I have $20K in the bank , and I need to build a musclecar.......

[Bassin Buick]

wth is an ssei? And don't underestimate the EcoTec in that redline.

super charged bonneville

 

[Digital Designs 10+ year member]

even this interests me
1997 Pontiac ***** Am 6spd, LT-1 V8 only 117xxx mi. $6500 !!

LS-1 or bust in those cars, dude. The LT-1s are alright, but nowhere CLOSE to the LS-1.

 

[disturbed471985 5,000+ posts]

^^^ pure pita's to wrk on though. Dream car would be a fox body stang with a 351 with twin 88's can we say 8sec all day long and can be done for well under 20k.

 

[stevew007 10+ year member]

why build it when you can lowball someone and takes theres for half the price?everyone knows it costs more to build it then to buy it.

when you say muscle car i think anything before 1970.

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

I do like the look of 2000ish mustangs camaros and ***** ams. Not classic muscle but very common motors with a huge owner base and parts. Decisions decisions

 

[#45 10+ year member]

i had a 64 chevelle malibu ss, dropped in a 502 brand new motor, 6spd manual, 4.11 gear rear end for way under 20k. old cars are not expensive at all to muscle up considering they were muscle cars to begin with.

Just get you one with an original big block like 454 and just rebuild it, put in a posi rear end if its not included, its not expensive at all considering. Newer cars are not built as heavy duty from the factory, meaning you replace everything if you actually want a real muscle car.

also don't make the mistake of noobs building a high horsepower motor and then use the OEM transmission and rear end. lol disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Wingman0121 10+ year member]

For $20,000 you can buy a muscle car that's already built but if you want to do your own then...

I always liked the look of 3rd-gen Camaros.

I like 70s Cadillac Eldorados with the 500 big block

A 69 Camaro will get you laid.

You can make a Nissan 280zx like a muscle car and give it the lexus 4-liter DOHC V8, it'll get expensive though.

The 1st-gen Lexus SC 400 is a Japanese muscle car and comes with one of the best V8s ever made.

Oh and the above-mentioned 2nd-gen Buick Regal/Grand National/GNX.

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

if I could find a nice GNX Id be in heaven.. a 69 camaro.. I would be in jail

 

[06goat 10+ year member]

Mustangs gay

/thread

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

Hmmm. but this looks promising

http://duluth.craigslist.org/cto/2334849067.html

 

[Slayerx 10+ year member]

fox body mustangs are by far the fastest budget cars possible. 12k will get you a 9 second car. I build mine for 7.5k and it will dip into the 9s on spray. my buddy designs turbo kits so he could design you a system with all of the bends and everything for whatever application you want to run. he has a stock block 302 car making 430/520 at the wheels on 7lbs and it rips up lambos and vettes on the highway. if anything, a mod motor car is the worst thing to start with because the 2v platform is very very hard to really ramp up. my buddy did full suspension, T56, wheels/tires, some weight mods, cams, exhaust, and a T-trip on his 01 and it does very well but he has put more than you want to spend into it and its not an ultra fast car. as far as going F-Body, you could pick up a decent LS1/T56 car for around 6-7 grand and do heads, cam, intake, exhaust, and suspension and you'll have a nasty little street car. once again though, this could blow your budget if you do things the Right way.
old mopar cars in good condition will destroy your budget and you might spend quite a bit of money trying to make an old mustang coupe really fast so maybe a Nova would be a good car to look into. something cheap and abundant will please you. once again though, the fox body will be the fastest by far on a budget. power to weight is gangsta.

He'll have a quicker than average car, faaar from nasty

OP, decide on what exactly you want, cause I don't see a 9 second car as a DD most the time. Just get what type of body you like and go with it. My dad and I built his 67 el camino slowly over 18 years, and it was his DD, and it did 11's all motor with a 327. And that was actually probably on less than you're going to spend. I'll tell you what though, best investment on that fucker was a sway-bar lmao. Not sure what your smog laws are, but you can also swap a bad *** engine into a different car. Ever see a huge crate motor in a 240z? lol Fact is, there will always be someone faster than you, you're not gonna win every race. imo building a muscle car is about taking pride into the work you've put into it, and enjoying the whiplash you give people when you punch it lol. This is why I don't understand people that spend 50k on a new fast car and think they're ****** because they own a fast car. I take pride in knowing i've built a fast car.

Just pick a car that you've always liked, and trick it out.

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

yea for sure.. Maybe I should have clarified better in the OP on what I was looking for exactly

Maybe not a "muscle car" But a car that is completely streetable with 500-600 hp at the wheels, No rust, The body and interior is more important to me than whatever motor/****** is in it to start, since it will all be swapped anyways in time. And most important.. FUn to drive and reliable

I dont want 800+ hp for a car ill drive 2-3 times a week in the summer ( in MN our "spring/summer" lasts 4 months ) or whenever its nice out... Ill drive it to the golf course to get groceries, or to the track..

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

I realize there is a ton of brand loyalty , but where are the 3 best forums for each of the 3 cars I lists .. Or 2, considering the T/A and Camaro are basically the same

 

[ChevyRidinLow]

i have 8K to spend on a car .. possibly 10.... And I wanna make a muscle car out of it... **** gas mileage and mpg.. I wanna follow what I love.. Pure power..
obviously with only 8-10K to spend on the car and another 5K to spend on starting mods I dont expect a 10 second car, but it should be the start of something nice...

Alot of guys around here run Chevelles, camaros, vettes, Birds, chargers etc etc ..

I cant afford to mod and maintain a muscle car from the 60s, or 70s

I need something to mod thats doable with 20K TOTAL.. 90s-2000 mustangs, camaros and even C5 vettes are in the mix.. I just need something thats american muscle, cheap to mod, and cheap to fix....

I rode in a 900 crank hp chevelle last night and I was done.. I want a muscle car

ride in my 1200 hp bel air

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

ride in my 1200 hp bel air

ok ....drive it on over