The Aesthete gets on with it

How attending to your carburettor can fix your gearbox. 

You may recall that the Lancia's gearbox used to make a loud screeching sound like an angry monkey. These disturbing aural effects returned alongside other problems including frantic idling with the flat four engine throwing itself from side to side in a febrile seizure. The new idle speed chosen by the car precisely matched 50KPH in top and the uneven power impulses caused violent churning in the gearbox and rattled everything else. A new set of plugs did nothing so the Solex went for a good soak in cleaner and a blow out with the compressor. The effect was startling to say the least with a lovely basso throb returned to the engine note and something close to performance when the throttle is prodded. To celebrate we drove up to Moeraki for lunch and enjoyed a valet from the Palmerston Boy Scouts. Pip pip!

1966 Pontiac Bonneville. To understand the Aesthete's peculiar psychopathology, it helps to know that he grew up on a literary diet of Playboy magazine courtesy of the kindly pornographer across the street. In this case it is true that it was being read for the advertisements and particularly the beautiful illustrations of mid-1960s Pontiacs that stayed in the mind longer than Miss July. I would say check out the headlights on that but it would be a cheap shot.

For: A stamping press has never been put to better use.
Against: I know it is decadent.
Investment potential: 1/10 The Aesthete is predicting the immanent collapse of the American sledge market.

1972 Holden Torana GTR XU1. A Holden how-much-is-that-again? Yes, the advent of the 100K Torana is upon us which leaves us to ponder how we might spend the equivalent on something respectable instead of an adrenalised Vauxhall Viva. My dear old father traded his Jaguar on a metallic pink four door example, thereby ensuring I never asked to borrow it.

For: Matching numbers apparently.
Against: Oh yes, I know. I just can't put my Glenfield adolescence behind me.
Investment potential: 10/10. Once they have passed 100K all rationality is gone.

1968 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV. Yes, I know it is on a trailer and looks ready to snap in half but all the panels are available to effect the necessary repairs or you could rebuild it into a decent GTA replica and give that upstart Holden a run for its money. Now that would be 100K well spent.

For: An early 1750 GTV with old style bumpers and flying buttress seats. Grrwwlll.
Against: Better get along to that welding class.
Investment potential: 3/10. They should be 100K but not yet, sadly.

1958 Buckler. It looks like it is wearing a body shell from a ride on mower but Buckler was an innovative maker of affordable specials based on a tubular space frame and tuned Ford mechanicals. Along with Dellows, they reflected a DIY ethos that we should admire for reasons other than beauty. 140 KPH will never feel faster than sitting out in the open with some riveted sheet alloy between you and your reward.

For: I have an odd urge for a pint of bitter and some pork scratchings.
Against: Unless that body has historic provenance it is out with the tin snips.
Investment potential: 3/10. I would like this for a winter project.

1993 Audi Quattro S2 (3B), People get unreasonably excited about the earlier Quattos due to primeval memories of rally dominance in the pre-Lancia era. For the price of one of those ugly sawn off ones you could have a good Lancia Delta Integrale EVO and a smoother, better looking and more sophisticated S2 Quattro, thereby having the best of both worlds and annoying car snobs of both persuasions.

For: Fast, well made and fun.
Against: Lacking memorable character.
Investment potential: -1/10. Will shortly be worthless like all Audis apart from the aforementioned.

Air cooled, rear engined, German however not a Porsche.

1967 NSU Prinz 1000 TT. It is hard to see how this NSU could have become so knocked around at 69,000 miles but we might take the vendor's word for it and welcome it into the hallowed fold of weird rear engined buzz bombs. Engineered like a motor cycle and well able to handle a Mini Cooper, these were much sought after for the track although I know of none here in New Zealand. This would be painted bright orange and sit next to a Sunbeam Stiletto in the Aesthete's garage of strange dreams.

For: Those six little rocket tail lights.
Against: I will not hear a word against it.
Investment potential: 2/10 but it would already owe you 15K by the time it is landed.