The Aesthete meets a local on a one way bridge

On the Alfa club run to the Catlins, as it happens, and on the Alfetta's first proper outing. Despite the fact I was already on the bridge and had the arrow in my direction, on he came in his white Nissan Enema and scraped his way down the right wing until our eyes met through our respective drivers windows. After I spoke with him using short words and compact phrases he thought it best to reverse leading to more ear rending sounds of tearing metal. This regional savage gave me what will probably be an assumed name and phone number and weaved off towards his destination.

1934 Riley Mentone. Oh the bountiful variety of pre-war Rileys. If you can think of one, there are at least four others with tiny twin cam six cylinder engines and pre-select gearboxes. This model was produced as Alpine, Kestrel and Mentone saloons, Lincock coupé, Ascot drop head coupé, Lynx tourer and March Special gentleman's racer. The Mentone saloon offered here has the short chassis (!) and is fitted with the 1,458cc, 12hp engine.

For: I have been boring people with this information forever but David Bowie owned a Riley Gamecock.
Against: Nothing. God himself could not build a better 1930s saloon.
Investment potential: Oh I don't know. 17/10.

1952 Daimler Consort Shooting Brake. Oh come on one of you. It is down to 3K now and I am beginning to feel sorry for the hapless vendor who cannot post a straight image, is reduced to an eight word description and has clearly lost the will to live.

For: Elegant, quality post war wagon that would reward a good tidying.
Against: Check and see that the body is not riddled with teredo worm or something equally dire.
Investment potential: 3/10. Someone will want it after you have done all the work.

1974 Wolseley Six. Ah yes, the infamous Weaseley Six, misbegotten child of a confused motor industry viewing its own demise. Oddly enough, the engineers at BMC in Australia did much of the development of the fwd sixes for their modern Kimberly series while the Brits carried on trying to sell the old 1800 shells. Needless to say, it was a strategy that usual worked better the other way around.

For: A certain demented snob appeal. Take Cynthia to the church fete in this.
Against: You will have to fix a few things first.
Investment potential: Bwahaha

1936 Ford CX. There are so many Morris Eights on Trademe it is as though they were the only small saloon of the era to have survived. The alternative from Dagenham was this charming 5/8th scale piece of Americana which was modern in styling rather than engineering. Unlike the crude and awful post-war Prefect, the CX was a pleasant little car and a would still be good for pottering around in now.

For: Great if you do not need to be anywhere quickly.
Against: So sloooow.
Investment potential: 2/10 with a diminishing band of followers.

1974 Mercedes 280. The vendor sneaks in a whole Mercedes collection under this innocent heading including a rare 300 SE saloon, the pinnacle of Benz technology in the early 1960s. He claims that it has a good body but does not show us the interior, generally finished in hide with hand made timber fillets everywhere. Or indeed tell us about the air suspension.

For: We love a mystery, don't we?
Against: It only needs a piston he says.
Investment potential: It will cost a fortune to put right so -17/10


On some faraway beach...

1962 Facel Vega Facellia Coupe. Way down New Mexico way is where you will find this Facel Vega Facellia hidden in the sage brush and waiting for a sympathetic new owner. The problematic Pont á Mousson built twin cam engine has been replaced with a Toyota twin cam but the last versions had Volvo 1800 motors fitted anyway. The elegant little coupe body would look more fabulous in gunmetal grey and the interior is waiting for its red leather.

For: Go on. You know you want to.
Against: What? You don't want to?
Investment potential: Modest, I will admit.