Like the M3 from earlier, the Carrera RS has been a model that is the dream of many Porsche enthusiasts and the subject of many replicas. Some are merely cosmetic, others go for wild and exacting recreations. But the value of 911s has progressed to the point where something interesting is happening; track cars now make a viable option to convert back to street cars. It wouldn’t surprise me if we see the same thing occur with the E30 M3 market where tracked out original M3s get converted back to street cars. But this later 911S has been given the RS treatment by notable builder Musante Motorsports. I had the pleasure to work with Chris Musante before his business was fully off the ground; his attention to detail and knowledge of building Porsche air-cooled motors is certainly top of the field, and an early 911 that Chris just rebuilt recently won the Lime Rock Vintage Festival show. It’s no surprise then that this 1977 model that Musante Motorsports built looks awesome:
Tag: Speedline
For all of the crazy tuner modified cars of the 1980s, there were very few that came out the other side looking better than what the factory produced. However, I think two tuners consistently managed to outperform what came directly from the manufacturer. Alpina is one; the subtle spoilers, large but somehow fitting stripes and perfect wheels always make those models modified by the exclusive tuner really stand out. The second for me is Ruf; it’s simply amazing what just a set of Ruf Speedline wheels can do. It is literally as if the 930 shape was made specifically to match those wheels – not the other way around. You can add in the other Ruf bits, ducts and pieces and really make a masterpiece; but the wheels almost make the car special all by themselves. Of course, if you happen to have a bunch of other period-awesome modifications from top companies, that doesn’t hurt either:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 Porsche 930 Andial/Ruf on eBay
1 CommentFor most enthusiasts, last week’s 1997 BMW 318ti M-Sport represented too little car for too much money; sure, the M-Sport looked great, but as pointed out by one of our readers the performance didn’t necessarily live up to the badges. The M-Sport was fast in appearance and carried a hefty price tag to go along with it. A fully optioned 318ti M-Sport in a special color would set you back around $25,000 – a steep asking price considering the M42 engine with only around 140 horsepower motivating it. So the 318ti M-Sport was a bit of a sheep in wolf’s clothes; a good car, but with the promise of more performance than it could deliver.
On the other end of the spectrum was the original giant-slayer hot hatch, the GTi. While not all versions enjoyed great performance, if you opted for the VR6 variant you got a handsome, well built and good handling package capable of out-drag racing, out-turning and out-carrying the 318ti. Best of all, it was about $5,000 cheaper than the BMW. Outwardly, aside from the wild-colored Jazz Blue or Ginster Yellow examples, to many the GTi VR6 was virtually indistinguishable from the standard Golf – for many, part of its huge appeal. It was, simply put, the wolf in sheep’s clothing:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1998 Volkswagen GTi VR6 on eBay
6 CommentsAre there better looking wheels than the 5-spokes made by Speedline in the mid late 80s to early 90s? I’m not sure there are; the proportions are perfect, the finishes were awesome – they just suited the cars really well. They were the counterpoint to the BBS wheels and were also popular on the track. A few decades on, they’re now worth more than just about any wheels from the period – more even than the fan-favorite BBS RS. But if you have a Porsche and you want the ultimate period wheel, Speedlines are the way to go in my opinion. Here’s a selection of a few different versions of the Ruf wheels; from the original “Yellowbird” wheels through the more recent BTR and CTR wheels, along with some great Alessios and some Kenesis Supercups. Enjoy!
CLICK FOR DETAILS: Ruf Speedline CTR2 18×9.5 5×130 Wheels on eBay
Comments closedGenerally, when someone says that the price of a car has dropped $10,000 it’s a fire sale. For example, I’ve never bought a car for more than $10,000! But when you’re talking a rare, one of one Ruf BTR Lightweight, a $10,000 price drop means that the asking price is still a staggering $248,500. While this will remain eye candy to nearly everyone who reads this, I still thought it was worth a second look!