I’m understandably in a project car mindset after enjoying yesterday’s “The ‘Shitbox Triangle’ And How To Pick Your First Project Car,” and though I’m in no shape to be taking on a car project more ambitious than the RC variety, I can’t help but think about what my dream project would be.
“Isn’t that the same thing as a dream car?” No, not to me. For example, a dream car for me (I have many) might be a Mustang GTD; but my dream project car is certainly some kind of Beetle or Beetle-based kit car – probably a Baja bug, like the topshot beauty on sale here. at I like those, obviously, but they also seem like something that would be fun and relatively easy to work on – just four bolts to pull the engine, no water cooling to fuss with, and all that. Mind you, in this fantasy I have a nice three-bay air-conditioned garage for cars and car projects, and all the tools and stands and lifts etc. to do it all like I’m hosting Horsepower TV or any of those other old Power Block shows.
Less interesting to me are project cars in the David Tracy mode of rusted heaps, but I gotta say, the astounding 240Z restoration series on YouTube really gets my resto-project juices flowing. I mean, look at the attention lavished on these hood hinges!
How about you? What’s your project-car dream?
Top graphic image: Beverly Hills Car Club
We’re still working on it.. Our 2020 Transit Connect 2.0L cargo has went from a mild daily utility van to a wild sports car with room in the back to sleep but it isn’t a camper conversion. With a 10K upgraded suspension.. I can’t wait till you’re next track day to see what this little van can do.
I’ve wanted for quite a while to swap the drivetrain from a Ecoboost Taurus SHO into an early 2000s Buick LeSabre. It’d be the ultimate sleeper car.
Several years ago when I owned a small shop, I was tempted to install a 02 era Malibu body on a Tacoma frame. Ended up scrapping both vehicles.
Lotus Europa with an 800+cc two stroke twin cylinder engine. Get down to barely half a ton with 150 hp or so.
You can find Mazda RX-8s with blown motors for pretty cheap, like $1k to $3k. If I understand correctly, the Mazda MZR / Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder engines and the related Mazda L-series / Ford Duratec 25 engines will bolt up to the RX-8 transmission, and will fit with a little bit of trimming in the engine bay. I’ve seen a few swaps out there, both NA and turbo. It’s not too difficult to get 300 to 400 hp out of those engines, and a lot of NC Miata chassis parts will fit the RX-8. So with a junkyard engine and some aftermarket parts, you can make a very capable sports car on a budget.
I think a G-body cutlass project would be neat. Swap in a Olds 350, 455 or Cadillac 500 V8, dual exhaust, whatever transmission works best, and restore the interior to how nice it would be when the car was new(GM velour and fake wood for the win), Olds rally wheels and just drive it. Would be an excellent cruiser.
Not sure if it’s possible but a BMW S52 or S54 into a Porsche 944 would be a really cool swap as well
Edit: now that I think about it, a BMW S54 or Mercedes M119 in a 3rd gen Trans Am or IROC Camaro would be sweet as well, I’d bet I’ll have the only one at any show
I don’t have time for projects per se, but all classic cars are somewhat projects.
My next classic car will almost certainly be another ’80s Alfa Spider. Cheapish for a good one, relatively reliable and easy to work on, good on modern highways, and most importantly for Florida, most of them have air conditioning.
For me, a 1965 Buick Riviera, bagged, motor swap with a built 454, an AMG motor, or electric, or… or…. or better. great paint, great interior, a real cruiser with class and style.
Understand this is a project I would be paying competent people to do. 1956 Lincoln Continental MK II. I want to keep it looking as close to stock as possible, but all modern running gear, modern power, modern braking, modern emissions. Doesn’t have to be super fast, just adequate style and comfort for long drives. And some way to play my tunes…
I’ve been watching mymechanics for years. They guy has genuine talent for absurdly detailed rebuilds.
My dream project car was probably the idea I had back in high school. I had zero experience with anything more than washing and checking tire pressure, save for a little work trying to remove dents on family rides. So, with that extensive background I had come up with the dream build: a 6×6 Ford Bronco. To make matters even more silly, the engine I had dreamt of using was a turbine from a helicopter.
Needless to say, there isn’t a turbine-powered 6×6 Bronco in my driveway all these years later. But I do have a 78 Bronco I get to wrench on when no one is watching. And that’s pretty cool.
There are a few kit cars I’ve long wanted to build. I’ve modified a few vehicles to pickup trucks that’s also something that was high on my list. There are some symth kits that interest me as well. My dad had a few friends that built Cobra kit cars that was something I was really interested in when I was younger and around that. Now I’m more into the factory 5 818 or maybe a speedster.
I’ve also long wanted to have a decent driver VW thing and karmann ghia. I would want to electrify most any project.
I know a few people that have modified old mini trucks to use small industrial diesels that’s also something that interests me. Probably a early to mid 00s ranger.
Ever since high school, I’ve always wanted to build my own car. Not like a kit car or a reproduction, but a blank-page from-scratch effort. It would probably end up either a compact forward control van or subcompact two-door wagon with a toyota HSD drivetrain and phev capacity, and it would doubtlessly be terrible in ways I cannot imagine, but it would be awesome to realize something so complicated.
Pantera, Detomaso, probably 71 or 73 to avoid a lot of smog stuff.
That way at least it looks exciting even while it languishes in the garage waiting for a part or some time to install a part or two.
1972 BMW 2002tii. Realistically, a project one is the only one I could afford now and I have no space or time to deal with it. But it’s nice to dream about.
Mine’s not a specific model, necessarily, but I’d love to take a crack at fixing up a Copart car. I don’t know if I’ll ever actually try it because I realize there are a lot of risks involved in buying a wreck, but the idea of putting a car that is maybe 75% still in good shape back on the road because that last 25% cost more than insurance was willing to pay really appeals to me for some reason.
I’ve bought a few hail cars from them. Might be a good place to start. The hurricane cars in Florida also seem interesting some people have good success with them but they still scare me a bit. The fees have gotten so bad you really have to get a deal to make it worth it now.
Yeah, I’m more looking for something that needs mechanical repair, where I could put some sweat equity into it. I guess I could learn PDR for a hail car. 🙂
I just fixed the parts that needed to be fixed. Found a rear hatch with glass got a new windshield. The rest looks like a golf ball. I pulled a few dents out with a cheap pdr kit from Amazon. Anymore I probably need the induction tool. They are cheap enough now I just lost interest in making that car look better.
My neighbor accidentally used to specialize in mechanically totaled copart specials. He would just see something go for cheap and buy it from the copart lot about 15 minutes from us. One time I looked over at his current junk pile and everything he had was known to blow head gaskets. He didn’t realize. He would fix them up and trade them off. I don’t remember what he did with the bmws. I think one went off with head gasket in a can and another was vanos issue he did.