The Aesthete pays for his sins

The sin of idleness is punished by rotting wash-houses. If the Aesthete ever used the washing machine he would have noticed that the whole corner had rotted out of said structure, something that was brought to his attention by the Aesthetette who came out holding a piece of blackened framing. The requisite repairs have kept him away from the cars but the end is in sight...

1959 Chrysler Saratoga Coupe. The Saratoga is not the best looking of Virgil Exner's forward look cars with its bluff four headlight nose borrowed off the same year's Dodge. Even so, it is an imposing old thing, one step down from the New Yorker in the bewildering Chrysler range and therefore does without the excellent hemi V8.  I am talking myself out of this car. I had better stop.

For: Show car looks.
Against: Taxi cab specification.
Investment potential. Once you have done the paint, interior and mechanicals, -17/10. He should really give it to you.

1960 Turner Sports Mk II. 24K does not seem ridiculous for the best Turner Sports in the world, if the vendor can be relied on to not exaggerate his car's desirability in the marketplace for such things. The trouble is that the Austin Healy Sprite was already so good that small manufacturers had to be very clever to improve on it. Jack Turner was up to the task and the Alexander engined models could almost get to the magic ton on 960cc.

For: Look at the price of the competition and it seems rather good.
Against: The English version of an Etceterini.
Investment potential: 4/10. Small is new big, or the new black, or something.

1958 Buckler 90. More Britceterini with the vendor of this Buckler putting one million dollars on it, hoping to put off 'nosey buggers' who will no doubt take up precious time with their pesky questions. The car sports a Ferris De Joux designed shell that is a great improvement over the kennel that passed for bodywork on most Bucklers. If you don't buy it he will... build a rocket and fire it into the sun. There, that will show you.

For: Great looking period sports car with local history.
Against: Be careful how you approach the vendor.
Investment potential: Only Maynard Keynes could tell you that.

1947 Packard Clipper. Even wrecks of Packard Clippers make the Aesthete tremble with unrequited desire from head to toe but this looks like more work than could be justified. Even so, it is the straight eight version of the post war patrician's choice of motor car. Lincolns and Cadillacs? Vulgarians.

For: Magnificent, even in its ruined state.
Against. Careful with that air hose mister. You will blow a hole right through it.
Investment potential: 1/10 but only because I am inordinately fond of them.

1955 Willys Station Wagon. More off centre Americana in the form of this Willys, a civilianised Jeep that sustained the company throughout the 1950s. Designed by Brooks Stevens, it had the first all steel wagon body shell, American makers being wedded to expensive and low production wood framed models. Despite its Go-Devil name, the side valve four can barely make highway speeds so best not be in a hurry.

For: Stylish and tough.
Against: Spartan and slow.
Investment potential: 2/10. Already more expensive than a restored Landrover so you had better want one.

On some faraway beach...

1965 Panhard 24B Coupe. Neither microcar or outright sportster, Panhard coupes continue to surprise with their low values. Their idiosyncratic styling was enough to spawn a Toyota Celica imitator in the 1990s and they only look better with time, now that every maker is essentially producing the same car with different badges.

For: Just the thing for whisking Yvette Mimieux away for the weekend.
Against: In 1965, that is.
Investment potential: 6/10. Fortune favours the brave.

The Aesthete ticks another one off

The Aesthete is not one for bucket lists, believing that if God wants to take him he can collect him from off the sofa, not a Tibetan mountain top or wild and foaming mid-ocean. One unrequited wish was to see the Buzzcocks, that great Manchunian outfit that stood outside the noisy mob of second raters that was all that was left when he finally got himself to London in 1979. The Buzzcocks came to him in the end, playing a blinder at the Otago Student Union Hall last week. Wonder Boy was there and he and the Aesthete managed a shuffling kind of late middle age pogo with the shaven headed youth of the town.

1957 Lloyd Alexander. You might think from the name that this little charmer might hale from some verdant Welsh valley but Lloyds were a type of small Borgward built in Bremmen. Powered (if that is the right word) by a 600cc flat twin, Lloyds were also assembled in Australia where they rivalled Gogomobils and Fiat 500s as the cheapest new car on the market. With good 500s becoming pricey, a Lloyd would distinguish you as an individualist.

For: Apparently Germans used to say that he who is not afraid of death drives a Lloyd. Very Nietzschean.

Against: Most of us want to live and therefore do not drive Lloyds.

Investment potential: Negligible but don't let that stop you.

1973 Fiat 124 CC. Offered at a modest 8K, this Fiat is not likely to linger for too long on Trademe unless the body is much worse than the description suggests. Looks often flatter to deceive with these cars but it has a current WOF and the vendor seems like a straightforward fellow. Be quick if you want one of these as good examples are rarely sighted today.  

For: Everything you could want in a 70s coupe.

Against: Have a good poke under the carpets.

Investment potential: 8/10. You can't have a GTV for that kind of money any more.

1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. The exquisite Giulietta Sprint is rare in New Zealand where very few came in period. There would be little point in returning this to a road car as the race modifications look thoroughly professional and it would avail superior track day fun. All in all, a fitting use for the small coupe nonpareil.

For: You could spend that getting an Austin A35 or an Anglia to this level but why would you?

Against: Nothing that I can see.

Investment potential: If you can afford it, it should not be an issue.

1989 Lancia Delta Integrale. Alternatively for the same sort of outlay you could have the terror of the international rally circuit to enliven your daily commute. This road going version offers creature comforts rather than bare metal and a roll cage although the screams of your frightened passengers may be dampened with a good set of silicone ear plugs, available from your local motor factor.

For: There is a tall hill between you and the office? Ideal.
Against: Noisy, hard riding, buzzing plastics – No. Nothing wrong with this car at all.
Investment potential: 6/10

1970 Rover P5B Coupe. A salutary warning about leaving cars in damp sheds for 26 years, this V8 coupe may be past viable economic restoration now that rats and rust have done their wicked work. One imagines that the car went into storage in prime condition, having recently come from the hands of a captain of the brewing industry, so it may reward your efforts in ways not immediately apparent. The listing has also sparked a furious debate on the definition of a coupe and revealed a deep schism in the Rover Club.

For: It was a great car. Once.
Against: Ummm... Where should I begin?
Investment potential: Off the scale but in the wrong direction.

On some faraway beach...

1963 Panhard PL17 Break. Panhard rivalled Citroen for engineering originality, producing elegant and scientific small cars that appealed to the design minded. A handful came to New Zealand, mainly the 1950s Dyna model. The Aesthete recalls a small midden of Panhards at Bishops Garage in South Auckland when looking for French car parts and has always wanted one. A wagon would be even better as it could be used to haul away the ruins of the few remaining cars.

For: Forget GS Citroens. This is the real thing.
Against: Nothing but I have a weakness...
Investment potential: Incalculable.

The Aesthete gets truculent

He reached this state at the newly opened Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill which was the objective of the Alfa  club run on Sunday. Who knew there were so many ways to arrange a big diesel engine between a pair of girders and then dress the outcome with a radiator surround? The Aesthete was of course drawn to a Scammell Scarab, a cross between a truck and a tractor with an ingenious mid-engined layout and self coupling trailer.

 

1969 Mercedes Benz 280 SL. With early 911s hauling away strongly towards the upper 100K price bracket, equivalent SLs almost appear as bargains. The smaller engined cars are more sporting in character although this is a relative concept as the robust body shell is set up for touring rather than the track. Just the thing then for a weekend away with room for more than a toilet bag and those midget hairdryers of which the distaff side are fond.

For: The ultimate polite sports car.

Against: Do we want a polite sports car?

Investment potential: 4/10

BMW 635 CSi. Another adult's car that is only now emerging from the shadow of its shapely older sister is the BMW 6 series. Here with all the Highline bling options ticked on the list and with an automatic gearbox for relaxed motoring, you can join the automotive elite of the greedy nineties for the price of a Kia people mover. In the grand Bavarian dance hall, these cars will always wait for a turn on the floor but the rewards are surely there.

For: Square jawed but light on its feet.

Against: The East German discus thrower of sporting coupes. 

Investment potential: 4/10 and rising.

1970 Porsche 911T. Continuing with the Germanic theme of this week's list is this handsome early 911 in preferred dark hue and relatively correct specification. Locating a set of the characteristically flat low backed seats with pull up headrests will provide a fillip of authenticity.  Wonder Boy has read the entrails of this one and the local architectural profession is already atremble with powerful acquisitive urges.

For: The Aesthete would let this darken his shed door.
Against: Let that be a warning to you.
Investment potential: Who knows where it will end? In fifty years, one Porsche 911 may equal the entire GNP.

1975 Lotus Elite. The irascible vendor of that white Daimler SP250 continues his destocking with this Rover V8 engined Elite, surely a track day contender if it can be persuaded to select its gears in the right order. Your reward will be a re-engineered GT relieved of its most troublesome bits, largely restricted to the engine bay.  Remember to ask him a question but stand back from the screen when he answers.

For: What is better than Elite I wonder?
Against: Excellence is already taken.
Investment potential: Can you risk 4.5K? I think so.

1966 Vanden Plas Princess 4.0 Litre. Who knows what form of cosmic alignment allows three of these rare cars to be advertised on Trademe in the same week? Taking the roly poly A110 Westminster as a starting point and making a Mercedes 300 rival out of it was a tall order but it almost came off, narrowly missing out on being a small Bentley with the wonderful code name of Burma. This captures the retired Colonel ethos of the car which probably stopped its adherents from ever, God forbid,  driving a Datsun.

For: Self levelling suspension and 120MPH performance.
Against: People will think you are a terrible old Tory.
Investment potential: 8/10. A strong future is likely for these old war horses.

On some faraway beach

1970 Fiat 850 Racer Berlinetta: Who but the Italians would make a coupe version of their convertible version of their coupe model of their Tipo 100 saloon range? Well they did and the result was a pretty hardtop version of Marcello Gandini's Spider. This example was painted in that eye watering acid green that was also splashed over Gandini's Muira to memorable effect.

For: Inexpensive and practical mini-exotic.
Against: Do you feel lucky?
Investment potential: Complete the set and then we will see.

The Aesthete goes all metaphysical

The Aesthete's Fleet
If I knew any eminent theologians I would ask them what God drives around heaven. I have my own ideas and I think it is likely to be an Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV. What evidence is there for that, I hear you ask? The many images of Roman Catholic God from the past millennia point towards him being from northern Italy. Most would agree that the broad chested, strong armed, hirsute fellow rendered by Da Vinci is the closest we will get to a true likeness. The Protestant God looks like an angry school principal and probably drives an Austin Maxi so we must discount him. God is no arriviste, having existed before the creation of the universe, and therefore does not need to show off with a Lamborghini or Bugatti. Being omnipotent, he has no use for satellite navigation and knows that electronics are the Devil's work. Still, the spark of life would be handy in anything with a Selespeed gearbox. Would he choose AR213 Verde olivia metallizzato for his GTV? Probably.

1952 Austin A125 Sheerline. One has to wonder how many of these cars made it to New Zealand in the 'export or die days' after the war? There always seems to be one for sale on Trademe but this example is actually attracting bids The vendor's pitch is informative as the car was ordered new in Christchurch and taken up to Parnassus which is where you might expect an English limousine, no doubt running wealthy young farmer's daughters named Cynthia to the hunt.

For: A car from when people knew their place.
Against: Sorry, is that a good reason?
Investment potential: 5/10 but let's see where the bidding goes.

1983 Lotus Excel. 'You drive a car named after a spreadsheet?' they will say but you will know that cost accounting practices had little reach at Lotus and they built cars straight from the heart. The replacement for the svelte Elan +2 was designed by the wonderful Oliver Winterbottom who next took his scaled up rubber door stop to TVR and made even madder sports cars there. He is currently a consultant to the Chinese automotive brand Roewe who make... Rovers of course.

For: Go on, I dare you.
Against: There are many reasons not to take this advice.
Investment potential: Ordinarily 2/10 but when going well...

1983 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2.0. Having just sold my old friend's Giulietta for 2K I was rather taken aback to see this listing from the brilliantly named Sophistic Autos Ltd. For those that are unsure of the origin, a sophist is someone who seeks to convince by making clever but false arguments, such as might be used to persuade someone to pay 9K for a high milage Giulietta. And no picture.

For: Dearest love one, I am a Nigerian widow and has chosen you...
Against: Oh come on. Show some trust.
Investment potential: -7/10 unless the market has suddenly spiked.

1965 Sunbeam Rapier. Like its stateside sister Studebakers, Raymond Loewy's Minx derived coupe  was made to go a long way with a few stick on fins and periodic nose jobs. They made a handy competition car in their day when toughness was as useful as lightness and a run up to Queenstown would not be out of the question today. Pony tails and polka dot scarfs optional but for girls only, thanks.

For: Charming.
Against: I can think of little to be said against it.
Investment potential: 3/10

1965 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. The solid colour shows off the exquisite lines of this mid-60s Coupe de Ville when, for a brief time, American car makers discovered taste. This had been lost from automotive design since 1940 when the Packard Clipper was the best looking car in the world. None of this causes buyers to haul wads of cash from their pockets at auction time so you could have this low milage car for the price of a plush people mover. If I wanted to move people it would be in this.

For: Less is more.
Against. Possibly not when we are considering a Cadillac.
Investment potential: 1/10 if we intend to run around in it.

On some faraway beach...

1963 Studebaker Avanti R2. A similar reserve settles around these astounding Studebakers that buyers assume are some sort of garage built kit car. The thin bucket seats and manual shift with a small block and supercharged V8 tell a different story and while it is no Cobra, the market must soon awake to one of the great avant garde moments in American design.

For: The looks mainly but they can be made to handle as well.
Against: Well, look at it.
Investment potential: 25K landed in New Zealand plus compliance?