Archive for March, 2014

Not a GTI – 1989 Plymouth Colt GT Turbo

March 7, 2014

Before many manufacturers happened on the clever idea of throwing a turbo on their hot hatch engines, Mitsubishi (and by extension, Dodge/Plymouth) were doing it. Starting in 1984, they put the 4G32T turbo four in the fourth generation Colt GT (with the famous twin stick transmission), and by 1989, the sixth generation Colt GT received the 135hp 4G61T. With the turbo lag of the day, this must have been really fun, and this version of Colt GT has become something of a cult favorite with tuners, who modify the factory engine or slip in a 4G63T engine from the DSM Eclipse/Talon/Laser. Unfortunately, the combination of tuning and the cars’ cheap-speed mean that many have been lost to attrition, and the remainder are hard to find for sale. You can find this 1989 Plymouth Colt GT Turbo for sale for C$3200 in Mission, BC.

1989 Plymouth Colt GT right side

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3-Box Car – 1984 VW Jetta Coupe

March 6, 2014

Nobody will include Volkswagen’s Jetta in their list of rare cars, but ask them when the last time was they saw a first-generation Jetta. Then, ask them the last time they saw a 2-door version of that car – anyone who is not a hardcore watercooled VW fan will be drawing a blank. Back in the early 1980s, if you were looking to replace your BMW 2002 or Fiat 131, you might look at the Jetta. Sure, it wasn’t terribly powerful on paper, but the engine is quite perky and the handling was quite good compared to most economy cars of its time. And the folded paper design was modern, while staying closer to the proportions of something like a 2002. Check out this 1984 VW Jetta coupe for sale for C$3400 in Delta, BC.

1984 VW Jetta Coupe left rear

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March 6, 2014

While the Scirocco was one of the first applications of a stylish coupe/GT body on ordinary front-wheel-drive econobox mechanicals, it was by no means the first to make use of cheap underpinnings as a basis for a sporty car. Much like the Ford Capri, Isuzu Piazza/Impulse, and Corolla GT-S, it allowed younger buyers to have some sporting experience while not spending too much money, and much like those, it received drivetrain upgrades to go with its rakish design. And so in 1986, VW introduced their Scirocco with a 16 valve engine, putting out 123bhp and making the 0-60 run in around 8 seconds, quite respectable for the time. You can find this 1987 VW Scirocco 16v for sale for C$3000 in Vancouver, BC.

1987 Volkswagen Scirocco 16V left side

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