whats YOUR idea of the perfect muscle car project, WHY?

[grumpyvette]

I was talking with a couple friends, and the question came up about what would the ideal PRACTICAL muscle car or hot rod project consist of?
that question came up after viewing this thread, and discussing several semi similar cars being built on nearly unlimited budgets, with almost unlimited access to high dollar tools, unlimited space ,again hardly realistic

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=21116

http://bruningautodesign.com/gallery.ht ... temId=5356

http://bruningautodesign.com/gallery.ht ... temId=5208


now if you follow these thread,s above(just glance thru the pictures) example custom frame


logic NO!,
but the skill and effort used, the tools they have access too,used to produce the car are amazing

the cars very impressive but theres not a single original part in the body,frame suspension or engine so its hardly something more than about 1 in 100,000 guys could do even if they wanted to and it could easily cost $100K plus, that's hardly a realistic project, or PRACTICAL for most guys that might want to take trips in their car to shows or on vacations
now Ive always thought a COBRA replica with a huge displacement aluminum big block Chevy with a TKO 600 would make a killer combo, but the cars obviously nearly a magnet for thieves and could never be parked where it could not be secure and watched 24/7/365 so that might make it a total p.i.t.a. at times.
a carefully selected and built BIG BLOCK C4 CORVETTE coupe at least could be locked up, unlike a cobra replica, but that's hardly going to prevent its being stolen, and having to watch the car, 24/7 when your not driving it ,takes a good deal away from its potential enjoyment if you wanted to lets say take a two too four day road trip to the corvette museum.
Now something a little less obvious from a distance like a 1965 GTO or 1969 hemi road runner that has room for four people, and offers a good deal of options for tilt front ends, aluminum fenders, a huge engine and more room for a turbo and inter cooler under a stock hood looks like a nice option, and theres a dozen other wild options , that could be done and still have the car appear to be close to stock,and while it could be built with a custom, engine frame, suspension etc. its not exactly everyone's dream car.
now I have some experience here as my first couple personally owned, dream cars were a 1965 GTO with a killer BBC 496 engine and a 4 speed with a dana 60 rear, my second was a full roll cage and tubed rear 1968 corvette with several different BBC engines and transmissions installed during its lifetime and CROWER STACK INJECTION sticking thru the hood, and IVE helped to build at least three dozen cars for friends that were well above average in power or extent of the mods done to them.

so whats your ideas?
what would be your dream car combo?
what engine?
transmission etc.?
what body styles, and what security issues, or problems do you see?

 

[sean g]

my dad an i have had a longstanding dream of building a 70 Firebird, cut down to 26-2700lbs and powered by a chevy 2.0L ecotec turbo. our goal is to make 450+hp and get 35+mpg.

"grumpy" really dosen,t have any real strong brand loyalty ,
hes more concerned with the cars owners skills and willingness to help others with their car projects!
he would drive a 1970 cuda with a 440 or 426 hemi just as happily as a 4 speed pontiac, GTO with a properly built 467 pontiac,
or a 1996 corvette with a big block 572 or
a AC cobra clone with a 557 ford big block,
THE BRAND is not as important,or impressive to me,
as the fact you personally built and maintain the car you choose yourself!
What I don,t particularly like , is the few guys that act like they have something far superior to anything you own,
simply because they have an impressive bank balance, too draw from, when they rarely can change their own spark-plugs, let alone adjust valves!
and it doesn,t need to be blindingly fast , anything that runs at least mid-to- high 10's too low 12's can be fun to drive on the street! (yeah 10's are more impressive )

 

[c-10 simplex]

i say my "ideal" muscle car project would be a clone of a chevelle SS or GTO; i can have the same performance, atmosphere, enjoyment of the original at a fraction of the price. If i wreck it, no big deal as it will be cheap to rebuild.

The other main criteria for me is:

1) Easy/cheap to maintain.

2) Low initial cost.

 

[grumpyvette]

I sat down and made a short list of the cars Id like to own if MONEY was not a huge factor,
but limited to being something fairly reasonable,
not some list of $250,000 -$400,000 garage queen collector cars

Id like an AC COBRA replica with an aluminum 572 BBC with fuel injection, and a 5 speed manual transmission and a dana 60 rear
Id like a new Z06 CORVETTE
Id like a 1969 HEMI road runner with a 5 speed manual transmission and a dana 60 rear
Id like an aluminum 572 BBC with fuel injection, and a 5 speed manual transmission in my current 1985 vette and a dana 60 rear
Id like a really clean 1965 GTO with a turbo 477 BBC a 4l80E trans and a dana 60 rear

and Id like a nearly stock CADILLAC ESCALADE with a heavy duty suspension for a parts chaser


some examples of ENGINE PORN TO DROOL OVER

 

[grumpyvette]

I recently had a long discussion on the THE IDEAL, WEEKEND TOY ,MUSCLE CAR, OR KIT CAR with several friends,(9)(car guys) I had over for a new years party and after a few beers,.....
I started the conversation with a request, that I started out, by handing each guy a pad of paper and a pen and told each guy to write down these 16 factors, as requirements for THEIR ideal muscle car project

(1)total weight ?
(2)total horsepower goal ?
(3)type of transmission ?
(4)will it run on pump gas?
(5)will it seat two of four people?
(6)will it be able to make long trips in crappy weather?
(7)will it be supercharged ?
(8)will it be using a carburetor or injected?
(9)will it have air conditioning, radio etc.?
(10)is ease of service and parts availability at most local shops mandatory?
(11) is the brand of the car extremely important to you?
(12) would you mix engine drive train and body brands?
(13) will you do all the work?
(14)would you buy a kit car?
(15)would you stay with a certain brand even if the options, available too you say a different car was far faster, and handled better
(16)whats your favorite body style, name at least 5 cars


heres what the averaged results of their answers said


(1)total weight ?.....as far under 3000lbs as I can get
(2)total horsepower goal ?, ......450-500hp minimum
(3)type of transmission ?....5 speed manual with OD, clear winner only 2 guys will even think auto trans
(4)will it run on pump gas?.....hell yes!
(5)will it seat two of four people?,........about evenly split, but 2 seat won,5/4
(6)will it be able to make long trips in crappy weather?............,again 5/4 for yeah it needs a roof
(7)will it be supercharged ?...........most guys said , its ok, but not required
(8)will it be using a carburetor or injected?............5/4 for carbs
(9)will it have air conditioning, radio etc.?...........3/6 for air-conditioning as mandatory
(10)is ease of service and parts availability at most local shops mandatory?....thats nice but not mandatory
(11) is the brand of the car extremely important to you?.......2/7wanted the brand to be their favorite and would not drive a competitors brand, the majority would prefer one brand but were open to options
(12) would you mix engine drive train and body brands?......hell yes ...UNANIMOUS
(13) will you do all the work?.........hell yes ...UNANIMOUS...even the guys with limited skills
(14)would you buy a kit car?.......3/6 most guys would consider it , but wanted options
(15)would you stay with a certain brand even if the options, available too you say a different car was far faster, and handled better...... 2/7 said brand loyalty was so important that they would stay with their favorite even if it was slower, many would swap to the faster car
(16)whats your favorite body style, name at least 5 cars.....cobras,corvettes,1969 camaros and 1967 chevelles, 1967 gtos,were the obvious winners, as several guys mentioned those, as their ideal project car