Here’s another old car that fits into the same category as the BMW 2002 from yesterday – a fun, light, simple car with sporting pretensions. While the Austin America was certainly a cheaper car, the “Big Mini” nickname is absolutely true, and with the low beltline, large glass area, and decent room for four in comfortable seats, it is a pretty compelling and often-overlooked classic. Unfortunately, part of its undoing in this country was the 4-speed automatic transmission, but if you can look after it properly – not too hard assuming limited mileage on a classic car – this is a great candidate for sharing your love of car shows, club tours, and the friendships that come with the hobby. Check out this 1969 Austin America for sale for $1495 in Portland, OR.
Archive for the ‘Feature’ Category
Automatic American – 1969 Austin America
October 7, 2015Automatik-Getriebe – 1974 BMW 2002
October 6, 2015As mentioned before, many people like to talk up the joys of driving a manual transmission classic car – more control, more usable power, blah blah blah. And in a fantasy world, that is a great belief to which to cling, but if real life criteria keep surfacing in your dream, maybe it’s time to accept those in the name of being able to practically continue your obsession, and possibly pull your best beloved in with you. It would be interesting to find out how many of the people who say they don’t like an automatic in their 2002 have actually tried one – based on a test drive and near purchase of this 2002, they may not be as fast and responsive as a manual car, but they still are quite drivable and responsive, and retain many of the other charms of the species like the vinyl and horsehair interior, big steering wheel, narrow pillars, and boxy exterior. The RustyButTrusty 2002 has served as child transport, so we know it can do that too. Check out this 1974 BMW 2002 for sale for $2900 just outside of Minneapolis, MN.
Whirlwind – 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado
October 5, 2015Let’s face it, when you think of a classic car with some outstanding technological features for the period and appeal for the entire family, Oldsmobile coupes are not necessarily the first thing that come to mind. But look a little deeper, and you’ll realize that not only were these one of GM’s most successful designs of the period, they were also one of the out-of-the-box GM cars of the 1960s (along with the Corvair, Tempest, and more), and being American, were only available with an automatic transmission. Conveniently, they’re also back in style with the influence of Mad Men on our aesthetic sensibilities. Check out this 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado for sale for $4500 in Winnsboro, TX.


