Other Favorite Vehicles

[Jeff Aronson]

Deep down I know that every Land Rover enthusiast appreciates great automobiles; the same qualities that attract you to Land Rovers also connect you with other significant cars and trucks.

For a planned article in the Rovers North News, I'd love to know vehicles you own as an enthusiast, and/or vehicles you wish you could own but can't right now. What makes them right for you?

You can post your thoughts on this thread, send me a PM, or email me directly at jrh@foxislands.net.

Thanks in advance,

Jeff

[jp-]

I have always wanted a 1950 Talbot Lago T26 Record. I am going to build my own in a few years. I have a very rare book on this car that gives just about all the build dimensions, but it's in French! Good thing I took French.

Of course, just about all the streamlined French autos are beautiful. I'd love to have a 1940's Delahaye 135M, but will never have the cash for that.

Then you have the old Ferrari's like the 250's, 375's. I think I could make a 250, but still need a great deal of equipment to do it.

[Eric W S]

1967 Convertable Corvette witha 427 and tri-power
Any Shelby Mustang from the sixties
Any Yenko Camero from the sixties

[jac04]

Jeff-

I am currently restoring a 1968 Camaro convertible L30/M20, which has the high-output L30 327 backed by a M20 4-speed transmission. It is a highly optioned car, but, most importantly, my father bought the car brand new. After birth, I was brought home from the hospital in this car. This car is simply "right for me". Here is a picture of the car with my mother (pregnant with me) standing next to it:


Now, you asked what makes a vehicle "right for you" as an enthusiast. How about what makes them wrong for you? The perfect example is a car that I just sold - a 2005 Subaru WRX.



As an enthusiast, I loved this car. I upgraded the brakes to Group N rally gravel-spec, all Group N rally drivetrain bushings, Prodrive Stage 3 engine upgrades, larger intercooler, forged wheels, full gauges, and sticky tires. The car was fast, handled great, and gripped the road like you wouldn't believe. It was an absolute blast to drive. So, why did I sell it? It just wasn't "right for me". I found that it drew lots of attention, but not necessarily good attention. It always seemed that kids in Hondas wanted to race me. I don't want to street race. People looked at me with a nasty look, because they figured I was just like every irresponsible kid driving a souped-up import car. It didn't give me a good feeling.

Now, I never met a person who didn't smile at me while I was driving my old 63 IIA Soft Top 88. It made people happy. It made me happy. I sold it to a person who really wanted it, and it is making him happy now.

I realized that I needed another "happy" car, so I just bought a 73 Lightweight. It is the ugliest thing you've ever seen, and it makes the garage smell funny, but it makes me happy. It makes my 3-year-old daughter happy. It makes my wife.......uh, well, maybe not exactly happy.



-Jeff

[NC Rover]

My other vehicles....

[Les Parker]

My ultimate veh?

http://www.elcaminoclassifieds.com/showad.php?id=1264

Pure Americana, in my opinion.

[msggunny]

Want but mostlikely wont ever have:

early 60's E type Jag convertable (sentimental value, dad had one before i came around),

Might get if i can beat my wife into submission (figuratively, not litteraly):
current Mini Cooper S, BMW R 1200GS

If i could have any one vehicle regardless of price and to my specifications it would be the Jag. (dont tell my wife though...)

[Rineheitzgabot]

As soon as I read your request, many vehicles came to mind, but these are a few of my selections:

Bugatti T57sc Atlantic Coupe
A gorgeous and ***y, bordering on the voluptuous, body design, this thing, as far as I am concerned, is a hallmark of the art of auto design. Pre-WWII, yet timeless. It boasted 200hp and a top speed of around 110mph—this is 1938! Imagine that!
View the Bugatti here:
http://www.bugattipage.com/voitures/bugatti/t57scat4.jpg

I have always loved station wagons from the early sixties. The heavier, the better. 5000 lbs. Of steel, and 400hp, gotta love it. I saw a black, 1959 Edsel, with 6-inch white walls at the Auburb-Cord Deusenburg festival one year, and have never forgot it. Maybe someday.
View the Ford wagon here (imagine it black with huge white walls):
http://www.stationwagon.com/gallery/pictures/BERMUDA2.jpg

I am a bit of a James Bond junky. I have always thought that the Aston Martin DB4 in Goldfinger, is a great example of British design work (except for the fact that an Italian firm designed the body—hence the word, Superleggera on the hood). But hey, you don’t have to be the artist to respect the art!
View the Aston Martin DB4 here:
http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/image/DB4%20GT.JPG

[leafsprung]

Cars

Fancy cars dont thrill me. Elegant, flowing lines, burl dashes, and flawless paint are generally testament to the insecurities of their owners. Im impressed with the design and craftsmanship of those exclusive automobiles. However, Im guessing guessing the craftsmen and engineers who built those cars werent driving around in bugattis . . . The simple, small, utilitarian, economical, or ingenious cars are the ones that are interesting.

-Steyr halflinger
-BMW 1600/issetta
-Volkswagen syncro tristar, and doka splitwindow transporters, pre 58 bug, schwimmwagen,
-Cony Pickup
-Suzuki LJ10/20/50/80/81/Jimny
-Subaru 360 car/pickup/van
-Fiat 500/600/multipla/jolly
-Citroen 2cv/DS/H Van
-Porsche 356
-Diamond T
-IHC
-Mercedes, Unimog 411/401, original gelendewagen, W110,W115,W123
-Toyota Land Cruiser FJ/BJ 28/43/45/75/77/78, Blizzard,
-Austin A40 pickup/champ


I could go on and on. Some of these Ive owned, others will find their way to me when they are ready. I normally drive a series one land rover. The only non rovers I have right now are a Suzuki LJ81 and a BMW 50/2. I like the suzuki because its like a 1/2 scale rover. Solid axles, leaf springs, box section frame. However, the zuk has more ground clearance, lower gears, gets better than double the gas mileage and has more hauling room than an 88. 800cc/1600lbs, I use it as my yard truck:

[Leslie]

Dude! My mom had a 2-door Impala ('68, I think), I grew up in that car! The linear speedometer, the shoulder belts above the door...... hers was red w/ black vinyl top.

Love the 1st gen Bronco..... (or any ol' 'ugly' 4x4) And the VW......

I had an '02 Impreza.... love it still, save the seats... they just weren't made for someone my size.... the wife's raggin' it out now.

At one time, I'd have liked a '68 Firebird 400, would liked to have had black coupe..... had a '76 TransAm when I was in highschool..... had a lot of fun, having learned to drive from watchin' Smokey and the Bandit and the Dukes of Hazzard..... sometimes, I wouldn't mind to find a '72 TA to go w/ my '72 Rover, but, I dunno if I could do the TA thing again....
Any '60's Mustang is cool. My brother's '73 stroked RS Camaro was a tough car, too.


Actually, my like of the 1st gen Firebird has segued into a like of Alfa GTV's. Late 60's early 70's Giulia coupe, rally car. All the nice ones are on the west coast, tho'.....

I'd like to do a Brit sportscar as a project like I did my Series, but, not an MGB, simply because there's too many of them around. An MGA might be nice, or a Healey but they've gone up way too much. A TR6 might work. Or, find a 1st or 2nd gen XJ, clean it up, tricked out for runnin'.......

A Delorean would be cool, but again, I think their price has out-accelerated their value.


There are some Ferrari's that I like. I like the Dino's and the 250's (who doesn't?), but, I kinda like some of the other ones that aren't as revered, like the 365GTC/4.


With money these days, though, my next project will probably be a pinewood derby racer......

[Les Parker]

This is my MOST favourite veh. of all time, what character, and its French !!

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/41377

[Apis Mellifera]

What can I say, I'm an Anglophile. My garage currently holds:





And my current project:


I have a few more MGs and another Sprite, but they are either donors or projects I'll never get to.

I like these things because they're old, easy to work on, were cheap when I bought them, and mainly because they have an intangible "soul". I work on them, get to know their personalities, and having them, restored and running...still, proves I was alive and did something. I like the brotherhood with other owners. I don't like the stares and most of the same tired Lucas or reliability questions I get while driving/riding them, but I do take pride knowing that I am blessed to be able maintain something that most people can't and I hope my old machines fascinate the young kids like they did me when I was a lad.

I wish I could afford a Series 1 E-type and a Big Healey. Some day maybe a:
'72 Ford Mustang Grande
MkI Mini Cooper S
Ferrari 308
Porsche 928
3rd Gen Mazda RX7
BMW 2002
and without question a '72 Ford Gran Torino.

With a two week old baby, I wish I didn't have to drive a Honda Accord. I'd love a BMW wagon or better yet, a '72 Ford Torino Squire.

[Leslie]

Wow, several posted whilst I was typing..... (that's what I get for having to work).


Ike, I like old motorcycles.... I like BMW /5's and Triumphs, Vincents and Matchless and Aerial's, etc.

But a 1200GS or a Tiger or a SpeedTriple would be sweet, too.....

[Terrys]

Other than the current three and past 16 Land Rovers, most of my cars have been UK in origin, though not all.
Past ones include 3 AH3000s and a 100-6 Piper Special (all alloy)
Lotus 7 (not a clone) Lotus Super 7 and Lotus Elan (lift up windows)and a 41C (FB) which I got caught driving on the street.
1 MGB and 1 MGB-GT
2 MG-TDs, one past and one current
3 Jag Mk IIs (one was actually a 340) 2 past and one current, with factory sunroof.
1 Jag Mk IX
1 AC Ace
1 AC Aceca
I had a 308GT4 for 5 years, drove it 5000k miles and traded it for an '87 911 Carrera Targa (still have) and that was the smartest thing I ever did
There's a Mini Cooper S down in the barn, I think it's still my son's, but I might drive it next year.
Bikes past: 1953 BMW R51/3 and '54 R68
'57 Trophy TR-6, '53 Thunderbird, '49 Speed Twin, '67 Mountain Cub
'47 B33 Rigid, '52 B33 plunger and still have a '47 B32
'35 and '38 Ariel Redhunter
'50 Rapide
still have a '66 Moto Guzzi ISDT with about 500 miles on it

[greenmeanie]

Well that’s a very dangerous thing to ask. I have the green virus so my wife has banned me from armoured or tracked vehicles. I love the sound of a Chieftain Mk10 on full song and Ferrets are a lot of fun to run around town in.

I love big machinery.
Diamond T 981
MAZ537
Any of the big MAN 8X8s
A man could never go wrong with a Tatra 813. Just watch the Euro truck challenges.

To satisfy my passion for wreckers:
Diamond T 969
Pacific M26 Dragon Wagon.
Scammell Pioneer S2.

For racing the KAMAZ.

A general workhorse and parts hauler
Bedford Mk/MJ.

Family fun vehicle:
Supacat MWMIK.

But it would be a hard toss up between these two:
Scammell Explorer. Mind you any of the coffee pot Scammells are cool.



Alvis Stalwart MkII. She's complex but very cool. The Rolls Royce B81 straight 8 sounds good as well.


My wife fears me ever winning the lottery. She knows she will have a very nice house, but she also knows that if she opens the door all she will see is green. I think the Stolly wins right now. My HOA is considering a whole new chapter in the CCR’s just for me.