Help Me Pick an Impractical & Insane Daily Driver to Write About

Kinja'd!!! "chilidog" (chilidog)
12/18/2013 at 10:08 • Filed to: None

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I've always been blissfully satisfied with the experiences I imagine come with owning an unconventional daily driver.

I have a deep appreciation for the series of articles Doug Demuro wrote about his CTS-V wagon. They were always well written and continuously kept everyone well informed about what was going on.

But the CTS-V wagon is a practical vehicle.

I want something insane, something impractical and unconventional. I want a car that when I announce "Hey, Jalopnik, this is the car that I'm going to be driving for the next 6 months," the response is "you're crazy".

What I want to know is this: what unconventional daily driver do you want me to purchase and write about for the next six months?

Here are a few I've already considered:

1st-gen Dodge Viper

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Lotus Esprit

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Unimog/M35A2/Hummer H1

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Factory Five/Superformance Shelby Cobra

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Ferrari F355

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Here are my guidelines:

1. It must be something you would be interested in reading about.

2. Bonus points if it's a Lotus

3. Must not be a hearse

4. It must be something you would be interested in reading about.

Go.


DISCUSSION (45)


Kinja'd!!! Goshen, formerly Darkcode > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:12

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Out of the ones you mentioned it'd arguably be the Cobra replica.


Kinja'd!!! Tom McParland > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:12

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Unimog!


Kinja'd!!! Brian Silvestro > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:13

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Any Lotus!

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4C? Really any Alfa.

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Any Caterham

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Kinja'd!!! Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:13

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I'd say a Corvair, but they're totally practical. So I'll say a V8 Vair.


Kinja'd!!! quirt > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:17

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Ferrari 400i

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Kinja'd!!! Biased Plies > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:18

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Esprit, especially in that blue. I would love to read stories of talks with Police officers ending in fishing trips instead of speeding tickets.


Kinja'd!!! Casper > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:18

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Lotus? I thought it had to be driveable. I kid... mostly. I honestly don't know because I would DD all of those without thinking it was weird. Heck, I DD'd my over 14.1 compression stripped race Z for over 6 months just because someone said it was pointless to have a track only car. Granted, having to fill with leaded fuel at a tiny Podunk airport was annoying, but the rest of the time I had a blast.

A car I have been thinking about buying/building that I am quite unsure if it can be DD'd or not is an Ultima GTR kit. I know someone who drives one in Phoenix regularly, but it would be interesting to see someone try to DD one somewhere that wasn't completely flat. This is something on my short list to be my next project.

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Kinja'd!!! MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:21

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How about a mindblower - Rossion Q1. No one ever thinks of them, kick ass car.

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Kinja'd!!! offroadkarter > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:22

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Bright orange Lotus Espirit turbo V8

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Kinja'd!!! ihm96 > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:22

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If your gonna get a cobra it absolutely has to be a daytona coupe. They're so much cooler and they won lemans


Kinja'd!!! SpeedSix > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:23

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Jensen Interceptor


Kinja'd!!! jariten1781 > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:27

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Ural Patrol

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Kinja'd!!! SpeedSix > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:33

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Packard Custom Eight Victoria, as featured in Back to the Future.


Kinja'd!!! quarterlifecrisis > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:40

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I think going off of what you've listed...the F355, a Lotus, or the Viper would be the most interesting, namely due to their fickle nature. Plus it'd be interesting to see how they hold up to DD duty.


Kinja'd!!! Bruno Martini > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:49

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Viper for me. The rest is meh, and if your a masochist you could dd the ferrari, but depending on the $$ you have you could be in the poor house in 3 months, not 6.....


Kinja'd!!! jsmizira > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 10:52

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rolls royce? http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/4240506753…


Kinja'd!!! DatASSun > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 11:21

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heres mine .. impractical as can be .. only 2 seats . takes forever to warm up .. its loud as fuck .. makes no power under 3500rpm .. and I love love love it .. I would love to hear about your 6 months in a 280z ..


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > SpeedSix
12/18/2013 at 12:23

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Thought about doing something like this. Would feel kinda bad doing it though. Hard to put it into words why. Maybe it's because it's just so...nice?


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
12/18/2013 at 12:23

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This was also on the list. I've only seen one in real life.


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > jariten1781
12/18/2013 at 12:25

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I thought about this as well. The first bike I ever drove was a Ural with a sidecar. I thought it was grand. The downside to this is highway speeds. It's my understanding that without re-gearing the bike, it would be difficult to use on the freeway.

That being said, I have a BMW with a sidecar on my eBay watchlist right now. And I think that would be a hoot to do for the next 6 months. The sidecar was very roomy, which I'm sure would make errands almost just as easy.


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > Brian Silvestro
12/18/2013 at 12:27

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So right now as far as Lotus goes, I'm thinking about either the Esprit or Europa.

However, I think a Caterham would be incredible to DD. I may make a call and see what the wait time is. I remember a few months ago where the wait time for a new Morgan 3-Wheeler was 6+ months after purchase.


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > DatASSun
12/18/2013 at 12:28

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I've looked at a 240z. I consider it an essential Japanese car. I don't know if it's impractical enough though


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > quirt
12/18/2013 at 12:28

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Why not a 308, 328, or 355?


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > Tom McParland
12/18/2013 at 12:29

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Still a possibility. Last I checked there was one close to me.


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > offroadkarter
12/18/2013 at 12:29

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Seems like people would be interested in an Esprit


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > SpeedSix
12/18/2013 at 12:31

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There's a couple on eBay right now. I'd prefer something with a manual, though.


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
12/18/2013 at 12:33

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I think the cobra would be nuts to drive on a daily basis. Especially in the rain.


Kinja'd!!! offroadkarter > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 12:35

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that wasn't even close to being at the pinnacle of unique cars at that event, a heffner twin turbo ford GT was just a stones throw away, as well as a R34 GT-R, a BMW M1, a Lamborghini Miura and a Mercedes 600 Grosser.


That car was beautiful though

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Kinja'd!!! chilidog > Bruno Martini
12/18/2013 at 12:35

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I remember the F355 I rode in only worked part of the time. Gas gauge would take a while to come up, etc. etc. I think it would be interesting to write about just because of that. But also to help people better understand the true cost of owning an F355.

Everyone says that the 1st Gen Viper is scary to drive. And it seems like every boy had a poster of one on their wall. I sure didn't. I never really understood the appeal of the Viper. Maybe DDing one for 6 months would help me better appreciate and better respect the car.


Kinja'd!!! chilidog > offroadkarter
12/18/2013 at 12:37

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Insane. What a wonderful experience.


Kinja'd!!! jariten1781 > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 12:38

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Yeah, from what I've heard they're happy to cruise at 55, but above that they turn to high and have massive oil consumption. So if you've got a lot of freeway, that's probably not a great plan (though it'd give you a chance to explore some different routes).

The 2014s are majorly updated including fuel injection, disk brakes, and other things so I don't know if they'd be a more capable interstate cruiser.

Any sidecar would be a fun read, I hope you do it.


Kinja'd!!! offroadkarter > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 12:43

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it was, quite a few people from oppo showed up

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/caffeine-and-c…

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Kinja'd!!! Brian Silvestro > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 13:26

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Dude if you DD a 3-wheeler you'll be my hero. Same with a Caterham. I've always wondered how to acquire them in the states.


Kinja'd!!! SCR - The Soup Of The Day is Bread > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 13:26

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A blue twin-turbo Esprit would be hilarious, if only because of the Jalopnik lore associated with such a vehicle


Kinja'd!!! MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 13:28

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Hard to find, I've never seen one in real life either. Love em though.

Also because twin turbo version of my 3.0 V6. Because why go with a V8?


Kinja'd!!! Bruno Martini > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 14:44

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DDing a first gen viper is kind of like having a pet panther. If you properly tame it, it will be rewarding. If not, your dead... Just saying.


Kinja'd!!! quirt > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 14:49

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Good question, why not? Any Ferrari I think everyone would love to read about. I love the 400i personally, so I suggested it. And they can be had on the cheap.


Kinja'd!!! Goshen, formerly Darkcode > ihm96
12/18/2013 at 15:07

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The Daytonas won the World Sports Car Championship, not Le Mans.


Kinja'd!!! TwoFortified > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 15:23

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Don't do the H1. My dad had one about 5 years ago, and dailied it for a couple years. No real problems to speak of, and wouldn't have made for very interesting reading material...

...aside from a couple subtle mindset changes on his part regarding medians, sidewalks, and most embankments....

Ah, just go with the Esprit. That sounds fun. I'd read it.


Kinja'd!!! ihm96 > Goshen, formerly Darkcode
12/18/2013 at 16:12

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By winning Le Mans I mean their class at Le Mans, not the overall class, although I could be wrong. Either way, they're awesome


Kinja'd!!! cbell04 > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 16:28

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Rally Fighter could be interesting. (But Lotus)

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Kinja'd!!! chilidog > cbell04
12/18/2013 at 17:09

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It would be cool (but Lotus)


Kinja'd!!! 911e46z06 > chilidog
12/18/2013 at 21:16

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E9 please

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Kinja'd!!! carrnut > chilidog
12/19/2013 at 00:43

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355 please! prices have seemed to level out (have seen decent ones for 40-50 in my area) and I know that I am not the only one who reads the craigslist ads and thinks....hmmm should I?


Kinja'd!!! TractorPillow > chilidog
12/27/2014 at 17:02

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Don't do an Elise - it's pretty easy (I daily drove one for 6-8 months). I think Caterham would be really awesome though!