American Assembly – Independence Day Digest

Well folks, it’s that time of year again when our brothers and sisters across the pond come together to celebrate the day when aliens tried to take over the world but were heroically foiled by Hollywood actors Will Smith and Geoff Goldblum. At least, that’s what we think of when it comes to Independence Day – the 1996 Roland Emmerich blockbuster movie, but then we’re not American. All jokes aside, however, the Americans take Independence Day celebrations incredibly seriously, and rightly so. It was a pivotal moment in the country’s history when that most famous of declarations was signed (before Nicholas Cage could steal it), thereby relinquishing all control from the British, allowing for a free United States. We of course use the term ‘free’ loosely. It would be almost another hundred years until the 13th amendment, but we digress.

As a nod to this most prominent and indeed portentous of historical events then, we thought we would delve into our auction listings and pick out some of the best American metal the platform has to offer. There’s always a strong contingent of Yankee classics on the site so join us in the land of the free and the home of the brave as we choose five of our favourite live auctions that you can bid on over the fourth of July, Independence Day period.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette

Now on to its eighth generation with the 2023 Stingray, a car that develops a whopping 495bhp from its LT2 V8, the Corvette is as popular now as it has ever been and this second generation, matching numbers ’67 C2 model still packs plenty of punch. 350 brake horsepower to be precise. Combined with a four-speed manual gearbox the car dives as good as it looks and with a comprehensive recommissioning since arriving in the UK in 2018, thousands have been spent in bringing this sexy Chevy back to it’s ’60s sports car best.

Not only has this Corvette been renewed mechanically but it has also been fitted with many modern elements making it a much more usable proposition. An air-conditioning system, electronic ignition and high capacity aluminium radiator with electric fan have all been fitted, bringing the car in line with more modern fare, further sweetening an already alluring package.

1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1

There are a few Mustangs to choose from at the moment but we’ve decided to include this Mach 1 in our Independence Day list. Original first-gen cars, as great as they are (and we do love them), can feel a little vanilla and so when we saw this more performance oriented model we had to feature it. In order to remain competitive in the escalating muscle car wars of the late ’60s Ford develop a number of performance packages for the Mustang, one of which was dubbed the Mach 1 – in reference to the speed of sound.

What that meant was beefier looks and a larger, more powerful engine. This particular restomod Mach 1 has taken things even further, however and the original 351ci Windsor V8 has been replaced with a fire-breathing 427ci Shelby V8 as part of a rebuild. Power is nothing without control though, so the rest of the mechanicals have also been upgraded to cope with the extra grunt. Modifications include a Tremec five-speed manual transmission with uprated hydraulic clutch, Flowmaster stainless steel exhaust, performance radiator and propshaft and Wilwood brakes. Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen, this is the real deal.

1994 Harley Davidson FXSTC Softail Custom

You know we love bikes too here at Car & Classic and it would remiss of us not to include a two-wheeled American classic in our Independence Day gang, we do cater to all tastes after all. Harley Davidson is a name synonymous with cool and this mid-nineties V-twin Softail is no exception. Named for its hidden rear shock the Harley Davidson Softail is an iconic machine that opened the door for widespread customization and inspired numerous other motorcycle designs.

Being a “custom” model this Harley features a paint-matched frame, a plush leather seat, an integrated rear passenger backrest, and additional chrome. Not only that but it is surprisingly original having not been modified. With just two owners from new and a full service history It’s a wonderful, blank canvas example and a prime candidate for someone to customise with their very own unique style.

1972 Pontiac LeMans

A ’70s American land yacht might have about as much to do with the famous Le Mans endurance race as an Alpine marmot (don’t get us started on the Daewoo LeMans) but that doesn’t detract from the fact that the Pontiac LeMans is a bona fide muscle car classic. Beginning life as a trim package for the Tempest, the LeMans became its own model in 1963 and went through five generations over 20 years (not counting Pontiac’s revival of the name in ’88), such was its appeal.

This 1972 third-gen model was treated to a full restoration in the mid 2000s before being imported into the UK in 2021 and it looks absolutely gorgeous with its red over ivory colour scheme. Originally fitted with the largest engine in the range (a 7.5-litre V8) it has since been replaced with a fully rebuilt and re-bored 6.75-litre motor. With Pontiac GTOs fetching silly money nowadays this is the next best thing, especially in this condition and the appeal of the convertible roof at this time of year is difficult to resist.

1978 McLaren M8

We’ve actually seen this car in the flesh at Top Marques Monaco and it did not disappoint. It’s a faithful road-going version of the incredible McLaren M8 that was originally built by Kiwi racing car designer, driver and engineer Bruce McLaren to compete in the ‘anything goes’ CanAm race series, going on to dominate the competition from 1968 to 1971, such was the impressive nature of the car. Here was a man that never did anything by halves and this car is testament to that.

This recreation, named the Manta Mirage and put together by a couple of Californian car builders with a passion for the marque, is as accurate as it gets, right down to the correct 6.3-litre Chevrolet small block V8 pushing out 445bhp. In a car that weighs 860kilos that’s quite the power to weight ratio and definitely not for the faint-hearted! Fresh from a 600 hour restoration there is too much to list here (you’ll have to head over to the listing for the full rundown) but suffice to say this race car for the road represents a once in a lifetime opportunity and the perfect way to wrap up our Independence Day collection.