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Tag: 1971

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Swede Week: 1971 SAAB Sonnet III

Continuing on the Swede Week theme, here’s an instantly recognizable treat that is unfortunately seldom seen today. Like Volvo’s P1800, SAAB’s Sonnet lineup attempted to add some sport to the company’s brochures with exotic Italian looks and an odd combination of DNA. Although the above Sonnet’s lines are familiar to most Euro-centric automotive enthusiasts, this was actually the third version of the car, which had emerged from a ultra-low-production roadster into a similar and striking Coupe design in the late 1960s. 1970s saw a full exterior redesign but it remained very much a unique look, with a long, low hood punctuated by a Kammback tail. Power had developed in the second series cars from the original two-stroke inline-three to a Ford-developed V4 borrowed from the European-market Taunus. The result was 65 horsepower, which doesn’t sound like a lot – and wasn’t. 0-60 was an uninspired 13-second affair, but hey – just look at it! Who cares how fast you were going, most would mistake this for some oddball Maserati or Alfa Romeo were it not for the badges.

These cars are quite rare – far less were produced than the E30 M3, for example – and as a result hold reasonably strong value today. This ’71 sure looks nice!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1971 SAAB Sonnet III on eBay

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1971 Porsche 911T Coupe

I find myself very captivated by this color. This is a Metallic Green 1971 Porsche 911T Coupe, located in California, with Black leatherette interior and 55,592 miles on it. It is said to have been freshly restored and certainly looks it.

But back to this color that has so drawn my attention. Metallic Green is both pretty descriptive though also, relative to many other Porsche colors, completely generic. I usually am somewhat ambivalent to metallic greens in general. They’re fine colors, but they don’t tend to wow me the way some of Porsche’s non-metallic greens are capable of doing. Dark metallic greens – along with dark metallic blues – especially fit that profile. I like them and I understand their appeal, but usually am left thinking, “That’s nice.” This is very different and I suspect there is some effect of the lighting and photography at play. Perhaps this is as dead gorgeous as this color can get and given that it’s outdoors you may never replicate the look. But I love it.

This particular color only was available from 1970-1971. There may be other similar greens in the Porsche catalog. It reminds me quite a bit of Kermit, the 1979 911SC that was painted Scirocco Viper Green. Perhaps this was the precursor to that color. As I see it here this Metallic Green possesses just the right balance. It finds a sweet spot between light and dark with the metallic sparkle amplifying everything and holding it together. I’m sure I’ve come across it previously, but if I did it didn’t look this good.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1971 Porsche 911T Coupe on eBay

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1971 BMW 2800CS

One notable omission from the EAG Ultimate BMW garage I wrote up last Monday was an E9. The E9 represented one of BMW Motorsports first production endeavors in the 3.0CSL. But beyond that, it also one of the prettiest cars BMW and their pals at Karmann Coachworks ever produced in my opinion. The elegant pillar-less design married with impossibly slender A and C pillars to create an elegant, sweeping greenhouse over the low, angular lines of the main body. Recently my wife asked me if there were any attractive cars made in the 1970s, and the E9 was my immediate retort. They were more muscular and yet elegant than the earlier and somewhat awkward 2000CS they were based upon. It’s just right.

Now, today’s example isn’t the mega-desirable 3.0CSL. It’s not even a 3.0, but the earlier 2800CS. It’s also undergone quite a few changes into a bit of a resto-mod. But for me, the look is bang-on and this is one of the better looking E9s I’ve seen recently. It was certainly worth a further look:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1971 BMW 2800CS on eBay

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1971 Mercedes-Benz 600

The Mercedes-Benz 600 falls into the category of a cars that I totally love, but have zero interest in owning. Maybe if I won the Powerball for 2.2 billion I could swing buying one and the maintenance on it, but even then it might be pushing it. I’ve gone in pretty deep about what it is like to own a 600 and I honestly think it is cheaper in the long run to bring home triplets from the hospital vs. bringing home a 600. At least there is a chance the babies can take care of you when you are old while the needs of a 600 never stop.

Naturally, that brings me to check out this 1971 up for sale in California. It doesn’t have a famous owner or an interesting story (that I could find) nor does it have any crazy options that makes it stand out. It is a straight-forward 600 in average condition. The best part about it? The price is pretty attractive considering what these usually are listed for.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 on eBay

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1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

Around five years ago the values of the W113 Mercedes-Benz Padoga spiked pretty hard and kept climbing year after year. I totally get it because these roadsters are as classic as it gets and will never go out of style. The price for a really nice 280SL hovers around that $100,000 mark and can reach almost $260,000 for a perfect example while the lesser 230SL and 250SL can be had for a much more reasonable $50,000 if you so chose. This leads me to today’s car, a 1970 280SL up for sale in New Hampshire. This Pagoda is equipped not only with the rare factory air conditioning, but a 4-speed manual transmission. While all that is nice, why I really wanted to look at this 280SL is the price. No, it is not extremely high, but actually quite the opposite.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL on eBay

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