Well now, all that talk yesterday about Mulholland has got me in a thinking mood. Any gearhead knows that’s a dangerous place to be, especially if you’ve got a small amount of money to burn on the result of all your thought. Fortunately, I really don’t, not at the moment anyway. If I did I’d be in trouble, because the things I’m thinking about are beer-money Mulholland cars. It’s a small but diverse sub-set of automobilia, and it’s probably not composed of the type of cars you’re thinking of. The closest you’re going to get to “real” sports cars in a group like this is probably still going to seat more than two people. Sure, cars like 911s can be made to dominate on a road like Mulholland, but that’s not what we’re after here. Even the likes of a 240Z is a little out of our range in terms of performance, not to mention weight.
It is instead to the realm of the small sports-sedan that we must turn. Some of the cars are coupes in body shape, but beneath it all, they’re mechanically similar to their econo-box brethren. Compared to sports and muscle cars, these little gems are, well, little. They’re also light, and relatively sophisticated, and above all, cheap. They’re not terribly fast, but that just means you can have fun in them without attracting undue attention from the blues & twos. Two things. One is that the cars should be pre-1975, so that smog issues are at a minimum. The second is that I haven’t checked the current prices because they’ve been warped by recession, as has availability.
So, here’s my list of ten, (at least formerly) beer money Mulholland cars.
10)
Alfetta GTV:
The Alfetta is facing four serious problems here. One is that it weighs too much; another is that they are nearly impossible to find. The third problem is the gearbox; it’s too far away from the shifter, and as a consequence, the shift is of the worst hunt and peck quality imaginable. But probably the worst problem facing the Alfa fan is that the Alfetta is carries emissions exemption in California for only one model year. After that, good luck because getting the thing smogged is going to be a nightmare. The good parts include the fact that it’s still actually cheap, and the car does ride and handle quite well, probably as well as anything in this group. Once its 2.0-liter twin-cam is de-restricted, it will also go well, and make a pleasing noise whilst doing so. The ride given by the De-Dion rear end would be a distinct advantage on Mulholland’s notoriously sketchy tarmac. The rest of the spec is just what you'd want in a good GT. The crummy gearbox is at least a 5-speed, and being a transaxle, it keeps its weight over the rear wheels. The Alfetta also features disc brakes all around, inboard at the rear.
9)
BMW 2002:
Alas, gone are the days when 2002s seemed to be languishing in shops all over Southern California. Today, they’re something of a legend, and for a good one, let alone something like the vaunted Tii versions, you’ll be paying the price of a good used modern. If however, you have the skill to do some of the work yourself, you should be able to find something salvageable for less than silly money. Classic BMW independent suspension all around, and a great little SOHC 2.0-liter combine with light weight to make these little buggers honest performance cars, and there’s huge scope for
throwing away money making the car faster. These cars are really the start of the modern BMW legend and as such are beginning to command respect, but there's still time to find yours.
8)
Ford Capri 1600:
Well now, this has style in spades doesn't it! Advertised as "the car you always promised yourself" the Capri was, in reality, a bunch of Escort mechanicals in fancy dress. That's no cause to turn up your nose though, the Escort is a rally legend in its own right, and the Capri certainly made good in touring car competition. We're not looking at anything exotic here, even by Capri standards. It's a 1600cc "Kent" cross-flow motor, a four-speed gearbox, strunts & lower-wishbones at the front, and a live axle on, wait for it, leaf-springs. that said, you can spend as little or as much as you like on hop-up parts, and if you want to be really stupid, a
Cosworth BDA is based on this engine, and will slot in with little to no work. It's inside that the Capri really scores though; simply put, it's cockpit is a nice place to be, classy too if you're a fan of Nehru jackets or bell bottoms. Before buying one, spend a week trying to grow the requisite 70s-stache, than start looking.
7)
Toyota TA-22 Celica:
The first Celicas spent a long time wallowing in old Japanese car obscurity, and for once it wasn't just the Americans who were blind to the cars charms. Nowadays, Celicas are rapidly appreciating in price, due mainly to the rise of a new scene, that of the
Japanese Nostalgic Car. Like most of the cars on this list, there's nothing too radical in the Celica's spec-sheet, at least not in the US. In Japan, the 1.6 and 2.0-liter, SOHC fours of the US models could be replaced with Toyota's 1600cc twin-cam, the 2TG, and later with the 18RG 2.0 twin-cam. You'll find a lot of Celica's in the US that have those motors installed. Residents of California are denied access to de-restriced versions of the Mustang-esque Lift-Back model, which arrived in the US in 1976, but the coupe looks a little like a Camaro from some angles, and like a Challenger from others.
6:
Datsun 610
Surprised? Thinking you were going to find Datsun's well remembered
510 here? Well good luck, any 510 is in short supply. 610s were never as common but neither are they as sought after, so prices are still relatively low. Really, the 610 has only one drawback when compared to the earlier Bluebird, weight. It's not a huge difference though, not by modern standards, and the car has niceties such as pillar-less construction. The spec is much the same as the BMW, with struts at the front, semi-trailing arms rear, and a 2.0-liter, four-pot SOHC motor. Not a legend, not even that charming, the 610 is still a tunable, small sports-sedan that will tackle Mulholland in period style. It won't come with those mirrors though...
5)
Sunbeam Imp Stiletto:
A bit of an odd-ball in this group, and not exactly thick on the ground. The Imp is less revered than BMC's Mini, its closest rival, and thus cheaper. The advantages here are size, weight, and spec. The Imp is the smallest and lightest car here. The suspension is independent all around, with swing-axles at the front and a semi-trailing arm rear. The motor is tiny at 875-998cc, but also light-weight, and its architecture was advanced for the time, constructed in alloy, with an overhead camshaft. They're quick, and tidy handlers, and very cool.
4)
Dodge/Mitsubishi Colt:
This is not a common car anymore. It's not an advanced car, or particularly sought after either. The Colt was made by Mitsubishi in Japan, and marketed as a Dodge in the US. Even in Japan, the only one that's worth collecting is the
Galant GTO with its fast-backed body, twin-cam engine, and 5-speed gearbox. So rare is it for these cars to get noticed that I couldn't even find a suitable picture of an early example; no one seems to want the world to know that they own one. The spec, with the exception of an available 5-speed, is entirely conventional with A-arms at the front, and a leaf-sprung live axle out back. Then again, so is that of the better known
Corolla SR5, and the Colt is less dear and sports a bigger engine. In fact, the Colt should probably be the least expensive car on this list. If however, you want to spend more money, you could always try to get one of those GTOs out of Japan... but that would rather seem to miss the point.
3)
Opel Manta 1900
A confession, I love the way the Manta looks... at least on the outside. It's a very pretty car, with muscle-car lines shrunk to fit its econo-box platform, and the lovely little Manta Ray badges of post '72 cars at a delightful detail. It's not bad underneath either, with A-arms at the front, and a live axle with trailing arms, coils, and a panhard-rod. The engine is interesting as well, with a cam-in-head design that shortens the pushrods to the point of being little more than tappets. In stock form, the Manta is no screamer, but there's a lot that can be done to change that, starting with smog equipment. Bigger engines and 5-speed gearboxes from later Mantas can be made to fit as well. It's on the inside that the car falls down for me. Compared to Ford's Capri, the interior is a style vacuum, and the dash of later cars can be plain hard to look at. That's Ok though, because if you're not a Manta fan, then Opel have two other offerings for you; there's the pretty little
GT, and the
Kadett Rallye. Both cars are slightly smaller, but feature a less advanced, leaf-spring front suspension.
2)
Fiat 124 AC
These things used to be everywhere. The Fiat 124 Coupe, and its sister car, the
124 Spider were
the cheap sports cars of their day. Their specifications include twin-cam engines of anywhere from 1.4 to 1.8-liters, disc-brakes all around, and 5-speed gearboxes. The spiders are still around, and can be had for little money and even less effort, but the coupes, long the less revered of the two, are now sought after, and very scarce. They're still not terribly expensive though, costing less than a
Datsun 240Z or an
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, its only real competitors. This car will be quick, stylish, fun, and cheap to run (if you keep on top of the cam-belt). On Mulholland, it will give you a lot of fun afternoons. You're just going to have to tuck in and do your homework finding one.
1)
Mazda RX-3
The RX-3, like most Japanese cars of the day, came in a range that included a sedan, a wagon, and (the car we're interested in) a pretty coupe. There's really nothing that special about it, it's a lot like a Capri underneath with A-arms at the front, and leaf-springs at the back. It's even lacking the Panhard-rod of the Manta. The Rx-3 does however possess one party trick, its 12A Wankel-rotary engine. Properly tuned, this little motor can give nearly unlimited revs, and the smoothest power curve you'll ever experience. It can be replaced with a 13B and a turbocharger if that's your thing, but you'd be better off finding a 5-speed gearbox out of a late-80s RX-7 and spending the rest of your money on brakes and suspension tuning. I think the car looks great, with just enough leftover Japanese 60s sci-fi styling cues to keep me interested. They did well in racing both in Japan and the US, and I have pictures of one of these on Mulholland in period. It will eat gas though.
And there, in no particular order, are my top ten Mulholland choices for the hoon on a budget. Now all you have to do is go find yours while they last.
The Alfetta is facing four serious problems here. One is that it weighs too much; another is that they are nearly impossible to find. The third problem is the gearbox; it’s too far away from the shifter, and as a consequence, the shift is of the worst hunt and peck quality imaginable. But probably the worst problem facing the Alfa fan is that the Alfetta is carries emissions exemption in California for only one model year. After that, good luck because getting the thing smogged is going to be a nightmare. The good parts include the fact that it’s still actually cheap, and the car does ride and handle quite well, probably as well as anything in this group. Once its 2.0-liter twin-cam is de-restricted, it will also go well, and make a pleasing noise whilst doing so. The ride given by the De-Dion rear end would be a distinct advantage on Mulholland’s notoriously sketchy tarmac. The rest of the spec is just what you'd want in a good GT. The crummy gearbox is at least a 5-speed, and being a transaxle, it keeps its weight over the rear wheels. The Alfetta also features disc brakes all around, inboard at the rear.
Alas, gone are the days when 2002s seemed to be languishing in shops all over Southern California. Today, they’re something of a legend, and for a good one, let alone something like the vaunted Tii versions, you’ll be paying the price of a good used modern. If however, you have the skill to do some of the work yourself, you should be able to find something salvageable for less than silly money. Classic BMW independent suspension all around, and a great little SOHC 2.0-liter combine with light weight to make these little buggers honest performance cars, and there’s huge scope for 
Well now, this has style in spades doesn't it! Advertised as "the car you always promised yourself" the Capri was, in reality, a bunch of Escort mechanicals in fancy dress. That's no cause to turn up your nose though, the Escort is a rally legend in its own right, and the Capri certainly made good in touring car competition. We're not looking at anything exotic here, even by Capri standards. It's a 1600cc "Kent" cross-flow motor, a four-speed gearbox, strunts & lower-wishbones at the front, and a live axle on, wait for it, leaf-springs. that said, you can spend as little or as much as you like on hop-up parts, and if you want to be really stupid, a Cosworth BDA is based on this engine, and will slot in with little to no work. It's inside that the Capri really scores though; simply put, it's cockpit is a nice place to be, classy too if you're a fan of Nehru jackets or bell bottoms. Before buying one, spend a week trying to grow the requisite 70s-stache, than start looking.
The first Celicas spent a long time wallowing in old Japanese car obscurity, and for once it wasn't just the Americans who were blind to the cars charms. Nowadays, Celicas are rapidly appreciating in price, due mainly to the rise of a new scene, that of the Japanese Nostalgic Car. Like most of the cars on this list, there's nothing too radical in the Celica's spec-sheet, at least not in the US. In Japan, the 1.6 and 2.0-liter, SOHC fours of the US models could be replaced with Toyota's 1600cc twin-cam, the 2TG, and later with the 18RG 2.0 twin-cam. You'll find a lot of Celica's in the US that have those motors installed. Residents of California are denied access to de-restriced versions of the Mustang-esque Lift-Back model, which arrived in the US in 1976, but the coupe looks a little like a Camaro from some angles, and like a Challenger from others.
Surprised? Thinking you were going to find Datsun's well remembered 510 here? Well good luck, any 510 is in short supply. 610s were never as common but neither are they as sought after, so prices are still relatively low. Really, the 610 has only one drawback when compared to the earlier Bluebird, weight. It's not a huge difference though, not by modern standards, and the car has niceties such as pillar-less construction. The spec is much the same as the BMW, with struts at the front, semi-trailing arms rear, and a 2.0-liter, four-pot SOHC motor. Not a legend, not even that charming, the 610 is still a tunable, small sports-sedan that will tackle Mulholland in period style. It won't come with those mirrors though...
A bit of an odd-ball in this group, and not exactly thick on the ground. The Imp is less revered than BMC's Mini, its closest rival, and thus cheaper. The advantages here are size, weight, and spec. The Imp is the smallest and lightest car here. The suspension is independent all around, with swing-axles at the front and a semi-trailing arm rear. The motor is tiny at 875-998cc, but also light-weight, and its architecture was advanced for the time, constructed in alloy, with an overhead camshaft. They're quick, and tidy handlers, and very cool.
This is not a common car anymore. It's not an advanced car, or particularly sought after either. The Colt was made by Mitsubishi in Japan, and marketed as a Dodge in the US. Even in Japan, the only one that's worth collecting is the Galant GTO with its fast-backed body, twin-cam engine, and 5-speed gearbox. So rare is it for these cars to get noticed that I couldn't even find a suitable picture of an early example; no one seems to want the world to know that they own one. The spec, with the exception of an available 5-speed, is entirely conventional with A-arms at the front, and a leaf-sprung live axle out back. Then again, so is that of the better known Corolla SR5, and the Colt is less dear and sports a bigger engine. In fact, the Colt should probably be the least expensive car on this list. If however, you want to spend more money, you could always try to get one of those GTOs out of Japan... but that would rather seem to miss the point.
A confession, I love the way the Manta looks... at least on the outside. It's a very pretty car, with muscle-car lines shrunk to fit its econo-box platform, and the lovely little Manta Ray badges of post '72 cars at a delightful detail. It's not bad underneath either, with A-arms at the front, and a live axle with trailing arms, coils, and a panhard-rod. The engine is interesting as well, with a cam-in-head design that shortens the pushrods to the point of being little more than tappets. In stock form, the Manta is no screamer, but there's a lot that can be done to change that, starting with smog equipment. Bigger engines and 5-speed gearboxes from later Mantas can be made to fit as well. It's on the inside that the car falls down for me. Compared to Ford's Capri, the interior is a style vacuum, and the dash of later cars can be plain hard to look at. That's Ok though, because if you're not a Manta fan, then Opel have two other offerings for you; there's the pretty little GT, and the Kadett Rallye. Both cars are slightly smaller, but feature a less advanced, leaf-spring front suspension.
These things used to be everywhere. The Fiat 124 Coupe, and its sister car, the 124 Spider were the cheap sports cars of their day. Their specifications include twin-cam engines of anywhere from 1.4 to 1.8-liters, disc-brakes all around, and 5-speed gearboxes. The spiders are still around, and can be had for little money and even less effort, but the coupes, long the less revered of the two, are now sought after, and very scarce. They're still not terribly expensive though, costing less than a Datsun 240Z or an Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, its only real competitors. This car will be quick, stylish, fun, and cheap to run (if you keep on top of the cam-belt). On Mulholland, it will give you a lot of fun afternoons. You're just going to have to tuck in and do your homework finding one.
The RX-3, like most Japanese cars of the day, came in a range that included a sedan, a wagon, and (the car we're interested in) a pretty coupe. There's really nothing that special about it, it's a lot like a Capri underneath with A-arms at the front, and leaf-springs at the back. It's even lacking the Panhard-rod of the Manta. The Rx-3 does however possess one party trick, its 12A Wankel-rotary engine. Properly tuned, this little motor can give nearly unlimited revs, and the smoothest power curve you'll ever experience. It can be replaced with a 13B and a turbocharger if that's your thing, but you'd be better off finding a 5-speed gearbox out of a late-80s RX-7 and spending the rest of your money on brakes and suspension tuning. I think the car looks great, with just enough leftover Japanese 60s sci-fi styling cues to keep me interested. They did well in racing both in Japan and the US, and I have pictures of one of these on Mulholland in period. It will eat gas though.
Looks hard, sounds hard, goes like stink. It's a good short-list of requirements for automotive notoriety. It's not a guarantee of sublime dynamics and entertaining personality, but cars without these factors have little chance these days of turning out engaging and desirable. There was a time when fun could be had a lower velocities, and with a lot less work. But years of tightening legislation and consumer demand for creature comfort have pushed the cheap, light and cheerful end of the automotive entertainment spectrum to the limit of existence. Barring a few hot-hatches, fewer still sold in the US, there's nothing out there that gives Sprite or Mini levels of enjoyment.
Which brings us to the modern day, and specifically, to Wiesmann's interpretation of the state of auto-erotica, circa-2009. The GT MF5 is a car that buys its clothes at the vintage shop downtown, but then goes home and alters them to fit its toned, modern, gym-membership physique. The lines speak of cars dating from the late 30s to the mid 50s; there's some BMW 507, some Jaguar XK120, even some Mercedes 540K. Those lines are rendered in glass-fiber, overlaid with modern aerodynamics including a raised wing at the rear, then draped over an aluminum monocoque chassis which cradles the 5.0-liter V10 from BMW's M5, the whole car set upon gigantic 19" alloys wheels. 
And now for the part where it goes like stink. Simply put, when 507bhp worth of V10 meet a chassis that weighs just over 3000 pounds, the affects are going to be explosive. 0-62mph is said to happen in 3.9, and a top speed of 193mph is certainly more than enough performance at the top end. At the same time, the sound produced by the engine makes you wonder how Chrysler can be satisfied with the noise coming out of the backs of Vipers across the country, V10s are as capable of mixing anger and sophistication as any powerplant configuration out there. 
That is, of course, if it were to be offered here. Once again, the legislators have gotten between me and the thing I desire, and once again, it's all for naught. Even though BMW sell thousands of cars with the same engine in the US each year, the Government, and California's C.A.R.B. would require the MF5 to go through all the same tests, and Weismann simply cannot afford to certify the car. US gearheads will once again simply have to appreciate an intrinsically cool car from across an ocean... alas. In any event, here's a short video of what I'll in all likelihood never get to do with the MF5.
