Five for the merry month of May

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs.


I was going to use this last week in the Mercedes list as Francis Rossi invites us to go 'Riding in a three grand Deutsche car'. I guess 3K would have got something pretty good in 1972. So with bottle of Babycham in hand and fringed buckskin jacket, prepare to collect Sabine in one of these...

1949 Ford V8 Saloon It is easy to overlook how significant this Ford model was in the 1940s. It created the template for the new post-war full width styling whereby the wings were pulled into the body sides and lines ran uninterrupted from nose to tail. Italians took notice straight away. For: 25 thousand miles and virtually one owner, apparently. Against: Something seems awry with the condition and price.

1957 Austin Westminster A95. One of our readers was saying that he wanted to buy something for the overland drive from China to England so here it is. Sprightly despite the stodgy looks, the A95 Westminster is quite able to withstand being thrashed across the Gobi desert if you plan to take the direct route from Beijing to Birmingham. For: A bit of a sleeper in the classic saloon stakes. Against: Matronly.

1966 Bristol 409. Bespoke and idiosyncratic, Bristols found clients for whom Bentleys were simply too vulgar. Gentleman's club analogies are not appropriate but a leather and walnut lined light aircraft would be close to the mark. The Bristol's narrow cabin is a reminder of its 1930s BMW roots but the Chrysler V8 propelled the whole ensemble at dizzying speeds in perfect composure. For: Cheaper and better now than all competitors. Against: If it looked more like a Facel Vega...

1968 Jaguar 420G Jaguar's businessman's cruiser would not have distracted a Bristol owner for a minute. The 420G was the final iteration of the big bodied Jaguar when the whole range was compressed into the single model XJ. I would want to find an old style car telephone if I had one so I could bellow instructions to my underlings while being driven to important meetings. For: A lot of car for the money. Against: A lot of car.

1975 Chevrolet Vega Cosworth. The wild card this week is this hybrid of English Grand Prix engine technology with a US shopping cart. I like the swanky black plastic interior with the gold faux-machine turned instrument panel a particularly eye catching effect. The engines were all hand built and are capable of high outputs without the emissions equipment. My American friends tell me this is grossly over-priced with cars in their market available for half this figure. For: Potential for fun and unique in New Zealand anyway. Against: A bit of a rip.

Five pointed stars

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs.

I have written some cruel and unfair things about Mercedes in past posts so now it is time to make amends as Janis would say. Oh, and that fabulous 300 saloon from a few months back is still for sale and that makes five.

1962 Mercedes-Benz 220 SEC The most beautiful of all Mercedes coupe shapes in my view, here in easy to manage small engine mode. Mercedes had a practice of using the same body for different models with increasing technological complexity being the rule. For: Looks without the terrifying costs. Against: Not a lot to go on in the listing.

1964 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL The first series pagoda had a different character to the later larger engined cars. It was certainly a lively drive and you would imagine that customers appreciated that after the somnambulant 190 SL. This one has a manual gearbox as well. For: More of a sports car than you may think. Against: Has a few tricks in store.

1970 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 Who says German engineers lack a sense of humour? How they must have laughed when they saw what the V8 from the gargantuan 600 could do in the W-109 shell. It almost stood on its end getting away from the lights and was the ultimate performance saloon of the era.  For: You will laugh too. Against: Let's hope nothing goes wrong with it.

1976 Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC. The stretched four-place SLC has become a bit of an orphan amongst classic Mercedes. Quality and elegance when new has not guaranteed its place amongst the coupes and asking prices are now are all over the shop. The louvred rear quarterlight was a nice touch to diminish the visual length of the cabin and a low milage example at the right price would be a pleasure to own. For: Cor. That looks expensive, guvnor.  Against: Make sure it has been looked after.

The next five

Cars, girls' names. cocktails and songs.

No girls' names here but a brand new car is mentioned somewhere in this 2:14 of raucous Sonics 1965 mayhem. And those guitars have definitely been drinking.

1947 Daimler DB18. The post-war Daimler DB18 saloon was not a Special Sports (see the week before last) but a capable tourer nonetheless. You get handsome 1930s looks with battleship grey paint, easy-clean wheels, separate headlights and the interior with nicely worn red hide and a steel sunroof. For: Dignified. Against: Best not be in a great hurry.

1965 Ford Mustang Fastback. Throw a stick into Trade Me and you will hit ten fastback Mustangs so it is difficult to identify one that stands out. This is a mature restoration with major work undertaken in 1995 and low milage since. It should drive like a twenty year old car which is exactly what you want. Metallic blue and red trim is a striking combination and enhances the strong lines of the '65 model year. For: Feel make all the difference with these cars. Against: Lack of use.

1962 Ford Thunderbird. If you were feeling extravagant you could park it next to this pale blue '62 T'bird. I like the combination of 390 cu in V8s and soft pastel hues. It undoes all the tedious machismo involved in owning a big yank and opens up a world of sybaritic pleasure. For: The colour, obviously. Against: I can think of very little. Keen price too.

1985 Maserati Biturbo. Oh, good grief. A 73,000 mile Maserati for no reserve and a 1K start price? Clearly the car gods are tempting me into another rash purchase. What sort of hubris would I be risking? Any kind of mechanical meltdown will break the bank but you will have some fun in the meantime, I assure you. For: The name. Against: The reputation.

1981 BMW 635 CSI.  My old friend Tom Bond alerted me to this. Low miles, manual gearbox, black leather and good colour combination for 10K. What is not to like here? The BMW coupe was an autobahn striding tourer of immense mechanical integrity. The looks have aged better than the big Mercedes coupes that have a rather Miami vice look about them today. For: Loads of life left yet. Against: Not much that I can see.

Five for the Easter holidays

Cars, girls' names. cocktails and songs.

Sip a cool drink with Lori under the Tokyo lights while listening to this little known gem from the fertile Liverpool pop scene. circa too many years ago. There is an un-named motor cycle in it so I almost collect the trifecta.

1953 Buick Coupe. Last year for the venerable straight eight so this is something for the Buick enthusiast rather than the non-specific cruiser. The big pillarless coupe looks surprisingly handsome in black and red and the rich grey cloth interior is a pleasant alternative to the 'tuck and roll' retrims that abound here. I picture the Duke of Windsor and Mrs Simpson swanning about the Riviera in one of these. For: Almost bespoke. Against: Heavy.

1963 Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider.  Oddly, this did not make me grind my teeth as hard as the 2600 Sprint that was listed a few months back. Not my favorite Touring shape but they look superbly louche on the road. It appears that a family of raccoons has been in residence but apart from the ruined trim the car seems sound and complete. For: See comments below. Against: I know. It's a wreck.

1968 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. I guess the lesson here is not to invest 160K restoring something that no one else really wants. These Jeep models were the fore-runners to the Range-rover, capable on and off road, and quite good looking in a flashy plastic wood kind of way. I am not sure if this is where I would park 95K, however. For: It could be fun if money was no object. Against: Something is not right here. Ah yes, the price.

1972 Peugeot 304. Instead of an old cast iron A-series lump as you might find in a Mini you get silky front wheel drive with a beautifully engineered alloy overhead cam motor. The whole assembly is very tall which explains the Charles de Gaulle nose on these Pininfarina styled cars. For: Bourgeois chic. Almost as nice as a Fulvia. Against: A vanishing breed.

1980 Ruska Classica. I throw this in to test the limits of the well known aesthete who gobbles up 1980s Lincoln Town Cars with Gucci velour interiors and still cries out for more. For: Just needs bikini girls and surfboards. Against: Sorry. Words fail me.

Five ways to head into autumn

Cars, girls' names. cocktails and songs

I had my head properly turned in Oamaru on the weekend by a Barker bodied Daimler Special Sports. I always knew that were a good looking car but in the metal they are heavenly. They have a sideways facing rear seat for one passenger and are smaller than the pictures indicate. I will not rest until I own one. So, a nice bottle of beaujolais and away to the autumn village fete with Norah.

1962 MGA Coupe. The photograph does not do the car any favours but the MGA Coupe is a rare and lovely thing. The cabin features luxuries that the roadster did without so you get wind-up windows, heater and a neatly fitted rear compartment to throw your weekend bags into. Which is to say your significant other will probably approve and may even drive it for fun. For: A tidy little package. Against: Will not enhance your masculinity.

1966 Chrysler 300 Coupe. Chrysler ran out of will for the 300 series before it ran out of letters (300C and 1957 is the magic combination) but this first year of letterless production came with disc brakes and a 440 cubic inch motor for better than brisk performance. Original faded paint and a tidy interior indicates a well kept car and the price is on the right side of sensible. For: Verging on tasteful. Against: A bit dull compared to a Thunderbird.

1971 Peugeot 504 Automatique. If I wanted an older car in which to cover long distances with comfort and reliability I would buy this. Essentially a one-owner car with minimal milage, it appears rust free and ready to use. For: Pininfarina styling and tough as old croissants. Against: May seem bland to the uninformed. 

1975 Ferrari 308 GT4 In many ways Ferarri was the most conservative of the Italian sports car makers.  Bertone's wedge shaped four seater broke away from the old relationship with Pininfarina but the change was resented by many. It is now one of the cheapest ways into a classic Ferrari and this example has a good history to justify the 68K asking price. For: Modern, chic and fast. Against: Open the bills with a medical professional nearby.

1981 Ford Thunderbird. I imagine it was the cost accountants that caused all the Ford designers to be replaced by chimps in 1980. How else could you explain this? To be driven while wearing a red rubber gimp suit. For: You have been a very naughty boy. Against: Don't make me look at it again.

1986 Lotus Excel SE The Lotus bid to be taken seriously as a GT maker with the Excel and Eclat models was a bit of a situation. The Oliver Winterbottom designed wedge dated quickly but was successfully restyled, if at the loss of some character. Reliability is less of an issue with the later cars but low milage is not always a good sign. For: Young folk will think it very retro. Against: Not retro enough for me.