Last week I asked you penny-pinching lot to step into the way-back machine and find the cars you felt were the best examples of the technology of yesteryear - without breaking the bank, of course. Without further ado, here are then ten best classics on eBay, for under $10,000.
(Photo by Antoine de Cardaillac on Flickr)
10. 1972 International Harvester Scout
This delightfully rugged little pickup is what you buy when a Wrangler isn't manly enough. Our own Truck Yeah! editor Andrew Collins has one as a project, and even in its dilapidated form, it's an iconic, honest and, sturdy little truck. This one has a rebuilt 304 cubic inch V8, 4-speed manual transmission, and Dana front and rear axles - an amazingly solid setup and a must-have for any frugal truck enthusiast.
(Suggested by SidewaysOnDirt)
9. 1959 MG MGA Coupe
I love old MGs. It's something about British roadsters that just captures the essence of the era. Oh, this isn't a roadster, you say? Actually, this car is one of the very rare and extremely kitchy coupe versions of the car. It's not exactly my taste, as I think it looks a bit like the Peter Griffin penis car, but it's a cheap, exciting, and rare British classic, and that in itself is a feat.
(Suggested by McSeanerson)
8. 1988 Land Rover Range Rover
Everything about this late '80s British truck makes sense - from the heavy duty front bumper, to the obviously used winch, to the modified front emblem that now reads "RAN OVER". It's an awesome expedition vehicle, even if does have the typical laundry list of faults. I'd buy it, and at this price, you at least owe it to yourself to take a look.
(Suggested by elpaco13)
7. 1967 Kaiser M715 Jeep
When you look up "overkill" in the dictionary, all you see is an imprint of this car's cartoonish tires. The seller's description of this car's running is "very quiet", which could be a bit of an exaggeration. Quiet for a washing machine with a cinder block in it, perhaps? In any case, if you need a job that needs doing, this vehicle will do it. Consider it your personal automotive Terminator, for the price of a used Nissan Versa. Now go buy it and freak out your local valet.
(Suggested by McSeanerson)
6. 1972 Opel GT
I don't know much about the Opel GT, other than some later versions look a bit like Howard the Duck, and it uses a fuel-injected 4 cylinder from the '70s, which is taking a risk if you're the kind of person who doesn't enjoy knowing all the nearby tow truck drivers on a first name basis. But honestly, who cares about reliability when the lines are this ungodly smooth and it's this freaking affordable?
(Suggested by SidewaysOnDirt)
5. 1973 Alfa Romeo GTV
This one technically shouldn't count, since the reserve wasn't originally met, but after a cursory glance at the market for these cars, I'd wager that the reserve was just under budget for this challenge. This car absolutely embodies Italian design in the '70s. It's stylish, a little (read: a lot) rough around the edges, but an immeasurably gorgeous car from any angle, nonetheless. This is fixer-upper collection material.
(Suggested by ericthenerd)
4. 1951 Buick Special Deluxe
This Buick started its life as a typical, 4-door sedan, a "grandma car", as the seller puts it. What came next was an enormous undertaking, which included chopping the top, welding the rear doors, and converting it into the "lead sled" style that was so popular in that distinct era. This car might not be the overall best car on this list, but in my eyes, it's unequivocally the coolest.
(Suggested by McSeanerson)
3. 1977 Toyota Celica GT
This car was made at time when Japanese cars were just starting to make a name for themselves in the North American market, and they did this by ripping off popular American designs, and injecting good ol' Japanese ingenuity, making them so reliable that they're running 40 years later. This one's a little rough, but it can be fixed with a little more than lunch money, and driven until the new ice age.
(Suggested by McSeanerson, meanornice)
2. 1970 Datsun 240Z
This Series 1 240Z is one of the best no-nonsense all-around value cars in the world. It doesn't just do one thing well, it does everything spectacularly. This one is a prime example of the amazing styling of the age. It's still a looker today, and spoiler alert: they respond particularly well to modifications. So have at it.
(Suggested by DatsunOfABit, Mattypeeperz, Flavien Vidal)
1. 1974 Saab Sonett
There is nothing that you could drive that would ever come close to the unadulterated quirk that this thing oozes out of each and every panel. This Saab Sonett houses a Ford V4 Engine (No, this isn't a Craigslist ad, this car actually comes with a V4), and so much car enthusiast street cred that your great-grandchildren will have to deal with the minor annoyance of random strangers giving them a compulsory thumbs up wherever they go. It's the absolute end of the spectrum as far as unique classics go, and for this price, I'm not sure why you wouldn't just throw your money at the seller as fast and as hard as possible.
(Suggested by Goofnik)
For more awesome eBay challenges, check these out:
Tavarish is the founder of APiDA Online and writes about buying and selling cool cars on the internet. He owns the world's cheapest Mercedes S-Class, a graffiti-bombed Lexus, and he's the only Jalopnik author that has never driven a Miata. He also has a real name that he didn't feel was journalist-y enough so he used a pen name and this was the best he could do.