Help me choose a Summer-fun classic-car

[Howard]

Nice low mileage one , if it's correct. Will just be nicely run in and go like stink ...

Honda : Honda CRX Vtec 23k miles UK car £4950

 

[Mike Walker]

Now that is a nice car!

 

[jeremytaylor]

MX-5 (but only because you've ruled out an Elise).

 

[BlackC55]

Renault 5 Gordini.

Never see them on the road so very rare. Not girly like the MX5. Goes like a poo of a spade and tuneable. True 80's classic.

 

[MOCAŠ]

So... a slacker's afternoon's worth of Googling reveals that the Lancia Montecarlo is actually shorter than the X1/9! They fetch good money already: £7k for Lancia Montecarlo Spider Series 2 For Sale (1981) on Car And Classic UK (bought off Ebay for £4000 earlier and minor jobs done, it seems)

The Montecarlo (or X1/8 or X1/20 ) would be an inspired choice, especially if you find one in good condition. Of course, the Spider version was more glorified sunroof than convertible, and still prone to leaks, but I'd imagine a good one would be very rewarding to own. And they do look good in black...

Failing that, a well-preserved X1/9 (not mine, then...) would also be ideal. They're reliable if properly maintained, have a superb balance between handling and ride comfort, and the low seating position makes it fairly easy to imagine that the engine is more powerful than it really is. If you manage to bag a Lido, you can enthrall your friends with the fact that it was the first production car ever to use metallic black paint...

 

[BlackC55]

Oh and how about a REAL Audi Quattro or 3 door RS Cosworth.

The Sierra Cosworth is RWD can handle mega power and looks cool too.

 

[bpsorrel]

What about one of these nice SLKs?

It's my choice for a summer fun car, and might even be a classic one day...

 

[Bellow]

Problem: my garage is small - typical 1930s size, and it won't take a medium-size car. The idea of rebuilding the garage to take a bigger classic (like a W123 CE, etc) is ... ... a non-starter.

Which dimension is tightest for you - length or width?

 

[Ade B]

Saw this Gordini Renault over the summer. Made a fantastic noise and shifted pretty well too..

Ade

 

[Howard]

There's an article in Classic Car this month on small racers , original mini coopers , old renault gordinis etc ...

They've got Paddy Hopkirk driving them around Herts ....

Worth a read ...

 

[312 Sprinter]

British I know, but an Austin Healey Sprite or Frogeye is still fun.

Fiat 500 Abarth

Citroen 2CV

A lot depends on the budget of course.

 

[Bellow]

Mainly so far, the suggestions have been towards cars too large for a small garage, or likely to already have appreciated in value and/or hard to find in good condition (a rust free Fiat?!).
The only two that can buck the trend are the (already ruled out) Elise and the smart Roadster, the Roadster being the modern day Sprite and still at the affordable end of the price appreciation curve. Both are future classics.
Is the MX5 really involving enough? Mastered in an afternoon, what's left to do?
Does the budget stretch to a Morgan? Any Morgan will have charm, and give you your money back whenever you want it.

 

[spy]

Another italian option is Fiat 124 Spyder. Looks great and a quite rare on british roads these days. I believe they are left hand drive though but don't let that put you off.

My cousin used to have one and it was great fun going out in it. I remember once, a couple of girls thought it was a Ferrari (even though it quite clearly states Fiat on the steering wheel)

We didn't want to tell them they were wrong of course and instead portrayed amazement at their knowledge of cars

Here is one I googled:

 

[manalishi]

Budget is no more than £8k and pref much closer to £5k. MX5 can be had for much less of course. So that rules out Audi Quattros - and possibly the 124 Spyder?

SLK would be a nice cruiser but I don't think anyone rates them very highly as an involving drive? Maybe the SLK32, but I just don't want or need that amount of power. (I'm not after outright speed - I'm after fun and thrills at 40-70mph on B roads).

A Morgan (AFAICS) would suffer the same weatherproofing problem as the Caterhams? Having had an MX5, it was excellent on this, and I'd want the same or better.

That Gordini (R8?) is funny - can't tell if it's coming or going.

Bellow - I haven't got the internal figures with me at the moment, but the garage is tight in both directions. I could get my old MX5 into the last 1930s house I had, so that was my starting point.

 

[312 Sprinter]

Mainly so far, the suggestions have been towards cars too large for a small garage, or likely to already have appreciated in value and/or hard to find in good condition (a rust free Fiat?!).
The only two that can buck the trend are the (already ruled out) Elise and the smart Roadster, the Roadster being the modern day Sprite and still at the affordable end of the price appreciation curve. Both are future classics.
Is the MX5 really involving enough? Mastered in an afternoon, what's left to do?
Does the budget stretch to a Morgan? Any Morgan will have charm, and give you your money back whenever you want it.

The Smart Roadster though is dull as ditch water, It belonged to that generation of cars aimed at people who don't know diddly squat about a car but like the look of it. I'd rank it with the Ford Puma and Vauxhall Tigra.

Vauxhall VX220 is quite fun; badge engineered cut price Elise with an engine that actually works more often than not.

 

[gaz_l]

The Fiat Barchetta is pretty enough, but LHD-only, so it's out.

Don't write it off just because the wheel's on the wrong side.. I've got one, and TBH having a LHD car in the UK is less of a pain in the a*se than I thought. Yes, you have to plan your overtaking manouevres more carefully, but you adjust quickly.

It's not a brutally quick car but it is nippy enough - 130 BHP and only weighs just over a ton, 0-60 is around 8 and half IIRC. Top speed is irrelevant, allegedly around 125 but with the top down anything over 90 means you will be deafened in pretty short order anyway. But it handles like it's on rails, has a pleasantly raspy Italian exhaust note (mine has the optional "sports" exhaust) and it's even not too bad on the juice - it turns in around 33 to the gallon and I don't drive it slowly..

Try one and you'll want one. Every time I drive mine, I am in danger of swallowing bugs because of the grin it puts on my face. Mine's an early one (1995) so it has less electronic gubbinry than the later models (no ABS, for example), but that just means less to go wrong in my book.

Will it ever be a classic? Who knows, they are rare in the UK as the LHD-only policy puts off a lot people, but they are not exactly common on the continent either from what I can tell - they were expensive when new, considering they are basically a souped-up Fiat Punto underneath.

And let's face it.. they do have Italian chic in spades..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[spy]

Budget is no more than £8k and pref much closer to £5k. MX5 can be had for much less of course. So that rules out Audi Quattros - and possibly the 124 Spyder?

Wow, I just had a search on the Fiat 124s and shocked at how much these go for now !

I better tell my cousin, I think je still has it locked away in a garage somewhere !

 

[A140driver]

Daft as it may sound, and I know these suggestions are British, how about an original Mini? I'd also recommend you have a look at MG Midgets or Austin Healey Sprites, they are amazingly fun to drive, very compact, they have wonderful club support and parts back up, and they can be tuned a lot.
How about a Triumph GT6? Afterall, they sound gorgeous, look fantastic, and are an interesting drive. I'd certainly advocate something along the lines of a Caterham 7 too, they are unbelievably fun.
A further thought, how about a Hilman Imp or one of its derivatives? They're rear engined, rear wheel drive, and terrific fun. Not ridiculously common either, so well worth a look, plus, you can tune those too.

 

[cliveyboy8]

Yours for £10,000

 

[Classic_car]

My favorite car. I'm afraid it's British, but if you can get past that..

Lotus Excel. A not very well known, hugely over-looked and underrated car.
I've had several and they are very reliable, if properly maintained. Easy to work on and cheap running costs. Toyota running gear (from the Supra), strong 2.2 litre Lotus twin cam engine, no rust as fibreglass and galvanised chassis. 0-60 in 6.8, 180 bhp and approx 130mph top speed. Parts are not expensive if you know where to look and, they are very comfortable even if you are tall. Top notch handling and a joy to own, even the best ones are only around £6-7k at the moment. Buy one before everyone else realises how great they are!!

I've also owned a mint MK1 Mr2, but thought it was a very over-rated car. Quite slow and un-inspiring to drive, so would not recommend that. Also a TVR S, which was reliable as I maintained it very fastidiously. The handling could not match the Excel though. Porsche 944 Cabriolet was nice, well built and pretty quick. Not as good as Excel though.

Good luck with whatever you buy. I think you are right that after Christmas there may be bargains to be had.