Archive for the ‘Feature’ Category

Island Special – 1971 BMW 2800CS

October 7, 2014

BMW’s E9 series of cars is destined to be a high value future classic. Perhaps it won’t rise to the insane heights of Porsche’s 356 and 911, but it’s a classic shape, and its BMW siblings and Italian cousins (Alfa’s GTV and 2600 coupes) are already rising with the tide. Since E9s were never terribly cheap, always having their E3 sedan cousins to look down at, it’s always a pleasant surprise to find an intact E9 for a reasonable price, even if it is not a runner. And what could possibly go wrong with a non-running 2800CS with some rust in a seaside setting? Check out this 1971 BMW 2800CS for sale for $3000 in Kailua Kona, HI.

1971 BMW 2800CS left side

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The Bird is the Word – 1986 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

October 7, 2014

If you were to think of 1980s cars that had a significant impact for their manufacturers, the 9th generation Ford Thunderbird would probably not come to mind first. But this was the first product of Ford’s aero-style design phase, which included hugely successful models like the Taurus and Sierra. It was also one of the first Fords of its time to be designed to compete with the European sporting coupes such as the VW Scirocco and BMW E30 3-series, as well as the developing flood of Japanese coupes including the Isuzu Impulse, Toyota Celica and Datsun 200SX. While most versions of the Thunderbird were the bland 3.8 liter 110hp V6 or the slightly livelier 140hp 5-liter V8, the hot version to have was the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged Lima engine with a 5-speed manual, good for 155hp and 190 lb.-ft. of torque. Check out this 1986 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe for sale for $2000 in Santa Rosa, CA.

1986 Ford Thunderbird Turbo right front

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Why Not – 1992 Lancia Y10 GT plus bonus Autobianchi

October 3, 2014

The Lancia/Autobianchi Y10 is one of the underappreciated superminis of the world. Lancia was one of the first to embrace the premium hatch concept, giving their little Ypsilon such amenities as central locking, alcantara seating, and turbocharged engines, well before this was considered the norm in small cars. Furthermore, since the car was based on the Panda platform, Fiat was also able to adapt the 4wd platform to create a sort of mini-Range Rover, with luxurious trim and all-weather capability. To start, let’s take a look at this 1992 Lancia Y10 GT ie for sale for €1800 ($2252 today) in Bellevue-la-Montagne, France.

1992 Lancia Y10 GT left front

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