Five to drive away (one not so much)

Cars, girls' names, cocktails and songs

Iso Rivolta is not the most attractive name I grant you but Italian industrialist Pierro Rivolta was baptised that way so what can you do? He thrived building the Isetta bubble car in the 1950s but wanted to give Ferrari a fright so commissioned Bertone to clothe a Corvette V8 in a frame designed by Gioto Bizzarrini. The result was like a grown up Alfa GTV and they appear from time to time on my favorite car site Bring a Trailer, like this example here... To be driven with someone called Monica while sipping a dry Martini on ice.

Superannuitant Elton John played in Dunedin recently but I did not find it hard to stay away. If David Bowie got the band that played on Low together and performed that album I would happily go to the other side of the world just to hear this... 

This week's five

1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC  I make the rules on the list and I can include wrecks if just to gloat. There are multifarious ways towards XK ownership. The safest is to look for a car with a continuous history and documentation and pay the asking price of 100K+. The other is to proceed with an absolute dog as this owner has done and is now trying to quit now for 25K. Bear in mind the ready availability of parts, now keenly priced due to the strong NZ$. Could it be finished for another 75K? Probably, but only with you contributing some sweat equity. For: A bona fide classic. Against: Well, look at it.

1972 BMW CSL The vendor helpfully suggests that you build your own Chris Amon-style Batmobile with this CSi. Restored CS coupes fetch a tidy sum these days and you have a choice here between a practical road car or a track day terror. They rotted spectacularly and need careful inspection with a pointed instrument and a strong light. The reasonable asking price of 16.5K would have me asking a few questions but this is an impressive car. For: Potential. Against: Potential cost.

1974 Citroen GS 1220  The GS was a stroke of genius achieved when Citroen was still capable of free will as a manufacturer. Hence an elegant aerodynamic small saloon that only needed 1220cc to propel it at a good canter, accompanied by a limousine ride courtesy of the high pressure hydraulics. Rust and neglect have carved through the numbers leaving about forty roadworthy examples in the UK and this one, resplendent in red, in Dunedin for a bit over 3K. The same vendor has a nice Peugeot 205 on Trade Me. Clearly one of us then. For: A very clever car. Against: Needs a clever mechanic.

1970 Ford Escort RSS  If you had asked me what I wanted  at 18 before I got carried away by Alfa Romeos it would have been something like this Escort with a mild tuning kit furnished by the Auckland Ford agency John W. Andrew. Sparking performance may be anticipated from the cross flow 1600 motor and the whole ensemble is very tasteful from the pale blue paint to the GT dash and steel wheels. I imagine it to be almost unique and predict a stonking reserve as rust free MK1s are pushing hard towards 10K. For: Charming and locally significant. Against: Watch the price.

1985 Lancia Beta Coupe Volumex. Supercharging afforded a way around the perennial turbo problem of uneven torque delivery which was quite hair raising in a small front wheel drive car. My Thema Turbo's ability to spin its wheels in the intermediate gears certainly kept your focus on the road ahead but the Volumex gives smoother power and refinement. The final Betas were better protected against rust and have consequently lasted into the present day. For: A quick and refined small coupe in the proud Lancia manner. Against: Keep on top of the maintenance.