Right ive got an early Red LE, one of the first 25 built.

Its done galactic miles, but its all original, engine, box, turbo, clutch etc etc. Starts and runs but smokes, poss headgasket.

Now its only a 3 owner car with FULL history, all dealer or specialist, 3 keys, all the crap, perfectly straight original shell. Hpi clear.

But what can i do with it???

Chop it up, well yeh easy and the best way in the money sense, but a bit of sentiment is telling me not to destroy one of the first LE's.

Repair & repaint it, with loads of new bits & engine box etc, possible but i dont fancy dealing with idiots still moaning over the miles.

Restore it myself, well ive got near enough a whole coupe brand new in box's, but ive got 5 others of my own not to mention all the ones my company ownes, so its never going to get done.

Stick it aside, well ive already got a few "stored" to see how prices go.

Sell it, well if i can find a buyer someone sensible, like stan for example to do a nut and bolt resto then i'd be chuffed, but i dont think i will, i think even for a complete resto project idiots will still want a sub 70k start.

Sell it to some nutter to bang a 2.4 or a V6 or a JTD in it? Well.......


So idea's? Shall i just hack it?

Anyone with brains to realise its best to do a resto on a nice original car than to "tart" up a "low miler" shi77er to begin with??


Any interest PM me please, with intentions too. This could make a superb coupe but only for a long term owner.

Im yet to see a Red LE as original and as straight as this one.

dont destroy it, surley it would make a good addition to the empty plinth at trafalgar square?

its about the right size (and better than the usual temporary crap they put there.....)........

how much would a full resto cost then?

Depends on alot.

To take it to genuine concours, back to as new but better would be in excess of 10k.

Depends on standards, some people think concours & restorations can be done without so much as taking windows out for paintjobs doing it that way to just have a mint "looking" coupe would be one hell of alot cheaper.

Doing a nice rebuild on it like say stan is doing for example then a nice paintjob to make it one if not the best in the UK is probably the best option, depends how far people want to go and spend!


Some people will spend it, i know of one and he's upto 15k he's spent 4k with me in 2 years. Still probably a year away, ive got to paint the bare shell for him when we can.

Some cossie owners have spent 15k on the shell alone!

How many of the first 100 LE's are still around? I think that would decide it for me.

Dunno but one of the first 10 does make it a little rarer.

Carlt dont do it !! There is a guy on this forum (cant remember is name, carl or something) that keeps going on about how unlucky red ones are. His word is legend on here so scrap it before it goes wrong again

D'you know, you've got me worried Carl?

That's twice in this thread that you've mentioned my name and nuts in the same sentence

Or are you trying to persuade me that this is the next project jigsaw?


With the sort of number it's got and the fact that the body is straight and genuine, I'd say full resto. No question.

Without wanting to chat about stan's nuts, how much are you talking about for this option?

Would seem a shame to chop one of the early examples...

The money isn't anywhere near what you'd think, it's the time and having the right tools/processes that makes the job work.

Finding small local suppliers can be a big benefit too. For example I have a small outfit called ACE fixings in Penrith that have been able to supply top quality nuts, bolts and other fixings at incredibly good prices.

Finding a good Fiat parts specialist in a dealership is also helpful, although it takes a bit of doing!

Get a copy of EPER and the manual on CD to assist.

Some of the best tools for the job are actually reasonably priced: the bench grinder with wire brush wheel was less than £40 at Machine Mart for example and has seen a lot of work (just about worn out the wire brush on the coupé alone!).

Digital camera is a must: take loads of photos of everything (and protect the memory card from the missus...long story )

One day I'll have time to sit down and write about the whole journey to £400 runner to fully restored, better than showroom coupé, I just have to get it finished first

Right this is 99% not getting chopped. Its waaaaay too good for that.

So its me repair, or me sell to someone to repair.


Just got to decide if ill get someone with some common sense if i repair it to buy it?

Good job, is deserves to be on the road again

Slighty off-topic but could you pleeaaaassssee answer one of the pm's I've sent you in the past weeks Carl? Thanks!

Yeh sure i was going to sort it tomorrow for you. Need to check eper to make sure all the viscos are the same.

you could sell me the interior for £300??

i know its a long shot lol

how much for it as it is carl?

Lol try 3 times that and its still only just the same price as the set i delivered today.

Dunno on price, probably just over £2k to be honest.

Bar the front lips, skirts & zorst melt the body is superb!

Car is superb otherwise. Fit a nice engine and a bit of tlc here and there and its a bargain rare car.

Having not really delved into it too deep it needs:

£400 in paint at the MOST. Lips, skirts and rear bumper sorting.

Its smoking, im 90% sure its the headgasket melted after a radiator leak. Holds a perfect 3 bar pressure still and sounds tasty.

Front disks worn.

It could be put on the road for 1k, (by a diy'er) its taxed and mot'd till december. 3 keys, masses and i mean masses of history, not a service missed & millions of bills.


Far Far better condition than most le's with half the miles. Meticulously well kept quite clearly by an owner with no regards to what it cost. Just used every day on the motorway for work commuting.

CHOP CHOP CHOP!

Nah not chopping it.

Booo!

I'm only jealous!

What number LE is it?

Philistine


Resto resto resto!!

is the interior knackered as well, which I would have expected on a galactic mileage car (How many miles as well) ?

I am getting tempted for some reason...

No rather surprising the trim is very good. Nothing some leather loving wouldn't sort.

Its done 140k.

by the look of it when i saw it,keep it.try and secure a buyer from the forum first before starting work on it.

Yeh its the plan,

Ill put it up for sale as is tomorrow, with the option of all mechanical done or as is etc etc.

looks decent for an le suppose... would say deffo keep it for yourself for sure if it was a plus mind

Ok decision made, will be in the for sale section by the end of the day.