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While I seldom remove the top on my convertible to enjoy some open top motoring I do occasionally yearn for those days. My favorite time of year for doing so has always been in the Fall. Living in one of the more humid parts of the country, Fall weather brings with it a welcome crispness and obviously the array of colors on display just above you in the trees makes even the dullest of roads much more enjoyable. Combine a good road with that crisp air and the fall colors and you have some of the best driving you can find.
The only way to really increase the greatness of that natural beauty is to enjoy it in a car that is equally as beautiful. Here we see just that: a Ruby Red 1963 Porsche 356C Cabriolet, located in New York, with Tan interior and a stated 21,804 miles on it. Just thinking about it makes me want to grab the keys and head out to the mountains for some driving.
While pristine, all-original examples of classic and collector cars certainly have a cadre of devotees, there’s a slightly smaller and equally evangelical group of “period correct” piece lovers. From aftermarket wheels, body bits, seats and gauges right through to stickers, even if the car isn’t the most desirable model it can be brought up to snuff with some appropriate modifications. Today’s duo of E12s are good examples. Both start as 528i models; by themselves, certainly not the prettiest or most desirable BMW even within the period of the late 1970s. But both have gone through some modifications which make them desirable, though they take very different paths. Which one would you like?
It has been a little while since I’ve featured a W123 so today is as good a day as ever. Today we have a 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300D up for sale in Seattle, Washington. It sports the great color combo of Pastel Blue (with the matching hubcaps) and blue MB-Tex interior. I’m partial to all things W123 (I own one) and I love to see them when they’ve been cared for extensively. Luckily for everyone, this nice W123 looks to be so.
Alright, let’s get back to the value side of the 911 world since my last few features have all been a bit pricey (very pretty though!). This one, a silver 2004 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe, located in New York, with black leather interior and 77,400 miles on it, comes in at a pretty nice asking price even for these usually very budget friendly models. You’re not getting anything special with it – the colors are pretty standard and not the most exciting and it’s just a base Carrera rather than a S or 4S – but you’re still getting a nice dose of performance. There’s certainly enough to grab your attention and make for an exciting drive if you really put your foot down. Oh, and the seller says the IMS bearing has been “done.” That isn’t the most specific phrasing and it was reportedly done by the previous owner so we’re a little vague on the details of what exactly that means, but hopefully some documents and conversation can reveal some of those details and its new owner can breathe a little easier with that potential issue out of the way.
As they had with the first generation, with the E36 BMW continued the tradition of chopping the top off its curb-hopping M3 to alter the character of the model substantially. The resulting “BK” models are the least produced of the second generation. In European form, some 3,800 were produced with a bulk of them heading to England starting in 1996. The U.S. model began production as the model’s run came to a close; in March 1998, the first of what would become 6,269 U.S. spec 3.2 M3 Convertibles rolled off the production lines in Regensburg. That meant the M3 outlasted normal E36 production, as if you walked into a dealer you’d find the all-new E46 model being sold along side these topless M3s. As they came towards the end of production, most of these M3s came as well-equipped as the E36 was available, and options included forged M-Double Spoke wheels and a removable hardtop. Extra bracing went in to stiffen the chassis, which resulted in a 10% weight penalty and slower performance – but I’d wager that wasn’t on most buyer’s minds. Of the just over 6,000 models sold here, the majority – about 60% at 4,017 – were sold with the 5-speed automatic. So today’s example is already in the minority; a last year example, it’s also a 5-speed. But to push it just that little more over the top, it’s also in the rare shade of 386 Fern Green Metallic:
