Volvos are not obviously sporty cars, nor are they really oddballs, but there’s something appealing about their spartan, durable design. There are plenty of cars known for a 3-box design, like the 2002, but this car defines the word boxy (too bad about the round headlights). The only thing that comes as close is the Fiat 131. It’s a little bit like driving an old pickup or a Jeep – they’re not sporty by a traditional, handling-numbers-based definition, but the simplicity and unfiltered mechanical-ness of the experience makes it fun in its own way. Check out this 1972 Volvo 142E for sale for $3500 in Portland, OR.
Archive for July, 2015
Blockhead – 1972 Volvo 142E
July 24, 2015BMW’s Alfetta – 1977 BMW 530i
July 23, 2015Every classic car brand has an Alfetta – while some of their cars are very hot among collectors, or are gaining attention, the Alfetta is just as likely to be languishing for sale, week after week, as the owner’s price expectations continue to drop. For BMW, this is true for the E12 5-series – while the 2002 and E9 coupes have moved out of many budget-oriented car fans’ range, and the E3 sedans are going up with the rising tide, the old E12, which has many classic BMW characteristics, is still low on the list for many car enthusiasts. Of course, that means you get the classic BMW experience at a cut price – check out this 1977 BMW 530i for sale for $1200 in Portland, OR.
GM’s Alfetta – 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442
July 23, 2015Past write-ups here have featured sporty coupes that were based on manufacturer’s bread-and-butter sedans – Ford Capri and Mustang, Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT, Fiat 124 coupe, and more. Besides the Camaro, which generally ran on its won platform, the American arm of GM was not really known for directly translating a sedan platform into a sporty coupe. In the late 1970s, though, GM built a fastback (not hatchback – just as with the Lancia Beta sedan, it’s a fastback design with a trunk that opens below the rear glass) sedan version of its popular Oldsmobile Cutlass and Buick Century models. Of those cars, a few Cutlasses were built with the 442 option package, with the top specification having a 305 V8 and four-speed manual transmission. Check out this 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 for sale for $2400 in Seattle, WA.


