Future Classic: 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Everything Shelby has been hot for the past few decades.  Probably longer than that, but you can't touch an actual Shelby anything for less than retirement sized lumps of cash, except those Shelby Dodges, but they've got some years before they become collectible.  Regardless if you want to get a Shelby Mustang that won't break the bank you'll have to find something that isn't new enough to be near MSRP, but not old enough to be "cool."  Find this 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 offered for $19500 via Memphis, TN craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

The Left-Handed Spanner: Flesh Wounds

The Left-Handed Spanner by Kaibeezy.   I was away last week on business, which is not unusual, except this time I left just as we were getting started with a substantial renovation of our downstairs loo (bathroom) and utility room. When I left, we had agreement on the work to be done, which was fairly modest and involved adding Kingspan (insulation) behind new plasterboard (sheetrock), replacing the bathroom furniture (fixtures), and most ambitiously, breaking up the old tile floors, leveling, adding subfloor heating elements, and then installing new tiles. (Fig. 1. Note: not the actual loo, I just like that one)

Chevy V8 Power: 1987 Porsche 944S

Porsche fans around the world cry copious (and salty sweet) tears whenever someone takes an aircooled 911/912/914 and shoehorns a Chevy V8 under the hood, but what about the unloved Porsches from the era of the front-engine watercooled P-car? Yeah, nobody sheds a tear when those go under the knife...whatever, I love stupid engine swaps no matter.  Find this 1987 Porsche 944S offered for $5500 in Helena, MT via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

Double You One Two Four- 1991 Mercedes 260E

The Mercedes W124 E class are great bargains for anyone looking for a well engineered retro driver.  The excellent outward visibility, simple interior, compliant suspension, and squared off looks present a great alternative to any similarly priced newer front wheel drive car.  Prices for these models are still relatively affordable and deals like today's 260E still are out there.  The 2.6 engine was the smallest M103 straight six that could be fitted in a North American W124 and was only found on the lowest spec model so this car would be the lightest curb weight of the range.  Today's car has a some subtle modifications along with a rarely seen exterior color.  Find this 1991 Mercedes 260E for sale in Mount Vernon, NY for $2,900 via Cargurus.

Cheap Racer- 1998 Mercedes C43 AMG

Who doesn't love cheap fun?  Racing cars and going fast costs real coin, but this is DT where exceptions to the rule are welcome and encouraged!  This 1998 C43 has been stripped of the AMG body kit and has bumpers from a similar year C220 so it looks entirely forgettable.  Speaking of stripped, this C43 also has no interior aside from a race seat so this is not going to work as a Uber/Lyft vehicle.  Under the hood, the 4.3 AMG M113 V8 is good for just over 300 hp when new, but the really hot ticket is to swap in the larger 5.4 350hp version of the same engine.  The car still has the factory AMG suspension set up and massive brakes fitted to these models so it would likely be a competitive if uncommon choice for a budget race car.  Find this 1998 Mercedes C43 for sale in Morris, CT for $1,500 via craigslist.

Sucking in the Seventies: 1975 Datsun B210

We get kind of excited at DT World Headquarters when we run across low mileage J-tin survivors from the malaise era.  Seems like the excitement usually only lasts until the 3rd photo on CL where the interior shot reveals a soul-sucking slush box, guaranteed to rob whatever small amount of imagined joy there might be in a 70's crap-box.  Well, today is a different day.  Find this low mileage 1975 Datsun B210 with a 4 speed manual for sale in Everett, WA for $3,600 via craigslist.

Luftgekühlt 5: Porsches At Ganahl Lumber April 2018

DT E-i-C Vince: Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend Luftgekühlt 5 at Ganahl Lumber in Torrance, CA...and let me tell ya...it was Porschtastic.  If you don't like aircooled P-cars you might not be excited, but warm up your corn popper and enjoy this DT video.

5908 Miles: 1994 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk

This next car comes as a tip from tipper Jeff G who writes:  Always had a soft spot for these cars. Cleaner lines than the WS6 package with the Batmobile bodywork and the wheel package still looks tough after all these years.  Find this 1994 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk offered for $24,995 in Ft Myers, FL via autotrader.com. 

Mid Week Match-Up: Air Cooled Budget

I had the good fortune to attend the 2018 Luftgekühlt show this past weekend at Ganahl Lumber in sunny Torrance, CA. Luftgekühlt is a pop-up car show that invites something like 500 of the best air cooled Porsche machines from around SoCal, and co-founder (LeMans winning driver) Patrick Long shared his thoughts on the event with DT (video in the works) and he mentioned that people can get into an aircooled Porsche (like a 914) for less than $10k...which sounds good to me.  Anyway, for this week's Mid Week Match-Up, help us find the best cheap aircooled P-Mobiles Porsches.

More Kompressor- 1999 Mercedes SLK230 Renntech

Hartmut Feyl is not exactly a household name, but he was largely responsible for creating the iconic tuner 80's icon the AMG Hammer.  In 1989, Feyl founded his own tuner shop Renntech in south Florida. The company is one of the preeminent Mercedes tuning shops and does everything from engine internals, suspension, body kits, and ecu tuning.  Today's car is not a commonly modified vehicle, but has some very extensive and expensive Renntech magic done to it.  The first generation R170 Convertibles suffered from a bit of reputation as a hair dressers car, but this pumped up version may change your opinion.  Find this 1999 Mercedes SLK230 for sale in Mount Kisco, NY for $8,995 via craigslist.

Master & Commander: 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon

What kind of modern car can you seat 8 people in comfort that ISN'T a minivan (or van) but you can drive it every day?  Oh yeah, and it has to be cheap.   Fuel better be cheap too, because this next car sucks down crude faster than a battleship, but it has the woodsides of a  schooner.  Find this 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon offered for $6995 in Prescott, AZ via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

4 Speeds Good, 6 Speeds Better: 1996 Chevrolet Caprice 6-Speed

The forth generation Chevrolet Caprice was used by so many Police departments for many many years that they still evoke a instinctive brake check from motorists...myself included.  Today's next example won't be mistaken for an active duty police cruiser, but it should be a hoot to drive.  Find this 1996 Chevrolet Caprice 6 speed offered for $3000 in La Canada, CA via craigslist. Tip from Sean S.

Moby Dick: 2005 Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Where is the hemorrhaging wallet badge when you need it?  This next car bled its previous owner in the past 10k miles something of an extraordinary amount of green.  Turbo S front control arms $$k, Front Differential replaced due to slight grinding noise, $$k Rear differential and transfer case fluid flush, Transmission flush with new gasket and filter, Brake pads just done 2 weeks ago $$k.  Any of those maintenance items at a Porsche repair shop or dealer would have been enough to bankrupt the entire Island Nation of Tavalu, but the three combined is brutal...hence the "TAKE THIS POS FROM ME BEFORE IT COSTS ME ANOTHER HOUSE DOWN PAYMENT" asking price.  Find this 2005 Porsche Cayenne Turbo offered for $12,999 in Fairfield, NY via craigslist. From Cory.

The Corvolvo? Volvette? 1992 Chevrolet Corvette Volvo 1800

This next car brings so many more questions than answers.  What am I looking at?  How did we get here?  When will this car be flipped for stupid money on eBay by MotoExotica?  How have we not featured this car on DT before?  How has CFlo not owned this car for a few years?  Would K2 Mystery Car approve?  How much is that doggy in the window? Who is KBZ and why does he wear a Mexican wrestler mask whenever he visits DT HQ?  How does the Smurf population reproduce with only boy smurfs? Why can't I have the time (and skillz) to build something like this?  Find this 1992 Chevrolet Corvette Volvo 1800 here on eBay with starting bid of $29,500 reserve-not-met and $40,000 buy-it-now located in Portage, IN.

What Am I? Cylon

Welcome back to DT's cure for the Monday morning blues -- something called the "What Am I?", but it should be called the "How in blazes did they figure that one out?" because you guys are amazing when it comes to solving these things.

Patina'd Classic: 1969 Saab 95

The Saab 95 (not to be confused with the later Saab 9-5) was built from 1958 through 1978 on a chassis shared with the 93 and 96 sedans.  The 95 was the wagon version and naturally the favorite of the guys over here at DT.  Find this 1969 Saab 95 offered for $4750 in Maple Grove, MN via craigslist. Tip from Zach Z.

Hip To B-Body Square- 1987 Chevy Caprice Classic

If you drove most any GM full size product from the late 1970's and well into the 1980's, performance from the carbed V8 engines was asthmatic at best.  Fortunately in 2018, it is simple as pie to double or even triple the stock power level with a modern V8 engine swap and suspension packages can turn most any body on frame car into a decent handling ride.  Today's seller has created a very thoughtful sleeper that belies it's pedestrian Brougham looks and very mediocre wheel choice (where's the Vette sawblades?). A traditional 350 HO crate engine should be good for the better part of 330+ hp and some well thought out suspension mods should make this one handle better than the factory 9C1 police package.  Find this 1987 Chevy Caprice Classic for sale in Swansea, MA for $4,600 via craigslist.

Head On A Pike: 1991 Nissan Figaro

Back before people were rolling their eyes at Chrysler's PT Cruiser and gouging their eyes out at the HHR, there was a properly cool postmodernist series of cars -- known as the Pike models from Nissan. The Figaro is the cutest of the Pike cars and it was retrostyled to resembled a 1960s Datsun Fairlady.  The little machine has a cool convertible roof that rolls down the center of the vehicle, but keeps the C-pillars in place.  The Figaro was built on the K10 Nissan Micra/March chassis and the interior (designed by Shoji Takahashi) was also styled to be a throwback to the past, with a simple padded dash, two big round gauges, sweet toggle switches, and a bunch of chrome.  Find this 1991 Nissan Figaro offered for $12,500 in Naples, FL via craigslist. Tip from Dascpcu.

Mustang In A Tux: 1988 Lincoln Mark VII

This next car is a late model Lincoln wearing 2005-ish Ford Mustang wheels, which is great but the seller REALLY should have taken 32 seconds to remove the giant spatter of bird doo before taking pictures for the advert. Find this 1988 Lincoln Mark VII offered for $1800 near Atlanta, GA via craigslist. Tip (and title) from Matt C.