Buying A Vintage Car

The_Hurricane

Hi All,

I've always been interested in owning a vintage car and 1 close to where I live is now for sale.

It's a 1968, 1300 Triumph with a full year's tax and MOT. The car is priced at £1700 - is this a good deal?

Thanks in advance.

spacey2012

Do you have a very dry garage ?

colino

If I were you I'd be sure of what your going to use it for. This could just about be a daily user, if you upgrade the ignition side, but they have surprisingly small boots and are even more surprisingly thirsty. If it's just a weekend toy, I'd be looking for something more interesting, they really aren't all that good at any thing and simply look like old cars.
I suspect the price is elevated by about £1k to cover the cost of welding for its MOT.

bitemebankers

Maybe worth a punt if you really like Triumphs and it's in great condition. However, as Colino says, it's not a great motor and never was. If your heart is set on classic wheels, why not consider a Dolomite Sprint or a Vitesse?

It goes without saying that you'll *need* a clean, dry garage in which to store it and perform in inevitable and continual maintenance. And, obviously the time and the money required too.

Not trying to put you off or anything, but having had a couple of classics myself, I'm not lacking experience in this area. These cars are NOT suitable for everyday use unless you're a massive glutton for punishment.

Dukesy

My first car was a 1934 Austin 7, 2 seater with a canvas roof, which I used as a daily driver for the first three years after I passed my test. I love the car, but my GOD that was punishment - think ice on both sides of the windscreen, draughts that I'm sure have caused permanent damage to my right hand etc etc... a few years ago, my dad and I got an A30 which had sat in bits in various outbuildings on the road, and I started taking that to London with me to use as a daily driver whilst I was at university. That was fantastic - draught free, had the luxury of a heater, and is quite capable of motorway driving. The real luxury with both these and the other classics I and my family own is that they're dirt cheap and simple as anything to fix. On a car of this sort of age, even I, someone with no mechanical training, can take an engine apart, put it right, and put it back together again. I know nothing about what sort of price a Triumph should be, but having recently sold an MGB for a similar amount, it doesn't sound terrible to me.

The_Hurricane

I might leave it then, seems it maybe more trouble than it's worth.

sun-n-moon

It can't be rotten if it has a 12 months MOT.
I wonder why these cars cannot be used as daily drivers? In the 60s I had 1950s bangers that I used as daily drivers and I don't remember having that much maintenance done to them. I think that the more they are used the less problems you would have with them.
A regular service routine and maybe electronic ignition should ensure a minimum of problems. If there is a problem you won't have to pay £100 for some dealer to plug it in to tell you there is a problem that you are not allowed to fix.
I'd be tempted if I had the spare cash. Might be a better home for your money than leaving it in the bank.

maninthestreet

Do you have a local classic car club you could join?

bitemebankers

sun-n-moon wrote: »

I wonder why these cars cannot be used as daily drivers?

Strictly speaking, they can. I used a Triumph Vitesse as a daily driver for about a year, some years ago, so I know it's possible. It's not pleasant though, especially in the winter.

In the 60s I had 1950s bangers that I used as daily drivers and I don't remember having that much maintenance done to them. I

Big difference. Those cars were a mere decade or so old when you were driving them. The OP is contemplating a car that's now 44 years old.

Dukesy

sun-n-moon wrote: »

It can't be rotten if it has a 12 months MOT.
I wonder why these cars cannot be used as daily drivers? In the 60s I had 1950s bangers that I used as daily drivers and I don't remember having that much maintenance done to them. I think that the more they are used the less problems you would have with them.
A regular service routine and maybe electronic ignition should ensure a minimum of problems. If there is a problem you won't have to pay £100 for some dealer to plug it in to tell you there is a problem that you are not allowed to fix.
I'd be tempted if I had the spare cash. Might be a better home for your money than leaving it in the bank.

I agree with this - I don't see why newer (post 1950) classics in particular shouldn't be totally suitable as dailies, and regular use combined with good maintenance practices certainly irons out problems. When I first started driving my A7, it had been off the road for twenty-some years, and did have issues, most of which I managed to sort out on the side of the road, if I needed to. The only time I had to be towed home was when the cylinder head gasket failed.... a few quid for a new gasket and a couple of hours spent cursing whilst up to my elbows in oil, and she was better than ever. New cars, and the costs and hassle associated with repairing them terrify me.

sun-n-moon

It's not pleasant though, especially in the winter.

Maybe we are too soft now. Though with a good heater, don't see a problem.

Big difference. Those cars were a mere decade or so old when you were driving them. The OP is contemplating a car that's now 44 years old.

Well yes. But a ten year old, plus, car in the 60s was considered pretty old as rust was also a big problem then. Late 60s cars were a vast improvement on the 50s versions that were really prewar designs.
My first car was a 1951 ex gas board Ford Pop. I went everywhere in it. The biggest problem was the 6 volt electrics. I often had to resort to a starting handle first thing in the morning and it had no heater but it was a good excuse to cuddle up with a girl.
It made me smile reading another post about the difficulty in driving in snow. A bag of sand in the boot and the damn thing went anywhere, even through deep snow.