What vintage car would you buy ?

[Chromatic]

My dad had a Rover 3500 when I was younger, it was the SD1, now that was a rust bucket.
Reading through this thread there are a couple of cars mentioned that I've had, the Stag, and I also had a Citroen CX too. My wife had a Jensen Interceptor when she was younger. I wish she still had it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

For my money the most beautiful car ever made:

Though I'd love to own one of these ....

 

[Over The Hill]

I owned a Stag at one time. Retrofitted with a Rover V8 (fairly popular mod). I actually spotted it and spoke to a later owner of it, by which time it had acquired a Triumph straight 6.
The Triumph V8 did get a bit of a reputation but the wisdom within the owners club said that a lot of it was down to early failures and finding casting sand in the block/radiator wasn't uncommon. Looked after they were ok, but could say that of a few engines of the period, A-series, crossflow, etc. Think it was maybe a case that the Rover engine survived neglect better.
More the Stag engine was 2 of the Triumph 4 cylinders. They were never fitted into any other car either. Engines were 2 valve/ cylinder, dolomite sprints had a 16 valve head. I also had a TR7 with a dolly sprint engine in it, ownership overlapping briefly with the Stag. Think there was some sort of link between the Triumph engine and a Saab one too.
Rust bucket? Compared to a modern car yes, compared to a contempary? No worse than the likes of an MG BGT. Must be a mass produced car with one of the highest % of surviving ones left.

BL seemed to do everything wrong back then. Stick a 16v rocket engine in an old fashioned saloon car but leave the 8v versions in the sports cars! I had two Dolly sprints and loved them. Great fun to drive and I loved the style which was all wood and twiddly bits when it was all going smooth and plain.
Also had a Spitfire and a TR7. Well actually I probably had about 30 cars in 10 years so had quite a range.
The sprint engine was quite a work of genius as they got 16 valves working off a single cam shaft. The cam pushed one valve directly under it and then went round to push a rocker valve above it.
It also had overdrive which worked from a button set on the gear knob.

 

[Proto]

Interesting how often 2CVs crop up on this list!

I've just rebuilt this, currently my wife's daily (summer only) driver as one of my daughter's ahs nicked her Golf. Few little jobs to finish - mud flaps, new bonnet grille needed, etc. Brakes are shocking, sterring interesting, and it's very slow, put probably the most fun car i've driven. Wherever we go people just can't help themselves from smling, it has that kind of effect.

I'm thinking of rebuilding an MGB next.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Regarding the Dolly Sprint.

I'm sure it was, at one time, barring exotica, the car with the highest top speed in 1st gear - something like 41MPH!!!

Plus, wasn't, or the Triumph 2500, the first British car to have alloy wheels as standard????

 

[Over The Hill]

Regarding the Dolly Sprint.

I'm sure it was, at one time, barring exotica, the car with the highest top speed in 1st gear - something like 41MPH!!!

Plus, wasn't, or the Triumph 2500, the first British car to have alloy wheels as standard????

I think it was the Dolly Sprint. And rather scarily it had lightweight wheel bolts too that were either Titanium or Aluminium- either way they welded themselves on and stripped the thread really easily if you did them up just a bit too tight.

 

[tyred]

I would save my money. Modern cars are safer, roomier, more economical, with better performance and hugely more reliable.

Only a half-wit would yearn for a 1950s top loading washing machine and mangle, so why do people go misty-eyed over sixty year old cars?

It depends on what you buy of course but I would argue that the more sensible classics are cheaper and easier to maintain for anyone handy with a set of spanners and don't depreciate. They are also a lot more stylish and don't isolate you from the driving experience.

What people define as a classic varies but I would challenge you to find me any modern car that is more reliable or better built than the majority of German cars from the 70s or 80s. I loved the MK1 Golf 1.6D that I had, it was over 20 years old but 60+mpg was easily possible on a long run, it comfortable enough, fast enough and handled on rails and never once let me down as I added a further 100,000 miles to the 200,000 odd miles that were already on it and I regret selling it. I would choose a MK1 or MK2 Golf in preference to anything on the new car market today. An older diesel Merc or Audi 80 TD would be even better and even more indestructible.

Don't judge all old cars by the standards of the dark days of BL.

 

[ASC1951]

It depends on what you buy of course but I would argue that the more sensible classics are cheaper and easier to maintain for anyone handy with a set of spanners and don't depreciate.

That's very few people, of course.

I would choose a MK1 or MK2 Golf in preference to anything on the new car market today. An older diesel Merc or Audi 80 TD would be even better and even more indestructible.

Don't judge all old cars by the standards of the dark days of BL.

I wasn't. I have had both a Golf GTD and Merc Estate and neither was particularly reliable.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I used to like the Rover P5b the best. However, I am now not so sure I don't like the Humber Super Snipe more, only there are quite a few variants of the Super Snipe and I don't know which one I like best.

 

[smutchin]

One marque, so many beautiful cars...

(Love the E-type, but only the Mk1 - they totally ruined it with later versions.)

 

[Piemaster]

One marque, so many beautiful cars...

Alfa then.


Ok, so I'm a bit biased. I've got two of them.

The Jags are nice. I haven't decided about the F-type, not yet having seen one in the flesh, but the front styling does look a bit, well, japanese.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

One marque, so many beautiful cars...

....and the XJ13, arguably the most beautiful of them all

 

[smutchin]

....and the XJ13, arguably the most beautiful of them all

Not much chance of ever buying one, alas - not even with a Euromillions double rollover...

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Not much chance of ever buying one, alas - not even with a Euromillions double rollover...

True, but that's the idea behind a dream car is it not?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

For looks I'd love a convertible Ford Prefect, they are a world apart form the rather utilitarian look of the hard top runaround and have a real sense of small car glamour about them.

For a practical older car to drive I'm with tyred and for all the same reasons, it be an old Mk1 Golf, I had a few when they were legit second & third hand sales and they never once let me down. I had a 3 door one that I could either sell and buy something 5 door (baby on the way) or pile a chunk of cash on and get back to absolute mint condition - I made the wrong choice and ended up with a fun but not nearly the same Fiat Uno sport, still miss the Golf & missed the moment then to have the money and willing enough wife to get away with a project.