The Best and Worst Project Cars to Buy
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Project car buying. The best and worst project cars to buy, DIY with Scotty Kilmer. How to buy the right project car and avoid the bad ones. How to buy a used car. How to buy a new car. How to buy a project car on a budget. Car buying tips and guide for project car owners. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 50 years.
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This is the people's automotive channel! Learn how to fix your car and how it works. Get a chance to show off your own car on Sundays. Or show off your own car mod on Wednesdays. Tool giveaways every Monday to help you with your own car projects. Or enter your own car to compete in the Car vs Car contest every Thursday. We have a new video every day! I've been an auto mechanic for the past 50 years and I'm here to share my knowledge with you.
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2. Common Sense
3. 4k Camera: amzn.to/2HkjavH
4. Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2Evn167
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Scotty Kilmer what about Porsche Boxer swaped to Toyota engine or ls? Reliable super car?
Common sense? Where can I buy those wholesale?
Can i buy common sense on amazon?
Scotty Kilmer
Did you make that wind chime that was behind your head in front of your garage.? Can't help but ask bc I been trying to find ready made pipes so I can make me one. One that is fixed like that one.
Thanks a LOT!
Ronnette
Scotty Kilmer Can you give me a short but sweet opinion on a 300zx project car is it worth it
his neighbors: 'There he goes again, screaming into his camera'.
lol
Been like this for like 30 years no doubt
😂
I mean it's better than screaming at a tractor for being broke down like me...
LOL
hes insane
“Every car me and my friends bought was a project car” amen
Buy a Mercedes and you have a project just to keep it running.
or a model C5 audi
😭😭😭
😂😂😂
@@trip2247 I have one for my first car terrible idea worst 1k dollars ever
👌👌👌
this guy would bee the coolest grandpa EVER.
True
Yeah for a few minutes
Yeah till you get sick of him yelling at you
Or popping out the trunk half the time 😂
@@ComptonChuckz88 "where's grampa?"
"Did you look in the trunk?"
I got a 1993 Miata in decent shape for $1500. Had a mechanic put a clutch in it for $850 and have done all the rest myself, still under $3k. It's 100x more fun to drive than my SUV, costs half as much to run, and has helped me learn how to drive a manual and do some basic mechanical stuff on a vehicle. I'm having my ideal project car experience and I couldn't be happier.
Plus you got one of the best cars to learn how to drive safely and for sport.
If only I could rebuild a car in my apartment living room.
The biggest tool you'll need is a place to work on them that is out of the elements.
Dragon Skunk No you don’t.
There was a Top Gear where a man built a race car in his kitchen. James May presented. Very funny.
If you have the desire you can get it done. I rebuilt the top end of my mustang in an apartment parking space. Man those heads were heavy.
Eric F only problem is some apartment complexes are strict with doing any mechanical work on their lots.
Look A G That's why you wait until the office is gone. Lots more clean up and planning but Like I said if you have the desire...
Welding is easy to learn... Took me around 1000 hours to get certified 😂
Hidden if it took you a 1000 hours to learn it though you should never have been certified. He said learn not master lol.
welding is dead easy lmao
he said "learn", dude.
It took me one semester in high school metal shop to get skilled enough with stick welding and oxy acetaline to make a sandrail and trailer when I got older and could afford to build such things.
It's really not that hard.
Project cars are gonna be a thing of the past pretty soon considering how impossible new cars are to work on yourself
Ben Fein that’s a myth. It’s a willingness to learn. I have a buddy who’s 19 and has boosted his 2013 si in his garage and I wouldn’t call him a genius by any stretch, he’s a high school drop out lol.
@@liltuck737 k24 is an older engine. Why its easy to work on.
unseenufo and it works the same as any other engine, people are just scared of wires lol
@@liltuck737 tru. But look at tesla only a handful of owners can work on em.
@@unseenufo Tesla's are actually mechanically pretty simple for many things. The computer systems are proprietary due to not requiring OBD2. That's the real issue but in effect a Tesla is a big RC car it's a battery some electric motors and controls. It's not magic it's just electric.
I live in the projects scottie.. so every car is a project car!
Ha.
😂😂
Best project cars:
1. Any civic because parts are cheap and abundant.
2. IS300
3. MR2 (personal bias)
An IS300 is no project. They never break. Mine has over 300K + trouble-free miles.
240
James Le I prefer gs300 better looking in my opinion
@Mitch those are nice as well, parts are widely available (2jzge/1jzgte). I have a mk3 supra that im doing a 2jzgte swap too so I know lol.
P Popovich wow that’s cool mine is gonna hit 200k in a few weeks (it’s my daily) but leaks oil gotta get that fixed 😬
Older project trucks are an excellent way to go. Cheap to get, cheap parts, easy to work on, and useful.
Old trucks tend to have huge engine bays. If you're just getting started you won't get frustrated as easily because you'll actually have room to work.
Square body chevys are skyrocketing in value recently
Flamingo Jones been looking for one. Hard to find cheap.
If you don't need a working transmission or engine...2500 will get you one rust free here.
Best first project car is a 96-2000 civic. Almost nothing on the car cost more than $100, parts are widely avaliable, it's easy to work on, and there are several bolt in engine swaps even a novice can do.
any manual transmission civic, integra, prelude, crx, or accord is good cheap project car.
What if I don't want a FWD project?
Alpharius Nissan 240sx works.
88-98 gmc/chevy trucks
Exodus 2017 except that drift tax kills every clean shell. 240sx prices are getting ridiculous lol
I really lucked out with my 280Z. Mild rust on the body but the engine was in fairly decent condition and the previous owner had plenty of extra parts that came in handy.
Never mod a car unless you can afford to throw the cash away.
Interesting point
Noir Spectre People like myself use the power at a track lol.
rc cars are possible in an apartment
DUH
I've only conditioned my cars and replaced older parts. The kind of car to soup up would be one you're willing to get dirt on or scratches, ready to get some rocks flying.
Have you considered decafe?
VCSXI vcsxi he is half deaf so to his brain he is talking normally
Cocaine comes in decafe?
Scotty is great! I wouldn't watch him if he was not his usual way. Boisterous is good in this case.
Lmao
@Richi RIch yes, for 51 years
I’m 13 and already know how to drive a car and wanted a project car... but I can’t so I started out with a project dirt bike... for 100$
UPDATE: the dirt bike now runs great after a carburetor clean, brake fluid, and new plastics👍
Good job little buddy
Nethter Cool! Just like my bro
Nethter that’s good because you learn all the same stuff but mistakes are much less expensive
Nice. You don't sound like a little tool either. Keep at it man. I know 13yr olds who couldn't even comprehend what to do with $100 bucks.
Joseph Samsor I completely agree, when I’m older and have the money I’ll probably get a project car. I got a beat up ssr 125 that needs a carb clean and a few other things... and most of them are already done cuz I’ve been working on it for the past few days. I kinda wanna do a UA-cam series on it but almost any video I see made by a 13 year old I cringe, so idk
Fun times and a great hobby to stay out of trouble!!
unless you’re a street racer lol
100%achillguy so true, use to street race all the time but the tickets kept coming. Now just going to school to just work on cars haha.
Ozzstar and lots of cursing
Ozzstar that's true keeps you out of troubl3
+100%achillguy
It actually cheaper to go on the track nowadays. The only thing your going to worry about is tires and breaks vs getting speeding tickets and jail time which cost more money in debt. lol.
If you want a budget project (or any) car for a good deal, I'd suggest spending a little more on something that's in better shape to start with. It saves time, money, and aggravation in the long run. I'd rather buy an ok car for $2k instead of the same thing for $600 that will end up needing $2k worth of work. A lot of people don't take the overall condition into account and that's when you get into trouble. I have no problem with swapping a blown up engine on something where the body and interior are in good shape. But if it needs engine work, body work, and the interior is torn up, then you're probably better off just getting something else unless it's really rare or something.
There's something about an old guy with no volume control that makes me trust him
That's what it is. He does speak loud. I have had friends like this. Gee annoying
A former colleague of mine (I live in the UK) rebuilt an Aston-Martin DB5 (the James Bond car) as his 'project car' when he was getting near to retirement age. Another colleague drew a cartoon for him showing it to be a 'money pit' - he must've spent well over £100k (that's $130k+) on it - maybe a LOT more, and several years of hard graft on weekends.
He finally finished it - I saw it in person and it looks great (its maroon/red wine colour rather than 'Bond' silver), and is reportedly worth a cool £500k. Still - a LOT of money invested.
Andrew Griffiths
That's one hell of an awesome resto!
Andrew Griffiths
That's cool if true sounds hard to believe
It's probably worth like 20k tops.
You want another colleague?
Chris Reynolds the average price of an Aston Martin db5 that's the same year as the James Bond version is 450,000$ you're a bit off with your 20k lmao
This vidjeo made me feel so much better about buying a 92' Accord beater.
I absolutely love that generation Accord, they look awesome and they drive great. I used to own one and the parts were pretty cheap to come by so it wasn't hard to maintain. :P
I has three of those generation Honda accords 90,92,93 all of them I bought beat up I fixed them up and made some good money selling them.
Honda’s are great cars.. I miss my 04 accord.
Got a 91 accord project car I'm working on now.
AvE!!
My current daily driver is a 68 F100. It's easy to get parts. Often I get them locally, but if not I will get them online. Old trucks are generally easier to get parts for, because farmers, ranchers and small businesses tend to use them forever.
im 29 years old and just randomly decided to get a car to work on, and i will say i havent enjoyed a video so informative in a long time. thank you mr. kilmer
I bought my 1965 Studebaker in 1986 as a running, drivable car. It needed a lot, but fortunately, parts are still available through Studebaker vendors and don't cost a fortune. What a fun, cool car!
I bought my 94 twin turbo supra pretty cheap for what they are nowadays. Spent about 4k building it and bringing it back to life. And now its worth way more than i put into it. But i didn't buy it with that intention. It has been a great car to work on but some parts are discontinued so it can be a pain. My honest advice is if you want a project car don't aim for the moon. Be realistic because they can become money pits.
BMW E30, MX5s. MR2s, Celicas, all make sound projet cars because the knowledge you gain as well as the parts availability make them worth while.
Street Lords mr2s are super expensive in the UK :(
I have a 2003 celica but i don't know what to do to it
Just bought a 97 Celica for a project body is tired and some one has sprayed the bonnet and boot matte black with a can but the engine trans and interior is quality so it's just a compromise
supra are money pits
I bought an old Miata mostly for fun. The main flaw was a convertible top with a damaged plastic rear window. I got lucky and ended up making money selling it several years later, mostly because I got a great deal on a salvage soft top with a glass rear window from a next generation model.
Excellent points sir! Start small especially if it’s your first. Work your way up, get to know the brand and all the little hiccups for it. Even a cheap car can cost more than originally anticipated🙄. Inspect it thoroughly, do a compression test, ask for service records, or take it to a shop to have it inspected. Always have about $500/$1000 put away to dump into it right off the bat. Tires, brakes, and tune up. Fluids and belts for sure. Then an alignment. I give each car about 6 months to a year before any modifications so I know it’s running properly.
My project car?
95 grand marquis.
After a year of working on it every weekend, its done & practically new. Its been my daily driver since, well... day one!
Its somewhat old, but parts are plentiful, cheap, and with a 4.6 l v8 and a police interceptor trans, it gets WAY better mpg vs my old '06 impala.
All new (front & rear) suspension, steering (gearbox included). New radiator, p.s. pump, water pump, vc gaskets, fuel filter, stereo & subs, headliner and the latest update... Paint job & added some chrome rocker panel plates.
I know the car isn't worth anything close to what all I've done to it, but I've enjoyed the learning curve. And it'll help prepare me for working any potential cars in the future.
Love your videos, keep 'em coming Scotty!
I own 2 Nissan 240sx's. I've owned them for 3 years. That's when they turned me into a mechanic lol
Barri0 _99 All cars break. Some more than others but I’d rather have my car break and have it fixed myself and have a lot of know how rather than having a newer car that breaks less and not know how to change an alternator belt.
Nope, because they are easy to work on and take to modifications well.
240SX owners be like " 17,000$ No engine no tranny" 😂 Tf outta here fanboi
1993 Toyota FJZ80 Land Cruiser project with front and rear lockers in great condition. Bought it cheap.
I have a 1988 5pd Dodge Dakota 3.9 V6. 90k miles. Just finishing a full restoration on it. Parts were cheap and it's easy to work on. Didn't want an auto or 4x4 due to repairs being harder/more expensive etc. My first project
How the hell am I just now realizing Scotty always wears shades? This guy is awesome!
Fun With Guns those are glasses but with transition
His futures too bright gotta wear shades 😎
Prescription Lenses.
He's high half the time. Perfect cover
He’s the slickest rick on the block.
240 owners see’s thumbnail
“we know scotty”
Terrible rust buckets.
+Chris Farley
240,most overpriced pos on the planet,I rather a 350z for way less and it has more power right off the bat
@@00blackfrc what's your thoughts on a 1991 300zx
Here in Finland the most popular project cars are either an old Mercedes diesel, an old Volvo 240/740/940 or maybe a BMW e30/e36
Effen Bamm I’ve had a few volvo 240s and a bmw e21 and other Americans didn’t get it.
@angela merkel very cheap
I'm currently working in AE86 project and I can say that is a good project car, but there are many parts that costs more than expected, but is fun working on it :)
I love pulling parts at the junk yard
I used to enjoy doing that as well. It was also fun just checking out
old cars in the junk yard.
Me too but i almost got killed
Charlotte Dunois oh??
A small V8 nearly flatten me
Charlotte are you a chick? 0.0
Just bought a '03 civic ex $450 it's up and running did an a.c. recharge which stopped its overheating problems cleaned the throttle body......already have over 1K miles from me on it and looks fine for now!
That doesn't even make sense. Recharging the A/C refrigerant would have zero effect on an overheating cooling system. Those are two completely separate system.
@@herbienbrian2 idk but it did the trick
1999 Toyota Supra e.3.. Bought it for 400$ back in 06 it was in pretty bad condition but the shell was excellent, finally finished it 2015 spent about 30k sold it recently for 49. Loved that car, so much fun was had in that. Memories made.
So much good advice and common sense in this video.
I fell in love with a 1968 MG Midget. Before I contacted the seller I sat on the internet and researched the price and availability of spare parts. Was surprised at how plentiful and cheap they were. I then researched quirks and things to look out for, like problem rust spots. When I inspected the car, everything was sound. The seller had totally rebuilt it. I had a look at his current project car rebuild - an Austin Healey Sprite. That filled me with confidence - he definitely knew what he was doing. The Midget is now mine.
It still surprises me (I know it shouldn't anymore) how many people think parts for classic British sports cars are still hard to get. I say still because they are thinking back to the late 80's/early 90's when all the remaining stocks of parts were gone, before the creation of the BMIHT (British Motor Industry Heritage Trust) was formed to ensure supplies of parts for these cars. In today's internet age parts are easier to get than when they were new, and in the case of the MGB you can actually build a brand new car, right down to a brand new complete bodyshell made on the original tooling. So how did things turn out? Still have the Midget? I've got an MGB GT.
Protect Scotty at all cost we need his knowledge as long as possible.
Great video Scotty! I recently found a 68 Plymouth fury III with a 383 for real cheap....Too good to be true, turned out to have rusted frame. Got to look out for that stuff!
I bought a "81" Honda Civic 1.3 liter bad boi.. (for 950€)
The interior and exterior are upgraded now.
Im doing an engine swap to a 1.5 liter motor.
Exhaust pipe has to be changed too!
Polar Da Bear nice bro.👌🏽
@@kingjojocastillo9667+ i rebuilt the engines head to make it Turbo proof.
I Turbocharged it.
Haha so true! I bought my first project car at 25. It’s was a 75 Camaro with a 350 matching vin. I put in a lot money into the car but I had the car for 8 years and just recently sold this month. Learned a lot!! Back in May of this year I bought another project lol. Got a c10 81 with a 305. Parts are way cheaper. Already in love! Keep up the great work Scotty! Love ur videos. -iris
When looking to buy a project car. Go and look for cars or trucks that you know about and not just what would in brochure, Know how work on it. Take parts off it and able to put back together correctly!!
Make a budget for how much wanna spend on purchase of the car and for repairs and if any modifications.
And when find that perfect project car before purchase or even before negotiates begin check/inspect Under the car, inside the car, under the hood, and check electrical!! As well as get as much history information about the car from current owner/seller
I've done this and bought 2 cars about 8-11 years ago first was a 1970 Ford Mustang fastback all original with a 302 only issue was damage to front fender at the headlight. Bought battery on the way home gave it a shot and turned right over..
second car is a !984 Corvette Crossfire TBI bought for $1700 which previous owner transmission bill for a rebuild. Body & chassis solid, was missing fuel door with cracking in the roof panel. A messed with Fuel pump relay, as well other bits of wire harness, Currently car is stripped have done the body work, Just saving up some extra for some upgrades to EFI system..
All done out of my personnel garage with few friends as a hobby!! I'm not a Richard Rawlings.. Hahaha
Honda Civic , Prelude , Accord , TSX thank me later.
agreed
Loyal Honda Fan I want first generation civic hatchback 🚗
@@ahmedurershad6049 ;))
All Honda’s besides the Civic/Accord type R, NSX, CRX, Integera and S2000 suck
Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer
Really interesting info. Got me thinking about doing it now.
what would you get?
aLeX GeNeSiS I've always wanted the original rx-7!
repairdrive Haha me too, my neighbor has an original rx7 that's been sitting for 15 years. Ive been doing a lot of research on how to deal with a rotary that's been sitting and there's a lot, but I'm pretty confident on working on it now. Picking it up next week for $600, wish me luck!
Miniature Goose Nice!!
repairdrive that's a good option :) i always wanted and still want a Lancer Evolution :)
the end of this video definitely applies to me, I need to stop rushing to get a project car and just wait for a clean one to show up that won't turn into a worthless money pit.
One thing I love about Southern California is that our climate keeps cars beautiful. I'm looking at getting an '88 Accord Hatchback and a different engine to swap into it to have some fun.
Another great vid scotty. I Got a 91' f150 when I was 14, now I'm 15 and have totally rebuilt it, I made the money to do it all by fixing cars and doing construction on the side. Now she's a real beauty, Next I'll probably buy a 1978 F-150 4x4.
Ford Mustangs were just Ford Falcons on steroids anyways.
charger master yeah and Ford falcons were just 4 door mustangs
Nah... Though they shared a lot of parts and were all lightweight Uni-body construction, they were markedly different. The Falcon and 2 years later, the Fairlane were compact 2 and 4 door family sedans, hard tops and wagons + the Ranchero. The Mustang was born to be a personal sport coupe. Granted, back then, the 144, 170 and 200 6's and 221 V8 were adequate for merely pushing the cars about in traffic, the 260, 289 and later 302 and 351W V8's were the game changers. Sport Falcons appeared in '63 and the sport Fairlane in '64 but the Mustang had the available optional V8 from the beginning. The Mustang and Fairlane eventually got big blocks whereas Falcon never did. I've had all of these cars and they're definitely different from each other.
fargeeks Falcons were available with 4 or 2 door options hardtops or convertibles.
RAM TRUCKS All project cars are junk anyways the Falcons were very good cars.
Ha! I left out the ragtop and that's what I have now... '64 Futura ragtop.
1969 mustang fastback with a 89 mustang gt drive train and 74 cuda in the process of doing a 5.7 hemi swap. Old school muscle or old truck with modern fuel injection drivetrain is a win win. Project cars are good if u can do majority of the work yourself. Labor will kill you for old school muscle cars
Bald Head Jamaican For me personally I wouldnt change the engine in mine, but Id use a transmission from a Foxbody Mustang. Specifically the Tremmec 5 speed manual. I just like the idea of not having to have a main computer.
Fox McCloud 007
Got to agree using a foxbody 5.0 doest appeal to me
Fox McCloud 007 Too late I already did and it's got a brand new T5 in it
June 2009 too late
Bald Head Jamaican
Run what ya brung it gives you time to save that Windsor won't last long and even if it does you'll get bored with 200hp
Chevy Nova & El Caminos are my favorite project cars to work on
Man you're so right about the Hurricane Sandy bit, SO many cars in my neighborhood totaled by that thing
My first project car is the one I'm workin on now and it's been a blast. It's a 02 nissan sentra SE R 5speed sports model and I have had a pretty good time fixin it up
Changing the oil
The battery
The crankshaft position sensor
The crank shaft
The bearings
The pistons
The rings
The rods
And some other stuff but it sounds like q beast now an I absolutly lovin it
Still got a few other things but hey it works and I did it myself and that's all that counts!!
I feel like I totally scored on my first project car just recently. I bought a 1985 Cadillac Sedan DeVile with 184,000 miles for $200! The car looked horrible because it had been sitting with the window down for a few years, but the inside actually cleaned up really well and I'll only need to fix the torn seat and the headliner.
Luckily the original owner also kept every service record. I found out that the cars engine had been professionally replaced in 1994 with 100,000 miles on it, which means the engine that's in the car now only has 84,000 miles! Now as soon as I get a battery in it I'll have fun classic comfortable car to drive to school when I want and take out on weekends.
Been 2 years, how's it goin?
@@captainsquids2792 Had to replace the alternator and work out electrical bugs, but it ended being the most reliable thing I own. By now I've taken it all over the state and I've been daily driving it for almost 2 years. Recently rolled 198,000 miles and still no issues, just oil changes and general service.
i have a willys jeep , easy to work on , parts are plentyful , fun to have.
80s Nissan Hardbody truck ( also known as D21) and early 90s Toyota Celicas are bulletproof project cars. Will easily run 400k miles.
exionem I can vouch for hardbody
Those trucks have been through hell and are still tickin´ around. Tough beasts.
Agreed. Pre 1990 Toyotas are rust buckets. Post 1990 Toyota had better metal quality and better surface pretreatment of the body panels. Their bodies hold up very well. Even so, several decades later, many you find will still be rusted beyond saving.
It's not about how much you can afford. Is how far are you willing to go and how happy it makes you to see something that you love blossom.
I don't know much about cars and don't do much other than buy a Honda civic but your videos put a smile on my face and make my day! Keep being awesome!
Loved the EK hatch mention👍🏻
Fully agree. I would even add safety and reliability. Our old beetle for instance was a death trap. Constantly needing work. I’ve gotten to the point where disc brakes and fuel injection is actually a nice luxury
Great topic Scotty, love the Chevys and some fords. Can make a good deal on many of the C4 corvettes, but stick with the later
models say 1989 and up.
My project car is my dad's 1990 Volvo 240 DL sedan he used as a parts car for my grandma's. These things are so reliable he only took the starter and fuel sending unit. It's in amazing shape for sitting in a garage in northeast Ohio since 1997! But there's a lot of surface rust underneath. Only one hole and it's small enough to manage.
The entire fuel system needs to be replaced, new shocks and struts, new tires (hopefully I can get new original steel wheels), new tail lights, rebuild the brake calipers and get my new starter working and it should be ready for the open road again.
My first project car is my dd as well. 1998 Firebird v6, minor rust (for NJ at least) and bought at 95,000 original miles for $1000. I've really only had to do minor repairs on the ignition and headlights, bc it sat for a year or two and the stock headlights were useless. It always starts like a dream and runs great! You gotta love a 3800 series II😁
I saw Supra so I clicked 👀
JDM sidewayz car sucks
Jessie Beam you say that like I care lol
Sameeee
I thought it was a Saturn..
Inline 6 is better then v 6
#1 thing to look for on a project car is rust. like scotty said if the frame is rusted its done for. doesnt matter if its a 1969 ford mustang mach 1 for $1,000. rusted frame means impossible to fix.
Move to the South. My truck is 20 years old and doesn't have a spot of rust on it
You still have rustbuckets near the beach, especially florida
Why is it impossible? Fixed my 240 in the garage with a 90 amp welder.
Toyota replaced thousands of frames on their ten+ year old pickups a few years ago. In fact replaced a lot more frames than bought out and junked them
Please. Don't buy Stock Supras and modify them beyond recognition...
Funny because there's no such thing as a stock Supra lol
AKA unicorns.
The only stock ones are automatic lol
Man from Nantucket I've seen 5. All of them were basically stock. Besides the 2 that had different exhaust. One of those was a twin turbo. It was COMPLETELY stock
They were manual too
when i was 16 i bought a 1985 mustang for $1500 bucks. the thing had a solid body, almost no rust, spotless interior. found out later there were some pretty troublesome electrical problems and finicky engine issues that were hard to chase down to fix. its been 4 years and it still needs work. still runs pretty good but it taught me that you need to go for a near perfect electrical system or you're just going to waste a lot of money paying mechanics to fail to fix the real problems. lost a whole grand paying someone to fix the electrics and within about two months the problems were back.
Rear wheel drive domestic truck.
Big, cheap, simple, easy to work on, lots of easy to get parts, and most importantly - Lots of information and repair resources available.
Stay gold.
I got a 1973 AMC Hornet roller for $350. Included the transmission.
Would love one of those! The last one I've seen in these parts was a rusted 4 door about 15 years ago.
My project car would be a Datsun 240z, I love that car
Still a ton of em around too, that's probably gonna be my next project car
@@KrikZ32 id love one but there so pricey in Europe, thinking of shipping one from American and paying the tax on it
I actually really trust your opinion big time!
First project car is my first car. 87 BMW E30 325i. All I really cared about is getting it running and tuned up, making it pretty and increasing performance is for future me as it's currently my daily and I have no plans to sell!
Scotty is the best!
Have learned so much.
My project car is a 1920 Model T Ford.
Everything Scotty says is true.
Thanks for the posts!
Rev up your broken project cars!
I have four project cars I'd love to do:
1 - S13 180sx
2 - E30 325i
3 - Turbo MX5 NA
4 - B18 swapped EG hatch
His Celica needs a 2JZ-GTE and RWD swap.
Mitch True
Nope, what he needs to do is get a 3sgte and find the AWD axles with the super strut suspension, then he can make the Celica GT Four.
@@gamemastr7 That's what I'm doing with my '92 ST.
Windows 7Pro2009 the car will be too front heavy and ruin balance, the current engine thought (The 4A-FE) which is the economical version of the GE is already a great engine considering how light his car is. But you were to swap the 3sge is the best engine
InsideLine PH 3S-GE seems good to me, and RWD setup for this will cost a lot.
I got a 90 300ZX for free with an "R" title. I'm so excited to have some fun with it. Since it's an NA automatic it wasn't worth anything even with a clean title, so the sky's the limit to make this a nice, fun, weekend car show car I can still take to auto cross events. Already got Nissan's 4.5L V8 ready to be rebuilt and put in. For body work, if you aren't in a rush, don't be afraid to contact a local trade school! Many will fix and paint it for materials cost, or even redo the engine and trans.
Several years agi I got a JCW Cooper Clubman as a project car. When It ran, it was a speeding ticket waiting-to-happen. It constantly needed parts, from turbo to cat, to clutch & brakes to radio. & fuel pump, including the hi-pressure injector pump. Nothing replaced was at all cheap & it finally exceeded its' worth when it needed an engine replacement. While it was good enough to drive around town or to anywhere within range of walking home, it wasn't ever reliable enough for day or weekend trips.
I sold it for more than I expected, and got a junk 2005 Honda Civic. The Honda runs like new, and needed plugs, radiator flush and a couple of tires. I have no problems taking it on weekend road trips.
The Mini used a lot of spendy BMW parts - never again!
Chevy S10s and Blazers are great project trucks. They are very versatile and parts are literally everywhere.
Rhett Krecic I bought a Chevy S10 2.2 L 4-cyl seven years ago in 2011 for $500. 74274 miles. Engine was shot (seized) due to lack of maintenance. Rest of the truck was in pretty good shape. Dropped in a new GM crate unit along with a myriad of other new parts. A factory quality paint job and she's been from Central Florida to New York (once to the Canadian border) and back three times already!
Shepperd November That's nice. I have a Oldsmobile Bravada that had recently spun a main bearing. The video of it running is on my channel. It's in such good shape. It's probably going to get a rebuilt Jasper 4.3 Vortec when I get the money saved up. I can't wait to be rolling in her again.
Rhett Krecic
Chances are if you own a blazer for a year or 2 you'll replace dnam near everything in it
June 2009 That's very true. GM used something of the lowest qaulity parts that they could. Thankfully, aftermarket parts exist. They still won't make a very reliable daily driver. That's why it's better to just use them as a fun vehicle to drive and tinker with on weekends.
Im on my 7th s series, they are incredibly reliable. Only reason my count is so high was i was young and traded and sold a bunch 😁 Dont go jasper, your better off with a junkyard motor. Jasper just has a horrible reputation
3:44 I wish ae86 parts weren't so expensive and weren't as rare.... def a project car that i will suffer for always
But it will forever be the drip
This is actually a real common thing to happen, it isn’t rare for a car to reach an incredibly low value to the point it cost more to fix up than it is actually worth.
Instead of a project car, think project truck. They are cheaper to buy, cheaper to restore, and you can do just about anything you can imagine to them. Plus, trucks are always cool
chefaaron77 I’m going to ls swap my Chevy Colorado
We have a 56’ Mercury 2 door hardtop in our back yard at my grandparents house. It’s about to be pulled up into our shop and be my project (would have pulled it out sooner but it’s had the wheels robbed off of it over the years so I had to wait until I could get someone with a front end loader in a tractor to help me get it lifted up). Love the old thing and it’s a good base. I live in Kansas so rust isn’t bad and the car doesn’t have any serious rust at all as far as I can tell. It’s a roller, no motor or trans. Not sure what’ll go into it yet but I doubt it’ll be stock. Thinking maybe a 351 Windsor with some better heads and a cam. Nothing set in stone yet, wanna have a nice weekend cruiser with a good old 4 speed trans. Just something with not a ton of money in it all at once I can take out and enjoy and it’ll have enough power to have fun with too
I remember when $100 got a not too bad car.I bought several old Austins at $25.00 a pop. 1950 GMC pick-up for $ 200.00 etc.Iam on Vancouver Island South where rust not big issue.Enjoying all your vids. Thanks
Ford crown vic is the ultimate project car
Yup and make sure u get p71 with 3:55 gears and blue silicone hoses . I just wish they weren't such a heavy car. Very fun to drive.
My dads got a 68 camaro with a 350 small block I wanna rebuild it with him
Carter Decamp same except 69
1nickf33 I doubt it
That’s dope.
Best first car is motorcycle...
Simple to work on and fix, teaches the basics :D electronics the less of it the better (so no ducati, but anything else)
@Chaminda Thushara Ruwan Kasturi well best cars are id say Lexus'es and hondas.
Working on 2 3rd gen Firebirds..88 TA T Top and a 87 Formula 350....it also helps to know ppl who've not only worked on project cars before but that have various tools available for borrowing or knowledge of where to find the best quality parts for the best price. Because the parts are only "part" of the problem depending on the make of the vehicle may require specific tools for not only that vehicle but sometimes just for that specific year as well. Another thing to remember is that all junkyards are not equal especially in their pricing and being a good negotiator can help reduce your costs. I've found alot of individuals with a passion for the specific cars I'm working on by word of mouth, car shows, the Internet, namely thru social media especially Facebook and Instagram. I've found 5 people within a 250 mile radius who not only have a 3rd gen Firebird/Camaro project but also have anywhere from 10 to over 100 parts cars with almost every conceivable special option package available for an 82-92 Firebird/Camaro. Also knowing your car and which other vehicles came from the manufacturer with parts that could be used on your project.
I always wanted to get a crown vic or an old volvo as a project car.
Get the Volvo. It's bulletproof
A bullet-proof money pit.
CptHuggyFace If you could get one from sweden, they are as low as 500 for a more than ok example. Well depending on the volvo you mean
I have a 2011 crown vic :)
Kevin Norris
God I hate that world "bulletproof" Jay Leno always says that
Hey Scotty! Came across your channel because of my own celi- almost looks like yours! silver, just without the spoiler. Wanted it to be my first project car, and rust isnt a big issue on it- only the rear wheel wells are a little eaten up on the back. is that fixable?
My project car is a 2001 bmw 330ci, i wouldn’t consider it much of a project since something decides to break every day
I got a 2002 bmw 325xi...
My project is a 92 Subaru SVX! I fixed it’s misfire, and next on the list is the power steering. Parts are hard to come by, but I enjoy taking my time with it.. as if I’m not tinkering on it daily ;)
Old GM FWD sedans. Buick Park Ave, Pontiac Bonneville, Oldsmobile Cutlass. Super easy to work on, very nice to drive, and there's a certain cool factor to them.
Are MR2's good project cars?
It depends. The earlier models had something called Snap oversteer which causes them to oversteer very hard and cornering situations. So you'd probably want to get something passed the second gen. I'd recommend a non-turbo car to start as they are cheaper and more reliable. They make great project cars because parts are moderately cheap and the engine has lots of aftermarket options.
Very small & cramped engine bay, especially on the Turbo models. You better have small hands to work on them.
MOPAR is probably the cheapest domestic brand, then GM, and Ford/Motorcraft. GM has the advantage that they have a plethora of aftermarket parts that work well. Whereas Ford, if it's not Motorcraft, it doesn't work well.
YungGBone124127134 Last I knew, pretty much forever. Motorcraft always pulls a premium. MOPAR has generally been cheaper, and cheaper to work on.
I'm thinking about purchasing a VG Corrado off this guy in my neighbourhood with 160,000kms. Its a g60 engine with new aluminum heads, performance rotors, coilovers, and a subtle body kit (nothing ricey). The only problem with it is the ABS module. There's an issue with it starting up too, but he's fixing that before me actually purchasing it.
I believe I can replace parts with an older gen Jetta or Passat. But I'd much rather get an opinion from people who are wiser than me.
Is it worth it?
Jnf he's asking for $8.5k CAD. And I'll consider it. I know German automobiles are money pits but I thought this Corrado was something not worth passing up on, but for sure I'll consider what you said.
Hey Scotty, I got the best project car in mind , I would buy a old vw bug! Either pull the motor and put into a sandrail or manix? But right now I put a 350 v8 in my 1994 s10 2wd. I love it! Tons of power and I can haul more than a mustang with the bed!
Square body Chevrolet for a good first time muscle car buy. Parts are very accessible and easy to put together. Also infinitely customizable.
Another good video