Picking the right car?

[hamlinmotorsports]

Originally Posted by Joe Toller

And do you want stick or auto? Do you have a brand preference, Ford, GM, or Mopar? How fast do you want to go?

It doesn't matter to me what brand. Only thing I prefer is it be a v8 and I don't really want to go all the fast right out of the gate. I'm hoping to have a car that I can run around j,k,l,m,o,p

[HR9121]

There is a 85 Monte Carlo on racing junk for $12500. Don't know anything about it but looks like a nice car at a reasonable price. Will run J,K and L. As others have said I would buy before I would build and I am speaking from experience, let someone else do all the leg work unless you are in no hurry and just want the experience of doing it yourself. Good luck to you.

[rick lester]

15 to 18 grand can get you alot of car already built. Biggest question is, which way do you want to go? If you want to be racing now, then buying a complete ready to go car is the way to go. Will you get a record setting car? Chances are no. Will you get the exact car you want? Again, probably not but outward appearence is just a car wrap phone call away. Oddball combos will more than likely take you building it yourself. Biggest thing to remember....HAVE FUN doing it or its not worth it.

[Alan Roehrich]

Try to pick a car that will either have decent resale value, or room to grow, or both. Buying a slower car to start is a good idea. Being able to either sell it and get most of your money back, or maybe move it up to a faster combination and/or class, is an even better idea.

There are at least 4-5 mid eighties to early nineties F body cars for sale in your price range right now. Some of them can be run with several combinations, 305 or 350, stick or automatic, carbureted or fuel injected, in various classes. Those cars will probably always bring about what they're selling for.

Consider buying a nice solid slick car that doesn't have the fastest pieces on it, at a good price. Maybe a car that has an older engine that can be freshened and updated for a reasonable cost. Maybe a car with a TH350 transmission that would be faster with a Metric 200. Give yourself room to grow, learn, and go faster.

[MikeMoller]

Keep in mind availability of parts if you build something. For example, 75-79 Nova's have almost no sheet metal repro parts available like the radiator support, door skins, grills,fenders,etc and the parts are hard to find used- but 74 and older everything is available reproduction.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by rick lester

. Will you get a record setting car? Chances are no.

Bob Shaw's Caddy still for sale, I believe