Pick of the Day – CFIMotorSports.com – The Ultimate Car and Motor Sports Blog

Pick of the Day: 1978 Mercedes-Benz Unimog, the ultimate work machine

When you think of the ultimate all-wheel drive vehicle in which you could climb mountains, tow heavy loads or simply cruise in, the rugged Mercedes-Benz Unimog should come to mind; it’s unmatched by other all-terrain vehicles.

Born in 1945 and designed by Albert Freidrich, the former head of aircraft-engine design at Daimler-Benz, the Unimog was originally intended to act as a tractor for tending fields, hence its 50-inch-wide stance, the width of two rows of potatoes.

Boehringer, a machine-tool manufacturer, began production of the Unimog in 1948 but couldn’t keep up with demand. Daimler-Benz swooped in and took over in 1951 and adorned these massive vehicles with the iconic three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star.

The Pick of the Day is a 1978 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 416 Cabriolet configured as both a capable rock-crawler and a people carrier.

Unimog, Pick of the Day: 1978 Mercedes-Benz Unimog, the ultimate work machine, ClassicCars.com Journal

“’Mogs’ are best known for their ability to traverse terrains of all sorts, and this model has desirable features that set it apart from other Unimogs one might find,” says the Phoenix, Arizona, dealer advertising the vehicle on ClassicCars.com.

The exterior is finished in green and black, which the seller believes is the original color from the factory. A black manual-folding canvas soft top stretches above the bed, which the seller says shows and operates well overall.

Making this massive vehicle ready for intense off-roading are large Continental tires and a dual winch setup.

When you’re not on the trails, this Unimog is also designed to be a personnel carrier, with fold-down sides and bench seats with seatbelts and a storage box underneath. The bed also stores a custom-built toolbox.

“Not known for creature comforts, this Unimog sports a commercial interior with two grey seats, exposed metal floors for easy cleaning, and a large black engine cover hump that lets you know that this is a forward control vehicle with the engine mounted in the cabin,” the dealer says.

Sitting in between the two seats are driving controls, levers and knobs that activate the 20 forward gears and eight reverse gears.

The green painted dash houses instruments with labels written in German. The odometer shows just 10,540 kilometers (6,550 miles).

Power comes from a rebuilt 5.7-liter inline-6 diesel engine paired with a manual transmission.

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“With a twist of the key, operation of a hand throttle, and a push of the starter, the diesel comes to life quickly and runs strong,” the dealer says. “The stout motor and drivetrain give the feeling and confidence of a commercial quality and reliability, while still fully capable for personal use around town or out on trails.”

This 1978 Unimog is being offered for $33,800.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Pick of the Day: One-year beauty, the ’59 Chevy

If you are of a certain age, you remember a time when cars to new sheetmetal styling on an annual basis. Case in point: Chevrolets in the mid-1950s and beyond, and among them, the Pick of the Day, a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door sedan being advertised on ClassicCars.com.

Starting with the 1955 model year, Chevrolet gave its standard sedan a new look, call it mid-century modern with a dramatic update for 1957 with true tail fins on the rear quarter panels.

The fins twisted and curved horizontally for 1958 with small round tail lamps in various multiples inside the back part of the curve. For 1959 the fins became eyebrows about what became cat’s-eye tail lamps. Those cat’s-eyes were a one-year wonder, however, as the eyebrows became more angular for 1960, and then curved back down again for 1961.

And so far, we’ve only talked about the changes at the rear of the car. Ah, the good ol’ days, when we could tell year and make and sometimes even model just by seeing the cars from the rear at night.

But back to the Pick of the Day, that 1959 Bel Air 2-door sedan being advertised by a dealer in Torrance, California. The advertisement says that the car has been restored with its original 283cid Turbo-Fire V8 engine and matching 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, and repainted in its factory color of Classic Cream with Neptune Green vinyl interior, AM radio and stainless-steel trim.

The car originally was from California but had been recently in storage in Wyoming, the dealer notes.

“Recently, the Bel Air was professionally painted, wet-sanded and buffed,” the dealer reports. “The engine was pulled, resealed and painted.

“The Bel Air features new tires, new bumpers and new padded dash. Much of the interior is original and the Bel Air reportedly has 60,689 actual miles.”

Chevrolet, Pick of the Day: One-year beauty, the ’59 Chevy, ClassicCars.com Journal

For 1959, the full-size Chevrolet was available in Biscayne, Bel Air and the new Impala versions, with a 235cid inline-6 or 283cid and 348cid V8s. The Turbo-Fire 283 was rated at 230 horsepower. Kingswood and Parkwood station wagons got Bel Air trim while the Nomad wagon was part of the Impala model range.

The ’59 Chevys were longer and lower (by 3 inches!) than they had been for 1958 and were among the most distinctive single-year models the company would produce.

“This particular example was recently acquired from a renowned collection which had itself reportedly completed the restoration on an obviously always cherished ‘Garage Queen,’ with reportedly only 60,689 original miles,” the dealer notes.

“The 283 V8 engine is extremely strong and powerful and sounds absolutely magnificent, and this particular car drives absolutely magnificently — must be driven to be believed — does not miss a beat and purrs like a kitten — drives straight as an arrow with no strange road wobbles, shakes or rattles — a truly remarkable daily driver that will give any modern-day car a run for its money!

“The transmission shifts smoothly through the gears and the car is an absolute pleasure to drive!

“The car boasts its original spare wheel and jack in the truck and from looking at the photographs you will see that you could literally eat your lunch off either the original engine or trunk compartments — the car is in quite stunning recently restored condition, as good if not better than the day it left the showroom floor in 1959!”

The restored ’59 Bel Air is offered for $49,500. To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Pick of the Day: 1957 MGA coupe trades open-air driving for comfort

The MGA is one of the prettiest little British sports cars of all time, even though the hidebound MG traditionalists were enraged at first by its enveloping, streamlined body in lieu of the pre-war-style separate fenders, open cockpit and upright radiator of the previous T series.

While the lion’s share of MGAs produced were sleek roadsters, there was also a run of attractive hardtops that replaced the al fresco driving experience with a higher level of comfort and convenience.

mga, Pick of the Day: 1957 MGA coupe trades open-air driving for comfort, ClassicCars.com Journal

The hardtop provided rollup windows and external door handles and locks instead of the awkward fabric tops, side curtains and inside-only cable-actuated door latches of the roadsters.

The Pick of the Day is a 1957 MGA coupe, one of just 3,326 coupes delivered to North America in 1957 compared with 13,869 roadsters, according to the Rowley, Massachusetts, dealer advertising the MG on ClassicCars.com.

The MGA coupe is a strikingly handsome design, the rounded, upright roof adding a level of tension with the low, long look of the body. The styling overall is well-integrated and very British, looking spare and adventurous.

“This 1957 MGA Coupe is finished in a black exterior with accenting red interior to create a classic look,” the seller says in the ad. “This MGA went through a painstaking restoration which started in the 1980s and was completed and on the road in the late ‘90s. The restoration of this rare coupe is fully documented with receipts and photographs.”

The sports car is “ready to roll,” the seller adds.

The MGA was not as fast as it looked, powered by a simple 1,500cc OHV inline-4 engine that produced 72 horsepower, although that is enough to motivate the under-2,000-pound car. Manual shifting is provided by a 4-speed transmission.

Under its more modern body, the MGA was not all that different from the previous MGTF, with the body resting on a solid ladder frame with coil springs up front and leaf springs in the rear, lever shock absorbers and drum brakes.

The sports car is fairly diminutive, with a 94-inch wheelbase and 13-foot overall length, and enormously fun to drive, the exhaust providing a bold roar and the sporty handling turning back roads into a romp.

The asking price for the rare MGA coupe is just $21,900.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Pick of the Day: 1972 Chevrolet Corvette, still a performance bargain

Among classic American sports cars, the best deal on the planet has to be the Chevrolet C3 Corvette. With a production that spans 1968-1982, there is a C3 for every budget. If you have anywhere from $8,500 to $85,000, there is a C3 out there with your name on it.

Sure, certain European sports car owners might make fun of your car, but that is when you remind them that your car competed at Sebring, Le Mans and Daytona, where in 1972 it finished first in class. Then be sure to explain to those European car owners that a major service on your car costs only about the price of an oil change on their cars. Be sure you are smiling when you add that last bit.

corvette, Pick of the Day: 1972 Chevrolet Corvette, still a performance bargain, ClassicCars.com Journal

The Pick of the Day is one of these iconic cars, a 1972 Chevrolet Corvette T-top coupe. Of the lengthy run of the third-generation Corvette, the 1970-1972 models are the ones that combine all the best styling elements, chrome bumpers, fender vents, rear-end treatment, that all come together in what has to be the best-looking American car design of the era.

Also, 1972 is the last year that the Corvette had a removable rear window, and the stunning egg-crate fender louvers.

This 1972 Corvette, offered on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in St Louis, Missouri, is described as having a numbers-matching drivetrain and equipped with quite a few options. These include tilt and telescoping steering wheel, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, and air conditioning.

Before you complain about the automatic, first go out and drive a C3 with an automatic. These cars are well suited to an auto and there is little if any performance lost with cars so equipped.

The seller states that in the mid-2000s, the car’s previous owner did an extensive suspension, brake and steering restoration, and the Corvette handles just as it should. It should be noted that the C3 Corvette with the gymkhana suspension option was the one of the best handling cars in the world, frequently putting up higher numbers than the Porsche 911 of the time.

Doubt that? Take a look at the road tests and comparison tests from back when the cars were new, and prepare to be surprised.

The listing for this 1972 Corvette features many high-quality photographs of the car, which show a nice driver-level car with no apparent issues. The interior looks nice and correct, and it still has its original radio. The engine compartment also looks to be in very good condition as does the chassis.

Performance for the time, even with the stock L48 V8 as this one is equipped, is more than adequate, with 0-60 times in the 8-second range and a top speed of somewhere around 130 mph.

It still puzzles me that more people are not on the C3 Corvette bandwagon, as this car with an asking price of $28,000 looks to be a great deal. This is market price for one of these cars and seems like a great value, especially when compared with any other true sports car of the era.

Sure, the C3 Corvette might not have the build quality of a Porsche 911, and it will be a bit rattily as they were when new, but the bang for the buck is simply impossible to beat.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Pick of the Day: Two-owner 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 coupe

The Pick of the Day is one of the last coachbuilt production cars to leave Mercedes-Benz and one of just 3,270 built, a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 coupe.

“This example is perfect for cruising during the week and taking to car shows on the weekend, an exceptional numbers-matching example with full documented history from new,” says the private seller in Portland, Oregon advertising the coupe on ClassicCars.com.

The story starts with the seller’s family purchasing a 1967 250SE coupe from a woman named Saga Hedlund in 1971 who was about to move to Finland.

After selling her ’67 250SE, she purchased this 1971 280SE 3.5 new from a dealership in San Francisco, California because she discovered importing a new car to Finland was much more affordable than importing a used car.

“Saga kept extensive documents including the original salesperson’s card and first trip permit, and show the car’s use in Finland with registrations and maintenance records as Saga and her husband Nils used the car,” the seller says.

“In the documentation that came with the car, there is an article on Saga and her husband Nils in the local Terjärv, Finland, paper with a photo of them both standing next to the car on the front page.

“The article stats that Steve McQueen drove Saga’s 3.5 coupe. I have always enjoyed knowing that he sat behind the wheel,” the seller continues.

“Fast forward 25 years to 1996 and the 1971 3.5 coupe had returned to Oregon after Saga passed away and (the car) was in her son’s possession.”

The seller was able to get in touch with Saga’s son through a mutual friend. After a visit to take a look at the coupe, the seller purchased the car on the spot and has owned it for the past 25 years.

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“Saga had the car painted in Finland from the original tobacco brown to a lighter cream color; although it was a high-quality paint job, it was not my favorite color,” the seller adds.

“After driving it for a few years, I had the car painted to show-quality standards in red. I’m a stickler for originality but since the car had already had a color change, I felt OK picking a color I liked.”

The seller notes the body is rust free and is “straight with no dents or waviness and has excellent gaps.”

You’ll notice the larger yellow fog lamps on the front. These lamps were mandatory in Finland so drivers could see reindeer at night and were installed when the car was new.

“Saga’s son had chrome fender arches installed and put chrome Bundt-style wheels on the car,” the seller says. “It came with the original vented steel rims and hubcaps, which I put back on the car and removed the chrome wheel arches.”

The interior looks to be in just as nice of condition as the exterior with its original tan leather upholstery, wood feature on the dash and chrome accents. It houses the original small-chassis Becker stereo and features a ’90s Sony CD changer in the trunk and an FM transmitter in the front that connects with the original stereo.

Under the hood is an alloy M116 V8 engine mated to an automatic transmission.

“The car is responsive and nimble and enjoys long-distance cruising,” the seller notes. “The Bosch electronic fuel injection works excellent and the car runs strong.”

The asking price for this Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 coupe is $155,000.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

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Pick of the Day: Rally-style Opel Kadett

Even before the introduction of the Opel GT with its Corvette-like styling, General Motors’ German affiliate in the 1960s was sending over fun-to-drive compact vehicles. Among them was the Opel Kadett, especially in Rally Kadett guise.

The Pick of the Day, being advertised on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Canton, Ohio, is a 1969 Opel Kadett Model 91 that has been redone in Rallye Kadett style.

“This little Opel started life as an unassuming Opel Olympia and lived a very quiet life only accumulating around 50,000 actual, original miles,” the dealer notes. “This extra clean little car was then ‘cloned’ into a ‘Rallye Kadett’.

“The engine is a 1.1 SR factory high performance motor and features 65 cubic inches with 67 h.p. with 9.2:1 compression ratio and dual carbs.”

The engine is linked to an automatic transmission, presumably the 3-speed unit Opel installed back in the day.

“To get the Rallye Kadett look, the correct style stripes were painted on,” the seller notes. “Correct Rallye Kadett emblems were applied along with a original tachometer. Correct-style front bumper fog lights were also added and wired directly to the OEM headlight switch. Rally wheels from an Opel GT were also added. Correct shoulder harness seatbelts were also added.

“The paint (although not original color) is show quality and looks fantastic with its new vinyl top. The interior appears to be 100 percent original and nearly flawless.

“The restoration is only a few years old with very few miles put on since.”

The car is offered for $14,995.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Pick of the Day: 1963 Porsche 356B Carrera 2 GS Cabriolet for 7 figures

Everybody knows that prices for vintage Porsches have soared, but here’s one that – at least for the uninitiated – will make your eyes water and a smoky question mark rise above your head.

What looks at first blush to be an ad for a rather nice 1963 Porsche 356B Cabriolet, which normally would have a value of around $175k, has a nearly unfathomable asking price of just under $1.3 million.

How crazy is that? Well, apparently, not at all.

That’s because the Pick of the Day is a rare and massively desirable 1963 Porsche 356B Carrera 2 GS Cabriolet. What all that means is that this 356 is powered by Porsche’s legendary 4-cam 4-cylinder engine, called the type 547, the revolutionary design that powered Porsche 550 Spyders to class wins at the Mille Miglia and Le Mans a decade earlier.

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Pick of the Day: 1987 Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60, rugged yet comfortable

The Pick of the Day is a 1987 60-series Land Cruiser imported from Canada that is “turn-key and ready for the roads (or trails) ahead,” says the Stratford, Connecticut dealer advertising the SUV on ClassicCars.com.

Toyota rolled out the more-modern and more-comfortable 60-series Cruiser in 1980. They grabbed the attention of adventurous families looking for a roomy 4×4 comfortable enough to bring the whole family on both on- and off-road adventures.

The 60-series were the first of the Cruisers to have fuel injection, power windows and automatic transmissions. Manual transmissions, as well as diesel engines, were options for the 60-series.

“Though popular in the United States, the Land Cruiser was a staple abroad,” the seller says. “Additional variations of the Land Cruiser were available in foreign markets, but few were as popular as the diesel-powered 60 and 62-series station wagons.”

The Canadian-spec truck up on ClassicCars.com is powered by a 4.0-liter inline-6 diesel engine that’s mated to an automatic transmission and two-speed transfer case.

The ad states the SUV was imported to the US five years ago and “currently shows 195,000 km (121,000 miles).”

According to the dealer, the silver metallic paint is in “excellent condition with paint meter readers between 2.8 and 3.8 mils.”

They also note that the striped grey cloth interior “remains in showroom condition.”

The Cruiser comes equipped with “an upgraded Old Man Emu suspension, a replacement windshield as well new wheels and tires” and is “free of any significant rust of rot.”

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in popularity for the 60-series Cruisers. Looking at auction results in 2016-2017 on Classic.com, these off-roaders were going for as low as $5,300, with the highest going for $27,850.

We now see these Land Cruisers going for an average of $29,863, with the highest recent sale reaching $76,500.

The asking price for this HJ60 is $34,500.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Pick of the Day: Big Caddy coupe needs just a little TLC

The Pick of the Day presents an interesting challenge for the right buyer. The car is a 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, “all numbers matching,” notes the private seller in Montrose, Colorado, advertising the long and elegant two-door on ClassicCars.com.

“I am the four owner of ‘Lucille’ my beloved ’60 coupe,” the seller reports. “This was and still is my dream car, but it is time for someone else to love on her.

“An extensive restoration process was undertaken by the previous owner to bring her back to her original glory,” the seller continues. “We have receipts accounting for $48,000 worth of work on this beauty.”

But the work isn’t quite finished, although to date it includes:

Full engine and transmission rebuilds.
Complete body restoration (sandblasting and paint restoration to original specs) of hood, doors, core support, and wheel wells, fender support, interior floor, trunk (over 50 total shop hours of prep work and painting).
Complete chrome refinishing (sandblasting, chrome, and polish) of all trim, grille, and fenders. The chrome on this coupe is truly amazing.
Reupholstered interior to original specs.
4-barrel Edelbrock carburetor, upgraded radiator (keeps it running cool even on hot summer days — I can include original radiator if desired).
Starter rebuild, new fuel tank, and lines, electronic fuel pump, replace all gaskets and hoses.
Coker classic wide, whitewall bias-ply tires.
Fresh windshield, back glass and quarter panel windows.
Custom dual exhaust including headers and glass-pack mufflers.

“Due to health issues, a full restore was not possible by the previous owner and I have lacked the time to complete it myself,” the seller says.

So what’s left for the next owner to do?

“There remain these items that need to be finished: minor paint touchups, lower hood extension grill molding needs to be reinstalled, several small trim pieces were not reinstalled after being chromed, windshield wiper motor and horn need to be reinstalled, glove box and speaker covers need to be reinstalled, 2 small holes in the headliner. I’d be happy to FaceTime and show in detail any imperfections or work remaining.”

The seller notes that the car has always been garaged, and also reports on each of the previous owners and that date he or she purchased the car, one of 21,585 produced for the 1960 model year.

The car has been driven 96,720 miles, presumably its lifetime total.

Although not specified in the advertisement, Coupe de Villes in 1960 were equipped with Cadillac’s 390cid V8 rated at 325 horsepower with a 2-barrel carburetor (note that this car’s engine has been rebuilt and upgraded with a 4-barrel Edelbrock unit).

The asking price is $39,000 for a car that still needs some work, though the heavy lifting appears to have been completed.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

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Pick of the Day: 1934 Ford tow truck turned into a showpiece

When you had car trouble in the 1930s, something like the Pick of the Day would show up to drag your vehicle back to the repair shop: a heavy-duty 1934 Ford tow truck.

This bright-red relic looks like a faithfully restored original, but it’s actually something of a resto-mod powered by a modern drivetrain hidden underneath. The Ford even started out as a conversion, built in period onto the strong chassis of an earlier truck to create a potent working vehicle.

“The chassis is a 1913 Locomobile that was manufactured in Bridgeport, Connecticut,” according to the St. Louis, Missouri, dealer advertising the Ford on ClassicCars.com. “The rigging system is a Holmes 485 unit and looks exactly like it did the day it was made. Each boom is rated at 2 tons for a combined weight of 4 tons.

“The truck is being powered by a Chevy 283 that has been rebuilt with less than 1,000 miles on it. It is mated to a Chevy 4 speed automatic transmission making this truck capable of cruising down the road.”

The original Ford flathead V8 and original 4-speed manual transmission are available for purchase, the dealer notes, adding that the truck is coming out of more than a half century of ownership.

“This truck has been in the same family since the 1950s and has been restored very well,” the seller adds.

What was once a workaday vehicle looks today like pure theater, a rare survivor that would attract loads of attention at a local car show, Ford meet or just driving along. Its hand-cranked towing rig and rugged truck wheels certainly set it apart.

While the truck would be limited in its drivability with its original engine and trans, the more-modern upgrades make it capable of travel on a modern highway.

The asking price for this unusual piece of automotive history is $39,000.

To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

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