Aside from the 500E I can’t think of another Mercedes from the 90s that I like more than the E320 ‘vert. All the reliability and…
6 CommentsMonth: June 2015
The 912 had a fairly short run as Porsche’s entry-level coupe. Though it had a lot of early success and seemed well liked, its appeal seems to have waned rather quickly and after a short 5 year production run it was replaced by the 914 as Porsche’s cheapest offering. It did reappear for one year as Porsche transitioned from the 914 to the 924, but it is that first run that was most interesting. Perhaps the 912 simply was too similar to the 911, a trait that now stands as one of its best features, and as Porsche released the 911T the writing on the wall was clear, the 912 would be replaced. Nearly identical in appearance to the 911, the 912 used a 1.6 liter flat-four derived from what had been standard in the 356. This smaller and lighter engine had the effect of creating a more balanced chassis relative to the 911 and early 912s were reputed to handle better than their more expensive sibling. On the short-wheelbase models produced from 1965-1968 those dynamic differences were at their most pronounced. In 1969 Porsche decided that with the release of the 914 and 911T that production of the 912 would no longer be viable and the model was discontinued. Here we have what looks like a very nice example of one of the short-wheelbase models: a Bahama Yellow 1967 Porsche 912 Coupe, located in Oregon, with 58,516 miles on it.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1967 Porsche 912 on eBay
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With an entry-level car comes entry-level performance and appearance, two things that many people might seek to change. On a performance coupe like the 911 such desires become even more understandable and it’s easy to find a wide variety of builds with just such an objective in mind. Many of the high-end builds have used the 964 chassis and running gear as the foundation for designing a car with vintage 911 looks, but modern 911 performance. Yet, we also see builds work in the other direction, taking one of the early 911s as its foundation and then fitting the engine, transmission, and suspension from a later model in order to complete the package. Such builds are somewhat more rare given the very high value attached to an original long-hood 911, but when no longer in original condition perhaps it begins to make more sense. Here is one such build: a Silver Metallic 1973 Porsche 911T, located in Georgia, with a rare 3.1 liter flat-six from an early 911SC mated to a 915 5-speed transmission. The body has been fitted with RS flares to give it a more aggressive look and the interior has received minor revisions in the guise of the early 911 outlaw builds.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Porsche 911T on eBay
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To round out my trifecta of A1s over the past two days, I thought we’d look at one that ironically brought the biggest smile to my face. It’s not because it’s the high performance model, nor is it because it’s in the best condition. What appeals to me about this Rabbit is the simplicity and the originality of it; a preserved time capsule from less complicated times. As I read about the recall of every car with an airbag ever made, I couldn’t help but ponder how complicated building and engineering cars has become. Not only do automakers need to provide a means of transportation, they need to calculate nearly risk factors, buy and install sub-contracted components that hopefully are made to specification and deliver a car to market that performs flawlessly, reliably, and economically. They need to dress these cars with the most modern conveniences; cars today read your mail, open your doors, tell you how much traffic is directly around you, how to avoid potential traffic in the future and can even tell when you’re getting sleepy. If you think about it, it’s pretty insane. Then, you see something like this Rabbit L. It’s small, not particularly safe in a crash, not particularly luxurious, you have to do almost everything while driving it, and it will probably break. But it has a lot of character, and character is something I love:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 Volkswagen Rabbit L on eBay
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Yesterday’s Rabbit was an interesting case of many good ingredients not necessarily making a good cake; or, at the very least, not an appropriately priced cake. I really wanted to like the car but even outside of the price there was just too much to get me really excited about it. Amazingly, at the same time as that car is listed, we have an interesting counterpoint of a Mk.1 to consider. This example started life as an actual GTi, so it automatically has a leg up – at least in theory – from the ’78 Rabbit that was used to create a GTi. It’s also been completely redone, and also themed with a Euro-feel, though this car has a completely different ethos even outside of the color. Under the hood we find a Mk.4-spec 1.8T mill, complete with transmission, gauges, harness, radio and immobilizer transplanted into this original hot hatch. The price? If you have to ask….