classic project car

voxpop

Guys, I was just looking last night at some old mercs - 500sl and the like. It got me thinking that I would like to get a old classic, with a big engine preferably, for cheap, restore it and have it around as a weekend car.
The only problem is that I dont know where to start - had a look on ebay and most cars are in too good condition. Any suggestions on where to look and what would make a good project car.

something like this->merc


Or this maybe ->gt6



The problem with these cars is that they are too expensive and in too good nick. Also, I dont really know if they are rubbish cars or not when Im looking (ie MGB GT, etc)

Anyone done this before or have any suggestions ?

robtri

voxpop wrote: »

Guys, I was just looking last night at some old mercs - 500sl and the like. It got me thinking that I would like to get a old classic, with a big engine preferably, for cheap, restore it and have it around as a weekend car.
The only problem is that I dont know where to start - had a look on ebay and most cars are in too good condition. Any suggestions on where to look and what would make a good project car.

something like this->merc


Or this maybe ->gt6



The problem with these cars is that they are too expensive and in too good nick. Also, I dont really know if they are rubbish cars or not when Im looking (ie MGB GT, etc)

Anyone done this before or have any suggestions ?

jesus have me thinking as well, be nice for a summer project, would love to know as well where you can get old classics ripe for restoring.....

unkel

Moved to classic cars

The SL is a great classic

But I don't think you'd get a decent one for a grand (sterling). Also that particular car is late '80 so you're looking at the guts of two years at €1,600 a year in tax until it qualifies as a classic

voxpop

@unkel

yeah thats the issue - Im looking to get one that is not in good shape, you know like a car that has been sitting in a field or something. Looking at the classic cars sites - they all have lovely restored examples. Im looking for something post-restore. I did see something like a 280SL or something, it was brown though and Im not too sure if I want to go down the full body respray route (dont want a brown car no matter how classic ).

Are these kind of project cars only in the small ads at the back of "classic car" magazines ?


On the actual car - a few examples from the boardsies would be great. Only really started on the Mercs to get going. Any suggestions out there on a decent car to restore (ie not too difficult to get parts,etc and a decent car when finished)

MercMad

I would advise you to ignore SL's as a restoration project. The old adage "buy the best you can afford" applies to these cars more than any I have come accross.

The W107 SL rots from the inside out. Body parts are crazy prices and as they were built like the proverbial panzer tank they are very difficult to strip/weld/restore.

Certainly if you find one that looks like it has a rough body, then you are possibly looking at 10% of its rust, the rest is hidden.

Avoid laid up rusty cars at all costs.

I would say you should avoid cars with ANY rust unless you possess the required MIG welding skills and have access to a decent spray booth with oven. Buying a car with a good body is key nowdays as mechanical stuff is easy to do and parts generally are easier to source.

If you have a set budget then buy something thats needs tidying or settle on something that is slightly less than perfect but that you can enjoy straight away.

seosamh1980

Here are a few examples of websites i found that might be of interest to you

http://www.60sclassics.co.uk/restorations.htm

http://www.oldcaronline.com/oldcarlistings.php

http://www.cars-on-line.com/

Hope these can be of some help to you.
Best of luck with your car.
Keep us updated if you do take the plunge.

mustang68

MercMad wrote: »

Avoid laid up rusty cars at all costs.
.

+1 to all of that.

A rusty car (running but looking tatty) would be a multi year job to get to be looking well, unless you're in the business, forget about the ones in fields. Even keeping an ok example like mine running is a lot of work.

When you see overhaulin and rides they give you skewed perspective of classics, they have a team of about thirty people working for two weeks straight and then they buy an engine, drivetrain and send it out for painting

Dades

OP, when you say "restore" what bits are you talking about restoring? Cosmetic bits? Interior? Perishables?

That GT6 looks like a good car rather than a project! Don't think it'll stay around that price come auction's end though.

You might be better off buying a cheap runner (with a liberal spreading of tinworm), enjoying it for a while - and then moving it on.

245

That GT6 looks quite good - hard to see it staying very cheap though. That model had rotoflex rear suspension which will probably need some work and isn't cheap to sort.

OP - don't underestimate the costs and frustrations of restoration - get something half decent that needs some, but not too much work and avoid basket cases.

carchaeologist

MercMad wrote: »

I would advise you to ignore SL's as a restoration project. The old adage "buy the best you can afford" applies to these cars more than any I have come accross.

The W107 SL rots from the inside out. Body parts are crazy prices and as they were built like the proverbial panzer tank they are very difficult to strip/weld/restore.

Certainly if you find one that looks like it has a rough body, then you are possibly looking at 10% of its rust, the rest is hidden.

Avoid laid up rusty cars at all costs.

I would say you should avoid cars with ANY rust unless you possess the required MIG welding skills and have access to a decent spray booth with oven. Buying a car with a good body is key nowdays as mechanical stuff is easy to do and parts generally are easier to source.

If you have a set budget then buy something thats needs tidying or settle on something that is slightly less than perfect but that you can enjoy straight away.

Listen to this man..he speaks the truth..

Johnboy Mac

I'll just confirm what's been said. ANY Mercedes SL that is cheap, 95% of the time will be full of rust & hidden rust also to make matters worse. Want an SL spend a minimum of 10k. Or else be able to weld, paint &finish or better still rope in a friend who's got the skills & loads of time.

voxpop

Thanks for the replies guy - it looks like the merc is a non-runner then (thanks MercMad - exactly the info I was after on difficulties involved).

The SL and the Gt6 are more examples of what I have found, I dont know a great deal about classic cars (as you can probably guess ) - the 2 above were just 2 cars I came across that I liked the look of - if there are any suggestions for potential project cars - that would be great. I dont really know where to start.

The ideal, i suppose, would be a car that need mechanical work and a small bit of body work. Cheap is good!. I want it as a learning experience. I have no idea where to look for these cars - there seems to be more examples of already restored cars than cars suitable to be restored.


Is the only way to get a cheap classic involve buying a rust bucket and repairing - tbh the main thing from whats been said that puts me off the SL is the cost of panels,etc.

S.I.R

dont forget, most projects over run their schedule so if i was bulding a car, it would be for Next summer...

Johnboy Mac

S.I.R wrote: »

dont forget, most projects over run their schedule so if i was bulding a car, it would be for Next summer...

+1

2cv

If you want a restoration project, i have a 1965 Mercedes fintail for sale....

Driving, taxed, but needs body work.

artic

2cv wrote: »

If you want a restoration project, i have a 1965 Mercedes fintail for sale....

Driving, taxed, but needs body work.

Any Pics ?

2cv

artic wrote: »

Any Pics ?

not yet, but will take some this weekend

Blue850

2cv wrote: »

If you want a restoration project, i have a 1965 Mercedes fintail for sale....

Driving, taxed, but needs body work.

a bit like this then....:D

carchaeologist

^Thats quite cool!!:D

S.I.R

nice wheels on it anyways

2cv

haha
my fintail's not that bad. it needs a respray though. paint flaking off.

2cv

here's a few pics of the fintail

Eric318

voxpop wrote: »

.....It got me thinking that I would like to get a old classic, with a big engine preferably, for cheap, restore it and have it around as a weekend car.

Is it only me who finds that the words "cheap" and "restore" don't quite belong in the same sentence ? ...

Now when you add "big engine" nearby, my head goes spinning with images of overdraft letters and spouse packing her bags...

voxpop

no point in having a weekend car unless it has a big engine


Im starting to lean towards something newer maybe, with less work needing - to cut my teeth. I do like the look of that fintail though - except for the suggestion on this thread that the rust you see is only 10% of the entire rust :pac:

2cv

voxpop wrote: »

no point in having a weekend car unless it has a big engine


Im starting to lean towards something newer maybe, with less work needing - to cut my teeth. I do like the look of that fintail though - except for the suggestion on this thread that the rust you see is only 10% of the entire rust :pac:

well at that price you could hardly expect a concours example now could you :D the price reflects the condition of the car.

Anyway, the car is now sold.