Vehicle musings - Old cruiser vs more modern and HP

Sooo I have been musing on cars. I am bored with the MR2 and kinda want a new project. Ideally 3 seats..... (will get driven more if I can take the wife and kid)

Slow old school cruiser or more modern and more HP? That is kinda where I am stuck right now, figured you guys could talk thru this as well as anyone.

Old School: 3 seats makes it not a truck (which is kinda the style I like) but there is a 35 Ford Tudor slantback for sale locally. It was a guys project, wife has health issues and he needs it gone. Its been blasted and primered, body is pretty decent, Mustang 2 front end bits, genada rear end, new brake system, running flathead. Need wiring, body work, glass etc. 

I'm not totally sold on that body style, but its cheap (reasonably compared to the other "old" cars I am finding) but its a runner and a decent body to start with it appears.

Modern ish: LS swap or LS something. with turbos perhaps? I am kinda leaning towards CC pickuo for some reason, maybe a Silverado SS (for the AWD) but again not 100% sold on that body either, but 6.0LS and AWD.

Or find something small ish and 80's? Other options: There is a FC with a 350 in it, but not sure that really counts as a "back seat" in those (10yo daughter), a Falcon with a ford 5.0 (wiht a carb.... I hate carb....) a Datsun 210 with a sr20det that needs to be put together.

It would be a fun commuter on occasion, weekend car at times, or just a fun thing to go for a drive. If going more modern, being somewhat ok handling would be good.

Anyway brain rambling. Muse away with me.

and since everyone likes pics.....

35 Ford

FC 

Falcon

210

I have similar feeling about trying to balance cool, older cars vs. less cool, modern vehicles but with more modern hp and handling.

But for just a fun cruiser, personally, I'd go for the Falcon wagon. the 5.0 has all the aftermarket to make whatever power you want down the road. Also you can pitch the carb and go with something like the Fitech or Holley units or i've heard you can adapt to Explorer EFI reasonably easy but haven't read into it too much

In reply to edizzle89 :

Yeah I am torn.... I too like the wagon. Its also cheap. I kow nothing of Ford 5.0's tho.

My heart would want to figure out that 210. 

My head says take the running FC.

z31maniac said:

My heart would want to figure out that 210. 

My head says take the running FC.

210 would be a blast hp/weight wise. Looks like he has 99% of the stuff to put it back together.... But im not sure about buying someone else's half assembled project. Its one thing when you took it apart, another when someone else did..... He also wants a little more $$ than I would want to spend on that just due to the project nature..... 

Literal piles of parts...

FC is 1500$ more than the 210 (asking price's anyway, 210 guy says FIRM)

The 210 all day every day, that thing looks too cool.

If you don't buy it, share the details with us cause one of us is sure to give it home.

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

Not sharing yet because I haven't made up my mind yet! :D Not that I am sure you couldn't find it with what I posted.

But what are people's thoughts on 4k price? 

Seller description:

Non running project. Will need to be towed. Low mi sr20det was running and driving in a 240sx before I bought it. Greddy pulleys, 20G turbo, turbo smart wastegate, blow off valve, electronic boost controller,v-band exhaust, Freddy intake (powder coated black), 555cc injectors, billit fuel rail, wiring specialties pro sr20det harness, phenix industries fpr, 4 core back door intercooler, 3 core radiator, mishimoto couplers, oil catch can, samco radiator hoses, custom down pipe dump tube, custom front coilovers. 280zx front strut tubes and brakes fuel cell, aem 320lph external fuel pump with anti drain back, wink mirror, tein rear coilovers,twin cam 240sx gauge cluster, billit flush mount buttons, custom one off front air dam, fender mirrors, 2002 WRX seats, hid's with housings.

Also says its a stock ECU thats chipped for engine mgmt. And I know nothing of SR20's

I don't think you could find four cars more different than each other.  I like the '35 Ford, but if you have a young child it's not the safest choice for them.

That Falcon wagon is making me feel funny inside.

That's my vote. 

Aftermarket potential for the 5.0 is just about infinite, EFI is a relatively easy swap, and the chassis is basically an early Mustang, so there are handling upgrades abound. Plus, you get tons of room for activities!

In reply to stuart in mn :

Like I said, I'm all over the place and taking input. I like the Ford too, but that's a huge project.... And will just be a cruiser. Not sure a 210 is any safer really.

In reply to Tony Sestito :

Yes all the room for activities!

Just heard back from the seller, it needs transmission, slipped really bad in overdrive.

I'm a huge fan of the superman lunchbox.

Think back to school.  If you had a superman lunchbox and you were the nerdy kid, you got teased for having it.  If you were the cool kid, everyone thought that superman lunchboxes were so uncool that they were COOL.... because the cool kid had one.

In car speak, the superman lunchbox is the stuff that is so uncool that its cool.  70s smogger wagons, 80s Eagles, AMC Pacers and Gremlins, Family Trucksters...

I had a 73 Impala wagon.  The only options he ticked were 454, 12-bolt, and A/C.  58k on the clock when I bought it and promptly yanked the 454 and made it into a 468.  9mpg.  Loved that beast.

I vote Falcon. The 210 is awsome but I don't like SR20s. 

In reply to Daylan C :

Learn me sr20? I thought they were supposed to be a pretty tough motor, but I know nearly nothing about them.

Falcon. No knowledge of SBF? Can't think of a greater way to learn. Activities, EFI swaps, wagon, good paint, wagon... Possibilities are endless, and it has the distinct chance of being way cheaper to run and maintain than any of these other options.

In reply to java230 :

Honestly I'm the sort of idiot that dislikes something because somebody I thought was smart said it was bad in this case. Plus a hint of hipsterism. Biggest problem I've seen was valvetrain issues. I also think they make unpleasant noises. Which matters to me in a cruiser.

In reply to barefootskater :

Lots of votes for wagon....

It has some cancer, needs a tailgate and the car goes for replace oh, and that's just a minimum that's easy to see.

In reply to Daylan C :

I see the 210 is the more HP side of this argument in theory, that motor should be good for 300 350 horsepower easy

The flares on that FC bother the E36 M3 out of me. 

In reply to Furious_E :

They scream rust to me. The ad for that one dropped anyway. He never replied to me if I had the back seat option or not

Wildcard: trailblazer ss

In reply to MazdaFace :

Ohhhh one of the early 2000's ones maybe?! 

z31maniac said:

My heart would want to figure out that 210. 

My head says take the falcon

fixed

Wagon.

Out of those choices, For a fun family cruiser, the wagon without question would be my choice.