Which car should I buy?

I've been doing some thinking over the last couple of days, re: the 1969 Cortina I plan to buy off my friend (no money has exchanged hands yet, but it is being held on a verbal promise).

My friend also has a 1962 Vauxhall Victor wagon that he would sell me (I've known about this car for a few years).

I'm in no financial position to put down a deposit/payment on any second collector vehicle right now, but have been thinking of passing up on the Cortina and jumping straight to the Victor wagon and saving up over the winter... He would sell the Victor for close to the same amount as the Cortina

Option #1 - 1969 Ford Cortina Deluxe - 1600cc Ford Kent engine, automatic, decent shape, 71 bhp, very tuneable



Option #2 - 1962 Vauxhall Victor wagon - 1508 or 1594cc engine, all of a whopping 61 bhp!, but... can be easily increased (there's a guy here in Calgary who knows tons about that and has the parts), overall less sporty than a Cortina though, this car is also in pretty decent shape but needs some fine tuning (picture enclosed, #1 is the actual car from the back, #2 is a period picture to show the front end), and I do run a Vauxhall Registry for over here... maybe I should actually get one! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif





And for those who know me better... I know I should get a sports car but I really don't feel like it, I like my orphans

Poll:

I like the wagon. It's very different. Besides, not only is it a fun classic / project car but it's practical. Think of all the parts you can haul in it!

I also voted for n/a and for n/a as well.

I'm a Dagenham fan, but I would buy the Vauxhall in equal condition. If the Cort was a GT with the semi close box and not a Delux with auto, maybe different, although the auto floor may give moer room for a T-9.

I can't remember seeing a running driving Vauxhall since I was in grade school. It is the true orphan.

Is that a Pop parked next to it?

This would be a "no brainer" for me. I'd tell my local mechanic about the Cortina; He'd buy it and I get to see and drive it. Then, I'd go buy that orpan wagon. You'll be more exclusive than Ferarri owners!

If you read one of the other recent threads, you can probably already guess what I'd do:

Buy a Chevette and put Vauxhall badges on it!

OK, if that doesn't work for you, I'd buy that Vaux Shooting Brake....I've owned a 'tina and even raced one and they're OK, but that little wagon is neat.

By the way, there's a Subaru 360 for sale near me (the "king" of orphans, I'd say!)

James, you won't like this answer but I'd say don't buy either one. Neither of these is a rational purchase - this is "labor of love" kind of stuff. My view is that, if you have to ask - there's something wrong with the choices.

I've been where you are several times. The only times I've been really happy with what I bought was when I saw a car that I just fell head-over-heels, I need this car, I'll get another job, pleasepleaseplease don't sell it 'till I get back in love with it. If you don't feel that way about one or the other of these cars then keep looking until you find that gem that's out there somewhere.

I like the Vauxhall -- cars changed a lot between the early 60s and late 60s (so did a lot of other things) that wagon got the better end of that decade (for car styling IMO).

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coldplugs said: James, you won't like this answer but I'd say don't buy either one. Neither of these is a rational purchase - this is "labor of love" kind of stuff. My view is that, if you have to ask - there's something wrong with the choices.

I've been where you are several times. The only times I've been really happy with what I bought was when I saw a car that I just fell head-over-heels, I need this car, I'll get another job, pleasepleaseplease don't sell it 'till I get back in love with it. If you don't feel that way about one or the other of these cars then keep looking until you find that gem that's out there somewhere.

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Thanks for your thoughts John, a little food for thought... It's been said that it takes courage to go against the grain and that there is some wisdom in paying attention to the lone dissenter. And in my defence I have a rather strange love of station wagons (er... estate cars [King's english /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif]), and have always wanted a nice import estate car, and they are fairly rare to find over here in North America. And I'm generally not a huge sports car man, except for the Lotus Super Seven I want to own some day.

Maybe I'm guilty of trying to rush things too much, but I sometimes feel a bit like an inferior car enthusiast when I'm still minus my first classic car - in my early 30's, especially when people half my age are already on their first one and people my age are on their third or fourth one, and at the same time I feel like I'm miles away from classic car ownership.

Yes... I know we all come from different life circumstances, I just don't want to be "old and gray" when I get my first classic car...

Interesting side thought though... I have spent enough money pursuing the car photography I do to buy an old car, a sacrifice I've made and justify, and I do view my pictures as my car collection in a manner of speaking.

[Hope I'm not trying to create a sob-fest here - that's not the intention, just feelings that I have sometimes, maybe some of you can relate and know what I'm saying]

James, it sounds as if your heart is saying "Vauxhall". You have many reasons to buy the estate car, not the least of which is your "leadership" of the Vauxhall registry. There are three major problems with Vauxhalls. Rust, rust and rust. Just be aware and be very careful before you buy. Once you get it home, rust-proof the living heck out of it, and don't drive it on salty roads. Vauxhalls were legendary for being mobile rust buckets. Mind you, if this one has survived as a driveable car to this point in its life it must have been cared for. They were generally put together a little better than the Fords of that era.

Keep your daily driver, be it a Chrysler product or a Skoda, (the Skoda sounds like fun) and enjoy it. Can you fix the dented tailgate?

If the Vauxhall is as solid as the Cortina then I think you should go for the Vauxhall wagon. You'll like the Cortina but love the wagon. But if the Vauxhall needs a lot more work than the Cortina get the car that is in better shape.

James, I honestly cannot picture you in anything except the Vauxhall Victor wagon. You are made for eachother! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

I think you are crazy James. It is obvious you need to buy the vauxhall. I can't imagine you buying the cortina over it.

James..........

You really won,t like my answer either..........Pass on both........While you may love orphan cars, you have limited resources and even less tools............Buy or lease yourself a newer reliable good car...(dare i say a Honda or such ) and down the road when you have money saved up you can get yourself a nicer orphan..........Why would you consider buying a car that needs a lot of work when you don,t work on cars........It then becomes a MONEY PIT..........Unless you won the lottery....PASS

Rover SD-1...I know, I know. It wasn't a choice, but...think about it!

I'm more open to comments than you realize, and I truly believe that sometimes what the minority says has much value...

This thread wasn't supposed to have this following question but...

Am I (is anyone) who is an enthusiastic fan of old cars less legitimate for not actually owning one? I know some people who are huge old car fans but for legitimate reasons never quite get the money together to buy one... others things you need to spend the money on, limited money in the first place, other things I can't think of right now. It gets hard sometimes to be the person who always shows up at events minus an old car because there isn't one in the stable of cars, or am I the only one who feels this way?

As for the original poll question, long before you guys started answering my heart was leaning towards that Vauxhall Victor anyway, just thought I'd extract some opinions and thoughts...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif And Tony... those are the best two candidates available at the present time that fit into what I would consider purchasing, as much as I like a Rover SD1 3500 I'm not sure I'd actually buy one... or else you're secretly trying to sell me that Rover SD1 you have /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Am I (is anyone) who is an enthusiastic fan of old cars less legitimate for not actually owning one?


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I have a friend who for many years now has made his living as a writer and automotive historian - he writes two regular columns about the world of classic cars. He served his apprenticeship at a firm in Coventry, worked in the industry, knows everybody (in his most recent e-mail he mentioned his occasional Sunday lunches with the (Geoff) Healeys. At one time he worked for Triumph here in the US - something to do with their racing efforts. I've never met anyone who knows as much about automotive history as he does, nor have I met anyone who is as enthusiastic about all this, even after 40 or 50 years of involvement.

He has no interest in owning classics although he admitted once to a part ownership in some old brass era thing that gets dragged out once a year for an event in Germany.

I'll ask you the same question: " [Is he] who is an enthusiastic fan of old cars less legitimate for not actually owning one?"

I'll even give you the answer: He's as legitimate as someone who has a multi-million dollar collection. What you own has nothing to do with "legitimacy."

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coldplugs said: I'll ask you the same question: " [Is he] who is an enthusiastic fan of old cars less legitimate for not actually owning one?"

I'll even give you the answer: He's as legitimate as someone who has a multi-million dollar collection. What you own has nothing to do with "legitimacy."


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Good point, well thought out...

I try to be quite active at attending local car shows and often talk to people there, and I guess I'm tired of having people ask me what old car I own and having to say "I don't have one", I feel like people automatically stereotype me the moment I say that. Maybe I'm just neurotic and thinking too much /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As you talk about your friend, I do think of two classic car writers (well known across Canada) - Perry Zavitz and Bill Vance. I've met both of them personally and know Perry quite well, both have told me that they have never owned a collector car, and both started writing back in the 1960's and continue to this day. I have never taken the further step and asked them the reason why they have never purchased a collector car. So who knows what their reasons are... maybe not owning a collector car helped them build up their massive personal librarys of automotive information, because they weren't spending money on a car (I've seen both and they are HUGE!)

Sorry folks for this therapy session, I didn't mean it this way... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif Thanks John and Rovernut for your honest opinions that weren't afraid to go against the flow.

And for the rest of you who responded, I just might yet decide to buy that Victor wagon, I have pretty much decided that that's the car I really want. Ultimately it's my decision after all the comments/opinions have been swapped back and forth.

Oh yeah... any notes of encouragement are accepted /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif

Sherlock.....hehehehehehe

actually, I'm thinking about putting it on eBay next week to see what happens!

I'm with John on this one.........it doesn't matter whether you own a classic or not. In fact, you are probably more of an enthusiast than a lot of guys who do own one.....or more. You mustn't think that way, you are as legitimate an enthusiast as anyone else on this board.

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Steve said: I'm with John on this one.........it doesn't matter whether you own a classic or not. In fact, you are probably more of an enthusiast than a lot of guys who do own one.....or more. You mustn't think that way, you are as legitimate an enthusiast as anyone else on this board.


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You mean like the 1965 Austin Hillman 4-door wagon I just spotted in our local buy-sell paper... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif Too late to call at 11:15 at night otherwise I'd be on the phone immediately, anyway must go take a look to straighten someone out, and tempt myself again... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif