If you found $2017 on the sidewalk and decided to head to Florida and do the challenge tomorrow, what would you bring?
Would you grab this locally and just add tires?
Or grab this in Atlanta and drive down?
Or head down from your hometown in something like this and hope it makes it?
Would you spend the whole wad on the car and sleep in the backseat and beg for food and gas? Or would you spend $1K and cover your expenses? How would you keep all of this from your significant other?
If this was yesterday I'd probably spend most of the $$ on this (because hot rod flame job), http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/5767701762.html, throw all the full gas cans from the garage into the trunk, raid the snack cupboard, and roadtrip. Hopefully I could talk the price of the car down a bit and use the leftover cash for a place to sleep.
But by now it's too late to do the road trip.
If I could fit in the Celica, it would be a perfectly logical option for me. The main problem is that it seems excessively logical. I'd rather go with something that would have people question my sanity. Something like this sketchy-looking swap, for example.
In reply to MadScientistMatt:
I don't see anything wrong with that civic...
Raleigh, NC CL is always full over Volvo 240s for some reason. I'd likely go that route. Though searching locations (Norfolk, Eastern NC, Georgia, Pensacola) with military bases always yields interesting CL results. I wouldn't have time to make the Volvo competitive, but would be able to set a baseline for after swapping the gearing around in the Dana 30 for next year and searching for OE junkyard 16v lump and OE turbo bits.
Cheapest 03+ P71, sticky tires, and a dry 100 shot of nitrous, sleep on the vomit-encrusted back seat, and spend the rest on gas.
My answer will change in 2 days
V8 4th gen F body.
I'd buy a minivan. I could use a running one anyway. 
The cheapest running car available. Drive to the event and use the remaining budget to fix it along the way. If there is anything left over, buy stickers from Autozone.
Cheapest neon with a manual transmission in could find. Add nitrous till it pops.
Or possibly the cheapest 2wd suburban so I could sleep in it, and drift the whole autocross.
Hop on the local Craigslist, scare up a cheap miata, wide wheels, and go to a shop for some sticky tires. Leave tomorrow morning. Make it in time for afternoon autox.
The 92 escort gt my buddy just called about. 450 bucks, add tires and lightness and drive south.
I could actuall gas up the P71 and drive on down. It's actually under the limit. $1500 for the car including fees. $240 for the wheels, and tires are free. I have 3 used coils in it and a set of plugs. That's it.
The problem is, my total time invested in the car is under 2 hours. After watching some of the build threads on here, that would just seem like cheating. The couple of times I've personally made the magazine, have actually been magazine worthy. Driving a old cop car down to Gainesville would pale in comparison. It wouldn't be worth the ink.
One day, I'll be there. It will be memorable. 
You can join the Charlotte area team..
I'd push boundaries to see if the rules had a loophole if you spent $2017 but it was for rental fees.
First ever Challenge 458 Italia.
Huckleberry wrote: I'd push boundaries to see if the rules had a loophole if you spent $2017 but it was for rental fees. First ever Challenge 458 Italia.
Is there a claim rule? I can't imagine explaining that you enterprise.
AngryCorvair wrote: V8 4th gen F body.
Wait, what am I saying? I've got a $1500 E36 ///M3 that would make the drive, and enough budget for a hillbilly nitrous setup since the first four tires are free
I almost headed down last night in the P71 I bought in the morning, that I couldn't even pop the hood on before purchase. Leaves 1400 for gas, sticky tires, and a place to stay.
In fact, the story won't be as fun next year, but it may be my challenge car.
You just wanna be there, or you wanna win?
If you just wanna be there, you can show up in anything. Lots of people do this, you will be welcome.
If you wanna win, you're gonna have to work at it.
Next year we should run a class for vehicles purchased in Gainesville the day before the race. You have to arrive in FL without a race car, buy something, and compete.
The other "just want to be there" option is to not bring the fastest thing you can find in the budget, but the wackiest. I'm thinking something like a VW Scirrocco, this Ford Fiesta, a Baja Bug, or a '78 Civic.
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