[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by DaveC

Integrale. Failing that the five turbo or a 205GTi. Going a bit later a Clio Williams. Don't buy the guff about 205s at all. For years they were acclaimed by reviewers and the benchmark for hot hatch handling. Many many people had them and they didn't all end up in a hedge.

I really liked the 205 GTI. The 1.6 version was fun, but the 1.9 was a lot rawer, nice tight suspension with brilliant anti-dive feel and a low speed idle that could be shamed by badly setup carbs. Great character, though.

I remember the advert of the times showing a 1.9 barelling around a corner on the edge of a hill with the strap line: "Want something sensible, buy an anorak".

Brother had from new a couple of mint unmolested Escort RS Turbos. Great all rounders. Couple of lads I knew had some Alfasuds. They were pretty nippy in the early 80s.

D.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Porscha!

Owned lots of Classics, hatches aren't my thing though.

If you want to go for an 80's car buy a 944, loads better than any hatch, beautifully balanced, handles sublime, can go from a tame 2.5 n/a to the 944 turbo. Looks nice, drives even better. I've owned lots of cars but my favourite would be between my 944 and my 911.

Also what about an E30?

You have lost the plot. Were talking about ''iconic hot hatches''




Roofer, the grale evo is a bit hardcore for these parts lol. Homolagation special.

My old man had brand new one in 1992. Loved it.

[Porscha!]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

You have lost the plot. Were talking about ''iconic hot hatches''

O/P - "buying a nice straight 80 or early 90s classic"

I'd say the 944 is ICONIC (if you don't believe me go and drive one) and is a great car for the same money as one of these "hot hatches" but better, all in my opinion.

'44 has as much space as a hot hatch, is faster than those of it's day (not as fast as some of them now), doesn't have a dodgy / chav / boy racer image (warranted or unwarranted), best handling car of the 80's and last but not least is a Porsche.

Personally if I was looking for an 80's - 90's car it would be -
944
Audi UR Quattro
BMW E30 325i Sport Coupe
Celica GT4
MR2 Mk.1 Supercharged
MR2 Mk.2 turbo
Supra TT
Integra Type-R
All totally stock of course

Keep trying to forget the japs because of their interiors but they are good fun, cheap and mostly reliable and tuneable so I must stop being so shallow about their interiors.

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by Porscha!

O/P - "buying a nice straight 80 or early 90s classic"

I'd say the 944 is ICONIC (if you don't believe me go and drive one) and is a great car for the same money as one of these "hot hatches" but better, all in my opinion.

'44 has as much space as a hot hatch, is faster than those of it's day (not as fast as some of them now), doesn't have a dodgy / chav / boy racer image (warranted or unwarranted), best handling car of the 80's and last but not least is a Porsche.

The TITLE of the thread was (IS) 'What is the best old hot hatch' - Phil then went on to mention 'Back then the cars had so much about them. Xr3i, rs turbos, astra gte, golf gti mk2, pug 205 gti and my favourite was the reni 5 gt turbo.' - clearly not a thread on 80's Porsche's!

Since when has Porsche ever been considered a hot hatch??

Your Porsche crazy, and have to bring them into EVERY thread, wether relevent or not!!

They are great cars, I love em, but a hot hatch?? No.

[M3-FAST]

I love the old Escorts, Mk1's and 2's but there is something quite nice about early Mk'3 turbo's

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1985-FORD-ESCO...1%7C240%3A1318

I love this one

Also love early unmolested Sierra Cosworths - not many left in this condition......

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1986-FORD-SIER...1%7C240%3A1318

[dxb335d]

S1 RS turbo are goregeous I love them to bits.

[roofer]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Roofer, the grale evo is a bit hardcore for these parts lol. Homolagation special.

My old man had brand new one in 1992. Loved it.

Ok, Pug 205 gti 1.9.

You could make them dance, usually on 3 wheels, epic car.

[dxb335d]

I know, cracking car, A lad i went to college with fitted a mi16 engine. Went like a tosser.

I almost bought a 1.6 GTi for 125 quid in 2003.

[beemerbird]

I'm defo. with Carlos on this one - old Fords. Not as fast 0-60 as most of the Vauxhall equivalents but better mid-range imo. and gave you the power where needed ie. overtaking. Bloody good gearboxes as well.

Had three XR3i's over time and found them great fun to drive, scrabbling for grip through the front wheels and understeer lol.

My younger sis. had one of the last XR2i's then got a 205 GTi (1.9). The Pug was a good car and certainly fun to drive, but never felt quite as 'solid' as the XR2i. Big sis. had a Vauxhall GTE 2.0 Mk II and her husband fitted different cams, air filter and exhaust. That car was quick and sounded nice for a 4 pot.

Ultimate adrenalin rush and sheer pleasure...... though totally off topic......my 1985 Yamaha FZ750.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

I'm defo. with Carlos on this one - old Fords. Not as fast 0-60 as most of the Vauxhall equivalents but better mid-range imo. and gave you the power where needed ie. overtaking. Bloody good gearboxes as well.

Had three XR3i's over time and found them great fun to drive, scrabbling for grip through the front wheels and understeer lol.

My younger sis. had one of the last XR2i's then got a 205 GTi (1.9). The Pug was a good car and certainly fun to drive, but never felt quite as 'solid' as the XR2i. Big sis. had a Vauxhall GTE 2.0 Mk II and her husband fitted different cams, air filter and exhaust. That car was quick and sounded nice for a 4 pot.

Ultimate adrenalin rush and sheer pleasure...... though totally off topic......my 1985 Yamaha FZ750.

Fiesta RS Turbo was the quickest standard, 0-60 in 7.7 and quarter mile in approx 15.8-16.0@93ish

So easy to tune, 200bhp for a few hundred quid. 0-100 in 13 odd secs if you can launch it, so hard though. Not very easy to launch quickly.

The fastest RS turbo in the country has done 182mph. But that was a highly tuned car. About 5 years ago.

[dxb335d]

Gotta any pics of ya xr3i's Helen??
Your sis with the xr2i? what plate was it? take it that is was the 1.8 16 zetec. What colour?

The original xr2i's from 1989 were only in radient red, mercury grey, diamond white and jet black. With the blue stripes. (green for the RS Turbo aswell as the additional turbo bits) and the later xr2i's from 1992 were in some classier colours like pacifica blue and moondust silver. (Although there were a few 1.6 cvh xr2i slipped through the net in silver as also 30 rs turbos which are rare in that colour)

so was your sisters the 16v also with the winged seats?

I had 6 mk3 fiestas in all.

[roofer]

Originally Posted by beemerbird

The Pug was a good car and certainly fun to drive, but never felt quite as 'solid' as the XR2i. Big sis.

Thats because the weighed the same as a packet of Rizla's....with 6 skins missing.

[deletedelete]

Post some more pics for us American guys who have never even heard of some of these cars.

[Porscha!]

Porsche 944 -

[dxb335d]

nothing against you Porscha and the other members of the forum who like the 944. But its always been the porsche i hated the most. So ugly and so ''not a porsche'' engine in the wrong place for a porka and was the poor mans porsche at the time.

I thought a die hard fan like you nicola wouldnt like a front engined porsche.

Also i dont remember a 944 ever being an iconic hot hatch. Not a car i wanted as a youngster. Id much rather of had a r5gtt. So cool..

[roofer]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

Post some more pics for us American guys who have never even heard of some of these cars.

Pug GTI.

[Porscha!]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

nothing against you Porscha and the other members of the forum who like the 944. But its always been the porsche i hated the most. So ugly and so ''not a porsche'' engine in the wrong place for a porka and was the poor mans porsche at the time.

I thought a die hard fan like you nicola wouldnt like a front engined porsche.

Also i dont remember a 944 ever being an iconic hot hatch. Not a car i wanted as a youngster. Id much rather of had a r5gtt. So cool..

I like all Porsches, be that from the 356 to the current lot. While I wouldn't have a Cayenne I can't deny it is good at what it is.

944 and ugly - maybe not the most beautiful looking car in the world, neither is the Integrale someone posted up. If you want a beautiful car IMO as a die hard Porsche fan - you don't buy a Porsche, you buy a classic Alfa Romeo or a classic Ferrari (if you are rich enough) how can someone who likes old Fords call a 944 ugly anyway? I've nothing against old Fords but they're far from pretty!

"Not a Porsche" - what is a Porsche then?

Engine in the wrong place - Well on that logic only the 356 and 911 qualify to be Porsches, not the 924, 944, 968, not the 928, not the Boxster or Cayman, not the Cayenne and not the new Panamera. Nope if it ain't a 911, it ain't a Porsche, load of absolute and utter codswallop.

944 and iconic - no it's not a hot hatch and fair enough the guy asked about them, for the same budget you could have a nice 944 which will handle better and will go faster (than the hatches of that era) why I mentioned it, why stick with a hot hatch when you can something which is better handling wise, performance wise, interior wise etc. There'd be no such company as Porsche if the 944 had not been produced, so there you have it, iconic also handles extremely well, one of the few front engined rear gearbox cars about and at the time had the largest 4 cyl. 8 valve engine but of course it's not iconic because it's a so called "entry level" Porsche instead of being a fairly quick hatchback made by a mass producing manufacturer. Had the '44 been made by Ford you'd be lusting over it because it was just so utterly amazing

Don't knock the 944 until you've tried it because they really are great cars.

[itsbrokeagain]

Originally Posted by Porscha!

Owned lots of Classics, hatches aren't my thing though.

If you want to go for an 80's car buy a 944, loads better than any hatch, beautifully balanced, handles sublime, can go from a tame 2.5 n/a to the 944 turbo. Looks nice, drives even better. I've owned lots of cars but my favourite would be between my 944 and my 911.

Also what about an E30?

I have an E30 to add to the collection....325Is, 5 speed Getrag 260 with LSD in the rear...monster of a car, and because of my shitty tires and tired suspension, drifting around in the rain is quite easily...intended to or not I love this thing, and it will stay with me for quite sometime, until the rust takes it away

I think next year there will be a set of FK coilovers sitting in it, along with a S50 swap. Always nice to add M power to a 2600lb car

[itsbrokeagain]

and i owned 2 944s, one a grey market 2.5L (late 85) and an 88 turbo. The turbo I had for all of 3 weeks. I bought it from a guy who said it needed the front end maintenance (timing belt, seals etc etc), and he recommended to tow it home. I said Id rather drive it home, and 3 weeks later, I was taking it to the shop to get the work done on it, and it broke on the way there . I didnt have $3200 to fix the head and all the valves, so I sold the car for cheap to someone who could fix it.


I worked all summer long when I was 18 and saved up 9k to get the car...I was almost broke when i went to get it fixed, then it turned into me not having a car LOL

[Porscha!]

Sorry to hear about that, '44s can be a bit delicate if they haven't had the maintenance from the start!

Your E30 sounds wonderful

[Hoops]

In terms of cars ive actually owned - the one that stands out the most for me and conjures up the fondest memories was my graphite grey with full black leather Pug 205 GTi 1.9 - great handling and in its day great performance. I was also very fond of my old Renault 5 GT Turbo but it kept catching fire!! I then had an Escort RS Turbo, a Fiesta RS Turbo and then a Sapphire Cossy - all great hooligan cars in their own right. The one motor i always wanted but never quite got there was a white RS500 Cossie - awsome bit of kit - with the original whale tale!!!!!

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Porscha!

I like all Porsches, be that from the 356 to the current lot. While I wouldn't have a Cayenne I can't deny it is good at what it is.

944 and ugly - maybe not the most beautiful looking car in the world, neither is the Integrale someone posted up. If you want a beautiful car IMO as a die hard Porsche fan - you don't buy a Porsche, you buy a classic Alfa Romeo or a classic Ferrari (if you are rich enough) how can someone who likes old Fords call a 944 ugly anyway? I've nothing against old Fords but they're far from pretty!

"Not a Porsche" - what is a Porsche then?

Engine in the wrong place - Well on that logic only the 356 and 911 qualify to be Porsches, not the 924, 944, 968, not the 928, not the Boxster or Cayman, not the Cayenne and not the new Panamera. Nope if it ain't a 911, it ain't a Porsche, load of absolute and utter codswallop.

944 and iconic - no it's not a hot hatch and fair enough the guy asked about them, for the same budget you could have a nice 944 which will handle better and will go faster (than the hatches of that era) why I mentioned it, why stick with a hot hatch when you can something which is better handling wise, performance wise, interior wise etc. There'd be no such company as Porsche if the 944 had not been produced, so there you have it, iconic also handles extremely well, one of the few front engined rear gearbox cars about and at the time had the largest 4 cyl. 8 valve engine but of course it's not iconic because it's a so called "entry level" Porsche instead of being a fairly quick hatchback made by a mass producing manufacturer. Had the '44 been made by Ford you'd be lusting over it because it was just so utterly amazing

Don't knock the 944 until you've tried it because they really are great cars.

I dont like the 944, nothing to do with it being a porsche, i love the current 997 and old race cars, i hate the 944 cuz it looks shite.

So saying i dont like it because its not a ford is hilarious. Doughnut

The intergrale is not beautiful no, its does look very agressive and fit for purpose which i like. The 944 is just ugly.

All my opinion.

Handle better? You can just do some minor work on even a fwd Ford hatch and they can handle very well. The old Datapost S1 went rather well back in the day.

STeve any pics of your old motors? I love saff cossies what year was yours? when is it you had them? fookin awesome dude.