The Aesthete is saved by a Studebaker

The Aesthete's Fleet

This week's list was saved by the  sell off of a Studebaker collection in Hanmer Springs when it would have otherwise been difficult to reach the quota of five interesting cars. Interesting is very subjective of course and the surfeit of slightly odd Americana is purely the toss of the Trademe dice. Bob the Bi-spyderman sent me a link to a fantastic US museum which I have pasted into the email this week so I trust that Trademe will be full of bizarre microcars next week for a bit of variety.

1974 Avanti II. The original Avanti was the last and most daring effort to sustain the struggling Studebaker company. The basic structure was borrowed from the new Lark compact but the plastic body was thoroughly new and startling in its rebuttal of US styling trends.  This is an unfinished project based around a later shell built by one of the many small concerns that carried on Avanti production into the 1990s.

For: Paint it golden sand, pop it on a set of wire wheels and drop a modern V8 into it. Grwwllll.
Against: Some of the late owner's decor choices are a bit regrettable.
Investment potential: 4/10 Even original early cars are woefully undervalued so you may as well do what you like with it.

1966 Porsche 912. The Aesthete sometimes reflects on his unfathomable distaste for the rear engined German tribe when it fulfils so many of his strange desires. A Porsche 912 would pass muster though, having the looks of the early six cylinder coupes but at a tolerable price. The voices are telling old Kombi owners that their vans are worth 70K so by rights a 912 should be worth close to a million. This one is a build it yourself  kit, however, and is being sold by someone who may also own a high powered handgun.

For: Reserve has been reached but he might just be trying to get you in range.Maybe you should just send someone you don't like to look at it.
Against: The litany of woe from the vendor does not inspire confidence.
Investment potential: 8/10 probably and certainly faster and prettier than a 1200 Kombi.

1965 Rambler Marlin. You can almost hear the agonised groaning and bellowing in the American Motors Corporation board room after the arrival of the Mustang in April 1964.  The immediate response was to fit a fastback roof to their Rebel compact for as little money as possible. The Marlin is therefore the motoring equivalent of a country singer's business at the front, party at the back haircut.

For: It depends how you feel about Ricky Scaggs but I think it has charm in abundance.
Against: Oh, come on.  Look at that rear window.
Investment potential: 2/10 Those smug Mistang owners will be wondering where they all went wrong.

1987 Lotus 11 replica. With genuine Lotus 11s becoming unprocurable, what about something that looks vaguely correct that could be raced for fun? This racing equipe comes with spare nose cone and rear corners in case you get over enthusiastic and there is a trailer to convey the wreckage away to your nearest repairer if it all goes horribly wrong. With a sprightly Toyota twin cam and five speed gearbox you will experience all the thrills known to man before the penultimate moment.

For: As Captain Beefheart once sang, a squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. So is a Lotus 11.
Against: It is a fake but who cares?
Investment potential: 2/10 but a lot of fun.

1963 Buick Riviera. I feel like shouting to the vendor to get this car out from under the tree so we can get a good look at it. For it is nothing less than a 1963 Buick Riviera and one of the most beautiful shapes to ever take to the road. The sensory overload extends to the interior which is a sybarite's delight of brushed stainless steel, quilted vinyl and separate rear bucket seats. Ferrari 330 GT? Pfaff.

For: The rear seats alone are worth the asking price.
Against: Black fine, silver fine but not both at once please.
Investment potential: 3/10 as long as it not full of filler.

On some faraway beach.

1941 Graham Hollywood Supercharged. When the Cord empire crashed, other small American brands fell on its assists and the old Graham model range was transformed by the use of Cord body pressings. The engineering underneath was conventional although the supercharged six was strong and the cars were decently quick. 26K US does not seem outrageous for such a stunning looking car and you could have the looks without the unreliability of its front wheel drive progenitor.

For: All that for less than a Ford V8.
Against: It is not a Cord but does anyone care now?
Investment potential: 3/10 but who would know?