Yahoo Autos Shelby Cobra Replica, Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, Mitsubishi Pajero Mini: The Dopest Cars I Found For Sale Online
Reader, I missed you last week. Yes, you, specifically, the girl reading this. I was off gallivanting through Sweden, skidding cars across icy lakes, but my thoughts were back here with you. Were you missing these slides? Were you reading my excessively overthought Dune slides instead?
One thing Sweden did instill in me, though, is a fondness for the north. As a lifelong northeasterner, I didn’t need much convincing, but it was enough to send me looking upwards for this week’s listings — all the way up to Ontario. That’s right, an all-Canadian installment of the internet’s Dopest Cars.
(Don’t worry, I’m converting all the prices to USD.)
1967 La Exotics Cobra Replica — $62,716.51
Normally dealer cars are a no-go for Dopest, but how can you say no to a good Cobra replica? I’ve always thought this particular car is a situation where replicas really make sense — classic lines, classic engine note, without the genuine classic price.
I do wonder, though, how much that bar would really do in a rollover. It’s braced in the rear, sure, but how braced? How well does it work when the windshield caves in?
2007 Ducati Monster — $3,689.25
There’s nothing particularly unique about this Monster over any other, beyond one little point of interest: The price. I blame the Canadian exchange rates, because this would be a rare deal here in the States.
A touch under four grand for a Monster isn’t unheard of, but check out the list of recent work. The seller claims a recent desmo service, which is a massive boon on used Ducatis as those finnicky valves can be such a pain on the L-twin engine. Nice to have that already done, and doubly nice at this price.
1997 BMW M3 — $20,659.80
This one’s for the American readers rather than the Canadians. Yes, this car is still in Canada, like the rest here today. However, it was imported to Canada — from right down here in the States.
One of you out there should buy this and reimport it back to the U.S., simply for the bit. How many times does the average car change nationality? None, I’d bet, and you’d be taking this M3 to two. I wonder what the record is.
2012 Fiat 500 Abarth — $9,509.41
These little Abarths are so weird, I can’t help but love them. I know I missed my shot to test a pristine one, by virtue of the whole “not being a car journalist yet when the Abarth died in the U.S.” thing, but that almost makes them better in my eyes.
Every 500 Abarth I’ve experienced has been modified, and every one has had its own oddities that come along with that. That’s great! More cars should have their own unique character, not just down to the model but down to the VIN.
2001 Daihatsu Naked — $4,352.58
God I love kei trucks. Who says you need more than 660 ccs of engine displacement? Yes, that’s smaller than my motorcycle engine. You didn’t have to bring that up.
Special appreciation goes out to this color, which alone makes the car worth buying for anyone in Canada who can legally own it. Or anyone in the States who knows someone up north with a garage, who’s willing to hold a car for a few years until it can legally cross the border.
1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit — $18,445.51
Welcome to the lap of luxury. I often wonder how these classic cars really hold up in terms of luxe appointments inside — my concern isn’t leather decay (though that seems minimal here) but the actual interior construction itself.
On the one hand, modern luxury cars have far more features than the richest of the rich could have dreamed about in 1989. On the other, modern cars — planes, appliances, everything — are hollowed out by more cost-cutting than ever. I wonder, once the new car smell fades, which one really wins.
1991 Toyota Land Cruiser — $12,174.52
Ohhhhhh I need it. I love a Land Cruiser, always have, and this jacked-up example is perfect for all that four-wheeling that I do not do. I live in Brooklyn. This is pointless to me. And, yet, its siren song.
I love the ladder. I love the roof rack. I love the enormous spare tire and off-color fuel filler cap. This Land Cruiser was built for me, and I will be starting my GoFundMe shortly to get it over here.
1992 K-Swapped EG Honda Civic — $11,658.03
$11,658 is, admittedly, a lot of money for a 32-year-old Honda Civic. But this car has something that most other EGs lack: A K-series under the hood, with beefy mounts and a KTuned fuel tail.
This doesn’t look like a hack job, this is an install with a budget and some knowledge behind it. The car is caged, lowered, and fully dressed inside — just replace those Rota wheels as soon as you can. Why do people put those on otherwise thoughtful builds?
2016 Honda CB500X — $4,427.10
I’ve ridden the CB500X, and I’ve enjoyed my time with the bike. In fact, I’m looking forward to more. As Jalopnik’s resident adventure-girlie-in-training, I appreciate an entry-level ADV that doesn’t demand the inseam of a Transalp or Tenere for those folks who aren’t as long-legged as I.
This seller used the CB as a commuter, and is selling it for something purely road-focused — a tourer, no adventure preface. I acknowledge the reasoning, but I don’t understand it. I want my bikes to be omnicapable, able to ferry me wherever I want for as long as I’d like to go — on highways, back roads, gravel, or singletrack. I’ve got adventurous dreams.
2001 Lexus IS300 - $1,844.63
Normally a parts car would be an instant no-go here, but I’m feeling generous this week. I’m also feeling generous with this color, because c’mon. Look at it. I don’t care what’s wrong with it now, you buy this car and restore it to its former glory.
The seller does say that the paint is “bad” and the subframe is “rusted,” but those are easy fixes. Swap the subframe, and learn to appreciate the paint for what it is. It’s art, it’s not supposed to be perfect. Do you decry Van Gogh for his brushstrokes?
1989 Porsche 944 Turbo — $10,985.11
I present, in full, (save contact information) the ad for this 944 Turbo:
Needs mostly cosmetic work
What does that mean? Who knows! How’s the undercarriage? Not an issue! What’s happening with that weirdly scraped rear bumper? Doesn’t matter! Needs mostly cosmetic work. Pay now.
2002 Acura RSX — $2,361.12
In my early days at this webbed sight, I longed for an Integra. Then I quickly realized I didn’t have Integra money, and began to long for RSXes. They count as Integrae in Japan, and that’s enough to earn one a spot on the list of cars I’d like to drive some day — as well as this week’s list of Dopest Cars.
The RSX may not be beloved like the DC2, but it’s got a revvy four-cylinder matched to a Honda manual gearbox that sends power to the front two wheels. If that’s not a winning combination, I honestly don’t know what possibly could be. Do you even like chocolate and peanut butter?
1995 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini Turbo — $5,902.80
Oh, you thought you were done with imported Japanese mini SUVs done up in odd shades of green? Well, you thought wrong. I swear I didn’t intend this as I pulled the listings, these two just so happened to both be located in the greater Toronto area.
The logos on the sides of this Pajero Mini are somewhat of a travesty, but the interior looks like a fantastic place to spend your off-road hours. You should set up a mini-Dakar if you buy this, and run from mini-Paris every year. I think it would be a neat form of enrichment for you.
2010 Suzuki DR-Z400SM — $4,796.02
If I were a more honest rider, this is what I’d own. I live far from trails, off of highways, and a narrow, nimble supermoto perfectly fits the way I like riding — my mountain bike-inspired technique would be a natural match here.
Unfortunately, those ADV dreams keep me dishonest, and they keep me in my GS rather than astride a cheaper, more maneuverable sumo. Learn from my mistakes, and pick one of these bikes up. You’ll love it, I’m sure.
1996 Toyota 4Runner — $2,212.81
This 4Runner isn’t rust-free, but it’s priced accordingly. Under $2,500 for a running and driving 4Runner — go grab a lottery ticket, it’s your lucky day. Then, once you win, you know where to spend that ticket.
The 4Runner may not be the vaunted Land Cruiser, but which Cruiser had a roll-down rear window? That’s right. All of them, provided you use judicious application of a hammer and don’t mind the window not rolling back up again.
