Why hillclimb a NASCAR stock car? Because it cost less than $10K.

The beauty of hillclimbs is that it seems like you can run just anything. Formula cars. Kit cars. Old muscle cars. Supercars. Miatas, of course. And, yes, old NASCAR stock cars. In fact, there’s a class for it, and Tommy Plaza’s the fastest of the bunch with his 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass. In fact, it finished 17th overall among a field …

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That is a great use for a retired race car!  Which means it is not really retired.

That seems like a great use for a car like that.   And good shout out to Kathy, she's good people :)

Thank you for not simply calling it a NASCAR.

$10k seems stupid cheap for this...  so if you don't get lucky at a no reserve auction, what's a real-world cost of entry for a similar car?

Appleseed said:

Thank you for not simply calling it a NASCAR.

I've personally covered NASCAR for years. I couldn't call it that. 

bludroptop said:

$10k seems stupid cheap for this...  so if you don't get lucky at a no reserve auction, what's a real-world cost of entry for a similar car?

This turnkey one sold for $12,100: 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS NASCAR for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions
$9900: 2008 Toyota Camry NASCAR for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions
$9900: 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions

J.A. Ackley said:

This turnkey one sold for $12,100: 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS NASCAR for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions
$9900: 2008 Toyota Camry NASCAR for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions
$9900: 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR for Sale at Auction - Mecum Auctions

Helpful...  the first one seems to be a complete car, but not 'as raced' and #2 and #3 are both missing something. 

In reply to bludroptop :

Missed that. Perfect K-swap candidates? 

For a full list of past Mecum NASCAR sales, check this: Auction Results - Mecum Auctions.

P.S. - I'm still peeved at missing the Kyle Petty Coors Light car.

Aren't these almost always sold as rollers? I was surprised to see the first one actually had an engine. S'ok, you can build a carbureted 350 for about $100 :)

A stock car making K noises would be pretty entertaining, but I think you'd be missing a big part of the experience without the blasting power of a big engine.

FWIW   You are not comparing Apples to Apples.

This is a Busch Car (different chassis, running gear and etc.) that was built in the 90s, the prices from Mecum auction are at least 4 generations of chassis newer.

$10K for a complete car seems at least $5K too high.

YRMV

Keith - not always as rollers, but it is fairly common. I joke about the K-swap ... just to create discussion 

RacingComputers - I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a turnkey Busch/Xfinity car, Cup car, Truck or ARCA car for less than $10K that's turnkey, ready for road-racing use, even if it's from the early 1990s. If you find one, please share it. I love counterpoints.

Personally, I haven't encountered many old Busch cars from the early '90s for sale or in running condition. They don't seem like they were saved over the years. It's hard to create a true value comparison for them. The best I can do is that Mecum link to past auctions, although, yes, they're mostly Cup cars.

Most of the old NASCAR stock cars I've encountered in the road racing world have been Gen 4 Cup cars, interestingly enough. I'm starting to see some CoT and Gen 6, but a lot of the Gen 6 cars seem to have gotten cut up before the opportunity to be sold, unless it was from a smaller team.

As far as Cup car prices, here are a few more from a different marketplace, Facebook Marketplace, although these seem more like collector items:
Marketplace - 1992 Ford Thunderbird | Facebook
Marketplace - 1994 Chevy Lumina NASCAR - real deal- with papers | Facebook

P.S. - More listings here: Latest Race cars, RV's, Engines for sale | RacingJunk

Didn't see any early 1990s Busch cars, though.

Ok its not a cup car but I just saw this for sale. I can vouch for this car, it's 100% done, ready to race. We have all read the modified hill climb thread...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/434504959488951/

10K seems to be the sweet spot for a running short track cars/truck.  If you're dedicated to searching FB marketplace you can spot deals as they come up.  I just bought an old late model super truck and I'm currently in the process of getting it ready for some Hill Climbs.  Hopefully I can be out there next year putting on a show alongside Tommy.  

https://www.racingjunk.com/category

Sometimes you can find a good deal on Racing Junk.

Agreed   Early Busch Cars are getting LONG IN THE TOOTH.

$10K still seems high.

Granted being in NC, and Ex - NASCAB, my perspective might be different from others in different  parts of the country.

Still great to see the car back ON THE TRACK

Good Luck

I this car has a locker then switch it to a true track style rear. It will transform the car and drive better and faster and with finesse. I assume there are plenty of low speed corners, this is where a locker really hurts you as the car has a lot of trouble rotating around a slow corner without pushing. A true track style with make it into a different car that you actually drive around corners not plow or broad slide around. Another side benefit is your tires will probably last much longer as your not pushing or sliding the entire car to get it to rotate on lower speed corners.

In reply to RacingComputers :

Agreed! I love seeing these old cars get repurposed for cool things.

As an aside, I know someone who has an old Busch V6 and ran it in his dirt modified oval-track car. It's got quite the unique sound, to say the least.

I believe I read this car has a Quick Change Rear end.   Memory is not clear on the type of diff for the Quick Change Rear Ends.

Good Idea though.

Good Luck