With good weather coming on, I started thinking about a vehicle that I can tinker with but not have to depend on come Monday morning. It can be US or foreign, FWD or RWD, but must have broad aftermarket parts and an active enthusiast community. I am not looking for blistering acceleration, just good overall vehicle dynamics either from the factory or with aftermarket parts.

Here are some I am thinking of, anyone else have any ideas? -

E30 BMW (318 or 325)

Ford Focus (to '03)

Ford (FOX) Mustang or Fairmont ('79-'86)

I would go with the Mustang!!!

Or if you want to be really crazy? Old VW Beetle (cheap parts and fun to drive).

I've rebuilt several (older) Saturns for daily commuters, but in doing so I discovered there are a lot of car enthusiasts that run with Saturns. I can't say enough how easy these cars are to work on, parts are inexpensive and readily available. But I've only worked on their early models ('91 - '95).

There is a Saturn forum (www.saturnforum.com) that may be worth your time poking around on if you're interested

I'd love to get a VW body and bolt it to one of these chassis...

Go here, and click on "chassis"...

http://www.prostreetbug.com/


By the way, know of anyone who makes an automatic for these old bugs? And not that semi-auto they came with, but a full auto?

Or how about an early Golf or GTI with a Hyabusa engine?

Shot of engine-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMqnGkqyfa8&feature=related

A few "peel-outs"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xdks-j3yt0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-oBw5P8-BM

123456789

Impreza GC FTW!1!

http://www.jtuned.com/media/gallery%2Farticles%2FSubaru%20Impreza%20GC8%2F001% 2Ejpg

BACK ON TOPIC...


I was restoring my BMW 325 before my wreck. Factory resto. You've seen it at my house- the grey one.

I wanted to get a second one and do a v8 conversion to it. Since I worked at a garage, it would have been pretty easy for me to tackle.

Here's a vid of a V8 E30 blasting by...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90kc8tnvOjY

And here's one "drifting"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VGOvLDIg5c&NR=1

A 5th gear drift...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOjNt6amQ90&feature=related

E30 sweet sounds...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp5Eaf8xOgM&feature=related

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Impreza GC FTW!1!

Thought about the early GC but already have a GD WRX in the family.

Think I am done with Subaru for awhile.

Well, out of your limited selection I'd second the Mustang.

I am open to suggestions as well.



But the Fairmont??????

http://firstgenfirebird.org/ubb/images/icons/default/sick.gif

I didn't stutter!

:D

Underneath the bodywork is a FOX Mustang; nearly everything bolts on.

http://images.mustangandfords.com/featuredvehicles/p145731_large+1980_Ford_Fairmont+Rear_Passenger_Si de.jpg

http://images.mustangandfords.com/featuredvehicles/p145730_large+1980_Ford_Fairmont+Front_Driver_Side .jpg

If I was going to buy any BMW it would be the 850 csi.

One of the best looking cars ever IMO.

Is there broad aftermarket support and an active enthusiast community out there though?

:no:

My son rebuilt from the ground up....a 1st generation 1991 Mitsubishi Turbo Exclipse.
Those old Mitsu Turbos apparently are quite popular with the street racing crowd!?
Used and after market parts are readily available and the kids mod these up like crazy!?
My son certainly did!!

Then he gave it to me last year for my birthday!

Bless his little grease-stained heart!!

Steve

I like the mustang idea. Something like a 91 LX 5.0 or how about a street rod style bug?

87007 8700987010

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Alfa Romeo GTV6 :cool:

http://www.carlone.ch/Neue%20Autos2/Alfa%20GTV%206%202.JPG

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My son rebuilt from the ground up....a 1st generation 1991 Mitsubishi Turbo Exclipse.
Those old Mitsu Turbos apparently are quite popular with the street racing crowd!?
Used and after market parts are readily available and the kids mod these up like crazy!?
My son certainly did!!

Then he gave it to me last year for my birthday!

Bless his little grease-stained heart!!

Steve

Great pick, I didn't even think of these!

I forgot all about the orphaned Eagle Talons too.

Depending on what part of the world he's in this may be the closest he gets!

VW Scirocco

I had an '81 MK1 Scirocco S like this one that I bought new -

http://www.autosportvolkswagenparts.com/images/scirocco-1.jpg

I've had (9) VW's & drive a MK3 Jetta right now.

Not hungering for another but who knows?

A Corrado SLC wouldn't be bad but both it and the MK2 Sciroccos are over 16 years old now.

Alfas were heavily distributed in New England. Next town over there are (4) spread around someones yard. If I dream in Italian, it would be for one of these.....drool......-

http://www.autocollections.com/image/cars/85%20lancia%20rally%20f.jpg

If I stayed German this, the uberScirocco -

http://www.targanewfoundland.com/images/2004/1010_L.jpg

But these are all going outside of what I'd likely trip across in New England or are they?

Keeeeerist, I am going to quit this and go sell some more crap on eBay!

:smoke:

...........vehicle that I can tinker with but not have to depend on come Monday morning.

Here are some I am thinking of, anyone else have any ideas? -

E30 BMW (318 or 325)
Ford Focus (to '03)
Ford (FOX) Mustang or Fairmont ('79-'86)

I hear all three of those choices fit the category: always need tinkering, and not very dependable.:D (you said it, not me!):yes:

Why not a Camaro? You can buy parts anywhere, and they always seem to have resale value. Even a pickup would work.:thmbsp:

I hear all three of those choices fit the category: always need tinkering, and not very dependable.:D (you said it, not me!):yes:

Why not a Camaro? You can buy parts anywhere, and they always seem to have resale value. Even a pickup would work.:thmbsp:

No, what I said was I don't want to have to depend on it for Monday morning. For years I did my own wrenching and my project scope was limited to what I could start Friday after work and finish by Sunday evening. The reason was the car I had was my primary transportation. Not sure I agree with the assessment on reliability of the above cars though. My coworker's Focus has nearly 170K on it, both of my FOX's never failed to start or deliver me, & I still see E30's on the road pretty much weekly hence them on this list.

As far as the Camaro goes, and I'll gather you mean '82 & up. It has a great chassis and does fit the requirement for lots of aftermarket and enthusiast interest. Tough car for MA and for me to get excited over however. Let's just say they have a certain cachet to them. Anyone who lived through the 80's with them up here knows exactly what I mean.

:banana:

Datsun 510!

http://www.turbophile.com/feature_cars/dale-datsun-510/burnout-lrg.jpg

I hear all three of those choices fit the category: always need tinkering, and not very dependable.:D (you said it, not me!):yes:..

I owned two of the three- E30 BMW (325), and Ford (FOX) Mustang.

A 1982 GT and a 1989 convertible GT. I enjoyed them both. A few friends owned them too.

Problems with the Fox platform that we experienced-

1) Poor turning radius.

2) Rear hatch rattles are common, and can sometimes be a project to eliminate.

3) Aggressive driving can lead to cracked floor pans where the drivers seat mounts (ask me how I know), and torn sections of frame where the sway bars bolt on to (ask my friend Dave). But yes, you gotta be driving them hard. Westgate Lanes street racing, anyone?:D

4) Structural stability is compromised if rear-ended and repaired. They're never really the same again, according to my pal who owns a body shop and has fixed his fair share of them.

5) Convertible wobbled over washboard roads as if you were piloting jello. You could hear the dash creak, and watch the top of the hood and windshield frame shimmy. The doors would sometimes shift up and down in the body- you could feel it if you had your arm resting on top of it. T-top models not as bad, but still compromised structural stability. And both usually leaked a good amount.

6) Tranny issues regarding shifting between a few gears (but I can't recall specifics anymore).

Great things about the Fox platform GTs-

1) Good visibility.

2) Great cargo storage in the hatchbacks.

3) Fast, and loads and loads of fun to drive with lots and lots of character to them.

4) For a live axle car, pretty good handling.

5) Easy to work on and customize.

6) Potential to make them knockout fast.

7) Comfortable, and well laid out, making for a pleasing and enjoyable ride.

8) Civil and well-mannered in traffic (if you wanted it to be).

9) Convertible version incredibly fun on a warm summer day.

10) Nice, simple and time-proven engine.

Would I own another one? Sure. Just a great, all-around fun car. I'd opt for a notchback 5.0 LX with a sunroof though.


The 325s-

The Bad-

1) Niggling little things with them- clogged windshield washer hoses (actually a piece of cotton filter inline that gets clogged), power window switches oxidizing, easy to dislocate glovebox hinges, ect.

2) Parts can be pricey. I worked for a BMW dealer, and still paid more for my parts with my discount than if I were buying them retail for most other cars.

3) For such a great handling car, absolutely abominal in the snow.

4) For such a luxurious performance car, no tilt steering wheel. And no cup holders- german engineering doesn't believe in 'em.

5) Heavy for their size.

The good-

1) Superb wet weather and dry warm weather handling- possibly the best I've personally owned.

2) Great visibility.

3) Comfortable as heck, like a broken-in pair of your favorite loafers.

4) Engine fuel economy.

5) Engine performance.

6) Engineering.

7) Excellent braking (4 wheel discs).

8) Great transmission (as long as it's manual).

8) Solid build and incredibly stiff chassis- which is why it's such a heavy car for it's diminutive size.

Would I own another? Yes. Just a nice, refined car, comfortable with all-around good handling and performance.



Either car, I'm not a fan of the auto trannies though.

And I'd argue the point about reliability- the Fox body Mustang is a simple car, and the Beemer, a solidly designed car.

Indeedy, both required more tinkering and higher maintenance than a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, but the amount of sheer fun and enjoyment they reward you with is paid off in spades.

I've never seen the Integrale in street trim. Looks purty.

...As far as the Camaro goes, and I'll gather you mean '82 & up. It has a great chassis and does fit the requirement for lots of aftermarket and enthusiast interest....

I loved the first and second generation Firebirds and Camaros, and was a big GM product fan. I never warmed to the third generation, for a host of reasons. Never wanted to own one.


...Tough car for MA and for me to get excited over however. Let's just say they have a certain cachet to them. Anyone who lived through the 80's with them up here knows exactly what I mean.

:banana:


All too well.:yes:

what type of car are you looking for? muscel? hot rod? regular car? sleeper? chick magnet? if your just looking for something cheap, wide selection of parts, fast, and sleeper, i would personaly recommend a 89 colt/mirage. i had one a while back. it was a lot of fun. other good cars and sleepers are 1g eclipses, vr4 galants, other mirace/colts, datsun 510 and others. as you can see, im a big fan of mitsubishi. why? one of the biggest reason is....since its introduction in the 1980's till 2006+, what other company can say they used the same motor(with minor updates) for as long as the 4g63t? gets good gas, lots of parts, and a whole lot of fun

1) Poor turning radius.

2) Rear hatch rattles are common, and can sometimes be a project to eliminate.

3) Aggressive driving can lead to cracked floor pans where the drivers seat mounts (ask me how I know), and torn sections of frame where the sway bars bolt on to (ask my friend Dave). But yes, you gotta be driving them hard. Westgate Lanes street racing, anyone?:D

1) Easily compensated for with liberal application of the go pedal.

:D

2) Neither of mine had that. My buddy's identically set-up & same year LX did, badly as if the hatch wasn't fully aligned over the opening. Maybe a car to car thing?

3) No ish! Was it rust related? My last one was starting to get bad near the seat bolts and I wondered if it was because they chased/tapped the holes after the car was painted/undercoated?

And then there is this angle -

V8 Focus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AInDpYP6bHo&feature=related)

(Well beyond what I want to tackle though.)

what type of car are you looking for? muscel? hot rod? regular car? sleeper? chick magnet? if your just looking for something cheap, wide selection of parts, fast, and sleeper, i would personaly recommend a 89 colt/mirage. i had one a while back. it was a lot of fun. other good cars and sleepers are 1g eclipses, vr4 galants, other mirace/colts, datsun 510 and others. as you can see, im a big fan of mitsubishi. why? one of the biggest reason is....since its introduction in the 1980's till 2006+, what other company can say they used the same motor(with minor updates) for as long as the 4g63t? gets good gas, lots of parts, and a whole lot of fun

I was in high school in Socal when BRE 510's were on the track and replicas of them were all over the road as well the rage for Mazda RX2, RX3, Cosmo, Datsun minitrucks, etc. I'd love a 510 but it is too old now. An unrestored one doesn't exist in any form I'd want. The main thing I don't want is to have to spend $7-10K just getting the body stabilized. Back to my original statement -

"I started thinking about a vehicle that I can tinker with but not have to depend on come Monday morning. It can be US or foreign, FWD or RWD, but must have broad aftermarket parts and an active enthusiast community. I am not looking for blistering acceleration, just good overall vehicle dynamics either from the factory or with aftermarket parts."

The above makes the Mitsu an interesting choice. That is indeed a great motor and I did not realize the longevity it had. Certainly plenty of them around. The VR4 although cool falls out because of the AWD. I've had 2 & don't want another.

I guess I'd also have to throw the Celica into the mix. My buddy has a GT-S he bought new in 1987. The car is dissolving around him but the motor is unopened and the clutch original. I think it has nearly 300K on it now.

I appreciate all the comments so far.

:thmbsp:

All too well.:yes:

I figured you might have a comment on that one.

:D

[QUOTE=soundmotor;1786936]1) Easily compensated for with liberal application of the go pedal.

:D


Yes. Unless the po-po are watching. :D

2) Neither of mine had that. My buddy's identically set-up & same year LX did, badly as if the hatch wasn't fully aligned over the opening. Maybe a car to car thing?

Possibly. Not every one is afflicted. Notchbacks, of course, don't have that issue. The additional bracing in the design (trunk to rear window panel) helps as well.

3) No ish! Was it rust related? My last one was starting to get bad near the seat bolts and I wondered if it was because they chased/tapped the holes after the car was painted/undercoated?

For the seat, more of too much force on the bucket, eventually stressing the floor panel. More typical with really heavy drivers, and mine were originally owned by big guys. I've seen a handful of 'em like this.

For the frame issue, I dunno what caused it, but it was at the time, a 1986 Mercury Capri Fox body 5.0 I first saw it on, and my friend dave was a very aggressive driver.


Fun cars. There's two places around me that have a bunch for sale. Swing by and I'll bring you by them.

The V8 Focus was an actual kit you could buy from Ford directly, believe it or not. Needed a Focus and Ford the sold you the motor, trans, and all the other parts.

Two votes from me for V8 conversions would be

1. Pontiac Fiero (http://www.v8archie.com/v8Archie/home.htm)

-Or-

B. Mazda Miata (http://www.monstermiata.com/default.asp)

Scott

How about a 1970 Firebird? Paint it black, put a 428 in it, remove all the emblems, hardly anyone will know what it is. I think they look really menacing and have a huge selection of parts.

I am biased, I had a 75 T/A in white. Lots of fun when you step on it. Good brakes and handling right out of the box, but poor rear visibility.

Porsche 914

how about a street rod style bug?

I posted this one in another thread. I do think these are outrageous and would love to have one but it is a cubic money maw. That bodywork was expensive.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q294/soundmotor/306431.jpg

Two votes from me for V8 conversions would be

1. Pontiac Fiero (http://www.v8archie.com/v8Archie/home.htm)

-Or-

B. Mazda Miata (http://www.monstermiata.com/default.asp)

Scott

They would both be outrageous. Think I like the Fiero/Northstar approach better than the Miata.

Porsche 914

I had (2) already (both 73's one w/ 2.0 & the other a 1.7) and still love them. The main problem with them now is demon rust. Being in the northeast, it is nearly impossible to find one not rusted out across the middle & starting to sag. I would have to find one from a no salt state.

However, they are ripe for conversions to a Subaru WRX powerplant. As much as I like the Type IV motor, a Subie mill in there just makes too much sense. The Renegade Hybrids conversion is supposed to be extremely well engineered too and makes the conversion straightforward. I've read that 30MPG is not atypical with one of these and not too surprising since there is nearly 1,000 lbs. difference in curb weight between the 914 and my gas hog WRX. And then there is that special something of ~300HP in place of the original 95HP.....

This one might have to go on the list.

:scratch2:

Donut (http://www.renegadehybrids.com/914/Subie/Videos/Video02.avi)

http://www.subaruwrxnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/1973-porsche-914-swap-kit-1.jpg

i drove a 5.0 five speed GT from 1990 to 1993, and then a 91 LX 5.0/5 speed coupe from 93 until last year. it would be hard to imagine a car easier to work on, with more parts available than the Fox Mustang

i drove a 5.0 five speed GT from 1990 to 1993, and then a 91 LX 5.0/5 speed coupe from 93 until last year. it would be hard to imagine a car easier to work on, with more parts available than the Fox Mustang

That is pretty much the way I feel about the ones I had but I've not been in one since '92 or thereabouts. I had a '79 Cobra turbo that was bought off the lot of Jerry Boone Ford in Burleson, TX in '80 and an '85 5.0 LX that I ordered in '84 here in MA. The '79 was a far better handler stock w/ the TRX suspension but the '85 was more fun to drive. I am torn between the crude but effective, bag for the buck FOX platform and the more tweaky 914. Over the weekend I went to foureyedpride and am amazed at how much is out there for the FOX.

In any case, I appreciate all the ideas so far and am pretty sure I know what I am narrowing down to.

123456789

If you want availability of parts a Camaro or Mustang have tons of them all years pretty much...

If I were you I would buy one that's fairly close to being done.. The work and labor involved to start and finish a car can be mind-boggling...

123456789

Burleson, so that's where Orion's shoulder is! Too close for comfort! I like the SVO, you should have kept the Cobra and all your questions would have been answered.

No, Burleson was a lifetime ago. I live in New England, specifically the MAsshole state now. Sometime I'll post scans of the Cobra after it met an 8" California scrub oak at ~45MPH. Buckled roof, bent front, GF into windshield, me in the St. Helena, CA hospital. Not pretty.

If I were you I would buy one that's fairly close to being done.. The work and labor involved to start and finish a car can be mind-boggling...

That has always been the best advice. A friend forwarded me a link to a 10 year incomplete project off craigslist that is probably $0.03 on the $1.00. The guy is definitely pulling the ripcord and bailing out on it.

What about the Miata with the Mustang body kit and V8 conversion?????
http://www.bligblog.com/media/05-03-07/leaves_450.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/4/web/2416000-2416999/2416491_170_full.jpg

I saw this at SEMA in '03 or '04 & you need to see them in person. At first glance they look great but the more I looked at it the more the proportion just seemed a bit off. Hard to describe exactly but just doesn't seem quite right. Could just be me.

Edit:

I did not see the Miata one as you show above, I saw the conversion for the SN95, '94 & up Mustang.

Hi,

Got ya a nice contrarian one for a project. How about a nice Turbo Swedish Brick! A modded Turbo Volvo can be tres exciting to drive. If ya gets a wagon version ya also have lots of room to haul your daily Karma home to boot. My 960 Turbo can haul arse well!

A fun car that does a lot of things well. Try a Merkur its essentially a Turbo coupe fox body, with independent rear suspension. Something everyone doesn't have either.

123456789

http://www.swapthing.com/ItemImages/thedots0614/DSC00232.jpg

I do indeed remember them. I don't think the above is a McClaren though as that looks like an '81 or earlier nose on the Capri. Hard to say for sure though.

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For me every project should be profitable if you ever decide to sell. If you are going to spend a bunch of cash and sweat on it, you might as well make it worth your while. So, think of a desirable car, and build it. There are some Cobra kit cars that are being built on a Fox Mustang donor car. I think the "Factory Five" ones are good, but do some homework. They are fun to drive and sell for nearly $40k when done. I have a friend who has done a few and they are not too difficult, by comparison, to a V8 conversion of another car.

For me every project should be profitable if you ever decide to sell. If you are going to spend a bunch of cash and sweat on it, you might as well make it worth your while. So, think of a desirable car, and build it.

That would certainly be ideal but I cannot conceive of how to go about that where a car is concerned. They've usually been money sinks because I had an emotional attachment to them. Probably why I've enjoyed them so much rather than keeping an eye on what the true costs of owning them were.

I have a soft spot for Novas...

http://www.2quicknovas.com/10-13-07-3.jpg

Scott

What part makes it look like an earlier Capri, maybe they modified it?

I guess it really doesn't look any different than the one you posted except for the 79-81 hood scoop. Perhaps they used the early scoop on the later cars? Also the molding trim has the channel vs. the later smooth style like my '85 had. It doesn't really matter though as ASC is certainly the one noted for them as you said.

Fox Bodied Mustang 5.0 the engines run forever. I have had 3 of them and all have run 200K with no major problems and get 20 plus MPG. Aftermarket is cheap and plentiful. Here is mine.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/126418/fullsize/picture-001.jpg

I owned two of the three- E30 BMW (325), and Ford (FOX) Mustang.

A 1982 GT and a 1989 convertible GT. I enjoyed them both. A few friends owned them too.

Problems with the Fox platform that we experienced-

1) Poor turning radius.

2) Rear hatch rattles are common, and can sometimes be a project to eliminate.

3) Aggressive driving can lead to cracked floor pans where the drivers seat mounts (ask me how I know), and torn sections of frame where the sway bars bolt on to (ask my friend Dave). But yes, you gotta be driving them hard. Westgate Lanes street racing, anyone?:D

4) Structural stability is compromised if rear-ended and repaired. They're never really the same again, according to my pal who owns a body shop and has fixed his fair share of them.

5) Convertible wobbled over washboard roads as if you were piloting jello. You could hear the dash creak, and watch the top of the hood and windshield frame shimmy. The doors would sometimes shift up and down in the body- you could feel it if you had your arm resting on top of it. T-top models not as bad, but still compromised structural stability. And both usually leaked a good amount.

6) Tranny issues regarding shifting between a few gears (but I can't recall specifics anymore).

Great things about the Fox platform GTs-

1) Good visibility.

2) Great cargo storage in the hatchbacks.

3) Fast, and loads and loads of fun to drive with lots and lots of character to them.

4) For a live axle car, pretty good handling.

5) Easy to work on and customize.

6) Potential to make them knockout fast.

7) Comfortable, and well laid out, making for a pleasing and enjoyable ride.

8) Civil and well-mannered in traffic (if you wanted it to be).

9) Convertible version incredibly fun on a warm summer day.

10) Nice, simple and time-proven engine.

Would I own another one? Sure. Just a great, all-around fun car. I'd opt for a notchback 5.0 LX with a sunroof though.


The 325s-

The Bad-

1) Niggling little things with them- clogged windshield washer hoses (actually a piece of cotton filter inline that gets clogged), power window switches oxidizing, easy to dislocate glovebox hinges, ect.

2) Parts can be pricey. I worked for a BMW dealer, and still paid more for my parts with my discount than if I were buying them retail for most other cars.

3) For such a great handling car, absolutely abominal in the snow.

4) For such a luxurious performance car, no tilt steering wheel. And no cup holders- german engineering doesn't believe in 'em.

5) Heavy for their size.

The good-

1) Superb wet weather and dry warm weather handling- possibly the best I've personally owned.

2) Great visibility.

3) Comfortable as heck, like a broken-in pair of your favorite loafers.

4) Engine fuel economy.

5) Engine performance.

6) Engineering.

7) Excellent braking (4 wheel discs).

8) Great transmission (as long as it's manual).

8) Solid build and incredibly stiff chassis- which is why it's such a heavy car for it's diminutive size.

Would I own another? Yes. Just a nice, refined car, comfortable with all-around good handling and performance.



Either car, I'm not a fan of the auto trannies though.

And I'd argue the point about reliability- the Fox body Mustang is a simple car, and the Beemer, a solidly designed car.

Indeedy, both required more tinkering and higher maintenance than a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, but the amount of sheer fun and enjoyment they reward you with is paid off in spades.

Weld in Sub frame connectors are a Must in a convertible. They tighten up the car tremendously and stop 99% of rattles. :thmbsp:

Hi,

Got ya a nice contrarian one for a project. How about a nice Turbo Swedish Brick! A modded Turbo Volvo can be tres exciting to drive. If ya gets a wagon version ya also have lots of room to haul your daily Karma home to boot. My 960 Turbo can haul arse well!

I concur with great enthusiasm! I had a 1986 240 DL fun as hell (rhyme:D)

The best project car is the one that you enjoy most and tends to stir the fondest memories. I can think of a few...

:music:

http://jonsey.blogdns.org/img/800px-Corvair-convertible-1.jpg

You can replace the entire power train in two hours.

Go for the E30. Excellent condition E30s still sell for a fair amount and sell very fast. I'd love to have one as a second vehicle. A 91 318is or a 89-91 325is would be my first choice. Go for a 325ix if you want to run it in the snow on a regular basis. The E30 M3 is probably the best M3 of all time but it will take $25,000 to get a nice example. The 325ic and 318ic are nice convertibles. You can pay someone to swap and auto to manual for about $1,500 to $2,000. Proper winter tires will help a lot. All weather will not cut it in the snow.

123456789

Upgrade to a YENKO!
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/images/your_garage/cars/5931_1265931825474b712d816b8.jpg

I wish... Or a Fitch Sprint.
http://jonsey.blogdns.org/img/sprintcb.jpg

123456789

F-body here w/great modification potential in those LS1 engines:

See avatar: 2002 Pontiac Trans Am "Firehawk", or WS6 model

OR Camaro SS

You can replace the entire power train in two hours.

Unfortunately in the northeast that equates to powertrain sitting on ground because supporting structure rotted away decades ago. I'd need to find one not needing extensive body stabilization before the project even starts and that isn't happening up here. Any of them not needing that would mean they are well on there way to a full restoration. That would be getting beyond project car and well into collectible/investment especially if it is a Spyder/Corsa variant.

I love them though. My college roomate had a '64 Spyder and it was a hoot to drive. His dad set it up for him and it cornered flat & true. Blue w/ white interior and big Marchal fogs on the front, it looked "the business".

Some very interesting ones on corvaircorsa.com.

I like the custom grillework quite a but.

Looks factory not hacked.