Archive for September, 2015

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

GM’s 2002 – 1975 Opel 1900 Ascona Fuel Injection

September 18, 2015

Have you found yourself moaning about the bubble in Opel GT prices lately? Has it got to the point where it seems like only one percenters can afford anything less than a complete rust bucket project? Well, even if you were bemoaning the new cost of , Opel was thinking of the budget-minded classic car enthusiast over 40 years ago when it released the 1900. With around 81hp net, a live rear axle and independent front suspension on coil springs, and rack and pinion steering, it was praised at the time for its good handling. The 1900 Coupe (or Manta) compared favorably to the Mercury Capri, Toyota Celica and Mazda RX-2, and its character was favorably compared to other higher-end German cars. Check out this 1975 Opel 1900 Ascona for sale for $3000 in Gresham, OR.

1975 Opel 1900 Ascona right front

(more…)

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Feature | Leave a Comment »

Moving the Fleet – Rusty But Trusty Relocation

September 17, 2015

After a long period of separation, during which RustyButTrusty’s headquarters and vast team of writers relocated to the lovely Portland, Oregon metro area, the fleet was brought up to its new headquarters. Two good friends with mechanical skill and/or a desire to drive old cars were enlisted. After several months of disuse, the cars were woken from their slumber and forced to make up for missed time. Sadly, there was not enough time to explore west coast back roads, as part of the incentive for driving up in convoy was a visit to the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, OR. So the trip was a simplified version of the 700 mile dash up the interior of California and Oregon. Do you like sweating on hot, vinyl seats because it’s 90 degrees out? Nobody said this lifestyle didn’t involve suffering…

1 1977 Alfa Spider on SF Bay Bridge

(more…)

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Driving | 2 Comments »

Look Ma, No Pillars! – 1977 Mercedes 230C

September 16, 2015

As proof that changing to two doors and removing the B-pillars can improve nearly any car, the W123 Mercedes works really well. The sedan version is nice-looking if conservative, and you could say the same for the wagon, but the coupe adds a touch of elegance and style to the otherwise functional design. And you still get all the great attributes of a W123 Mercedes, though its frameless, pillarless windows might give a little more wind noise than its siblings. Unfortunately, the majority of the coupes sold in the North American market came with the OM617 and OM617A 5-cylinder (“A” adds the turbo) engines that anyone would admit can be noisy, smoky, and also have ridiculous longevity. What if you wanted all the solidity without the diesel markup, and maybe you didn’t need a car that will do 300,000 miles between rebuilds? Check out this 1977 Mercedes 230C for sale for $2400 in Stevenson, WA.

197 Mercedes 230C right rear

(more…)

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Feature | Leave a Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »