Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, I love picking up dirt-cheap cars, motorcycles, and campers, and then telling you lovely readers about the dumb things that I do with them. I’m always looking for the next deal, but most of the time, I’m left empty-handed. At the same time, I love building a list of cars, trucks, and motorcycles that I would buy if I had the money.
Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness turns the long list of vehicles I’d love to buy into something for you all to enjoy. Some of them are cheap and some of them are not. Some of the vehicles I find are purely window shopping for everyone other than a collector like Beau or Myron.
This week, I’ve decided to go a little crazy. My list of saved vehicles currently includes a lot of silly stuff I couldn’t buy and I wouldn’t know what to do with if I did. I mean, you’ve seen the headline and topshot already. So, let’s unleash the oddballs from my Marketplace lists. There’s no price ceiling this time and most of these picks are just for fun. That is unless you want to own a former Coast Guard ship!
Here we go!
1959 Autobianchi Bianchina Trasformabile – $29,988
Here’s an adorable little car that you aren’t likely to see at your local vintage show. I’ve featured a variant of these before, but this time, it’s already in the United States! Here’s some history from our friends at the Lane Motor Museum:
The principal derivative of the Fiat Nuevo 500 was the Autobianchi Bianchina. A chic, upmarket product conceived in parallel with the Fiat 500, the Autobianchi firm was part-owned (and later fully-owned) by Pirelli and Fiat.
The Autobianchi Bianchina was presented to the public on September 16, 1957 at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan. Initially, the car was equipped with Fiat’s smallest engine, an air-cooled 479 cc twin, producing 15 hp. In 1959, the engine power was increased to 17 hp.
The Bianchina was available as a Berlina (sedan), Cabriolet (roadster), Trasformabile (convertible with roof bars), Panoramica (wagon), and Furgoncino (van). The car before us today is one of those partial convertibles and it looks to be in decent condition. It’s described as having new paint and chrome, but an original interior. The car is said to have 22,000 miles and power comes from a 499cc twin good for 17 HP.
Get it from the seller in Bardstown, Kentucky for $29,988.
1955 Studebaker E7 – $40,000
If today’s trucks are too tall and too angry for you, look to the elegant lines of the past. This Studebaker would look pretty in a driveway or in the field. Here’s a blurb I’ve written about Studebaker trucks:
Studebaker was founded as a wagon builder in 1852. The marque would expand into electric cars in 1902 before assembling gasoline cars in 1904. In those formative days, Studebaker had partners in the Garford Company and Everitt-Metzger-Flanders and sold their vehicles. Studebaker would finally start marketing its own cars in 1912. Its first commercial vehicle was a delivery car and between 1914 and 1915, the company began building trucks and buses.
By the mid-1950s, Studebaker’s truck line was a known name thanks to trucks that had proven themselves over the decades. For example of Stubaker’s market position back then, the company once competed with the likes of Mack and provided trucks to the U.S. military. Studebaker’s trucks also led highway-building expeditions and convoys in Alaska and with allied nations in the UK and the Soviet Union.
As Hagerty writes, the 2R series launched in 1948 for the 1949 model year. Penned by Bob Bourke, the highlight of the 2R was its styling. The 2R was a leap forward with its large cab and expansive greenhouse. Bourke’s design also did away with running boards, helping the truck earn a look that was arguably ahead of the times. The Studebaker truck was also more than a looker, as it had a double-walled bed and a fuel tank outside of the cab.
Over the years, the 2R and subsequent 3R would receive minimal updates, largely in styling. By 1955, the truck evolved into the E series, and a V8 came into the picture. The E7 is a half-ton truck bearing a 224.3 cubic inch V8 under its hood. That’s pumping 140 HP to the rear wheels through a manual transmission. The seller says this example was restored and then lived a pampered life after. It was displayed in a heated building and occasionally driven in parades. The seller wants $40,000 for this 66,954-mile truck out of Roscoe, Montana.
1994 Bohse Safari – $34,995
Here’s another weird ride from a brand you’ve possibly never heard of before. Bohse Automobilbau was founded in 1987 in West Germany by blacksmith and agricultural entrepreneur Johann Bohse. Bohse didn’t create its own cars. Instead, it built convertibles out of cars from other brands. Its convertibles were built out of such cars as the Lada 2105, the Volkswagen Golf MkI, and the Lada Samara.
The Boshe Safari is one of the convertibles built from a Lada Samara with a sort of beach car theme. Unique to these cars was a removable sunroof panel and a canvas top over the rear of the vehicle. Reportedly, only a few hundred of these were built and Boshe itself didn’t even reach the year 2000. The selling dealership says the car is totally original and has just 6,000 miles.
Power comes from a 1.1-liter four good for 54 HP, delivered to the front wheels through a manual transmission. One fun fact is that Porsche’s engineering department helped develop the base Lada’s engine. It’s $34,995 from AlphaCars in Boxborough, Massachusetts.
2018 Chevrolet Cruze RS Diesel – $11,500
For a glorious sliver of time from the 2000s through the first half of the 2010s, it seemed diesel cars were really catching on in America. Diesel cars offered the efficiency of a hybrid but without batteries and in enjoyable form factors such as wagons, hatchbacks, and mid-size SUVs. Then Volkswagen changed everything.
That didn’t stop General Motors, which continued to churn out diesel passenger cars long after Dieselgate spoiled the idea. Here’s some information from my retrospective:
Starting with the 2014 model year for $25,695, the Cruze became available with a 2.0-liter LUZ turbodiesel making 151 HP and 264 lb-ft torque. This powertrain comes from an engine family developed jointly between General Motors and Fiat. With this diesel engine, the Chevy didn’t just destroy the Honda Civic and Ford Focus competition with fuel economy, but it even then took on the king of diesel cars in America: Volkswagen. A Volkswagen Jetta TDI scored up to 42 mpg in 2014. But the Cruze? It scored 46 mpg highway in its testing.
This was General Motors’ first diesel car in America since 1986. Back in the late 1970s and into the mid-1980s, General Motors experimented with cramming diesel engines into passenger cars. As Diesel World magazine writes, these engines were allegedly rushed into production and had corners cut, sometimes leading to serious reliability issues. GM ironed those issues out, just in time for buyers to get turned off from diesel. GM then killed off its diesel cars for 28 years. Amazingly, the Cruze diesel survived the Dieselgate era, and continued to be sold until the Cruze itself was discontinued in America in 2019.
The second-generation Cruze, which we’re looking at here, was available with a 1.6-liter turbodiesel four making 137 horsepower and 240 lb-ft torque. And it continued to beat Volkswagen at its own game, getting an estimated 48 mpg on the highway. This particular example is special because it also has a 6-speed manual transmission. It’s also pretty rare thanks to the fact that these were sold for just a couple of years. The seller claims to get 52 mpg on the highway.
It’s $11,500 from the seller in Napa, California with 82,000 miles.
1998 Honda HR-V – $11,495
The Honda HR-V is a fine little crossover, but did you know it used to be seriously cool? Long before the HR-V ever graced our shores, it was a neat people carrier sort of thing. It even caught Jason’s attention back in 2014:
The original HR-V, which began production in 1998 (as a 1999 model) was based on the supermini Honda Logo platform, and came with two basic engines, 1.6L fours making about 103 HP (123 HP if you paid extra to have VTEC kick in, yo).
The HR-V started life back in 1997 as a Honda concept car called the J-WJ. The name was supposed to suggest “wild and joyful wagon,” though it’s not clear why there’s two J’s and only one W, when you’d think the reverse would make more sense. Who knows. It was the 90s! We were all doing designer drugs or ketamine or something.
The concept was a very clean, purposeful-looking, high-riding two-box wagon. It was boxy, but not overly tall, and had something similar to traditional shooting-brake proportions. The detailing and design vocabulary sort of suggested a Land Rover of the era as well. It was handsome. Happily, the production version remained pretty close to the original concept. The production model had a lot of advanced features, including ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution, and used the hydraulically-actuated 4WD system found on the larger CR-V.
Power comes from a 1.6-liter four rated for 103 HP or 124 HP if it’s equipped with VTEC. Sadly, the seller doesn’t say. The listing does say that you do get four-wheel-drive, a five-speed manual transmission, and just 27,000 miles. It’s $11,495 from Adrián Frausto, an importer working out of Athens, Tennessee.
2003 Smart Crossblade – $58,500
This little car right here is one of the coolest and weirdest Smarts to ever reach production. Why did Smart build a Fortwo without any sort of roof and a totally useless windscreen? The Crossblade started off as a concept and the concept was loved so much that Smart decided to build it as a limited-run production car. What I really love is how faithful the Crossblade is to the concept. Aside from minor lighting and panel shaping changes, you’re looking at the concept car!
From my retrospective:
Since this is an open-air vehicle without any kind of roof, Smart gave the Crossblade unique interior parts not found in other Smart vehicles. The seats are water-resistant and the gauges and interior equipment have weather seals. In addition, this is a car that you could actually hose out as the floor has water drains. Smart even kept the HVAC system but moved the vent under the dash.
Should you not desire to come back to your Smart Crossblade and sit in a wet seat, these cars had a cover that snapped in place that kept the interior dry.
Power comes from a 600cc Mercedes-Benz M160 Suprex turbocharged triple mounted under the trunk. Normally, these make 60 HP in other Smarts. For the Crossblade, Smart went to Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus to give it an additional kick of 10 ponies and 79 lb-ft torque.
Around 2,000 examples exist in the world and sometimes they pop up for sale in America. The Crossblade was never sold in America and for most people, the soonest you can import one is sometime in 2027. Or, you can pay $58,500 for this one. As high as that price is, it’s about right for a clean example with just 9,050 miles. This example has a title and a correct VIN, so you could drive it on the road. Get it from Vantage Auto in Moonachie, New Jersey.
1967 USCGC Point Brown – $60,000
Have you ever wanted to own surplus government equipment? Is your desired form of transportation on the water? Well, I have a treat for you! Lady B., formerly USCGC Point Brown (WPB-82362), can be your privately-owned Point class cutter today! Weirdly, I found this one while looking for a Volkswagen Eos VR6, and I haven’t stopped laughing since.
Don’t worry, the United States Coast Guard has everything you’ll need to know:
The 82-foot patrol boats have mild steel hulls and aluminum superstructures. Longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight. These boats were completed with a variety of power plants. 82301 through 82313, 82315 through 82317, and 82319 through 82331 were powered by two Cummins 600-hp diesels. Boats 82318 and 82332 through 82379 received two Cummins 800-hp diesels. The 82314 was fitted with two 1,000-hp gas turbines and controllable-pitch propellers. The purpose of this installation was to permit the service to evaluate the propulsion equipment. All units were eventually fitted with the 800-hp diesels. Units remaining in 1990 were re-equipped with Caterpillar diesels. WPB 82301 through 82344 were commissioned without names; at that time the Coast Guard did not name patrol craft shorter than 100 feet. In January 1964 they were assigned names.
The Point Brown was stationed at Little Creek, VA, from 1967 to 1981. She was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations. On 7 January 1968, she escorted the distressed F/V Avalon to Hampton Roads, VA. On 14 March 1969, she provided escort following the collision between F/V Endeavor and M/V African Neptune off Virginia. On 5 March 1970, she towed the disabled F/V Our Lady of Fatima 60 miles east of Cape Henry to Hampton, VA. On 21 April 1970, she towed the disabled F/V Sea Queen to Hampton. On 4 July 1970, she helped fight a fire in an oil-storage tank, Sewells Point, VA. On 7 October 1970, she medevaced a crewman from the Argentine M/V Rio Dulce off Cape Henry. On 22 November 1970, she towed the pleasure craft Nita Bee to Little Creek, VA. On 7 January 1979, she towed the disabled F/V Faith to Hampton, VA. On 23 February 1979, she assisted F/Vs Triton 7 and Margery Snow that were aground on Little Cobb Island.
From September 1981 to late 1988, she was stationed at Oregon Inlet, NC. On 23 July 1980, she towed a disabled naval skiff. On 24 April 1984, she seized the pleasure craft Sport Fishing northwest of the Windward Passage with 2,5 tons of marijuana on board. From late 1988 to 1991, she was stationed at Atlantic Beach, NC.
In short, this vessel has seen some action in its heyday. Nowadays, she lives a slower life as a private boat. The seller of the Lady B. says she was donated to a New York college as a research vessel, then later served in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for another 20 years. The current owner purchased the vessel in 2020.
Power comes from a pair of 800 HP Cummins VT800 engines. Sadly, I could not find specifications regarding displacement or cylinder count. Fuel capacity is 1,840 gallons and water capacity is 1,550 gallons. The vessel has air-conditioned interior spaces, can be operated by a single person, and motors at 16.8 knots. Range varies from 577 at 14.1 knots to 1,271 nautical miles at 10 knots. If you’re crazy enough to want her, the Lady B is $60,000 from the seller in Staten Island, New York.
1936 Sunbeam Model 8 – $7,500
I love a classic British motorcycle. Heck, I enjoy all motorcycles, regardless of their origin. To me, there are few activities more fun than storming down country roads with a gorgeous machine between your legs and some wind in your helmet.
This Sunbeam Model 8 is a smaller motorcycle, featuring a 346cc thumper. I have not found power figures, but this motorcycle was advanced for its day. According to Bonhams, Sunbeam began experimenting with overhead valves in the early 1920s. The Model 8, which launched in 1924, was among Sunbeam’s first OHV models. Other advancements include a crankshaft supported by three ball bearings and dry-sump lubrication.
The selling dealership, We Sell Classic Bikes of the UK, says the motorcycle runs and rides well. It’s $7,500 plus shipping of roughly $1,500 to $2,500 to the United States. The listed odometer reading is 10,000 miles.
1959 Peerless GT II – $47,995
Here’s a classic car so rare you might not have known it existed. According to the Peerless and Warwick Owners Register, James Byrnes was a successful hotelier and restaurateur in the UK in the 1950s. He was also a racer, and by 1956, Byrnes wanted a racecar built to his specifications. To facilitate this, Byrnes worked with constructor and tuner Bernie Rodger to make the vehicle a reality. As the British Transportation Museum writes, the Board of Directors of Standard Triumph were customers at Byrnes’ restaurant, and Triumph could supply the racer’s parts. Rodger mated a custom tube frame with an aluminum body and the drivetrain from a Triumph TR3. Eventually, the men figured they could make a business out of selling sports cars.
On the vehicle’s way to production, the Warwick, which was renamed to the Peerless, lost its aluminum body. Reportedly, aluminum just wasn’t feasible for a production vehicle due to tooling costs and the high cost of aluminum post-World War II. Input was also provided by Byrnes’ friend, John Gordon, who would end up assisting Peerless with promoting the vehicles. The car also earned a wider track with more interior space. James Whitson Ltd., a coachbuilder, would handle the fiberglass body. Later, this would be the responsibility of the Wincanton Transport and Engineering Company. Remember, this was the 1950s, when fiberglass was still a novel material for cars. However, cars like the Kaiser Darrin and the Chevrolet Corvette proved what was possible.
At first, Peerless had more orders than it could handle. The company could build just five cars a week and there was a waiting list spanning five weeks. Prospective buyers were impressed with the performance, even though the vehicle, which cost £990 plus another £500 in tax, was more expensive than the £895 total commanded by the donor Triumph TR3. Peerless entered a vehicle in the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it finished 16th overall. Unfortunately, Peerless couldn’t keep the good times rolling. Just 325 GTs were produced between 1957 and 1960. Rodger tried to keep the concept alive and produced the car for another two years as the Warwick.
This Peerless GT II has been modernized with a new Haywire wiring harness, a side-exit exhaust, a custom instrument panel, power windows, heat and sound-shielded floors, a new interior, and more. Other improvements include a rear seat that can be easily removed for service, safety glass, disc brakes, and a total restoration. Some parts look a little odd, such as those door sills.
The original Triumph TR3 four-cylinder powertrain was ditched and in its place is the 2.6-liter straight-six from a Datsun 260Z. That’s good for 139 HP and 137 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to the rear through a four-speed manual. It’s $47,995 from the seller in Greece, New York with 10,529 miles.
That’s it for this week, thank you for reading! If this list was a bit too off-kilter for you, fear not, for we return to normalcy next week.
The Studie and Peerless would look really good in a garage together. Just find a nice trailer and repaint everything a period-appropriate mint green and you’d have the coolest racing rig at any car show.
I expect sometime next year we’ll see an article titled “I turned one of my Smart cars into a Crossblade using a sawzall and a few tubes of Flex Seal.”
FWIW, the Studebaker Museum in South Bend is a surprising treat.
That Peerless, especially with the amount of work done to it, almost sounds like ….a really good deal? Am I crazy? I didn’t sleep well last night, but I’m going with my gut on this.
I had a Samara, the only way I would get in one again is if you stuffed it with small animals and turned it into a petting zoo
That Peerless triggered something in my head that said Gordon Keeble, a trip down the rabbit hole showed they were related by some people and hardware.
That Coast Guard Cutter made me laugh as earlier in the week I had seen this: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/this-navy-drone-boat-with-a-fascinating-past-can-be-yours and thought Mercedes needs one of these!
Why don’t vehicles posted here provide a link to the vehicle purchase like shitstorm showcase? Yeah not the right name but accurate description.
I have links under the pics
Thanks I will rake a look. I just hit on title and pics.
Thanks I found it I want that ship and will buy it if my lottery ticket wins. And I will cruise to CA AND host an Autopian event on it.
The only sea-going vessel of any interest to me is the Sea Shadow. I could have owned it for a measly $300K back in 2012, but I knew that the interior needed a lot of work to be comfortable. Don’t ask me how I know.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/sea-shadow-for-sale-81102588/
I want that cutter! Really! The ad states that it can be operated by one person. Okay, I’m one person. Looks to be plenty of room to build out a very nice place to live for weeks or months of sailing. It is obviously capable of blue water sailing and as such within reach of nearly anywhere on the earth. What’s not to like. I would like it delivered to the Catoosa port in Tulsa OK.
Having read the rest of the comments, I would point out that this is a ship, not a boat.
It would probably consume 60k in fuel to get from NY to New Orleans.
In my opinion the Studebaker truck cab roof-lines are the absolute best of any truck ever.
The Cummins VT12-800 is a 12 cylinder V engine. The V tells you it’s a V(40 deg.), the T is turbocharged (twin turbos on this one). It displaces 1,710 cubic inches from 12 cylinders with a 5.5 x 6.0 inch bore and stroke.
Configuration : V12
Cylinders : 12
Horse Power : 800 @ 2100 RPM
Beat me to it by just a smidge. VT12-800-M if you don’t want your search results filled with gensets.
Thank you! I figured out why I couldn’t find anything on these engines. I was searching for a nonexistent model name!
I love the stats for marine and railroad diesels. Lots and lots of everything. 🙂
That was enjoyable, nicely done.
I suddenly want an old CG cutter. But only if it were possible to bring it way inland and drop it in Smith Mountain Lake. I’d install a water slide and one of those buoyed swimming pools. Party barge!
BOAT!
BOOOOOOOOOAT!!!!!!
BOATY MCBOATLADY!
I have no idea if the boat is a good deal or not. I just wanted to yell BOAT!!!!!
Boats are always a fantastic idea!
Boats are always a horrific idea!
It is the maritime paradox.
Boats! Boats! Boats!
LOL, I had no idea this existed.
…
BOATS!
I was a big fan of HIMYM when it was in its early seasons, and I still find ways to make references to it now and then.
As a former Lada Niva owner, anyone paying thirty five thousand US dollars for an old & structurally modified Lada is making a far, far, far poorer choice than buying that damn boat.
You spelled “one dollar” wrong
As a former Lada Niva owner, for one dollar…I’d honestly be tempted.
Yup. And the Niva’s the *good* one. That hack job of a Samara is… I have no words for it…
I had a Samara, a Niva and a Signet, the Niva was best at being an offroad vehicle, the Signet sorta fun to beat around, the Samara was beyond awful
Is a Peerless better than a Matchless?
USCGC? It’s no longer a coast guard cutter. It’s now just a simple USS.
Lady B… not anymore.
I hereby christen my new boat
The “USS Stutter”.
(if i had ridiculous amounts of money)
The correct designation is MV Lady B, USS is reserved for commissioned US Navy vessels. Civilian vessels are Motor Vessel, Sailing Vessel, Fishing Vessel, and Steam Ship, Motor Ship etc.
Other nations use their own naval designation HMS, ARA, BRC etc.
Suddenly, the the adventures of the HMS Beagle make more sense to me.
Not the boat captain bits, but the whole theory of evolution part.
Why are you here, responding to me?
I would love the Peerless. Brings back memories. The rear seat was a blast as a little kid. They are kitcarish in a track car way. Very good looking on the outside and a bit unfinished on the inside.
Have owned 3 TR 3s and the Peerless handled better. Had to keep the windows down due to the smells of oil and gas. Was also noisy.
To the question, yes the fins and wire wheels are stock.
So, uh, what’s the oceangoing version of 24 Hours of Lemons?
“On the next Disasters at Sea”…
I’ll take the Cutter and the Peerless, start my retired millionaire life. You can keep the rest.
That Cruze is speaking to me
Have to agree. That gen of Cruze was a reasonably attractive car and having the diesel+manual combo would make for an interesting combo.
Don’t be fooled by the manual. The Cruze had what could possibly be the worst, sloppiest shifter and laziest gear ratio ever put into a motorized vehicle. It’s so bad, it’s literally the only car with an optional manual that I would recommend getting the automatic.
I do agree that it’s attractive though. Especially in hatchback form.
Were you driving the gas version? Maybe the transmission is a better match for the diesel?
I don’t have firsthand knowledge, but my friend has owned a few diesel Cruzes and liked them better than his VW TDIs. He’s owned both autos and manuals, and strongly prefers the manual.
I only had one (a first gen with the 2.0 and AT) but I really had no issues. 44 mpg highway was very easy to achieve and it did well in snow with dedicated winters. Unfortunately I took a bath when trading due to dieselgate. I wouldn’t mind one again as a DD, especially an RS manual hatch.
Edit: dang thumbs
Yeah, but that stuff can be fixed. Then you’ve got a manual.
How I lust for the car myself
Respectfully disagree about the manual. Changing out the super thin fuel economy special factory fluid with practically any other GL4 fluid either synchromesh and 75w-90 weights dramatically improves shifting. For a daily, Amsoil Synchromesh works fine. That’s been running in my Cruze’s manual transmission for 200k miles, changed every 40-50k. The transmission is nowhere near as slick as a Honda, it’s true. It’s a perfectly serviceable box once the OEM fluid get changed.
Maybe the one I drove was broken. It didn’t feel like something a fluid change would fix. More like a broken linkage or cable. The shifter felt like a floppy wet noodle. Zero positive engagement. The whole car was sluggish, too, and the gearing wasn’t doing it any favors. Otherwise I really liked the car, but that was a deal breaker.
The second gen looks too much like a contemporary Civic for my tastes. Which is a shame because GM had it designed ahead of the Civic and was all set to release it in 2015 as a 2016. But they delayed it and wound up looking derivative instead of original.
The first gen diesel only came in automatic, IIRC. Those cars pulled well but ran out of speed quickly. At least around Watkins Glen. Tuned gas Cruzes walked away from the diesel that showed up one year back when I organized an annual meet on the track’s opening day.
“If this list was a bit too off-kilter for you…”
No, not at all.
“…fear not, for we return to normalcy next week.”
Aw.
“Some parts look a little odd, such as those door sills”
I think that’s the protective film on whatever material they used for them.
I like the Peerless GT design but am not a fan of the “007” stickers and whatnot, even if it does look a bit like an Aston DB5. It’s a bit desperate.
It’s so obscure that I can’t tell if a Bond fan modified it to look like a DB5 or if it always had the little tailfins and wire wheels.
I don’t know much about boats but that cutter seems like a good deal? I wonder how many nautical miles per gallon it gets.
It’s a great deal until you start those engines. How much does 1,840 gallons of diesel cost at your local marina?
I know a fair bit about boats and that $60k is just the ante at the table, lol. I don’t have FB so this is all a semi-confident guess, but you are probably going to have to full service the engines, do a dry-dock refresh of the hull, probably change props and shafts, full service/replace the HVAC, upgrade the pilot house electronics (although it does appear to have some sort of satnav/weather terminal. Doesn’t look like a Garmin) and on and on… To say that it can be operated solo is a HUGE stretch. Technically, it is possible in the absolutely best case scenario, but whether it is a wise or safe idea is another story. I wouldn’t do it. It would certainly make docking, even just for fuel, a hairy maneuver just using the twin-screw throttles. You’d need a Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) and those aren’t cheap as a stock add, but this would need serious tweaking, if not adding bow thrusters. Shit, while you are at it, add some stern thrusters for symmetry, lol.
All in, I’d say you are looking at about $160k-$300k to get her in top shape and that’s before fuel, insurance, yearly maintenance, and all the stuff that will break probably every 3 or 4 trips as your annual operating costs. There really isn’t a “good deal” when talking about something that big and old, it’s more like how much you are gonna have to deal with for the price.
If you are rich enough to not need FDIC backing for your money, go ahead and flog yourself. Otherwise, run away. Quickly.
Just park it in a marina and use it as a cheap live aboard in an expensive area.
People have tried this in the UK – it’s a big no no.
In the US it is a popular thing in San Francisco, the Keys and I believe most of the coast. Of course the cheap marina is not really cheap just compared to waterfront housing.
Correct. There are plenty of live-aboard marinas in the US. They typically charge $1-$3 per foot per day. Depending on the marina they will also charge for electric/water/cable and a HOA-type fee for common areas. A boat this size would prob run around $4k/month plus I doubt it has a real shower or fully functioning galley, so there is that. Also, I’d have to imagine that there is no real functional sleeping quarters, at least not the kind you’d want to live in.
Those defects could be remedied with more money, but that’s pretty silly. You’d be way better off getting a used Sea Ray or Lazzara (my fav) for the $1 mill you’d spend on this steel tub.
Something like this:
https://www.boats.com/power-boats/2008-lazzara-lsx-75-9115221/
If we are talking powerball money but able to run solo, be a live-aboard, and “practical enough” to go most anywhere and dock at most marinas, this would be my choice in the not a total superyacht category…
https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2024-lagoon-seventy-8-8935477/
Lagoon 78s will cost around $7 mill new and can be found for about half that if used.
But I want to mount guns and water cannons on it. Maybe one of those mega rocket launchers but modify it for t-shirts. Besides the feature I like best is a flat deck. Boats used to have those now most have a rounded front.
Don’t own a boat. Be the hero who brings beer to the boat.
In most cases, you bet! But, there are exceptions for things like a Donzi Blackhawk. That thing is insane to run in a good way.
The best boat is a friend’s boat!
This is the most reasonable and accurate post in the history of the internet. I can add nothing, except to reiterate that single-handing this thing would almost certainly result in a calamity.
and for fun, here’s a captain who knows no fear…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7qslMuwzFg0
If you are concerned about range you should get a Spanish built craft. They always get more miles to the Galleon…….I’ll see myself out now.
From the range figures, it looks like it does 1.5 – 3 gallons per mile.
The Peerless GT is one of those cars that almost nails the Aston-like looks, but still falls short. I’ve seen a few of them in person and can honestly say I’d love to own one. I’d also love to own the Studebaker.
I just came across that HR-V the other day and was reading up on them again today after the HR-V review. I think this one is VTEC, at least according to Wiki all the 4WD ones were, while FWD was either/or. I’m glad it isn’t closer to me and maybe below $10k, because I’d be tempted even though I have no use for it.
I forgot the 2nd gen Cruze was available with the diesel and manual, 1st gen was auto-only. Lol @ “An absolute blase to drive” in the listing – typo or subtle honesty?
I’m pretty sure you can get both of them with a manual transmission.
I meant the diesel/manual specifically, the gas engines did offer a manual all along, but in the first gen the diesel was only auto only for the couple years they offered it.
Yes, it should have said blave as in “to blave”, which we all know means to cheat or lie.