Spend a few minutes with any gear-head and the topic of conversation almost always involves cars and inevitably veers to the fun things to do with them. Drag strip trips and track days are commonly discussed, an autocross for the cone counters, car shows for the paint buffs, but one of the more fun things to do is simply go for a drive..and what better way to do it than with a group of like minded car nuts - in a vintage rally or
Targa event. A brief history lesson is in order: while the name Targa has become synonymous with the removable top from a Porsche 911 - the name is actually Italian for "Plate or Plaque". The original meaning of Targa isn't a race, it is a
trophy, and the first Targa was awarded at the end of the world's first sports car racing event on the open roads in Sicily. The Targa Florio (1906-1977) was named for the race organizer Vincenzo Florio - who had also organized the early Coppa Florio (Florio Cup) and to this day folks refer to vintage racing and rally events as Targa. Now in its 5th year, the
Targa California (April 11-13, 2013) is a vintage rally non-timed event held on public roads in the Central Coast California and includes
special visits to car collections, a race track tour, and more.
 |
| Kolkata? Nope, Goleta! |
In the post quantitative easing world, 600 bucks doesn't buy much. A double-tall venti machiato chia tea latte, a pair of sustainable, ethically sourced, artisan jeans, reusable, turtle friendly, anodized titanium drinking straws... Or, you could pick up a classic Italian Berlina that was the love child of a joint project of FIAT, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and SAAB. Find this 1992 Alfa Romeo 164L for sale in Auburn, WA for $600 via craigslist. 
Eventually you come to the realization that your grilling career at Burgerland isn't going to catapult you into elite circles, but you're desperate and ask "Glenn, what is the absolute rock-bottom way to enter into the world of exotic car ownership?" Well, let's simplify it a bit. First, find a car that has been battered, bruised, abused, and neglected. Bonus if it's a salvage or rebuilt title, the more mishmash-ed parts the better! Lastly...to gently remind you of that time you passed a kidney stone...make sure it's British. Find this 1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo advertised for sale in Philadelphia, PA for $7,500 via craigslist.
Update 9/7/2014: If you remember the cheap BMW 2002 picked up by DT reader OaklandJeff back in June, then you might be interested to see that it is back up for sale, this time on eBay. Apparently the car had a headgasket failure that the previous seller failed to disclose, so OaklandJeff is sending it on to someone else who can properly care for it in a no reserve eBay auction with full disclosure. Find it here
on eBay, currently bidding for $500 with a few days to go, in Oakland, CA.
