The Aesthete's New Year selection

We will do without the long confessional preamble this week. Needless to say I am still in Auckland and have not been home to look at the Triumph, take the covers off the Italians or kiss the Aesthetette's sweet head. Tomorrow though...

I wish all the readers a happy new year and will be back promptly in 2015.  

1961 Chevrolet Impala Coupe. The Aesthete has often averred that the only interesting things that happen with American cars of this period occur at the top and bottom of the range so where does that leave Chevrolet Impalas, surely the most middling of cars? These early '60s examples almost upset the rule with their elegant cab forward profiles and long rear decks, unspoiled by egregious bling. If he was to buy any car on looks alone, it would be something like this.

For: Meets and exceeds all the Aesthete's dubious aesthetic objectives.
Against: Despite the vendor's claims,  it probably drives like an old kapok mattress.
Investment potential: 1/10 and probably at the top of the curve now.

1970 Rover 3500. You could say similar things about the early model P6B Rovers with their Design Council modular dashboards and air of unforced modernist elegance. Later efforts to modernise the modernism produced a dismal clash of values, a bit like PVC joinery on an Arts and Crafts cottage. The dull green paint is like patina on a favourite old chair and I would simply slow down the rust and use it as it is.

For: Do nothing and continue to use it.
Against: A bit too dull for you? You could buff it up if you wanted.
Investment potential: 2/10 but only if you follow the advice above.

1973 Fiat 125. Yet more unforced modernist elegance with this Fiat 125, surely the best value classic Italian saloon that there is? Wonderfully adaptable with a variety of uses from daily commuting to track day shenanigans, a 125 is the ideal hobby car as long as the body is not shot full of holes. Most have long succumbed if the rust took serious hold so hooking a sound survivor will earn you the Aesthete's seal of approval.

For: Are those Wolfrace wheels? Someone out there will know.
Against: Not much. And its not much.
Investment potential: 9/10. Yes, really.

1969 BMW 2000. Oh dear. This listing has everything: a fugitive panel beater, years of inappropriate  storage, dashed expectations and a final sad denouement on the pages of Trademe. The ultimate development of BMW's class setting saloon is a bit like the previous listings, rather too good to end up in this sort of state for 1K. Grasp the nettle and buy this car, get it out on the track and tell everyone you fixed it from a dismal wreck. Even those awful Ferrari people will tip their hats to you.

For: Oh come on. We like a challenge.
Against: We do, don't we?
Investment potential: 2/10 but race it, don't try and restore it.

1998 Peugeot 406 Coupe. I had to dredge through the moderns this week to complete the list and what a dismal experience it is. Everything that is ill with the world presently can be seen in the hopeless efforts to trade or otherwise shake off Nissan Trivias, Mazda Refluxes and Toyota Anuses  with 320Ks on their stupid grey clocks. Who wants them? NOBODY WANTS THEM. HIRE A DIGGER AND BURY THEM. Leave this nice Peugeot 406 Coupe in less than obvious blue above ground though.

For: Ferrari looks for practically nothing.
Against: You cannot open the door if you are parked uphill, so full of stuff are they.
Investment potential: You would need the Kelvin scale.

On some faraway beach...

1965 Fiat-OSCA 1600S Cabriolet. Fiat spiced up its already charming Pininfarina convertible with a pile of  leftover OSCA engines, the twin cam zing coming from this exotic Maserati brothers side project. An actual OSCA coupe will cost over 100K so this hybrid offers supreme value for money with enough performance to put those upstart Alfas in their place.

For: Heritage, refined looks, unfixable mechanicals. What is there not to like?
Against: Better polish up your language skills. You will be needing them.
Investment potential: 4/10. I see some potential here.