Buying first project car

[rustydreamcast]

Ok I'm getting bored of welding bits together and decided to buy a cheap project nothing too serious couple of hundred. So if I completely stuffed up nothing much lost

Started trawling through eBay and gumtree but what struck me, was people's expectation of price seemed very high for a MOT fail

Almost asking the same price as the same car with a years mot

Know can barter down but wondered if the price for scrap card was high ATM pushing prices up

 

[gaz_moose]

usually just dreamers who think their old banger is worth a fortune. but sadly its only worth its weight if it don't have a 'golden' ticket.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Welding cars for MOT is a hateful experience. Often it's in dirty, inaccessable places where you are lying on your back getting filthy avoiding getting dirt in your eyes and finding you the little bit of rot the MOT picked up extends to half the car before you have finished. It's not like TV where you have a fully equiped garage with 4 post lift and just a bit of welding to attach a factory sill to mint inner sills etc. Sorry to be negative but if you are bored with welding bits together then you certainly will be far more bored reparing a rotten car to MOT standard. What about sculptures, gas bottle burners, planters, gates etc - all a lot more "fun" than a rotten car.

 

[zzr1200]

Welding cars for MOT is a hateful experience. Often it's in dirty, inaccessable places where you are lying on your back getting filthy avoiding getting dirt in your eyes and finding you the little bit of rot the MOT picked up extends to half the car before you have finished. It's not like TV where you have a fully equiped garage with 4 post lift and just a bit of welding to attach a factory sill to mint inner sills etc. Sorry to be negative but if you are bored with welding bits together then you certainly will be far more bored reparing a rotten car to MOT standard. What about sculptures, gas bottle burners, planters, gates etc - all a lot more "fun" than a rotten car.

A truer word has not been posted here, unless you can find a vehicle with a separate chassis then it's easier but you will need 4 times the space to store the panels and parts, once it's all been stripped down.
Before you start the repairs n welding.

 

[rustydreamcast]

Thanks bored is maybe the wrong word
I'm waiting to push forward with skills

I've promised myself that I would do a restoration as always tinkering with older cars but welding has evaded me till now

I want to build techniques before I get an old triumph

 

[Bordfunker]

If you are thinking about one of the small chassis Triumphs, Herald, Spitfire etc, then you will end up doing a lot of welding.

Take that from someone who bought a Herald thinking it only needed a bit of tidying, when in reality I’m no in the midst of a body off restoration with a lot of welding.

Karl

 

[rustydreamcast]

I'm thinking of something like a dolomite but need to clear space as garage is small

 

[mr haynes]

The best car to learn bodywork, and in a limited space, is a Mini. Unfortunately junk, as has been mentioned already, is going for silly money.
There are some gems out there if you are willing to look at less popular makes.
You have to have a bit of a masochistic streak, but restoration is rewarding with a sense of triumph through adversity

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Restoration can be enjoyable as you can take your time to do the job properly but MOT welding is "do the minimum as quickly as possible, even if it only last as long as it take to get the vehicle tested, and as cheaply as possible". It's not unknown, when sorting out MOT welding (bodges) to find plate upon plate of patches !

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I'm thinking of something like a dolomite but need to clear space as garage is small

Dolomites have a serious rust aspect that is very difficult to sort properly. It's an almost hidden area between the front suspension tower and the bulkhead. Mine rotted away on a car just six years old and was a nightmare to do properly. It involved removing the wings and reinforcing member to gain access. Luckilly at the time the car was still in production so genuine parts were available from main agent but today you'd probably have to fabricate from scratch. My advice is pick something with massive repair panel availability so save yourself a lot of heartache. Something like VW Golf MKI, Mini, Morris 1000, MGB, Midget, Spitfire, Herald, Beetle, etc. You might have to pay a lot more for the project but then will save in the end with cheapness and ease of parts sourcing. A cheap car might end up costing a fortune if you have to spend years tracking down an exclusive panel which seller know is rare so demand an price premium.

 

[mylesdw]

Many wise words! Also remember that if you put the effort in to get a Dolomite back to show-room condition you'll still have a terrible car. I'll get my coat...

 

[jordan1]

Here's a punt for you.:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MX5-Mk2-...=7&_sacat=0&_nkw=mot+failures&_from=R40&rt=nc

Scrap metal prices are quite high at the moment.

 

[mylesdw]

How to choose between a Mazda MX5 and a Triumph Dolomite, not easy.

Seriously, that looks like a nicer project but I guess I'd look for an early MX with the pop-up headlights; a much prettier, simpler(?) car

Always thought making a Lotus Elan replica from an MX5 would be a great project: wheels, badges, paint scheme and some period touches...

 

[puffernutter]

I have a MX-5 rag top bought cheap as it needed welding. Pop up headlights. That was 4 years ago. Haven't got around to it yet! The place to watch is the rear wheel arches as the water from teh soft top can get trapped there and it rots like a good un! It also needs 3 new srings!

One day I'll start on it!

Peter

 

[Wightsparks]

I bought a Mk2.5 MX-5 for 1K (like the link), sold the parts for 2.5K and kept the engine and a few bits for the sandrail. - The seats, wheels and hood alone would pay for that one above - but if it is a non Mazda colour you lose out on flogging the panels.

 

[daedalusminos]

My advice is either

1. Go for any old car to practice on
2. Or go for a car that you want to keep and are willing to invest hours and hours in.

The small chassis triumphs are easy to work on if you pull the body off and get it on a rotisserie plenty of spares availability including repair and genuine panels.

Here's my MK1 GT6 on the rotisserie for full restoration...

 

[rustydreamcast]

Thanks for the I thoughts I'm now looking at minis the small footprint and parts availablity seems a wonnwi

 

[marlinspike]

Parts availability is very important. We Saab owners are dependent on used parts as so much stuff is no longer available. At least with Minis the project car might cost more but the parts are still cheapish and available.

There is also a huge amount of info on the net. I have never owned or fancied getting a Mini but often read The Mini Forum as the restorations on there are very helpful for anyone doing car bodywork. There are some restos on there where you would swear the car is too far gone to save but they somehow resurrect them.

Let us know how you get on with finding a project.

 

[Rannsachair]

Parts availability is very important. We Saab owners are dependent on used parts as so much stuff is no longer available. At least with Minis the project car might cost more but the parts are still cheapish and available.

There is also a huge amount of info on the net. I have never owned or fancied getting a Mini but often read The Mini Forum as the restorations on there are very helpful for anyone doing car bodywork. There are some restos on there where you would swear the car is too far gone to save but they somehow resurrect them.

Let us know how you get on with finding a project.

i have a 71 Saab 96, panels are very limited though there are some panels available. Engine and brake/suspension parts are still relatively easy to get.

i had a few mini's back in the 80's. they did tend to corrode quite badly, great how you can still get all the panels now though. i still think they are a fantastic fun car.

It is easy to underestimate how much space a car in bits takes up - i have the bodyshell in my 20 x 10 shed, engine in the garage with my motorbikes, piles of parts in my loft and doors/bonnet and interior in my dad's shed.

Good luck finding something..

 

[puffernutter]

I really fancy a Sunbeam Rapier (1970s era). A friend had one at I always enjoyed being out in it. I did have a TR7 as well, that was a fun car!

Cheers

Peter