Well my job put me in the right place at the right time.. I have a customer's car that I have worked on for the last 4 yrs. The last time the car was in I actully looked the car over with the intention of getting it when she traded it in. Well It has some issue that she just wants it gone. I can get it. But Sooner than I thought (This is my biggest issue right now)
I always don't like ripping apart a new car. And to make it into a race car Im going to have to change/freshen most parts anyway. My big isssue is powertrain on the car. Its a v-6 and at. So a new motor/tranny(std) and supporting hardware would have to be gotten. But its still cheaper this way(The car is free).. Then buying a v-8 car(more money) and replacing everything on that too. At this time of yr with Snow in the air, I wasnt really even thinking of doing this, and might have a problem with storing it for a bit.. Let me know what you think.. John

A free car? You are curious if you should do it? You can always take it and decide not to build a race car, fix it and sell it.

Chances are you'd still be way ahead getting a fully preped race car. The amount of work, searching out the drive train, looking for the small adapters, and the various issues necessary to convert it to a race car would lead Me to say thanks but no thanks.

Time is money

Steve

Heck, if the issue she "just wants it gone" for isn't too major, I'd take a free 96 3.8 as a "beater"/semi-daily driver (leave the LS1 for the pretty days).

The 3.8 is no slouch. Of course the 5 speed is a better match for it than the auto (just guessing that's what it probably is). With very little suspension work, it can be a lot of fun to drive, and gets much better gas mileage than a truck. Sometimes I still miss mine. I wouldn't trade the LS1, naturally, but ....

...unless you ENJOY building a car....AND spending 2-3 times what you could buy a fully prepped car for...I say buy a ready built car....

But, if you are like me, and the build is 1/2 the fun, and you are STOOPID with money....FREE is ALWAYS good!

I tried for over a year to find one of these "buy it cheaper than build" it cars.

I hear folks talk about them, but I never see them ...

See Sig.

I bought that car FINISHED as it sits for $6240 then sold off the wheels and tires that I couldn't or wouldn't use netting less than $5,000 (seems to me some guy in Texas bought two of the wheels). There's no way I could have bought and built for that price.

...and I ran 10 road races, 3 lapping days, about 20-25 autocrosses with it in 2004.

And Keith, you are my hero and the reason I tried to find a finished car.

As I recall, the owner's wife threatened him with torture if he didn't sell.

The one's I found were never under 10K and most of them needed some serious work.

Yes, I took advantage of the chemical imbalance created by pregnancy to get the price down. He was under pressure. He was also about to move between states and the situation was completely to my advantage (also, he probably shouldn't have told me that I was the only person to look at the car).

...the asking price started at $10k...

I'm a long way from being an expert on building a purpose car, and my own car is a long way from even resembling being finished.... However, it is so much fun and very gratifying to do it yourself. I'm w/ Randy on that one. Time is only an issue if finishing it by a certain deadline is your goal, other wise its fun for a 'no pressure' build. Yes, I'll have spent way more than I should if I would have bought a built car..... but $ isn't worth anything until you spend it!

...dunno....they are like flies on S$%T most of the time.....ESPECIALLY this time of year....

HOWEVER, if you are talking a F-Body race car, then THAT is more rare...however, I just got my latest issue of Sportscar and I think there were two F-bodies in there around $15k....WHICH IS CHEAP....for a sorted car with spares....I blew past that quick with my $3,000 ebay car and using stock drivetrain, and on a wing and a prayer with NO SPARES....not to mention the car STILL isn't sorted....

Guys I thank you for all your input. I have decided to skip on the car at this time. I just don't have the space to store the thing for the winter. I also have a Major change with racing next yr, that is going to effect my plans for later in the season.

My other sport I come from Snowmobile drag racing, I know all to well the pitfalls of buidling a new vehicle. Buying a used race has it drawbacks too. Just to use an example a competive 3 cylinder 1000 cc 260hp motor new is going to run is about $10,000 and that is just for the motor less carbs. FYI pistons are 150 each, rings 50 bucks, cylinders are 1,300 each, crankshaft is 2,500, ive seen crankcases go for 3,000, Carbs are 500 each and a set of custom pipes are 1,200.. And you can make these things junk in seconds. Ive personally seen motors that have been showhorned back together, chassis that have severe damage that has been hidden by repairs, and a 15lbs clutch spinning at 10,000rpm break into pieces and damge sled and driver. So I have some issue's with buying certain 'RACED' parts including chassis. From where I come from this sport is cheap for the most part. Thanks for the input. John