Other than stating that the car is rust and accident free, the seller gives no details about the body or any restoration work. The seller appears to be Classic Cars of Plano Texas who describe the condition as ‘A1′ on their website, though add nothing else. The T600 looks to be free of dents or other flaws and the chrome appears to be in excellent condition. The white walls are a personal choice, though they would not be our first pick if we were building it.

Little can be said about the interior other than it looks to be very well done. The dash is clean and stylish, though the seller states that the speedo is inaccurate. The upholstery looks to be free of tears or other flaws, and it if was re-finished at some point, it certainly looks the part and doesn’t appear overly done.

The seller states that the car runs well and that the gearbox is free of noise. No photos are provided of the underside, and only one distant shot of the engine is provided. Of what can be seen, the motor looks car-show clean and is a beautiful sight to lovers of all things rear-mounted and air-cooled. Tatras have a strong following, and parts should be easier to source than most limited production post-war Eastern European cars.

While several Tatra projects have been featured on BaT, its nice to see one finished and in show condition. By any standards, these were remarkable cars and one of the few choices out there if a rear central dorsal fin is a must have. With limited numbers and strong interest, the values can only go one way.

From 2/24/2012:

This 1988 BMW M3 (VIN WBSAK0302J2195544) is offered in the very rare Lachssilber/Cardinal color combination. The car is a very clean driver with Dinan suspension and some minor tasteful modifications. The car has 142k original miles with extensive recent maintenance, and during the last valve adjustment at 135,300, a compression check showed 207, 212, 200, 215. It is available in Santa Barbara, California for $16,900.

We like the stance and conservative upgrades, and the photos show that the seller obviously keeps it very tidy. The suspension has been upgraded with Dinan springs, Dinan-valved Bilstiens all around and Dinan adjustable sway bars (22 mm front, 16mm rear). BMP strut and shock braces have also been added front and rear, along with fixed front camber plates. Wheels are 16″ BMW OEM wheels with Goodrich G-Force 225/45 tires added 7k miles ago. Zimmerman cross-drilled rotors were also added front and rear, and the painted tow-hood covers up front help clean up the look.

These are some of the significant repair/replacements done in the last 20k mi

• Rear wheel bearings
• Catalytic converters (50 state legal)
• Muffler (BMW OEM)
• Clutch master and slave cylinders (BMW OEM)
• Alternator bushings (BMW OEM)
• Fuel filter (BMW OEM)

The interior is in excellent unrestored condition as can be seen in the photos. The A/C systems rarely still function in these cars, and this car has just had the A/C fully serviced and it is working very well. The previous owner that installed the suspension mods also had a roll bar installed, that ha since been removed. Pictures show the care that was taken to cause minimal impact to the carpet. A BMP shift shifter was also added.

Unlike so many cryptic Craigslist and ebay ads for these cars, this seller is very up-front about the condition and any flaws on this car, and presents very good photos and info. The car was initially purchased in New Jersey, spending its first ten years in the Midwest. He points out that it has had non-structural rust professionally repaired in three places (sun roof replaced, LR wheel well and rear license area). In addition, the seller includes several photos of mechanical components with surface rust. All the VIN numbers are intact except the RF fender and front bumper cover. According to the seller, the previous owner reported that damage was done at less than 10 mph, and the CarFax remains accident free. There has been minor body work that has called for respray of RR quarter, rear bumper, trunk lid, spoiler. Also re-sprayed were the LF fender and hood.

Check out the additional photos of the car in the Flickr album and slide-show below.

From 1/27/2012:

This Studebaker President Speedster (S/N 7161922) is one of 2,215 built in 1955, the only year the model was produced. It was Studebaker’s top-of-the-line model, and 763 were painted in this striking green and yellow scheme. We weren’t so sure we would like the color, but having just seen a very similar car in-person at Barrett-Jackson last week where it sold for $77k (link), we have to say that it looked fantastic in person. This seller is a BaT regular and has had the car since 2004, and the owner before him invested over $70k in the rotisserie restoration in the late 90′s. He calls this one a solid 2+ car, with excellent cosmetics and well sorted details but still driveable. It is available in Palm Beach County, Florida for $52k.

The car has been kept in a climate controlled garage since its restoration, and about 1200 miles have been added since it was purchased. It has had regular maintenance preformed, the oil changed, brake fluid and radiator fluid every 2 years and has been waxed 100 times. In 2009, some small details were addressed, such as the gas gage sending unit that wasn’t reading accurately, a wheel alignment, and new BFG radial wide white walls mounted, and the transmission rebuilt. It is his wife’s car and he wanted the car to be worry-free for any long road trip. Another example was also sold at RM last year for $55k plus premium (link).

The seller was provided the following information when he purchased the car:

Lee Shaffer purchased this car in 1998. It was stored inside for 30 years in the Los Angeles area. He contracted with Pioneer Classics Autos, Phoenix, AZ to completely dismantle and restore to original condition. Leather upholstery, exactly duplicating the original, was made by Phantom Auto Works, Knoxville, TN. Production of this upscale limited edition was 2,215 units, and only in 1955. Of these, 763 were the green and yellow color. Original standard equipment: 259 CID V8 engine with dual manifold exhaust system, back up lights, fog lights, wire wheel discs, engine turned instrument panel, tachometer, leather upholstery with custom stitching, hand crank antenna, and more. Optional equipment: radio, power brakes and steering, and directional lights. Since restoration, this car has been driven 1-2 miles per week, never for transportation and never in excess of 45 mph. It won 10 ‘First in Class’ awards: 2 in Studebaker Internationals, 3 in Studebaker Zones, and 5 in local open shows.

At present, the only thing he cites as non-functional is the radio, which did work when he purchased the car.

Here are some more details outlining the standard equipment on this model:

- Automatic overdrive transmission
- Power steering
- Power brakes
- Dual exhaust
- Four-barrel carburetor
- “Shoemaker-stitched” diamond-quilted genuine top-grain leather seating
- Carpeting front and rear
- Map pocket
- Eight-tube deluxe radio
- Stewart-Warner 160 mph speedometer and 8,000 rpm tachometer
- Striking engine-turned dash assembly completely unique to Speedster
- Turn signals
- Electric clock
- Tinted glass
- Cigarette lighter
- Oil filter and oil bath air cleaner
- Dual backup lamps
- Triple horns
- Two-speed electric wipers
- Tubeless whitewall tires with chrome wire wheel covers
- Fog-light bumperettes
- Stainless roof band
- Specific trim including a hood-length hood ornament
- Speedster nameplates and checkered emblems
- Chrome-plated ashtrays, rear-view mirror, moldings and tailpipe extensions.

These cars were powered by the 259 cubic inch Studebaker Passmaster V8, and this one has a 4BBL Carter carburetor. The seller says that it never fails to start and the only modification that is different than original is the addition of a K&N filter because he got tired of washing out the oil bath filter (which is included, in the trunk).

Included are all of the shop manuals and catalogs for the car. The seller says that the Speedster is very popular anywhere it goes and everyone comments on the beauty of the car.

Click here to email the seller directly if you are interested.

Check out the additional photos of the car in the Flickr album and slide-show below.

From 2/24/2012:

This 1927 Buick Sedan spent the first 83 years of its life in the San Fernando Valley, the last 61 of those tucked in a garage where it was untouched. The car was extracted from the garage for a television program on the History Channel. It was listed on Craigslist and featured here on BaT in August 2010 (link), and the current seller bought it in and took it home to Texas. He has kept the vehicle in the condition it arrived in, only going through the things that needed repair to make it a driver. Even most of the dust on the exterior has remained in place, as water has still not touched this car since 1949. Everything about the vehicle is still original, and it is a driver. This car is available in Houston, Texas for $8500.

As the current seller relates the history: “This car remained in the same family from new until I acquired it. It was always a California car in the San Fernando Valley. The car was owned by a doctor there. The family was said to be hoarders and collected quite a bit a stuff. In 1949 the garage door was removed or sealed shut as part of an add on to a garage apartment. (The main house was too full of stuff to live in.) The remaining family member who remembers the car well, is in her 80′s and this was her fathers car. The family property was being broken up for sale or development and everything was sold. The 1927 Buick sat still from 1949 until 2010 when it was removed as part of a documentary for the History Channel. This is when I obtained the car.”

The car currently has what is left of its original paint. All of the efforts to make the car a driver have been done without painting or changing the appearance of the car, and it has all of its original wood. Original purple Mohair seats, blinds, ashtrays and other interior items remain as well. The engine was started before the seller ever took ownership of the car, so it was never gone through. It has good compression and oil pressure. The transmission has been gone through, the clutch pressure plates were taken apart and cleaned (they are original). The rear differential has been gone through. The fuel tank was cleaned, prepped and coated (original dents left in place.), and the car has new tires and tubes.

When purchased, the car was in the condition you might expect it to be after being stored untouched for 61 years. The seller says he cannot put to words the attention this car gets anywhere it goes. The most fun is had driving this car to shows and local events. This car always has twice the crowd compared to any other car at any event he have taken it to according to the seller. It is a time capsule in every sense of the word, and the patina of the car is something that is not reproducible. The car arrived with a number of artifacts that were found in the car. This includes a World War II era naval uniform, a milk jug from the Burbank Creamery, a lantern that was originally hanging on the rear of the car, quite a few small cans from the time period filled with spare auto parts, there is a Desert Water bag that apparently hung on the front of the radiator. When these things are with the car they clearly enhance the story that is told. The car still retains is World War II ration stickers on the windshield. If you have not reviewed the comments in the original listing of this car, please look back as it tells the whole story.

The seller mentions that the Buick even receives respect in places he did not expect. He valet parked at the Four Seasons Hotel, and told them the car could not get rained on. They moved a Bentley out of the way and left the Buick prominently in the front under the covered valet area.

Here is a copy of the Craigslist ad text that we featured and the seller purchased the car through:

“A truly Remarkable find.

1960s, 1950s and sometimes 1940s cars are discovered left untouched but a 1920s car?

This 1927 Buick was parked in a garage only 5 miles from my house here in the Valley in 1949 and hasn’t moved until last week. The garage door was taken off in 1949 and a wall was constructed so it could NOT be removed. Last week after 61 years of hiding, we got the BUICK out.

Make no mistake, the car is 100% original with ALL of its original parts from 1927 including the original cap, points, coil, plugs, tires, wooden wheels, etc.

A proper description is difficult to write because the car simply must be seen. It blows everyone away as to how ancient it looks in person. A number of Buick experts and museum historians have been by to see it and verify its authenticity and all share the same feeling- it is a once in a lifetime time capsule. There are two National Museums now interested in displaying the Buick.

Many interesting artifacts were remove from the inside of the car including coffee cans, San Fernando Valley milk bottles, correspondences, evan a WW2 sailors uniform to compliment the original WW2 Los Angeles fuel ration decal still on the windshield. The 1915 desert water bags are still on the radiator as they were when it was stored in 1949. The battery is from 1949 and other than that, NOTHING HAS BEEN CHANGED- no repaint, no new brakes, no new hoses, no new tires, no new wiper blade- NOTHING.

Yes, there is even the 1929 door jamb service sticker showing 18k miles on it. The service shop was located on San Fernando road ( the then famous Route 99), 100 yards from where it sits now- 81 years later! If that doesn’t make the hair on the back of your neck stand up…

I got the car running this week using all of the original parts on the engine except the coil ( which I merely jumped wires to a new coil to run it )- that means that the 1927 fan belt, hoses and all still work but of course, not for long. Even the original Buick oil can is still on the firewall. I removed the front seat to find, a war time license plate and all of the original tools, including the crank start handle ( and a dead rat skull ). Various automotive journalists and photographer have photographed the car have for preservation sake, now and at the time of removal, since few cars of this time period remain untouched. The complete excavation of the car was also filmed for an upcoming TV show.

It would be possible to get the car in road-worthy, driving condition by leaving it close to “as found” condition and take it to our local car shows. Drive this into a concourse, and guaranteed there will be crowds around it all day.

I did order a set of inner tubes with the idea that they could be installed in the original tires, and aired up so as to have the ability to roll.

If you are considering restoring this car, then please don’t bother to come by- it should be left as is, this kind of patina is impossible to (re)create.”

The car does have some needs. The radiator is now leaking and needs to be repaired/recored (the water pump is functioning fine and the gland nut packing has been replaced.) A new radiator cap is also in order. The fuel system, the vacuum fuel canister system is not keeping up with the fuel demand after driving for a while, and the leas source is unknown. Secondly the lines from the canister to the carburetor are original and have a damaged fitting. The seller says he would rebuild the carburetor if he was going to keep the car. The window rolling mechanisms are all stuck and the passenger front door handle is broken.

The original coil does not work, but it is in place and a newer coil hidden in the frame bypasses the original. All the lights work, and the bulbs are believed to be original. The original horn does not work, and the seller obtained a horn from a later model Buick that is now installed (to pass inspection). He intended to remove the internals from the new one to place in the original horn that that goes with the car, but never has finished it. The entire dash control panel has all of its switches frozen or stuck. Without drilling into the dash, the seller installed two toggle switches for the ignition and the lights.

Specifics on the 1927 Buick Model 27. It is a 5 Passenger four door sedan that was part of the “Standard Six 114.5″ Series”. The Standard Six Series had an overhead valve six-cylinder engine that displaced 207 cubic-inches and produced 63 horsepower. There was a three-speed sliding gear transmission with floor shift controls and multiple disc clutch. Four-wheel mechanical drum brakes helped kept the car in the driver’s control. The body was built by Fisher. These cars where considered some of the nicest and most desirable of the makes at the time. They were priced about $1255 when new. This was compared to a 1927 4-door Model-T sedan(last year of the model T) was about $545.

Says the seller: “The car is titled in Texas as a 1927 Buick Model 27 VIN 197953. The VIN on the title is actually the body number not the true VIN. The State of Texas mixed this up from the bill of sale, I have not changed it. It is time for me to pass this Buick along to the next person who will hopefully enjoy it in its current condition and have as much fun with it as I did. I hoped to enter it in the Fairfield County Concours, but, unfortunately, I will not make it. My wife says she has taken her last ride in the Buick and she is ready for something sportier to take its place in the garage.”

The dog-dish caps and color-matched wheels are tops in our book, and the chrome and trim all looks clean. The seller doesn’t claim that the paint is original, or that there is documentation to prove the 21k miles, but we are optimistic on both fronts.

The interior shows wear on the driver seat area, but overall the originality is still compelling. We’d leave it as shown, but fix the clock and just leave the radio off. We wonder what the ideal songs would be to listen to while at the wheel?

The seller says that the engine is silent and smooth, and original but well-tended old sixes can be just so. The rest of the engine bay looks clean, and we suspect that the intake and air cleaner have been spruced up at some point. A V8 swap would not be a sin if the engine dies, but until then we’d run it as-is unless it stubbled up hills.

This is a car we wouldn’t think that we would like, but we do. If actually a 21k-mile car, how many miles do you think it could go yet? This could be a daily driver for years to come if you aren’t picky for A/C or automatic. We’d love to see it on the road. Four dudes with parted hair, skinny ties and dark-rimmed glasses driving around Manhattan in this thing sounds like a good time.

1972 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000

Location:		Montreal, Quebec
VIN:		AR3020840
Chassis mileage:
Engine type:		Twin-Cam 4 cylinder

How long have you had the car? Since 2005

Describe the body condition: Great, no dents, rust free, refreshed paint inside and in engine compartment.

Describe the mechanical condition: New engine, pistons, liners, bearings…New header, ready to race.

Included documentation: Log book

What makes this car special? A very reliable Alfa. The only DNF was from running out of gas…This car is very straight, it will do anything asked and more. Just wonderful to race.

Asking Price: $29,000

For more info: Click Here.

The seller gives almost no information about the condition of the body, other than stating the obvious glut of Abarth stickers. At the very least the hood Abarth graphic should go along with the red stuff under the front windshield. The paint shows definite wear as does the plastic bodywork, although with some attention it’s certainly fine for a driver. Traces of surface rust can be seen in several images, but overall it appears reasonably dry for a 36 year old Italian economy car.

The interior won’t win any beauty contests but looks clean, intact, and in good condition overall. The dash appears crack free, the carpet looks decent, and the auxiliary gauges are a nice addition. In the negative column, the driver’s seat will need reupholstering and the seller adds that the headliner will need attention as well.

The seller doesn’t explicitly state that the car runs though the motor looks reasonably well sorted. The air filter is clearly missing, and it’s hoped that it was just removed for photographic purposes. With around 70hp when new, the A112 Abarth was certainly quick enough for spirited driving, especially when one considers its diminutive size.

With its large slabs of grey plastic both inside and out, this A112 Abarth lacks the elegance of the 60s and early 70s. Still, these are fun sporting drivers that are a popular choice in vintage European rallies. Parts should not be an issue, and it certainly has an edge in the coolness factor compared to many of the peers it would likely meet at events on this continent.

The seller states that the body is rust free and the paint is original. For whatever reason, this custard yellow appears to be the most popular shade on R100s, or at least those that have survived into the 21st Century. While the body does appear dry, there is some paint discoloration to the right side. The paint on the hood also appears to have much more shine than the rest of the car, which suggests at least some new paint work or possibly an aborted polishing attempt.

The interior appears to be in fantastic shape for its age. The dash is stylish and as is the shifter location and original Mazda steering wheel. While there appears to be a small dash crack and some age related wear to the carpet, a gently worn but completely original interior such as this is far more appealing than a sterile modern restoration.

No information about the mechanical condition of the car, nor is it even clear what the actual mileage is. The seller does state that it has been in storage, and judging by the apparent lack of recent work under the hood, its best to assume that this car will need some significant mechanical sorting. Fortunately, the Mazda rotary following is a healthy one, so it shouldn’t be difficult finding an enthusiast who can’t wait to put in the effort to get this one back on the road.

While many early Japanese cars were conventional and built for economical transportation, these early rotary Mazdas were something special. Unfortunately relatively few survive, and its not every day that one this original comes up for sale. While some may be tempted to install a more modern Mazda rotary drivetrain, these have become valuable enough to make a proper restoration worthwhile, and this one will probably receive the attention it deserves.