Buy and restore....

engrish?

I guess there are hundreds if not thousands of people who decide to do this and never follow through, but I hope to buy and restore a classic car & I would like your advice.

I dont have a fortune to spend, what I do have is;

1) Time
2) A garden & driveway perfect for it
3) I have always wanted to do it
4) A budget of 1000 - 2000 to but the project, willing to spend money over the next year or so doing it up into a beauty.
5) A desire to understand engines and car restorations

What i dont have
1) A clue about engines
2) An idea where to buy a good deal (UK I imagine as they all seem expensive here...)
3) the knowledge of what model to buy that is ok for spare parts etc.

I am expecting eyes raised to heaven here as I am sure many have asked before, I know that I am about to undertake a massive project but it is something I have wanted to do since I was a child watching my father fix his own cars.

I am willing to spend the time and money to do it, just more of the time and less of the money if possible.

I have been reading websites about buying and restoring, most of which are uk and us based. I would love some of your opinions as you are irish classic car owners.

As for the kind of car I am after? Well a Porche 356 Convertible from the 50's would be nice but my budget is 1 - 2k for the initial buy.

I like cars that are pre - 70's, I like the style of the MG B and the 50's 190sl. I dont expect to get it, but I love the look!

Advice would be appreciated, where to buy, what to buy and the pitfalls I should look out for.

Thanks,

Engrish

Abelloid

Not the most desirable of classics but the VW beetle is arguably the easiest to restore and maintain,
wings simply bolt on and the aircooled engine is as basic as an engine gets.

smokingman

Could look at a VW Karmann Ghia...they're beautiful cars and are fairly simple machines like the Beetle...(think the it might share major parts with a Beetle too).

cartonj

To get any €1 - 2K classic to really good condition not show but good will cost you 5 or 6 times the purchase price in my experience. Usually definately more than the finished cars worth, if you can weld, spray yourself that naturally will come down but then its a time issue. Hundreds of hours toil and hundreds of miles travelled to get parts and what not. I've restored a few cars now and starting to question the sense.

Nevertheless in my experience what ever classic you go for the be all and end all is rust day one. If its a rust bucket day one it'll break your heart and wallet, if its sound you have a good start.

JoeySully

i was reading this for an hour last night
details restoration of a Capri with costs and hours included just to give you an idea of whats involved.
http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&thread=45890

Lots of unfinished projects should be around as people run out of money to complete - i would say the hardest part would be the bodywork though

galwaytt

Well OP, the thing that strikes me about your plan is........the lack of garage. I honestly don't see how you can get where you're going, without one........

macplaxton

Don't run before you can walk.

Best decide what you want in the budget and join the appropriate club.

Buy someone else's nearly finished project and finish it. If you're still keen when you've finished that, get another unfinished project that needs a bit more.

Multiply any time estimate by 3.
Multiply any cost estimate by 5.
Multiply any space required estimate by 6.

A garden and drive isn't the best inducement to work when it's blowing hooley or raining cats 'n' dogs. But not an impossible obstacle to overcome. I see a car being rebuilt under a Tesco Value gazebo before...

engrish?

macplaxton wrote: »

Multiply any time estimate by 3.
Multiply any cost estimate by 5.
Multiply any space required estimate by 6.

Ha ha! I figured as much, thought I wouldnt put a time limit on it! Thanks for that.

I do like the VW Karmann Ghia, especially in black...

http://www.nevintage.com/images/60ghia0005a.jpg

Where is the best place to look for someones almost / half completed project? Is the UK the best?

gfwd

For simplicity you couldn't go wrong with a Morris Minor or Triumph Herald. Very simple mechanics and with the Herald engine access is unbeatable. Parts availability is also excellent and shouldn't break the bank. If you like MGBs why not go for the later rubber bumper model? They're quite a bit cheaper than the chrome bumpered cars. As everyone else has said, rust is what to look out for. Try and buy a sound runner that you can use as a rolling restoration.

gfwd

http://cgi.ebay.ie/1980-Triumph-Tr7_W0QQitemZ230341475725QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item230341475725&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

245

GalwayTT is dead right - you really need a garage - rainy days are made for car restoration and sometimes its good to walk away in the middle of a frustrating job before more damage is done. Its also a shorter walk to the tools.

I'd suggest either a Spitfire or Beetle as both have a separate chassis and are relatively easy to work on. I like and have owned several Beetles but I reckon that a Spitfire would be a better option for you - parts are really cheap and a good project can be got for not a lot in the UK.

Johnboy Mac

I'll second all that has been said.

Your main issue first & foremost is a garage and not a lockup. Ideally you need a garage the size of 4-5 times the footprint of your chosen car (350sq ft) or bigger if possible, good access to the vehicle while working under cover is vital for both comfort and safety. Good lighting is a must. Having a bit of comfort will only encourage you to stay with the project and safety speaks for itself as no doubt you will be working alone for many hours.

Next is to choose the right project car. Your budget is tight so best to pick something that was fairly commom and good parts supply both new and used, good supply implies reasonably priced parts. I'd go along with other posters and suggest a Bettle or an old English yoke etc but pay particular attention to the condition of the bodywork before purchasing. Worth doing some research and taking the time out to travel to the UK.

Also as already mentioned joint the appropriate club for you chosen car too as that could be the best investment you could make.

Wishing you well & good luck.

Whosbetter?

Don't do it!
I have good mechanical knowledge, but no clue how to do bodywork/spraying etc.
Am in the middle of a Capri restoration at the mo.
Regretting it now!
The UK scene is a lot diff to here. There's a whole industry there devoted to the whole classic scene. Lotsa firms competing for business there. Hence lower prices for services.

If you must go down this route, choose a car that needs no body work repairs.
Mechanical work is so much easier. (4 me at least)
Even on this score, everything is so much more expensive.
I bought a pair of rear springs for a Capri a few years back & by the time they were delivered here they were double the list price!

Save your pennies & buy yourself something driveable needing minor work.

Don't mean to be negative, but looking at the UK scene is not a good guide to the realities here.
To sucessfully do something like this here, you need a Good shed, & a full range of skills/tools.
Not to mention, plenty of time/money.

engrish?

Thanks for the advice, will shop around a little.

deckie27

I own 3 classics
I have no garage
I have a private arrea to work on my cars
90% of my work is outside appart from an engine rebuild
I would never take on a major restoration with out a garage
even down to having to tidy up your tools if its rains is a pain..
Or you go of an evening and realise you left a grinder in the rain because you didn't notice it the night before cause it was dark
Whole weekends are lost cause of the weather
Do you have any tools?
The tools you need to take a car apart weld it etc. and put it back together would probally break you budget alone



My advice is to buy a driving classic and do it up as you go.
There will be plenty of work involved

Whosbetter?

God knows I share your enthousiam.
Really, I do,
I'm a trained engineer. (HND 1989)
I work as a fitter/ turner.
I knew every car on the road since I was 4. ('72ish)

Still not enough to fix a very simple car like a Capri.

On the other hand, I'm recently married, mortaged, one kid, etc...

shawnee

Yeah , good advice Deckie. Buy a driver, doesn't matter what it needs so long as it is safe and can be driven. You can then enjoy it and restore it at your own pace. Most of these wrecks that are bought are taken apart and many never get put back together again. I have had a few classics and I love to drive them , even if they are not pristine. They can still be enjoyed and the age marks sometimes make them more authentic (bit like a man really lol) Break it down to three or four cars and get some help from someone who has done this before. Most of these guys enjoy helping someone to purchase a car and there is loads of advice to be got.
Enjoy the trip ! and go for it.

DanGerMus

Loads here.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/list.asp?s=691&p=&d=0&min=&max=&y1=&y2=&txt=&px=&xsl=list&pagesize=15&filter=TP&o=q&pc=

gfwd

There's a decent looking MGB GT in this months Irish Vintage Scene for 1250. Says it needs a little work to bring it up to scratch but it looks a good car from the 1 pic. It's in Waterford.

wax

I bought a beetle around the same time a mate bought a capri. Both are drivable but mine needs alot of work where as his is almost mint. I'm actually the happier because I'm always looking for replacement parts online and I always have something that needs to be done. He just drives his. For some this sounds like a nightmare but to me its what owning a classic is all about. I almost hope I'll never finish it!! Best of luck with whatever car you decide to buy and make sure you join a club/forum. There's a wealth of info at your fingertips from people who are really passionate about the same car.