Project Car Suggestions

[Kezzieboy]

Yup, it's another 'what car' thread, however this one is a little more interesting IMO!

I'm on a work placement this year, so am actually being paid for the first time in 3 years, and they're putting me up in a flat, with bills included, so I'll have a little disposable income. I also have a garage, and off-road parking.

All of these things tell me it's time for car number 2. The 306 is still the perfect daily beater, so it might get an intercooler and limited torque map, but other than that it'll stay as it is. In the mean time, I want something as a fun weekend project.


So, criteria are as follows:
- 20+ years old for super cheap classic insurance, and to help the below points.
- Either:
~ Relatively fast. Preferably faster than the S2000 a friend of mine just bought.
~ Badass, pimp wagon cruiser.
- Easy/Cheap to work on. I need to be able to fix it with my limited budget and knowledge.
- Preferably less than £1500, certainly less than £2000.
- Unusual
- Fun
- Preferable RWD


Stuff I've looked at, for inspiration:
- Saab 900 Turbo
- Mazda MX-5 (obviously)
- Mazda MX-3 V6
- E28 5 series
- Scirocco
- 205 GTi/Dturbo
- 309 GTi
- Suzuki Cappuccino
- 7 series BMW (V12, yes please!)
- Mk1 MR2
- MG F/TF
- Peugeot 505 (prices have jumped up in the last couple years though )


So, hit me!

[PartyJas]

Volvo T5 or 850R. Damn fast and pretty unusual these days. Possibly too new for you but how about an E34 540. V8, rear wheel drive and in your budget.

[Piggy]

Can you get a 750i for £1500?!

[PartyJas]

Can you get a 750i for £1500?!

Yeah you can. I almost bought one for that money. The logic side of my brain kicked in though and i bought my Gti-6 instead.

[Jimmy306uk]

Be a chav and do a corsa/nova redtop

[Pete]

You're probably already on it but keep an eye on Retrorides classifieds, loads of interesting/cool/downright silly stuff on there for your budget. One of my favourite haunts for window shopping!

[toseland]

Mazda 323 Turbo lux....

[Kezzieboy]

Volvo T5 or 850R. Damn fast and pretty unusual these days. Possibly too new for you but how about an E34 540. V8, rear wheel drive and in your budget.

Good shout, can you get them for that cheap? Love old volvos!

Can you get a 750i for £1500?!

Yup.

Be a chav and do a corsa/nova redtop

Hmm, corsas and novas are old enough to avoid the chavs these days, too. Do they handle though?

You're probably already on it but keep an eye on Retrorides classifieds, loads of interesting/cool/downright silly stuff on there for your budget. One of my favourite haunts for window shopping!

I always forget about RR, ta for the reminder! Any suggestions?

Mazda 323 Turbo lux....

Never heard of them...

[toseland]

4wd, 1.6turbo... fiesta sized...

win

[Kezzieboy]

By the fact I've never heard of them...rare/expensive?

[Jimmy306uk]

Be a chav and do a corsa/nova redtop

Hmm, corsas and novas are old enough to avoid the chavs these days, too. Do they handle though?

Believe you would need Abit stronger suspension on front to obviously cater for the extra weight but all In all not too bad, c20lets are good fun, or even a v6? Low growly noise and they fit straight in. Bar having to drill a hole for the dipstick :p

[impotentials]

Mazda rx7
can look great and get damm fast.

[Kezzieboy]

urmm...RX-7 for less than £2000?! Good one!

[procta]

I wouldn't bother with the mgf/ as you will need a suspension pump, if you sort one out then your laughing, But they are nothing special tbh. far more better cars out there to modify and do up.
why do what I have done and get hold of a small 80s/90s hatch and build a sleeper?

[Pete]

Probably be able to pick up an FC for that money to be fair!

Out of the RR classifieds this'd be my current pick for your budget

[Kezzieboy]

I wouldn't bother with the mgf/ as you will need a suspension pump, if you sort one out then your laughing, But they are nothing special tbh. far more better cars out there to modify and do up.
why do what I have done and get hold of a small 80s/90s hatch and build a sleeper?

Any way of sacking of the bags and bolting coilies on?

And it's a possibility, but I'm not that clued up on the potential engine swaps. Plus, not sure I've got the mechanical know how, Id give it a go if it was cheap enough though!

Probably be able to pick up an FC for that money to be fair!

Out of the RR classifieds this'd be my current pick for your budget

That's pretty epic...will it turn into a little orange pile of dust? Or just break down instead

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http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/1...BSkv_ldWSo

Phwoar.

[impotentials]

urmm...RX-7 for less than £2000?! Good one!

Easy, it will just be a pos....

[Kezzieboy]

Yeah, I'd like a car that will work, or that I can afford to get to work

[C.A.R.]

Depends what it's for.

An MX5 is great for the money if you can live with something older, they're a non-interference engine so even if the cambelt snaps it's nothing more than a bloody inconvenience. Well-documented, easily available (therefore cheap) options for FI - be it supercharger or turbo, simple and reliable chassis. However, done to death.

I'd go MX5, as they're proven fun and you could build one to be faster than an S2000 on a modest budget. In order for your friend to up the performance of his Honda he will have to spend a small fortune.

An RX8 is a nice cheap and relatively modern car too. An arse to work on, spark plugs in the strangest of places etc and compression worries, not to mention the sometimes-better-than-teens mpg, but they're a fantastic chassis and very capable if driven hard (ie on a track day).

Failing that anything with the VAG 20V 1.8t is easily tuned to 200+ bhp. Finding one fitted to something more interesting than a Golf / Bora in your budget might be difficult though.

[procta]

I wouldn't bother with the mgf/ as you will need a suspension pump, if you sort one out then your laughing, But they are nothing special tbh. far more better cars out there to modify and do up.
why do what I have done and get hold of a small 80s/90s hatch and build a sleeper?

Any way of sacking of the bags and bolting coilies on?

And it's a possibility, but I'm not that clued up on the potential engine swaps. Plus, not sure I've got the mechanical know how, Id give it a go if it was cheap enough though!

Probably be able to pick up an FC for that money to be fair!

Out of the RR classifieds this'd be my current pick for your budget

That's pretty epic...will it turn into a little orange pile of dust? Or just break down instead

---

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/1...BSkv_ldWSo

Phwoar.

yeah just buy the Tf version, that sorts that problem. but there are still better models of rover/mg to play with. I am not talking about the posh rovers or metros.

[Kezzieboy]

TF isn't old enough though, I don't think. TBH if I was gonna get a little roadster I'd probably be boring and just get an MX-5.

[procta]

TF isn't old enough though, I don't think. TBH if I was gonna get a little roadster I'd probably be boring and just get an MX-5.

you want to be different, pick a car you like and do some research into it, and talk to people who have them, as for engine conversions, be very wary of the bum info!

[Iceman299]

Nissan 300zx? Beast of a car, still hope to own one in the future

[Poodle]

Epic cruiser barge, not necessarily easy to work on mind: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJS-V12...2ed680ffad

As above and easier to work on, probably rarer too: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1980-Vauxhall-...3394fea9d8

Definitely rare, on a par with mercs of the time for luxury: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-300-C-A...259567539f

Don't get much more fun in a rwd than this according to many: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-/1...1c45b60166

And don't know if you're a fan of convertibles, but saw this the other day and thought it could be awesome: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1986-BMW-318I-...2c8bdb7e7b

Keep you going?

[Seb_Ryan]

Build a kit car! GBS do a kit for about 2600, that includes chassis, suspension arms etc etc, body panels, lights etc, then buy an mx5 donor (as long as engine and running gear ok) and youve got a ~600kg car with ~100 bhp engine at least

[Toms306]

I'm on a work placement this year, so am actually being paid for the first time in 3 years, and they're putting me up in a flat, with bills included, so I'll have a little disposable income. I also have a garage, and off-road parking.

Lucky bugger!!


On a car note, trying to find your 'ideal' car, especially one so old, isn't gonna be easy imo. I'd do it the other way round, don't chose a car first, but keep scouring ebay seeing whats about until something seems to fit the bill...do a bit of research on it etc...if its not right for whatever reason, keep searching. Don't get set on one car though imo.

[Piggy]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...64&alt=web

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Or

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...56&alt=web

Or

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vie...GB&alt=web

[procta]

you want something that you can get the parts easy too

[maxlee]

buy a bmw easy parts rwd cheap to fix these days

[THE_Liam]

Think to cover as much of that criteria as possible I'd be looking at an E34 540i V8, a W210 E430 V8, or possibly a Volvo 940 turbo for huge power, 450bhp is cheaply attainable with standard internals.