We Jalopnik staffers spend our days looking at cars one the internet: new cars, old cars and, most worryingly, cars for sale. If you’re curious what cars we keep double, triple, quadruple checking on Craigslist, fantasizing about what our lives would be like with them, writing their names next to our in little cardboard hearts, well, here they are.
This $4600 1977 Toyota Celica
I love these old Celicas because they look like an old vintage Mustang, only they’re smaller—me-sized—and there’s more of a fun drift-oriented aftermarket. Growing up in Northern California I used to see cars like this all the time. Faded original paint, still-working original parts, unrestored daily driver condition. Now one materialized in the Bronx. I need it. - Raphael Orlove
This $1800 1982 Toyota Corolla SR5
Are you noticing a trend here? Old rear-drive Toyotas. A visit into hazy old college town nostalgia, with added fantasies of throwing some modern 200 horsepower BEAMS engine under the hood running like a ShaDynasty wannabe. It’s on a trailer, sure, but I wanna rip the guts out anyway. What could go wrong? - Raphael Orlove
This $3000 1970 Chevrolet FunBox
It’s not a truck, it’s not a van, it’s not a Suburban, it’s all of those things. Calling it a FunBox is the only way to do it justice. Think of all the activities that could be had in the back of this thing! All it needs is a fuel-injected small block and a good home (mine). Stop me. - Mike Roselli
This 1983 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60
This one isn’t for me, at least not in the direct sense. I’m not always in need of a good ‘80s Land Cruiser. But my father-in-law in Southeast Texas has been looking to replace his battle-worn 4Runner for some time and he’s asked me to keep an eye out for something similar, like another 4Runner or a Land Cruiser. (If you see a good one email me. I’ll buy you beers. Or the car, and the beers.)
Anyway, this burnt red-orange FJ60 in Austin caught my eye, and it’s quite lovely. Manual, good body, interior needs a bit of work, and 208,000 miles, which in Toyotaspeak means “less than halfway through its natural lifespan.”
Hmm. Maybe I’ll take this one for myself and not tell the old man. —Patrick George
This Manual E39 Wagon
I have a feeling one of our readers is going to recognize their car here.
$8,000 seems a touch optimistic, but the color is well suited to the car (subtle) rims look clean and get a load of that steering wheel! But the real bonus is that the listing reads like it was written by somebody who actually Gives A Shit, which is not a factor one should easily dismiss on a Craigslist car hunt.
Yeah it’s looking its age, it’s imperfect, but the configuration is really cool and all the important parts are there. I hope this car goes to a good home. And yes, sometimes I’m a walking cliché who loves manual transmissions, station wagons and BMWs that were new when I was a kid. —Andrew Collins
This $2,500 Plymouth Conquest
This is America’s version of the Mitsubishi Starion! It’s a gorgeous front engine, rear-wheel drive, turbocharged Japanese sports coupe, and it looks to be in mint condition for the fair, fair price of only $2,500.
Sure, this Diamond Star Motors car is known to fail head gaskets and crack heads, and this particular one isn’t the sought-after wide-body, but just look at the condition of that body, and imagine how comfortable that burgundy interior must be! —David Tracy
This $1,500 1985 Plymouth Voyager
Earlier this week, we all agreed that old Chrysler minivans are cool. I for one, am in love with the things, especially ones with five-speed manuals.
Here’s a one-owner example sent to me by a reader: it’s a vintage 1985 Plymouth Voyager five-speed in “excellent condition.” No, it doesn’t have any rear benches, but I’m sure I could grab a couple of those at a junkyard. Someone buy this before I do. —David Tracy
This $4,200 1964 Willys CJ-5
One look at this early CJ-5 from Arizona (no rust!), and I fell in love. Look at that M38 military Jeep hood, still outfitted with the cutout for the snorkel.
Under that hood sits an F-head inline-four engine derived from the old Go-Devil motor found in the MB and on CJ-2As like mine.
Sure, it needs some brake work, a little bit of body work near where the gas can attaches, and a couple of small parts, but just look at that grille and those voluptuous curved fenders. —David Tracy
This $3,000 Pre-1975 Renault R16
I’ll admit that I’m a little confused about how many Renault R16s are actually being offered here for that three grand. The title of the ad reads:
RENAULT R16 -ORIGINAL + OTHER R16 FOR PARTS - $3000
... which sounds like there’s one “original” R16 and one parts R16. Or maybe one original R16 and one Cool Ranch R16. It’s not clear. I don’t care, though, because even one R16 is a fantastic thing.
This was Renault’s first real attempt to bring the hatchback design to a larger family car, and they did it brilliantly. That’s not just me saying that– look what a big shot like Sterling Moss had to say about the car:
“There is no doubt that the Renault 16 is the most intelligently engineered automobile I have ever encountered and I think that each British motorcar manufacturer would do well to purchase one just to see how it is put together”
Beat that for three grand.
This would make a charming, beautifully-detailed, practical, and all-but impossible-to-maintain-in-the-U.S. daily driver. It’s deliriously charming, has a clean title, new water pump, tires, and “baterie.” Someone around LA should snatch up this lovely little Renault. – Jason Torchinsky
This 2006 Porsche Cayman S
I really need a Porsche in my life. Good 911s are a bit beyond my comfort zone now, but I could be really happy with a Cayman, but it’s gotta be an S model and it must have 3-pedals. This 2006 looks lovely with only 38,000 miles for under $30,000. I’m not a fan of black cars, but I would make an exception for a Porsche.
If I wasn’t living with in-laws with my GTI parked under a tree because we have to fit three vehicles on a small lot, and spending a small fortune building a new house, this would be tempting.
Someday I will have one…. someday. - Tom McParland