"What car" to drop a 302 into?

Well, since the collective has convinced me that it is still worth it to swap in a SBF, and I happen to have (most of) a complete 5.0 out of my old 89 Mustang sitting around, I'm trying to decide what I want to put it into. Intended use for this car would be maybe 50/50 street vs. HPDE/autocross. Needs to be something where I can pick up the recipient in halfway decent and rust-free condition for around $2K, plus or (preferably) minus a few hundred. I'd like it to be significantly lighter and better handling than a Fox Mustang, because otherwise, what's the point? And I'd like to be able to do this with a kit or at the very least some pre-designed mounts. I'm pretty handy with a wrench and have a good, dedicated work place with plenty of tools, but fabricating from scratch is a bit beyond my ability.

Sorry, no Miatas. BTDT, and I'd really rather have a roof. Plus, they just don't do it for me.

Here are some contenders that I've thought of:

FB RX-7: Easy and cheap, I've had one so I know them pretty well, they are dead-simple cars. Very light. The main cons are the primitive suspension and recirculating ball steering.

FC FX-7: It's been done many times, so I'm not reinventing the wheel. Much better brakes and suspension than the FB, I like the looks, nice interior.

E30: My heart and my growing love for the propeller make me want this. It has been done and mounts are available, but from what I'm hearing, people are still working out the bugs on this one, especially with regard to things like power brakes. I'm leery.

E36: This has been done more than the E30 and is supposedly easier. It's a better chassis than the E30 in every way, but it's a bit heavier, but I have one now, and it's a great car, but the styling is bland-o-rama to me.

Volvo 240: I don't know a lot about this one, I've heard it's easy and the cars have great stock brakes. To be honest, the cars don't do much for me, so I don't really know why I'd bother.

Early Datsun Z: Light, but tough to find a rust-free example, and the only mounts I can find are for the 240 and 260.

Datsun 280ZX: I have an irrational love for these cars, despite their boulevard-cruiser-ness, but the only V8 mounts I can find are for the SBC.

Feel free to comment on any of these or suggest something else that I've missed.

FFR Roadster :D

Edit: Roof Required... Sunbeam Alpine?(Harrington?)

edit: Pinto.

Edit Maverick

Locost

shoot... just saw the roof thing.

I had a 351-W in a 1989 Conquest TSi. It fits.

280ZX seems like the answer, or a similiar vintage supra or celica.

i'd say do the datsun thing. mounts really arent that hard in comparison to everything else (oil pans, exhaust, etc) and they are very cool.

otherwise FC.....

I went through this same process for a LeMons car. My answer was FC.

E36. Easy to find under 2K. Cheap plentiful parts.

Although not smaller/lighter than a mustang, crown vics can handle better with less modification. And it's a plug and play swap.

XR4Ti or Scorpio

Ranger with an IRS 8.8 out back.

te72 corolla, ae86 corolla, s13 240sx, mk3 celica, mk2/3 supra, e21 bmw...

mgb

RossD wrote: Ranger with an IRS 8.8 out back.

+1.

For ease: FC RX7, specifically the 88-91 version; much better brakes.

E36, FC, FB, Miata . . .

FB for the coolness factor or FC for the better suspension/brakes/steering.

There was an ad on here for a nearly flawless and engineless 924... bidding was at $617 last I checked.

Had an M52-swapped E30. Really good car, good autocrosser. Never fell in love (though I was comparing it to a 2002, not one of your other contenders). So... FC for cheaper speed? I'm under the impression that the FC would be less nose-heavy than the E30 (though the 5.0 tucked against the firewall might be less so than the factory configuration?).

FC seems like the winner in terms of cold, calculating most speed/best handling for least time/money/blood/sweat/tears.

You should clearly not do the Volvo 240. I, on the other hand, would love a V8 wagon...

FC RX-7, XR4ti, Capri. Especially that last one.

Most of those cars are not lighter than my 86 notch Mustang, my FB RX7 is, with the 5.0 in it, by about 200lb at 2450. Both have full interiors as of now. Of corse the Fox has a 351

I have owned 4 cars that I have considered dropping a 302 into. Volvo 242, Volvo 960, 85 RX-7 and a Miata. The 242 or the Miata might still get the transplant.

Lots of great suggestions, keep them coming! But I have to ask how many of these besides the RX-7s and BMWs actually have kits or mounts? Or at least a build thread I can look at to see what the "gotchas" are before I plunk down cash for something that may not even work.

3g supra.

anything will "work" if you have a welder

FFR Type 65 Coupe

Real answer sounds like either FC or 280Z. The FC will be an easier swap, but it sounds like you'd be happier to have the Z once you were done.

I mean, in the end that's the goal, right? A car that you're truly happy with and can drive every day? I think it's worth the extra work to get that.

http://www.converse-engineering.com/

Volvo kits