Dilemma.

[Pete-M]

I need to make a decision, and I need to base it on reality instead of best case scenario.

 

Four cars. All could do with a bit of work to make them outstandingly good examples, but they would be outstanding ones with a bit of TLC..

 

The SD1 3.5. VdP EFi Very very nice, spot on mechanically, gorgeous tan leather interior, cruise, Moto-Lita woodrim wheel. It's the car I use every day. 106,000 miles with loads of history. To make it a really really nice one it could do with a wing, a wheelarch repair and a repaint. The paint is good on it, but it's got signs of life. Lots of little touch ups here and there, a couple of shopping trolley dents but otherwise good. It would cost me about a grand to get it close to perfect. I reckon it's got to be a £3k car when done. I reckon it might fetch £1500 or so as it is.

 

 

The SD1 4.2 VdP EFi You lot know about this. 23,500 miles, petrolhead first owner, blah blah. Needs a wing and £1500 worth of paint to get the body perfect, the headlining replacing and a bit of interior tidying up. Say £2k to get it spot on. Don't know what it'd be worth in really nice nick. Not a factory EFi, but conversion done by either JE engineering or Janspeed. Loads of history, Split rims, grey leather, cruise, aircon. Big '80's Pioneer stereo system. Mota-Lita woodrim wheel. With the £2k spent it'd be totally worth keeping forever. I reckon it's worth £1500 as is.

 

 

The Escort. Mk2, 1300 Sport 2dr, LHD, bronze tints, opening 1/4 lights, Export heater, 100k miles. Currently undergoing full on mentalist restoration. Not completed yet, and it's going to cost me another £1500 to finish it and get it back here. Who knows what that's worth finished? My local Escort specialist reckons £6-7k. Can't sell this until it's finished really.

 

 

The 635 CSi. A reg, henna red manual with black Recaro leather interior. Very straight with loads of history but needs £1500 spending to get it mint, very good interior. Would cost me about £200 to get it MOT'd and useable. Similar ones in very tidy condition with similar miles seem to be advertised for £3500ish. I reckon it's easily a grand as is, bit more with a fresh MOT.

 

 

 

The Escort is the definate in all this as I'm committed to finishing that off soon, which I could do with keeping the money free for.. the same money that could be used getting any of the others spot on, if you see what I mean. I've got the cash put aside for the Escort, but if I were to put the Escort back another few months (which isn't really a problem, but it's a bit cheeky) and use the money for that to fix one of the others up, I could sell the fixed up other car and be able to pay for the Escort and do another car up. It's complicated.

 

So, what would you lot do in my situation? I don't want four cars.

 

I'd like to end up with the 3.5 absolutely mint, and have the Escort here, done and ready to sell.. but then I'd have to buy something else to do up. I enjoy making old cars lovely again.

 

Problem is, if I had the 3.5 mint, and I sold the Escort for say £6k, then it's only natural that there would be another interesting old barge that'd I'd want more than the 3.5 and the cycle would begin again.

[Angrydicky]

I voted for the 4.2. Probably not the most realistic option, but that is one cool car!

[Tayne]

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[M'coli]

Much as it pains me, the Escort. The other cars have mechanicals wich are rare and expensive, but despit being highly regarded are not greatly coveted.

 

The Escort doesn't have oily bits that are highly coveted, but still...2 door Escort bodyshells can only go up in price...

 

Get it sorted, get it insured - if you can only afford one car to get the body right on, make sure it's the one you can get the money back on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hype them all up to high heaven, sell them all and buy a manual Vitesse and add a cheap 3.9 or 4.6 engine...

[Pete-M]

At that point you have a finished 3.5, a finished 4.2 and about £3k in your pocket.

 

How does that sound?

That sounds like the result I was after. Top man. I knew there was a reason for buying this lot, I just couldn't decide where to start.

 

Ta.

[trigger]

Tayne sounds like he's hit the nail on the head, i'd get a ticket on the 6-series though.

I do like your 3.5 though, i'd love to own one, even if it was just for a while, don't fancy a swap for a 1602 do you?!

[Claypole]

Which of the 4 would you keep given the choice and which as a second keeper if one's not enough?

 

I'd mot and sell the BMW, use the money to finish the Escort, sell that then you could fix up both the Rover's and have some spare to get another project?

[Mr Lobster]

Tayne said pretty much what I'm thinking too. Fire on with the Escort, get the 635 mot'd and sold, sell the Escort then get the Rovers minted. Win.

[Father Ted]

That Ezzy would sell all day long even a left hooker (probably especially a left hooker).

Use the money from that to sort out your SD's.

[shite_meister]

Use the money from that to sort out your STD's.

Edited for accuracy

[Minimad5]

100% agree with Tayne to be honest

[AnthonyG]

Sort the Escort out and sell it soon as - keep the Rovers and sell the BMW after the £200 has got it another MOT.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

It is good advice from Tayne, here.

 

I'm not an Escort man, but the other three would be very welcome in my fantasy garage!

[MK5 Escort]

I'd re-MOT the 635 and sell it as it is. They seem to fetch good money even in average condition these days.

 

I would have been seriously tempted to keep the Escort once done, if it was right hand drive... I'd finish that off first and then sell it. Some of the money got from it's sale can be made in making the 4.2 a real minter to your standards to keep hold of and get the 3.5 looking pretty for sale.

 

I really wouldn't sell the 4.2. They're hard to find these days whilst the 3.5, even lovely as it is, aren't quite as 'special'. If you had to sell one of the SD1's, that would be the one to go if they were mine. My only reservation about keeping the 4.2 would be running costs. If you weren't using it every day though, it shouldn't be a huge issue.

[Pete-M]

If I were to keep one of the SD1s, I think it would probably be the 3.5 as I really, really can't abide grey interiors. I used to quite like them, but after running the 3.5 for the last month or two it's the interior of the 4.2 that puts me off keeping it. I couldn't bring myself to break the 4.2 in order to make the 3.5 quick, so I'll do 'em both up.

Hmm, spent an hour or so this evening fiddling with the 4.2. By 'eck it's quick. I think I need to get it sorted soon.