The Aesthete surveys the Trademe ruins

The fleet has been parked up for the winter so there are no hard luck stories to relate this week. To assuage my boredom, the Aesthetette got me An English Affair by Richard Davenport -Hines, a splendid analysis of the Profumo affair. It made me realise that the mores of upper class London in the 1960s were effectively carried over to Glenfield in the following decade and that I was not imagining the nude spa pool parties that my parents took me to when I was a wide eyed adolescent.

Lancia Delta HF Turbo i.e. That random tangle of words and letters is like fine poetry for keen drivers but without the demanding nature of the more powerful EVO cars. A good example will see off most German and Japanese challengers and possess a jiggling Latin vitality that is an invitation to wring its neck even when going to the shops for cat food and milk.

For: Guaranteed to bring some excitement to your tepid existence.

Against: You will need mambo dancers' hips to be comfortable in the Recaro seats.

Investment potential: 5/10 as the last viable ones come to the market.

1988 Peugeot 205 GTI. Note that I only mentioned German and Japanese models and handily swerved around the impressive 205 which in 1.9 litre form was almost indomitable. Italianate in both form and character, it set an impressive standard for factory built GTs that required little further specialist attention before taking to track or gravel.

For: The belle époque for quick hatches.

Against: The dad's car profile of the rest of the range.

Investment potential: 6/10 and climbing.

Renault 4CV. Renault's clever response to reconstruction was supposedly penned in secret during the war with production starting in 1947. It stole a handy march on the Morris Minor so it you wanted a small modern car before the end of the decade, the 4CV was the principal contender. They are enjoyable to drive, simple to fix and full of Gallic charms, even when built in England as this one was. 

For: R10 engine transplants answer the performance issues.

Against: Nozzing.

Investment potential: 4/10. It looks solid under the scruffy paint which is important with these early monocoque cars.

1965 Commer PA Auto-Sleeper camper. English-built campers have always held strong attraction to the Aesthete since he was captivated by a be-finned Bedford CA Dormobile in the 1970s. This one looks like it was fitted out by one of the better makers with a tasteful oak ply cabin in the contemporary G-Plan manner. Save yourself 40K on a Kombi and buy this.

For: Whatever happened to empire loyalty? Show some patriotism there, man.

Against: A rummage in the parts bucket with bits of Sunbeam Talbot and Minx promiscuously mixed through.

Investment potential:2/10 as it needs a bit more work yet.

TVR Cerbera. The ultimate hoodlum's runabout, the Cerberra reestablished TVR as a super car brand that offered lunatic levels of performance in a cut price package. Even the six cylinder cars could manage 170 mph although most drivers chose continued life over the uncertain prospects on offer at that speed. To manage that, some V8 models had a button on the dash that switched off the driver's judgement. 

For: Something for the eight year old that lives in all of us.

Against: We don't let them drive for good reason.

Investment potential. Akin to heroin I suspect.

On some faraway beach...

1963 Rochdale Olympic. Not merely another oddball torn from the back pages of Autocar, circa 1960, the Rochdale Olympic was an accomplished monocoque glass fibre package designed to take a B-series or Ford engine. Light weight ensured well over 100 mph in either form and this improved Mk 2 made has an opening rear hatch. 

For: Yes, it needs improvements but these are ideal candidates for a project. All the body moulds are retained by the UK Rochdale club.

Against: I like it. That should be warning enough.

Investment potential: 3/10. Cheap and no bids come in.