Saturday, September 26, 2015

Turbo Diesel E38 5-Speed: 1996 BMW 725TDS


Browse your average craigslist for cheap late model Turismo candidates long enough and you'll soon find a consistent landscape filled with Hondas with transmission issues, Subarus with bad paint, Volvos with a millionty miles -- you know the drill.  But, every once in a while you find something strange...something unique, something that won't be in your neighbors driveway.  Like this 1996 BMW 725TDS offered for $7,500 in Westminster, CA via craigslist. Tip from Dan.

No CDL required: 1952 Kenworth Model 825

If you're a fan of Rudolf Diesel in the U.S. right now, you might be wondering if VW just hammered the final nail in the coffin for the oily stuff in the U.S.  It remains to be seen if the market for light duty vehicles will dry up, but there is always heavy duty if you must roll some coal.  You might even be able to avoid a CDL with a vintage hauler.  Find this 1952 Kenworth Model 852 for sale in Spanaway, WA for $15,000 via craigslist.


6 Cylinder: 1962 Ford Falcon Futura

The car shows of the world are overrun with blower equipped hot rods, spitting fire out their tailpipes while being gently driven by elderly owners who have no interest doing burnouts and terrorizing the neighborhood.  So why not skip the fuel bills, and angry looks from neighbors when you wake them up at 6am Saturday morning, and buy a simple inline-6 powered classic.  Like this 1962 Ford Falcon Futura found here on eBay bidding for $4,050 located in Orland, CA (this land is my land, this land is Orland...) with a few hours to go.


Friday, September 25, 2015

Shaggy Sheep Dog: 1995 Chevrolet Van


When news broke that Hillary Clinton was running around the Midwest in a vehicle called the Scooby van, I immediately thought it would be some wild custom.  Needless to say I was disappointed to find it was just a boring old black van, and would have been much more excited if she were driving around in this next custom.  Find this 1995 Chevrolet G35 Van "Shaggy Sheep Dog" offered here on eBay bidding for $212.50 with 1/2 the proceeds dedicated to the Muskegon, MI humane society. 

Coffee Brake: Coronado Speed Festival 2015

This past weekend I had the extreme fortune of attending the 2015 Coronado Speed Festival, hosted by the SVRA, and run on the North Island Navy base as part of the Fleet Week celebrations.  This is an event I've attended in the past, but this year someone handed me a yellow safety vest and told me I had the run of the place...just don't get run over.  Armed with a dSLR camera, 300mm zoom lens, sunscreen, media pass, and a giant hat I snapped a few hundred photos.  

Coronado Speed Festival 2015

Around The Web: Beetle Custom, Mazdararri, Clean Volvo

Today seems like a great day to kickoff a new feature -- an experiment, as they say.  Here is a quick collection of the best cars found at other sites on the web.  Today you'll find a custom Beetle from Oddimotive, a Mazda pickup masqurading as a Ferrari from Jalopnik's Nice Price or Crack Pipe, and a two-tone Volvo from Bringatrailer.


It's A Hardtop Life: 1986 Nissan Skyline GT Passage R31

The Skyline name was first used by the Prince Motor Company in 1957 on their Dagmar bumper equipped luxury sedan.  A few years later, Prince merged with Nissan and the Skyline name became associated with Nissan's fast sports sedans, culminating with the GT-R release in 1969.  Many years later the GT-R Skyline (or Skyline GT-R?) name has become synonymous with Japanese speed and style.  Can't afford a new one -- buy this 1986 Nissan Skyline GT Passage R31 found here on eBay offered for $13,900 buy-it-now located in Miami, FL.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Factory Boosted: 1986 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

The ninth generation of Ford's iconic Thunderbird road on the fox platform shared with the Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar, and Lincoln Mk VII. For the most part this version of the Thunderbird was a big boulevard cruising personal luxury coupe, but Ford built a few special models that are interesting for low-buck collectors and turbo fox fanatics alike.  Find this 1986 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe here on eBay bidding for $6,400 in Lincoln Park, MI.

Thursday Twister: Diesel Power

Given the recent news about Volkswagen's unique emissions calibration techniques (it is okay for GE to not pay corporate tax on profit because of creative accounting, but creative calibration gets the CEO sacked?) it seemed only appropriate to built a list of the diesel engines sold in passenger cars in the USA for this week's Thursday Twister...but no Volkswagens.


Roadkill: 1960s Saab 95

This next roadkill feature comes from Wayne who writes:  Here's a treat straight from the main drag in Bluff, Utah, land of sand and rocks and sun. A late 60's (early 70's?) Saab 95. Asking $900.00 with a salvage value of about $300.00. Used to run, she said, but is needing electrical work. Better hurry the owner said it was going to the crusher this week if not sold. Not listed anywhere except in front of this gas station. Also not running. Contact XXX.XXX.XXXX Update SOLD (note: if you are reading this after Oct of 2015, there is a good chance the car is long gone, so please don't call Leah and offer to trade your slightly used snowmobile, a mint condition garden gnome collection, or a box of salt for this thing).


Bluebird Pickup: 1964 Datsun 1200 NL320

Do you ever having that strange feeling that you've seen something before?  Maybe a picture of a car? It happens a lot when you blog obsessively about cheap used cars for sale around the web, but this next feature comes with so much déjà vu that I'm thinking of buying a Saturn SUV.  Find this 1964 Datsun 1200 offered for $3,995 in Laramie, WY via craigslist.


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Unpimped 5-Speed: 1987 Acura Integra LS


The first generation Acura Integra was first produced in 1986 as the basic offering for Honda's new luxury brand (the high end was the Legend).  It was purchased by middle class families when new and ten years later handed down to their kids who promptly installed giant fart can mufflers and cut the springs.  Finding a manual transmission Integra that hasn't been destroyed isn't easy, but check out this 1987 Acura Integra LS offered for $2700 in Pasadena, CA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.


Mid Week Match-Up: Daily Driver for Matt

It is Wednesday, so that means time for another episode of William's Wacky Reviews of German Sausages...wait...that's not right...Wednesday is time for DT's  Mid Week Match-Up.  Today's request comes from Matt who writes:
My daily driver is an E36 BMW convertible, bought before my wife and I had any kids. Now, we have two small children - both old enough not to need a rear-facing car seat, but sometimes I've got to tote the two of them around in my car instead of the wife's Camry, and I'd like my next car to have enough room to carry both kids comfortably in the back seat even when the driver's seat is all the way back.



Feeling Legassy: 2005 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT

It is a shame, but Subaru never produced a wagon version of their hopped up Impreza WRX STI (no, the hatchback jelly bean version doesn't have trunk big enough to fit more than a single polluting VW diesel engine block) but you can get pretty darn close on the used market with a Legacy 2.5 GT.  The Legacy provides a more refined ride free from the filling loosening harshness and freeway pogosticking of the STI, but it has an engine that is surprisingly close in performance.  Find this  2005 Subaru Legacy GT offered for $11,250 in SF Bay Area, CA via craigslist.


A Real Project: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302

 The original Boss 302 Mustang was sold in the 1969 and 1970 model years as a street version of the TransAm racer.  A large part of the concept is attributed to Larry Shinoda who added the c-stripe ('69) and hockey stick ('70) plus front air dam, rear wing, and deleted faux side scoops -- but the real hero is the screaming solid lifter equipped 302 V8 under the hood.  Find this 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 here on eBay bidding for $9,100 with less than one day to go.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Miscellaneous Ramblings and Musings From The Coronado Speed Festival

-by Hunsbloger: I miss Andy Rooney on Sunday nights.  As I get older and my eyebrows are starting to look more like his, I'm beginning to understand how certain things just caught his attention, even though they escaped the notice of others (Squirrel!)  Vince gave a more complete account of the races, so I figured I'd pry the microphone out of Andy's cold dead fingers to point out some of the things that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.  (Feel free to read in his voice)

 "What're you thinking?" or "Ethan Hunt's Car" 

Someone having taken the time to get up extra early in the morning, drove early to the base, paid extra to get their car parked in  the car show area, only to leave it protected from the admiring gaze of the public...by leaving it under cover all day. Don't waste your time trying to decode the model of car cover as it was made by the now defunct North Coast Tarpaulin Works and there is no online catalog.


Gerstenslager Conversion: 1954 Chevrolet Camper 4BT Cummins Power

 Did somebody say Goldschläger?   No, no, we aren't talking about that terrible cinnamon schnapps/floor cleaner that comes with real gold flakes floating in the bottom...no.  We are talking about Gerstenslager, the Wooster, OH based custom coachworks company that started sometime in the mid 19th century, got big with bookmobiles in the '50s and still stamps vehicle body parts today.  Find this 1954 Chevrolet Camper with Gerstenslager conversion and 4BT Cummins power offered for $6,500 in Brighton, CO via craigslist. Tip from Zach Z.


This Ain't Gonna Last: 1990 BMW M3 E30

This is either the cheapest E30 M3 for sale in the universe, or a really good scammer.  I hope it is the former, and if you buy this car, I expect a ride...or at least some pics.  Find this 1990 BMW M3 E30 offered for $500 in Glendale, CA.  Tip from Brian.