cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,619
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Aug 22, 2023 22:23:21 GMT
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,309
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Aug 22, 2023 22:55:27 GMT
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They are decent. Back in the day, they were overshadowed by their later brethren, in the form of the S13 to S14(a). After being in all of them, I can kind of see why. The S13 is quite a way ahead in refinement, fun, and power. Yes, the CA18DET had a variable rep, but when on song, they went very well, and had some lovely top end pull
The mechanicals on S12s are decent. The CA18ET may not be quite as fun as the DET variant (D for Dual Camshafts), but it's still a stout unit for the day. They are comfy and generally fine.
However, be on your wits. They can look fine from the outside, and pass an MOT too. However, the sills love to rot from inside out. Something you'll come to know if you next jack it up from the sill and it begins to deform. Rust is these cars no. 1 enemy, as are the bodges that come from this. The Sills are the most common area. for bodgery, and they can be bodged very sympathetically.
Parts will now also be awkward to source, moreso I dare say than Ford stuff.
I say go for it, but buy one with your eyes wide open.
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jimi
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,237 
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Great car, I loved mine, a big reliable comfortable cruiser. I bought mine from an auction and it was delivered while I was away at work (offshore) so my first drive was about 2 weeks after I bought it. It was my first turbo car, I vividly remember my first drive, took it out on the local bypass and thought lets see what this turbo thing is about, floored it and thought well that's nothing to shout abo ..... Holy curse word !!!!  Once you got used to the lag it was fine but it could catch you out if you forgot.   Fairly typical of Japanese cars of that era, mechanically very reliable, watch out for the bodywork. |
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Black is not a colour ! .... Its the absence of colour
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I love them, I think a lot of s12 parts would fit my t12 bluebird as performance upgrades. Theres loads of interchangeable bits on 80s/90s Nissans.
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Great car, I loved mine, a big reliable comfortable cruiser. I bought mine from an auction and it was delivered while I was away at work (offshore) so my first drive was about 2 weeks after I bought it. It was my first turbo car, I vividly remember my first drive, took it out on the local bypass and thought lets see what this turbo thing is about, floored it and thought well that's nothing to shout abo ..... Holy curse word !!!! Once you got used to the lag it was fine but it could catch you out if you forgot. Fairly typical of Japanese cars of that era, mechanically very reliable, watch out for the bodywork. did your one have this blue interior aswell? Seem quite common back in the 80s/90s  |
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jimi
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,237
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Interior was definitely that 80's Japanese blue  but I seem to think the seats were a dark blue ? I'll check with my mrs she might remember. |
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Black is not a colour ! .... Its the absence of colour
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Aug 23, 2023 10:05:32 GMT
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My late Brother owned an S12 for years / bought cheap of a car lot as no one wanted it. Ahead of its time in some ways / pop up headlights pure classic touch / he was doing a extra injector mod something he found on an Australian web site for these cars / went quite well and yeah rust on sills was an issue eventually. Even had a spare car to use for parts replacement. Still going but i would imagine after having money spent on it / sadly no photos of it
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Started out with nothing and have most of it left.
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norm75
Part of things
Posts: 668
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Aug 23, 2023 10:25:11 GMT
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I remember a mates dad bought one of these brand new back in the day, black with that very 80’s terracotta velour upholstery, 1.8 turbo.
I knew they rallied them in the wrc (winning one event and a couple second places) and they were quite successful in African events but having just looked it up I didn’t realise they ran the US spec 3 litre v6 naturally aspirated unit from the 300zx.
Just watched a YouTube vid of one, it sounded fantastic.
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Last Edit: Aug 23, 2023 11:20:03 GMT by norm75
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adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,003
Club RR Member Number: 58
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Aug 23, 2023 10:56:52 GMT
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Aug 23, 2023 11:25:36 GMT
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Aug 23, 2023 11:40:17 GMT
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Aug 23, 2023 11:54:59 GMT
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There's a chap down the road who has one, looks fairly standard but sitting on fairly modern alloys. At the time they weren't that interesting but as with everything, it really stands out when I see it now and it looks great.
Pop up lamps? Sold!
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jimi
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,237
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Aug 23, 2023 12:21:48 GMT
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Seems I'm not alone in liking pop ups  it's one my favourite styles on a car, mention pop ups and I'm in I've had 4 cars with pop up lights, in order Fiat X1-9 1300, Silvia 1.8 Turbo, Mazda 323 1.8 GTi and a Toyota MR2 MK1 which I still have |
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Black is not a colour ! .... Its the absence of colour
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Aug 23, 2023 13:06:14 GMT
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 Specialist Bodyshop & Fabrication Classic, Retro, Prestige & Custom Small Repairs to Concours Restorations Mechanical Work Vintage to Modern |
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Aug 23, 2023 13:33:33 GMT
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That one’s been for sale a while now and seems awful cheap. Would need a good going over in person I think
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Aug 23, 2023 17:27:17 GMT
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adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,003
Club RR Member Number: 58
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Aug 23, 2023 19:31:24 GMT
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Seems I'm not alone in liking pop ups it's one my favourite styles on a car, mention pop ups and I'm in I've had 4 cars with pop up lights, in order Fiat X1-9 1300, Silvia 1.8 Turbo, Mazda 323 1.8 GTi and a Toyota MR2 MK1 which I still have Never get tired of pop ups, test drove a couple of Mk3 Supras but never quite bought one, have long fancied an SW20 MR2 as well but the right car for the right price didn't come up, glad I managed to own an FC RX-7 when I did though, do miss that car  |
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Aug 23, 2023 19:42:18 GMT
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Seems I'm not alone in liking pop ups it's one my favourite styles on a car, mention pop ups and I'm in I've had 4 cars with pop up lights, in order Fiat X1-9 1300, Silvia 1.8 Turbo, Mazda 323 1.8 GTi and a Toyota MR2 MK1 which I still have Never get tired of pop ups, test drove a couple of Mk3 Supras but never quite bought one, have long fancied an SW20 MR2 as well but the right car for the right price didn't come up, glad I managed to own an FC RX-7 when I did though, do miss that car Funny you mentioned rx7 I just came across this browsing, never heard of them collectingcars.com/for-sale/1985-mazda-rx-7 |
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jimi
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,237
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Aug 23, 2023 20:34:44 GMT
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adam73bgtThere's still some very nice SW20's going about, depends on your price range. Prices have started climbing in the last year. LINKYI liked the late 80's Celica's and early MK3 Supra's also the MK1 REX's as well, just never got the chance to buy a decent one 👍
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Black is not a colour ! .... Its the absence of colour
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cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,619
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Saw that one the other day when this idea popped into my head. Looks pretty rough haha. I wonder if wing panels are hard to find for it. I guess it is cheap in comparison though. Seems like mint ones are about £10k on auctions I’ve seen. There was a nice red one floating around but not sure what it sold for. |
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but I seem to think the seats were a dark blue ? I'll check with my mrs she might remember.
it's one my favourite styles on a car, mention pop ups and I'm in 