09-01-2013, 08:21 AM
I actually have rather a soft place for the old kit-cars. Yes, most were atrocious, but some were so goofy that you just have to wonder... _Why_?
This is based on the very obscure 1934 Frazer-Nash. One bounced around the local Craigslist a few years back for $2500.
And then there are the Pumas: two different companies, two different continents. Arguably, the Brazilian cars were the best, and over the years, ~22,000 were turned out, both as kits and factory assembled.
But the Italian ones did offer an Alfa Romeo boxer engine in their later days.
Finally, Fritz made this perceptive comment:
"My interest in cars exploded like mad during my first tour in Europe.
I saw all kinds of stuff on the roads there. Made my eyes hurt."
This has always been true. But Europe is mostly densely populated, and the unusual stands out from the sea of similar Citroens and SEATs. I had a cousin visiting a few years back, and he was amazed at the number of old, old by our standards, cars puttering about the East Bay. He called these cars collectively "Murks", a reference to old Mercedes. Where he came from, these cars were cheap to buy, expensive to run and maintain, and prohibitively expensive to meet MOT. So most are junked.
There is this show called "Drive It!" on DWTV, and every week they showcase an old car. (You would be amazed at the varied number of low-volume sports cars that were produced from behind the doom and gloom "Iron Curtain".) DWTV did a good piece on, of all things, the Chevy Corvair. The later models are esteemed there, compared to contemporary Porsches, and command Porsche prices.
Eustace
This is based on the very obscure 1934 Frazer-Nash. One bounced around the local Craigslist a few years back for $2500.
And then there are the Pumas: two different companies, two different continents. Arguably, the Brazilian cars were the best, and over the years, ~22,000 were turned out, both as kits and factory assembled.
But the Italian ones did offer an Alfa Romeo boxer engine in their later days.
Finally, Fritz made this perceptive comment:
"My interest in cars exploded like mad during my first tour in Europe.
I saw all kinds of stuff on the roads there. Made my eyes hurt."
This has always been true. But Europe is mostly densely populated, and the unusual stands out from the sea of similar Citroens and SEATs. I had a cousin visiting a few years back, and he was amazed at the number of old, old by our standards, cars puttering about the East Bay. He called these cars collectively "Murks", a reference to old Mercedes. Where he came from, these cars were cheap to buy, expensive to run and maintain, and prohibitively expensive to meet MOT. So most are junked.
There is this show called "Drive It!" on DWTV, and every week they showcase an old car. (You would be amazed at the varied number of low-volume sports cars that were produced from behind the doom and gloom "Iron Curtain".) DWTV did a good piece on, of all things, the Chevy Corvair. The later models are esteemed there, compared to contemporary Porsches, and command Porsche prices.
Eustace