Offered in Chevy (Impala, Caprice), Buick (Electra), Oldsmobile (Ninety-Eight), and Pontiac (Catalina) models, fullsize GMs were the master of the open road with their long wheelbase, cushy ride, and torquey powerplants. They're not the most powerful SUVs or especially fuel-efficient, but they'll promise you years of dependable performance if properly taken care of. Fortunately for you, many others have started down the path on their project car, only to throw in the towel. Well, having a project car is a good thing if you want to work on cars. It is an excellent project car for experts and buyers alike, which is one of the most phenomenal project cars you can buy for under $5k. 1950 Packard Clipper, 4 door, straight 8 with overdrive. Before long, many project cars will be unrealistic and unobtainable to all but a few folks with stacks of spare cash. Though rough at first glance, this Weiser, Idahobased example of the Chrysler Town & Country wagon has all its glass and brightwork, including an impeccable grille. Lowrider fans might also like this one for an old-school lowrider, but achieving top results will take more effort than a rat rod theme. With two-door hardtop parts cars and rollers typically in the $1,600-to-$3,400 price range, this one won't last long. To the seller's side of things, the additional Pontiac Historical Services provenance for the (now missing) tri-power 389 is a big plus, but your toughest choice will be to chase down a numbers-matching power source, or just pay extra and live with whatever motivation you choose. First, you go to Help and Options, then Control and adjust the Gearing option from Manual to Automatic mode. Let's look at 10 of our favorites! 1950 Chevy 1-ton chassis cab dually combo (Thief River Falls, Minnesota) has seen decades of labor moving logs in North Dakota and has amassed a proud collection of dings and bruises, including what looks like a dent in the rear of the cab where a log broke loose. But not any Regal, we are primarily interested in the second generation of the Regal produced from 1978 to 1987. What is interesting about this model is that during this era of the early 80s they started to use EFI. Cheap. The Mazda Miata, in terms of affordability and fun, is a definite champion for a majority of car enthusiasts. It used the same 205-hp 3.0-liter V-6 found in the non-turbo sports car, but it also shared the same . Therefore, this is the primary requirement for any vehicle to be considered suitable for a project. 6 cylinders. The Pontiac Fiero was a mid-engined two-seater. You can get an '02 WRX for $6000 to 7000 these days. The reason behind its success is that there have been 11 generations of civics. Coupe. While Chevy Blazers have long left the realm of the budget project car, their GMC-badged brethren are still easily had for a cool $7k and under. Toyota offered a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four powerplant for the U.S. market. Toyota MR2 project cars feature trustworthiness, driving satisfaction, affordability, and lower care expenses. Your best bet for this would be to go online and look on websites like Craigslist, eBay Motors, and Facebook Marketplace. Offered in Chevy (Impala, Caprice), Buick (Electra), Oldsmobile (Ninety-Eight), and Pontiac (Catalina) models, fullsize GMs were the master of the open road with their long wheelbase, cushy ride, and torquey powerplants. Despite having produced tremendous vehicles such as the NSX, S2000, Integra Type R, and the Prelude, most Honda cars are basically large lawnmowers. With a dead engine and plenty of work remaining on this long-wheelbase model, the asking price is a tad steep; typical transaction prices on running '68 C10 LWB models in fair condition would be around $4,800, but we're guessing there's some room to negotiate. What is good about these models is that included both Mazda and Ford engines And there were a lot of options available for the buyers. While most carmakers came up with their own versions of the soccer mom car, Volvo took it to another level. Score the car that started the muscle car craze! These were the cars that defined the 80s sports car design in general. With vintage parts, new replacement bodies, and sheetmetal commonly available, this starter chassis may be the affordable entry point into the street rod or rat rod project you've been waiting for. 1950 Packard Clipper. Out of all these terrific Japanese cars, several of them simply fell under the radar. The GTOs engines were either naturally aspirated or were also functional with active aerodynamics, four-wheel steering, adaptive suspension, and permanent all-wheel drive. "acceptedAnswer": { Equipped with a Kenne Bell supercharger, these numbers will increase tremendously. 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Base234,164 Miles Wilson, NC$4,995est. So, he purchases the car in order to return it back to its former glory. Now lets move on to the next model on our list of best project cars under 5k. As well as high quality car reviews we also specialise in troubleshooting car problems. { There are a lot of people purchasing these cars only to disassemble them into pieces and leave them like that in the garage to sit for years. The Civic remains one of the most popular and successful cars in automobile history. The MR2 Toyota design project is fun to drive and still delivers good fuel economy. As the years unfold before our very eyes, it's easy to forget how long ago those automotive memories of youth really are. But we are only interested in the first two models. RELATED: 10 Mitsubishi Cars Everyone Forgot About. The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car made in Japan. The Japanese sports coupe comes with a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V6 that develops 222 hp at 6,000 rpm and 203 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. The second reason why not getting a project is the time constraint. Potential upgrades and engine swaps are available for the project car. But now as I got older Im able to obtain it as a project. So, lets elaborate on this quickly before we dive into some more complex topics. Furthermore, its the perfect project car for when you move on and decide to get a more modern daily driver. The original 401ci nailhead V-8 isn't running, and there is no title. + Read More Saved (0) My Favorite Listings (0) 1,115 results Show 30 Sort by Recommended No Reserve - 1977 Pontiac Bonneville Current Bid: $1,700 Ends In: One of the best project cars under 5k is this classic Japanese vehicle. Perhaps you've decided to find a project car before it's too late, in which case we have a nifty story for you today. The Impreza is the best-known Subaru, and it's been offered as a coupe, sedan, or wagon. What is good about this model is that it is really easy to work on as a project. The Nissan features larger 1910-inch wheels in the rear and 199 in the front. The Mitsubishi 3000GT is one of the best choices for people who like project cars. 10 1988 Porsche 944 - $4,200 Via: Porsche Yes, you read that right! Despite all those shiny cars selling for prominent money at the TV auctions, it usually costs more to buy and restore most vintage cars than the vehicles are worth at the end of the procedure. Ford has been leading the domestic automotive industry for over a century. The most powerful engine is the 4.9L V8 that is producing about 200hp. To put it into perspective, the Volvo V70R is just as powerful as a Mistubishi Lancer Evo 9 or a Subaru Impreza STi of the same year. 10 Awesome Project Cars You Can Buy For Less Than $5,000, These Affordable Used Sports Cars Should Be In Every Collector's Garage, even if we can afford to maintain some of these performance cars, These Are The Best Ways To Upgrade Your BMW E30, cars that prove that BMW makes the ultimate driving machines, Auction Dilemma: Saab 9-5 2.3T Aero SportCombi Vs. Volvo V70R. 1996 Nissan 240SX 2. Going to the nearest auto shop, one can easily find all kinds of spare parts such as air intakes, turbos, wheels, stiffer or softer suspensions, fenders, spoilers, wide-body kits, seats, and Momo/Mugen steering wheels, and many more. The Mazda RX-8 is one of the best cheap cars to modify, bar-none. Tuners such as Hennessey Performance Engineering and Brabus tend to modify cars worth as much as a nice-sized apartment in some mid-western state. We cover all aspects of the automotive world, from news to reviews and everything in between. Thats why we had to include the Fiero on our bet project cars under 5k list. Especially on Craigslist, there are a ton of offerings when it comes to cheap cars. Mazda MX5 Renault Clio 172/182 BMW E36 M3 Mini Cooper R56 Radical SR3 Caterham 7 R500 Westfield Sport 250 Alternative Track Day or Race Cars The wonderfully diverse world of Motorsport gives us so much scope to try other types of car. Four Wheel Drive. We used Hagerty's Valuation Tool to ensure prices reflect the current state of the market. So read on to see what project car best suits you, and maybe if you're lucky you'll find one for the right price and can start wrenching sooner than later! This is a great car to modify. So, what is a Pontiac Fiero, and why precisely is this car to choose it as a project? Driving Slowly is an automotive blog that provides detailed automotive coverage of all things cars, trucks, and . Well, mainly because the Camaro of this era is a true modern classic. Well, believe it or not, the Forester has a lot of potential. These cars are legends in the tuning community with good reason. Both feature a positive offset of 25mm. Toyota Corolla (1984-1987) We discovered this mostly complete inline-six unit on eBay Motors; it's been rigged to "yard" run off a gas can and has rust along the rockers, but we like the patina a lot, especially for a flame-throwing, ground-scraping rockabilly rat rod. GM only renamed the RWD models of the A-body into G-body. } If you're going the rat rod route, a good body is far more important than an original chassis, but if this example is your plan, you'd best leave out discussing your rat rod intentions, as traditional restorers and street rodders won't be too happy to hear about it. Lowrider fans might also like this one for an old-school lowrider, but achieving top results will take more effort than a rat rod theme. We bet it'll be a hit at your local donut shop in no time. Well, the Probe was intended to be the replacement for the Fox Body Mustang. 54,474 Miles | Somerville, MA. Even though the seller is pushing it hard as an alternative to a Chevy Impala for use as a lowrider, we think it looks better as is, with just simple repairs to the running gear, suspension, and interior. Directly inspired by Le Mans Group C racers, this street-legal track weapon is powered by an LS Chevy V8 that generates anywhere from 350hp up to 1,020hp, depending on the tune, though in its highest spec, the carbon fiber-clad hypercar kit is capable of 2.3-second 0-60mph times (or 0-100mph in 8.8-seconds) and speeds exceeding 240mph placing The seller indicates he has a 1964 New Yorker and a 1963 Imperial (available separately) that contain enough drivetrain parts to make it complete. Its also arguably a lot better looking than the fourth-generation Catfish Camaro that came later. Additionally, it's a mashup of parts from a 1930 and a 1931, also not a deal breaker, as parts easily interchange between these model years. There must have been a time in your life when that beat-up and rusty Camaro sitting in your neighbor's backyard gave you ideas. Sellers may need the cash and the space but may also harbor a secret desire to find a kindred spirit to finish their pride and joy. And its design is really timeless. Classifieds for Classic Vehicles Under $5,000. Car modification is one of the most critical parts of manufacturing any project. stillborn dragster project is only a shell, but it's still a 1957 Chevy Bel Air, and that makes it worth the extreme hassle of completing it to a functional drag racer or street machine. Most people are unaware that Mistubishi used to have several monsters in its lineup back in the day. I'm the MotorVerso.com AI Car Expert. . Hello human, I am a GPT3 powered AI chat bot. Well, the Fiero is basically an 80s icon, when you think about the 80s you immediately think about the Pontiac Fiero, Toyota MR2, or Chevy Camaro. These cars aren't cheap, and in restorable "fair" condition like this typically go around $5,800. Now that we covered the reasons why to get the best project cars under 5k, lets move on and learn more about the reasons why not to get a project car. 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