Good morning! It’s Friday, so it’s time for another four-way shootout. And yes, there is a theme to this one, which we’ll get to in a minute.
First, let’s see which car won yesterday. I figured the pickup would win, but I didn’t expect it to give that poor little Nissan such a sound thrashing. It’s not the most lopsided vote we’ve ever had, but it seems like one of the cruelest.
Personally, I like that little NX. It’s got character, and you can’t say that about very many cars these days. Would it be better if it were a manual, and maybe the 2000 with the bigger engine? Of course! But I already have a truck, so I don’t really have any use for the Mazda. I don’t have any use for the Nissan, either, but I think I’d have more fun tinkering with it.
So that brings us to today’s four-way showdown. Here’s the scenario: Some guy just walked up to you in the parking lot of Crunch Fitness and handed you a ticket to Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the hoity-toitiest car gathering on this side of the Atlantic. He can’t go, he says, because his Pekingese, Niki, is ill, but he wants someone who will really appreciate it to have the opportunity. Don’t worry; he looks totally trustworthy. I’m sure it’s on the up-and-up.
He’ll fly you out there, and provide you with a car to be seen driving into the place. He has four cars for you to choose from, which he bought this week just for the occasion. You guessed it – he’s a fan, and he secretly bought up the week’s winners, and was going to choose which one to drive when he arrived. Now, that honor falls to you. Let’s recap your choices.
1972 Opel Manta
The case for it: It’s a bona-fide classic! It’s basically just like all those fancy cars they’re showing. You’ll blend right in!
The case against it: It’s got that weird carburetor thing going on. You could get halfway up the drive and it would stall, causing a line of Bugattis and Duesenbergs and Ferraris to suddenly discover their ancient horns don’t work.
1999 European Ford Ranger
The case for it: It’s European, which means it’s exotic and classy. Right? Also, I hear that the show is on grass. This is a 4×4, with a nice torquey diesel engine and a tow hitch. If it rains, and somebody’s Facel Vega gets stuck in the mud, you can save the day.
The case against it:Â Some people seem to be of the opinion that pickup trucks are unsophisticated. You might catch some grief from them.
1989 Plymouth Horizon
The case for it: Honestly, I can’t think of one.
The case against it: It’s scruffy. The air conditioning doesn’t work, so you’ll arrive all sweaty and gross. Oh, and it’s a Plymouth Horizon. Save it for Radwood.
1994 Mazda B3000
The case for it: You’ll arrive on time because it’s reliable, and fresh as a daisy thanks to that good strong Ford air conditioner. Plus, it’s a V6 with a five-speed, which practically makes it a Ferrari Dino.
The case against it: That truck stigma again. But I mean, come on: Hank Hill drove a Ranger, which is the same truck as this. That makes it a celebrity! They can’t throw out a celebrity. Right?
Mere mortals like us are going to have to be content watching YouTube clips of all the goings-on at Monterey Car Week. But wouldn’t it be fun to show up with one of these clunkers, just to see if you could get someone’s monocle to fall into their champagne glass? (They all wear monocles and drink champagne, right?) Which one would you choose?
(Image credits: sellers)
Rebuild the carb. Mantas are so attractive, and somehow still affordable. It’s like a 3/4 sized musclecar.
I’m still for the Bulgarian pickup. Put it in H!
The shockingly well kept Plymouth Horizon will get all the attention.
…and a ton of people asking if its a Shelby GLH-S and being disappointed, but still.
1st: Never trust anybody with a pekingese dog. They are all trouble, the dogs and their humanos.
2nd: France.
3rd: The Opel. Do we get to keep the cars? If so, I’d put some Minilites and have the carb fixed. Then, swap a reasonably good engine and trans. The rest looks great.
if you were to say talk EV west into a VW bug EV kit and somehow managed to fit it in the Opel, that would definitely interest people out there I would bet.
For me it’s got to be the Opel. It’s interesting and people will want to talk about it. The trucks are cool but after a while the joke would get old or no one would care. I’ve always wanted to go to that event but not to see the Ferrari Daytonas or the like. I want to see the oddities and the weird rare cars that are cool but that I wouldn’t be terrified of driving and accidentally losing $$$ of their value.
I want to see the cars that are regularly driven and enjoyed and not the ones that have 4 guys polishing the tires as their are slowly wheeled out of a transporter. So for that purpose, I think the Opel would help me connect with my people.
The worst car for the job, the Mazdanger…. Even the Horizon is odd enough to almost fit in, no one will be intrigued by a badge engineered scruffy pickup. So that’s how I’d arrive.
Finally, a chance to vote for the Manta in a timely fashion. Quick polish on the outside, replace the carb, bingo-bango-bongo.
Hard choice between the Opel and the Mazda. Mazda won due to practicality. Maybe a vw diesel swap would be in its future.
Your comment is exactly what I wanted to write. It’s important to consider parts availability with the Opel, too. It’s unlikely to be a DD whereas the Mazda could be easily.
My thought exactly. Heart – Opel, head Mazda.
Bring the Bulgarian.
I’ll be that guy in the Mazda, with an ice chest in the back full of drinks.
Stay on theme, fill the bed with shrimp.
Nah, an ice chest full of Aperol Spritz ingredients will be spot on.
Had to vote Horizon as it’s the antithesis of cool or interesting.
Somebody has to represent shitboxes.
That was my second pick.
The Horizon, because my buddy drove me and my future-wife to the 1985 Homecoming Dance in it (along with his date). Same wife I have today!
I’ll get there with the farm truck. Those cringey faces from the attendants will turn into desperate once their ride needs a tow
Which one would I buy? The Mazda pickemup all day long, and twice on Sunday.
But to drive around at car week? It’s gotta be the Opel. You’ll be the only one there, and if it does break down, somebody will surely be around to help you get it going. Bring a couple screwdrivers and a can of carb clean.
I went with the Bulgarian farm truck because, let’s face it, Bulgarians don’t win all that often. And it’s blue.
Same.
the blue Ranger is how I voted.
hehe today’s weekly championship features a Ford badged as a Mazda and a Mazda badged as a Ford 😛
bet me to it
Manta. Carb tuning isn’t that hard, and like others have said, it has class.
Manta, can bring a can of carb cleaner with you, and maybe smooth it out a bit. Plus is classy AF
Before the answer was Miata – the answer was always Manta.
The Manta has Style. So what if it has carburetor trouble? It can blow half-burned fuel all over those other hoopties.
This thing has SBC Swap written all over it….
I was thinking a V8 swap would be neat, but then my mind went to an LTG/TR-3160 turbo-4/6-speed from a 6th gen Camaro LS swap instead. Maybe not as much power as a V8, but still plenty potent and a bit more unique.
I’d go in the Horizon and my Mopar hat just to confuse people.
The Horizon, because negative attention is still attention.
I’m driving the Opel. It’s weird and different enough to be cool, but it’s still an Opel. The uber rich aren’t going to know what it is, so if/when it does sputter and die, they’ll just assume it’s a temperamental exotic doing what they do.
Let the Manta win, always let the Manta win.