FUZZ TOWNSHEND'S 10 GREAT BUYS FOR TODAY'S MARKET

Fuzz Townshend's 10 Great Buys For Today's Market

Fuzz Townshend's 10 Great Buys For Today's Market

Fuzz's top tips for cars that you can still buy relatively inexpensively, but with a bit of spit, polish and hard work, you can turn a useful profit, come selling-up time.

Porsche 944
There's rising love for Porsche's brutish four-pot mile-muncher. Decent fixed-head examples with mileage of around 100k to 200k can still be had for as little as £3500, but you'll have to search hard for a well-documented and cosseted example. Current trands show that sellers are often looking for around £4.5k to £6.5k, so it could be worth keeping one's eyes peeled.

1950-1974 big Jensens
OK, I might be hedging my bets here and yes, I do own a 541R, but I've been watching with glee the prices of big Jensens go through the roof over the past three or so years.Interceptors also are once again finding favour, even in this oil-starved world, but do bear in mind the cost and complexity of restoring these colossi. Buy a decent example, treat it with kid gloves and pick your marketing moment.

Jaguar 420 and S-type
Now that the E-types and Mk2s have all but been mopped up, attention is turning to the less balanced-looking of the '60s big cats. The S-type, with a slightly mutton dressed as lamb appearance, has had a growing following for some time, but it is the 420 that is now gaining favour. Time has been kind to the latter cars when it comes to styling and for some strange reason, they're beginning to look good, even without beer. A fresh set of wire wheels seals the dea;.

1959-1969 Minis
A perennial favourite, Minis are once again big news. Word on the street is that a market for the cars is opening up in Latin America, with Brazilians now falling head over heels for the pint-sized charmer. But beware of imitations, and let's face it, the little chaps are right old rotters so make sure that everything is tickety-boo before buying. A good, solid, original shell is a must and an original, matching-numbers engine a bonus. 

Volkswagen Transporters/Vans
The Type 2 is the big favourite here, but with prices long having gone stratospheric, even for less-desirable 'bay window' models, it's the later Transporters which provide possibilities for less deep pockets. In fact, most carefully-presented VW commercials will turn the heads of enthusiasts and there is a thriving scene for them, which almost guarantees the sort of demand that Ford utility vehicles of similar vintage couldn't hope to emulate.

Aston Martin DB7
An Aston Martin might seem an ostentatious choice but, over the years, cars from this prestige manufacturer have had a tendency to hold or increase their value. Therefore, I'm putting a safe punt on the current rock bottom, bargain basement model, the DB7. At around £18k+, deeper pockets are essential to enter this club, but I doubt you'll ever find an Aston as cheap again.

1980s Ford RS models
Again, I'm putting on an each-way bet here but, if our light-fingered friends are anything to go by in their desire to pick up any example they can nefariously find, most 1980s Rallye Sport Fords are hot property right now. They are coveted enough by enthusiasts of the blue oval to make them a top draw whenever they come up for sale. So many young folks of all eras have lustd after the RS range, so again, the market is buoyant. But beware, 1980s Fords suffer from galloping rot along with 'Speak and Spell' electronics that have sat in damp garages for two decades, so recommissioning can be intense.

Ford Escort MkI and MkII
The good old 'scort always was the boy racer's favourite and as such, generated legions of followers. Unfortunately, these disciples were fickle and so most of them sold their pristine two-door examples for the price of a pint and a curry. They now, nearly to a man, regret their folly, and so the market is buoyant. Indeed, such is the clamour for basic, cross-flow fun that thrifty fanciers are starting to squint lovingly at the more basic four-door models, too.

Land Rover Series I and Series II
If recent results in television town are anything to go by, a useable Series I Landy has to be on the list if it's priced below £7000. With concours and just plain very good examples now stretching from high teen thousands to the heady heights of hyped £40k+, these elderly gentlemen of the fields are really worth looking at. For a better bargain with potential for a spot of up-trading, try a good Series II. Upgraded versions deserve consideration, but ensure that the car retains plenty of period features.


Conclusions
Take a look at the current trends in classic car thefts and you have a fairly good idea of what will sell easily. My own hunches are based not only on villainous activities, but on conversations with many people involved in the world of classic cars.

More importantly, buying and selling classic cars can be tremendous fun. If the idea is to make an absolute killing, then a more measured and formulaic approach is necessary. 

Ths idea of trading up is to aim your sights on a particular level of car and to find a route to ownership via the custodianship and pleasure of other classics. It can sometimes be a tricky journey, but knowledge gained along the way can be particularly gratifying and bring with it many long friendships and acquaintances. 

A lot of pleasure can be had from the kind of relationships built up with parts factors and these in turn can help when it comes to finding the keenest prices for essential spares needed to assist in the goal of bringing a middle of the league car into the upper echelons of the type.

In rare cases a spot of luck might come into play. I'm still kicking myself for not jumping in at the deep end with a ratty, but useable Aston Martin DB2/4 about five years ago. Even if I'd left the beast sitting in my garage, I reckon I could have doubled my money. But at £45,000 back then, it was every penny I had.

So instead, I bought my project condition, Jensen 541R which, with its '50s GT lines, was more suited to my pocket at £5k. It now owes me a sum in the region of £19,000, but rather pleasingly, and do excuse any implied smugness, good examples are now on the market at £45k-50k. So even if I have to spend a few quid putting it through my own workshop, should I sell the car, the story should end happily ever after.

The main thing to do is start the process with a car that you love and enjoy, for years if necessary, and only to cash in your chips when you are certain that it is going to achieve a price that puts you on the springboard to the next level. This may take years, hence the importance of finding a car you can relate to.

Do, though, take into account potential demand. There are cars that will always struggle on the market. Into this category I'd currently suggest putting most Rovers and post-war Standards, along with most bread and butter European cars of the same era. I'm sorry to say it, but if the car isn't sexy, the resultant limited following will always kybosh its price.

That's not to say such machines aren't great, but I'm not talking about personal taste here.

Play the long game. I've had a tremendous amount of fun owning classic cars ranging from Austin Gipsy to Daimler SP250, via Toyota Supra, and I haven't always found myself on the winning side. But, with a couple of hands still to play, I may yet get to experience parking up my very own AC Aceca in my garage. 

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