Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

The Mustang is certainly the muscle car most likely to fit in a garage I would think. I also really like them.

I think I'm back on the E39 M5 hype. Seen a few minters for around 15k and they're already going up.

Do it!

My e39 is an amazing car, still going strong after 160,000 miles.

If I had the 💸 I would get an m in a heartbeat.

steep.

I paid £1600, so I should hopefully get away with £3000....

Having been lurking this thread recently and noticing the cheap AX related chat decided to go looking around my area to see if there were any cheap ones. Didn't find any but came across this instead and I'm pretty taken with it.

And the seller's blurb:

1995 Peugeot 106 S1; 74,000 miles, 1.1L engine, XN model, 3 owners from new. Original Peugeot Alpine White paint, professionally compounded recently, and kept in as good a condition as possible. Homoligated shell, with plate & stamp. When I say it's rust free, bar a bubble the size of a fingertip, its incredible. Have been under the car, had the complete interior out and not a single bit of rot found. Every last thing the car has needed it has got. Got a full service this week including new filter, brakes (disks, pads, master cylinders & shoes), new driveshaft etc. Car has NCT until 31-05-17 and tax until 12-16. Car comes with a functioning alarm and imobiliser fitted by O'Leary Alarms in Cork. 2 new front tyres were fitted less than 2 months ago, and the car was tracked at the time
In my time, theres been a few 'improvements':
Pair of XSI bumpers, off an ex-Mark Higgins rally car. Rear was repainted, front is presentable but has 'patina'
Set of Citroen AX Michelin steel wheels
Upgraded front suspension including lowering springs & shocks
Straight through rally exhaust
PugSport Short Shifter
Starter Button wired into ignition
106 GTi Cloth interior. Not a single rip or tear in the seats, and the car has never once been smoked in.
Upgraded door speakers
RRS Deep Dish steering wheel
Reinforcements made to seat mounts, common 106/Saxo issue
As well as that, I have a fair amount of spares going with the car including:
Pair of bumpers
Extra 3-Stud steel wheels
OMP 3 Point Harness
Wheel Spacers
Full OEM Exhaust. Backbox on this is less than 6 months old!
Haines Manual
Original Steering Wheel

Price works out at roughly £770. The last car I owned was a NA MX5 so I'm cool with not much power as long as there's cheap thrills to be had. Would love to hear people weigh in with their 106 experiences. Going to get a few quotes in the morning and hopefully view it on Fri/Sat. Anything I should look out for? The car's 170 miles away so it would be great to go armed with some information and even some questions I can ask the bloke over the phone.

Any advice is much appreciated!

GM and Chevy in particular have the most ubiquitous and affordable aftermarket parts, Ford second (and Mustang bits in particular are well supported.) Mopar are a DISTANT third, particularly in Europe.

Be prepared to spend a packet on bits at the moment with the strong $ and ludicrous shipping charges that the US factors stick on everything to the UK.

Do not go down the rabbit hole of tuning and modifying anything too far from stock. As stock, US cars of the 60s are reliable with regular, very basic maintenance. For the early sixties cars, if you want to upgrade anything (ignition and brakes are the usual) do some research and find genuine parts from a later year model that fit. All the US manufacturers only modified their platforms sporadically and lots of news stuff like disc brakes and electronic ignition can be retrofitted. OEM stuff is reliable and very cheap compared to the aftermarket performance stuff.

I think the 'Stangs only really start to look nice after 67 - before that they look a bit anemic. If a Fastback is out of the budget, the 69/70 Coupes look the prettiest to me. Try and avoid anything with a FE series engine squeezed in there, they weigh a ton and fuck up the already diabolical handling. A high winding 302 would be my donk of choice. High revving Ford V8s from the 289 on up always sound fantastic.

Avoid all the diesels, it's a Ford focus with extra plastic, decent enough, nothing wrong with the focus of that era etc. But read around the 1.6 ford diesel and you'll be starting to run. The 2.0 isn't as bad, and the 2.4 is ultimate but rare and has its £££ weaknesses too.
If your seriously considering one and you do less than 16/20k a year, just get a petrol one.

That's he'll cheap for a rallye or is it not a rallye?

Re pug 106: Builds loud and light rally style hatch... Upgrades door speakers. Why?
Aside from that I'd say do it! Great fun. Would ask what the upgraded front suspension is. Also see if they messed with the rear beam.

There needs to be some tension on the belt, not flapping around but not too tight. Think good single speed bike chain, ideally 5mm flex when you push down.

You know what to do...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dodge-Dart-Street-Legal-Drag-Car-1968-496ci-V8-auto-turn-key-car-600-bhp-/262725218106?hash=item3d2ba4af3a:g:ddwAAOSwzaJYBm8M

Ha - that's cool. Similar motor to mine, though I have Indy rather than Edelbrock heads and EFI. 440 stroker motors are wicked. Mopar or no car, etc.

Oh, there is definitely NO such thing as turn-key with a set up like that and expect no better than around 8mpg in average driving.

And read up on 727 trans to avoid grenading it.

Cool car though....big block Dart is a classic drag weapon.

I'd love an old American of some kind but It'd either be a ratty thrash-mobile or a super clean body with modern running gear so brakes, efi, proper suspension etc.

Mind you, there's a lovely original hq holden wagon (estate) down the road driven by an old bloke. I wonder if he'd sell it...

Not a Rallye.

Re pug 106: Builds loud and light rally style hatch... Upgrades door speakers. Why?

So he can hear the radio again?

Thanks - yeah, I'm currently looking at a 1.8 petrol with 68k miles. I'll probably only put 4-5k miles into it a year. What would be really nice is the T5, but that's insurance group 34.

Ha

@wasFederal If it's as clean as he says it is, have a look under the carpets and everything, then sounds like a good car. It's probably expensive for a standard or more normal 1.1 1995 106. You'll have to wring the neck off it everywhere you go and it'll be tiresome on the motorway. Can't really help with 106 specific help, wasn't there someone on here that had an S1 Rallye?

@diable just get @Jung to ship you something over

Anyone in his forum got any ideas on period correct front seats for a 70s mini? Ideally
Looking for something that sits relatively low in the car and has a headrest.

Doesn't @mi7rennie have one?

I have a 2006 XT, love it. Won't do more than 30mpg even on a run and if you thrash it, much less.

Parts aren't cheap.

It's awesome in the snow on winters and great fun in the summer on normal tyres.

It's fast.

It holds lots of stuff.

It can be tuned like an Impreza if that's your vibe.

I've been carless for a few months and a friends recent 325iX Touring project got me thinking. There's a guy nearby with a 1985 Scirocco GTX, rustfree, but hasn't run since around 2005. I've got a garage, plenty of time and no need for a daily driver. It sort of fits my criteria: Stupid, German/Swedish and shooting brakeishable. I think I'll pop by and have a look tomorrrow. Anything specific to look for?

Get a tank suit...something like this https://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/german-tank-suit-with-removable-624568.html Oh and don't lie directly on the floor as it will be cold.

I think you have jinxed me! Drive home tonight accompanied by fluctuations on the temp dial and occasionally blowing cold air when it should be hot...... Coolant looking a bit low...... I fear a HG failure......

There are quite a few period race seats but the issue will be the subframe and the void in the seat. Then the comfort of the angles of your feet in relation to the pedals. But you may be different to me.