Time For Some Shopping: £1500

[Hairspray]

Hello all

Basically, I'm selling my modern bore-box due to several reasons.
I can't insure it.
It is definitely about to blow up and I have no way of fixing a 2003 Renault without a loyalty card to the dealership.
I don't need really need a reliable car.
I don't need a car at all for about 6 months of the year.

So, the agreement with my mother is I can have £1500 as a long term loan to her with which to buy a car I actually want; the main contender is a Mini of course. I've wanted one since I was a tiny child, my dad has owned 12 and as such is very adept with them, and they are ridiculously cool.

Now, I'm really hoping to find one that doesn't need a massive amount of work, because I'm rubbish with spanners and my dad says he can fix it up for me, but I don't want to give him a full on restoration project (he's already got a Herald for that), so I naturally come here to ask for fellow PH'ers help.

I would like some alternative suggestions that maybe fulfil the criteria of mildly interesting classics that I could insure at the age of 19 (my dads classic insurers do quote for 19 year olds), but if anyone knows of any Minis in a reasonable shape for £1500 or less, that too would be great. So please, help

Oh, and due to not really needing a car other than in the summer, I want it to be interesting because I'm certainly not paying to run something I don't give a crap about!

[mark387mw]

Here you go...your dad should be able to finish someone else's nightmare!
Tax free, 1971 Mini Clubman, Project For Sale £900 Offers invited
www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C197975/

Edited by mark387mw on Thursday 30th December 06:52

[guru_1071]

mark

thats a nice early clubman its priced well

its probably too late, but swopping wet to dry is easy - you dont have to even remove the wet frames - just bend the tags back that locate the displacers so the rubber springs fit, drill the top arms for shocker pins, fit the shocker brackets at the front, swop the rear radius arms and handbrake cables.

you can then cut the metal fluid pipes into sections and wriggle them out from behind the frames

i did mine in a weekend!

a well sorted car on hydro is a nice thing though - like a magic carpet - very smooth ride

[velocemitch]

Here's an alternative a bit more rare than a Mini and admittedly probably a bit more temperamental, but arguably better.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1947615.htm url

Edited by velocemitch on Thursday 30th December 13:49

Edited by velocemitch on Thursday 30th December 15:01

[AJAX50]

How about this, seems great value.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2180885.htm

[velocemitch]

Nice Pug

Am I reading the advert right though, his 60 year old mum now has an R26 R... brilliant!

Bit expensive on insurance for the original poster though.

[lewis s]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C190004/

[LOGiK]

Hairspray said:

I don't need really need a reliable car

Hairspray said:

Oh, and due to not really needing a car other than in the summer, I want it to be interesting because I'm certainly not paying to run something I don't give a crap about!

Regardless what the car is, you should show some care for it just as a general point. Cars that aren't cared for are more likely to fail and young drivers not giving a damn about their vehicles is part of the reason insurance is so high for us (as evidenced by the reduction in premiums for car club members who tend to have enthusiasm for their vehicles)

As for reliability, if one of your concerns is costs I'd bet you do want a reliable car since parts and whatnot cost if they're breaking continuously. Anyway, who said old cars aren't reliable? My various 1100s and 1300s haven't let me down in about 30000-50000 miles of motoring aside from one dynamo suiciding, a hydraulic clutch pipe rupturing and a tyre blowout. They've never left me stranded though, just made journeys awkward occasionally.

If you do want dirt cheap that needs a little attention, I would suggest an Austin 1300. I've had 3 and the cost of them all hasn't exceeded 1000 put together (not including insurance or work done on them). They're also dirt cheap to insure, parts are cheap since they use the same engine as the mini and you can fit 5 people in them without them being ridiculously uncomfortable. Turning circle isn't great, but they're small enough to be easy to park and depending how you drive return 35-50mpg. Icy conditions and a handbrake make them quite amusing too.

[velocemitch]

lewis s said:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C190004/

Moggy 1000, thats a sensible choice in this situation

[lewis s]

velocemitch said:

lewis s said:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C190004/

Moggy 1000, thats a sensible choice in this situation

Heres ours

[CosworthV8]

lewis s said:

velocemitch said:

lewis s said:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C190004/

Moggy 1000, thats a sensible choice in this situation

Heres ours

Won't that rust to buggery if only used for 6 months of the year?

[velocemitch]

Yup, but so will all old cars, it goes with the territory. Waxoil helps keep it at bay.

[LOGiK]

Road salt this time of year is a lot worse than just leaving the cars parked...

[rovermorris999]

Morris minor, triumph herald/vitesse/dolomite/toledo, MG midget.

All easy to look after and bits are cheap as chips and easily available, particularly for the moggy amd MG. A herald has the advantage of a chassis so welding it up is easier.

Whatever you get, buy the best body you can find and worry less about mechanicals which are relatively cheap to replace.

[pauldm28]

On searching Ebay UK for "restoration" for you; I came across this [maybe NSFW]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Could be a small job. Pull the other one!

[80quattro]

You can't go wrong with one of these:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C110322/

Cheap classic insurance, easy and cheap parts availability, lovely car to drive & RWD... and this one looks lovely.

[Blackwedge]

A mini rival that was rare even when new and hardly ever seen now. Not sure it could be classed as 'cool' but rare, interesting and good value;


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C200190/

[//j17]

Should be able to get a running/MOYT-worthy Spitfire for that money - and you can tell your dad you are only getting a 2-seat sports car to make HIS life easier, as many of the spares will be common with his Herald!

[Petrolize]

What classic insurance company is best for young drivers?

[LOGiK]

Footman James will cover 17 year olds if you talk to them nicely enough on classic policies, but don't forget, you wont earn any no claims and if you get older and want something newer, insurance will still be immense.