Join fine '70s LA powerpop outfit 20/20 for a jam on the freeway while perusing this week's selection of automotive wonders from Trademe. If it was 1979 you would be in a nightclub buying Shona a Brandy Alexander.
1948 Morris 8. Just to show that the Petrolhead Aesthete is not all about excess, I commend this rather sweet Morris Eight to those for whom pottering along is perfectly satisfactory. If it were mine I would rub a coat of used engine oil into its dry flanks leave the rest alone. For: Less than 2K. Against: Best take off the rear view mirrors so you can't see the tailback.
1960 Jaguar MkIX. Jaguar's big saloon was getting antediluvian by 1960 but gradual improvements added up to something substantial when they got to MkIX. Fitted with the 3.8 litre engine, power steering and four wheel discs, they tend to shrink around the driver and are quite handy despite the faux-William and Mary interior. For: The fastest period room in the world. Against: A bit bulky for the twisty bits.
1967 Ford Fairmont. If it was American it would have the wheel on the wrong side and there is something quite stylish about these early Falcons that was lost in the 1970s. 500 HP apparently and no traction control apart from the driver's desire to keep on living. Better than amyl nitrate, I imagine. For: Release your inner hoon. Against: I would leave it at home on rainy days.
1973 Jaguar XJ12. I have flitted past this a couple of times, knowing that 15K is pushing hard for a twelve cylinder XJ. However, the vendor's comprehensive pitch is persuasive and he is correct to point this example out as a desirable variant. Proper maintenance is essential with these and it is wise to avoid cars that have been laid up, lest you see your new investment destroyed by petrol leaks and resultant spontaneous combustion. For: A red short wheelbase XJ12. Against: Has a bigger tank than the space shuttle.
1987 Midas Gold. "What is this ugly bug?" I hear you ask. It began life as a Marcos project in the early 1960s and followed the erratic trajectory of that business, being produced under various owners through to the present day. This version uses a 1275 Metro engine and subframe and is capable of startling performance due to its tiny 480kgm weight. For: What fun it would be. Against: You have to look at it.
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