Carving Nostalgia

I have a long standing love of old cars, these tend to be German and Swedish in origin, and are models that were produced in the 70's and 80's.  This is my main focus, but I also have a veering towards French, Italian and some Japanease models from the same era, as well as American models from as far back as the 40's. In short, I am in to older cars. With the exception of the Porsche 911, which in my opinion is a true design icon, I am not a massive fan of sports cars or high end marques that reek of yuppiedom.  My favourites tend to be everyday cars that were once common place, with the emphasis on small hatchbacks, and the Mark one Golf being my all time number one choice. It has been a long standing wish of mine to own a truly original, box fresh example of a latter day classic of my own.  But while I have got as far as to look at a couple of affordable ones that I have come across, something always puts me off, so to date I have never fulfilled my wish, ...

There are certain vehicles that lend themselves to rust really well.  I am not talking rot, let's make that clear, but rather that sun induced surface rust that you get on the upward facing surfaces of vehicles that reside in dry, sunny places such as Southern California, or the Mediterranean.   Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe, aka the American Pickers would undoubtedly refer to this as being 'patina', and covert items that have clearly been used and show the signs of wear associated with a lifetime of service, out in the elements.  Many would argue that this level of deterioration detracts from the aesthetic of the car, van or truck, but I am of the opinion that it demonstrated a level of authenticity that should be preserved, rather than restored.  Don't get me wrong, I love shiny paintwork, but sometimes general wear and tear and that sun scorched look that you know has come about over several years worth of sunshine can tell so many stories about tha...