Category Archives: Curiosities

1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4: The Harrah Hot Rod

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The Ferrari GTB/4 (unofficially “Daytona”) is a special car, with 1,284 units built between 1968 and 1973. The car was featured in the first two seasons of the 80s hit TV show Miami Vice (though a replica car was used for filming, not a real Ferrari). I have developed an appreciation for the 1970s Ferraris, the 365 GTB/4 and GTC/4 over many years of going to car shows. This specimen was on display at the inaugural Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance in October 2019.

While the modifications to this 1971 GTB/4 and the “Rame Metallizzato” color may upset the tifosi, it is a unique car due to its provenance and history. From the placard next to the vehicle:

This 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” was previously owned by the renowned car collector and casino owner Bill Harrah. Shortly after being built by the factory, this soon-to-be legendary car was delivered to Mr. Harrah’s dealership, Modern Classic Motors. Mr. Harrah had owned many great models of Ferrari, and his personal cars were frequently equipped with his own special touches.

Upon receiving this Daytona as his personal car, the car was fitted with competition-style nine-inch rear wheels, fender flares, and an upgraded engine. The automobile was originally built with a beige leather interior, Nero seat inserts, and pop-up headlights. The refined Daytona was later passed down to another owner in 2012, who oversaw the Daytona’s suspension and front end rebuild by Ferrari of Scottsdale, as well as a fresh rebuild of the matching-numbers engine.

Accompanied with its stunning features and history, this car is the victor in a legendary race for the ages, whirlybird vs. Ferrari. When a Sikorsky helicopter salesman suggested he buy a helicopter to commute between his two casinos, Mr. Harrah nonchalantly replied if the helicopter could beat his Ferrari from Reno to Lake Tahoe, he would buy one. The Ferrari won the race of course, averaging 146 mph along the way.

Barrett-Jackson 2022: 1981 Ferrari 400i Custom Limousine

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The bread and butter of every Barrett-Jackson auction event is American cars from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. This is what the company specializes in and what their target demographic wants to buy.

Walking through row after row of white tents in Scottsdale, I passed by hundreds of Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes, Chevelles, Novas, Firebirds, and Dodge Chargers and Challengers for sale. But every once in a while an oddball car would be tucked in among the American muscle cars.

In this case, the 1981 Ferrari 400i Stretch Limousine is a truly rare and weird car. Rare because the Ferrari 400 (and its fuel-injected successor, the 400i) were never officially sold in the United States, and weird because Ferrari vehicles are not a popular choice for limousine conversions.
Any 400i vehicles in the U.S. today are grey market imports that were ordered from Europe and federalized to meet U.S. DOT regulations. With 1,305 examples of the 400i produced between 1979 and 1985, it is a safe bet that the number of these cars in America is “not very many.”

So you can be forgiven for never having heard of the Ferrari 400i in America. Its three-box styling and pop-up headlights are typical of the period. A non-stretched version of the 400i made an appearance in the 1988 movie “Rain Man” starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.
Power comes from a 4.8-liter V12 engine producing 310-315 horsepower, depending on the year. The car was among the first Ferrari vehicles to be offered with an automatic transmission, starting in 1976. The vinyl top and the wheels are not earning this car any style points, in my own opinion.

This 1981 Ferrari limo sold for $52,800 (including buyer’s premium) at the auction. While it may not be the most aesthetically pleasing or tasteful example of Ferrari automobiles, you can bet that you will be turning some heads at Cars and Coffee as you roll in with this one-of-one car.

SEMA 2019: 1968 Lamborghini Espada CHD Rat Rod

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The SEMA Show in Las Vegas is the “World Series” for custom car enthusiasts. Builders from all over the world bring their custom vehicles to the annual show, hoping to scoop up awards or recognition for pushing the custom automobile industry forward a little bit.

Within the custom car world are many different segments: street cars, drag cars, pro-touring/restomods, Exotics, original restorations, stanced/flush, VIP, Rustomods, hot rods/Kustoms, vintage racers, street trucks, lowriders, Overlanders, Jeeps and 4x4s, and many other classes of vehicles.

But every once in a while, a vehicle comes along that defies classification. At the 2019 SEMA Show, there was a car that I couldn’t quite make sense of.

Builders Herve Castagno and Alexandre Danton from France presented this 1969 Lamborghini Espada CHD Edition. Now you might be asking: who in their right mind would chop up and rat rod a Lamborghini Espada? I was wondering the same thing.

A sign in front of the car offered the following information:

  • Built to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Espada
  • The most expensive rat rod (insured for $750,000)
  • The first ever Fabio Lamborghini inspired rat rod
  • Custom built with real, numbers-matching Lamborghini body and chassis
  • Custom G67 RUMI wheels by Govad Forged Wheels in Toronto, Canada
  • Original V12 engine
  • 8.2 feet wide
  • Built by Danton Arts Kustoms in France

These two guys have taken Lamborghini’s original 2+2 four-seater and reimagined and remixed it for a new generation. As I walked around the car, I couldn’t help but wonder: who is this car for?

I can understand how Lamborghini purists would not like the car, as it goes in a very different direction from the car’s original intent as a luxury grand tourer. A car with no side windows, no engine cover and a very sparse interior seems too radical a change for a car that is supposed to be comfortable, fast, and elegant. It’s utterly impractical for anything other than short drives to car shows.

And what about the traditional rad rod enthusiast crowd? What would they make of this chopped and stretched Italian sports car? Rat rods are all about creativity – making a gas tank out of an old beer keg, or repurposing a vintage pump handle as a door latch. Using old pistons to make side mirrors – cool stuff like that. While this car has some rat rod elements – an extreme chopped roof and a wide stance, it is too polished, too perfect, too different from the “DIY aesthetic” that is at the center of rat rodding.


I am not sure that this car would fit in with the Vintage Lambo crowd or with the rat rod crowd. It’s kind of in between two very different segments of the car universe. I had the same mixed feelings about the 2009 Ford Mustang which received a Lamborghini Gallardo V10 engine swap, which I saw at Barrett-Jackson’s 2019 Scottsdale auction. I covered that car in my post Weird and Wonderful Custom Cars.

Don’t get me wrong – I think the Espada rat rod looks cool and it definitely showcases some expert level fabrication skills. But would I want to own the car? The answer is: no.


Not long after the SEMA Show, the car was offered for auction at Mecum Auctions in Kissimmee, Florida in January, 2020. While a high bid of $100,000 was received, this was far short of the estimate of $200,000 to $250,000. As far as I know, the car did not sell.

What do you think of the rat rod Lambo? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/CHDedition/

1990 Oldsmobile Toronado Studebaker Replica

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The thing about special cars is that there are more people in the world who would like to own one than there are cars available. For this reason, a lot of people convert their production cars into a “replica”, “tribute” or “clone” car.

For example, it’s common to see car owners take a base model 1960s Camaro or Chevelle and add the SS trim package, even though the car was not originally built as a Super Sport model. Buying a genuine Super Sport Chevy costs a lot more than a base model, so many aspiring car owners will create their own version. With a few bits of trim, some badges, and the right wheels, an 80s Buick Regal can easily become a T-Type clone, or a 90s Chevy Caprice can become an Impala SS. And generally, I don’t have a problem with that.

What is unusual is for a person to take a vehicle and make it into a tribute to a completely different type of car entirely. That’s what we are featuring today. Continue reading →

1997 Toyota Paseo Convertible

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Driving home from work, I caught sight of a rather unusual car: a Toyota Paseo convertible. I couldn’t recall ever having seen one before.

As it turns out, the convertible model was introduced in the U.S. in August 1996 and the Paseo was discontinued in 1997. That means the Paseo Convertible was a one-year only car for the United States. According to Wikipedia, the convertible models were never offered in Britain or other markets. Continue reading →

Mitsubishi Diamante VR-X: Clapped Out Japanese Luxury

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The U.S. auto market is among the most competitive you will find anywhere in the world. Throughout the age of the automobile, there have been many cars which were notorious for their failure in the market. The Ford Edsel, Chevrolet Corvair, the Ford Pinto, the Yugo, and even the DeLorean DMC-12 became famous for their lackluster sales. These names are known to those who are not automotive enthusiasts.

But for every widely-publicized flop into the North American car market, there are many more cars which sell poorly and disappear from dealerships without anyone even noticing. Cars like the Lexus ES250, Peugeot 405, and the Chrysler TC by Maserati for example.

Today I present another one of these low-production import cars: the Mitsubishi Diamante VR-X. Continue reading →