1936 Cord 810 Phaeton Replica

Titled as a 1963 Cord, this is one of only five full-size, factory-built replicas of the 1936 Cord 810 Phaeton. It provides the classic look of the 1936 Cord Phaeton with many of the features of modern automobiles. It was restored in 2005 by Schaeffer & Long of Magnolia, New Jersey, who have been restoring antique and classic cars for more than 40 years in the same location.

The Cord 810 was a luxury automobile produced by the Cord Automobile division of the Auburn Automobile Company in 1936. It was the first American-designed and built front-wheel drive car with independent front suspension. It was preceded by Cord's own 1929 Cord L-29 and the French 1934 Citroën Traction Avant front-wheel drive cars, but the Cord 810 (along with the Cord 812 in 1937) was commercially less successful than these.

The Cord 810 was also the first production car to feature hidden, pop-up headlights. Additionally, the radical new styling of its nose completely replaced the traditional radiator grille, in favor of horizontal louvers, that curved all around the sides of the nose, earning the car's styling the nickname of coffin nose.

1980 Auburn 866 Boattail Speedster (Replica)

The original 1935 and 1936 Auburn Speedsters are some of the most sought-after collector cars from the classic car era. With prices north of a half million dollars for Concours quality cars, replica cars — or second generation — became popular.

Amenities such as power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, and modern V-8 drive trains with independent suspensions were not available on the original cars, but they were on the more recent reproductions of the classic cars.

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company, located in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, put the Auburn Speedster back into production in 1968. Their cars were referred to as Auburn 866 Speedsters. The "8" was in keeping with Auburn's original 8-cylinder series of cars and the "66" from the year 1966 when the engineering started on the New Speedster. The 866 Speedsters were built from 1968 through 1981.

This Buick Series 90 Limousine was formerly owned by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. The body was designed and made by the Queen's Carriage maker, Bronkhorst, reportedly for use in funerals and other formal royal events.

The Buick Series 90 Limousine was a rear-wheel drive limousine passenger car with a front-positioned engine, sold by Buick.

Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria (31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, making her the longest-reigning monarch in Dutch history, as well as the longest-reigning female monarch outside the United Kingdom. Her reign saw World War I, the Dutch economic crisis of 1933, and World War II.

Following the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, Wilhelmina fled to Britain and took charge of the Dutch government-in-exile. She frequently spoke to the nation over radio and came to be regarded as a symbol of the resistance.

She remains reasonably popular in the Netherlands, even among the Dutch Republican movement. This is due to her being seen as a symbol of Dutch Resistance during World War II.

1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30

The Rolls-Royce 25/30 built between 1936 and 1938 is an updated version of the Rolls-Royce 20/25 with a larger engine to provide more power. This was done due to complaints about performance for earlier models. While never officially quoted by Rolls-Royce, the 20/25 engine developed an estimated 65 horsepower in terms of "true" output.

This is a relatively late-production example of the Rolls-Royce 25/30. As such, it incorporates many highly desirable running changes made during the model's production run. Among the many features, a glass division window separates the chauffeur from the rear passenger compartment. It is also smaller than other Rolls-Royce models of the time, making it easier to navigate narrow streets in England.

The Rolls-Royce 25/30 appeared in films such as The Naked Truth (1957), Death on the Nile (1978), and several others. Although the sultan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) calls his car a Phantom II, the technical details he recites are those of the 25/30. However, the actual on-screen car was neither; it was a 1935 20/25.

1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II

This elegant Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II was once owned by legendary comedian and television pioneer Red Skelton (1913-1997). The New York Times reported that Skelton had seven Rolls-Royce cars parked in the driveways of his three Palm Springs area homes — likely including this car.

Very similar to the Silver Shadow II, the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II was produced from 1977 through 1980. Debuted in 1977, the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II was a result of a variety of improvements to the Rolls-Royce models of the existing Silver Shadow range: most notably rack and pinion steering; modifications to the front suspension improved handling markedly. Externally, the bumpers were changed from chrome to alloy and rubber starting with the late 1976 Silver Shadows. These new energy-absorbing bumpers had been used in the United States since 1974, as a response to tightening safety standards there. Initially, the long-wheelbase model did not have a separate name, but in 1976, with the introduction of the Silver Shadow Il, the longer car was dubbed the Silver Wraith II.

This is one of only 2,135 Silver Wraith Il cars ever produced!

One of my favorite quotes came from Morley Safer of "60 Minutes" when he was filmed driving a Rolls-Royce in a Caribbean country — "There is a saying that when you drive a Ford, the world Fords with you — but when you drive a Rolls-Royce, you Rolls alone".

I have never driven a Rolls-Royce — but Morley Safer convinced me that just once in my life, I would love to drive one.