Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
I’ve been scanning the ads lately for good examples of the car many of us began our love affair with German vehicles, the Volkswagen Beetle. We saw a nice 1962 Beetle Cabriolet last week that was lightly modified. This week we have come across a 1963 Beetle in Virginia that is all original. Purchased new in Florida, this car had but one owner until recently and comes with lots of documentation to add to its provenance.
The Porsche 356 is one of those cars to which I always enjoy returning. Whether it simply be to return to a vintage automobile whose lines I always enjoy or to gain a fuller appreciation for the elements of design, shape, and performance that went into these early Porsches. The ethos of the company is built into these cars and even today, more than 60 years since the first model was introduced, we still can see the evolutionary nature of the marque and the relationship not only of design but also performance. With the 356 Porsche had already begun offering their cars in varying levels of performance and here we have the highest available of those utilizing the 1.6 flat-4 engine, the Super 90. While 90 hp doesn’t seem like a lot, tasked with propelling a car that weighed less than 1000 kg these offered brisk performance for their time all while retaining the lightness and directness of feel possessed by many vintage machines. The particular example we have here is a restored Ivory over Tan 1963 Porsche 356B T6 Super 90 Cabriolet, located in Miami, and on auction with no reserve.
When considering a restoration project, many things factor into one’s decision. You need to first pick a model that you find particularly interesting or intriguing. For me, that includes choosing something a little outside the mainstream interests. It’s why I prefer the Audi V8 to the S4/S6, for example. It helps if it’s something that you can afford, as well – for example, you could decide to restore a very early 356 Porsche rather than a 911, but if you can’t afford to buy one it’s no good. Then you need to weigh parts availability and cost along with your restoration goals; will this be a driver, a survivor or a 100 point show car? The costs vary for each, as will the amount of detail work involved. For me, while I love to see pristine 100 point show cars, I prefer something that can be driven to the show and home. My Audi, for example, is certainly not pristine – but it also doubles as a track car, and with nearly a quarter million miles on the clock I’m proud of some of its battle scars even if they make me sigh from time to time. So, when something very unique pops up that has potential to be different, special and really stand out from the crowd, I take notice. The 2002ti turbo from Monday is a perfect example of this; a car that needs a tremendous amount of restoration but it really different than everything else out there. In that vein, here’s a collection of the rare, rear-engined BMW 700s in various configurations and states along with a WW2-era 321 chassis. Why limit yourself to only one project when you could have six?
Most of the Mogs I’ve been writing up recently have been, to put it nicely, “pleasantly well-used or original.” Today’s is the opposite end of the spectrum, sporting a full restoration and brand new US Military Drab Green – seems a little lighter than some other greens I’ve seen on these, but that’s not worth splitting hairs on. Overall it is an outstanding example that could serve as a great collection item, a cool around-town weekend monster, or an extremely capable work truck for a variety of heavy demands.
If you look at the current US automotive landscape, there’s an obvious trend towards SUVs and compact, efficient cars. Throw in your usual full-sized pickups,…
Comments closed