MOT Failure - to scrap or not?

[simonmasih1]

Hi Everyone
My capri has failed MOT . There is a hole in the driver side floor and the doors need changing.
I have a chap who would have done the welding . I started to stip all of the interior to get teh door hinges accessible but having lifted the carpet on teh driver side there is rust there also.
The inner sill is rotting where it meets the floor pan and there are holes on both sides.
Also, the lower door jam behind the wings on both sides are also shot and need welding.
The question I have is should i repair it or sell it for spares or repairs.
The car is a 1.6GL AUTO with 49K genuine miles. The car is 100% original.
Having removed alot of the interior I can see that more work is needed and I cannot simply just fix the floor pans as a fair bit of welding is needed.

Whatever I spend on the car I will not recover so the question i am asking myself is it worth repairing. I would appreciate your thoughts. The car owes me about £1300 and if i spend another £1000 on it I may not be worth it.

pictures below showing floor rust:

[stevemarl]

Personally, if you`ve got to pay someone to do the welding I`d scrap it.

[simonmasih1]

I am starting to think that myself. As it is only a 1.6GL it will never reach a huge price so i will never get my money back on it.
It has a good engine and gearbox and the interior is good nick though.

Maybe it is worth selling it for spares or repair.

Si

[simonmasih1]

Hi,
If anyone is interested in buying this car for spares then please let me know.
either PM me or call me on 07958941563.
The car is complete. Engine is a 1.6 pinto and it is a good runner and it has had valve stem seals done by OldFordAutos.
the tyres are practically new.
new exhaust was fitted two years ago
I also have two good capri doors which i can include.
the car is in ub3 - hayes, middx
cheers

[simonmasih1]

I have now added a post in teh cars for sale.
thanks
Simon

[Terra-Kotta]

"Only" a 1.6 GL.... Only rarer than a 280 then. Only a non sunroof model.

[pbar]

Can't you get someone to do the welding, the both of you turn the car ito a runner with MOT. Sell it and split the profit. Would be a real shame to scrap.

I've just noticed you have put it up for sale. Very honest price too, hope it sells and is saved.

[Caprigear]

I am starting to think that myself. As it is only a 1.6GL it will never reach a huge price so i will never get my money back on it.
It has a good engine and gearbox and the interior is good nick though.

Maybe it is worth selling it for spares or repair.

Si

You have a PM..

[Jim]

You NEVER EVER scrap Capri's anymore...they are getting far too rare ESPECIALLY models like a 1.6 GL when they can be repaired!!! Cars like these now should only ever be scrapped if they are CAT A write offs!

[ThatGuy]

I think you should be asking yourself how much do you love the car. If you wernt planning on selling before the mot why not just get it sorted and keep it. If it were my car which I absolutely love it to pieces, I'd get the welding done regardless as I never intend to sell her. But I guess it depends on how you see your car, if your thinking about how much money you can make selling it then I'd say sell it to someone that will love you shit out if it, put it back on the road and enjoy every minute of owning it

[Andrew 2.8i]

You NEVER EVER scrap Capri's anymore...

I can see what you're saying, but remember that cars that are stripped for parts help keep some of the others on the road......

All the best,
Andrew.

[stevemarl]

Perhaps I should have said `get rid` rather than scrap? When I said `scrap it` this was in the context of someone who appeared to not have the necessary skills (welding/fab.) to do the work himself. If he`d said his dad was a welder/ his brother knew a guy etc then fine, it`s do-able. What I was saying was that to PAY somebody to carry out all the repairs.... well it`s a bottomless pit; next year there`ll be suspension hangers, then rear arches and on and on. Reading between the lines I felt this wasn`t what the guy wanted, (who would?) Hopefully it will be bought by someone with the skills to do a proper restoration, *BUT* if it IS beyond that, as Andrew says, the parts donated from scrapping are absolutely essential to keep the remaining viable cars mobile. You can`t save them all.

[simonmasih1]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the responses. Believe me it breaks my heart to lose this car but at the moment I just dont have the time to get this car sorted. This level of welding is beyond my skills.
Si

[timfromull]

I've thought for a few years now that scrapping a Capri because it needs welding is a bit like having your modern daily driver resprayed because its dirty......a good point, yes that broken Capri's make parts available to keep others on the road, but as Shaun (I think thats his name?) say's, the humble GL is a rare motor.
If it really is rotten then fine, but if you see what a lot of guy's resurrect its amazing.
Non Capri/Ford fans that I know look at me with mine and think I've lost the plot with all its holes exposed..
As for value, I agree we don't want our cars to be money pit's, but realistically cars/hobbies cost money.....
It's a shame if it get's broken but on a plus......mine becomes even rarer!!

[vp-reynolds4]

If you want a Capri it’s a money pit no matter what.
I earn about £150 a week. I have a £300 a month rent on a two bed out in the middle of the Scottish sticks in the most beautiful area you could ask for as well as various bills. I go without food, sleep and utterly trash my body to fund and repair my Capri. I’ve owned my humble 1.6 Capri for nearly 3 years now (come November 21st). I bought it for £1800 had it moved from south to nearly john o groats for £590 and insured it for £600 as my first ever car when I was 21.
This forum has taught me to mature, Listen and to self teach the vast skills that are here to learn (having no prior bodywork or mechanical skills). I calculated my tax return last night for last financial year and discovered I spent two thirds the value of my car this year alone on parts only. Overall I’ve surpassed its initial value easily twice now in parts alone having laboured myself for “free”.
I guess what I’m saying is something drew you to a Capri in the first place. Aside from your family and friends that you must make time for you need one single thing in your life that you never give up on, no matter what you have to do or achieve to do it. If you haven’t anything that drives you quite that much consider the Capri your goal. Once you start though you can never stop it is your honour!

[Major_Tom]

Those pictures aren't too bad.

And as said.. all Capris and all cars really are money pits. Don't think about it, just keep it going!

[Jim]

If you want a Capri it’s a money pit no matter what.
I earn about £150 a week. I have a £300 a month rent on a two bed out in the middle of the Scottish sticks in the most beautiful area you could ask for as well as various bills. I go without food, sleep and utterly trash my body to fund and repair my Capri. I’ve owned my humble 1.6 Capri for nearly 3 years now (come November 21st). I bought it for £1800 had it moved from south to nearly john o groats for £590 and insured it for £600 as my first ever car when I was 21.
This forum has taught me to mature, Listen and to self teach the vast skills that are here to learn (having no prior bodywork or mechanical skills). I calculated my tax return last night for last financial year and discovered I spent two thirds the value of my car this year alone on parts only. Overall I’ve surpassed its initial value easily twice now in parts alone having laboured myself for “free”.
I guess what I’m saying is something drew you to a Capri in the first place. Aside from your family and friends that you must make time for you need one single thing in your life that you never give up on, no matter what you have to do or achieve to do it. If you haven’t anything that drives you quite that much consider the Capri your goal. Once you start though you can never stop it is your honour!

Love it! What a man. Incomparable commitment.

[nigecapri]

Realistically, those photos of either side front floor corners would stand about twenty minutes max of actual welding. Cutting out the brown stuff then reshaping the holes and cutting/shaping repair patches might take a lazy morning.
If there are no other bad bits such as rear chassis sections or leaf spring front mounts dropping to bits then get in there with a hammer & 1/2" wood chisel, rip out the rot then take some more photos to post up on here.

[Arya2.0S]

Dont worry guys, the car was sold to me and my dad and we're gonna restore it back to how it looked when it left the factory. Theres a build thread in the restorations section though we wont be able to do any serious work on it until the other project is finished first, and that was in an even worse state than this as far as rust goes.