What car to choose??

[custombronco93]

I have now decided I am going to buy a classic car. I am 18 and already own a 1993 Ford Bronco. From my experience with Ford repairs I'm not so sure that I want a 1969 Mustang, although I love how they look. Im leanin more towards the Camaro or Nova. If you have any suggestions on what I could get for a good project car plzzz let me know. Just so you know this car is going to be rebuilt, since I cant afford insurance at my age. So I'm looking at a viewpoint on an easy car to find parts for and fix.

[blindside.AMG]

1969 Dodge Charger with a 440 6-pack.

[Stoggers]

Originally Posted by blindside.AMG

1969 Dodge Charger with a 440 6-pack.

Everyone has their own favourites so choose what you like! My favourites are a 73 Mustang Mach-1 and various Corvettes.

[JLad10687]

69 - 73 Vette
70 Nova
73 Vette
Early 70s Chevelle
69(I think) GTO(parts my be rare)

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by Stoggers

Everyone has their own favourites so choose what you like! My favourites are a 73 Mustang Mach-1 and various Corvettes.

I agree. Choose what you like, but your choices of Camaro or Nova are the best ones I can think of.
These cars are very common, parts are everywhere and relatively cheap. They are strong and straightforward. The Nova is likely cheaper than a Camaro, but may require more work to get the performance you want, and body and interior parts may be harder to find.
Do some research for parts etc before you buy, regardless of model. Older Mustang parts are widely available, but the cars, especially '64 to 70 have their own structural issues. Corvette parts tend to be bigger $$$

[Wolf]

I just picked up a 64 Mercury Comet (Ford Falcon). Most of the parts interchange with the 1st Mustangs, no smog check (in CA), the car is so simplistic, you could probably tear the whole thing down in a day. And it's not another common Camarstang.

[Ground Rat]

What do you like? You are young and probably have limited funds, so get something with a small block if you plan on hopping up the engine at all.

[Ground Rat]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

The Nova is likely cheaper than a Camaro, but may require more work to get the performance you want

Power will go farther in a nova since it is weighs less.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by Ground Rat

Power will go farther in a nova since it is weighs less.

And those little Chevy II's look better than a Camaro.

[jmq2005]

Acually parts for Novas aren't that hard to get. http://www.midstateclassic.com/zero.htm Good luck.

[DeesTC6]

Camaros are usually more costly than novas. I just got a 71 Nova to rebuild and it was at a good price. The camaros i have seen though have been like in the 5k range. And i got my nova for 2500. So if u find a camaro really low usually either there is something wrong with it or the owner doesnt know what he has.

[e3j1c1]

Don't get a camaro or anything with SS (or equivalent) badges. Don't get me wrong, I like them, but they are performance vehicles and the insurance companies will hit your wallet hard for that. It's very easy to change engines in old cars, so making a Nova, for example, faster than a stock Camaro is as simple; with some suspension and traction mods of course.

[curtis73]

Go to www.carpictures.com . There are many pictures of cars there. You can also visit www.stationwagon.com . They have a very extensive database of classic wagon pictures, and it might help you... just imagine the car without the wagon part. An even better place is http://carnut.com/photo/list/ . They list by year and manufacturer.

Don't let the brand wars sway you. All manufacturers put out great cars. Some had more troubles than others, but PLEASE don't listen to the "I had a Ford and it was junk" propoganda. I've owned a Cadillac, five Chevys, two Fords, two Toyotas, one Oldsmobile, a BMW, a Pontiac, two Mopars, and an AMC. They all excel in certain areas and fail in certain areas.

When it comes to classic cars (in my opinion) the worst choice you can make is buying a car because its what you're loyal to. Buy what makes your heart beat. In sales, we call them "hot buttons." If a customer comes in wanting air conditioning, we show them cars with A/C. If they want red, we show them red cars. If you like fins, buy a 59 caddy. If you like spoilers, buy a Dodge Daytona. If you like big cars, buy a 66 Bonneville. Each one is a valid classic choice, and the beauty is you can make it what you want without compromising the classic nature of the car. You do need to be realistic, however. Don't expect an easy ride it you want to make a Studebaker into a monster truck, but making any classic into a daily driver is as easy as pie, provided you either have the money or skills to do it yourself.

I've turned 8 classics into daily drivers with varying degrees of success and its a great learning experience as well as a proud process.

Having said that, Novas, Camaros, Mustangs, and the more common classics have EXCELLENT aftermarket support. But then the question is; do you want the same cookie-cutter car that everyone else does? I think you'll find with a few internet searches that you'll find more than adequate support for ANYTHING. I used to live in small-town PA and when I bought a 1973 AMC hornet wagon, I thought I was in trouble finding parts. Turns out there were an AMC salvage yard only 40 miles from my home.

Ebay and internet searches for salvage yards will be your best friends. Choose what you want, then make it yours. If you have rich tastes and can't afford the GTO convertible, buy a rusty LeMans and a 455. You'll have the looks of the Goat, but the price of a beater. And trust me, in today's market, you'll be just as respected (if not more) for taking the path less traveled.