Five to welcome back daylight saving

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs

Reader Matt kindly sent me a compilation of car songs so I may never have to wander lost and hopeless though You Tube again. And lo, what should be the second track but the Velvet's Rock & Roll. Clearly the heavens are aligning for the Petrolhead Aesthete this week. Although there are no mentions of cars, girls' names or cocktails here, this was certainly the Groovies' finest 4:24.

I have been using my rudimentary Photoshop skills to visualise my next project which is to reconstruct a Daimler Conquest Century as if built by Pininfarina. Those who have known me a long while may recall a flirtation with pre-select gearbox Daimlers which could be bought in pairs for $120 back then. They are actually quite a decent car with the Century developing 100 hp and carrying one of the nicest dashboards of the era. I now seek one with reasonable mechanicals and scruffy body with which to make this Daimrelia... donations of Daimlers, wrecked Lancia Aurelias, wheeling machine or cash gratefully accepted.

1967 Daimler 250. We may as well start with a Daimler that exists rather than a phantasm produced by a surfeit of Mac's cider and Thai green curry. This is a very desirable configuration with Edward Turner's splendid alloy V8 driving through a manual gearbox and wire wheels. This and general condition justify the premium over lesser examples. For: Hard to imagine how it could be better. Against: I can see little.

1955 Hillman Minx Convertible. I like the idea of this 'Q-ship' Minx that could quite possible manage illegal speeds with a well tuned 1725 motor pushing things along. No mention of the other necessary work that would have to be done, however, and I grimly recall a Hillman Californian that snapped rear axles like they were made of whicker. For: Aunty Minx on HRT. Against: Motorways may not be a problem, stopping and taking bends on four wheels might be.

1955 DeSoto Firedome. Say it out loud to yourself. 'Firedome'. Has there ever been a better name for a car? I somehow doubt it. A rather handsome thing it is too with a restrained Italianate coupe body and at a considerable discount on a Chrysler letter series car. For: Forget '55 Chevs and try this. Against: A bit pricey against US-sourced cars.

1952 Fordson E83 Light Van. The well known aesthete challenged me to find him a Scamell Scarab last week (Look it up. It is what the internet is for...). I stop just short of miracles but here is a charming small commercial that might suit his jaded taste. Just the thing for fetching small shrubs for his picture perfect garden. For: Cute as a puppy. Against: A bit primitive.

Five for a slow week

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs.

From the champaign heights of Sebring Sprites and CS BMWs to the vin ordinaire of Plymouth Satellites, so go the ups and downs of Trademe. Antony was gracious enough to point out that the Aesthete was talking out of an orifice other than his mouth when attributing the design of the Type 3 Volkswagen to Bertone. This is the sort of arcane knowledge that the world needs more of and the Aesthete enjoys being corrected. I continue the penitent theme here as Morrisey rubs through the leather on the passenger seat. The drink must be Babycham.

1952 Riley RMB. The Riley RMB carried the larger 2.5 litre motor and would reach 95 mph which was flying at the time and the acceleration would still ruffle your hair today. This one appears almost new at 62,000 miles and has a wonderfully patina to the interior which restoration would utterly ruin. For: 15K for heaven's sake... bargain of the year. Against: Check the structural timbers like you were buying a vintage yacht.

1964 Imperial Crown Coupe. I have featured this on the list before but it is still there and I wonder why? This Imperial would have been completely at home wafting around Monaco where it would have caught admiring glances, not looks of pity. The interior is a sybarite's den with big red leather buckets in the rear for added athletic challenge. Grrwwlll.  For: A car of real distinction. Against: This car gives me impure thoughts.

1965 Plymouth Satellite. I rather like the ersatz-Mercedes side profile of the smaller Plymouth coupes and this one is still sitting on its skinny steel rims despite packing enough horse power  to break free of Earth's gravity. I would like to see photographs of the bucket seats and console which, as we know, are the only reasons to buy a piece of average Americana. For: Locate your inner hoon. Against: On the other hand, don't.

1970 Riley Kestrel. The rarest of the fwd BMC cars, the Kestrel carried the Riley name perhaps further than it should have gone. This one looks very original, however, and would benefit from new carpets and a bit of a rub a dub on the seat covers. For: These sporting variants of the Pininfarina-styled saloons have a great deal of charm and are still nippy enough to be a practical daily drive. Against: Beware transmission whine and saggy hydrolastics.

1988 Mercedes 1000 SEL. Not a catalogued model and a bit of a hoot altogether, this Mercedes limousine is touted as a 600 replacement. With the prices for big Mercedes saloons rapidly arriving at negative figures you would have to think hard about paying 40K for one. That said, it has a burr walnut division which will get a few veins throbbing in the temple of the well known Aesthete (not me, another one). For: The number plate reads TO55ER. Against: You would need to find a salary for a driver or have tolerant friends to put behind the wheel while you drink cognac in the back.

Saluto Sergio

It was reported internationally last week that Sergio Pininfarina had died in Turin aged 85. Many news sources showed a 1959 black and white photo of the young designer looking intently at the impressive nose of a formal looking coupe. Most journalists are hopelessly inept with cars and the model was not named or described. It is a 1959 Ferrari 400 Superamerica, one of a small number bodied this way and with many details leading straight to the Flavia Coupe which was announced in 1961. The car was bought at the Turin Show by Gianni Agnelli and returned to Pininfarina where the vents and quarter bumpers were removed, making it look even more Flavia-like. The Ferrari is now on show at the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles.

The exact design provenance of the Flavia is unsure but the visual relationship is abundantly clear. Whoever drew this bluff fronted Superamerica also created the elegant coupe for Lancia and improved on the older Ferrari design at the same time. The Flavia lacks the wraparound screen and awkward tail treatment of the big Ferrari. Pininfarina did not promote its designers as individuals and the official Flavia history omits to name whoever it was. It is unlikely to have been Sergio himself who was studio head but designed little personally.  The most likely candidate is Aldo Brovarone (1926 –) who went on to style the Gamma Coupe. This type of Superamerica was not followed up by Ferrari but ended up supplying many of the cues for the Flavia as well as the Rolls Royce Camargue and other stately vehicles.

Flavia of the month

Terrible pun, I know but there is progress to report on the Flavia Coupe which is finally on the road and being used the way its makers intended. So, what is it like, I hear you ask? Not unlike the Fiat Crusader I owned and enjoyed in the 1980s actually. There is a mild mechanical thrum from under the bonnet and progress is stately rather than startling. All vibration and suspension noise is dampened by extensive rubber bushing. I drove it on the unsealed Shortcut Rd which leads straight down the side of Mt Cargill to Waitati and the change of road surface was barely noticeable.  The steering is sharp but applied without effort and only the brakes cause concern with the servo being occasionally reluctant when called to serve and sending the pedal close to the floor. This is a common fault with these cars and will be sorted in the next round of work which will include a new set of front wheel bearings that should never wear out. I am ignoring the growling gearbox for now,

Recent work has been to sort out the wiring and fit the new electronic distributor (Normans Auto Electrical), re-set the engine and gearbox on their mountings to avoid obstacles, fix oil leaks in the rear seal, oil cooler and valve covers, re-route the brake lines, fit new hoses and tighten and check everything. A blocked fuel line spoiled the party for a while but strong solvents and the compressor saw to it. Unfortunately the toxic contents of the pipe instantly removed the paint on the Flavia's shapely nose, giving me one more thing to fix. The galling chrome plating saga ended with the final return of a well finished grill surround and another stupendous bill.

I have been lucky to have the vastly experienced Nathan Graham to work on the car and the generous use of Alistair Gilmour's workshop, otherwise it would have taken another year to get through that list working alone in my single garage.  This last round has cost around 10K which helps explain why so many projects remain unfinished. Like many ambitious amateurs I reached the limit of my skills and needed to hand the car over to people that could work quickly and had the right equipment. Next time you clasp your head and moan at your garage bill, think how long it might take you to do the job and divide the hourly rate accordingly.

Five alternatives to a sensible car

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs
Jeannie's parents and their choice of cars represent something undesirable to Lou in this early loose limbed Velvets version of Rock and Roll. Pernod is the drink.

1954 Peugeot 203. If I was seized by the urge to drive overland to the old country I would do it in this and probably arrive fresh and relaxed. The 203 was a great success for Peugeot who achieved their goals without exotic engineering. The narrow aerodyne styling is full of post-war character and they feel modern to drive so you get the best of both worlds. For: New Zealand new and well kept. Against: Very little that I can discern from here.

1961 Sunbeam Alpine Series II. I am not sure if Maxwell Smart enhanced the image of the Alpine or not but it had problems already with its soft character setting it aside from its competitors. That makes it a good choice today if you are thinking about an MX5 as an alternative. This one comes with the desirable curvy hard top and is painted a fetching shade of powder blue. For: Say its a gift. Against: Nothing that can't be corrected. I would put the steel wheels back on if it were mine.

1965 Alfa Romeo Sprint GT. Bids have climbed to over 15K for this desirable Guilia coupe despite the fact it has a broken motor. The rest of the car looks satisfactory and it comes from South Africa so should be structurally sound. The rust under the rear screen is a little worrying but does not look to have progressed far. For: Mechanicals are easily sorted. Against: Bodywork is another matter.

1988 Bentley Turbo R. The vendor outlines electrical problems but is coy about what they are. The question to ask is could they be sorted for the 10K discount this one is offered at? The rest of the car looks opulent and they offer aircraft carrier launch system acceleration with a stately home interior. For: A car to impress folks. Against: Driven by crooked investment advisors.

1990 BMW 850i. Or you could put your money into this autobahn cruiser with barely any milage on it and enjoy its massive capabilities. It missed the mark on its launch by being a bit too subtle and lacking the track pedigree of previous models. This was to miss the point and if you have kilometers to travel, this is the way to do it. For: Almost new and giving away little to a modern car. Against: Lack of use is not always good with something this complex.

Five to make you say "It's nothing like a Golf"

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs

Further proof, should it be needed, that The Band could play anything.

1958 MG Magnette. This is the first of the Gerald Palmer designed MGs to appear on the Petrolhead Aesthete so we can assume they are rare and cherished. So they should be as Palmer's Italianate saloon was one of the high points of 1950s British production. The quick rack and pinion steering and MGA motor combined to provide a lively drive but all was lost in the later Farina bodied cars which were much less fun. For: What a small Jaguar might have been. Against: Is that vinyl I see on the front seats?

1960 Austin Healey Sprite Sebring Replica. A lot of effort has gone into this car but none of it wasted by the look of the meticulous preparation. Given what some spend on their Targa mounts, 30K seems something of a bargain and I imagine it would be huge fun although not ideal for the daily commute. For: Just right for today's classic rally conditions. Against: Who could say anything against this?

1966 BMW 2000 CS. If you want to know what would make the Aesthete say "God's teeth", here it is. One of my favorite shapes of all time although in rather distressed condition. The avant-garde nose treatment only appeared on this rare model before the car was stretched to fit the six cylinder engine. The cabin is equally gorgeous. If I had not spent so much on the Flavia recently I would certainly buy this, probably its closest competitor in terms of style and dynamics. For: Rare, beautiful and cheap. Against: I am trying to think of something... nope.

1970 Jensen Interceptor. Cripes. It may be too far gone but the price is tempting and it looks complete as well as completely shot. I note that the tail lights are Lancia Flavia Coupe items. I should buy it just for that seeing the way Flavia parts prices have gone recently. For: A gentleman's cruiser down on its luck. Against: A money furnace.

1970 Triumph Spitfire MkIII. Or you could have this, one of the most straightforward DIY classics around. All the work is done, leaving the next owner to have all the fun. Micholetti's smart styling has the edge over Midgets and their ilk, allowing one to overlook the steel wheels on this example. For: Use it every day. Against: Be careful in the wet. Hark, the Herald axles swing.

Thirty cars hath September

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs

I imagine drinking would naturally follow on from a drive with Lana Del Rey.

1950 Renault 4CV. The first French car to achieve a million sales, the 4CV was a bit of a tonic for the post-war motorist and they were exported everywhere. Most examples in New Zealand were English assembled 'de luxe' models with leather seats and a handsome pair of circular instruments gracing the middle of the painted dash. This is just such a car although it has lost the leather and the plated seat frames in the course of restoration. For: A Gallic alternative to a Morris Minor. Against: Don't hit anything. They are surprisingly rare these days.

1938 Morris Eight Sport. This must be the week for not getting around at crazy speeds but I am nevertheless sure you will enjoy the charms of this Morris Eight for which the word pert was probably coined. Just the thing for a lakeside picnic and a ramble. Your Boy Scout experience will come in handy when you have to put up the roof and side screens. For: Great fun then and now. Against: Don't be in a hurry.

1959 Triumph Herald Coupe. Giovanni Micholetti gave Triumph a touch of much needed chic with the Herald, here in rare and pretty Coupe form. It is a bitsa but in a good way with the larger 1300 cc motor and disc brakes. It is pleading to be painted primrose and be put on a set of Spitfire wires. I am broke so one of you do it, please. For: A good little project. Against: Catch the rust before it gets away.

1967 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Mulliner, Park Ward Convertible. Not yet a Corniche despite the vendor's claims, the earlier Silver Shadow convertibles are the smart choice amongst open Rolls Royces. Simple cabin details please the eye rather more than the bling shoveled into later versions which look ready to be driven off by a Bolivian tin baron. For: Understated. Against: I can think of other ways to dispose of 80K.

1960 Studebaker Lark Convertible. I toyed with this last week, put off a little by the asthmatic side valve six that Studebaker could not replace when it launched its new Lark compact range. The rest of the car is delightful with its Italianate lines and formal grill denoting quality in a small package. For: Don't worry about seeing another one. Against: Originality is dandy but I would be tempted to repower this.