The Aesthete masters the dark arts of electricity

The Aesthete's Fleet. 

 It began with a call from the builders next door saying that the Lancia's horn had come on while sitting motionless in the driveway. It emits Wagnerian tones when functioning normally so I can only guess what a fifteen minute session was like. They considerately disconnected the battery and I set to diagnosing the fault when I got home. The complex array of electrical contacts are held in place by plastic bezels and rings that have become warped so these were measured and reproduced in ABS plastic on the 3D printer. Lancia precision allows no tolerance between these parts and the car performed another stirring trumpet voluntary as I fitted it all back together. The deranged horn emitted only one random honk on the test drive so the job is almost done.

1936 Riley Kestrel 12/4. I have often said that Rileys are under-valued given that they were the British equivalent of an Alfa Romeo, any 1930s example of which is now worth a bank CEO's settlement. The streamlined Kestrel saloon was a superb sporting car with a pre-select gearbox, sharp handing and an interior that will have you thinking about de Havilland Dragon Rapides. This half finished example has been kept dry, crucially as the bodies were constructed on a timber frame.

For: A 1930s car that you could really use. David Bowie had a Riley Gamecock although I am sure I have told you that already.
Against: You need to be handy with the grease gun.
Investment potential: 3/10 if you can do some of the recommissioning work yourself.

1935 Talbot 75. Even further along the same path we find a half finished Talbot with equally rakish looks but four times the price. The so-called Roesch Talbots were an Anglo-Swiss arrangement that was swept up by the predatory Billy Rootes in a fire sale in 1935. This car is therefore of the cusp of the transformation of Sunbeam-Talbots into prettier and quicker Humbers.

For: A certain snobbish cachet but good old New Zild may not be the right place to sell one quickly.
Against: A bit of work to do yet.
Investment potential. The Aesthete's ready reckoner does not have a scale for Roesch Talbots.

1965 Chrysler 300L. The letter series Chryslers had surrendered the race track for the boulevard by the time they got up to L but this is still a very swank production, particularly in the shade of hot orange metallic featured here. Expect electric seats and all other forms of power assistance so that you just need to raise an indolent finger to be able to control its 413 cubic inches.

For: The wondrous hue, mainly.
Against: If it looks this good, why is it not vinned or WOFed?
Investment potential:  2/10 but who cares?

1951 Renault 4CV. This charming little French egg is a bit of a problem. While the vendor claims it is completely restored, it looks like a shed job with enough rough edges to suggest that you might wish to start over and do things properly. This is a British-built  deluxe version that probably had leather trim and plated seat frames so there is a some way to go yet.

For: These are characterful cars and a lot of fun.
Against: I still bear the scars I received changing the fibre timing gear on one.
Investment potential: 1/10 and you will need to get cosy with a plater and an auto electrician at least.

1982 Lancia Beta HPE 2.0 How much is too much for a Beta Coupe? Surely 15K is more than reasonable when the car appears virtually unused and is carrying fewer than 16 thousand KMs? The automatic might be a drawback but this is not the sort of Beta for flinging around on track day. More a throw some soft bags in the back and drive up to the lakes with a friend. You will both arrive feeling chipper as you make a stylish entrance on Cow Lane.

For: La dolce vita indeed.
Against: Nothing! What could not be right about this?
Investment potential: 2/10. Admittedly it will not be worth any more as time goes by but you do not have to spend anything on it now. Count your blessings.

Back in Blighty.

1965 Lotus Elan IWR GT. This is the sort of thing that makes the Aesthete look again, having become a bit jaded with the usual run of behemoths, buzz bombs and botched restorations. How about a special bodied Elan paneled in alloy by London builders Williams and Pritchard? Only two were constructed and the combination of Gordon Keeble nose and cut off GTO tail is sublime although not as coherent as an Elan FHC. Oh, and the predicted price is 70K £UK so best sell everything you own now if you want to join the bidding.

For: Unrepeatable unless the other one comes on the market.
Against. It is a lot of money for an ugly Elan.
Investment potential: 4/10. Racing pedigree and what else is quite like it?