Buying a wrecked car: Good first project?

[LGM]

Basically I currently know near enough nothing about engines, tuning, or cars in general

This is however something I'd really like to change, and what better way than to buy a dirt cheap wreck and spend 5-6 months or so learning how it all works and slowly doing it back up to a drivable condition.

To start with I wouldn't be putting top of the range performance parts on, really just getting the basics down.

So, oh wise petrol heads, do people think this would be a good way to learn, or would it be biting off way more than I can chew?

Also just out of interest what would the rough costs of doing this be? I'd have to stick to a pretty cheap / small car, but it still sounds like a great project to me

 

[MasterAuron]

It's the BEST way to learn imo. Your best bet if you want to actually use the car once repaired or sell it on is to find a non runner but with good bodywork. Bodywork is the most time consuming and (to me) boring part of any project.

The cheaper you buy the less it matters if you break it or make it any worse. You need to find something that you can get hold of parts easily and cheaply for BUT you need something complex enough to hold your interest. A blown headgasket on a 1.2 8v Punto for example would take all of a day to change even for a newbie if they're following a guide. That's no good to you. Something with piston rings gone or big-end failure on the other hand...

 

[LGM]

Sounds like I'm on the right track then, just a case of finding a car that's broken enough to be a challenge but still realistically fixable.

You mentioned cars with plenty of parts available, any recommendations?

 

[HDi fun]

Sounds like I'm on the right track then, just a case of finding a car that's broken enough to be a challenge but still realistically fixable.

You mentioned cars with plenty of parts available, any recommendations?

Mondeo has to be a strong contender

 

[MasterAuron]

The list is endless.

I might sound like I harp on about them but Punto GT, plenty of broken ones with decent enough bodywork going cheap, will cause you just enough headaches but simple enough to work on plus you have the advantage of working on a turbocharged car. Proper addictive little feckers too...I'm getting another this week to run around in whilst the insurance payout for my Alfa GT is sorted but I know I'll end up keeping it. Thread to come soon!

Really, you should probably just choose a car you like as you're more inclined to enjoy working on it. If you have some ideas run them by us.

EDIT: 200SX S13 or even 14 depending on budget! Pro!

 

[pikey motorsports]

i may be slightly biased, but old VW's are about as easy to work on as they come. think mk2 golf/jetta, mk2/3 polo, etc.

agree bodywork is biggest pain in the ass!

 

[MasterAuron]

i may be slightly biased, but old VW's are about as easy to work on as they come. think mk2 golf/jetta, mk2/3 polo, etc.

agree bodywork is biggest pain in the ass!

That's the problem, you don't want to give the lad anything too easy to work on and spoil him

 

[pgarner]

what about going to any scrappy and ust picking up an engine. doesnt matter too much if its running or not. strip it down and see how it all goes togeather. this way can can pull off the head strip out the bottom etc and put it all back togeather.
would advise getting something old to start with as newer engines will have so many sensors

 

[MasterAuron]

But with a car you have all the suspension, steering rack, brakes etc to have a ganders at too. Plus you have something to aim for.

 

[pgarner]

thats true

 

[LGM]

what about going to any scrappy and ust picking up an engine. doesnt matter too much if its running or not. strip it down and see how it all goes togeather. this way can can pull off the head strip out the bottom etc and put it all back togeather.
would advise getting something old to start with as newer engines will have so many sensors

Not a bad idea and would probably work out cheaper, but I'm thinking it would be a pain to find some way of holding it while I worked on it, probably easier if it's already in a chassis.
Plus as someone else said it'd be nice to actually drive the thing at some point

I'll have a look on ebay / call a few scrap yards and see what's going cheap, suppose I should look into renting some work space too

 

[MasterAuron]

Tools too. The deeper you delve the more specialised tools you'll need.

 

[LGM]

Good point, loosk like it'll be worth getting some reading done before buying anything.

Also seems it's harder to get a wrecked car than I thought, think I'll have to find a breaker / scrapyard...

*edit*

After thinking about this further I'm not sure jumping straight into a car that doesn't even run is such a good idea, I'd have no idea where to even start.
Instead I'm thinking I might just clean up my new (quite old, runs ok but could do with looking at) Corsa, it's hardly going to be a speed machine but having the majority of it in ok-ish condition will make it a lot easier for a first project, plus as I'm already insured I can see the improvements instantly

Thoughts?

 

[lutonmatt]

problem is there are no cheap cars out there any more that you can just play with even the scrap yard jobs are good cars half the time most of the time they are only there cos they only need little jobs just people want new cars and cant be bothered to sell there old one cos they dont think its worth anything

1st and most thing is you have to find somewere you can stroe it for a good few months
2nd like master said tools more you do the bigger hammer you will need

and the best cars to learn on are old ones as they are easy to work on like pikey said golf's polo's are one of the easyest cars to work on

 

[LGM]

problem is there are no cheap cars out there any more that you can just play with even the scrap yard jobs are good cars half the time most of the time they are only there cos they only need little jobs just people want new cars and cant be bothered to sell there old one cos they dont think its worth anything

This is the problem I'm facing, on a first project there's a very good chance I won't be able to get it runing and will just treat it as a learning excersize.
Fine if it's a dirt cheap car but seems a shame to sink a lot of money into it :/

And I've got a '96 Corsa so it's not exactly what you'd call new

 

[obi_waynne]

If you are new to cars then I would start out by serving and maintaining your own car. Then you can add in some performance parts, maybe the brake discs and soem suspension mods.

As you get more competent you will be ready to move on to a bigger project. It's all about building confidence. It also helps if you have a space to work in, doing repairs at the side of the road is not recommended at all.

 

[nig]

Best way to learn i had the last 3 cars for free and now cutting the roof of lol

 

[LGM]

If you are new to cars then I would start out by serving and maintaining your own car. Then you can add in some performance parts, maybe the brake discs and soem suspension mods.

As you get more competent you will be ready to move on to a bigger project. It's all about building confidence. It also helps if you have a space to work in, doing repairs at the side of the road is not recommended at all.

Thanks for the advice, hoping to start playing around by January