Classic car purchase

andygb

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

My neighbors loved the fact a they could knock my door and ask me to take a look at their car saving them asking a garage and getting charged "diagnosis fee's" and knew the problem before they did decide to take it in to their chosen independent so they knew roughly how much it would cost what parts they needed do be replaced. I'm not well enough to do mechanical work no more, but I don't mind taking a look if I can help.

I remember back in the late eighties, I had a BMW 2002. It cost me £125, and I had to replace the floorpans and sills, the brake servo and front discs and pads. I also took the engine out, took the head off and gave it a complete top end overhaul, regrinding the valve seats, putting on new seals and generally getting it perfect. Whilst the engine was out, I cleaned up the engine bay, and this is where one thing led to another. I decided to degrease, clean and mask of the ancillary items, then prime and spray the inside of the bay.
Of course, then the engine bay showed up the rest of the car, so I decided to take on the full respray:D
I had done repairs for other people, but this was different because I really liked the car and it was a clear over basecoat metallic. I was fortunate enough to own a Clarke compressor and a decent spray gun, so I had a few practice runs on old panels - and they came up to a glass like finish.:)
I was more than pleased with the end result, and it really hit home on a trip down to Brighton one Summer, where a German couple started talking to me about the car. They used to own one back in the seventies, and said that they hadn't seen as good an example as mine even in Germany:D
Anything is possible with old cars, as long as you have patience and determination, and are willing to learn new tricks:D

I nearly forgot to say, that I sold the car in the early nineties for £2500

JustinR1979

LandyAndy wrote: »

I doubt a good one would be in the OP's budget.

Have they gone up that much in last couple years?
Were around 25k for a nice one last time I looked.
Only 1 on autotrader, very low mileage and £50k!

reeac

andygb wrote: »

I remember back in the late nineties, I had a BMW 2002. It cost me £125, and I had to replace the floorpans and sills, the brake servo and front discs and pads. I also took the engine out, took the head ......

I nearly forgot to say, that I sold the car in the early nineties for £2500

So you had that car and did all that work on it in the late 90's but sold it in the early 90's? Shades of Dr. Who.

andygb

reeac wrote: »

So you had that car and did all that work on it in the late 90's but sold it in the early 90's? Shades of Dr. Who.

Obviously I meant to say the late eighties - I shall edit it just for you.;)
I sold it in the early nineties when I got married, because the OH wanted a car with a decent sound system, and she thought that the lovely old Beemer looked like a Lada:mad:

atrixblue.-MFR-.

andygb wrote: »

Obviously I meant to say the late eighties - I shall edit it just for you.;)
I sold it in the early nineties when I got married, because the OH wanted a car with a decent sound system, and she thought that the lovely old Beemer looked like a Lada:mad:

If you had kept it its worth decent money in good condition now.


When me and the BIL were building the ZVH escort 90 spec, he had a MG metro turbo, and a Renault 5 GT turbo both good examples and sold them both for less than grand each, he kicks himself now as at the time we built the rs turbo they weren't that desirable and prices hadn't shifted in a while he thought it was the optimum time to shift them on to fund the final build step for the escort RS turbo. he gutted now as in the condition they were in then and kept in that condition and sold on now he would have a happy some of money on both of them.