I've had both. Most are trainwrecks though.
My Mustang GT was a running driving car when purchased. Current project, "just needed the motor replaced...". Simple 2.3 4cyl swap out easily done in a weekend, but "yeah I can easily swap in a v8 easily too!". That was 5 yrs ago and still no even close to finished.
frenchyd said:In reply to WillG80 :
Great, which model ? Will you race it?
That's the plan. It'll be a Gambler/Rallycross car. It's a 74 XJ6 without an engine. Condition of the transmission is unknown so I'll probably get tossed too. Currently shopping for (dirt cheap) drivetrains.
The advantage to something that's running, albeit badly, is that you're far less likely to spend time and money chasing tiny little parts that have been lost in the boxes along the way.
Ready, running and driving. The less time spent doing bullE36 M3 like rust repair, getting it running and doing a bunch of maintenance, the sooner you can get into the fun stuff
I don't buy project cars. I buy parts cars then decide to fix them.
I prefer them to be running as it is easier to properly assess them before I dismantle them and rebuild them.
I like to take the contents of the paper shredder and make my own pics and prose.
WillG80 said:frenchyd said:In reply to WillG80 :
Great, which model ? Will you race it?
That's the plan. It'll be a Gambler/Rallycross car. It's a 74 XJ6 without an engine. Condition of the transmission is unknown so I'll probably get tossed too. Currently shopping for (dirt cheap) drivetrains.
Well the XJ6 didn't come out until 1978. Oops, I'm wrong 1968.
In Any case unless the transmission is a manual just toss it. The old Borg Warner model 8 is practically worthless. If it is a manual text me. And I can help you appraise it.
As I understand rally cross light weight and good power is desired. Durable and cheap are also important.
Newer is better than older.
If you follow the herd you'll be just part of the pack. There are some fantastic deals out there because nobody knows about them.
What you want is the mechanics out of a poseurs car. A guy who likes to drive around looking cool but doesn't abuse the car. Once the car is scruffy or uncool looking they are cheap. Really cheap.
Because everybody following the herd "knows" about Chevy's Ford's etc. the prices on those tend be high. Plus very often really high mileage.
Jaguar's make a lot of power and can be cheaply modified to make even more.
Since the aluminum 4 valve Six cylinder of the 1990's and on is so reliable. It's often left in damaged cars and sold cheap. Much cheaper. It's very similar to the GM Atlas engine. Without the issues of the oil Pan and transmission weakness.
I refuse to buy someone else's mess. It's almost always cheaper and definitely easier to start with a well-maintained car.
A little of column A and a little of column B. Sometimes in the same car. 
Judging by the latest Triumph TR3 pictured below, I seem to be drawn to projects of a particular type. I wouldn't call it "ready to run".
Bought one that was ready to run, went to change the front spindles and yeah needed to start tearing into all the rusted components (thanks New England!) now need to drop the front subframe and replace even more... so like a lot of folks ended up being a rust repair project car
It soiled the trailer on the drive home.
Ready to run project car?
NickD said:Ready, running and driving. The less time spent doing bullE36 M3 like rust repair, getting it running and doing a bunch of maintenance, the sooner you can get into the fun stuff
Buying a rust free non runner is waaaay cheaper than buying one that runs.
I'm too old and lazy to bother with rust repair unless I already own the car. And even then. *stares sourly at the RX-3 that frankly I am afraid to touch because of the A pillar rust*
My rust free RX-7 has some rust, in weird places like the hood and the scuttle panel near the left wiper pivot. I might try to fix it, but in all likelihood I'll make it look worse. The sunroof is also rusted out, but I have a Plexiglas one that I drive on the street with. Perversely, I have to use the rusted out steel one when rallycrossing...
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
That's not entirely true. Buying other people's maintenance is usually a far better investment in time and money fixing avoidable problems. This is especially true at certain expensive or difficult milestones specific to each car (ex: timing chains).
In reply to 350z247 :
I bought a car with a stack of maintenance records an inch thick. (GOOD ones. Whoever maintained it used genuine Volvo parts)
In the past three years and, um, *counts on fingers* 70,000 miles, all it has needed was front struts a little bit ago. And a few wheel bearings. And front pads. And control arms. And a transmission unbork. And, technically, four engine replacements, although two were garbage as-delivered and one of the others was really just me trying to repair the original failure, and failing. That all was almost a year ago and I have done over 25k on the FOURTH ENGINE THAT STAYED UP. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL INHERIT, LAD, THE STRONGEST B524T5 ON THESE ISLES
*cough*
But that's not a project car. It's a "car".
Project cars, the last ones I bought were a nonrunner GTI, a nonrunner Quantum, a nonrunner RX-7, an RX-7 that technically ran but I went halfsies on the car and the other participant got major drivetrain bits....
The types of cars I take on are always very expensive and not configured to my liking if bought ready to drive. Instead I typically try to find a non-runner with a clean body, because that engine is more than likely being yanked anyway even it it ran.
My last "Ready to run, drive it anywhere" is FINALLY back on the road again.
91 Buick Century that has been a cascade of issues at < 108,000 miles when I got it.
Now at 109,000 after a long list of "Minor" repairs. Most recent was new harmonic balancer assembly. No I did not buy the $300 special tool.
Reality is that pretty much any used car at a budget price IS a project, no matter what assurances the seller makes.
Sad thing is how many New cars are also projects, back to the dealer several times for poor assembly, faulty components, and recalls.
My last 3 have been so far beyond bad they were literally given to me. For free.
None of them run yet
Price ratio. How much a pile of crap it truly is is divided by the cost. Non-running 31 year old sportbike? Mmm...I
It has a title, keys, and it's only $300. Mmm-HELLS-YES!
I like to buy E36 M3 that doesn't run but once I get them running, I no longer have interest in them. Help.
yupididit said:I like to buy E36 M3 that doesn't run but once I get them running, I no longer have interest in them. Help.
There's a club for that. We meet at the GRM forums.
I want a running, driving car. I then know I have a good baseline to proceed with the modifications I'm going to make.
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