The Aesthete's Fleet
Since our holiday in Manapouri the Alfetta has been sitting unloved and unused in the driveway while a slowly deflating tyre frustrated further movement. On dragging the wheel off it was apparent that driving around on radials as old as a Korean temple is inviting the car gods to smite you good and proper. The tyre was dividing itself into five neat sections through the tread and a look at the others showed similar deterioration. Off to the tyre shop went he with a tidy sum in his vest pocket and returned with a car wearing matching tyres on each corner. This may well be the first time this has ever happened. Given that the tyres cost more than the whole car did I had better start using it.
Meanwhile the new owner of the Flavia Coupe sent me some pictures and a great update on its new life in Christchurch. I am sure he will not object if I share...
Whoops. Almost forgot the song again. Great but totally gnored band Jellyfish drive another town car out to the desert to do God knows what.
1955 Willys Jeep Wagon. Something draws the Aesthete to these early Jeeps that make such an interesting alternative to Landrovers and their Austin Gypsy ilk. Here are two in distressed condition but seemingly complete, leaving the imaginative restorer to decide how to repower them. Quaint as it is, the old four cylinder would be best as a mooring for that kauri mullet boat you have been fixing for the past 30 years.
For: Chiselled good looks.
Against: But will they ever run again? It is up to you now.
Investment potential: 5/10. Get the two for a couple of K and you should be pleased.
1957 Berkeley SE 328. These clever little sportscars made the best of their Excelsior two stroke engines by driving the front wheels and they have a very competent chassis. They were keenly competed in America where groups of them could barely be seen on the track behind a rich trail of fumes. If you are over 1.75m and 90kgs you will feel faintly ridiculous but at least your almost adult children will not be begging for the keys. Look upon that as a real advantage.
For: Hilarious!
Against: Hilarious!
Investment potential: 3/10. Real microcars are ridiculously over priced. Anything remotely useful, not so much.
1956 Volkswagen. Having confessed last week that a well turned out rod can turn the Aesthete's head, here is an early Beetle that has been hit with the California custom stick. I am not sure about the seats but the rest of it appears quite tasteful and it should get along well enough, squeezing three times the original output from its tweaked rear end.
For: Shiny black beetle.
Against: I am no judge of these things really.
Investment potential: See above.
1969 Skoda Sabre. They understand irony in Wellington where heavy bidding is already pushing up the price of this highly desirable Skoda Sabre. It will no doubt soon be seen parked outside a barbers' premises in Cuba St as a sign that nothing should be taken too seriously in life as long as the tufts of hair growing from your ears have been seen to.
For: They laughed and then they all stopped laughing.
Against: A good bad car nonpareil.
Investment potential: Will this be the first Skoda to crack 10K since they were new?
1960 Lincoln Towncar. Looking like a hypertrophic Thunderbird and possessing one of the best instrument pods ever seen, this Lincoln would stop then in their tracks in that hipster hell. Their eyes would lift from their ristrettos and they would bestow the single eyebrow lift that passes for hysterical excitement in the capital of cool.
For: Who would not want that?
Against: You will need to do a lot of expensive fettling and vin the monstrosity first.
Investment potential: -17/10.
On some faraway beach...
For: Its gorgeous.
Against: Only the probable cost.
Investment potential: Out of our league I think.
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