Looking For Budget Project Car Ideas

[Steve1968LS2]

With the exception that the popular car costs more to buy initially. Camaro's, Nova's Mustang's or whatever cost more to buy than say a Maverick, Fiero, Gremlin or whatever you want. And in the end that should be taken itno account. Now as far as the emmisions go alot of what we do is suspension related so there is no reason why the stock engine can't be retained and modified within the law.

But's it worth MUCH more in the end...

How do you build a $10k Monza (or vega, or ventura, or etc)... spend $30k.. lol

Now buying a Vega for $2k and putting another $8k into it is cool.. putting $20k into it not wise unless it's your dream car and you're gonna keep it forever.

In other words if you go oddball then you need to spend as little on the build as possible/reasonable.

[novaderrik]

forget about setting a budget- they mean nothing in magazine builds, anyways, where a "budget" Laguna build has probably $30k in it and a "real world" mid 70's Camaro that probably has more than the Laguna invested.
just get a long term project and do a little here and a little there, while keeping it on the road the whole time with minimal downtime. it doesn't matter what it is, as long as the readership can relate to it and actually try to emulate some or all of the stuff that is done to it. call it "project Y", since you know, it is the letter after "X"..

[The Stickman]

But's it worth MUCH more in the end...

How do you build a $10k Monza (or vega, or ventura, or etc)... spend $30k.. lol

Now buying a Vega for $2k and putting another $8k into it is cool.. putting $20k into it not wise unless it's your dream car and you're gonna keep it forever.

In other words if you go oddball then you need to spend as little on the build as possible/reasonable.

I don't build cars thinking about what they will resell for. I build a car for me and only me. I also didn't see where the article would even consider that. It's about a Budget build. Getting the most out of the least. If one only has X amount of dollars, is it best to spend alot of it on the car and only be able to accomplish some of their goals? Or spend much less on the car and make it do most all of what you want?

[larknut]

Build a Buick, Skylark or Apollo.

What is the budget anyway?

[Hartz]

No, an oddball car costs EXACTLY the same as a popular car provided you do the same level of work to each car.

For the same quality paint job.. with the same amount of bodywork what costs more to paint.. a Camaro or a Vega?

No question - the same quality paint work would cost the same regardless of the vehicle the spray hits. But the point is that for a cheap odd-ball car, you don't do that. If I have a numbers matching 396 RS/SS Camaro - that's a car that's worth doing right, and I probably don't feel bad about spending $10K on paint. If I'm building a 3800 V6 Chevette, I spend well less than 1/10 of that amount on paint.

[MonzaRacer]

Why cut corners? I have had to build on near zero budgets, beg and borrow to get some parts and simply built cars that I drove till I couldnt or they got damaged/wrecked/sold.
I have seen $10k paint jobs that i would put $2k paint jobs against.
As for me Ill build a great car, and spend time for good body work and then worry about paint. A lot of decent cars run around with the $2k to $3k paint jobs. If it takes $10to $15 k to impress well I guess I wont impress.
My Monza will get as straight a body as I can give it, and as many coats of paint as I can afford. And Ill try to keep it straight.
I can do a lot of block sanding and detail work on my own.

Dare to be different used to be a motto, and budget builds used to be what we had a passion for, then as the ones with vision and drive got cash and credit we wind up back in the $20k to $100k+ car builds. Thats fine for companies that can justify it for advertisement, but why do WE as a community have to?
Let me show you how a budget build goes, I dont think you will ever believe what can be done, on a budget, but I do.
Because I have done it.
Hopefully my Monza will impress someone, even less the $15k paint job

[derekf]

I don't really have a dog in this race as I let all my car magazine subscriptions lapse years ago.

However, if the goal is to do a "budget build" and you want to get my attention enough to pick up a copy of the magazine do a true budget build. I don't CARE what body it wears, but the budget builds I'd seen in the magazine where "we bought part x from such and such, and part y from so and so" aren't so much budget. How about one where every part short of consumables (belts, hoses, plugs) comes from a salvage yard, where the parts are adapted to fit old-school hotrodding style?

[joemac]

Interesting, like a challenge to see how fast you can go with modified stock parts?(in reference to the above post since I didn't qoute it)

[The Stickman]

That's a good idea. Make it a budget build where nothing can be bought from a vendor or suppier. Everying must come from either parts already on hand, on the car or bought local and used or from places like craigslist or ebay. Same for the car. Set a price for a car ahead of time before the type of car is chosen then look for one local that meets that price.

[Twentyover]

Reality is, advertisers subsidize our subscriptions. To get advertiser support, you need to promote advertiser's products. Reality of the game. Only real exceptions I've seen are GrassRoots Motorsports 200X challenge, and Practical Performance Car's 999 pound challenge (sorry, I don't know the ascii for British pound sterling)

So while it's likely they may start w/ a budget body, don't anticipate cheep stuff on the car

[Steve1968LS2]

I don't build cars thinking about what they will resell for. I build a car for me and only me. I also didn't see where the article would even consider that. It's about a Budget build. Getting the most out of the least. If one only has X amount of dollars, is it best to spend alot of it on the car and only be able to accomplish some of their goals? Or spend much less on the car and make it do most all of what you want?

Well that's good and all.. but some people like to think they can get a good portion of their $$$ back if they sell. Some don't care. But either way people need to consider it.

And again with the budget deal.. did you know the US has a "budget".. yep, it's trillions of dollars. lol --- I would think a better term woud be "low buck".. after all, even Riddler cars have a budget.

My only point was that once you have the car all the rest costs exactly the same. I don't know why that a tough concept. I never said "Don't buy car X" Buy the car you like, just don't have the misconception that because the car is an oddball that it somehow will be less expensive to modify.

[James OLC]

My suggestion - Early 80's Mercury Capri - cars are cheap, parts interchange with Mustang bits, you don't see a lot of them and they are not bad cars either.

[Bryce]

I havent read all the posts yet. but a lincoln mark VIII. would be awesome.

4.6 4cam motor. so drop in a ford GT 5.4 super charged motor. independent rear suspension with air bags on all four corners. and really cheap for a 94 model. look in to it.

[GrabberGT]

I scanned this thread looking for Maverick to be suggested. Didnt see it so here it is. They are cheap to get into and most all the parts from your current Street Fighter Project will bolt right up to it with little or no modification.

To Steves point though, (not sure that discussions relevance to the original question as I didnt read much of it) dont expect to get out of it what you put in.

Please do a Maverick build.

I think I copied this concept from ModMav71

[BADNBLK]

3rd gen Camaro vote again (Of course I would). Would really like to see a budget 6.2L VVT engine with T56. Make it pass CARB, and see what type of fuel mileage the swap can offer.

[JayR]

Hey Liz, How about alternate A-Bodies? Any aftermarket A-Body part bolts right onto all of them which cost about half as much as a Chevelle.

For instance, my Skylark project https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=57251

[Steve1968LS2]

I scanned this thread looking for Maverick to be suggested. Didnt see it so here it is. They are cheap to get into and most all the parts from your current Street Fighter Project will bolt right up to it with little or no modification.

To Steves point though, (not sure that discussions relevance to the original question as I didnt read much of it) dont expect to get out of it what you put in.

Please do a Maverick build.

I suggested a Maveric when I was at PHR.. I got shot down. Jody over at lat-g had a mint one for cheap.. would have been so cool. So I ended up doing the Fairlane.

[justasquid]

Concerning the comments that a build is going to cost the same no matter what car it is. I have to disagree. that was the whole reason I was suggesting a Fiero. It will take a lot more money to make an old heavy car handle as good as the fiero does stock. You are dealing with a lot less weight in the fiero, so any minor changes you make, are going gain a bigger difference than a heavier car would show. Plus being light, a lower hp engine can be dropped in to get the same result that a much higher hp engine would have to with a heavier car. to put the cars on the same level, the Fiero will cost less.. At least I think it would.

The V-8 Miata that was mentioned would be a great car too. I know there are a few companies out there that sell kits to make it that much easier. Nothing like a modern day Cobra.

[GrabberGT]

I suggested a Maveric when I was at PHR.. I got shot down. Jody over at lat-g had a mint one for cheap.. would have been so cool. So I ended up doing the Fairlane.

You know, mine has been mistaken for a 2nd gen Camaro on more than one occasion. Maybe a Mav project could find a home in your Mag. LOL
Better check with PHR before running with it though. I talked to them first.

I'm a little ashamed to say it but I know someone with an LSx in his Mav if that will make you feel better.

[jackfrost]

I'd just like to see something different.

early alternate A-bodies. Olds Omega? Olds Jetfire?