fun-to-drive reasonably priced vintage cars

Hello,

Firstly I think it is a great post! Thank you for starting it. Well I can think of very many reasonably priced cars. Firstly I am speaking relatively inexpensive, they are still a lot of money but compared to vintage 1950, 1960 Ferrari they are a bargain: Here is my list

-Jaguar E type (except series one)
-Jaguar XK 120
-Maserati 3500GT (this brand is completely undervalued aswell)
-Maserati Ghibli (V8 power, stunning design for as little as $50-70'000)
-Aston Martin DB4 (I still think the whole series is undervalued compared to DB5, DB6)
-Ferrari 250 GTE (a beautiful car but undervalued at current prices)
-Mercedes 190SL (expensive but I think its value for money considering its beauty)
-Karmann Ghia (stunning car for relatively little money)

This a starting list. I am sure I missing some models but these are for me some of the most beautiful cars in the world which you can get for $50'000- $150'000.
Ofcourse there are some other models for much less but probably they are lacking in design....

 

Ferrari 365GTC4 is the always undervalued Ferrari
Original Aston DBS is good value compared to other classic Aston DB's

 

I still enjoy my MGA for vintage open top driving. It's certainly not a power house and handling is not close to modern cars but it is still a very pleasant ride. Sway bars help a lot with body roll. When it's a cool day and I'm just purring along I'm a very happy camper.

 

+1 on the Bora and Merak. My favorite Maseratis.

Ferrari Boxer, all 3 types. Just fantastic cars in every way.

Ferrari 330 GT 2+2.

Lamborghini Jarama.

Daytonas are not cheap but undervalued in comparison to other Ferraris and are fabulous.

Aston Martin DBS V8 with fuel injection. Came in 2 and 4 headlight versions. Very fast and the mechanical fuel injection can be sorted by a competent mechanic. Make sure the sills have been done on any Aston.

Jensen Interceptor SP.

Jensen 541R.

 

Series II 330 2+2 asking prices are in the $125K range give or take, Series I 10-15% less.

Series I is the 4-headlight model. The "Interim" Series I is preferable IMO - the last run before the Series II and with many of its mechanical refinements & commands a premium over the early Series I.

I had an early Series I ('64 s/n 5409) - a little on the antique side but a great car and a true Enzo-era 12.

 

308 GT4 is really great to drive. I remember it being said that they actually drove better than the GTB.

Interceptors only came in Manual on the Series 1. Very rare.

 

Without power steering my Series I was definitely a beast in backup and parking sitations. In a lot of ways it was akin to the preceding 330 America - painted metal dash, manual choke, 4-speed with auxiliary overdrive, floor mounted pedals (I hated those - the rubber boots fit poorly and had to be replaced periodically because of inevitable tears).

A kick to prep it up for cold starting - almost like pre-flighting an airplane. The 4-liter 12 put out plenty of horsepower and torque but the weak second-gear synchro made easy shifts a necessity and put it at a disadvantage at the stoplights. This was solved in the Interim model with a true five-speed. The sounds were awesome, period. It was fun even for trips to store that didn't exceed 40 mph.

 

I don't remember the 330GT Series 1 having a painted metal dash but I do remember they sound absolutely fantastic. The sounds of one started my love for Ferrari cars. When I was about 6 or 7 years old (around 1970) my father came home and told me he'd bought a Ferrari. I'd never seen one so I asked about it and he said they were the most fantastic cars in the world. I followed him up to the garage behind our house and there it was. I liked its looks very much but I wasn't overwhelmed as I'd seen the lovely cars he'd had before such as a Jaguar XK150S fhc, E Type and a Jensen. However, he started the car up in the garage, the engine of which was already warm from his journey home, and started revving it up. The sound I heard was so loud it really frightened the life out of me, but it was a sound so beautiful that it absolutely mesmerised me and you just knew that this was a very special car. It was a significant moment in my life that started my great passion for Ferrari cars. When he sold it I cried. The sound (music) I heard was exactly like that in the video below and the look on my father's face when he got out of the car was the same as Fabrizio Violati's too:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaDvf72FVuk&feature=relmfu[/ame]

 

My list for affordable fun to drive cars

Pantera

Any Fiat Dino

Cobra replica

Jensen intercepter

Sunbeam Tiger

308GT4

 

Don't know about all of them but:
What's wrong with a series one e-type, a properly sorted one is just about as much fun as you can have at that price bracket?
Also I totally disagree that the DB4 and 190SL are a'fun drive'beautiful yes, but very ordinary to drive.

 

For racing purposes I would add 2 cars with great pedigree, th Alfa Romeo TZ and the Lancia Stratos G IV. I did the Tour Auto two years in a row with a SWB and TZ and I can confirm that the feeling and the experience of the TZ while different from the comfort of the SWB is fantastic.

 

I just spent the day behind the wheel of an un-restored XK120... hard to beat so much fun in such a great performing and handling machine for so little money. As far as my experiences go, nothing even remotely close in the price range these trade at will give you such much fun for so little money.

I was ignorant for many years to what bargain they truly are.

Ciao,

Bill Noon

 

What you say re the DB6 is interesting.
A mate and myself,in March,did a road trip to Tasmania with about 40 other carby Ferraris'.
He had previously owned a DB6,and while stating that they were good,he admited that he prefered my 330 S1.
Prior to my ownership,the previous owner set it up for both track and road,it REALLY is glued to the road,perhaps this was the difference to your experience.
The whole trip BTW was about 4000 miles!

 

I'm thinking he's talking about a 250 America...(GTE body)

 

The earliest in the production run had metal dashes. I don't know how many.

The sight and sounds of a new Series I 330 in our neighborhood when I was 15 or so stuck with me and that's what I wanted when my number finally came up...it sounded fantastic, but not the same as the GTO in your vid.

 

I have a vested interest in saying this but to me the 250 GTE is the most under valued Ferrari out there.....Its quick by period standards. It performs as well as any Lusso and the handling is so light and sweet if properly set up. Yes its 2+2 but when your behind the wheel you dont notice this......I'm not knocking PF Coupes but I simply dont understand why they are selling for GBP 100K more than the GTE which out performs them in every criteria.....Just my opinion.....

 

Back in 1968 when I was looking to 'move up' from an E-Type, I looked at 250GTEs (the first Ferrari I ever saw on the street), a Maserati 3500, and a 250 PF Coupe. I liked the Ferraris better than the Maserati and the GTE, in my opinion, was much better looking than the Coupe. I got a nice GTE and kept it for 6 years, sold it for what I paid for it and got a 330 GTS, and kept it for 34 years. I still like the looks of the GTE, and If I could afford it I would go out and buy the best one I could find. Paul, yours is beautiful in blue. As for E-Types - I may go back. A very fun car and virtually any part is available and cheap - compared to what we pay for Ferrari parts.

 

The e types are fun. I got to spend a little time last week with this one. A 1961.
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