The Aesthete finds a Fiat for every occasion.

The Aesthete's Fleet

The Aesthete began his affair with Italian cars with a Fiat Crusader that combined spirited performance with a permanent smell of damp carpet. Water sealing was not a strong point and the survival rate of older Fiats is much dependent on dry garaging and periodic attacks with wire brushes  and rust inhibitors. The product range extends from the most basic of transport to stately coupes so there is indeed a Fiat for every age and stage in life.

1966 Fiat 500. This mid-period 500F followed on from the D model with its rear hung doors but retained the crash gearbox that took some skill to drive smoothly. The body has received some remedial attention but amateur mechanical reassembly has resulted in some random effects that one of you should be able to sort out. Given that restored 500s are selling for twice the starting price there may be a modest profit to be had.

For: Some useful work has been done already.
Against: Of what quality, one wonders?
Investment potential: 7/10 if a bit of weekend tinkering is all that is required.

1973 Fiat 850 Spider. Rarely encountered outside Europe and America, Bertone's Spider was left hand drive only. Marcelo Gandini's sharp modernist lines are perhaps not as immediately charming as those of the fastback coupe but the easily worked top and winding windows make it a practical  prospect. Keep it dry however, as rust has rendered most of its fellows to scrap.

For:  Style in a small package.
Against: The vendor may have high expectations.
Investment potential: Unknown until the reserve is revealed.

1972 Fiat 124 Spider. Unlike the 124 coupe that was periodically restyled and became less handsome over time, Tom Tjaarda's Spider design was left alone for its lengthy life. The dip in the boot lid and pert nose frame a tightly drawn profile that was more visually balanced than Alfa's 105 series Duetto, as characterful as that car was. This one has been trimmed of the small amount of bling that it started out with although the light European bumpers do not spoil the shape at all.

For: RHD conversion and upgraded interior.
Against: No, I would not rather have an MX5.
Investment potential: 3/10. These cars have languished and are now cheaper that the coupes. It makes no sense.

1990 Fiat Uno Turbo. Your reaction to this will depend on your view of after market body kits but no one could say this Uno lacks for presence. The mini-Testarossa side strakes are hilarious of course but the vendor has curated this fast super-mini with care and I vouch that it would be a lot of fun on the road.

For: Almost worth buying a Testarossa to have in the garage as well.
Against: Nothing much that I can see.
Investment potential: 5/10 in the face of greatly diminished numbers.

2000 Fiat Coupe 2000 Turbo. Chris Bangle's Coupe could appear incoherent or gorgeous depending on your attitude to wheel openings and other traditional measures of car styling. The angled slashes remain unique to this generation of sporting Fiats and the five cylinder turbo and modest weight give it spectacular performance even today.

For: A 15 year old car that still looks like a new production.
Against: Some servicing issues with that tight Punto based engine bay.
Investment potential: 3/10 but why won't the vendor get it vin'ed himself?

On some faraway beach.

1974 Fiat 130 Coupe. Fiat had fully acquired Lancia by the 1960s and promised to desist from building large luxury coupes in order for the market to be opened for the new Gamma. What does it proceed to do but to commission a stunning formal coupe from Pininfarina and hand assemble it with the finest materials while whanging a cheap plastic interior into the Lancia?  I suspect someone was trying to curry favour with Gianni Agnelli but you can enjoy the result of the product planner's confusion here.

For: 10% of the value of a BMW. It was not so at the time.
Against: If it does need work it will not be cheap or easy.
Investment potential: 8/10 when the world wakes up.

The Aesthete catches up on his reading

The Aesthete's Fleet
Neil Young's Waging Heavy Peace reveals his attitude to cars which is different to what I imagined a rock star's collection might entail. He tends to buy and keep for a long time and the cars are markers of his rich creative life as well as his tangled personal one. The image on the flysheet is a rear view of a Jensen 541 on a dirt road so the Aesthete was hooked before the first page. By chance on Sky at the same time was AC/DC's Brian Johnson taking to Brands Hatch in a Mini Cooper after some coaching by Paddy Hopkirk. He is a very capable driver and managed a surprisingly good finish after 45 laps of the circuit.

1971 Fiat 850 Coupe. What a sheer delight these Fiats are, a fact that many buyers now recognise so I predict that bidding will be spirited for this example. Designed in-house by Mario Felice and Gian Paolo Boano who had left their own studio to work at Fiat, the 850 is at least as pretty as any Ferrari 250 or Lancia Aurelia from the same pen. Like the perfect pop song, nothing can be added to or removed that would not spoil the balance although they do look great on the Cromodora alloy wheels that were a period fitting.

For: This may be your last chance to get one for under 20K.

Against: Nothing at all.

Investment potential: 14/10 and rising.

1949 Morris Minor MM. Low light Minors are a rare sight nowadays and the tourer more so. Most were consumed by rust when their tops gave way and were not thought to be worth fixing due to the rather inadequate side valve engines carried over from the old Series E. All of this can be remedied and I would like to see one in speedster form in battleship grey with a tuned A series on black painted wire wheels. Come on, one of you.  Step forward.

For: Charm and potential.

Against: At least think about it.

Investment potential: 4/10 

1960 Porsche 356B. As the knowing vendor points out, when did you last see one for sale? They have probably doubled in price in that time, giving cottages in Kingsland a good run for the investor's dollar but we should not bitterly turn away from their considerable charms. There are few cars from the 1950s that you might seriously consider driving the length of the country but you could in one of these.

For: Looking cheap compared to a rotten doer upper in Grey Lynn.

Against: I should not give financial advice to anyone.

Investment potential. 8/10

Austin A40 Countryman. Pursuant to the Aesthete's current preoccupation with old English commercials is this charming A40 wagon that looks like it could be pulled back from the brink with a bit of effort. Whether you think it worthwhile depends on your willingness to lose money hand over fist by paying professionals to do the work. If hand painting cars was acceptable in the 1950s, I would like to know what has changed since?

For: Get out the Dulux and get started on your summer project.

Against: Yes, I know. Its got no engine. Complainers.

Investment potential: 0/10 but you would do it for higher reasons.

1990 Lancia Thema 8.32. Only cognoscenti will know that this Thema is powered by a Ferrari V8 instead of Lampredi's venerable twin cam four but the performance gain was illusory anyway. What it did have was a Wagner like soundtrack, a Poltrona Frau leather interior and a dash to rival the finest William and Mary sideboard.  The competition in the form of the Lotus Carlton has become seriously expensive so unless you can find one of those in Japan...

For: A moment of madness in Fiat central planning.
Against: I would not want to be paying the bill if something goes wrong.
Investment potential: 9/10. Only a Gandini Maserati Quattroporte V8 could be more fun.


On some faraway beach...

1966 Plymouth Barracuda. That rear window sends an acquisitive shudder through the Aesthete every time. In rare V8 manual form, the Barracuda was an uncommon sight and even more so here where Mustangs outnumber them 50 to 1. This refurbished low ownership car is languishing at less than US10K so represents a bit of a steal in my view.

For: Great rearwards aspect.
Against: Nothing really. Cheaper than a nice AP5 Valiant.
Investment potential: 2/10 but at least not in negative figures.

The Aesthete rests from his labours

The Aesthete's Fleet
We Drove Here is now open at the Hocken Library on Anzac Avenue and all readers of the blog are invited to drop in and look it over. The opening attracted a decent sized crowd and I got a chance to meet some major motoring enthusiasts including Sir Julian Smith, owner and proprietor of the Otago Daily Times, New Zealand's only independent urban daily. I was pictured gurning like a crazy person in his reputable organ the very next morning but he deigned not to know me. Oh well, fame is a fickle food, upon a shifting plate.

1975 BMW 2002. There is room to improve on this 2002 and it would be well worth someone's while to do so as they are a sure bet for the future. The vendor has obtained repair sections for the corroded parts and one hopes that the rot has not penetrated too far into the structure as BMWs were as susceptible as their Italian counterparts to falling apart on the driveway.

For: Manual and orange, two strong points in its favour.
Against: You could wait and buy a better one with the work already done.
Investment potential: Even with that caveat in mind, still 4/10.

1969 Chrysler Barracuda. I ventured down to the Kaitangata car show with Terry on Saturday and have to say I have not seen HQ Kingswoods and mullets in that variety since the halcyon days of the Thunderbird Valley Inn. This would have gone down a treat in either place as it looks like the offspring of a Valiant that has done the wild thing with a Dodge so has the right combination of the everyday and the exotic.

For: No one else will have one.
Against: Will anyone want one?
Investment potential: 2/10

1989 Citroen BX 16V. Citroen's plastique fantastique was quite something in the 1980s when this avant -garde combination of technology and exhilarating performance was offered to the same market that was being tempted by six cylinder Cortina Ghias. The high milage on this example if probably a good thing as it is disuse that is the bane of all Citroens.

For: Be in your own science fiction movie.
Against: Things will go wrong.
Investment potential: It depends exactly what does go wrong.

1950 Citroen Light 15. I have been known to be a bit churlish about these Citroens but this looks like an opportunity even to my prejudiced eye. Limited information on the condition of the car and two average photographs suggests that the vendor is not trying to impress anyone and may be open to a sensible offer.

For: Fix it and prove me wrong.
Against: I will hold my views to myself.
Investment potential: The start price is reasonable so 4/10

1957 Jaguar XK 150. I  suppose we must accept that we are in an international market place now and should not draw a sharp intake of breath when we see an XK being offered at this sort of money. It is a bit of a show pony with its louvres and bonnet straps but the sinister grey paint and black wire wheels add a desirable level of menace to the overall presentation.

For: It's not red at least.
Against: Make sure you use it.
Investment potential: 2/10

On some faraway beach...

1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina. Something for the Alfa completist wanting to make a splash at the next Latins rally is this exceedingly rare saloon variation on the more familiar Sprint coupe. It says something for the desirability of Alfa's flagship that it was handily outsold by the two door car but its looks now seem chiseled and handsome in a way they clearly did not when new.

For: Hardly seen outside Italy and not often there either.
Against: Shipping things from South Africa can be problematic.
Investment potential: 2/10 but someone will want it.

The Aesthete's Fleet
The Triumph Tiger 100 has been getting some attention as it is to be a static exhibit in the exhibition I am currently working on for the Hocken Library. You are all invited to attend if you are in Dunedin or visiting over the next few months. There is plenty of time as the show will be up until February 13. Checking the Tiger against the parts book I have for the 1966 models shows a few departures from the norm so ordering parts is a bit of a lottery. The rear wheel spindle seems to have come from something else entirely so the requisite nut to hold the whole affair in place is still missing. I have no idea when or where it disappeared so finding a replacement may be entertaining. The new grey seat looks smart, however, and I am waiting on some bars and levers which will restore correct appearance if not action.

1960 MGA Coupe. The slipper bodied MGA looks even better in fixed head form although the cabin may be a little cramped if, like the Aesthete, years of indolence have added to your girth.  Were you still limber enough to fit inside, the windup windows, heater and carpets make for a civilised ride which your long suffering passenger may appreciate if you are one of those hardy types that goes out in all weathers.

For. What a pretty car.
Against: No bargain at 36K.
Investment potential: 3/10 with rarity on its side.

Mercedes Benz 190E 2.3 16V Cosworth. The values of hot 190s are apparently climbing steeply with EVO versions selling like Renoir water lilies so this may be worth your attention. The white paint is unfortunate but in keeping with the mid-1980s trends in these matters when a white car on white wheels with white painted plastic bumpers seemed somehow to be a good idea. The Cosworth developed engine requires some upkeep but the vendor claims the car comes with a service history. Inspect carefully.

For: Raucous, quick and well built.
Against: Really needs to be metallic black again.
Investment potential: 6/10 and a lot of fun to boot.

1969 AMC AMX. American Motors did not have much to put up against the Camustango dual assault on its sales figures but its lean and dramatically cut down AMX coupe was both great looking and a track success. Show your originality then and buy this alternative pony car from the wrong side of the tracks.

For: Unusual and oddly attractive.
Against. The Rambler pedigree suppresses interest in these cars.
Investment potential: 2/10

1970 Rover 3500 P5B. The light weight Buick V8 transformed this previously stodgy car that soon became the choice of Tory despots including Margaret Thatcher. The Aesthete is obliged to recommend this fine car despite the fact that it reminds him of landing in London in the middle of the great garbage strike when rotting household refuse was piled high in the streets, thus ushering in the Iron Lady herself.

For: Bentley quality at less than Cortina money.
Against: It has rust in the sills apparently.
Investment potential: 2/10. Check this carefully. They are a big complex structure.

1986 Chevrolet Corvette C4. I can normally flick past middle era Corvettes with little effort but this glossy black example with its right hand drive specification caught my attention, as did the rock bottom starting price. It is otherwise modestly equipped with a 350 cubic inch engine and automatic transmission but the C4 was the first of the technology driven models with clever tricks like plastic springs that could provide useful ripostes when people ask you why you bought it.

For: The high school jock of cars gets smart.
Against: Still like driving a Hudson, I expect.
Investment potential: 3/10 but it depends where the bidding heads.

On some faraway beach

1975 Monica. Wonderboy may know a little more about this beautiful French grand routier, having worked withe its creator Chris Lawrence when the designer/engineer was employed by Morgan. Quite how something this complete and sophisticated was stopped after only eight production cars is a mystery. The tooling and production facility was a major investment as the Monica was intended to follow Facel Vega as the ultimate French prestige car. The shots of the interior with this listing bear out this premise.

For: No one else will have one.
Against: Low production numbers mean no parts.
Investment potential: What is such a thing worth? You Francophiles out there might provide answers.

The Aesthete resumes his duties

 The Aesthete's Fleet.

Forget the ABs. The greatest conflict of 2015 has been brought to a draw with only a slight buzz from the driveshaft left behind after weeks of work by Dennis.  The GTV is a different car now and considerably more relaxing to drive. I have been busy trying to seal it against the rain now that it has to park outside while the wreck occupies its space in the shed. Parts are being slowly recovered from it and carried away to another shed. And so we spend our lives like dung beetles, rolling piles of the stuff from one hole to another.

1961 Hillman Minx Estate. Despite a slightly raddled appearance and piebald paintwork, this Minx looks solid and usable.  I have always fancied a load carrier of this vintage although there would need to be a load to carry, other than the iPhone and mac laptop that are the Aesthete's current tools of trade. Perhaps when I take up an honest career...

For: Becoming quite rare now, I imagine.
Against: That may not turn into instant reward for the purchaser.
Investment potential: 3/10. Freshen up the paint and you never know your luck.

1957 Hudson Hornet V8 Hollywood Custom. Surely the name badge is worth 6K alone but I feel that the hapless vendor has come a cropper on Hudson's last hurrah and is trying to recover the shipping costs. There is the conundrum as the market for Hudson Hornet Hollywood Customs is probably not humming even in their country of origin. That being so, you get a Packard V8, tri-tone colour scheme and the interior is a riot.

For: Oh come on. We like an oddball.
Against: There is an immaculate example for less than 20K on Hemmings.
Investment potential: -12/10. Chinese commercial property is a better bet.

1955 Peugeot 203. More agreeable than any Light 15 you could have for the same price and the driving experience is better in my view. The 1940s streamlined looks put me in mind of Paris in the springtime and Rue des Francs-Bourgeois where the French version of hipsters dwell in roof top garrets to this day.

For: Is there a more chic way to spend 3K?
Against: I imagine you have thought of some.
Investment potential: 4/10 if there is not much to do.

1956 Jaguar Mk VII M. Big 1950s Jaguars offer value, particularly older restorations like this one where the vendor has not calculated the selling price by dredging through a huge pile of current receipts. The price of rechroming, trim and a respray would easily overtake 22K and you still have to find a decent car to buy in the first place. The automatic suits the genteel side of the Mk VII although you may find yourself wishing for a power steering conversion as well.

For: Bespoke motoring on a budget.
Against: At that price, not much.
Investment potential: 4/10

1935 Daimler 15 hp Martin Walters Wingham All-weather Cabriolet. Daimler's small six for straightened times was a gamble as the brand was associated with state limousines while Lanchester dealt with the suburban trade. They came in numerous versions thanks to the efforts of coach builders such as Martin Walters who later made the Dormobile campers to which I am unnaturally attracted. Will the vendor achieve 40K for his pile of bits? Not in a thousand years but it is jolly nice in a King's Speech sort of way.

For: Good for a toddle around the old estate during the annual grouse shoot, should you own one.
Against: 40K? Holy mother of God.
Investment potential: Bwahahahaha. Not even it belonged to King George himself.

On some faraway beach.

I looked. There is nothing apart from the Hudson and that would be repeating myself.

The Aesthete casts his net.

The Aesthete's Fleet  

The GTV returns to the long suffering Dennis to fix a list of niggling faults which appear to be the work of his charming and guileless apprentice. Loose exhaust manifold nuts, non-functional speedo and handbrake, maladjusted gear shift, that sort of thing. One of us will succumb to wounds before the Alfetta is made reliable and it will not be me.

1971 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV. Observant Alfa owning friend Terry followed the bidding on this distressed GTV which reached a rather staggering 22K when the auction concluded. But behold, here it is again turning up like the proverbial bad lira so who knows what occurred after the first attempted sale? Cold feet or did that princely offer fail to  tempt the assignees who repossessed the car in the first place? Answers please.

For: Any intact Bertone GTV would make an ideal restoration project.
Against:  But not at any price.
Investment potential: See caveats above.

1985 Lancia Volumex. The vendor is clearly a man of few words and he does not intend to waste them on us. His Lancia looks appealing though, particularly as it is the rare-ish coupe version with the clever combination of engine driven supercharger and fuel injection. So much more sophisticated than those whooping and clanging turbos so admired by the cap on backwards set.

For: Low KMs even if it has 149 on the clock and regularly exercised.
Against: Come along man, make an effort.
Investment potential: 6/10. I have long picked these fine cars to go places. Not yet, however.

1965 MG 1100. BMC's range of small cars was ingenious, both due to and in spite of their autocratic author Alec Issigonis. The MG variant featured a new cylinder head developed by Downton Engineering and produced a zingy 55 bhp. Hydrolastic suspension and disc brakes completed the specification while down at Dagenham, Ford costing engineers rubbed their hands with glee in the sure knowledge that money was being lost on each one their competitors sold.

For: 1960s chic. There is no better kind of course.
Against: Not everyone can get them right.
Investment potential: 5/10 and rising surely.

1937 Morgan 4/4. Flat radiator Morgans attract a particular owner profile for whom an MG TC would be the equivalent of wearing a knitted twinset and pearls. The sliding pillar front suspension allowed sharp steering as long as no bumps were encountered while the unusually configured 1122cc Coventry Climax engine kept performance on the safe side of the chassis' abilities.

For: Find that leather flying jacket and invite a close friend for a drive.
Against: Only the slim of hip and short of arm and leg need apply
Investment potential: 3/10. Not quite in the vintage market so a good bet for the future.

1974 Jensen Interceptor MkIII. It is impossible to  approach the qualities of a low milage car without a specialist rebuild which will cost you far in excess of the asking price. Italian styling house Touring's last hurrah was a bolt from the blue in the 1960s when it was still possible to do things with a car body that no-one had previously seen. The fishbowl rear window made every hatched competitor seem tired, even the sublime E-Type.

For: Cheap compared to an Aston or Maserati.
Against: Will you use it?
Investment potential:  5/10 with original low milage cars becoming hard to find.

On some faraway beach

1957 Fiat 600 Rendez Vous. Looking like a pedal car version of a Lancia Aurelia, the scorched engine bay of this Vignale bodied Fiat tells a frightening tale. The good part is the mechanicals are cheap and readily at hand, even on these benighted shores where Fiat Uno 55s are waiting under trees to offer up their motors. You just have to find a new rear window and I wish you good luck with that.

For: Italian coach built glamour on a simple platform.
Against: It requires a little work.
Investment potential: Fix it and see.

The Aesthete tastes victory

The Aesthete's Fleet
But it is wormwood in his mouth when the cost to fix the drive line now adds up to six times the purchase price of the car.  The final job involved swapping over the original driveshaft rubber joint from the wreck, which is of a type now unobtainable. The spare gearbox was fitted with new mountings and the oval location hole in the floor welded back into a circle again. Brakes and suspension parts were mingled promiscuously from a teetering pile of bits. It now drives as an Alfetta GTV should with no vibration, rumbles. clonks and writhing under braking.  Sadly, we cannot join the Alfa Club at Mt Cook for the AGM so the membership will be spared any incoherent ranting as the Aesthete tries to sooth his pain with strong drink.

1968 Jaguar 420. The asking price is set very low for this, the penultimate Mk II and part of the great diversity  of Jaguars swept away for the XJ6 in 1968. With a patrician prow leading the way into the small hull and finishing with the S-Type's rear wings and pinched bottom, it was the Montgomery Clift of the executive car industry but still more effective than anything thrown together by the competition.

For: A hybrid but made out of the right parts.
Against: As the old Clash song went "Who's that man, he sure looks funny? Why, that's Montgomery Clift, honey."
Investment potential: 3/10. 10K on a good paint job and you would still be on the right side.

1949 Austin A70 Hampshire Utility. The Aesthete has long hankered for an English utility and the Hampshire with its big four cylinder engine is a good starting point. The vendor has been reading the classic car press and reports a restored example selling in the UK for 40K so he is not taking a penny less than 8K for his prize. He should be reminded that we are all a long way from Blighty now.

For: Just the thing for towing your Cooper 500, should you have one.
Against: A bit of work to do which if carried out by professionals will get you to 40K in a flash.
Investment potential: 2/10 but who knows?

1982 Volkswagen Scirocco GTI. Bearing in mind the maker's current self inflicted injuries, there was never a need to fake the data on a Scirocco. Quick, smooth, reliable and rare enough to command a slow walk past on the street, Volkswagen's second generation coupe softened the folded paper Guigiaro lines of the earlier model but have aged more gracefully. And the annual peanut butter smeared lens award is won effortlessly for the vendor's views of the car in a darkened showroom.

For: Like an Alfetta GTV but without the designed in faults.
Against: Vorsprung durch fraud.
Investment potential: 4/10. With so few left it should be easy to find a buyer.

1964 Citroen ID 19. This charming Slough built Citroen features the quaint timber dash supplied so as not to frighten English buyers with the French version which looked like a scene from a foreign language space documentary. The hydro-pneumatics were preserved, however, with the system used to power suspension and brakes but not the assisted gear shift which made the DS seem even more like the work of an advanced intergalactic civilisation.

For: Even a lesser DS was ten steps ahead of everyone else.
Against: Nothing that I can see from here.
Investment potential. 4/10. They have found running water on Mars. You only need a fuel supply and some sign posted roads.

1964 Pontiac Grand Prix 455. My juvenile reading of our neighbour's pile of Playboy magazines in the 1960s was defended by my innocent interest in the car ads. Pontiacs were often beautifully rendered with the illustrator lingering over every crease and pucker in the taut skin, with particular attention to the stacked headlights and... Okay. Not so innocent then.

For: The American version of la dolce vita.
Against: Unless you are the Todd family you will pay dearly for the pleasure.
Investment potential: 1/10 but not to worry about that.

On some faraway beach...

1958 MG Magnette. What is the point of scouring the international scene just to show you something that you could acquire here? Gerald Palmer's lovely Lancia-esque saloon for the British Motor Corporation is begging for this sort of treatment but one never sees them here on wire wheels and driven enthusiastically. We must wrench them from elderly owners and start thrashing them around the streets again.

For: The best looking 1950s British saloon. There. I have said it.
Against: Only your lack of vision.
Investment potential: 8/10