Posts Tagged ‘gt’

Back in Black – Pair of Renault 17 Gordinis

August 9, 2011

While taking something of an unintentional hiatus from writing here, I stumbled across a pair of Renault 17s for sale. Knowing the significant amount of interest this car is still generating, I couldn’t let the listing pass without doing a quick writeup. Since it’s a black car and the pictures are tiny, it’s hard to judge much of anything, but the fact it exists and was driven as recently as a few weeks ago does say something about its condition. And worst case, you have a mangy, spider-infested parts car to show you how things should look… when a car is mangy and spider-infested. You can find them listed for only $850 – how could you go wrong?? – in Scottdale, PA.

1979 Renault 17 Gordini plus parts car

Kudos to the seller for having the balls to open up the hood – I was uncomfortable enough finding dead black widows and their sticky webs (hint: they don’t stick to blue surgeon’s gloves) under the hood in my former Lancia Beta. If he’s like me, he wore thick leather gardening gloves when he did it.

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One Thing Leads To Another – 1982 Ford Mustang GT

March 18, 2010

Given my recent crack about backwards-ballcap-types driving Fox-body Mustangs, I figured the proper act of contrition would be to feature one. After all, there has to be something good in a car if it has such massive appeal. I also have to admit there’s something fun which I’ve never explored in having a common classic, for which there are a plethora of aftermarket parts to create your own version. And hey, I’ve never owned a V8-powered car – some people would say I haven’t really lived yet.

As I was looking through Mustangs, I found the best deals were available on the earlier cars. You might assume this is because in the early 1980s, the new smog rules and the recent fuel crisis were still having pretty serious impacts on cars’ power outputs. However, by 1982, Ford had already reinstated the 302 ci V8 in the Mustang, producing 157hp (competitive with, say, an Alfa GTV6). Using the aforementioned aftermarket parts, or simply upgrades from later models, you shouldn’t have a hard time going beyond this if you want. And you get to have the clean, square simplicity of the earlier Fox-body cars, before the redesign made it look like a microwaved stick of butter. Find today’s car in Omaha, NE for $3500.

1982 Ford Mustang GT left

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Quick & Easy Fix – Replace Your Hatch Struts

March 1, 2010

For those of you with cars of a certain age, you’re no doubt familiar with the broom-handle method of keeping your hatch open. As an owner of two late 1970s cars using struts to hold up their trunk lids, I’ve been doing this for the last few years. Honestly, though, I don’t really understand why I did. This is possibly one of the cheapest, easiest ways to de-jalopy-ize your old car.

hatch strut

Both my Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT and Lancia Beta sedan use hatch struts. And both of them were failed, the Beta to the degree that they don’t ever hold up the trunk lid. Since I use the Alfetta most, I looked around for a strut online, and ended up finding one from Hatch Struts Depot. So, the reason why this is cheap and easy? Cheap: The strut was $61 shipped and arrived in two days. Easy: Replacing it required removing two circlips and pulling out two pins, then reversing that to put the new one in. Make sure you support the lid with the broom-handle while you’re working on it, otherwise that flat spot on the back of your head (from being hit by the hatch, you know it’s happened) will get flatter. And there you have it – now I have to stand back since the lid opens so quickly. Disclaimer: I’ve got no relationship to Hatch Struts Depot, other than as a customer.