DailyTurismo

December 24 2020

Strange Custom: 1989 Chevrolet Corvette C4

DailyTurismo Modern Classic 'Murica, C4, Chevrolet, Corvette, Custom 5

This next custom Chevrolet Corvette came as a tip from REDACTED. The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Of course this thing is located in the Jersey Shore — where else would you find such a car that is stricken with VettAIDS…oh…never mind, that is a VettAid Dash Cluster. I’m sure there is an antibiotic ointment for that. Find this 1989 Chevrolet Corvette offered for $11,500 in Jersey Shore, NJ via craigslist.

December 22 2020

Cool Little Runner: 1986 Nissan Pulsar NX

DailyTurismo Modern Classic Japanese, Nissan, Pulsar, Pulsar NX 4

The N12 Nissan Pulsar (1982-1986) was a front-drive little compact that was the predecessor to the wicked Sportbak configurable wagon/convertible/shootingbrake thing. The early Pulsars didn’t have the cool configurable roof design, but they did have one of the coolest grills on a car ever made. Find this 1986 Nissan Pulsar NX offered for $4,000 in Denver, CO via craigslist.

December 21 2020

F2T Turbo Swapped: 1993 Mazda B2200 Truck

DailyTurismo Modern Classic 12 Valve, B2200, F2T, Japanese, Mazda, MX-6, Swap, turbo 5

Tipper Cory sent this next car in with the following spring of seemingly nonsensical drivel; turbo ft swapped compact aqua colored mazda truck frame off restoration. I did a double take…because I’m pretty hip when it comes to model designations but this sounded more like the title of a Tom Wolfe novel than a description of a car on craigslist. So, let’s break it down. Turbo — yes this has a Garrett T3 turbo; ft swapped — which means this is a 2.2 liter turbo 12-valve SOHC F2T Mazda inline-4 that was only available in transverse front-engine MX-6/Ford Probe but bolts up easily to the B2200 that used the FE version; compact aqua colored mazda truck frame off resto — the rest now makes sense. Find this 1993 Mazda B2200 offered for $12,500 in Belmont, MA via craigslist.

December 19 2020

Will Trade For Prius: 1985 Renault Alliance Convertible

DailyTurismo Modern Classic Alliance, AMC, ASC, Convertible, French, Renault 3

The Renault Alliance was the result of an alliance between Renault and AMC, which was less of an alliance and more of a case of AMC borrowing a large sum of cash from Renault. In its day, the Alliance was the French version of the Honda Civic and lived on an Americanized Renault 9 chassis, but was assembled in Kenosha Wisconsin. The ragtop was ‘convertiblized’ by the American Sunroof Company, a custom builder regularly employed on oddball Detroit projects such as the ASC McLaren Grand Prix, Buick GNX, Chrysler Cordoba LS..etc. But, the most striking thing about today’s Alliance is how it managed to survive the last 35 years in such remarkable (and running!!) condition. Find this 1985 Renault Alliance Convertible offered for $4,500 or trade for Prius in Cedarburg, WI via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

December 18 2020

Imported from Oz: 1981 Land Rover Series III 109 Diesel

DailyTurismo Modern Classic 4X4, Diesel, Land Rover, Off roader, Series III 3

We posted a Land Rover Series III the other day that was really just a collection of parts. Commenter Mountainwoodie got it right when he suggested the seller’s spouse had probably said: ”You better get that pile of junk out of the garage or I’m taking the kids and going to my mothers!” At least it was cheap. Anyway, this next Series III Land Mover is assembled and is probably worth the bump up in price. Find this 1981 Land Rover Series III 109 Diesel offered for $15,000 in Blue Island, IL via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

December 18 2020

1981 Lancia Beta Zagato Spyder

DailyTurismo Modern Classic Beta, Italian, Lancia, Pininfarina, Spyder, Zagato 1

The Lancia Beta Zagato was a quasi-convertible version of the Beta coupe along the lines of the Baur Targa-ized BMWs from the same era. The Zagato (or Spyder) is a very affordable way to get into an Italian car designed by Pininfarina produced in limited quantity, and it was super cheap…at least until a few years ago when people figured out that it was a Lancia. LANCIA! This is the Italian marque that was founded in Turin in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and his buddy Claudio Fogolin. Sure, Lancia was taken over by Fiat in 1969 and it turned into a has-been “other brand” like Fiat’s version of Pontiac/Oldsmobile/Buick…but Lancia was the company that won Formula 1 races in the 1950s and Juan Manuel Fangio wont the 1956 championship with a Lancia-Ferrari racing car that pioneered the use if the engine as a stressed chassis component. Later Lancia won the 1972 World Rally Championship with a rear-drive Stratos (and later the 037) when everyone else (ahem, Audi) was running all-wheel-drive. But this car is a Beta, so it is as far from racing as you could get…but Lancia won the 1981 World Sportscar Championship (with races at Dayton, Sebring, Monza, Silverstone, Riverside, Nürburgring, LeMans, Spa, Road America, and Brands Hatch) with a heavily modified Beta Montecarlo. Bottom line…buy this 1981 Lancia Zagato Spyder offered for $11,500 in Syracuse, NY via craigslist.

December 17 2020

The Last Great Saab: 1994 Saab 9000 Aero

DailyTurismo Modern Classic 9000, Aero, Saab, Thorsday 7

The Saab 9000 was the final vehicle designed in house at Saab and brought to market by the funky Scandinavian OEM before it was fully acquired by the machine known as General Monster…errr Motors. The 9000 was built on a shared Saab/Fiat platform that was also used in the 1984-1998 Lancia Thema, Saab 9000, Fiat Croma, and Alfa Romeo 164. The Saab/Fiat Type 4 platform features executive class luxury, front drive safety, and Giorgetto Giugiaro styling…but the best part is that they are cheap and easy to modify to go fast, if you can find one. Find this 1994 Saab 9000 Aero offered for $4,800 in Brooklyn, NY via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

December 15 2020

My Own Little Eleanor: 1988 BMW 535i E28

DailyTurismo Modern Classic 24 Hours of LeMons, 535i, BMW, e28, German 7

In the Nick Cage classic “Gone in 60 Seconds”, the protagonist (and car thief) hunts his white whale — Eleanor. She is a unicorn, an elusive 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 that is impossible to capture. No matter how many times he tried, Memphis could not capture it…and I’ve got a similar car. Not one I’m planning on stealing for the Ukrainian mafia, but one I’d like to have in my garage. The E28 BMW 5-series. Sure, I’ve driven a few. I even took one to the top of the podium at the 24 Hrs of LeMons in 2007 (and another to the scrap heap after the first race in 2006, training wheels welded on as penalty, People’s Choice award…good times)…but I’ve never owned or daily driven an E28 535i. I still have the itch and someday I’ll get a manual version before they are all crushed or become victim of hipster price bloat. Find this 1988 BMW 535i E28 offered for $2850 in Petaluma, CA via craigslist.

December 15 2020

Everyday Hero: 1998 Toyota 4Runner

DailyTurismo Modern Classic 4Runner, Japanese, Toyota 1

Most cars have haters. The fast and sporty (Mustang, the Corvette, the 911) have people who love ’em and people who hate them and the same goes for slow workhorses (Beetle, Dodge Ram, etc). But there are a few make/models in the world that might not be universally loved, but they go about the business of being a car in such an admirable way that you can’t hate them…and the 90s Toyota 4Runner is a wonderful example of that paradigm. Find this 1998 Toyota 4Runner offered for $6,000 in Napa, CA via craigslist.

December 14 2020

Olden Goldie: 1990 Toyota Camry Wagon

DailyTurismo Modern Classic Camry, Japanese, Toyota, Wagon 2

When this next car came into DT’s mailbox, I recognized something…and it wasn’t the car. It was the location. I’d seen this rooftop parking structure with another well preserved Japanese wagon…ahh, here it is; the ’89 Corolla All-Trac Wagon from a few months back. It seems we have a connoisseur on our hands. The seller is either an enthusiast who is thinning his collection, or a flipper who buys these things from grandma and then wheeler dealers them on craigslist for a tidy profit. Find this 1990 Toyota Camry offered for $5,700 in Los Angeles, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

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