Posts Tagged ‘coupe’

RustyButTrusty On The Street – Porsche, VW, Ford, Toyota

September 28, 2013

It’s interesting to observe what cars survive on the streets of San Francisco. Some are obvious, like the VW Beetle, which is still an icon associated with the city. Others, like the Porsche 924 and Toyota van, are somewhat unexpected, but if you look at the reasons why, it makes more sense.

You can still find Porsche 924s here and there, being used as daily drivers. Thanks to their well-rust-proofed bodies, they can endure sitting outside, and with their large rear windows they should have good visibility and maneuverability for parking and driving on narrow streets. They’re also powerful enough for the occasional out of town trip, and have decent luggage space should you decide to go away overnight.

Porsche 924

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Leisure Suit On Wheels – 1974 Plymouth Gold Duster

September 27, 2013

As much as there are cars that are clearly of the 1980s, so there are cars that were unmistakably built in the 1970s. Such is especially the case for the number 3 and 4 American automakers, Chrysler and AMC. They used paisley patterns, stripes, and other elements in new and garish ways that were no doubt considered stylish and avant-garde at the time, but now just seem dated and kitschy. While searching for a fuselage-bodied Chrysler vehicle, we stumbled upon a car with a fantastic original 1970s interior that you might call the automotive equivalent of a leisure suit, or perhaps it recalls those multi-colored garden chairs made up of vinyl strips on a metal frame. You can find this 1974 Plymouth Gold Duster with bidding at $3200 and 3 days left to go in Mount Vernon, WA, just an hour north of Seattle.

1974 Plymouth Gold Duster interior

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Poor Man’s BMW #2 – 1975 BMW 2002 Automatic

September 25, 2013

Much has been written about the BMW 2002, calling it an icon, a cult classic, and lavishing praise on its handling and light weight. Predictably, many of these cars succumbed to attrition when their owners probed the limits of the handling, and many more to structural rust. In 1975, their 9th year of production, the 2002 had sprouted giant bumpers, a thermal reactor, and retarded timing to comply with new emissions regulations. However, they are also said to be better built and handling, and this 1975 BMW 2002 Automatic is available for $2995 in San Jose, CA.

1975 BMW 2002 automatic left front

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