My friends son called me today. He wants to get a project car! His dad knows I'm going to enable him right into this rabbit hole and is ok with it. Help me pick out a sweet ride.
Here's his list of needs:
RWD (gonna drift it)
Stick
2 or 4 seater
2 or 4 door
4-5K initial buy-in
I've already told him the answer is Miata, but what are the other choices out there? I told him to be wary of a BMW due to deferred maintenance, and shocked him with the though of a P71. He's looking at a 350Z.
Duh, Mustang!
Mustang
Camaro
4-5k budget and project drift car? Boosty Mustang. SN95 GT cars are all over and well under budget, or buy a V6/4cyl foxbody and swap in all the cylinders or boost.
S10 or ranger? would be cool and diffrent. should be able to drift easily
All good answers. I have to say, if you could buy a Crown Vic with a factory manual, there'd already be one in my driveway.
I vote for Mustang or Camaro. Or, if he doesn't like that answer, Camaro or Mustang.
Yeah, Mustang or Miata.
If you really want to bend the kid, maybe C4 vette?
How "projecty" can this get? A 302 powered MGB will drift just fine and if it does not have to be polished, then it CAN be done challenge-style.
Pete
G35, 350Z
Fb RX7
But yea at that price range its mustang's or 305 camaros
Or yes the g35/350z
F-bodies are generally over the price range, from my time looking.
Fox is a good route, just look out for former no-brainer drag cars (they tend to rip and warp the torque boxes on the rear). Hatch is, obviously, the superior look but a notch will get him about 50-75lbs lighter. Notch doesn't have a handy dandy hatch, though.
SN95 is a Fox platform, so all parts are interchangeable up to 2003/2004. Not as cool as a Fox hatch, though.
What about an S10 Blazer? 4.3L V6 with a little top end work and some suspension-y type parts?
Mustangs or V6 camaros/firebirds.
E46. Just go to YouTube, you’ll see.
300ZX, 350Z, G35, BMW
Miatas not a great choice for drifting, wheelbase too short. Of course, if you could talk him into autox instead...
If you really want to ruin their life, a 924 or 944 :)
Honestly they have great chassis balance so they are very tossable without being "widowmakers" and most work is within the range of an amateur.
Toss an LSx into one and the engine maintenance side becomes less of an issue.
A Maserati Biturbo with heavy structural rust.
ebonyandivory said:E46. Just go to YouTube, you’ll see.
Especially if you want to drift AND be better
than everyone.
Make the kids life be better from today on.
If the kid is looking at 350Zs, that's what he should get. He needs to want the car. You can't choose it for him.
Keith Tanner said:If the kid is looking at 350Zs, that's what he should get. He needs to want the car. You can't choose it for him.
Keith isn't wrong... BUT applying a bit of influence to get him into something as well known as an SN95 platform Mustang is your responsibility. If he still wants the 350Z because that's where his vision lies, do it.
If he blows a gasket and wants to pick up a really rough RWD Maxima, let me know. My father in law's cousin has one behind his house.
Show him SkinnyG's posts and then let him know about V8 swapped Pintos and Vegas.
I can also tell you that 5.0 swapped Datsun 510's are completely insane.
If he wants to drift he's probably seen the same videos I have where everyone and their mom is putting coilovers and an angle kit on an otherwise stock 350Z, welding the diff, then saying it's the best drift thing ever.
Is he more interested in spending his time and money building the car or driving it?
If the former: American Iron
If the latter: Japanese Steel
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