Tell Me I'm An Idiot (Car Related)

[jyl]

I've been getting a hankering for a cheap mild project car that is . . . different. It doesn't have to be classy, fast, handle great, or worth anything, but just be fun and simple and . . . different. Oh, and a convertible or targa. Sort of like a Bugeye Sprite, except those are not cheap any more. Something where parts are available and a decent runner can be had for not much.

I'm thinking of something like a Porsche 914 (are those cheap any more?), Fiat 124, Alfa Spider (I don't know what those run now), Fiat X 1/9, Lancia Scorpio (I think parts non-availability may rule that out), VW Rabbit Cabriolet, Porsche 944 Cabriolet . . .

Any other ideas? Is this a terrible idea?

[rouxroux]

65-69 corvair...rear-engined, air-cooled, inexpensive, great autocross cars with not too many mods, parts easily available.

[cantdrv55]

My first sports car was a 1979 Fiat X1/9. I loved that car. I'd own another if I had space in the garage.

[6e0ff]

Cheap means different things to different people, what range arer we talking about? Are you looking for a weekend fun car? Want to get into vintage racing?

914s are great cars but I'm not sure that the total cost of ownership counts as cheap. Sure, you can buy one that looks ok and doesn't cost much initially, but I guarantee that you will pay in the end. Rust can be as much or more of an issue with these cars than it is with the longhood 911s.

I can't comment on the other cars too much because I haven't owned them. Everyone knows the reputation that Fiat has for quality and reliabilty. The Rabbit Cabs are fun cars, but I wouldn't really call them a sports car like the other ones are.

I personally wouldn't give up on the pre-rubber bumper Spridgets. There are lots of cars out there and parts availablity is good. Another option might be a 2nd gen RX-7 conv. They are certainly unique. They are a little bit rare, but you can still find them for decent prices and they don't seem ot have the rust issues of the older cars.

[Bill Douglas]

Nein, nein, nein. You must have a Karman Ghia instead. Maybe even a cabriolet if you are a good looking rich boy.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by jyl

Is this a terrible idea?

I don't think so, although one could argue that if you are going to invest huge amounts of time into this it may as well be for a car that has a large monetary value in the end.

That said, a good friend of mine (a very rational international lawyer), just spent the past four years of his spare time restoring a VW Beetle to concours condition. This is a man who bills his time out at $750.- per hour—and he must have at least 1000 hours into that car. Possibly even more.

The challenge was to do absolutely everything himself. Now in the end he has a perfect but modest car—but he claims the process kept him sane.

His next project is a Kirkham Cobra.

[McLovin]

Oddly, I've had many of those cars on your list.

914 - I had one when I was a teenager, then many more over the next 25 years. I really liked the 73/74 2.0, with the factory fuel injection intact and in mostly stock configuration. I have to admit I did eventually grow out of them, but it took decades and hundreds of thousands of miles. Some people love 'em, others hate 'em, and I can understand both points of view. (From reading your prior posts, I don't think you'd like a 914 much).

X1/9 - I had an '85 Bertone (what they called the X1/9 at the end). I really wanted to like that car, but never did. I don't mind slow cars, they can be fun, but that car just wasn't fun to drive. Just too slow, very cheaply made, and very, very small (I like small sports cars, but that thing was really small).

VW Rabbit Cab. My girlfriend in college had an '86 Rabbit convertible. I have to say, that thing was a complete blast to drive around. It was quite zippy (felt a lot quicker than my 320i at the time), handled great and drove like a very light car, without feeling cheap. It was also incredibly tough and reliable. I know she never had the oil changed in the 3 years I knew her, and it ran on and on. The top was also almost always down, and the interior somehow held up really well. You so rarely see a nice, stock, clean Gen I style convertible anymore, I think that would actually be a neat car to have.

Fiat 124. I had a '79 Fiat 2000 Spider. I loved that car. It was dead stock reliable for me. A blast to drive, and IMO worlds better than the X1/9. If I had unlimited garage space, I could see owning one again.

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by McLovin

Fiat 124. I had a '79 Fiat 2000 Spider. I loved that car. It was dead stock reliable for me. A blast to drive, and IMO worlds better than the X1/9. If I had unlimited garage space, I could see owning one again.

I had a Fiat 124 Sport Coupe, very very cool little car.

[jpd]

ETA - I guess I'm an idiot, since I thought I was on another forum.

[Laneco]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

My first sports car was a 1979 Fiat X1/9. I loved that car. I'd own another if I had space in the garage.

I had one of those for years. A very decent chassis in desperate search of an engine. 67 hp doesn't cut it (or did you have the high powered fuel injected one with 75 horsepower)?

So I dumped a 13B rotary with a four speed gm FWD transaxle into it (mid-engined). Cured the horsepower problem quite nicely. Also, here's a nearly useless factoid - you can put a full sized cooler into the front trunk and still have room to stow the top there. Then you still had a small rear trunk. Kind of awesome packaging for a small car.

I actually like the 65-69 Corvair idea. These cars are affordable as drivers, good looking, quirky enough to be fun and have good parts availability. Plus, the cars are low end "collector" which means that they will (slowly) increase in value. That's not going to happen with an X1/9...

angela

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by rouxroux

65-69 corvair...rear-engined, air-cooled, inexpensive, great autocross cars with not too many mods, parts easily available.

+1. Get a nice Corsa to play with, John.

[Garp]

This fall I'm starting the restauration of a Fiat 850 spider together with two friends. The father of one of them has bought it new in 65 and it sat still for over 20 years. Looking forward to this.

[LWJ]

MGB. I had a 65 roadster. Simple. Fun. Cheap. Stay away from the rubber bumper years. You might be too tall for a sprite / midget, I am.

Larry

[Jim Richards]

John, also consider a '71 Capri 2.0.

[dtw]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned a true classic: 4-cylinder Mustang 'vert.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by dtw

I'm surprised no one has mentioned a true classic: 4-cylinder Mustang 'vert.

Looks nicely set up. Ready to bullitt on over to the local pool hall.

[willtel]

What about one of these?

[VincentVega]

That could be a lot of fun, one of the few verts I really like. Could be a budget buster though. Rear suspension and driveline gets spendy, even on a GM.

I've been thinking about an old Mini, Vette or Camaro lately. Big difference I know, I'm thinking simple and fun to drive.

[Jim Richards]

I'd love to see you fit into an old Mini. Kind of like packing a bunch of teenagers into an old VW bug.

[vash]

this:



if i had the time, money and space..+some old 4x4.