What car should i get?

[Custom83s10]

hi, im 16 and my dad is going to let me get a car to work on for a street/strip kinda car. I already have a 83 s-10 long bed but know that it will take a lot of work to get it going. Don't let the age fool you im a serious gear head. I am more worried about the strip part. But on the other hand i have a regular 16 y.o. job and insurance is going to kill me if i buy a car that came stock with a v-8. I am in the works of building a 450hp 383 and have the lower end and bare heads already. I was wondering what you guys would buy if you were in my situation. Thanks a bunch

[riverhorse59]

Welcome, Something like a 78 to 86 Cutlass,Regal, Monte Carlo, makes a nice car to use your motor with . They have a full frame and you can find them pretty reasonably.

[Swifster]

OK, allow me to be the voice of reason. What you need is a clean early '90's Chevy Cavalier, a mid '90's Dodge/Plymouth Neon, or maybe a early '90's Escort GT. At 16, do you want to spend every last dollar on your ride, or would you like a social life.

If the cost of gasoline isn't bad enough, figuire in the cost of insurance and the cost of fixing up and maintaining an older car. If your parents are financing this toy, fine, but if the money is coming out of your pocket, a nice, clean, '92 Dodge Shadow will make a nice ride. And if you are going to drag race it, get it with an automatic.

I actually finish second at Milan Dragway once back in '88 with a '69 Plymouth Valiant with a 225 slant six and automatic, I was able to run comsistant 19.20's and knocked off 12 and 13 second cars all night. Use this as an opportunity to work on your reaction times while still getting 35 MPG.

[86Diablo]

I highly recomend a G-Body monte carlo, regal, el camino, ect, i just purchased an 86 for 500 dollars and drove it home, sure i am replacing everything but thats not the point, they are full frame, you can fit a big block in the easily, and you can get a shell for cheap, tommarow i am going to pick up the motor for mine, its a wild 350 thats coming out of a nascar show car, behind it i am mating a th350 long tail with a 3.73 out back, oh yeah, monte carlo SS had the option of a 3.73 posi out back for 78-87, any camaro of similar years would also be killer

[Speed Freak]

You need a car with a full frame and that can fit at least a small block in it and you can do that easly with any of those cars like all of the cars even a 90 - 2000 year module truck or car will work some thing that comes with a 5.7 liter or v8 i've put a stroked out ls1 in a 1967 camaro and a 572 with 780hp at the fly wheel in a 99 chevy 3/4 ton and it ran greate just depinds on how much your whiling to do hope i have made an impact on your choice!

[techinspector1]

"450hp 383 and have the lower end and bare heads already."

I hope your bare heads are Airflow Research or Twisted Wedge units. That's about the only way you're gonna make 450 hp.

[Corvette64]

Oh my, a 90's Cavalier or Plymouth Shadow? You might as well tell the kid to get a tube of brylcream, a white shirt and black tie and pocket protector too. Swifter has a point about the gas prices and insurance though. I don't know, how bout a full size 90's Chevy Caprice? Cheap. They already have a decent running 350 and 700R4. Lowered with a set of fat wheels and tires and a paint job... Might make a cool hot rod.

[Speed Freak]

Why afr i have a 383 full rollar motor with dart heads a set of iron eagles and it make 650hp at the fly wheel naturally asprated no n2o or blower even if he was on a budged he could get a set of sports man 2's that would flow just as much for 900 dollar's from summit racing afr cost at least $1,200 dollars if your lucking for new any way

[HOTRODPAINT]

Look for a two door body that you can easily install the v-8 in. If you get into odd cars, you will have to be able to engineer, fabricate, weld, wire, and build headers for the installation. Then there is the question of the rear axle.

The little Monte Carlos sound like a good choice. The S-10 also has a lot of possibility. Could you live with the truck if it was lower, and had cool wheels, a hood scoop, and some killer paint on it?......especially if it would lay stripes for a block?

[slow ride]

SBC powered S-10's are where it's at. I enjoy my Blazer and know a bunch of guys that run solid 11-12's and daily drive them.

[HotRod59]

Im not sure but isnt there a company that sell everything you need to drop a small block in a S-10? I have seen a couple S-10's with a stock 350 in them and they get up and move really good

[HOTRODPAINT]

Sounds pretty good. 383 with a turbohydro and posi. Maybe a bed cover with a spoiler built into the rear edge, battery and fuel cell in the bed, a bolt on hood scoop, window tint, and two-tone it black over red. Maybe a small nitrous kit later. I'm thinkin' "Like A Rock!", or "We Haul" as a name. :-)~

[HOTRODPAINT]

Here's a customer truck.

[techinspector1]

Originally posted by speed freak:
"Why afr i have a 383 full rollar motor with dart heads a set of iron eagles and it make 650hp at the fly wheel naturally asprated no n2o or blower"

Once upon a time in a place far, far away..........

[djv8ga]

I know I'm biased but how about a V8 Vega? Quick with a mild V8 plus cheap insurance (Dont tell them about the V8). The early models seem to be going up in value also.
Wayne.