Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, working with cars is a blessing and a curse for me. Just look at the 21 vehicles that I own that somehow haven’t bankrupted me. I’m still not really sure how that’s working. And since I’m shopping for cars all of the time, I always have an evolving list of vehicles for sale to share with you.
In celebration of my wedding tomorrow, this list consists of cars, trucks and a motorcycle that I’d love to roll away in, with “Just Married” on the back. My wedding is at EAA’s museum and has a Top Gun theme, complete with aviator shades and Danger Zone. Of course, you’ll see pictures of what it’ll look like when I get them.
I search the entire country for a good balance of price and vehicle condition. But sometimes, some really cool cars end up for sale with really high prices. It’s disappointing, of course, but there’s nothing wrong with window shopping and dreaming.
So join me in looking at some fun cars, motorcycles, and fantasy military hardware from the future.
1964 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz – $44,995
In the 1950s and 1960s, American luxury cars were as long as today’s SUVs and often featured sky-high fins and ornate trim. Cars of this era were loaded with chrome, bright paint, stunning beauty, and some of the latest tech. A good example of the era’s luxury is the Cadillac Eldorado. Launched in 1953, just 532 were made for the year and as the New York Times notes, Ike rode to his inauguration in one. The car was the work of designer Harley Earl from the LeMans Motorama concept car. And the name? It’s reported that it’s a reference to the mythical city of gold sought by Spanish explorers.
One thing’s for sure, the Eldorado quickly became a symbol of success. Stars bought them and Eldorados showed up in movies and music videos. If you owned an Eldorado, you made it.
Well-sorted early Eldorados are known to sell for well into the six figures, so you have to go newer to find cheaper examples. I found this 1964 Eldorado Biarritz to be an alluring example. The Biarritz name refers to a resort town on the coast of France. This isn’t as flashy as an earlier Eldorado, but it still has a long body and fins. It’s also imperfect, which explains the price.
The features list is long and includes auto-dimming lights, AM/FM radio with power antenna, and cornering lights. It’s noted to have no rust, but the paint (an older repaint) shows its age, including some fade. There’s also a dent on the driver door. Power comes from a 429 cubic-inch V8 making 340 gross horsepower. It’s $44,995 by WeBe Autos Consignment in Waterbury, Connecticut with 73,500 miles.
1996 Daihatsu Midget II – $11,200
Only 51 inches wide, the Daihatsu Midget can slice through tiny gaps in city traffic nearly as easily as a motorcycle can. These little trucks usually seat only a single person and were used in Japan as delivery vehicles. Squarely in Japan’s kei class their 660cc, 30.5 HP triples get the micro trucks to about 70 mph. And payload is a miniscule 330 pounds. They may not have a whole lot of utility here in America, but look at the thing!
This one comes in a fabulous teal color and just 11,500 miles on its odometer. It appears to be in exceptional condition, surviving without rust and paint that still shines. It’s $11,200 on Facebook Marketplace in Olympia, Washington.
2004 Chevrolet SSR – $16,800
Retro-modern design took the automotive landscape in the early 2000s. Cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Plymouth Prowler were generating headlines and were joined by the likes of the Volkswagen New Beetle and the Ford Thunderbird. General Motors didn’t want to lose out on the trend and put some of its own takes on the formula. The Chevrolet HHR hit the road as the General’s take on the PT. But sometimes forgotten is Chevy’s modern interpretation of its 1950s Advance Design pickups. Perhaps that’s in part because it was a sales flop, selling just 24,000 examples before GM pulled the plug in 2006.
The name means Super Sport Roadster and every time I see one I’m blown away that this isn’t some sort of concept car. Under the hood is a 5.3-liter V8 making 300 HP. That drives the rear wheels. Perhaps the strangest part is the fact that it rides on the GMT368 platform, a variant of the GMT360. That makes it a family member to the Oldsmobile Bravada, Chevy Trailblazer, and GMC Envoy. Like the Prowler, the SSR was criticized for having hot rod looks, but missing the mark on performance.
This SSR has caught my attention in two ways. One is with the glorious purple paint. The other is with that low price. I often see these for sale for $20,000, sometimes $30,000 or more. This seems reasonable. And barring any mechanical or title issues, it seems like a decent price. It’s $16,800 on Facebook Marketplace in Nashville, Tennessee with 77,589 miles.
1950 International L-122 – $16,900
Automotive historian Robert Tate writes that the International L series originally launched in 1949, replacing the KB series. These trucks were available in sizes as small as a pickup to as large as a semi truck, or from a 4,200 to 45,000-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The options list included such features as a radio, clock, or electric wipers. Production was short, lasting until 1952 when L series trucks were replaced by R series trucks.
This L-122 was towards the lighter end of the range with a 6,200-pound GVWR. It’s said to be completely original, save for an electronic ignition for reliability. An International Silver Diamond 220 six is under the hood and should be producing 100 HP. The seller says that they got it in an estate sale and that until they picked the truck up, it spent 70 years of its life in the same county in Pennsylvania. It’s $16,900 on Hemmings in Gates Mills, Ohio with 64,000 miles.
1996 Fiat Barchetta – $15,497
Here is a car that was never sold in America, but many of them are coming of age to be able to be legally imported. The story of the Fiat Barchetta is probably best told through one of its designers, Andreas Zapatinas:
It was the best Christmas present.
The last working day of 1989 as I was walking through the corridors of FIATs Centro Stile, after exchanging the customary season wishes I heard Mr. Maioli shouting from his office: “..oh by the way Zapatinas, when we are back we start a spider”What a SPIDER? this is a designer’s dream, I thought, after the FIAT coupe that was already more or less on its way there was the golden opportunity to design a spider.
This is the period of the FIAT Tipo-Tempra-Lancia Dedra-Alfa 155 etc. Cars with no emotional content. At my studio that was led by Chris Bangle we had some recent successes. The first was the Alfa 145, then we had almost won what was to be the Punto, then the Fiat Coupe.
We wanted to break away from the flat sided cars that the whole Italian car design industry was trapped and was definitely bleeding. The spider, as was initially called the project, was the opportunity to bring back the sculpture on the sheet metal. It was going to be a car that one would enjoy from seeing to touching.
[…]
Hand welded sheet metal pieces, unobtrusive door handles, the side glass would hide in the door, no moulding to burn your left arm as it rests on the door panel. No fixed side glass on the door, a super curved windshield. Endless hours of discussions over technical drawings in order to finalize a headlight cluster free of ugly openings and uncontrolled rubber moldings. “Island” cuts for the front hood and also for the trunk lid. Individual small rear lights, just like any thoroughbred car has.
Power comes from a 1.8-liter four making 128 hp and delivering it to the front wheels via a manual transmission. And underneath a Barchetta are essentially the bits from a Fiat Punto. The selling dealership says that this Barchetta actually came from Japan, and is said to run and drive well. It’s $15,497 at Track & Field Motors in Tampa, Florida with 37,400 miles.
2006 BMW R 1200 GS – $5,500
The BMW GS is an adventure motorcycle loved by riders all over the world. BMW Motorrad manages to hit that perfect mix of capability with comfort, technology, and funky looks. A new R 1250 GS will set you back at least $17,995. And while you can get a smaller GS for less money, going used can save you some cash on the big GS.
Motorrad says that the GS story starts in the late 1970s, when the company built a road legal enduro motorcycle. In 1980, development from BMW engineers led to the R 80 G/S dual sport. With the R 80 G/S, BMW saw itself building a motorcycle that you could use for touring and for off-roading, a formula not unlike what you see today.
From there, the GS would grow, getting more technology and more power along the way. The R 1200 GS made its debut in 2004, boasting improvements like 100 HP, a slightly bigger 1,170cc boxer twin, and a weight loss of 66 pounds from its predecessor. Features included CAN-bus engine electronics, shaft drive, Paralever swinging arm, ABS, and more. Don’t let this motorcycle’s 16 years of age fool you, it’s still thoroughly modern.
This one comes with extra equipment, including cases, two sets of tires, a bigger seat, and even a cup holder. It’s $5,500 on Facebook Marketplace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with 49,000 miles.
1976 NSU Ro-80 – $24,500
Here’s a car that I wasn’t even aware existed until recently. Sadly, this car has a similar story as other rotary-powered cars and motorcycles. This is another car with a history by our friends at the Lane Motor Museum, so I’ll let the museum hold the microphone:
The Ro-80 was a truly advanced front-wheel drive saloon. It combined the first commercially developed twin-rotor Wankel engine with front-wheel drive and semi-automatic transmission, a spacious interior, and a low-drag body shape. With its four wheel disc brakes and excellent suspension, the Ro-80 was praised as the car of the future and was named car of the year in 1968. Unfortunately, the Wankel engines were not durable and NSU warranty costs drove them out of business. The assembly plant ceased production of the Ro-80 in 1976, after Volkswagen’s 1969 purchase of Auto Union. NSU GMBH still exists, as a department serving under Audi Traditions GmbH.
Just 37,204 of these were built, and you can buy one of them here in America. Power comes from a 1990cc twin-rotor making 115 HP and driving the front wheels. This one has been restored and still looks great. It’s $24,500 on Facebook Marketplace in Tallmadge, Ohio with 50,000 miles.
1961 Renault 4CV Jolly – Best Offer
The Fiat 500 Jolly made just 18 horses from a 499.5cc Fiat two-cylinder, making driving one a leisurely affair. If you wanted your beach car to be a little larger and a little faster, Ghia had another open top buggy, this one based on the Renault 4CV.
As historical car dealership Hyman Ltd. explains, the 4CV’s story is that of looking towards the future, and defying orders. The 4CV was developed during Germany’s occupation of France during World War II. And at the time, Renault was under orders to build commercial and military vehicles. But looking to the future, Renault’s engineers believed that the occupation wouldn’t last. And when France comes out of the other side of the war, its people will need a set of wheels. While this was happening, Renault was under the direction of German engineer Wilhelm von Urach, who reportedly turned a blind eye on the project. The project was worked on in secrecy and eventually, the engineers were right about the occupation not lasting.
The 4CV was revealed to the public in 1946 and despite a rough economy, the little car was a hit. This humble car eventually caught the attention of Ghia, a company with a desire to build beach cars:
Most commonly seen on the Fiat 500 and 600, the concept of the Jolly beach car originated from the Italian coachbuilder Ghia, though others built their own variations on the theme. It is believed that Ghia’s boss, Gigi Segre, saw large taxi cabs being used on small resort islands and came up with the idea for a compact beach car that could be used by resorts and hotels, like a motorized rickshaw with an Italian flair. The Jolly (Italian for Joker) featured a stripped out body, no doors, wicker or plastic seats and a whimsical surrey top. The majority of Ghia Jollys were built on Fiat platforms, though a few were built using the Renault 4CV as a basis. The 4CV was a superior platform as it was larger in size than the Fiat, had a more powerful, rear-mounted engine and simply had a delightful look that was ideally suited to the happy, relaxed nature of a beach car.
It’s believed that as few as 50 of these were built, and that less than half of them survive. That makes this a pretty rare vehicle.
As mentioned before, the 4CV-based Jolly is more powerful than the Fiat version. It appears to sport an 845cc Billancourt lifted from a Dauphine. The seller says that it’s making 36 HP here, or double what the Fiat 500 Jolly would make. Its previous owner was interviewed earlier this year, and gave some history on the Renault. The car was owned by the same family for 54 years, and restored after it was found wrecked in Texas in 1968. Top speed is supposed to be around 65 mph, but the owner states that they’ve never taken it above 35 mph.
It is for sale for best offer by Cody’s Classic Cars in Stanley, Wisconsin with 15,747 miles.
2006 Volvo V70 R – $4,500
This next entry has a ton of miles, but with a price low enough to be enticing. Volvo has a long history of taking its practical sedans and wagons then hopping them up into fun driving machines. When the Volvo 850 T-5R was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1994, it was the brand’s most powerful car. The 850 Turbo was no slouch, either. And in 1996, Volvo produced another banger, the 850 R.
When this V70 R was built, V70 was in its second-generation. These wagons are a little less boxy than their predecessors but still distinctively Volvo. And the R packs a punch. Power comes from a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline five making a healthy 300 HP and delivering it to all four wheels through an automatic and a Haldex-based AWD system. For comparison, the slowest V70 that year had a 2.4-liter inline five making 168 HP.
This one has gone far with 227,000 miles, but it presents well. It also doesn’t have a ton of mods, with the biggest one listed being a Hilton Stage 2 tune. It’s $4,500 on Facebook Marketplace in Washougal, Washington.
That’s it for this week. Thank you for reading!
This is a fine list!
I shall say, I am going to miss you. I am hoping your absence due to matrimony is short. Your contributions to this site have been fantastic.
I hope you have an awesome wedding!
And I’ll probably see you on the road somewhere.
As the owner of a Ro80 (here in the US), its worth pointing out that these are really outstanding cars. Driving them is a really unique experience: quiet, smooth, and very willing to break the speed limit! Later models (like the one for sale) have been proven reliable.
Parts are not an issue – the Ro80 club based in Germany has a large stock of parts and has even worked with suppliers to manufacture new parts like shocks and brake rotors. And even rotor tip seals. There’s also a wealth of knowledge on their message board, but some German may be required to get the most of out it.
I wanted a Ro80 for 20 year before finding mine last year in New Jersey. Its certainly not a car for everyone, but for the right person with strong mechanical abilities, it’s an amazing opportunity to own a car that you’re guaranteed to have the only one at any show you goto!
Stick an electric drivetrain in the RO80 and it will still be modern.
Congrats Mercedes!
I’ve always had a soft spot for the SSR. I’m 31 and my love of cars really started to blossom in the early 2000s…so all of these whacky concept cars that somehow made it to production (the Solstice is another great example) are favorites of mine, if mainly for nostalgic reasons. I don’t have Facebook to check the listing (I have no social media at all, highly recommended it) but apparently there are SSR manuals out there and it’s much better with the stick rather than the lazy truck slushbox. I’m not sure which trans this one has.
I believe the later gens also had a spicier V8. I’m unsure if this is one of them. Anyway…it’s an interesting, if extremely niche car. I appreciate the weird stuff where manufacturers clearly threw caution to the wind…although GM did it too much, as they went bankrupt not too long after this. That being said I think a manual SSR would make a decent enough weekend car, even if my money would go to a Miata or pony car for that particular role.
First, let me join the chorus of congratulations. When I got married, a divorced british car guy coworker teased me that for what my wedding cost, I could get a nice vintage Jaguar. 33 years later I still remind my wife of that story. Keep it in mind. It comes in handy when adding to your collection.
As far as the cars, you can have a he’ll of a one-two punch Chris Bangle garage with the Fiat Barchetta and a Fiar Coupe on sale on ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234710115599
(I know Adrian disagrees with me on the Coupe.)
One of the original proposals for the Barchetta was literally a Coupe with the roof lopped off.
I don’t dislike it, when it came out I really liked it as it was a breath of fresh air. Compared to something like the Vauxhall/Opel Calibra which everyone was raving about (but I thought was a bit anonymous) it looked really daring and different. You would struggle to call it pretty though.
Congratulations both on the wedding and and the AWESOME venue. Wishing the two of you every possible happiness!
RO 80s are delightful and reliable things, almost every part is available and the club is amazingly helpful.
.https://www.ro80.club/GB/theclub.html
I suspect you are trying to put people off so you can buy it yourself!
No one is buying the NSU to daily drive, though. I know a couple Ro80 owners in the States and they’ve found ways to keep them going. I have a French car that was never available in the U.S. and I order parts from Europe all the time. You just need a middleman over there to ship them for you.
It’s a good thing that V70R is on the other side of the country for me, or else I’d be sorely tempted to buy it—and while the price is good, with that mileage it would surely be ruinously expensive to keep it on the road. Even if it’s been well cared for all its life, bits of it are surely wearing out all the time just from simple wear & tear.
Wasn’t Balboa driving an Eldorado when he discovered the Pacific?
Congratulations!
The Ro-80 tugs at me, even though I know better. Drove one in Germany a whole lot of years ago, and found it had quite the smoothest powerplant I had experienced since my Mazda RX-3. The NSU was all-original, and looked a quality product. The main drawback — leaving aside engine issues which didn’t affect me because I didn’t drive it that far — was the transmission, a variant of the Dreaded VW Automatic Stick Shift. Pro Tip: do NOT casually rest your hand on the shift lever whilst driving….
I believe the Ro-80 got a piston engine after the takeover and was marketed as the VW K-70. Don’t recall ever seeing one of those.
To this day, I don’t understand with the SSR didn’t ring more bells. They weren’t THAT slow, and were actually sort of fun to tear around in. Not very practical, though. And definitely not purple, at least for me. It was a helluva lot more fun than a Suzuki X-90 I drove (also purple). At least I didn’t feel like driving around with a bag over my head as I did in the Suzuki.
While the VW K70 did indeed share many of the Ro80’s mechanical bits (pace the fateful engine), it had a much less futuristic, boxy body. It also rusted even more profligately than the Ro80. These two factors (anonymous styling and rust), plus the fact that VW handled it like the proverbial red-headed stepchild, explain that not many were sold, and few if any survived to this date.
Congratulations!
It’s worth noting that the Ro80 was one of Claus Luther’s earliest works. It’s also worth noting that it was the car that bankrupted NSU: so many engines had to be replaced under guarantee that it drained the company’s finances. The upside of this was that, after VW’s takeover of NSU’s corpse, it was NSU’s engineering (sans Wankel engine) that provided the template for modern, post-Beetle FWD Volkswagens (and Audis).
So, it’s a pretty, technically original and historically significant car. Would I buy it? Heck no! Not without a well-supplied workshop, wrenching skills to put David Tracy to shame and a bank account much better filled than mine. This car has an engine that wrecked a major German car manufacturer! And not even Mazda’s relentless, OCD-flavoured tinkering with the Wankel engine over the three following decades managed to entirely solve its notorious flaws, and in particular its tendency to blew through apex seals (just look at how often RX-8 engines must be replaced). On top of that, its body is also notoriously rust-prone, and most parts are pure unobtainium (after the takeover, VW was understandably reluctant to continue to provide any technical support whatsoever).
Nope, nope, nope, nope. When I was younger and more foolish, I was tempted to buy an Ro80, in Germany they could be bought for pennies at the time, but for very good reason as it turns out. LS-swapping it would be hugely tempting, but a historical heresy (if at all possible, given the limited space under the hood).
I must correct myself: it seems early Audis and subsequent FWD Volkswagens owed more to DKW than to NSU. Nevertheless, the first FWD Volkswagen was the K70, a rebadged NSU that was essentially a lower-priced sibling to the Ro80.
Congratulations! Having your wedding at the EAA Museum is an incredible idea. I look forward to theme photos. I’m anxious to see your get away vehicle!
I love the Jolly and the Barchetta.
Interesting. I (sort of) know the guy who owns the Ro-80 and it’s not the person listed as the seller.
Yes, the Midget II is the vehicle to drive out of the wedding in. “Just Married” signage might be within its towing capacity.
Congratulations to both of you!!!
I saw the Daihatsu and got distracted. Drove a borrowed one in Japan for a weekend back in the early 2000s to go pick up a motorcycle with. Luckily the bike was small. That BMW GS would NEVER fit. Anyhow- Complete hoot. 51 inches wide…I recall the Fr track was much wider than the Rr track. Way wider. (Honda Insight, eat your heart out!)
Congratulations to both of you.
That Binder is cool.
Congratulations! ????????????????
The Fiat Barchetta is the dream car from this group for me. You both have a dream of a wedding day! Cruise off in something cool with cans dragging from the back making lots of noise!
Okay… The many question marks were originally a few carefully selected congratulatory emojis and they clearly don’t work on this site. 🙂 😉
Mercedes,
Your wedding day will come and go, but your love will last forever! Congratulations on finding the perfect mate!
Congratulations! I am really happy for you both, and I wish you the very best. Also, I hope you get a beautiful car to drive away in. Or bus. Or bike. Whichever.
First, congratulations on your wedding tomorrow! <3
Second, I would buy that BMW in a heartbeat.
Mazel tov! Happy wedding! This is a great list of cars. A Ro80 is one of my dream cars. Same for the Midget II. I had an original Midget (called the Trimobile in America) and it was an amazing little machine. Built like a real truck, just shrunken down and missing a wheel. And that orange Barchetta is just beautiful.
I’d like to think that, in an alternate life, I’m drunk, driving my Purple SSR in my Hawaiian shirt and khakis from the golf course to the beach. Maybe I’m taking a work call and telling people that I’m “livin the dream”, or maybe I’m just mumbling about my ex-wife while Jimmy Buffet plays in the background. Who knows. I hit 25 over par, but the fried mystery fish at Joe’s Crabshack will cheer me up while I make inappropriate jokes to the waitress. I leave a small tip and write my number on the check. I do this every time. I will be back in a few days.
The patina on that International is just *chefs kiss*
Am I the only one who heard the Sanford & Son theme?
That 1976 NSU Ro-80! I’m not going to lie. At first, I thought it was an old Peugeot. Someone tell me I’m not the only person who did.
The Ro-80 could be any one of a number of Euro sedans from ten or twenty years later. That’s not a dig, it’s that far ahead of it’s time it basically set the template for the modern six window 4 door car.
Thanks for the insight, you make a very good point. I’m not sure who pioneered the 80’s Japanese econo-box form, but as a kid I always found it amusing how regardless of whether you looked at Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan…they all looked virtually indistinguishable to my perspective as a child.
Raises hand
I was like, “Peugeot? Maybe 404?? No; wait…”
Congrats on the wedding! Will you now lose interest in cars and campers since you won’t ‘have’ to do it in the backseat anymore?