It’s time to recognize that while cars from the 1980s are still very much in the modern idiom, mostly with some modern luxuries, fuel injection, and disc brakes, by age they are moving into the classic segment. The cars most likely to be appreciated by aficionados could rightfully be those that best exemplify design trends, technical trends, and industry trends of their period. And while some might consider it ridiculous, there’s a case to be made that the AMC-built Renault Alliance, Encore and GTA fall in that category. They have the boxy styling of their period, low profile tires and a tasteful 1980s aerodynamic package, a thick-rimmed steering wheel, and a decently powerful but efficient engine. Check out this 1987 Renault GTA convertible for sale for $1500 in Rochester, NH.
The car presents well in photographs, has a new timing belt, and is said to run and drive well. However, it’s had a rust repair to the hood, which was performed with bondo and touch-up paint. It needs a full rebuild of the power top, new carpeting, an alignment, and some unspecified TLC. Interestingly, it comes with NOS front and rear spoilers – perhaps a previous owner was planning a restoration?
What can be seen of the interior actually makes a pretty good impression. The odometer reading given (65) suggests the car has 65,000 miles on it, in which case it should have a fair amount of life left in it before any major mechanical work is needed. As long as it’s structurally sound, this looks like a fair deal for some top-down fall driving.
Tags: convertible, Feature, french, gta, renault
Rusty But Trusty 
August 30, 2014 at 9:25 am |
My buddy’s soon to be ex-wife traded his just purchased for $10,000 conversion van for one of these in sedan form and some pocket money while we were on trip to L.A. back in 1988. She had a set of keys to the van and her name was on the title, so she snatched up the van from the airport (we had to take a taxi home)and sold it to be spiteful. My friend found some satisfaction in the fact that the Renault promptly failed catastrophically and went to the junkyard. Good times!