Does anyone else find themselves strangely attracted to oddball cars? I've been shopping the low end of the used car market recently (for a beater to drive until we close on the house and I can buy an 8) and I find myself interested in cars that are not the kind of cars a rational person would purchase. Some of them aren't even enthusiasts' cars. All of them are, er, characterful. My recent list of candidates:

1987 Supra w/new turbo motor and 350rwhp (dyno charts included).
1980 Mercedes 280E with a 5-speed.
1985 RX-7 GSL-SE w/rebuilt motor.
1988 Cadillac Cimarron.
1995 Camaro V6 w/5-speed.
1979 BMW 320i.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why can't I buy a nice used Camry or Accord? Full disclosure: I drove a 1990 Lincoln Town car all last summer. White w/red leather. Paid $1,500 and sold it at the end of the summer for $2,600, so this good fortune may have something to do with my disease.

I also daydream about owning weird newer cars instead of the nearly-perfect sporting cars (like the 8 or an S2000) that I know are my best choice. This is usually in the context of having a second "daily driver" so that the future 8 can avoid useless miles in stop and go traffic. Thus, if I were wealthy, some candidates for a second car include:

1999 BMW M Coupe w/Dinan supercharger package.
Lightly used Crossfire SRT-6 coupe in a couple of years.
Mercedes C230 hatchback.
2000 Camaro SS.

I mean, WTF?? Am I alone in having these impure thoughts? I'm a committed car guy at heart (past cars include a Civic Si, SE-R, and Miata w/handling package) but I find slightly "off" cars strangely appealing.



T.

 

liking cars is a good thing...how much is that supra, i'd consider putting a couple gs down on that, back when i was 6 i really liked that generation supra

 

The guy's asking 6k for the Supra, which is too much. It's gorgeous, though, and the work as obviously been carefully done. CPI on that generation is only $3,100, and it's hard to account properly for all the custom work.

I can't say wouldn't be strongly tempted at $4,500, but the guy did most of the work with his son (who is ASE certified), so they're probably too attached to it to let it go for so little.

T.

 

drooool...yeah i wouldnt spend more than 4k for it, as awesome as it is, its an old car.

 

Starion and Conquest are two that I always browse for.

 

My friend's first real car was a starion, it had no emblems or labels and everyone thought it was a porsche. Then he sold it and got a turbo II and couldn't afford to maintain it (i.e blew up the motor) so he bought another conquest which he is currently selling to get another turbo II.

I have had LOTS of seat time in the starquest and I think its the best car mitsu ever built.
I like to think of it as the japanese take on the american muscle car, it looks just like a mad max car.

2.6 liter 4 cyl turbo!!!!

They are incredibly inexpensive for what they are. You can get them in perfect condition for less than 5 grand because no one knows what the hell they are. They are so tempting but deep down I would rather have the turbo II.

My friend is going to sell his conquest w/ over 200k miles on it for $1500 to a mechanic friend who is going to sink over $10,000 into it and make it an incredible beast of a sports car. I can't even fathom what you can do to a starion with $10,000.

I just think its funny that my friend bought the exact same black on black car twice, first a mitsu, then a chrysler, although they are really all mitsu's.

 

I haven't seen a Starion in a long time. I once had a friend who had a 7M-GTE powered MA70 Supra. That thing was unbelievably fast. In fact, he said it ran 11.00 (warning: BS meter going haywire), but it was probably more like a mid to high 13 second run in the 1/4 mile. Unfortunately, he ran too much boost, and the number 5 piston physically welded itself to the block. Sounds like the Fast and The Furious? Nope. It was dead real. I wonder what ever happened to that car?

 

An old Galant VR-4 would be bitchin', too. Tough to find. The Supra is sold. I wonder what he got for it...

T.

 

Galant VR-4s are nearly impossible to find, very cool cars though.

 

I keep looking at the 95 camero's and just am strangly attracted to them. I also have wanted a 92 civic hatch to build. And Prelude's I will always be attacthed to.

 

Heck, I still want a 1994-1995 Ford Mustang GT/Cobra convertible. The last of the 302 OHV V8's. I'm a sucker for chick cars :D.

 

...that Subaru had the "perfect" car out there: the SVX! I know, I know...slush-box only tranny, kinda heavy, the brakes weren't great and there were a lot of build-quality issues. But they were quick and fast GTs, had great all-weather ability, great handling and traction and had a very good level of comfort for the passengers and driver. The boxer-six made a great noise at idle and especially at full-throttle!

The design was polarizing...you either loved it or you didn't, but it got lots of attention and those damn windows really did work...they were supposed to allow you to keep the windows open while driving in the rain. It was a great car to drive and was very dependable as well.

They're out there...not very expensive either, but almost all of 'em have serious miles and haven't been given proper TLC. Too bad...most of those owners don't realize what they really have there.

Arvin

 

There's a black Conquest TSi that's owned by someone who works at my grocery store (or lives in the bathroom there). Iit's always parked out by itself at the back of the lot. I never knew of things things 'til I saw this one; what a fantastic 80s-mobile.

The Cimarron sucks. It's a J-body car; you wouldn't drive an '88 Cavalier or Sunbird, would you? No, go find you a '90-'91 Prelude Si (NOT Si 2.0). My first car was a black '91 with camel interior; simply gorgeous. The 72-year-old V8 mechanic I worked with at the time called it a "beautiful car"--and it was. You should be able to find one for significantly less than the Supra, although it ain't making 350whp. The '90-'91s don't have the big 2.2L VTEC later Preludes do, but they have all the handling, and some even have four-wheel steering! Real nice interior, too. The best performance option would be Jackson Racing cams, headers, and exhaust--good for 150whp if Oscar Jackson is to be believed.

I loved that car to death. Literally, to death (for the car anyway) . . . *sigh* it's a long story.

Peace
policy

 

I know the Cimarron sucked (see my list of worst cars ever in a different thread) but that's part of the appeal! I have occasional visions of some Cimarron sitting in some geezer's garage with 5,000 miles and his estate wants to sell it for $1,000. Never happen, I know, but there's something fascinating about the prospect.

Actually, my "real life" hope is to find a nice 1991 Sentra SE-R with about 60,000 miles on it that has just been well maintained and has just had the timing belt changed. If I could find it for $2,000, I would buy it on the spot!

T.

 

I wouldn't mind the old SE-R either, those were great little cars and did and still do very well at autox. Truss, about your dream and the Cimmaron, you really need to aim higher, maybe a Vega or Le Car sitting in someones garage in pristine condition? :p

My brother had an AMX when I was young, sidepipes and all in this bright green color with black accents. It was a pretty badass car and I wouldn't mind finding one of those the way you dream of finding your Cimmaron. :D You just don't see enough cars with sidepipes nowadays...

 

Why not the 2.0 si? You gotta avoid those preludes with the 2.1 engine, aka old smokey. Those things drink oil when they get old and they are not any faster than the 2.0 anyway. I'll continue to like the style of my 88 better than the 90's and 91's. I always try to tell people that the 3rd gen was inspired by the ferrari testarossa (it kinda looks like it from the front). Like miatas, preludes are very fun cars to drive and look good, but have no real straight line power unless you do a custom turbo or motor swap. I just wish everyday that it was rwd instead of fwd.

 

I've had a 1967 307 chevy malibu with factory stock 2 gear auto that shifted outta first at 55mph, a 1984 red Honda prelude with the 1980's big stainless steel bottom-of-the door-panel stripes, and a 1991 MR2 turbo with big-*** turbo kick and turbo scream in your right ear. I want them all back, for different reasons, but all sentimental.

 

Oh, yes, my Si burned about a quart of oil every 4-5 days, but it did have a 5 hp advantage and slightly upgraded interior components. Cruise control on the steering wheel? Adjustable side bolsters on the driver's seat?

RWD would have been awesome, but the Preludes stand as one of the best-handling FWD platforms of all time. In fact, I would put the forward the '00 Prelude SH as a contender for the ultimate FWD enthusiast car. Unforntunately, it seems as though the Honda tuning community sees the Prelude as an ugly stepcousing, fit only for outrageous body kits. I say the H22A is the most underrated import powerplant of all time. Just because the thin cylinder walls make it unsuitable for high-end drag racing (*only* good for 600 hp or so) doesn't mean it's not very well suited for streetable power. You can still get an H22A + tranny for bargain-basement prices.

*sigh* my '91 is getting towed to the boneyard this week. Fortunately, the seats, gauge cluster, and steering wheel are getting transplanted to my '91 Civic. There'll always be some of my beloved Prelude alive in my Civvy . . .

Peace
policy

 

Going to a civic? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Well at least you will be able to find aftermarket parts that are actually made for your car now.

My 88 Si has cruise on the steering wheel and adjustable side bolsters and doesn't burn a drop of oil at 150k miles. I don't know the interior differences (every honda interior looked excactly the same then) I just recognize the 90-91's by the tailights and usually a spoiler and the front end. Did you know those seats in the 3rd gen ludes are designed by recaro?

 

Yes, yes I did. That's why I am in love with them and are putting them in my Civic. Sometimes, when it's late at night, I go into the garage and just sit in the driver's seat and feel the goodness. Then the next day I get in my Sunfire and curse GM's horrid designers. CURSE YOU, YOU HORRID DESIGNERS!!

Peace
policy

 

I would look into getting a 1986 Dodge Omni GLH or GLHS. They were tuned by Caroll Shelby and were light cars. There are even a lot of cheap performance parts for them. They are not great to look at but they really "Go Like Hell".

Here's a link to one on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

 

I have always had a thing for a Pinto...really.

 

If it has the 302 it's not a chick car.

Personally, I have this sick attraction to a Ford Focus:

http://www.ford-v8-focus.com/Gallery.html

Yes, that's a V-8 you see in there. More specifically, the 420 HP 5.0 modular quadcam motor. And it's converted to RWD. You can use a 302 or 351 though. Personally, I'd go with a windsor stroker, or maybe adapt a LS6. Something about having a ricey little car that actually, you know...goes fast rather than looks fast apeals to me.

 

Hot Damn.

Sign me up.

 

As horrible as they were.... I always have liked the last model Fiero. :D (Yes, there is something wrong with me).

(Shameless advertisement prior to posting selling thread: Selling our '94 Prelude Black (no VTEC). ~155 on the odo. Best offer.)