The Aesthete scratches an itch

The Aesthete's Fleet

I experienced mixed fortunes reassembling the Lancia's dash after the instrument repairer decided I should be the one to return it to going condition. Despite me asking who the auto electrician was between the two of us, I attacked the task with gusto and managed to get the oil pressure light to flash merrily in time with the indicators. There are eight warning lights and six instruments to deal with so you would need to be a mathematician to work out the potential number of errors if you reconnected everything at random. As I was doing this, there was a fantastic hailstorm so I had to push the car to another space in the workshop to avoid the flood. Of course I reversed it into a large red Massey-Ferguson tractor and broke the tail light. Total for the day with a new tail light? $700.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. This is the first time one of these exquisite coupes has been offered on Trade Me, at least while I have been writing this blog. Someone is well underway turning it into a racer and it is probably too late to stop him so we will consider its merits for that purpose. Light, aerodynamic and as keen handling as any later rear wheel drive Alfa, this would be a delight on the track. It is not painted red and needs final fitting out and fettling. 15K is a steal in my view.

For: What do you expect me to say? The best small coupe of the period.
Against: A lot of expensive work done but could you rely on it?
Investment potential: 5/10. The vendor says quadruple your investment. Maybe.

1990 Ferrari 348 TB. Not everyone's favorite Ferrari but then they say that about a lot of them, making you wonder if all the fuss is worthwhile. This one looks like a cut down Testarossa which is a blessing really as the bigger car is just so unforgivably ugly. This one is being offered at no reserve which makes you think...

For: Its a Ferrari!
Against: So what!
Investment potential: 1/10. Derisory.

1974 Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5A. All the letters and numbers mean is that this is the nicest looking narrow-bodied Scimitar before they ruined Tom Karen's peerless and original styling with a series of awful face lifts. Scimitars are very cheap now but they have much to commend them, rust free bodies being just the start of it. The vendor is full of hooey but at least the car looks honest.

For: Princess Ann had one. So did pater.
Against: Some cheap parts from new spoil the effect. Like the plastic dash.
Investment potential: 3/10. Oh, come on. It's cheap.

1986 Audi Quattro Coupe. These are an acquired taste as well, at least in respect of the aesthetics. It looks like two cars brought violently together in some sort of Star Trek transporter beam mishap but they hold the road like nothing else from the era. Or nothing else that we mere mortals can afford, Porsche 959s being out of the question.

For: Vorsprung durch something or other.
Against: You would have to look at it.
Investment potential: 2/10 although they usually ask more than this.

1985 Fiat Strada 105TC. Not the mad bad Abarth 130TC but the slightly less eye rolling, foam flecked version without the torture chamber seats. Very few Strada of any type survive but not too many people are worried by that. There are a few flaws in the body – what is that odd defect along from the left door handle ? – but it looks promising if you want an alternative to a Peugeot 205.

For: A diminishing resource.
Against: Good riddance did I hear you say?
Investment potential: 3/10 if the panels are good. -3/10 if not.

One for the tasteful truck fancier.

1946 Hudson C-28 3/4 Ton Pickup.  I went to the Dunedin Autospectacular today, hoping I might see something as interesting as this Hudson truck. No such luck of course. It was full of shiny American imports that looked fresh from some Puerto Rican-run chop shop in East LA. Many and sad are the stories of 'show winners' that are little more than carefully shaped body filler in car form. Caveat emptor.

For: Somehow I can't imagine someone lashing up a Hudson.
Against: It's not a Packard.
Investment potential: 2/10 but who really knows.