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

1957 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS coupe

1957 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS coupe, Serial Number 58368, factory replacement Engine Number KD P 91036, Black with red leather, 1.6 litre 4-cam air cooled flat 4 cylinder engine with twin Solex carburetors as derived from the 550 RS Spyder – our engine 91036 as a Type 692/0 was originally delivered in Carrera S/N 84916, and subsequently upgraded by the factory to later Type 692/3 1588 cc, 4 speed manual transmission, original date coded wheels, Speedster bucket seats, delivered new February 2, 1957 to Mr. Herrn Grenz a regional director for Porsche in Germany, European marque specialist restored some years ago and looking and driving superbly today, the Carrera moniker a nod to the 550 Spyder’s numerous successes in the grueling Carrera Panamericana Mexican road race, complete with current FIA Passport, Kardex and Certificate of Authenticity, just coming to us out of our longtime EU client’s fantastic multi-marque blue chip collection, also on file a full inspection report as compiled by Porsche authority, sports car racing great, and Le Mans winner, Jurgen Barth, fresh out of comprehensive servicing and engine overhaul at Porsche expert workshop Speedsport Tuning of Danbury, Connecticut. Find out more

1961 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster

1961 Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster, Serial Number 19804210002703, Engine Number 19898010002752, 534 Fire Red with black leather, black convertible soft top, body colored factory hard top, 3.0 litre in-line 6 cylinder engine with Bosch mechanical fuel injection making 240hp, 4 speed manual transmission, drum brakes, ivory steering wheel and shift knob, original colors, matching numbers original engine and transmission.  The W198 chassis 300SL roadster was introduced at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show and is a descendant of the wildly successful successful W194 race car, whose victories included the Le Mans 24 Hours and Carrera Pan Americana.  The roadster shares an evolved version of the Rudolf Uhlenhaut designed lightweight tubular chassis of the race car, as well as having a steel body, lightweight aluminum door skins, bonnet, and trunk lid.   Our 300SL is a USA example, is completely matching numbers throughout as confirmed by the factory data card on file, the USA rear marker lights still present, and comes to us from its passionate nonagenarian owner who has owned the 300SL since 1988.  The roadster presents nicely throughout, drives the very same, and is wearing a decades old re-paint, an beautifully aged original interior, and is in need of a proper specialist servicing and sorting to update many deferred maintenance items.  An ideal candidate for restoration, or simply use and enjoy this matching numbers roadster just as it has been for the past 37 years. Find out more

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. alloy berlinetta

The significance of Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team, better known as NART, is nearly impossible to quantify. By the late 1960s NART was one of just four privateer racing teams to enjoy close support from the Ferrari factory, and arguably the most important. Chinetti’s close relationship with Enzo Ferrari allowed the importer to routinely procure Maranello’s newest and most powerfully specified sports-racing cars. The NART campaigns not only helped Chinetti to more effectively sell cars, but additionally NART victories in both SCCA and FIA-sanctioned events contributed to the manufacturer’s all-important chase of championship points in both series.

Because of the team’s significance in Ferrari’s history, NART-campaigned cars are now highly coveted by collectors seeking the highest level of provenance, making them among the most prized of all the Prancing Horses. Chassis number 10311 falls precisely into this category, being a NART-prepared and Chinetti-owned competition entry that won its class during the World Championship round at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

According to a history report by marque expert Marcel Massini, this Ferrari began life as one of the extremely rare 16 alloy-bodied 275 GTB/4 berlinettas. Luxuriously appointed with power windows, dual headrests, and a radio console, the 275 was finished in Avorio (Ivory) paint over a Rosso leather interior, a striking and very rare color combination that only appeared on one other 275 GTB/4 from new. Find out more

1987 Porsche 911 Turbo Slantnose M505

1987 Porsche 911 Turbo Slant-nose Coupe, S/N WP0JB0934HS051383, Black with black leather.  USA model.  Factory M505 Flachbau flatnose, Turbo widebody. Matching numbers 3.3 liter flat six turbocharged engine developing 282hp with 4-speed gearbox.  Ordered with M505 “Slant Nose”, Sport seats, Blaupunkt Reno radio, limited slip differential and electric sunroof.  Sold brand new in Orange County, CA and within the first year, it was sold to local Balboa Island Porsche collector “Hal” and he owned from 1988 to 2006 and then sold to noted Newport collector and still owned by him today.  “Hal” was responsible for almost all of the miles, he bought with 853 miles in ’88 and sold in ’06 with 14,385…today it has 14,707!  Only 630 M505’s came to the USA.  To find a low mileage, original 911 Turbo Slantnose is a rare occurrence but to find one that has lived in Newport Beach, CA for almost 40 years is like finding a German Unicorn!  Comes with service records, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, original MSRP, books and manuals, tools & spare.  One of the most important and recognized supercars of the 80’s in very rare black on black color combo! Find out more

1999 Ferrari 355 F1 Spider

1999 Ferrari 355 F1 Spider, S/N ZFFXR48A0X0113872, Rosso Corsa red with beige leather interior and black soft top.  3.5 liter V8 engine making 375HP mated to an auto-manual F1 paddleshift 6-speed transmission.  This Spider was sold new from Ferrari of San Francisco on 12/22/98 to a gentleman in Newport Beach, CA.  Over the next 14 years, the Ferrari would be enjoyed in Newport and serviced accordingly…covering just over 13,000 miles during this first ownership.  The next 12 years the 355 entered the diverse collection of a Newport gentleman and it would only accrue another 600+ miles over this time, today showing 13,665 miles and it just had its major service including timing belts completed.  A true 2-owner California Ferrari from new with very low miles and just coming to us from a discreet local collection.  It comes with full books/manuals, spare keys, service records and Ferrari car cover. Find out more

1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Cabriolet

1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet, S/N 11102512001582, Tobacco brown with dark brown leather, carpet and canvas soft-top.  2.8 liter in-line 6 cylinder fuel injected engine, 4 speed column shift automatic transmission, disc brakes, seating for 5, Becker Grand Prix stereo with power antenna, factory power windows, burl walnut dash and Kuhlmeister air conditioning. This stunning, long time Calfornia 280 SE Cabrio was delivered new in the rare and rich color combo of triple brown according to its MB datacard and this also confirms that our Brown Beauty retains its original engine from new, aka “matching numbers”.  #1582 was brought to its current and fabulous condition by its previous Mercedes Master Tech owner and the classic Mercedes maestro Daniel  Landeros.  The chassis underneath looks as good as the car and engine bay.  The luscious dark brown leather is original and has a richness and warmth that the other shades of leather lack when paired with the Tobacco brown paint.  Just serviced by our Mercedes specialist, this Cabriolet is ready for the summer in Palm Beach, LaJolla or the Hamptons. Find out more

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