Thoughts Please

[Father Ted]

Number 1 son is showing an interest in mechanical things, he also gets to spend time at an engineering workshop from next year in school, so my thoughts turn to getting him some automotive bilge that he can practice getting oily on and I can practice my Gas Axe skillorz on.

 

Ideally it should be

 

Cheap

Easy to unbolt / bolt up again

Simple (like me)

Not have any frightening electronic gubbins like ECU's etc

 

Inital thoughts were:

2CV6 / Dyane

Mini

Mini-Metro (hence the beige one but that got sold very quickly)

Mk1 or 2 Fiesta

VW Beetle

 

All of which seem to have a Kult following and even basket cases seem to be KERCHIIIIIIIING expensive.

 

Further thoughts turn to:

Early Micra

and bugger all else - so any thoughts would be welcome.

[pogweasel]

LADA SAMARA.

[mk2_craig]

I'm gonna vote early Mk3 Fiesta, plentiful/dirt-cheap and carb-fed for the first few years of production. On the downside they are usually rot-prone and most have some modern bits like distributorless ignition (coil-pack).

[Milford Cubicle]

K-series Metro, Mk2 or Mk3 Polo, Citroen AX or early Peugeot 106. All should be pretty cheap and easy to repair and run, and fun to drive

[Father Ted]

Actually yes, Im liking the idea of a carb fed AX or Polo - time to hit the bay of E.

[r.welfare]

Another vote for the early 106...and contrary to expectation, they do sometimes rust underneath enough to require gas-axe remediation. Cheap too - my neighbour bought a K-plate 1.1 with a year's ticket and full history last year for £190. It was toothpaste green, though.

[seth]

If you want to keep it classic how about a Herald? Doesn't get much more nuts and bolts really! Resto projects can be had cheaply as supply generally outstrips supply yet they are very well supported in terms of parts thanks to the sportscar connections.

[Cavcraft]

Father MartyTed: have words with Dave B junior or Dave B junior's future in law. One has a Micra and the other a Polo, I reckon either of those would be a good start, though it doesn't mean they'll be selling them of course.Personally I try and find something mid way between easy to work on and modern technology. Maybe something late eighties/early nineties with an ECU and injection system etc. A lot of those kinds of cars are still easy to work on and have some relatively modern equipment.*Highly predictable suggestion alert* something like a Mk3 Cavalier or Mk3 Astra would be a good bet. Eight valve motors are bullet proof and easy to work on.

[HillmanImp]

Herald would be a good idea. Rimmer bros could probably supply any new part pretty cheaply and the engines are simple and reliable. Bodywork might be a bigger issue though. But new panels are widely available. Do all Heralds come with hinged bonnets too? Working on cars with those is ace too as you can sit on the wheel whilst tinkering with the engine.

[Torsten2001]

a go-kart!

[pompei]

The Rimmer brothers were at my old skool when I was there. Just thought I'd throw that in.

[AnthonyG]

I would say Pug 205, much nicer to drive than a Polo or Micra Mk1.

[andrew e]

Ford Fiesta mark3 - new pair of wishbones 30 quid a pair? He' d feel the difference too (on your private airstrip).

[shite_meister]

Rubber-bumpered MGB GT, nobody likes them because of the bumper thing so they're dirt cheap, simple mechanics and everything available.

 

Maurice Minor? too old maybe? A-series Metro? Ford Sierra with a Pinto, Manta? or a Capri 1.6??? I realise I may be recommending a few that might be hard for him to insure.

 

Maestro? hell nobody would pay more than £19 for one and he can pretend he's being 'ironic in a post-modern kind of way'

 

I went to an Auction t'other day and a mint Triumph Dolomite 1300 with 11,000 miles from new-very cheap as its slow and not a Sprint also your littlebigman would like the RWD aspect GR8 FOR DRIFTIN etc etc.

 

Really wouldn't do anything MG Rover with a K series and/or their cack immobilisers-rubbish-shame as the K series is a good performer...when its not blowing gaskets.

 

As much as I hate them-Maestro fills most of your criteria does it not??

 

Allegro Equipe-hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Mark 2 Golf or a Mark 2 Breadvan Polo. Both shite-cheap, not prone to rot and easy to work on. Plus very cheap GSF/Euro Car Parts bits.

[Milford Cubicle]

Really wouldn't do anything MG Rover with a K series and/or their cack immobilisers-rubbish-shame as the K series is a good performer...when its not blowing gaskets.

I've had a few '90s Rovers and never had trouble with the immobilisers.It's only the 'K's over 1.4 that can be troublesome, the little ones are generally pretty hardy.

[shite_meister]

I work in a garage that has the MG-Rover parts and service franchise-ok so I generally only see cars (especially older ones) when they need fixing so get to know their little probs. fair enough-most of the head gaskets we've done have been on the 1.6 and Freelander 1.8 K-series.I see immobiliser problems on Rovers daily, I've seen a few decent looking (as decent as a 200 will ever be) Rover 200/400/600/800s go to scrap because of the fact they are beyond economical repair when it comes to the electronics, and some if not all pre 93 Rovers didn't have a communication port which means probs can be fatal in the immob dept. Biggest shame was a nice Rover 600 Turbo that was scrapped because the immobiliser circuit in the ECU couldn't be repaired-a sad sign of the throw-away times we live in and another reason why I love old shite.back on topic though grapple-fans, would he prefer to drive something modern(ish) or do you think he'd drive something made in the sixties or seventies? I guess the main issue now is finding old stuff that hasn't attacted a huge 'scene tax', I've always been fond of the Triumph Dolomite 1500SE-a nice albeit slower alternative to a Sprint. Triumph Acclaim? Renault 11? Citroen Visa?

[ashmicro]

As said already:Rover Metro on SU HIF carb - complete cars can be had from breakers for £30-50 quid. If the lad learns a thing or two, hell, he can drive it if he fixes it up correctly. Spares plentiful and cheap. Maybe too fast, though.Mark 3 Fezza - engineering in this car has been with us since Roman times. Unburstable.Or what about an early Ford Ka? OK most are Fuel Inj., but Fezza mechanicals, dirt cheap bits, easy to work on. Been around since 96 but still a current model (for the time being). Seen as "cool" by young 'uns.I've seen Ka's in a local breaker because the owners thought the car was knackered due to incorrectly adjusted valve clearances (ie, no power)Doesn't ANYONE chew up feeler gauges anymore?Just my thoughts...

[garethj]

Mk2 Polo is a winner, an ex of mine had one and it was a doddle to work on. Parts are very cheap too.Eastern bloc cars tend to be spanner-friendly and every 16 year old should know about tuned 2 strokes so there's always a Wartburg or something?Lada is a fair suggestion, although you're basically making sure he'll never ever get laid 70s Fords seem to fetch quite a bit of money but 70s Vauxhalls don't. Cruising around in a big old VX 4/90 with vinyl seats is still pretty cool I reckon

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

70s Fords seem to fetch quite a bit of money but 70s Vauxhalls don't. Cruising around in a big old VX 4/90 with vinyl seats is still pretty cool I reckon

A 67-72 FD Victor is waaaay cooler (and just better) than any Cortina. Make mine a white Ventora with a black vinyl roof please.

[jonkw]

I've got just the thing for young James here.A nice Pug 306 19D 3 door!Alloy wheels FTW (for that sporting look)Head gasket, bolts, timing belt etc done last year!MOT!Tax!Stupid immobilisor on diesel pump removed and replaced with a stop solenoid from a BX!Drive away today!Obviously, this sounds all too good for the lad doesn't it. Of course there is a slight snag (you said he wanted a project to keep him busy). All the boy needs to do is remove the front seats, most of the interior and the entire dashboard to change teh heater matrix. I certainly can't be assed. We just cut the pipes to it under the bonnet and joined them with some copper pipe. Works well. NOT GR8 4 TEH WINTA.

[Father Ted]

All the boy needs to do is remove the front seats, most of the interior and the entire dashboard to change teh heater matrix. I certainly can't be assed. We just cut the pipes to it under the bonnet and joined them with some copper pipe. Works well. NOT GR8 4 TEH WINTA.

You remember that AX I had then with the little gas heater in the passenger footwell - that had the copper pipe mod too!He has plenty of time to repair it! He currently wants a motorbike though (something I am discouraging him from) Quite impressed with the school though and their links with the engineering firms, also impressed with James's enthusiasm for mechanical things rather than clocks.