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For a long time I've been lusting after a retro ride however ive never even picked up a spanner. Am I just dreaming where would I even start?
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Last Edit: Feb 7, 2016 13:30:41 GMT by rjbell78
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Well to start i would think practically - do you have the space to park one , more importantly space to fix things and work on it ?
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Firstly find a car you fancy then have a read up on the usual problems associated with that particular,then repeat the process for every car you fancy.
then go out and buy something completely unreliable/rusty that you know nothing about and welcome to the madhouse.
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1965 Morris Minor 1000 soon to be 1380
1997 MK1 MX-5 1.8 (sold)
2009 MK3 MX-5 2.0 (sold)
2008 Mini Cooper (sold)
2003 Mini Cooper S (sold)
Fixed wheel Raleigh Clubman (sold)
1982 Yamaha RS125DX (sold)
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Everyone has to buy their first old car at some time.
No one is born with the knowledge.
Buy something you like that needs fixing and get stuck in.
Nothing else to it.
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I bought my first retro car without knowing what the hell I was doing,... I still sort of don't know what the hell I'm doing, but I know more now than I did when I started. For a starting point, have you got spare funds to get one? Do you know what you want? Do you have someone to put it (mine lived on the road outside my house, as I'm sure a few other retros do)? Really the only barrier to owning something retro is the desire to own it. From then on in it is relative amounts of ease of ownership.  Edit : added advice. Buy something that doesn't need fixing (contrary to popular advice), but then maintain it and fix as needed, means you get to enjoy straight away. |
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Last Edit: Feb 7, 2016 14:03:29 GMT by HoTWire
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I do have the space but I have a house that needs full renovation so spending money on myself is hard to justify. Problem ive missed the boat on a lot of cars I wanted like a mk1 golf gti and don't want to miss it on the others
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You can have a retro car and not worry about working on it. A few years ago I bought a Capri for £1000 and it started and worked every time. All I did was out petrol in and drive it. Just because a car is retro does not mean you have to constantly work on it fixing things.
But, do you want an old car to drive around in? or are you more interested in buying a project car that needs fixing up? The celica in my picture was under £1000 and it ran like a watch.
Don't worry about never having picked a spanner up. I'm self taught at mechanics, I can do basic stuff like servicing. Buy a tool kit, and a Haynes manual and it's not hard at all to pick up the basics.
I bought a cheap engine crane off a local lad and swapped an engine in a cortina on my drive way. I had never done anything like it in my life and I had it done in a weekend. I didn't really know what I was doing. I just unbolted everything I could see from the engine, found the mounts and undid them and lifted it out. Put the new one in, and bolted everything back onto it.
Also once you start going to retro car meets in your area, you are bound to find new friends that will be happy to help you out with the spanners.
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Wilk
Part of things
Posts: 528 
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I found out that the amount of time I tend to keep my vehicles that they turn into retros
As said earlier, try to buy something half decent and then learn to maintain it. It also helps if you like what you've bought as it gives a better incentive to want to keep it and maintain it. If it's not bought with the heart it's just another form of transport to have to begrudgingly fix
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If it can be fixed with a hammer, then it must be an electrical fault
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Yes the celica you have is on my list. Something from the late 80s to early 90s. Crx, 205, celica, mr2. Or do I go for something older that will need work but likely be easier to work on like a type 3 or imp.
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,712
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Where do you start?Dez
@dez
Club Retro Rides Member 34
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if you don't have the skill, knowledge or equipment necessary to maintain and/or fix a retro (which you freely admit you don't), budget for paying someone who does to do some of the more major/safety critical jobs now and then.
most specialists in such vehicles are enthusiasts themselves, and while they probably wont want you looking over their shoulder whilst they do it, they're usually more than happy to explain how and why they did something and show you the result. they're also likely to look at the rest of a car whilst its in bits or up on the ramp (i know i do anyway) and inform you of any upcoming issues that are likely to occur, meaning you can perform preventative maintainance rather than a fix cos its broken.
if youre largely clueless as to what youre doing, this service alone can be invaluable. the issue is finding a specialist you trust not to rip you off telling you you need work done when you don't...
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sb
Part of things
Posts: 725
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Do what I did, I didnt have the money, space or knowledge. So I spent twice what I had to spare at the time, spent even more or tools and some more on materials and figured out how to use them as it came.
Honestly I couldnt be happier.
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Great replies already.
Either find the car that has a trustworthy specialist to look after it for you, (as Dez mentioned already),
or find the space, tools, funds, and skills OR the enthusiasm to acquire them.
A genuine enthusiasm (and if you've been lusting for a long time) will see you through. Rent a lock-up. Build up your tools as you need them. Search forums for the info you need. Trawl Ebay and Gumtree for parts and tools.
Find the car that really floats your boat and go for it.
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gazz81
Part of things
Posts: 842
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If you get yourself a project, don't bother setting a deadline! You won't reach it and it will annoy you when it's still not finished 2 years after you thought it would be. I'm a firm believer of its done when its done!
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I have been around cars all of my life but had no confidence in any aspect of repairs or servicing I always thought if I take it to bits then get stuck or in to deep I then have a car in bits I need to get to a garage to be repaired and as its in bits this will be much more difficult so never really started always just took it to a garage straight away, then I got gifted a vespa in a poor state of repair so decided I couldn't make it any worse so stripped it down cleaned every nut and bolt as I went and put it back together then stripped it again as I was a bit more familiar with how it went together and did some small modifications and painted it ......
Now it doesn't look show quality or even 100% finished (needs indicators) but since then I have done 2 more mopeds and many more service and repairs to cars the confidence gained from the mopeds is amazing.... there mechanical nuts and bolts petrol and oil may sound foolish to many on here with natural skills but for me its worked wonders, i'm not experienced enough or a good mechanic to give advice but my 2p of knowledge is start small and cheap see how you get on.
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Right , i'm likely to get some grief over this but.....
Renovating a house throws up as many issues as a retro but they are bigger, just as expensive and by law these days you often have to use professionals (sparky, plumber etc).
I would concentrate on the house first and only buy a retro at the moment if it is sorted and will need only occasional fettling.
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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gazz81
Part of things
Posts: 842
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Right , i'm likely to get some grief over this but..... Renovating a house throws up as many issues as a retro but they are bigger, just as expensive and by law these days you often have to use professionals (sparky, plumber etc). I would concentrate on the house first and only buy a retro at the moment if it is sorted and will need only occasional fettling. Agreed, I have both on the go and neither of them seem to be getting anywhere! |
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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Brave question. Personally if someone wants to watch over my shoulder I'm happy to pass on whatever knowledge I can. If you can find someone near you, or a decent course, then providing you are willing to take good advice and know your limitations on safety related items, retros are easier to work on than many more modern cars.
Go for it! Better to have tried than to regret not having given it a go.
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chose something with a good following and part availability. ford, bmw or vag. i don't think you would go wrong really.
don't think ooo thats rare lets get that, repair panels might not be available or service items might not
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mikeymk
Part of things
'85 Polo Coupe S 1.6 16v
Posts: 931
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I started at 15 round a mate's house, he had an absolutely hanging Fiat 127 that didn't run, it was just an old car, we worked on it. Not a clue what we were doing, we took stuff apart and put it back together until it ran.
Or did i start ten years earlier, helping my dad fix the steering on my Ketter go-kart...?
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Maybe a vw type 3 might be a good choice?
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