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Yeah, I really like the shape of the whole thing, but I just think the front end looks a bit plain. Without the headlamps though it looks spot on.
How much are you planning on spending on yours to get it to how you want it?
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Last Edit: Mar 9, 2009 1:40:14 GMT by yantorsen
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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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Considering carsDavenger
@dminifreak
Club Retro Rides Member 140
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The GLS/GT came with quad headlamps if that helps. No idea what I'm gonna spend on mine. Not set a budget, just spend cash as and when I cam afford it
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Cool, I'll be following your thread Are the GLS/GT usually more expensive?
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Last Edit: Mar 9, 2009 1:48:13 GMT by yantorsen
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Zapp Brannigan
Part of things
She's built like a steakhouse but she handles like a bistro!
Posts: 423
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If you want to buy an old/classic car as your first car, you do it! Don't let any of yours peers/parents/relations talk you out of it! I had a 1970 MG Midget for my first car (2 days after my 17th birthday), which I paid £1500 for. Everyone told me not to and said I was dumb, but that just made me more determined! I wouldn't say I had no mechanical experience, as I have been helping my brother and dad with their cars since an early age and had rebuilt side-valve lawnmower engines at the age of 11, but I wasn't that knowledgeable when I bought the Midget. But I 'cut my teeth' on that car. I only had it a couple of years (before it succumbed to terminal rust!) but in that time nearly everything broke (changed 4 or 5 head gaskets (it had a cracked head!), broke two half shafts, one of them inside the diff, tuned it, rebuilt the carbs etc etc) and as I was a penny-less student I had to fix it all myself. You have to start somewhere and you might as well start while you're still young and quick to pick things up (and don't have a bad back from spending years under the bonnet). Sometimes it's best to jump in at the deep end!
Insurance wise, have you tried Lancaster? I was insured with them from the age of 18 on the Midget with a classic policy (although that was 11 years ago now) and the price at the time was quite reasonable (at £425, although that is a meaningless figure now).
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If you want to buy an old/classic car as your first car, you do it! Don't let any of yours peers/parents/relations talk you out of it! I can't work out what is the best advice to take. I mean my dad will support me whatever I do as he likes cars, but can see the pros and cons of either, my mum isn't really interested in cars. My peers either think it's cool (the ones who don't know anything about cars at all) and the ones that know a bit think it's a silly idea and it'll just break down 24/7. Also I post on another forum (the Motors section of OcUK) and they all think it is a ridiculous idea and that I'm a retard for even thinking it. Then I come on forums like this and the majority of people think it's an excellent idea. It's hard to get a non biased opinion. I had a 1970 MG Midget for my first car (2 days after my 17th birthday), which I paid £1500 for. Everyone told me not to and said I was dumb, but that just made me more determined! Funny you should say that. I really want a classic now as well even more than before to prove all the doubters wrong! lol. I wouldn't say I had no mechanical experience, as I have been helping my brother and dad with their cars since an early age and had rebuilt side-valve lawnmower engines at the age of 11, but I wasn't that knowledgeable when I bought the Midget. But I 'cut my teeth' on that car. I only had it a couple of years (before it succumbed to terminal rust!) but in that time nearly everything broke (changed 4 or 5 head gaskets (it had a cracked head!), broke two half shafts, one of them inside the diff, tuned it, rebuilt the carbs etc etc) and as I was a penny-less student I had to fix it all myself. You have to start somewhere and you might as well start while you're still young and quick to pick things up (and don't have a bad back from spending years under the bonnet). Sometimes it's best to jump in at the deep end! This is the only thing that is really worrying me. I am fairly technically minded, or I like to think I am. But I've not really done anything like mechanics before though (apart from in physics ), but I've built several PCs, used to play with mechano etc... nothing amazing I know but still. I'm willing to learn though so that doesn't bother me so much. What bothers me more is how much it will cost. Because I don't have many/any tools. I mean I have socket sets etc. but I don't have engine cranes or anything fancy like that. Insurance wise, have you tried Lancaster? I was insured with them from the age of 18 on the Midget with a classic policy (although that was 11 years ago now) and the price at the time was quite reasonable (at £425, although that is a meaningless figure now). I did try Lancaster, they told me I needed to have had my license for at least three years. Thanks for your input
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Last Edit: Mar 9, 2009 15:26:29 GMT by yantorsen
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Tool wise a decent socket and spanner set should see you sort out most things on a car. Engine cranes etc are by no means compulsary, deffinately handy to have about, but you can always rent one from Machine Mart etc. Thats only if you need to take the engine out too, hopefully you won't "need" to. Your mates say it will break down 24/7- maybe so but thats half the fun of clasic old car ownership, and besides a well looked after car of any age should be equally as reliable as a new one, the same as an abused modern will break down more often too. Again I don't want to discourage, but for a 1st car a MK1 Fiesta, Golf, Nova make perfect sense, yes maybe they are a bit modern but they are old now regardless of looks and easy to work on. Even if it's only for a year or so, then sell it on to buy your dream classic, just a thought? Oh and "most" other sites seem a bit blinkered in their views, we on here are lovers of the unloved etc.
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Last Edit: Mar 9, 2009 15:48:44 GMT by magnumpi
OAP drifta Volvo 340,Williams power 1960 Beetle twin 40's 1776cc
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To me there is no point getting a mk1 fiesta/nova/golf because they don't fulfil any of the reasons I want a classic car in the first place.
Also I can get a car I prefer (such as the ones in the OP) for the same sort of cost as an old Golf etc. anyway, so it seems pointless not to get one.
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So what are your reasons for wanting an old car then?
Just a suggestion as cars of 80's vintage have all the quirks of an older car but with (generally) better heaters/driving position/reliability etc.
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OAP drifta Volvo 340,Williams power 1960 Beetle twin 40's 1776cc
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Well the main reason is because I like the look of them. Second reason is because they stand out a bit and ore kind of "cool". Third reason is because they should be more fun to drive than a modern car. Forth reason is that they are easier to work on and tune, and the final reason is that they kind of feel faster being lower to the ground and I like the noise of older cars.
Anyway I guess the old fiestas and stuff do most of that except the first two. But to me old 80s hatchbacks really don't look very good at all, although I like some of the funky Citroen interiors.
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Well fair play to you for sticking to your guns. Good luck with your search and whatever you do buy, just make sure to post pics of it up on here once you've got it
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OAP drifta Volvo 340,Williams power 1960 Beetle twin 40's 1776cc
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Thanks, will do mate
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miaspa
Part of things
Posts: 829
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When the Avenger was new, my father had them as company cars always the estate version but quite easily handled 50K a year. I can remember three of them one in Lime Green P reg , Red S reg, and an Orange V reg. Not sure when they became Talbot though.
Limiting yourself to just British cars is cutting your choices.
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Found my flashing Pao again.
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Cool I agree. I'm not totally against non british cars, but there isn't really any non british cars that i like that much. Not that I can afford anyway. Also having a British car would greatly increase my enjoyment from it. I know that probably seems a bit pathetic to some people though.
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You mentioned the spitty and herald but what about the Toledo? a 1300 would be a fab first classic, looks very retro, cheap to run and some tuning potential.
My first classic was a Mk1 Triumph 2000 Estate with a webasto roof, was great for cruising about with mates!
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1969 Commer VC Lanbourn
1985 VW Golf Cabrio 1.6 GL
1992 Fiat Tipo SX TD
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With the reliability thing, at this stage there is very little to choose between the marques. The main difference is if the car's been well looked after and whether it's been used lots, a little or not at all recently.
My Imp was horrendously unreliable when I first got it - but AFAIK it had been standing unused for about 5 years previously - which doesn't do any cars any good at all. I have sorted everything that is in the list below.
OTOH, Tim Morgan, who's had more Imps than he can remember, did 13,000 miles in 9 months in a very scruffy Imp with no breakdowns at all.
So it just goes to show that it's condition, rather than brand that you need to be looking for when comparing for reliablity and rust. Comparing brands, however, is useful for looking at interior space, looks, performance, handling, economy and insurance.
The engines and runnign gear are all, for the most part, basically solid and will work well for a long time (the main exception, AFAIK, is the 1500cc Spitfire engine, which destroys it's crank at about 55,000 miles, apparently).
The main unreliablity points on an old car (assuming generally good mechanical condition) are:
-Dirt in the fuel system (fit an inline fuel filter before the fuel pump).
-The brake hydraulics (the rubber parts perish and the cylinders rust - not too hard to do, but very annoying and a little scary when they leak fluid onto the friction material).
-The electrics (especially the ignition system - and all Lucas electrical components are a little suspect - that's part of the brand's charm...).
-The cooling system (hoses perish and split, seals on waterpumps die, thermostats seize and both radiatord and cylider blocks silt up).
-The head gasket (usually damaged either by incorrect fitting or by overheating the engine).
This list is in now way meant to scare you, just to point out the things that can go wrong in a way to stop your progress.
When doing repairs, it makes sense to do them properly (eg a new/recon rad instead of tyring to flush it out at home, or a new alternator instead of a scrapyard special) so that you don't have to do the repairs again 6-12 months later.
James
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Cheers for that jrevillug. good advice I will try to make sure whatever I get has sound mechanicals and chassis I think. Since I don't mind curse word body work because I'll probably end up respraying anyway, and I don't mind doing a bit of filling.
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Friend of mine had a Spitfire as his first car.
He had to work on it a lot, and it let him down a few times, the front wheels fell off a couple of times and eventually it was too rotten to MOT.
Enjoy!
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Mar 10, 2009 16:24:56 GMT
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It must have been pretty rotten to start with then surely?
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Mar 10, 2009 17:10:17 GMT
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It must have been pretty rotten to start with then surely? I dunno, he tried to buy the best he could.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
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Mar 10, 2009 18:39:57 GMT
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Front wheels would only fall off due to incorrect servicing (oiling) of the trunnions!
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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