Ask Oppo: Project Cars

"Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like" (thunderbee) 08/05/2014 at 11:59 • Filed to: None

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What's happening Oppo. Just got back from a long weekend and I'm feeling good. Feeling so good I've been on the classifieds like white on rice.

Here's the situation; I've got a little bit of money burning a hole in my pocket, and since my parents suggested buying and fixing up a project car I've been strongly considering going for it. I'd like something a little older, cheap to buy, Japanese or German and relatively simple to work on. I haven't got much mechanical experience, but I figured this would be a good opportunity to get hands on and sort of teach myself as I go.

I put it to you, esteemed Opponauts, what would make a decent automotive project for a n00b such as myself? I was thinking NA MX5/Miata/Eunos Roadster for simplicity and a wide array of cheap spare parts.

Found this sorry looking chap below whilst scouring the classifieds, though I'm not sure if it's a nice price or the crackiest of pipes. No pictures of interior and no real mention of rust makes me suspicious...

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-mo…

Help a brother out! Have a 300zx straight out of Wangan Midnight, from me to you.

Brian Silvestro > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:01

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RX-7

2002

T5Killer > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:03

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Since you are going the import route I would get a MX5.

505Turbeaux > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:05

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my parents suggested buying and fixing up a project car

wait what? My parents bought me my very first to keep me out of trouble, a '59 VW Bus. Then came the flood of old rusty VW's and my mother was not thrilled :)

CalzoneGolem > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:08

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Whatever you get buy the nicest one you can afford. This will save you tons and tons of money.

Decay buys too many beaters > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:09

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Wow, you have the most chill parents ever.

claramag, Mustaco Master > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:09

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Coming to Oppo and expecting an answer other than Miata?

but srs. £350 is what...500-600 USD? That's a decent price for what's basically just a rolling chassis with adj suspension and an LSD rear end. If you have a way of towing it and a place to store it, sounds like a decent full fledged project.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:10

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How about a 1969-78 Capri? These older ones were designed in Germany but the models shipped to North America used very common engines like the Pinto sourced 2 litre and the 2.8 Cologne V6 found in Rangers Broncos and even Aerostars all the way through to the mid nineties. Ditch the fugly American bumpers for the European ones and pop in a 302 and a T5 and you got a hell of a little car. Mark Ones were smaller cars with a trunk, Mark Twos were sleeker hatchbacks. Have a Mako V8 and a Mk II with a body kit.

EDIT. I just looked at the ad and realized you're across the pond so you probably know all about the Capri. Lol. In That case grab a 280 Brooklands.

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 08/05/2014 at 12:20

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Ooh good shout, my dad had 3 Capris over the years. Another one to consider!

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > Decay buys too many beaters 08/05/2014 at 12:22

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I think it's more like I've worn them down with constant begging and they've finally caved! I'll have to get my own garage space but it's a compromise so I'm happy

RazoE > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:23

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dat aftermarket tail light panel.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:31

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Between me and my Father we have four of them. I have my soon to be SHO powered '77, he has a 74 RS2600 factory race car with the psycho fuel injection, a 75 John Players Special and a 79 that's having an EFI pushrod 5.0L shoved under the hood. Heres the JPS.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:46

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1st Gen Celica, ALL DAMN DAY.
You can go from a nicely done "resto mod" like this:

Or go balls out crazy, like this:

Or go "full retard":

Sn210 > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 12:51

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I've been wanting an aw11 mr2 project for a while now, but I don't have a place to keep it or work on it.

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > Sn210 08/05/2014 at 14:07

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That's a shame, the aw11's are just plain cool. Dat wedge tho

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts 08/05/2014 at 14:09

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That's awesome! I'm all kinds of jealous of the JPS, it's gorgeous.

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 08/05/2014 at 14:10

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My favourite gen Celica! Unfortunately very difficult to come by around here and people have started to realise their value, so sadly I can't afford one just yet

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > Brian Silvestro 08/05/2014 at 14:12

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Dorito power is an absolute must but I can't quite afford one yet.

I would very much like a 2002 but I've never seen one for sale. It gives me a big fat sad.

Brian Silvestro > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 14:38

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You'd have to travel for it.

WORTH IT

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/05/2014 at 15:57

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Its is a fantastic looking car, hasn't run in 6 years, my old man put a window in the block. No.5 con rod decided it wanted a vacation, split clean in two. Then again it was a 30 year old bottom end that wasn't even supposed to last 5.

I hoon, therefore I am > Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like 08/06/2014 at 12:17

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What's "a little bit of money"? Any 80s manual BMW would be a great platform (E24 being my personal fave, though I'm biased). Get something with the M30 and you can sleep soundly at night knowing you needn't worry about the mechanical bits. And I loved my gen III Celica back in high school.

Thunderbee - Has the engine that kids like > I hoon, therefore I am 08/06/2014 at 13:30

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About £1000 and change to throw at the car and then whatever it takes to get it back up to running spec.
Given that this is my first project and I know next to nothing about the internal workings of cars, small and cheap is what I'm aiming for, hence Miata, Mk1 Golf etc.