1983 Ferrari 400i 5-Speed

For a while, these were among the least expensive used Ferrari for sale. They are often found in average shape with little to no maintenance history. They are front-engine and frequently have automatic transmissions, lessening their value in the eyes of exotic sports car collectors. Lately, I think that is starting to change. Not many were built, even fewer made it here thanks to the grey market, and the stark and angular shape is starting to grow on Pininfarina aficionados and general enthusiasts alike.

COTC likes these. They are really off-putting at first, especially the squinty turn indicators and weirdly tapered nose. You get the feeling Ferrari was intentionally trying to make it ugly because they knew it would not be perceived in the same way as their rear-engine sports cars. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and once one becomes comfortable with the concept of a more "everday" Ferrari, the styling of the 400 is quite striking and makes startlingly brilliant sense. In some ways, it allowed Pininfarina to breath new design language into Ferrari, even though the themes were mostly never repeated again. And the fact is, the proportions are handsome, the greenhouse large and inviting, the stance appropriate for a two-door coupe with rear seats.

This particular example is being offered up by the owner who says the the vehicle has been in California all its life, has no rust and has been given a quality repaint. Mechanically, they list a ton of expensive work done and say it has a large history file and the vehicle now runs and drives "perfectly".Legally, the say it has a California title and is now in New York.

These were never officially sold in the U.S., and while a couple examples are usually always on the market, very few have the infinitely more desirable manual transmission.

Available here on ebay in Rochester, New York with bidding at $15k, reserve not met, and a Buy-It-Now of $30k.

1950 Sunbeam Talbot Mark 1 Convertible

Just like there are some people that are so charming they are irresistible (however few and far between), there are some cars so charming you can't help but like them. This happens a lot to me with cars from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. As a twentysomething millenial generation y-er, I have no real connection to these cars, as they were long gone by the time I was growing up. So when I stumble across them today, they stick out because they either remind me of something I've seen in an old film, or just plain look good.

File this Sunbeam under "just plain looks good". This is one of those few cars that is both cute and beautiful.

Sunbeam is a British company better known for their Alpine roadster that appeared in Dr. No. The Talbot was a more substantial offering from the company, however, and was produced in both a four-door saloon and two-door convertible bodies from 1948-1954.

This particular example is a late Mark I, based on a modified Humber chassis. The seller says this one has the 1944cc engine producing just 64 horsepower. It's mated to a column shift 4-speed transmission.

The odometer reads 91,097.

The creme over red color scheme is pitch-perfect post-war class, and the condition looks excellent. The seller says the paint, interior and top have been redone, but the rest of the car shows no signs of abuse. I guess that would classify this is a "restored survivor".

Only a total of 4,000 Talbot MK I were made, less were convertibles, and even less were left-hand drive and made it to North America, making this a very rare car. It won't win any races, but it will catch a lot of eyes.

Available here on ebay in Saint Louis, Missouri for $34,500 and the Make Offer option.

Winter Proof: 1987 Mercedes-Benz Unimog Snow Blower

I can't resist. Here is another Unimog within the span of a week. This one will make sure you never, ever get stuck in snow, or any inclement weather for that matter.

The Unimog is perhaps the ultimate 4x4 vehicle. As far as I can tell, there has never been a purely civilian version offered. They were initially military vehicles. The ones that pop up for resale are usually decommissioned civil service vehicles. They were never officially sold here until 2002, when Daimler Chrysler attempted sales of the U500 variant for only 5 years, resulting in just 184 units sold.

This is a 1987 U-1500, based off the 1976-88 424 series. These featured more angular styling than the beloved 406 series. The "classic" 406-style was categorized as a "light" truck, while the new 424 became "middle" and "heavy".

The seller of this example says it is a Class 6 vehicle, weighing between 19,000-26,000 lbs. The seller says is is powered by twin diesel engines. It's mated to no less than 8 forward and reverse gears. Attached to the truck is a Sicard Snow Blower that is powered by a twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder OA424A engine.

Mechanically, the seller says both engines run great, and have low miles and hours logged. They say the tires are good and the blower is effective, throwing snow "great distances".

Cosmetically, this thing is a beacon of hope in the desolate winter landscape with bright orange paint and black accents. When the Unimog is used for military and civil work for the German government, they are aesthetically pleasing in a level of detail only the Germans can master. This one comes close, but could use some more details. I'd paint the rear bumper guard in yellow and red diagonal hazard stripes.

It is not clear whether this example was used for a public or private entity.

If you own large commercial space or a farm in areas that get dense snowfall, this could be a nifty tool all winter long.

Available here on ebay in Stanley, South Dakota with bidding and a Buy-It-Now of $33.9k.

Get In And Go: 1963 Porsche 356 B Super

The seller says this little old Porsche is in driving condition.

The 356 really needs no introduction - it was the first production Porsche, and a beloved classic car today. It's one of the few cars that inspires both a cult following and mainstream appreciation.

This is a '63 B Super version. The "B" cars were made from 1959 to 1956. "Super" was a mid-level trim. B cars benefit from a new front end nose that curves into a perfectly rounded edge - almost like the tip of an M&M candy. The headlights were higher however. They also have slightly larger bumpers, revised front seats, and folding rear seats.

The engine was a pushrod 1.6-litre dual carb 4-cylinder that produced between 60-90 horsepower.

The seller says this car has an older repaint that could benefit from a whole new coat. They also say there is some rust in the doors.

However, they say the car is otherwise original, including the glass and interior. They do mention the seats have been recovered, and the buttery tan color looks nicely broken in.

Mechanically, they say it runs like a champ, having done an oil change, tuneup and brakes rebuilt.

These in-between 356 cars are getting harder and harder to find. Most up for grabs nowadays are either derelict rust buckets or Concours-grade show pieces. It's refreshing to see a used example that the new owner will have several options with: give it that new shiny paint job, hide it in a garage, or just jump in and drive away.

Find it here in Hollywood Hills, California with an asking price of $31,000.

Neutral But Still Mean: 1975 Pinzgauer Swiss Army Truck

You can take a Pinzgauer out of Switzerland, but you can't take the Switzerland out of a Pinzgauer.

They were developed around 1969 in Austria by European manufacturing conglomerate Steyr-Daimler-Puch, who existed from the late 1880s until they were dissolved in 2001. The Pinzgauer was available in 4x4 or 6x6 configurations.

The seller says this one has been fully restored from the ground up, and it shows. The vehicle looks stunning in glossy black over grey interior. Most of the ones you will see are worn camo-colored vehicles with canvas tops. This one has a full solid roof.

The aftermarket tires and Land Rover alloy wheels are pitch-perfect, but the seller says the original tires and wheels are available too.

The seller says the restoration even included a reconditioned drive-train that was sandblasted and painted black in and out. They say insulation and upholstery was added to the interior. In short, they tastefully refined but didn't tame this beast.

The inline 4-cylinder gas engine is smaller than I thought, but you don't drive these for insane performance the way you would a Lamborghini LM002.

The seller says it has a new engine with only 4,000 miles on it, and the odometer reads 40,000 kilometers which is only about 25,000 miles.

This thing seems like it was adored by the previous owner and is ready to go to a new home.

Find it here ebay.

Forever Classic: 47k-mile 1971 Porsche 911T

I never understood Porsche fanaticism until recently.

Then hit me all at once: the superiority of rear engine design, the sexy sloping back, the slightly elitist but still cool aura. I just "got it".

As unmistakably European as they are, they're also intricately tied into the American consciousness. James Dean died driving a Porsche too fast, after all. And the legendary 356 Speedster was made with the American market, especially southern California, in mind. Porsche loved America. And Americans loved Porsche too.

As classic as the 911 has become, it was built to replace the even more legendary and beloved 356, which dare I say, was even prettier.

But with the all-new-for '64 911, Porsche managed to do the impossible: they topped a classic design with another classic design, thanks to the genius of Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who recently passed away at the age of 76.

Designer's don't know how to do that these days. Heck, they don't even design classic shapes anymore.

Part of the classic shape is due to the ingenuity of a mounting the engine in the rear of the vehicle, for ideal handling and performance.

This is a 1971 911T.

The "T" was the base model, after the 912 was dropped. It does not stand for "Targa" or "Turbo", both other Porsche variants. The engine was simply an air-cooled flat-6-cylinder producing about 123 horsepower. In 1970, the size was increased to 2,195 cc.

This one looks to be an immaculate survivor.

The seller says it has only 47,000 original miles, which is remarkable, but not unheard of. Porsches were often not driven much by owners who either treasured them as weekend cruisers or couldn't afford the time, energy and cost of maintenance and kept them hidden in garages, so a lot do come up with supposedly low miles. Since these older cars probably only had 5-digit odometers, there is always a chance the mileage is not original and the odometer could have turned over. Check the seats, pedals and foot well for wear. I would also ask for any and all documentation. The owner provides no explanation for the low miles, so it could have been in storage for a long time. That might mean the engine will need quite a bit of expensive work to tune up. Porsches are known not to take deep slumbers well.

That said, the seller does say a complete mechanical overhaul was done, including suspension, brakes, transmission and engine. That all sounds pretty remarkable, and a good sign, but again, it needs to be backed up with receipts.

Fortunately, the seller mentions it's a matching-numbers engine and transmission, which is a huge bonus and bragging point. 

Cosmetically, the car also seems good from the photos. The exterior color looks like a deep flat burgundy-brown, which is unusual, and better than the all-too common Guards Red (I dislike a bright red Porsche). I like it. It's perfectly annoying and divisive like almost all colors from the '70s are, but it works somehow. I would inquire whether it's original.

The seller doesn't provide pictures of the seats but the interior looks black, which is a fine match for the exterior color.

I would also demand to have the car jacked up and inspect the underside. Since the vehicle is in the Northeast, I would look for rust in every place imaginable.

I do note what appears to be some front end damage. The bumper looks like it as an indentation, which could be an indicator of either of an innocent slow-speed tap while moving the car in storage or something worse like a road collision. Fortunately, in a Porsche, it's better to hit the front than the rear, since the engine is in the back. I would definitely ask what happened and why they never bothered to fix it, given the obvious attention to detail the car has received elsewhere. How I dislike sellers who don't do easy cosmetic fixes on their cars. I feel like saying, just pay for it, it will go a lot further when selling the car. If a potential buyer notices the damage, it's open season when grilling the seller.

The front bumper is also missing bumper guards, which are present on the back, along with what may be federalized reflectors on the rear bumpers as well. While not as irritating as the reflectors that were slapped on the 356, these could be potentially removed for a clean look to match the front. I would definitely add front guards to match the back, it's a quaint period look that also serves a functional protective purpose (and may have prevented the dent).

The seller is asking for $32,000, which is not cheap, but is in line with what I've seen them go for. The latest NADA value I found ranges from $16,300 low retail to $26,500 high. Hemmings CPI Value Guide places a '71 911T Coupe at fair $11,200, good $20,000 and excellent $38,000. So the $32k price could be considered on the high end. It is the base model, has some cosmetic damage and may have other unknown issues. It's also not particularly rare, though there definitely aren't many left.

It just depends on where you heart is and if you like the color. For $32K, almost a third away from a new 911, you really want to feel confident and be happy. The days when these sell for under $20k is over, so buyers need to be as aggressive as the sellers.

If you do get it, keep it maintained and drive it for those beautiful days when you're feeling fine.

Find it here on Craigslist in Providence, Rhode Island.