Sunday, July 5, 2015

'Murica: 2007 Ford F-150 Single Cab


Happy 4th of July -- we here at Daily Turismo are continuing the illegal fireworks, over eating, and skimpy bikinis that have come to signify 'Murica by extending the 4th of July into the 5th of July.  This next feature is just about as patriotic as you can get, but only if you look past the plain white wrapper.  Find this 2007 Ford F-150 Single Cab with a giant American flag mounted in the bed offered for $7,000 in Riverside, CA via craigslist.  


Pace Car Special: 1975 Buick Century Free Spirit

On May 25th, 1975, A.J. Foyt lined up his Coyote 75 racer behind actor James Garner who drove a Buick Century the pace car at the Indy 500.  When the checkered flag was waved, Foyt was beaten by Bobby Unser, but the Buick dealers around the country were the real winners because they got the Century Free Spirit pace car replica to offload on a hungry public.  Find this 1975 Buick Century Free Spirit offered for $3,500 in Vermont.  Tip from Jdah.


Saturday, July 4, 2015

Freedom Shoebox: 1949 Ford Standard

The '49 Shoebox Ford was the first new design launched by the big three after the end of World War II.  It showed an optimistic view of the future from a country that had just turned the tide in the largest conflict this world has known -- and it was worlds ahead of the '41 Ford in terms of technology, build quality, and looks.  Find this 1949 Ford Standard here on eBay bidding for $7,877.77 with a few hours to go, located in Kingsport, TN.


Independence from Boring: 2000 Jaguar XJ8, LS1 swap

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all V8 cars are created equal, that some are endowed by Bob Lutz with certain unalienable rights, that among these are overhead valves, high volumetric efficiency, and the pursuit of smoky burnouts. Find this LS1-swapped 2000 Jaguar XJ8 for sale in Owings, MD for $2,500 via craigslist.

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Happy 4th of July America: 1974 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible C3

Happy 4th of July to all the freedom lovers around this great country. It is time to celebrate the best of American freedom, and I can't think of a better example of freedom than the C3 Corvette, not just because the handling feels like the chassis is free from the suspension, but also because 'Murica.  Find this 1974 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible C3 here on eBay offered for $21,555.55 with one day to go, located in Lincoln, NE.


Friday, July 3, 2015

'37 Cord Replica: 1968 Samco Warrior

If you are a 20-something who wears a bow tie, people are going to (appropriately) dismiss you as a hipster douche bag or a pedophile (PeeWee Herman, we are looking at you), but if you are an old geezer wearing a bow tie (e.g. Colonel Sanders), you can pull it off, but not because it was cool when you were young -- after all, the bow tie went out of fashion about the same time as bayonets.  The same principle applies to custom cars; build a '37 Cord replica from ReplicarsRUs in your backyard and you are gonna get ridiculed, but pick up a replica from the 60s...that just might be cool.  Find this 1968 Samco Warrior here on eBay bidding for $10,001 with less than one day to go, located in Hershey, PA.


Coffee Brake: Living on a G-String Budget: 2010 Stripper Pony(ish) Cars Market Report

This guest Coffee Brake was written by K2 Mystery Car
Evolution is a cruel mistress; it creates fearsome predators that devour every tasty morsel in their path. And then, something funny happens…the razor-toothed dinosaur that’s born with tiny legs, the lightning-quick tiger who can’t see more than two feet in front of its nose and other oxymoronic natural creations that boggle the mind.
Like those natural mistakes of yore, automakers have offered similar combinations; hot cars with feeble engines, the better to make a fast buck from a buyer who wanted the look but couldn’t afford the power. Known for their lack of features and a lackluster power plant, these are “stripper” cars, decontented to serve the almighty dollar and service the painfully poor enthusiast.

9k: Practically UseleSS: 1991 Chevrolet 454SS

Sometimes you can just look at a vehicle and think, "I bet that driver owns a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt." And while most trucks don't make good cars, the rare performance-special 454SS doesn't make much of a truck either. For $34,000 (in 2015), you got 2wd, a regular cab, regular bed, two seats, a 1,000-lb payload, and 10 mpg on the highway. Gas was cheaper then. In a way, it's like a Corvette with a fuel leak and blown struts, but more room for empty beer cans in the back. That's good enough for some people. Find this 1991 Chevrolet 454SS for sale in Yakima, WA for $9,000 via craigslist.


Radio Flyer: 2004 Subaru Forester XT

The Subaru Forester hit the showrooms in 1997 with the marketing slogan "SUV tough, car easy."  It was Subaru's first entry into the (then small, now large) segment known as the crossover SUV, but the Forester was a long way away from being an AMC Eagle.  The Forester was a replacement for the incredibly named Subaru Impreza Gravel Express, but by 2004 it was actually a competent on-road car that shared parts with the GG series Impreza.  Today, a used Forester with a manual gearbox makes a great family hauler for a guy like Doctordel, but is this next one a bit too modified?  Find this 2004 Subaru Forester XT 5-speed offered for $15,000 via NASIOC forums.


Thursday, July 2, 2015

Little Red: 2001 Honda Acty Mini Truck

Bigger isn't always better.  Take heart attacks, for instance.  A small heart attack might trigger a change in lifestyle, while a big heart attack causes a change in life.  A small scale invasion of France is known as tourist season in Britain, while a large scale invasion of France is a World War -- so, forget everything you've read about bigger, larger, morer, et cetera. Conveniently, it just so happens that we've got a small truck today, that I propose is better than a large one. Find this 2001 Honda Acty Minitruck here on eBay currently bidding for $6000 with a few hours to go, located in Brandon, MI.

Thursday Twister: Original Equipment Tuner

Welcome back another edition of the Thursday Twister, DT's weekly quiz show where we discuss the stuff that really matters, and sometimes matter that is really a string (but that is neither here nor there...and sometimes not now or then...but I'm getting all Heisenbergy and nobody wants that when the life of a cat hangs in the balance).  Today we are looking for cars that were modified by a third party, not the original OEM, and not some "performance" group within the OEM) but an actual third party, like Carroll Shelby when he modified Mustangs for Ford.


13Buzz Power: 1970 Porsche 914

There has been a deluge of keg powered cars around here, so I figure why not continue that flood by posting a 13B powered Porsche 914.  Not only does this car have a spinning rotor (or two) tucked behind the driver, but it wears an outlandish body kit that makes it look like a red Batmobile.  Find this 1970 Porsche 914 offered for $14,500 in Franklin, NC via craigslist.  Tip from PB.


Cool To Be Square: 1987 Volvo 245 Wagon

It is quite possible that Piet Mondrian was pulling an Andy Kauffman on the art world when he released the box themed painting known as the Victory Boogie Woogie, but there is something to be said for the utility of the box shape.  Ask any UPS or FedEx driver if they would prefer a truck shaped as the Venus de Milo or a box for delivering Amazon boxes to your front door, and they'll certainly pick the box, so why shouldn't your car be square too?  Find this 1987 Volvo 245 Wagon offered for $5,000 near Seattle, WA. Tip from FuelTruck.


Wednesday, July 1, 2015

24 Valves, 5 speeds, 4 doors: 1991 BMW 318i w/ S52 Swap

What's better than your average BMW E30? A 4-door E30 with moar power, of course. Although this car is sporting two more cylinders than it left the factory with, just like yesterday's V8-swapped 325e, I'd reckon that it's the smarter solution. It started life as a lowly 318i 4-cylinder and has now inherited two more slugs from an E36 offspring - a 3.2L M3 to be more precise. . Find this S52-swapped E30 4-door for sale in New York's Hudson Valley for $8,200 via craigslist.


Mid Week Match-Up: Longroof For Doctordel

This week's we've got a Mid Week Match-Up request from longtime DT commenter Doctordel:

An unfortunate and significant shift in my domestic situation has me looking for a people-mover that will accommodate two preteen boys and their attendant lacrosse gear and guitars. I find myself scouring CL for reliable yet interesting transportation but my aim is pretty scattered. I am inexplicably drawn to wagons (duh) but this purchase must be a smart one that won't wind up leaving my boys stranded after the lights get shut off at the fields twice a week. And, no, I can't use my 1800es as their mother and I agree that airbags are a good thing for risk mitigation.


Seller Submission: 2006 Volvo V70R

I can remember the first time I got a ride in a 2nd generation (2004-2007) Volvo V70R.  It was a strange sensation of bombing down a surface street with 5 full sized adults on board and thinking wow, we are going fast...in a Volvo wagon. Really fast  AAAAAAAAAAAA, WATCH OUT FOR THOSE...hey, great brakes on this thing, anybody have a spare pair of pants?  If you want to experience the thrill of going faster than everybody expects, pick up this 2006 Volvo V70R offered for $10,000 in Menifee, CA via craigslist.  Seller submission from Colin.


RX-8 Buyers Guide: How To Hit The Apex Without Getting Clubbed By A Seal

Words By DT Contributor RyanM:

Man, I miss my RX8.

If you're a gearhead / amateur grease monkey with an engine hoist, there's no better deal out there right now in the sports car world than a first generation (SE3P) 2004-2008 Mazda RX-8 . Just go into it with the right mindset and expect to spend $2k on the thing every 10 years. And throw what you know about engine maintenance out the door. They're still a Mazda, so the components of the car are solid - expect above average reliability from everything except the engine.

The bottom line here is to go into the RX8 experience with your eyes wide open.  Don't go into it expecting an economy car and economy car reliability.  Go into it expecting the reliability of an exotic, with the driving dynamics of an exotic, and engine maintenance costs (and frequency) of a Land Rover.