What car...?

[timbob]

As I'm (hopefully!) going to be gradutating with my degree next summer, and it coincides with my 21st birthday and a bit of inheritance coming my way, I'm going to be on the hunt for a car.

I discarded the kitcar idea, as that would be too expensive (at least 5k for the car, and more for everything else), and decided to go the retro route. So I'm after something thats:

a) retro
b) easy to work on/tinker with
c) at least 2 litres
d) RWD
e) £1500 tops

I've thought about maybe getting an unmolested 1.3l escort, and dropping in a 2 litre pinto from a scrappy...I don't have any experience with anything this major, but I reckon the only way to learn would be to do it - good summer project!

[ARH]

triuph vitesse maybe, the escort would be fun and a good project to learn on, but finding good escorts these days is quite difficult as far as i know.

[ettore]

Dolomite Sprint.

[The Wiz]

Not sure about the Sprint .... Triumph garage around here warned me off one saying it would spend more time in the garage than out of it - the 1850 is as good a bet though.

[lanciachris]

alfa 75, v6 or twin spark. Depending on if you mind it being comparatively 'new' to the other suggestions

[v8thunder]

Alfa Romeo 75, BMW E21 3-Series, Ford Capri, Sunbeam Rapier, Triumph TR7 Coupe or Dolomite, or an old Vauxhall of some description, like a Firenza, Magnum or Cavalier Coupe.

[ettore]

Alfa is a good suggestion, but how about a GTV6 rather than a 75?

lovely looking, sonorous Alfa V6, etc etc (possibly a bit rusty!)

[Dougie.]

Opel Manta GT/E or Capri?

[docevi1]

Reliant Schimitar

Or why not get a 2nd hand kit-car? Mine was only £2k (Marlin Roadster)

[Davel]

MGB? - if you can find one within budget or MG Midget.

Lancia Beta Spyder if you can find a non-rust bucket type.

[lanciachris]

Lancia Betas are fwd. And youd be lucky to find a gtv6 for that money...

[timbob]

I've thought along the Capri lines already - a 2.0, or even 2.8i if I can find one would be great...would be a mk3 - I'd hazard a guess that a half decent mk1 would be out of my price range.

An old cavalier is kind of out - Gareth (littlegearl), who is a good mate drives one already!

What're the old E21 3 series BMs like? I've not heard or seen much about them...which might be a good thing - a bit more individual?

[Pigeon]

Competent, fairly bland, not too bad to work on but some awkward bits IIRC, driving position felt a bit funny (low) to me, driver's seats wear out.

Triumph 2000 / 2500 / 2.5PI range are nice cars, bit soft and wallowy though; same engine in the smaller and sportier Vitesse and GT6. Common fault with these engines is dropping crankshaft thrust washers, which makes the clutch go funny.

Volvo Amazons are tough and easy to work on and you should be able to get one within budget.

[Alpineandy]

[redacted]

[crankedup]

Capri - no question. Use and enjoy get your money back too when you sell on

[thanuk]

Escort RS2000?

[Alpineandy]

thanuk said:

Escort RS2000?

For GBP 1,500. Where, we'll all have one.

[yertis]

Scimitar GTE - again. (Virtually) indestructible and cheap bits. Great sound and great fun. Like a 3 litre Capri with vastly better handling and much less to rot. SE5a or SE6b are I believe the ones to go for. And you can fit a drum kit in the back.

[v8thunder]

Scimitars drink a bit though, don't they?

[Alpineandy]

v8thunder said:

Scimitars drink a bit though, don't they?

That comment comes from V8Thunder...

Like most cars, It depends how you drive it. It doesn't have the electronics to help the MPG, but it isn't that bad.
It's certainly a car worth considering.