[speedfreak77]

Hello Team,

I have been deciding to get a project car, something which I can build step by step and enjoy the build process and even try to put some wrench time of my own into the car. There are so many options for a project car and I just don’t know which will be the best first project car. I am trying to keep things minimalistic and the car will be a weekend/event runner and I will document its journey every step of the way.

My options as of now are -
1. 2003 Honda City Type 2 VTEC
2. Skoda Octavia VRS Mk1
3. Maruti Gypsy

These are some of the options I considered, new options are welcome and my purpose of this build is to create something with my own knowledge, experience and taste. Gypsy is a car I wanted to own for a long time but the Type 2 has been my first love since decades. Would like to know your suggestions Team!

[KebabBoi]

How about a hatchback from the maruti stable, something like the older Alto k10 or Swift.

- As per my understanding the cars are fairly primitive and easy to work on and so would serve as amazing starter project cars, with a flatter learning curve.
- Sourcing parts wont be a hassle and you can easily find numerous diy tutorials to work on them. Even the neighbourhood mechanics are well-versed with them.

The satisfaction in throttling the life out of a cheap, flickable, light economic hatchback is just something else.

[Sanidhya mukund]

When it comes to project cars, the first thing to go out the door is rationality. However, of the cars you have listed, the Gypsy will be easiest and the most fun. Plenty of cars in the market, easy availability of OEM parts, a huge community of owners and a large market for mods and aftermarket goodies. Being an unconventional car, it will give you the most thrills per rupee, more so than the Honda and Škoda, which are essentially everyday road cars that happen to be more fun than their regular counterparts.

The Honda and Škoda are great project cars too, but the only problem with them is that they are simply too old and too rare. Parts could become a pain to source. The Škoda parts will also be quite expensive.

My suggestion would be to look for all three in the market and just pick the best example of whichever one you find.

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by speedfreak77

Hello Team,

I have been deciding to get a project car, something which I can build step by step and enjoy the build process and even try to put some wrench time of my own into the car. There are so many options for a project car and I just don’t know which will be the best first project car. I am trying to keep things minimalistic and the car will be a weekend/event runner and I will document its journey every step of the way.

My options as of now are -
1. 2003 Honda City Type 2 VTEC
2. Skoda Octavia VRS Mk1
3. Maruti Gypsy

These are some of the options I considered, new options are welcome and my purpose of this build is to create something with my own knowledge, experience and taste. Gypsy is a car I wanted to own for a long time but the Type 2 has been my first love since decades. Would like to know your suggestions Team!

What you have listed are very common cars and hence it will be easy to get one and build it your way.

But, project cars will be expensive on both - time and money front. They will give you immense satisfaction however.

Now that you have listed "weekend/event runner" as one of the reasons, it will be helpful if the car shall be unique. So look for something very unique. Say a BMW 1-Series for example.

[IshaanIan]

Fabia 1.6 petrol SX4 1.6 petrol might also make sense. Brio and Jazz can also be considered all these cars were manufactured here and thus you would enjoy cheap easily available spares.

[AKSarkar1]

I would go in for neither of the choices given IMHO, parts are relatively obscure and the cars itself although amazingly fun to drive just don’t give the modern comforts that is required from any car (be it project or otherwise).

My advise would be to get a 1.6 Diesel S-Cross, Stunner of a car, Gem of an engine. The upkeep should be relatively easy since parts are yet not that rare and being a Maruti it makes a perfect project car wrt Indian roads. There are many examples of tastefully tuned and modded diesel S-Crosses on our forum, and some petrol ones too!

I have come to realise that even though mentally we are prepared to have a sexy bad boy project car, more often than not we also would like that car to be driveable and liveable with regards to our normal running. There is no better brand than Maruti for this IMHO and the rare 1.6 combo on the S-Cross makes it even more special.

[ads295]

The term "project car" is very broad.
I bought a Hyundai Sonata V6 and am in the process of a thorough restoration (theres a thread here on tBHP too).
Some buy cars to mod them. That's a project car too.

What's your idea of a project car? That's a good starting point. Unless you're planning to do some off roading, I think a City/Octavia vRS is a better choice. Look out for the Rider version that had the same engine underneath but lacked any badging.

[Maverick1977]

Been there and done that. I too got this bug a couple of years back. After evaluating multiple options zeroed down on the Skoda Laura, 1.8L petrol, MANUAL. The last one was important as the automatic could have been an issue.
The Skoda will give you plenty of options to upgrade from exteriors to interiors and a wide band to play around with the engine. I enjoyed the car to the last day. It was CV19 which made me sell it with a heavy heart.
The next owner was also an enthusiast and spruced it up even further.
The best part of it all - it was totally reliable, I too it long distances and never one worried something would go wrong.

[GTO]

Even the newest example of the Type 2 Honda City will be 20-years old, so it is best avoided. Spend your time on dating , with your family or learning something new instead.

If you like Hondas, get the Civic. They go for dirt cheap money and you'll get far superior models than the old City. I sold my "very good" condition 2007 Civic in 2015 for 2.25 lakhs.

You haven't specified your budget, but Civic / Laura 1.8 TSI / Gypsy would be the perfect project cars to play around with. Even consider something like the Swift - it has the potential to become a great, cheap pocket rocket.

[ToThePoint]

How about the Ford Fiesta? If u can find 1.6S nothing like it.

Understandably, it's a very old model and with Ford gone, parts could be an issue. But Fords have stood the test of time and are pretty reliable.

Besides, what's the fun in a project car if there are no challenges

[Redex]

Maruti Gypsy early model everytime. Based on the Suzuki Jimny, this is rapidly becoming a classic.
Why go for an anonymous Euro box Ford, Skoda or Honda ? they have no character or soul.
Let the heart rule.

[landcruiser123]

Buy a used Honda Brio and put in a 1.5 L engine from the City.

There's a report on TBHP and I know a friend who has done it too.

[ronk]

So exciting!
This is a fun phase in your automotive journey. No matter what you pick, enjoy the journey! The highs the lows. Also, just dont expect the car to be driveable much. �� Keep as much budget as what you spend to buy the car. But worry not this can be spent over a while and not immediately.
IMHO vtec and gypsy are a bit overrated now (i had a vtec, my dad had a gypsy), but they are definitely fun cars. Gypsy for street use might get boring after a while, but for offroading it will definitely excite. I personally would like a project car that is more hatke and rarer. Maybe like a ford ikon 1.6, civic, fiesta 1.6, polo 1.6, palio, old scorpio with 4x4 build…and now im getting carried away!! Skodas, accords might be a bit more expensive fun projects, remember that.

[Mystic]

I think it is a good idea to pick up a car which is timeless in shape. I am sure it will fetch a fortune if you can restore to its original glory just in case you donot want to keep it after all the effort. There is a thread on this beauty in teambhp.


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...85-1988-a.html (The story of the Standard 2000. 1985-1988)

[RunSam]

If you're going to be driving it around and want to have fun driving it, I would suggest getting something small like a Brio or a Swift. I upgraded from a 2006 Swift G13B to a 2010 Civic 1.8 FL. The latter, although much quicker is nowhere as fun as the swift was. I honestly miss driving the swift, and off late I too have been wanting to buy a cheap Honda brio and do an L15 swap to satisfy the small car craving. I would suggest going the Japanese way