What would you build?

[Richard]

RWD Volvo, possibly early 244 or 245 with the D5252T engine from an 850TDi.

[robinmasters]

There seems to be a common thread to this, er, thread, which is exactly the path I'd follow: something fairly shite with a bigger engine than standard, a bit of 'sleeper'.

 

A Paul Newman Volvo has always been something I've fancied, and (I do realise how un-ambitious this is) I've always wanted a Sierra Sapphire with a 2.9 V6.

[Norbert]

Mk1 Fiesta with running gear from the current (B299) Fiesta 1.0 3-pot turbo (Ecoboost).

 

Considering how much lighter a mk1 must be than a B299, this should give ace performance and monumental MPG, with a 'Thrash Me' soundtrack thrown in.

 

In beige base spec with a fake tidemark (totally sound metal underneath) and scabby steel wheels, naturally.

[Lukas]

My green 1987 Mitsubishi Pajero would get the complete running-gear from a new Pajero (3,2 DID with standard-200hp + AWD) and chipped to ~ 250hp. With completely original look.

[Asimo]

Austin 1800 Ute with Wolseley Six Auto engine & box, dash and grille. And bench seat.

 

Hillman Imp / Citroen GS engine.

 

Mid-engined Mk 1 Transit twin wheel: Gardner 240, Allison autobox. (Oily bits would fill the load area but hey ho, you can't have it all)

[babydriver]

 

If I was rich and had money to play with I was wondering if I could attach this lot to a Suzuki Vitara or SJ410 Chassis, paint the body Bini Cream with a black roof, mabee with the wideboy kit and alloys.

 

Just for a larf

[Skizzer]

A running, MOTd Lancia Dedra Turbo.

A rust-free XJ6 series 3.

 

Then, a Scirocco Mk2 GT body on a 90" Land Rover Defender chassis, a bit like Jim Rogers' round-the-world SLK, to potter about southern Africa in.

 

Like a more shitey version of this:

[Richard]

An MGB on a Range Rover chassis used to go around here.

[saucedoctor]

KV6 Turbo MG Maestro.

[mat_the_cat]

something fairly shite with a bigger engine than standard, a bit of 'sleeper'.

 

That sounds familiar...

 

TBH, I'm in the lucky position to have been able to build exactly what I wanted, although dream spec would be a larger or tuned RV8 instead. Call me lacking in imagination, but I can't really think of anything else I'd want to build!

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I'd love to do the big engine sleeper thing,but in a 'period ' style.

Apparently Rootes had Tiger engined Sceptre (pre-Arrow) and Imperial prototypes running around in the 60's, making replicas of those would be fun. No alloy wheels or loud exhausts, obviously.

A 4.5 hemi in a Daimler V8250 would probably be a laugh too,likewise a 289cu Mk 4 Zephyr 4x4 estate, these would all have only seemed as unlikely as dropping a light alloy Yank V8 in aP5 Rover at the time.

On a similar theme but a little newer, a modern triple turbo 400 bhp BMW dizzler in an E3 3.3LiA would be great for crossing Europe in a single stride.

[rml2345]

Mid-engined Mk 1 Transit twin wheel: Gardner 240, Allison autobox. (Oily bits would fill the load area but hey ho, you can't have it all)

The 8LXB would be a superb engine to build a 1930s style grand tourer around. Such a thing would require very deep pockets indeed I'd imagine.

[AlabamaShrimp]

For a lot of shite lovers you all seem happy to embrace a modern* engine if money was no object. Why not sod all the fannying about with will it/won't it for and just buy a modern?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

For a lot of shite lovers you all seem happy to embrace a modern* engine if money was no object. Why not sod all the fannying about with will it/won't it for and just buy a modern?

[Skizzer]

For a lot of shite lovers you all seem happy to embrace a modern* engine if money was no object. Why not sod all the fannying about with will it/won't it for and just buy a modern?

 

1. 'All'?

2. Because money is an object.

3. I think you may have misread the original question.

 

This is an interesting thread, let's not drive it down the miserably well-worn path of ALL MODERN CARS ARE GREAT/SHIT. 

[Richard]

I was going to answer with words but that ↑ sums it up perfectly.

[babydriver]

_{Ditto ^^^^^}

[Mirkin]

Aircooled Fiat 126 with a Harley Davidson twin has always appealed. Lazy old engine should keep it driveable whilst going like stink.

Since I was about 12 I have wanted to shove an Early celica twin cam in a Lada Riva Estate, lower it and cut the roof off. Almost did ten years back, I got hold of a Riva Estate with heavy roof damage, bloody scrapman took it away when we weren't looking.

Would also like to civilize a 109 station wagon Landy, stick a 300TDi or V8 in it, modify it so as to mount the body on rubber and sort out the draughtyness of it and the heater so it is warm in the winter.

[John F]

My pipe-dream idea would be to build a VW 166 Schwimmwagen from scratch, but update it to incorporate a jet ski impeller rather than the original deployable propeller drive.

 

But on a more realistic level I'd like to fit a VAG V8 of some description into a Mk 1 LT camper van. If the right donor vehicle comes up over winter, this will be next year's project

[RoadworkUK]

I would build a 100% EXACT replica of a Ferrari Testarossa but I'd do it to 1.2:1 scale, so that when I turn up at owners meets mine is one fifth bigger than everybody elses.

[forddeliveryboy]

BMW 65hp flat twin in a 2cv makes for a superb drive, if the chassis is properly set up. Not difficult or expensive to do but many 2cvs have been bodged back together by 'specialists' who seem to specialise in resprays and fitting galv chassis which often ruin the way they go.

 

Here's one with a few more horses - 95 - on an original chassis, standard suspension, which most don't believe:

 

[Inspector Morose]

The 8LXB would be a superb engine to build a 1930s style grand tourer around. Such a thing would require girders the size of the Forth bridge for the chassis I'd imagine.

EFA

[Guest Lord Sward]

SWB, low roof, single wheel rear LDV Convoy with either a 4.6V8 or a TD5.  Blast your Sprinter vans out of the way and into the central reservation.

[eddyramrod]

A high-speed van SERIOUSLY appeals!  Forget yer TD5 though, has to be a V8.  I've driven a TVR-powered Landy, which just had seamless urge, and looked like any other S3LWB.  Sleepers are the shitists' way forward!

[Guest Lord Sward]

I had a factory one-off Discovery V8 once (which I've bored you all with on these pages with before).  It could spin its front wheels.  And sounded fearsome when it did.  The rest of it was all Sherpa mind you.......

[rml2345]

Speaking of massive engines in vans, there was an LDV Convoy in Fife IIRC with the Jaguar 5.3 V12 fitted that was being sold on eBay as an unfinished project. Presumably because they'd forgotten to leave space for the radiator. Or the driver.

[Caffiend]

Mat-the-cat (can't be arsed to find where stupid phone has put bloody underscore symbol) has put a 19 Turbo Xantia engine in his BX estate. I think one of them in a hatch would be hilarious.

[320touring]

An LS1 in an e32 would be a hoot..

 

But actual money no object would be the loudest biggest engine possible plonked into a 1920s bentley chassis.

 

Basically a muthafuckin fast truck with 4 seats and cable brakes

[Richard]

Isn't that basically what the Bentley was?

[320touring]

Isn't that basically what the Bentley was?

But I'd build it biggererer. 44litre or summat.

 

Straight piped gallon a mile heaven