Archive for March, 2014

Quattre Quattre – 1975 Renault 6 Sinpar AWD

March 26, 2014

Renault had a rather hard time in the United States, after having a hit (and subsequent failure) with the Dauphine. Their reputation stuck with them, and even now, they only have a limited enthusiast following in North America. In part this can be blamed on them bringing only the most mainstream versions of their products here, when the rest of the world got things like the R5 Turbo, various Alpines, and other vehicles that would have engendered some enthusiasm. That’s disregarding some neat cars like the GTA and R17 Gordini, but these sold in such limited numbers (and in the case of Renault’s coupes, had polarizing designs) they couldn’t have much of an impact on American enthusiasts. However, Renault (as in the case of all French manufacturers) sold some truly unusual, innovative cars, but that cannot be said for their R6. Built from 1968 to 1980, and derived from the R4 as the Citroen Dyane was from the 2CV, they took a reasonably interesting car and turned it into a dowdy box. You can find this 1975 Renault 6 Sinpar AWD for sale for €3000 (about $4100 today) in Menden, Germany.

1975 Renault 6 Sinpar AWD left front

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Go To Heckflosse! – 1966 Mercedes 230S

March 25, 2014

There’s a lot to be said for older Mercedes as a usable, practical classic car. Sold as a prestigious car when new, they featured elegant styling, some advanced features, and good build quality. Being one of the first cars to feature front and rear crumple zones, it’s a classic you can actually feel somewhat safe driving among today’s distracted drivers, and the M180 dual-carb straight six has 120hp. While you could never call it quick, with a top speed of 109mph (and hitting 60mph in 13 seconds), you’ll cruise comfortably at speeds beyond the legal limit. You can find this 1966 Mercedes 230S for sale for $2900 in Dallas, TX.

1966 Mercedes 230S left front

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Texas Truck – 1972 Suzuki Carry Pickup

March 25, 2014

If someone said they wanted to show you a truck from Texas, would you have expected this? Well, the Suzuki Carry and its ilk have been popular for quite a while among landscapers and owners of large properties. While they’re not legal for on-road use, they function pretty well as a sort of motorized wheel barrow, bigger than adapted golf carts and with a more conventional drive train. Powered by a 359cc two-stroke inline 2-cylinder putting out a robust 28hp, they featured a watered-down version of the previous (L40) generation’s Giugiaro styling, and could haul up to 770 lb. And while there’s not much engine in there, they’re pretty light and the front-mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (with little weight over the back) means there might be some tail-out fun to be had, particularly on dirt roads. Check out this 1972 Suzuki Carry pickup for sale for $3500 in Anna, TX.

1972 Suzuki Carry left front

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