This weekend an acquaintance sent me some pictures of a car he had seen on the Internet. A classic. A project'. With space and time, it seems to him a happy start in the wonderful world of classics. The enormous open-mindedness of my knowledge was reflected in his selection criterion: "I like the color and the rims."
The pluses and minuses of a project
'A project'. That sounds like 'not too expensive and fun to do'. But there is often a gap between sound and reality. "With many authentic details, a healthy basis, fantastic for people who want to roll up their sleeves". Or the most beautiful: "A sound investment". Those are the cries that everyone who has ever been on a house hunt give flakes to their fingers.
But 'challenging' can also be fun
Because most of the time it is: “Decayed, worn out and outdated. And it leaks everywhere. ”But if you have a good understanding of things - and a tight hand of negotiation - then such a challenging project, whether it's a house on the heath or a classic, can be an enormously fun job.
Remember that you should not replay your hand. A challenging Ferrari or Lamborghini project - and indeed they are - requires not only a serious investment plus a well-filled piggy bank for expensive parts and revisions, but also a lot of - hired - craftsmanship. Buying a Rolls 'for little' is no problem. The problems only come afterwards.
Just think basically
All those exotics, you'd better just dream about that. They are generally heavily overvalued, and can never be as heavenly as their reputation. And driving backwards with a Countach? Do not! A project is nice if it is feasible and affordable. Feasible and affordable means that you can best find them in what was once 'the volume angle'.
So it must have been made a lot. Because then there are probably so many left that the prices remain reasonable. And the supply of parts is usually also good. Moreover, there are clubs and specialists for many classics. The project should preferably be as healthy as possible bodywork technically. And preferably technically which are well-arranged.
Simplicity is good. And fun
Then you will soon be in the corner of the 2CVs, R4s, Beetles, English sports cars and Yank tanks from before 1976. These are all cars that are also readily available and affordable in a questionable RECOVERY: largely authentic condition with traces of use and patina, which are technically not much harder to assemble than a brick or a plank. There are plenty of parts available (you can even build a completely new Duck from really new parts).
A criterion: "Do I fit in?"
For a Frogeye such as that offered at Hofman in Leek, the supply of parts is also not a problem. Our purchasing criterion would be: "Is it straight and hard?" As far as our knowledge of Frits is concerned, we also ask the question: "Does it fit in?" We gamble on a clear "NO!" 1.96 kilos. Such a Frogeye dates from the time that you as a European with 100 meter 1 were already a good size.
The Frogeye is a small English, very simply equipped two-seater sports car that was offered for sale at the very low price of 669 pounds at the time. You don't have one for that now. But in this case a project is still pleasantly affordable - INFO for people such as knowledge Frits who enters our world completely virgin: the prices are asking prices. Negotiations are possible - and the restoration is clear. In fact, you don't need more than a set of tools with English sizes, a workshop manual and a club membership as a network.
The last few months I get a rash when I read the shout 'barnfind'.
Why do you think those cars were pushed aside at the time…? But now they are suddenly pulled out of the half-decayed barn as if they were put in the day before yesterday.
I just had to get rid of it?
Ah Hans, The idea of finding such a thing is nice to dream away.? A forgotten Bentley blower, two Ferraris with only a scratch on a door? You're right: most of those things have not been put aside for nothing. And they are often in an exceptionally bad state when 'discovered'. But it is funny that they have been 'preserved'. That so much has been preserved - or simply forgotten. But there are also things that knock me out.