Useable Classic. What's your choice?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Sat 31 Jul 2010 05:21
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - MrTG

What do you consider to be the best SIMPLE saloon / hatchback Classic Buy in the age range 1965-1990 with a price tag sub £1500 at present? Bearing in mind a pre '70 will be most likely tax free.

Would you search through endless overpriced 1098 cc Minors with filled front wings and welded rear spring mounting points, or would you look for a time warp Maestro or Metro that had belonged to an elderly person for around £500/£600? Would you buy a mechanically bullet proof Bluebird or take on a more characterful Cortina or Sierra with Pinto unit? Do any Vauxhalls exist worth considering at all?

If you have a garage with good lighting/heating, what would you enjoy disappearing for a few hours a week this winter to mess about with? (with 4 wheels that is!! Hmmm)

I always loved B-Series Oxfords, Cambridges. An unhurried gentleman's car in a world of Cortinas, Corsairs, Vivas and Victors. But the rust bug also loved these too!!

Edited by MrTG on 31/07/2010 at 05:29

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 31 Jul 2010 08:36
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - NARU

I'd look at something with some character. Maybe a BMW2002tii?

Or something with decent spares availability - MG, landrover, Jaguar...?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 31 Jul 2010 09:16
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Collos25

MGB GT they are cheap to buy easy to work on loads of parts available and fun to drive.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 31 Jul 2010 11:46
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Avant

The trouble is that most cars that you might actually want to mess around with and (particularly) drive are going to be way over your budget. The classic car magazines usually have price guides to give you an idea: for example a Triumph Vitesse (which is what I'd have if I were any sort of a mechanic) in good condition will be £4,000 + .

So you either get something like a Vitesse and expect to do some restoration, or try to find something unfashionable that you yourself like. My first car was an Austin A50 and I loved it: even one of these in good condition might be over budget, but cheaper than a Vitesse.

Cautionary tale - some years ago a work colleague paid thousands of pounds to have a 1939 Daimler restored: when it was finished he found it boring as old boots to drive - no fun at all.

So maybe, as you say, see what sort of Austin Cambridge etc you can find and afford.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 31 Jul 2010 14:01
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Roly93

Morris Oxford/Austin Cambridge good choice..

Decent MGBGT's are pricey by comparison.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 31 Jul 2010 14:07
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Vitesse6

I am biased, but the small chassis Triumphs aren't expensive, are simple to maintain (separate chassis which makes repairs more realistic) and have good club support and spares availability.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 31 Jul 2010 14:17
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - mike hannon

If you can find a BMW Tii for less than 1500 quid please email me the advert.

How about a nice Rover P6? - even after all this time you could still find a tidy one for that sort of money, probably even a V8. Lovely motor to drive and a quality of design and construction (bar the inevitable rust) that is almost unknown now in this age of electronic jewjaws.

I bought mine to use every day and due to an unforeseen change of life I found myself doing a 130-mile commute in it for a while. The girls in the office used to laugh when I said driving it was better than sex!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 1 Aug 2010 15:55
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Glenn 42

As a longshot, a Mark 4/5 Cortina 2.0 Ghia, the Mark 3 has really jumped in value since Life on Mars. This is a more powerful and refined car than a 1.6, has a beautiful interior and there are still plenty of spares and most mechanics over 35 know these inside out.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 1 Aug 2010 16:35
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - b308

Doubt you'd get a half decent P6 for £1500! Most "sorted" cars from the 60s and 70s will cost more than £1500...

For that sort of money and the fact that you want it to be usable every day come rain or shine then I'd rule out any 60s car and proably most 70s ones... I'd be looking for an 80s motor with decent rust protection and reliability... Medium sized Ford or Vauxhall (Sierra/Cavalier/Escort/Astra) or Bluebird springs to mind... Not "classics" in the same way as an MGB, but comparable with the previously mentioned rust bucket, the Cambridge/Oxford, and far more reliable...

The "time warp" Maestro/Montego would actually be quite a good bet, I had several of both and they never failed... simple mechanics, too... though an aquired taste!

Edited by b308 on 01/08/2010 at 16:37

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 1 Aug 2010 21:17
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - gramar

Cars like the Allegro, Marina and original Mini you can have. I owned an Allegro 1300, Marina 1.8 and then a Mini 1000 and I can't look back fondly because although they were simple and reliable. They were crude, uncomfortable and noisy.

If I were to choose a classic car I'd probably look for an early Ford Sierra. They were well made, reliable, went well and were fun to drive. Prices are low, parts plentiful and there are lots of examples to choose from.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 1 Aug 2010 22:03
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - mrnikko

A few left field choices Citroen 2CV or GS range, Renault 4, or 8 later 20's and 30's spares for these are not easy but the various car clubs seem to be able to keep these things running.

Also early SAAB's seem to be plentiful on fleabay

For best spares back up it has to anything MG though.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 Aug 2010 01:41
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Lygonos

Something with pop-up headlamps from Japan.

Z31 300ZX, or maybe an old Prelude.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 Aug 2010 09:47
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Pizza man

Mk1 Lexus LS400.........converted to LPG naturally lol.

Seriously though Ford Sierra Xr4x4 2.9 diamond white with RS kit......hang on i had one of these for a couple of years didn't i......

Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo............wait thats what i sold the sierra to buy...... To be fair i never considered either to be a classic, but a normal useful reliable car, both 1990/1989, although the sierra was £500 and mint the GTO was £3500.

Nissan 300ZX twin turbo or a 200SX would be what i'd get, and i may lose the Cats off them lol.

To be totally boring probably a 1.5 TD Nova, very dull but cheap to run.

Edited by Pizza man on 02/08/2010 at 09:48

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 Aug 2010 10:22
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - b308

He did say £1500, PM!! I doubt you could get a decent version of any of those for that sort of money...

Except the Corsa!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 Aug 2010 11:53
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Sofa Spud

How about a Triumph 2000? Nice 6-cylinder engine, neat but futuristic styling for its day and independent suspension all round.

Or if you go for a re-styled Mk 2 version, you get one of the neatest dashboards of any car.

A lot of Triumph 2000's were fitted with overdrive that worked on 3rd and 4th gears - giving the car 6 gear ratios in total.

There were estate versions, and also the 2.5 with a bigger engine - mostly the PI version with fuel injection.

Leaving aside the fuel injection versions, I think these car were relatively simple.

Another thing about the Triumph 2000 is that it was one of the most pleasant sounding cars (from inside) that I've ever ridden in.

Edited by Sofa Spud on 02/08/2010 at 12:05

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 Aug 2010 12:35
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Pizza man

depends how you define decent, as i said the sierra was £500, you can get turbo GTO's and 300ZX's for £1500, it's just how well they last, and to be fair tidying up the bodywork is a lot cheaper and easier then fixing blown turbos/gearboxes on something shiny thats not seen new oil for 5 years.I'd lean towards the less powerful and slower 200sx over the other 2 as it's more likely to last longer.

as for LS400, there ten a penny, i got a 95 one for £800 2 years ago still using it now on 231k.

Edited by Pizza man on 02/08/2010 at 12:36

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 2 Aug 2010 13:12
Useable Classic. What's your choice? - Armstrong Sid
as for LS400, there ten a penny, i got a 95 one for £800 2 years ago still using it now on 231k.

The pizza delivery people where I live don't use cars as big as that...........

Reply | Report as offensive | Link