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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Mar 14, 2009 11:04:35 GMT
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The quality controll issues with BMC were usually bodywork related and confined mainly to the 70's As long as the drivetrain has been properly maintained they'll be fine, same applies to any old car. Look for something that has had all the hard work done and all the money already spent. The better the base car you start with, the longer it will last and the easier it will be to maintain.
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Mar 14, 2009 11:09:31 GMT
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Ok sorry guys about the sweeping comment. I didn't mean it to offend anybody. I just meant that BMC have more of a bad reputation, it was more of a suggestion. Also I know some BMC cars have design faults, which are harder to fix, well that's what I've heard, perhaps all cars have those to a certain extent.
But like you say it's more about condition than brand so I shall concern myself more with that.
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Last Edit: Mar 14, 2009 11:11:32 GMT by yantorsen
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,257
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Considering carsChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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Mar 14, 2009 11:10:45 GMT
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The quality controll issues with BMC were usually bodywork related and confined mainly to the 70's As long as the drivetrain has been properly maintained they'll be fine, same applies to any old car. Look for something that has had all the hard work done and all the money already spent. The better the base car you start with, the longer it will last and the easier it will be to maintain. Wise words. Even if you do pay over the odds for a car it's alot less than you'll spend doing one up. A few guys couldn't believe how much a mate of mine spent buying a great classic car in near mint condition, but myself and a mate who have restored cars disagreed. You get people saying oh this £300 car won't take much to do up, but as I have first hand experience of it's a very easy trap to fall into. I'm not saying that it happens all of the time but it does happen alot. About generalisations, my Beetle was more unreliable than my '73 B GT and my failsafe car so far has been my 306 yet it's probably been about the best daily I had (I didn't buy one before (when I had the choice) due to all the horror stories. Go figure .
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Mar 14, 2009 11:21:03 GMT
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Also it's a BMC car so it's going to be more unreliable than a Rootes car, such as the Avenger. Cheers for the advice
Also what is the deal with the BMC suspension? I've heard of hydrolastic suspension and hydro[somethingelse] suspension, but I don't really know it means. Would that prohibit lowering of the car at all? Sorry for making you despair, it was not intentional. I didn't mean that it would be automatically less reliable, just that that is there reputation. But it seems to be the general consensus on here that the condition is far more important than who made the car.
I have been to Coventry transport museum several times over the last few months to look at the Imp, the Avenger, the Spitfire, a GT6 and some others. I'm hoping to get to go to some classic car shows though as well at some point with my dad's mate when he goes in his MGB. Are you implying the Avenger might be a bit dull? The Imp is still the strongest contender really, but they just don't look anywhere near as good as Avengers in my opinion, especially when done up. I really want to modify my car a bit, but the only mods I've seen that really suit the Imp is just lowering slightly and minilites/similar added. Which looks great, but everyone who has an Imp seems to do the same look. No not at all, I'm sure Avengers are great, I was touching on what ScaryOldCortina has pointed out. It's very easy to fall into the trap of drawing up a logical spec sheet for a car and then buying one out of compromise. Imo you should get something which makes you eight again. I understand you wanting to modify the car, I can't help myself with thast either, however it will compound the issues mentioned earlier. Yeah, but this is my first car, and it does need to meet certain criteria really. It has to be relatively cheap to insure, and have a relatively small engine, so that it doesn't drink too much.
If I was 8 I would probably want a Land Rover Range Rover or an Alvis Stalwart Sorry I can't work out for the life of me what's going on with the quote thing on this post, so I've just made the bit's I've just said yellow to stop confusion.
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Last Edit: Mar 14, 2009 11:25:59 GMT by yantorsen
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Mar 14, 2009 11:26:29 GMT
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You're trying to apply logic to something that doesn't work logically. A BMC/BL/AR product might have gained a reputation for unreliabilty from new, but lets face it, if it's lasted long enough for you to buy one today, either anything that's 'unreliable' will have gone wrong by now, and have been sorted, and if it does go wrong on you, it's because its 30 odd years ald and stuff wears out. I am willing to bet that on balance, a BMC product made in the early 70s will be no more/less reliable and a BMW or similar product from the same period.
Stop thinking, and buy with your heart.
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"Chasin' the gash, with a four-out-the-dash"
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Mar 14, 2009 11:28:34 GMT
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You're trying to apply logic to something that doesn't work logically. A BMC/BL/AR product might have gained a reputation for unreliabilty from new, but lets face it, if it's lasted long enough for you to buy one today, either anything that's 'unreliable' will have gone wrong by now, and have been sorted, and if it does go wrong on you, it's because its 30 odd years ald and stuff wears out. I am willing to bet that on balance, a BMC product made in the early 70s will be no more/less reliable and a BMW or similar product from the same period. Stop thinking, and buy with your heart. Heh, you don't get that kind of advice on car forums very often. I think your right really, but most of the cars I'd buy with my heart I can't really afford, so I have to get something with my heart and my head.
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Mar 14, 2009 12:01:38 GMT
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If I was 8 I would probably want a Land Rover Range Rover or an Alvis Stalwart Excellent, get a Landrover then and live the dream. Better than going through all this pain of finding this perfect classic.
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Mar 14, 2009 12:10:02 GMT
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If I was 8 I would probably want a Land Rover Range Rover or an Alvis Stalwart Excellent, get a Landrover then and live the dream. Better than going through all this pain of finding this perfect classic. I don't think I can really afford to run one, and I'm going to be hard pressed to get a Defender for £2000, and a Series III is going to be very slow and noisy.
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Mar 14, 2009 18:15:31 GMT
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Dude, c'mon get a Landy.
Your dataz on your web site says you are in the Midlands, you can join the club I'm in, come on adventures with us.
Come to the dark side!
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Mar 14, 2009 18:33:16 GMT
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I'd love to have one for lot's of reasons. They look really cool, can go anywhere etc.
Problem is though I don't know how much time I'd really get to go green laning any I don't know anybody to go with so would have to meet some people on-line or something.
Then if I don't go off road in it much it wouldn't be a lot of fun on road, although I'm sure I could bare that, it's just it's a lot of money to spend for mainly on road use. Tires are going to cost more each year, petrol will cost more, etc.
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Mar 14, 2009 20:22:41 GMT
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The journey of 1000 miles starts with a single coffee.
I don't like coffee!
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Mar 14, 2009 21:29:35 GMT
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I like it, but it's too recent for what I wanted really. My dad had a chevete as his first car back in the day.
Okay, since I have the rusty remains of an A30/35 in my back garden, what do people think of those for a first car? They seem pretty simple and basic, but at the same time being pretty old, are they going to be more hassle than there worth? I would consider a Morris Minor too but there more common, and my dads best mate has one, so it'd be a bit boring.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
Member is Online
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Mar 14, 2009 21:50:48 GMT
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My first car was an A35 (aged 18 in 1993) Very tunable and most parts are easy to get thanks ot the A series running gear and upgrades on suspension via Spridget people. Were successfully raced when new by some famous names. Only thing to be wary of is the braking system which is part mechanical to the back. Usual checks for condition mechanically and bodywork wise apply. Probably best to avoid A30s if you want to get modifying as there are awkward differences. You'd get a good honest one for your budget.
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Mar 14, 2009 21:56:04 GMT
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Cool How easy are they too mod? Can they be lowered much? Also they are ridiculously slow at stock (something like 0-60 in 40 odd seconds), so how easy/cheap would it be to get them a bit quicker? What sort of things are popular to do to them?
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Last Edit: Mar 14, 2009 21:56:48 GMT by yantorsen
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
Member is Online
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Mar 14, 2009 22:08:08 GMT
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Mine was lowered 3 or so inches on cut springs. The sump used to bounce off the road occasionally. Proper springs and lowering blocks on the back would be dead easy. Standard 948 engine could be tuned or a 1098 or 1275 would bolt in - I seem to remember having to swap engine front/back plates when I fitted a 1098 in mine for engine mount reasons. All typical Meccano BMC though. Can't remember about which gearbox you would need. Half shafts in the back axle are weak but Midget parts fit as do the diffs to give you a better cruising speed even with the standard engine. Basically a standard Minor 1098 lump would up your power by a third. Mine ended up with a 1098 and twin carbs. Here's one with a Fiat twin cam.
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Mar 14, 2009 22:22:52 GMT
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Sweet, I take it the black one is yours?
I'm not sure I'd be able at least to begin with change an engine, I don't have an engine cradle for a start. But how much power can you get out the standard engine?
Having said that, having seen the basic layout of these cars for myself, they seem pretty simple (coming from me with no mechanical experience anyway). Now I don't know anything about changing engines, but is it just a case of taking out the old one, bolting in the new one, lining it up with the drive shaft, and then bolting it to the drive shaft. Or is there more welding/comlicatedness involved?
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Last Edit: Mar 14, 2009 22:24:28 GMT by yantorsen
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,538
Member is Online
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Mar 14, 2009 22:30:33 GMT
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Nope, that's about it. You don't need a crane to change the engine on an A35 as it comes out/goes in from underneath. It was my first swap. In fact learnt an awful lot on that car. Its all just nuts and bolts.
Mk II Sprite was 46bhp from the same 948 I think. Plenty more available than that these days I suspect. Consider that 51bhp would be a 50% increase form standard....
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Mar 14, 2009 22:36:24 GMT
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Would you need to make any modification to the engine bay at all or anything? I'm amazed it'd be that easy. I know I've oversimplified how you'd do it though, but do you think it's a sensible thing to attempt given my level of experience (obviously not as soon as I get the car, but after a few months or so) with my dads guidance? Also can you remember what it was like to drive? Much fun? etc. Cheers
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IDY
Part of things
Posts: 893
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Mar 15, 2009 16:08:25 GMT
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If you haven't already seen it there is a nice thread about the restoration and modification of an A30 here
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I will get round to finishing it at some point
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Mar 15, 2009 19:30:53 GMT
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I hadn't seen that, thanks, just read through it all, interesting. Car looks great though.
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