what narrow classic?
Discussion
I do 25k mile a year, so there really is no point having a 'nice' car. My thoughts are to make do with a vanilla car, and get a classic as the antidote to boredom.
I have a car port with garage door that is about 2.1m wide. But that is the entrance to my rear garden so ideally need space to get bikes and mowers etc through. So the car needs to be narrow!
Budget is circa £3k, but I want to spend more money on it in the coming years to improve it. My idea is for it to be a keeper, and create what I guess you would describe as a fast road car. Mini lites are cool!
My fetling skills are limited. I had a mx5 mk1 and could change oil, brakes discs and pads, spark plugs that sort of thing. Also did some passable rust repairs, but no welding.
Thoughts so far are:
midget 1275 (closer to 5k though for a good one?)
midget 1500 (limited tuning potential?)
fiat 126 (air cooled only)
fiat 127
hilman imp
or a more modern classic, 205 1.6 gti or 106/205 rallye
Any advice please? Remember, it has to be narrow!!
I have a car port with garage door that is about 2.1m wide. But that is the entrance to my rear garden so ideally need space to get bikes and mowers etc through. So the car needs to be narrow!
Budget is circa £3k, but I want to spend more money on it in the coming years to improve it. My idea is for it to be a keeper, and create what I guess you would describe as a fast road car. Mini lites are cool!
My fetling skills are limited. I had a mx5 mk1 and could change oil, brakes discs and pads, spark plugs that sort of thing. Also did some passable rust repairs, but no welding.
Thoughts so far are:
midget 1275 (closer to 5k though for a good one?)
midget 1500 (limited tuning potential?)
fiat 126 (air cooled only)
fiat 127
hilman imp
or a more modern classic, 205 1.6 gti or 106/205 rallye
Any advice please? Remember, it has to be narrow!!
Edited by covmutley on Wednesday 1st February 09:07
Way ahead of me, Triumph.
Herald (4 cyl)/ Vitesse (straight six engine) or Spitfire/GT6 (same engines, more or less)
Width 5ft, length 12ft 9"
Reasonable cars available for £3K, convertible Vits & Heralds/GT6 cost more.
Strong parts market, several clubs - TSSC, Club Triumph etc.
John
Herald (4 cyl)/ Vitesse (straight six engine) or Spitfire/GT6 (same engines, more or less)
Width 5ft, length 12ft 9"
Reasonable cars available for £3K, convertible Vits & Heralds/GT6 cost more.
Strong parts market, several clubs - TSSC, Club Triumph etc.
John
Edited by tapkaJohnD on Wednesday 1st February 09:30
I've decided. Triumph GT6. It ticks all the boxes AND sounds better than any of the other cars suggested. In fact there aren't too many options for a straight six in such a small package.
edit:
Actually, maybe not – look at the prices! You're back in TR4 territory again.
edit again:
Just seen the prices of TR4s...
edit:
Actually, maybe not – look at the prices! You're back in TR4 territory again.
edit again:
Just seen the prices of TR4s...
Edited by Yertis on Wednesday 1st February 09:58
I feel your pain OP, I really, really do…
My missus & I bought a house last spring. 1930's semi with drive and a garage (with an inspection pit!)… happy days though I. My car - Volvo Amazon - is 1.62 meters/5.3 feet wide and I thought it'd easily do down the drive and thus to the garage. Measured the gap between the house and fence at 6 ft. 4 inches at the widest
I can get the bloody heap down the side, but I can't get out of the car due to a lack of room for my door to open without touching the wall. There is a bloody great cast iron soil pipe from the bathroom to sewer down the side of the house I failed to take into account which prevents access to the garage. Couldn't try to get the car down the drive before we bought the house due to issues with the gates and a load of stuff that was stored down there.
Bugger.
Solution? Car port.
My missus has volunteered to drive the car into it for me, or I'll have to get out and push the bloody thing in myself… not ideal, but better than leaving my freshly restored car out in the rain.
I did also consider a narrower classic, but as I'm 6ft 3 and 16.5 stone (not fat, I hasten to add!), I'd look somewhat strange getting out of a bloody Mini!! And I've had my trusty Amazon for 6 years now and I really don't want to sell the old thing…
I know this doesn't answer your post OP, for which I apologise. I just wanted to unload some of the frustration I've felt over the whole thing…
Bloody cars, eh?
My missus & I bought a house last spring. 1930's semi with drive and a garage (with an inspection pit!)… happy days though I. My car - Volvo Amazon - is 1.62 meters/5.3 feet wide and I thought it'd easily do down the drive and thus to the garage. Measured the gap between the house and fence at 6 ft. 4 inches at the widest
I can get the bloody heap down the side, but I can't get out of the car due to a lack of room for my door to open without touching the wall. There is a bloody great cast iron soil pipe from the bathroom to sewer down the side of the house I failed to take into account which prevents access to the garage. Couldn't try to get the car down the drive before we bought the house due to issues with the gates and a load of stuff that was stored down there.
Bugger.
Solution? Car port.
My missus has volunteered to drive the car into it for me, or I'll have to get out and push the bloody thing in myself… not ideal, but better than leaving my freshly restored car out in the rain.
I did also consider a narrower classic, but as I'm 6ft 3 and 16.5 stone (not fat, I hasten to add!), I'd look somewhat strange getting out of a bloody Mini!! And I've had my trusty Amazon for 6 years now and I really don't want to sell the old thing…
I know this doesn't answer your post OP, for which I apologise. I just wanted to unload some of the frustration I've felt over the whole thing…
Bloody cars, eh?
You can have lot of fun with the 1500 Midget and it will be less rusty than a similar priced A series. http://shoestringmgracer.com/
Engine isn't as tough but bodywork is the biggest issue on almost all older cars.
Engine isn't as tough but bodywork is the biggest issue on almost all older cars.
Austin A30 / A35 is very narrow.
They are a lot of fun as standard bombing around back roads.
However, I'd recommend getting one with the midget bits already bolted on (Eg, 1275CC engine and Disc brakes) as fitting them yourself afterwards is more expensive than one with the work done already. I have a turned 948 in mine and that is fun but if I had the money, I'd want to try the bigger engine with a taller diff for better long distance ability.
Generally cheaper for a good condition one vs the others listed so far (Unless the Goodwood trend has push the prices way up)
Cheers.
They are a lot of fun as standard bombing around back roads.
However, I'd recommend getting one with the midget bits already bolted on (Eg, 1275CC engine and Disc brakes) as fitting them yourself afterwards is more expensive than one with the work done already. I have a turned 948 in mine and that is fun but if I had the money, I'd want to try the bigger engine with a taller diff for better long distance ability.
Generally cheaper for a good condition one vs the others listed so far (Unless the Goodwood trend has push the prices way up)
Cheers.
Wow. Thanks for the responses.
Will look at the Herald and A30/35. Other triumphs seem out of budget.
Wasn't sure on the looks of the herald at first, but searched for images and found one with a low slung exhaust and mini lites... sure enough....
1500 midget still a strong possibility.
I have to say I am surprised at the (advertised?) price of some cars. 7-8k for a decent spitfire, with the same engine that SOME people say is rubbish in the midget. To be honest, that pushes me toward the midget.
Faust66- good luck with the car port solution, fatty
Will look at the Herald and A30/35. Other triumphs seem out of budget.
Wasn't sure on the looks of the herald at first, but searched for images and found one with a low slung exhaust and mini lites... sure enough....
1500 midget still a strong possibility.
I have to say I am surprised at the (advertised?) price of some cars. 7-8k for a decent spitfire, with the same engine that SOME people say is rubbish in the midget. To be honest, that pushes me toward the midget.
Faust66- good luck with the car port solution, fatty
I was at the same mechanical skill level as the OP when I got my A35 and I've enjoyed tinkering with it and increasing my skill level.
Seems an easy car to learn on and most parts are available cheap with loads of parts in common with midgets, minors and minis
Only tools so far is an imperial socket set, imperial spanners, trolley jack and axle stands. Oh, I guess I should add compression tested and timing gun but these were only for curiosity when it was running well and I had some spare time... You know, if it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
The above car looks good value. Gold seal engine so might have been upgraded to a 948 at the same time. If it is the 803 you'd need to be looking for a bigger engine asap.
Seems an easy car to learn on and most parts are available cheap with loads of parts in common with midgets, minors and minis
Only tools so far is an imperial socket set, imperial spanners, trolley jack and axle stands. Oh, I guess I should add compression tested and timing gun but these were only for curiosity when it was running well and I had some spare time... You know, if it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
The above car looks good value. Gold seal engine so might have been upgraded to a 948 at the same time. If it is the 803 you'd need to be looking for a bigger engine asap.
Edited by AndyDRZ on Wednesday 1st February 13:04
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