Best Muscle Car for Beginner

Look around here for the Maverick/Comet:

http://www.fordmaverick.com/

And I'd recommend the same for anything you start to seriously consider. Sites like these have a lot of info and experience. They are the ones that will know the pluses and minuses of the cars.

I'm amazed someone here doesn't have a Maverick or Comet though! (and to be up front, I've only read the last few pages to catch up a bit on his quest...)

The Maverick is (IMHO) uderappreciated as a muscle car. It shared the Mustang platform, meaning all the aftermarket stuff developed for the Mustang will bolt right up. Six banger and V8 cars had pretty much all the same stuff except for brakes and spring rates etc, the V8 suspension and brake parts are a quick and easy swap. Other cars of the era such as the Granada are good parts donors too. 302 Windsor motors are as plentiful as dirt.

Maybe it would not sell for as much as a Mustang of the era, but so what? It's a cheap buy in for that type of car. Plus, they are not bad looking cars.

stan wrote: I'm amazed someone here doesn't have a Maverick or Comet though! (and to be up front, I've only read the last few pages to catch up a bit on his quest...)

There was one at the Challenge a couple of years ago.. So some idiot, errr, reader had one at some point.

It is a cheap buyin for a car that has 90% of the driving experience as a mustang

In reply to Coldsnap:

Just don't expect that driving experience to be much in stock form.

True, good point. I asked the dudes on that comet form about the car.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Coldsnap: Just don't expect that driving experience to be much in stock form.

Therein lies the rub - Cheap late 70's cars are not going to be fast in stock form. Even v8 powered stuff will be left for dead by a new Camry. HOWEVER, upgrading a v8 (if there's already a v8 in there) from any of the big three is cheap and easy using 80's and 90's parts. Any 302 powered Ford product can get a big bump from an 80's or 90's HO motor with a good intake and carb, for example. A 5.2 or 5.9 Magnum can do similar things for a small block Mopar, and I think Chevy still makes V8's, right? Someone else will have to back me up on that one.

You should probably budget ~$1,000 to swap in a newer junkyard motor into a stock smog-era car, and that's doing most of the work yourself. You will need to upgrade things like your exhaust (~250-500), possibly the rear end, etc., etc. Stay patient, do your homework, and remember that it can be a lot cheaper in the long run to buy someone else's hot rod (if it's not a complete hack job) than to buy a stocker and upgrade it yourself.

That Comet is pretty cool, I'd be all over that one. 302 parts are more common than dirt, so you can make it fast for peanuts.

psteav wrote:

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Coldsnap: Just don't expect that driving experience to be much in stock form.

Therein lies the rub - Cheap late 70's cars are not going to be fast in stock form. Even v8 powered stuff will be left for dead by a new Camry. HOWEVER, upgrading a v8 (if there's already a v8 in there) from any of the big three is cheap and easy using 80's and 90's parts. Any 302 powered Ford product can get a big bump from an 80's or 90's HO motor with a good intake and carb, for example. A 5.2 or 5.9 Magnum can do similar things for a small block Mopar, and I think Chevy still makes V8's, right? Someone else will have to back me up on that one. You should probably budget ~$1,000 to swap in a newer junkyard motor into a stock smog-era car, and that's doing most of the work yourself. You will need to upgrade things like your exhaust (~250-500), possibly the rear end, etc., etc. Stay patient, do your homework, and remember that it can be a lot cheaper in the long run to buy someone else's hot rod (if it's not a complete hack job) than to buy a stocker and upgrade it yourself.

Its not just the power. In stock form those things drive like drek. They don't steer well, they don't handle well, they don't stop well. And I mean compared to other cars of the era, not new cars. But that's one of the reasons they're prime meat for modifying. Like Mustangs, they can be really cool, very high performance cars if you're willing to invest the time and money, but in stock form, they are not a pleasure to drive.

I see your point, that 4 door nova drove like garbage but was still fun.

In reply to Coldsnap:

And the Nova, if in good condition, drove a lot better than the Maverick will. That's okay, as long as you go into it knowing that. I've owned a couple Novas and 4 Mustangs. No Mavericks, but I've driven many of them, as I was wrenching for a living back in the late 70's-early 80's. My current Mustang was bone stock when I bought it. I was literally not willing to drive it over 45 mph, because it was so squirrelly. I immediately replaced the front drum brakes with discs, the tires with radials, and dropped the upper control arms to correct the screwy factory geometry. It made a big difference. Then I replaced the suspension bushings with hard rubber bushings, installed higher rate springs, sway bars, panhard bar before it started to handle decently. But it wasn't until I replaced the factory power steering with a Borgeson integral unit that it finally drove like it should. A Maverick will be exactly the same if it has the same equipment.

Talked to the owner of the Comet. Number was actually to a body shop which he owns, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. It's a C4 Auto, everything is original and un molested, it doesn't have air (although someone on my craigslist is selling a comet air cause he's stripping his for drag), he said it has very little rust and as someone who owns a body shop he considers it not rusty, it has sat for awhile but they have it starting.

I asked him if it would survive a 3 hour drive back to my home and he said he think it would but doesn't want to say if it would, just because it has sat for 1-2 years and even though it starts it hasn't been opened up yet.

I can't see it until Sunday, he said a few people are looking at it so it might even sell before I get a chance to drive and look at it, but if that happens whatever.

Why not just start w/ an older Mustang GT or LX? One that hasn't been hacked over, there'd still be plenty to wrench on for the beginner when/ if time comes w/ aftermarket parts. They are everywhere and cheap on CL. Mean time you just drive it and have fun.

As much as I really like the Comets, why try to turn it into a V8 Mustang when you can buy one factory.

but maybe I missed that part

In reply to fasted58:

I think he wanted older.....but his budget is limiting him.

I still think corvairs are the answer......but the maverick has more "muscle car" potential than a 4 door nova.

In reply to yamaha:

OK, I reread the OP

dang there's 14 pages here now

fasted58 wrote: In reply to yamaha: OK, I reread the OP dang there's 14 pages here now

Yep, it's turned out to be a rather interesting thread. Sorta tempting too since I'm in the same area as the OP.

In other news I just got approved for a raise, so maybe my budget grows. I'm still holding tight for something in Raleigh that fits the bill to pop up. Theres a really nice white '74 nova 2 door with blood red interior but the dude wants something like 6k for it :(

and this is still around

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/3554611499.html

this is purdy, long drive home

http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/3610973074.html

Coldsnap wrote: this is purdy, long drive home http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/3610973074.html

If you can live with a Disco Nova, then HELL YES!!!

so nice looking, love the color and chrome, but too expensive!

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/3570303397.html

Coldsnap wrote: so nice looking, love the color and chrome, but too expensive! http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/3570303397.html

I would save longer then and probably snag a car like that skylark for 5-5500.

Also, if you pay more than 3k for any mid-late 70's nova I will make fun of you.

Yea a car like that skylark would be nice.

thinking I could swing $5,000 for that buick, my friend seems to think it is very nice

watching your ADD go full circle... you're back to your original budget and idea, and looking at a car worthy of what you had wanted. Spending ~$5K will buy you a car like that Buick.

Since you're a self admitted total rookie without a garage or tools, you'll have a blast crusing it, doing minor things, and learning as you go. It'll turn the heads you want, and make the V8 noises it should.

If you buy a $1500 pile of a project, you'll hate it before you ever enjoy it. The slippery slope to motor swapping car building shenanigans should be embraced gradually if it is to be enjoyed. While a fully competent wrench with a garage full of tools, time, and space can make that hooptie into a head turning hot rod, it will be a hell of a lot to chew on as your first project.

Plus, anything sub $5K in this era has already bottomed out in value. If you buy a clean $5K car that's actually worth $5K (not an overpriced 4 door), and in a few years you haven't destroyed it, you can sell it for $5K.