A Serious Dilemma - Brainstorming Required!

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

I've had a dream of fully rebuilding a 205 GTI for many, many years.

 

Three years ago I nearly gave up on it by selling my Black standard Ph1.5 1.9, but a Silver Ph1.5 1.9 has come up for sale

at the same time, probably the best example available in Bosnia (amongst very few 205 GTI's left on the roads here),

so I simply had to buy it and kept dreaming and planning a full restoration ever since. Incidentally, it was a silver Ph1.5 1.9

that got me obsessed with 205 GTI's more than 20 year ago. Still, I've always lusted about a Ph2 car, as I've only ever had

Ph1 and Ph1.5 editions, so my plan was to rebuild it to Ph2 spec, either keeping it Silver or respraying it to Miami Blue,

which was always one of my favourite colours for a Ph2 205.

 

Just when I started seriously preparing for the task, a month ago I got offered a 1993 Miami Blue 1.9, the only one in Bosnia,

very cheap by any standards! I've simply had to buy it (a topic about it will be posted up soon). It's very tatty inside and out,

a real mess in fact. I thought I'd get it just for parts, but it turned out that it would be a shame to break it, when it could make

a good example (with a lot of work though) even if it had a front impact a few years ago. The problem is - I have more cars

than I use and need already!

 

On the other hand, my Silver 1.9 has never been crashed, though the sills are rusty and need work, rear beam needs a rebuild

for definite and the braking system needs a complete overhaul. So the idea of fully restoring the Silver one to original spec

was born, while leaving the Miami Blue for a fast-road "cybernck spec" car project in the future.

 

Just when I thought I've had a plan and started gathering some final parts, I've been offered a good price for the Silver car!

Now, the dilemma is whether to sell it and put the money from the sales towards rebuilding the Miami Blue, spec'ing it up

as I like along the way AND keeping the money that I would've spent on restoring the Silver one - or just go ahead with

restoring the Silver one and end up with a mint original GTI and another one I don't know what to do with (maybe do it up

and sell it).

 

I need to make a decision quickly, so any suggestions would be useful!

[dave richards 26 1 Cars]

i have 3 205's (ph1.5 1.6, ph2 1.9 and stdt) I'd personally get it and keep it as a future project for when the silver car is finished

[muddatrucker 125]

Do you need 2? if both needed work anyway and you're willing and competent, go for the Miami.

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

I would go with the miami,its the phase 2 that youve never had and the fact that it has had a bump then i wouldnt feel so bad about putting my own stamp on it,if it was an uncrashed completely unmolested example then i would have to keep it that way (the crashing would probably be out of my hands though)

 

whatever you decide im sure it will look great

Edited March 20, 2012 by pugdamo

[BlueBolt 156]

Keep them both!! Simple!!

 

As you say, keep the silver for standard and mint, and keep the Miami for fast road!!

[steve@cornwall 100]

make one out of the best of both and mothball the rest if you have the room? They are more plentiful here but still a dilemma now about breaking as they get scarcer

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

dave> I've already bought the miami blue one. The question here is whether to sell the silver one or not. And I still have Mi32 on top of that.

 

muddatrucker> No, I definitely don't need them both and can't afford to register and insure both anyway, so it basically one or the other.

 

pugdamo> Yes, but there lays the problem - the silver GTI is uncrashed unmolested example (requiring restoration though) and I would

have to loose it in order to build the miami. But I would have enough money to build a really nice car by selling the silver one. And I would

also keep the money I originally planned to spend on restoring the silver one and use it on the Mi32. That sound sensible, but at the cost

of not having a nice standard Ph1.5 205 GTI anymore - which I probably wouldn't have if I rebuilt it to Ph2 spec and changed colour anyway.

 

BlueBolt> It's not as simple as that, hence this topic! I can only afford to rebuild and register/insure one of them. And hence the dilemma .

 

Steve> Parts are not really interchangeable, as I wouldn't put Ph1 half-leathers into a Ph2 car. The rear beam and brakes are better on

the miami anyway, at the moment.

 

Essentially, I can end up with a near-new OEM Silver Ph1.5 205 GTI and a shed of a Ph2 for a far away future project OR a mint thoroughly

upgraded Miami Blue Ph2 205 and even some money left for a new road racing bicycle . It looks like no-brainer when I put it like that but

an idea of having a standard Ph1.5 has really grown on me, especially as I've already got a highly modified 205 anyway. Doh, running in circles!

[BlueBolt 156]

Don't register and insure the Miami, make it a track slag then??

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

i would say go with the silver and make it the best 205 gti in your country! it was always your dream car and the 1st car that sparked your interest in 205 gti's in the 1st place and you might regret never owning a silver example in mint condition!

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

Well, I've now sort of had a nice silver one. After I sorted out the interior, I planned to Plasticare the trim, fit new lamps all round, polish it etc.

But the shell needs some work, the brakes and the rear beam need a complete rebuild etc, so I figured out it would be better to do it all in

one go, in form of restoration. True, it would leave me with a near-new future classic to enjoy in years to come. But I am afraid that I wouldn't

actually want to use a mint OEM 205 GTI . I know I've become obsessed about damaging the interior, so I can't imagine what it would be

like with the whole car in mind (related do Anthony's recent topic). If I sell it, it will probably become more or less molested and I will

never be able to get another nice standard example.

 

HOWEVER

 

If I were to sell it and put the money into the miami instead, I could build a mint later and higher spec model, with a 16v engine of some sort,

uprated suspension, big brakes, ABS, air condition etc. And to be honest, I think I would be even more satisfied with such spec'd car. I mean,

it would definitely be more of a car but not a classic car any more. I would like to be a collector and have them in all "shapes and sizes",

but I'm simply not in that position, so I need to choose the most sensible option - I'm just torn apart between two opposing options!

[sensualt101 31 1 Cars]

i understand exactly what you mean nikica as my current daily driver is a 1992 1.6 and is all original and staying that way! its not perfect but nothing that in time i wont make perfect.

 

yet just like you i would love to have an updated 205 gti with a more modern and more powerful engine , fully adjustable coilover suspension , more powerful brakes , uprated headlamps ( led driving lights angel eyes and hids ) led lighting all round , air conditioning , power steering , abs , heated windscreen , heated mirrors , heated seats , electric windows ( my 1.6 has manual ) , 6 speed gearbox , fully mappable engine management , supercharger for low in the rev range and a big turbo charger for higher up the rev range!

 

so basically i suppose i would like to end up owning a fully restored standard car and have another to turn in to what i would have evolved a 205 gti if i was in control at peugeot lol!

[sambaileyw 2]

tbh when youve got something like mi32 is a fast road spec'd miami ever really going to compare? If it were me i'd think not i'd just end up chasing the power/speed of mi32 with a 16v miami and end up with 2 of the same car not that this is bad thing.. just youve already got that lol..

 

quite a dilemma you have sir.. lol

Edited March 21, 2012 by sambaileyw

[Baz 421]

I'd take the money for the silver one and build the rarer, later Miami to exactly how you want!

[Anthony 1,003]

I'd take the money for the silver one and build the rarer, later Miami to exactly how you want!

This.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Keep the Silver one Rarer than Miami, well over here it is

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

I've had a panel beater / painter come round today and take a good look at both cars. It has turned out there's about equal

amount of work required to make either shell rust free and looking brand new, so that didn't really help me make a decision.

 

I've just had a go in the silver one and what I like about it the most, apart from that it is 99% standard, is that it is really silent,

the interior is so nice and it drives pretty well with its XU9JAZ and standard gearbox. When I imagine I'd sold it, I get a strange

feeling in my stomach. However, I also can't help but think that a full rebuild wouldn't really make it THAT much better, so I may

actually end up feeling both a bit disappointed and out of the pocket in that event

 

I think it all now comes down to if I manage to sell it or not as, afterall, I've had a plan of ultimately Ph2-ing it and probably

changing colour to Miami Blue, while the idea of keeping it 100% OE was only born with the purchase of the Miami 205 .

[cybernck 402 1 Cars]

Of course, now I've accepted this dude's offer, he's ignoring and avoiding me .

 

It has messed my new plans up, as I've made a "mental step" in the direction of selling the Silver one.

 

But at least I now know I won't be doing a complete restoration of the Silver 205 (for now) and save it for the Miami.

[Chris_Mi 6]

Nik, maybe it is giving you a second chance. Today I've just sold a fantastic Miami shell, and as it was leaving on the back of a trailer, I realised selling it was the worst decision I have made. Deep down if you know that you don't want the silver to go, don't let it go, you'll regret it!