The Aesthete stirs

I was shaken into action after a long post-Christmas nap by a loyal reader enquiring where the cars were. There is no good answer to this apart from vague and evasive claims to have been busy or distracted, none of which are strictly true. At this time of year we tend to roam the neighbourhood dining on other people's leftovers so we do not even have to attend to basic chores like cooking and cleaning. Mexican taco presses seemed to be the gift du jour so there was a south of the border feel to the festivities in Puerto Chalmers which will be followed up by another ruinous Magarita party on New Years Eve. I may be late then as well.

1996 Maserati Quattroporte. Obscuring its svelte Marcelo Gandini lines under a cheap plastic cover is possibly not the best way of marketing a Maserati but at least it is not covered in possum ordure and under a tree like the last one. The best thing is the buy now price that will have you in one of the greater performance saloons of the period for the price of a high milage Nissan Fistula. Negative points are lack of use and the vendor attempting to blame his wife who should probably leave him.

For: Don't tell everyone but it is one of the ultra rare V8 versions.
Against: No WOF, no registration. What the heck is going on here?
Investment potential: 0/10 or 12/10 depending on your attitude to these matters.

1978 Fiat X19. Fiat's mid engined X19 was like flicking from Dr Who to Coronation Street, products of the same entertainment industry but intended for different audiences. Bearing in mind that you could still buy a sports car with cart springs and a Post Office van engine in 1978, can you imagine a Cyberman in an MG Midget? No, I thought not. QED.

For: Much good work carried by a marque expert.
Against: But what has gone wrong then?
Investment potential: 6/10 if you attend to the niggling bugs.

1974 Porsche 914. Porsche was always about modernity but the 914 seemed a little too far ahead of its time. The slab sided appearance lacked the immediate appeal of the Fiat and most US examples were lumbered with smog equipment and laboured to 90 mph. These were not qualities associated with Porsche and no-one wanted it as VW either. The cars beg for improvement and this vendor is half way to a 914-6 which is where the money is. Just find that disused old 911 motor in the shed and you are away.

For: Look upon it as a work in progress.
Against: What is German for neither fish nor fowl?
Investment potential: 2/10. The price will need to fall a little lower for this to make sense.

1952 Morris Series Z Commercial. This has been languishing on Trademe for a while now so is perhaps not the bargain that its agitated vendor thinks as he bellows about REALISTIC OFFERS ONLY. As I have been learning from Discovery Turbo, the realistic offer is the one that buys the car. Even so, this charming Morris Eight derived commercial deserves a new owner and a bit of light use. Uncovered storage is doing it no favours at all by the look of all that delaminating plywood.

For: Cute, just like a pound puppy.
Against: Knock a zero off the price and then we can talk.
Investment potential: 1/10 and that is being kind.

1978 Ferrari. I repeat the vendor's own hopeful description for this vehicle as I cannot work out what it is either. He mentions the name Goodwin who I know to be associated with the Fiberfab Bonito, a wickedly attractive American kit car of the 1960s. While crazy, Warren Goodwin had an eye for line and proportions which is missing here. Was it a brave local effort as suggested by Carjam? Someone must know something.

For: The Aesthete loves a mystery.
Against: Oh, plenty I am sure.
Investment potential: The previous purchaser paid for it but never collected so work it out yourselves.

On some faraway beach...

1940 LaSalle 52 Special Coupe.  Intended to be a low priced brand for Cadillac dealers to sell alongside their prestige models, LaSalle ended up with the best looking American coupe of the era. The seamless body shell and delicate details are precisely controlled under the hand of Harley Earl and it is almost enough to persuade me away from the Packard Clippers of which I am similarly smitten.

For: Oh, come on. Look at it.
Against: Not too many LaSalle fans to buddy up with.
Investment potential: It is US31K if the looks do it for you...



Oh, and vale Stevie Wright as well, co-architect of Friday On My Mind and Sorry