I've been reading my old 1980's-vintage car magazines again, and I'm finding myself really wanting one of those Renault R5 Turbos (the mid engine one with the huge fender flares).
So I got to talking to a friend of mine who was a professional metal fabricator for years and we're thinking of getting some cheap hatchback and doing a grassroots build along the same lines as the mid engine R5. I know someone built a mid-engine Festiva with an SHO for the challenge a few years ago (that thing is awesome!), so we want to do something different.
He's thinking a 1980's Saab 900 with a 9000 V6/5spd and the whole 9000 front cradle welded into the 900's rear floor.
I'm thinking Hyundai Accent with a mid-mounted Sonata V6, or an old Hyundai Excel hatchback with a hotted-up turbo Eclipse engine where the back seat goes...
The only requirements are that the car has to be cheap or free and the donor car with the big engine has to be available with a manual transmission and has to also be cheap or free.
What are your ideas?