I want a project car. Help me pick GRM.

The deal I made for my Corolla project fell through, so the hunt is back on. I can't find any other little Corollas close enough or for the right price. Can't find any good Volvo 240s either. Or really any other car that I really like/know anything about. All the old 80s cars I used to see all the time are gone, I guess.

So I come to you GRM, oh elders of automotive bargain basements.

So here's what I'm looking for:

• ~$1000 budget ($500 if it needs a trans, or engine, or etc big thing)

• Manual trans

• Ability to carry 4 wheels with tires without utilizing the back seat (So a hatch or wagon).

• Small/light.

• Probably FWD. Can't afford RWD because drifto.

• Simple construction (So no old Mercedes).

• Cheap/easy to find parts.

• Would prefer an import.

Also, I've pretty much ruled out Hondas, because civic-hatch-rice-tax. What am I missing? What have I forgotten?

Keep waiting on a decent volvo 240, or if fwd, bg chassis 323 (then bp motor swap)

Watch this one for a few weeks or more. Be surprised if he sells a non-running car for $1,900. Make lowball offer. Yeah! Yeah! It's auto, but it does look good. http://tricities.craigslist.org/cto/4351645344.html http://images.craigslist.org

Didn't you just post a $600 Starlet from CL over in the classifieds?

In the time that its taken you to start this thread, that thing was probably picked up by someone else .

Seriously, go get it now!

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/1983-mazda-rx-7-gsl/76647/page1/#post1456137

Not a technically a hatch, not a wagon, but is RWD and comes with everything to make it a 5 speed. Does need an engine or a re-power. I really don't want to deal with the Craigslist idiots, so the price is very negotiable to the GRM crowd. Make me an offer.

In reply to HappyAndy:

I'm not the type to travel 6 hours for a car.

I bought a running, driving '92 325is with a lot of dings, trashed seats/interior for $500 two years ago and another one ('94 this time...) with a few rust issues and a blown head gasket but mostly clean for $750. Both were originally asking at $1200 and both left here as profit for race tires.

Deals are out there... ask around. Keep an eye on CL/ebay/local trades, etc.

RoughandReady wrote: In reply to HappyAndy: I'm not the type to travel 6 hours for a car.

Who says you have to drive?

Offer a GRMer $50 to check it out, then pay $200 to a transport company. Done. Still in your budget.

Dude.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/not-mine-ran-when-parked-make-offer-86-escort-exp-in-nc/80013/page1/

I'm not joking. I've had an interest in these cars for over 10 years and have owned four of them. They're great fun, and you don't have to worry about passing 10 of them on your way to work.

That one is a Sport Coupe, which means close ratio 5 speed mated to a 1.9HO 4 cylinder, better wheels, seats, etc etc.

Lotus Europa, the project that keeps giving!

hey Rough look what i found on the asheville cl

86 subaru gl coupe with 174K $900

In reply to MrChaos:

It doesn't run. It was in the seller's old ad, conveniently absent from this one. "Only 174k!"

how bout that 64 Cadillac sedan de ville in sylva with a 429.

Escort wagon. Bonus points for having a blown motor. Then you can do a GT swap.

Or a junkyard KL swap and have a screamer.

I'll do some looking tomorrow and get some ads up.

I'm pretty much set on one of these:

Because of this:

GLH. pick one up for a grand and run mid to high 14 second quarter mile times. Drop a few hundred (tops) on the car and run mid to high 12 seconds. Heck, drop $6 on the car and run mid 13s.

Turbo dodge is the answer here.

What about 2-3hrs away?.......... http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4341957193.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4363111811.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4357098115.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4346383659.html

In reply to mrwillie:

Raleigh is 4+ hours away.

Depends on how fast you drive. Besides, it's all downhill from Asheville to here.

How about a Porsche 924? If you're comfy with CIS, Old Audi/VW's, you can manage a 924 for about that and have RWD plus hatch with room to grow since 944s are great sources for upgrades and they get wrecked/junked all the time.

Then again, you can find a 944 for $650 with a blown headgasket:

http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/4369145298.html

That's a nice looking car for $650.

How about a BMW 318ti?

http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/4357334436.html

Ooooh, here's an 85 caravan that comes converted to a 2.4 DOHC motor and 5-speed. Just add SRT4 turbo and have a lot of fun!

http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/4297586350.html

Every time I go on CL or this board, I find another dozen potential reasons for my wife to dump my sorry ass ...