The Aesthete's mixed assortment

The Aesthete's Fleet

Just as the Flavia takes to the road again, I am called into the panel beaters to inspect the GTV's drivers door which has been festering around the top hinge mount. It is indeed as bad as it looked from the outside and will require a lot of new metal. The man with the hammer in his hand told me off for not rustproofing it but I did not have the heart to tell him that there is no such thing with an old Alfa. 

All of this travail made me wonder what it was like to have a trouble free modern classic so I went for a test drive in a 2000 Mercedes 600 SL.  It was pleasant but totally uninvolving and so full of technology that I could have shuffled across into the passenger seat and it would have driven back to the yard on its own. I am not ready for a grown up car yet but will be sure to tell Matt at Armstrongs when I am. In the meantime, I wish for depreciation to do its wicked work so I can have a 340K car for something less than 10% of that.

1936 Reo Flying Cloud. I would never suggest you buy a car just for the name alone but there are few nicer to roll across the tongue than this. Try saying it. "I drive a Reo Flying Cloud". Okay, are there any better reasons to choose this than any other '30s American? Although Reo was starting to run out of will and the body panels were shared with the contemporary Graham Paige, it is a handsome streamliner and much more interesting than a Dodge or other middling brand.

For: It keeps company with a modern Bentley and looks to have had lots spent on it by the late owner.
Against: Not widely recognised these days.
Investment potential: 1/10. I suspect that Reo enthusiasts are rapidly succumbing to old age.

1959 Goggomobil. As you search for your new project. does your finger go straight to 'G' for Goggomobil? I thought not but these are certainly fancied by micro-car enthusiasts although they are somewhat larger and more practical than an Isetta or similar contraption. There was an effort to establish production in Australia so a few ended up here and this charming example may be one of those. I prefer the dull green of the interior rather than metallic pink but beauty is as ever in the eye of the beholder.

For: Same as the Reo, really. "I drive a Goggomobil".
Against: Noisy, smelly, slow and ugly.
Investment potential: 6/10 surprisingly.

1952 Jaguar Mk7. Silver is a good hue for these big Jaguars as it shrinks the slightly elephantine lines and the red leather interior and early slim bucket seats continue the sporty theme. Stirling Moss apparently used to brace himself with his left leg against the passenger door while negotiating tight right hand bends. I would like to know how he could change gear while doing this but it is a nice image.

For: Unusual and handsome colour combination.
Against: It is a lot of car.
Investment potential: 2/10. Buy one like this that has had a lot of money spent on it.

1966 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. If you have already visited the link you will know the worst at once but I suggest that you stop bellowing "How much?" and think about the real costs of such a thorough restoration. I would want to use it though and it then becomes subject to the same sort of depreciation as any new car. Let us see what the market dictates. It may be like the poor soul who is trying to sell his restored Jeep Wagoneer for 100K. He will also wait a long, long  time.

For: Stunning
Against: Price
Investment potential: 0/10 when an immaculate example can be had for half the price.

1962 Dodge Phoenix. You have to peek through your fingers to take in these early 1960s Chryslers but that just makes me admire them more. It is almost as if they gave the stylists a separate corner of the car to work on, did not allow them to see what the other was doing, and killed them afterwards. This is an Australian built example with the wheel on the correct side. It would be a good match for the Goggomobil then.

For: Avoid looking directly at it.
Against: Apart from the lethal looks, a little average.
Investment potential: 4/10. The vendor seems sensible.


On some faraway shore...

1973 Ginetta G15. You would not normally go shopping in the US for a Ginetta G15 but lack of awareness of these excellent little Imp derivatives may keep the price sensible. The fibreglass shell weighed almost the same as a paper bag and the fizzy Imp motor gives entertaining performance and mini-Porsche dynamics. Forget those boring Bel Airs. Buy an Imp from under a tree for spares and pop this in a container instead.

For: Clever and quick
Against: Fragile
Investment potential: 3/10. You do the expensive work and I will buy it off you. Promise.