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?
Tag: Coupe
By the time the 1990s were coming to a close, the writing was on the wall for the BMW 8 series. This was never a volume seller for BMW and while it lasted until 1999 in some markets, the last year in the US market would be 1997. Available in its twilight with the 4.4 liter V8 or the 5.4 liter V12, this example, purchased by Tom Cruise for Nicole Kidman, carries the twelve cylinder lump under the hood. Under 200 850ci coupes made it stateside in its final year, making this one very special Bimmer.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 BMW 850Ci on eBay
3 CommentsThe Quattro remains one of the few attainable halo vehicles from the 1980s. Consider the others; BMW M1s are on the verge of being million dollar cars while most of the rest of the M line appreciates rapidly. For Mercedes-Benz, there were no real “Halo” models for the 1980s in the U.S., but clean and original examples of their flagship models or indeed some of the rare AMG pieces are big business. Porsche has several, with the 930 and good examples of just about every other rear engined example rapidly increasing in value. What’s left? The Quattro should certainly be considered amongst those cars, for one. As a revolutionary piece of engineering, the Quattro firmly placed Audi on the map as a serious contender in the European and North American markets. The were legendary even before they officially raced, as one of the stage cars notoriously outpaced all of the race cars in its first unofficial appearance at a rally. The rest set the stage for the legend; the Quattro amassed 23 WRC victories and two World Championship titles before Audi moved towards road racing with the demise of Group B. Today, despite the top-tier reputation and recognition that it finally deserves, the Quattro remains an affordable option for classic German motoring:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Audi Quattro on eBay
2 CommentsOur lineup has recently been bolstered by contributing author Pablo, a wealth of information on all things front-engined, water-cooled Porsches. One of the models he really touts as the best development of this setup is the 968, and it’s easy to see why. With near perfect balance, great looks, daily-driver practicality and a very flexible engine, the 968 was a package that could actually be enjoyed on both road and track. Unlike their rear-engined counterparts from the same time period, values have not yet taken off in a frenzy; this means that you can get one of the best packages out of the box from Porsche for a relative steal. But the 968 is still a Porsche, and as Pablo has outlined as the miles creep up on 968s the potential repairs to the engine can get quite expensive. Therefore, while it’s tempting to jump into a $10,000 car with some miles on the clock, that price could easily be doubled quickly in maintenance that was deferred due to expense by the previous owners. Perhaps, then, the answer is the best, low mileage example you can find:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Porsche 968 on eBay
3 CommentsWhile we usually don’t like to show cars that are not at least good examples of the respective marques that they represent, occasionally some oddballs pop up that are just too good to pass up. Today is such a case, with two unique vehicles popping up on Ebay that rarely get seen at all. Unfortunately, both are in need of a fair amount of work, so depending on your comfort level I wouldn’t really consider either of these cars a turn key, collector vehicle as they stand. However, with the right about know-how, determination and a fair amount of work I think both of these cars could be resurrected to their former glory; certainly, both would bring smiles at shows wherever they went. Let’s look first at the rare duck of the two, the Bitter SC: