The Aesthete's Fleet
I have been so enthralled by the Brexit fiasco that I have not left the house so there is nothing to report on the fleet this week. The Aesthete has been asked to present at a Pecha Kucha event in October so will be making a rare public appearance. I have warned the organisers that he is erratic and liable to say anything but they were keen to go ahead. Readers' suggestions for suitable disguises will be read with interest. The song this week is from the back catalogue of British prog rock, an unjustly derided form of popular music if you ask me.
1969 McLaren M6GT. The vendor is being a little coy in revealing what this actually is by omitting the words 'kit', 'replica' or 'Volkswagen' from the text of his ad so the Aesthete will try and fill in the missing details. The original Trojan built M6GT was a road going coupe built by McLaren to test the idea of a production run of similar cars. It was a barely civilised racer but was a popular subject for kit car makers. This one is probably a Manta, manufactured in California in the 1980s. What could you do with it? Well, you could go very fast in extreme discomfort and it is way cheaper than a real one.
For: Chiselled Le Mans looks.
Against: Why has it not been finished? Lack of a screen is just the start.
Investment potential: Oh come on. It would be fun.
1949 Hudson Commodore. Post-war Hudsons were called 'step-downs' because of their low built construction and they are still striking today, if like the Aesthete, you appreciate the modernist bathtub lines. Their big side-valve engines could be effectively tuned and the smaller Hornet models were formidable on the track. Brush paint this one gray, remove the hub caps and employ a sign writer and you could have a retro Mexican desert racer to drive to the shops.
For: People said they looked like a plastic bathtub. Good thing I say.
Against: Oh yes, I know. Many things.
Investment potential: 2/10 but worth the effort.
1973 Renault TL 17. One day, a vengeful car god clicked his fingers and all the Renault 15s and 17s instantly vanished into sheds and muddy paddocks. What had they done to offend him, asks the curious Aesthete? On the lookout for something new, their slinky female owners had graduated to Fuegos and there was no going back. No-one wants to be a cuckold so they all died of shame and rejection.
For: Steam shrunk Dodge Charger looks.
Against: Nothing at all. 1970s chic, tres magnifique.
Investment potential: 4/10. Find a Francophile that wants one to go with their Yves Saint Laurent trouser suit.
1957 Simla Vedette Versailles. What is French for 'beach hop' I hear you ask? You could turn up in this with and a nice bottle of beaujolais and the more tasteful spectators will want to know what it is. Simca purchased this Ford of France product in the early 1950s, getting its tiny V8 in the process. The styling is pure mid 1950s Ford but smaller and neater in the French tradition. A bit like Leslie Caron then.
For: French-Américaine. Très charmant.
Against: Not that quick in original form. Feel free to experiment there.
Investment potential: 1/10. 12K is a bit steep for a project car.
1973 BMW 2002. It looks a little careworn but would be a nice winter project with a fresh coat of paint and the seats attended to. The 02 series was always the major rival to Alfa's GTV and you rarely see those on the market now. They are simple to fix, parts are plentiful and they do not suffer from dementia and forget their ignition key security code which is what immobilised Kiri's one last week.
For: A GTV in plain German packaging.
Against: I see only opportunity here.
Investment potential: 7/10. Go on. Get cracking then.
On some faraway beach
1961 Cisitalia Abarth Spider Riviera 850. We have not had a nice Etceterini for a while with even the less exotic Italian specials rare in this part of the world. This endearing example combines three of the proudest names in the industry as the bodies were built by Allemano of Ferrari 250 GT fame. While 45K seems like a lot for a Fiat 600, reviewers of the time recommended them at any price.
For: Oh come on. What to you expect me to say.
Against. Nothing. Nothing at all.
Investment potential: 6/10. Simple, cheap to fix and gorgeous.
I fondly remember my Renault 15 as dynamically one of the best cars I ever had. At 100 mph it hunkered down and was rock solid in a straight line.(should I confess to such things on this board?) It handled beautifully (especially on dirt roads)and was refined and luxious. later I had a fuego which was less so. At the time I liked the plainess of 15 not really appreaciating the rear side windows of the 17. Now I think the 17 is glamourous in that Avanti way, totally unrecognised by the classic car fraternity while 911 values soar? Go figure.
ReplyDeleteDoes the brexit mean we will only be able to buy cars from britain and only have Austin Allegros or Marinas again?
I expect the police would not be interested in prosecuting you now but we will find out when I forward your comment. Cars in the UK just got 12% cheaper and I foresee distressed owners hitting the sell button.
Delete