We generally lean towards posting cars up through the 70s here, but on occasion, there’s an interesting car or a great deal that merits our attention. In this case, we found a car that evokes the 1980s, not in the way an E30 3-series BMW does, but as the smart alternative for snow or rally drivers. This is the last year of the 4000 before the transition to the very modern 80/90 series, and included the 2.2 liter 5-cylinder and a close ratio manual transmission. Finished in tornado red over quartz grey velour, this is also the most sporty-looking iteration of this car. You can find today’s 4000 listed on craigslist in South Tacoma, WA (near Seattle) for $2300.
First AWD – 1987 Audi 4000 CS Quattro
August 12, 2013First Of Its Kind – 1973 DAF 66 SL
August 11, 2013Well, here’s a first – a Dutch DAF 66 SL. But wait! It gets weirder, in that this is a UK-market car with right hand drive. These were fairly common on northern European roads, although their reputation suffered somewhat as they were considered an old pensioner’s car, likely due to their lowish power and continuously variable transmission. However, in their home country they were popular for racing thanks to a deDion rear suspension and relatively light weight. DAF were purchased by Volvo in the late 1970s, and the Volvo 66 was built for several more years. This car was just recently listed on craigslist, but when that listing disappeared, a quick search revealed the video below (which has an interesting comment from the original person who imported it from the UK). The car was listed in Snohomish County, Washington for the very reasonable price of $2700.
Here is a picture of the car while it was for sale with a previous owner up in British Columbia. Apparently, it has much recent mechanical attention, so should be good to go for quite a while.
Faded Glory – 1964 Cadillac Sedan de Ville
August 7, 2013While I’ve never owned a floaty boat of a car like a Cadillac, Lincoln, or Chrysler, I’ve long been curious about the other side of the fence. Nobody expects taut suspension and easy parking in this genre, but mid-century luxury cars evoke a certain style and a period when people aspired to American luxury, instead of the current day British, German and Japanese leaders. And as leaders, Cadillac offered some futuristic equipment including power seats, locks, and mirrors, fully automatic heating and air conditioning, front cornering lamps, and dual speed wipers. Luxury features included a 340hp engine, optional wood interior veneers, and leather or wool seats. They also had the (relatively) stark look of mid-1960s GM cars, with cleaner, less ornate styling as also seen in cars like the contemporary Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. Today’s 1964 Sedan de Ville is available for $3300 in South Lake Tahoe, CA.


