Discussion
T697JVS said:
Heaveho said:
Mk1 MR2.
Very rare and questionable parts availability. I d love one, but how easy is it to get parts these days?I've had this for a decade. There are specialists still supplying parts, and necessity is the mother of invention. When I've needed stuff, I've managed. If I like something and it's worth having, half the fun is sourcing the parts and working on it.
I was in a similar position to you, OP, but with a slightly higher budget.
Don't be put off by scaremongerers on here fretting about parts availability. As Heaveho said above, parts are available for just about anything in this price range. Yes, you sometimes need to get creative and yes, you may be trawling through foreign eBay, but they are out there. Buy carefully (ie not a restoration project) and you probably won't need too much anyway.
I got a bit bored of the predictable British suspects so ended up with a Lancia Fulvia Coupé and have experienced no difficulties with parts availability.
Heaveho's MR2 is familiar on these pages and it's beautiful. I considered one but wanted something a bit older and more "exotic".
The main consideration is rust. Anything mechanically can be sorted by a competent home mechanic, but rust is a killer.
Don't be put off by scaremongerers on here fretting about parts availability. As Heaveho said above, parts are available for just about anything in this price range. Yes, you sometimes need to get creative and yes, you may be trawling through foreign eBay, but they are out there. Buy carefully (ie not a restoration project) and you probably won't need too much anyway.
I got a bit bored of the predictable British suspects so ended up with a Lancia Fulvia Coupé and have experienced no difficulties with parts availability.
Heaveho's MR2 is familiar on these pages and it's beautiful. I considered one but wanted something a bit older and more "exotic".
The main consideration is rust. Anything mechanically can be sorted by a competent home mechanic, but rust is a killer.
How old a classic is the OP looking for? I have had cars from the 30’s and 40’s where parts are not easy to come by, I would be looking at cars with good parts availability, I have an MGB and parts are easy but also have a Sunbeam Alpine where parts can be challenging! I also have a 1950’s Rover P4 where parts are easy to get from a couple of specialists. Slightly new cars like my XJS are fairly easy to get stuff as so many of the parts are common to other cars
I'm totally biased as I drive one everyday 
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2039147
Right on the money.
Change the wheels to deeper standard, Minilite, American Racing or any other '60s option and transform the personality completely.
Lovely things to drive, surprisingly nimble and just built to last.
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2039147
Right on the money.
Change the wheels to deeper standard, Minilite, American Racing or any other '60s option and transform the personality completely.
Lovely things to drive, surprisingly nimble and just built to last.
vixen1700 said:
I'm totally biased as I drive one everyday
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2039147
Right on the money.
Change the wheels to deeper standard, Minilite, American Racing or any other '60s option and transform the personality completely.
Lovely things to drive, surprisingly nimble and just built to last.
That's lovely, but I'd want overdrive for longer journey work. Very nearly bought one before I got the Fulvia.https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2039147
Right on the money.
Change the wheels to deeper standard, Minilite, American Racing or any other '60s option and transform the personality completely.
Lovely things to drive, surprisingly nimble and just built to last.
Turbobanana said:
I was in a similar position to you, OP, but with a slightly higher budget.
Don't be put off by scaremongerers on here fretting about parts availability. As Heaveho said above, parts are available for just about anything in this price range. Yes, you sometimes need to get creative and yes, you may be trawling through foreign eBay, but they are out there. Buy carefully (ie not a restoration project) and you probably won't need too much anyway.
I got a bit bored of the predictable British suspects so ended up with a Lancia Fulvia Coupé and have experienced no difficulties with parts availability.
Heaveho's MR2 is familiar on these pages and it's beautiful. I considered one but wanted something a bit older and more "exotic".
The main consideration is rust. Anything mechanically can be sorted by a competent home mechanic, but rust is a killer.
Agree wholeheartedly with this choice, parted company with my Fulvia Coupe 3 years ago and still miss it.Don't be put off by scaremongerers on here fretting about parts availability. As Heaveho said above, parts are available for just about anything in this price range. Yes, you sometimes need to get creative and yes, you may be trawling through foreign eBay, but they are out there. Buy carefully (ie not a restoration project) and you probably won't need too much anyway.
I got a bit bored of the predictable British suspects so ended up with a Lancia Fulvia Coupé and have experienced no difficulties with parts availability.
Heaveho's MR2 is familiar on these pages and it's beautiful. I considered one but wanted something a bit older and more "exotic".
The main consideration is rust. Anything mechanically can be sorted by a competent home mechanic, but rust is a killer.
One word of warning - having attempted (and bailed out of) a front suspension rebuild on my Fulvia you will need to be a very competent home mechanic and the owner of some rather special tools to tackle such a job.
Omicron will become your friend - that's not the heavily mutated variant of the SARS virus that upset us all 5 years ago - but the cheerful Lancia guys up in Norfolk who can provide you both with spares and friendly advice.
Turbobanana said:
That's lovely, but I'd want overdrive for longer journey work. Very nearly bought one before I got the Fulvia.
I don't have overdrive but only really miss it on motorways which can be a bit wearing for trips over an hour and a half, say. It'll happily drive to North Norfolk on the A & B roads, it's a real joy then.
Thanks for the suggestions. That Lancia looks lovely. I’m after something that I can use on the weekends. Maybe the odd road trip on some long distance adventures. Ideally I’d want something that’s usual and you can source parts for easy. I know that’s sort of counter intuitive. I have considered a Citroen XM. I do also like the Volvo that was posted.
You could get a decent Lotus Excel for that money I think. Ok I'm biased, but driving it is always an event and it's comfy long-distance. Reliable if looked after. I dug mine out of a hedge, so I'm not the best example, but once on the road the only breakdown I had was s
t from the tank blocking up the fuel lines.
That said, I think you could do a lot worse than something like an MGB for the reasons others have given..or maybe a 70s/80s Merc?
t from the tank blocking up the fuel lines.That said, I think you could do a lot worse than something like an MGB for the reasons others have given..or maybe a 70s/80s Merc?
Turbobanana said:
I was in a similar position to you, OP, but with a slightly higher budget.
Don't be put off by scaremongerers on here fretting about parts availability. As Heaveho said above, parts are available for just about anything in this price range. Yes, you sometimes need to get creative and yes, you may be trawling through foreign eBay, but they are out there. Buy carefully (ie not a restoration project) and you probably won't need too much anyway.
I got a bit bored of the predictable British suspects so ended up with a Lancia Fulvia Coupé and have experienced no difficulties with parts availability.
Heaveho's MR2 is familiar on these pages and it's beautiful. I considered one but wanted something a bit older and more "exotic".
The main consideration is rust. Anything mechanically can be sorted by a competent home mechanic, but rust is a killer.
Thanks for the kind words on the MR2. That Lancia is exquisite, and as keen as I am, that's a step on from anything I've been brave enough to Don't be put off by scaremongerers on here fretting about parts availability. As Heaveho said above, parts are available for just about anything in this price range. Yes, you sometimes need to get creative and yes, you may be trawling through foreign eBay, but they are out there. Buy carefully (ie not a restoration project) and you probably won't need too much anyway.
I got a bit bored of the predictable British suspects so ended up with a Lancia Fulvia Coupé and have experienced no difficulties with parts availability.
Heaveho's MR2 is familiar on these pages and it's beautiful. I considered one but wanted something a bit older and more "exotic".
The main consideration is rust. Anything mechanically can be sorted by a competent home mechanic, but rust is a killer.
consider!
Completely agree that a rusty car is potentially a much more difficult and expensive proposition than something needing a mechanical going over. I've tried to avoid anything that has had corrosion issues, mainly because finding someone to repair things to a standard worth having is always something I've struggled with in the past. And the costs always have the potential to spiral as you uncover things that weren't initially visible.
I had a Corrado VR6 for a while. Although it never actually left me stranded, it was mechanically the most unreliable car I've ever had, but it was genuinely sensational to drive. I didn't know enough about them when I bought mine, and found out the hard way that even with FSH, what a load of old b
ks German build quality actually represents compared to Jap stuff, but I'd have another now I know what to expect. I think they're a wonderful looking car, they're another that the bits ( trim mainly ) are starting to get difficult to source, but a sorted one is a very rewarding thing to drive. Fiat Coupe 20VT is another I'd like to try. Both of those are in budget if you're that way inclined.
Just to add, while driving back to Newcastle from Southampton at the weekend, and passing by Silverstone, I saw an immaculate white L plate Toyota Celica 2.0 GTI, and as I'm prone to do at the appearance of such things, almost crashed the van swooning at it. I used to work for Toyota when these were a current model, and have a soft spot for all Toyotas and Lexus from that period though. Obviously they aren't everyone's idea of a desirable ownership prospect, that's just my own personal sickness!
Edited by Heaveho on Tuesday 31st March 15:28
moffspeed said:
Omicron will become your friend - that's not the heavily mutated variant of the SARS virus that upset us all 5 years ago - but the cheerful Lancia guys up in Norfolk who can provide you both with spares and friendly advice.
Absolutely - Andrew posts on here whenever I update my Readers' Cars thread, and attends owners' club events in person. Fortunately I have not been bothered by the 'other' Omicron yet.
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