One to drive - one to look at - and one to work on. Your ideal 3 car fleet?

[Mr Pastry]

The "Are you proud of your Motoring History" thread reminded me of the saying in Vintage circles - "One to drive,  one to work on,  one to look at."  Which makes a bit of sense, because that is quite enough of a headache for most  folks.

So, if you could only have 3 vehicles, what would be your ideal all-purpose fleet, and why?  With photos, so we know what you are talking about. 

A few rules-

1. They must all be different makes, but badge engineering is allowed, so they can all be BMC or General Motors if you like.

2.  Autoshite maths applies -  Just 3 is tricky, so let's say 3=5 and you can have a couple of reserves - cars you are dreaming of, or haven't told the Mrs about, etc.

3.  A maximum of one Inv**r, if you so wish.   There might* be somebody who would choose 5 different ones, but that's not really trying.

Here's mine to start with.  

I'd have a Lotus Climax Elite, a Lancia Fulvia GTE sedan, and a 2CV.  And in reserve, I think a chap should have a Bentley Mk 6 and a Fordson tractor.  That covers most of life's requirements.  They are all old things because that is what I like,  but it would be interesting to see your choice of moderns. 

[Shep Shepherd]

To drive: Volvo 740 estate.

To look at: NSU Ro80.

To work on: a 'project car' version of either of the above.

In reserve: Ford Granada mark 2 estate and Citroen CX GTi Turbo.

[Landy Mann]

Too drive Volvo XC70 D5 manual

Too work on early land rover defender

Too look at Rover R3 214si in turquoise

All cars I currently or have previously owned and the two non LR models are much more interesting than the pair of silver fords I run these days.

[Asimo]

One to drive - Sportomatic, must be L.H. Drive.

 

One to look at.  A 1970, first year of the 500 cubic inch engine. Gold with beige Duplex cloth and brown carpet.

 

And my project. An injected manual. With the optional fibreglass wheels.

 

[Mr Laurence]

I always love doing these Sort of things!

(I’m assuming that rarity and money are both no object?)

To drive: I found this one the hardest, but probably an E30 BMW 325i

To look at: Lamborghini Miura 

To work on: Mk1 Mini Cooper S

 

And then in Reserve, a Mazda RX7 FD and for when everything else is broken, an 80 Series Land Cruiser

[eddyramrod]

My current trio almost fulfils the requirements!  However, I would choose Huggy both for looking at (in his original form, without blemishes) and for driving, and the Suzuki barely registers at all, being a dreary modern.

So, let's refresh the fleet.  To work on: 1960s Austin A40, because I don't want to have to do much and I want it to be pretty simple when I do!  To drive: 1980s Volvo 740, injected automatic with velour seats.  To look at: 1959 Buick Electra 4 door Hardtop.  In reserve, 1988 Leyland Roadrunner, perhaps with a beavertail so it could carry any of the others that may need it!

[HMC]

Drive- Dauer 962

Work on- rolls silver ghost

 

Look at- Ferrari 250 Pininfarina cabrio

[New POD]

Daily driver. 

Holden v8 Maloo Ute 

Car to look at 

3 door whale tail cosworth. 

Car to work on 

FIAT 126. 

[Shite Ron]

Different makes makes it more interesting as otherwise it would be all Cortina’s and Granada’s for me.

The best daily driver all purpose vehicle I have is:

Although a 2.0 is a better car, this 2.3 estate took me on many great trips including Italy, Holland and Le Mans in the first year of ownership  adding 16,000 to the 175,000 plus it had already done, also a 4,000 mile round trip in two weeks for a holiday to Gibraltar two years later all in great comfort at a decent speed and was used daily for work, tip runs etc.

No 2  I have not yet owned so maybe to look at:

One to work on, these have really grown on me recently:

or as you said possibly more than 3, this is definitely one for working on and also interesting

 

Edited to add the fifth:

[bezzabsa]

Hmmmmmmmm

Drive - Range Rover classic Softdash 4.0V8 with LPG, in coniston green with Tobacco interior..

Look at.....Series 1 Land rover

Work on...Series 2 Land rover 88"

 

back ups..

Rover SD1 Vitesse, either to drive or look at!!

Cortina Mk4 2.0 S to work on

OR

MK2 RS2000

[Dannyk]

Drive

Look at

work on

I'm pretty easily pleased. 

 

[Matty]

I reckon shortly I'll have cracked it.

To drive 

to look at

and shortly a ropey z4 coupe to work on. Opinions on this may differ but it took 20 year or so to get to this point so I'm happy 😜

[hairnet]

drive - if they made an estate zoe - mg5 would be good

look at - difficult one 350gt lamborghini or 46 ford convertible

tinker with - citroen bijou

reserves

toyota iq

38 tatra

the mazda james may drove in the micro car japan episode of cars of the peeple

[DSdriver]

Citroen DS, Bentley Continental series 1, Austin 7 = Comfort, style and simplicity

[Grumblespeed]

To drive:

Early '90s Rover 214 GSi 3 door in racing green - 'cos that's what I wanted when I was 17. Also because I had a 5 dr 214 SLI which I only had for a couple of months before rolling it over several times and walking away unhurt so unfinished business.

To work on:

Always a Panda, FIRE engine.

To look at:

90's Alfa GTV.

 

No good specifying a spare, it's another Panda - they get lonely😉

[Mr Pastry]

Some great and thoughtful selections so far, and it is just as interesting to see what you haven't chosen.  Keep them coming! 

[DSdriver]

3 hours ago, HMC said:

Drive- Dauer 962

Work on- rolls silver ghost

 

Look at- Ferrari 250 Pininfarina cabrio

The 250 GT 2+2  nearly made it onto my list

[tommotech]

This gets you thinking doesn’t it, here’s my current list which will probably be different if were to do this again tomorrow. 
 

To drive, my Peugeot 205 GTi, I’ve had it 20 years now and love it.   
To look at, an Austin Healey 3000 (E Type came close but makes reserve).  
To work on, 1968 Mini Cooper 998 (current long term project car of 16 yrs). 

Audi Quattro Coupe made it close as the driver, so there’s my list ~ subject to change obviously.

 

 

[hairnet]

obvs @Conan @PhilA @STUNO for a non english view

 

[808 Estate]

Sensible car - Land Cruiser Amazon

 

Drivers Car - E28 Alpina

 

Object of lust - Ferrari 330 P4

 

Something leftfield for spannering and hitting with large hammer - Ural 4320 Camper

[big_al_granvia]

to drive, volvo xc90

to look at, ford capri 280 brooklands

to spanner irvine built volvo f12

spare car 04 honda civic type r

[OM646]

To drive:

To look at:

To work on:

[Eyersey1234]

To drive I'd be quite happy with my Mk2 Focus, to look at I'd say a 60s Jaguar S Type and to work on a Mini Cooper, a proper one not a BINI

[vulgalour]

Driver - Citroen BX.  Of all the cars I've experienced, these are the most relaxing to actually drive and longer distances are dispatched with ease.  Money no object, and someone else to do the maintenance/welding, I could happily drive a BX every day.

Work On - Maestro.  So far at least, it's been one of the least stressful cars to actually do things on.  Anything I've needed to get to has been easy to access and pretty ordinary, even on the interior, so there's very little stress which means tinker time is much more enjoyable as a result.

Look At - I bet you thought I was going to say the Princess.  I do like looking at it, but no, if I could have anything at all it would be something far more ostentatious where the practicalies of driving it and working on it need not be considered.  No, I'd go for a Delahaye 135 of some description in a lurid 30s colour scheme, like this black-over-pink number.  I can't pick just one, there's so many  coachbuilt variations of the 135 that I like, they've got that ostentatious 30s style that makes them just ridiculous enough to be appealing to me.

 

[Agila]

Drive Porsche 959

Look at 1968 alfa romeo tipo 33 stradale.

Work on Vectra C 1.8 (no really) cheap and easy.

[Sham]

To drive - have to say that I'm more than happy with my 2010 Octavia. It does everything well. Practical estate, quick enough, handles well, much economy and is bloody comfy. Should also be dependable.

To look at, Ferrari 250 GTO - I mean, c'mon, simply stunning to look at.

To work on? Probably a 60's or 70's British car... A Herald probably, as a kid I loved helping my Dad (RIP) work on my Mum's before it dissolved.

[artdjones]

Drive

Look at

Work on

 

 

[STUNO]

To drive..........Holden Grange,   Big, very comfy, Handles and 6 litres fast.

 

To look at (and drive)...........Aston Martin Rapide.  Because I lust and a useable 5 door hatch with almost Ford mechanicals.

 

 

And to fix (and drive daily)..........Holden (Viva based) Torana 2850 six...... Because simple and now rare.

 

 

And lots more  that I would like !

 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

To drive everyday

560 obviously.

To look at, because I wouldn’t fit anyway

To work on, must be simple and not rusty , got to be an Aussie import S1

 

The reserve fleet must have something I can do some rallies and historic Millie Miglias etc

A do everything vehicle

Oh and a little Merc soft top for the Mrs

[NorfolkNWeigh]

On 1/30/2021 at 10:20 PM, HMC said:

Drive- Dauer 962

Work on- rolls silver ghost

 

Look at- Ferrari 250 Pininfarina cabrio

Seeing Alan Clark there, reminded me that in his column in Car, one month, him singing the praises of the one car he’d definitely keep if he had to thin his amazing and eclectic fleet...

A Tdi Discovery!  He reckoned he could get from his Kent Castle to his 25,000 acres of The Scottish Highland’s , quicker in his Disco than any other car including his modern Continental R. Basically because he could drive flat out in a laden Discovery and make half as many fuel stops than in ( probably also flat out) his Bentley .