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Which car to restore?


Deanspoors

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If you had say £20k for a car, and another £10-15k to restore it, what would you go for? Must be aesthetically pleasing and ideally something which is going to appreciate. 

Post your ideas below :)

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.... I thought this topic would be more popular than it is... so some ideas.. 

 

BMW 2002

Alfa Romeo GT Junior

Mk1 Escort RS2000/Mexico 

Austin Healey  

MK1 Golf GTi 

 

My heart says Alfa or Escort, but looking into the escorts, it looks like an absolute minefield, I want to know what people are looking for in a restored car, i.e. how much do modifications affect resale e.g. on an escort should you patch up the panels, or simply replace, should you re-trim seats, roof lining, etc.. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-Junior-GT-/131908402125?hash=item1eb65a7bcd:g:3mQAAOSwIgNXsMCQ

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1965-ALFA-ROMEO-2600-SPRINT-Race-Rally-Car-LHD-Ex-Targa-Florio-with-new-FIA-HTP-/112208339151?hash=item1a202360cf:g:PZ8AAOSw4GVYLurQ

 

 

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If your lucky maybe and can do all the restoration yourself an e-type may just sneak in budget. 

Like the bmw 2002. 

Older porsche of some description?

Saph cosworth?

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Or skip the restoration bit and build a lovely gardner Douglas with an ls motor. Might not appreciate but do hold value :rolleyes:

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44 minutes ago, sdh2903 said:

Or skip the restoration bit and build a lovely gardner Douglas with an ls motor. Might not appreciate but do hold value :rolleyes:

 The T70 Moda is a stunning looking car, and I'd love to build one, but I'm really after an appreciating classic, I can't help but think that type of car would be very hit and miss for resale. 

E30 M3's are a put off due to being LHD only. 

A porsche would be nice, but I think the only ones still in budget are the ugly variety... 

Still edging towards an Escort :p

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I think the hard bit in your question is the "appreciate" some do, some don't, some do very much, I always think buying and restoring a classic should be for the love of doing it and saving an older and desirable (in the eyes of the owner) car just for those reasons, if they appreciate then that's a bonus.

I might be a bit weird here but i like French stuff, ranging from Citroen Traction Avant to Renault Alpina.  Citroen DS prices have sky rocketed in recent years.

 

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The lack of replies are partly down to it really being a very specific question, (i.e. Quite precise amounts of money etc) dressed up to look like a general question! :d

It means that while the specifics may fit the cars you're interested in restoring, other club members who might be into doing restoration jobs may be looking at completely different sorts of cars that don't fit those limits.

Plus, we have way more members that have purchased built cars than have actually built their own, though many have done big upgrades, I'm not sure how many members we have that would tackle a big resto job.

Personally, not that I can see it happening, I'd love to do something like a seventies/eighties Lotus, an Esprit, for example. Or (I'm not that into old Fords), perhaps a Capri Injection or 3.0S, though both those examples would be very much resto-mod cars rather than faithful restorations.

I'd quite like to do an old Triumph too, anything from GT6 through to TR3/4/5/6, though 3's and 4's are current favorites.

I've no idea where any of those would sit budget wise though!

Definately, I suspect outside the budget, would be Jag XK140/150's which I'd love to have a go at!

(These are cars I'd like to physically restore by the way, not just classics I'd love to own, that's a much, much bigger list :laugh:)

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The problem with the question is no one knows. Lets look at Escorts, I had loads but they were throwaway cars at the end, fast forward to now and up to £65K for a twin Cam. The Lotus Cortina I had £16-25K now. The reason is people of a certain age can now afford one of the very best and prices rise. 

So look at it another way, will we see MGB fall as those who wanted one in the 60's die of? Certainly there will be many who will keep them and value wise they may rise as rarity come in. The best minds cannot tell you this, but what is certain classic cars are being used as investments, they all go up or down.

If it was me I would buy what I like to look at and to own, if it goes up then all well and good, but the rarer Porsche, Jag's big Healeys will always do well. More Modern, Cosworth RS Early two doors, M3's as well.

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Ex member JeffC restored an Escort Mexico a while back. It looked stunning when it was finished but the driving experience was not so good! Pretty sure he didn't loose on the restoration, but I think I'd agree with others here.. buy what you like the look of, including driving the thing.

 

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Alfa 105 GTV is a good shout... but then again it's a personal choice, personally i love them ;)

 

I'd go for an early car if poss a early 1750......

 

 

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Personally I think there are some more modern astons which have hit there bottom value.. just need a little time to mature.   11 years ago I bought a 1969 dbs for 3 k.   Non original engine (small block Chevy) full restoration needed.  The wife got pregnant and priorities changed.  Sold it on for 3k.  Even in the same condition it would be 30k now.  

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Talking of Aston Martin, a former colleague of mine, who passed away about 5 years ago in 1985 bought a DB5 for £2.5k, it needed a bit of work as the previous owner (his next door neighbour) had hit some debris in the road which had damaged the floor in the pedal area. He repaired it over a 3 year period then used to drive it periodically, I don't know what happened to the car after his death, maybe his widow still has it, but now they fetch £750k plus.

The moral of this story; if you want to make a profit from it, sell before you die.

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No prizes for being the richest man in the grave yard....   I would say what ever car you invest in make it one you can enjoy.  At lest then if it costs more then budget you can enjoy it for a few years before it value catches up with cost. 

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