In the present day’s Good Value or No Cube FreeWay is a forward-looking single-seat commuter automotive from the late Seventies. It needed to be forward-looking as a result of these automobiles lack a reverse gear. Let’s examine if this one’s worth means there isn’t any going again on its buy.
Let’s give it up for the Mazda Miata. For greater than three a long time, the little Japanese roadster has served because the immutable reply to just about each query in relation to what to drive. It is a automotive that transcends the standard proprietor stereotypes and is enjoyable for all ages.
Not solely that, but it surely’s reasonably priced too. The 2001 Mazda myata that arrived on our docket yesterday got here in at a mama bear-nice $6,900. Showing general to be in excellent situation regardless of having a hefty 180,000 miles on the clock, that Miata proved a winner at that worth for many of you, ending up with a stable 78% Good Value win.
Yesterday’s Miata might have had near-universal enchantment and unflappable dynamics, however how about at this time we take a look at one thing that is on the opposite finish of the spectrum?
It is OPEC’s fault
In David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s DUNE, the dangerous man, Vladimir Harkonnen, postulates that “He who controls the spice controls the universe.” A decade earlier, the identical might be mentioned about management over the move of crude oil and world productiveness.
Again within the early Seventies, OPEC—the Group of Petroleum Exporting International locations—flexed its muscle, turning down the faucets and instigating the “Oil Disaster.” This induced costs to rise, shortages to happen, and resulted within the authorities instituting new short-term guidelines requiring individuals to replenish their automobiles solely on sure days of the week, relying on the primary variety of the license plate. Six brief years later, the Iranian Revolution threw one other monkey within the wrench, inflicting additional worth instabilities and availability points.
Out of all this malarkey, we noticed a large effort by automakers to downsize their automobiles and vehicles, thereby making them extra fuel-efficient. The newfound want for stingy automobiles, particularly for short-hop metropolis driving, resulted in a wave of entrepreneurs coming into the automotive market with a slew of tiny commuter automobiles—and car-adjacent transport—that, for a time, seemed like the longer term.
Take the FreeWay
One such firm was Excessive Mileage Automobiles of Barnsville, Minnesota. Based by mechanical engineer Dave Edmonson in 1979, HMV had a single product: a monoposto three-wheeler powered by a Tecumseh single-cylinder lawnmower engine, driving a continually variable transmission initially designed for a snowmobile. In accordance with Edmonson, the 12-horsepower FreeWay would common 80 mpg in common driving and will attain a high velocity of 60 mph. Contemplating the nationwide freeway velocity restrict on the time was a mind-numbingly gradual 55 mph, the FreeWay’s identify wasn’t completely ironic.
By the point the Nineteen Eighties began to get into swing in earnest, gasoline costs had stabilized and other people have been much less inclined to appear like a bug within the effort of merely attending to and from the workplace. This induced FreeWay gross sales to dry up. In consequence,the corporate went belly-up in 1982, however fairly amazingly, it constructed over 700 of those bizarre little trikes earlier than the winds of commerce shifted.
It is gone how far?
This 1981 HMV FreeWay is considered one of that quantity, and the advert notes that it has lined over 4,000 miles throughout its existence. That will appear remarkably low, however bear in mind, this automobile is powered by a lawnmower engine and has half the horsepower of a Citroën 2CV. These are additionally extra oddities than sensible vehicles, with Robert Dunn of Growing older Wheels describing the driving expertise as like “an amusement park go-kart meant for youngsters slightly than a automotive or bike.” Dunn additionally categorized the brakes as being “terrifying.”
On the plus facet, the FreeWay does supply a modicum of climate safety and scoffs at “compacts solely” parking areas. On the draw back, as famous, it lacks a reverse gear, so you are going to get soaked getting out of that parking spot within the rain.
In accordance with the vendor (who, it seems, additionally has a cool Lotus Europa within the storage), this FreeWay has not too long ago undergone a tune-up and an oil change and stays all unique. It is licensed with the vendor claiming to drive it on the road and its namesake freeway. The advert does not go into a whole lot of historical past on the FreeWay, suggesting events “look it up on-line.”
Able to go
Usually, after we see uncommon little automobiles like this on the market, they’ve been left to fall into disrepair as their restricted enchantment dulls a lot of the curiosity in preserving them on the highway. That is not the case with this FreeWay, nevertheless. It is a clear title automobile (registered as a motorbike, so deliver a helmet) and, in line with the advert, seems to be turn-key prepared. What would possibly that be price to the eclectic particular person who would possibly want to add this to their assortment?
The vendor asks $6,000 for the sale, however will think about presents of much less. What do you consider that as a worth? Does six massive appear a good worth for a bizarre little bit of Seventies automotive nostalgia? Or is that an excessive amount of to get on the FreeWay?
You determine!
Good Value or No Cube:
Los Angeles, California, Craigslistor go right here if the advert disappears.
H/T to Jonathan Davis for the hookup!
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