which is why I suggested the Bel Air, mustang, camaro or chevelle. They’re really popular and generally have a lot of parts available for them. Some you can even build, quite literally, from scratch:
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?cat=8
The guy who did my Chevelle had a 55, 56 and 57 belair, he showed me this magazine he used to order stuff from, and said you could build one from scratch out of the parts from their catalog, and did so for a promotion, but the name escapes me right now.
Yes, lots of the popular cars from the 50s and 60s you can get all the parts for, but at what cost? You can build a whole car from scratch that costs more than a real one. Late 80s and early 90s you can get real, not reproduction, parts out of junk yards or even from dealers. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with doing the old car restoration and using repro parts as needed, but for a first time get-your-feet-wet project I’m thinking the OP would want something more affordable. His choice, of course.
I agree that the OP needs to pick something he is interested in owning when it’s done. The problem with retorting a 80/90s domestic is that you will end up with a 80/90s domestic when you are done (probably the low point of U.S. auto design). I’m not a fan of any domestic cars, but I would take a 50/60s over a 80/90s any time (the 70s were a mixed bag).
You’re going to need dental records for any of those cars you’re suggesting if all the OP has is $1500 to invest. Get real man. Even the rusted out hulks are commanding more than $1500 these days. Sure, you can buy a whole body but it’s still big bucks.
I did suggest 80s or 90s pickups, and not necessarily domestic. Those seem more like the Jeep the OP had previously owned and liked. A decently restored pickup will always sell to a tradesman, if nothing else.
True, a 80/90s pickup is probably more desirable than a domestic car, I’m still surprised he can’t find a 70s jeep for a reasonable price, they were still pretty simple back then. At one point my brother had a late 40s jeep CJ-something (it was pretty cool but parts were an issue). What about one of those ricer (toyota, I think) jeep clones?
There are a lot of good cars from the 60s and 70s to tinker with. But most that have survived are muscle or pony cars that have prices well beyond your budget. Even pick-ups in good condition are probably going to be out of reach for what you are wanting to spend.
As long as you are just wanting something to tinker with, consider an old 4-door sedan. It might be a little tough to find some of these because since they are 4 doors, there has been little reason to save them from the scrap yard, but they can be found. And because they are 4-doors, their prices are very reasonable. Most parts are shared with other popular cars of the era, so you will have little trouble finding most parts.
Anything without an on-board diagnostic system(check engine/service engine soon) for starters.There’s enough
to work on in any restoration project without some lousy MIL coming on,especially when it ends up being a loose gas cap.If finances allow it,try to get another car for commuting,and keep the restoration project in one spot.Otherwise,you’ll be busy with fixing the normal wear and tear items frequently and not the restoration items.
Yeah, the say '84-'94 'yodas and their contemporaries would be great, but I can’t find any. The only one I’ve seen for sale lately was a Toyota 4wd that had been modified way too much for my liking, and the guy wanted a bank for it. Plus, it was rusted out all the way around both windshields - just held together with silicon caulk.
That’s what I plan on doing. I’ll put the project car in the back yard and throw a tarp over it or something until I get it far enough along to put it in the garage and finish it.
any OLD car that has a minimum of wires and a carberator that comes off in one piece, has one throat, doesn’t cost a million dollars to replace if it ever does, carburetor and doesn’t have an engine that’s impossible to get out like a VW and the number 3 spark plug and valves. Stay away from foreign cars – Chevy and Ford are good – plenty of spare parts, everyone can work on them – I have a 1959 Willy’s pick-up that I’ll bet doesn’t have many more wires than I can count on my fingers and toes together – and that includes the six that go to the ‘hurricane six’ under the hood.
Just wish they’d had non-military transistors in 1959 – tubes for the radio are nearly impossible!
well forget ‘nearly’ – I’ve given up. Anyone want an AM (there wasn’t any such thing as FM back then) radio that doesn’t work?
50’s 60’s cars are GREAT – and EASY compared to my Toyota Supra that doesn’t even have enough room in some places to put your fingers between the fender and the engine!
Ok after some thought – how about a DATSUN or TOYOTA? – pick-up or car – easy to work on, parts still around, Mid 70’S TO Mid 80’s. GREAT millage – I had a Datsun (something) Bee – that got me close to 40 MPH – but slow up hills. Have a 1988 Chevy Nova (Toyota-Chevy hybrid) that got me over 58 MPH across Texas with a tail wind, AND is easy to work on - and with 345,300 (no major rebuilds of any kind) miles still runs and still gets me an OK 38 city 45 highway miles. It needs a head liner. that’s all. But it’s all manual - the basic model – crank up windows, etc.
AND with the speed limit back above 55 – I can STILL get a speeding ticket! – what a great car – as was my 53 Chevy pick-up and 59 Willy’s Overland (Which is still one of my ‘working’ cars, meaning I use to for WORK on a ranch!