Posts Tagged ‘coupe’

Anti-2002 – 1972 Opel Manta

February 7, 2014

So yeah, BMW 2002s are taking off in value. And sure, they’re nice cars with an iconic design, but the general enthusiasm around them would suggest they’re the only cars in their category, when in fact, they aren’t. And what’s more is, if you look around a little, you can find some affordable alternatives from manufacturers in Italy, England, and Japan. So if you’re feeling a little left out on the current collector-car price explosion, don’t – there are plenty of options still out there, and some arguably more attractive than the 2002. Here’s one of those alternatives – this 1972 Opel Manta, for sale for $1200 in Pueblo, CO.

1972 Opel Manta front

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More Underdog – 1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT

February 6, 2014

Here at RustyButTrusty, we’re endless defenders of the Alfetta’s honor. Apparently, the joys of the Alfetta are being recognized in other parts of the world, but here their reputation has been somewhat permanently damaged by all the modifications required to make them conform to then-new environmental and safety regulations. At this point, most states will let you toss the one major safety modification you really don’t want if you care about performance – the bumpers – and many states also don’t care if you dump the primitive emissions equipment on a car that only gets driven a few thousand miles per year (damn you, California!). Even within the confines of California laws, there are some changes you can make (1750 cams, 10:1 pistons) the smog police won’t be able to see, although that’s only worth doing if you’re already doing an engine rebuild. You can find this seemingly stock 1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT for sale for $3500 in Oakland, CA.

1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT right rear

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Second Car – 1958 Nash Metropolitan Topless Coupe

February 5, 2014

In the post-war years, when it was still somewhat unusual for a family to have two cars, independent American manufacturers like Crosley and Nash saw an opportunity to compete where the Big 3 weren’t playing. This resulted in an interesting, if rather odd, selection of cars with big-car cues (or lack of any style at all) applied to small cars. They also lacked big-car power, of course, but the idea was that short runs to town could be accomplished in something better suited to one person. Check out this 1958 Nash Metropolitan for sale for $3400 in Stanwood, WA.

1958 Nash Metropolitan coupe left front

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