Future classics...
Since the finer points of our LBC's are so beloved have already been
discussed, I'll cut to the chase...
1. Fiat Spyder. Also imported by Pinninfarina until 1984. These cars, in good
condition, sell in my area (CT) for as much money as a decent CB MGB. Not a
bad looking car, I've seen some around, but I've never driven one.
2. Fiat/Bertone X1/9. Great looking, a poor man's 308 GT4. A good example can
be bought cheap. Imported here until 1987. I have driven one, and it was fun,
and full of Italian character.
3. Peugeot 405 Mi16. One of the best sport sedans that Americans never
noticed. Great engine and styling, and can be bought for next to nothing.
Drove a 405S, a really fun car in the twisties. Great alternative to a 318i
or a 190E.
4. Pontiac Fiero, 1988 only. GM finally got the car right, but four years too
late. By then everyone lost interest, but the '88 Fiero could finally be
compared to my next car,
5. Toyota MR-2. Insurance is high, rust inevitable, and most have been driven
hard, but this car was right straight out of the box. Incredibly fun to
drive, and bulletproof reliability.
4. Dodge Omni/024 with the Carroll Shelby turbo package. Abysmal build
quality, sloppy ergonmics, but damn fast cars that shamed GTi's. Enough
suspension tuning to make the car fun on the backroads.
5. Mazda RX-7, Mk I. The original, before Mazda started copying Porsche
944's. Light, quick, great handler, rotary engine, original styling. A
classic.
6. 1993 Cadillac Allante. Never a real threat to a Benz SL, but like the
Fiero, GM got this car right years too late. The Northstar V-8 transformed
this car, but by then, no one cared, and everyone knew the car was being
discontinued.
7. Jaguar XJ-6 Mk III. Built through 1987, the last Olde World Jag before
Ford came in. All the original classic Jag traits, but it was a the real
thing, not a "retro yet modern" interpretation. High repair costs, but the
4.2 six has proven its worth over time. These cars are a real buy today.
8. Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce. Sexy, classic, and archaic. When the Miata came
out, America had forgotten long ago we had the Spyder all along. I owned one
as my daily driver, and loved it. Reliability was so-so, but it was a really
fun car. Talk about character, it made the Miata feel like an appliance in
comparison. And yes Miata owners, I know on a track you could run rings
around me. But my top was down all the time....hehe.
I could go on all night. The above will most likely never be worth anything,
and be nothing more than a cult car for a small devoted group of enthusiasts.
Note the Merkur clubs that have been springing up. Besides them, I see the
pre-VR6 GTi's being the BMW 2002's of its generation. Maybe the 1984-5 Ford
Mustang SVT? Some suggest the 1977 Cadillac Seville as a potential classic.
My point is, there are a number of interesting, but imperfect cars that are
out there that just never really registered with the mass of American
consumers, but in their own way are neat cars anyways.
A sure bet on a future classic lays way out of most of our price ranges.
Bentley Continental R, Ferrari F355, Aston DB-7 are all assured classic
status in a couple decades, but for the rest of us, entertain yourselves with
the quirky Alfa Romeo Milano, a Volvo 240 Turbo, '91 Lotus Elan.
Tom
///
/// mgs@autox.team.net mailing list
/// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
///
|