just a few (lots) of questions...

[mikinoz]

I purposely haven't added up how much I've thrown into my car. Probably in the vicinity of $4000

I was referring to my previous car as I've not kept a record for the current one!

[eltonking]

thanks heaps guys as much as you seem to be crushing my dreams i've decided i'll just wait it out until i find something that needs as little work as possible! as much as i'm happy to get my hands dirty lack of mechanical know-how scares me off some of the cheaper (<$1500) cars out there..
at ryana89 - i used to want a late 60's type 3 fastback and have since moved forward a decade to the next best thing (in my books)... a mk1 golf!... heading off to work in half an hour, but, as i have only just finished school am not exactly 'raking in the money'
at joshfair - i must say i'm pretty much obsessed with your first build and am looking forward to what you do with the latest one

if i do end up getting my hands on a mk1, i'm sure you'll all know about (as i will be posting 24/7 asking how to fix everything and anything hahah)

cheers guys thanks again

[Valver.]

I've bought and sold many a Mk1 over the last few years and not paid over $1000 for any of them. The last one was a 78 GLS without a drop of rust, which is now stowed away at our family farm. They're out there - there are a lot in Tassie; usually one in the Saturday paper every second weekend - literally. It's definitely the place to look. If you're willing to take a 4dr over a 2dr, then you'll have plenty of options if you look carefully and ask around.

The sky's the limit with where you want to go. You can easily sink 6 figures into building one if you want to get serious, or a nice project can be put together for a few grand, which anyone can save up with some dedication.

Start with the bushes, ball joints, complete tie rods, engine mounts and brake hoses to build yourself a safe car before you do anything else. There's plenty of 'rockets' around with rotten underpinnings and then some coilovers bolted on - this isn't the route to take as you'll only hairline crack the shell and accelerate its death - and your own.

The first thing to do to any Mk1 shell from a general preservation perspective (whether restoring or not) is bare metal inside the strut towers, inspect and reseal them... blow compressed air through the frame rails and down into the integral subframe (where the control arms mount) to 'rinse' out the debris, then fill it with fish oil... Clean out the drainage holes in the doors and tailgate and reseal inside the bottom of the door shells... Pull up the carpet, clean, and treat the floors... Check all the rubber grommets on the firewall for proper sealing... Replace the fuel filler neck and associated hoses (and remove and clean the tank if a magnet dipped in the peep hole reveals traces of rust)...

These are all jobs that can be done gradually over a few weekends and will add years to the life of the car - it also guarantees the longevity of any respray work you may do or get done down the track, as there is actually some structure for adhesion.

Looking here for a classic car is a good start, though. You'll pay a lot less than a good Datsun 1600 or Mk1 Escort goes for, and you can have just as much fun

Last tip is to be careful who you listen to.

[mikinoz]

Last tip is to be careful who you listen to.

Listen to Stu though.

[ryana89]

thanks heaps guys as much as you seem to be crushing my dreams i've decided i'll just wait it out until i find something that needs as little work as possible!

Don't get too disheartened, it can be hard, but there always a heaps of help on forums like these.
See if you can hook up with another MK1 owner from here and go for a drive

PS: I adore fasty's!!!!! (and squares/notches)

[JoshFair]

Dude.. I'd ALMOST give up mk1's for notchbacks.. There is seriously not much in it for me!

[eltonking]

Dude.. I'd ALMOST give up mk1's for notchbacks.. There is seriously not much in it for me!

we should be friends.

[eltonking]

and thanks again to everyone, just doing as much research now as possible before i jump into something i potentially could be over my head in... i'll keep everyone posted when (not if) i pick one up should be a nice little project indeed

[AUC-05L]

i had a mk1 as a daily for a year. bought it for $800 sold it for $1k.

the only mod it had when i bought it was a 5 speed box. It was good fun and very reliable. they are easy to work on so dont be afraid to have a go. my advise would be to spend a bit more initially and buy one thats already had the rust repairs/suspension done. still should be within your 2k budget.

[eltonking]

another question (sorry), if one were to be fitting out any sound system or electronics does the battery need to be changed over to a 12v system or anything...?