I have had enough.....

About 2 years ago because of the influence of GRM and the kindness of my parents I built a garage. Yes I know with out pictures it did not happen but it did.

Now I want to put something in it to build. I have had this desire for many years and have not been able to do something about it until now.

I am looking for something that can be a DD that can and will be used for road trips to see the grandkids. And to see family approx. 1,000 miles away one-way.

It needs to be something that I can learn while I work on it. Do I know what I am doing? short answer no. Long answer no and I don’t care, it will be fun, I think.

Truth be told, I also want to do a burn out in from of Moms house and leave some pretty black stripes on the road. Will I get in trouble for this , most likely but the kid in me thinks this will be fun. The adult in me says don’t do it. I most likely will do so, we shall see when the time comes.

As far as something to work on this is what I know.

Miata is not the answer --- it’s to small and low to the ground. I am to big and broken, nuts and bolts in hip and knee.

BMW – been in a 3 series and a 5 series. In both cases I did not feel comfortable in the seat. For long road trips I don’t think this will work. But then I really and truly don’t know as it has been some time since I have been in one.

Volvo – have sat in a S70 felt comfortable but have never driven one. Just looked at a 740 wagon and could not get the seatbelt all the way around me. Don’t know if an extension can be added or not.

I have sat in other brands of cars and the center consul just does not feel right.

I like old trucks but again have the problem of fitting in one with comfort. I just don’t have the budget to stretch the cab and move the firewall like I have seen done.

So at this time I turn to you collectively, what should I do ?

What should I look for that will bring fun and joy, and that I can work on. My budget is in the $2-5K range with the possibility of adding some more to get the right project.

Thanks for all your help.

3rd gen F-body.

You will never find a cheaper, more forgiving car to build.

They're a big Chevy Vega with the cheapest dollar-to-horsepower ratio known to man.

Sounds like v8 rwd is the formula. For parts cost, a well-travelled learning curve, fitting and simplicity, mustang/camaro. C4 vette.

You said you're big and broken. I don't see rolling in and out of an F body/Mustang/Vette as being much fun.

I'll say GMT 400 truck. I'm also big and broken and find they fit me with room to spare. Plus you get the V8 rear wheel drive thing and parts availability from wild to wild at any corner store.

You can get a nice 2003+ Crown Vic P71 for that money.

Maybe some 70s full size car? Mild big block build, matching heavy duty three speed auto (GM TH400, Ford C6, Chrysler 727), some suspension and brake tweaks, done. A retired late model Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the easy already more or less built button, if you want more power I'm not sure about how cheap or easy that is though.

P71/Crown Vic/Marauder

It will autcross, rallycross, and eat up a road trip. I just did 1200 miles in mine with three people. With the cruise set at reasonable speeds and towing a trailer it got 22 mpg.

I suggest this one frequently (probably because I own one myself) but I think the LT1 equipped Buick Roadmaster Wagon would fit your needs....

Toyman01 wrote: P71/Crown Vic/Marauder It will autcross, rallycross, and eat up a road trip. I just did 1200 miles in mine with three people. With the cruise set at reasonable speeds and towing a trailer it got 22 mpg.

This would be vote as well.

I vote B or G body.

Any El Camino or for road trips a wagon.

1977-78 Lincoln Mark V with the 460 big-block V8 (not the 400 small block). Add exhaust cutouts, gearing and a limited slip, a shift kit, a cam, heads, and simplify the vacuum lines.

B,G and 2nd gen f-body have dirt cheap stock-car and circle track chassis components available new from places like Speedway Motors.

I can't build a set of heim-jointed control arms for the $50.00-ish they charge.

From what I glean from your stated parameters ( big guy budget long cross country trips tire burning) I'm going to go off the grid and suggest a early to mid 2000 two-wheel drive Chevrolet Tahoe. With easily modified 5.3 liter LS motor you can get cheap horsepower. Better yet if you can find Z-56 PPV (police pursuit vehicle)Tahoe or buy suspension components to lower it and make it handle. Make it a real sleeper.

I'll share with you my recent fascination and it's origin:

I've been rewatching all the CHiPs episodes. I am just beginning the 3rd season. What I research tells me these were aired in late 1979 so likely filmed in early 1979. In a recent episode I was taken by the amount of different '70's Cadillac Sevilles in the episode.

Also, later in the same episode there was a Nova cop car. Remember these?

I was of course reminded that the Seville shares chassis with the Nova.

The Resto-mod or Pro Touring look is the current rage with Novas and here are some easily found samples:

What is not easily found is a Resto-mod, Pro Touring Cadillac Seville which I think could be cool. Figure easy to source Nova bits from Jegs/Summit/etc and pickup truck LS swap.

Here's the best I could find:

If you want a low-effort choice...
Two years back, we ran a Lincoln Mark 8 in The Challenge which was impressively capable right out of the box.

oldtin wrote: Sounds like v8 rwd is the formula. For parts cost, a well-travelled learning curve, fitting and simplicity, mustang/camaro. C4 vette.

If he has knee and hip problems, C4 Corvette is not a good choice. Those things hurt to get in and out of.

I'm also going to second the 2WD GMT-400 (get an extended cab) motion. Lots of room and supremely comfortable, plus a great chassis and driveline to start with and build into whatever you want it to be.

Mark VIII or P71 Marauder. Can't think of a better, or in the case of the VIII, better looking choice.

How has the crowd pleasing and consuming Mustang not been brought forth in this discussion? In any of its iterations.

How about a Lexus with some amount of boost added to the equation? Would match the OP's bi-polar respectable-hoonigan requirements?

In reply to NOHOME:

Everyone knows doing burnouts in Mustangs causes you to drive into oncoming traffic and/or people!

I love the idea of recreating that Chrisman Seville as seen above. While there may not be as many suitable project cars out there, it's unique enough to be interesting when you're "done" with it.

http://www.rmsothebys.com/jg08/joes-garage---the-macpherson-collection/lots/1976-cadillac-seville-custom/270366

I'm not a small guy, but I find the BMW Sport seats to be the most comfortable seats for eating up miles. Take a look at a 7 Series E38 740i with sport seats. They are a little harder to find than a 5 series, but you can always do a seat swap from a 5 series later. The 5 series is cool because you can get a V8 with a 6 speed. Getting out will be much easier than a pony car.

I like the g-body idea a lot. Lot of little projects to improve these cars, lots of parts support, lot of body style options.

F-150 Lightning?

In reply to Mike:

Failing that, the Crew Cab Harley Davidson edition of that gen had a mildly detuned supercharged 5.4. Remove the badging and stripes, install a pulley and a tune, and enjoy a quick, fun, good-sounding, relatively stealthy truck.