I'm a sucker for Italian designed coupes, the more obscure the better and the Tomaso Longchamp fits that bill. Now you know where the biturbo finds it origin.

__________________
1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Back in the late nineties, I was on the hunt for an eighties Esprit and there seemed to be LOTS of them available. I noticed that quite a number of them had quite a few miles on them, which seemed to mean that they were at least somewhat reliable.

Now I don't find any of those early cars for sale. Of course the regular car search engines like Autotrader and the like only go back to about 1988. I didn't get any more serious in my recent search because I was looking for a later model open car.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Not really, at least not in my searches.


Esprit V8s seem to go for around 45-50k. 355s range from ~50k (spyder/F1) to to ~60k (Berlinetta/6MT) up to ~90k (Challenge car).


And after driving a 355 and experiencing the "emotion" that car creates... Well, I'm hooked.


Geez, still gives me goosebumps when I think about it!

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Pretty hard to beat an F car. I read that the new ones like the 355 are pretty well bulletproof and not too bad to maintain.

I also like the 308 GT4 for a low budget F car with old school tech. It has carbs and points, which I understand very well.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Just step up to the F car and be done with it.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

In that price range I would have a look at the NSX too.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Totally!

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

The super car you can bring to your local Honda dealer. The NSX does age really well for a japanese car.

__________________
1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I think if you were in your late teens to early 20s when Panteras were new, as I was, and a friend bought a new one, as a friend of mine did - then you might have a valid desire. But, in all honesty, they're 40+ year old dinosaurs, that few would even want today. I saw one at a fuel station in Houston, Texas a few days ago, and it was all I could do to keep from laughing at it's archaic styling - not to mention it's sub-standard mechanicals. I half felt sorry for the guy's poor choice in automotive antiquity, since he was looking around for approval.

If you want a worthwhile antique project sports car - buy something that will be desirable....... something like a Ford F40 or a 911 Porsche from the '60s- early '70s.