Buying an old classic

[HAKAPALITA]

51 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

2 Hairs ☺️

No

Deux Chevaux  ( Horses )

 

No aircon 

It's a Convertible ( Cabriolet )

 

The Women who drive those things are always on their way to a Protest,or a Flee Market.

[Just Weird]

17 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

 many won't have the kit that comes as standard on modern stuff like air-con which in a climate like Thailand will be not so easy to live without .. Personally forget the Lotus as that model was not particularly reliable when they were relatively new which is saying something for a Lotus and one that is well over 20 odd yrs old is asking for trouble ..

"...forget the Lotus as that model was not particularly reliable when they were relatively new which is saying something for a Lotus and one that is well over 20 odd yrs old is asking for trouble".

The exact opposite was true of the Elan, it was not known as an unreliable car in any way as most of it's mechanical bits (engine, gearbox, diff etc) were Ford parts.

 

".. many won't have the kit that comes as standard on modern stuff like air-con.."

Retro-fitting air conditioning to a classic is no big deal.

[Just Weird]

17 hours ago, neeray said:

One of the funest vehicles I ever owned was a '67  280Z that I bought as new, enjoyed it for a couple years and sold it for more than I paid (that was the era when Jap auto prices started rising rapidly).

"One of the funest vehicles I ever owned was a '67  280Z..."

Did it have a flux capacitor?  The 280Z wasn't introduced until 1975.

[giddyup]

17 hours ago, neeray said:

One of the funest vehicles I ever owned was a '67  280Z that I bought as new, enjoyed it for a couple years and sold it for more than I paid (that was the era when Jap auto prices started rising rapidly).

 I had the 260Z 2+2 with a 280Z motor, and even then it was seriously underpowered, it really needed a V8. Little pocket rockets like Golf GTI's and Mazda 323 turbos would leave it for dead. Still a nice car to drive though. The 280Z got more bloated and even slower.

[Just Weird]

3 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

The key is to drive a car that 18 years old's don't even recognize the potential of. In reality they will only be impressed with something with a giant turbo on it !!

 

Get an old Toyota Crown or Nissan President and a driver? Wind the windows down and wave your whisky glass at the 18 year olds ??

You might pull that off in a President but try it in an old Crown and you'll just get laughed at!

[SuperTed]

OP - IMHO you don't have the bank roll, the mechanic's credentials or the patience and persistence to care for an older car in Thailand. Please buy something new.

 

If you want to piss off the young men and wow the young ladies, buy something with 4WD and a roll cage. Off road mud thumping is huge here. Dirt track truck races are a good place to pick up girls; guys who drive modified dune buggies through trenches of mud are treated like rock stars. 

 

Better yet, buy two wheels, put your wife on the back, and spend the day driving in the mountains or along the coast, instead of sitting stuck in traffic. 

 

P.S. an "80s body 911" is a 964. For what is costs to buy and maintain one you can happily lease a new 718 (Cayman), which I guarantee you will love.

[Pedrogaz]

When I was 39 I bought a V12 XJS. Kept it for two years and got rid when I realised how uncomfortable a low car is and what an idiot I was for buying it. Brilliant engine though.

[a10ams]

2 hours ago, Toosetinmyways said:

Are you sure it is an XJ6 as Jaguar never made a XJ convertible. Only the XJS had a convertible model. A few of the 2 door XJ coupes were converted to soft top by a private company. Lynx I think. So if it is one of those it is very rare.

Thai TV featured the Thai classic car club once. The president has a 1957 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing imported by his father from new. When asked what the biggest problems in the club were he replied. It is nearly impossible for the members to import a car. You have to search the country to find an already imported car. Most of the members cars were what I would call modern day classics.

I have an XJS convertible back in the UK. I also spoke with somebody to do with a Thailand Jaguar club. He said, as far as he knew there were no convertibles in Thailand. Jaguar did not make a softop XJ6.

 

[a10ams]

There is a bit of an Mk1/Mk2 Escort fan club in Pattaya.

 

[Justgrazing]

3 hours ago, Just Weird said:

"...forget the Lotus as that model was not particularly reliable when they were relatively new which is saying something for a Lotus and one that is well over 20 odd yrs old is asking for trouble".

The exact opposite was true of the Elan, it was not known as an unreliable car in any way as most of it's mechanical bits (engine, gearbox, diff etc) were Ford parts.

 

".. many won't have the kit that comes as standard on modern stuff like air-con.."

Retro-fitting air conditioning to a classic is no big deal.

Incorrect .. The 1991 Lotus Elan shown for sale in the link was a collaboration between Lotus and Ansan and known as the M100 .. It used a turbocharged Isuzu 1600 4cyl engine after the proposed tie up with Toyota that would have used a Toyota lump ( engine ) failed to materialise .. The fact that it was turbocharged did nothing for its reliability as Turbo's create terrific amounts of heat the effects of this being numerous as in :-

 

1 carbonisation of the oil under extreme use resulting in premature engine wear from lack of adequate lubrication ..

 

2 Hardening of the engine wiring loom that makes itself known through all manner of electrical gremlins like non start , engine management light illumination , erratic fuel consumption along with shortened alternator , starter motor and associated wiring life though heat soak .. 

 

3 Engine hoses both engine vent ( crankcase ) and cooling hoses harden causing loss of coolant through cracking in the case of the coolant hoses and a disastrous effect on the engine breathing if the PCV is unable to function due to carbonisation of oil leading to oil being forced out wherever it can due to excessive crankcase pressure .. Not to mention increased likelihood of blown head gaskets particularly if the boost pressure has been altered as that has the effect of increasing the compression ratio which stresses the head gasket .. 

 

And being FWD ( front wheel drive ) they also suffered transmission and driveline stress requiring clutch and driveshaft CV ( constant velocity ) joint replacement .. They also suffered torque steer meaning the car had a tendency to steer to one side under hard acceleration a characteristic that was quite common in older FWD's ( front wheel drive ) anyway and even more so in turbocharged cars .. All of this is reflected in the fact that only 3855 were built of the early model from '89 to '92 .. 

 

" It was not known as an unreliable car in anyway as most of it's mechanical bits ( engine, gearbox, diff etc ) were Ford parts. "

Not strictly correct again ..

 

The early original 1960's Elan used an engine based on a Ford cast iron block mated to Lotus's own DOHC ( double over head camshafts ) Cyl-head ( cylinder ) whose power output was matched by its maintenance requirements as in oil burning from oil leaking past the valve stems onto the top of the piston ( overnight in particular when everything cooled down ) which required the cyl-head to be removed to remedy .. There were also issues with oil leaks from the cam housing and broken exhaust manifold studs caused by vibration .. And being fitted with 2 twinchoke carburettors that also required constant synchronization as wear on the butterfly spindles would cause them to fall out of balance not to mention you could rarely have them run cleanly at low revs and give good power at the top end .. A compromise must be sought to try and give the best of both world's but is rarely achieved even if you spent half a day trying to balance them .. And we won't go anywhere near the distributor with it's mechanism to stop over revving by centrifugal force that was quite inaccurate and prone to letting the engine do what it was supposed to stop .. Over-revving ..

 

The cast 4 speed Ford gearbox used was questionable at best quite often leaking oil from the output shaft ( prop shaft ) seal that in turn run the gearbox low on oil the result of which was the bearings would become noisy which then required a gearbox rebuild .. if the front seal ( input shaft ) didn't fail first contaminating the clutch .. Ever changed a clutch in one of these .? 

Ditto the differential which would also leak oil that also required a rebuild if not caught quickly enough ..

Not to mention the more frequent service schedules that was all part of owning 60's/70's vehicle so the early original Elan was not particularly reliable either .. 

 

And we won't go anywhere near the reliability of 1960's/70's British car electrics .. 

 

Not all older vehicles are suitable for fitment of air conditioning as not all engine blocks ( Cylinder block ) have the mounting points necessary for a heavy compressor to be mounted to , leave aside not all crank pulley's have a profile machined into them for the belt to drive the compressor .. Not to mention the space alongside the engine that is required to mount a compressor as in proximity of inner wings and chassis rails .. And if you can achieve that not all older vehicles have the necessary space in the radiator area to mount the A/C's rad' .. then there's the question of the routing of the pipework through the bulkhead to a matrix .. not to mention the wiring and temperature controls which will not be able to utilise the vehicles non aircon temp' and distribution controls .. And supposing you have managed to overcome all of that you may find the vents such as the foot well , dashboard and demist vents can't make the best of routing the cooled air to where it's best used as the system wasn't designed to distribute air-conditioned air ..

So after-market fitting of Air conditioning may be possible if you are willing to surmount these problems but will it be worth it in terms of cost and effectiveness ? I doubt it .. 

[MadMuhammad]

If you wanna do a midlife crisis properly buy two wheels ????

[4MyEgo]

Been there, done that, if you have money to throw, "up to you" as the Thai's say, but for me, I prefer the two legged models, a good 45 minute ride and I am happy as a pig in mud for a few days ????

 

No ongoing maintenance, insurance, etc, etc, etc, a few drinks, then tuck in and enjoy.....vrmmmm vrmmmm 

 

 

[ratcatcher]

9 hours ago, pedro01 said:

 

Nice - but I already have a job.

 

Plus - I want to drive something that has 18 year old boys shaking their heads at how 'that car' is wasted on 'that old fart'.

 

Sporty is a must. As nice as that car is, I am not aiming for the "Driving Miss Daisy" look.

I am sure most members bothering to reply this topic already know this site

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/

 

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/32/mga/

[Naam]

6 hours ago, superal said:

and did you get your penis extension op ?

 

6 hours ago, superal said:

15 hours ago, Naam said:

when i look at their prices and compare for what i sold my 1969 E-type a couple of years ago than i feel like telling them "keep on dreaming!" 

 

 

 

 

and did you get your penis extension op ?

i was waiting four the usual poor boy comment.

[pedro01]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Seriously, OP - you don't want to do this. Unless you have very deep pockets.

I do.

 

But thanks for your concern. ????

[pedro01]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Seriously, OP - you don't want to do this. Unless you have very deep pockets.

I bought a Mercedes 300CE coupe, 1989. It was fun to drive for a while, and turned heads with its classic lines. It became a money pit, with things going wrong all the time. After the second time it had to be towed, I got rid of it. The first time it was towed, a Mercedes dealership charged me 12,000 baht and failed to fix the problem. An independent mechanic actually diagnosed the problem correctly. An intermittent one, naturally.

Everything deteriorates with age. Contacts erode, wiring gets exposed as the insulation degrades, brake lines and transmissions acquire sludge. It becomes a constant battle to stay ahead and keep your heart's desire on the road.

Comparing that with something modern like a Kia Stinger is a joke. The Benz got 155kw out of a 3-litre engine. The Stinger gets 190 kw out of a mere 2-litres, or a whopping 272 kw out of the 3.3 litre V6. The only safety feature the Benz had was ABS. The Stinger has a whole raft of safety acronyms. EBD, ESC, AWD etc. etc.

The cachet of owning a classic car soon wears off when one realises the performance of modern cars far outweighs skin-deep looks. I'm cured of wanting to own a classic.

Actually worth another reply.

 

12k Baht is a tyre for one of my current cars. Or 1/4 of a fuel pump. Or half a wing mirror. Or one of the major services. 

 

Some putz drove into it the other week & a new headlight, front bumper & wing was over $10K US....

 

So I am at one with the concept of having some oink repairing it.

 

A small price to pay for the extra 2 inches, I think.

[pedro01]

8 hours ago, SuperTed said:

OP - IMHO you don't have the bank roll, the mechanic's credentials or the patience and persistence to care for an older car in Thailand. Please buy something new.

 

If you want to piss off the young men and wow the young ladies, buy something with 4WD and a roll cage. Off road mud thumping is huge here. Dirt track truck races are a good place to pick up girls; guys who drive modified dune buggies through trenches of mud are treated like rock stars. 

 

Better yet, buy two wheels, put your wife on the back, and spend the day driving in the mountains or along the coast, instead of sitting stuck in traffic. 

 

P.S. an "80s body 911" is a 964. For what is costs to buy and maintain one you can happily lease a new 718 (Cayman), which I guarantee you will love.

 

lol - IMHO "you ain't got the cash, son".

 

My wife and I both have cars - this is a third for fun. Why would I buy a third new car? Seems a bit daft that. A Honda Jazz?

 

Big 4WDs are for people with micro-penii and as for bikes my 110 cc honda whatsit  - is enough bike for me here.  

 

As for an 80's 911 - I like the 992/G-Series 1973-1989. 964 was 89-94, still a lovely car that. 

 

Just seen that one2car has quite a few...

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/porsche-911-carrera-bangkok-metropolitan-lak-si-saphan-mai-chaeng-wattana/4602519

 

This one is lovely too - https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/porsche-911-carrera-bangkok-metropolitan-pattanakarn-rama-ix/5349842 

 

Would certainly want to take a mechanic to view them at that price. 

[pedro01]

5 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Been there, done that, if you have money to throw, "up to you" as the Thai's say, but for me, I prefer the two legged models, a good 45 minute ride and I am happy as a pig in mud for a few days ????

 

No ongoing maintenance, insurance, etc, etc, etc, a few drinks, then tuck in and enjoy.....vrmmmm vrmmmm 

 

 

45 minutes?

 

Good lord - stop spoiling them.

[luckyluke]

I am 70.

 

Never had or drove a car/motor in my live. 

 

Well impressed by some " Old Classics". 

 

There is regularly a meet-up of some the Sunday at "Eight" in Thonglor. 

 

Mostly not impressed by those who posses/drive them, despite they do their very best. 

 

 

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, pedro01 said:

45 minutes?

 

Good lord - stop spoiling them.

????

 

 

[Naam]

13 hours ago, Lacessit said:

The cachet of owning a classic car soon wears off when one realises the performance of modern cars far outweighs skin-deep looks. I'm cured of wanting to own a classic.

i beg to differ and claim that the use of a classic car, especially one that costs more than a fistful of millions, should be restricted to a spin on weekends with the dogs. no need for performance or comfort and no need for "a whole raft of safety acronyms. EBD, ESC, AWD etc.".

 

[luckyluke]

33 minutes ago, Naam said:

... the use of a classic car, especially one that costs more than a fistful of millions should be restricted..... 

In my opinion, 

It's a pity to see that some of these beautiful Classic Cars are owned by people with money, but no class at all. 

 

[SuperTed]

 

lol - IMHO "you ain't got the cash, son".

 

My wife and I both have cars - this is a third for fun. Why would I buy a third new car? Seems a bit daft that. A Honda Jazz?

 

Big 4WDs are for people with micro-penii and as for bikes my 110 cc honda whatsit  - is enough bike for me here.  

 

As for an 80's 911 - I like the 992/G-Series 1973-1989. 964 was 89-94, still a lovely car that. 

 

Just seen that one2car has quite a few...

 

https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/porsche-911-carrera-bangkok-metropolitan-lak-si-saphan-mai-chaeng-wattana/4602519

 

This one is lovely too - https://www.one2car.com/en/for-sale/porsche-911-carrera-bangkok-metropolitan-pattanakarn-rama-ix/5349842 

 

Would certainly want to take a mechanic to view them at that price. 

992 is the new 911. If you can afford THB9-12mn, go for it! I suggest AWD and Sport. I doubt the GTS or Turbo are out yet, but are always better than a Carrera 4S.

 

But why not pay 25% less for the car by buying it second hand from the dealer once a truly wealthy collector has put a few thousand km on the new car? Collectors don't generally keep .1 versions (the current 992.1).

 

If you can't afford it, get a new Cayman (718). Great value for money. Again consider buying used after a few thousand km are put on it.

 

If you really want an old car, learn more about the models before you go shopping. I would recommend a 964 as it has the Tiptronic box, AWD and better weight distribution. If you can get a 930 (the G series Turbo), they look great, but are dangerous cars for inexperienced drivers and hard to keep emissions compliant and running. Most other G series cars are from the 70s, don't look that great and have the emissions and repair problems.

 

The cars you posted are a 993 and 996. Cars from the 90s. A 993 with only 17,500 km is very interesting. But totally different from a 964 or 930. Neither 993 or 996 were very popular models. But if you take to one of them and it checks out, enjoy!

 

Good luck, and post pics of what you buy!

 

[Toosetinmyways]

10 hours ago, a10ams said:

I have an XJS convertible back in the UK. I also spoke with somebody to do with a Thailand Jaguar club. He said, as far as he knew there were no convertibles in Thailand. Jaguar did not make a softop XJ6.

 

I was curious to find out if this was really a Jaguar and really a convertible. When the rumour came that Thailand was to ban import of used cars my then neighbour imported three transporters of classic cars. Thats another story. One of the cars was a xjs drophead BRG with tan roof. It was a 3.4 litre. If it had been the 5.3 i might of been interested.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, Naam said:

i beg to differ and claim that the use of a classic car, especially one that costs more than a fistful of millions, should be restricted to a spin on weekends with the dogs. no need for performance or comfort and no need for "a whole raft of safety acronyms. EBD, ESC, AWD etc.".

 

Differ away. Performance, reliability and comfort are now more important to me than the fleeting pleasure of having someone admire the vehicle I'm driving. When one thinks about it, that's as shallow as a mud puddle.

[Lacessit]

10 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Been there, done that, if you have money to throw, "up to you" as the Thai's say, but for me, I prefer the two legged models, a good 45 minute ride and I am happy as a pig in mud for a few days ????

 

No ongoing maintenance, insurance, etc, etc, etc, a few drinks, then tuck in and enjoy.....vrmmmm vrmmmm 

 

 

Only 45 minutes? You're being dudded. The places I know give 90.

[Toosetinmyways]

23 hours ago, tokyoblond said:

Just down the road from me (Hua Hin), there's a small, cheap-as-chips body shop. Tucked away, outside, in the corner, he has a British racing green Jaguar XJ6 convertible. No idea whose car it is and it's been there for a year now. It was open to the elements but it's now covered in blue tarpaulin (I guess to keep the rain out in the rainy season, as the top is down on the car). Breaks my heart that every day it's just sitting there deteriorating, because, after all, it is a J-a-a-g! One day, when I win the Lotto........

Àny chance of a picture? Please.

[Lacessit]

5 hours ago, pedro01 said:

Actually worth another reply.

 

12k Baht is a tyre for one of my current cars. Or 1/4 of a fuel pump. Or half a wing mirror. Or one of the major services. 

 

Some putz drove into it the other week & a new headlight, front bumper & wing was over $10K US....

 

So I am at one with the concept of having some oink repairing it.

 

A small price to pay for the extra 2 inches, I think.

Some people are fortunate enough to be able to afford to indulge their passions. I don't have any problem with that, good luck to them.

However, if I could afford to choose between a classic car ( e.g. a Porsche ) and its modern counterpart, there's no contest.

[transam]

18 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Differ away. Performance, reliability and comfort are now more important to me than the fleeting pleasure of having someone admire the vehicle I'm driving. When one thinks about it, that's as shallow as a mud puddle.

Well I can assure you that my classic car that I owned for over 20 years was one of the best things I ever owned. Not hi-tech, crap ride but was a dream to have fun in. It was a pleasurable hobby that I miss every day. Yes it did turn heads but that is not why I bought it in the first place, it was something I wanted.

 

Your new comfy ride may well become a classic in the future and deemed a crap ride when future tech fools around with stuff, plus I bet you chose your late model ride by it's tech and what it looked like from the outside, the outside you never see when inside..????

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Only 45 minutes? You're being dudded. The places I know give 90.

Actually time has never been discussed, but I don't want to blow a piston, that and I do have a wife who rides me at least 2-3 times a week, so as soon as I red line, that's it for me ????