Help me decide my next project Car

I am trying to decide what my next project car will be. I am trying to decide between an E36 M3 or C5 Corvette. Car will be used mostly for road course track days and weekend cruising, with a few drag races thrown in for good measure.

Both have huge aftermarket following and information availability. Both are great machines to start with. Both are readily available.

The M3 has a cheaper entry price but I fear the parts may be more expensive than the Vette.

Corvette's are going for about twice as much, but parts are most likely cheaper.

Any suggestions, comments, and/or ideas appreciated!!

Thanks Zack

you should be aware that the only answer on here is maita.....very cheap and easy to work on and would kick the vettes butt 9 ways to sunday.....

C5 is probably a better all out track car in my opinion but having owned neither I can't comment too much. I have seen C5's under 10k pretty regularly. An early Z06 for about 15k. Its hard to go wrong.

In response to the above post: A miata unless turbo'd (even then) or with a V8 will have a hard time hanging with a Corvette on a road course (grip + power owns)

How about a 2nd gen RX-7 with an LS1/T56 swapped in?? It's already built for the track and packs 405rwhp in a ~2700lbs package. Neither an M3 nor a C5 will keep up.

(Then again I happen to have one for sale, built as a track car )

I am going to say Corvette here, but for the money, I would rather have an early NSX...

I dont have the mechanical know how to complete an engine swap. I am only interested in those two models. I am sure that miatas, rx7s, and other automobiles will do everything I want, but I prefer the M3 or C5.

Greg I havent seen any C5 for under $10k. Where do you find those?

ive seen a few 97's for around 9k.

i'd go for a Z06 personally.

dyintorace wrote: How about a 2nd gen RX-7 with an LS1/T56 swapped in?? It's already built for the track and packs 405rwhp in a ~2700lbs package. Neither an M3 nor a C5 will keep up. (Then again I happen to have one for sale, built as a track car )

Honestly I can see the appeal of an RX7 with an LS1, but I would much rather have the rotary. I'd take the better balance and lighter weight, plus the novelty of having one of the only rotary-powered cars ever made. The LS1 is a great engine, but I couldn't see myself ripping a 12B or 13B out of a car to drop one in.

Im going for c5 here. Id even like to own one myself.. but a boxster is higher on the list.

thunderzy wrote: I dont have the mechanical know how to complete an engine swap. I am only interested in those two models. I am sure that miatas, rx7s, and other automobiles will do everything I want, but I prefer the M3 or C5. Greg I havent seen any C5 for under $10k. Where do you find those?

Well in that case the decision is easy. Trabant, made in the USSR, about 7 horsepower and the only fiberglass cars in the world that rust.

http://czechmatediary.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/110-trabant.jpg

I think every motorhead should own at least one Vette in their life.

thunderzy wrote: I dont have the mechanical know how to complete an engine swap. I am only interested in those two models. I am sure that miatas, rx7s, and other automobiles will do everything I want, but I prefer the M3 or C5. Greg I havent seen any C5 for under $10k. Where do you find those?

Ebay and craigslist mostly. They are not everywhere but you should be able to easily find a decent car for 12k and up.

foxtrapper wrote: I think every motorhead should own at least one Vette in their life.

I think every motorhead should own at least one Vette in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Miata in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one E30 in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one E36 in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Kit car in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Mustang in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Rx7 in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Porsche in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Toyota in their life.So they know what purgatory is really like.
I think every motorhead should own at least one MG in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one Triumph in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one etc in their life.
I think every motorhead should own at least one etc in their life.

I'd go for the vette. Great value used, cheap to maintain, easy power to be had with mods, etc.

The wonderful part about a vette is even though it starts with a huge horsepower (depending on generation and trim of each, I suppose) and grip advantage, you could swap the runflats for ANYTHING and just put a hot rod magazine in the glovebox and improve both dramatically.

Thunderzy made the post for me because I am looking to get into the car trackday sport. I appreciate all the responses here and am now leaning towards the c5. What are some things I should look for when looking at the c5. For the lower prices most of them have higher mileage around 100k. What can I do to the motor to lets say refresh it? Thanks for all the help guys.

SammyBono wrote: Thunderzy made the post for me because I am looking to get into the car trackday sport. I appreciate all the responses here and am now leaning towards the c5. What are some things I should look for when looking at the c5. For the lower prices most of them have higher mileage around 100k. What can I do to the motor to lets say refresh it? Thanks for all the help guys.

There is very little to do to those to simply refresh them. If you want to warm them up - a cam and intake is where you want to spend your time. Manifolds can be replaced for headers, but the stockers are pretty decent. The heads are awesome stock, but better aftermarket pieces abound.

Seriously, pick up a Hot Rod or Car Craft from pretty much any month.

I'd go with the c5 & do the nods in the GRM Plastic Explosive project articles.

SillyImportRacer wrote: blah blah the GRM Plastic Explosive project articles.

Where were those? Missed 'em.

tuna55 wrote: There is very little to do to those to simply refresh them. If you want to warm them up - a cam and intake is where you want to spend your time. Manifolds can be replaced for headers, but the stockers are pretty decent. The heads are awesome stock, but better aftermarket pieces abound. Seriously, pick up a Hot Rod or Car Craft from pretty much any month.

yea i read a car craft article on the gen3 5.3L and with simply a cam, intake, ls1 intake valves and port job, and headers on a carb'd engine they made over 450hp.

SammyBono wrote: Thunderzy made the post for me because I am looking to get into the car trackday sport. I appreciate all the responses here and am now leaning towards the c5. What are some things I should look for when looking at the c5. For the lower prices most of them have higher mileage around 100k. What can I do to the motor to lets say refresh it? Thanks for all the help guys.

Tell you what, for the cost of shipping, and a promise-to-return, I'll send scour my hot rod/car craft library for LS* related stuff to send your way.

I think a Factory Five 33 Hot Rod would be an awesome Autocross/fun car

John Brown wrote: I think a Factory Five 33 Hot Rod would be an awesome Autocross/fun car

You win! Plus eleventy billion if you give it a turbocharged flathead.

thats hot!!!

Thanks for all the help guys. I am still debating. Prob 6 months to a year away from buying a car. Lots of research to do.