White Wedgy – 1975 Fiat X1/9

February 20, 2016

Long recognized for being great to drive, the Fiat X1/9 has not quite started getting its due among all but the Fiat cult of enthusiasts. Early models are especially attractive designs, and the 1975-1978 cars had ladder-style bumpers that, while clunky, obstructed the overall design much less than what some of the competition did. When you get the car in silver or white, it helps hide the bumpers even more, and that’s what we have here in this 1975 Fiat X1/9 for sale for $2950 in Portland, OR.

img src=”https://rustybuttrusty.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/1975-fiat-x19-left-front.jpg” alt=”1975 Fiat X19 left front” width=”450″ height=”253″ class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-6835″ />

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Bad Timing – 1976 Jaguar XJS

February 19, 2016

Having featured this 1973 Mercedes 450 SLC a couple of weeks back as one of the few affordable GTs left from the pre-emissions/safety era, and dismissed the Jaguar XJS as too complex, the fact still remains that among V12 GTs that could give Ferrari and Lamborghini 2+2s a run for their money, this is the only affordable one left. So if you’re hung up on the feeling you can only get from driving a car with a ridiculous number of cylinders, particularly right now when oil is at $30/barrel, it’s worth another look at the XJS. The XJS had dual misfortunes, debuting in the shadow of the pleasantly plump Series 3 E-type, and in the 1970s when high oil prices (or the complete lack of oil) took out other great GTs like the Citroen SM. As such, it’s rare to find an early XJS, much less one in good condition. So let’s check out a real unicorn, this 1976 Jaguar XJS for sale for $3000 in Bremerton, WA, or on the dealer’s website for $5800.

1976 Jaguar XJS left front

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Located in a Barn – 1971 Spartan Roadster

February 18, 2016

Here’s something you don’t see every day. Most replica classics have several drawbacks – being based on a pedestrian platform, awkward styling to fit modern underpinnings, high cost of entry, and more. It’s nice to find a car that scores well on at least two of those elements, and if you buy into some snobbery about country of origin and longevity of its maker, it has that going for it as well. Spartan Cars were made from 1973 to 1995, and in addition to the Roadster there were a Mini-Moke-like vehicle, and what must have been truly odd-looking estate car and motorhome conversions for the Ford Cortina. The Roadster first used the Triumph Herald/Vitesse/Spitfire as its basis, moving to the Mark III-V Cortinas as the Triumphs became unsuitable donors through age or collectibility. At any rate, there can’t be that many of these in the US, although the Spartan owners’ club does count some Americans among its members. If you want to be one of the few, you can start by looking at this 1971 Spartan Roadster for sale for $4500 somewhere in Clark County, WA, just north of Portland, OR.

1971 Spartan Roadster left front

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