Cars to Buy NOW ?

[LongRanger]

Looked for one of these a few years back . . .

. . . . Land Cruiser FJ45 pick-up.

1965

This is not the regular JEEPy one . . . although those are nice, too. The pick-up was its own separate stand-alone model, and came in long- and short-wheelbase versions, fixed and removable top.

Not sure how many were made, but the shorty convertible is stupid rare. (Most of the ones I chased turned up in Wyoming or Peru, so good luck catching one.) Not exactly the usual Babe magnet, but, take off the top and doors, drop the windshield, grab the dogs and just head on out --- car shows, Home Depot, the beach, anywhere, doesn't matter -- I'd have fun just telling people what the heck it is. Probably never wash it, either . . .

Mileage?
Matching numbers?
Cracked dash?

Sure.

Yeah . . . right.

[LongRanger]

. . . Integrale.

1993

Love Lancias. Know absolutely nothing about these cars, other than they seem to have picked-up where Audi left off, but if I lived in Europe . . .

[LongRanger]

. . . . Megane R26.R

2008

I hate front-wheel drive. Not only does it sound stupid (power and steering through the same tires --- WTF?), but it feels stupid, too. Plus, let's face it . . . only nasty little poop-bag cars for professional food-service workers use it. (Don't think so? Lemme know when Foorari does FWD, K? Or Porsche.)

But this?

Couple years back, one of the English car magazines --- Car or Evo --- I forget which --- did their Car-of-the-Year deal. This thing came in, like, 2nd or something ridiculous. Behind a Lambo or a GTR or a Lotus, whatever. And those Testers really wrung those cars out, too --- chasing each other over hill-and-dale, on these foggy/wet/curvy English roads they Medi-vac you out off when you 'go a little wide.'

And just listen to the options:
Titanium exhaust
Carbon fibre engine cover
Polycarbonate side windows
Half-cage . . . with back-seat delete
A/C delete
Racing Sabelts with full harnesses

Maybe the French can't be bothered to work all-that long, or hard, but, as long as they build stuff like this . . . . take every Friday off.

Like I said, if I lived in Europe . . . .

Oh, yeah . . . anybody recognize the paint-scheme?

[LongRanger]

I like trucks.

Say 'truck' these days, and most people think of F-series Fords and Chevy/GMCs, etc. Lots of varieties. You got your crew-cabs, step-sides, four-bys, duelies, chassis- and body-lifted, etc. They're all OK, I guess. Tons out there, too. Popular, some even with half-ways decent fuel economy, easy to drive. Lotta Girlies drive 'em now.

Others might think of FJs, Broncos, Scouts, and Landies? Good stuff. But kinda . . . . small.

And some others would think G-wagons, Land Cruisers and Range Rovers. Swish! Very nice, very 'money.' Comfy, too. Leather? Even room for the kids. And the Girlies really go for these! But these rigs, well, even though thay may be made for it . . . they don't get dirty.

A coupla left-brain-types might bring up Pinzgauers, Forward Controls and Unimogs. Whew! That'll work --- I guess. But kinda 'Swiss Army Knife,' you know? And better hope nothing breaks.

Me? I like stuff that's simple, usable, understandable.

Dodge.


Power Wagon.


1941 to 1971


Short or long, military or civilian. Even made a woody.

If I had to collect just one truck . . . .

[LongRanger]

. . . now that's a full-size bed.

Tows, too. U-Hauls, horse trailers, flat-beds with heavy equipment, 155 mm howitzers, anti-aircraft miss --- well, you get the idea.

If you ever come across one, ask the owner . . .

'Do the numbers match?'

I dare you.

[sithot]

This one is on the market. It's my old truck. The most rust free example I've ever seen. It's a 5 window '54 3100. One re-paint. Corners never touched!
Spare, Tools, Jack, Owners Manual and Original Interior. 3 on the tree 235 with some period hop up items. Fenton Split Headers, Dual 1 bbl carbs on an Offy intake.

I'd buy it back but I need it like another motorcycle.

Tom

[LongRanger]

. . . that's better than the real thing.

Kirkham

Cobra

Right damn now!

Forget about replicas, tribute cars, clones, 'fake snakes,' all of that bull$h!t.

This is a comprehensive, digitally-mastered, thoroughly-engineered, reincarnation of those crazy crappy cars built by a bunch of drunks in between soccer matches over in England, five decades, ago. So good, Shelby bought his alu bodies from these guys.

USRRC Replica? Gotcha covered.
FIA Roadster? The one with the funky trunk lid? What color?
Extra horny-looking Big Stick 427? Would that be with or without roll-hoop and side-pipes?
How about a stainless steel chassis --- kinda kills any rust issues, huh?

I've seen full-blown 'done' Kirkham 427s, sell for $65k, with delivery/break-in miles only, . . . while hair-plugged geriatrics spend ten times that for cars that they'll never start, much less drive.

Missed-out on the first-run of cars, way back? Well, here's your chance, Citizen. It isn't often that Lady Luck comes along and sticks her tongue in your ear . . . let alone comes back for seconds. But, if for some perfectly-good reason you do pass-up this opportunity . . . just don't ever tell your Grandkids. 'Cause they'll b!tch-slap you right outta your wheel chair.

[sithot]

Me want.

Tom

[Mike Baum]

I hope my grand kids (Grand kids???) will thank me for the original pieces of machinery I will leave behind ...

That stainless look is simply hideous. But I guess cheap thrills are good and less worrisome to exercise than the real deal

[LongRanger]

. . . Type R.

1997 to 2001

I know, I know . . . another FWD PoS, right?

No.

Seems like Honda, after expending no small amount of energy (and credibility) putting together their great-but-so-what NSX, decided to build something that everybody could actually afford. After NSX's weak reception, Honda was determined to get their next special car right, so . . . they kinda went nuts. Some features of the US-market (DC2) Type R include . . .

1) revised and strengthened uni-body --- including the rear wheel housing, rear pillar upper garter, rear roof rail upper, rear wheel arch extension, rear lower arm bracket, and rear damper gusset, aluminum strut tower bar . . . added just over 60 lbs.

2) comprehensive weight reduction --- including reduced sound insulation, 10% thinner windshield, lighter wheels, A/C and rear wiper delete ('97 only) . . . took off just under 100 lbs.

3) hand-built motors --- custom porting and polishing

4) Recaro seats and special upholstery

5) Helical limited-slip differential

Early cars ('97) were yellow only, while later ones were white or black.

Like a lot of 'affordable' Japanese cars, these things were bought, used, then disposed of almost as fast as Honda could lose money building them. Formidable cars, though --- zero-60 = 6.8 sec, 1/4 mi = 14.8 sec @93 MPH, 195 HP @8600 RPM all from a 1.8L 4-cylinder. Vehicle has double A-arm suspension, front and back --- pretty snappy spec, even today. Because of the need to meet homologation requirements for FIA certification for N-series and World Cup racing, most of the parts and assembly were done in small volumes by various outside specialty shops . . . so these cars are pretty much hand-built. Not the kind of car I'd wanna have to restore. Bon-zai.

Rick Kreiskott