French Exotic Duet: Two 1979 Matra-Simca Bagheeras

To all you fans of obscure European sports cars, here's something to get your heart racing, particularly if French cars are more to your taste than German, Italian, Swedish or British ones. In Madison, Wisconsin, someone is selling two 1979 Matra-Simca Bagheeras, which are unusual in many ways, such as having three-abreast seating, being named for the panther in Rudyard Kipling's classic novel The Jungle Book, and being rare grey-market imports as opposed to the slightly more common full Euro-spec Bagheeras imported on an individual basis by enthusiasts. (However, I must say that no Bagheera is 'common', anywhere.) 

While the second car is not pictured, the blue one featured here is said to have very little rust in the monocoque-style steel understructure (the body panels are made of polyester plastic and thus don't rust), has a very good interior and a clear Wisconsin title. Molds for the special US-spec bumpers are included, along with 8 finished units. However, it is not said how many are front or rear. The black car is said to have nearly enough parts to complete the blue car, or could be brought back to life by a dedicated enthusiast, but there are no carburetors or intake manifolds for either car.

The seller also includes free technical and parts assistance from a North American Matra Registry member and Bagheera owner, and makes mentions of an "M550 factory code" and the importer Geo. (George?) Goodrich of Santa Clara, California, neither of which I could find any information on via a Google search. If any readers know about the "M550 code" and/or Mr. Goodrich, please leave a comment. 

Find these cars here:

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/1550141932.html

One-Off Sports-Racer Project: Triumph TR2-based "Gibbens Special", $2500

While nothing is said regarding this car's history or provenance, or even what kind of supercharger the engine has, this one-off open sports-racer, based on a Triumph TR2 chassis and mechanicals is an intriguing project. So intriguing, that I felt compelled to post all four pictures of the car. The styling is a pleasant mix of Lotus Super Seven, 1932 Ford and MGTD, and the body appears to be in good condition. However, nothing is said about condition of the body, mechanicals or chassis, and there would be a long list of things needed to return this to the road or racetrack, but at the price of $2500 for what may be a genuine 1950s or 60s special race car or would at least be a great change of pace from a stock Triumph or a Lotus Super Seven-style sports-racer, this seems like a great deal.

Find the car here, in "G Valley" (Grass Valley?), California:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1546463378.html

Pint-Size Utility Vehicle: 1958 Crofton Bug, $3500

  The Crofton Bug was the final series-production version of the moderately successful Crosley car and truck lineup, which was originated in 1939 by radio, TV and appliance magnate Powel Crosley, Jr. The Crosley range started with two-cylinder light cars and a couple of delivery wagons with similar styling, underpinnings and mechanicals, that managed to pull off the daunting task of being both cute and ugly at the same time. 

After World War II ended, Crosley introduced an all-new line of light cars, this time with more conventional styling, a four-cylinder overhead-cam engine and a cute quarter-ton pickup truck available with two styles of cargo bed. Unfortunately, the postwar Crosley range was beleaguered by competitors from the UK and Continental Europe, such as the Austin A40, Fiat Topolino, British Ford Anglia and Prefect, and of course, the Volkswagen Beetle, all of which were more practical and (comparatively) better equipped, not to mention more reliable thanks to the fact that none of them had an engine block made of welded sheet metal that developed unrepairable pinholes within a very short time.

Even with the addition of a conventional cast-iron engine block and crankcase and a sports car available with or without doors to take on the sports-car market leader of the day, the MGTD, the Crosley was seen as little more than an oddity to most people, who went on to buy either conventional American cars or the European small sedans and sports cars that were highly popular in the days before people bought Hyundais, Kias, Scions and Daewoos as low-priced new cars. Crosley's last new product before bowing out of the car business was the 1950 Farm-O-Road, which was essentially a miniature Jeep with the Crosley iron-block engine and a full line of accessories suited to everything from the duties of farmers, ranchers and golf-course greenskeepers to tops, rear seats and side curtains intended to turn the Farm-O-Road into something similar to a car.

This Crofton Bug is essentially a Crosley Farm-O-Road in every way but its name and dealer network, is complete except for stock wheels and belly pan, and is very restorable. Crofton Bugs were produced from the mid-1950s to early-1960s, and are quite sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. Even with the 1990s-era wheels and ugly maroon paint, this Crofton makes the junkyard-like area in which the pictures were taken look better by de-emphasizing the Plymouth Acclaim and Ford Escort wagon rusting in the background.

Find it here, in Salem, Oregon:

http://salem.craigslist.org/cto/1515441379.html 

Right-Hand-Drive Rarity: 1979 Citroen 2CV-based Three-Wheel Speedster, $12,500

Citroens of all types are rare in the USA, the last officially-imported models coming Stateside in 1975 with unofficial grey-market imports trickling in between the late 70s and roughly 1993, and three-wheel cars are rare too, with the exception of the increasingly common ZAPCAR electric pickups and sedans. But combine the elements of Citroen and three-wheeler, and add right-hand drive and an attractive boattail speedster body style to the equation, and you get something truly distinctive.

This car was imported to the US from England, and the brand of kit used to convert the donor Citroen 2CV to a three-wheel sports car appears to be a Lomax. The Lomax kit car was and is popular in the UK as well as Continental Europe, and information on these kits and other three-wheeled kit cars can be found here: http://www.3wheelers.com/lomax.html.

This car comes with a full soft top assembly, side curtains and a spare wheel, parts are readily available in the US, the owner claims 57 miles per gallon, and three-wheeled vehicles are legally considered to be motorcycles in the USA, regardless of body configuration or seating capacity, so there are less stringent emissions and safety regulations in most states with these.

And no, you don't need a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license to drive a three-wheeled car.

Find this car, located south of Seattle, here:

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/1542484753.html