The Aesthete cheapens himself.

The Aesthete's Fleet

Apologies for the late update this week. I have been attending to complex family matters involving three generations of grandchildren, in-laws and parents all of whom live on opposite sides of Auckland's seething megapolis. I am not sure what I would choose to drive there on a daily basis, probably not an Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV or a Lancia Flavia 1800 Coupe, so I was pleased to finally get out of the borrowed Camry and into an aircraft seat for the flight home. I did remember how to get to the Auckland Art Gallery where the California Modern exhibition is being hosted. Take the Nelson Street turn-off, fly over the hill onto Mayoral Drive and pull up directly outside the door. Traffic congestion? Pfaff. They have got that bit working fine.

1953 Austin A30. Small and cheap is the theme this week so an A30 is a good place to begin. The shell looks acceptable and this is important as the A30 was the first modern unitary bodied car from Austin. They were built from melted down war-time field ordnance so if you are handy with a MIG you should have no trouble putting patches into this. Fit a tuned A-series 1275 and head off for the track.

For: It's $699 and it will go in the shed.
Against: For the price, nothing.
Investment potential: 6/10. Spend wisely on the mechanics and swap them into something else later.

1974 Fiat 124 Coupe. Smallness and cheapness should come with handiness and nothing is more fun to kick around than an Italian coupe from this era. Performance, handling and braking components were all considered as a group. When Fiat rummaged in the parts bin for sports car bits they had the best to choose from and because they made millions of them, what you need is always at hand.

For: Chic and quick.
Against: Have a good look underneath and beware of bad repairs.
Investment potential: 5/10. With Alfa GTVs climbing to the mid-20s, 12K looks like good value.

1969 Fiat 850 Coupe. Everything that can be said about the 124 applies equally to its little sibling. 850 Coupes allow for sensitive modification or jewell-like restoration, whatever type of ownership suits your budget. Restoring a rust ridden example makes little sense so 3K invested in a sound body is the basis of a rewarding project. And the wildest Abarth variations had 124 twin cam motors in the tail.

For: Girls like them.
Against: They were only meant to last three years.
Investment potential: 6/10. Nice ones will continue upwards.

1967 Peugeot 404 Convertible. Not small or cheap but this must be drawn to your attention. Pininfarina was having an average day at the drawing board but there is still something delicious about the long tail and elegant nose that lets you overlook the rest. The 404 Coupes and Convertibles were produced alongside my Flavia and share a lot of internal fittings. Rarity may not justify the steep price but you want one, take your shot now. The owner is a scoundrel and needs the money.

For: Tres elegante.
Against: For the Francophiles. I wish I had seen it on July 13.
Investment potential: 2/10. It needs work but would make a fine and unusual car.

1962 Peugeot 403. Oddly, there are two 403s in this delightful colour combination on Trademe this week but this looks the better option. You will be surprised how smooth and modern a good 403 feels on the road. In the absence of any fit Italian competitor currently on offer, I am prepared to overlook the fact that it is French.

For: Formidable.
Against: Exciting? Non.
Investment potential: 3/10. Just use it. Won't cost you a thing.

Throw this into your suitcase...

1956 Berkeley S-E 328. If small and cheap is the measure of things, you could not have more fun from less car than with a Berkeley. This one has the smaller two stroke Excelsior engine but would still be pleasantly terrifying at its top speed of 120KPH. Front wheel drive by chain and two stroke pinging on the overrun adds to the excitement possible with a mere 18 HP.

For: Made in Biggleswade!
Against: Nothing!
Investment potential: 6/10. This sold for less than US10K.