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My Classic Car Brokering Venture

Over my “career” as a classic car aficionado, I have sold 5 vehicles. After selling the Vette to a collector in Honolulu, it quickly dawned on me that I had sold coast-to-coast (with Model A One to Long Island). Then I realized that I had also covered Border-to-Border as well with sales in Buffalo, NY and Roseau, MN (both Canada Border) and South Padre Island (Mexico Border). It was just serendipity, but an interesting sidelight. Here’s a map that demonstrates that feature:


[Broker Map]

Like any kid from the ‘50s, I was enamored with cars. Frankly, I was always clumsy and unsure of my ability to fix them (and cars from the last millennium required constant fixing). But I persisted and soon found the secret: Find a good buddy who is expert at fixing cars and stay on his good side. In my case… Steve Lavigne & Paul Bewick on Vettes, Jon Hagen on Model A’s and Carlo Arduini on Alfa Romeos.

I had the opportunity to procure a year-old Corvette of the first edition of the C-3 model, the Mako Shark in 1969. Over a 53 year period I was able to get to know that vehicle intimately well and, in 1987, when I stopped driving it ( sitting “on the ground” and operating a 4-speed was no longer my Forte). After a 15 year restoration and a few years to admire her, I put her up for sale as part of our Downsizing Program in 2021. Wham!! In the first week of her ad appearing in the Hemmings ‘Classics For Sale’ web site, she sold to the first caller. A collector from Honolulu told me “I want that car, I don’t need to see it directly, I don’t have a broker, I love your web site and videos, and I’ll send a Covered Van to take it to Long Beach Port for overseas shipment. It was very nostalgic to see her go, but it was time (53 years) to move on.

When I lived in Italy, I bought an Alfa Romeo 1967 Guilio GT Jr and restored it for pleasure cruising. I shipped her back to the states but was unable to make it home with her. An accident (culpa mia) near Port Erie, Ontario amounted to a total wreck since the car was a uni-body and not restorable after being twisted. I removed the drive train and brought that home and sold the car to a mechanic in Buffalo, NY for the special replacement parts that he needed.

During the 20 years that we owned beach-front on South Padre Island, TX we brought down Patty’s sweet little 1984 Olds Cutlass Supreme. That little car had many admirers down there, and when we finally sold the last of our two condos we “allowed” one of her suitors to purchase her. South Padre is only a short seagull flight from the Mexican coastline.

Since the very first car that I ever owned (1957) was a Model A Ford, I decided to go back to that old classic after we had pretty much finished the Vette restoration. We ended up buying two, one for me and one for brother Jon. I did minor improvement work on electrical and cooling, but Jon rebuilt a complete award-winning vehicle. When it became time to part with both of them we offered the White one on Craig’s list and it went immediately to a collector in Long Island, NY. His approach was just like the Hawaiian, he said “I’m too busy to come out, I don’t have an agent, I want the car, just load her into the covered van that I will send your way. The Black one went quickly as well, to a neighbor of Jon’s who was a huge admirer so the car stayed in Roseau, right on the Manitoba border.



  • [Corvette Project] Corvette Restored & Brokered to Honolulu, HI
  • [Alfa Romeo Project] Alfa Romeo Imported & Sold in Buffalo, NY
  • [Model A Projects] Model A’s Restored, 1 Brokered to Long Island, NY,1 Sold in Roseau, MN
  • [Summer Breaks Padre] Padre Island Retreats Where Olds Cutlass was Sold with our 2 Condos



    [Car Photos]

    Photos, with a proxy for the Cutlass, of our Classic Cars:


    [Alfa]
    [Vette]

    [White Model A]
    [Black Model A]

    [Cutlass, By Proxy]

    When we dig up a photo of the Cutlass, we’ll put her where the Padre Beach Buggy is pictured, as her proxy.





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