[philg]

I keep hankering over saving up and buying a nice straight 80 or early 90s classic. 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.

I looked into getting a nice 5 this year to have a little tinker with just till i got my licence back, never panned out and now driving the bmw.

I remember desperately wanting a gtt at 19 got overtaken by one whilst in my xr2, that made my mind up. I spoke to a local garage about them, i had heard all the the horror stories, he tried putting me of but still bought one. Had no issues with it while running standard boost, then went in a mates and that was the start. Car ended up costing a small fortune. Loved everyday mind and still get excited when i see them.

There is still a big following with classic fords, but i never really got that bug, never liked cosworths really.

What cars do you guys still drool over?

Anyone got and old classic tucked up in the garage?

Phil

[dxb335d]

I still love old skool fords.

I still have a fiesta RS Turbo.




aint driven it for 2 years.
1.8 zvh conversion (zetec bottom end) Hybrid turbo, beige injectors, 3 bar map sensor, 195chip, Pace Intercooler, Kent cam with vernier pulley, de-compression plate, ported and flowed head, low compression pistons etc etc Magnex exhaust.

ap 4 paddle clutch
was dynoed 215bhp at 15psi, when she last ran she was running 17psi so i would imagine 230bhp..

Weighed in well under a ton and went like a bastid. Epecially for a 20 year old young man.

Had xr2i with a stage 2 engine before (130bhp) And that handled really well, a good car with that HP. But a Fiesta with 230 was a complete animal, No longer could you throw it into bends as you approached them way to fast for what the car could really manage.

Would leave most things standing rolling 40-120.

Never got past 130 because of it being to scary it just got there so quick.

Although i know it would have done a genuine 150 because of similar spec'd cars acheiving that at Brunters with timing gear.


I always wanted one after having 6 fiestas. Mum had a brand new S2 RS turbo in 1987 etc.

She wished she kept for me as in the early noughties i liked them, to her they were old sheds now.

But she got shot of if it when three years old in 1990 Then got a new xr2i. So i ended buying one of them in 2002.



Here is a pic of that. I loved that car so much.









15" Sub which ended up in the RS Turbo.

Had the XR2i from 2002-2004 and the RS turbo 2004 to present.

I loved cossies, test drove a few but never got one. Still so capable today wen plenty of moolah has been spent on them.

I always liked pug 1.9 GTI's and R5GTT.

[dxb335d]

I use to love turning up at illegal street races and seeing cossies kick some serios arse.

tuned ones.

Best one was a MK2 Mexico With a YB in it.. 350bhp + nitrous. Killed everything. Geeza used to press the nitrous at 70mph and it used to go sideways from 70 mph like a loonatit.

[M3-FAST]

I had a Vauxhall Nova GTE with a Cavalier 2.0 sri engine it it. Lowered suspension, Janspeed exhaust, white indicators, mesh grille......I loved it!

Turned out it was 2 cars welded together, , but used to go like absolute stink

Traded it in for my first BMW 3 series E30

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by philg

Anyone got and old classic tucked up in the garage?

Oh, yes. And the minute this icy rain takes a break, a glimmer of sun pops out and drys the salt on the roads, I'll be going out for a "spin"

D.

[NFS]

I had a Vauxhall Astra GSi for a bit.

Really liked it, but they look like a bad day in halfords now.

Not sure it's a hot hatch, but I'd love an integra.

[philg]

my kid has a mk3 escort cabi, with all the rs gear outside, evo 6 interior, and a fortune under the bonnet.

Will see if he has any pics.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by NFS

I had a Vauxhall Astra GSi for a bit.

Really liked it, but they look like a bad day in halfords now.

Not sure it's a hot hatch, but I'd love an integra.

which one mk2?

[philg]

think the gsi was the mark 3

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by philg

think the gsi was the mark 3

They did it in the 1993 shape which is a mk3, i had shit astra that shape. Then the did it about 6 years ago also.
But it was a turbo in 2002.

[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?

[trixman]

Porscha, I'm renaming you to 'Porscha Pimp'!

[Porscha!]

Why on earth do you want to rename me Porscha pimp????

[trixman]

Cause your always touting the wares of Porsche Poor guy only wants a hot-hatch, and he'll end up with a 944 Turbo! lol

[peterg1965]

I had two Renault 5 GT Turbos. An E reg one I bought at one year old and a 1989 G plate I bought brand new 1 Aug 89! I absolutely loved them, The turbo gauge was a neat feature!

[Porscha!]

Originally Posted by trixman

Cause your always touting the wares of Porsche Poor guy only wants a hot-hatch, and he'll end up with a 944 Turbo! lol

I see lol!

Ah but he will thank me, probably before the '44 spits it's dummy out but he's got a BMW for everyday....

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/787039.htm The original '86 turbo ... you know you want to, I certainly do!

[tinka]

Had a caspian blue rs1600i, and still miss it to bits.

If i ever get a house with a garage, then the first thing on my list will be an rs1600i, and straight into a rebuild, i love them.

There's nothing like an old skool ford,not a hatch back i know but second on the list would be a 1600e, twin 40's maybe, they sound great and i had them on all my mk2 escorts, ahhhhh i remember the days.

[roofer]

[mikem]

Nice shout Roofer, prices of mint rare versions are rediculous now.

[sheps]

The hot hatch that holds the fondest place in my heart is the Mk1 Astra GTE.

It wasn't the quickest (that medal goes to the Renault 5 GT Turbo, and that car, coincidentally also swipes the trophy for the most fragile) nor was it the best handling (309GTi on Koni's) but it was absolutely bomb proof was great fun and taught me lift off oversteer without putting me thorugh a hedge (a la 205). Handled much better than a mk2 and mk3.

I still smile whenever I see one, and I love it when I see a non-molested concours example.

I think asking a bunch of people which HH to buy will yield a hundred different answers. My advice is to run with the model that's dear to you for whatever reason, and try your hardest to buy a goodun, because the debate of "Which was the best one" rages on even today, 25+ years after their inception.

[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.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

which one mk2?

It was a 1992 one. Almost exactly like this:

http://www.gumtree.ie/dublin/37/29978237.html

No turbo, just a 2 litre 16 valve engine (4 valves per cylinder was a new thing then )

Really liked it at the time, proper sports seats, blacked out windows, roof spoiler and bonnet vents !

It had proper downforce too, you could feel it squatting down under acceleration.