My son is 8 years old and I was thinking how cool it would be to buy a piece of [:)][:)][:)][:)][:)] and totally rebuild it over the next 8 years into something he can drive when he turns 16. I'd like to go with some sort of import with plenty of aftermarket options and tuneability.

Does anyone have suggestions on cars that would be good to make projects? I was considering an older RX7, but I'm not sure if I want to deal with the unknowns of a rotary engine. I also don't want to go with something as simple as a civic...I want it to actually be cool :) Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

wow philip!! what a cool thing to do for your son!! yay you!![lockdance]


sorry i don't have any ideas for you, but i'm sure someone else will.......

have fun!!![woot]

find you a nissan 200 sx se-r,make sure its that model,,then look up jwt,,jim wolfe technologies,,(big nissan racing man,,his hands are in almost anything thats nissan racing.)140hp 132fpt stock weighs 2600lbs.and it doesnt take a lot of $$$ to get it pumped up to 300hp either.

ford sierra cosworth rs

Monster Miata

used Miata - $1500-$3000
(can fix it up and autox it)

5.0L engine drivetrain and 7.5" T-Bird axle = ~$2200

Monster Miata kit - $4000

go to monster miata dot com and check out the info

^^^ Cool idea, but not for a first car. He will be a new driver... Pick something out of the ordinary, especially if you are gonna put time in it... I like some of the freaky RWD turbo cars from the 80's...

Mitsubishi starion ( chrysler conquest)
Mustang SVO
Merkur XR4TI

A tough swap would be fun, a 240 nissan with all the silvia bits and an sr20det would be nice

There were some cool FWD cars too. depends on how wierd you want to get

Shelby turbo cars from the 80's
Dodge Omni GLHS
Mazda 323
There were a few cool escorts out there
Cosworth Vega
Datsun 510 with JDM bits

^^^ Those are just a few off the top of my head.


The rotaries are neat, but I would steer clear as the can be difficult to diagnoze problems on, and for a first car you want reliable AND fun.

You could grab the RX7 and do an LS1 swap.
Just throwing that out there. Not because I know what I'm talking about either...

i wouldnt give my 16 year old son, or daughter a car with that many ponies, i like vineys car ideas, all cheap cars that can be built to last a long while, and stil can be built to make nice numbers later on

touche...

I like the 200sx...that was a pretty cool looking car. And I'll look into that LS1 swap as well as Viney's suggestions. Thanks for the ideas guys.

sierraaaa

If it's in the cards Warneej and I might try to build a Festiva race car soon. You can find those things for like $600. Then KYBs are like $60 a piece or something ridiculous. Gut it and put on a couple go-fast mods and you have one light 4-cyl car.

The Mustang SVO idea is cool.

For 16 year old first driver...

How about a Chevelle, Nova, or the 200sx SE-R (suggested above).

What about a Supra TT if you want to go import or finding a 200sx SE-R and doing a Skyline conversation would be cool to. If you have 8 years you could take your time and learn about the Rotary engines and get an RX-7.

Supra TT...too fast for a new driver, come on now.

Nova and chevelle are fun, but eat too much gas to be daily drivers. Gas is gonna be 4-5 bucks a gallon by the time this guy is driving.

http://www.dragtimes.com/images/11653-1989-Ford-Festiva.jpg
How can you say no to this people???

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/1986.ford.sierra.cosworth.arp.750pix.jpg

I didn't think you could get those over here...
I know you can get the XR4Ti but are you sure about that one?

the license plate is British so im guessing its not the American model

the mercur is a cool car, as well as the festiva, omg there was one at a junkyard, 4-5 speed dun member what it had, but mad pimp, ima get one one day to have fun with and its lil ugliness lol

1918 Ford C Cab Panel Truck......

^i love the old ford pick ups, not the teens but the 30s, look cool, and those only go 30mph lol

For a new driver I would recommend a tank, like an old Volvo or a classic muscle car

hey hey thats 3 for the nissan, i had one i actually traded out for the focus,well not actually traded in,, but my oldest wanted it, so i sold it to him, he sold his neon,and i bought the focus.

my first car was a 1966 mustang, that thing was (is) awesome... i would suggest vintage pony car (instead of muscle car) - early mustang/camaro/firebird and do an EFI swap on it
also what about a fox mustang? i drove one year round and managed not to kill myself and I've got what the experts refer to as a "death wish" when it comes to cars (i personally know the top speed of every vehicle I've ever owned)
if you want import...
240sx, 300zx, miata, crx, del sol, civic dx hatchback, eclipse gst or gsx, impreza 2.2l
if it has to be import of those my two top choices are: miata and 240sx, they both have a 50/50 weight distribution, and the options are insane when it comes to modifying everything from bolt ons to full on swaps, and both cars are light, handle well, and stop well, plus the miata is a drop top, who doesnt like a drop top?
and if you don't buy him a miata, buy me one, my fiancee wont let me buy another car, something about paying my bills on time and not dumping more money into a "stupid piece of metal"....it gets pretty fuzzy after that comment comes up, typically an argument ensues...anyways....miata sick little car

We started my project when I was 8 ( '68 Firebird ) then moved from there to a '67 Mustang ( When i turned 15) Which became my DD. Sold it.. Still have the Bird.. It's alot of fun. I didn't get into the newer cars till later so I don't really have a suggestion on one. Good Idea none the less. Have fun with it!

i would suggest a datsun 240z i love those cars, the really curvy ones from the 70s look so good. or maybe a gremlin. or a fiero. or a ford maverick. i love weird looking cars.

I was thinking about a Maita this morning... That would be a sweet autox car

I would add a 240z to my list. IF you can find one with only a little rust. Great car.

http://www.flatout-motorsports.com/images/newsphotos/andynhisapril.jpg
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8226/020by9.jpg

ok,, maybe i misread this. he didnt mention for his kid when he's 16 years old,a daily driver,,not racing.,something cheap to begin with,cheap to fix along the way,,so some of theses suggestions make no sence to me,,i dont recall him saying unlimited cash flow...lol

ok,, maybe i misread this. he didnt mention for his kid when he's 16 years old,a daily driver,,not racing.,something cheap to begin with,cheap to fix along the way,,so some of theses suggestions make no sence to me,,i dont recall him saying unlimited cash flow...lol

who suggested something expensive? yes, i did post a picture of a spec miata; however, those cars can remain very streetable if the cage is left out of the package.

miatas, older ones can be had for 2g's and you can fix em up, they dont make mad power, but there fun lil cars, and its not a bad car for a first car, ill prolly give my kids a huge boat, like an olds delta 88 for their first car lol

no one went with a BMW ti (the old school ones) that would be a super sweet little ride, a little more expensive on the parts but worth it for sure

What about a beater of a SVT or a ZX3. Refurb it and rebuild the engine, whatever.

On the other hand, a late 90s 325i/325iS would be cool or a Acura TL 4 door.

i vote for a miata. There are a ton of aftermarket parts to fix it up AND make it a better. A kid at 16 with a convertible all fixed up would be really cool. Insurance would not be that bad and they are good on gas. Miatas are not all that fast, but they handle great. I think they even has a wet clutch, so it is super easy to learn stick. My dad has a 1990 with 118,000 on it and still runs great. Its oh so cool old school, back to basics car. It would be a good car for a kid to learn the mechanics and to drive on. Good luck!!!

well he did say a piece of CRAP and build over 8 years,,and i dont think a 2g or more car is a piece of crap is it? i mean you can still pick up a decent used car off an individual for that,at least down here anyways. and i didnt throw rocks at anybody in paticular and point and call names,,so those of you getting all defensive,,just smile and take a breath...lifes too short.

FOCUS.
it's the best first car i've never had but wish i did.

VW Bug, maybe

i had a vw rail buggy once,,what a blast.

an old vw would be cool, thats a good idea.

yeah and you can build the snot out of that lil engine,stroker kits and the hole 9 yards,ive seen um turboed and nos and spank the shit out of some unsuspecting v8's lol

i saw one at a car show that had a porsche engine in it. i dunno what kind of power it made though, or if it was mostly just so he could say he had a porsche engine lol.

A mkI or mkII GTI would be a cool project indeed if the Euro scene is your thing. That said, I would look at fixing up a Datsun Z (any of them) with a RWD RB swap on stock or no boost. That way you keep the straight-6 that those cars are known for while updating it enough that it will run everyday without much issue.

IF you want to go import, why not an early 90's civic, prelude (nothing exotic or super fast) thats in rough shape, go through it with him rebuilding the car from bumper to bumper.......in the end he will have a reliable, economical car that can be modded further that he had the pleasure of working on himself (which hopefully would mean he will take better care of it) and in the process, he will learn valuable lessons about the care and maintenence of cars, which even if he doesn't pursue the auto enthusiast hobby later in life, will be handy knowledge he can use for the rest of his life.