Michael Banovsky, a friend of TTAC and occasional contributor to this site, has just published his first book. And he wants to give TTAC readers a chance to win a copy.
Banovsky’s first book, titled “Weird Cars: A compilation of 77 avant garde silly, slow, experimental, failed, rare, ridiculous, revolutionary, obsolete, obscure, idiotic, and X-rated machines” is exactly what it sounds like. Based on Banovsky’s popular “Car of the Day” email list, the book plumbs the depths of automotive history to bring some of the most bizarre, arcane relics of the automotive world in a concise, well-informed digest.
To celebrate the book’s release, we’re giving away three copies of the book in paperback form. We want TTAC readers to go onto their local craigslist (or Kijiji in Canada) and find the weirdest car for sale. Post your result in the comments section. You can only post one car, and to keep everyone honest, we will verify how “local” the car is based on the address you send us to ship your book out. Since the Kindle edition costs a mere $2.99, we’ll set the distance radius for eligible car sat 299 miles from your address. The contest closes at 12:01 AM on February 3rd, 2015.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/4855371422.html
Imagine how loud the car alarm is…
Lmao. Shoulda called it the swiss cheese package.
What’s that language even? Pretty similar to English, but not quite there yet.
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/4873540981.html
Lots of annoying things about my hometown, but a shortage of weird JDM stuff isn’t one of them.
I saw one with the roll-back convertible top while in Japan last October. Like a Citroën Dyane crossed with a Celica-nosed MPV.
http://battlecreek.craigslist.org/cto/4783534058.html
Showed up in Cragislist’s nearby feature.
My goodness, that’s sweet. And perfect for the Brown Car Appreciation Society on Facebook…
You never see these things intact.
Brown, Wagon, RWD, Diesel. I’ve got to be in the running….
As cool as it is, its not a manual, try again :)
Sincerely BDRWMAC (Brown Diesel RWD Wagon with a Manual Appreciation Society)
http://oregoncoast.craigslist.org/cto/4824479388.html
You ever take it off any sweet jumps?
Not really trying hard (Kijiji; select “BC” and pretty much go from there):
Not exactly rare: http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/vancouver/1995-daihatsu-hijet-kei-minitruck-660cc-awd-only-108ks-161b-w/1005126825?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Rare, inasmuch as I haven’t seen a functional Samara in thirty years (and even then…): http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/prince-george/93-lada-samara/1037925551?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
That Samara is my early favourite. Just epic.
Thanks for the shout-out, Derek!
I can’t wait to see what everyone can come up with. In this part of Canada, the classifieds are a bit sparse at the moment…
This is my pick: http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/markham-york-region/very-rare-new-1981-suzuki-lj8-with-80-original-km/1037987028?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
M!
How about this Subaru SVX with lambo doors
http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/4855479469.html
Strangest thing I could find in my area…
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/4869194702.html
This green Camaro with Lambo doors http://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/4855488365.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/4854886801.html
Kinda hard to beat for inherit weirdness and rarity.
One of my until-now secrets has been the desire to acquire enough money to drop one of these off at, say, Prodrive and have them somehow magically put a brand-new Subaru WRX STI drivetrain underneath that cheese wedge body.
I’d also settle for mating a 3-cylinder Fiesta engine/chassis to a Mercury LN7…
That would be kinda neat actually!
I’ve never seen a yellow one. Looks like factory color. Another problem is that is should be manual transmission, electric sunroof, not the other way around. Still, darn tempting.
P.S. EA82T engine in that thing is a piece of junk. An STi swap would certainly fix it as per previous comments.
http://up.craigslist.org/cto/4785301458.html Simply titled “CUSTOM TRACK VEHICLE.” What it turned out to be is a ’89 F250 cab sitting on essentially tank treads. I think I win.
That. Is. Amazing.
x100. Wow.
Dang!
I’ve seen Escanaba in da Moonlight and know a few UP-ers. This may be totally normal up there, so I vote it does not count.
I think we should clarify here RE: weird.
Are we talking some rare JDM Nissan Leopard with special Cherry Blossom Limited Edition trim but has found its way to Kentucky weird?
Or are we talking some bro had a Tahoe and gave it Lambo doors and a chrome paint job?
Only the former would be in the book, but I can already tell the responses are going to get a bunch of chopped up stuff which is not OEM. Let’s clear it up before it gets out of hand.
Edit: Since these comments are not exactly click-link friendly, why not put the year, make, and model (and trim if applicable) with your Craigslist link.
Damn Corey, you called out my entry before I could even post it!
Now grace your retinas with this gorgeous 2002 Yukon Denali that appears to have opted for the “I have no idea what I’m doing” rims:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/cto/4846731297.html
DFW is a classiness gold mine.
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/4807273213.html
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/4846289974.html
(These aren’t my entries, just thought y’all might enjoy the craziness.)
Someone needs to organize a “cheap gas” rally where people drive old SUVs from somewhere to somewhere else and, at the end, either sink them in the ocean to create a reef or donate them to charity.
Great suggestions.
And, if it helps, my criteria is as follows: there is no criteria.
What’s weird to me is not necessarily interesting or strange to anyone else. I try to lean on the interesting aspects of a vehicle, sometimes its design, conception, or how it performed on the market. Sometimes, it’s even interesting to look at a vehicle in terms of where the company is today.
As was posted above: a four-door, diesel family wagon is not all that strange in terms of what it is—but a Toyota one in the U.S. that was imported from Germany must tick at least a few ‘interesting’ boxes.
https://maine.craigslist.org/cto/4860071251.html
http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/4872629298.html
You want weird? 1963 Volvo 544, and in part:
Before I purchased this 544… someone had taken out the original 4 cylinder motor and put in a 1965 a straight 6 cylinder Mustang motor. Don’t know the horse power but very strong.
they added the the 3 Carburetors…..mostly just for this Cool look. Why…we only have one hooked up….one carb. is all this little car needs. I’m not a mechanic and thought hell it does look COOL
2014 WeeCar Elena. For when you are extremely confident of your manhood. Clickbait: You won’t believe this crazy “car” has two doors!
http://m.finn.no/car/used/ad.html?finnkode=52326072&make=0.2252&sort=0&ref=fas
I can’t beat that. I’m throwing in the towel right now.
Anyway, my hometown won last night. (Of course, my other hometown lost last night.
http://m.finn.no/car/used/gallery.html?finnkode=52326072
I’m not sure that a mobility scooter counts. I mean, it’s absolutely genius and there’s no real criteria for any of it, but its slow transformation into an electric wheelchair in that gallery above kinda ruins the ‘car’ argument. :|
That said, in the photo from the front with both doors open, it’s the best “Come at me bro” pose from a car that I’ve ever seen. M!
With that relaxed attitude displayed above as a reponse to C. I assumed what is found in the “cars”-section is to be counted as a car. But I guess it is registered as a scooter, just like the odd Aixam-vehicles that this one might compete with. Worth a laugh either way. :)
I cried tears of laughter when I found this in the “other” category of my go-to classifieds site, followed by a competition-domination-mohaha. Weird looks from my wife, of course.
So you won the Superbowl either way?
It’s perfectly imperfect.
Here’s my submission:
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/4846537532.html
Hey, what is the black sedan in the background with so much glass? I’m interested in whatever that is.
Tatra T613; I wrote about a limited-run coupe prototype a while back: http://www.banovsky.com/archive/tatra-t613-gt-coupe-by-vignale
It’s a super cool car, and actually got to drive the updated T613, the T700, the last time I was in Nashville. They do a yearly rally where you make a donation and can drive a vehicle of your choice for a day—totally worth visiting in the Fall to take part in.
Thanks, it’s a very nice looking car. Clean design.
I’ve heard of Tatra before, never read much about them though. I believe they ended up making only heavy duty truck items?
But what’s just happened is I visited your site, and was interested in every single picture at the bottom, having partial info in my mind about each thing, but not full info. I may have to do some reading!
Tatra is one of those companies where you either really, really like what they did or you can’t see what all the fuss is about.
e.g. Building a four-door luxury sedan (the T700) to compete with the BMW 7 Series in the ’90s where the V8 was in the back and the luggage space was in the front…obviously insane. Great product preview video, though, complete with gratuitous headlight flashing: http://youtu.be/9ZcI6R0IBUw?t=2m26s
Don’t know for sure – looks like a W201 Mercedes to me.
Nice find. IIRC, James May drives one of those in his “Cars of the People.” Sweet little cars.
Funny, that picture was taken at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville. They have a pretty good selection of Tatras, but I wonder about someone from Indy passing that Me 109, err KR-200 off as his own.
Where in Indy do these awesome things live!?!?! How did I not know this existed?!
As a teen, I remember reading the C&D article on the Tatra. I wanted one just to be different.
delaware.craigslist.org/cto/4865984809.html
pedo-bear outfit sold separately…
http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/4873373965.html
This probably would not be eligible, because I swear it looks photoshopped to me. But, why? How much worse can whatever is behind it look?
https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/4870693534.html
How about a Honda Passport with a SOLID AXLE SWAP! Who does such a thing? If you were truly a hardcore Honda fanboy you would know the Passport is an Isuzu Rodeo. If you are a hardcore Isuzu fanboy you would likely choose a Trooper. If you love Dana 44 axles you’d likely go buy a Jeep!
Sense, this makes none. (FYI it is my favorite color too, metallic green.)
It’s like in video games that sometimes let you change the drivetrain that was originally fitted to a vehicle and you’re like, “This makes it so much better.”
Probably a pointless vehicle, but consider that the only other Honda that would come close off-road would be the Land Rover Disco-based Crossroad: http://www.hondaoldies.de/Korbmacher-Archiv/Honda/SUVs/discovery.htm
https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/4874063574.html
Or perhaps a 93 Jeep XJ Cherokee with the world’s most useless bed this side of a Subaru Baja.
https://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/4865488122.html
Wow so tasteful, much chrome, cobra badge on V6, wow.
LOL “salvaje title.”
It’s French!
Also, why is Sajeev not all over these comments?! I feel like he would love this stuff.
…with the structural rigidity of a pan-fried trout.
http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/4829900365.html
http://montana.craigslist.org/cto/4843657649.html
Not many of these in Montana
That is very cute. But not worth anywhere near $11.
With the WeeCar above deemed non-competitive I cough up this beautiful 1981 Citroën GSA:
http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object?finnkode=53701835
It is newly tech inspected, everything works, it is said to drive nicely, comes with the obvious crazy dash and it is priced at a leisurely 3200$ because everyone is scared of vintage Citroën.
Not a nomination, but when did you last see a Mazda 929 wagon? Once the second most sold car in Norway, this one even has factory plastic covers left on the rear doors:
http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object?finnkode=55512754
My god, that Mazda is such a barge.
Also, you should buy that Citroën. For science.
Agreed. And I’m a great fan of publicly funded science.
I’m really tempted to go look at that Mazda, as I live only 10miles from where it’s at. If only I didn’t have to many cars already…
http://danville.craigslist.org/cto/4852487104.html
You have to look at the interior of this 87 Camaro. My man has LCD’s in the visors (I think.)
‘da hell?!
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/4872369873.html
I have never heard of one of these much less seen one. Makes a Smart look “accommodating”.
The CT and T ezone? WHAT IS GOING ON IN ITS PROMOTIONAL VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404??!?!?!?
Whew.
It would be nice if links were functional in the comments for this article. Copying and pasting each one is tedious…
Highlight text of entire link starting with http; right click the highlighted text; select “open link in new tab.”
But yeah, the more modern comment interface will be welcomed.
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/4874102944.html
1970s Boonie Bug custom VW van
Don’t know why this thing in San Diego showed up, but I really dig it.
I’m afraid I won’t be competitive in this contest. Wichita defines the word boring.
1970 AM General Bobbed Duece
http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4874245316.html
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/cto/4842820541.html
Where the Envoy XUV failed in it’s attempt at being able to do everything, yet pulling a meme-like “how do I hold all these customer niches” level of delivery, one man saw the vision and attempted to recreate on his own. And now you can own this little nugget of technology created by who I would venture to “Backyard Edison”
A Mauck Space Bus
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/4869662363.html
Looks like it was lifted from the cover of Omni magazine in 1982. The coolest doors.
That is spectacular.
http://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/4861358943.html
Betcha won’t find one of these at the dealer:
http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/4862302852.html
Civic convertible?
http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4857935745.html
Hahahaha that intake along the top of the windshield is perfect. The car actually looks like it’s in a surprisingly good condition relative to the other modded cars posted here.
Another ‘weird’ car from Norway here. It has been for sale forever, I guess the customisations aren’t exactly to everyones tastes. Pretty rare car today in any form too, no matter where.
http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object?finnkode=54939367&searchclickthrough=true
Im going to cheat one more
http://hartford.craigslist.org/ctd/4853538541.html
http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4777908206.html
This is too cute I want it
http://littlerock.craigslist.org/cto/4860005014.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/4874305757.html
Never heard of one like this!
That looks BEASTLY.
“Rolls Royce Excaliber Stretch Limo”, anyone? Oh, excuse me, RARE Rolls Royce Excaliber Limo. Road-tested for 156,000 miles to be sure it’s ready for YOU! Classy custom ‘Tuxedo” paint whatever that means.
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/4814088278.html
HAHAHAHAH the price.
And calling it a Rolls Royce replica, which Excalibur vehicles never were. They even spelled Excalibur incorrectly.
http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/andere-andere-tempo-a400-dreirad-ausverkauf-hamburg/204943877.html
My grandparents lived a half mile away from the place where these were made. The site is used by Daimler-Benz now.
TEMPO! Fantastic find! (And I love browsing mobile.de…)
1974 Chevrolet Carpenter Cadet Bus.
“Once upon a time, this Cadet served as the Philadelphia Eagles Fan Bus and recently made its way to the West Coast after a thorough up-do.”
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/4874437203.html
That’s some simplistic bodywork.
Reminds me of a Ford Trimotor.
How about a 1 of 4 made Crosley goose-neck fire truck?
http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/cto/4872749885.html
Custom 1966 Lincoln continental lifted 4×4 http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/4871547373.html
Custom Camaro. Attractive if you REALLY like transformers.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/4843932805.html
I found a Yugo, do I win?
http://allentown.craigslist.org/cto/4871829874.html
Suzuki X-90 4×4 in Metro Detroit of all places.
Link: http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/4871250870.html
You could sure test that 4×4 today with 16.7 inches of snow!
My entry: an amphibious 4×4… a Terra-Jet 453e
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/ottawa/terra-jet-for-sale-or-trade/1043064060?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
The official Terra-Jet site is at TERRA-JET.com.
I would have preferred this brown manual wagon, like this ad for a 1999 Saturn L-Series Familiale (Familiale is French for wagon), but all the photos show an S-series sedan…
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/ottawa/1999-saturn-l-series-familiale/1048753647?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
If you need a vehicle for the zombie apocalypse, North Georgia has one for you.
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/for/4838532402.html
Not the weirdest car that I’ve seen around here, but the weirdest that’s for sale at the moment: http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ctd/4837375678.html
Seemed easy, but it wasn’t.
Gumtree never has a shortage of them, so although not exactly craiglist/kijiji, is a close equivalent. Ads sometimes are lots of fun.
I didn’t bother with other states because 299 miles is a barely a supermarket run here.
I submit this AlfaSud: http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/chadstone/cars-vans-utes/1982-alfa-romeo-alfasud-sedan/1067775472
Runner ups,
Leyland P76 anyone? http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bayswater/cars-vans-utes/1973-leyland-p76-sedan/1065063828
Are weird SUVs more your thing?
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-cars-vans-utes/vic/carmake-ssangyong/c18320l3008844
I’m really liking that Leyland. Is it English-y? Kinda. Is it American? Sort of. Does it look like it was built by people who didn’t know what they were doing? Yep. Is it huge? Yaaaas.
You’d have won if the P76 was your submission. :|
:\'(
It was my submission before I decided to look for the AlfaSud :(
Yes an English interpretation of a 1970’s US car. Only sold in Australia, with a 2.6 litre six and a 4.4 litre V8 , they had a sports version, the Forc 7 that never saw the light of day. It was a Coupe . The car won a London to Sydney Marathon with late Even Green a Journalist driving. Build quality on par with US cars of the 1970’s, but it had too many problems initially, that and the fact it came from British Leyland did not augur well for it.’s survival
You could add the Ford Falcon FPV Ute killed by price but very useful
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a186/RobRyan7/imagejpg2_zpsb9c35812.jpg
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/rvs/4853235783.html
I don’t think I can win, but my entry is this Mercedes 811d, because it is fractally weird:
-how did an 811d get to Vancouver?
-why is it a motorhome?
-why does this motorhome have its toilet in the shower stall?
-why does it have 16 spotlights on the front?
-why are there 4 more spotlights facing rear?
-why does it appear in the background of photos of a G-wagen motorhome for sale in a separate listing?
-why do I want it so badly?
This boogie van is NOT my entry, but I’m sharing it because it’s unusually good: Trek-themed nsfw art that makes no sense I can see:
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/cto/4873367721.html
My favourite part is the fake California plate and the Euro plate still on the front of the van.
’59 Morris Minor on mags. It’s the weirdest I could find in Oklahoma…
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/4853957480.html
unless you want an International Harvester firetruck…
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/4875044609.html
or an ex-Air Force flightline van turned into a camper.
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/4835909041.html
I think our craigslist is less interesting-weird and more redneck-weird.
Why WOULDN’T I want an old 4×4 IH firetruck? That’s awesome!
The only thing more awesome would be one of those rare ones made by a company that starts with B. Bruco or something like that.
http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/b/brumbaugh/brumbaugh.htm
Here’s a great article all about Brumbaugh/Bruco with lots of pictures of their cool fire truck bodies! Hell, that IH firetruck could very well have a Bruco body on it.
Redneck-weird is fine. I’m lucky if I can dig a trench let alone mate some sort of English car to Oklahoma-spec engine, chassis, and mags…
What do I win?
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/ctd/4874465868.html
You win the derision of AM General, who doesn’t want these things driven by civilians…
…which cranks up the volume to 11, IMO.
Or here is another winner!
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/cto/4860658615.html
This is a bit different:
http://lakeland.craigslist.org/cto/4846754798.html
I thought the deadline was today, so I missed it. :(
But here was my submission. A 1981 AMC Spirit, custom built for the IMSA race circuit and raced by Chris Cord. Then used in SCCA after that. A weird thing if there ever was one. Built by AMC legitimately, but never actually titled.
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/4852840763.html
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/4853645943.html
The most archaic, obsolet, ugly and slow that I found in Craigslist Fl.