As Time Goes By.(Porsche 911)(Cadillac)(Column)

Byline: Richard S. Chang

My buddy Jeff has this idea that old Japanese cars are going to be the next muscle cars, as investments. "Of course, to a lesser degree,'' he qualifies. Still, he thinks I should pick up some old Datsuns, Toyota Corollas and Acura Integras, store them for a few decades and then unload them at Barrett-Jackson for a sweet profit.

Jeff's a smart guy. He has been in the business more than 10 years, writing about muscle cars and Japanese imports. So his perspective is important to me. On the other hand, he's not very rich.

Anyway, I thought about what he said while I was trolling the monthly parking garage at Pier 40, a huge complex that juts out from Manhattan into the Hudson River. There are lots of classics at Pier 40, nearly all under car covers. But I recognized a few old Porsche 911s and could even distinguish them from the veiled shapes of newer models. I saw the silhouettes of a 914 and a Citroen DS.

I also found several big honking Cadillacs that looked like they were ditched there after the Lufthansa Heist. They weren't covered. Their tires were flat. An inch of dust covered the back seats because the windows had been left open. When ...