Do you keep seeing automotive projects you want?

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Originally Posted By: Quest
LOL! I would have mo betta dumb luck finding a vette (Chevette, that is) than paying top $$ for those others...

Q.


Hmmm, wonder if you could actually find one and then turn it into something actually fun - better suspension and a turbo cobalt engine in it. See, it's a sickness - I can turn anything into an automotive project challenge.

I autocross with a guy with an early rough Fiero with a newer 3.5 V6 in it and its a fun car. He just runs an automatic as its simpler to set up. He's a good driver and could keep up with a supercharged Elise with equal tires on a tight track during our lapping day. Pretty good company for a junkyard car!

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
For a long time I've wanted to buy either a Mitsubishi Starion or a Chrysler Conquest. Most of them are quite cheap, but need work. I figure it'd be a good project to take on for a fun little turbo rocket

A friend of mine had one a while back (20+ years ago). I believe it was an '87 or '88, widebody, in black with black leather interior, a VERY nice car with an awesome stance. It was like Knight Rider with all the then-high tech gadgets and a dash that glowed. Shame it wasn't as fast as it looked but that turbo'd truck engine Mitsubishi put in it still got the job done well enough.

 

[cadfaeltex]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
For a long time I've wanted to buy either a Mitsubishi Starion or a Chrysler Conquest. Most of them are quite cheap, but need work. I figure it'd be a good project to take on for a fun little turbo rocket

There's a Top Gear UK episode where Jeremy clark uses a Starion for one of their wild challenges. Think Hamster used a BMW 6 series coupe and Captain Slow used an XJS (which is why I bought the episode on iTunes.)

 

[morris]

all those ideas are fine. but if you cant afford/dont have the time, try getting into radio control cars. thats what i did, when i had to move to an apartment. less money, easier to do. also my body wont let me car work like i used to.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Originally Posted By: Quest
LOL! I would have mo betta dumb luck finding a vette (Chevette, that is) than paying top $$ for those others...

Q.


Hmmm, wonder if you could actually find one and then turn it into something actually fun - better suspension and a turbo cobalt engine in it. See, it's a sickness - I can turn anything into an automotive project challenge.


I saw one with a complete MPI 3400/4L60E from a 1996 Firebird on the 2010 Power Tour. It was COOL! It was also REALLY quick.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

There's a lot of 64-63 Chryslers for sale lately and I'd love another, but those aren't very good for work use. Other things I'd like to get or do again:
61 plymouth- my favorite car front end of all time
72 lesabre- like i had in HS.

81-85 Seville- always liked those
66 Chrysler towne sedan- have the regular sedan and the hardtop, need the 6 window to complete the set.

 

[cadfaeltex]

Oh, just saw an elise on a thread - add that to the list. Did I mention a tri-five chevy?

 

[artificialist]

I have a variety of things I want to try:

1. I want to buy a variety of 1980s cars that had turbo engines, and loads of decals that brag about having a turbo engine. Next, in some of them, I want to see what happens when a modern turbo of similar size to the OEM turbo does, and on some of them, I want to swap in a modern turbo engine.
Lets see:
A 1981-1983 Datsun 280ZX Turbo
A 1984-1986 Nissan 300ZX turbo with digital interior and robot voice.
A Mitsubishi Starion.
A couple of Chrysler FWD turbo cars.
A few Pontiac turbo cars
A Buick GNX

I want to create a unique 1979-1994 SAAB 900 convertible, just because I am fascinated by the unique transaxle it uses.

Also, I want a Nissan R34 GT-R. I think it would be interesting to see what happens if the VR38DETT gets swapped in.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I saw a Cobra kit car on the road a few months back. It seemed pretty solid but the fiberglass body was mostly in black primer and the panels and trim looked like they were thrown together. The driver was having fun with it regardless.

That got me thinking: does a Cobra need to look like it's on a magazine cover? Can't it look like a beat up old racecar on the outside but still have the goods underneath? Would you drive it more and worry about it less if you didn't spend 5k on finishing the fiberglass perfectly and having a show-quality paint job done?


IMO, it's fine for a weekend car to look like a piece of junk. It makes it more surprising when a ratty-looking project car rocks out, and embarrasses much more polished cars.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
A couple of Chrysler FWD turbo cars.
A Buick GNX

A Dodge Omni GLH or GLHS would be a fun little deathtrap to tinker with for sure. Shame the transmissions and chassis on those things were such garbage.

What's the going rate on an 80's T-Type Regal nowadays? Have the prices gone way up since every owner watches too much Barrett-Jackson and thinks they own a Grand National?

 

[DavidZ28]

Just about every '82-'92 V8 hardtop Z28/IROC Camaro I see on Ebay or Auto Trader I want to buy, rescue, or restore.