The Aesthete takes the plunge

The Aesthete's Fleet

 ... and buys another wreck. 'What is it this time?',  I hear you ask. Not another decrepit Lancia, sadly, but an early model Alfetta GTV that used to belong to an old friend when it was quite smart but has now fallen on hard times. Why do I want it? No reason apart from the fact that it is the same colour as the other GTV and they will look well together when the new one is painted. Apart from that, it has rust in the common places and a whistling clutch or gearbox bearing. Stay tuned for updates.

1963 Studebaker Champ. Word has got around that the Aesthete is a bit of a big girl's blouse. Not true, and here is a nice butch truck to prove it. It is a Studebaker of course, possibly the most style conscious of the great American marques but I would swap the wheels for the originals (with hubcaps of course) and paint it gun metal grey. Grwwlll.

For: No-one will call you names in this.
Against: They will just assume your name is Bubbah.
Investment potential: 3/10. Cheaper than an F100 and much better looking.



1955 Morris Minor Utility. I did not go into Trademe looking for trucks but this one caught my eye due to its locally made rear bodywork. You would not be hauling around scrap Lancia engines in it but it would go down a treat at the farmers' market with a load of your finest hydrangeas, arranged carefully in matched bunches and in a nice hand painted clay pot.

For: Oh come on. Its sweet.
Against: Nothing. And it might make you some money.
Investment potential: 5/10 with everything you need available.



1984 Chevrolet Silverado Western Wilderness. Watch them pull their tent-flaps down and huddle inside their sleeping bags  when you rumble into the camping ground in this. I like the Breaking Bad connotations of this combination that could possibly see the resourceful owner combining holidays with a ram raid or two to keep the funds topped up.

For: Nasty.
Against. No, it really is nasty.
Investment potential: We will let the market decide.



1962 Ford Consul 315 Classic. It is looking like an episode of Heartbeat this week. I almost expect a troup of overacting British TV performers to run into the room shouting 'There he is! Under the bed!' The Consul 315 combined the pop-eyed styling tropes of contemporary Mercurys and Thunderbirds with utterly dismal performance. Even so, this must be almost unmatchable in condition and dead cheap if you think about it.

For: Someone might shoot a 1960s film here and want one of these.
Against: Send it back to Blighty.
Investment potential: 4/10 but only if you don't use it.



1970 Citroen D Super. Oh dear. Someone has let mum and dad's old Citroen go to rack and ruin outside under a cheap cover. Their loss, your gain as I doubt if there are many restorable one owner Ds out there for this sort of price. Come on, brave souls. Someone is blowing you kisses from motoring heaven.

For: Hopefully it is not too far gone.
Against: Rusty floors...
Investment potential: What can I say?

The Aesthete's secret shame...



1959 Ghia Fiat 1200. Oh alright, I know the photographs are terrible and it appears to have no floors but look at it!