Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[cjbss9]

Hi all!! im sure a few people have asked this before! but has anyone got any good ideas on which classics i should be looking as for my first introduction into classics.
My father inlaw is into them and i have wanted a classic all my adult life but never took the plunge.
Now my wife has foolishly said yes but i have to keep the initial spend as far below £2000 as i can and have an ongoing restoration for the summer. If the initial cost is low then she will never notice the ongoing amounts being spent.
I am fairly ok with most forms of mechanics and service all my own vehicles, i am ideally looking at something pre 70's and it needs to have 4 seats for me the wife and 2 kids(i know i will have to have seatbelts fitted to the rear)
Heres to all your upcoming comments!!
Cheers Chris

[Nic Jarman]

Have you thought about a Morris Minor. Fairly cheap to pick up and easy to get parts, and ditto for a Mini.
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1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
Dax Rush

[Rick]

A Minor lends itself perfectly as a starter classic, as Nic has suggested. Parts are (mostly) quite cheap, and usually plentiful. However I'd be inclined to look for a running MOTd car, but perhaps one that'd benefit from some improvement as time goes by. You should be able to buy a nice one for £1200-1500 or so. Four door cars are slightly rarer than two door I think, but still plenty to choose from.

Another four door to consider would be the Standard 10 (ok I'm biased as I've an estate version ). Rare than the Minor but most parts are still fairly easy to find (the engine for instance is shared with the early Triumph Herald).

Other four-door possibles include the Austin A35, Ford 100E Pop (or the 107E Prefect), or how about a Wolseley 1500?? dad recently sold his, and they drive really well for their age.

Rick

PS welcome along
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[P3steve]

You said it must have four seats but not four doors, how about the Triumph Herold/vitesse - cheap as chips and one of the best cars to get parts for and come apart like a meccano set so easy to work on, you even get the choice of a convertible or a bit of performance if you go the vitesse route as well.

[Ironhead]

i recently bought a herald convertible for £800,just a few bits done and sailed through the mot!

[Richard H]

Welcome to the forum.

+1 on the Minor. Does the car have to be parked outside or will it be garaged? Old cars rust readily, although mine is parked outside I have extensively rustproofed it. Check carefully all the rubber window and boot seals on the car as they can perish and let water in - not very nice! Also keep the wheelarches and inner wings free of mud as this promotes rust.

I drive a 1957 Austin A35 every day, and I can vouch for the reliability (usually!) Any car built after 1965 will have front seatbelts as standard, and you can buy kits to fit rear seatbelts to Minors (a lot already have them fitted).

You should be able to get a decent 2 or 4 door Minor for around the 2k mark, but check VERY carefully for signs of rust or previous bodging. Check the central crossmember that runs under the seats, rear spring hangers, boot floor, front chassis legs and sills. An A30/35 would be avaliable for the same sort of money, but bear in mind some parts such as bits for the braking system are very expensive and not readily avaliable, where just about everything for a Minor is easily available and cheap

This article on the main site gives a very good indication of what it is like to drive a typical old car -

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/classic_car_driving.htm
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Richard Hughes

[Riley Blue]

My first was a '62 Mini Traveller, followed by a Morris 1000 Traveller - both excellent cars to learn on. If you'd like a bit more 'pep', a Riley 1.5 (Morris 1000 under the skin) is worth considering - but I'm biased of course....

[lowdrag]

+1 for the Herald/Vitesse. So easy to work on and good fun if you get a Vitesse, especially the later ones with a 2 litre engine. If performance isn't an issue, perhaps something like this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1964-Singer-Gazelle-1600cc-MkV_W0QQitemZ220588356989QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item335c17357d

[cjbss9]

Thanks for all your comments!!!
Just an update i have been doing alot of looking and i think in terms of my own preference i am steering towards a Rover P4(any variant) or maybe the P5(rough when under £2k but i am prepared)
I am 6ft2 and 18stone so the smaller cars just arent an option and i think the 4 doors is a definate.
I dont know what you all think but i will keep you all posted or if anyone knows anyone selling one of the rovers please get in touch.
As soon as i have sold the rest of my airgun collection and my Pajero SWB i will know how much money i have to play with??
Thanks for the advice
Cheers Chris

[Farmer John]

Hello Chris welcome to the world of real cars.
Old folks are always keen to hand out advice so here is mine.
Whatever you buy for your first classic, please make sure that it can be driven straight away. Legally, happily, and without apprehension. Any repairs that you want to do, need to be done over a weekend and be back on the road next week. That way you can find out whether it is the driving, or the labelling and management of several hundred parts occupying all of your available space that gives you the greater reward.
The important thing is to be on the road, please do not be the next person to say to me
"You were right old man, I should have bought a runner"

[cjbss9]

Nice i like that last bit of advice!! between yourself and the bloke i know at BodyTek(sprayers etc etc) i will definately be getting a runner so i can hit the scene this summer.
Been looking at a couple if 1953 Hillman Minx's but still look very small for me?? saying that i do fit in my father inlaws Nash Metropolitan.
Has anyone had any experience of the 1950's Hillman Minx's
Cheers again guys
Chris

[Farmer John]

Chris, most of the parts availability, comfort, size and actual appeal of fifties models will either not vary much from make to make or will be instantly obvious to you.
The big surprise will be in the driving. Not all will turn or stop as you expect but the speed at which you will be comfortable driving these beauties will often be as low as forty miles per hour. Of course they will go faster, maybe seventy, but you will be wondering if you really want to be that brave to drive at today's speeds. By the sixties you can add ten miles per hour.
So a decent road test will tell you what you need to know. There is a vast range from which to choose, no need to make compromises.
John

[Geoffp]

How about a mid 1960s Hilllman Minx or better still one of the upmarket versions? A 1600 or 1725cc engine will give reasonable performance and front disc brakes will be able to deal with it The body is fairly sturdy and easily repairable , although I don't know how good spares availability is. They appeal to me more than the BMC equivalents, but of course that is just my opinion.

Geoff