10 Affordable Classic Cars for Hot Summer Cruising

Mint: $36,000
Fixer-upper: $1,500*

The world of desirable muscle and pony cars is a small one. The genre's golden age lasted only a few years, so the list of genuine rock stars is pretty short. The AMC Javelin makes it onto that list, but is somehow less sought-after than gems such as the Chevy Camaro. Thankfully, this means good Javelins are still easy to come by. With slinky looks, two available V8 engines and a cool history of Trans-Am competition, this is an ideal way to enter the muscle-car world without breaking the bank.

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Mint: $15,000
Fixer-upper: $8,000**

In the years immediately after World War II, Citroën's 2CV did as much as the Volkswagen Beetle to put Europe back on wheels. This bare-bones French machine featured a twin-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive, a full-length folding sunroof and a suspension so compliant you could drive over a rutted farm field and barely feel a thing. The result is a charming, and blissfully different, warm-weather cruiser. The 2CV was manufactured for almost 50 years but sold stateside only briefly; nevertheless, low demand has kept the model affordable.

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Mint: $45,000
Fixer-upper: $2,800*

The Japanese sports-car revolution essentially started with the Datsun 240Z. In the days of the Jaguar E-Type and the Ferrari Daytona, Datsun (now Nissan) dreamed up a sexy grand tourer whose looks rivaled them both. A torquey straight-6 engine lived under the hood, and the car cost thousands less than the E-Type it emulated. The appeal still stands. The 240Z — and the later, larger-engined 260Z — is a great long-distance cruiser and a stylish piece of art that shows up its more expensive rivals.

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Mint: $9,500
Fixer-upper: $500**

The stateside arrival of the 2011 Fiat 500 has done a lot for Fiat's household name recognition, but it hasn't really raised the prices of the brand's older models. This is good news. Fun machines like the 124 Spider are still everywhere, and still available for far less than you'd expect. More than 200,000 Spiders were built, and 75 percent of those came to the U.S., so you'll have a lot to choose from. Italian looks? Check. Great handling? Check. Cheaper than an expensive night out with your spouse? Check!

Compare: Fiat 500 vs. Ford Fiesta vs. Honda Fit

Mint: Up to $245,000
Fixer-upper: $1,000*

When Lee Iacocca pushed the Ford Mustang into production in the mid-1960s, he couldn't have known that the car's name would last for decades. You can thank the Stang's abundance of character and relatively low cost of entry for that. Time has made the Mustang faster and more comfortable, but it hasn't dimmed the early cars' charm. They still offer great looks, a spacious interior and more charisma than you can shake a Holley carburetor at. Six-cylinder versions are an inexpensive way in, but V8 models provide fantastic acceleration and a great soundtrack. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Bing Images: Ford Mustangs

Mint: $19,500
Fixer-upper: $1,000*

If you're thinking "British sports car," you are probably envisioning an MGB. The car once dubbed the World's Most Popular Roadster is everything a sports car should be: cheap, durable and fun to drive. The "B" came in both coupe and convertible form and was built for almost 20 years, which means finding one to suit your taste is almost too easy. And thanks to modern technology, the infamous reliability woes of old English cars have been all but eliminated. You can buy sexier summer cruisers, but when it comes to old-car bang for the buck, the B can't be beat.

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Mint: $80,000
Fixer-upper: $2,000*

The second-generation Pontiac Firebird is something of a contradiction: Nearly everyone likes the way it looks, but few people want to own one. Perhaps actor Burt Reynolds of "Smokey and the Bandit," a film that featured a hot 'Bird, is to blame. Regardless, this is a car worth owning. The second-generation F-body is a cultural touchstone, and although it was never gifted with great power or nimble handling, it looks amazing. Plus, people might think you're the Bandit, which might be good for free drinks or something. Eastbound and down, y'all.

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Mint: $32,995
Fixer-upper: $10,500*

Among Porsche enthusiasts, the 914 is seen as a "lesser" Porsche. Its air-cooled engine is essentially a Volkswagen 4-cylinder, the same powerplant found in the Beetle. Compared with a period 911, it's slow. And if you go by the traditional definition of automotive beauty, it's not even very pretty. But the 914's midengine chassis is a thing of magic. It handles like the proverbial Go-Kart and it's well-built. Happily, good examples can be had for as little as $10,000.

Compare: Porsche 911 vs. BMW 6-Series vs. Jaguar XK Series

Mint: $35,000
Fixer-upper: $2,498*

Everyone knows someone who had, or still has, a Beetle. The air-cooled wonder that was born in Adolf Hitler's Germany and was designed by Ferdinand Porsche featured a practical layout that proved to be the perfect answer to Europe's postwar transportation needs. The Beetle's air-cooled, rear-mounted flat-4 engine is rugged, and its interior is all but indestructible. A long production run — Beetles continued to be made in Mexico until 2002 — means that parts will essentially never become expensive.

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Mint: $7,000
Fixer-upper: less than $1,000**

The Rabbit — now known as the Golf — is Volkswagen's other big success story. This water-cooled, front-wheel-drive hatchback didn't invent the sporting econobox form, but it definitely modernized it. The Rabbit GTI was the hyperactive black sheep of the VW family, a fast, well-handling speedster that could shame many sports cars of the era. Because the GTI was affordable and wears relatively humble clothes, it's never been sought after as a collectible. This doesn't change the fact that it's a blazing hoot to drive. Meet the compromise-free, practical, everyday classic.

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Sam Smith is a journalist, a Southerner, and a reformed Alfa Romeo mechanic who spends most of his time mooning over leaky old motorcycles and small-batch bourbon. A multiple International Automotive Media award-winner, he has covered cars for Automobile Magazine, Car and Driver, and Esquire, among other publications. He once drove 4000 miles in a weekend for a hamburger and has only been threatened by the German police twice.

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