My 1979 GLS with 27,800 miles with FSH!

Hi Guys,

I've had this little car for about 6 months now and I love it. I've done about 1500 miles in it since I've owned it as I didn't want to put too many miles on it. But its come to the time now where I need a need to use a car more and more now as I have a new job. I absolutely love this car but I'm in two minds about what to do! This car although isnt perfect but is pretty good condition, has next to no rust and runs very nicely. It also has only 2 owners and has a FULL SERVICE HISTORY to back up the 27,800 mileage!

Ultimately I want a series one I can use everyday, and I want it to be lowered, with a nice set of wheels and maybe an engine conversion to 16v etc. I like to keep the original interior and bodywork to keep the character of the car.

So the question is… Do I do these things to this car and use it more regularly probably putting around 8,000 miles on it a year. Or do I tidy this up, sell it and buy a different series one in order to do this. As it is fairly rare having such low mileage, especially on a series one I would feel bad about using it, but I do love it and I almost wish it had 100,000 miles so I didnt feel bad about doing it! So please vote above as to what you would do! I don't have the money to buy another mk1, if I did I would stick this in the garage and slowly restore it and not drive it much. but sadly thats not an option…

The only things I've done to it so far are, remove the rear plastic number plate mount (still got it), take out the headrests (still got them), chop a couple a ring out of the front springs  8O (as I hate the way standard mk1's are higher at the front!) and I've given it a full service. Its also had a new front wing at some point before my ownership, that doesn't quite match the rest of the paint which niggles me.

this is a very nice example and could be  made into a show winner

personally i wouldn't mod it i would keep it standard but use it

If I kept it, I would have to lower it, I just don't like the look of it with standard ride height. But then I'd still feel bad putting so many miles on it, even if I was slowly restoring it as I go.

At the end of the day its your car and only you can decide what to do with or too your car. It has low mileage but hay even if you put another 8 - 10,000 on over the next year its still going to be a low mileage example. If you put lowered springs on and then change your mind you can always put the original ones back on. Play with the car however you like, but enjoy yourself, take your time to make rational decision you wont regret 6 months down the line.
My view your car was made for driving, so go and drive the damn thing…lol
Andy

I wouldn't feel bad about using it, afterall that's what cars are for, to be used and enjoyed! I put 20,000 miles on my mk1 in the year before I parked it up which did kinda ruin it a bit as it needed a lot of work (which is why it got taken off the road) but I enjoyed every single minute of driving it!

It is a fine example it has to be said, and looks to be in great condition for its age and it's also pretty rare being an automatic, but a good solid base for a project.

At the end of the day you do what you want with it, I wouldn't worry too much about what anyone else thinks, because everyones opinion will be different. It's quite clear from what you've said you have an image in your head of the car you want to be driving, so make it so!  8)

why dont you just put it in your garage or under a cover on your drive and use it in the dry weather at weekends, buy a really cheap car to use in the week, you can buy second hand cars so cheap these days???

If you are going to modify a car I think it's best to start from a good base than have to worry about repair work so. Would just use it if it was mine but it's ur car at the end of the day

Keep it, lower it, use it, just don't do anything that can't be undone should you wish to return it to standard down the line  :wink:

Have to agree with Desperado, use it and love it.
Also have a '79 more door. Poverty spec 1.1   -   popped in an AFH 16v (small block - no need to change engine mounts) for more reliable daily driving with a 5 speed box, (although kept the original engine)  lowered on a set of coilovers and some nice wheels.
Interior kept totally original.
I'm happy in the knowledge that I can undo all the changes if I have a change of mind….but gotta say I absolutely love it as a daily driver but everyone to their own.
Go with your heart and don't mind the haters  :-)
Best of luck.

If its not cost alot and you think you can make money on it, sell it and mod somethig else, or if you do modify this make sure you can put it back to standered. It will always be a low millage car even if you put 20000miles on it. I had a British open classic mini and it was all original (not mint but all there) so i could not justify messing with it.

End of, if you want to mess with a mk1 lower, engine swap, chrome, bumpers, interior, euro style, wheels bla bla bla buy a tin top for low money and then mod it. It all depends on what sort of mk1 you want

Cheers guys great advice here. Maybe the other option is to see if anyone on here wants to swap their mk1 for mine that's already modded?

Now for sale, PX, or swap! After some serious thought I think it doesn't deserve to be used as a daily, it deserves to be turned into a show car by someone that uses it only weekends etc. I think in years to come it will be very rare to find a series 1 with as low mileage as this especially with service history to prove. Plus I could do with some extra cash too!  :roll: