I’m always amazed at the number of people who include terrible, poorly lit and poorly composed photos in advertisements for cars they’re trying to sell. If you’re selling your car and trying to coax someone into spending thousands of dollars – or maybe tens of thousands of dollars – surely you can make a bit of an effort to present the car in a way that’s actually going to make the person want to see more?
This is a no, despite the effort the lady might have gone to:
You’re selling a 1984 Porsche 928 S!! It’s one of the most desirable years for a pre-S4 928 and you go and put the car in the shadows with a woman next to it? Are you trying to sell your car or your girlfriend?
This is a no. Get some even light so you get an even shot. An interior shot from 8 feet away is meaningless.
Wait a minute……
Instead of showing you examples of bad photography, why not just show you the photos from someone who’s done a fantastic job presenting their car in the best light?
Truth be told, I’m doing this post partly because I wanted a reason to save these photos and present them on the website. They’re that good. But I’m also a firm believer that good photos take only a little extra effort but provide a huge boost to an online car ad.
The following example is from an Ebay ad selling a Volvo P1800. What the seller has done is wait for the right time of day for the right light, and they’ve shot the car in settings that show it off nicely. They let you see the details you need to see and they’ve conveyed a spirit befitting the car’s design and presence.
These guys are obviously pros, with access to a good camera and specilised settings such as the turntable. But it doesn’t take that much effort and/or equipment to get good quality photos in your local area.
A big THANKYOU to all who participated in sharing the contents of your garage. It was great to see the variety of vehicles and the extent of people’s collections.
I think we might have to do this again in the future, but perhaps in a more organised way.
Anyway, thanks a bunch. It was a lot of fun.
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968 Update
Let’s start at home…..
My 968 ClubSport is in the shop right now, getting the some uprated suspension parts fitted – the famed Porsche M030 option. I ordered all the M030 suspension components except for the front dampers as my car already has coilovers in the front. So we’ve got sway bars front and rear, dampers and springs on the rear as well as all the associated bushes, etc.
That’s good news in itself.
The even better news is that the bloke who’s doing the work is outstanding!! I’m so pleased to have found someone who knows this model of car and is so friendly and happy to pass on his knowledge.
He called me today because I asked him to adjust the ride height on the car (it was riding too low at the rear). We thought this adjustment would involve manipulation of the torsion beam at the back. Nino fitted the new rear suspension and that alone raised the rear of the car so he wanted me to come in and see it. Adjusting the torsion bar was going to involve days of work, which equates to a LOT of $$$ and he wanted to avoid this cost unless I really wanted it done.
I called in there today and the car looks great. We took it for a quick spin and it feels great, too. Nino has to do some final tightening-up of various bits and the car will be ready to go. I’ll pick it up on Friday – and I can’t wait!!
Don’t you love it when you find a mechanic that knows your car and looks after you? I couldn’t be happier.
And for any Tasmanian Porsche owners reading this, you probably already know who I’m talking about. It’s Bocchino Motors in Albert Road, Moonah.
It’s been about five years since Old GM morphed into the sinewy paragon of corporate efficiency known as New GM. While I don’t really weep for the axed nameplates — a brand is 10 percent history and 90 percent marketing artifice — there are a few specific vehicles from Saab, Saturn, and Hummer that I’m really starting to miss. And, as the Chevrolet SS née Pontiac G8 proves, New GM can revive a dead car if it feels like it. Join me, then, in my petition to resurrect three machines that deserve to ride again…….
……Saab 9-3 Turbo X SportCombi. Raise your hand if you like the idea of a 280-hp, turbocharged, all-wheel-drive wagon with a manual transmission and rear-axle torque vectoring. That mouthful of car-nerd nirvana describes the late 2008–2009 Saab 9-3 Turbo X SportCombi, a sharp-handling hatch that proved Saab could build a competitive car, just in time for Saab to build nothing at all.
See, that’s some very clever wordsmithing towards the end there, but I think Ezra’s missing the point.
Solution: Bring the Turbo X back as a Chevy, with cloth seats and a ,000 sticker, to battle the Ford Focus ST. In the company’s final years, the Saab badge was desperately slapped on other GM vehicles. Poetic justice demands that the badge engineering go in the other direction one final time.
There’s nothing that’s either poetic or just about this proposal.
Justice is where someone pulls the plug on GM just when it’s developing good models (which means that it’ll never happen). Justice is GM falling on its sword as Saab rises like a ……..a …… Phoenix to take its rightful place as the manufacturer of very pleasant and occasionally racy Swedemobiles. Justice is Bob Lutz working as a bathroom attendant in the mens room at Saab’s offices in Trollhattan (and those mens rooms weren’t shiny, new and fresh-smelling, I can assure you).
Justice might be blind, but I’ve got 20/20 vision and I know damn well who sucked the life out of our favourite Swede.
So yeah, bring the Turbo X back, but bring it back with a griffin proudly emblazoned down the side of the car with a FUGM93 plate on the front. Put some monster truck wheels on it and crush a fleet of Cadillacs right before parking it in front of the Ren-Cen and inflating a giant middle finger out of the sunroof.
To paraphrase the taunting Frenchmen from Monty Python’s Holy Grail – the Saab world farts in GM’s general direction!!
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Saab – part 2
I’m not sure what’s more sad: that the Swedish debt collectors are now moving in on NEVS, or that few news outlets or people really seem surprised, let alone care.
I guess this is why NEVS employed a “say nothing” PR strategy. But the lack of interest when the fit’s hitting the shan is symbolic of what they’ll face if they ever get out of this mess and start building cars again.
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Murray Walker
When I get a spare hour, I’m going to sit down and watch this documentary on the greatest voice in Formula 1 history – Murray Walker.
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Le Mans
When I get another spare hour, I’m going to really drink in this amazing post from FlatSixes.com, which details their trip to the 24 hours of Le Mans.
A great story with outstanding pictures, too.
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Porsche 914
It’s articles like this that are going to keep pushing up the price of cars like the Porsche 914.
In all, Ray Nadda of Allendale, Michigan, figures he’s had 97 or 98 different cars over the years – British cars, Italian cars, American cars, you name it – and he’s sold every single one of them. Every one of them, that is, except for the 1974 Porsche 914 2.0 that he’s now owned for 26 years.
“A couple times over the years I thought about selling it, but this is the one car I can’t ever bring myself to get rid of,” he said. “Living in Michigan, I have to put it away every winter, but when I get it out of the garage again, it’s like having a brand new car every spring.”
You used to be able to pick up a 914 for under $10,000 here in Australia a few years ago. Now they’re starting at minimum $15K and only seem to go up from there.
I think my mate Mats, in Sweden, did well picking one up when he did. It’s mid-restoration right now and is going to be a cracking car when he’s finished.
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Unknown Lamborghini
I’m not the type to delve into every offering by every carmaker. As large as my cranium is, there’s only so much room in there and I’m too busy enjoying the cars I know to search too long and hard for ones I don’t know.
But it’s always a pleasant surprise to see a car you don’t know from a brand that you do know.
UPDATE! – Everything works better with photos. If you’d like me to include a photo with your comment then send a picture to swade99-at-gmail-dot-com and I’ll weave some magic and include the pic(s) with your comment.
Check out some of your fellow reader’s rides in comments below. Outstanding!!!
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When I posted my question a few days ago – What’s your ideal 4-car garage? – I was rather amazed at the number of people who already have a very nice collection going.
So my question for today – how many cars have you already got in your ‘garage’? I use the term ‘garage’ but of course, the car(s) don’t have to reside indoors. My wife and I have three between us, for example – the Saab 9000 Aero, the 968 and the Brumby – but only the 968 is properly garaged.
I guess the main criterion is that it’s a car you care about. For our place:
The 968 is self explanatory.
The Saab 9000 Aero has been a source of some frustration and it doesn’t get looked after like it should, but it IS a Saab I wanted to own for a long time and it does seem to be running pretty smoothly (even with some frustrating malfunctions)
Some wouldn’t care about a Subaru Brumby, but then they’re probably not a Brumby owner. These humble little utes steal your heart. Mine’s going to get a little pampering soon.
So…. census time.
How many have you got and if you feeling like sharing a little info (makes, models, favourite bits) then please feel free.
Today was the first Sunday of the month and after a few months away on family visits, it was great for me to get back to Classics By The Beach.
And what a day! We had some terrible weather in Hobart last week, but it’s almost as if the weather gods were trying to get the bad stuff out of the way early so that Sunday would be perfect. And it was. In fact, the conditions were so good that today was quite possibly the biggest attendance I’ve seen at Classics.
You know things are busy when you can’t get parking for your Ferrari! There was a Lamborghini Uracco parked in an overflow car park, too.
I’ve got a mega-gallery on site for you today, with a few special cars to show in slightly more detail.
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Fords!
The Classic Ford Car Club was present today with a nice collection of Mustangs, 60’s and 70’s Falcons and very nice singular examples of both the Cortina and Escort.
That’s 400hp of Bling!
Click to enlarge.
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Jensen
Apologies are in order….
The hood and hatch were both up when I was chatting with Nigel, the owner of this Jensen Interceptor, and I forgot to go back and get photos of the exterior before he left. All of which creates the perfect excuse to catch up with him again and maybe accompany him on a drive to a nice photogenic spot 🙂
The Interceptor’s been in Nigel’s family since his Dad bought it in the late 1980’s. After a lot of recent work, the car was finally re-registered for use on the road just last week and Nigel plans to drive it as often as he can. Lucky he’s got the one with the small, economical engine – at just 6.3 litres 🙂
Inside is like a 1970’s gentleman’s club but without the funky colours or the shagpile carpeting. It’s pure comfort in classic black. The only repair considered necessary is one of the seams in the black leather driver’s seat. The rest of the inside has a genuine 40-something-year-old patina that’s just fantastic.
More to come on this one. Count on it.
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De Tomaso Pantera
I can’t get enough of this 70’s supercar. It’s in such amazing condition. I followed it from two cars distance on the road to Classics this morning and the sound, even at a staid 50 km/h, was just magic.
I only took a few photos today because there was so many cars to see, but I tried to capture a few details. Again, the promise of things to come.
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Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce
I hope I’ve got the naming right on this one.
I’ve photographed this Spider before, but the conditions and space are never quite right to capture the true beauty of this car. The car is owned by the same guy who has the amazing Riley I photographed earlier this year. Yes, he has superb taste in cars 🙂
As with the aforementioned Riley, the beauty is in the minutiae. The flowing Pininfarina curves are just sumptuous and everywhere you look there’s a pleasant little detail waiting to delight you. Nobody does this stuff quite like the Italians.
And by the way….
I learned today that you can tell a genuine Veloce by the little air channel in the right-side grille (body coloured). It funnels air directly up to the carbies. Many try to fabricate this on their ‘Normale’ models but few get the finish of the genuine article.
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Special BMW’s
There were a pair of very, very nice BMW’s there today.
The first was a black JPS edition E21 323i. A genuine article, with all the right badging on the wheels, interior and C-pillar. The second was a beautiful orange BMW 2002 ’roundie’, which I’ve photographed before.
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Fiat X1/9
I have a real crush on the Fiat X1/9 at the moment. People keep telling me that they’re somewhat underpowered but I refuse to believe it because they look absolutely flawless. How could you not love this?
X1/9’s are still quite affordable, but where they ranged from around $2,000 to $8,000 a year or so ago, the price has crept up a little lately and they’re starting around $5,000 and going up to double that amount. You’ll probably pay even more for a Bertone-built model.
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VW Flat Tray
Do you ever get the feeling that old Volkswagens have transcended themselves? Think about it. This company made millions and millions of funny-looking cars that were little more than simple, robust transportation machines bought by millions of people. But they were so robust that they formed the centrepiece of a billion road-trip memories and they were so simple that they were easy to customise. These simple, some might say inelegant machines, are now incredibly cool and can be worth much more than a car built in such massive numbers could reasonably expect to be.
Which leads me to this VW, which I have to assume is a customised Type II Flatbed. It rates an 11 on the funky scale. Just check out the flappy windshields 🙂
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Austin-Healey Sprite
We see a few AH’s at Classics but very few Sprites. They’re a delight to photograph and from why my friend Ken tells me, even more fun to drive.
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The rest
Alfas, Rolls Royce, MG.. even a Buick 8 with the interior-of-the-day – they’re all here.
There were SO MANY cars here today. I got to Sandy Bay in my 968 around 9:30am and cars were still rolling up at around 11am. I think a lot of people made late decisions to come down when they saw how good the conditions were.
Another outstanding Classics made great by the cars and the people who brought them along.
We’ve been house-hunting recently. Not for an ideal 4-car garage. Just for a house, but hey…..
We thought we’d found a good one, too. If we’d gone ahead and bought it, this would have been my garage/workshop 🙂
That would have been nice. Sadly, for various reasons, it just didn’t turn out to be the place for us.
All that leads me to today’s question – what real-world vehicles would you put in your ideal 4-car garage?
I include “real-world” there deliberately. I think I’ll eventually be able to fill up the space with four cars that are genuinely interesting for me, but that will involve a restricted budget. This is not an exercise in “what would I buy if I won the lottery?” I’m trying to be more realistic than that.
My current thinking – which is always subject to change – is that it’d be great to have a car from each the following countries:
Germany
Italy
France
Sweden
I’ve already got my German car, even though I may have to sell it to help finance the build. Hopefully not. If that has to happen, though, I’d try to pick another P-car up one day.
Italian? I’ve been yearning to add a Lancia Fulvia to my life and hopefully one day that will happen. A variety of Alfa’s (with most of them being very affordable) could more than fit the bill until then.
French? This is the most marginal of the possibilities, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a DS? And there’s always the RenaultSport offering.
Swedish? There are many, many possibilities and I’m not limiting my interest to things made in Trollhattan. My goal remains to get a Sonett at home one day, but a Volvo P1800 or even an Amazon would be great, too.
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Writing this down makes me realise that four car spaces is nice, but six would be better 🙂 . I sold my Mazda MX-5 a few years ago knowing that I’d underdone my MX-5 experience. And it’d be nice to have a sporty convertible and do a real custom job.
And where to put the Jag? And does all this mean I have to sell the Brumby??!!
Darn it. We always need room for more, don’t we?
So…….
If you have 4 spaces (and you haven’t had 4 spaces before), how would you fill those spaces? Realistic options, please, though if your realistic options mirror the “what would I buy if I won the lottery?” scenario, then more power to ya!
The cars and the expected selling prices before the auction were as follows:
Porsche 924 ‘Turbo’ – est $5,500
Volvo P1800 Coupe – est $12,000
Citroen ID 19 – est $17,500
Alfa Romeo Spider – est $12,000
Fiat 500 Garidiniera Wagon – est $17,500
Citroen Light 15 Sedan – est $20,000
Rover Mini Cooper ’40′ – est $17,500
Jaguar Mk II – est $29,000
Porsche 928S – est $12,500
Porsche 911SC Cabriolet – est $37,500 (I think, didn’t write it down)
Renault-Alpine A110 – est $105,000
That’s an estimated total of $286,000 plus the same again to buy some land a shed to house them.
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The auction was held earlier this week. So how much did the fleet sell for in the real world? And how accurate were Shannons’ estimates?
Note: the estimate I originally quoted was the mid-point, or median, of the estimated range they provided. I’ve put in this median figure, along with the top level of the range, in order to compare the final price achieved.
So let’s take a look.
Shannons Winter Classic Car Auction 2014
CAR
MEDIAN ESTIMATE
UPPER RANGE ESTIMATE
SALE PRICE
Porsche 924
$5,500
$7,000
$4,750
Volvo P1800 Coupe
$12,000
$12,000
$10,500
Citroen ID 19
$17,500
$20,000
$17,000
Alfa Romeo Spider
$12,000
$14,000
$20,000
Fiat 500 Garidiniera Wagon
$17,500
$20,000
$22,000
Citroen Light 15 Sedan
$20,000
$25,000
$25,700
Rover Mini Cooper ’40′
$17,500
$20,000
$20,500
Jaguar Mk II
$29,000
$32,000
$34,000
Porsche 928S
$12,500
$15,000
$17,500
Porsche 911SC Cabriolet
$37,500
$40,000
$42,500
Alpine A110
$105,000
$120,000
$110,000
Total
$324,450
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It turns out Shannons are pretty good with their range estimates, from a seller’s point of view, at least. All cars reached the bottom figure in the estimated range and most of these cars exceeded the top level of the range.
The biggest outlier is the Alfa Spider, a whole $6,000 over the top estimated price. It must have been in better condition than they thought (either that, or you had a couple of bidders that really wanted this car).
It’s a nice little study in confidence levels for future auctions.
Now, to start saving those dollars for the next time there’s a huge collection of cars that I actually want to buy!
One day there’ll be a Fulvia at one of these auctions…..
My wife and I planned a 2-week road trip up the east coast of Australia for September/October 2013. We live in Hobart, the capital of the island state of Tasmania, to the south of the Australian mainland. Our plan was to drive from the southernmost mainland capital – Melbourne – and follow the coast as far as Newcastle with an inland detour to our national capital, Canberra, along the way.
The plan-within-the-plan was for me to head to Melbourne a few days before our scheduled departure to test drive a couple of 944’s – an S2 and a Turbo. I was born in 1970 so whilst the 911 was always seen as the pinnacle of the Porsche family, the front-engined water-cooled 944 of the 1980’s was the must-have exotic European on the streets during my teenage years.
I didn’t want to rely on a new-to-me car for our family holiday so I planned to choose my preferred Porsche, work through the negotiations and then pick up the right car on our way home.
I drove the S2 first and I was super impressed. The owner had put much of the M030 pack into the car, plus Porsche’s limited slip diff. I’d driven an early 944 8-valve but this was my first time in a 16-valve and the difference was like night and day. The 3.0 litre was incredibly responsive and had torque by the trouser-load. The LSD and big brakes meant that cornering and stopping were just as much a feature as the acceleration. I was hooked.
I also drove the turbo. On the downside, it needed a lick of paint. On the upside, it was a turbo, it had sports seats, a great history and it was a few thousand dollars cheaper than the S2.
Driving the turbo was great because it confirmed to me how much I loved the S2. I’m not a petite guy, so the sports seats dug in a little too much for my liking. I’m well accustomed to turbocharged cars but the lag in the 944 Turbo and the relatively sloppy response of the 8-valve engine just didn’t do it for me. It was a great car, but just not for me.
A few phone calls and several nervous hours later, I’d negotiated the purchase of my first Porsche – a 1989 Porsche 944 S2 with Guards Red paint and a black leather interior. My wife and I left on our driving holiday with me feeling over the moon, anticipating our return just as much as the holiday itself.
We returned on a Sunday, two weeks later. I was relaxed and excited to put the icing on my holiday cake. My wife flew home to Tasmania and I’d already made a booking to bring the car home on the overnight ferry on Tuesday night.
On the Monday, I went to the S2 seller’s house to take a final drive and conclude the sale. The car was just as I’d seen it two weeks before. I drove it again – fantastic, again – and we finished my second test drive at the bank, where I had a bank cheque drawn to buy the car.
As we got back to the seller’s house, I remembered one final inspection tip that I’d read online – throw a bucket of water over the rear window to make sure it doesn’t leak. Those big glass hatchbacks are quite heavy and if the hinges are worn or stretched, the water can leak through to the rear cargo deck. We got a bucket of water, threw it over the back of the car and sure enough, water was streaming inside the car.
I was gutted. I’d fallen in love with this car. I was finally going to buy one of my teenage dream cars but the opportunity was being ripped away.
This might seem like a feeble reason to back out of a purchase but let me explain something about Porsche prices in Australia. You can pick up a first-series 944 pretty cheap here – around $5,000. At the time of writing, that’s around $4,500 US. You’ll be buying problems at that money, but you can pay that little if you want to. A 944 turbo starts around $15,000 and I’ve seen them sell as high as $30,000. Most S2’s are between $20,000 and $25,000.
I’d negotiated a deal at around $18,000 for the leaky S2 and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to pay nearly 20-large for a car I can’t wash without needing a snorkel and flippers next time I get into it. I didn’t want to have to worry about whether this problem could be economically fixed at that money, either. I’m sure it could, but I didn’t want to deal with that.
It was extremely disappointing and very, very hard to walk away from a very decent guy with an otherwise wonderful car but there were other, better cars out there.
I draw your attention once again to the fact that this happened on a Monday and I had a ferry trip booked to head home on Tuesday night. It was just after lunchtime on the Monday when I called my sister and asked her to pick me up as I was unexpectedly carless.
Here’s where your textbook guide on how NOT to buy a Porsche kicks in. I had just over 24 hours to find a vehicle and of course, having waited and saved my money so hard for so long, there was no way I was going to get on that ferry without a Porsche.
The only other reasonable 944 in Melbourne at the time was the turbo I’d already dismissed, so that was ruled out. Flying interstate and getting back in time for the ferry might have been a possibility, but only if things worked out exceptionally well. I was not inclined to tempt fate that way. My only option seemed to be trading up – checking out the two 968’s that were for sale in Melbourne at the time.
I tried both owners but only one of them was immediately available to talk on the phone. His car was a Porsche 968 ClubSport, built in September 1994. The car was in proper ClubSport Spec with no electric anything, no rear seat, etc. The only concessions to comfort are A/C and a two-speaker stereo. One of the common problems with ClubSports is that people bought it because it had the trendy badge. It was cheaper and lighter than a regular 968 but that’s because it was de-contented. Many of the trendy buyers went ahead and picked all the heavy items from the options list to make the car more comfortable.
Anyway, I spoke to the seller at around 3pm and while the car was located nearby, it was stored at his son’s house and the owner himself lived a few hours away. The son wasn’t available to show me the car and the Dad couldn’t get into town that afternoon. We made an appointment for 10am on the Tuesday – the day of my scheduled departure. This was cutting things finer than I was comfortable with but I wasn’t in a position to make much in the way of demands.
The one good outcome was me negotiating a reasonable discount on the asking price over the phone, before I’d even seen the car. I didn’t want to waste neither his time or mine if we couldn’t agree on price (assuming the car was in good condition). I mentioned 944 prices earlier. You can add around 30% on the price of an S2 for a 968 in Australia. I hadn’t budgeted on spending $30K for a car, especially one that I hadn’t even conceived of buying just a day before. And yet……
I bought the car in an hour.
The owner was a wonderful older man who’d obviously done well for himself over the years. He had a 996 for regular use and the 968 was his track car. He’s spared no expense on making it suitable for his needs, nor had he skimped on maintenance. The engine had a full rebuild in 2009 and there was an invoice for $15,000 to prove it. There was a lot more spent at other times during his ownership, too.
The car presented beautifully and the extra kick from the 968’s Variocam engine was evident straight away. The handling was even better than I’d imagined and he’d had a high-end sports exhaust fitted, one that gave the car one of the rarest things – a decent sounding 4-cylinder Porsche exhaust note.
I have a couple of maxims that I like to invoke when I buy a car. One of those is to buy the best version of a given car that you can afford. You’ll forget about the extra money eventually but if you accept a lesser target than the one you were aiming for, you’ll be thinking about the car you should have bought for a long time after.
It wasn’t my intention to buy a Porsche 968 ClubSport at all and it was a stretch to do so, but I’m so glad I did. I would have been pretty pleased with that S2 I nearly bought (until it rained heavily, at least) but I’m super-pleased with the 968CS.
I know that I got lucky and I wouldn’t recommend anyone else doing what I did. I bought out of perceived desperation but my instincts told me this was a very good car from an extremely conscientious owner.
My advice: don’t try this at home. Not unless you really, really have to.
The more I see, the more I want to go French. In a glorious era of motoring when cars were actually different from one another, there were few carmakers more different than those fabriqué en France.
The French Car Club of Tasmania, along with the Citroen Car Club of Tasmania, brought a few cars along to Salamanca today. I took some time out from our market stall to have a look.
Apologies in advance for the iPhone pics. The camera is a compromise to begin with and it wasn’t helped by our long winter shadows.
All three French majors were there – Citroen, Peugeot and Renault – and the cars were a mix of old and new. Some of the new cars were supplied by local dealers, but there were a few privately owned newbies, too. This is a refreshing change from the typical car club display that focuses on classics only. It’s nice to see fans of both old and new models enjoying their favoured marques together.
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A trio of Peugeots posing together. I know there’s a few 205 GTi’s in Hobart but sadly, none of them were there today.
Some of the modern Renaults on site…..
Starting with the new RenaultSport Megane 265 (as in 265hp)
The new RenaultSport Clio, which is causing some waves among purists by being both turbocharged and flappy-paddle automatic. It still goes like stink, though.
This one’s closer to my budget: the RenaultSport Megane from a few years ago, with a 2.0 litre turbo, 6-speed manual and 225hp. Nicknamed “the bum” for obvious reasons.
This middle-age Laguna came with the rare infant option in the back…..“let me outta here!”
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Here’s a Renault I hadn’t seen before – a Caravelle.
The Caravelle was a coupe/cabriolet version intended to complement the Dauphine on which it was based. It was made from the late 1950’s to the late 1960’s. Renault wanted something to compete with Volkswagen’s uber-successful Beetle and Renault felt that a cabriolet would lift the company’s image, especially in the USA. (The cynical amongst you might suggest that reliability would have been a better way to enhance to the company’s reputation in the 1950/60’s, but I digress).
It didn’t help Renault topple VW, but it’s a pretty car and I’m glad they made it. I wish I could show you the interior but the window was up and the reflections from the glass prevented me from getting a decent photo.
The reason I love European cars, especially those from yesteryear, is the details. Like a shield-shaped side indicator lens, for example, instead of the usual circle, square, or oval.
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A Renault 12 wagon to take me back to my youth (Mrs Murray, our neighbour, used to have a R12 sedan)…..
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For me, this Renault 4CV was the star of the Renault contingent. Maybe the star of the show, actually.
Check out the curve of the floorpan in the door opening. I love French cars.
The owner bought the car second-hand in 1968 and only ‘recently’ finished getting the car up to the standard he wanted (I suspect the information sheet, which mentioned the recent completion of the car, was itself quite a few years old). The major rebuild started in 1999. Can you imagine starting a major rebuild having owned the car for 31 years already? That’s dedication.
A standard 4CV had a 750cc engine. This is not a standard 4CV anymore. It now has a 1397cc engine from a Alpine Renault 5 and numerous suspension and braking components from an R10 to get the extra power to the ground.
As I said before, it’s the details that make a car interesting sometimes, like the tricolour reflectors…..
….. and my favourite detail, the brightwork around these air vents between the back door and the rear wheel arch. The vents are presumably to allow cooling air into the engine bay at the rear. The brightwork features the Renault diamond:
I managed to capture a quick video of the car leaving the display later in the day. It’s always nice to see/hear a car in motion.
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To the Citroens, then…..
I didn’t take any notes on which Goddesses where there today, but there were a few of them with their more modern derivatives, too.
Here’s the whole bunch:
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I like the new DS3. It’s got loads of character on the outside and the interior trim (no photo) looked pretty swish, too.
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The pick of the Citroens for me, aside from the classic Goddesses, of course, with this 1951 Light 15. It looked absolutely fantastic and is for sale for just under $13,000. That’s got to be the best presented cheap entry into classic motoring around. Amazing.
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So there you have it – the highlights of the French car show for 2014. There’s a lot to like about the French.
They certainly like doing things a little different – even today – which in the occasionally sleepy world of the automobile is a refreshing change.
There are a lot of classic car auctions these days, and there’s always something of interest in them. Problem? Most of the auctions that really pique one’s interest are in places far away and selling cars that only gazillionaires can afford.
The Shannons Melbourne Winter Auction is an exception. I’d still need to be a gazillionaire to justify buying everything I’d love to own, but this is the first local auction where there’s been so many interesting cars coming up for sale at one event.
I’ve pegged the prices mentioned below based on the middle of the expected price range published by the auctioneer. If I had a spare $250,000 laying around, here are the cars I’d buy:
(the last one is – by far – the most exciting)
1982 Porsche 924 Turbo
Price: $5,500 (est $4K – $7K)
OK, I wouldn’t buy this actual car. It’s not a genuine 924 Turbo.
It’s a 924 with an automatic transmission that’s had a big turbo bolted on, as well as a 944 head, 944 brakes, 928 cooling and power steering. The only real downside is the automatic. Otherwise this could well be an interesting car (and yes, I find 924 Turbos interesting).
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1971 Volvo P1800E Coupe
Price: $12,000 (est $10K – $12K)
If you can find someone who genuinely doesn’t like the Volvo P1800, kick them in the nuts. This is one of the most desirable 60’s-70’s cars there is. It’s sleek, it’s stylish and best of all, it’s Scandinavian. It oozes character and a 3-million-mile version of it in the US tells you that if you look after the P1800, it’ll look after you.
On that note, this particular P1800 needs some looking after. The pre-purchase inspection report says the motor is smoky and various electrical items are non-operational. Given that P1800’s usually sell at around $20K, this seems to be factored into the expected price range.
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1960 Citroen ID19
Price $17,500 (est range $15K – $20K)
The ID range of Goddesses was a lower-cost version of the better known DS badge. So this car looks like a Goddess and has the famed suspension system but it has less power and less equipment.
The pre-purchase report says this is a good one. The hydraulics are working and the car performed well on it’s test drive. There’s a small oil leak and the bodywork shows the cars age, but is solid. In the collector car world, that’s known as patina. The description claims this car is a recent show winner, too.
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1974 Alfa Romeo Spider
Price: $12,000 (est range $10K – $14K)
The pre-purchase report says it’s running well, but with paint blemishes and some under-body surface rust. The interior looks magnificent, though.
I expected the price range to be a little higher, to be honest. Classic Alfas are starting to move and the Spider is one of those desirable models that’s never going to go out of style.
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1960 Fiat 500 Garidiniera Wagon
Price: $17,500 (est range $15K – $20K)
If I told you a classic car had minor underbody surface rust and a minor engine oil leak, you’d say that’s par for the course. If I told you it was Italian, you’d say it was completely normal. Such is the case here.
You wouldn’t want to live in a hilly place as this car only has a 2-cylinder engine, but then it weighs as much as a can of cat food. And speaking of cats, it really is the automotive equivalent of a whole internet full of kittens, isn’t it? The cute-factor is almost overwhelming.
The only downside is the speaker installation in the rear door. What a cock-up!
Extra pictures, here. This car deserves it.
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1948 Citroen Light 15 Sedan
Price $20,000 (est range $16K – $20K)
Like the 924 Turbo, above, this is a car that I would not seriously consider buying but only because I don’t have much use for, or appreciation of, such an old vehicle. But take a look – it really is hard to resist even if only as a work of art.
The inspection report says it presents beautifully inside and out and drives as good as it looks. The downside includes a number of electrical faults that would have to be fixed in order for the car to be registered.
But wow. Just wow.
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1999 Rover Mini Cooper ’40’
Price $17,500 (est range $15K – $20K) but it’s selling with no reserve, so it could be had for less.
My mate Gavin will kill me for not knowing much about this. Rather than pretend to, I’ll just post the pictures and say this looks like a nice ‘recent model’ Mini for the money.
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1964 Jaguar Mk II
Price $29,000 (est range $26K – $32K)
Could this be the ultimate gentleman racer? The bargain of the auction? Yes and no.
From the description and the inspection report (“Not tested to full capabilities – test drive reveals enormous potential”), this is one cracking old Jag that’s built to perform and a history file to prove it’s accomplishments.
The downside: you won’t be able to drive it on the road as it has a full CAMS-approved roll cage. You’ll have to be a dedicated track-day helmsmith to enjoy this one.
A veteran of two Targa Tasmania events, in 1996 and 1997, this well known Jaguar Mark II has subsequently been rebuilt to Group Nb specification for circuit racing and club events by the current owner. The car underwent a comprehensive body restoration, with the shell strengthened and a full CAMS-approved roll cage installed. The engine is an over capacity 3.8 unit, with billet steel crank and rods, forged pistons, special oil pump and special billet cams. Properly balanced, the motor has a specially fabricated inlet manifold and triple 45DCOE Webers on an extensively modified B-series cylinder head, all cooled by an aluminium radiator. The gearbox is a Needham close-ratio straight cut unit and brakes are 3 pot callipers all round, with competition pads, the car has a limited-slip diff with adjustable Watts linkage and modified lower arms plus extensively reworked suspension, with Pedders shock absorbers.
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1986 Porsche 928S
Price – $12,500 (est range $10K – $15K)
What can I say? I’ve grown to love watercooled Porsches. This is a very clean ‘S’ and the inspection report lists no faults and a meticulous history. If that’s true, then the expected price is very good value because 928’s are (finally) starting to increase in value here.
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1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet
I’ll mention this one because I love the color – it reminds me of the Marble White used on my old Saab 99 Turbo – but this is not one that I’d actually buy.
I’d prefer a hardtop (or a targa) over a convertible.
Non-turbo car with turbo badge shows questionable judgement by previous owner that has to reflect poorly on vehicle history.
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1972 Renault-Alpine A110
Price $105,000 (est range $90K – $120K)
This is the reason we’re here. This is the car that really made me sit up and take notice of this auction. It’s in the pantheon of long-term wish lists, the very definition of desirability.
I’ll shut up. Here’s a 5-minute video that actually features the car that’s being offered for sale.
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I’d prefer it in plain blue, without all the racing stripes and decals. The inspection report is clean. Just get in, drive and enjoy.
The Alpine A110 is pretty rare in world terms. Having one for sale in Australia – especially one in such great condition – is truly rare. I wonder how much I can get for a kidney?
How stratospheric can a single car’s price go? Not only is this a genuine Porsche 917, it’s a Porsche 917 with actual race history. And not only is it a genuine Porsche 917 with race history, it was also used in a famous film about racing – Le Mans. And not only is it a Porsche 917 with genuine racing history and a famous film role, it was driven in that film by none other than Steve McQueen.
It’s fair to say that there are few cars in existence with such a distinguished and storied history. There are plenty of recognisable movie cars in the world, but the level of respect attached to this car puts it on another level all together. It’s the real deal.
Maybe we should have a nearest-the-pin style competition to guess the eventual selling price? The car will go under the hammer at Gooding & Co’s Pebble Beach Auction on August 16-17.
Here’s the press release:
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A Legendary Motor Sport Icon Set to Cross the Auction Block at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 23, 2014) – Gooding & Company is thrilled to announce the addition of the 1969 Porsche 917K, chassis 917-024 (estimate upon request), featured in the film Le Mans (1971) to its Pebble Beach Auctions on August 16 and 17. The anniversary of the US release of Le Mans (1971) on June 23 in 1971 makes this a truly historic announcement. Set in the golden age of the sport, the film is one of most watched and revered racing motion pictures ever made. Le Mans (1971) features a cast of racing glitterati, including actor Steve McQueen, and a host of extraordinary race cars. 917-024 takes center stage at the height of the action as the Gulf 917 that claims the checkered flag in the film.
David Gooding, President: “917-024 is one of the most significant and recognizable racing cars ever to come to public auction, and we are thrilled to present the legendary Gulf 917 Porsche.”
Porsche designed and built the famed 917 model in the late 1960s to claim outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Forming the foundation of this car is an incredibly lightweight aluminum space-frame chassis fitted with a streamlined fiberglass body. The Porsche 917 is an undisputed masterpiece of automotive engineering with both overwhelming success on the track and legions of racing fans around the world.
917-024 has the important distinction of being the first 917 model to compete in a race, which occured when it was entered by the Porsche works team at Spa Francorchamps in 1969. 917-024 was later enlisted by the legendary J.W. Automotive Engineering Ltd.-Gulf team at the 1970 Le Mans Test, where it was driven by Brian Redman and Mike Hailwood. Redman set the fastest times, proving that the 917 model was capable of winning. This car is easily recognized by its striking lines and iconic light blue and orange Gulf livery and boasts a magnificent air-cooled flat 12-cylinder engine.
Chassis 024 was then acquired by Porsche factory driver, Jo Siffert, who loaned it to Solar Productions for the film Le Mans (1971), which he and McQueen, along with many other celebrated racing figures, participated in creating. 917-024 remained in Siffert’s private ownership until his passing and led his funeral procession, reflecting the importance of this car in his career, before being sold to a private collector.
This 917 remained hidden and unknown for roughly 25 years, before re-emerging as perhaps the greatest ‘barn find’ ever. Since resurfacing in 2001, 917-024 has benefitted from an exceptional restoration.
Presented today, this is surely one of the most correct, culturally significant and important of the 917s, making it very easily one of the finest racing cars extant. Without question, the presence of 917-024 at auction is a momentous occasion, for the opportunity to acquire a car of this iconic stature is not to be missed.
The Pebble Beach Auctions
Date(s): Saturday, August 16 at 5:00 pm PST and Sunday, August 17 at 6:00 pm PST Location: Equestrian Center, Corner of Stevenson Drive and Portola Road, Pebble Beach Public preview: August 13-17 Auctions catalogues: $100, includes admission for two to the viewing and the auctions General admission: $40, includes admission for one to the viewing and the auctions Live auction broadcast: www.goodingco.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/GoodingCompany Twitter: @GoodingCompany
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My thanks to Dick L for passing this on. It’s a great story and it’ll be a thrill to follow to its conclusion.
Note: I’ve used car #20 as the featured image for this post on the front page of the website, but the car up for auction here was actually car #22 in the film. I used the car #20 picture because it was such a good still from the film. McQueen started the movie driving car #20, which is the one he crashed in the movie before taking over car #22 to finish the film.
