i want to work on a cheap car and make it fast...any tips on what cars are good for this sort of thing?

What's your budget Do you have alternate transportation while you tweak it What goals do you have? Something to attractive to look at, something to live a 1/4 miles at a time, a track machine, a ralley machine, nice interior, something with a great community to go along with it, 2dr v 4dr...? What do you want from it?

well im really lookin for a car that performs well but im most likely not going to be racing on the track, i just want to have a car that performs nice, but isn't overly obnoxious and also doubles as an everyday car. i would like to do this work on a car like a 2001 mustang perhaps, but any rwd 2 door car is fine

by the way the budget is probably somewhere around $5,000

I would suggest a Honda CRX or an Acura Integra. Theyre cheap, last a long time, and can be suped up for relatively cheap.

3rd gen camaro. you should be able to find the 350tpi model for under your $5000 mark. then start with the simple upgrades like exhaust, chip, shift kit, throttle body, CAI, runners, brakes, shocks/struts, and much more. i did ALL of the work on my camaro and nothing was difficult. all the parts are relatively cheap also so you will have plenty of cash to buy more than one upgrade at a time. plus if you buy one with some dinged up body work and get a fresh paint job those cars can look really gorgeous when they shine

rose no disrespect but a CRX doesnt perform. i mean they barely move when you give them gas. and he stated he wanted a rwd 2 door. i dont think either of these cars are rwd that you stated.

5k isn't the best to get a decent car, but it's more than enough to get what you're wanting... How is alternate transportation for you, if your car breaks down do you have someone who can give you a ride? If so you may want to look at older vehicles that can be a better deal. Chase mentioned the 3rd gen f-bodies. Hell, if you looked around you can get a decently sorted 914 :-D. That's more if you want to go the unique route... They're definitely not for everyone, but with modern tires they are fun as hell to drive. You're at a price point where you can get almost any type of car you want, you just have to decide what you want and wait for a good deal. You can always get a 500-700 beater to get you around if it takes too long. Whatever you do find a working one to test drive so you're sure it fits you.

i suggest benz '96 C36 amg

A classic Mini-easy to make fast and relatively cheap to buy at the moment. Most engines will fit into them with a bit of jiggling you can even shoehorn a V8 into them. Most of the engines fitted into them would increase their performance like this: 1. Mild: 1300 MG Metro lump (could put the turbo motor in for good measure) set you back about £200-£300 for a good unit 2.Hot: A Honda 1600 VTEC motor(this has been done) or an MR2 2.0 litre Turbo(sitting in the rear) 3. Wild: V8 from Rover right through to big block V8(say 7.0 litre) also in the rear or any big bike engine(Hyabusa motor is insane) Remember good brakes are a must as is replacing the bushes and suspension to cope!!! Hope this helps P.s don't get fooled into putting twin carbs on a 998cc as this causes overfueling with standard valve sizes,cams and head setup and will result in wasted cash! If I was 15, I would be looking for a 1300 MG Metro lump(naturally aspirated) as this would be the safer option for now!!

Ok thanks a lot guys, i like the 1990 mustang and i really like it. does anybody know if this is an easy car to work on? also another car i was lookin at is a 1985 300zx. Same thing, if anybody knows if it is easy to work on, just respond please :D

id go with the mini with it being your 1st car! and as said before many engins will fit in them acouple of my mates have them 1 with a civic k20 in 1 with an vti 160bhp engin in and 1 with a huyabusa engine! and they will out run high end car out their and their cheap to do with the right people around

Ah... first car. Get one you dont have to fix! I know you want to modify cars and fix them but wait untill you have cash flow first. playing with cars is an expensive hobby

oh and 300zx are in a way hard to work on cause everything is packed in there. i own a 95 300zx and know people that own 80's you litterly have to take out dozens of thigns to get to one thing :P.

mustang is very easy to work on. go with that

Ok, however my dad is helping me with the money part of this so that's covered. and thank you for the info about the 300zx beecause that was one of the top three choices. I think i'm going to go with the mustang, but does anybody know if a 1987 camaro is easier to work on?

i owned an 87 iroc and did a full engine swap and installed a completely new wiring harness in it also. it was so easy. im not sure about mustangs. but i know the chevy V8 is one of the easiest engines to work on ever.

im probably goin wit the camaro! i just want to see both options in real life before i decide

good choice. should be an easy car to work on and a lot of fun. if youre looking for an 80s try to find yourself an iroc with the 5.7L tpi. the 5.7L will give you a lot more potential

truck- just get a truck. A light truck like a s10, ranger, or dakota would be pretty useful if you live in a rural area. they are easier to work on and maintain than a FWD (front wheel drive) car. A 2.3 L ranger would probly get better gas mileage than my mercury sable, that is if you care about what the cost of gettin yourself around is. or if you get a fullsize truck then you will pay more on gas, but hey you got some V8 power. then if you need help on something then there is no shortage of old farts around that know a thing or two. car- Beretta, Beretta GT, ford escort (a decent one could be had for as little as $500, my dad had one for 12 years as a daily driver, it had 232000 km on it, with no major problems and once did 14sec down the quarter mile) or be a ricer and get a honda civic. (don't even think about gettin a doge neon)

he said he wanted a car and he wanted a rwd car. not a fwd car or truck

In your post, you didn't mention where in the world you were? I take it you are stateside and that a Mini would not be an option as they are hard to come by. However, I do like your suggestion of a 3rd Gen Camaro. I've currently got one over here in the UK(imported from California). These cars are not cheap over here as they are fairly rare as compared to the states and so have a higher value. I love my Z28 to bits and is a fantastic car to roll in. Go for the Camaro: the looks and the sound from the small block V8 do it for me every time!!

cheap and fast does not come hand in hand. if your looking for cheap your not looking for fast. If you want a car just to work on, just to say that your made it go for what ever you like. integra civic rx7 240. average price for the cars listed is $200 per hp. so if you want fast your looking at a lot of money. So rethink your goals for this project. Fast = money

oh and btw. if anf i say IF you can find one try to find one with 4 wheel disc brakes. and another reason to buy an iroc with the 5.7L(even though its slightly more) is that the 5.7L ALWAYS has borg warner rear axles. and most come with 4 wheel disc brakes so no conversions if you get the 5.7L

I would strongly recommend a first gen dsm talon. they come in mostly awd and two door. nice suttle mean look to it. performs very well.. if u take care of it.. different from the rest of the crowd but can still blend in if u know what I mean. fun commuter with a ton of fun and lots of upgrades behind it. a relatively reliable car if I might say. pretty easy to work on too