Time for a change

[jack1988]

Im planning to sell my Lupo in the next few months, been a great car but i just wanna change..... i was thinking along the lines of a 1960s/70s rat rod v8 american muscle car....... on a tight buget of 4k but im sure ill be able to find something, i look on ebay and pistonheads now and again, do any of you know any specific places that would be good to look at?

Selling my lupo will be a sad day.

[Niche]

You'll find one easy...Some local garage at the top of my road when I used to live in Walthamstow was selling a Firebird V8 for £3,000

[LiamD]

My dad paid 4k for this 91 Trans Am with a 350ci V8, in fairly standard trim -

Best place to look for yank metal is the classifieds in Classic American magazine.

Avoid anything from the late 70's and 80's.

Late 60's muscle cars fetch big money, early 90s Mustangs/Camaros/Trans Ams are reasonable money but need mods to make them fast, simple things like a de-cat free up loads of power, they're heavily restricted from the factory with the stock exhaust and intake.

For a genuine rat rod treble your budget.

If I were you I would save a little more to stretch to an LS1 powered Camaro or Trans Am, massive, cheap tuning potential and a decent handling car. Getting 500bhp from these engines is not hard at all so it's worth spending the extra for one.

[jack1988]

My dad paid 4k for this 91 Trans Am with a 350ci V8, in fairly standard trim -

Best place to look for yank metal is the classifieds in Classic American magazine.

Avoid anything from the late 70's and 80's.

Late 60's muscle cars fetch big money, early 90s Mustangs/Camaros/Trans Ams are reasonable money but need mods to make them fast, simple things like a de-cat free up loads of power, they're heavily restricted from the factory with the stock exhaust and intake.

For a genuine rat rod treble your budget.

If I were you I would save a little more to stretch to an LS1 powered Camaro or Trans Am, massive, cheap tuning potential and a decent handling car. Getting 500bhp from these engines is not hard at all so it's worth spending the extra for one.

Yea sweet!, a couple of months ago i saw a 68 Plymouth Fury III Pillerless 4 door with a 383 motor in matte black, it was a bit shabby but perfect base for rat rod styling, it was also rhd must have been an aussy import i guess? was up for 4K ....... i do like the styling you get with the 60's/70's chrome, square dash, sofa front seats and horizontal speedo.... Most seem to be either mint or barn finds that need a complete overhaul, not much in between...... i need to get something 25+ years old to get the free tax and classic insurance.... that trans am needs a 76 ball on that ariel!

[LiamD]

Yank cars are cheap to insure anyway. Before my dad declared the nitrous oxide it was cheaper for me to insure that than my G40.

I'd go for anything with a 350ci (5.7 litre) Chevy lump, parts are common, cheap and they're a really tough unit, my dad's has lasted over 200k without a rebuild, about 50k of those miles it has been abused, constantly.

Just make sure there is as little rust as possible! Engine parts are cheap and easily sourced from America so it doesn't matter if the engine is a bit duff, get one with a good body instead, as body parts are much harder and much more expensive to source.

I'd definitely be looking at a Camaro or Trans Am, don't get anything with a V6, you'll regret it.

This would be a good buy, possibly has an LT1 engine, which is from a Corvette, which means MASSIVE potential for big power, and over 30mpg

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/649628.htm

Same but with a real gearbox -

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/786406.htm

These are quite ugly, but with some choice mods go like **** off a shovel. A friend has just built one of these engines to a dyno proven 1005bhp without spending a great deal of money.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/696768.htm

A tidy Trans Am

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/497097.htm

Hope that gives you some ideas anyway

[heartagram]

Surely big yank stuff like that is only useable on the weekends? I mean there huge in size and no doubt drink fuel so I can't see them being very practical.

[jack1988]

Surely big yank stuff like that is only useable on the weekends? I mean there huge in size and no doubt drink fuel so I can't see them being very practical.

practical?, lol

[LiamD]

Surely big yank stuff like that is only useable on the weekends? I mean there huge in size and no doubt drink fuel so I can't see them being very practical.

Erm, you have a Volvo boat? Hardly an economical city car!

To some people, me included, fuel costs and practicality isn't an issue. I don't even so what is so impractical about them anyway, apart from fuel consumption, but they'll generally do over 20mpg if you have a fuel injected engine... bit different if you have a big Holley carb on the top though.

[IDGM]

i need to get something 25+ years old to get the free tax

You need to check that out. I think our good friend and Prime Minister changed the rules on that one when he was Chancellor. It's now pre 1970 something for free MVL, not 25 years as it was originally.

Bear in mind that there are planned, expensive, changes ahead for cars (pre Y-reg) that have their MVL based on engine capacity rather than CO2.

Edited November 27, 2008 by IDGM

[jack1988]

You need to check that out. I think our good friend and Prime Minister changed the rules on that one when he was Chancellor. It's now pre 1970 something for free MVL, not 25 years as it was originally.

Bear in mind that there are planned, expensive, changes ahead for cars (pre Y-reg) that have their MVL based on engine capacity rather than CO2.

Yea, i just had a look on the direcrgov website quote the info i got was that these cars will be exempt; "Old vehicles constructed before 1 January 1973 (historic vehicles)". The changes seem to be a s follows; "The 13 new vehicle tax bands will only apply to cars registered on or after 1 March 2001. This is because there is no comprehensive emissions data available for cars registered before this date."

Pre 1 March 2001 are a set price each year;

Engine size (cc) Not over 1549 Over 1549

Current rate £120 £185

2009-10 £125 £190

2010-11 £125 £205

From April 2010 anyone buying a new car in band M (Over 255 CO2 (g/km)) will be paying a ridiculous £950!

Thats a factoid