Beto writes:
Sajeev,
I been reading TTAC for about a year and really enjoy your column, it’s very informative and fun. I live in Houston and I really enjoy cars. I am still young, not rich, I don’t know much about repairing vehicles, but I would like to learn and make it a hobby.
I am would like to purchase an “older cool vehicle” that I can ride around on the weekends and I would be able to work on it myself, something not expensive and easy to keep up with. I am not looking a long project car that would be sitting on jacks in my garage for years, but something that it’s already running, or just needs a few parts to make it run and more importantly that I can learn to work on it. I would like to spend less than $5K on the car itself, and I am very open to all kinds of vehicles. I really would like an old roaster or small sport car, but I like older trucks too. Whatever the vehicle it is, I think it’s time to start getting my hands greasy.
Sajeev answers:
Epic Win for car enthusiasts! Next time someone says that young people only lust after those smarty phones, them iPad or Xbox thingies, or the Facebook and Twitters, I will remember your quandary. We, the car enthusiast, stand tall.
Much like the indigenous population, Houston is a vehicle-diverse kinda town. One example: the moderately well-heeled Asian/Caucasian rice burner scene is long since dead, but the hottest of Hondas that used to prowl Westheimer are still around, now sold in your price range by Hispanics in less advantageous parts of town. Maybe I better stop here: before my words are misconstrued as a rant with a racial slant.
The list of vehicles that fit your needs is remarkably long, it’s difficult to pare it down. They must be simple to repair and diagnose. Parts must be affordable, with bonus points for plenty of replacements at the junkyard. And the electrics must be comprised of common sense components designed with some amount of bang for the buck! All of the above rules out neat cars like VW GTIs, heavily-depreciated European flagships, half dead Vettes/RX-7s/Supras and so forth.
More to the point, this vehicle shouldn’t put you in the poor house, living on jack stands for months while you save up for a replacement part. So let’s break it down.
Older Trucks:
- 90’s Tacoma – Command a premium, great sport truck potential otherwise.
- 90’s Nissan Hardbody – Great looks, good value, hot-rodding potential from other 4-cyl Nissans.
- 90’s S-10/Ranger – Cheap and easy to restore and modify, popular platforms for good reason.
- 80s-90’s Detroit Full Sizers – not exactly your kind of fun, I’d pass.
“Sports” Cars:
- 90s Diamond Star Turbo – Just kidding!
- 80s-90’s Civic, Prelude – common, fun, easy to fix if hoon’d to near death.
- 90’s Nissan Sentra, 240SX, 300ZX: harder to find, still a great value. 300ZX is a complicated money pit compared to the others, but Nissan does offer RWD at this price point.
- 90’s V8 Mustang and Camaro – arguably the best performance potential in straight lines or corners.
- 90’s Miata – irresistible, aside from the “girly” stigma some cannot overcome.
- Original VW Beetle – even today this is a wonderful vehicle for a newbie enthusiast
- British Roadsters – numerous MGs are available on Craigslist, the local UK-roadster following is helpful.
- Non-Mustang Fox Body Fords – because people do love a good 5.0 Mercury Cougar at times. Or maybe that’s just my bias.
So what’s my choice? I can’t decide between a Ranger, V8 Mustang/Camaro, Beetle, Miata, British or a Fox body. Best and Brightest, now it is your turn.
Send your queries to mehta@ttac.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.
Datsun 240/260/280 Z. Preferably a 240 if you can find one, but the later models have their attributes as well.
Solid cars, fun to drive and own, just watch for rust on inspection.
+1, a million times.
+2
Check out Hybridz.org if this is appealing to you. You’ll find more information about Z-cars and modifications than anyplace else on the web. LSx, RB, 1jz, 2jz, SR, KA, 13b, BBC, SBC, SBF swaps are fully documented and the community is rather friendly, although they do demand you search before asking.
Cars can be easily had for less than $5k; hell, many swapped cars can be had for between $5k and $8k.
Nothing like a 2400 lb car with 400+ whp and 400+ wheel lb-ft on tap.
Don’t forget about 70s model Novas. They haven’t been given donk status yet so they’re still affordable. Novas are cheap to fix and fun to drive and even cheaper to drive if you find one with a six. Ditto for Mavericks, 78 & up Malibus, Fairmonts, Darts and non-AMX Javelins.
Hopefully those No-vas will never get donk status. they are plug-ugly.
Darts and Valiants were great through ’72, really great; badly done emissions equipment killed them after that.
Don’t bother with British roadsters. British roadsters are nothing but trouble. Get a Miata. Sajeev, real men don’t worry about “girly stigma!”
I also think an old CRV would be a great choice.
Original beetles–read my review before you make that choice.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/review-used-car-classic-vw-beetle/
Spot on about the smogged Darts. My aunt had one, a sweet looking green Swinger with the 318 V8. I think my dad’s Pinto could outrun it, and when you floored it smoke filled the interior. But I believe most states don’t make 40-yer-old vehicles pass smog inspections, so you could buy a post ’72, ditch the smog bits, and have a nice ride.
David, I beg to differ. The early 70s Novas were attractive cars. Maybe not as sleek as the Chevelle, but I think they were muscular and had good proportions and a nice stance. One of my lottery list cars is a mid ’70s police Nova. It’s a four door Z-28, only better since the Nova body was stiffer than the Camaro. Actually I think the Z-28 line is pretty close to the technical truth. The F-Body cars were developed from the Nova platform. If I’m not mistaken, most of the suspension and drivetrain parts are bolt up interchangeable between the Camaro and Nova.
I wish I still had the 1972 Nova I bought after I returned from the service. That was a great little car! The rear windows weren’t fixed, either!
forget Civics, Preludes, etc. Hunt down a stick shift 240SX notchback.
Miata, no really. It’s like owning a British sports car (cept the fact that it actually fires right up every morning.) If I wasn’t already into scooters and motorcycles I’d buy an old one just to play with. Save up money slowly in a separate account for the car and slowly give it a performance suspension, short throw shifter, ect… It’s like owning a weather tight go-cart or a 4 seasons motorcycle.
Just what I was thinking, this questions has Miata written all over it. Fun, a blast to drive, great reliability, easy fixability, thriving aftermarket for parts and upgrades, etc. Only gotcha is “do you fit in it?”
+1 From what I’ve read, Miatas are very, very easy to work on. Parts should be readily available and they seem to hold their value well. You can probably find one that needs a little bit of work, fix it up, drive it for a year or two and sell it for a profit.
And if all else fails, many enthusiasts have dropped Ford 302 V8s and LS-X engines between the fenders. Sometimes those little cars sound like the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
Given my login, it’s not surprising I would agree with the idea of a Miata. I owned British sports cars for years before getting my Miata, and it’s true – the experience is the same, aside from the fact that the Miata starts every morning. Most smiles to the mile of any car I’ve owned – I still thank my wife regularly for allowing me to spend the money to buy it.
I do all my own repairs and maintenance. The Miata is easy to work on, has huge parts and internet support, and you can go wild with modifications if you want to. The air conditioning will even keep you cool in the Houston summer, something that a British car can’t do. It’s a no brainer, really.
“I really would like an old roaster or small sport car”
Some typos are much more interesting than the correct spellings.
yeah, there’s nothing like an old roaster
Tastes like chicken.
I’ve got an old roaster in my garage. He can have that, but it needs work.
Nothing says “I’m a car looney” like old British iron. And when I say, “iron,” I mean iron head and block, iron frame rails, rusting steel everywhere. Spridgets are way more fun to drive than they ought to be, given the tractor motor and ox-cart suspension. Plus you can actually prop up the “bonnet” to tune the “carburettors” yourself.
It would be hard to recommend anything British to a budding wrench. It’s just too likely to live on blocks in the garage. Special tools, totally inscrutable electrics, esoteric procedures that have no relevance to anything that followed … just not a good idea for a beginner.
My personal experience includes a ’59 Bugeye Sprite (mine), a ’72 MGB (girlfriend’s), and a ’63 TR4 (best friend’s). These weren’t good bets 20 years ago and surely aren’t today.
I agree on British, BUT by that I do not mean a V-12 XJS (nightmare, indeed, even for a more experienced wrencher). I also mean Spridget (Austin Healy Sprite/MG Midget). It’s tiny, it handles like a go kart, everyone stares at it, it feels like it’s going much faster than it is, which is nice, because straight line speed is not what it’s there for. I speak on all this from experience, as the owner of a ’73 Midget who will never ever sell it. The BMC A-Series engine was made for decades and is mucho solid. The electrics can be British wonky, but being as that it has manual everything, it hardly matters anyway. I hand-signaled for two weeks when the turn signals stopped working until whatever loose ground it was recontacted and they came back. Take your $5000 and buy the nicest example you can, which is really nice for that kind of coin. That way, you can fall in love with driving it before you need to start wrenching on it, and the wrenching will come in manageable doses. You WILL fall in love with it. Over time, you will know every detail of the car, every bolt, every timing setting, every sound and vibration. It will all speak to you: the feel, the connectedness to your environment, the smell of oil and vinyl, the sound of that revvy little engine. It’s fan-freaking tastic. So in conclusion, uh… what was that again about car looneys driving British?
Triumph Spitfire. They are cheaper than anything with an MG badge, parts are stupid cheap and readily available. And they are FAR roomier than a Miata, despite the slightly smaller size. They are THE easiest cars to work on ever, as the whole front end tilts up. $3500 will buy you a very nice driver. No shortage of rust free examples down South, mine came from Texas originally. And trust me, Chicks LOVE them, my car has been lent out for many a hot date.
I’ve had mine for more than 15 years now. And I have NEVER had an electrical issue with it, other than the headlight switch broke, and I replaced the solenoid once. It has four fuses, and something like three wires going to the engine, how many issues could it possibly have?
There’s a reason why everyone and his brother were tuning Hondas for a while. They’re the Chevy V8s of the era. The engines are incredibly modular, and the fuel injection systems are amazingly easy to work with. They’re fun, reliable, lightweight and economical. If you can avoid going nuts on the cosmetics, they’re not excessively tacky and won’t be as much of a theft target.
At some point, my daily (OK, a couple times weekly) driver Ranger will become a project vehicle, as soon as wrecked Ecoboosted F150s become both available and affordable. Other than a BMW 2002tii I had years ago, I’ve never had a vehicle that was easier to wrench on. The Ranger community is pretty diverse — some folks are interested in offroading, some are into drag racing, others into roadracing. It’s a very cheap vehicle to buy, and modest/wise investments of time and money result in very noticeable improvements. ’98 and later vehicles recommended.
What about an older Wrangler? Definitely available under $5k, simple, and fits both the truck and roadster side of things (sort of, if you squint a bit).
Wranglers are fine, just don’t get one that has the clutch slave cylinder internal – the “donut” that’ll make you separate the engine from the tranny every time you have to change it – that was the main reason I got rid of my ’92. Terrible design.
+1 on the Wrangler. I have 2 of them and they always put a smile on my face after a trying day at work. If you’re willing to spend a bit more I’d recommend a 1997+ (TJ series) Wrangler – the interior is more liveable, it rides better thanks to the 4-corner coil spring suspension, and the top is several orders of magnitude easier to operate. I’d also recommend the torquey 4.0L and a stick – it really squirts from stoplight to stoplight with surprising gusto, assuming you don’t have huge tires or the pathetic base 3.07 axle ratio.
Driving my Wrangler(s) is the most fun I’ve ever had doing the speed limit (or less).
Beto
I think you should sit down with some old magazines or a book on automobiles to narrow down your choices and then get back to us. Saying I want an older sportscar/roadster/truck is quite a broad swath of sheetmetal. How old is old? Is there a specific look are you going for? You could buy two styles at once with a 1989 Dodge Dakota Convertible but without knowing what you’re looking for beyond old coupe/roadster/truck, you’re going to get quite the list of vehicles.
How about a 60s-70s full size pick up? Compared to today’s behemoths, they’re not all that big, and they’re easy to work on. Haven’t bought parts for that era of Detroit iron in a while, but I assume they’re still dirt cheap. Gas mileage with a carbureted V8 won’t be that great, but it’s not like he’ll be commuting in it.
Terrible handling for someone interested in a sports car, at least the modern compact trucks have fun-to-drive on their side.
I didn’t see anything in the post about wanting a vehicle that handles. Old trucks can be sort of fun to drive, as long as capable cornering isn’t part of your criteria. You’re assuming he wants a sports car for the handling, I’m assuming it’s just the cool factor. Given the limited information in Beto’s post, hard to say who’s right. But I vote for me!
“I really would like an old roaster or small sport car, but I like older trucks too.”
Odds are he wants something with handling prowess. But you have valid points too.
Miata first, older Camaro second. There is no third choice.
I would look for an unmolested 1985-1987 Corolla GTS (AE86). For 1K-2K you can get a coupe version. Of course, if I were you I would shoot for the hatchback which will run between 3-5K. Bonus if you can find one with the factory LSD! Very rare but an instant modern day classic and potentially a fun little track car if you wanted. Plus you’ll get tons of people asking whether it is a Hachi Roku.
Nice suggestion!! But I havent even seen one of those for sale in years, and even then the only ones to be found were $10k tuned/restored, or $3000 buckets of bolts completely falling apart. They are like the holy grail of old imports…
You guys will think I’m nuts but I’m having a blast with an old Mk.Vlll that I got for $1500. My projections say I won’t have more than $4000 in a looker boulevardier that does everything I expect it to do. Of course I’m an old man who has had the aforementioned cars, so this was a natural progression. But, for a first project- DO NOT GO ENGLISH! Thats like having a first drink of Glenmorangie or first drug heroin. We have to shelter these budding gearlings- they are few and far between.
Nah you’re not nuts I love the “Mark Series.” My Dad’s best friend would still be driving a Mark VII if he hadn’t wrecked it on a chilly night a few years ago. Replaced it with the cleanest used Seville STS he could find. (I’m watching how his Northstart treats him. An old Deville/DTS/DHS would be a heck of a highway cruiser.)
The Mark VIII is a fun car but a little complicated for a green horn looking to work with his first project.
My daily driver is a Mark VIII. While awesome after some expensive engine/tranny/suspension mods, the I think the Fox (Mark VII) is better for a Beto’s needs. But Lincolns in general are kinda complicated, but that’s fine for a spare car.
I have a ’74 TR6 just for this purpose. Easy to work on, lots of parts available and so much fun on a sunny day. And it is rare that it is “on blocks” in the garage. The only problem is that it is hard to get into a reliable, rust free one for $5,000. It’s not impossible, just takes time looking.
Too many choices to narrow down, but I love his line of thinking. This to me is the perfect budget for an automotive toy, any more and its a significant investment, any less and hes scraping the bottom of the barrel. Here are my personal favs:
Muscle car: Mustang GT. Many owners treated them like they were Shelbys, but resale value still stinks, so you can find awesome deals. Reliable, cheap to fix, cheap to mod.
British sports car: Any Miata. Yea, I know its not british, but you dont want a real british car anyway. No better bang for the buck available.
True sports car: Nissan 240SX. Can do anything… drag, grip, drift, daily driver, you name it. Can take almost any engine as a swap, easily. Parts are still cheap as hell. Good luck finding one that isnt beat to crap, but when you do, grab it. My personal choice is the later S14, with 350Z 18″ Anniversary Edition rims.
Import tuner: Honda Prelude. Still many of them that were kept stock by aspiring BMW owner college grads who can now finally upgrade. Civics are great, but almost impossible to find one that hasnt already been hooned within an inch of its life.
My first car was a pos 1959 Ford Fairlane that my first sport car Bugeye Sprite made me the expert mechanic that I am today. Suggest you find similar cars.
Sajeev telling somebody to pass on a late-Malaise Era Detroit land barge? What’s next – Baruth selling off his Porsches and buying a beige Camry? Steve advising someone to trade in a perfectly functional, paid-off car and throw down for a new Saab?
TTAC writers are diverse, even if we love being pigeonholed.
I second the vote for a Miata, but if you’re interested in coupes as well, a ’91-95 Toyota MR2 can be found in that price range. It’ll be tough to find one with a turbo motor for that price, but the naturally aspirated ones are pretty nice to drive too, and with the same engine as the contemporary Camry, not a pain to find parts for either.
what about an older diesel mercedes? ideally an 82-85 300 turbo diesel…but possibly a 240d (stick shift only for sure) or 300d from around the same time??
these things are near bomb-proof and there are plenty examples of well enough kept options by usually responsible 2nd or 3rd owners out there that might even come with service history.
these aren’t fast cars but they are classy (this = attention from girls which is why we are all here!…think about it, you wanna pick up a girl in a classic benz or some glorified pos honda??), they shine up nice if the clear coat isn’t shot.
the online communities are full of experienced guys who have been around the block a few times and won’t lead you astray with their advice. and best of all, you should be able to sell it for the same amount you bought it for when it’s time to move on to something else.
An old truck is on my automotive bucket list. A Ford/Chevy/Dodge from the late 40s or early 50s. Of those, the Dodge Power Wagon would be my first choice. It has the speed and acceleration of a old Brit sports car combined with the handling of an ox cart, so you’d best not be in a hurry. But it can Haul Stuff – one ton is easy. And you can sell it for what you paid for it years later. Or you can lose your mind, do a complete restoration and sell it for as much as a new truck (probably still losing money on the deal unless you wrench it yourself for free). Make mine red or forest green. Braden winch a plus. Rear PTO probably out of reach at your budget., too. You’d have to shop some to stay within budget for one that only needs tires and a complete fluids change, brake shoes etc and at that price you might get one with ‘patina’ aka faded paint. If you’re lucky it will still have the fire department, forest service or other similar hard-workin’ lettering on the doors. Better than any modern decalcomania.
It’s difficult not to recommend the Miata with his $5K budget. If he were able to go higher I’d recommend an early 2000’s Saab 9-3 convertible.
I do agree with others that he should take a look around more and narrow down his priorities. Look through Craigslist, eBay, AutoTrader, etc. and plug in $5K or so as your upper limit and see what pops up.
EDIT: A quick check on Claz.org yields 1295 vehicles listed between $4-5K in Houston. You’ll definitely want to tighten up your priorities…
Find a decent condition S13 chasis 240SX. Fix up the motor, stick with the KA24DE and turbo it much to the chagrin of SR20 owner. Enjoy SR20 turbo power, but with torque and parts availabilty. I have an…I guess aquaintance would be the best term…pushing 500 at the rear wheels on race gas with tock internal parts.
What?! No legendary W124/W126? Biasness!
Neither an old truck, nor a roadster/sports car. And cost effective to fix for a newbie wrencher? Yeah, not so much.
You can’t go wrong with a Miata or a 5.0 Stang or get one of each and make a 5.0 Miata.
Ford Escort ZX2 (’98-’03) or Escort GT (’91-’96).
Dirt cheap. Quick. Fun to drive. Epic junkyard availability. Rock solid reliability. Underappreciated.
The minus is that dedicated go-fast solutions are a little hard to find. You need to do some digging to find real excellent race car parts, or make yourself present in the Focus and/or Mazda Protege community. Lots of engine upgrades if you get the ZX2 and pull from the Focus and SVT bin. Plenty of suspension upgrades if you poke around for Protege and MX3 parts. The GT has a Mazda engine, so you even have JDM (yo) turbo options if you get really excited.
I always thought it would be more fun to buy the wagon version and turn it into a GT. An Escort that never was. At least it would be… unique.
GT Wagon… I don’t know if that’s been done, but there have been a couple Zetec-powered wagons. What’s even crazier is I recently saw a ’93 wagon with a KLZE V6 swapped in and a turbo added. Complete and utter lunacy.
Hmmm… You probably would not be all that interested in my solution. I picked up an ’82 Alfa Romeo GTV6 for about $2,000 in San Marcos about 18 months ago. Presently it’s in a million pieces in my garage. And attic. And shed. Some day soon…
ANYWAY, what about a Nissan 240? I think the drifter craze has died down wnough that you could probably get a clean one for not too many dollars. They’re amazing platforms for all sorts of upgrades, from (relatively simple) engine swaps to full-blown race setups.
What about an Integra GS-R? Compared to modern sport compacts they’re wallowy and slow, but that 1.8L VTEC is still a hoot to wind up to the redline, go-faster parts abound and suspension upgrades are a snap.
Fox body ‘Stang. No shame there.
5 grand, want something to learn to work on that isn’t ALWAYS broken? Go honda or Nissan 240.
-2nd Generation CRX: getting harder to find unmolested, but SO worth it. Even with the puny single-cam D series with 106 horsepower, a CRX Si is a genuinely fun car to drive. Low weight, short wheelbase, sharp handling. The aftermarket is limitless. Want it to be quick? A B16A (from a Civic Si) or a B18 (from an Integra LS) is a relatively cheap, straight-forward swap that gives significantly more power. Integra hub/brake swap gives more wheel choices, better brakes. Grab a decent set of coilovers, sway bars, sticky tires and learn to autocross. Hard to go wrong with a CRX if you find a non-molested one with minimal rust.
-EG/EK Civic Hatchback – very similar, but with back seats and double wishbone suspension. Still very light, you can still put almost any honda motor you want in there too. I’m a fan of the H2B conversion on EG’s- an H22A from a Prelude (190-ishbhp) plus a hydro GS-R tranny (close-ratio ‘box from an Integra GS-R.) I’ve seen mostly stock H’s in H2B swapped EG’s run 12’s in the quarter. It’s a killer set up.
-Miata, as mentioned. Hard to go wrong. But easier to get more power out of a Honda, frankly.
-S13/S14 240SX: stay away from the damn 300ZX. They’re overcomplicated, overweight, and expensive to keep running. Also a nightmare to work on. An S13 would be fun even with the absolute rubbish motor it’s got. Great weight balance, choice of engines to stuff in, huge aftermarket.
That’s my $0.02
As I’m finding out, used Caddy STS cars are 1) pretty easy to work on, and 2) have only one Achilles heel. And they’re also cheap.
The absolute last years have the Northstar problem fixed, and there ain’t no more confident car on the road.
No love for the Protege?
What’s their Achilles’ Heel? And what years are you referring to where the Northstar engine issue was fixed?
+1 On the Protege. Over the last five years I’ve been all about having more fun and less debt. During that time I’ve been driving a low-mileage ’94 Miata with the R Package and a ’99 Protege ES with the 1.8 engine and a 5-speed plus the optional/desirable moonroof. Either one would work fine and I acquired each for well under Beto’s $5000 budget. Fun+Cheap=Epic win.
From what I have learned, GM tried to fix the Northstar twice by using redesigned head bolts. From 2000-2002, they used a lengthened version of the suspect bolt (originally from the Quad 4). Then from 2003-onwards, they switched to a coarser-thread bolt.
My local Caddy dealer also suggests flushing the DexCool as soon as possible, because that’s what eats through the head gasket and corrodes the bolts. That’s the cause of the head gasket problem for Northstars, or at least the one he’s seen.
Other than the head gasket (Achille’s heel), these Caddies don’t seem to have any huge problems. The tranny can be fussy but isn’t junk; any documented problems are little things like solenoids. HID ballast seem to burn out too, but aftermarket ballast kits are $40 on Ebay. The user forums are amazing. All fixes are discussed at length.
MPG is another story. I get 17.3 living in the city, with a highway commute thrown in.
‘I really would like an old roaster or small sport car’
2nd Gen Miata – Preferably owned by an older person with less than 100k. That was easy enough.
I’ve noticed there are an amazing number of Miatas for sale on eBay that are sitting on dealer lots in Florida. Are the old folks down there reliving the days when they could buy an MG roadster?
Tons of them. I have seriously thought about skipping Atlanta entirely and buying exclusively in Florida.
British roadsters are great hobby cars. For best parts availability go with an MGB or TR6. Spridgets and Spitfires are quite a bit cheaper though, and almost as much fun. The Triumphs are a little easier to work on as clutch and transmission work can be done without engine removal.
I have to agree with the anti-English sentiment (even though I am English by birth) – literally just over an hour ago a shiny lookin’ TR6 broke down outside my office. The guy got out and with 20 minutes of fiddling around under the bonnet he got it going again, but having heard the tales from various friends and family members of struggling with dodgy electrics and dubious build quality with the British cars they drove in the 70’s – I’d stick with the Miata theme that seems to be going on in all these comments.
-Dodge Charger or Omni GLHS
-Dodge Rampage/ Plymouth Scamp
-Ford Bronco
-1st generation Ford Taurus SHO
-Buick Regal T-type
-Dodge Charger or Omni GLHS
-Dodge Rampage/ Plymouth Scamp
Do any of those exist outside wrecking yards and museums?
Yea they are around.
Just like with the Century, Electra, and LeSabre T-type, you only have to keep an eye out and troll the enthusiast/owner forums. Most for sale examples are in perfect condition for the type of project he is looking for.
LeSabre T-type, now you’re tugging on my heart strings. I’ve only ever seen one in the wild in my entire life. Defiance, OH 1997 on Clinton Street, it already needed quite a bit of rust removal from our wonderful Ohio winters. (God I’m glad I moved to the Southwest.)
I’m thinking about what it’ll be used for – boulevard cruising. You want a distinctive, sporty vehicle that turns heads, right? Well, there’s always the anti-cool angle. How about a Gremlin? It’s considered, by some, one of the worst cars ever, but that’s because of the anti-cool styling, or the fact that it was an uneconomical economy car, or that it didn’t have a very usable back seat, or that it did its best work traveling in a straight line.
The plusses are that it IS disctinctive, in its own way, but for a newbie wrencher, there’s nothing more basic than the 232 inline six, and there are plenty of parts available since it shares much of the mechanicals with a long line of Hornets. Unlike modern cars, there’s actually room inside the engine bay to work. The original design had an eight year run, in the ’70s, so you might find one that’s smog exempt, or even the pre-smog first year ’71.
A Gremlin will give you a real education in setting timing, carb adjusting and plug gapping, as well as the joys of getting heater cores and the like from pick-and-pull yards, just like Murilee. When you’ve achieved some proficiency, you can always graduate to another car that’s distinctive in another way, but you’ll never forget that Gremlin!
“How about a Gremlin? It’s considered, by some, one of the worst cars ever”
Not on my watch. I owned a 1976 model and my wife and I had a blast with it! Yeah, I’d recommend it quite strongly.
A Rampage went through the local auction last week.
Fox body Mustang. Get something from the fuel injected era (’86+) and stick to the V8 models (nothing that has been converted from another engine, many V8 specific parts). Like a Sten gun, cheap, durable, effective. Minimal hassle, lots of places for support, parts and mods.
I think the British Sports Car vs. Japaneseified British Sports Car (Miata) debate is whether you want the experience straight up or whether you’d like a bit of water with it. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Miata. I learned how to drive stick on one. The Miata is in every way, objectively, a better car than anything that came out of Old Blighty between labor strikes in the 70’s. It will always be fun. It won’t ever frustrate you, disappoint you, or leave you stranded. It’s a nice intersection of fun and practical. Nobody gives it a second glance.
But it just isn’t the same. It isn’t the same screaming, chrome and black vinyl cockpit, aircraft style instruments, flying through space in an ancient tin can, tearing a barely-controlled streak of noise, oil and fire over roads that you’ve driven a million times, but had never really experienced before.
My original British Leyland AM radio has never worked. I don’t know why. That would drive me nuts in any other car I’ve owned. In the Midget, I just don’t care. A radio would just take me away from the only place I want to be right then, doing the only thing I want to be doing.
I get what you are saying… as fun as they are, the Miata doesnt actually replicate the experience. They are definitely easier to keep running, and thats the big appeal. But the soul isnt the same. I have the same feelings towards Alfa Spiders. My brain KNOWS they are bad; expensive, hard to find parts for, harder to work on, and not even as quick, or handles as well as a Miata. But they are just so beautiful, and I am drawn to them.
I have to disagree. As a multiple British sports car owner, my Miata does everything they did, but without the annoyance. As long as you buy first or second generation, the interior is basic, the handling is superior to anything out of Blighty short of a Lotus, and the total package is just so much better. The Miata is the best British roadster ever made, hands down.
My original British Leyland AM radio has never worked. US market radios labeled “British Leyland” were generally from the American supplier Bendix.
Only a V8 Camaro or a V8 Mustang really makes any sense. If you’re only spending $5K on the car, then you aren’t looking to spend much on parts either. One of the tightest-handling, best-stopping cars I’ve ever built was a ’90 Z28 that I bought for $5,000… then cobbled together about $1500 worth of suspension upgrades and old Vette brakes. The thing feels like it rides on rails and will stop on a dime. And parts range from cheap to free.
What about a fiero? if you can find a well cared for example, the late model fiero’s are pretty slick looking with the gold wheels. granted, i’ve only seen a few well cared for examples, but i’ve personally always wanted to find one to make it a project car. the engines arent particularly good, although i heard the six they offered late wasnt bad. and i know you can swap in other engines just like the miata, i think they sell kits to drop in SBC’s. while i dont know much about the fiero’s, my family has had a number of pontiacs, and for the most part, all of the problems were stuff we could get done at home with not too much work.
besides, its just something that, like the mr2 suggestion, fits the bill or the small roadster/sports car without going to the usual miata suggestions(not that they arent good suggestions.)
I’ll say the same thing here I said on the Facebook post: 1988 Pontiac Fiero with a Northstar and Pontiac G6 6MT. If you don’t want to put a new motor in right away just make sure it runs and work on it, they’re pretty easy to work on. Heck you can find them around here with blown/about-to-blow motors and needing paint jobs for $500… Just make sure the frames aren’t rusted out, the plastic bodies don’t rust out but the frames can!
Buy a welder and start fabbing the exhaust and subframe!
personally, i’ve always wanted to see if i could stuff either a SHO v6 or the v8 in a fiero, just becuase i think it would be cool. and mostly because the v8 SHO was my first car and i’ve always wanted to do something with that engine.
Guys… welding? Fabrication? Custom subframes? Does that sound like something for a newb to cars to do? I am pretty good with cars now, and I still dont think I can handle welding and fabricating a custom subframe.
@mnm4ever: +1.
If the guy could weld and fab (and swap motors, trannys, and wire up custom harnesses like some of these posters have suggested), do you think he’d need to ask where to start?
Pre-1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
Hard to top the Fox-body Mustang or Miata suggestions, but here are a couple of tries:
– ’91 – ’94 Sentra SE-R. Most have rotted away or suffered half-baked turbo conversions, but you can still find decent, unmolested ones here and there for well under $5K. Run forever, good aftermarket and Web support.
– Second-gen RX-7. I’m always surprised at how many good ones still exist. Handsome, fuel-injected (unlike most of the first-gens), endless aftermarket stuff.
– Early Focus 3- or 5-door. These have crept into the price range, and they are fundamentally decent cars that respond well to minor mods.
How about a Passat with the W8. Heard they’re super reliable!
Second-gen RX-7. I’m always surprised at how many good ones still exist. Handsome, fuel-injected (unlike most of the first-gens), endless aftermarket stuff.
Fuel-injected, yes. But Handsome? The 1st gen was a true sports car: light, lean and the perfect answer to the increasingly more bloated Z-cars. The 2nd gen was better technically, but looked like the bastard child of an ’84 Dodge Daytona and an ’84 Porsche 944. I’ve owned six 1st gens. And one lady I know of summed up the difference between the first and 2nd gens (very accurately) in this fashion:
“I wanted a new RX7, it was late summer of 85 and the new photos of the 86s were just coming out. I saw one and I panicked— I went straight to the dealer, found the very last ’85 GSL-SE on the lot and bought it.”
I still like the RX7. And many are still available for under 5K or even under 3K. But parts are expensive and many are rust buckets by now. An ’85 or ’86 RX7 is every bit as reliable as an ’85 or ’86 Corolla. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they’re every bit as reliable as an ’85 or ’86 Corolla. These cars are OLD and no longer as reliable as they were back in their first 20 years on the planet. I see jack stands.
Also, if you’re as “not rich” as most students putting $4 per gallon gas into any car is going to rape your bank account if fuel economy is less than stellar. And RX7s typically return around 24 miles per (US) gallon on the highway, assuming you keep them under 65 mph.
Your best bet? A Miata or early-90s MR2. Good fuel economy, reliable, chick magnet potential, excellent handling, parts availability and reasonably good acceleration.
Second generation Ford Probe GT/Mazda MX-6. Good size, cheap, fun to drive, excellent handling.
E30 325iS.
They’re reasonably quick, they handle well stock, and you can get a nice one for around 5 grand. Search the classifieds on Bimmerfest or BMWCCA.org. Plus, they don’t have the self-destructing cooling system issue at 60k-80k miles like the newer BMW 3ers (E36/E46) have. E30s are quite reliable if they haven’t been totally abused. And get a manual gearbox.
I definitely agree with the miata and fox mustang/camaro suggestions. Though, if you are young, another fox body will have cheaper insurance (lincoln mark vii is a personal favorite alternative). Also, the E30 BMW, A1/A2 gti, maybe a Porsche 924. I would definitely consider a Wrangler as they are cool and with a mild lift you can get under the vehicle without jack stands, which a huge plus if you are working on this on your driveway. 240sx is definitely also pretty good. A dark horse odd ball suggestion is the Z31 300zx. The non-turbo cars are fairly reliable and still have good punch. Not much aftermarket, but they are cool cars to simply do the service, clean up, and drive around for fun.
1994-1996 LT1 B-body Impala SS
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for anyone looking for a car on a budget, go to a LeMons race. Yes, i know. another shameless plug. at a LeMons race, you see roasters and roadsters.
Jeevs, send him my why. I have a 68 Datsun Roadster i’m preping for LeMons. he can wrench all he wants with me. i’ll teach him to weld. He will have fun without westing all his money. I may even swing him a seat in the race.