I have some gold teeth!
If I were liquid enough to play around I would think about an old Ferrari. They are doing pretty well at the moment.
At the moment I would have to say my old Ferrari was a better investment than all my real estate. But if real estate comes back I will be fine. Real estate is not liquid enough, but Ferraris aren't either, but you just need one buyer in either case.
And you cannot live in a car...at least not really comfortably.
And the BIL with the good gold investment might want to sell the gold and invest that in his kid's education. ($70K a year? where they going?)
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[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.