What is the ideal starter project?
Discussion
Ive messed with stripping out a track car but have always left the mucky stuff to people more knowledgeable than me - but in the not too distant future I really want to take on a project and see if I can bring it back to something worthy of gracing the roads again - But where to start.
I'd like to find something thats running, I dont know that challenging my lack of mechanical knowledge is a good idea whilst Im trying to develop my bodywork skills. As much as I'd love to get stuck in and strip the engine etc as well, I dont really have any support to hand if/when I cant figure something out.
Im leaning towards an old Triumph - Simplicity, ease of parts access and the big one, Cost...!
So what have you guys done, where did you start out, and where would you locate a suitable project nowadays without entering into the bidding lottery that is ebay!?
I'd like to find something thats running, I dont know that challenging my lack of mechanical knowledge is a good idea whilst Im trying to develop my bodywork skills. As much as I'd love to get stuck in and strip the engine etc as well, I dont really have any support to hand if/when I cant figure something out.
Im leaning towards an old Triumph - Simplicity, ease of parts access and the big one, Cost...!
So what have you guys done, where did you start out, and where would you locate a suitable project nowadays without entering into the bidding lottery that is ebay!?
If you want to start with welding, you're on the right track with a triumph. Go with a spitfire or a herald, as they're both separate chassis cars. This makes the welding process a bit easier (the chassis welds needn't be pretty, the body welds aren't fully load bearing) so it should be a bit harder to cock up. 
davepoth said:
If you want to start with welding, you're on the right track with a triumph. Go with a spitfire or a herald, as they're both separate chassis cars. This makes the welding process a bit easier (the chassis welds needn't be pretty, the body welds aren't fully load bearing) so it should be a bit harder to cock up.
Thats the way Im thinking - and also having owned and driven triumphs a few years ago they're a little more familiar to me already. Trouble is finding something that is not so much of a wreck that Im unlucky to ever finish it, but not so close to being finished that the seller wants a fortune for it...
Quite fancied toying with a TR7, but some goons in the press started telling people they're getting rarer now so the prices are starting to firm up quite alarmingly
A911DOM said:
davepoth said:
If you want to start with welding, you're on the right track with a triumph. Go with a spitfire or a herald, as they're both separate chassis cars. This makes the welding process a bit easier (the chassis welds needn't be pretty, the body welds aren't fully load bearing) so it should be a bit harder to cock up.
Quite fancied toying with a TR7, but some goons in the press started telling people they're getting rarer now so the prices are starting to firm up quite alarmingly I found one on carandclassic for £1K.
RetroCosworth said:
A911DOM said:
davepoth said:
If you want to start with welding, you're on the right track with a triumph. Go with a spitfire or a herald, as they're both separate chassis cars. This makes the welding process a bit easier (the chassis welds needn't be pretty, the body welds aren't fully load bearing) so it should be a bit harder to cock up.
Quite fancied toying with a TR7, but some goons in the press started telling people they're getting rarer now so the prices are starting to firm up quite alarmingly I found one on carandclassic for £1K.
Although my aim is not to make a vast profit on a project, I dont want to buy something that Im going to feel guilty honing my skills on.
Im in the unfortunate position of not having any personal income, so anything that comes up is going to have to be bank rolled by the Mrs or be so ridiculously cheap that I could find the necessary down the back of the sofa
I know a grand isnt that much in this day and age - but if possible I'd like to get something for half that, or less... I can hope I guess.
An important factor is how much indoor space you have available.
A single domestic garage restricts your choice a great deal. A winter project is all very well but you need to be indoors with the door shut.
Stuff you could buy at around £500 could include a classic Mini - I reckon it would be cheapest to 'retro' a later one. Imp. Dolomite, not a Sprint perhaps but any of the HL models would be good,
Anglia 105e would be a great platform for period mods. Marina..... Hear me out before you get my coat.... 1.3 Super 2 door, with 'Special Tuning' mods. Well under budget and could be a real attention grabber.
A single domestic garage restricts your choice a great deal. A winter project is all very well but you need to be indoors with the door shut.
Stuff you could buy at around £500 could include a classic Mini - I reckon it would be cheapest to 'retro' a later one. Imp. Dolomite, not a Sprint perhaps but any of the HL models would be good,
Anglia 105e would be a great platform for period mods. Marina..... Hear me out before you get my coat.... 1.3 Super 2 door, with 'Special Tuning' mods. Well under budget and could be a real attention grabber.
52classic said:
An important factor is how much indoor space you have available.
A single domestic garage restricts your choice a great deal. A winter project is all very well but you need to be indoors with the door shut.
Stuff you could buy at around £500 could include a classic Mini - I reckon it would be cheapest to 'retro' a later one. Imp. Dolomite, not a Sprint perhaps but any of the HL models would be good,
Anglia 105e would be a great platform for period mods. Marina..... Hear me out before you get my coat.... 1.3 Super 2 door, with 'Special Tuning' mods. Well under budget and could be a real attention grabber.
Luckily the garage space I have is reasonable - Its not a double garage but much bigger than a single and I now have a decent heavy duty work bench ready for action. A single domestic garage restricts your choice a great deal. A winter project is all very well but you need to be indoors with the door shut.
Stuff you could buy at around £500 could include a classic Mini - I reckon it would be cheapest to 'retro' a later one. Imp. Dolomite, not a Sprint perhaps but any of the HL models would be good,
Anglia 105e would be a great platform for period mods. Marina..... Hear me out before you get my coat.... 1.3 Super 2 door, with 'Special Tuning' mods. Well under budget and could be a real attention grabber.
Its funny you should mention the Marina.. A friend of mine just sold his Marina Coupe for peanuts to a banger racer, I was sorely tempted but the timing was just slightly wrong. I saw the potential for quite a nice, 'out of the ordinary' project there - but alas its probably now spattered around an oval track somewhere or already through the crusher.
Dolomite is another that I would consider - this same friend is Dolomite mad, and would be a useful source of parts and knowledge (despite being too far away to physically help with the car)...
Had things not gone so horribly wrong with my 'hideous piece of s
t modern euro box', I may well have already bought a reasonable sprint I found... But alas, Renault and its shockingly shoddy engine components conspired against me on this one and robbed the kitty of all available funds You do find the odd good resto project on classiccarsforsale.co.uk or carandclassic.co.uk but I have found the best option is to find your local restorer of that marque and ask him. They often know cars that wouldn't be worth the time restoring but would be just the thing you're looking for.
If you do attempt the 'bidding lottery' at eBay, you could get the car inspected first- I own a company that does just that! www.classicstatusreport.com :-)
If you do attempt the 'bidding lottery' at eBay, you could get the car inspected first- I own a company that does just that! www.classicstatusreport.com :-)
johnalfanut said:
You do find the odd good resto project on classiccarsforsale.co.uk or carandclassic.co.uk but I have found the best option is to find your local restorer of that marque and ask him. They often know cars that wouldn't be worth the time restoring but would be just the thing you're looking for.
If you do attempt the 'bidding lottery' at eBay, you could get the car inspected first- I own a company that does just that! www.classicstatusreport.com :-)
Thanks John - some good ideas! If you do attempt the 'bidding lottery' at eBay, you could get the car inspected first- I own a company that does just that! www.classicstatusreport.com :-)
2CV!
Air cooled, can have the body off in a few hours. Virtually indestructible engines, VERY fun, a bit ridiculous, cheap spares, what more could you want?
And also very easy to work on. You will get a shed for about £500. A decent one will go for £2.5+ and a restored one between £3k and £8k depending on how decent they are.
Air cooled, can have the body off in a few hours. Virtually indestructible engines, VERY fun, a bit ridiculous, cheap spares, what more could you want?
And also very easy to work on. You will get a shed for about £500. A decent one will go for £2.5+ and a restored one between £3k and £8k depending on how decent they are.
Yeah Ive noticed the prices on these seem to have gone crazy.
A couple of aquaintences of mine race them quite seriously, and the money thats poured into them is quite scary.
(Mind you, one of them is only a 2cv in appearance, the shell is lightweight composite, the engine is BMW motorcycle derived, and it goes round corners!!!)
A couple of aquaintences of mine race them quite seriously, and the money thats poured into them is quite scary.
(Mind you, one of them is only a 2cv in appearance, the shell is lightweight composite, the engine is BMW motorcycle derived, and it goes round corners!!!)
Lots of choice. I'd stick with something from the BMC/BL stable from the 60s or 70s. Plentiful cheap spares, plentiful cheap cars, and a lot of people have done it all before- so theres plenty of help and advice. And places like Practical classics probably have restored one at one point.
Once you have decided, join the club. Probably some abandoned projects availalbe cheap, lots of help & advice and cheaper spares.
Oh, youtube "wheeler dealers" and watch for some ideas on cars, and working on them. But remember he has lots of space, lots of kit and lots of skill. Most of us dont have any of these!!
Once you have decided, join the club. Probably some abandoned projects availalbe cheap, lots of help & advice and cheaper spares.
Oh, youtube "wheeler dealers" and watch for some ideas on cars, and working on them. But remember he has lots of space, lots of kit and lots of skill. Most of us dont have any of these!!
In an update to this thread - Ive put a deposit down on what hopefully will be the beginning of something simple but fun!
1962 Triumph Herald 1200 Conv. Bought unseen (other than a couple of pictures)
Came in at less than my (hopeful) budget - so Im expecting a lot of work - but thats the idea, this is going to be a steep learning curve. Cant wait!
1962 Triumph Herald 1200 Conv. Bought unseen (other than a couple of pictures)
Came in at less than my (hopeful) budget - so Im expecting a lot of work - but thats the idea, this is going to be a steep learning curve. Cant wait!
A911DOM said:
In an update to this thread - Ive put a deposit down on what hopefully will be the beginning of something simple but fun!
1962 Triumph Herald 1200 Conv. Bought unseen (other than a couple of pictures)
Came in at less than my (hopeful) budget - so Im expecting a lot of work - but thats the idea, this is going to be a steep learning curve. Cant wait!
Woohoo! 1962 Triumph Herald 1200 Conv. Bought unseen (other than a couple of pictures)
Came in at less than my (hopeful) budget - so Im expecting a lot of work - but thats the idea, this is going to be a steep learning curve. Cant wait!
Can we seen the pictures?
RetroCosworth said:
A911DOM said:
In an update to this thread - Ive put a deposit down on what hopefully will be the beginning of something simple but fun!
1962 Triumph Herald 1200 Conv. Bought unseen (other than a couple of pictures)
Came in at less than my (hopeful) budget - so Im expecting a lot of work - but thats the idea, this is going to be a steep learning curve. Cant wait!
Woohoo! 1962 Triumph Herald 1200 Conv. Bought unseen (other than a couple of pictures)
Came in at less than my (hopeful) budget - so Im expecting a lot of work - but thats the idea, this is going to be a steep learning curve. Cant wait!
Can we seen the pictures?
It was for sale on PH at some point if you want to have a dig about though
Really looking forward to it - its costing me almost as much in transportation (and messing around to get the car home) as the car itself. But when's that ever put a petrolhead off hey
Really excited about it actually - with a little hint of nerves!
With all the talk on here and with a little bit of encouragement from a welding course, it was time to take the plunge
She arrived home last night after probably the longest road trip this car has had in YEARS!
Its going to be a long term project fitting in round everything else, coupled with the fact that this is a complete test bed for me, a steep learning curve, but hopefully an enjoyable rewarding one.
Pictures to follow shortly...
She arrived home last night after probably the longest road trip this car has had in YEARS!
Its going to be a long term project fitting in round everything else, coupled with the fact that this is a complete test bed for me, a steep learning curve, but hopefully an enjoyable rewarding one.
Pictures to follow shortly...
Okay - here she is:
as you can see, she still hasnt made it off the back of the trailer yet (awaiting the garage to be vacated by the track toy). But as soon as she does, then I'll take out all the rubbish inside the car, looks like its been used as a bin, and start trying to formulate a plan as to bringing her back to life.
I wanted to see if she would run (engine turns free manually), but sadly she didnt come with any keys - and with having been off the road for so long the modern looking battery is completely knackered despite a good charge...
Any tips for starting minus the keys would be appreciated (short of hammering a screwdriver in the barrel).
The lights did give a little flicker of life with the failing battery, so the electrics cant be completely dead - but they look like theyve been tampered with to put in some modern entertainment in the past. I'll be trying to trace that back and ripping it out so lessen the confusion I already have regarding the electrical side of things.
The bodywork is pretty poor as you can see - although, considering how long its been off road the chassis looks very neat and tidy, and the bulkhead doesnt appear to be in bad nick either.
The floor pans are not showing too many signs of daylight, however, it would appear someone has put on a floor pan/tread plate panel over the top of an old one - which could be interesting once investigated.
I suspect the drivers door will be unsaveable as it has a massive dent in it, and is rotten down the entire height of the door where it meets the rear tub. You never know, I may be able to patch something in, and as Ive mentioned before - this is all a learning process for me.
Let me know what you think. I paid 330 quid for this little beaut, and having bought unseen other than a couple of photos, so far Im fairly impressed at what I have to work with.
as you can see, she still hasnt made it off the back of the trailer yet (awaiting the garage to be vacated by the track toy). But as soon as she does, then I'll take out all the rubbish inside the car, looks like its been used as a bin, and start trying to formulate a plan as to bringing her back to life.
I wanted to see if she would run (engine turns free manually), but sadly she didnt come with any keys - and with having been off the road for so long the modern looking battery is completely knackered despite a good charge...
Any tips for starting minus the keys would be appreciated (short of hammering a screwdriver in the barrel).
The lights did give a little flicker of life with the failing battery, so the electrics cant be completely dead - but they look like theyve been tampered with to put in some modern entertainment in the past. I'll be trying to trace that back and ripping it out so lessen the confusion I already have regarding the electrical side of things.
The bodywork is pretty poor as you can see - although, considering how long its been off road the chassis looks very neat and tidy, and the bulkhead doesnt appear to be in bad nick either.
The floor pans are not showing too many signs of daylight, however, it would appear someone has put on a floor pan/tread plate panel over the top of an old one - which could be interesting once investigated.
I suspect the drivers door will be unsaveable as it has a massive dent in it, and is rotten down the entire height of the door where it meets the rear tub. You never know, I may be able to patch something in, and as Ive mentioned before - this is all a learning process for me.
Let me know what you think. I paid 330 quid for this little beaut, and having bought unseen other than a couple of photos, so far Im fairly impressed at what I have to work with.
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