The Aesthete rests from his labours

The Aesthete's Fleet
We Drove Here is now open at the Hocken Library on Anzac Avenue and all readers of the blog are invited to drop in and look it over. The opening attracted a decent sized crowd and I got a chance to meet some major motoring enthusiasts including Sir Julian Smith, owner and proprietor of the Otago Daily Times, New Zealand's only independent urban daily. I was pictured gurning like a crazy person in his reputable organ the very next morning but he deigned not to know me. Oh well, fame is a fickle food, upon a shifting plate.

1975 BMW 2002. There is room to improve on this 2002 and it would be well worth someone's while to do so as they are a sure bet for the future. The vendor has obtained repair sections for the corroded parts and one hopes that the rot has not penetrated too far into the structure as BMWs were as susceptible as their Italian counterparts to falling apart on the driveway.

For: Manual and orange, two strong points in its favour.
Against: You could wait and buy a better one with the work already done.
Investment potential: Even with that caveat in mind, still 4/10.

1969 Chrysler Barracuda. I ventured down to the Kaitangata car show with Terry on Saturday and have to say I have not seen HQ Kingswoods and mullets in that variety since the halcyon days of the Thunderbird Valley Inn. This would have gone down a treat in either place as it looks like the offspring of a Valiant that has done the wild thing with a Dodge so has the right combination of the everyday and the exotic.

For: No one else will have one.
Against: Will anyone want one?
Investment potential: 2/10

1989 Citroen BX 16V. Citroen's plastique fantastique was quite something in the 1980s when this avant -garde combination of technology and exhilarating performance was offered to the same market that was being tempted by six cylinder Cortina Ghias. The high milage on this example if probably a good thing as it is disuse that is the bane of all Citroens.

For: Be in your own science fiction movie.
Against: Things will go wrong.
Investment potential: It depends exactly what does go wrong.

1950 Citroen Light 15. I have been known to be a bit churlish about these Citroens but this looks like an opportunity even to my prejudiced eye. Limited information on the condition of the car and two average photographs suggests that the vendor is not trying to impress anyone and may be open to a sensible offer.

For: Fix it and prove me wrong.
Against: I will hold my views to myself.
Investment potential: The start price is reasonable so 4/10

1957 Jaguar XK 150. I  suppose we must accept that we are in an international market place now and should not draw a sharp intake of breath when we see an XK being offered at this sort of money. It is a bit of a show pony with its louvres and bonnet straps but the sinister grey paint and black wire wheels add a desirable level of menace to the overall presentation.

For: It's not red at least.
Against: Make sure you use it.
Investment potential: 2/10

On some faraway beach...

1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina. Something for the Alfa completist wanting to make a splash at the next Latins rally is this exceedingly rare saloon variation on the more familiar Sprint coupe. It says something for the desirability of Alfa's flagship that it was handily outsold by the two door car but its looks now seem chiseled and handsome in a way they clearly did not when new.

For: Hardly seen outside Italy and not often there either.
Against: Shipping things from South Africa can be problematic.
Investment potential: 2/10 but someone will want it.