1972 MGB GT + Plymouth Cranbrook + Cortina 440L - Phil's Picks 408

By: Phil Walker

Date: 06.12.2017

Uncle Phil's choice picks from the Unique Cars classifieds

1972 MGB GT

$29,500

Little car and a big engine – it’s a time-honoured recipe for fun and I’ve always been a fan of them. You probably already know I have a big weakness for V8s, which is why this little beauty got my attention.

I had a Sunbeam Tiger a little while ago, with a 260 in it, and miss it some days. So this little MGB would fill that hole nicely and I’ve always admired the GT coupe shape. The originals used the inline four-cylinder engine and, though they were heavier than the soft-top and accelerated a bit slower, they had better aerodynamics and a slightly higher top speed.

Move on a few years (1973) and Leyland fitted the Rover 3.5lt V8, which was a punchy powerplant. This car predates that by a year, which means it’s a restomod.

See the MGB GT ad here.

1953 Plymouth Cranbrook

$24,950

This might not be my usual style of car, but I couldn’t help sitting up and taking notice when we tripped over it in the classifieds. There were two series of Plymouth Cranbrook: the P23 of 1951-52 and the P24 built in 1953 only. Examples of both were assembled by Chrysler in Australia.

This is the P24 and a very rare US soft-top version with an electric roof. I like how original it is, with the period Kelsey Hayes wheels and what looks like pretty good chrome and trim.

It’s running the 3.6lt flathead six with a three-speed column shift manual. You’d be pretty sure to be the only one at the next car show!

See the Plymouth Cranbrook ad here.

1971 Ford Cortina 440L

$18,000

A couple of Cortinas have graced the shed over the years and I’ve long had a soft spot for the performance versions.

These were an everyman car back in the day, something you bought because you didn’t want (or couldn’t afford) a full-size family car. Because they were light and nimble, they ended up having a pretty impressive motorsport career, particularly in their spiritual homeland, the UK.

This one is a 1600 manual, which should be a very easy classic to live with.

See the Ford Cortina ad here.

1971 C3 Corvette

$67,500

Maybe not the most sophisiticated car ever made, but a good Corvette is hard to take your eyes off, and I particularly like them in this green.

It’s a C3, which is the last of the chrome bumper models and it’s quite a rare spec – with the big 454ci (7.4lt) V8 in the nose, matched to a four-speed manual gearbox. Add in the side pipes and you’ve got something that’s getting close to the top of the Corvette food chain.

Importing your own car has got tricky in recent years, so local cars are looking good.

See the C3 Corvette ad here.

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