classic car - modern engine

Gloomendoom

I used to drive an A35 regularly in the early 80s, it will give you a lot more than 30mpg. On the other hand it is painfully slow and the standard headlamps are terrible.

I own a 1955 car and I have used it as everyday transport. However, they actually cost quite a bit to run if you use them that way. For example, my car needs servicing every 3000 miles.

If you modify it, you will probably pay more in insurance than you will save by it being tax free.

forgotmyname

Choose something with a B series engine and a rover O series will drop straight in on the same mounts.

I think the S is the twincam version? Which shares the same block.

May have got my letters mixed up

But old 1800cc austins etc. Will fit Rover 2L engines. Which are a bit lighter and a lot more powerful. With good fuel savings.

Plenty of old cars out there with the Montego 2L diesel engine.

andy111

Keep your classic for high days and holidays and your everyday car for everyday.

The novelty value will soon wear off when used daily.

Expensive, uncomfortable, fallible and underpowered amid today's technology.

A fairly innocent knock can do substantial damage, and not just to the car.

You will not save money.

Idiophreak

I'd have thought you'd need to do quite a lot of miles to make the improved economy worth the outlay in mods, insurance etc....and if you're doing that many miles, I imagine the comfort of the classic would become an issue...

maninthestreet

andy111 wrote: »

Keep your classic for high days and holidays and your everyday car for everyday.

The novelty value will soon wear off when used daily.

Expensive, uncomfortable, fallible and underpowered amid today's technology.

A fairly innocent knock can do substantial damage, and not just to the car.

You will not save money.

+1. I speak as the owner of a classic car.

mattyprice4004

forgotmyname wrote: »

Choose something with a B series engine and a rover O series will drop straight in on the same mounts.

I think the S is the twincam version? Which shares the same block.

May have got my letters mixed up

But old 1800cc austins etc. Will fit Rover 2L engines. Which are a bit lighter and a lot more powerful. With good fuel savings.

Plenty of old cars out there with the Montego 2L diesel engine.

This. My Rover 400 uses a variant of the Montego 2L diesel - although technically it'd be the Perkins Prima in the Montego whereas it was modified slightly and rebranded the L series for use in the 200/400/600.

They're in a bit of demand for use in conversions, because of simple electronics but around 145bhp available with some work and still doing 45+ MPG.

Only thing to watch out for if you're going for the older Prima unit (or an early L series) is waterway corrosion around the head/block face due to water being used instead of coolant. The alloy head and iron block require the use of an antifreeze with a corrosion inhibitor - when this isn't done over a period of years you find the steel head gasket and the iron block start to corrode, leading to head gasket failure.

mikey72

I always fancied a Mk3 Zephyr or Zodiac.

colino

Find a Ponton with an original diesel in it and it might fit the bill, but these are ancient barges, remember their called collectors cars for a reason, you have to stop every couple of miles to collect the bits that have fallen off.

forgotmyname

Colino,
remember their called collectors cars for a reason, you have to stop every couple of miles to collect the bits that have fallen off.

That sounds like a man that may have bought my old MGB GT

Every time i took it out something dropped off or needed fixing.

mikey72,
I always fancied a Mk3 Zephyr or Zodiac.

Throw away that weedy V6 though and fit a rover V8

lincroft1710

forgotmyname wrote: »

Throw away that weedy V6 though and fit a rover V8

Mk 3 Zephyr 6/Zodiacs had straight six 2.55 litre as fitted to Mk 2s (but more BHP). V6s were fitted to Mk 4s