Hello fellow /26'ers.

I've been wanting to restore a car and motorcycle for a while now, so I think I'm going to sell the Miata and start something.

Here's the problem, I don't know whether I'd rather restore a car or a bike...here's what I'm thinking:

I want to restore a Volkswagen Beetle. Sound gay? Maybe. But I think it would be a ton of fun, despite all the headaches I'm sure it will cause. I'm not really sure what year, probably whatever I can get cheapest...I would prefer a `67+ because they come with a 53hp motor compared to the even slower ones. I want to restore it from basically the bottom up, exterior, interior, engine, paint, etc., and still leave room for me to do my own customization to it (i.e. dumped suspension, low offset wheels, etc.).

I also want to restore a motorcycle. I have NO idea what kind, but I want to. Like the car, I think it will be a lot of fun, regardless of all the headaches IT will cause. I think restoring a bike would be easier, and cheaper, but I think if I DO choose to restore a bike, I wouldn't know what kind, and I would probably sell the Ducati...because I don't need two bikes...I barely have enough time to ride one as it is...much less afford having two.

So what do you guys think? (Don't be biased because this is the Moto section )

Evan

 

yea, my friend bough a beetle...it caught on fire.

Sorry thats all I have to contribute to this thread


Modified by swappedcx at 9:42 AM 10/7/2007

 

If you don't have time for two bikes, how do you have time for two cars?

I'd go with restoring a bike, but only if you know what kind you want to restore. It's easy to lose interest in a long-term project such as this, so make sure you will want what you're restoring.

FWIW, I plan on "restoring" (more like freshening) my wife's '85 VW Cabriolet.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by swappedcx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea, my friend bough a beetle...it caught on fire.

Sorry thats all I have to contribute to this thread</TD></TR></TABLE>

HAHA, do you know how?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by marmaladedad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you don't have time for two bikes, how do you have time for two cars?

I'd go with restoring a bike, but only if you know what kind you want to restore. It's easy to lose interest in a long-term project such as this, so make sure you will want what you're restoring.

FWIW, I plan on "restoring" (more like freshening) my wife's '85 VW Cabriolet.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's true. The thing is, I can drive a car everyday, the bike(s) would just sit at my mom's house.

I'd like to find a Beetle that actually runs, that could just use a good tune-up, and do a few little performance goodies to get it running really well.

 

my vote is for neither... track the duc once and then make a decision... At this point you'll realize why a lot of us don't do much else... I want a 2nd bike but I know it'll hit me in the wallet good

 

Why don't you have the Duc Duc with you?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EngineNoO9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my vote is for neither... track the duc once and then make a decision... At this point you'll realize why a lot of us don't do much else... I want a 2nd bike but I know it'll hit me in the wallet good</TD></TR></TABLE>
600cc v 1000cc trackbike debate! Go!

 

hmm... werent the beetles designed by hitler? id go wtih the bike.. just cause i dont really like vdubs, and old beetles are so cliche. if i was personally gonna restore a car i would consider a corvette, or old firebird or somthing, even though im not really into v8's.

go with the bike, look at alot of old bikes and see what you like. just take your time and see what youd really like to have.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by marmaladedad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why don't you have the Duc Duc with you?


600cc v 1000cc trackbike debate! Go! </TD></TR></TABLE>

oh I'll get a 600 (maybe 636) without question. I'd love an early 636 track ***** for around $3k....

 

Sup,

I respect the VW concept, however; I think you should do a VW bus or the truck. Those bitches look SWEET dumped with smoothies!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EngineNoO9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my vote is for neither... track the duc once and then make a decision... At this point you'll realize why a lot of us don't do much else... I want a 2nd bike but I know it'll hit me in the wallet good</TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

i have a bike right now thats cheep but i want a 2nd bike JUST for the track. its going to hurt my wallet but im going to buy a SV650 this winter and make it a trailered track bike. it least i wont be paying insurance or any of that crap for it.

 

if you've never done a restoration project before I would go with an older bike. Much simpler in concept, takes up alot less space, and depending you can get into it for alot less money. However little parts cost do addup, but there is nothing cooler than someone ripping around on an old bike

 

Restore an 06 or 07 Japanese i4 bike that has been crashed.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris y0! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Restore an 06 or 07 Japanese i4 bike that has been crashed.</TD></TR></TABLE>

haha

i love cars and bikes and i try to keep a car i can slowly modify and restore, while doing the same with my bike. right now i have a crx,f4i and bandit. bandit is my project, f4i is daily and the crx is a daily that i like to slowly work on and restore.

plans are selling the crx for a nice rwd car, e30 m3/rx7/mr2 and rock it as a daily, while restoring it.

for bikes im selling the f4i gonna finish my bandit fighter and pick up either an old air head bmwr or cb750 and go for a badass cafe project to cruise around town.

the idea of tracking ur duck before u off it sounds like a good idea and go from there

 

If you want something easy to restore, find an old airhead BMW, many of the parts of interchangeable with other airhead models so parts availability shouldn't be terribly bad. I think they had the same basic engine from mid 70's all the way until mid 90's.

 

buy my 73 cb500

 

Info please!

 

Im with the bike theory. I say go with a old cafe racer you cant beat the look of one of those IMO. Leave the vw dead that where they belong, sorry if I just hurt anyones feelings

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by baldmofo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Im with the bike theory. I say go with a old cafe racer you cant beat the look of one of those IMO. Leave the vw dead that where they belong, sorry if I just hurt anyones feelings </TD></TR></TABLE>

agree

 

I checked my local craigslist for some old, busted bikes but couldn't find anything.

Anyone have any projects they'd like to get rid of for real cheap?

 

my bro has a 71 cb750 he might part with

 

Dont do either one. Do a LS1 swap for the Miata

 

Bahaha

Give/sell me the fiddy I see in your sig!

 

Ooo.

This might be good!

http://nashville.craigslist.org/mcy/423950335.html

 

if i were to do a bike restoration, i wouldnt do anything newer than '86. also, if you're gonna do a beetle, be careful what you want is really what you want. my parents also had one that caught fire. the carbs on those things sometimes burp up some fuel on the hot engine block. also if you want to drop one, you have to have some extreme camber angles on the rear wheels especially so either run wheels so small you wont get over 45mph, or rotate your tires ever other week. if you wanna make the dub real mean, chop the top 2 and a half inches front and 2inches rear with a split back window. basically, dont make a project car/bike your daily car/bike. if you want something mean, fun, and less of a hassle than a beetle, go for an e30 m3 or mercedese 190e 16valve. but id say the most cool factor for your money would be found in an old triumph you can turn into a cafe racer. good luck with whatever you decide and just make sure you look at everything and plan out exactly what you are going to do and spend before you even start looking at buying anything.

 

Thanks for the info man!

The project definitely will not be my daily. That's what the Mazda 3 is for

This whole Beetles catching on fire thing is really worrying me...I'd hate to put a bunch of money in to one and it just go up in flames I'm actually leaning towards a project bike, there are a few older CB's and cafe-esque bikes around my area, so I might pick one of those up.