project car brainstorm

LeVeL

LeVeL

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I've been talking to a couple of friends about this and want to see what FG can come up with. Imagine you're building a project car; you'll use it for some weekend fun (you already have a decent daily driver), maybe autocross or hill climbs if you really want, I don't care.

Budget is $8-9k. Try to keep it around $6k if you can (or less), with $10k being the absolute maximum. At this point I'm mainly concerned about the motor/power, as I think I got the other costs figured out (the ones that will apply to basically any car): coilovers would be about a grand, tires ~$500, wheels ~$1000, seats + harnesses + roll bar ~$1000. That's around $3500 right there. Those are fairly conservative estimates to I think I can throw in brakes with that figure. The rest would go towards buying the car and doing any engine work.

A few examples we came up with:
  • CRX/Civic with a B16 swap. Full swap (motor, tranny, lsd) would be around $2500, give or take $500. You can prob find a decent shell for under a grand (or free, if you don't mind some rust and can do your research). That's ~$6500 total.
  • Turbo Miata. A DIY setup would cost you ~$2-3k and a decent car ~$3k. Total - ~$8500.
  • E30 318 turbo. ~$3k for engine work; ~$2-3k for a decent car. Total - ~$8500.
  • 240SX with an SR20 swap. Full swap is probably around $3-4k with a donor car costing... idk, $1k for a shell? Brings the total to ~$7500.
  • Cammed 5.0 Mustang or LT1 Camaro/Firebird. I've researched these the least so I won't throw out any random figures that I pull out of my shoe.
Of course you can buy a car that's already been modified for $6-10k (depending on what you're getting, obv) but there would always be little things that need fixing or that you'd want to change to your liking, so just figure that into the cost as well.

Thoughts/opinions/suggestions/ideas?
 
Out of the list of cars you've given, I'd probably go for the 5.0 Mustang.

But personally I'd try to hunt down a cheap old muscle car from the late 60s, early 70s. Like a Demon, or a 65/66 Barracuda, Nova or a V8 swapped Vega. Most of those can be had in decent condition for about 4-6 grand. $1000 in repairs then $3500 on midifications that puts me somewhere between $8000 and $10 000.

PS. Didn't you make a thread like this about a year ago or so?
 
In a perfect world I would import some classic US muscle but getting anything in decent shape and shipping it over would probably blow the budget before I start on modifications. Plymouth Barracude or '71 Satellite if I had the chance though.
 
Anything that you can get for cheap with a base or blown engine and easily accepts a swap from a higher trim level or another car by the manufacturer. So a K-car plus a turbo motor, a Fiero plus an LS1/Northstar/supercharged 3.8, Miata plus anything, MR2 plus a 4A-GZE/V6/2ZZ depending on generation, the possibilities are bountiful.
 
When cleaning up my garage last week I found some K-Car turbo parts. So immediately my brain began thinking 'cheap turbo' + 'beater 325e' = 'budget win'. Unfortunately I later found out that I'm going to lose my garage and that I need to sell my E30s and other projects. Bad weekend.

Anyway, I'm going to need a truck, so I started thinking along those lines. I don't know everything you'd need to pull it off, but I'd love to build a turbocharged '73-'87 GM C/K truck. Nothing crazy, just a low pressure turbo on a mostly stock 350, backed up with a 4 speed manual. Lower it a few inches and get some wider rolling stock. Surely you could put one together for under 6 grand.
 
I'd go for that turbo Miata or if you can afford it an LS2 swapped one.
 
Locust 7 Frame (~1500)
S5 13B N/A Peripheral Port (~1500)
Other stuff (~2k)

300whp + 1000lbs = fun.
 
starfox07 said:
Locust 7 Frame (~1500)
S5 13B N/A Peripheral Port (~1500)
Other stuff (~2k)

300whp + 1000lbs = fun.
Click to expand...

The peripheral port would kill it as a "decent daily driver".
 

Idling at 3000RPM is not something you want off the track. If it is a track car sure, otherwise the narrow power band and high idle will make it annoying.
 
starfox07 said:
Locust 7 Frame (~1500)
S5 13B N/A Peripheral Port (~1500)
Other stuff (~2k)

300whp + 1000lbs = fun.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I woudn't go with the peripheral port, either. I lived with an N/A 13B J port and it was a real handful. Power delivery was like a lightswitch. And crappy fuel mileage. My buddy's RX2 with a 12A peripheral port got about 4 mpg, and wasn't even fun on the street. Oh, sure, if you could get it up over 4k, it hauled ass and revved to close to 10k rpm, but it SO wasn't a streetable engine. The 150 hp Caterham I drove a couple months ago in Scotland was excellent power for the weight, capable of easily getting sideways. If you're going to go rotary, a decent street port is all that's necessary to be scary fun in a Locost.
 
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Turbo brick volvo dragster. Hell. Yea.

I've always wanted to make a 2 door 2WD jeep cherokee straight line speed monster. Big drag slicks on the back, bored and stroked 4.0 with maybe Nitrous oxide or a turbocharger.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYjBbF3gTRk[/youtube]
 
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85-89 Merkur XR4Ti

- Keep the 2.3L
- Built bottom end (crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, etc)
- Esslinger Head
- Larger Turbo
- RS500 Front Mount Intercooler
- 90* Rotated Upper Intake
- Header
- Megasquirt
- T-5
- Full 3" Exhaust
- Larger Swaybars
- Front and rear strut tower braces
- Stiffer springs and better shocks
- Supra LSD
- Rear disc brake conversion
- Upgraded front brakes
- Lighter wheels and better tires

I'm probably forgetting things but I'm just throwing things out there. I think it could be done for under $10K (maybe). I know someone out there will insist on a SBF however :p
 
JipJopJones said:
But personally I'd try to hunt down a cheap old muscle car from the late 60s, early 70s. Like a Demon, or a 65/66 Barracuda, Nova or a V8 swapped Vega. Most of those can be had in decent condition for about 4-6 grand. $1000 in repairs then $3500 on midifications that puts me somewhere between $8000 and $10 000.
Click to expand...

:lol:

You haven't worked on a car of that vintage have you? Unless you can get lucky locally, find a car owned and garaged the whole time by an elderly couple, you're going to be very hard pressed to get a 40 year old muscle/pony car (even a second tier model) for that budget. The description in the OP describes pretty clearly a track car, not just a project car, which means it will be driven hard and it will need to be a high quality and thorough restoration and modification.

Just to be clear, my Mustang was in good enough running shape before I started work on it. In fact I drove it to high school all the time before doing anything other than replacing the battery and fuel filter after it sat ~15 years. I didn't have the initial buying the car expense, but I'm still into the car about $15 grand right now.

The cheapest Barracuda on ebay of the years you mentioned in a 66 for $5900, it's in original condition which means everything is old and with much use will start needing constant little repairs and replacement bits, it also had the original V8 removed and currently has a slant 6. You'll have a better chance with a Nova (but you'll find a V8 can be just as expensive as a Camaro). Vega should be cheap enough, but to do a V8 swap [properly, for any car of this vintage] requires new suspension all around and some new drivetrain bits and will run you $4-5000 for a basic V8 setup without getting into power mods.

It can be done on that sort of budget, don't get me wrong, but it will certainly be a project, it will take ages because you'll be looking for cheap parts and doing the work yourself. You'll end up getting a lot of stuff second hand, you'll be doing a ton of fiddly "make it fit" work and unless your specialty is this sort of work it will be a constant exercise in upkeep to keep it running and in the condition you want.

As far as what the OP described, I can't recommend a vintage car, it just so much cheaper to buy one <20 year old, the parts are easy to find, cheap and the cars themselves are everywhere and cheap. The cars originally mentioned are about the best candidates for this sort of project car.
 
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Find a miata with a blown engine, swap in a ford 5.0 or chevy 5.7 (cheap kits are available) I expect the whole project can be done for 5 or 6 thousand if you do the work yourself.

Rolling Car: 1000?

Engine and tranny: 2000-3000?

Swap hardware: 1000-2000?

total cost: 4000-6000 for a modern FUCKING COBRA.
 
1K 240SX is a pipe dream. Back before driftertax you couldn't find an S13 with a stick for less than 3K 8 years later those same cars are still 3K if not more. Unless you luck out and buy some grandma's 240 the only thing you a finding for less than 2K is going to be beat to hell and back. That said if you decide to go KA-T instead of the SR swap (KA isn't as revvy but is way way way more durable and will take way way way way way more boost) you could buy a 3k S13 DIY turbo would be maybe $500-$700 and then spend the rest of your money on suspension. again that all depends on how much you can find a non-beat S13 (or S14)

If you want to be honestly cheap and get something you have hope of finishing within budget you want something they made a shit ton of and has a huge after market. With that in mind i would go for the Fox body or the MX-5 both were made in vast quantities and both have huge following so you won't be forgeing ahead into expensive no mans land. I would say that the CRx is a good idea but those cars are becoming scarce however if you could find an EG Civic Si (or EF) both of those could be very capable weekend fun cars for reasonably cheap. The EK civics are still a bit on the spendy side for the initial pruchase. another thought would be a C4 Vette. sure they don't handle as well as the newer chassis but they are cheap plentiful and i think they look good

Now in the relm of cool stuff that you will probably not finish underbuget if you finish at all:
SA22/FB
FC3S TII
FC3S
Locost*
B13 SE-R
DC2 GSR
Volvo Turbo Brick
Five and Dime
SC300


* The locost is cheap if you already have a garage full of tools and a welder if however you will buy buying tools as you need them that price will shoot up really quick even with the harbor freight we have in worcester.

EDIT: also unless you are willing to travel you will spend more than you think on the miata we are lucky enough to live in the most expensive place to buy miatas in the country with an avg of 1-3K markup over similar cars in similar condition elsewhere.

EDIT2: i just realized this is a brain excercise:

1988 323 GTX good shell fucked trans ok motor and CA analog dash $3K
BPT 1.8L GTX motor and trans $1200
GT28R 600
FMIC using the Starion IC 250
Corksport Downpipe and exhaust 1000
Dirtra Struts: 800
White line springs: 400
FN0RC1 wheels and Sticky rubber 1100
Turbine Tech underbrace 400
Galant/escort frankbrake upgrade 500

Sell 1.6L and trans for about 800 and have a small AWD hatchback that will suprise the fuck out of most anything on the road for 8Kish.. 10K will get you a BPD GTR motor and trans that will support 350bhp
 
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argatoga said:
Idling at 3000RPM is not something you want off the track. If it is a track car sure, otherwise the narrow power band and high idle will make it annoying.
Click to expand...

A PP will destroy a street port all over the map, even low RPM. They make huge power even down low. Fuel mileage is really the only downside.
 
Nabster said:
:lol:

You haven't worked on a car of that vintage have you?
Click to expand...

I never said it wouldn't be a lot of work.

I have a 1977 Jeep CJ, bought it for 4500. Put not a lot of money, but a lot of time into it and it's a pretty solid truck.

I have a friend who bought a 65 valiant, slant 6 (she was going to buy the V8 for only 300 more, but it got sold before she could say yes) for 600 bucks, she's putting about a grand into it (doing all the work herself) and it's a very solid car, almost no rust, and should become a reliable DD, I don't see why (if she wanted) she couldn't put another couple grand and make it a quick little car.

Another example is when I was looking for my Jeep I came across a 68 Acadian (same as Nova) 350 V8 with a 4 speed, only 5500 dollars. Little to no rust, only issue was it had wiring problems.

As you said, it would be a bit of work, but it's very doable if your into that kind of thing.
 
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