Paging Grimly, or anybody else who knows/cares (about cars)

Following my excitement earlier this week over bidding for the Audi I have
decided that I really do fancy a "classic" car as a rolling project, to
replace my SO Orion.

My short list runs along the lines of ... Audi Coupe Quattro (not the GT, I
just don't like them for some reason), Mk II Series 3 2.8i Capri or a
Scimitar.

The car must be running, legal and useable when I first get it, although
there is the option for it to spend short periods off the road over the
summer. Because of budget constraints I was hoping to pick up something
useable, but needing some attention, for 600 quid tops.

I notice there are heaps of sensibly priced Scimitars that only need a few
small jobs done to finish the project and get it through an MOT. Applying
TOG's rules of project vehicles I am assuming that these jobs are the most
bastard awful things requiring parts made from pure unobtainium.

There's plenty of MOT'd Capri 2.8i out there, but the owners seem to be
having a laugh with the prices.

Audi Coupe Quattro's are as rare as hen's teeth, unless I'm willing to pay 5
grand plus for a turbo one. Which I'm not, obviously.

So, am I setting my price limit too low here? What is it that stops all of
these Scimitar owners putting their damn cars through MOTs? Where have all
the SO Capris gone? Why am I talking about cars on a bike group? Have I
missed any great classics that I should look at (I absolutely hate Minis and
Beetles, so no suggestions that I get one of them, please).

Hmmm, I wonder if there are any Fiat X1/9s still running ...

<Wanders off to e-bay, taking smell of piss with him>

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, COSOC#9, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

You won't get much 'classic' for that kind of money.

You might find a MkIII Granada V6 if you're lucky, but they're a bit of
a barge in reality, and not much of a classic.

Fiat Mirafioris can be had for not much, but they're going to be pretty
rotten.

You might stumble across some sort of early 80s Alfa, though, Giulietta
or even a rough, but useable Alfetta GTV. Possibly even a Sud Sprint.

There's some Mercs around for £600 or so, but they'll be pretty much
undesireable models.

However, there's some nice BMWs around for under a grand - think E28
5-series (the shark-nosed one) - you should get a _very_ nice example
for £600 - £800.

Can't think of much else in the way of other 70s / 80s classics that are
worth owning for that kind of cash - unless you want a MkII Golf GTi /
Scirocco or a Saab C900.

You're 'avin a laugh, aren't you? - a £600 X1/9 might just make it to
the MOT station before your foot goes through the floor ;-)

 

AndrewR says...

What are you on about? Mk3 Capri or MK2 Capri, make your mind up.

Have a look at this site and decide.

http://www.fordcapri.co.uk/

 

They seem a little confused:

to quote:
'The "Cologne" 2.8 engine had previously been offered in the Capri in
America, but as a normally aspirated unit. SVE added a Bosch K-Jetronic
fuel injection system, an oil/water heat exchanger, viscous coupled fan
and an improved radiator'

Hmmmmm.

 

They're wrong. Although the final incarnation of the Capri was commonly
known as the Mk III it was really the Mk 2 Series 3.


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, COSOC#9, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

I can understand you not wanting any of the others, but this one's a
really good 'classic', IMHO. A proper BMW before their quality slipped
to be on par with Ford.... I very nearly bought a 525e last year. Nice,
lazy and economical cruiser.

 

SteveH says...

What's confusing about that? In the USA Capris were sold under the
Mercury name. All it says there is that the 'Cologne' 2.8 was offered in
the US models with carbs not injection.

 

Well the cars I'm talking about are hardly the stuff of dreams and I'm
looking for something that needs some work, not a minter.

No thanks.

No thanks.

No thanks.

No, no, no.

No (maybe a Mk I), no and no.

Yeah, but that was the case when they were brand new as well.


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, COSOC#9, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

The 'normally aspirated unit' bit doesn't make sense at all.

 

You either like 'em or you don't. Very cheap to run old BMWs like that,
as the parts are available from GSF and Europarts. Shockingly, BMW also
flog reasonably priced bits for their older models, too.

Same problem as the X1/9. They rust rampantly - especially at this end
of the market.

Heh.

 

Just not my cup of tea and it screams "money pit" to me. Of course I know
nothing about them, so I could be wrong.

I'm just contemplating a Mk I MR2 at the moment.

It's a bit hairdresser, but then I like Capris, so who am I to speak?


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, COSOC#9, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

AndrewR says...

Never heard of that before, and can't find any reference to it on the
net. All the specialist Capri clubs refer to Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3 and I
think the Capri anoraks might know a thing or two about them.

 

<snip fantasiing>

Strada Abarth 130TC. Goes like something nasty of a Teflon shovel [1]

Buzby

[1] Due to continued weight reduction as things falls off.

 

SteveH says...

It means, Mr 'Not-not-too-sharp-about-mechanical-stuff' that it wasn't
fitted with fuel injection, but had carb/s.

 

Erm, 'normally aspirated' usually means non-turbo.......

 

I had one of them. Searched for one for months, after one of the mags
called it the "ultimate boy racer's car" and the supply dried
up/multiplied in price overnight.

Anyway, it was fast as **** (for its time) and a fucking hoot to drive
quickly. However it was also noisy, uncomfortable, thirsty and the
brakes were shite - so I went back to Dolomite Sprints, and picking
races with Capris ...

 

Let me know when you find a useable example for £600. I've been thinking
about them on and off for a few years, and it's very rare to find one
for under £2k.

 

AndrewR said:

XJ40 Jag - plenty about at the right money, a lot of car and will soon
be a classic as they are getting to the stage of being pikey motors at
the moment, another 10 years and there will be none left.

 

(SteveH) struggled to ejaculate:

Don't bother - seriously.

They rot like ****: the bodywork just falls off them. Ny now, it
would either be freeflow ventilated, do service as a cheese grater, or
have three layers of floor.
The carbs need attention regularly: little tweaks and TLC - or
performance drops like a beheaded Merkin and fuel consumption, already
easy to get to 20, drops to 15mpg.
Try making progress and the brakes get fed up by the third corner and
**** off for a smoke in the wheelarch.
Try using a straight road and the exhaust noise and body boom gets
oppressive at anything over 60 or for more than 15 minutes.

Nice RS2000, that's what you want.

 

Pip says...

That's settled, Steve will have two please.