Ramble alert...
I'm coming to the end of a long term project (non-car related) in a couple of months and seeing as i'd promised myself something a bit retro just before I started and never got a chance I definitely owe it to myself now i'm going to have some time on my hands.
To complicate matters...I live inside what is going to become the extended London ULEZ in another 9 months and only have on-street parking. This means leaving a motor that has a failed MoT needing lots of work, on-street will probably get scooped up by the council or at least be a big hassle. Plus it'll cost me £12.50 every day I move it. I also have minimal experience working on cars though this purchase is planned as my opportunity to finally put this right (just 25 years too late... )
I really want a retro Peugeot (205, 305, 505, 309) or something similar (hmmm maybe a BX) but seeing as none of these are 40 years old yet and anything nearing that age and affordable is likely to be grief for someone who knows sod all, I think i'm going to have to concede I can't get one of these (yet).
I'm open to ideas but keep falling back to a VW Beetle. My thinking being there are a few about still (there are two old ones parked within half a mile of my house), possibly £2k could get me a working project and I *think* they're probably fairly easy to work on for an absolute beginner plus loads of advice out there for when I get stuck. Constantly.
I'd also be tempted by a mini but the 40+ year ones seem silly money/just a shell without an engine - I wouldn't know where to start. However, while I grew up with 80's motors this is where my ideas on something a bit older run out. Can anyone think of anything else suitable that might fit the boot? I'm embarrassed to able be only to think of one alternative! Ok...i'll admit i'd love a Mk1 Golf but again ££££ and possibly less easy to work on than a Beetle?
Ultimately whatever I do buy, i'd be looking to purchase for no more than £2k and ideally a runner but a project. Or possibly a non-runner that can become a runner without being too much of a project/costly for a noob. I will be doing a minimal mileage and it will probably just be used to ferry the kids (yes I have three young kids and a grumpy wife to add to the mix) around locally as the main car is also about to become non ULEZ compliant and I refuse to replace it because it's an old workhorse and is as reliable as they come - this is staying for the longer trips.
I suppose I could always get away with parking a more challenging project outside my house as long as I insured it - no MoT would be required on street if 40+ years obviously. But again if it's too big a project i'll be defeated.
Help! So many classic 80's motors not suitable for this situation. But I just don't want to spend my new found evening time watching curse word tv waiting 4 years for a 40 year old Pug to turn up
I'm coming to the end of a long term project (non-car related) in a couple of months and seeing as i'd promised myself something a bit retro just before I started and never got a chance I definitely owe it to myself now i'm going to have some time on my hands.
To complicate matters...I live inside what is going to become the extended London ULEZ in another 9 months and only have on-street parking. This means leaving a motor that has a failed MoT needing lots of work, on-street will probably get scooped up by the council or at least be a big hassle. Plus it'll cost me £12.50 every day I move it. I also have minimal experience working on cars though this purchase is planned as my opportunity to finally put this right (just 25 years too late... )
I really want a retro Peugeot (205, 305, 505, 309) or something similar (hmmm maybe a BX) but seeing as none of these are 40 years old yet and anything nearing that age and affordable is likely to be grief for someone who knows sod all, I think i'm going to have to concede I can't get one of these (yet).
I'm open to ideas but keep falling back to a VW Beetle. My thinking being there are a few about still (there are two old ones parked within half a mile of my house), possibly £2k could get me a working project and I *think* they're probably fairly easy to work on for an absolute beginner plus loads of advice out there for when I get stuck. Constantly.
I'd also be tempted by a mini but the 40+ year ones seem silly money/just a shell without an engine - I wouldn't know where to start. However, while I grew up with 80's motors this is where my ideas on something a bit older run out. Can anyone think of anything else suitable that might fit the boot? I'm embarrassed to able be only to think of one alternative! Ok...i'll admit i'd love a Mk1 Golf but again ££££ and possibly less easy to work on than a Beetle?
Ultimately whatever I do buy, i'd be looking to purchase for no more than £2k and ideally a runner but a project. Or possibly a non-runner that can become a runner without being too much of a project/costly for a noob. I will be doing a minimal mileage and it will probably just be used to ferry the kids (yes I have three young kids and a grumpy wife to add to the mix) around locally as the main car is also about to become non ULEZ compliant and I refuse to replace it because it's an old workhorse and is as reliable as they come - this is staying for the longer trips.
I suppose I could always get away with parking a more challenging project outside my house as long as I insured it - no MoT would be required on street if 40+ years obviously. But again if it's too big a project i'll be defeated.
Help! So many classic 80's motors not suitable for this situation. But I just don't want to spend my new found evening time watching curse word tv waiting 4 years for a 40 year old Pug to turn up