Five from Trade Me and elsewhere

Cars, cocktails, girls' names and songs
I will let Paddy McAloon tell you all about it while I think about this week's slightly off centre list.

1935 Singer Le Mans The sporting motorist had many choices in 1930s Britain so why choose a Singer? The best reasons can be summarised as sprightly OHC motor, 70MPH potential and a few more creature comforts than the equivalent MG. Why would you want one now? 100KPH in one of these is like 300 in a Bugatti and it will be much easier to fix. For: Oh come on. Look at it. Against. Not for everyday use.

1939 BMW 327 Cabriolet. I have a rule about not commenting on cars that are outside the price range of a mid-career academic but I should not let this one go past. The 327 series BMWs were the most sophisticated thing in their class. Those that have driven one say that the dynamics are like something thirty years more recent and this one has the hot 328 motor to stir things along. For: Glorious looks and serious international collector status, if that means anything to you. Against: Will anyone use it again at that price?

1952 Austin A40 Utility. I have to aceede that neither of my Italian thoroughbreds are up to a serious trip to the garden centre or taking hay up to the paddock so maybe I should buy this. I might put it to work on period films where it would add variety to the Zephyrs and Minors they always seem to use. For: Motoring equivalent of a pit pony. Against: Slow and cranky too, I suspect.

1965 Gilbern GT. Not often seen outside the UK but not that ubiquitous anywhere are the charming coupes built by Gilbern in Wales. They were based on MGB mechanicals in a welded square tube space frame carrying a well constructed fibreglass shell. The looks are an artful marriage of Pininfarina nose and Aston rear. For: They would be much more expensive if they were Italian and not Welsh. Against: It is in Perth but I have tipped off our only reader there.

1970 Rover P5B Coupe. 45K might make you wince a bit but restoring a poor one is likely to cost you that and more. This should be thought about alongside those lovely '60s Mercedes coupes. Look at those seats if you are in any doubt. Like a contemporary Chrysler 300 but without the sales exec in a hurry overtones. For: Buy it and keep it. Against: You might want to tighten up the handling to match the looks.

Oh, and reader Nathan says look at this...


http://www.artcurial.com/en/asp/searchresults.asp?pg=10&ps=18&st=D&sale_no=2138+++#a_10394746

In particular:

http://www.artcurial.com/en/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2138+++++216+&refno=10394697