The Aesthete hits the track

The Aesthete's Fleet

The Aesthete's dreams occasionally lurch into lurid fantasies of competition, ironic when I can't keep the current fleet registered, WOFed and on the road when all they get is a gentle flogging up to Central Otago from time to time. The actual cost of serious racing does not bear thinking about, as the parade of money hungry projects through Wonderboy's workshop attests. Even so, here are some ways in that offer pleasure without penury.

1964 Volvo 122S. Imagine the Aesthete as the Swedish chef on the Muppet Show to gauge my response to this rather superb Amazon. The scaled down Chrysler lines have weathered the years far better than the models that replaced them and this one has all the expensive pieces of kit that you would need for the Targa or other gentlemanly (or ladylike) track pursuits. The price seems completely reasonable for such a capable classic rally mount.

For: Yah, dot's nice.
Against: Don't resist. Just buy it.
Investment potential: 6/10

1972 BWM 3.0 CS. Or you could finish this immaculately prepared CS racer and scare yourself completely witless. Offered with a choice of potent power plant and gearbox combinations, it has the look of a project that, for some doubtless sad personal reason, must be sold despite the vast sum of money that has been forked into it. So now you can exercise your own fantasies of track domination until your bank manager reaches into his desk for his revolver.

For: Vorsprung durch dirty big engine.
Against: Are you a race mechanic? May I suggest Wonderboy might like to assist?
Investment potential: 3/10. Any race car is a money pit but this looks more than viable.

1993 Porsche 968 Clubsport.  I know I featured this car recently but it was in another context altogether. If you want factory reliability in a race car that is drivable on the road, you have few options but to buy a Porsche. At a nudge over 40K, this is value but it will need a roll cage for serious work and that would be a shame. You choose.

For: Immaculate and capable
Against: Poseur image.
Investment potential: 1/10 and diminishing if you start using it.

BMW 2002Tii. I don't wish to sound like a snob but it is probably not smart to buy an old race car from someone with missing teeth and living in a caravan in Clinton. Better by far the North Shore where no one is worth less than a million and they can afford the upkeep on something like this smart 2002 Tii. The owner fitted a new factory engine which has done 5000 KMs and sounds honest about the car's minor flaws.

For: Just right for getting around in the middle of the pack.
Against: You will probably not be satisfied with that.
Investment potential: 1/10. This has been for sale for ages so bargaining skills may be called for.

Begg Daimler 250. The Aesthete squares the circle with this classic New Zealand built single seater that was built around Edward Turner's brilliant alloy V8. Rarely has something so good arisen from such disparate origins but it was typical of the approach of the day. Comes with a Chevrolet V8 for 'reliability' so one might assume the Daimler is feeling a bit tired. You could go out and find a Majestic Major motor for it.

For: Local and significant piece of history.
Against: Arguably better ways of spending 80K
Investment potential: If you could afford it you should not give it a thought. For everyone else 0/10.

Bargain of the year so far...

1975 Citroen CX. I usually keep this spot for off-shore treats but just look at this. Bidding has crawled to a desultory $1240 for this ravishing early CX with the highly desirable red cloth interior looking like a Verner Panton installation (Look him up). The rest of the car is more than presentable and someone needs to buy it right now as the owner seems not to have a clue.

For: Oh, that interior definitely.
Against: Not a top line model but so what.
Investment potential. 7/10 if you can get it for that.

These are a few of the Aesthete's favorite things

The Aesthete's Fleet

Someone is advertising some good looking Flavia 2000 engine bits in Cape Town so as soon as I have paid for my dental work, cleared up the bill for the gearbox repairs, registered the Lancia and paid my outstanding university fees I will send him some money. God... listen to me. I need help urgently.

1958 Borgward Goliath. A surprising number of well engineered small German cars found their way to New Zealand in the 1950s. They were assembled in Australia, making them more affordable than fully imported Europeans and were more sophisticated that their British counterparts. The 1100 models feature a clever Lancia Flavia-like flat four and front wheel drive.

For: Cute and entertaining.
Against: Frequently owned by crazy people with hoarding issues.
Investment potential: 1/10. Who would know? You will never see another one.

1986 Alfa Romeo 90. Someone brave needs to rescue this Alfa Romeo 90, an exceedingly rare example of the V6 powered Alfetta that replaced the disastrous Alfa Six executive saloon. The lovely engine from the doomed Six sat nicely in the smaller Alfetta hull and so it is much like a four door GTV6. Act soon as buying this will ensure hats tipped in your direction and low whistles of admiration when you turn up at the next Alfa club run.

For: Astoundingly good to drive.
Against: Rust has taken hold.
Investment potential: 1/10. You may need to find a donor car and that will not be easy.

1979 Porsche 924 Turbo. In typical Porsche fashion, the turbo model 924 looks like its leaner siblings but was comprehensively re-engineered as it was now a 140 MPH+ car. This one looks like the owner has kept things clean in the engine bay and the tartan trim appears faded but intact. It has also kept its smart factory alloy wheels and would be a lot of fun for 6K.

For: Becoming hard to find in good order.
Against: You could almost have a Boxter for that now.
Investment potential: 2/10 and possibly rising as people look past the 924 image problem.

1966 Pontiac Grand Prix. The twin stacked headlight mid-60s Pontiacs always attracted me as my rich dairy farming uncles used to swank around Karaka in Laurentians as the Canadian built cars were known. They were often a sickening mauve hue so not like this one at all really.  If you claim to read vintage Playboys for the advertisements, you will want this car to complete the subterfuge.

For: Glorious in form and detail. Should have been called a Pontiac Centrefold.
Against: Big and dumb.
Investment potential: I am a bit pessimistic about mid-rank yanks but this is better than average.

1933 Riley Monaco. Alright, you know I am a bit soft on old Rileys but what can you get with a pedigree like this for 15K? If it was Italian it would be five time the price. Art Deco lines, sweet twin cam four and a manual transmission rather than the characterful but tricky preselect that some were equipped with. Pity there are no images of the interior as they are wonderfully evocative of vintage biplanes.

For: David Bowie loved them and had a Riley Gamecock...
Against: 100 KPH flat out.
Investment potential: 2/10. You have to be a certain age to get these cars.


Waiting for you to call the shipping agent...

1955 Packard Clipper Constellation. Yes, roll that around on your tongue and give it your best Boston Brahmin accent when someone asks what you are driving. I loudly assert that Packards are the best value 1950s Americans, particularly when you think of the quality of design and assembly. Much more tasteful than a Cadillac and handier than a Chrysler Imperial. All this for around 25K delivered to New Zealand.

For: No one else will have one.
Against: Not a lot that I can see.
Investment potential: 3/10. It does not cost 50K for a start.

The Aesthete welcomes in spring

The Aesthete's Fleet

A fair amount of open road running has loosened a few fixtures on the Flavia. The right side mirror popped out and hit the road with a musical tinkling leaving something that looks like an empty eye socket. It was useless anyway and gave either a blurred view of distant suburbs or the road surface so I may just take it off and fill the holes. A loud bang on exiting the shed left me looking for what I had struck but then I noticed the exhaust hanging rather low. At least with an old Italian car you know how you will be spending the weekend...

1991 Subaru Alcyone. It may just be my weakness for the underdog but is there any Japanese performance coupe as unloved as Subaru's SVX? It has a lot in its favour with Italian lines courtesy of Guigiaro, a bespoke flat six that makes the right noises and typically unorthodox engineering from our Lancia smitten friends at Fuji Heavy Industries. Is that not enough? Oh, go on. Its cheap enough.

For: Very capable.
Against: Automatic but almost all were.
Investment potential: 1/10. The vendor says collectable. Not in this universe.

1964 Riley 4/72. Percy Riley would have committed murder with a ball peen hammer if he had lived to see what BMC did with the cars that carried his name. The Riley, however,  was the best of the many alternatives made out of the basic Pininfarina design. I would swap the front panels and trim into the Traveller I featured a few weeks ago and put it on wire wheels. That would get them talking at the next All British day.

For: Easy to own and quite pleasurable.
Against: A pipe and slippers sort of car.
Investment potential: 2/10. Even good old Rileys are cheap so what hope is there?

1981 Ferrari Mondial. Now that even the 400-series is moving out of reach, those of modest means can still toy with the idea of owning a Ferrari. It just has to be one of these. There is nothing wrong with the V8 engined Mondial which was produced with an eye to the Porsche market and with a dollop of Fiat technical input. That means modest prices then and now but hurry on if you want one at this price.

For: Dare I utter the word practical?
Against: Surely that is not the point.
Investment potential: 2/10. As cheap as a big Fiat should be.

1949 Jaguar Mark V. This spiv's Bentley offered a lot for the purchase price in the 1940s and the asking price today seems quite reasonable too. You get pre-war style bodywork of almost coach-built quality and a glorious leather and walnut interior. A Standard-derived engine pushes the whole ensemble along at a decent rate although you will rue Willian Lyon's cheap brakes if anything blunders into your path.

For: Never mind the quality, feel the width.
Against: You know you should buy a Mk 6 Bentley.
Investment potential: 3/10.

1953 Packard Cavalier. It is odd to think that you could have gone shopping in the US and found a more dignified and well designed alternative the flashy Jag in the form of a 300 series Packard. This example needs finishing off but a lot of expensive work has already been done so if you are prepared to source another windscreen you will have a car of uncommon quality.

For: A tasteful big American.
Against: What? No tail fins?
Investment potential: 1/10. Still cheap in their country of origin.

On some faraway shore...

Lancia Flavia Coupe 1.8 HF. Oh alright. I know this is rather more me than any of you but there is an accompanying Youtube clip that lets you hear what this rally prepped Flavia sounds like. The gates of hell opening and closing 5700 times per minute would only be a close approximation. The engine was worked on by Claudio Maglioli who sadly passed on last year so I cannot ask him how he squeezed 150 BHP out of the thing.

For: Oh, definitely the sound.
Against: I already have one. Nothing stopping you though.
Investment potential: 0/10. Here, virtually nil. Leave it in Rome and pay the odd visit.


  

The Aesthete rakes the embers of Trademe

The Aesthete's Fleet

 There is little to report. The mild winter has produced no more snow and therefore no further opportunities for reckless outings in the Lancia. I drove it over the hill to Long Beach last weekend to gloat over the immobile BMW 528 parked on the grass outside Shrimp Cottage. "Buy something with a carburettor" I shouted to the wooly hat wearers peering into its cold innards, a lame joke that will soon backfire on me, I am sure.

   

1956 Wolseley 6/90. Gerald Palmer's handsome six cylinder dreadnaughts came in Riley and Wolseley variants. Both were fast and stylish with endearing quirks such as right hand floor mounted gear levers and cutaway seat bases to accommodate them. Forgetting where said control is while barreling into a sharp corner in top will guarantee an entertaining bar room anecdote, should you live to tell it.

For: Character
Against: Counter-intuitive layout.
Investment potential: 3/10. Not many left in original trim like this.

1982 Lancia Gamma Coupe. You may recall my failed negotiations with old friend Buck over his Lancia Gamma Coupe. He politely demurred following my insulting offer so I can now taunt him with this one in the hope that he will finally see reason. It is missing its elegant rectangular headlights but the brown on brown colour scheme will please genuine admirers of 1980s decor and you could not get a better pedigreed car for the price.

For: Fantastic. Well, what would you expect me to say?
Against: Check behind its elegant Roman nose for botched surgery.
Investment potential: 4/10. A Pininfarina coupe for pin money.

1972 BMW 1602. I have never been tempted to name a car, finding that a spit driven string of vulgarities does just as well, so 'Molly' may have to change if I was her new owner. Still. it seems like an honest if slightly careworn example of the basic 02 BMW range and would be a rewarding weekend project. You could distract yourself by reading the original literature between buggering things up.

For: Original and unrestored.
Against: Needs more than a quick Hoovering to get right.
Investment potential: 2/10. Not the most desired model.

1970 Citroen D Special. A picture of a dusty Citroen in a darkened shed is all it takes to get Wonderboy plotting as dark eddies of high pressure green hydraulic fluid swirl about his head. He and others dream about floating across the ground in these wingless aerodynes and there is something extraordinary about them, as if the designers had somehow left all earlier constraints of engineering behind. Don't leave it too long in the shed, however.

For: If Salvador Dali designed cars...
Against: He was also fond of leaking fluids.
Investment potential: 2/10 with a maintenance burden to consider.

1987 Citroen CX Turbo 2. If the retro-futurism of a DS is a bit scary, you may want to consider its more rational CX replacement. It finally got a decent alloy engine and the Turbo version was an Autoroute rocketship with an all day cruising speed of 200KPH. No better way exists of traveling across land unless you have your own private train.

For: Cheap for what it is.
Against: Not for dawdling around town in.
Investment potential: 3/10 if common sense prevailed in the purchase of Citroens.


Call that shipping agent now...

1967 ISO Rivolta GT IR300. If you want to know what makes the Aesthete break into a febrile tremor, it is these things. Imagine a grown up Bertone Alfa GTV with a Corvette engine and you have the formula. Unlike other US/Italian hybrids, ISOs were proper production cars, well engineered and very refined. This one is attracting strong bids and looks great, even in its dilapidated condition on a trailer.

For: UNGHHRRRAGH.
Against: Nothing, sadly.
Investment potential: 2/10. Currently at NZ32K it is no longer cheap.

The Aesthete throws a stick into Trademe

...just to see if it hits anything remotely interesting. The nation's most loved and respected online trading service is going through one of its periodic lulls although Wonderboy tipped me off on the tempting build-your-own Fiat 500 Giardiniera offer that leads this week's selection. 

1960 500 Giardiniera. Here is something for those that have room in the shed and want a little winter project. The Giardiniera wagon is a prize amongst cinquecento fanciers and they are delightful alternative to an already attractive little car. You may be able to squeeze another two saloons out of the massive stock of parts that accompany it but your property may look like a 500 factory for a while.

For: Just the thing for dashing down to the flower market.
Against: Dash is purely relative.
Investment potential: 7/10 if the bidding does not become hysterical.

1993 Porsche 968 Clubsport. Hardly anyone understands the complex Porsche range of the 1990s so this 968 Clubsport remains unwanted at over 40K. Not surprising when a tired 944 Turbo can be had for 5K but this is one for the Nürburgring and not for the faint of heart. The hollow racing seats will have your giblets loosened in half a lap.

For: Sturm und drang!
Against: Not for pottering off to the shops in.
Investment potential: 2/10. Clubsport but no club anymore, sadly.

1958 Morris Traveller. Alec Issigonis waved his ugly stick hard at the Series IV Oxford range but somehow the Traveller version survived his curse and they are quite handsome. The vendor warns of corrosion but it looks fine in the photographs. I suggest a MGB engine swap and an overdrive gearbox. You could then take the overland route to anywhere you want really.

For: Oddly pleasing.
Against: I draw the line at a cardigan and cloth cap.
Investment potential: 3/10. More if you can find a toff with an estate to bounce it around on.

1982 Citroen GSA Pallas. The dash looks like an interactive display from a 1970s science exhibition explaining the creation of the universe but you do not buy a 1980s Citroen expecting anything remotely ordinary. The plastics fade into indeterminate hues and fragile trim deteriorates so wait for an unworn interior if you want perfection.

For: Gallic with a touch of madness.
Against: Wonderboy tells me they leave a mess on the floor.
Investment potential. 2/10. Go for the earlier one with the dash that looks like R2D2 having a seizure.

1967 Riley Kestral. The Riley variant of BMC's front drive saloons may not have pleased those diehards who bought the 'proper' models. Then again you did get a discrete slab of veneer with some nice instruments on it. This charming car is offered at a low price and should be snapped up by a young person keen to live a Carnaby Street sort of life in a mews flat, if we had such things.

For: Red interior. Groovy.
Against: Nothing that I can see.
Investment potential: 7/10. More if once owned by Chrissie Shrimpton.

The Aesthete surveys the far reaches of Trademe

The Aesthete's Fleet

The mornings are cool in Port Chalmers but there has not been a proper frost yet so I continue to take the Flavia into work, anticipating I will not be involved in something like the Spanish train wreck. Driving a classic most days seems perverse but leaving them in the shed also produces dire outcomes as we shall see...

1956 Chrysler Imperial. Those that have followed the blog know that the Aesthete is easily susceptible to big 1950s Chryslers. Even a terrible ruin like this is enough to have me ruminate on the consequences of another restoration project. The trouble is that dry state American cars are always on the market and why would you start with one in this condition?  Still, Hillary would not have got far up Everest with an attitude like that.

For: Picture wafting around in its brocaded interior finished with that colour scheme. Grwwwl.
Against: The trim bill alone will stop your heart. The plating will need to be posthumous.
Investment potential: 0/10. Sorry. The owner's costs for shipping it here are not our problem.

1958 Jaguar Mk VIII. You would be on safer ground here re-commissioning this splendid Jaguar that has been dry stored for twenty years. The interior is complete and looks like it would clean up nicely so that will save you 10K in outgoings straight away. The auto will stop you from doing silly race track things in it and it would make a fine car for weekend outings and other gentlemanly pursuits.

For: Check the body for the quality of the repairs but it looks fine for the price.
Against: Too complex and costly for most home restorers.
Investment potential: 6/10 if you can get it running with some oil down the bores.

1970 Mazda r100 Coupe. You may recall I went a bit queer over an early Mazda 1000 Coupe last year as I was attracted to its sweet Bertone lines and toy-like characteristics. Here it is all grown up and fitted with a rotary engine although the bland looks do not exactly fill me with liquid hot desire. The interior is great, however.

For: The thinking person's choice of small Japanese coupes.
Against: 20K for a part finished restoration. Cripes.
Investment potential. 3/10 even so.

1966 BMW 2000 CS. Oh no. It's back to torment me again. The fact that the new owner is bailing out this quickly suggests that something is wrong with this rare and gorgeous BMW that time and money cannot put right. I think it is worth the effort but I would like to have it given to me rather than handing over good money for it.

For: Close to the Aesthete's ideal car.
Against: Perhaps not this precise one.
Investment potential: 1/10 if you are lucky but that is not why we buy them.

1953 Sunbeam Mk III. The vendor points out that these are unusual cars in New Zealand where most were sold as Sunbeam-Talbot Mk IIs and IIAs. The final model picked up on the unlikely rally success of the earlier cars so you get a delightful rev counter hung from the centre of the dash and better seats. These are actually a lot of fun with their big Humber Hawk motors and cosy interiors. Great to take on the Targa if you did not care about winning anything.

For: Oddly attractive and more so in this variation.
Against: Small and cramped but also big and heavy.
Investment potential: 4/10 if the bidding does not get away.

The Aesthete tries a bit of everything off the Trademe smorgasbord

1969 Lincoln Continental Mk III. 1969 was getting towards the end of the last golden era for American automotive design which underwent an awful lingering death as the supply of cheap oil from the Middle East was cut off. Garish nose to one side, this delectable Lincoln would still look inviting outside the Casino at Monte Carlo and that is all that really matters if you are thinking of investing in a motorised bordello. You have to admit it has a certain louche charm.

For: Primrose yellow and 460 cubic inches. I feel weak with desire.
Against: People will assume you live off immoral earnings.
Investment potential: 2/10. The oil really will run out one day you know.

Morris J4 Camper. The vendor wants to swap it for a Playstation so here is your chance to take over the completion of a stylish camper conversion on a Morris J4 chassis. Sadly, it looks like it has run into something that has flattened out its already retroussé nose but if you are handy with a hammer I am sure you can put it right. You get the fridge thrown in with the purchase price, I would say.

For: We like a challenge.
Against: Your neighbours will get up a petition.
Investment potential: 3/10 if you get it for 40 dollars or less.

1958 Jaguar 3.4 Litre Saloon. I refuse to call these excellent cars Mk Is as they were never named that in period. Someone has gone doolally with the louvre cutting machine and the lurid metallic hue is all wrong but you could easily blow a flat coat of British Racing Green over it and dechrome the wire wheels for a quick Hawthorne replica. Grwwlll.

For: A good car on the way to being a great one.
Against: It is a lot to pay if you need to undo the mods.
Investment potential: On that basis, 0/10

1990 Volkswagen Corrado. As the vendor points out, you do not get to see too many of these in New Zealand although they sold well enough in Europe. This one has been hit with the contents of a tuning shop but the owner sounds like he knows what he is doing so the effect should be impressive on the road.

For: A German GTV.
Against: Breakdowns could be anticipated.
Investment potential: 2/10. A limited market here but it is attracting bids.

1979 Fiat 131R. My sortie to the hillclimb the other weekend set me thinking what I would like to drive at such an event. Unsurprisingly. the answer is an wildly tuned Italian saloon with the wind cheating properties of a municipal administration block. It all looks well prepared and I advise spectators to find a large tree to stand behind should I take the plunge.

For: They will laugh before they jump for their lives.
Against: Fastest Time of the Day will not be easy, sadly.
Investment potential: 2/10. It is a lot of money for a toy.

Right on our doorstep...

1971 Austin 3 Litre. No need to arrange a shipping container for this as it is here in New Zealand. Now, all we need is a chapter of the Young Conservative's Positive Action League that wants a suitable car to ferry bewildered Remuera voters to the polling booths come next election. You want to help that nice Mr Key, don't you?

For: The security forces will leave you alone if you drive one of these.
Against: Yemen seems positively attractive to me now.
Investment potential: 2/10. There will always be one...