OUR PICKS
IT’S BLANK CHEQUE TIME FOLKS, YOUR TOP THREE PERSONAL PICKS PLEASE – GO ON, KNOCK YOURSELVES OUT...
MAZDA MX-5
Confession time: I’ve owned an NA MX-5 for years. Thing is, I don’t like them because I have one, I have one because I absolutely adore the little buggers. I road-tested the original NA back in 89 and swore then that I’d own one someday. Someday turned out to be late 2013.
I reckon the original, non-power-steer, 1.6-litre is the one to buy for its purity and its looks. I’ve done the tall-guy conversion (remove the sun-visors) and mine also has 16-inch wheels and coil-overs, which were all on it when I bought it and, if you ask me, don’t add a whole lot to the end product. Aint broke, don’t fix yada yada...
The only thing I’d swap it for would be one of the limited edition, BRG NAs with the tan leather interior. Other than that, mitts orf… she’s mine.
NISSAN 200SX S15
Should you be lucky enough to see an S15 in traffic today, I’m willing to bet you’ll say to yourself: Now there’s a stylish motor car. Followed by: Hmm, haven’t seen one of those in a while.
Fact is, the Nissan 200SX in S15 form was a stunning looker and a cracker of a drive. Why don’t you see them now? Probably because the majority of them have been parked backwards in trees by kids who traded out of all-paw WRXs and Evos, into the rear-drive 200SX, only to get a crash (literally) course in oversteer.
The two-litre turbo-mill was a bit hoary when you revved it up, but an aftermarket zorst would probably fix that. And the rest was great with a schnappy six-speed box and a supple platform. Just don’t accidentally buy an auto, okay?
TOYOTA CELICA RA40
This is personal, okay? I know the RA40 is the redheaded stepson of Celicas. And, yes, I know they had the daggy old Corona-spec 18R engine (in Oz anyway). And yes, they have a steering box and not a rack and, yes, they have a crude rear-end and blah blah blah. Save it for Doctor Phil.
Because I want one of these. I can’t see one without thinking Peter Williamson and Bathurst where the RA40 was the first car in the world to carry race-cam. Youtube it, it’ll blow your mind. Oh, and the little Tojo was faster across the mountain than any of the outright-class cars, too.
I know they’ll swallow an 18RG twin-cam and I’ve heard talk of 1J transplants. Yum yum. Even the liftback version is growing on me. Did I mention I want one? Anybody got one they wanna sell me?
DATSUN 1600
It’s a cliché but for boys (and some girls) who got their licences during the 1970s, owning a Datsun 1600 was very much a rite of passage.
‘Dattos’ were affordable and everywhere. The original colours were awful and so were the tyres. If not watched they went rusty as well but all of that could be fixed by a mate who could weld and use a Little Beaver spray kit. For some extra honk, add a pair of Webers or transplant a two-litre. Maybe even enter your beast in a rally or two.
Times changed and pretty much all of those cheap cars have been modded. The few that survive in original trim now sell for ridiculous money but as a design that this year turns 50 they remain astonishing.
SUBARU LIBERTY RS TURBO
Bit introspective this one because in 1990 I was among the privileged few to drive the very first ‘Type Approval’ Liberty RS to arrive and be astonished by its abilities.
This was a beefy, roomy family car that growled like a caged grizzly. You could take it shopping and barely get a glance then chuck into bumpy bend at the advisory speed plus plenty and come out wearing a big grin. Subaru thought they would sell a thousand a year but as Nissan discovered with its GTR, Australia wasn’t ready for cars with way more talent than their drivers.
Now 30 years later the chances of any RS Libertys surviving in decent shape might seem unlikely, but not so. Finding one takes patience but when you do the money being sought for these incredibly classy cars is pathetic.
HONDA S2000
If I owned an S2000 I would likely call it Susan Boyle – bit dowdy to look at but what a glorious noise. Early ones are just a year away from turning 20 and that alone qualifies them as a ‘classic’. Then there is the amazing engine with 176 non-turbo kilowatts from just two litres and its associated bolt-action gear-shift.
Don’t even look at the tacho. Not yet anyway. The fun doesn’t start until the point at which most engines are giving up and then runs all the way to 9000rpm. Yep, NINE grand in a road car.
Today you can find good ones for $20,000 which might seem pricey until you turn off the music, drop the beautifully finished hood and just drive it.