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IS THIS TAJIKISTAN'S ANSWER TO THE WOODWARD CRUISE?

For years we North Americans made fun of Russian cars, most of which failed to match our standards of styling and performance. Or so we thought. But the people who drove them often felt differently and now that those cars are getting old enough to be regarded as "vintage" or "collectibles" they're being maintained and restored with the same affection that we display for our Pontiacs and Plymouths.

It's all about memories, all about nostalgia, just as it is here. That's why you'll find personal collections in Russia, and interesting automobile museums, too. Of course there's nothing quite like our Woodward Cruise but the good folks of Tajikistan have their own version in the form of an old cars parade. For a Westerner it's quite fascinating to see so many makes and models that we only know by name, if that.

BBC World News covered the parade, which you can watch by clicking here. Obviously both car owners and spectators are having fun but wait... what's that MG doing in there? You've never seen anything like this before.

PAYING HOMAGE TO THE FORGOTTEN BMW

I'd be willing to bet that the majority of people who purchased BMWs over the past quarter century have no knowledge of the marque's history. Contrary to what they may think it wasn't always rosy. In fact the post-war years were so difficult that the company was in crisis mode more than once and even came close to being purchased by Daimler-Benz.

This was not a matter of recovering from the ruins of war. All German manufacturers faced similar difficulties. The blame lay with poor decision-making by company management, which chose to rebuild its car-making group with luxury automobiles based on pre-war designs. They weren't bad cars but the mass market wasn't ready for high priced vehicles. Motorcycle sales had collapsed and the Isetta, which accounted for more than half the turnover of BMW AG in 1957, couldn't generate enough profits. BMW was forced to consider building a medium-size 4-cylinder car as a way of getting the company back on course.

But before that could happen it needed an economy car (a real car, not a "bubble car") to bridge the gap between the Isetta and the future sedan, which could hardly be developed overnight. Initially it was to be a 2-seater sports coupe using as many Isetta 600 parts as possible, followed by a 4-seater a few months later. However it was soon realised that this was no way to build a car and with help from Austrian importer Wolfgang Denzel and a body designed by Michelotti of Italy the completely new BMW 700 was launched. In 1960 it accounted for 58% of the company's total turnover.

Power came from a rear-mounted, flat-twin BMW motorcycle engine driving a 4-speed manual transmission; although it only produced 30 hp the car was very light at just 1500 pounds. A sport coupe version improved the output to 40 hp; a nifty little convertible followed the Sport. The 700 used a steel monocoque structure, the first BMW automobile to do so.

Modified 700s were successfully raced by such notables as Hans Stuck, Walter Schneider, Hubert Hahn, and Jackie Ickx. Schneider went on to win the 1961 German saloon car title. Today the 700 is all but forgotten except, perhaps, by a few nostalgic Germans. However 188,211 BMW 700s were built in five years of production, allowing Munich time to develop the 1500, the car that saved the company.

TALENTED ENGINEER RECREATES 1905 FRENCH STEAM CAR

Building a replica of any car is never easy but to reconstruct a 108 year-old steam car is a task very few people would dare to attempt. Which makes this 1905 Gardner-Serpollet a triumph of ingenuity and determination. An enterprising British gentleman named Anthony Henry Marchetti Bever B.Sc used his extraordinary engineering skills to build it from the ground up.

Having tracked down the rudimentary remains of an original 1905 Gardner-Serpollet in France, he started with just a set of instruments, then researched and built the car following the original designs to the letter. Bever crafted most of the components of the car himself with little outside assistance or guidance, making patterns and machining items where necessary, including the 15 hp engine and axle. The plywood coachwork is shaped around an ash frame with separate fenders covering the wheels. Leather seats accommodate four, though with little protection from the elements.

Sadly, Anthony passed away before the car was finished but the final touches were completed by a skilled team and the Gardner-Serpollet is now to be offered at the Historics Brookland auction on Saturday, March 9th. The buyer will also acquire a set of brass Ducellier, Nirona and Willoco Bottin acetylene lamps, which themselves are valuable items. An impressive history file is also included along with drawings, the Serpollet System manual, a large sales brochure (which alludes to the fact that an example was made for His Majesty King Edward VII), and various technical manuals and photographs. Importantly, there is also a reprint, in English, of the Driver's Manual for Serpollet Cars describing the components and how to look after them, plus the oiling, the driving, and how to deal with potential problems.

The steam era was a brief yet important chapter in automotive history, with relatively few survivors to show us what it was like. I was fortunate to get a ride in a 1914 Stanley a few years ago when an antique car club overnighted at the motel next door and was impressed by the silence and easy flow of power. The downside of all such cars was, of course, the time required to build up a head of steam, along with range limitations, although steamers could travel much further than their battery-powered competitors.

I hope whoever buys this mechanical work of art takes it out on the road where possible for it deserves to be seen, both as a reminder of motoring's early days and as a salute to the talents of its builder.

FERRARI MATES WITH RAMBLER, FINDS NEW HOME IN MUSEUM

What happens when you combine a Ferrari with a Rambler? The very thought of it might cause Enzo Ferrari to turn over in his grave but on the other hand it would leave George Romney smiling. However you may feel about such a combination the car actually exists and is one of two unusual vehicles just donated to the LeMay - America's Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington.

The Ferrambo, as it is known, is a one-off built by Mike Warn of Warn Industries. Warn said he wanted to create a car that combined American engineering and strength with European style and performance. It took him more than two years to construct but obviously was worth the effort, for his Ferrambo captured the prestigious Ridler Award at Detroit’s Autorama in 2008. That helped drive the estimated value to $750,000. And in fact the car is surprisingly attractive, though I've no idea how it drives.

The good news is that we can now see it at the LeMay, along with the second gift, a 1964 Buick Wildcat prototype donated by museum member Paul Ianuario. What makes this Wildcat so unusual is that the body is made from fibreglass. Apparently GM built it to complement the Impala SS as a high performance machine with the same then-exotic material as the Corvette.

Buick's unusual concept features a 401-cid "Nailhead" V-8 and, according to the owner, has a different cam and other performance upgrades. Ianuaro said that had it gone into production the Wildcat would have been offered with the two four-barrel, 425-hp-version. Unfortunately GM decided against producing it and as a result has only 3893 miles on the clock and, like the Ferrambo, is valued at $750,000.

Thanks to Old Cars Weekly for the lead to this story.

THE OPEL RALLYE MANTA, SACRIFICED BY BUICK

When OldCarWeekly invites readers to tell their personal car stories Brian Earnest has the fun of interviewing the owners and photographing the cars. At least I hope it's fun... I've been doing television, radio, and magazine interviews for decades and still hate it. Three questions and I'm tongue-tied. So I'm glad it was Brian and not me interviewing Vern Rieckmann of Neenah, Wisconsin, because I'm fascinated by Vern's 1973 Opel Rallye Manta.

The Manta was launched when I was a Canadian ex-pat living in London, working for the J. Walter Thompson ad agency as creative director of the Ford of Europe account. The products we were advertising were pretty good if you liked Cortinas and Capris but I was more impressed with some of Opel's German cars, though I kept that thought to myself. The Fords suffered from too much of Detroit's design influence whereas Opels maintained the functional solidity typical of German automobiles.

The Rallye Manta was a performance coupe developed from the Opel 1900 Series, a solid though unspectacular selection that included a base coupe, two-and-four-door sedans, and a station wagon. All driven by a 1.9 liter inline 4-cylinder engine. And therein lay a problem when competing with Ford's Capri, for the latter would eventually offer a V-6 option (from Ford of Germany) while Opel's 6-cylinder engine was an inline unit that wouldn't fit the 1900. Ford V-6 Capris went on to terrorise the race track while Opel was left out in the cold. Bad news for product image.

Back in Detroit, GM's brass decided that it needed a competitive compact that would allow Buick to play in the fuel economy league. Bring on the Opels, it thought, cars that could trade on the German image of quality and reliability. Big mistake. The cars lived up to the reputation but Buick dealers hadn't a clue how to market an import, nor did their sales people know how to sell one. What's worse, traditional Buick customers, accustomed to big luxury yachts, didn't know what to make of these compacts with the funny name. Obviously the Opel Rallye Manta, the sportiest version, wasn't going to fly with this crowd.

Buick sold nearly a half-million Mantas in the first half of the 1970s. Exact figures for the Rallye versions are unknown but I'd be willing to admit there weren't many, which makes Vern Rieckmann's 1973 example quite rare, at least in North America. The story of how he acquired the car, what it took to make it like new again (not a lot, actually) is an interesting one and I encourage you to link to Brian Earnest's article.

[Photo: Brian Earnest]

TATRA T87, TEMPLATE FOR THE VW BEETLE

You'll have to be a person of interest or willing to lay out quite a few bucks if you wish to attend the Bonhams Quail Lodge sale in Carmel on August 16-17. But it's probably worth the price because the auction attracts some very rare and unusual automobiles. For example, the 1941 Tatra T87 seen above.

How rare? Over the course of 12 years Czechoslovakian manufacturer Tatra built roughly 3,000 examples of the highly advanced T87, only a fraction of which exist today. How unique? The body was the result of aerodynamic research by designer Austrian engineer Hans Ledwinka, based on the philosophies and input of early aerodynamicists Edmund Rumpler and Paul Jaray. Adolph Hitler appreciated Ledwinka’s design so much that he had Ferdinand Porsche emulate it when designing the Beetle, a claim supported by Tatra’s successful 1961 lawsuit against Volkswagen.

The magnesium-alloy air-cooled V-8 engine was in the rear, giving the T87 excellent performance though sometimes dubious handling when pushed hard on curves. Nazi senior officers appropriated T87s for their luxury status and high-speed, but legend has it that more than a few of those senior officers met their fates when they attempted high-speed turns. Though the engine produced just 85 hp the aerodynamic advantages provided a top speed over 100 mph. The car also featured a backbone chassis and fully independent suspension.

This Tatra was owned by the late Martin Swig, founder of the California Mille and noted collector. According to Bonhams, Swig bought the T87 about 12 years ago after driving it in a rally in the Czech Republic. It was restored in Czechoslovakia but Swig later had the V-8 engine overhauled by Pit Stop Automotive in San Francisco. Bonhams goes on to say, "with a lovely patina, this T87 presents as a functional driver’s car with generally straight bodywork. The paint exhibits a few minor flaws that are in keeping with the overall condition, the chrome is very good and the glass is excellent. The wheels have been refurbished and the car sits on period whitewall tires. Inside, the upholstery has been re-trimmed in period brown corduroy and the gauges restored."

Sounds like an excellent opportunity for a keen enthusiast to aquire an historically relevant and beautiful automobile. Probably fun to drive, too. For more information go to Bonhams.com

[Photo courtesy Bonhams]

FORD MODEL A COMES WITH SALESMAN'S ORIGINAL TRAILER

A vehicle that takes us back to an earlier era is always fascinating, even nostalgic if the viewer is old enough to connect with the period. But when the vehicle comes with a trailer that was used by the original owner, such a combination is rare enough that anyone can appreciate a glimpse into the past. So it is with the 1931 Ford Model A Deluxe Coupe and custom-built trailer that once belonged to marine products representative J.M. Keely. Pulling it behind his slightly modified Ford, Keeley used it as both a sales platform and on-the-road accommodations while plying his trade along the coastal towns of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Model A Deluxe Coupe was modified with a heavily reinforced rear spring and cross member and uses the axle, hubs, brakes and wheels from a Ford AA truck unit. Its four-cylinder engine has two six-volt generators – one for the car and the other for twin storage batteries that power the trailer’s running, tail and interior lights. The trailer hitch is a “Glenn Curtiss Aero-Coupler,” designed by the aviation pioneer.

The trailer’s brakes are vacuum-operated from a unit in the car’s engine compartment. A 110-volt “shore power” unit takes over for fans, lighting and the radio when the rig is parked in a trailer camp and can be run from a gas-powered generator, as well. According to Auctions America, which will be offering the combo in Auburn Indiana at the end of August, "the nautical-themed interior exhibits all the comforts of home with twin bunk beds, a hooded gas stove with exhaust fan, icebox, sink with running water, writing desk and cabinetry for the enamelware cookery and utensils. A 25-gallon tank with hand pump serves the unit, and an attachment allows 'shore water' to be piped aboard."

Auctions America says "the trailer’s exterior features include windows with Model A cranks and regulators with additional ventilation supplied from two brass-screened roof vents. All door hardware and locks came from a Model A. Canvas awnings provide shade, and the lovingly restored graphics depict the many companies Keely represented. The sale includes a boatload of these fishing supplies with lures, rods, floats, oars, small outboard motors, road maps and even letterhead that Keely used to reel in his Depression Era customers."

I can only imagine what life was like for this traveling salesman but it seems to me that pulling his home and product display with him as he visited the coastal fishing towns must have been quite pleasant. Sure beats sitting at an office desk. No doubt the new owner will proudly take his vintage duo to special ocean or lakeside events though he'll need more than a normal garage to store the car and trailer when not on show. And he'll need an estimated $150,000 - $225,000 to drive it away from the Auctions America sale in Indiana.

[Photos: Auctions America]

THE BEAUTIFUL BARONESS' MAGNIFICENT MERCEDES ON AUCTION

The Mercedes 540 was certainly one of the most glamorous pre-war sports cars, which made it the ideal car for one of Europe's most glamorous women, the Baroness Gisela von Krieger. And that, in turn, makes it the star of Gooding & Company’s 2012 Pebble Beach Auctions, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 & 19.

The Special Roadster was purchased new in 1936 by an aristocratic Prussian family and was initially enjoyed by the von Krieger’s son, Henning, before his sister, Gisela, assumed the driver’s seat for her own use. Baroness von Krieger was widely recognized for her elegant style, and was named one of the ten most fashionable women in the world.  Among the very elite of international society, the beautiful Baroness enjoyed a privileged life for many years, residing at the Ritz and Hotel Le Meurice in Paris and Hotel Martinez in Cannes, while frequenting the best European destinations and social events, including the coronation of King George VI.

The Von Krieger Special Roadster remained an important possession of the family, carefully stored even while they lived outside of Germany, avoiding orders of the Third Reich. In 1942, at the height of the war, Baroness Gisela shipped the car to Switzerland. After the war ended and the family reunited, Henning and Gisela moved to New York, shipping the Special Roadster on the Queen Elizabeth, in an effort to start a new life.

Following the death of her brother and mother, Baroness Gisela returned to Switzerland where she lived as a recluse until her passing in 1989. The Hermann Ahrens-designed Special Roadster remained tucked away in a Greenwich garage for the better part of four decades, with such items as the Baroness’s driving maps, lipstick-stained cigarette butts and silk gloves intact. After the estate was settled, the car was sold to its current owner, who has cared for it ever since. It was recently returned to its original grandeur by Chris Charlton, whose restorations have won Best of Show at Pebble Beach. Looking just as it did when it left the factory in 1936, it is finished in black and chrome over a cognac-colored leather interior, with the von Krieger family crest hand-painted on the upper portion of the driver’s door.

While Gooding & Company has not placed an estimate due to the car’s unprecedented historical significance and provenance, the auction house is confident that this rare and exquisite car will realize a world record for the marque. Both the car and its original owner could, in my opinion, have played a role in a book (and a movie) by Graham Greene or Ian Fleming. Are you listening Mr. Bond?

[Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photo by Peter Harholdt]

IT'S A VAN. IT'S A WAGON. IT'S A FIAT. IT'S AFFORDABLE

Don't laugh. The Fiat Multipla was serious transportation for many Italians from 1956 to 1965. It's a serious collector car and for the asking price of $15,900 in Hemmings.com it is seriously affordable.

You have to put things in perspective as you consider the Multipla. In the year of the car's creation many Italians were still riding motor scooters and most citizens who could afford four wheels were driving tiny (by our standards) autos with 500 c.c. or 600 c.c. engines. The Multipla was a combination of one-box van and station wagon, a mere 19.7 inches longer than the original Mini. Yet it could carry up to seven passengers on two front bucket seats plus one or two rear bench seats. The seats could be arranged to provide a flat floor suitable for luggage, thus making an ideal taxi.

Of course the Multipla was a bit of a slug when it came to performance but that was of no importance in the cities and towns for which it was designed. The rear-mounted, 4-cylinder engine, in its 767 c.c. guise, produced a mere 29 hp, for a top speed of 60 mph. Fuel economy was recorded as 38.4 Imperial mpg. If you were a farmer, a factory worker with four kids, or a taxi owner, such mileage would have been impressive.

This 1960 Fiat Multipla, currently for sale on Hemmings.com, lives in Costa Mesa, California. The owner claims a mileage of just 28,000. Hemmings' reporter suggests there's a missing "1" in front of that but I'm inclined to think it may be genuine; Italians did not clock the gargantuan miles that we do, and a collector would not have used it for lengthy journeys. The original seat belts and interior appear to confirm this. The car comes with the sunroof cover and clean title and appears to be in excellent condition, making the price quite a bargain.

Would I buy it if I had the available cash? Absolutely. And in case you're wondering, though I've never driven a Multipla, I've been a passenger, in Milan, back in 1969. Was I impressed with the carrying capacity and nimbleness in traffic? Yes. And so was the lady-of-the-evening who propositioned me in front of my friends when I stepped out. No, I didn't. Honest!

THE KIT CAR, EVERYMAN'S DO-IT-YOURSELF

Many an automobile enthusiast has dreamed of building his own car. Do it yourself and you have a choice of engines, transmissions, suspensions, brakes and steering. Inside the vehicle you choose the seats, the instruments, the steering wheel, the upholstery. Depending on your skills you may even be able to customise the styling. Personalising a car allows you to put your own stamp on it, determining how you want the car to look and perform. Buy parts second-hand, do the work yourself, and you could end up with a handsome "new" vehicle that costs less than a production car.

For the less-skilled a kit car may be the answer, for it usually comes as a "package," with finished body and key components ready to be bolted together. As a rule the buyer can choose from two or three engines and transmissions, offering a choice of performance at different price levels. The 2-seat open sports car is unquestionably the most popular, for the layout is simple, purely functional, and demands little of the comfort and convenience required in a coupe or sedan.

Sounds good? Alas, the era of the kit car is all but over, probably because today's unit construction coupled with complex safety technology makes it difficult to find suitable parts at a reasonable cost.

In the 1950s and 60s, however, things were different. There was no end to the availability of frames and chassis from which to start and the range of affordable engines gave the home builder a chance to be truly innovative. Kit car manufacturers existed by the dozens, especially in the UK but also in North America. Some offered kits in a variety of configurations and a few expanded to become makers of production automobiles, Lotus being the ultimate example.

Among the most successful was the Devin, created by American Bill Devin, whose cars were fitted with an amazing variety of engines, testimony to the quality of the original design and engineering. Devin's car were well-suited to racing, in which they had considerable success. The 1956 SCCA H-Modified National Champion was a Devin powered by a 2-cylinder Panhard engine modified with Manx Norton motorcycle cylinder heads. Wikipedia says "this may have been the first-ever automotive use of belt-driven (double, in this case) overhead camshafts."

Devins were also built with powertrains from VW and Porsches, Corvairs, Triumph TR3s, MGs, and (the SS) 283ci Chevrolet V-8s. The Devin SS, a serious attempt to get into custom building with a high performance sports car, was said to be capable of 160 mph and could accelerate to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. It was also strikingly beautiful. Bill Devin had the chassis built in Ireland, with the balance completed in the US, but the cost of delivery, which included maritime strikes and delayed shipping, made the price prohibitive. Had all gone well the Devin SS might have been a serious competitor to the Corvette and it certainly was on the race track.

The intention was to build 100 examples to meet production requirements by the SCCA but in the end only 30 were built. Thankfully a number of Devins still exist and can be seen successfully competing in vintage races. I was reminded of the Devin by an e-mail from my Tokyo friend Harley Ferguson, who in turn had received an e-mail and photo from his high school best buddy, Don Wilcox, who now lives "on the little finger of Grand Traverse Bay in MI." Harley says his friend recently retired as Director of Bands at WVU and "is also a first-class car nut." His present project is a Devin, an earlier model than the SS, similar to one he raced years ago. That's his Devin in the photo above, on display at a show in Northport, Michigan.

Incidentally, though the variety and production numbers are far less than they were in their heyday, kit cars are still being made and sold in various parts of the world. One of my favorites is the Intermeccanica Porsche 356 replica, while Caterham successfully continues its version of Colin Chapman's Lotus Seven, which began life as a kit car.