Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, I love picking up dirt-cheap cars and motorcycles and then telling you lovely readers about the dumb things that I do with them. Since I’m shopping all of the time, I always have an evolving list of vehicles for sale. Here’s what I’ve been obsessed with lately.
This week finally leaves behind homologation specials but features an obscure motorcycle from Sears, a Jeep that says it isn’t a Jeep, a tanker truck, a car with a plywood chassis, and some desirable imports.
Here’s what I’m looking at this week!
1946 Chevrolet AK Series Tanker – $46,500
I think we should start this one out from left field. I’m not sure what practical use you’d have with a vehicle like this. Then again, I own a bus and don’t use it for hauling people or camping. Maybe, when you were a kid you played with toy trucks like these. Well, it’s never too late to be a big kid and play with the real-life version of your toys!
This 1946 Chevrolet Tanker is said to have been restored and the tank has three partitions, however, the tanker is not currently suitable for fuel transport. Maybe you can turn it into a booze tanker or just enjoy it as it is. I love the gorgeous Sinclair livery.
This tanker comes from the Chevrolet AK series of trucks. Produced from 1941 to 1947, the AK series represented a departure in GM truck design. Before the AK series, Chevrolet’s cars and trucks looked alike. Now, the trucks got their own art deco-style. Riding on GM’s A platform, this Chevrolet AK series sports a 216 cubic inch straight six, and a manufacturing plate affixed to the truck says that it should be making around 83 HP net. The truck also has a manual transmission, dual rear wheels, and a heater.
It’s $46,500 by Frank’s Car Barn in Houston, Texas with 2,860 miles currently on the odometer. Total mileage is unknown.
1964 Buick Skylark Convertible – $29,900
The first Buick Roadmaster Skylark was introduced in 1953 in celebration of 50 years of Buick. At the time, the Roadmaster Skylark was a top-of-the-line convertible joined by GM stablemates Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta and the Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado. Penske Automotive Group notes that out of the trio, the Skylark was the most successful, selling 1,690 units at a price of a little over $5,000 each.
The name made a return in the 1961 model year as the Buick Special Skylark. This was based on the Buick Special and rode on the Y-body platform alongside the Pontiac Tempest and Oldsmobile F-85. In 1962, the Skylark finally became its own model. This 1964 Skylark convertible comes from the vehicle’s first generation. These rode on the GM A-body platform and were available in two- and four-door hardtops, coupes, sedans, and convertibles.
This Skylark is finished in Marlin Blue Poly and is said to come with a 300 cubic inch V8. The carburetor setup isn’t stated, but if it’s a 2-barrel then it should be making 210 HP and it would be making 250 HP with a 4-barrel. Both of those are gross HP numbers. It’s $29,900 by GR Auto Gallery in Grand Rapids, Michigan with 29,408 miles.
2004 Honda S2000 – $10,587
The Honda S2000 is famed among Gridlife racers, tuners, JDM enthusiasts, and fans of the Fast and the Furious. It’s a high-revving roadster from a time when enthusiasts had a lot of choices for top-down speed. Here’s what Honda has to say about the S2000, starting with its concept:
The S2000 is the result of extensive, long-term development and is based on the SSM (Sports Study Model), one of the most talked-about display cars at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. Powered by a Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) engine, the S2000 delivers both outstanding performance and low emissions, a combination which makes this two-seater 2.0 liter DOHC VTEC with an output of over 240 PS, an environment-friendly convertible sports car and a true next-generation automobile.
A part of Honda’s design brief included making an open-top body that was as stiff as a hardtop, from Honda:
To develop this new-generation open car body structure, Honda rejected conventional approaches and implemented a new “high X-bone frame” in which the central floor tunnel serves as the backbone of a structure connecting to both front and rear side members on a single horizontal plane to form an X-shaped structure. The completely straightened side member, center floor tunnel, side sills, and central floor frame are all connected together, creating a light open car body structure with the rigidity and collision safety of a closed one.
The S2000 first hit the road in April 1999 and they were a technological marvel. Under the hood sat a 2.0-liter four. In the first AP1 S2000s, this little engine kicked 240 HP back to the rear wheels at 8,300 RPM before racing on to a 9,000 RPM redline. For those of you counting that’s 120 horsepower per liter and this car didn’t benefit from the forced induction that today’s cars have. Even better, the S2000 weighed just 2,800 pounds.
This S2000 is an AP2. That means a 2.2-liter four, still making 240 HP but 162 lb-ft torque, 9 more than an AP1. Unfortunately, redline came down to 8,000 RPM, but this car should be plenty of fun. It’s $10,587 from the seller in Bellingham, Washington. If you’re curious about the low price, it’s because of the high 205,000 miles. This car has been places!
1996 Mitsubishi Jeep J3 – $12,500
The title above is not a mistake. Mitsubishi did make Jeeps and they appear to be a great way to get a vintage Jeep that’s just a little different. I’ll let Mitsubishi explain:
As reconstruction efforts after the end of the World War II got into full swing, the multi-purpose Jeep became a very attractive vehicle. However, because of the Japanese government’s domestic industry protection policy, finished vehicles could not be imported in large numbers. In 1952, Shin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. therefore contracted with the Jeep’s manufacturer the American company Willys Overland Motors to import the Jeep CJ3A in CKD (complete knocked down) form. The following year in 1953 the company completed the first knock-down Jeep, the J1, and 54 units were delivered to the Forestry Agency. In July of the same year, MHI entered technology assistance and sales agreements with Willys, Mitsubishi began domestic production of the Jeep. This happened to coincide with Willys switching production from the CJ3A to the CJ3B design and the CJ3B-J3 took its cues from the CJ3B model.
Mitsubishi built and sold licensed Jeeps from 1953 all of the way through the 1998 model year. Kaiser Jeep ended production of the CJ-3B in 1968, but thanks to Japan, you can get newer ones. Power comes from a 2.7-liter four-cylinder diesel engine making 100 HP and 163 lb-ft torque. This engine makes the Mitsubishi slightly more powerful than an equivalent Jeep CJ-3B, which made 72 HP and 114 lb-ft torque from a four-cylinder 134.2 cubic inch (2.2-liter) F-Head Hurricane four.
This one can be had for $12,500 from Catskill Auto LLC in Walton, New York with 61,000 miles.
1968 Sears Allstate Puch SR175 – $2,800
Here’s a little motorcycle that is sort of rare to find in this condition. As the Sears Archives writes, the Allstate brand name was launched in 1925 after Sears held a contest to brand its new line of tires. 937,886 people submitted a total of 2,253,746 names and the winner was Hans Simonson, who won $5,000 ($86,947.98 today) for the name Allstate. The tires, which were guaranteed to last 12,000 miles, were huge sellers at Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears would later use the Allstate name in 1931 for the insurance company of the same name. In the 1950s and 1960s, Sears applied the Allstate name to a wide variety of products from fire extinguishers and camper shells to radios and garage door openers. Sears even partnered up with Kaiser-Frazer to build a car. To tackle the motorcycle market, Sears got its scooters from Cushman and Piaggio while bigger machines came from Puch of Austria. Sears advertised its motorcycles as coming in power ranges of 5 to 10 HP.
The Sears Allstate Puch SR175 (known internally as the 810.94211) is sometimes called the “Twingle” due to its engine design. It’s a two-cylinder two-stroke where the two cylinders share a common combustion chamber. Sears marketed the Twingle as earning 55 mpg and being able to cruise at 60 mph all day. The company said “So if you live in the city, but you’re a country boy at heart, then this cycle’s for you.” New, it cost $435, or $3,837 in today’s money.
This one is said to be in exceptional shape and you can get it for $2,800 from the seller in Longwood, Florida.
1967 Marcos 1500 GT – $50,000
Here’s a car that’s not just famed for its beauty, but for the fact that it rides on a plywood chassis. As Silodrome notes, British engineer Frank Costin had a lot of interests throughout his life. He was a swimmer in his younger years and a composer later in life. However, for car and aviation enthusiasts he’s known for doing things with wood that seem like the impossible.
One notable project that Costin worked on was the de Havilland Mosquito, a multi-role combat aircraft built with heavy use of a sandwich of plywood and balsa. The Mosquito featured woods from all over the world. Balsa was the middle of the sandwich and came from Ecuador. The outer and inner layers were 3-ply birch sourced from the UK, the U.S. Midwest, and Canada. European ash from the UK was used in structural members while Douglas Fir from America’s Pacific Northwest and British Columbia made up the plane’s stringers. Sitka spruce, which was found from the coastlines of California to Alaska, was used in the Mosquito’s multi-layer laminated wing spar.
When completed the Mosquito was a bit of a hot rod. Powered by Merlin V12s, these were able to outrun Supermarine Spitfires. How? Well, think of the Mosquito’s wood construction like today’s composites.
After World War II, Costin was brought into the automotive scene by his brother, Mike Costin. Mike worked at Lotus and contracted Frank to design the Lotus Mark VIII’s body. Frank would later team up with Jem Marsh and in 1959, they opened Marcos Engineering Ltd. The company name was a combination of their last names.
In 1964, the Marcos GT hit the road. One notable trait of the GT is its chassis, which consists of 386 parts of plywood that were cut, shaped, and bonded together. Riding on top of the chassis is a fiberglass body. A variety of engines could be found in a Marcos GT from a 1.5-liter Ford Kent four-cylinder to the 1778cc Volvo B18 four. The largest engine found in one of these would be a 3.0-liter Ford Essex V6 and in 1969, Marcos transitioned away from the use of wood chassis to a cheaper steel chassis.
This Marcos GT is said to have a 1.5-liter Ford Kent bolted to a manual transmission. That engine should be making 85 HP. The car is said to be restored and can be had for $50,000 from the seller in Los Gatos, California.
1998 Nissan Skyline 25GT Turbo – $55,900
Thanks to the passage of time, the Nissan Skyline R34 is finally becoming legal to import into America without restrictions.
(Update: As a reader reminded us, these began production in May 1998 and Customs should check production month, so technically it’s here too soon. Be sure to check the paperwork.)
A number of these legendary cars are trickling into the country and here’s a chance to own one that’s not the most coveted Skyline, but still a good one. Here’s what Nissan has to say about the tenth-generation Skyline:
Since its debut in April 1957, the Skyline has continually evolved over the past 41 years as a Grand Touring car that has consistently delivered superlative driving performance. The new Skyline, the 10th generation in this legendary series, has been developed around the concept of “an authentic sports sedan and coupe that abound with a sensation of stellar performance derived from thorough pursuit of driving pleasure.” The basic design philosophy was to provide “the best driving pleasure” based on faithful execution of the driver*s intentions. In addition to impeccable handling, stability and driving performance resulting from uncompromising pursuit of a car*s intrinsic functions for going, cornering and stopping, qualities befitting the Skyline have been achieved in every aspect, including its bold styling and superb interior comfort. Moreover, it also strikes a balance with societal demands for enhanced environmental friendliness and safety.
This R34 Skyline is a 25GT Turbo, also known as the GT-T. Power comes from a 2.5-liter RB25DET NEO straight six rated at 276 HP and 253 lb-ft torque. That power reaches the rear wheels through a manual transmission. The R34 gained fame in part because of the Fast and the Furious, so it’s common to see these loaded down with mods. So far as I can tell, this one is stock, so you get to drive it as Nissan engineered it.
This 1998 Nissan Skyline 25GT Turbo is $55,900 from Icon Motors in Janesville, Wisconsin. Make no mistake, with that price, this one is probably more eye candy than something to buy. It also comes with the equivalent of 141,427 miles on its odometer.
1982 Ducati 900 MHR – $29,995
Here’s a motorcycle that takes inspiration from a famed racer. As Bonhams writes, motorcycle racer Mike Hailwood had retired from mainstream motorcycle racing for 7 years and away from the infamous Isle of Man TT for 11 years. Then, in 1978, Hailwood made an incredible comeback when he took a Ducati 900SS to a victory at the Isle of Man TT in 1978. Silodrome gives some context about why Hailwood was a big deal:
He was a nine-time world champion, with 76 Grand Prix victories, 14 Isle of Man TT victories, and four back-to-back 500cc world championship wins.
Hailwood’s win sent riders to Ducati dealerships and the brand capitalized on the win by releasing Mike Hailwood Replica (MHR) motorcycles beginning in 1979. MHRs like this one for sale today are based on the Ducati 900SS and feature cosmetics that call to the racing machine. It comes with a racing replica fuel tank, racing-style seat, and full fairing. Power comes from a “square-case” 90-degree L-twin making 80 HP.
This 1982 example was imported from Japan to the UK in 2019 where it remains today. The seller says that it has about 21,000 miles and it’s kick-start only. It’s $29,995 from We Sell Classic Bikes in Cheltenham, UK.
2007 BMW Z4 M – $15,950
Launched in 2002, the E85 BMW Z4 was the replacement for the hit BMW Z3. This new car was larger, stiffer, and came wrapped in a striking design. Of course, this was the era ruled by Chris Bangle and his love of big car butts. This design, like others from the Bangle era, is a bit controversial. I love it.
At the tippy top of the line is the BMW Z4 M, which sports a 3.2-liter S54 six making 330 HP and 262 lb-ft torque. This roadster will boogie to 60 mph in just under 5 seconds and yep, you get to row your own with a manual transmission.
This Z4 M appears to be in good shape and comes with a CarFax report indicating no crashes and a clean title. It’s $15,950 from All In Auto Group in Norco, California with 143,681 miles.
That’s it for this week, thank you for reading!
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I would much rather spend 50K on that Marcos then the R34…
On the 1982 MHR, that is the real MHR, not the abomination that came out 20 years later. Mercedes, I’m sure you have been to Barber, they have the 78 TT bike with oil fling on the front sprocket and “hailwood” chalked on the tires. I got goosebumps.
That tanker truck reminds me of a great museum that I visited many years ago that is no longer in existence. It was called the Van Horn Truck Museum in Mason City Iowa. It was filled with restored commercial vehicles and large trucks, primarily from the 1900’s to about 1960. The owner owed the local junkyard and had saved the trucks from the crusher and restored the trucks. As you would expect, many were the last known to exist. The museum closed in 2000 and I wish I had taken photos or video. It was an amazing collection of unappreciated vehicles in a town that was way to small to support that kind of a collection. Those kind of vehicles were just worked to death and then discarded, and this owner appreciated them and saved many. The collection was sold off when the museum closed. There’s not much out there about this museum, but there is a decent article in this old newsletter. http://www.iowaautorecyclers.com/newsletters/2016/MayJune2016.pdf
670 mile Saturn: https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/ctd/d/santa-ana-1991-saturn-sc-base-financing/7602592996.html
It’s never an SW…
I want to make a wood car. I like wood cars. Wood has a good strength to weight ratio when laid up right and it’s cheap!
Would a wooden jeep owned by DT rust or rot?
Termites, probably.
“Would a wooden jeep owned by DT rust or rot?”
Why not both?
Wow, that S2000 doesn’t look like it has 200k miles on it? Someone really took care of it!
And I’m not much of a bike fan, but there’s just something about that Ducati that is really hitting it for me.
Sheesh. My Dad just traded in a flawless 2008 (?) Z4 M with fewer than 80,000 when he picked up his 911 4S. They gave him $13,000 on trade. Oh well. We both knew that was going to happen.
There are some cars that should always trade through private hands. Garage queen sports cars are prime examples. Your dad probably paid at least $3,000 for the convenience of the dealership selling the car for him. Probably more.
If they were close, I’d definitely be tempted to check out the S2000 and Z4M. Two cars I wish I bought when cheaper and less used. Neither of them look like they have that much mileage on them. They had to be better taken care of than most to get there.
Haven’t seen a Marcos GT since high school and that was the only one ever. Still cool. Another cool thing is the connection to the Mosquito, one of my top 5 favorite military aircraft. Interesting fact: Mossies that were deployed to the China-Burma-India theater of WW ll, did not fare well as the casein-based epoxy that bound them together broke down quickly in the hot, humid climate and was also palatable to various indigenous microorganisms. Reminds me of a Beach Boys tune: Wood, and it be nice.
There are always a few Marcoses at Lime Rock for the vintage races. Highly recommended.
That seems like a not horrible price for the Z4 M. Parts should be available. I ain’t skeered of the 143k miles. At 16 years old that’s an average of roughly 9000 miles per year. That means it was driven regularly. To get to that mileage probably means the cooling system was gone through, VANOS was taken care of and the oil changed somewhat regularly.
Damn that Marcos is a gem.
Weighs under 1700 lbs, and could top out at 120 mph and do 0-60 mph in under 9 seconds on that meagre 85 horsepower. Also got more than 40 mpg.
Just imagine a Hayabusa engine in it today. All of the above parameters would improve significantly.
I think Morgan beat them to the use of wood in cars by a few decades. If my Hamster is correct.
The chassis of the Marcos is wood. On a morgan the chassis is metal. The wood in a Morgan is the frame, like door frame, that the metal bodywork is hung on.
Have seen this Marcos around town. Fantastic.
Helped a friend restore/rebuild a Marcos chassis. Amazing workmanship.
I just wish they had not given it the first name of absolutely the biggest asshole of a boss I have ever had in nearly 40 years in the workforce. I would love to have it, but I would have to do a badge swap. LOL
I really like that Skylark convertible, but I’d be constantly worried it would be mistaken for a ’63 Pontiac Tempest in the same color.
That’s a mistake that could earn you the death penalty !
Ah, yeah, you’re not one of them yutes up to no good, are you?
Only if it were Metallic Mint-Green
I always giggle when I see the little chains accross the door openings of those Jeeps. What are they there for? To keep you from falling out? Yeah, right. To keep thieves out of your car?
I would replace them with velvet ropes and pretend I was driving a night club, or bank line or museum…
I wonder if that S2000 still has it’s stock exhaust, or even cats for that matter. That would make it a real unicorn. Too bad so many morons eventually got their hands such a nice car.
I wonder why they just didnt order a bunch of $50 from the back of American comic books.
That S2000 has 200,000 Honda miles. They hit different than non-Honda miles. If that car doesn’t have an accident on its record it’s an amazing deal. I don’t know the market on these but $56,000 seems like a ridiculous sum for that Skyline given the mileage and the questionable backstory S13 brought up. You can find a somewhat decent current GTR for not much more…and that’s the route I’d probably go personally.
That Skylark is a beauty. I wish there were more light blue cars. Also I have the utmost respect for anyone willing to take on an M car with 6 figure mileage but it could never be me…
Far out they want an arm and a leg for a GTT these days!
Mine had under 100,000km and was $17k AUD back in 2014.
Great car, don’t see the value in close to $75k AUD and the GT-R is absolutely NOT worth 5x or 10x a GTT in terms of driving experience.
Get your JDM (yo!) fix while you can, kids. Maine has already outlawed registering those cars, and other states will follow. And they should. Those cars don’t meet lighting, safety, and emissions laws for the US.
The Skylark is nice, but that particular dealer has a less than stellar reputation. Inspect that car VERY carefully if you’re interested.
Maine has technically banned all imported cars regardless of country of origin. Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin are largely targeting kei class vehicles. The Jeep, Ducati, and Skyline would be allowed under their schemes.
What’s concerning about this is that the states did not explicitly ban JDM imports. Instead, these states have changed their laws to state that any vehicle that wasn’t designed to meet FMVSS should not be allowed on state roads. By their own logic, that should mean all pre-1967 cars from any country should not be allowed on the road (FMVSS was introduced in the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966).
At least, that is my lawyer/wife’s reading of those laws. Basically, they’re so broad that it’s amazing that the states are only targeting JDM imports. Technically, they could ban Corvette C1s and every Packard if they wanted to.
Edit: Also! I just looked into reviews of the dealership in question. Most reviews are positive, but there are a few concerning reviews. One person apparently bought a car that was said to be restored, but whoever did the “restoration” used some sort of thin, non-OEM frame. I think, much like with private sellers, getting a third party inspection always pays off.
Mercedes, your wife is an attorney and I most certainly am not, but all of the motor vehicle codes I’ve seen require the presence of mandated equipment **as of the date of manufacture** which means you can register a 1928 Ford even though it has one tail light and current laws require two. Could legislators ban all pre-1967 cars? Well they could try, but there would be a lot of backlash.
I strongly believe that lobbyists will kill the 25-year exemption soon.
Very unfortunate in my opinion, but they need to keep selling new cars with these crazy inflated prices.
There is a significant volume coming in to the US from Japan now, due to favorable exchange rates, cheap prices and good inventory and the industry is starting to notice.
Come on, they are enthusiast cars for a small niche. They aren’t stealing new car sales. 99% of car buyers have never even heard of the idea of importing a 25 year old Japanese car. They certainly are not going to be looking for a new CR-V and come across a HiAce and decide to go in that direction instead. FWIW, they wouldn’t want a 25-year old CR-V either.
I mean you might be right, some dealer group over reacts, but what a waste of effort for nothing.
I assure you that the Japanese lighting, safety, and emissions laws are perfectly fine. These cars are not generally dailied but taken to car shows and meets, since getting spares and repairing them takes a bit extra.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they do get outlawed, but it is absolutely not necessary or in any way beneficial.
That Honda has certainly been places, but when the engine gives up an LS swap could be on the list. As for the Skyline, I get that it will be hard to find alternatives but almost $56k for a non-GTR Skyline without low miles seems too high (Japanese Classics has an R33 of similar trim and mileage for half the price). Also, I’d wait another year before risking an R34.
Could put the same engine back in as well. From a quick look, F22C motors aren’t terribly expensive or hard to find. I’d bet more S2000s have perished from crashing than drivetrain failure, so there’s a surplus of part-outs around.
Could be a wait either way though… >200K on these seems to be pretty common.
I’d be very wary of that Skyline. 25 year law eligibility goes by month and year of manufacture of the car being imported and the R34 didn’t go on sale until May of 98.
It is possible that customs didn’t catch that and just saw 1998 on the paperwork and called it good but it’s also very possible it’s a “totally legal bro I got a title for it” not actually legal state titled car too. 56k is a lot of money to risk on a possibly not really legal, bone stock Skyline.
With over 141,000 miles too! I wonder if it’s kilometers and is just listed incorrectly….but if it isn’t that’s a lot of miles for a $56,000 car with a sketchy backstory, Skyline or not.
It’s miles. There’s an odo pic showing over 227000
Oh snap I forgot about the month of manufacture! I’ve been seeing a number of claimed legal R34s. I wonder if indeed, customs just saw “1998” and sent it through, assuming it’s a fresh import, anyway.
With that in mind, I always request some sort of proof when dealing with imports. My diesel Smart was somehow rubber-stamped, so to speak. Still not quite sure how Customs let that happen.
There were rumored to be a few R34s that made it through legally way back before motorex got shut down. But they don’t mention import paperwork on the website and no pictures of the engine or ID plate in the engine bay with matching vin stamping an elsewhere. The seller also doesn’t look like they specialize in imports.
Could be legit, but does seem a little questionable.
Yes but it iz here buy it wait until 25 years is up and register it then.
Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way, if it was originally imported illegally you can’t just register it legally once it turns 25. The only way you’d be able to get it legal is to export it to another country, then import it back legally after it’s eligible.
I thought so too but I’m not too sure anymore. I randomly stumbled upon multiple US dealerships selling 2022 Daihatsu HiJets and Suzuki Carrys sold for “farm use”.
The importation rules are different for light utility vehicles though, that’s why you see kei trucks newer than 1998 running around. S13 Sedan is right, 25 years old is down to the month, those rules are just different for light utility vehicles.
And those can never be legally registered in the Land of the Free.