Archive for the ‘Feature’ Category

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

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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

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Leaf it Alone – 1980 Comutacar and 1981 Jet Industries Electrica

September 14, 2015

Some old-car nuts are confronted by a serious dilemma. Perhaps you’re one of them. Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re sitting on the couch, thinking about cars, and you think to yourself, I’d really like a car powered by something that’s not so stinky (neatly side-stepping the question of whether the electric power infrastructure is actually cleaner, so pat yourself on the back). But a Nissan Leaf is too boring, a Chevy Spark Electric with it’s ridiculous torque figure is just too new, and the BMW i3 and i8 are too costly/one-percentish/over-designed. Well, here are a couple of choices for you, starting with this 1980 Comutacar for sale for $1500 in Portland, OR.

1980 Comutacar left rear

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