Hi guys!
just want to pick your brains for a bit lol!
been offered a blue rs1600i
proper barn find ie it’s been locked in my mates uncles garage since 98.
does need a lot of work done, the fooor prob needs welding n cills but he has all new wings and qaurters for it.
other than the the whole car is there complete, yes some parts are in boxes but it’s all there.
he said I can have it for 6k ?
would u reckon that’s a fair price. I could imagine I would have to spend at least another 2-3k on it to get it sorted. What’s your thoughts???

 

With replacing panels, welding floors, paint, prob an engine refresh and believe me a mountain of other niggles you will be lucky to get away with double your budget

It costs the guts of 3k for a quality paintjob on its own m8

 

And that’s if you know someone who does it I would think, my work charge 7-10k for an inside and out job usually. Cheap compared to my old work where a concourse body and paint would be 20-30k

 

saw a rolling shell of a rs1600i go for 3k the other day

 

I no the engine would need a refresh and paint etc! But 7k plus for a paint job! I can get a whole car done for Ł2500-3000 and it’s spot on also. I no everything is original etc running gear etc. I am debating it.....

also I’m pretty sure I have read there are only 2 caspian blue rs1600i left on the uk. Correct me if I’m wrong.

 

Do you want to have it?
Can you afford 6k plus at least 6k more to get it back on the road in good and reliable condition?

As you say you'll get all parts.. buy it. RS1600i are getting rare, it's a nice car. Deffo a keeper. But be careful... sourcing missing parts could get VERY expensive!

 

There is definitely more than 2 caspians left in the uk

 

Try and have a drive in one before you buy one.

Mate had a white one in the 90s which he did a full resto on. Lovely looking car. I drove it, engine was so slow and rattly, probably because I was used to chipped RS Turbos.

Depends what you want it for I guess. Agree with others saying it will cost you more than you think to get it on the road.

 

God I loved my 1600i and although my s1 was proper proper mint against my 1600i I don't miss my s1

I just loved the interior of a 1600i

 

7-10k ffs your boss ride round in a Bentley

 

 

Just a few pics! The full interior, lights and other bits are in a locked compound!

still not 100% sure yet! Big decision. Don’t know if I can do it.

if anyone wants to jump in before me!

 

6k to get it back on the road? Looks more like 60k *lol*. The shell is probably fubar but the engine bay - apart from some parts you can get from any other hi-spec MK3 Escort - looks complete.

 

Prob be easier to reshell it if u could get 1 at a decent price

 

I think absolute minimum would be 15k to restore that mate

Personally I would buy a real nice shell put a nice zetec or zetec turbo in it and dress it up as a 1600i
Dont reshell it as it won't be a rs1600i anymore.

I think it would work out cheaper to buy the bits

 

Depends on the condition of the interior... beat down the price, buy the car for parts, store it and wait for a MUCH better RSi shell with lots of parts missing.

And then sell the rotten shell with all the parts you don't need for spares anymore for 2k or so as it's a genuine RSi shell

 

I gave Ł900 for that shell 😂 was 10 years ago though

 

6K for that! I cant believe people pay that kind of money for what is basically a pile of rust.

 

As a car builder it's worth the money ,,its far from rotten iv repaired 10 times worse a good buy for the future

 

Depends how nice you want it,but say engine box suspension ,bushes brakes etc,new panels welding ,descent repaint inside and out is going to be 5k plus then interior and all the jiggly bits I think your gonna be over 20k if done nice,that’s not including your time,
As many will tell you,we spend more on them than what they are worth but you get so satisfied seeing the progress,unfortunately a lot never finish them as the years soon go by,If it’s something you can do a lot of the work on then make them an offer,if you’ve got to send it out for others to repair don’t bother as you could probably buy a nice 3dr for what it will cost
ps,as others have said be far cheaper getting a nice early 3dr mk3 to start with