Ok...
$3000 to $4000 total budget...
Rear wheel drive, autocross, track day, drive to work once a month giggle car... AND not a Miata. I have one.
Thoughts??
Ok...
$3000 to $4000 total budget...
Rear wheel drive, autocross, track day, drive to work once a month giggle car... AND not a Miata. I have one.
Thoughts??
e30 or Mr2
I build a Locust based on a Miata.
Alfa Milano or GTV6
Most bang for the buck????
Fox body Mustang. 
hm i would have to say a obc, cause i think theres a law saying you can only drive it once a month. might even be a law of physics.
84-87 corvette.
2nd Gen (FC) RX-7, maybe even a Turbo one at that.
Ridiculously nice 1st Gen RX-7 (SA/FB), maybe even a 13B-powered GSL-SE.
Late C3 Corvette (says 74ish to 82). 350/4-Speed and plastic bumpers. It'd be a project though.
LT1 Camaro/Firebird (93-97) with a 6-Speed (it'd be a project also though you may get a good one at $4K).
Just go Miata. You'll get a newer car that is a track appliance.
Fluids, tires, and track time. That's all you'd have to worry about.
If you want some hairy chested manly-ness...I'd go Corvette.
He has a Miata! Don't you read? 
If you have the time, buy one of those sub $1k AW11s with a BHG, and swap in a 20v 4AGE.
P71 wrote: He has a Miata! Don't you read?
and whats wrong with having a second one
E30 first.
F-body GM last. Limp noodles unless you beef them up pretty seriously.
Fox bodies are pretty cheap and easy to upgrade, and much stiffer than GM F-bodies. It kinda becomes a wash considering the smaller 5.0 displacement and T5 tranny versus the GM's 5.7 and T56, but I would much rather drive the stiffer chassis with less power since both have more than adequate power for their weight in an autocross setting.
C4 vettes are a great idea, but it seems like you don't get much for your money.
Ford fox-chassis, STIFF? 
Haha! I laugh in your general direction! That chassis is the most UN-stiff made in the last 30 years!
Not only is the f-body stiffer, it's also LOADS faster! (Stock 87-93 5.0 GT does barely 14's, stock 4.6's MUCH slower, stock LT1 is 13.8's and 13.2's are available for "base" LS1 cars, the Ram Air/LS6 headed ones do 12's, STOCK!!!)
I had a fox Mustang (85 5.0 GT hatch) and an f-body (95 V6'er) at the same time. The fox was lower mileage, nicer car, with no rust and a solid roof. The f-body was creeping up on 300,000 miles and was a T-top car. The 'Stang had cowl shake so bad it nearly cracked the windshield! The Camaro was stiff as a board.
Sorry, but even as a multiple fox owner (85 GT Stang, 83, 84, 87, and 88 TBird's, 88 Cougar, 86 Granada, you get the picture...) I'd take the f-body any day.
Oh, I had 3rd Gen's too (88 V6 and an 87 Z28), even they were better then the fox (but not by much!).
Another Miata and a turbo or a V8 swap.
P71 wrote: He has a Miata! Don't you read?
Read what?
He asked what car to buy on the GRM forum! The instant response is Miata. Right?!
But he has followed that advice already!
Sean I have one suggestion:
Keep your mind open to aborted V8 swap Rangers and S10s.
Datsun 510
http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=761609
say no more
Turbo T-bird. They're stupid cheap and you can learn about turbo's on one. Then laugh like hell at this monstrosity burning up ridiculously cheap tires that you bought at Pep Boys.
Bubba Drift Part Deux.
..oh wait..track days...
SVO 'Stang? If you can find a rough one and deal with the primadonna's hassling you about sullying such a fine motor car.
He used to own a Turbo Cougar that he loved...
Anger Anger Anger!
240 + coilovers
I happen to be selling a C4 Corvette in your price range. :)
Other than that, an E30 BMW or 240SX comes to mind.
If it is going to truely be a "light use" vehicle you really might want to consider a V8. With rising gas prices you might be able to "steal" something. I bet many Camaros and Mustangs are just sitting still with no one even calling about them.
What I do know is that former "cheapies" are getting hard to afford/justify.
If you do look at "cheapies" I highly recommend an early MR2.
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