Rayton-Fissore Magnum: 1989 LaForza

Consumers are strange folks.  Particularly car buyers.  And major manufacturers are strange folks too...but they know a thing or two about selling junk to people.  Sometimes, it doesn't matter if what you are selling is horrible, as long as you give people the opportunity to accidentally stumble into your store -- just look at how many Chase Banks, CVS/Pharmacys, Burger King, and Starbucks that you've got to drive past to get a quality bank/pharmacy/burger/coffee.  There was a time when auto dealers used that same technique to keep long obsolete brands like Plymouth, Mercury, Oldsmobile, and Saturn alive and churning cash, but the 2007 carpocalypse murdered them and NOW the remaining auto brands are using a similar technique with the dreaded SUV. Fill enough Toyota showrooms with RAV4s and shockingly the little SUV beat the Camry in sales to everyday Joes in America least year, even though the Camry is a more usable/driveable car appliance for the masses, and presto "the SUV kills the car".  But there was a time when to drive an SUV you had to have good reason, like a long dirt road commute, a wealthy summer house in the Hamptons or, in the case of this next car, you were an Italian mobster on the move.  Find this 1989 LaForza here on eBay offered for $6999 buy-it-now or make-offer located in Chicago, IL.

K9 Police Interceptor: 2007 Dodge Magnum

If you enjoy the thrill of a good ride in the back of a police car, then this next ride might be right for you.  You'll also need to enjoy holding your head out of the window at speed and chasing tennis balls, because only a canine will be happy in the metal back seat enclosure of this ex-Police K9 wagon. Find this 2007 Dodge Magnum offered for $4500 in Phoenix, AZ via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Art Bike: 1981 Puch Magnum LTD Mk2

If you watch any of those home flipper shows on HGTV, when the work of flip is done, the last major element is the staging for the sale.  In looking at that other car site that has become nothing but auctions, the better the staging as far as the photograph locations, the better the price.  Avoiding locations where the object for sale is lost in the picture is rule #1.    See if you can find this 1981 Puch Magnum LTD Mk2 for sale in Foothill Ranch, CA for $2,200 via craigslist.
Tip from Rock On!

PAWS: 2005 Dodge Magnum with Cummins 6BT Power

We've been on some kind of diesel haze induced bender over here on DT (starting with that SWEEET Ford Falcedes) I was going to title this next post "if  Dodge had built trucks" and then somebody nudged my elbow and told me "Dodge DOES build trucks".  "GET BACK INTO YOUR CLOWN CAVE, YOU FREAK" I screamed at what I hope was a hallucination brought on by my lack of sleep. But first pour me another bourbon, and tell me about this Dodge truck thing.  Find this 2005 Dodge Magnum with Cummins 6BT Power offered for $10,000 in Santa Maria, CA via craigslist. Tip from Sean.

NASCAR: 1979 Dodge Magnum XE T-Top

The Dodge Magnum was introduced in 1978 as an aerodynamic alternative to the Dodge Charger built on Chrysler's long in the tooth "B platform".  The smoothed off appearance was to give it a few more miles-per-hour of top speed when they built the NASCAR version for guys like Richard Petty and Neil Bonnett.  Find this 1979 Dodge Magnum XE T-Top offered for $2,100 near Ventura, CA via craigslist. Tip from Sean S.

The Laforza Zone: 1998 Laforza Prima

There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to the average car guy. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as maintenance on an Italian car. It is in the middle ground between stock MX-5 and Donk'd F-350, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Laforza Zone. Find this 1998 Laforza Prima here on eBay bidding for $6,500 with 3 days to go (and buy-it-now of $8000) located in Scottsdale, AZ.

Gee Tee SUV: 1989 Laforza Magnum GT

Obscurity exists in many forms, and today I found out it can come in a SUV package.  A military bred, Italian penned, American powered beast hand built in small quantities.  Never heard of it?  Don't worry, hardly anyone else has either.  Find this 1989 Laforza Magnum GT for sale in Washington, DC for $10,900 via craigslist.

Tail Waggin: 2007 Dodge Magnum SRT8

The Dodge Magnum name was originally applied to a two-door B-body coupe way back in the 1970s, but was resurrected in 2004 on the 5-door variant of the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger.  You could get a basic Magnum with a V6 or optional V8, but the real lunatics ponied up big bucks for the SRT-8 version.  Find this 2007 Dodge Magnum SRT8 offered for $15,000 in Kyle, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

SnowMotion: 1970 Rupp Magnum 440 WT

I have to admit that I'm not much of a snowmobiler (not a lot of snow in Southern California), but from what I understand the modern crop of high powered 4-stroke snowmobiles are completely insane.  For less than $10k new you can pickup an Arctic Cat M1100 turbo that produces 177 horsepower and will catapult you into the nearest tree/rock/Sasquatch faster than you can say BOND, JAMES BOND.  However, there was a more civilized time when Snowmobiles were slower, but probably even less safe.  Find this 1970 Rupp 440 WT offered here on eBay for $500 buy-it-now or make-offer.

2k: Comes With Trailer: 1970 Magnum Ferrari Dino Kit Car

The Magnum kit car uses a tubular chassis and fiberglass body with air cooled Volkswagen components (probably Beetle, but it isn't entirely clear from a quick interweb search).  However, the fiberglass body does a decent job of looking like a real Ferrari and this would look great in your garage to make your neighbors think you are a big deal.  Find this 1970 Magnum Ferrari Dino Kit Car offered for $2,200 in Carmel Valley, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Gianni who writes:  I’m surprised this didn’t get snapped up during Monterey Car Week.

10k: Italian Style, 'Merican Power: 1989 LaForza Magnum GT

 If you were a well-to-do stock broker in the late 1980s and wanted a car for picking up a few lady friends, a two-seat Lambo or Ferrari just won't do.  You need something with a back seat that offers safety from immobile objects during one of your weekly coke and Quaalude fueled benders.  You could have picked up a Land Rover or an SJ Wagoneer, but if you really wanted something with Italian styling there was only one option.  Find this 1989 LaForza Magnum GT offered for $12,500 in Washington, DC via craigslist.  Tip from _MNMLST_.

5k: Rotary Powered: 1970 VW Magnum 246 Ferrari Dino Replica

The Magnum kit car uses a tubular chassis and fiberglass body with VW mechanical bits to hold it on the road...but...it uses a Mazda rotary engine for motivation.  It won't be mistaken for a real Dino by any car nut, but it doesn't look like a Fiero and that's gotta mean something.  Find this 1970 VW Magnum 246 Ferrari Dino Replica currently bidding for $4,050 with a few hours to go, located in Toms River, NJ.

10k: Paddy Wagon: 2008 Dodge Magnum Police Package

For years, the choice of Police departments across the USA had been the venerable Crown Victoria P-71, but in 2011 the production of the body-on-frame Crown Vic came to an end.  Many Police departments ordered several years' supply of the cars before the production lines went silent because they did not want to deal with the potential problems associated with the unproven Taurus replacement. Many others abandoned Ford altogether and picked the Chevy Caprice, the new Dodge Charger or even the Dodge Magnum.  Being driven three shifts a day means 40k miles per year (plus another 40k hours of idling in Dunkin' Donuts parking lots) and now you can pick up a Caprice, Charger or Magnum police edition with 100k on the odometer for cheap.  Find this 2008 Dodge Magnum Police V8 for sale in Escondido, CA for $8,600 via craigslist.

5k: NICECAR: 1979 Dodge Magnum

Do not attempt to adjust your TV set.  The images you see are indeed correct, this is a Dodge Magnum, just not the Magnum that lives on a Chrysler LX platform  and shares components with the Mercedes W202 and W211 platforms.  This car dates from the first time that Dodge used the Magnum name and was the last hurrah for the Chrysler B-body, the stalwart of awesomeness that underpinned the Dart, Coronet, Fury, Charger, Cordoba and finally...the Magnum.  Find this 1979 Dodge Magnum for sale in East SF Bay, CA for $7,450 via craigslist.  Tip from KBZ. 

10k: Yellow Jacket: 1999 LaForza Magnum Especiale Supercharged

The LaForza was a luxury-performance 4X4 with an Italio-American background.  The chassis started out in Italy as an Iveco built military vehicle with a Tom Tjaarda (Ferrari 365, DeTomaso Pantera, etc) designed body and was then shipped to Hayward, CA for fitting of either a Ford 5.0 or GM's 6.0 Vortec V8.  The final vehicle sold for almost $90k in 1999 but received more befuddled looks than front row valet spots, so most buyers opted for a Land Rover or Escalade.  Find this 1999 LaForza Magnum Especiale for sale in Arizona for $10,000 via craigslist.  Tip from Kaibeezy.