You Spin Me Round: 60k-mile 1991 GMC Syclone

The Syclone was a high-performence version of GMC's otherwise sedate Sonoma pickup. These mark the rarely trotted intersection where the red-blooded truck guys meet the diehard speed heads.

This was definitely a highlight from General Motors. Specifications are extremely impressive: a turbocharged 6-cylinder Mitsubishi engine, all-wheel drive and four-wheel anti-lock brakes.

They were produced from 1991-1992. Only 3 1992 models were made before the program was canceled. In total, only 2,995 were made, making this a bona fide future collector classic.

1991 models only came in black.

Styling is rather intriguing. American designers have had a lot of trouble over the years with compact cars and sedans, but were always comfortable designing wagons, vans, pickup trucks and large SUVs. The GMC Syclone is no exception. In the same way that European designers had mastered the art of the frugal compact car (Giugiaro's Volkswagen Rabbit, for example), American designers mastered the art of the small pickup truck with trucks like the Sonoma/Syclone. Hard angles, straight lines, simple, lean, efficient. No baloney here. Sure, the single-unit sealed-beam headlights are foolish, but they work with the rest of the simplistic shape.

The Syclone modifications only enhance the design, with smooth beefy body cladding, lowered stance and crisp alloy wheels. These looked great in black with red logos.

The seller says this example is #535 and has been the recipient of new high quality paint on the. They say some issues are some cracks in the dash and the shift needle stays in park. They do mention is includes the bed cover.

Find it here on ebay in Austin, Texas for $16,250 buy it now.

Just Plain Cool: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II 10th Anniversary

The second generation or "FC" Mazda RX-7 continued the oddball rotary engine setup of the iconic first generation but with major revisions. It was produced from 1986-1988.

The body was all-new. Mazda made no secret it was inspired by the rival Prosche 944. Like a lot of other Japanese car designs of the '80s, the RX-7 is not at all original, but instead a sleek, strangely muted interpretation of German aesthetics. In some ways, it's astonishingly successful in that it really is better looking than the 944. For that, they definitely deserve some credit.

The rotary engine was situated in the front, but closest to the cockpit as possible for better weight distribution. Power was directed to the rear wheels. Naturally-aspirated engines produced anywhere between 146-160 horsepower. Turbocharged engines produced between 182-202 horsepower, pretty decent for the time.

The FC RX-7 was only 80 lbs. heavier than the previous generation.

It was met with critical and popular success. Over 270,000 were produced, with 86,000 sold in the first year alone. These are not rare cars by any stretch.

This version of the RX-7 is hard to find, however. It's a special 10th Anniversary Edition. These were made in 1988 to commemorate a decade since the launch of the original RX-7 in 1978. According to wikipedia they feature "Crystal White monochromatic paint scheme with matching white body side mouldings, taillight housings, mirrors and 16-inch alloy 7-spoke wheels. Another distinctive exterior feature is the gold rotor-shaped 10th Anniversary Edition badge on the fenders. The interior is all black with leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel (with 10th AE centerpiece) and genuine MOMO shifter and boot. Glass windows are bronze tinted."

In addition, the seller is offering up a pristine example with only 23,030 miles on the clock. The car looks stunning. The seller says it was only used as a weekend driver and has never been altered or modified in any way. They say the interior still smells new.

Only 1,500 10th Anniversary cars were made.

This is not going to go for cheap.

Find it here on ebay in Los Angeles, California with bidding at $11,100 and 5 days left.

Improbable: 1989 BMW 324TD Touring (In The U.S.?)

I couldn't believe my eyes when I first found this.

It's an E30 wagon. Never available in the U.S. It's a turbodiesel. Never available in the U.S. And it's red over black. Which just plain looks good.

And yet there it was, sitting on Boston craigslist.

The E30 was BMW's legendary 3-series from the '80s. The car only really got great looking for U.S. buyers from 1989-1991, when universal short body-colored plastic bumpers replaced the hideous U.S.-spec diving boards. These cars, when coupled with the bulletproof 6-cylinder engine in the 325i, were awesome: relatively lightweight, rear-wheel drive, superb handling and driving characteristics and, above all else, fun. That they were brilliantly styled is just a cherry on top.

So it's all rather surprising to find a New Hampshire dealer advertising this extremely amazing rare car in the United States. Unfortunately, the photos show the car with European plates, suggesting it may still be in another continent.

Either way, it warrants an investigation.

The E30 Touring was added in 1987 along with a change to the rear-taillights and some other minor adjustments for every 3-series. This is a 324TD, which indicates it is powered by a 2.4-litre inline 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produced a mere 113 horsepower. This is no racecar, and it is also unfortunately coupled with an automatic transmission. You can probably count on it being a endless tank, however.

Inside, we see a non-airbag three-spoke steering wheel and black leather seats. The interior of the E30 is a great place to be, all hard angles, lines, and high-quality plastics. Instrument cluster is stark and crystal clear. Everything is where it should be: within reach of the driver.

The seller doesn't provide any other info besides the VIN and the mileage (100,000), leaving the story behind how and why this rare car is for sale by a U.S. dealer a mystery. I've spotlighted a couple of vehicles from this dealer before, and they certainly have an eye for rare European cars. But condition, documentation and pricing are still up in the air. They list this vehicle for sale at a rather high $9,995. A forum discussion on this same classified here suggests no 324TD came with an automatic, and that would make sense, as an auto somewhat defeats the purpose of a diesel.

But if it is here, you can probably count on it being the only one here.

Find the craigslist ad here and the dealer listing here.

Never This Nice: 41k-mile 1992 Honda Accord EX

I use the Honda Accord as a benchmark of banality.

If a vehicle is fairly basic but dependable transportation, I will deem it Accord-like.

Although the Accord is a respected nameplate that practically defines the whole company and was a bestseller for years, it is just a basic family sedan. Front-wheel drive. Four or six-cylinder engines. Simple electronic systems. Nothing cutting-edge, experimental, or exciting about it. That said, the Accord tried to be the best boring family sedan out there. Solid build quality. Reliability. Ok-styling. They were also reasonably priced (before Honda foolishly tried to upmarket them and rip off the consumer on what are essentially still basic fwd sedans).

This is a fourth generation Accord produced from 1990-1993. The fourth gen was a huge leap forward and featured totally new styling and new engines. This was when Japanese designers were paying close attention to the ultra-functionalism and common sense styling of the German automakers. Following suit, the Accord has a huge greenhouse for maximum viability in and out and lean sheet metal for a low, sleek shape. Note the rear window kink a la BMW.

The interior is possibly the best part. The dashboard is extremely clear, bare, and highly useable. This is an EX-trim car, so it has leather seating. Note how the dashboard is entirely in black plastic - dark colors don't distract the driver and absorb dirt, wear and tear better. I do see some wear on the driver's seat which is odd for a 41k-mile car, as well as an unsightly stain on the rear passenger seat belt, but both can be remedied with some work.

1992 saw a facelift, and this Accord wears the modified taillights that came with other slight changes.

The seller says this is a one-owner vehicle and the mileage is accurate. Most Accord were bought by people who drove a lot, and wanted spacious, affordable but frugal transportation, so finding one in overall good shape with this low miles is rare. This isn't a desirable model unfortunately, with an automatic and only four cylinders. But if you want some basic transportation the way they don't make it anymore, check out this car.

Find it here on ebay in Philadelphia, PA with 15 bids at $3,300.

Seventies Wedding: 1972 Checker Aerobus

The Checker Aerobus was a factory made super long wheel base version of their iconic Marathon model.

This thing is half Ghostbusers mobile, half Studio 54 curb candy. Most stretch limos based on sedans are appalling looking. This one, complete with muscle car white-text Goodyear tires, looks utterly amazing.

The Marathon needs no introduction. It was THE taxicab of America's major cities during the 60s, 70s and 80s. The design is timeless and infinitely charming.

The Aerobus expounds on the Marathon's role as a utilitarian people hauler. It was made from 1962-1977 and offered in two lengths and in either sedan or wagon bodies. Only a total of 3,568 were ever made.

Fortunately, all Aerobus cars with V8 engines, not the already underpowered 6-cylinders.

The seller says this Aerobus is the larger 9-door, 12-passenger version. They say it has an odometer that reads 30,556 miles, but do not know if it is actual or not. They say the car runs and drives, and has no structural rust issues, except for poor paint. They seem to suggest everything is original, including the interior. Cheap purple window tinting has obviously been added, however.

I would give it a fresh tuneup and a new coat of extra glossy white paint, then just let this thing roll. Limos are popular in the suburbs during prom season. Even in hipster urban areas like Brooklyn, there has got to be right occasion for this thing. If you can market the appeal, it could be a nice addition to an existing limo fleet or a viable little business of its own.

Find it here on ebay in Hillsboro, Wisconsin with 6 bids at $4,650 and 1 day left.

Forgotten Rear Engine: 1967 NSU Typ 110

NSU Motorenwerke AG was a German auto manufacturer who were eventually acquired by Volkswagen in 1969 and merged with Auto Union to make what is now known as Audi.

When they were still making cars under the NSU name, however, they offered some very interesting vehicles. NSU made about eight different vehicles during the postwar era, culminating with the Ro80, styled by Claus Luthe, who later became the mastermind behind BMW designs of the 1980s.

The Typ 110 was produced from 1965 to 1972. It was updated with a revised model called the1200 from '67 onward.

The most striking feature is the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. The advantages of that all but neglected setup were once a core philosophy of German auto engineering, emphasized and utilized by Volkswagen and Porsche, but have been almost entirely abandoned, at least by Volkswagen.

All Typ 110 had four cylinder engines and a 4-speed manual all-synchromesh with hydraulically operated single plate dry clutch. Performance was decent, with the car being lightweight and the engines relatively sprightly. However, the car swayed in Autobahn crosswinds.

This is '67 Typ 110 that the seller describes as a runner with original paint. It is in need of a restoration however. The seller says it is solid with no rust on any suspension points, but the body and interior have a lot of obvious corrosion.

The seller says the car was raced in the 1970s and retains one racing seat but the remaining interior has been gutted. They say the clutch is good, the brakes work but the pedal is sticky, and the shifter will need a small bushing. Glass is good.

There is also a parts car that comes with the sale, an added bonus. The parts car has no title, but the running car does have an Ohio title.

This could be a rare opportunity to acquire a vintage rear engine car from a storied German car maker. Unfortunately, given the condition, it really does beckon to be brought back to glory, which is expensive and time consuming.

Find it here on ebay in Canal Winchester, Ohio with 10 bidders at $1,500 and 2 days left.

Basic Brick: 67k-mile 1991 Volvo 240

This 1991 Volvo 240 is being offered by a seller who claims the car has only 67,982 original miles.

Although more than 2.8 million units were sold from 1974-1993, the 240 were basic family transportation that racked up usage and mileage pretty quickly, so finding relatively low mileage examples is is difficult.

These are modern classics. The 240 is almost as iconic as the VW Beetle. At the very least, it's one of most important cars for Volvo and was their best seller for years.

Styling by Jan Wilsgaard is ultra-conservative and utilitarian looking, almost befitting of a military or diplomat. The car is long and narrow like a train. The hood and trunk deck are flat planes. Angles and corners are soft up close but the overall shape is an exercise is the beauty of squares and rectangles. The headlights are enormous, wide-eyed and kind of geeky looking. The hard porous ribbed headrests are still fascinating. I believe they were intended to give the interior an airy feel.

Under the hook were workhorse 4-cylinder engines powering the rear wheels. Some were turbocharged. It's too bad Volvo never but a 6-cylinder in these. I always thought they would be cool as more powerful, more luxurious cars since they are already large and roomy.

This is a base model in silver over blue cloth, automatic transmission, plastic wheel covers, mudflaps. The seller says it is a one-owner car with all records and books, always garaged, and runs and looks great. If your 240 with 300k miles is starting to get a little creaky, you might want to look into this one and basically
start over again.

Find it here on ebay in Subury, MA with one bid at $9,000, reserve not met and 5 hours left.

Fashion Faux Pas: 1988 Chrysler TC By Maserati 5 Speed

Ah, the Chrysler TC, lost in the hazy days of the late '80s only to be revived in on the computer screen in front of you.

What brought about the unlikely (and unholy) union of Chrysler and Maserati? Two words: Lee Iacocca.

The legendary head of Chrysler, who to his credit eventually turned the company around, became friends with Alejandro De Tomaso while they were both at Ford. Iacocca then left for Chrysler and De Tomaso for Maserati. Their bromance was far from over though. In the midst of the Reagan Revolution they decided to make a car together...because, heck, Chrysler and Maserati were both known for reliable, quality products, so why not join forces? The result was the TC.

The TC is awkwardly called the "Chrysler TC by Maserati". So which is it, a Chrysler or a Maserati? Neither, it's a Chrysler by Maserati. Like double breasted suit by Armani. Or maybe something more horrific, like novel by Stephen King. In an era when designer names were all the rage and lended instant credibility to brand-conscious consumers, I'm sure this seemed like an awesome idea then. Today it just plain stinks, although the hilarity that must have ensued on the second hand market ("Honey, look at the Maserati I bought for dirt cheap") is almost worth the name fumbling. But who I am to argue. The badge features a Maserati trident inside the Chrysler pentagon, the automotive equivalent of a practical joke. Or maybe just a big middle finger. I swear somebody somewhere was having a great laugh.

Essentially, Iacocca used a shortened Dodge Daytona platform, slapped on an ever-so-slightly modified Lebaron body, and put a four or six cylinder engine under the hood. Power went to the front wheels. There was also a removable hard top with porthole side windows, to up the kitsch factor.

To its credit, the interior has these enormous padded leather seats that look more like La-Z-Boy recliners than something you sit on in a car to drive.

Not surprisingly, the TC (by Maserati) never caught on. The car borrowed the worst from each manufacturer: poor engineering, bland styling, front-wheel drive, lackluster performence and a general pointlessness. Iacocca expected the TC to usher in a new era of respect for the brand. Instead it became a joke on late-night TV (not true but that would have been hilarious) and symbolic of everything that was wrong with the '80s.

They expected to sell between 5,000 - 10,000 units per year, but sales never went past 3,800. 1991 was the last year (for a lot of things actually, it turned out).

This example has come roaring back for our viewing pleasure. TC cars are worth absolutely nothing. Nobody takes them seriously, though I am sure there are devoted rings of cult followers throughout the U.S. You can grab them for nothing, despite few being made and the odd backstory.

This '89 example is notable for its overall good body, turbocharged four-cylinder and very rare 5-speed manual transmission. These were just boutique cruisers, most with automatics. It's somewhat funny to see a stick shift, but considering that only 501 came with one, somewhere out there, a collector's heart is racing.

The asking price to buy the fruits of a high-powered 1980s friendship? Just $3,200, and it's all yours.

Find it here on ebay in Staten Island, New York.

Rolling Cigar: 21k-mile 1980 Aston Martin Lagonda

This Aston Martin Lagonda looks like it came right out of an old episode of Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous. There is an instant air of pomp and circumstance about it. Maybe because it's a British car. And maybe because of the rather astounding styling. Can you imagine pulling up to Studio 54 in this thing?

The Lagonda was front-engine, rear-wheel drive four-door executive sedan. It was powered by a 5.3-litre V8 engine and came with either a manual or automatic transmission.

Only 645 cars were made from 1974-1990. US sales commenced in 1982.

They were styled by William Towns, a noted British car designer from the '70s and '80s. It's really something to behold. Wide, low, long and sleek, it's decadent but extremely well done. It was ahead of its time then and still looks cool today. You have to give a stodgy company like Aston Martin some credit for going out on a limb with this one.

These were known for their space agey interiors with digital instrumentation that was glitchy and failed often.

Fortunately, the seller has replaced the old system with a new digital readout that is in keeping with the futuristic trappings but actually works.

The seller also says the interior was redone in black leather with tan ostrich inserts.

In addition, the entire engine and transmission has been replaced with a late '90s Ford 4.6-litre V8, for improved reliability and performance. These were such fussy, oddball cars that the different engine isn't much of a detractor, and would help make this a fun, hassle-free cruiser.

With only 21,500 original miles, the rest of the car looks to be in great shape. This is a unique chance to grab an extremely rare car without the headaches they originally came with.

Find it here on ebay in Downey, California with bidding over $10k but reserve not met.

It's Back...155-mile (yes, 155) 1982 Oldsmobile Omega

The infamous '82 Olds Omega with just one-hundred-and-fifty-five miles that made the rounds on car blogs earlier this year (click here to see Just A Car Geek's post) is back!

The story goes that a little old lady purchased this vehicle new, then just never drove it.

That's about it.

Her family drove it around the block to keep it going...but not much else, hence an odometer that reads just 155 miles.

This is probably the lowest mileage 1982 Oldsmobile Omega in existence.

It's sort of a running joke that these extreme low mileage survivors that pop up are often the most boring cars ever. This Oldsmobile is no exception.

There were only three generations of cars that used the Omega nameplate from 1973 to 1984. This is a third and final generation Omega, the "X-body" platforms, produced from '80 to '84.

These were basic economy cars, front-wheel drive and four cylinder engines. They were ugly, slow, and poorly made, with a high number of recalls.

Still, it's amazing to see a survivor in this condition.

The seller said they acquired it from her estate a couple of years ago, but didn't have the heart to drive it and so the mileage has remained low. They say the paint is dull and the headliner sagging, but needs nothing else.

Did you miss out on the Omega when new? Do you want to own an internet legend? Check this thing out.

Find it here on ebay.