1962 Auto Union 1000S

The oldest second hand Audi cars you usually see are from the 90s. This one, however, goes way back to the beginning.

Auto Union was formed before WWII. In the 1930s it acquired Audi-Werke AG. In the later post-war years, Auto Union made mainstream cars similar to Volkswagen. They were  ahead of the curve, utilizing the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout that Volkswagen would switch over to in the 70s and is all but ubiquitous today.

It made sense then that Auto Union later merged with NSU, who were also pioneering front-wheel drive, in 1969. Audi was re-launched as a separate brand and the name returned to use.

The compact 1000 debuted in 1958 and was available in either two or four doors, sedan or wagon. The styling is mighty charming, with chrome accents, covered rear wheels and contrasting white roof.

Underneath the hood was a tiny two-stroke three-cylinder engine able to deliver just 50 horsepower. A column-mounted 4-speed manual shifter controlled power.

The seller says they acquired this from someone who acquired it from the original owner in the 90s, and although it was running before it was stored, it does not turn over anymore. They speculate it could have been sitting for as long as 30 years.

They say there is no serious rust besides what is visible on the exterior surface, and the chrome and glass are in generally good shape. I assume the original color was the splendid mustard yellow seen in the interior. While the exterior should absolutely be brought back to condition, it'd be cool to leave as much of the interior alone as possible.

Someone with the right knowledge should try to get it running and minimally restore it cosmetically. I'm sure parts are hard to find, but with a little over 6,000 made and presumably much less still around, let alone even fewer in the US, this one deserves special attention.

Available here on ebay.

Thawed Out 1973 Barkas B1000

Since the lifting of the Iron Curtain and presumptive end of the Cold War, a bunch of Soviet satellite state cars we might not have seen otherwise are slowly making their way to US shores. One such surprise appearances is this East German Barkas van apparently sitting for sale in Arizona at the moment.

Comparisons to Volkswagen's Type 2 may seem inevitable - they're both vans made in Germany - but the similarities stop there. Besides being divided by a literal and figurative wall of concrete and ideology, the Barkas, with its curvy body, semi-covered rear wheels, front engine and front wheel drive, was slightly more ahead of the times than the Type 2.

The cabin-over design probably inspired much later efforts by Toyota, and still looks good today, even if the earth tone paint scheme is decidedly seventies. The seller says there is some light rust and dents but the body is in otherwise great shape.

With the engine pushed to the front, the rest of the vehicle could be devoted to a high loading capacity and ingress and egress were made convenient as well. This, of course, had sinister implications in a police state like the GDR where citizens were supposedly snatched from the street and thrown in vans like this.

Engine power came from a tiny three-cylinder, two stroke engine, but it's mechanically uncomplicated and mostly reliable. Sourcing parts might be tricky, however. The seller says it's a running driving car and lists the mileage as 40k.

The interior is predictably spartan and the seats look damaged.

The seller says it was imported a couple years ago and has import papers and a vehicle registration but they don't mention a title. Examine the extent of the rust and make sure the documentation is all sorted first. 

Over 175k were produced until 1991, but it's a rarity over here. In the mostly free world of today, this car can now function as either an innocent daily driver or powerful historical reminder. 

Available here on ebay.

Flying Brick: 1988 BMW K75C

Motorcycles are some of the fastest and most fuel efficient ways to get around, but they aren't practical in colder climates like here in New England. I still envy places where they make more sense. A friend of mine once described the sensation of riding a motorcycle as being unlike anything else, not a car or a bicycle. He was especially fond of BMW motorcycles and their construction.

The K-Series was launched in 1983 to great enthusiasm for a new generation of water-cooled four-cylinder BMW motorcycles, and used the line to launch a bunch of new technology, like anti-lock braking, electronic cruise control, and electronic suspension adjustment.

In 1985 they launched the K75, which was the entry-level motorcycle with only three cylinders. The engine was positioned longitudinally for greater center of gravity and an appearance which lending it the nickname "Flying Brick".

This is the "C" model, which has some slight differences like a unique handlebar-mounded cockpit fairing.

I love the styling of these. BMW made a truly modern motorcycle, landing smack in the middle of the Americans and Japanese offerings, with the simplicity of Harley Davidson and the technology of Kawasaki, but looking way cooler than both of them. This example looks particularly clean and crisp in white.

The seller says it has a healthy 70k miles on the odometer, which is a lot for a motorcycle, but has to indicate it was simultaneously taken care of to keep going that much. The seller says it is in good mechanical shape and purchased another K-series so they no longer need this one.

This could easily be someone's commuter to and from work on bright, sunny, cloudless days.

Available here on craigslist in Daphne, Alabama for $2,500.

Pininfarina Lines: 1991 Honda Beat

Remember when Honda used to make cutting-edge products available at bargain prices? If you can't, don't blame yourself. We were never officially offered their amazing 1991-1996 Beat.

The Beat featured a mid-mounted three-cylinder engine that powered the rear wheels, similar to a Porsche Boxster. It produced 63 horsepower and had an electronically limited top speed of 84 mph. It was only available with a manual transmission. The I3 SOHC engine was the only engine available, and there were minimal changes to the car over the years. That's it. It was what it was, you just had to "get it".

Styling is awesome. Japan and some other parts of the world were privy to a cute subcompact class called "kei cars" that were as small as possible but extremely usable while also conforming specifically to Japanese regulations. Fortunately, what sheet metal the Beat does wear it makes great use of, thanks to famed Italian design house Pininfarina. They give the car the right amount of subtly and edge that makes it a lost classic of late 20th century design. Note how the headlights flow into the front wheel fenders, for swept-back look. The side air intake is thankfully a clean simple cut, probably influenced by Honda's groundbreaking mid-engine NSX a couple years prior. The rear is nicely rounded off with simple taillights and engine intake slots.

The interior is an exercise in more simplicity and frugality. A driver's side airbag was optional. The center console is slim and tall. The instrument cluster is a single standalone unit that houses clear white-faced gauges. Zebra-striped seats spice things up and somehow don't seem tacky, but just fun.

Honda was really onto something with the Beat. This thing easily could have taken a slice out of Miata sales, and probably handled better, too. They were never imported here, and though one or two have shown up, they are extremely rare. This one, unfortunately for my fellow Americans, is located in the United Kingdom.

Available here on Car And Classic UK for about $6,400.