BEST PROJECT CAR
Are you looking for a new automotive project? There’s tons of cars to choose from, but choose wisely.
There it was, a blue 2 door 1980’s retro car for sale. It wasn’t just any 80’s automobile, it was a Datsun. A 1984 280ZX Turbo Datsun 2 door coupe. It didn’t start and looked like it needed tons of work.
We bought it, towed it home, and about a year later we had to part it out due to later discovered frame damage.
RULE NUMBER 1, buy a project car based on your current abilities, not hopes and dreams…
Stop looking at rust buckets or cars that look like they’ve been in a swap. Our best advice is DON’T buy a project car that will take two years to develop the skills to fix.
Find something that’s challenging, but don’t pick something overly difficult. For example, if you don’t have auto-body welding or painting experience, avoid something that needs body work.
STYLE AND AVAILABILITY
Now that we have that out of the way, next is your style which goes hand in hand with availability. For instance, if you buy that cool-looking Toyota MR2, it might be much harder to find parts than say a Honda Civic.
Try and stick to something you can find ample parts from a local auto shop like O'Reilly Auto Parts or online relatively easily. Another plus would be finding a car that has a high availability of aftermarket parts too.
Save that rare project find for the future once you’ve developed more skills and lots of patience.
PROJECT CAR OPTIONS
Keeping the first two lessons in mind, there are still tons of great options.
FORD
If you’re into American Muscle, nothing's better than a Mustang. Parts are usually plentiful and someone always looking to sell their beloved Mustang due to a never-ending list of unforeseen circumstances.
You can find a decent SN95 or 4th gen Mustang (made between 94 - 04) on Facebook Marketplace with no problem. This SN95 is plentiful and has tons of aftermarket parts too.
CHEVY/GM
The Chevrolet better known as Chevy G-Body is making a comeback. "The boxy late '70s to early '80s style is a classic that will never die."Parts across G-Body vehicles like the 80’s Chevy Malibu, Monte Carlo, and Oldsmobile Cutlass are highly interchangeable which means lots of aftermarket parts are compatible. Just make sure you stay AWAY from rust.
HONDA
You’ll never beat a Civic when it comes to aftermarket engine, suspension, or even body parts. Almost everyone with a Civic eventually modifies it. Plus more than 10 million Civics have been made in the last 2+ decades, so you’ll have an endless supply of options.
The hardest part is finding an older Civic with less than 200k miles because everyone loves to keep their Civics for a long time.
Fifth, sixth, and seventh-generation Civics are some of the most popular, but we prefer the sixth generation. Dominic Toretto wouldn’t be happy about that…
BMW
I know what you’re thinking. BMW is overly expensive, but you can find great early 2000s BMWs in the sub $5k with no problem. BMW owners always pine for new, so the used market isn’t too bad. Plus BMWs like the e46 have tons of aftermarket performance options.
If you like stick shift and rear wheel drive, you don’t have to look far. Finding a manual fourth-gen BMW 3 Series or e46 (made from 1997 to 2006) isn’t hard.
TOOLS FOR A STARTER PROJECT CAR
Next up are tools. You DON’T need to run out and buy Milwaukee or Snap-On. You can do quite a bit with Pittsburgh tools from Harbor Freight. They even have a pretty decent selection of cordless power tools too.
If you don’t have a Harbor Freight nearby, you can pick up a starter Craftsman or DeWalt auto mechanic tool set on Amazon. Get yourself a jack, torque wrench, and a few other tools too:
If you need specialty tools like brake flaring tools or special presses most auto parts stores have loaner programs with refundable deposits.
If you prefer to buy yourself specialty tools for things like brake flaring, an air compressor, or even a welder check out Eastwood.com and save 10% when you use code THEBUILD10 on checkout (no restrictions).
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