Old and New Friends at Bonhams’ Amelia Island Auction

Taking Linkage out on the road is always fun, but it’s a special treat to be at Amelia Island this year.

Truth is, I feel kind of guilty, as Florida is basking in 84-degree days, while most of the United States is gritting through a series of late winter storms. It was 30 degrees when I left Portland, Oregon, and it was 82 degrees when I arrived at Amelia Island.

Then again, the constant work of slathering on sunscreen and gulping water to stay hydrated is a chore. Well, that’s not quite true. It’s a joy.

I’ll be back in winter in a few days, so I intend to wring joy out of these sunny days. I was thrilled to see a very nice 1986 Aston Martin V8 Volante waiting to cross the block at Bonhams’ Amelia Island Auction this morning. The latest issue of Linkage, which will arrive in mailboxes in a few days, dives into Muscle: Past, Present and Future, and we dove into the world of British, Italian and Japanese muscle cars (along with tons of classic and modern American muscle) in the issue.

We can’t wait for all our subscribers to get their copy of Linkage 011!

Anyway, it was cool to see that Aston, which is a true muscle car, with an all-alloy DOHC V8 engine and four Dual-Throat Weber carbs. The car makes 300 horsepower, which is mild by today’s standards — but massive for 1986. I promise that this car has enough stock to get your heart thumping happily away.

I’ll report tomorrow on what this car brings on the block this morning.

The best part of this trip, is, as always, seeing many friends and making new ones. I love to get feedback on how we’re doing with Linkage magazine. If you’re not in Amelia — but have some comments on the magazine — feel free to call me at 503-939-7084 or drop me an email at callen@audrainmotorport.com.

We’ll probably be friends by the time our conversation ends, even if you’re a little ticked off that I’m enjoying a bit of summer at the end of a long winter.