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Following on from the final E24 we featured on Tuesday, here’s another big BMW from the 1980s. Here and there we’ve seen a few nice E23s, including the uncommon Alpina B10 3.5 Carter featured last week. This 733i with its 3-speed automatic is more of a relaxed cruiser than that Alpina special, but this has to be one of the lowest mileage E23s left in existence, showing just over 12,000 miles on its odometer. While it’s not the ultimate iteration of the E23, it’s certainly a flashback to the beginning of a golden era at BMW.
We’re experiencing some uncommon December warmth here in the Mid-Atlantic (and hopefully elsewhere as well) so why not reinvigorate our senses with a Cabriolet. Here we have a Slate Blue Metallic 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet, located in California, with 116,526 miles on it. 1983 was the first year a true convertible was offered for the 911, a point that is somewhat surprising given Porsche’s penchant for producing sports cars featuring some form of open-top motoring. While the Soft-window Targa provided a nearly identical airiness it’s very limited production run – only produced from 1967 to 1969 – tends to set them apart from the rest of the 911s leaving us with only the standard Targa, with which we are very familiar. Granted, for a sports cars the lack of a Cabriolet isn’t necessarily a significant negative, but beginning with the 356 Porsche had demonstrated an ability to craft quality sports cars that were excellent performers even without a roof. Perhaps they felt the 911 was a different animal; perhaps they were concerned about increasingly stringent safety requirements – these had lead to their production of the Soft-window Targa in the first place. Whatever the reason the 911 was around nearly twenty years before a Cabriolet was produced and since that time they’ve always been with us.
When I first glanced at this GTI, I thought “Oh man, what a clean and stock Mk1 GTI!” The exterior is pristine and retains the beautiful and original Snowflake wheels, with the only subtle modification being European bumpers. Peak inside the doors and under hood, however, and it becomes clear that while it is extremely clean it is certainly no stock or ordinary GTI. A full rollcage has been installed with all but the driver’s seat removed, revealing a GTI that has been extensively and purposefully built as an autocrosser. The chassis reinforcement is necessary thanks to new suspension, brakes, and above all a rebuilt 16V from a Mk2, installed in 1997. It’s lived with a single owner its entire life, an extreme rarity among GTIs. Since the swap, it’s covered about 4k miles, likely most on the autocross course, and has fewer than 100k miles total. The condition, care, and modifications come together to make a beautiful little GTI that will be a hoot on the back roads or around the cones, as long as you’re willing to spend top dollar and drive alone!
The “Honorable Mention” post from last week seemed to be a popular choice, so I’m back this week with another selection of cars we didn’t get a chance to get to. We’ve got one from each major manufacturer this time around which makes for an interesting and diverse group. Which is the one that deserved a better look this time around?
I always enjoy a rare color Porsche 911SC. I mean I enjoy a rare color of just about any 911, but for me those on the SC come across as particularly interesting. In part I think this is due to there not being a ton of vibrant colors available for the model and in part I think it stems from the variations we see on normally subdued colors. The example we see here, a Glacier Blue 1983 Porsche 911SC located in California, comes from the latter sort: it’s a soft blue that almost borders on white when seen in some conditions. The pictures here, to the color’s detriment, are all taken in the shade, where the car doesn’t show nearly as well as in sunlight where the light blue tends to stand out more. C’est la vie. This 911SC’s Glacier Blue exterior is complemented by a dark blue interior, which completes the cold oceanic feel and is one of the better combinations of blue on blue that I can recall coming across. On offer with no reserve this 911SC currently sits with one bid at $35,000, which I think given the mileage and condition might be a little high, but in this case will be enough to take this car home. We’ll have to see if anyone else decides to take the plunge.
