Once I am done with my 86’ Mercedes I am definitely going to buy some form of fun air cooled cars/cool 60s car (Corvair, Beetle, 914, Karmann Ghia, Volvo 122, and maybe a 2002). 914s are still to be had for cheap in the US while the 2002s are getting crazy in price

 

With quite a few SL posts on the Automotive Pornography thread in recent months, I thought I'd respond with this of my local example, an '82 280:

 

The hunt for a new project continues...always had a soft spot for Alpina anything, particularly what they did with the E36.

The B3 3.0 is especially tasty.

 

The UK Alpina operation in my BMW era, (Seventies), was based at Pershore, and Brian Muir there was always very helpful - I used to sometimes get 'problem' cars to his workshop to diagnose/rectify obscure faults, (and there were plenty of those with the BMWs of those days!). Alpina versions of E9s were especially exciting to drive at that time, and a 'glow' from the Team's ETCC victory in 1970 suffused things around the Marque.

Whilst many will be most interested in Alpina's effects on engine and chassis, what about this for a well breathed-on interior:

Good luck Steve in finding the right sort of project and I hope it'll be enjoyable.

 

I really do like these little cars.
I hope I can find another one that wont have so many rust issues.
Learned a lot about them during that process though.

 

Ironic isn't it? When I worked for Alfa Romeo most people joked about the notorious corrosion, and assumed all the cars from Milan were dissolving on a day by day basis, with nothing to be done. But many really enthusiastic owners looked after their cars, did touch-in the stone chips, did bother to hose off the underside, and their cars are still alive today, resplendent at enthusiast gatherings and shows. Meanwhile, all 914s were built before Porsche's adoption of galvanizing in the mid-seventies, and for many years were generally not deemed much worth bothering with, just as X350 XJR has correctly observed. However, by now, what are left - except for the true been-in-it-30 years barnfinds - are examples either already 'rejuvenated,' ('restored' being a term used with appalling looseness), or a reasonable basis for the hosting of your own personal moneypit! I have made the mistake of over-researching the model and its quirks/problem areas, and being too picky about colour, so I think it's likely now that I'll just have to enjoy the 914 vicariously. But it is not the pseudo-Porsche many used to think it - it's a super embodiment/symbol of the times, and even just seeing one makes me feel like I'm twenty years old again. Good luck Brad - be braver (and thus happier) than me!

 

Two cars of similar(ish) hue locally today. The Escort Mk II 1.3 Ghia, an unusual survivor - it'll be 40 years old next year! Of course the Citroen is older, but just look at that swagger.

 

Drove a rally last week. (The green one is mine)

 

Just a few of the cars at Festival Italia, Brands Hatch, 18th August:

 

Snapped these awhile back.

 

I snapped this in the middle of nowhere in scotland. I always liked these hot Mondeos.

 

GT testing at Brands Hatch yesterday:

 

45 GT2RS at Fisherman’s Bend in South Australia for a customer event. Photo from Porsche Australia

 

What is the last silver car? At first I thought it was a Panoz but that’s not it.

 

Believe it or not, Marcos. And not just one:

 

Local C&C last Sunday.
Finally got a good day in the Elise.
Too much else going on. Almost no time left for cars or watches these days.
Had the great chance to “test sit” a Lotus Esprit V8. A very cool car IMO.

 

Nice! Haven't been to a good car show in a while

 

This could have just as well gone into the Automotive pornography thread!