In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, which was an attempt to protect certain species of animals from worldwide extinction. Prior to the act, the Eastern Bluebird population had once fallen to just 17 percent of its peak.
Same goes for a ton of other cars produced from the 1950s all the way up to the late 1980s, including another kind of Bluebird--this one from Datsun. Some of these cars were produced in prodigious numbers in other countries, but just didn't fare well here in the United States. Others were never sold in huge volume, meaning that their numbers were depleted to start with.
The biggest threat facing all of these cars is that they've been bypassed by casual enthusiasts, in favor of the more popular marques or models. That means that the larger aftermarket suppliers haven't tooled up to produce restoration parts, forcing the enthusiasts of these once-special, now nearly forgotten cars to trade meager stashes of parts between themselves, like so many Betty Grable pinups in a World War II army barracks.
We hope that Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car
can do something to stem the tide, by at least shedding some light on the cars that seem to be most in danger of permanent extinction. Think of this as an annual call to arms to rescue that half-rusted relic behind the gas station in your town. Do it now, before it's too late!
These were the dark days if you were an American car enthusiast. The Volkswagen GTI nearly singlehandedly invented the hot hatch market in Europe, though when it was introduced here--years after its intro in the home market--it wasn't quite the roadburner it should've been. Nevertheless, it brought fun into a segment that was more or less synonymous with "cheap, boring crackerbox."
Today, GTIs--and their sportier Scirocco counterparts--are as rare as hen's teeth anywhere it ever snowed. Often they were flogged by first owners who moved on to greener pastures in the form of BMWs and Audis, and by the time the second owners got their grubby mitts on them, they were treated as poorly as a rebound girlfriend. Add in that on their best day, most GTIs were simply daily drivers, and their numbers have dwindled precipitously in the last few years.
The Golf I and Jetta I Forum
1976 to 1985 Porsche 924
Sold from 1976 to 1985, the Porsche 924 was supposed to represent the next generation for Porsche. In many ways, it did, attracting a whole new, almost entry-level owner to the brand if any Porsche ever did. But its mix of Volkswagen mechanicals, an engine up front and styling that would've been at home in Sid and Marty Krofft's Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, makes it the unPorsche among sports car fans today.
With 944 prices so cheap, it seems that the 924 is neither betwixt nor between. They've become the 1971 Nova of sports cars, more likely to be seen in gray primer than actual paint. They seem to have the dubious distinction as the Porsche of choice for the corn likker and possum stew set. Know that there's not much you can do to prod more performance out of a normally aspirated 924, so you'll have to make due with 125hp and an appreciation for keen handling.
Porsche 924 Board
1971 to 1975 Opel Manta
Today, in an age where a Chinese car is mere months away from introduction, it's mind-boggling to think that the American car buyer would shun an Opel just because it was from Europe. GM's German division built stylish, sporty cars in the 1970s that were outstanding alternatives to cars that many Americans considered overpriced. And Opels had one thing to offer that their European counterparts couldn't: American influenced styling cues. Chuck Jordan--designer of the 1958 Corvette--spent crucial years as the design director of Opel, and the Manta was his car from start to finish.
Pity that the bulk of these cars ended up shunned and neglected. You're much more likely to find a rusted, non-running Manta than you are a well-preserved example. A thriving underground keeps these cars alive, though. But you'll have to be a crafty innovator to assemble the body parts necessary to restore a rusted Manta. Severely rusted cars are deal-breakers, and mostly good for scavenging trim parts.
The combination of a durable, powerful engine in a stylish, convertible body style seemed to work pretty well for the Ford Falcon in the 1960s. We wonder why that perfect mix never caught on with the Triumph Sports 6 (or Vitesse 6 in the home market). You couldn't walk 10 steps without tripping over a Spitfire or a TR6 in this country, but for some reason, the six-cylinder-powered Sports 6 barely registers. Even at good-sized British car meets, you'd be lucky to find one, let alone a handful.
A quick visit to the North American Triumph Sports 6 and Herald Database shows that you'd be almost better off importing one from England rather than trying to find one for sale here. The good news is that when it comes time to restore one, the parts are relatively plentiful. But you'll have to go overseas, since most of the American parts suppliers don't stock much outside of the mechanical parts that translated over to the Spitfire and/or TR6.
1969 to 1976 BMW E3 (2500, 2800, Bavaria, 3.0S, 3.0Si)
Our own David Traver Adolphus bought himself a pair of "Senior Sixes" this past spring, for an invoice he satisfied with the change he stole out of a parking meter. Essentially the four-door version of the sexy 3.0CS, the E3 has been completely overlooked almost since the day it was launched. Maybe it was the confusing marketing scheme, which sold here as the 2500 and 2800, and then a sort of combination of the two called Bavaria, and then later, the 3.0S and Si. The E3 delivered excellent power and handling in a package that the contemporary Road & Track called "the best value on the market."
The only trouble was that no one paid any attention then, and they still don't today. These days, a rusty Bavvy--which almost goes without saying, since they all rust--is almost without value. Restoring a Bavaria is a fool's errand, but who ever said that cars and rational behavior are to be spoken of in the same paragraph? Many a passing sailor has been lured onto the Bavaria's rocks by a long glance at its conservative, yet forward-looking style. Buy a good one and keep it good, because there is little in the way of aftermarket sheetmetal.
Senior Six Registry
P.O. Box 168251
Irving, Texas 75016-8251
1972 to 1976 Jensen Healey and Jensen GT
Built in West Bromwich, England, between the years of 1972 and 1976, the Jensen-Healey and Jensen GT were modern takes on the classic British roadster. Legendary sports car icon Donald Healey embarked on a partnership with Kjell Qvale (who had put a deal together with Jensen Motors, of Jensen Interceptor fame). It turned out to be an ill-fated mission to build a truly independent British sports car for the 1970s. Within just three years, though, Healey abandoned his project, taking his name with it (which is why the hardtop GT car is just called a Jensen GT). The company built 3,356 MkI cars between 1972 and 1973, and 7,142 MkII and JH5 (with Getrag 5-speed transmission) cars from 1973 to 1975. Just 509 Jensen GTs were manufactured.
With such limited numbers in existence, it's amazing that you see so many neglected Jensen Healeys around. But there are still plenty of good drivers to be had in the $3,000 to $5,000 range and a thriving club scene that manufactures its own trim and mechanical parts. It's not an M.G., with a huge catalog full of every part you could ever want, but a Jensen Healey can prove to be a fun, intriguing ride.
Jensen Healey Preservation Society
Foothill Ranch, California 92610
1962 to 1969 BMC 1100/1300 (et al)
You may not have seen one of these cars here in recent years, but the behemoth that was BMC sold them by the truckload, under no less than 15 different model configurations in the late 1960s. Pininfarina provided the styling, and Sir Alec Issigonis's vision for them came through in this larger version of the iconic Mini. Code-named the ADO16, the BMC 1100/1300 was sold in the U.S. as the M.G. Sports Sedan and the Austin America, and sold in the home market under Austin, M.G., Wolseley, Vanden Plas and Morris banners concurrently, all in strikingly different levels of trim.
The fun factor of driving a Mini is there, yet the precious price tag of the Mini isn't. The beautifully prepared Austin America shown here was recently sold in California for the princely sum of $8,400. The trouble is finding one. They hardly ever show up for sale, even in club newsletters. But if you do get your hands on a good one, you can feel comfortable that the car's longevity is backed by the full faith and credit of the Mini community, with which it shares a tremendous number of mechanicals. Don't buy a rusty one, though, since body parts are scarce.
Sometimes when the cupboard seems chock full of goodies, it's hard to realize that eventually, all that good stuff will be gone. Such is the case with the Sunbeam Alpine. For 10 years, Sunbeam cranked out some fairly prodigious numbers of Alpines. Around 70,000 were built between 1959 and 1968. But something odd happened along the way: Around about 1964, U.S. Rootes distributor Ian Garrad and the Ford Motor Company built a Sunbeam Tiger prototype. Suddenly, the Alpine wasn't good enough, and knuckle-draggers around the country wanted to wedge a V-8 in the engine bay of every Alpine they could find. Consequently, there are a tremendous number of half-finished "project cars" around, with old 302s under the hood.
The good news for the budding Alpine enthusiast is that there are still a fair number of these cars around, and the standard 1,494, 1,592 or 1,724cc (depending upon series. There were five in total) four-cylinder engines are robust and ready for the long haul. But rusted sills have claimed an awful lot of Alpines over the years. Buy the best one you can and you're the owner of a very British sports car with some surprisingly American styling traits.
1044 Thornbury Pl.
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80129
1970 to 1976 Toyota Celica
The Celica was Toyota's first mass-produced, high-volume sports car. In typical Toyota fashion, the manufacturer used a lot of existing mechanical parts from the Corona and Corolla, and in the home market, the Celica shared a floorpan and a production line with the less-sporty Carina. In the first few years, Toyota increased the appeal annually by introducing styling, packaging and safety changes, and then added a new hatchback body style. For American car buyers, the Celica looked an awful lot like a Mustang fastback, which may have been the reason the car sold so well.
On the West Coast, Celicas are not uncommon, but anywhere else, you'd be more likely to see a Ferrari on the road than a MkI Celica. Their California appeal has made them more and more popular outside the areas where the sun shines, though, and they've come into their own as a unique, aesthetically pleasing alternative to the BMW 2002.
The First and Second Generation
1982 to 1987 Alfa Romeo GTV6
Mention "sublime handling," and for most Alfisti, the GTV6 comes right to the top of the list. The rear-mounted transaxle meant that the car possessed the perfect 50/50 weight distribution for neutral handling, and the deDion rear suspension is completely immune to pavement changes, even mid-corner. It's the perfect setup. Except, maybe, for the looks. Gaze at its trademark Giugiaro 1980s work long enough and you can't help but credit its style. But for most, it's an acquired taste, and one that a lot of people don't take the time to appreciate. It was one of Alfa's best road-going cars ever, but for this reason alone, the GTV6 is perpetually one of the least expensive Alfas on the market. And there's no sudden spike in the horizon either.
That's a bit of good news for the skinflint, but we offer this warning: Because its value is always in the cellar, the GTV6 suffers from deferred maintenance. The three weak points (the timing belt, timing belt tensioner and water pump) all have shockingly short replacement intervals (30,000 miles or so), and putting off the work can lead to disastrous results. Unfortunately, that seemed to happen a lot, since investing almost as much money as the car is worth isn't something a third or fourth owner likes to do. Buy one that had the benefit of a fastidious prior owner, and you're the owner of one of the world's finest handling sport coupes.