ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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May 25, 2008 17:29:40 GMT
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As it says on the tin really. What cars have you owned and started to fix, only to give up and lose hope....only to later wish you actually did the job in the fisrt place? Bit of a random one I know, but it just popped into my head with this....  That's my 1962 Zodiac which I bought off my brother-in-law, I started it but never finished it as the work involved scared me off. Now, just 3 years on, I have the skills needed. Wish I'd have "barned" that one so I could crack on with it now. Sigh. Anyone else? |
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May 25, 2008 17:51:29 GMT
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Bordering on modern I know, but my 1990 GTE Cabrio. Half for the fact it would have been a nice summer ride, half for the fact no end of people told me I'd never finish it. Well they were right  Did a lot of the mind-numbing stuff too.... fitted a steering column, brakes, wheel bearings, CV joints, exhaust. Only needed the sills welding and I just never got round to it. |
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Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
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May 25, 2008 17:56:54 GMT
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My 1984 Citroen Acadiane. Pre-digital so no piccies (but imagine a Dyane with a fridge on the back - hence the name, Wilma Whirlpool). It was cheap when I bought it so it probably shouldn't have been surprising that it fell apart pretty much. Decided to start rebuilding it and made the mistake of buying a chassis BEFORE starting to strip it. As we pulled the thing apart, the enormity of the project got too much for me, so I sold it for a serious loss.
It didn't get the better of me though - I went on to rebuild my 2CV! But that time, I engaged someone else to remedy the shonky bodywork...
EDIT - I should use this thread to inspire me to sort out the Dyane that is STILL languishing in my garage! No more might-have-beens!
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1986 Citroen 2CV Dolly Other things. Check out my Blog for the latest! www.hubnut.org |
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May 25, 2008 18:01:44 GMT
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8 or 9 years ago I swapped a pile of new metro turbo engine parts I couldnt be bothered rebuiilding for a mini van. It was a bare shell, but fairly solid - an ideal project base.
It sat under a tarp at my workplace as I was doubtfull of my abilities to finish it, had no time and little in the way of decent tools.
I sold it to some random for a pittance and watched as the values of mini vans rocketed upwards at a frightening rate.
In the next few years I would occasionally get angry with myself for giving it up so easilly, as I have always wanted one, but ow found myself unable to afford the silly prices they attract.
I finaly found another shell a couple of months back - in almost exactly the same condition and for a very reasonable price.
It WILL be completed.
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1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
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May 25, 2008 18:04:07 GMT
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Countless. Mostly probably my Mk1 Cortina ( an early two door pre-airflow' 'Consul' one). Did have a few jobs done on it but in the end gave up the fight and sold it to a bloke who lived across the road from the Halewood plant. To be fair he was an enthusiast and was going to do it up.
BX estate with a 1.9TD converison was a more recent one. Two of the greaest and most respected names in BX circles put the engine in for me and it was an absolute riot and the ultimate sleeper. Piddly jobs started mounting up (because I'm cack handed and lazy as well as a bad mechanic) and it now lives on with one of the BXC gang who's got it back on the road.
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Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
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GavinJ
Club Retro Rides Member
MGB 3.9 v8 Sebring
Posts: 927 
Club RR Member Number: 209
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May 25, 2008 18:12:14 GMT
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I scrapped a '74 beetle a year or so ago, bought it as an easy project as it had been part 'restored' or so it appeared, However some strange cracks started to appear in the bodywork.....like this,  So a bit further investigation revealed,  Yep rot has been cut out, new panel cut down to fit and then simply filled over.......mmmmm so nice and safe then? I think not, I then remembered he had also replaced the rear wing mounting panels and I discovered this,  So I decided it was just full of hidden horrors, not safe and not worth the hassle of undoing the bodges of the previous owner so parted it out and scrapped it but to be fair it was solid verywhere else so kinda of wish I had finished it properly afterall, all the repair panel had been nicely cut down to size! just ready for welding....lol |
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Last Edit: May 25, 2008 18:13:39 GMT by GavinJ
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May 25, 2008 18:20:27 GMT
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 once again rocking with 1117cc and 4 gears! |
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Lex
South East
日本車 <3
Posts: 2,404
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May 25, 2008 18:24:07 GMT
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My old mk4 Mazda 626... If I was in the know about hoodride I would have kept it and made a big 'feck off' to the usual idiots who tell me to do big wheels and shiny paint.
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Last Edit: May 25, 2008 18:24:33 GMT by Lex
Resto-UKal |
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dannyb
South East
Posts: 1,049
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May 25, 2008 18:34:25 GMT
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I used to own this  and it now looks like this  i know there isnt much difference in the 2 pictures but after spending a year in a field (i got banned) it looked a bit ropey. I started it but got bored!! its not that i cant do it coz its my job and worked for a custom car bodyshop during my YTS days. To be honest i'd rather spend my money snowboarding (£3grand for a HT racing engine  ) i still got to do some of the work as i sold it to a mate that i work with. moral of my story, i wish i had done it and still had it.. |
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May 25, 2008 19:08:58 GMT
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8 or 9 years ago I swapped a pile of new metro turbo engine parts I couldnt be bothered rebuiilding for a mini van. It was a bare shell, but fairly solid - an ideal project base. It sat under a tarp at my workplace as I was doubtfull of my abilities to finish it, had no time and little in the way of decent tools. I sold it to some random for a pittance and watched as the values of mini vans rocketed upwards at a frightening rate. In the next few years I would occasionally get angry with myself for giving it up so easilly, as I have always wanted one, but ow found myself unable to afford the silly prices they attract. I finaly found another shell a couple of months back - in almost exactly the same condition and for a very reasonable price. It WILL be completed. Hmm, that wasnt cut for a flip front was it? For sale at about £250? I was going to buy one, about the asme time ago from a guy in the same situation. I think i was offered it for free in the end to get it out the way. My step dad warned me how much work reshelling a car (my mini) was and i turned it down. Thats something i wish i had done!! |
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May 25, 2008 19:16:40 GMT
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I've had a couple. !972 dodge challenger. Bought it for peanuts, started doing it up then bought a Camaro so sold it for even less. 1977 Camaro. Started doing an engine swap then changed jobs and lost my storage so sold it for peanuts. 100E. Started out with great intentions the totally lost intrest and wieghed it in  I was talking about this to a mate of mine yesterday. He started to build a fully spaceframed, mid engined Mk1 renault 5 a few years back. He spent about six months on the shell, got the whole thing set up with renault 19 subframes front and rear to take a mid mounted 16V lump. Made all his own coil overs and steering set up then decieded to start a new life out in spain and wieghed the whole lot in The real sickener was he was back from spain within a couple of months as it didnt work out for him out there. |
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markbognor
South East
 
Posts: 9,970
Club RR Member Number: 56
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May 25, 2008 20:39:40 GMT
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I started a 105E when i was 15/16 ish, i had great plans for it being low and turquoise. My dad had plans for it being stock and powder blue. It got sold on when I and he both lost interest and the next time i saw it was daytona yellow, with forest arches and wide white wellers.
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May 25, 2008 22:32:00 GMT
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sorry for the curse word scanned old photo...........  for the dubbers...... a 'German Look' before such a thing really existed. ;D This was about 1986, LHD 1303 with monster type 4 engine hanging out the back, lowered, alloys, all the toys. Had an engine fire, I planned to repair it but never got round to it and sold it on damaged, don't know what happened to it after that  |
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Currently driving a '68 Karmann Ghia as my daily. Don't ask about previous cars - there have been way too many and I stopped counting at 160!
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mercmad
Posted a lot
Flush Hard,it's a long way to McDonalds.
Posts: 1,740
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May 25, 2008 22:43:14 GMT
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When i had my Fury hardtop,a really rough looking character wanted to know if i wanted a engine for it. i asked him what he had and he said it was a 426 max wedge..".yeah right ,i thought" So i went to his place and stacked amongst 30-40 other Chysler big blocks was indeed a 426 engine. "how much?" I asked "i'll swap ypour toyota ute for i" I had the oldest,crappiest ute in OZ,So I told him OK,load the engine on the back and it's yours. I sold the engine 2 days later for $3000 US. What is a Max wedge engine worth today? Around $12,000 for a rebuilder if you can find one for sale.  |
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Many years ago I changed my driving style to cope with rising fuel prices; I have now reached the stage where I am contemplating keeping my eyes shut in order to lower wind resistance.
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May 25, 2008 23:02:15 GMT
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1972 Mercedes 220 automatic, bought it for around £500 as a runner but after sitting in my garage for about a year it wouldnt start, and no matter what I did with the engine/carb it never ran so sold it on for £950. Still wish I had that car |
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1993 Fiat Panda Selecta
2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van
2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
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Davenger
Club Retro Rides Member
It's only metal
Posts: 7,272
Club RR Member Number: 140
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I wish I still had this  1974 MK1 Escort 1300E Got it when I was 15 for £150 Sadly I didn't know how to weld so it got scrapped  |
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 That. Welded it all up, got EVERYTHING ready for an MOT pass... but no-one, and I mean NO-ONE could work out how to rig a handbrake up to it. Sold it in the end to a bloke from Manchester, I miss that car so much. |
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I also ought to add, if anyone knows where that Fiesta is, contact me, I want to try and buy it back.
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I had a 1976 fiat 850 campervan, got scrapped as space was needed and i couldn't give it away.
Now i'm on the hunt for another.
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In my case it's more a case of started, still got, never finished and probably never will. If I did finish it I'd never use it because other things are much better suited to what I need and my enthusiasm just ebbed away. If anyone wants an unfinished project......   To some extent I wish I'd kept this and persevered but it was a Driver not the GTi I really wanted and my attempts to hit it with the stick using springs from ebay resulted in a drop of approximately sod all.  |
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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) i still got to do some of the work as i sold it to a mate that i work with.
