Chrysler New Yorker St. Regis, Bimota YB9 Bellaria, Volvo V60 Polestar: Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness

Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, I love picking up dirt-cheap cars, motorcycles, and campers, then telling you lovely readers about the dumb things that I do with them. I’m always looking for the next deal, but most of the time, I’m left empty-handed. At the same time, I love building a list of cars, trucks, and motorcycles that I would buy if I had the money.

Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness turns the long lists of vehicles I’d love to buy into something for you all to enjoy. Some of them are cheap and some of them are not. Some of the vehicles I find are purely window shopping for everyone other than a collector like Beau or Myron.

This week, we have a pair of rare motorcycles with two wildly different purposes, some classic American cruisers, a silly souped-up economy car and why not, even a commercial truck cosplaying as a pickup.

Here’s what I’m looking at this week!

1951 Cadillac Series 62 – $15,000

Here’s a classic Cadillac that could be acquired for not a ton of cash. As Hagerty writes, in 1948, Cadillac released its first all-new post-World War II designs with the Series 61 and Series 62. The new cars rode on shorter wheelbases and the highlight design trait was a pair of tailfins housing the vehicle’s taillights. Fins would go on to become a defining trait of Cadillacs for the next 30 years.

The Series 62 would receive a redesign in 1950 that saw the vehicle taking on a longer and lower stance. In addition to those changes, the vehicle’s sheet metal earned graceful curves, faux air intakes on the rear quarters, and a single-piece curved windshield. A year later, the Series 62 got even more chrome.

At least visually, this Series 62 appears to present in decent shape. Pictures in the listing show a straight and pretty clean body. Sadly, there are no undercarriage photos included. The seller says the vehicle runs and drives great. Power comes from a 331 cubic inch V8 rated at 160 HP, reaching the rear wheels through a Hydra-matic automatic.

It’s $15,000 from the seller in Smithfield, Rhode Island with 36,000 miles.

1950 Mercedes-Benz 170S A Convertible – Inquire

Here’s a stately classic Benz. The selling dealership wants you to request the price, but I’ll try to give you an idea of what these are worth. According to recent auction data, the most expensive Mercedes-Benz 170S A Cabriolet went for $257,600 while the cheapest was $53,000. Why do people pay a lot for these? I’ll let Mercedes-Benz explain:

With the [1949] 170 S, Daimler-Benz for the first time after the war introduced another top class model. The new car was presented to the public together with the 170 D in May 1949 at the technical export fair in Hannover. Like the 170 D, the new flagship of the passenger car programme was not purely a post-war construction; conceptually and stylistically the 170 S was based on the pre-war model 230 (W 153). Compared to the 170 V, the 170 S boasted a more powerful engine, an improved front axle as well as a more spacious body. Apart from the saloon, Daimler-Benz also offered a two-seated Convertible A and a four-seated Convertible B. In its day the Convertible A was considered a luxury car which satisfied the highest demands and rounded off the production programme at its upper end.

After production of the two convertibles had been phased out as early as November 1951, the 170 Sb was only available as a saloon.

 

Luxuries in these cars included a synchronized four-speed transmission, a radio, leather, and a wood-trimmed dashboard. According to the selling dealership, this example has been in the same family since the 1970s. It’s an older restoration, but the restoration has held up thanks to reportedly good care. The vehicle presents with 32,126 miles on the odometer. Inquire about the vehicle from Classicmobilia Limited in the UK.

2009 Dodge Caliber SRT4 – $8,500

The Dodge Caliber may leave a sour taste in the mouths of car enthusiasts, but there’s one version of it that keeps me curious. Launched in early 2006, the Dodge Caliber was the marque’s replacement for the beloved Neon. Unlike the Neon, the Caliber was given an SUV-like design. From Stellantis:

The new Dodge Caliber is hitting the streets at a perfect time, as many vehicle buyers are switching to smaller vehicles that have the interior spaciousness, functionality and flexibility of sport-utility vehicles, all at a great value.Caliber offers all of these features, as well as distinctive Dodge styling.

“Consumers want the most car they can get for their money,” said Stephane Labous, Director – International Marketing and Communications. “They want an affordable car that is attractive, fuel efficient, durable and fits theiractive lifestyle. With its unique bold styling, flexible interior, innovative features and affordable price, Dodge Caliber fits the bill perfectly,” said Labous.

Dodge tried to ram the point home with a marketing campaign touting the hatch as “it’s anything but cute.” I’m not sure that worked; I got to drive a new 2008 Caliber as a teenager and I thought it was adorable. I still do think they’re adorable. What I didn’t like was the Caliber’s Jatco CVT, which to this day reminds me of the kinds of CVTs you get in cheap scooters.

There’s a way to fix it, and it’s with the Caliber SRT4. Packed under the hood is a 2.4-liter turbo four making 285 HP and 265 lb-ft torque, and it’s punishing the front tires with help from a manual transmission. Yep, that’s nearly 300 horses in Dodge’s maligned economy car!

Now, don’t think this is a track special. Car and Driver noted heavy body roll, wallowing in cornering, and torque steer. Apparently, at 5.9 seconds to 60 mph, it was also slightly slower than a Neon SRT-4. Look, I see this thing as a silly sort of wagon that does nothing but convert your hard-earned money into smoke.

This Caliber SRT4 is somehow stock, save for the addition of a sunroof. Its owners have seemingly lovingly cared for the vehicle and aside from a couple of cosmetic issues, the car looks great. It’s $8,500 in Royal Oak, Michigan with 88,000 miles.

1994 Bimota YB9 Bellaria – $12,536

Bimota has long been a quirky name in the motorcycle industry. Founded in Italy in 1966 by Giuseppe Morri, Massimo Tamburini, and Valerio Bianchi, the three men were friends and partners in an HVAC business and avid motorcyclists. The name Bimota comes from the first two letters of each of their last names combined together.

Tamburini reportedly crashed his Honda CB750 Four at a race in 1972. Coming home beaten up with broken ribs, he came to the conclusion that Honda’s frame couldn’t handle the power. He built a new frame for the powertrain, cutting the CB750’s weight by 110 pounds. This motorcycle, called the HB1, planted the seeds for Bimota’s future, and in 1973, Bimota opened its first motorcycle factory.

Bimota grew from a supplier of parts to building innovative motorcycles like the Tesi, with its novel hub-center steering system. As Cycle World Magazine notes, through much of Bimota’s history, it made motorcycles with a single seat and at best, an extra pad for a passenger. They were the motorcycle equivalent of a sports car with entirely unusable rear seats. In 1990, Bimota changed that by creating the YB9 Bellaria, its first true two-seat motorcycle.

 

According to Cycle World Magazine, Bellaria is also its Bimota’s first motorcycle to get a real name. Bellaria (which roughly translates to “fresh air”) is a reference to the beach of the same name near Bimota’s factory near Rimini. The Bellaria also departed from Bimota’s norms with a two-tone design. We’re still not done yet, as the Bellaria also targeted a different kind of rider. Bimota was known for its track weapons, but this motorcycle was designed to be closer to a tourer. Power comes from a Yamaha FZR600 599cc inline-four and it’s making 83 HP at the wheel and the motorcycle reportedly handled well.

Apparently, Bimota made just 145 of these, meaning few riders ever saw one. Now’s your chance to experience a finely crafted Italian machine. You can snag it from Ruote Da Sogno s.r.l. in Italy for the equivalent of $12,536.

2002 International 4700 – $28,000

 

Earlier this week, I wrote about a few examples of a time when you could buy a commercial truck with a pickup bed directly from the truck’s manufacturer. Of course, the trucks from that article were crazy expensive. If you’re looking for a truck with the same concept, but both a lot less luxurious and a lot cheaper, look for a custom build.

This pickup started life as an International 4700. Launched in 1990, the 4000 series trucks replaced its S-series predecessor. These new trucks saw a slight redesign in the form of a new, more aerodynamic hood and new interior. The 4000 series trucks are Class 5 through 7 trucks and were available with single and tandem rear axles as well as various drive configurations.

This 2002 International 4700 is a final year model before the 4000 series was replaced by the DuraStar. Power comes from a 7.6-liter DT466E straight-six turbodiesel making 230 HP and 660 lb-ft torque. That’s backed by a seven-speed Eaton manual transmission. The bed comes from a Ram 3500, the side boxes come from a Peterbilt, and the interior got a slight makeover with a different bench seat, a custom steering wheel, and a custom stereo.

It’s $28,000 from the seller in Granby, Missouri.

2015 Volvo V60 Polestar – $34,000

This Volvo caught my attention with its bright blue and white wheels, then reeled me in with its 5-second 60 mph acceleration time.

In 2013, Volvo unveiled a new high-performance V60. Polestar engineers took the V60 R-Design and made more than 50 changes to hot-rod the Swedish wagon. Those changes include Öhlins Dual Flow Valve shocks, Eibach coilovers, stiffer bushings, stiffer mounts, a carbon fiber front strut bar, Brembo brakes, stiffer anti-roll bars, and more.

Under the hood is a turbocharged inline-six making 345 HP and 369 lb-ft torque. That punches power to all four wheels through an automatic transmission. This example has remained stock, save for an exhaust valve controller and the wheels. The car’s stock wheels come in the sale mounted to a set of snow tires. It’s a fairly rare vehicle with roughly a few hundred making it over stateside with this engine.

MotorTrend‘s review stated “The New STI Wagon is Swedish,” and noted how the V60 Polestar’s performance numbers were pretty close to a Subaru SRX STI, but not as fun. The review concludes by saying the V60 Polestar is the wagon for someone who owns a dying STI wagon, or perhaps someone who wants an STI but doesn’t care for the “boy racer” looks.

This one is $34,000 from the seller in Dimondale, Michigan with 93,500 miles.

1955 Chrysler New Yorker St. Regis – $29,500

The Chrysler New Yorker enjoyed a long run. First introduced in 1938 as the New York Special before becoming the New Yorker in 1939, Chrysler kept the name alive in some way until 1996. As Hemmings writes, K.T. Keller was at the helm of Chrysler and the climate wasn’t great. The Airflow, despite its forward-thinking, was a sales flop. One series launched in response was the C-23, which matched the Imperial with its 125-inch wheelbase. These early cars were a sub-model of the Imperial and shared components with the Imperial. Some highlight features include a six-volt electrical system, illuminated speedometer, powered clock, and hydraulic brakes.

1955 was a transition year for Chrysler. The K.T. Keller designs were out and were replaced in favor of fresh designs from Virgil Exner reportedly dubbed the “Million Dollar Look.” Out of the other end were vehicles with luxurious looks. This was also the year that Imperial was launched as its own brand within Chrysler.

At the top of the New Yorker line was the St. Regis, a name reserved for hardtop two-tone cars. The seller of today’s St. Regis states that the car runs and drives well. Under the hood is a 331 cubic inch Hemi V8 rated at 250 HP. The seller says this car may have been owned by the musical duo Carpenters, but they’re awaiting documentation from the DMV. Regardless of who owned it, this car looks rather stellar.

It’s $29,500 from the seller in Dallas, Oregon, with 44,000 miles.

1982 Honda MB5 – $3,700

Here’s a baby Honda that was sold for just a single year in America. Similar to the European market MB50 that was sold between 1979 and 1988, the MB5 sported a 49.5cc reed-valve 2-stroke that produced seven ravenous horses. Despite the morsel of power, Honda gave the MB5 equipment and a design matching that of a full-size motorcycle. You get a functional dashboard, a tachometer, speedometer, and a presence that feels more substantial. It reportedly impressed Cycle World, who felt the machine didn’t feel like a toy, unlike the other 50cc-class bikes out there back then.

This MB5 looks a bit cooler than usual thanks to its Pichler fairing. It also has a Corbin-style seat and a 70cc big bore kit. Stock, top speed was about 53 mph. It’s unclear how fast this modified one can go. It’s $3,700 from the seller in Marietta, Georgia, with 2,339 miles.

1958 Buick Special – $66,500

1958 was an interesting year at Buick. The brand advertised aircraft-inspired designs and layered on a blinding amount of chrome. As automotive historian Robert Tate writes, America’s automakers enjoyed a post-World War II boom in sales, only to see the brakes pumped on the economy come 1958. The year also saw legendary designer Harley Earl retire. New styling would arrive in 1959, but the 1958 models were pretty impressive. Buick’s lineup, which was all full-size in 1958, featured chrome and stainless steel trim from bow to stern. Oh, and that grille? You’re looking at 160 chrome squares that reportedly made front-end repairs rather difficult.

This 1958 Buick Special has been restored and is noted to have power steering, power brakes, a power top, and a Continental kit. Some original parts were spared in the restoration like the radio. Power comes from a 364 cubic inch V8 rated at 250 HP. It’s $66,500 or best offer from the seller in Strathmore, Alberta with 92,117 miles.

That’s it for this week! Thank you for reading.

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