The Aesthete mends his ways

The Aesthete's Fleet

A thick coat of ice has formed on the GTV on this freezing weekend, reminded me of my criminal negligence but not yet motivating me to do anything about it. A bucket of tepid water should do the trick but both doors were frozen shut on their seals so it will have to approached with care lest a cracked screen renders further travel impossible. My comparison of the Alfa to a baking pan on a frozen lake may yet come to haunt me on the way to work so I had better get the blog written tonight in case this is the last anyone hears from the Aesthete.

1938 Citroen Light Fifteen. The Aesthete has been known to say catty things about Citroens and their owners, knowing that they are easily provoked. Mocking the afflicted should be beneath my high standards so, like the Chieftains manager,  I hang my head and resile from further comment. I actually like the prewar models with their pert derrières, Michelin Pilote wheels and elegant interiors and I would definitely have one in preference to a Charles Atlas chest expander.

For: It is a great 1930s car.
Against: Not really a great 1950s car though.
Investment potential: 3/10 but nice enough anyway.

1951 Studebaker Champion. Modernity shows itself in another guise with the jet plane nose cone of the restyled Studebaker Champion, a flamboyant gesture only used for two years. The Loewy studio was populated with the best minds in the business including Cord designer Gordon Buehrig and Virgil Exner. You can get all this genius for 10K, so much cheaper than it should be. Imagine if it was a Lancia.

For: Not likely to get lost in the car park with this.
Against: Nothing. Its perfect.
Investment potential: 8/10. Start your twentieth century design collection with this.

1960 MGA FHC. Perhaps an answer to a question few had thought to ask, the closed version of the MGA was a charming thing with its glassy steel top keeping its occupants dry and cosy. Bourgeois luxuries like heaters, cigar lighters and radios were liberally tossed in and the floor was even carpeted. Weekend bags could be carried on the boot lid and fewer nicer ways of heading across to Bognor Regis with that spicy Cynthia from accounts could ever be conceived.

For: You will need a Terry Thomas moustache. Unless you are a girl. In which case you will need a nice tweed skirt.
Against: I cannot help it that I live in an episode of Z Cars.
Investment potential: 3/10 and perhaps a little pricey now.

1938 Ford Model C Ten. Unlike the awful poverty spec Populars made after the war, Ford's Ten was a modern and pleasant car and capable of seventy miles in the hour with its 1172cc side valve fully extended. Eminently tunable, most were cut up for specials and gave rise to Lotus amongst many other British racing marques.

For: Find some period tuning bits and have some fun.
Against: Or are you too busy with your Nissan Eczema to bother?
Investment potential: 5/10 and economical as well.

1953 Hudson Hornet. I imagine whistling a few bars of My Favorite Things as I cross the plains in this fabulous Hudson Hornet, one of the great cars of the post-war era. Silken power was delivered by a vast side valve six that could be fitted with a high compression head and twin carburettors for the track versions that dominated the stock car circuit. This right hand drive example has been sleeping in a shed for a few decades so it may need some fettling. How rewarding that would be.

For: Hudson Hornet. What a great name for a car.
Against: Donald Duck drove a Belchfire Runabout, another great name for a car.
Investment potential: 2/10. No one is knocking at the door yet.

On some faraway beach

1963 Ghia G230S. You might expect this exquisite Ghia shell to be stuffed full of vulgar Chrysler V8 but no, it is a bespoke version of Fiat's big six cylinder touring coupe. Only two were made and the lime green paint with brown hide interior puts the Aesthete in mind of his GTV. At almost 200 EUR you will really need to own it but there would be far worse ways to spend money. Like on a new Phantom. Ewww.

For: Raid the pension fund,
Against: You may have to live in it.
Investment potential: 4/10 but possibly more.