• By Peter Orosz
    Sep 11, 2009 9:00 AM 7,830
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    A Morning at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan

    On our way to drive the Ariel Atom at Lime Rock Park, we stopped by the Hudson Street headquarters of the Classic Car Club of Manhattan. At 6 AM on a Sunday, nobody was around—except the cars.

    Steps from the Manhattan entrance of the Holland Tunnel, the club’s HQ is a vast open space, dotted with classic cars, supercars and the machinery to keep them alive and healthy. You can see the whole roster of cars available to their members at the club’s website. Until you pony up the funds to become a member, enjoy this quiet stroll through what they had in the shop as John Krewson and I were about to head out of town.

    1974 Triumph TR6

    Insert overused joke about not driving this very far from the club.


    2006 Ariel Atom

    The club’s Atom is a 2.5 model: the chassis is an Atom 2, whereas the engine is the same Honda unit found in the Atom 3 Krewson drove at Lime Rock Park.


    1975 Ferrari 308 GT4

    Look at the wall and you’ll see a line painting of this very car a 308 GTB/GTS—executed by none other than Camilo Pardo, designer of the Ford GT. Which, incidentally, is one of the cars in the club’s fleet of modern supercars.


    1966 Ford Mustang Fastback

    Behind the Mustang is John Krewson and behind him are old German and Italian exotica.


    Buckets

    Car paraphernalia at the head of a service bay, right below Pardo’s painting of the Ferrari.


    2007 BMW Z4M Coupé

    The last car to come with the awesomest engine ever made by BMW: the straight-six 333 HP S54B32, also found in the E46 M3. Behind the Bimmer is the Atom.


    Lewd Signage Above Atom

    That rod is what will prevent your head from coming apart should you flip the Atom.


    The Atom’s Headlight

    Further proof that Ariel’s supercharged shopping cart is in fact street legal.


    Screws

    Cars need fixin’ at times!


    Toolbox

    I spoke English and was allowed to stay. Those with keen eyes shall spot the 24 Hours of Lemons sticker (it’s below and to the right of the flag previously seen on the grounds of the State Capitol in Columbia, South Carolina).


    The Offices

    Krewson knows I’ve got my viewfinder trained on him. Notice artistic paint overflow.


    1996 Porsche 993 C4S

    The last of the air-cooled 911’s. This car has one of the sexiest rear wheelarches in recorded history. Also, water cooling is for sissies.


    1974 Triumph TR6

    What was I saying a few captions ago about not driving it far from life support? Oh, never mind.


    1975 Alfa Romeo GTV

    Do not approach this car if you’re not wearing a well-cut suit. It will sense your lack of style and expend all the voltage in its battery to shock you into submission.



    Send an email to Peter Orosz, the author of this post, at peter@jalopnik.com.