If not an E9, then what?

[craterface]

You didn't say I have to be able to afford it

1. Ferrari 330 gt 2 plus 2, series 2, single headlight. Compared to an e9, twice the cylinder count, almost twice the power. Also a visual knockout. Any color but Rosso Corsa.
2. Any GTV, Junior, GTA, etc.
3. Giulietta or Giulia Spider or Coupe

I could go on, but...

 

[duane_sword]

My alternatives to an E9....

Before deciding on my E9 some years back I actually had a few other cars I seriously considered.

These three classic cars still remain on my bucket list.

(1) Muscle sports car: Ford Mustang 302 from 1970

(2) Track day classic: Morgan 4/4 track edition

(3) Sports GT: Ferrari 412

and finally... should the budget and the garage permit...

(4) Modern day sports car: the gorgeous Weissman GTMF5 (with BMW E39 M5 powerplant)

dreaming....

 

[rb1971]

"Ferrari 412" - funny, I always loved the 400/412 cars and wanted one for years. In particular, I wanted a 400GT with a 5 speed, which is probably the rarest version.

A few months ago one was for sale down in San Mateo, so I drove out to see it on a Saturday afternoon. I'm glad I did, but after looking I decided I'd much rather have the somewhat older 365 2+2, or really any other big GT (including the 850i 6-speed I had a few year back). The Ferrari is a better car to think about than be around - or at least that was my view.

Another somewhat humorous point is that while I didn't take my E9 down to look at the 400, the shop also had on consignment a polaris E9 with an S38. Small world.

 

[bert35csi]

Hey, I thought we were only talking about "reasonably affordable" cars here. :lol: Just dreaming here...the MB 300SL Gullwing. :sad:

 

[JMinPDX]

I agree, that I thought we were talking about a car priced in the e9 ballpark.

I would only go Italian:
Alfa 2600 Bertone Coupe:
http://motoburg.com/14511-alfa-romeo-2600-sprint-bertone.html

If price was no object my e9 would be gone and I'd have a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
http://carinstance.com/Ferrari/Ferrari 250 GTL Lusso.html

John M

 

[JFENG]

Assume $50k budget (a really nice E9 like Stan's, or HBChris')

That'll buy a lot of interesting 60/70's vintage GT machinery.
You could get a mint Jensen Intercepter, a Merc 6.9 (#3 condition), a late-ish 1970's Ferrari 2+2 (365GT4, the angular Pininfarina design), a Maserati Indy.

All these cars would price out close to a super nice E9. All would be moderately reliable once they were fully sorted out and properly looked after. None quite as practical as an E9, but close.

John

 

[iconoclast6]

Assuming no price constraints, mine would be a Jaguar XK 140MC.

Given the budget of a well sorted e9, I'll go for a (ever so slightly used) Porsche Cayman-S, which in my view is entirely reasonable. Not the same character...but in my view, a nearly even price swap.

John you wrote "Assume $50k budget (a really nice E9 like Stan's, or HBChris')"

Sorry, but I've seen the coupes of Chris and Stan, as well as Duanes, Tod's, Michael's and quite a few more throughout the country. Unless you're performing your own labor (like you), not one of these could likely be had for $50k, unless the owner was in distressed circumstances or simply wanted to do someone a favor.

Hope to see you soon again John....

 

[Nicad]

Hey, I thought we were only talking about "reasonably affordable" cars here. :lol: Just dreaming here...the MB 300SL Gullwing. :sad:

Wonder what the 2600 ALfa mentioned earlier goes for? I have never seen or heard ofthose. but it looks like an Italian E9 type machine. Very appealing.
While I might be a tad early in predicting the appeal, I could not imagine not owning a 2nd Gen Miata. I shake my head after driving my 99 10Ae (6 speed, with Hard S Bilstein suspension) because it is so much fun and so amazingly balanced.
With very mild tweaking it is the most satisfying car I have owned and the one I have most used for longer travel lately. A change of the driver's Seat is 90% of the Mods needed.
Sorry to mention a car so far off the original Topic.

 

[JFENG]

Assuming no price constraints, mine would be a Jaguar XK 140MC.
(snip)

Sorry, but I've seen the coupes of Chris and Stan, as well as Duanes, Tod's, Michael's and quite a few more throughout the country. Unless you're performing your own labor (like you), not one of these could likely be had for $50k, unless the owner was in distressed circumstances or simply wanted to do someone a favor.

Hope to see you soon again John....

Okay, so maybe it's $60 or $70k.
What I'm saying is E9's are now worth a lot more than even 3-4 years ago, and that really opens up the possibilities of alternatives.

FWIW, I don't think an xk140 is an alternative to an E9 in any practical sense. I'm biased because I tour in an XK120SE, but it's pretty far removed from the E9 in every way other than acceleration and top speed. The E9 is vastly superior in every way other than power (that old XK 3.4 easily puts out 200hp at the crank) and cachet (you should see the attention I get from the blue-haired ladies when I'm in the Jaguar).

John

 

[iconoclast6]

(you should see the attention I get from the blue-haired ladies when I'm in the Jaguar)
John[/QUOTE

...well that certainly settles the issue!!

 

[couttsdesign]

Interesting how many E9 owners also like Alpha's...and not so many Porsches.

Myself, I like both...

My list:

1)Alpha Romeo Giullietta Sprint
2)Porsche 356 (my wife's all-time fave, after the coupe of course)
3)Porsche 911 or 912 from '64-'73 only.
4)Jag e-type
5)Ford Bronco OR Toyota Landcruiser

I have a separate list with Ferrari's and Lamborghini's that are virtually unobtainable....unless you're a 1%er.

How many of you already have a 2002? I do...it's an ongoing project.

 

[deQuincey]

good point that about buying a comparable affordable car

i would like the alfa coupe, but, and this is a great dissadvantage, I know (just yesterday arrived from milan, my partner there has a couple of alfas, and says it is a nightmare) that finding spares will not be for sure the same thing as with bmw

so as soon as you are abandoning the e9´s i will probably find more units available for me, and....i will buy another one ! :razz:

 

[Beemer70]

67 Pontiac Firebird 400

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=to_E05AMnJQ

yum!

 

[hans3]

Disagree on the Alfa spares. They are plentiful for older mainstream models from a bevy of UK (of all places) vendors. The US has 2-3 main vendors and Germany has a good one too. There are many parts suppliers in Italy but they don't all have English websites.

 

[mario1017]

if i didnt have the coupe, i'd buy an 2002 M Coupe or an E30 M3 cabrio

 

[rsporsche]

e30 m3 cabrio? extremely rare item. most of the ones you hear about are re-creations.

 

[verde2002]

Alfa Romeo GTV2000

I have owned a few Alfa's in the past and agree parts are available but some has to be ordered from either Europe or Great Britain and sometimes you have to wait a couple of weeks to get them.

 

[x_atlas0]

Excluding E9/E3 or 2002s, for something of similar cost and time, I'd try to find an early Chrysler 300 letter car. (B/C/ etc) I really like how it is the first semi-normal performance car, and the design is awesome.

A later Corvair would also work. I have also kicked around a Triumph GT3++, but I am not sure I would fit.

Alternatively, for something more modern, it is a toss up between an R32 GTR and a S54 Z3 M-Coupe.

 

[E911]

Wood dashed 911...

There's just something about wood dashed German sports cars- very different cars but they have a similar vibe...

 

[deQuincey]

There's just something about wood dashed German sports cars- very different cars but they have a similar vibe...

lovely, lovely
which date / version is it ?