket

"I only quote that because I know that that's what one was sold for on the aftermarket. Now it was an original roof."

Aftermarket just means things made or sold by companies other than the car brand. For repairs, it can matter because aftermarket parts can be cheaper—or sometimes more expensive—than factory parts.

Term

black interior

"That's the black seats I didn't like. I was hoping for cork or something. Yeah. But I'd love to have a shot of that car."

That just means the inside of the car—seats and trim—is black. A lot of cars come that way, so it can feel less special or unique.

Concept

paid mileage

"Well, so I got paid mileage. I got paid 47 cents a mile."

Paid mileage is when your job pays you a set amount for every mile you drive. It can make a cheap car feel even cheaper to operate because the company covers part of the cost.

Term

headers

"And then I also put in two headers, not headers. Yeah, headers."

Headers are parts in the exhaust system that help the gases flow out more easily. People often install them to get a different sound and sometimes a bit more performance.

Concept

torque and foot pounds of pressure

"And that was back before I knew that there was a certain amount of, you know, torque and foot pounds of pressure and stuff for the balls."

Torque is the amount of “twist” you apply when tightening bolts. The number (like ft-lb) matters because too little can loosen things and too much can damage parts.

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