The Aesthete's autumn almanac

The Aesthete's fleet

The GTV has been delivered to the panel beaters where its various skin eruptions are being attended to in the hope of forestalling a full blown rust attack. I was impressed by Mike Whelan's work on the other well known aesthete's Daimler Majestic whose magnificent face (the car, not the owner) had gathered some gin blossoms over the years. These were cleverly blended into the gentle decrepitude of the rest of the car so that it did not look like a full face lift. A clever feat and one that I hope is repeatable on the Alfa.

1962 Ford Consul Capri. It is well known that stylist Roy Brown took exile to Dagenham rather than face career death for the Edsel. He still managed to have some fun with the product planners with the Consul 315 Capri which was like an English Thunderbird with a barely usable back seat and a boot lid longer than the bonnet. My favorite aunt Sylvia – Papakura's version of Ana Gardner – had one the same colour as this. Believe me, there was no-one in the family more glamorous than she.

For: The looks. Oh, the looks.
Against: A less practical version of the worst English Ford of the era.
Investment potential: 6/10. Dwindling numbers and great period charm.

1947 Ford Pilot. Another glam English Ford but from a different era altogether. The Pilot was a revived small V8 Ford conceived in the 1930s. It was sufficiently modern to make it into production after the war and its silky side valve engine and Art Deco interior made it an attractive alternative to a big Humber or similar trans-Atlantic confection.

For: Surprisingly quick.
Against: Nasty retrim in the wrong materials
Investment potential: 3/10. Not everyone will get it

1985 Renault Fuego Turbo. Glam is in the eye of the beholder of course but there can be no doubt about Renault's sporting coupe, once much desired by Auckland girls who made their living from lovelorn men. Like their owners, the cars were pretty, fast and efficient with a faint hint of Fleur cigarette smoke still hanging around the interior.

For: If you are nostalgic for that benighted era, here is your car.
Against: Only a few wrecks left for parts these days.
Investment potential: 6/10. Like the Capri in that regard.

1970 Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior. The crafty Milanese managed to get great value out of their Bertone coupes, selling them in a bewildering variety of engine sizes and equipment levels. Even the smallest was capable of 100mph performance and this one carries the big bumpers and distinctive step nose of the earlier Sprints. You get the four wheel discs and five speeds for no extra moolah. Where else but Italy?

For: Bella!
Against: Pricey!
Investment potential: 2/10: In saying so, unrusted and well sorted GTs have a way to go yet.

1963 Ford Falcon Squire. Calling it a 'woodie' is a bit of a stretch but 'plastic-ie' does not have quite the same ring. This upmarket Falcon wagon carries its carefully applied stick-on cupboard lining in an attempt to summon up the older coach built wagons much loved by fans of the Beach Boys. Are we fooled? Not for a second and therein lies the charm.

For: Yet more glam!
Against: Egregious fakery!
Investment potential: 3/10, Catch it before it gets any worse.


Oh save me Lord, I am but a weak and feeble sinner...

1967 Maserati Mexico. Why does a wrecked Maserati Mexico fill me with such terrible thoughts? It is a kind of sick compulsion that can only lead to ruin of the body and spirit but I just can't stop looking! UNGHHHRGHAH! Nope. Still can't stop.

For: Its a 1960s Maserati I could afford!
Against: It will kill me!
Investment potential. Bwahahaha!

Behold the Trade Me Five!

The Aesthete's Fleet

Here is a picture of the Flavia's gearbox almost finished on the bench. It is certainly a thing well made and will hopefully now be without the accompanying rumbles and whines that troubled me before. Broken first gear has been swapped, new bearings and seals fitted and the best set of synchro rings selected for smooth changes. I will report after the road test. 

1973 Skoda 110 Coupe. This was snapped up surprisingly quickly at $1750 so the link is dead, I regret to say. Not everyone is enabled to see the positive side of owning a 1970s Skoda but the coupes were a surprisingly good rally car and still look purposeful with their rakish front screen and long tail. Bear that in mind when viewing the next choice.

For: Cheap, fun and rare.

Against: Nothing. And look at the colour. 

Investment potential: 8/10. As long as the body is intact you can have spares for nothing.

1971 Lotus Europa. Early Europas had the pure if idiosyncratic high sided body that made them look like a Le Mans racer for the road. The Renault 15 engine and transaxle was an interesting choice of power plant but the combination was all alloy and reliable. It is running a turbo which should make for interesting motoring so let us hope the conversion is well engineered.

For: It should be quick.

Against: Improvised explosive device.

Investment potential: 3/10 for as long as it holds together 

1975 Fiat 130. It has been a long time since I have seen a viable 130 so it behooves the Aesthete to remind you of what fine cars they are. Fiat had Lancia in its grasp by the 1970s but could not convince luxury car buyers that a flat four Gamma saloon was what they needed so threw all its nice bits into the 130. Silky V6 with a plush interior and a body like a Mussolini-era apartment block. Genius.

For: A rust free low milage 130 will afford great pleasure.

Against: Or unalloyed woe if the above is not the case.

Investment potential: 3/10 but for the brave owner. 

1982 Fiat 131R. It looks a little garish even for one of these but nothing says classic Fiat like the combination of a tuned Lampredi twin-cam four, velour trim and bright orange paint. Find that purple shirt in the wardrobe and release your true Milanese style. Like a piece of Memphis furniture but much cheaper to buy these days.

For:  It is what it is.

Against: Loud.

Investment potential: 3/10 now that most of them have disappeared into sheds or turned into them.

1973 Citroen SM. I can recall when the sight of a Citroen SM wafting along would have onlookers laying down their coats so that those glorious wheels did not have to touch the road. No longer now that almost every car you can name seems to be available in New Zealand and you could have this one for 20K. Wonder Boy tells me it is possibly not the best SM in existence but this is surely not much for the coolest car in the world.

For: Tres magnifique!

Against: Le bills!

Investment potential: 2/10 and slipping.

Still thinking about selling things from a van?

1959 International Harvester Metro. I guess this is the US equivalent of the Austin J4s that we knew in days of yore. This example is essentially new from the wheels up so should provide many years of loyal service. I think if you are in Nelson or Russell and fancy selling crepes in the summertime this is your vehicle. 

For: Eye catching.

Against: Long way to go for a part.

Investment potential: 0/10. There goes the business plan.

The Aethete's picks for April

The Aesthete's Fleet.

Things are back to normal now that rally fever has abated and the Italians have gone home. I am told that Miki drives a new model Lancia Thema which as some of you may know is a rebadged Chrysler 300. It also appears that Fiat may limit its whole passenger car range to the 500 so that proud nation's car making industry is truly in grave peril. My own Italian fleet costs me a fortune to keep on the road so I can only imagine how the economies stack up when manufacturing them. The Flavia gearbox is almost ready to go back together but I have been forbidden to use the lathe at work on safety grounds so one step forward and two back...

1965 Imperial Crown Coupe. Your Aesthete is beginning to believe that he can change the future with his blog. Just by thinking about a particular car, one appears on Trade Me as if to order. This Imperial Crown Coupe is the epitome of good US taste from its glassed in headlights to its cut off tail. 19K and ready to take you to Queenstown where you may get out to a round of applause, particularly if it is snowing lightly, you have a tan full length leather jacket and can do a good French accent.

For: So much more discrete than a Cadillac.
Against: It is no sports car.
Investment potential. 3/10 if it has no serious flaws.

1956 Standard Vanguard Sportsman. As you probably know I like an automotive orphan and got quite a thrill when this popped up in the latest listings. What is the awful thing I hear you ask? Nothing less than a sporting version of the Raymond Loewy studio designed Standard Vanguard equipped with a Triumph TR2 motor and other enhancements. The two-tone leather interior looks particularly glamorous although the stuck on traditional grill does nothing for the trans-Atlantic looks.

For: You will not see another I assure you.
Against: Not considered a great car in its day.
Investment potential: 4/10. The vendor has the price right.

1987 Citroen CX GTI Turbo. Citroens were many things but not always vivid performers.  High pressure hydraulic suspension and power assisted everything made rapid acceleration an unnecessary distraction but that changed with the final iteration of the CX which was like a road going version of the French TGV high speed train.  21K is high for one of these but in many ways it was the last truly original Citroen.

For: It will surprise you.
Against: Earlier versions have interiors straight from Space 1999.
Investment potential: 1/10 but you would never advise you to buy a shabby one.

1967 Triumph 2000 Mk 1. Almost all the later Triumphs are now moldering quietly in paddocks so this restored Mk 1 is a 1960s trip into the time tunnel well worth taking. Micholetti's short tailed saloon wears its Italian styling heritage more overtly that the cleaned up version that replaced it and it has one of the best instrument panels ever put into an English family car.

For: Italianate looks and good English manners.
Against: At that price I can't see much.
Investment potential: 6/10 if you can find someone else that wants one.

1962 BMW Isetta. If you are looking for a car to restore in your spare bedroom, this Isetta could be just the thing. They are cramped, dangerous, ill handling and noisy but you could be describing a Corvette so just enjoy it for what it is. 22K seems a lot for a car that needs work but there is a constant demand for them although few seem to be used.

For: As a child I used to order my parents to follow them on the road.
Against: Not really fit for driving around in.
Investment potential: 5/10 even with the high price.


If you could have any car in the world...

1956 Fiat 1100 Sport TV Boano Giannini. Would it not have been great to have a few spare lire in your pocket back in the day so you could by a special bodied Fiat Millecento? No? What is the matter with you? If you had, you would be sitting on 140K now as that is the asking price for this perfectly formed little number that looks like a tiny Ferarri yet can be fixed by the village mechanic. Perfecto!

For: Only in Italy.
Against: Only the price.
Investment potential: 1/10 but who knows?

Five more ways to fill the shed

The Aesthete's Fleet

I wish I could report that the Lancia is back on the road but, alas, I have to take second place to the Rally of Otago. Veteran Lancia driver Miki Biasion has his Porsche 911 being prepared in the very place that the Flavia occupied over winter and my gearbox has been swept into a corner. I could say I am upset but I am actually honoured to be associated in any way with someone who won the WRC twice in a Lancia! Bravissimo!

1964 Rover 3 Litre Coupe. The vendor's photographs do not appear auspicious but it may be better than it looks. We are not quite going mad for 'barn finds' here yet. We prefer to call them shocking old wrecks but there are worse winter projects than cleaning up a Rover Coupe with a pleasantly worn appearance like this one has. With luck you will find yourself in a car with the presence of something much more expensive.

For: Rover 3 Litre Coupe or Lancia Flaminia? The Aesthete is conflicted on this issue.
Against: It better not be rusty.
Investment potential. It is already overpriced so I will say 0/10 until the vendor starts his meds again.

1963 Mercedes Benz 220 SEC. By something much more expensive I am of course referring to this glamorous Mercedes coupe. Unlike the Rover, it shares no panels with its finny saloon sister car and would look perfectly at home outside the casino at Monte Carlo with Grace Kelly at the wheel. This sort of prestige does not come cheap, however, but the 220 is the model to have if you want to use it. The bigger 300 version with fuel injection and airbag suspension will bankrupt you.

For: The Grace Kelly of German automobiles.
Against: Like Grace, you will need to be Prince Rainier to keep her.
Investment potential: 5/10. The asking price is on the low side so questions should be asked.

1949 Cadillac Coupe. If we are going for coupes this week, we might pause to consider this impressive Cadillac. I like the austere brown leather interior and general lack of flash which shows up the beautiful streamlined form. A Bentley Continental would be the next stop but they are five times the price and for inveterate snobs only. Park this outside the club instead.

For: The looks of course. And those tail lights.
Against: I know. Its a behemoth.
Investment potential: 3/10. One for the Caddy cognoscenti.

1963 Ford Thunderbird. Swing-away steering wheel, great lashings of plastic wood veneer, space-age woven synthetic textile seat coverings and a padded vinyl roof with fake hood irons! What more could you ask from a car than that? Brakes and steering? Are you some sort of communist?

For: Swing-away steering wheel. etc. etc.
Against: Sitting in it is safe enough but you will have to drive it sometime.
Investment potential: 2/10. There are a lot on the market but this one actually has bids!

1966 Chrysler 300. The vendor's description is written in a particularly dense petrolhead patois that your Aesthete can barely translate but I believe he is saying that his Chrysler 300 goes very fast indeed and has a manual gearbox. He goes on to describe the many modifications that have been made so that the car will stay on the road rather than killing you at the first corner.

For: Every drive will be an adventure.
Against: You should not need to ask.
Investment potential: 3/10. You could not build one for the asking price.

And awaiting you in the US...

1967 Imperial Crown Hardtop. Just to prove that local vendors are a bit optimistic on their pricing, how about a nut and bolt fully documented restoration of the top line Chrysler product of the era for US11K? I have said enough.

For: A plutocrat's sort of ride.
Against: Nothing. My sort of American.
Investment potential: 5/10. 22K landed and vinned?