Profile: Copley Motorcars

Copley Motorcars was established by Stu Carpenter in 1995. Working for other luxury and sportscar dealers in Boston since 1986, Stu has gained a longterm-experience in offering exceptional products at a fair price making the acquisition of a classic and luxury car as easy and as enjoyable as possible. 2024 is their 29th year of buying and selling sports and classics. And now they are on both coasts of the continental USA with the opening of CopleyWest showroom in Newport Beach, California.

The team at Copley Motorcars has a particular affinity for vintage Mercedes Benz, Ferrari and Land Rover Defender but also other blue chips such as 289 Cobra, BMW Z8 and Porsche 959. Since the market for these cars is a worldwide one, Copley Motorcars ships worldwide and can easily assist with the logistical arrangements.

buy – sell – trade – consign
worldwide

December 2019 marked Copley’s 24th year of buying and selling sports and classics. Their showroom is located in the center of Needham, about 15 miles west of the City of Boston. Copley has an interesting, some would say eclectic, mix of classic cars always on offer and find something to love about each and every one. And because Copley Motorcars is a smallish “boutique” type dealer, their classic cars don’t necessarily run out the door. A new arrival could be there for a day, a week or even six months. That said, all of their classics are different one to the next and are being looked at throughout the USA and the world. If you see a car you like and want to buy it, please contact copleycars@gmail.com. If you see a car and want to think about it, terrific too. But please, please, please assume that someone else is looking at the very same classic you are interested in so, if it gets sold, they do their very best to find another for you.

Meet Stu

“I’m Stu Carpenter and I established Copley Motorcars in 1995. I had been working for other luxury and sportscar dealers in Boston since 1986 and had become disenchanted with how these dealerships were being operated. The sales games were the rule of the day… back and forth to the manager to get a deal done, grind out the last penny from the customer, pressure-pressure-pressure and no goodwill after delivery. In short, every situation was a negotiation with the dealer. I couldn’t and wouldn’t do business in that manner.

As the owner and operator of Copley Motorcars, my approach to what is usually a difficult process for both dealer and customer is simple: offer an exceptional product, price it correctly, and make the transaction as easy and enjoyable as possible. As I quite often say, “It’s not hard to be nice to the customer.” Since you are dealing with a small company whose principal – me – is involved day-to-day, if a deal can get done, it will get done… in just a few minutes time, in a peaceful and relaxed environment. As the owner, I am the sales department, the leasing department and, the complaint department. Because I wear all the hats, you are assured that things will get done to your satisfaction. In short, these are cool cars that no one needs so, let’s have some fun too!”

Meet Tripp

I’m Tripp Knox and grew up just a few miles away from Copley Motorcars. Over the years, both in childhood and young adult life, I would stop by Stu’s boutique to tickle my classic car obsession. In college, I became president of the car club on campus and engaged both newbies and enthusiasts to the passion of automobiles. Here we not only discussed automotive trends and curated hands-on experiences to teach about vehicle operations, including mastering the manual transmission. Being a true petrolhead, I’ve participated in numerous track days and classic car rallies throughout New England and Colorado. I sometimes showcase the telltale dirty fingernails from some classic British marques.

Before Copley Motorcars, I worked at Hagerty Insurance dealing with collector cars while living out in Colorado. Here I had the opportunity to help restore a classic Ford Bronco, teach members how to drive manual transmission in a variety of eclectic cars, and talk people’s ears off with my super random automotive history knowledge.

CopleyWest was born in 2019 when co-owners Stu and Pat had a great dinner with their wives. Friends for over 25 years, we share the same ethos in business and in life and strive for perfection and simplicity. We aim to have fun and make sure our customers have fun in the process. Repeat business is the foundation of our business.

Pat has been in the automobile business for over 35 years (most recently, two decades with Ferrari) and has far-ranging tastes in all things wheeled, from Buicks, Ferraris, Rovers, Bugattis, Fire-trucks, Mokes, Citroens, hotrods, muscle cars, anything pre-war and more, staying focused remains a challenge. We will build on what Stu has created with Copley Motorcars over the past 25 years in Boston and make sure the customer remains our #1 priority.

Showroom Highlights

Find out more about Copley’s showroom

1972 Ferrari 246 GTS Spyder

1972 Ferrari 246 GTS spyder, Serial Number 03888, USA example, Rosso Chiaro with black/red seats, black rugs, 2.4 litre V6 engine mid-mounted, 5 speed gated transmission, disc brakes, 14 inch Cromodora alloy wheels, air conditioning, power windows, Becker Mexico radio, removable spyder targa top, original retractable sunshades, original targa top sheath, original Dino owner’s manual, matching numbers original engine and gearbox, produced May 29, 1972 and delivered new to legendary Hollywood film producer and studio chieftain, John Calley, documented by Dino Compendium author, Matthias Bartz, just one owner from April 1986 to today, original interior with a beautifully preserved original dash, well cared for mechanically, nicely presented older paint showing a bit of age from regular use by its nearly 40 year passionate owner. Find out more

1961 Maserati 3500 GT Vignale spyder

1961 Maserati 3500 GT Vignale spyder, S/N AM1011311, Engine Number 1011311, Verde Scuro metallizzato with brown Connolly leather, grey rugs, and tan convertible top, 3.5 litre in-line 6 cylinder engine with 3 Weber carburetors making 235hp, ZF 5 speed manual gearbox, disc brakes, 2+2 seating, Borrani wire wheels with knock-off hubs, fully sorted and just coming to us out of our longtime client’s terrific multi-marque blue chip collection, matching numbers original engine, documented with factory build sheets from Maserati Classiche, delivered new July 1961 via Agence Maserati of Saint-Cloud, France, striking Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale coachwork penned by Giovanni Michelotti, and one of just 242 3500 GT Vignale spyders. Find out more

1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II Scaglietti Spyder

World’s best 500 Mondial spyder?  We think so – completely matching numbers, spectacular 7-figure restoration, Red Book Classiche Certified, multiple concours winner, extensive in-period racing history, and of course its breathtaking beauty. Find out more

1965 Land Rover Series IIA 109 soft top by NAO

Mike Sandone’s North America Overland skunkworks has solved the riddle to eliminating the crudeness of our beloved 60+ year old Series trucks, yet retaining all of the wonderful aesthetic charm that makes us so smitten in the first place.  And while we’ve all heard the term “nut and bolt restoration,” that is exactly the NAO process – every nut, bolt, trim piece, widget, and component is either new or renewed.  And along the way, NAO seamlessly updates the systems that can aggravate us in these six decades old trucks. Find out more

1969 Mercedes Benz 280SE cabriolet

1969 Mercedes Benz 280SE cabriolet, S/N 11102512002499, 462H Tunis Beige metallic with 244 green leather, green rugs, and 747 green convertible top, 2.8 litre in-line 6 cylinder fuel injected engine, 4 speed column shift automatic transmission, disc brakes, seating for 5, Becker Europa stereo with power antenna, factory power windows, burl walnut dash, European headlights, delivered new to Atlas Auto Leasing Company of Los Angeles, May 15, 1969 via Mercedes Benz of Hollywood, 6465 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, sold in 1974 to the second owner, a Mrs. Margaret Kearns Cox, of Sherman Oaks, California, who would go onto own the Tunis Beige cabriolet for the next 40 years, until selling to just the third owner who would embark on an all-encompassing “nut and bolt” restoration, with all systems and components, renewed, refinished, or rebuilt – engine, transmission, lines, hoses, brakes, suspension, paint, chrome, wood, and more, all the while retaining the luscious original leather seat upholstery, and making for an absolutely spectacular visual presentation and driving experience. Find out more

1989 Porsche 911 turbo coupe

1989 Porsche 911 turbo coupe, S/N WP0JB0935KS050251, Black with linen leather, 3.3 litre flat 6 cylinder turbo engine, 5 speed manual transmission, disc brakes at all four corners, 8 way power seats left and right, Fuchs alloy wheels, factory electric steel sunroof, current-gen Porsche Classic radio, original owner’s manuals and pouch including maintenance booklet, delivered new April 27, 1989 via Forest Lane Porsche of Dallas, Texas, exhaustive six-figure mechanical restoration by Porsche specialist Ken and Darin McCay’s Boston Sportscar, from the very last year of the original and iconic “930 widow maker.” Find out more

Find out more on copleymotorcars.com