Pandemic projects

[doctor Bob]

Thought I’d buy a Raleigh chopper as a project, wow they have gone through the roof. Same with all little resto projects. I have a little pedal car, thought I’d buy another, doubled in a year.
Find me something on eBay to buy.

 

[Jameshow]

Yeap u was watching Mathewson auctions on TV and the prices of classic cars has gone through the roof!

Xr2 £15k

Lotus Sunbeam £25k+

Cheers James

 

[doctor Bob]

That’s good news for me then, I have a lotus esprit

 

[Jameshow]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133645505940
Would have loved this!

Mrs would have said NO!!!

Cheers James

 

[Doug B]

Here you go Bob
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gypsy-caravan-wagon/254857115531?hash=item3b56aaf78b:g:KJcAAOSw1XpgHFVRJonnyD did one about 5 years ago looked excellent when it was finished

 

[doctor Bob]

Here you go Bob
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gypsy-caravan-wagon/254857115531?hash=item3b56aaf78b:g:KJcAAOSw1XpgHFVRJonnyD did one about 5 years ago looked excellent when it was finished

Cheers Doug, I was thinking more along the lines of a few hundred

 

[stuckinthemud]

Funny thing, I looked up the prices of some of my favourite motorbikes, prices haven't really moved much since last year, some even have dropped a little, then checked the prices on resto projects for the same types and they have gone through the roof, seems like prices for anything hobby related has gone crazy for lock-in, you seen what's happened to hand-tool prices?

 

[stuckinthemud]

Although, Lotus Cortina's 100k a few years back, 30k now....

 

[TRITON]

I'd stay away from Raleigh choppers, they're just a joke on many levels.
Frame construction is really poor, spot welds for the most part, but whats worst is actually riding one.
For starters you look really daft, its of a different time, but it's real inherent problem(riding) is the small front wheel and large handlebars coupled with zero reach stem. Controlling that is hard enough.
Selling on is hit or miss, and although some other mug might buy it, the vast majority isnt going to be looking to pay thousands or even hundreds, and its pricing is akin to a dutch tulip market.

Currently bikes in general, as in retro bikes arent a good market, and to renovate such is again dutch tulip market pricing, you can pay too much for what is total tat, and you'll never see that outlay back again.

Trust me, this is my subject. I've been absorbed on bikes, especially 'retrobikes' since 2008, and have watched it grow and then crash, because too many are asking too much for tat, and that tat isnt selling to anyone you has even an inkling of the market. I luckily got out of it, selling my early Hope technology collection(probably at the time the biggest in the UK, outside of Hope's own museum) about the middle of last year, when it seemed there was a bit more money floating about. Currently theres less expendable income in peoples pockets, so they are looking for a lot for the parts you'd need to rebuild bike,motorbike or old car. Those are the subjects I'd avoid, and stick to something you can barter later on as a skill.

I'd suggest finding something that teaches you another skill. Welding, metal working, even paining in oil or watercolour, but projects, have increased too much in outlay and its too fickle to expect to recoup that outlay.

 

[Jameshow]

Hey don't knock the chopper someone I know rode from lands end up John o groats on one!

Why I don't know.

I did it on a carbon road bike and that was bad enough!!

Cheers James

Ps the chopper was better than the grifter....

 

[Distinterior]

The smaller version of the Chopper was a Chipper if I remember correctly...??

 

[doctor Bob]

I quite fancy painting

 

[Doug B]

Here you go Bob Paint with Number - The No.1 Brand of Paint by Numbers

 

[TRITON]

The smaller version of the Chopper was a Chipper if I remember correctly...??

I'd that one too. Yellow, gears long stopped working.

Used to love it though until i mistook a set of stairs for a ramp. I was cutting through a shopping precinct and there were ramps, with 7 high stairs next to them.
apparently it went ramp left, ramp left then ramp right. I thought it was ramps all the way. somehow i landed it, must have been off the ground 6 or 7 feet, a jump i'd balk at even on my freeride bike today. but bounced and landed hard, that hurt i can tell you. Thankfully I was under 10 so i pretty much was uninjured.

 

[Spectric]

Hi all

Yes just watch that program bangers & Cash and some of us will realise that had they had some foresight that they could have retired much earlier. A pile of rusty cooper S mini on a pallet for £5000, and Capri's for £10,000! I can remember so many cars being scrapped simply because the owner did not think the cost of welding was worth it and so I took some parts off and scrapped the rest for about £30 a time. Cars like Mini's including 1275's and cooper S's as well as RS escorts and so many others just because of a few hundred pounds worth of welding. In hindsight it would have been worth just putting them all into a big old barn and waiting.

 

[Richard_C]

Thinking about the comments above on prices, I wonder if you had a perfectly good bike and dismantled it you could advertise it as a lockdown project and get a higher price

 

[Chris152]

I quite fancy painting

A good first step might be learning to draw a bit - creating a likeness of things you see is really satisfying, and a really good basis for painting (tho I'm not good at it). You just need pencil and paper - think of using hand tools before moving on to power kit? I bought Barber, Complete book of drawing for one of my kids a while back, it's quite good I think. That kind of drawing and painting is 90% looking, 10% recording. Really nice when things start to work.

ps our lock down project is a Volvo 240. Enjoying it, but it's either raining or freezing these days. Neither's good out on the drive.

 

[doctor Bob]

Here you go Bob Paint with Number - The No.1 Brand of Paint by Numbers

I could get my crayons out

 

[Doug B]

I could get my crayons out

That brings back memories was it Jase who couldn’t crayon within the lines happy days

 

[Jameshow]

A good first step might be learning to draw a bit - creating a likeness of things you see is really satisfying, and a really good basis for painting (tho I'm not good at it). You just need pencil and paper - think of using hand tools before moving on to power kit? I bought Barber, Complete book of drawing for one of my kids a while back, it's quite good I think. That kind of drawing and painting is 90% looking, 10% recording. Really nice when things start to work.

ps our lock down project is a Volvo 240. Enjoying it, but it's either raining or freezing these days. Neither's good out on the drive.

I'd love a 240! Had a 740 which was my first and best decent car and the best stupidly sold it because wife couldn't drive it whilst pregnant so we brought a xantia possible the worse car i have owned.

Cheers James