Not Wankered – 1972 MBG Roadster

September 21, 2013

Here at RustyButTrusty, we’ve made varying levels of attempts to get friends into old cars, mostly with limited success. Often this is because an old car is not suitable for the potential buyer’s lifestyle. However, a friend visiting from Finland wanted to buy an older sports car to bring back with him, so after making some calls, doing some research and a careful inspection, we purchased an MGB that was very similar to today’s feature car, a 1972 MGB roadster in white on black with Rostyle wheels, available for $3800 in Moyie Springs, ID, close to the Canadian border.

1972 MGB left side

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East Coast vs. West Coast – Pair of 1985 Mercedes 190E 2.3 5-speeds

September 21, 2013

With BMW M3s going skywards in value, I’ve been fantasizing about picking up a similar car while they’re still at the bottom of their depreciation curve. Unfortunately a good, sorted BMW M5 or Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth will still set you back $15-20,000, possibly more for a stellar example. Sooo, what to do on a baby budget? Pick up a version of the first baby Benz, that’s what – and it might be a surprise that these little cars were available with 5-speed manual transmissions when they came out. Check out the first choice, a pale yellow 1985 190E 2.3 for $2000 in Durham, NC.

1985 Mercedes 190E 2.3 right front

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RustyButTrusty On The Street – VW, Chevrolet, and Ford

September 20, 2013

You might be asking yourself, why did I come here to view cars from such mundane, mainstream marques as these, when I can see these everywhere? Well, outside of the dry western United States, finding cars like this just parked on the street as people’s daily daily drivers is a lot more unusual. And one of the fun parts of this hobby is finding a new angle of interest in cars you would ordinarily dismiss out-of-hand. For example, check out this 1960s VW Karmann Ghia convertible. It’s had some neat modifications, including Beetle headlights and Porsche 914 wheels. What could be under the hood? Oh right, nothing because it’s a VW! The satin black is a current trend, but ultimately these do look better in gloss colors.

20130916_171445

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