From Reader Sean F, his old car of choice, the Mercedes 770 / 770K of the late 1930s:
It’s a brute of a car (7.7-liter engine!), and heavy (especially when fitted with the armour plating and thick glass required by its most famous owner), but I’d take a slimmed-down non-Hitler version in a heartbeat.
And I’m just a sucker for those swoopy front wheel mudguards, in just about any car of that era.
On the subject of great cars just needing a rebuild, Reader Gerald F suggests the 1972 Lotus Europa Special, which he describes as his “lottery” car:
Universally panned for its “truck” back, the Europa’s owners could be forgiven their secret little smile, because as ungainly as it looked, the Europa’s weight distribution was almost perfect and it could out-corner absolutely anything it raced against. Even by today’s lofty standards, the Europa was an outstanding example of the Colin Chapman era of performance — its dinky little Lotus-Ford 1600cc four-banger got it up to over 120mph quickly enough — and over a twisty road, it would leave everything else with only a view of its ugly backside.
And they came in a ton of spiffy colors…
Thank you, Reader Gerald, because now I want one too.
Continuing the thread from a couple weeks back, I saw this pic:
Ford Super Deluxe Woody (1948)
…and immediately wanted one, provided that it had modern suspension, wiring and brakes — i.e. so it would run about as well as a modern car.
This made me look through my rather extensive album of car pics to see which others would qualify (short answer: most of them), but here are my absolute winners:
Alvis Speed 25 (1939)
BMW 328 (1938)
Hudson Deluxe Eight (1935)
“Jaguar” SS 100 (1937)
I think I’d first have to have wider tires on all of them, but as for styling… whoa.
If you want to show me which your favorites would be, send me an email (with or without pics) and I’ll post the best ones.
Ever wondered about Rolls-Royce? Wonder no more.
And no asinine commentary: just a bunch of craftsmen going about their business. Wonderfully calming.
Go ahead and ask me again why I prefer the old over the new.
Or you can watch this video, where two youngins discover in turn the joys of yesteryear, where the old doesn’t have any of the modern geegaws, bells, whistles and safety features, but is still — after well over forty years — the better experience.
You can thank me later.
3.0 liter inline 6, 5-speed manual… it just goes on and on.
Of course it’s going to break. It’s an Alfa, FFS. Don’t care.