Plus-Sized Malaise Muscle: 1978 Ford Granada 302 / 4-speed

The Ford Granada was one of those Malaise-era downsized cars that still managed to look huge while being marketed as a "compact." Although the first-gen Granada was derived from the Maverick and was the great-great-grandson of the Falcon, it managed to be larger than a late '90s E38 BMW 7 Series (ok - yeah, the short wheelbase E38, not the long one). The Granada isn't anyone's first choice for a muscle or pony car, but with more popular V8 performance machinery steadily appreciating, there might be some value in getting your burnout fix from a 302 & 4-speed equipped Malaisemobile. Find this 1978 Ford Granada for sale in Sun City, AZ for $8,900 via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Barn Found: 1967 Mercury Cougar 4-spd

What is it about V8 4-speed domestic iron that brings out the inner Edd China/Mike Brewer in the most mild mannered of folks?  Offer the same person a fantastic deal on something like a vintage Saab and they will "have to ask their wife" but stick an old Mercury Cougar in front of them and they start decoding the VIN and looking at option plates.  Find this 1967 Mercury Cougar 4-spd offered for $6,500 in Blaine, WA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

5k: E23 Manual: 1979 BMW 733i

The E23 generation BMW 7-series was released in 1977 as a replacement for the aging E3 generation "New Six" which was badged based on engine displacement.  The 7-series further cemented BMWs legacy as a builder of fast Q-ships and its shark nose styling can be attributed to our favorite mustache enthusiast and car designer -- Paul Bracq.  Find this 1979 BMW 733i offered here on craigslist for $3,000 in Louisville, KY.  Tip from FuelTruck.

5k: Bone Stock: 1965 Chevrolet Impala Wagon 4-Spd

The 4th generation Chevrolet Impala is instantly identifiable by its 6 small bullet shaped tail lamps and coke bottle styling.  Unfortunately, the 4th gen Impala became a favorite of customizers who dropped the B-body onto air bags (or hydraulics) and shod it with ridiculously small gold wire rims with odd sized tires -- it got to the point where driving a stock 4th gen Impala would get you extra scrutiny from the 5-0, not a good thing at all. Times change and the customized Impala rage faded into the background of the low rider scene, but it is indeed refreshing when you see a stock Impala.  Find this 1965 Chevrolet Impala Wagon offered for $7,500 in San Diego, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Joe.

10k: What A Face: 1970 Mercury Cyclone GT

Mercury's Cyclone badge started life as a performance 2-door option on the original Comet, back when the Comet was a compact Falcon-based sedan.  As the Comet grew in size, so did the Cyclone, and by 1968 the Cyclone was its own thing -- based on the Ford Fairlane.  In 1970, when the Torino name superseded the Fairlane, the Cyclone was a sporty two-door version of Mercury's Montego, which was based on the intermediated size Torino, but used most of its own sheet metal.  Confused...don't be...just take a look at that front grill and embrace the madness. Find this 1970 Mercury Cyclone GT currently bidding for$11,500 reserve-not-met with 3 days to go, located in Neptune, NJ via eBay.

Smurf Rider: 1966 Ford Fairlane 390V8 4-Spd

The Sell It Now Store is one of various eBay resellers who will take your neglected junk and sell it for you on eBay for a small percentage fee.  Most of the stores are filled with grandma's antique Avon bottle collections that folks are too busy to sell, but every once in while they sell a car.  No problem with that because the seller pays the fees out of the vehicle sale and the third party test of the car is somewhat reassuring.  Find this 1966 Ford Fairlane 390V8 4-Spd currently bidding on eBay for $5,800 with 4 days to go in Waukesha, WI.

10k: 455-V8 4-Spd: 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Convertible

The Oldsmobile 88 was a full sized car sold by General Motors in a stunning 50 year production history that started in in the wake of World War II and ended just before Y2K.  The fifth generation Olds 88 was built on GM's B-body platform that included big sedans like the Chevrolet Bel Air\Impala, Buick LeSabre\Invicta\Wildcat, and Pontiac Parisienne\Catalina\Laurentian\Bonneville.  Today, the Olds 88 makes a great classic cruiser without breaking the bank, even in big-block convertible form. Find this 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Convertible offered for $10,500 near Seattle, WA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

5k: 4-Speeds, All Class: 1980 Mercedes-Benz 280SL R107

The Mercedes-Benz R107 series roadster/coupes were sold from 1971 through 1989.  This remarkably long production life is credited to the graceful design and mechanical robustness that gave the cars of a great reputation and kept buyers returning to the showroom each year without the need for drastic changes.  The market for these cars is good right now for buyers and should start to pick up right around the time we are all riding around in driverless electric hovering google tubes and gasoline is only sold in small jugs at specialty shops.  Enjoy the gasoline while you can by picking up this 1980 Mercedes-Benz 280SL R107 offered for $5500 in Troutdale, OR via craigslist.  Tip from Alex V.

5k: What's A Cobra? 1978 Triumph Spitfire V8 4-Spd

The Spitfire is a diminutive British roadster build by Triumph from 1962 to 1980 in five slightly updated generations.  The Spitfire was named after the most successful British fighter plane of all time and while small, it is well proportioned to hide its diminutive stature in photos - the opposite of a facebook selfie.  Imagine a world where legendary Texan Carroll Shelby had made a deal with Triumph instead of AC Cars for his Cobra, this is what it probably would have looked like.  The biggest problem is finding a name for it...Cobrumph, Triobra, mess?  Find this 1978 Triumph Spitfire V8 4-Spd currently bidding for $2,550 on ebay, in Newburgh, NY with a few hours to go.

What Was The Last Car To Have A 4-Speed Manual?

Time for a quick trivia question for our readers, which was inspired by some city driving this morning.  The Subaru I was driving has a 6-speed manual gearbox, which is great in theory, with closer gear spacing for maniacal acceleration at all times.  Unfortunately, in city driving it is a busy experience and I almost spilled my latte-frappucino-vodka-milkshake.  It made me wonder with all the 6-speeds you see in vehicles like a 2014 Kia Rio if anyone still sells a 5-speed manual?  Of course you can get one in a 2014 Honda Fit, or 2014 Subaru Impreza, but the days of the 5-speed are numbered because you can get a few more MPG on the EPA certified fuel economy test when properly designed.  Then I thought, what was the last car to have a 4-speed manual gearbox?

5k: Rare Silver: 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280C 4-spd W114

The Mercedes-Benz W114/115 chassis is the often overlooked E-class predecessor chassis that is overshadowed by the prettier W108/109 chassis.  The big S-Class ancestor W108 with its fancier front end and stacked headlamps is a bargain classic, so the downmarket W114 is forced into an even more compromised market situation...bad news for "collectors" but great news for folks who want to run/drive cheap classics.  Find this 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280C W114 for sale in State College, PA offered for $4,250 buy-it-now on ebay. 

10k: 4-speeds: 1969 Jaguar XJ6 Sedan Mk I

The Jaguar XJ6 saloon car is a noted exception to the rule of sedans being cheap and undesirable, because the XJ6 is bloody gorgeous and nice examples demand premium cash.  This feature isn't in perfect condition , but it is equipped with a 4-speed gearbox making it a shaggy unicorn.  Find this 1969 Jaguar XJ6 Sedan Mk I for sale in Bronxville, NY for $8,900 via hemmings.  Tip from Chris D.

20k: LSD Project: 1965 Chevrolet Corvette 327 4-spd

People did a lot of drugs in the '70s. Folks took all kinds of stuff that and they didn't always know what was in it or what the side effects would be. The guy who painted today's feature probably thought he was skiing in the Alps and directing the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  In fact it was a can of black spray paint and not a baton whirling through the air, and he was likely pissed the next day when he came out to the garage to find his Corvette looking like an abandoned freight car.  Find this 1965 Chevrolet Corvette coupe with 327 V8 and 4-speed manual on ebay in Ventura CA, currently bidding for $20,099 with 2 days to go.

15k: Big Block Party: 1967 Ford Fairlane 390GT

The Ford Fairlane was an intermediate sized coupe from Detroit, and in big-block form these beasties can be quite a deal when compared to a Mustang or other pony car from the sixties.  The fifth generation with its stacked headlights is one of the best looking of the breed and was made only from 1966 to 1967.  Find this 1967 Ford Fairlane 390GT for sale in Pueblo, CO currently bidding on ebay for $14,700.

5k: Jennifer Capriati: 1972 Ford Capri, 4spd

The Ford Capri followed the life cycle of an '80s women's tennis star.  It started from obscurity in 1961 and by the age of 15 (1975) was a star, winning accolades and awards, but peaked early and petered out in a string of back injuries and misdemeanors.  Today the Capri can be found at your local tennis club living on the millions it made in its youth but struggling to teach kids lessons on a regular basis.  Find this 1972 Ford Capri 4-spd for sale in San Jose, CA for $6,000 via craigslist.  Tip from Jeffrey L.

5k: Clutch Player: 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250S W108, Rare 4-spd

The Mercedes-Benz 250S was an early base model of the S-Class W108 chassis.  Many we built between 1965 and 1969, but few were equipped with the 4-speed manual transmission - making this car one rare piece of unicorn steak.  Fire up the BBQ and take a look at this 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250S W108 4-spd for sale in San Diego, CA for a basement price of $2500 via craigslist.