The Aesthete gets on with it

How attending to your carburettor can fix your gearbox. 

You may recall that the Lancia's gearbox used to make a loud screeching sound like an angry monkey. These disturbing aural effects returned alongside other problems including frantic idling with the flat four engine throwing itself from side to side in a febrile seizure. The new idle speed chosen by the car precisely matched 50KPH in top and the uneven power impulses caused violent churning in the gearbox and rattled everything else. A new set of plugs did nothing so the Solex went for a good soak in cleaner and a blow out with the compressor. The effect was startling to say the least with a lovely basso throb returned to the engine note and something close to performance when the throttle is prodded. To celebrate we drove up to Moeraki for lunch and enjoyed a valet from the Palmerston Boy Scouts. Pip pip!

1966 Pontiac Bonneville. To understand the Aesthete's peculiar psychopathology, it helps to know that he grew up on a literary diet of Playboy magazine courtesy of the kindly pornographer across the street. In this case it is true that it was being read for the advertisements and particularly the beautiful illustrations of mid-1960s Pontiacs that stayed in the mind longer than Miss July. I would say check out the headlights on that but it would be a cheap shot.

For: A stamping press has never been put to better use.
Against: I know it is decadent.
Investment potential: 1/10 The Aesthete is predicting the immanent collapse of the American sledge market.

1972 Holden Torana GTR XU1. A Holden how-much-is-that-again? Yes, the advent of the 100K Torana is upon us which leaves us to ponder how we might spend the equivalent on something respectable instead of an adrenalised Vauxhall Viva. My dear old father traded his Jaguar on a metallic pink four door example, thereby ensuring I never asked to borrow it.

For: Matching numbers apparently.
Against: Oh yes, I know. I just can't put my Glenfield adolescence behind me.
Investment potential: 10/10. Once they have passed 100K all rationality is gone.

1968 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV. Yes, I know it is on a trailer and looks ready to snap in half but all the panels are available to effect the necessary repairs or you could rebuild it into a decent GTA replica and give that upstart Holden a run for its money. Now that would be 100K well spent.

For: An early 1750 GTV with old style bumpers and flying buttress seats. Grrwwlll.
Against: Better get along to that welding class.
Investment potential: 3/10. They should be 100K but not yet, sadly.

1958 Buckler. It looks like it is wearing a body shell from a ride on mower but Buckler was an innovative maker of affordable specials based on a tubular space frame and tuned Ford mechanicals. Along with Dellows, they reflected a DIY ethos that we should admire for reasons other than beauty. 140 KPH will never feel faster than sitting out in the open with some riveted sheet alloy between you and your reward.

For: I have an odd urge for a pint of bitter and some pork scratchings.
Against: Unless that body has historic provenance it is out with the tin snips.
Investment potential: 3/10. I would like this for a winter project.

1993 Audi Quattro S2 (3B), People get unreasonably excited about the earlier Quattos due to primeval memories of rally dominance in the pre-Lancia era. For the price of one of those ugly sawn off ones you could have a good Lancia Delta Integrale EVO and a smoother, better looking and more sophisticated S2 Quattro, thereby having the best of both worlds and annoying car snobs of both persuasions.

For: Fast, well made and fun.
Against: Lacking memorable character.
Investment potential: -1/10. Will shortly be worthless like all Audis apart from the aforementioned.

Air cooled, rear engined, German however not a Porsche.

1967 NSU Prinz 1000 TT. It is hard to see how this NSU could have become so knocked around at 69,000 miles but we might take the vendor's word for it and welcome it into the hallowed fold of weird rear engined buzz bombs. Engineered like a motor cycle and well able to handle a Mini Cooper, these were much sought after for the track although I know of none here in New Zealand. This would be painted bright orange and sit next to a Sunbeam Stiletto in the Aesthete's garage of strange dreams.

For: Those six little rocket tail lights.
Against: I will not hear a word against it.
Investment potential: 2/10 but it would already owe you 15K by the time it is landed.

The Aesthete explains himself, philosophically

The Aesthete's Fleet

With over 250 posts and a highly select audience, it was inevitable that offense had to be caused to someone eventually. In my defense, I only list cars that interest me in some way even if I may from time to time make derisive comments over price, condition, choice of upholstery material or the feverish tone of the vendor's sale pitch. My views are broadly similar to those of the philosopher Karl Popper (1902-1994) who claimed that human knowledge arises from a mixture of conjecture and refutation and that knowledge is in fact unjustified, untrue unbelief. 

1934 Continental Flyer. Continental made engines for a great number of small American manufacturers and thought that a car of its own may help the company through the great depression when many of its industrial customers were going to the wall. Typical of a low cost American car in many ways, these rarities came to New Zealand via the Canadian company Dominion Motors who also built Reo trucks. The handful of survivors left do not guarantee high prices but if you like the idea of people squinting at your grill badge in confusion, here is your car.

For: No-one else will have one, here or anywhere else.
Against: Spares may be an issue but not for the engine. Millions of those.
Investment potential: 2/10 Modest enough price but not greatly desired.

1976 Fiat 127. In the prelapsarian days of the early 1980s before Japanese imports, people would drive around in Fiats until the rust holes became large enough for a child to fall through. This 127 has been spared and the vendor tells us all about it in the breathless tone of an airport novel. Singapore and World War II are just the start of it.

For: The vendor's pitch has perils, plot and pace aplenty.
Against: Someone has to want a viable 127 but who are they and where?
Investment potential: 2/10. All I can say is you will be sorry when there are none left.

1976 MGB V8 GTS. I imagine it would go something like a big TVR with its tuned Rover V8 and it probably needs the wheels to keep it on the ground. The Aesthete usually maintains distance between himself and the MGB tribe due to his preference for the Latin bearers of the letters GT but this one will be let go past. There is certainly nothing on the Italian side that could keep up with it this week.

For: MG Bloody hell.
Against: An MGB is not the ideal car to do 150 mph in, it must be said.
Investment potential: 3/10. There will always be one.

1970 Alfa Romeo GT Junior. Alfa made its 105 coupe models go a long way so the the range of engine sizes, noses, dashboards and trim could delight sad types like the Aesthete. Here you get the combo of lovely twin pod instruments, swaddled gearbox and squashy seats with the shapely bumpers and upright nose cone of the old Guilia Sprint. The colour is great with the tobacco trim and one owner for 42 years must count for something. I will need to keep mine a bit longer to match that.

For: Bella!
Against. Nulla!
Investment potential: 6/10 if it is as good as it appears.

Skoda 110L Deluxe. The Aesthete does not make cheap jokes about Skoda, recalling their brilliance on the rally circuit in the 1970s. A 110 coupe would be more desirable than a saloon but what could be better to make those 911 owners feel the hot wind of socialist disapproval of their profligate ways?

For: Come on baby, eat the rich! as Motorhead once suggested.
Against: You want a car, not a political rant.
Investment potential: None of that, you running dog lackey of the capitalist West.



In the warm California sun...

Actually it is in damper New Hampshire but this rather sad Glas coupe shows what the sun can do. Built before the switch to BMW branding, this Glas 1700 GT appears to have been parked up and neglected for many years. Few cars can be called jewell-like but the little Frua coupes deserve to be far more expensive than they are. I have made comparisons to OSCAs and other such Italian mini-exotics before but when most viewers cannot tell one from the other, why pay 150K and be afraid of driving it?

For: Sophisticated and modern small German coupe with Italian looks. What is not to like?
Against: I know. It is a heap.
Investment potential: 0/10.

The Aesthete 's weekly reverie

 The Aesthete's Fleet.

Still no pictures of the GTV as you would need something a proctologist uses to capture what I am doing now. Wonderboy alerted me to some holes in the firewall under the base of the screen. You need a mirror and a strong light to see but it is not extensive and will be patched. I had to remove the wiper mechanism which appeared to be the first item fitted to the car on the assembly line at Arese, before the engine, brakes and steering went in.  If anyone saw the poor fellow on Embarrassing Bodies Down Under getting his butt sutured up, it will look a bit like that when finished.

1949 Lanchester LD10. 'What is the ugly bug?' I hear you asking. It would probably make no difference if I explained that it was the most expensive small car you could buy in England after the war and much coveted by retired gentlefolk. It was available in two bodies, a rather clumsy six-light steel one and this happier looking aluminium and ash framed  'sports saloon' by coach builder Barker. Superb quality, refined ride but 68 MPH flat out. Fast enough to get to evening vespers on time and that is all that really mattered.

For: The Aesthetette was the only girl I ever met who could drive a car with a Wilson preselect gearbox. Great happiness ensued.
Against: A bit dull but not in a bad way.
Investment potential. 3/10. It looks complete and comes with loads of documentation.

1938 Citroen Light 15. While we are in that distant epoch we might consider a Citroen Light 15, a car the Aesthete has been known to be sniffy about. This is because while they were a great 1930s car, unlike a Beetle they were not a great 1950s car. Their weaknesses were more acceptable then when most cars were motorised drays with cart springs and solid axles. This early Slough built car has the lovely Michelin wheels and a sunroof.

For: Tin Tin fans line up here.
Against: Best start doing weights as the first low speed turn might pop something.
Investment potential: 2/10. An aging band of loyal followers but do people really want these still?

1948 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan. The wonderful 1930s General Motors streamliners pioneered on Buick and Cadillac frames continued after the war as glamorous but low cost Chevrolet models. Dripping with chrome, they looked a million dollars and sold remarkably well, 211, 861 in 1948 alone.  Unusually this one has not been rodded and comes intact with its grey painted 'stovebolt' six, cloth interior and manual transmission.

For: A bodgie wagon non pareil.
Against: You are not and never have been a bodgie. Oh well. Not for you then.
Investment potential: 1/10. Probably at the top end now.

1959 Borgward Hansa. This is the greatly improved front wheel drive small car produced by Borgward in direct competition with DKW who still had a smelly two stroke to offer the public. These cars found a keen market in Australia and were also sold here to customers who made their own muesli, spun wool from dog hair and did yoga naked on the back lawn.

For: The Aesthete finds it hard enough to resist a single Borgward Hansa but two? It's too much!
Against: You might meet another Borgward owner.
Investment potential: 0/10. None of them have any money. Have you noticed?

1989 Land Rover Perentie. Desperate to impress your employer by turning up to work on the next snow day? You clearly need this 6WD Land Rover, knocked up by imaginative defense contractors in Australia and used by the military to rush around in the desert making lots of noise. One imagines they were serviced from time to time and that all the funnel webs have been gassed.

For: Six wheels. Can't beat that.
Against. A four wheeled Landie is bad enough...
Investment potential: 0/10 as the West Island is selling the whole fleet off.


Little red not-Corvette...

1971 Opel GT. The Opel GT languishes at a surprising level of affordability due to its lack of pedigree and ordinary saloon mechanicals. At least this one has the larger 1900cc engine that gave respectable performance if not at the Italian level that the looks suggested. Two seats and no boot opening also suppressed demand although a surprising number were sold. Why would you want one today?  Then as now, it looked like something that was five times the price.

For: Oh, the looks definitely.
Against: Nothing that could not be solved with an Alfa engine swap. Note that scruffy Guilia Sprint Speciales are now 100K+
Investment potential: 2/10 given that it would be 30K landed here.

The Aesthete lines up another five

The Aesthete's Fleet

Work continues on the GTV with all the visible welding jobs done. Some visitors popped in to inspect progress but fortunately arrived just after a bout of foul language that would possibly have had them calling psychiatric services from the safety of their car.  I will take some pictures soon but the garage looks like it has been ransacked by a troop of baboons so I will have a tidy up first.

1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SE Cabriolet. There is no price on this rather spectacular Mercedes so I am guessing the vendor expects someone to pay the earth for it. This may well happen as there are few cars of any sort that bring together all of the qualities that have recently pushed cabriolet prices into the stratosphere. The less than optimum specification is a good thing. The 300 was a bit of a handful service-wise and, who knows, you may be planning to use this car from time to time.

For:  Something from the top shelf.
Against: I would have a doctor standing by when the price is revealed.
Investment potential: 5/10. These cars are fad resistant so there is a reasonable chance you will get your money back whatever you pay.

1974 Alfa Romeo GTV. Now that prices have tipped into the 20K+ zone all manner of GTVs are coming out of sheds for a shiny paint job and recommissioning for the road. The low milage on this example indicates a very long lay up indeed so questions might be asked. The second pic seems to show a 1750 nose just to confuse matters. The current availability of parts means that it is quite possible to revive a moribund car but a careful inspection and a good drive is always advisable.

For: Red and shiny.
Against: Not quite enough information.
Investment potential: We will withhold judgement until more pictures are posted.

1975 Porsche 914. Not to put too fine a point on it, most available New Zealand 914s are dreadful wrecks or poorly advised US imports that will never see the road again. This example bucks the trends and reminds us what great little sports car they were. If it was a matter of deciding between an aging Boxter import and one of these,  I think I know how it would go.

For: It looks fighting fit and ready for use.
Against: Odd, but they always were.
Investment potential: 3/10. The asking price would probably not stretch to a Boxter engine rebuild.

Alfa Romeo Spider 1750. Some would argue that the truncated 1750 Spider is the pick of all 105 series cars, even though the coupes tend to fetch higher prices. I do not understand either as the Spider is an excellent year round car with a properly designed top that does not need an engineer to put it up and a heater that will have your passenger toasty in no time. I like the unorthodox hue and it looks very smart with its blue top.

For: La dolce vita for two.
Against: Keep it inside and dry.
Investment potential. 1/10. Not much room to advance on the asking price.

Austin A 135 Princess DS III. This rare Vanden Plas built touring saloon has the desirable separate front seats and was intended for the owner driver. They could be optioned up to triple carburetors apparently and would career along at 100mph if the road was long enough and the driver brave enough. This is part of someone's well kept Austin collection and the vendors do not seem quite aware of what they have.

For: Please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton.
Against: Not for everyday use perhaps.
Investment potential: 2/10. Limited appeal perhaps and remember that Radford Bentley from last week.

And over there in Oddballand

1970 Matra M530LX. If the 914 is too pedestrian for you, how about a Matra? When not building glued aluminium monocoque F1 cars or Le Mans racers, the mad geniuses at Matra constructed road cars for a discerning clientele for whom a Panhard was trés ordinaire. The M530 was what Citroen might have built if Citroen built sports cars and like the best French designs, looks like nothing on Earth. This example has an opening rear screen but for what purpose, who would know?

For: My God, this is tempting...
Against: Must resist. Cannot buy another car...nnngggraghh
Investment potential. 4/10. It looks clean and straight.

The Aesthete chooses a hot rod

Well, a sophisticated hot rod, of course. First down the quarter mile is a Daimler.

1973 Daimler Sovereign.  This deceptively plain looking Series 1 XK should pack a wallop from its twin-turbo American V8. The standard 4.2 litre six was no slouch even with an automatic gearbox so the five speed manual should ensure you run out of nerve well before you run out of gears. A nice set of S3 pepper-pot alloy wheels would complement the slightly anonymous de-badged aesthetic.

For. Just the thing if you should find yourself in a late night road train with the cap on backwards set.
Against:  Let us hope the rest of the car is up to it.
Investment potential: 1/10. I doubt many Daimler fans would get it.

1951 Studebaker Champion Starlight Coupe. Given that they stood the motoring world on its ear, Raymond Loewy's post-war Studebakers do not fetch startling sums of money. The historian in me pleads for an answer to this mystery but let us all enjoy the fact that this is a New Zealand new right hand drive car and, as the vendor tells us, 'even rearer'. He is right as the rear aspect of these cars is quite sublime.

For: Only the wheels define this as a hot rod unless someone has had a go at the interior. Let us hope not.
Against: The lazy old side valve six will not tilt your wig.
Investment potential: 3/10. A design milestone must be worth more than this

Daimler Sovereign. I believe I am correct to point out that these exciting MkII variants were also called Sovereigns rather than 420 which was kept for their more common Jaguar stable mates. Manual and wire wheels is always a desirable specification. Likewise, the metallic maroon paint and black leather shouts weekend drives to Bognor Regis with the new PA where she will no doubt model the expensive swimsuit you bought on the company card.

For: Its a hot rod already and you don't need to change a thing.
Against: What is wrong with you? Are you some sort of Labour voter?
Investment potential: 3/10. This and an early  Maserati Quattroporte thanks.

1934 Morgan. Fundamentally an overpowered Edwardian cycle car, the three wheeler Morgan was antiquated even in the mid-1930s but delivered thrills to a particular kind of sporting motorist that viewed an even numbered set of wheels as decadent luxury. The engine is out in the open so that the noise will drown out your passengers screams as they are flecked with hot droplets of Castrol. Grwwlll.

For: One of the few cars that should be driven while wearing a leather flying helmet.
Against: The eye watering price, mainly.
Investment potential: 2/10.  I imagine Morgan owners are a bit fussy about provenance and such matters.

1996 Maserati Ghibli. The essentials of a hot rod are that it should supply devilish looks, excitement and real danger at a reasonable price. This mid-period Maserati fits the bill on all but price but seeing as the vendor does not actually have it in his possession yet, we may yet see the cruel market for these improvised explosive devices lower his expectations.

For: Ugly, hard to fix and fast. It is the Italian way.
Against: The Ghibli is a hot wind,  I believe. Read the vendor's pitch for proof.
Investment potential: I will delay that decision for a while.

From the confederation of chocolatiers....

1963 René Bonnet Missile. Well, how could you not want a car called a Missile? The mini-Ferrari 250 looks, five spoke alloy wheels and tuned Gordini power plant suggests little else but a low production French hot rod although more the boulevard type than the screaming rear engined Alpine 310. The Aesthete's admiration for all the collective works of Messrs Bonnet and Deutsch will have to be sated somehow,,,

For: They will shout Poseur! but you will not care.
Against: The one rectangular instrument in the dash reminds you of the Renault 4 roots.
Investment potential. 3/10. The masses of Deutcsh Bonnet fans will pursue you everywhere you go.