What practical classic/classic?

[Norton850]

With my 928s sold along with most of my Italian motorcycle collection i have a huge car sized hole on my driveway.
I have no garage but plenty of off street parking and as i live in Tenerife most of the year the car will be under a car port and used for fun drives around the island by myself and the wife.
I have had various Scimitars, Capris and a DB7 but here is the problem it must be Automatic,no way around it i am afraid (Auto or nothing)

I am considering a Jag Xjs,Porsche 968,MGC gt for now but would appreciate any ideas and advice.


Thanks..

Edited by Norton850 on Thursday 26th October 10:46

[vixen1700]

Something like this?

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1621936

Just re-read your post and it's probably not sporty enough.

[A500leroy]

jenson interceptor.

[P5BNij]

Pininfarina designed (and built) FIAT 130 Coupe...

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1212232

[Norton850]

That was quick with the responses thanks..

Merc while rather nice and in a great colour a little too wafty..

Jensen interceptor is great shout and doable budget wise but i wonder how much i would need to spend on yearly maintenance..

Fiat 130 coupe is marvellous (off to do some research)


I forgot to put a budget in my opening post so i have approx £50k which to me is a decent amount but i would want to have some of that set aside for at least the first years running cost/maintenance etc.

[vixen1700]

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1636392

Not as wafty as the Merc...

[sidewinder500]

Anything american, simple, good engine/auto combos, good spare situation, good looking and good sounding.
Can be made good handling cars for little outlay.
Open top cars as well...

Comes to mind the obvious ones

Foxbody Mustangs
Mustangs in general
Corvettes
Firebirds
Camaros

[AmyRichardson]

Would be tempted by an XJS, or even an XJC if a good one could be found. A V12 sounds a nice idea, but by the time it's separated from the road by a 3-speed*, is the potential grief worth it versus a 4.2?

(*The auto makes this a much more interesting challenge!)

[vixen1700]

sidewinder500 said:

Anything american, simple, good engine/auto combos, good spare situation, good looking and good sounding.
Can be made good handling cars for little outlay.
Open top cars as well...

Comes to mind the obvious ones

Foxbody Mustangs
Mustangs in general
Corvettes
Firebirds
Camaros

With the OP's budget there are no end of lovely automatic US offerings.

Saw a Dodge Dart Swinger on the US ebay a couple of weeks back that was just so jaw-dropping cool it was unreal. 340 ci, nice.

[sparkythecat]

Triumph Stag
Datsun 300 zx

[swisstoni]

SL55 ?

[GTRene]

sunny Tenerife, then something with a soft and or hardtop could be nice?

what about those SL cars from Mercedes, most are automatic, especially above the 350 SL, say 420/450/500/560SL all classics, plenty of parts I guess and reasonable cheap for what you get, no idea how they drive though, but I bet you can make them a bit more sporty.

I would also love a classic fun car, since I drive so little and hate paying road tax for not driving :-) but when I drive I like something 'fun' or make it more fun, say poly bushings and bigger modern wheels and brakes and so on and ow, minimal a V6 or V8

those are some I mostly look at as older then 1983 and shorter the 4 meter (I hate long cars)

most have or can have V8, but the bottom 2 are just 4 cill Fiat 1500/1600 ghia osca, so lovely like a old Ferrari, that zilver car so cool, maybe do an engine swap on such with say a modern V6 from Alfa the Giulia with or without the bi turbo's :-) anyhow, keeps me busy lol

ow wait, my car list are all manual, hm, so not for you, I was thinking out loud again, anyhoe, MB cars, or maybe Corvette C1/C2 cars? often with automatic and or Restomod :-)

[Riley Blue]

For 50k I'd have at least three classics on my drive; cruises, one for leisure, one for nipping about town, one for load lugging, even on an island.

[Norton850]

Some really good ideas so far with lots to think about..

I have always wanted a Triumph Stag and there are many American cars i like too.

I have toyed with the idea of having a TVR Griffith converted to automatic and spoke with a specialist a few years ago about doing so and it was possible.

My list has grown

[P5BNij]

How about a Rover P5B Coupe…? Comfortable, wafty, automatic, sheer class on wheels, but then I’m biased! £20k will bag you a very nice one, £25k to £30k even better.

Or perhaps a Jag MkX / 420G?

Edited by P5BNij on Wednesday 25th October 07:38

[Blether]

Bit of an obscure choice (I'm fascinated by them myself) and less than half the budget, how about a Bitter SC?
Three currently on carandclassic, here is one:
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1625597
Uses a bored out 3.9 litre version of the 6 pot used in various Opel's and Vauxhall's

[Norton850]

Blether said:

Bit of an obscure choice (I'm fascinated by them myself) and less than half the budget, how about a Bitter SC?
Three currently on carandclassic, here is one:
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1625597
Uses a bored out 3.9 litre version of the 6 pot used in various Opel's and Vauxhall's

I had totally forgotten about these and a great shout..

I am currently organising a viewing of Aston db9 atm as i still miss my db7 and have never driven the db9.

[GTRene]

Norton850 said:

Some really good ideas so far with lots to think about..

I have always wanted a Triumph Stag and there are many American cars i like too.

I have toyed with the idea of having a TVR Griffith converted to automatic and spoke with a specialist a few years ago about doing so and it was possible.

My list has grown

a few years ago there was a special TVR for sale in Germany with a US V8 and a automatic box, more like a 5000M of sorts I believe itw as, have it somewhere on a usb stick.
a TVR with V8 is already special, let alone one with an automatic :-) you have to be brave though to convert one, but if thats what you want, you make it more a personal car.

[AMGSee55]

Peugeot 504 v6 coupe - perhaps not enough performance based on your shortlist, but super classy and all I believe are LHD which would presumably be a bonus in Tenerife.

Your budget would also stretch to a very nice 80’s 500SL or, if you’re feeling a little braver, a Citroen SM.

[AMGSee55]

Norton850 said:

Some really good ideas so far with lots to think about..

I have always wanted a Triumph Stag and there are many American cars i like too.

I have toyed with the idea of having a TVR Griffith converted to automatic and spoke with a specialist a few years ago about doing so and it was possible.

My list has grown

Suggestion re American cars - a 1963-66 era Buick Riveria - one of the best looking yanks ever IMO and perhaps as close as GM ever got to a decent large GT.