Rear Engined Cars

[niagra]

Hi all,

I fancy buying a rear engined car and am just after some advice, opinions etc as to what to go for and what to avoid. My budget is about £1500 for an Mot'd rolling resto so a 911 is out of the question!

Here are a few I've thought of:

Imp - should be able to get a reasonably nice one
Renault 8 - probably my favourite but difficult to find and I can't afford a Gordini
NSU - TT would be nice but again difficult to find
Simca 1000 - difficult to find
Beetle - no! I just don't get it

I've checked out a few marque based forums but thought I'd ask the question on a general classic car forum just to read some views

Thanks,
Dario

[woodytype S]

Hows about a Toyota MR2 Mk1 fantastic little mid-engined car.Lotus had a hand in it's development.

[niagra]

definitely got to be rear engined and 60s/early 70s

[g15rrb]

How about a Clan Crusader or a Ginetta G15?

[Sam_68]

Clan would be good if you can find one within your budget, though it would definitely be a rolling resto at £1500.

Davrian and Ginetta G15 are likely to be beyond your budget, even for a shabby example these days.

Imps are fantastic little cars (I've owned several), but have a number of known weak spots (overheating and blown head gaskets being the worst, but also water pump bearings, king pin wear, rotoflex couplings, potentially fragile gearbox and rust), so make sure you do your reasearch and buy carefully.

Parts are fairly cheap and readily available and support is good, compared to the other options you've listed.

You might also wish to consider the Skoda 110R (if you can find one) or Fiat 126 (if you don't mind being laughed at), but my money would definitely be on an Imp.

[tr7v8]

Imp good if you can avoid the rust.
Renault 8 or 10 will be fairly rare I'd imagine, not sure about spares availability but lots of bits in common with early 5 & possibly 12.
NSU TT would be my choice but rare & expensive when new & like rocking 'orse poo these days. Good drive though.
Simca good but rare & spares were not easy when new.
I don't get Beetles either so you ain't the only one.

How about FIAT 600 or 850 either D, Special or Coupe. I had a 1970 Coupe & it which much faster than my mates Imp sport & more reliable. A coupe will be too much dosh but a Special or D could be doable.

[garethj]

niagra said:

Renault 8 - probably my favourite but difficult to find and I can't afford a Gordini

I had one a few years ago and it had brilliant handling, the rear suspension was sagging nicely so gave some negative camber. Tried ebay.fr?
The only other one that comes to mind (a Tatra 613 might be a bit tricky) is a Suzuki Whizzkid, or SC100GX as they were otherwise known.

A bit bigger than a rollerskate, seemingly smaller than a go-kart, it's the most fun you can have under 1000cc

[Gompo]

Skoda Rapide?

[Joe T]

You might find a rough Lancia Montecarlo, there was a red one on ebay a while back that had been messed with for that sort of money.

Fiat X19, Sorry.....

Forgot the Matra Murena they seem chaeper than the Bagheera all related to the Simca.

Edited by Joe T on Thursday 28th January 23:08

[CDP]

Gompo said:

Skoda Rapide?

Or the Estelle for that matter. Get the 130 with the semi trailing arm rear suspension. 120's had swing axles so could be tricky on the limit.

126s are great fun but an Imp is so much better. Fiat did a tiny rear engine van too which made a neat little camper.

You might be able to get a VW type 25 for that money but watch out for cylinder head problems and the cooling system generally. They aren't so bad for rust though.

Realistically though the Skoda, Imp or Fiat are your main options unless you got mid engined where the Toyota and MGF start to become available.

Just remembered there's a silly little Suzuki too. And the Smart.

[Sam_68]

CDP said:

Realistically though the Skoda, Imp or Fiat are your main options unless you got mid engined where the Toyota and MGF start to become available.

Just remembered there's a silly little Suzuki too. And the Smart.

The Skoda, Suzuki, Smart, MR2 and MGF don't meet the OP's requirement for late '60's/early '70's (for tax exemption??), though.

[davepoth]

I think for £1500 the OP could buy 8 fiat 126s...

[Max Turbo]

davepoth said:

I think for £1500 the OP could buy 8 fiat 126s...

Please tell me where! I want a 126. Happy to restore it, either laid up or as a rolling resto. I fear you may be basing this on information of old before the new 500 craze. I hope not though!

[niagra]

Thanks for the replies so far. I had considered the Fiat 850, just forgot to add it to the list!

Don't think I'll go down the Fiat 126 route, I'm all for being individual but that's a step to far - I'd have to put a bike engine in it to make being laughed at worthwhile

I do like the look of the Skoda 110R - very cool in banana yellow

Thanks for the ebay France suggestion, I'll get onto it now. However I did read on the Renault club forum that LHD drive cars are worth a lot more

[vixen1700]

I think you'd have a problem finding a Renault 8 for sale, although there is a lovely Gordini for sale on Classiccarsforsale.com but it's £25k

No mention of a Beetle yet?

[300bhp/ton]

Might be difficult to find in budget, but they haven't seemed silly money for a descent one on ebay.

But how about one of these:





Has a flat 6 boxer engine in the back and post 65 models had IRS too. Lots of different bodyshapes available also.

[Gompo]

vixen1700 said:

No mention of a Beetle yet?

niagra said:

Beetle - no! I just don't get it

Thanks,
Dario

[vixen1700]

Doh!

[onomatopoeia]

Sam_68 said:

my money would definitely be on an Imp.

As would mine. Unsuprisingly . Currently have a Chamois and a Davrian Mk7a (Imp powered, of course)

Anyone buying an Imp that hasn't been in regular use should expect to spend the first few months ironing out problems.

[A Scotsman]

Fiat 500..... Always thought they were cute especially the one with the sunshine roof.... :-)