Five Topless Classics for Five Grand
June 14, 2019
The notion of wind in your hair motoring is one that is synonymous with classic cars. Think of an old car and you’ll inevitably conjure up an image of scarves in the breeze and the rolling vista of B-road-straddling hills and dales. But why should the experience be limited to just your imagination? It needn’t be, especially when there are so many convertible classics available for a minimal outlay.
With that in mind, we’ve set ourselves the imaginary budget of five thousand pounds, and with it, we’re going to pluck five convertible classics that are available in abundance. Driving classic cars should be an experience, and there is no experience finer than blatting along with the roof down, trust us.
Yes, it may bring about thoughts of Nora Batty and Last of the Summer Wine, but look beyond that and you’re faced with a simple, no-nonsense British classic. This is the kind of car that is perfect for driving on a sunny summer Sunday. It’s not fast, but if looked after, the simple mechanicals are largely reliable and with engines from 948cc to 1269cc, it won’t cost the earth to run. The other big boon to Herald ownership is the huge availability of parts thanks to a massive enthusiast following. So you should never be caught out waiting for parts.
Of course, this is a British classic, so there are some caveats. The main one being that the Herald absolutely loves to rust. As such, if you’re going to look at one, get right under it and bring a magnet with you. Check the floors, door bottoms, bulkhead and chassis rails for rot. Also, check the condition of the roof for leaks and tears. Then, when you’ve found a solid one, take the engine out and drop in the running gear from an early MX5 for some modern-day power!
Yes, the BMW Z3 is something of a modern addition, but considering the car was never replaced after it was killed off by BMW in 2002, we think it’s got future classic written all over it. Plus, when you’re looking at a bargain ragtop, you can’t go far wrong with something built as well as a BMW. Furthermore, prices are down right now, meaning you’ll get lots and lots of change out of your £5,000. And let’s not forget, James Bond had a Z3, so you get cool points for that.
If you are looking at one, the trick is to make sure you buy a standard one. So many of them, especially as they’re now cheap, have been subjected to all manner of hideous modifications. Avoid these cars, as they won’t have been looked after. Also, avoid the four-speed automatic cars, as they’re absolutely hopeless and will mar the driving experience. The one to have is a 2.8 straight-six with manual transmission. That’s a proper wind in your hair roadster. Thank us later.
Enjoying the sun on your noggin whilst driving is something that can be enjoyed by more than two people. There are plenty of four-seater convertibles out there, but there are few as recognisable as the mighty Saab 900 Classic. A weird, yet entirely wonderful car, it’s now seen as a classy and understated solution for those of us who want an everyday classic. It’s reliable, it’s safe and in turbo guise, it’s more than fast. Plus, as we said, it can seat four so you can take the family with you for those sunny weekend blasts.
For your £5,000 you’re going to struggle to find a Turbo convertible that’s worth having. Sadly, the cars with forced induction, with or without a roof, command the heist premiums. As such, you’re going to be looking at the more standard 2.0. But that’s not a bad thing, it’s more than capable of shuffling the 900s mass along. Though be warned, the 900 convertible suffers from horrendous scuttle shake as the body twists through the corners. As such, it’s wise to check the condition of the bulkhead and the floors around the A-pillars. Any corrosion here could be game over.
If you want to stand out and get conversations going, you don’t need to buy a Porsche or a Ferrari. You can shop from the unusual category instead, and there are few more unusual than the Vauxhall Cavalier convertible. Yes, Vauxhall made a ragtop version of its ‘80s sales rep satisfier. Vauxhall didn’t build it itself though, instead it farmed the job out to Hammond and Thiede of Germany. And they did a good job. They started out with a two-door Cavalier (which we never got in the UK) and lopped the roof off. It looked good though, with the long Cavalier body lending itself to the loss of its head. Dare we say it, it still looks good today.
For your £5,000, you’ll get a minter. The Cavalier convertible is yet to find its true value, but given the rarity of them, it won’t be long before prices start to climb. Being an ‘80s car, your biggest enemy is going to be rust, especially on the floors and forward bulkhead, so be thorough when inspecting the car. Also, spend a decent amount of time inspecting the roof. The fabric can be replaced by any decent trimmer. However, the mechanism and frame will be a major headache, so look for damage and corrosion, as it could be a deal-breaker.
There was no way we could put this list together without talking about the MG Midget. It’s the quintessential British classic convertible after all. Mechanically identical to the Austin Healey Sprite, the Midget was positioned an entry-point into the MG range, meaning customers that found the MGA too large could still be satisfied. Plus, the shared mechanicals made the car low-cost, which helped sales no end.
At just 137-inches long, the Midget was every bit deserving of its name. it could only seat two people, and they’d have to be small people at that. But once in, the regards were plentiful. The MG Midget was and still is an absolute riot to drive, especially with the larger 1275cc engine, which should you wish, can be tuned significantly. In fact, the whole car can. Not only is there a massive parts industry behind the Midget thanks to the likes of MOSS Europe, there is also a huge market for aftermarket and performance parts, meaning you can turn your Midget into a proper racy little number.
