The Aesthete attends to business

The Aesthete's Fleet
The Aesthete's attention has shifted back to the old Flavia Coupe subframe that is propped up against the shed like some hillbilly garden ornament. Swapping the whole engine and drive unit in these cars takes about an hour with a hoist so I am considering a Subaru flat four and five speed transaxle as an instant performance upgrade. The constaining factors are width and length but these are a popular swap in VW vans now with a lot of interesting parts on the market. I have been enquiring about Gamma engines so if anyone has a hopeless wreck that needs dragging away, please call.

1964 Buick Riviera. One of the great mysteries of modern existence is how the US motor industry squandered its design talents in the decades following this sublime Riviera. Everything from the framed bucket seats to the brushed metal dash is ripe for revival whereas deep buttoned  red velour and plastic Louis XIV door panels have stayed where they belong in the 1970s. Unless you are one of those ironic post-modern types that yearns for a Bill Blass Continental with the monogrammed pillow seats....

For: Sublime looks.
Against: One for the long straight roads.
Investment potential: 2/10. The coming day of reckoning will leave few fat Americans on the road.

1985 Isuzu Piazza. Some cars can transcend their mundane origins under a well cut Italian suit which is what Isuzu purchased from Giorgetto Giugiaro, busy hawking his Ace series of prototypes from door to door since the early 1970s. Audi built one for evaluation in 1973 but it took until the end of the decade before Isuzu took the bait. The podded controls were clever and the whole thing now reeks of wedgey retro cool. Do not trouble yourselves over a wreck but a pampered, one owner example?

For: Find those Spandau Ballet cassette tapes!
Against: Perhaps it is better that we forget the whole decade and move on.
Investment potential: 5/10. Yes, really.

1973 BMW 2002 Touring. These were once much coveted by antique dealers for hauling off aunty's Moorcroft pottery. The fashion for sporting wagons triggered by the Reliant Scimitar GTE produced variable results and it is not uncharitable to consign the Touring BMW to the miss category. This may be attributable to the balanced perfection of the original but if you want an 02 with load space, here is your car.

For: Ideal for the weekend away that you have been promising your long suffering partner.
Against: Not Touring's best work.
Investment potential: It looks rather good so 3/10.

1969 Fiat 124 Coupe. Look past the searing price for a moment and consider why you should become the new owner of this Fiat 124. A rare survivor of the initial model with the sweetest lines, the single headlight, low bonnet AC had that alert look that typified Italian sporting cars of the 1960s. This car is like a lurcher puppy then. How could you possibly refuse?

For: Oh come on. Look at it.
Against: Canine analogy is no way to approach car buying.
Investment potential: Woof!

1929 Chevrolet 1 1/2 Ton Commercial. You could restage the dustbowl scene from Grapes of Wrath in this depression era Chevrolet, a reminder that the world had to keep on working even in those straightened times. Failing that, you could just potter down to the lake for a picnic or spend a night under stars in the rather comfortable looking beds the vendor has considerately placed in the tray.

For: Born in the same year as my father and he is still going.
Against: Finding a good reason to use it.
Investment potential: 2/10 seeing as you did not take up my suggestion of a 2CV camper last week.

On some faraway beach....

1960 Devin D. The vendor ties himself in knots making this out to be some kind of Porsche when the Devin has merits of its own that should be considered. Based on a clever tubular frame and a well made plastic shell, they were a step above the average kit car and developed by Bill Devin who was once described by Henry Manney as the Enzo Ferrari of Okie Flats. No higher commendation could be bestowed.

For: Awkwardly pretty, just as we like our specials to be.
Against: A bit rough in the details.
Investment potential: 4/10 given the piles of steaming dung that are shovelled into containers from the US.