stuarty Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'm thinking about embarking on my first ever car restoration project. As yet i've not decided what to buy. I was thinking about an older car like a vauxhall nova (my first car) or something similar. I would like to buy something and refurb it back to its former glory. I dont want to buy anything too expensive for my first attempt. Also, parts must be available and not too expensive. Anyone ever done a restoration on an older car? Any ideas or advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Not sure on prices - but a Ford Pop would be a cool project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Not sure on prices - but a Ford Pop would be a cool project. +1 why do I LOVE those things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Loved the look of this! http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2691887.htm Would like a spitfire, but one that needs restored! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wasso Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Not sure on prices - but a Ford Pop would be a cool project. +1 why do I LOVE those things? Cos you can turn it into this!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If I ever do, it would have to be a Volvo P1800. Do you watch much Wheeler Dealers by any chance? lots of good inspiration there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If I ever do, it would have to be a Volvo P1800.Do you watch much Wheeler Dealers by any chance? lots of good inspiration there! Very nice.... or an Amazon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 phwoar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincolnbaggie Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Cheap and easy would be somethng like an MGB; you can even buy brand new body shells for them still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Love these. Roger Moore lived close to me while he was filming for "The Saint" and I often saw his personal Volvo P1800 in Mold, guess I'd have been 14 or so at the time Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I used to have a sit up and beg Ford Pop, I bought it to hotrod or restore, but after closer examination it needed so much work doing to it I ended up selling it to a specialist who broke it for parts. I also ended up doing similar with a Mini Cooper I also bought to restore, although I ended up breaking that up myself and selling the bits on. Actually made more from the bits than the car would have been worth had I finished restoring it. Its a shame really, but 9/10 its cheaper to just buy a car which is already in good condition rather than buy one to restore as the costs soon spiral out of control and you seldom will end up getting back anywhere near what you have spent on the restoration. Back when I was a lad, you could buy an old mini for 50quid and rebuild it from bits down the local scrap yard for hardly anything. Now adays, any old mini, even non runners are fetching 500quid upwards and you`ll never find any bits in scrapyards - you have to buy them from specialists who charge the earth. Same with Spitfires and mg`s... when I was at college loads of my mates had them, all kept on the road thanks to the local scrapyards. You can get a lot of pleasure (and pain) tho from running an old classic. Sometimes they are easier to work on, but other times, being able to plug a laptop into my car and the car telling me what the problem is, is much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 my recent prchase is just like what your doing, ok its not a classic yet but hopefully a fuure classic. i went with a Jag XKR 2000 plate; its in good condition but it needs work to restore it to its full glory. i liked it as a project car as i can still use it daily while i work on it. and a big advantage is there are loads of parts new and 2nd hand for them. ebay is full of stuff and there are lots of other places as well; so parts aren;t mental. and as its OBD compliant i can still contect up to the car and read the problems. my list of to do jobs so far: Restore leather on drivers seat bolster replace all painted window trims remove and reseal drivers headlight repair a minor scratch to the wood on the steering wheel seal and wax oil the underside of the car wheel arches will need some work not major, but it will give me a chance to practice my spray painting more. front grille needs straigtening or replacing alloys need a refurb (still in a good stat but not 100% perfect) paint work needs a full clean and machine polish i'm currently cleaning the injectors might even do my own part service and do the sparks and oil going to do an engine flush improvements a future projects renew exhaust and also hand build one section to my own specification update all the bulbs re paint and clean the engine bay, things like painted rocker covers, make the supercharger shiney and polish the lettering etc replace all the engine bay bolts modify the satnav screen to run a carputer possibly lower the suspension upgrade SC pulleys for more power temporary change of air filter while i own it. (restore to original if and when i sell) maybe a light tint to the rear window and rear quarters fix what ever else goes wrong etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 What about a mk1 golf gti the parts are cheap and easy to get as all the VAG car bits were inter changable and very easy to work on and adapt if you wish. More importantly they have a strong following in case you need to bail out of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbowey Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 i am sorry but if you buy a nova and restore it to its former "glory" i might just have to restore to the shed it deserves to be. its the chavs who drive shitboxes like that who have caused insurance to be so bad for young lads over the years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 What about a mk1 golf gti the parts are cheap and easy to get as all the VAG car bits were inter changable and very easy to work on and adapt if you wish. More importantly they have a strong following in case you need to bail out of it! That would be a good project. If you can get one for the right cash as the mk1 gti`s always have a good following. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 My mate has a spitfire that he's rebuilt. He recently bought a 'matching numbers' all original Nova Sport which is stripped in his garage. My advice would be buy a rolling restoration and not a bag of bolts with a rusty shell. That way it'll have a fighting chance to be completed and survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnH Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 What? Nobodies mentioned an old Z yet?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Mini? Old school escort or fiesta xr2? Have a look here for inspiration http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.a ... =&nodays=0 I'd love to do something like an Audi quattro, Porsche 944, manta or Capri etc Or a Mitsubishi Starion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 What? Nobodies mentioned an old Z yet?? they aren't cheap, even when they fooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I think it might also be worth asking What budget to buy? What budget to restore? What experience do you have? What space you have? Driveway or garage etc..... Time scale? What you like? What you want? That might help. No point in suggesting a BL car (vitually all parts available from Rimmer Bros) if you want a french hatch from 1988 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If I had the time and money, I would restore an old 1969 camaro, such nice cars. You can pick them up dirt cheap when they are in bad condition! Turn it into this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350 Russ Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 If I had the time and money, I would restore an old 1969 camaro, such nice cars.You can pick them up dirt cheap when they are in bad condition! Turn it into this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnH Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 What? Nobodies mentioned an old Z yet?? they aren't cheap, even when they fooked 280ZXs are fairly cheap: http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... arno/93439 : http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... rno/130123 : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu350z Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 What about a mk1 golf gti the parts are cheap and easy to get as all the VAG car bits were inter changable and very easy to work on and adapt if you wish. More importantly they have a strong following in case you need to bail out of it! That would be a good project. If you can get one for the right cash as the mk1 gti`s always have a good following. A friend of mine restores old mk1 gti's! He currently drives a mint rabbit! They go for serious money now. Rapidly becoming a real classic! You'll be lucky to get anything decent for less than a grand! mk2's are where the gti guys look now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 What? Nobodies mentioned an old Z yet?? they aren't cheap, even when they fooked 280ZXs are fairly cheap: http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... arno/93439 : http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... rno/130123 : I think the 280 would have to be a labour of love. The price difference between a good one and a not very good one is so small that you'd be out of pocket very quickly..... 260s offer better value in my eyes. The gap is much bigger between fixer upper and good example. Obviously the outlay is higher though. I would get something that will be worth equal or more money than you have in it after completion unless it's a labour of love and you plan to keep it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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