The Garage

Bought in the Spring of 1997 for $700, ran a 350 4bbl, but not very well. Sold prematurely to fund another car, I still miss this one. This was a great car, despite it's rusty quarter panels. Lots of good memories from this machine, and I'd highly recommend these 70's Grand Prixs, as they're fairly inexpensive.

Another $700 car from Northeast Ohio, this one ran like a top. Ran an Olds 350 4bbl, TH350 trans. The mechanical parts of the car were still working very well at 245,000 miles when the frame finally showed that it was a bit too rusty - so, sadly, this one has gone to it's final resting place.

Bought nearly new by my late Grandmother in 1981 and passed to me in 1998. Because it had been unused for some time, it had alot of problems. Virtually every panel was dented and the head gasket was weeping coolant over the side of the block. I decided it wasn't worth fixing and donated it to charity.

To my knowledge this is the oldest Renault R4 in the United States and probably North America. Most others are either recent imports from France or cars that came in through Mexico (where R4's were once made). It lived most of it's early life in Toronto - where it was owned by a college professor. I briefly laid claim to it during the summer of 2000, but it still resides with it's real owner and guardian - my pal Jim Conrady.

I bought this car from a 128/Yugo fan out on Long Island in August, 2001 - the same day I sold the MGB/GT, actually. It wasn't running at the time but I quickly fixed that (fuel pump was dead, carburetor needed adjustment). Unfortunately it was plagued with more rust than initially thought and I didn't have the budget, or couldn't justify the expense, to restore it properly. So it was swapped for a VW Rabbit (see below). Last seen at my friend Dave's farm, May 2004.

A showroom-condition car, I've seen only one other Brava that was better - and that was a restored car, this one had never been apart. This car got looks wherever it went, even when newer, far more expensive cars were in plain view. The automatic transmission, coupled to a relatively high rear end, held it back in terms of performance but it was a great car. I sold it since I didn't want to damage it or have it get rusty during New York Winter. Of course, we had only two inches of snow that whole winter - Murphy's law. This car now lives happily in California and has been converted to a five-speed with a Spider rear end. Very much missed.

Even people who know better can make mistakes...I've driven a number of M-body Chryslers, Dodges, and Plymouths and of all the ones I could've bought, I got the absolute worst of the litter. It never ran right, and almost nothing I did seemed to improve matters. I finally scrapped it after a long layup in my garage. Diplomats can have redeeming qualities with the right setup - but this wasn't it. This hasn't reduced my enthusiasm for Mopars, just these M-bodies.

I had this X1/9 from 2002 to 2005 and loved almost every moment of my time with it. Not only did it outhandle every other car I've ever owned (and nearly all of the other cars I've ever driven) - it ran like a top, looked great, and was great fun to cruise around in. Sadly sold to pay Doctor's bills, April 2005. It now lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Bought in the fall of 2002 for basic transportation, it's very slow but surprisingly fun to drive. The Fiat 128 was part exchanged for this car. Diesel power is great. Though speed is severely limited, this car handles very well and can do 48 mpg on the highway. No matter how slow and hot it may be on a humid August afternoon or how shaky and smokey on a January morning, you just can't help but smile when you pay $16 a month for fuel. Due to insurance constraints (this car cannot qualify for a Classic Car policy), this car is currently for sale for $1300, please contact thezeroenigma@hotmail.com for more information.

I had this car from 2003 to 2005. I bought it initially as a backup car for my mother, who was then between cars. But she quickly bought a newer car and didn't need it, so it hung on, and on, and on. It was a nice car to drive though relatively unremarkable. The 305 2V wasn't powerful but it wasn't gutless either, it wasn't exactly miserly on gas despite it's economy-minded mission and low-weight for a full-size car (about 3400 lbs).

Bought in August, 2004, from my friend Ryan in Philadelphia who was liquidating some of his collection to make room for his new 1967 Maserati Mexico (what a car!). This little 128 is the nicest 128 I've ever seen or driven and I intend to keep it as a show car. When's the last time you saw one this nice?

Just bought (January '05). I bought this to replace the for-sale Impala, so that I could have a car that could be driven anywhere almost anytime of the year on a moment's notice. Partially because I wanted the amenities and safety of a modern car, partly because I needed them for my Animal transport service. This car will ultimately replace the Rabbit as well as I need to reduce my "inventory" and my insurance costs. It's nice to have a modern again, but moderns still don't have the soul of an old car.